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Puppy pride Get ready to go mutts for a Puppy Pride event at Kyneton Botanic Gardens, where the LGBTIQA+ community will come together to celebrate their furry friends on Sunday, April 10. As part of the Macedon Ranges Autumn Festival, the all-ages gathering will begin with a dog walk along the Campaspe River and wind up at the pig shed in the Botanic Gardens, where attendees will be greeted with a range of food and drink stalls. Organised by Sunbury and Cobaw Community Health (SCCH), the day will also include pup and pride-themed stalls, fun dog displays and a ‘Fashions on the Fur’ competition hosted by special guests. SCCH’s Belinda Brain is one of the organisers and said they have been “blown away” by the support for the event, “from sellers, services and sponsors from across the whole of the Macedon Ranges and beyond”. “We have representatives from Dogs Victoria, specialist breeders’ clubs, health and wellbeing services and animal themed gifts,” Ms Brain said. To be a part of the walk, head to the outdoor gym in St Agnes Place at 11.30am, or be at the Kyneton Botanic Gardens at noon for the main event.

BELINDA BRAIN WITH COCO

‘Call in’ Sunbury carpark By Elsie Lange Hume council has requested the state government intervene in a Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) process to bring forward the development of a long-awaited multi-deck carpark in Sunbury. The carpark, proposed for 106-112 Evans Street to provide more than 600 car spaces in the town centre, had been delayed until after August following two appeals to VCAT against the council-approved plan. At a planning meeting on Monday, March 28, councillors discussed correspondence between Hume and state and federal

governments, including a request from mayor Carly Moore to Planning Minister Richard Wynne to “call in” the VCAT process. It said that on February 14, council would consider a resolution to formally request the minister “exercise your powers … to call in the abovementioned appeals which are being reviewed by the Planning Division of the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal”. Unconfirmed minutes from a council meeting on March 15 show the council did vote in favour of making the request. According to the VCAT Act, to call in an appeal the minister must consider that the

proceeding “raises a major issue of policy” and the determination of the proceeding “may have a substantial effect on the achievement or development of planning objectives”. At the meeting, councillor Trevor Dance said asking the government to call in the decision could be viewed as a “double standard”, because objectors should be given “their day in court”. Last week Cr Dance told Star Weekly people had a right to go to VCAT and appeal planning decisions because it was the function of the tribunal. “Requesting the minister to use his authority to make a determination as suggested by the

letter takes away the ability for objectors to use the tribunal process,” Cr Dance said. “That is quite ironic at a time when we’ve been critical of the planning minister for using his authority to determine the planning scheme changes for the Hi-Quality Toxic Soil site.” At the March 28 meeting, Cr Jarrod Bell said he was “pleased” to see council take steps to “fast track” the process of getting the carpark built. “We’re talking 693, that’s almost 700 additional carspots for both our retail and shopping community, as well as the commuter community,” Cr Bell said.

Mary-Anne Thomas MP

LABOR MEMBER FOR MACEDON DELIVERING FOR OUR COMMUNITY

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A: Shop 14, Nexus Centre, 9 Goode Street, Gisborne, VIC 3437 P: 5428 2138 E: mary-anne.thomas@parliament.vic.gov.au MaryAnneMacedon @MaryAnneThomas maryannethomasmp

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Hume seeks soil spill answers By Elsie Lange Hume councillors have expressed their disappointment about a spill from a truck transporting soil from the West Gate Tunnel Project (WGTP) to the Hi-Quality disposal site and voted to take action. The muddy load came off a CPB John Holland joint venture truck at the roundabout at Wildwood and Sunbury roads on Wednesday, March 23, Star Weekly reported last week. At a council meeting on Monday, March 28, mayor Carly Moore took the unprecedented

‘‘

Someone will get killed, it’s just a matter of time

’’

- Trevor Dance action of beginning general business to bring up the spill. She moved for council to write to the chief executive of the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) and CPB John Holland Joint Venture. The letter would seek clarity on a range

of issues from the cause of the spill, the risk posed to the community, actions taken to prevent recurrence and details of their spill management procedure. “Our community is quite rightly concerned, I think that it is entirely appropriate that we seek answers on their behalf,” Cr Moore said. “It is my expectation that the response to the letter that I will send will provide some clarity on how exactly this happened and what is being done to ensure that this does not occur again in the future and that we have some assurance that our community will be safe.”

Cr Jack Medcraft said he was glad the community could see how seriously council took their complaints, while councillor Trevor Dance thanked Cr Moore for raising the “ridiculous situation”. “Someone will get killed, it’s just a matter of time,” Cr Dance said. Cr Jodi Jackson said she saw the area after the cleanup and there was still “a lot of mud” on the road. “The cleanup certainly didn’t mean my standards and I’m sure it didn’t meet the standards of our residents,” Cr Jackson said.

Macedon MP Mary-Anne Thomas with student leaders and assistant principal Faye Zollia at Kyneton High School. (Supplied)

High school upgrade gets under way

(Marco De Luca)

Take care with controlled burns: CFA Summer is over and while fire restrictions have ended, the Romsey Country Fire Authority (CFA) has echoed statewide calls to be vigilant about containing private fires. A statement from Victoria CFA on Wednesday, March 30, said property maintenance burn-offs can be a significant risk if not done safely. Romsey CFA captain Nic Needham said in the last seven days, the brigade had responded to three fires that escaped as a result of landowners undertaking their own fuel reduction burning.

“These fires have escaped due to inadequate extinguishment or inadequate controls, to make sure the fire is safe,” Mr Needham said. He said without substantial periods of rainfall, it only takes an increase in wind to allow the fires to spread. “The majority of the community does a good job when it comes to monitoring their burns and registering them with a bushfire information line, but sometimes complacency can come into play,” Mr Needham said. “This causes the fire reduction burns and

burnoffs they are doing to escape.” He said it was vital for residents to be mindful of conditions on their properties and surrounds to ensure fires don’t escape several days or weeks after the burn, because fire can stay burning for a substantial period of time. “If something does happen, [people] should feel comfortable to call the fire brigade, because we come out and help them put them out,” Mr Needham said.

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Kyneton High School’s $10.9 million revamp has begun, delivering new facilities to students in the Macedon Ranges. On Friday, March 25, Macedon MP Mary-Anne Thomas announced Raysett Constructions Australia as the company appointed to complete the works, which would include an upgrade of Block J at the school. A statement from Ms Thomas said the project builds on the $10.9 million previously delivered by the state government. “These upgrades are part of the school building boom that is happening right across our electorate and across Victoria,” Ms Thomas said. “On ongoing upgrades at Kyneton High School will give our local students access to great classrooms and facilities and build on the $10.9m of works already completed at this great local school.”

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Police target ‘high risk’ driving Macedon Ranges police want to raise awareness around an escalation in road trauma throughout the region. Acting Sergeant Dwayne Sharam from the Macedon Ranges Highway Patrol said a spike in accidents had occurred across the Macedon Ranges, the central goldfields, Bendigo, and Campaspe municipalities. He said the accidents were generally tied back to “high risk” themes, including

excessive speeds, high risk driving and impaired driving and an increase in vulnerable road user collisions – particularly motorcycles. “A lot of that comes back to a lot of the recreational riders that are coming up to the area, particularly with the better weather and trying to get back out into a normal lifestyle since the lockdowns have lifted,” acting Sergeant Sharam said. He said since the start of the year, in the Macedon Ranges there had already been one

motorcycle fatality and 12 crashes in which people were seriously injured. “We’ve had a number of collisions in the last week that aren’t included those numbers, including a 29-year-old male in Woodend that was airlifted to hospital in a life-threatening condition after crashing on a motorcycle,” acting Sergeant Sharam said. Further details about the incident have not been released. He said the accidents could also be linked to a “degradation in driving skills”,

Kyneton junior fire brigade wins big Nic Hanna of Kyneton’s Country Fire Authority (CFA) was stoked to compete against and beat the Chief Officer’s Chargers at the State Firefighter Championships on Saturday, March 26. The 17-year-old Kyneton resident participated alongside his under-17 brigade members Sam Foster, Royce Sharp and Spencer Zan at the State Urban Senior Championships in Shepparton. The Kyneton under-17 juniors won the opportunity to battle against CFA chief officer Jason Heffernan and three of his deputies after winning a competition at the junior championships the weekend before. “It felt really good to have the honour to compete against the chief officers of the CFA, and to be able to do that with the team … it was really quite great,” Nic said. The race involved obstacles attaching and detaching hydrants, fireplugs and hoses to blast water onto discs. Nic said he wanted to thank their coaches, Emma and Brett Magrath, for all their efforts getting their team ready. “They both worked tirelessly every week to come train us, to support us getting down there, sometimes travelling up to Swan Hill, Mooroopna, and that’s all looked after by Brett and Emma and the brigade,” Nic said. The youngster said he felt proud to be a part of the CFA, because it was a great pathway into becoming a brigade member, which can lead to becoming a firefighter. “I love it because it’s a place where everyone works together,” Nic said. “It’s been a really fun experience over the last few years for me, being able to meet with these people every week.” Elsie Lange Top: Kyneton Brigade’s victorious under-17 team Nic Hanna, Sam Foster, Royce Sharp, Spencer Zan, CFA DCO Kaylene Jones, CFA Chief Officer Jason Heffernan, DCO Rohan Luke, DCO Peter O’Keefe. Right: Kyneton’s team in action. (Pictures: Supplied)

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with people getting back on the roads after lockdowns. The deterioration of roads following recent storms and ongoing weather conditions may also have played a part in the collisions, he added. “The message that we’re trying to get across is that road safety is everyone’s responsibility,” acting Sergeant Sharam said. “These collisions are preventable, people [need to] take a bit more time to show a bit more care in what they are doing.”

