Established in 1981 as the
proudly serving Melton and Moorabool
30 MaY, 2023
12496404-AV22-21
FREE DIGITAL EDITION
SIG N U P N O W!
Big stage beckons For the team at K&K Calisthenics, Saturdays are usually filled with classes. This won’t be the case on Saturday, June 10, as members head to the Calisthenics Victoria’s development team competition and show support for two teammates. Allison, 10, and Ella, 14, have made the inaugural north-west development team, an exciting opportunity that extends skills and development in calisthenics through representation. K&K Calisthenics is celebrating its 10th year in the north-west and club principal Kim Dunstan said the entire club is extremely proud of the girls’ achievement. “This is the first year of the new development team and we are very proud of our two girls,” she said. “We [our club] are in the lower end of the division, so for our girls to be in the development team of the state is a big achievement.” The competition will kick off its inaugural year at the Frankston Arts Centre on Saturday, June 10. Ms Dunstan said lots of members want to “be there to support the girls and see them shine.” Ella and Allison are on their way to the Victorian Calisthenics development team competition. (Damjan Janevski) 336998_04
Tick for farm rate increase Moorabool council will proceed with an average farm property rate increase of 16.1 per cent, despite opposition from residents and three councillors. Council flagged the increase in its draft 2023-24, with two of five submitters urging council to reconsider the farm rate rise. Moorabool farmer and Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) livestock president Scott Young warned councillors that “our farmers
are going to get rated out of the shire” when he presented his submission to council on May 10. “Farmers have had rate increases of 85 per cent over the past three years … but our income hasn’t increased as those rates have risen,” he said. Council said the average increase is driven by 31 properties in “strategic growth corridors” which are experiencing more demand in preparation for future developments and are planned to be rezoned in the coming years. It said the average increase for the 1198 farm
Life savers 220g
$2.00
properties would be 4.7 per cent and 50 per cent of properties would receive a rates decrease compared to 2022-23. Mr Young, who “can’t imagine” his land being due for rezoning as it is home to wind farms, said while land values have risen, farmers can’t capitalise on the increase unless they sell their properties. Mr Young, who farms sheep and grain crops, said the rate rises will also come on top of the worst year in the last 30 that he can remember farming.
OPEN Monday to Saturday 9am - 5.30pm | Sunday 10am - 5pm Shop 1C, 415-429 High Street (cnr Station Rd.) MELTON | VIC | 3337
8716 3679 | ilovethisshop.com.au
He said due to spring rain causing all his crops to fail and lambs fattening six months later than normal, he only made a quarter of the income he does in a normal year, and that he’s “very nervous” for the year ahead. “Soil moisture is almost at 100 per cent now, so as rain comes through the winter time, if it ends up getting cold and wet then the paddocks will flood again this year and drown out the crops,” he said. ■ Continued: Page 10.
Raspberry twister 1kg
$9.99
12608705-KG22-23
By Liam McNally