Team effort key for Panthers

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May 16, 2019

By Jackson Russell

WALLAN Panthers split their Big V games at the weekend, with the men taking a win over a local rival and the women making a tough trip out east.

The Panthers men extended their record to 6-5 with an 84-70 win over Craigieburn Eagles at home on Saturday night.

Wallan tried to open up the lead early, but was reeled back in by Craigieburn each time.

The Panthers led by five at quarter time but were on the wrong end of an 11-0 Eagles run until a 10-0 run in the second period gave the Panthers a seven point lead.

Wallan didn’t muck around in the third, running out to a 17-point lead after three quarters.

The Eagles tried to mount a comeback, but to no avail as the Panther held on for the much needed win.

Wallan’s defence was suffocating, forcing Craigieburn into 21 turnovers for the game, directly resulting in 19 Wallan points.

Import Trace Cureton led the Panthers with 24 points and eight rebounds while captain Leigh Saffin had 19 points, six rebounds and an assist.

Wallan coach Carey Paps said his players were pretty switched on and came ready to play.

“We put a bit of pressure on them and we weren’t really fouling. It was good containing D and I was pretty happy with that,” he said.

“Trace has been very consistent all year, Leigh has been too. The most pleasing thing was everybody played their role perfectly and all the guys that came off the bench played a great role.”

The Panthers take on Altona next week and look to stay within reach of a top-six spot on the ladder.

Wallan’s women had a long night, suffering an 87-55 loss to Blackburn Vikings on the road on Saturday night.

The Panthers looked like they were in with a chance in the first half, wrestling back the lead from the Vikings three times to go into half-time all tied up at 36-36.

Blackburn didn’t take kindly to the young challengers and came out of the locker room firing with an 18-4 run to open the third period.

Wallan fought back and brought the margin back to single figures but another massive Vikings run proved the difference maker as the Panthers were outscored 29-8 in the fourth as Blackburn ran away with the win.

The Panthers struggled in the paint, getting outrebounded 51-43 which resulted in 44 points in the pain and 21 second chance points for the Vikings.

Wallan’s 24 turnovers also proved costly, with the Vikings scoring 30 points from turnovers.

The loss drops Wallan’s record to 4-4 before the Panthers host 4-4 Coburg Giants next weekend.

Wandong car park woes

The North Central Review

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May 16, 2019

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A DISGRUNTLED community group are calling for an extension of Wandong Railway Station car park after a change in zone fees is attracting more cars to park in the area for a cheaper train ride.

Wandong-Heathcote Junction Community group have contacted V/Line with its concerns of cars spilling over capacity at the station.

Some cars resort to parking illegally in no standing zones or are forced to find parking around the township – often in the café and hotel car parks across the road.

It costs $8.80 to travel by train from Wandong to Melbourne return, but if you travel from Kilmore East the cost of a full fare is $24.Wandong-Heathcote Junction Community secretary Allen Hall contacted V/Line to request a car park extension.

“With the introduction to natural gas to Wandong-Heathcote Junction and the unsightly Wandong wood yard being unlikely to reopen – Is this not an opportunity to recall the wood yard lease and extend the car park?” Mr Hall said.

V/Line chief executive James Pinder responded in a letter to the group saying funding had not been allocated to Wandong for a car park increase, but Mr Hall’s comments would be taken into consideration.

Mr Hall provided a photo comparison to Mr Pinder showing an almost empty car park at Kilmore East station and an overflowing car park at Wandong Tran Station.V/Line was contacted for further comment.

New school for Beveridge

The North Central Review

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May 16, 2019

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A new school in Beveridge is under construction for students, with work expected to be completed by term one next year.

Member for Yan Yean Danielle Green visited the building site in the Mandalay Estate last week, meeting with future students, principal Steven Fernando and ADCO Construction contractors.

“It’s fantastic to see the progress, this community fought so hard to get these new school buildings,” Ms Green said.

“School enrolment numbers are growing across Beveridge and district.

“By building this new campus we are providing local families with state-of-the-art learning facilities and creating bright futures for our students,” Ms Green said.

“Beveridge families have been calling for this new school campus and I look forward to continuing my work with the community as this new campus becomes a reality.”

The school will cater to more than 500 students.Mr Fernando said the staff and students were excited about the new school being built.

Under a State Government school building program, a total of 100 new schools will open during the next eight years.

Army on display at Puckapunyal

Education

The North Central Review

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May 16, 2019

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By Jackson Russell

Those loud noises in the distance weren’t thunder, but the Australian Army showing off its capabilities in a live-fire display at Puckapunyal on Thursday.

‘Exercise Chong Ju’ showcased a fighting force of tanks, helicopters, armoured reconnaissance vehicles and infantry soldiers to about 1800 people over two days.

An operational scenario showed the joint capabilities of the Army, including M1A1 Abrams tanks, a M777A2 Howitzer and a Tiger armed reconnaissance helicopter.

Combined Arms Training Centre commandant and Puckapunyal senior Australian Defence Force officer Colonel Richard Parker said the soldiers on display predominantly came from schools at the Puckapunyal base.