First home buyer help Macedon Ranges residents with hopes of entering the property market will receive a helping hand whoever wins the upcoming federal election. Opposition leader Anthony Albanese announced the Regional First Home Buyer Support Scheme last week. The pledge was then matched by the Coalition in Tuesday’s budget. The new scheme will assist 10,000 Australians living in regional areas to buy their first home. The funding boost comes after reports that housing prices in regional areas increased by 26 per cent in 2021. A report from Infrastructure Australia found that the Grampians region had a clear shortage of affordable housing to accommodate growing demand, as an influx of remote workers moved to regional Victoria during the COVID-19 pandemic. The support scheme will help first home buyers with a deposit of five per cent by reducing the cost of mortgage insurance. Eligible residents need to live in a regional area for more than 12 months to receive the funding and the property price cap for regional Victoria is $500,000. Mr Albanese said the scheme was primarily aimed at providing better access to homeownership for young people who had been saving for years. “Too many younger Australians in particular simply can’t access the housing market to get into it, their rent is going up, they’re struggling to get by,” Mr Albanese said. “If you’re saving to buy a home, the savings that you’re putting aside aren’t keeping up with the increase in housing costs, so you are getting further and further away from being able to buy a home.”

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Tuesday, 5 April, 2022 SUNBURY & MACEDON RANGES STAR WEEKLY 5

HUME HUMECITY CITYCOUNCIL COUNCILCOMMUNITY COMMUNITYUPDATE UPDATE

HUME

9205 2200 hume.vic.gov.au hume.vic.gov.au/app @HumeCityCouncil contactus@hume.vic.gov.au

Mickleham Road has long been a point of frustration for many members of our community. We have heard you loud and clear on the issue, and it is great to see that our almost decade-long advocacy efforts have ﬁnally been heard with the Australian Government committing $109.5 million to the project in the 2022/23 Federal Budget. Details on the project are not yet available, but we hope the funding will go a long way towards the full duplication between Somerton Road and Craigieburn Road. Melbourne’s North will also beneﬁt from a $1.2 billion funding commitment for the Beveridge Interstate Freight Terminal, plus $280 million for road connections, including the Camerons Lane Interchange to the terminal. In addition to providing the vital infrastructure improvements our growing community needs, this investment will also create thousands of jobs. We would like to thank the Australian Government for their commitment and investment in Melbourne’s Northern Suburbs. Scan the QR code below to read more about the budget and how it will impact Hume City. .Cr Carly Moore, Mayor of Hume City

Pet registration renewals Pet registration renewals are due this Sunday (10 April). State law in Victoria requires all dogs and cats over three months of age to be microchipped and registered with their local Council. Pet registrations also help us build better parks, facilities and services for you and your pet. Scan the QR code below to learn more and complete your renwal online.

Stronger Hume COVID Resilience and Adaptation Plan We’re proud to launch Stronger Hume: a new plan designed to help our community rebuild and recover from the impacts of COVID-19. This plan is designed to support the Hume community to adapt, build resilience, and develop new ways to thrive. Scan the QR code below to learn more.

Wurundjeri Woi Warrung walking tour Join us on a special walking tour of the Sunbury Rings! The property contains three earth rings, one of only a few examples of remaining cultural earth structures. Tours are being offered on Thursday 7 April or Saturday 9 April. Scan the QR code below to learn more and register for a tour.

Hume Clean Day this Saturday Hume Clean Days are available to help you recycle electronic items, mattresses, whitegoods, tyres and couches. You can dispose of these items for free at our Resource Recovery Centers on Saturday 9 April. Scan the QR code below for all the details.

Scan to ﬁnd more informaton on our website

Customer Service Centres Open Monday to Friday 9am–4pm Broadmeadows 1079 Pascoe Vale Road

Craigieburn 75–95 Central Park Avenue Sunbury 44 Macedon Street

6 SUNBURY & MACEDON RANGES STAR WEEKLY Tuesday, 5 April, 2022

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‘Disappointed’ at budget: CEO By Elsie Lange Macedon Ranges was let down by funding omissions in last week’s budget says the chief executive. Council chief executive Bernie O’Sullivan said the organisation was “disappointed” it had missed out on funding for stage two of the Macedon Ranges Sports Precinct. “Construction on stage one is soon to commence, however council is seeking $15 million in funding from the federal government to contribute towards the $21 million required for stage two,” Mr O’Sullivan said. “The current and projected population growth and the conditions of existing sports fields in the south of the shire make it imperative that stage two is delivered soon after stage one in order to meet continuing demand. “Council will continue to advocate for the funding required to complete the project and deliver the new sporting precinct to the community as promised.” He said council was pleased to see the Building Better Regions Funding program had received a boost, as it was a program council had applied to in the past, and could do so again in the future, to fund its regional sports precinct. Mr O’Sullivan also lamented a lack of federal funding in the area of climate change,

given council declared a climate emergency in 2021 and developed a climate action plan. “We see this as intrinsically linked with emergency management and would like to see much more funding towards climate change mitigation and renewable energy,” Mr O’Sullivan said. Despite this, Mr O’Sullivan celebrated extra federal support for recycling, including $60.4 million over four years from 2022-2023 to boost Australia’s plastics recycling capabilities. “As a leader in recycling initiatives, including being one of the first councils to introduce separate glass recycling, and food and garden organic bins, and our current soft plastics recycling scheme pilot, we were pleased to see additional funding for initiatives in the Recycling Modernisation Fund,” Mr O’Sullivan said. He said federal funding for telecommunications and data aligns with council’s priority projects and emphasised the need for extra support in areas like Woodend, Kyneton, Tylden and Gisborne South. “We have not received word yet regarding if any of the telecommunications funding allocated would be put towards these areas, but council continues to work with individual telecommunications companies to fill these blackspots,” Mr O’Sullivan said.

CWA branches cook up a creative arts show This weekend, 11 branches of the Victorian Country Women’s Association (CWA) will come together to put their collective talents on show for their Creative Arts Exhibition 2022. At the Lancefield Mechanics Institute on Saturday, April 9 and Sunday, April 10, the annual show will feature art, including drawing and painting, and hand crafts, like knitting, crochet and embroidery and more. Kyneton Twilighters CWA branch member Sharon McNamara-Youl said there will be a number of awards for cooking, known as home industries, too.

‘‘

We’ve changed up our categories a bit

’’

- Sharon McNamara-Youl “We have [prizes for] the perfect sponge, to the perfect scone, to the perfect jam, to preserved fruits and veg and all sorts of stuff,” Ms McNamara-Youl said. “This year we’ve changed up our categories a bit to acknowledge the different dietary requirements people have, so we’ve got our first gluten-free category for baking, which is going to be terrific. “We’ve got a fermented foods category as well, I’m excited to have won that with my home-brewed kombucha.” She said there will even be a home-baked bread category, for people to show-off the skills they perfected during the pandemic. “All of our lockdown sourdough work is getting put on show,” she said. In its 94th year, the CWA means something different to each of its members, who join together to outwardly support the community, while also supporting each other. “We all come to the association as individuals, some of us come to give back to the community and help with fundraising, some of us come just for friendship,” Ms McNamara-Youl said.

Sharon McNamara-Youl with her award-winning kombucha. (Supplied)

The Creative Arts Exhibition is happening at the Lancefield Mechanics Institute on Saturday, April 9, 10am-4pm, and Sunday, April 10, 10am-3pm. Entry is $5, children under -16 are free and lunch, morning and afternoon teas will be available. Elsie Lange

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Council wants your say Macedon Ranges council wants the community’s say on its draft asset plan, accepting online, written or in-person feedback until May 10. Council manages $964 million worth of assets on behalf of residents including buildings, roads, bridges, kerbs and gutter, footpaths, cycling tracks, recreation assets and open space, as well as technology, stormwater and flood management, and plant, fleet and equipment. The draft plan can be viewed online or picked up at any of council’s service centres in Kyneton, Gisborne, Romsey or Woodend. Feedback can be provided online, in-person at customer service centres, by phone or email. Contact 5422 0333 or assets@mrsc.vic.gov.au, or head to mrsc.vic.gov.au/yoursay.

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NEWS

Macedon MP Mary Anne Thomas and Macedon Ranges councillors celebrated the upgrades at Lauriston Hall. (Supplied)

The magic of butterflies

Facelift for historic hall Works on Lauriston’s 90-year-old community hub have been completed. The upgrade of Lauriston Hall, backed by a $50,000 state government investment and delivered by Macedon Ranges council, has maintained the historic nature of the building while providing a number of new and improved facilities for the community to enjoy. The hall’s original construction was funded by two local sisters pooling their money together in the early 1930s – this community spirit has carried through its latest update. Access has been improved too, so people of all abilities can be a part of activities at the site. Lauriston community members joined the Lauriston Hall Committee to work on the development of the final project.

Following pandemic lockdowns, a space for communities to be together is more vital than ever. Macedon MP Mary-Anne Thomas visited the hall on Friday, March 25 to take a look at the revamp. “We are revitalising a critical community hall in Lauriston to make it a more accessible space for everyone and to help people to stay connected,” Ms Thomas said. “Our upgrades to Lauriston Hall will help the 90-year-old building continue to be an important hub for our local community, encouraging more people to visit the town which supports jobs and the local economy.”

Hume Healthy Kids presents Butterflies at Hume Libraries on April 9, from 10am-11am. Hume children aged 0-12 are invited to a special day at Sunbury library to experience the magic of butterflies up close. The event will feature an enclosure for kids to safely touch and feed the live butterflies under supervision. Butterfly themed crafts and other activities will be happening on the day, and even some take-home kits. No bookings are required. Details: https://bit. ly/3wVRcm4. FOR BREAKING NEWS, VISIT Web: starweekly.com.au Sunbury & Macedon Ranges Star Weekly @starweeklynews @star_weekly

Elsie Lange

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Concerns at budget ‘Band-Aid’ By Elsie Lange Housing stress is felt acutely in the Macedon Ranges and it’s argued the federal government’s budget announcement of a $250 bonus payment for concession card holders and welfare recipients is a “Band-Aid” approach. Anglican reverend Melissa Clark is one of the faces behind the Woodend Community Chest (WCC), a mechanism for locals to financially support those in the community who need it most. She said while the payments are welcome,

they do not address systemic problems which make the cost of living, including paying rent, untenable for many Macedon Ranges residents. “The one-off payments [in the federal budget], the $250 to the welfare recipients and concession card holders, and the $420 for the people who earn under $126,000, is all great,” Ms Clark said. “But it’s a Band-Aid that only goes to assist one week’s worth of stress, rather than ongoing assistance.” Last month, data from Everybody’s Home – a coalition of homelessness, housing and welfare

organisations – showed 61.5 per cent of renters across the federal electorate of McEwan were living in housing stress. Through the WCC, which has distributed more than $5000 worth of vouchers and support to the community since June last year, Ms Clark has seen it on the ground. “Rent stress is a real issue, it’s a big issue in the Macedon Ranges, particularly in Woodend,” Ms Clark said. “There are no rentals available and when they do come up, they are very expensive.” In her opinion, the answer to addressing housing and

costs of living stresses are not in short-term, singular payments, but in creating better social and affordable housing in the region. “For people who ring me, in Woodend, to get them to state or commonwealth-based assistance, I have to send them to Bendigo, there’s not even a place here anymore,” Ms Clark said. “When you consider that to go to Bendigo it can cost you $30 in fuel, or maybe more depending on the car you have, that’s crazy for someone who is desperate enough to need help. “It’d be good to have a few more services available in this area.”

