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13 SEPTEMBER, 2023

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April’s going for TV gold Reality TV stars are often discovered on social media, but April Acciarito’s journey began with what she discovered there herself. “I found a video on Tik-Tok of a guy metal detecting,“ said the 25 year old from Werribee. “I asked my dad if he could buy me a cheap metal detector and he caved in and bought me one.” From searching for coins or keys on the beach, Ms Acciarito quickly transitioned to looking for gold, efforts she documented on social media as the ‘Pretty Prospector.’ “I was just making videos for myself and to educate female prospectors because they’re very rare,” she said of her social media content which soon caught they eye of reality TV producers. A year on, Ms Acciarito has filmed two seasons of the new reality series Adventure: Gold Diggers which will soon air on 7 Mate. “I’m so stoked. I’ve had to keep it a secret for a very long time,” she said of the program which premieres on October 3. Werribee gold prospector April Acciarito appears on the new reality show, Adventure: Gold Diggers. (supplied)

Practise not prohibition By Cade Lucas Practise areas not police are the solution to Wyndham’s dirtbike hoon problem according to the Motorcycle Riders Association Australia. The MRAA is calling for designated off-road motorbike riding areas to be established in Wyndham arguing they will reduce the number of young riders practising on the streets. Victoria Police recently announced a crackdown on dirtbike hooning in Wyndham following a series of incidents involving young motorcyclists riding illegally. On June 29 a group of 15 riders allegedly surrounded and harassed police in Williams

Landing after one of the group had been arrested. On September 3, Hoppers Crossing teenager Ali El-Houli and cousin Zena El-Houli were killed when the unregistered dirtbikes they were riding at night collided at Grangefields near Melton. MRAA national spokesman Damien Codognotto said while laws still need to be enforced, a punitive approach was the wrong way to address the problem. “It makes the kids sneakier and it destroys their respect for police,” he said. “Prohibition does not work.” MRAA comittee member and Werribee resident Chris Swalwell agreed, arguing illegal motorcycle riding had been a longstanding

problem in the area. “I’ve been here for 13 years now and pretty much from the time I got here I’ve seen kids riding around on dirtbikes without helmets, without rego,” Mr Swalwell said. “They seem to do it with a sense of impunity.” Mr Swalwell said part of the problem was that off-road riders in Wyndham had few places to ride legally. “We’ve got one track out in this region, but the Wyndham area is a very large area, from Point Cook to Tarneit and it’s the fasted growing region in the country so it stands to reason that we need more facilities for people including off-road riders. We’ve got plenty of land out here.” Damien Codognotto said such a facility

could have a other benefits. “Teenage motorcyclists and police can meet in an atmosphere of mutual respect. They can learn machine disciplines, safety checks and how to choose and look after protective clothing.“ In response, Victoria Police reaffirmed its commitment to cracking down on hoon behaviour. “For those thinking they can ride around our streets in groups while conducting ridiculous behaviour on these bikes – be assured that we will find you, seize your bike and lay charges where appropriate,“ said Westgate Police Division Inspector, Jennifer Horgan. Wyndham council was contacted for comment.

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