“Puckapunyal’s a training base and this is the pinnacle of what we train our soldiers to do. They employ combined arms tactics in a setting where we get to integrate all the different capabilities Army owns so it’s great to be able to do this every year,” Col Parker said.

“There are a lot of people running around on base but it’s good to expose the community and all the different people who come to Puckapunyal to exactly what goes on here.

web IMG 8449 — Soldiers fire a FGM-148 Javelin Anti-Tank Missile during Exercise Chong Ju.

“I know there’s a lot of mystique about what goes on at army bases but this is the forefront of training for Australian Army so it’s great to have them here.”

The exercise was attended by members of the defence industry, media and military personnel from the United States, Canada and Germany, among other countries.

Chief of the Australian Army, Lieutenant General Rick Burr said Exercise Ching Ju demonstrated the Army’s preparedness for operational deployments and showcased its capabilities to partners in the defence industry.

“We are an army in motion. We are prepared to deploy our versatile capabilities for the joint force, which requires us to be ready to assist in crises here at home and across the globe, now and in the future,” he said.

‘Exercise Chong Ju’ is an annual Army exercise that’s named after a battle in North Korea in 1950 when the 3rd Battalion, Royal Australia Regiment, supported by tanks and artillery, attacked and captured a large North Korean defensive line during their northward advance to the Yalu River.

McEwen voters set to decide candidate

Council

The North Central Review

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May 16, 2019

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McEwen voters will elect their representative on Saturday in the 2019 federal election.

Sitting Member for McEwen, Labor’s Rob Mitchell, is up against the Greens’ Neil Baker, Ruth Parramore from the Animal Justice Party; Deb Butler from Derryn Hinch’s Justice Party; Liberal candidate Philip Fusco; Independent Robert Hyndman; Ronnie Graham from One Nation and United Australia Party’s Chris Hayman.

Mitchell Shire Council’s community advocacy campaign has pushed for funding commitments to mental health services and Wallan’s Watson Street interchange with the Hume Freeway.

Labor member for McEwen Rob Mitchell announced commitments of $3 million towards building a headspace centre in Wallan and $23 million towards building the interchange, should Labor be elected.

The council’s advocacy campaign has sparked more than 1000 postcards and emails to be sent from the community to candidates.

Mitchell Shire Mayor Bill Chisholm said council would like to thank the community for getting behind the campaign.

“Community members right across the shire have taken the time to add their voice and let candidates know that mental health and the freeway ramps matter to them,” he said.

“We’ve had a great response and I look forward to working with whoever ends up representing us to get action on these priorities.”

With one in 15 people in Mitchell Shire reporting high or very high levels of psychological distress and long waiting lists and travel times for specialised support, the campaign called for funding a range of mental health services.

Cr Chisholm said the shire was growing rapidly and the projects would change the face of the shire for years to come.

“By working in partnership across local, state and federal governments we can make a difference to thousands of people every day,” he said.

“I’d like to thank the candidates who have offered their support and taken the time to meet with us. I’d also like to thank our Youth Council members who have very active throughout this campaign.”

Clonbinane sculpture dumped

News

The North Central Review

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May 14, 2019

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Wandong artist Ray McLean says he’s embarrassed after one of his sculptures commemorating Black Saturday’s 10-year anniversary has been taken out of the ground and discarded.

Mr McLean originally constructed the memorial in 2009 out of a cypress log burned in the fires at a property in Clonbinane and updated it March to commemorate the anniversary.

With a part of the old memorial falling into disrepair, Mr McLean said he designed the new addition to represent new growth.

A green leaf is carved out of a log from a property across the road from where the original log was found.

“They wanted something new to commemorate and it was 10 years after the event and I thought I would come up with a leaf, it looked quite striking against the scrub actually,” he said.

The original sculpture is still intact and features a series of native animals heading uphill to flee the bushfires.

“It was the story of the fires and everybody getting the hell out of there,” Mr McLean said.

Unfortunately, when the North Central Review met with Mr McLean at the site of the memorial in Clonbinane, the new addition was found discarded on the ground behind the memorial.

“I’m a bit concerned that the community asked for it and now it’s been thrown over there,” he said.

“At least we’ve still got it and I can put it back up, I suppose, but I’ll have to see the committee so see what’s going on.”

It’s not the first time Mr McLean has had issues with his work being stolen or damaged.

A Ned Kelly statue was stolen from outside Beveridge Community Centre in February and a kookaburra statue was stolen from Kilmore East Recreation Reserve in December 2017.

The leaf statue took Mr McLean two weeks to carve and he said he was shocked to find it dumped behind the memorial.

“I would’ve thought the community would’ve been happy about seeing something fresh. I hope I haven’t upset anybody,” he said.

“When Ned Kelly got stolen, I just thought ‘yeah, everybody loves Ned’ but I don’t know what’s going to happen with this.”

Remembering a Wandong legend

Community Groups

The North Central Review

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May 14, 2019

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Wandong and Heathcote Junction came together on Saturday to commemorate a man who was considered a prominent figure in the community.