Book tells a timely tale In her new book, ‘If I Can, You Can’, former radio and TV journalist Karen O’Sullivan tells the story of Kyneton Football Netball Club’s (KDFNC) Hayden Walsh. The biography of the 31-year-old explores his life loving sport and living with cerebral palsy. Walsh is well-known around the Bendigo Football League and has been Kyneton’s senior timekeeper since 2014. “I feel really blessed and privileged to be able to be able to tell his story – it’s given me insight into longform writing, and small run publications,” O’Sullivan said. O’Sullivan was the first female president of the KDFNC and after meeting Walsh through the club, knew immediately that she wanted to write about him. Walsh said as a young kid, he was told to make the most of life despite the obstacles he faced. “That’s what I am doing; living my life to the best of my ability,” Walsh said.

Even former AFL player and coach Nathan Buckley contributed a forward to the biography of Walsh, who was the first person with a disability to play Auskick halftime at a match, and was central to the KDFNT creating its first all-abilities team in 2021. “His actions do speak louder than his words,” O’Sullivan said. “He just gets about his business and does what he does, in a kind and thoughtful way, and that’s something we can all try and achieve.” ‘If I Can, You Can’, launched at 5.30pm Friday, April 1, at the Kyneton Hotel. Elsie Lange

Hayden Walsh and Karen O’Sullivan with ‘If I Can, You Can’. (Supplied)

Allied Health Professionals needed. Build your career with us.

Make a difference at Macedon Ranges Health If you’re an allied health professional with a passion for supporting your local community, consider a role at Macedon Ranges Health.

Committed to helping people live their best lives, we strive for the very best outcomes for our clients whilst working in a happy and supportive environment. Our clinicians enjoy a varied and purposeful role with a competitive remuneration package, strong job security and excellent development and leadership opportunities.

Establish yourself in the healthcare ﬁeld at Allied Health Plus, a leading provider of privately-funded allied health services in Gisborne. By providing our clients with easier access to a range of high-quality care services, we empower them to pursue their health, ﬁtness and wellbeing goals at their own pace. Our services are open to people of all ages meaning our clinicians get to work with people at varying stages of life.

We are currently seeking qualiﬁed Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapists and Podiatrists to join our team.

In response to our growing demand for services, we are currently welcoming qualiﬁed Allied Health professionals to consult at our centre.

Visit mrh.org.au or call (03) 5428 0300 to ﬁnd out more.

Enjoy the ﬂexibility of developing your own schedule while you grow your own client base and gain valuable experience with a reputable provider.

For more information visit ahplus.com.au or call (03) 5428 0375. (03) 5428 0300 | mrh.org.au 5 Neal Street, Gisborne

5 Neal Street, Gisborne T (03) 5428 0375

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Macedon Ranges Health is an innovative not-for-proﬁt organisation delivering leading-edge allied health care to older people living in Gisborne and surrounds.

Tuesday, 5 April, 2022 SUNBURY & MACEDON RANGES STAR WEEKLY 9

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Enjoy pups, pints and parmas at Woodend RSL It was the isolation of lockdowns that inspired Woodend RSL bar manager Amy Meldrum to bring together two things people love to foster community connection – dogs and beer. Every Thursday from 5pm, locals head down to the RSL for some frothy, furry fun, and it’s been so successful that it’s expanded even further. Woodend RSL HAS collaborated with non-profit One Voice to create Pups, Pints and Parmas, feeding attendees while training youth hospitality workers. “It’s mainly an initiative to help with social interaction in the community,” Ms Meldrum said. Both organisations exist to support people and Ms Meldrum said for her, it was about championing mental health.

“It’s also to support veterans, as well, a lot of veterans that have served overseas, have mental health problems and struggle with social anxiety,” Ms Maldrum said. “It’s really about trying to get the younger veterans in the door as well, as well as the older ones, and to try to make it a safe and welcoming place.” She said her two little french bulldogs loved the event too. “It’s good fun and it’s good to meet new people, it rolls into helping with our membership and increasing the funding that’s coming through the door for us,” she said. Elsie Lange Enjoy a pint with your pup at Woodend RSL. (Woodend RSL)

Briefs Sunbury drive-by shootings

AUSTRALIA’S ECONOMIC PLAN Employment’s up, so we’re taking the next step. There are now 260,000 more people in work than before COVID. And Australia performed better than major advanced economies through the pandemic. That’s why we’re taking the next step.

To find out more, visit economicplan.gov.au

Police are appealing for information following two drive-by shootings in Sunbury on Saturday, March 26 and Monday, March 28. Police said the first gunshot was heard outside a house on Riddell Road at 1.15am on March 26 and it is understood a vehicle, believed to be a white Ford Courier, was driving by. Four people inside the property were asleep and a window was smashed before the car left the scene, police said. The second gunshot occurred about 2.20am on March 28 at a property on Lalor Crescent and police attended the scene. other injuries occurred and the Fawkner Embona Taskforce are continuing to investigate. If you have any information, dash cam or CCTV footage, contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or www.crimestoppersvic.com.au.

Motorcyclist airlifted A man was airlifted to hospital in a critical condition following a motorcycle crash in Woodend. The 29-year-old man crashed into a bluestone curb on Sunday, March 27, police said. According to police, no other vehicles are believed to be involved. Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or make a confidential report at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au

Damaged mailbox Macedon Ranges Eyewatch Facebook page has asked residents to come forward if they have any information about damage to a mailbox on Three Chain Road Newham, Near Dons Road. Please contact Leanne Wyatt from Kyneton Police on 5421 2900.

13.3 million

Controlled burns

+260,000 More people in work than before COVID

13 million

March 2020 - January 2022

Now the official fire danger period is over, Hume council is undertaking a number of planned burns across Sunbury throughout autumn, with the assistance of local emergency services. Planned burns are set to take place at Evans Street, Wildflower Reserve, Albert Road Nature Reserve, Gellies Road Bridge Reserve, Raes Road Grassland Reserve, Rosenthal Estate Conservation Reserve and Darr Baneem. Residents living locally to the controlled burn sites will be notified by mail about when burns will occur. Details: hume.vic.gov.au/ ecologicalburns

Data: ABS Labour Force, Australia

Authorised by the Australian Government, Canberra. 10 SUNBURY & MACEDON RANGES STAR WEEKLY Tuesday, 5 April, 2022

FOR BREAKING NEWS, VISIT Web: starweekly.com.au Sunbury & Macedon Ranges Star Weekly @starweeklynews @star_weekly

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NEWS

Rising costs bite at food bank By Elsie Lange It’s no secret the cost of living has become a struggle for people across the state to afford, and local food and support bank volunteers have noticed the difficulties residents face on the ground. Gisborne Food Bank (GFB) manager Lynne Margaret said the organisation had gauged a slow rise in the number of people accessing more of their services in recent months, as fuel, groceries and paying the bills became harder to afford. “We’re all expecting that things are going to get more difficult for people,” Ms Margaret said. She said a recent drop in donations could also be because soaring costs were being felt more broadly. “It must be affecting a lot of people, not just people who are on low incomes, but everybody,” she said. The organisation, which operates on Wednesdays and Fridays, supports between 25 and 30 families each week. Ms Margaret said there were new and different people accessing their services now too. GFB is just one of many organisations across Sunbury and the Macedon Ranges providing support to people in need. CareWorks SunRanges is another not-for-profit crisis relief service based in Sunbury, and service manager Jane Williams said she’s also seen the issue firsthand. She said it seemed like people felt more desperate because they had burned through the safety net they used to have. “I do know that people are reaching out for what seems to be for different reasons, and not only food related, because the cost of living has gone up, but also because they’re

Gisborne Food Bank deals with the rising cost of living on the ground. Service coordinator Lynne Margaret (middle) and volunteers Rob Dunstan and Tony Woodgate. (Damjan Janevski) 274587_01

finding they’re at the end of any savings they might have,” Ms Williams said. On Tuesday, March 29, the federal government announced its 2022-2023 budget ahead of the May election, and promised a tax cut for low and middle income workers worth up to $420, and a $250 on-off payment to welfare recipients and pensioners. However, Ms Williams questioned whether a $250 payment would go very far for people who needed it most. “What’s that going to help with? People

will just go out and spend it because they’ve not been able to spend anything lately, or will they put it towards a bill, or food for the week or something,” she said. Australian Council of Social Service chief executive Cassandra Goldie said the federal government’s budget was full of “tem porary fixes”. “The budget does nothing to lift the incomes of people with the least,” Dr Goldie said. “Whilst we welcome the extension of a

$250 bonus payment to people on pensions and allowances, if you’re living on $46 a day, this payment will help for a week or two, but people have to pay the rent 52 weeks a year.” Ms Margaret said while there is work out there, incomes are simply not keeping up with how much it costs to live day-to-day. “There’s just pressure coming from all sides,” Ms Margaret said. “Everyday people, everyone from all walks of life, we’re seeing it hit everybody.”

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GET BACK

TO THE FOOTY HRCC president Peter Walsh, Northern Victoria MP Wendy Lovell, Liberal McEwan candidate Richard Welch, vice president Stephen Mitchell and opposition sport spokesperson Cindy McLeish.

Clubs feel bowled over By Elsie Lange

Tickets to selected games

Hanging Rock Cricket Club members feel like they’ve been hit for six when it comes to the development of their local cricket ground at the iconic Victorian location, and this week their petition will be tabled in Victorian parliament. A draft master plan, developed by the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) alongside Macedon Ranges council, was released in January, and did not provide space for the cricket, tennis and petanque clubs to continue playing at Hanging Rock. The draft plan, developed following the approval of the 50-year Hanging Rock Strategic Plan in 2018, was open for community consultation until February 28. The club’s vice president, Stephen Mitchell, spoke about his concerns to Northern Victoria MP Wendy Lovell, opposition sport spokesperson Cindy McLeish and Liberal

BUT HURRY!

McEwan candidate Richard Welch when they visited the club on March 30. “There has been club cricket played inside this ground since the 1890s,” Mr Mitchell said. Among his concerns was that the draft masterplan not only dispossessed the club of a ground, but the surrounding hamlets and communities too, and that there had been no alternative location put forward. Mr Mitchell said the draft plan did not align or represent the values of the 2018 strategic plan. He said he looked forward to the club’s petition being tabled by Justice Party MP Tania Maxwell in the Victorian Legislative Council on Wednesday, April 6, which requests the upper house to call on the government to amend the plan to allow local sport in the precinct. Ms Lovell said she will raise the issue again in parliament next week and continue to put pressure on the government to have more genuine engagement with parties involved. DELWP was contacted for comment.

Print and Online Sales Executive Star Weekly Star Weekly seeks an enthusiastic sales executive to work across our print, digital, social and online platforms. Star Weekly is an independently owned company which prides itself on its long history of community experience but also its investment in the future. The successful applicant will need to possess good people skills to enable them to meet with local businesses to sell solutions through our advertising platforms to help promote their business. 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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NEWS

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

30 years ago

25 years ago

20 years ago

10 years ago

March 31, 1992

April 1, 1997

April 2, 2002

April 3, 2012

A furore has erupted over Community Services Victoria plans to house 10 intellectually disabled people from Caloola Training Centre in Woodend.

The Macedon Ranges shire will not have a full time mayor. Mt William councillor Mr Ron Hardy was last week elected as mayor and will juggle the role with his position in the police force.

About 300 people have signed a petition objecting to a proposal to reduce car parking in Sunbury’s business district.

Fractured families: standing up to domestic violence. A woman is killed in Australia almost every week by a partner or ex-partner*. Andria Cozza reports on the rise of family violence in Melbourne’s north west.

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BEHIND THE NEWS STARWEEKLY.COM.AU Wajiha will be taking part in her first Ramadan alongside her grandmother, Mounira Osman. (Helena Abdou)

Fasting for a deeper connection Ramadan began on Friday, April 1 for Muslim’s across Melbourne’s northern and western suburbs. Helena Abdou spoke to Newport grandmother Mounira Osman and her granddaughter Wajiha about what the holy month of fasting means to them.

es, not even water. When Muslims spend 30 days fasting from sunrise till dusk, they abstain from food and drink. It’s the ninth month in the Islamic calendar and the holy month of fasting. It starts and ends with the appearance of the crescent moon. This year, Ramadan began on the evening of Friday, April 1 and will end the evening of Sunday, May 1. According to the Demographic Resource Centre at .ID, there are over 100,000 Muslims in Melbourne, some of whom, like nine-year-old Wajiha, will be fasting their first Ramadan. “I’m excited to be fasting Ramadan this year, it’s going to be my first one,” Wajiha said. Wajiha’s favourite part of the holy month is rekindling her relationship with God and loved ones. “I get to reconnect with Allah (God) and my family and we sit together and have dinner,” she said. However, she won’t be doing the momentous celebration alone, her 78-year-old grandmother has been fasting for almost 70 years . “I started fasting when I was 10-years-old and I’m going into my 68th year now,” Mounira Osman said. For Ms Osman, the holy month means more than just fasting. “Ramadan gives meaning to your life and soul, it’s about building a deeper connection with Allah through praying and a time to be compassionate towards others,” Ms Osman said. Muslims believe it to be a time to further develop your submission to God, empathise with the less fortunate and focus on spirituality. Fasting forms one of the five pillars of Islam which constitutes the basic norms of a practicing Muslim. This way of life was depicted in the Quran through the teachings of Prophet Muhammad. “This is a very peaceful time for me, it’s where I find myself most grounded and feel whole as a person,” Ms Osman said.

Wajiha shares a moment with her grandmother whilst reading the Quran. (Helena Abdou) Right: The Australian Islamic Centre (AIC) in Melbourne’s west is a central place of worship for hundreds of Muslims. (Supplied)

Reminiscing on previous Ramadans, Ms Osman says not a lot has changed with the sense of community and love still very much strong. “I remember one of my first Ramadan’s in Australia and how me and my Muslim neighbours would go around to each other’s homes with a plate of food and before you know it you had a table-spread fit for a king,” Ms Osman said. “But it’s not just about food, people really come together in these times and look out for one another.” Muslims in Australia taking part in Ramadan will spend 13 hours of their day fasting, this is a sign of “rahma (mercy)” to Ms Osman. “When we were younger in Lebanon, around my granddaughter’s age, we had a shortage of water and hardly any food but we made it through and it makes you appreciate everything you have now,” she said. There are exemptions when it comes to fasting for certain individuals. If you are sick, pregnant, menstruating,

14 SUNBURY & MACEDON RANGES STAR WEEKLY Tuesday, 5 April, 2022

nursing or traveling long distances you are not expected to fast. The elderly and young children aren’t required to fast either. Ms Osman and her granddaughter Wajiha have chosen to fast this year even though they don’t have to. “As long as I have my health and the strength to do so I’ll continue to fast,” Ms Osman said. “The religion is very forgiving, fasting isn’t a form of punishment but rather a body and soul cleanse.” Ms Osman naturally wakes up at 4am every day during the sacred month to prepare breakfast for herself and her husband to help prepare them for the day ahead. “After breakfast, I’ll do my morning prayers and read the Quran and begin my day of worship,” she said. This year will be the first time Ms Osman will be able to have all six of her children and 31 of her grandchildren over for a pre-Ramadan dinner. “The last two years, Ramadan has been a bit

lonely because I didn’t have the chance to have all my family over due to the pandemic,” Ms Osman said. “I love hosting and having my family around, year round.” Wajiha looks forward to being around her extended family again and observing the sacred month alongside them. “I can’t wait to see my cousins and celebrate the start of Ramadan with them.” Ms Osman is elated that yet another grandchild will be joining her with fasting for the first time. “I’m happy to be able to see my grandchildren grow up and take part in such a blessed month,” she said. When the sun sets on the night of the 30th day, Muslims will begin their post Ramadan festivities. To celebrate Eid al-Fitr, Muslims dress up, visit one another and attend local Eid festivals. “Through all the trials and tribulations we faced the past two years, we get to be together again and that’s what’s most important,” Ms Osman said.

STARWEEKLY.COM.AU

COMMUNITY

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

Author talk in Sunbury Presented by Hume Libraries After Dark, much-loved author Robyn Annear will discuss her new book Adrift in Melbourne: Seven Walks with Robyn Annear. Explore the hidden secrets and histories behind Melbourne’s recognisable buildings and streets. The event takes place on April 14, 6.30-8pm, at Sunbury Library, 44 Macedon Street, Sunbury. ■ https://bit.ly/3IEDB4L

Kyneton Autumn Farmers Market Happening as part of the Autumn Festival, the Kyneton Autumn Farmers Market will present local farmed produce, artisan products and handmade items. There’ll be great live music too, including The Funkateers Street Band, The Gardeners, Roving Puppets & 11 year old singer Freya McGowan. Head to Piper Street in Kyneton from 8.30am on April 9. ■ https://bit.ly/3NyzOK1

Gisborne Bluey walk

Photographers choice pic is of James Liotta and Piero Viavatene in their characters Pasquale Pappagallo and Pippo Siciliano. Their show ‘Pippo and Pasquale’ is on a national tour. (Damjan Janevski) 274213_01

Take the kids on a Bluey-themed adventure through the Gisborne Botanic Gardens. Pick up a Bedtime Bluey StoryWalk map from the Gisborne Library and enjoy the static display of glow in the dark Bluey stories. The installation is free and runs until April 25. ■ https://bit.ly/3JYWlgM

CWA art exhibition Are you up for seeing some cute and quirky local art? Head to Creative Art Exhibit by the Country Women’s Association of Victoria Central Highlands Group. Happening at the Mechanics Institute in Lancefield on Saturday, April 9 and Sunday April 10, opening at 10am both days.