Robert Bamford, 69, died in mid-April, but dozens of residents gathered outside Wandong IGA – where he would often sit in his favourite chair – to remember his life and the impact he left on the community.

Residents Roger Fletcher and Ian Blyth presented a eulogy at the gathering reflecting on their experiences with him.

“We knew Robert through his friendly greeting as he either sat in his chair between the IGA and Dundee’s or when he made his way around the town,” they said.

“We knew him for his pride in this place in the way he picked up litter – down to the smallest cigarette butt – and placed it in the nearest rubbish bin.

“Robert was a well-recognised member of the Wandong community – a community that shared in his friendly greetings, bought him a coffee, a meal or cold drink, while pausing for a brief chat.”

Although a private man, after his death, members of the community reflected on memories and post their thoughts online – helping to shape the elements of his life.

“Robert was a gentleman,” one member posted.

“Miss you already Rob – it’s not the same without you there in your corner – it feels weird whenever I go shopping,” said another.

“He always had a “g’day love” when I’d see him out the front of Dundee’s,” another said.

His 13-year-old Staffy named Shy stayed alongside him until the end, passing less than a week after he was gone.

Several community members spoke at the ceremony about their recollections of Robert.

It was shared that he once was a nurse and then a toolmaker at a company in Melbourne’s north.

“Robert’s chair will be empty now and every time we walk past it we will miss his friendly hello,” Mr Fletcher said.

Mr Fletcher said the commemoration was motivated entirely from the community.

“I thought it was an excellent turnout. I think it’s a great illustration of the community in Wandong-Heathcote Junction,” he said.

“He spoke to more people in one day than most people speak to in a week.”

Roberts chair remains outside the IGA alongside Misty’s ashes, flowers, pictures and a few of his favourite items.

Raising the rainbow flag

Community Groups

The North Central Review

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May 14, 2019

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The Macedon Ranges community is invited to view the rainbow flag being raised outside the Kyneton council offices on Friday.

As part of International Day against Homophobia, Biphobia, Intersexism and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT), representatives from Cobaw Community Health and councillors will come together for the event.

Flags will be raised in three locations across the shire including Kyneton and Gisborne council offices and the Woodend Clock Tower Memorial following an engagement with the RSL.

The Woodend IDAHOBIT Day was initiated to bring attention the violence and discrimination experienced by the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex community.

It hopes to encourage all members of society to challenge homophobia and champion the rights of LGBTI communities.

May 17 also commemorates the World Health Organisation’s decision in 1990 to remove homosexuality as a mental disorder.

Councillors will join the representatives from Cobaw Community Health and council’s youth team at 1pm outside Kyneton Town Hall.

Green thumb winners in Whittlesea

Whittlesea Review

The North Central Review

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May 14, 2019

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FIVE green thumbs in the City of Whittlesea have won $2000 worth of prizes for their gorgeous gardens in council’s garden competition.

There must be something in the water in Thomastown as winner of the edible garden category went to Maria Mercuri and Vicki Servinis took first place in the front garden category.

The Thomastown women were praised for their blooms and abundance of fruit and vegetables.

Mayor Lawrie Cox said gardens were judged on innovative colour schemes and interesting plant combinations, the amount and quality of fruit and vegetables and environmentally-friendly gardening practices.

“Vicki’s beautiful cottage style garden is a sea of colour with a variety of roses, daisies, geraniums and elephant ears,” he said.

“She has used a range of foliage, layers and textures and when viewed from the street it creates a warm and friendly environment and a talking point among passers-by.

“In Maria’s garden, full of eggplant, chilies cherries, apples, persimmon, peas, apricots, tomatoes, grapes and more, there is no space wasted with artistic features throughout.

“The extensive range of fruit trees and vegetables are a visual feast. Her grafted tree providing four different citrus types is exceptional.”

Edible Garden winners were: 1st Maria Mercuri; 2nd Menka Ristevski.Front Garden winners: 1st: Vicki Servinis; 2nd: George Efremidis; 3rd: Mario and Tosca Pozzie.

New market for South Morang

The North Central Review

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May 14, 2019

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The City of Whittlesea is launching a new farmers and makers market in South Morang.

The concept has been supported by the community with a post on Whittlesea Council’s Facebook page engaging more than 31,000 people and shared more than 300 times.

Mayor Lawrie Cox said the launch of the market had seen an incredibly positive response from the community.

“Farmers markets are extremely popular in Victoria and it’s exciting to be able to bring one to the City of Whittlesea,” he said.

“Our local produce is some of the freshest and tastiest food you could find anywhere.

“The market will be a great opportunity to get to know some of the great farmers, producers and artists in the area.”

Launching this Saturday, the South Morang Farmers and Makers Market will be on the third Saturday of each month in the City of Whittlesea Civic Centre carpark, 25 Ferres Boulevard, South Morang.

Only short distance from South Morang Station, the market will showcase fresh local produce and quality handmade products, live music and kids’ activities.