Lancefield park run relaunch Lace up your runners and join the relaunch of Lancefield’s 5km park run, happening every Saturday at 8am at Lancefield Park. No need to be speedy – participants can go at any pace. Make your way to 62 Chauncey Street, Lancefield, and remember to register. ■ https://bit.ly/3IEDB4L

Sunbury Seniors Sunbury Seniors meet on Mondays and Fridays at 8 O’Shanassy Street, Sunbury from 10am-3pm. A variety of activities are offered – indoor bowls, cards, snooker, guest speakers, day excursions, subsidised lunches or just a cup of coffee and a chat. If you’re 55 or older and would like to make some new friends. ■ 0493 408 890

Puppy Pride In what is set to be a barking good time, bring your dog down to the Kyneton Botanic Gardens on Sunday, April 10 for a celebration of puppies and pride! The free LGBTIQA+ event is open to everyone and is part of the Macedon Ranges Autumn Festival, packed with food and fun. Get to St Agnes Place at 11.30am for the dog walk, or to the botanic gardens at noon for celebrations. ■ https://bit.ly/3DbYDX3

7pm. ■ sunburyrotary@gmail.com

Sculptures and wine For lovers of art and wine, Art in the Vines at Hanging Rock Winery, on until April 25, could not be more of a perfect outing. You can even enjoy a guided cellar wine tasting. 88 Jim Road, Newham. ■ https://bit.ly/3tHZFpz

Ladies probus The Woodlands Ladies Probus Club of Sunbury meets on the fourth Monday of each month at the Sunbury Bowling Club at 9.45 am. The club is based on fun, friendship and fellowship and enjoys monthly outings, an annual trip away and a lot of fun meetings. ■ Val, 0418 138 214

down to Gisborne Steam Park for the free event, featuring food, live music and a $15 Easter egg hunt. The festival runs from 10am-4pm. ■ https://bit.ly/3wW1Mti

Garden club The Sunbury Garden Club meets on the first Tuesday of every month. There is a guest speaker at each meeting, which starts at 7.30pm at the Sunbury Football Club. ■ Cheryl, 9744 1663

Melton Men’s Probus Club 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

Rose Carers Of Maddingley Park

Join the Melton Friendship Group for singles 55 and older. Meet fortnightly for coffee and chat nights and organised affordable outings and events. Contact ■ 0406 493 734

The Rose Carers meet Wednesdays from 10am-noon at Maddingley Park, corner of Grant and Taverner streets, Bacchus Marsh, to maintain two beautiful rose gardens. New volunteers are always welcome – with or without experience. ■ Elaine Greenhall, 0418 171 119 or 0400 052 857

Sunbury Ladies Probus Club

Melton Valley Ladies Probus Club

Melton Cycling Club

The Sunbury Ladies Probus Club meets at 9.30am on the fourth Wednesday of each month at the Sunbury Football Social Club rooms. The friendly group of women enjoy outings, film mornings, speakers and presenters, as well as special events like holidays and bus trips. New members are warmly welcomed. ■ Pat, 0433 789 754 or Sylvia, 0417 170 142

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, new and old members, to get together and discover the social aspects of the group. ■ Ann, 0425 705 150

Melton Cycling club meets for regular Sunday rides. There are three different riding groups to cater for different abilities starting at 7.30am. The rides finish at Lazy Moe’s for a cuppa. ■ 0403 057 003

Melton Friendship Group.

Melton Valley Ladies Probus Club Melton South Knit & Natter

The Sunbury Combined Probus Club meets every fourth Thursday of the month at the Sunbury Football Social Club at 10am. Visitors and new members welcome. ■ Carmel, 0416 477 271

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

Toastmasters

Zonta club meets

If you’re over 40 and looking for a great time listening to vinyl and dancing to tracks from the ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s, head to the Sunbury Over 40s night. From 8pm, old school DJs will play five hours of music on April 9 at Club Sunbury. Tickets are $25. ■ https://bit.ly/3KQfdi3

Sunbury & Macedon Ranges Toastmasters helps its members develop their public speaking, communication and leadership skills. The group meets on the first and third Tuesday of each month, from 7.20-9.30pm, at the Sunbury Senior Citizens Hall. ■ vpm-4185@toastmastersclubs.org

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

Rotary club

Gisborne Easter Festival

The Sunbury Rotary Club meets every Tuesday at the Sunbury Bowling Club from

It’s sure to be an egg-citing time at the Gisborne Easter Festival on April 16. Head

Sunbury over-40s night

play on Tuesdays at 10am. or 0419 563 016

■ u3amelton.com

Sunbury Combined Probus Club

Mahjong group 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

Melton Valley Ladies Probus Club meets the second Tuesday of each month at Melton Country Club at 10am. New members are always welcome. ■ 0425 705 150

Melton Parkinson’s support group The Melton Parkinson’s Support Group meets on the second Thursday of the month 10.30am - 12.30pm at Kurunjang Community Centre, 33-35 Mowbray Crescent, Kurunjang. New members and carers welcome. ■ Helen, 0409 186 576

Wyndham Ladies probus The Ladies Probus Club of Wyndham meets on the first Wednesday of each month at Hotel520, Sayers Road, Tarneit. The group normally has an outing or event on the third Wednesday of each month. New members welcome. ■ Rosa Sanderson, 0410 303 046

Tuesday, 5 April, 2022 SUNBURY & MACEDON RANGES STAR WEEKLY 15

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SIG N U P N O W !

Treehouses go full circle

Paul Muller working on one of the nesting boxes made from recycled timber by the Woodend Men’s Shed.

At the old sawmi ll on the Woodend Men’s Blackforest Drive, making tiny woode Shed members are n wildlife left homel homes for native ess by recent storms . Microbats, mini-g liders, ringtail possums and hollow -nesting birds are just some of the species who have been gifted new real estate trees they once inhabi – made from the ted. Woodend Men’s Shed president Kevin Davis said the organi sation has been providing nesting boxes species in the Maced to vulnerable some time, but have on Ranges for the recycled timber only recently used provid “We were using purcha ed by council. sed timber, but now the Maced on Ranges Shire is supplying us with planks that have been cut from storm-felled using those to manuf trees, and we’re acture the nesting boxes,” Mr Davis said. “In a sense, it’s a the timber is being win-win. Because recycled back out into the environment these nesting spaces and it’s providing which have been removed from the environment by the storms.”

(Damjan Janevski) 270358_02

Call to flush toil et

By Elsie Lange

rules

In correspondenc e seen by Star Weekl A petition by Sunbu assistant principal In response to feedba Jared Dyson told parent y, calling for new trial ry College students is February ck, Mr Dyson said s on on March 27 that a “new system toilet rules to be scrapp bathroom in the city citing a lack of for bathroom opened 2 that another bathroom would ed, access during or something.“ hygien be during class time, A parent at the school wasting as major issues. e, anxiety and time which studen class time” would be trialled, in and that cleaners , who asked not to had been engage ts would named, told Star be d to maintain hygien The petition, with Weekly, said single cubicle, unisex only be able to access cubicles. over e in “fired up” 1000 bathro signatures so of oms at the centre far, says students about the trial. She her daughter the school. He said are said it first and Year 11 student foremost a hygiene the trial would be which leaves just three “outraged” by the rule reviewed Jessica Maxwell said issue. in the week beginn experiences while unisex toilets unlock Another parent, Sharon ing March 14. waiting for the toilet her during class time, ed “The , who did not want aim of for a cohort of more promp had her surnam 900 students. e published, said than access bathro this trial is to ensure students Faceboted her to share the petition to a she local oms that are centra believe ok group. majority of studen d Year 11 student Ashton l and highly ts using the toilets the “I was waiting in the Varapodio started visible, limiting opportunities for “probably doing it were the petition and told line and the space went to get out of class”. to be a gathering Star up and started knock these two boys point or a space Sunbury College at the toilets was “unbel Weekly the queuing extended to spend pesteri ing on the door periods of time out said students were principal Craig O’Bree trial. He said studen ievable” because of the Dyson said. of class,” Mr they ng the person to get out of there becaus encouraged to use ts were “scared ” to were taking too long,” e outside of class toilets the toilet, becaus go to times so they don’t she said. The correspondenc e other students “And interru then their e also said studen the person who walked pt learning. had been a medica banging on the door ts with little year out was a l condition requiri in desperation or anger. seven girl. “We’re continuing ng more frequent access would be accom to review how “Another time when is working, modated. this was pee all over the I went in there, there conversations and are engaging in ongoing toilet seat, like a public we welcom with our school community and e their feedback.”

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16 SUNBURY & MACEDON RANGES STAR WEEKLY Tuesday, 5 April, 2022

PUZZLES No. 075

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

2 2

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

7 3

9 1

8 3 2 4 3

7 6 4 9 1 3 7

19 22 25 26

3 4 5 6 7 8 14 15 16 18 20 21 23

DOWN Place protected by natural features (8)

8 3

Swiss currency (5) Clergyman (9) Breastbone (7) Pottery (7) African country (7) News (7) Made dapper (7,2) Over (4) Enthusiastic supporters of an actor, sport, etc (4) Funeral or burial rites (9) Sprinting (7) Of, or relating to, China (7) Dutch technology company (7) Scoundrels (7) Mental disorder (9) Terminated (5)

No. 075

One who evens the score (7) Binding agreements (9) Appear sporadically (4,3,2) Whole (5) Solved (5) Souvenir (7) Most pleasant (6) Messages sent on holiday (9) Accept reluctantly (9) Levied (8) Yearly payment (7) Island in the North Atlantic (7) Support (4,2) Being from 20down (5) Strong wind blasts (5)

ACROSS 1 4 9 10 11 12 13 15 17

27 28 29

medium

QUICK CROSSWORD

DECODER

No. 075

2 5

3 2 1 8 1 4 6 9 4

hard

9 7

10 11 12 13

7 1 5 3 2 9 8 4 6

4 5 8 2 6 3 7 9 1

1 2 7 8 9 5 4 3 6

3 9 6 4 1 7 2 8 5

8 3 4 9 7 6 5 1 2

9-LETTER WORD 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”.

Today’s Aim: 16 words: Good 24 words: Very good

HOPED ICONS INDIA INTER INTRO LLAMA MAINE MINES MOTIF MPEGS NADIR NERVE OPENS OUGHT REEDY RESET RETRO SAINT SEATS SEETO SLATE

SNAIL SPARE SPREE STATS SWEDE TENSE TERSE VERDE WAFER 6 LETTERS AGREES EGOISM LENDER SEEKER

7 LETTERS APROPOS BANSHEE FORCEPS ORATION PARENTS RANGING 8 LETTERS DEBONAIR DOCTRINE ENDORSED RETURNED

08-04-22

No. 075 Insert the missing letters to make 10 words – five reading across the grid and five reading down.

QUICK QUIZ

Does the leopard seal (pictured) live in the Arctic or the Antarctic?

Shoko Asahara formed which Japanese religious movement, which was later found responsible for the Tokyo subway attack of 1995?

NOTE: more than one solution may be possible

A P S I

M E R

M A C R O E T H I C T R U T H

5 7 1 3 8 2 6 4 9

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

4 LETTERS ATOP BASS BUNK CHAN ELSE ERIN FAST MEMO MINS PORT SAFE SILK TEST WAVE

No. 075

diner, dingier, dinner, dire, dirge, engird, gird, grid, grin, grind, grinned, heir, herd, herding, hinder, HINDERING, hire, hired, hiring, inhering, inner, reign, rein, reining, rend, rending, ride, ridge, riding, rigid, rind, ring, ringed

2 6 9 1 5 4 3 7 8

6 3 2 5 9 1 8 4 7

5 LETTERS ADAGE ADDER ADEPT ALLOW AMONG AORTA ARGOT ARIAN ARISE ATONE BERYL BOARD CLARA CODES COMMA DINGO DROOP EDDIE EYING FILMS

6 8 3 7 2 9 1 5 4

7 1 2 5 4 8 9 6 3

7 9 4 8 3 2 5 6 1

1 2 5 3 4 6 7 9 8

8 6 9 1 2 7 3 5 4

O I

4 2 8 7 5 6 1 3 9

3 9 6 8 1 4 7 5 2

5 3 7 2 4 8 9 6 1

4 7 3 9 5 8 6 1 2

3 5 8 4 1 9 2 7 6

2 4 6 7 8 5 1 3 9

33 words: Excellent

6 4 1 9 7 5 2 8 3

2 8 9 1 6 3 4 7 5

9 5 4 6 8 2 3 1 7

1 6 2 4 3 7 5 9 8

8 7 3 5 9 1 6 2 4

9 1 7 2 6 3 4 8 5

Puzzles and pagination © Pagemasters | pagemasters.com

3 LETTERS ATE CAM DOE DYE ELK ERA GEE HAW HEN ILL ISA KEN KIM LOO MID NAP NEO NIP ODE PER PRO TVS TWO UPS

O T RWH B J X S L E F Z

4 8 5

medium

K N

easy

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

hard

5x5

GU A P Y VMC D I QK N

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

WORDFIT

How many people are needed to perform the exercise of shadowboxing?

Bordered by the Rhine valley, which country is the Black Forest found in?

What was Tim Winton’s eighth novel, published in 2008?

What transition metal has the chemical symbol Pd?

Funambulism is the art of walking along a what?

What shape is a honeycomb cell?

The city of Pompeii was destroyed during the eruption of which volcano?

10 Ranidaphobia is a fear of what animal?

ANSWERS: 1. Antarctic 2. Aum Shinrikyo 3. One 4. Germany 5. Breath 6. Palladium 7. Tightrope 8. A hexagon 9. Mount Vesuvius 10. Frog

SUDOKU

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Honda CR-V 2007 – 2020 USED CAR CHECKOUT Ewan Kennedy, Marque Motoring Honda realised in the late 1990s that many people were looking for more than a sedan or station wagon, but wanted the extra carrying capacity of a 4WD. So, the Japanese company designed the CR-V, a light to medium duty 4WD. It began as a reasonably serious small 4WD that had an external spare wheel, then gradually morphed into a larger station wagon with limited off-road ability. Here we are checking out the CR-V Series 4 models from October 2007. These took a major step to being family wagons, with added interior space and slightly softer suspension systems. Most notably they had the choice between front- and all-wheel drive. These gen-four CR-Vs were upgraded in December 2014, receiving LED daytime running lights, a new grille and front and rear bumpers. Inside, a piano-black finish and chrome surrounds gave it a more upmarket look. The fifth generation Honda CR-V arrived in July 2017. The biggest change was the option of seating for seven. Major features were a 7.0-inch Advanced Display Audio with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. A useful safety feature is Honda’s Driver Attention Monitor for those who would rather focus on their mobile phone than look at the road ahead. All Honda CR-Vs prior to the gen-five have seating for five. The width of the second-row seat is more suited to two adults than three. There’s good legroom in the second-row seats thanks to the tall styling. Boot space is good and the rear seatbacks fold fully flat to create an excellent load area. Surprisingly few SUVs have a flat floor,

The 2017 Honda CR-V; 2014 Honda CR-V diesel; and 2007 Honda CR-V.

something to keep in mind when in the early stages of deciding which SUV or 4WD to shop for. Ride comfort of the Honda CR-V is good and has improved with each new model. Handling is adequate and safe rather than exciting, exactly the way it should be in a vehicle in this class. Honda CR-V has used a variety of engines: 1.5-litre turbo-petrol (only from 2017) and 2.0-litre and 2.4 litres petrol units as well as 2.2-litre turbo-diesels. Manual and automatic transmissions are available. Manuals have become increasingly rare and may be hard to sell or trade later. From 2017 the auto was a continuously variable transmission, these sound and feel different to a conventional auto. If you don’t like this, try to extend you pre-purchase road test to at least half an hour as you will probably become accustomed to it. Spare parts are a little bit more expensive than average, though not outrageously so as Honda put a lot of effort into reducing prices a few years back when their vehicles were getting a bad reputation for pricing.

(Pictures: Supplied)

Honda’s dealer network is long established and efficient. As is often the case you may struggle to find a dealer way outback. CR-Vs aren’t overly complex so in the unlikely event of having problems in the bush you can usually get a local to help. Insurance rates are normally in the middle of the scale and don’t seem to vary a great deal from one company to another.

What to look for Looking at a Honda CR-V that’s never been off-road? There are plenty of them out there. Signs of off-road use are slight scratches on the body and on the bumper corners. Damage on the undersides of the vehicle is a real no-no. If you suspect a CR-V been driven on a beach do a full inspection of the underbody. Ideally this should be done by a professional inspector with the CR-V on a hoist. Look over the cabin for signs of rough treatment, such as footmarks on the seats and damaged carpet or trim. Similarly check the load area of dings and torn carpets. Check the engine starts promptly, runs smoothly and doesn’t blow smoke from

the exhaust. Make sure the automatic transmission goes into gear quickly, changes smoothly and doesn’t hunt up and down through the gears when it shouldn’t. A manual gearbox that has been misused may be crunch on fast downchanges.

How much? Expect to pay from $3000 to $5500 for a 2007 Honda CR-V; $7000 to $11,000 for a 2009 Sport; $9000 to $14,000 for a 2011 Luxury or a 20143 VTi; $12,000 to $18,000 for a 2012 VTi-L; $14,000 to $20,000 for a 2014 VTi-L; $17,000 to $24,000 for a 2016 VTi-L or a 2017 VTi; $20,000 to $28,000 for a 2018 VTi-S; $25,000 to $34,000 for a 2018 VTi-LX; and $30,000 to $39,000 for a 2020 VTi-LX.

Car buying tip Don’t decide what model of car or SUV to buy until you have considered all the makes and model that are on offer. Recalls: To browse recalls on all vehicles go to the ACCC at: www.productsafety.gov.au/ products/transport/cars/

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MOTOR STARWEEKLY.COM.AU The 2022 Nissan Patrol.

(Pictures: Supplied)

Big, bold and boisterous By Alistair Kennedy, Marque Motoring Like a couple of sumo wrestlers from their native Japan, Toyota LandCruiser and Nissan Patrol have been grappling with each other for more than 70 years. The SUV (Sports Utility) tag really doesn’t fit these two giants, they are old-style, off-roading 4WDs. They’re right up-to-date in terms of engineering and safety but lag behind in technology, although in the case of the latest LandCruiser that has been addressed with the new 300 Series. The latest, sixth generation, Patrol has been here since late 2019 with a minor upgrade for the MY2022 version that we’ve just tested. Patrol is only available in two premium variants, the Ti and Ti-L, priced at $82,160 and $95,115 (plus-on road costs), respectively. Both are powered by the same 5.6-litre V8 petrol engine with seven-speed automatic transmission. The ‘L’ in Ti-L stands for Luxury, not long wheelbase, with extra features including a powered sunroof; roof rails; powered tailgate; automatic headlight levelling; puddle illumination light; driver’s seat memory; three-zone air conditioning; heated/cooled front seats; rear-seat video screens; premium sound system; and front row centre console cool box.

Styling The recent trend towards couple-like SUV styling has been by-passed with the Patrol designers sticking with the traditional square corners and avoiding any fussiness. There’s more chrome than some may prefer but to our eyes it really works well. Sidesteps are almost a must for a vehicle of this size especially for smaller passengers. Wheels are 18-inch all-terrain alloys.

Interior Unsurprisingly there’s lots of space in every direction inside the Patrol although, as is normally the case, the third-row seats are best suited to children. Patrol Ti is a 2-3-3 eight-seater while the Ti-L is a 2-3-2 seven-seater. All seats are leather. Access to the third row is made easier with the second-row seats able to fold and tumble forward. With the third row of seatbacks in place there’s 467 litres of storage space, expandable to

1413 litres with the third-row folded flat. That increases to a van-sized 2632 litres with the middle row rolled forward against the backs of the front seats. The front seats are large, supportive and very comfortable. Both driver and front passenger get eight-way electric adjustment as well as heating and cooling. The driver’s seat has a memory function. There is a deep centre console cool box which can be accessed from either front or second-row seats. The instrument cluster is clear and uncomplicated, and that’s just the way we like it. Everything is easy to find and operate with minimal distraction.

Engines / transmissions Power for Patrol comes from a direct-injected, naturally aspirated V8 petrol engine that delivers 298 kW of power at 5800 rpm, and 560 Nm of peak torque 90 per cent of which is available from 1600 revs. Power is put to ground through an advanced seven-speed automatic transmission and a sophisticated, electronically controlled, all mode 4x4 system with settings for Auto, 4H, 4L, diff lock and hill descent control. The centre console mounted-control knob also incorporates Patrol’s terrain select system, featuring on road, snow, sand and rock settings for the serious off-road adventurer.

Safety Standard safety features include six airbags with curtain bags covering all three seat rows; Intelligent Around-View Monitor with Moving Object Detection; Hill Descent

20 SUNBURY & MACEDON RANGES STAR WEEKLY Tuesday, 5 April, 2022

AT A GLANCE

with headphones and remote controls.

MODEL RANGE

Driving

Patrol Ti: $82,160

Getting into the Patrol involves a bit of a climb for the less agile with the combination of sidestep and grab handle coming onto play to assist. The next chore is releasing the parking brake which, unfortunately, is of the old-fashioned foot-operated variety. Once underway though, these two little annoyances are quickly forgotten - at least until the time comes to pull up alongside the petrol bowser. Despite its size Patrol isn’t too difficult to drive around town with the cameras ensuring that awkward spots are handled On the open road it’s smooth, composed ride and exceptional occupant comfort make it an ideal long-distance cruiser. The 140-litre fuel tank will stretch the distance covered but, with fuel prices soaring there will be a nasty shock at the bowser. Consumption is listed at 14.4 litres per 100 kilometres on the combined cycle, we averaged 16.6 L/100 km.

Patrol Ti-L: $95,115

Note: These prices do not include dealer or government charges. Contact your local Nissan dealer for drive-away prices.

Control and Hill Start Assist; two IsoFix child restraint anchorage points; front and rear adjustable active headrests; Intelligent Cruise Control; Intelligent Forward Collision Warning; Lane Departure Warning; Intelligent Lane Intervention; Blind Spot Warning and Intervention; There are also Intelligent Emergency Braking; Intelligent Forward Collision Warning; Rear Cross Traffic Alert; front and rear parking sensors; and tyre pressure monitoring.

Infotainment Patrol’s infotainment system is showing its age. There’s an 8-inch touchscreen with satellite navigation and traffic monitoring system but other features are limited and, unusually, there is no Apple CarPlay or Android Auto compatibility. The audio system has CD/DVD, AM/ FM radio (no DAB+), MP3 and USB / iPod connectivity with Bluetooth phone and audio streaming. There are two USB ports and a 12V socket at the bottom of the front console and two USBs in the rear. Ti has a six-speaker audio system. Ti-L adds premium BOSE sound with 13 speakers as well as two second row seat 8-inch DVD screens

Summing up Patrol is the most luxurious and sophisticated Nissan offered in Australia and although it’s showing its age in many ways it provides a top-class drive on and off road and can double as either a luxury people mover or tow vehicle for pulling large boats or horse floats. All Nissan models now come with the five-year, unlimited kilometre warranty with free roadside assistance during that same period.

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Edwards wins Sullivan Medal Sunbury United’s Damien Edwards was named the best player in the Gisborne and District Cricket Association. Edwards was on Wednesday named the winner of the association’s Sullivan Medal for the best player in the McIntyre Cup. Edwards finished on 14 votes, one clear of Bacchus Marsh’ Nick Strangio. Last season’s winner Mick Allen, Wallan’s Bryan Vance and Gisborne’s Pat McKenna rounded out the top three, all a further vote back. Edwards made 408 this season at an average 45.33. It included a top score of 103 He also took five wickets. It’s the second successive season the Sullivan Medallist has come from Sunbury United, with Dilan Chandima winning it last season after a dominant season. Edwards said he was shocked to claim the medal. He said it was the first time he had ever been invited to a competition best and fairest awards night. “I’m in a bit of a shock,“ he said. “ I thought I would go okay.

“I look back and I guess it was a consistent season, but I didn’t expect it to be me. Edwards said it was a nervous final round, with him in front by one vote. None of the top place getters polled in the final round. He said the difference in his game this season was stepping up and taking his cricket more seriously. “I took on a bit more responsibility for the team and my own game,” he said. “Been drifting and going through the motions the last few years, My coach Upul [Fernando], instilled a lot of belief into me and he has been a key in my success.” Edwards played a key role for the Bees, who were knocked out of the finals in straight sets, after going through the regular season undefeated. He said winning a McIntyre Cup premiership was the one thing he really wanted. Edwards was also named captain of the McIntyre Cup team of the year, while Gisborne star Allen was named as vice-captain. Both were named as openers in the team. Gisborne captain Jason Wilson, Vance,

Strangiom, McKenna, Diggers Rest Bulla’s Nalaka De Silva, Sunbury United’s Sammika and Senura Perera and Rajitha Mendis, Wallan’s Ryan Bonner and Romsey’s Jake East. Wilson won the batting award making 382 runs at an average of 63.67, while Senura Perera was claimed the bowling award with 23 wickets at an average of 10.25 Allen won the aggregate award. In the Johnstone Shield, Riddell took home both the batting and bowling awards. Michael Day made 324 runs at an average of 54, while Jarryd Stancombe took 22 wickets at 10.95. Kyneton’s Harrison Sheahan won the aggregate award. In the Jensen Shield, Lancefield’s Mark Caton won the batting award and St Anthonys’ David Szabo, while Blackwood’s Luke Whitehouse won the aggregate award. In other awards, Woodend won the Spirit of Cricket Award. Sunbury’s Ron Smith was awarded GDCA life membership.

Damien Edwards receives the Sullivan Medal. (Supplied)

Cats disappointed, but proud

Federica Frew has been strong in front of goal this season. (Joe Mastroianni) 271083_15

Bombers bounce back By Tara Murray The real tests will start to come for Essendon in the Victorian Football League Women’s competition in the next few weeks. With more AFLW players starting to flow back through into the competition, including at the Bombers, the competition will be taken to the next level. As one of two undefeated sides after six rounds, the Bombers have been one of the standards so far. Bombers coach Brendan Major knows while they’ve been playing some good football, things could change the next few weeks. He said it was an evolving situation which AFLW players might play for them. “The AFLW players will come back in the next five weeks,” he said. “It changes the competition a lot… how you get your hands on the ball and the way you want to go about it.” Major said with the end of the NAB League Girls competition this weekend, they would start to see a few more of the most talented

under-18 players in the competition too. The Bombers returned to the field on Sunday against Geelong after having the bye the previous week. Major said the bye had come at the perfect time after a big start to the season. The Bombers drew their last game before the bye agaisnt St Kilda, having gone away from a lot of the things they had done well. The freshen up did the Bombers well, with the Bombers beating Geelong, 13.11 (89)-1.5 (11). Major said the scoreboard didn’t reflect how the match played out. “It wasn’t too bad a win,” he said. “Geelong really came hard at us. The players said the scoreboard didn’t reflect how it felt out there, that it felt a much tougher affair. “We were able to consistently kick goals at regular intervals every five minutes, so we were able to kick the scoreboard ticking over.’’ Federica Frew kicked four goals in the win, taking her season tally to 17 goals in five games. Co-captain Georgia Nanscawan had 28 possessions in her return to the side.

Major said the performance was the most even of the season. “It was our best team performance,” he said. “Georgia was back in the side. “Dani Marshall was good in the ruck, as was Simone Nalder. “Jordan Zanchetta got better as the game went on as did Joanne Doonan. The forwards competed really well and the backs stuck to their job and didn’t let them get any easy balls.” The Bombers were set to face North Melbourne on Sunday, after deadline. It was a tough start to the season for the Bombers VFL side which lost to Geelong. The Cats blew the game open in the second quarter, to lead by 31 points at the main break. It was a deficit the Bombers couldn’t come back from, losing 12.14 (86)-8.10 (58). Kaine Baldwin kicked three goals for the Bombers, The Bombers were due to face the Casey Scorpions on Saturday in round two, after deadline. For the results of both matches, head to www.starweekly.com.au.

It wasn’t the ending Macedon were after but it was a still a successful season for the Gisborne and District Cricket Association Johnstone Shield. Aiming for a competitive season after being promoted back up into the second grade after winning the Jensen Shield last season, the Cats made it through to the grand final. The Cats fell short against Romsey in the grand final. Cats skipper Daniel Trotta said while it was a disappointing end to the season, they were thrilled with how the side stepped up this season. “We had a pretty successful season in the firsts,” he said. “Last time we played in the Johnstone Shield we didn’t have a great season. We just wanted to be competitive. “We knew we had a pretty solid side, with most of the guys from last season coming back.” The club had three men’s sides this season, all which made finals. With two boys under-17 sides, the Cats are headed in the right direction. “Our juniors are healthy with two under-17 teams and three junior girls teams,” Trotta said. “It certainly helps having two under-17 sides with having three senior teams. We had a number of them fill in early in the season when we had a few out with COVID. “The juniors are more than capable. We had four play in the first XI. Our division 3 team was predominantly under-17s with a few dads. “They all played their role.” Trotta said they were hoping to build on the success of this season. On top of their first XI team making the grand final, the club’s inaugural women’s side won the premiership, while their under-17s girls side finished runners-up. “We had a pretty successful season in the firsts, hopefully it’s not to flush in the pan and next season we can be competitive again and go one better. “We want to at least keep those three teams and maybe even add a fourth team if we can get numbers.” Tara Murray

Tuesday, 5 April, 2022 SUNBURY & MACEDON RANGES STAR WEEKLY 21

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Gisborne aiming for consistent performances Putting out a full 90 minute performance is on the agenda for Gisborne in the FV state league 4 west season. The Sky Blues have had chances to win both their opening two matches, but only have one point to show for their efforts. Coach Danny Moore said it had been slightly disheartening not to win either of their first two matches having been in front in both matches. “It could be better as we’ve had a few challenging results,” he said. “The first two games we’ve been in strong performances and in a good position to take the win. In the first match we were up 4-1 before they scored three late goals to draw the match. “In the game against Laverton, who were the standout team last year. We were 2-1 up. We should have at least come away with a point, but again we unfortunately conceded a couple of goals.

“I would say they were unavoidable. It’s been a rollercoaster.” Moore said the main thing for them now was to ensure they played out the whole game. He said concentration was a key. He said it was also having that belief that they could get the job done. “I have absolute full confidence in the playing group,” he said. “We have lots of quality players, it’s about getting that return.” Moore said while they hadn’t got the results they were after, it hadn’t been all negative. He said they started last season dropping their first couple of games, before kicking into gear. The Sky Blues were sitting fifth when the season was cancelled due to COVID-19. In another positive, the side has scored seven goals in two games, the most in the division. Moore said the attacking end was where

their strength is. “We’re fairly positive that we can turn it around,” he said. “I’ve said to the guys I know we will always score and create opportunities going forward, it’s the other end we have to tighten things up. “We know that we will be in every game.” The Sky Blues were due to face Spring Hills on Saturday, after deadline. Speaking before the match, Moore said it was a must win match. Overall, Moore said things were travelling quite well at the club. He said despite the impacts of COVID-19 the club’s player membership base has grown considerably. The senior women’s team and junior teams will start their seasons on April 24. Tara Murray

Roos aiming to improve Sunbury Kangaroos want to continue to improve in Essendon District Football League division 1. Predicted by many last season to win the wooden spoon in their first season in division 1, the Kangaroos surprised many. The Kangaroos won three games and were sitting in eighth when the season ended prematurely due to COVID-19. Now with 12 months of football at that level and with a number of recruits, Kangaroos coach Leigh Sporle is feeling happy with where things are at. “We just want to improve on last year,” he said. “We always look at the old cliche of wanting to improve and continuing to grow. “A lot of clubs in the division are going with youth which is really good. We would be in a similar boat.” Sporle predicts they will field a very different side this season, having added a fair bit of experience. Many of those who will come into the mix are familiar faces. Tie Cuffe returns to the club from Strathmore, while Kayne Murphy crosses from Rupertswood, having previously played at the Kangaroos. Matt Welsh, Anthony Leonard and Tom Borg, who have all played plenty of football for the club, return after not playing last season. Fitzroy Greenwool, Cooper McPharlane, Douglas Bush and Ross Tungatalum are also handy ins, while a number of other players have come to the club. “We’ve brought in some experience,” said Sporle. “We’ve added some depth and it will hold us in good stead. We will be a lot better than last year, I think we will surprise a few teams this year.” While the Kangaroos have added some experience they won’t go away from brining through the next generation. After debuting several players last season, another one was set to debut in round one. Brody Watts, who has returned to the club from Keilor, was named to play in the round one match, which was after deadline. “He’s done all the right things and we’re committed to what we started. We want to make sure we’re getting that end of things right.” The side will have a new captain this year, with Mitch Streiff taking over from Daniel Gregory. Streiff had been vice-captain. Sporle said Gregory, who missed round one due to COVID-19, made the decision. “It was his choice for us to start looking for the next person to stand up,” Sporle said. “It’s good and the group decided that Mitch would take over.” The Kangaroos were set to kick off their season on Saturday evening against

Mitch Streiff is the Kangaroos new captain.

(Shawn Smits)

Tullamarine in a twilight match at Leo Dineen Reserve. The Kangaroos are on the road in the first five rounds, while renovations occur at Eric Boardman Reserve. In other round one matches, Rupertswood

22 SUNBURY & MACEDON RANGES STAR WEEKLY Tuesday, 5 April, 2022

was on the road against Airport West, Roxburgh Park was to face Hillside, Moonee Valley was set to host Westmeadows and West Coburg was to play Craigieburn. For the results from across the EDFL, head to www.starweekly.com.au.

Charlie Eastwood looks to control the ball against Laverton. (Supplied)

Lancefield go back-to-back Lancefield has defied all expectations as it claimed back-to-back premierships in the Central Highlands Bowls top division. After breaking through last season after a couple of close calls in the last couple of years , Lancefield had a number of player departures. Despite a different looking line-up, Lancefield managed to make finals and finish in fourth spot. After knocking off Romsey, by 24 shots and Gisborne by 20 shots, it set up a grand final match up against Kyneton Golf. The result would be decided in the last couple of ends with Lancefield winning, 64 (13)-56 (3). Lancefield’s Bill West said the result was a big upset in his books. “Kyneton Golf is a pretty good side,” he said. “We were able to beat them three times, but we lost to a lot of the bottom sides. “We lost eight players from last year’s premiership side and we battled to get two teams on the green. “We made do with who we had, we had a lot of blokes like me, having to play in the top side. “We knuckled down.” West said his side was trailing for much of the match before some really good bowls got Lancefield back into the game. Lancefield hit the front by two and when they claimed six shots in the third last end, they led by eight. West said that is when they thought they might have had the win sealed up. Jeffrey Holmes was the winning skip for Lancefield. West said John Parks was the star across the finals series. With the side finishing fourth, West said they were always going to be behind the eight ball to win the premiership. He said they thought they could beat Romsey, but knew the tests were coming in the next two matches. He said with the manner they had won the premiership, many at the club were saying it’s their greatest premiership. “We lost eight players and we were fourth on the ladder,” he said. “A few guys who have been around the club for a long time, say it’s arguably our greatest win ever. “We had no expectations. We went on and played and saw what happened.” Lancefield will now play in the region finals. The other two CHBD grand finals were also thrillers. In division 2, Kyneton Golf beat Romsey 56 (12)-55 (4), while in division 3, Gisborne beat Diggers Rest, 74 (14)-67 (2).

Special moment for umpiring Matthews family Riddell District Football League legend Ollie Matthews has umpired more games than most people have ever watched. Still keen as ever, Matthews, who is in his 70s, stepped out to umpire four games on the weekend across seniors and juniors. The first of those games was as goal umpire for the under-19s match between Woodend-Hesket and Lancefield on Saturday morning. While not many people will remember the match nor the result, it will be one that Matthews remembers for a long time to come. Matthews, who has umpired more than 1500 games, was up the other end of the field

to his granddaughter Kirra Courtice, who was umpiring just her fourth game Matthews had stood behind 14-year-old Kirra to help her learn, but it was the first time the two had umpired together and they’re hoping that it won’t be the last. Speaking before the game, Matthews said he was pretty excited about the opportunity to umpire together and it was something that they would both remember for a long time. The two came to the game together in what was part of the special day. Matthews was back in action later that day, before stepping in a field umpire on the Sunday for juniors. Matthews still plays football in masters competitions.

Matthews, a former president of the RDFL, encouraged anyone interested in umpiring to get involved. The league like many others has struggled to attract new members, with the impact of COVID-19 hitting hard. “If any young boy or girl would be interested in becoming an umpire, any discipline field, boundary or goal the umpires train every Wednesday at MacPherson Park, Melton between 6.00pm – 7.00pm. “It is a good way of meeting friends, being involved in football, keeping fit, and earning a bit of pocket money.” Tara Murray

Bombers win a thriller

Sports shorts EDFL The Sunbury Kangaroos and Rupertswood started the Essendon District Football League division 1 season with losses. The Kangaroos took it up to premiership fancies Tullamarine for most of the game, but fell short, losing 8.15 (63)- 4.7 (31). Rupertswood was in the game until half time, before Airport West kicked away, winning 15.12 (102)-9.16 (70). Ben Said kicked four goals for the Sharks, while Jackson Cardillo was named their best.

By Tara Murray The opening round clash between Macedon and Riddell delivered again with the Bombers coming home with hard fought win the Riddell District Football League on Saturday. Playing for the PUKA Up Cup, which raises mental health awareness, the opening round is special for both clubs. Playing a twilight match at Tony Clarke Oval, the match went down to the wire. Neither team was able to get control of the game on the scoreboard in tricky conditions. The Bombers did just enough to come away with the 6.5 (41)-5.7 (37) win. It was all single goal scorers for the Bombers. Mick Edwards in his debut for the club was their best, with Bryce Williamson and Stephen Treweek also having good games. For the Cats, Jason Cooke kicked two goals. Declan Phyland, who was making his Cats debut, was their best. The other matches in round one were more one-sided. Wallan stunned Romsey, keeping them goalless in windy and wet conditions. It was a low scoring first quarter with the Magpies unable to convert their dominance on the scoreboard. The game broke open in the second quarter when the Magpies kicked 6.1. With the weather deteriorating further the scoring got harder in the second half. The Magpies won 13.11 (89)-0.4 (4). Corey Grindlay, Matt Perri and Jake Layley kicked three goals each in the win. Jarryd Bonello was named best on ground. For the Redbacks, who went into the game understrength, Kane Brinkhuis was named their best. Woodend-Hesket came away with a big win against Lancefield under lights at Gilbert Gordon Oval. It was an even first quarter, with the Hawks leading by eight points at the first break. From there it was all the Hawks, as they kept the Tigers goalless for the rest of the match. The Hawks won 9.13 (67)-2.7 (19). New Hawks playing coach Josh Pound kicked four goals in the win, while Jack Arceri and James Hicks kicked two goals each. Justin Rodda was named best on ground, while Arceri was also a standout in his first game for the club. For the Tigers, Ben Richmond kicked both their goals. Thomas Keaney was named the Tigers best, along with Anthony Pacers and Lukas Fellows. In windy conditions, Melton Centrals were able to account for an improved Western Rams side on Saturday, winning 17.14 (116)-3.4 (22). Jared Scott and Jarrod Spry kicked three goals each for the Centrals. Centrals coach Mark Pederson said there

Kirra Courtice umpired with her grandfather Ollie Matthews on Saturday. (Supplied)

EDFL Gisborne started the Essendon District Football League women’s division 1 season with a big win against Essendon Doutta Stars. The Bulldogs did most of the damage in the first half when they had 12 scoring shots to one. It was a much closer second half, with the Bulldogs running out winners, 11.11 (77)-4.0 (24). The Sunbury Kangaroos also started the season with a big win, beating Moonee Valley, 13.3 (81)-2.4 (16). The Sunbury Lions lost to Strathmore, 11.15 (81)-1.0 (6). In division 2, the Sunbury Kangaroos lost to Airport West.

FV Sunbury United made it two in a row in the FV state league 3 north-west competition, beating Diamond Valley United. Sunbury scored twice in the second half through Damian Rastocic and Rakan Flifel to seal a 2-0 win. In state league 4 west, Gisborne got its first win of the season, beating Spring Hills 2-0. Jake McIntyre scored both goals for the Sky Blues.

NAB League The Calder Cannons finished their season with a win against the Northern Knights on Thursday night. Playing in a consultation final, the two sides fought it out to the end. The Cannons got on top in the middle of the game, before the Knights fought back late. It wasn’t enough with the Cannons winning 7.7 (49)-6.2 (38). Lara Churchill kicked three goals in the win. Amy Gaylor had 33 possessions for the Cannons.

Stephen Treweek was one of Riddell’s best on Saturday.

was a really even spread of contributors in the win. “Jimmy Roberts was a bit of a standout, as was Adam Tomac, Dylan Clarke and Peter Akech in the ruck. “It was a pretty good even spread and we got

(Shawn Smits)

quite a bit out of it.” For the Rams, it was all single goal kickers. Ricky Cameron in his return to the club, was named their best along with Phillip Hoyland. Diggers Rest had a bye.

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Tuesday, 5 April, 2022 SUNBURY & MACEDON RANGES STAR WEEKLY 23

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