Captain leads Tallarook to premiership

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March 15, 2019

By Jackson Russell

TALLAROOK are the 2018/19 Seymour District Cricket Association A Grade premiers after a comfortable 82-run win over Yea.

It was a dangerous start for Tallarook in front of their home crowd on Saturday with both openers falling cheaply to have the hosts 2/12.

Jac Smith-Williams (31) and Mitchell Itter (39) combined for a 53-run third wicket stand to put Tallarook back on the right track.

Solid partnerships and 35 runs from Cameron Muir had the hosts 7/138 and the tailenders kept the scoreboard ticking over until the side was bowled out for 164 after 73.4 overs.

With a whole day to play, Yea could’ve taken its time but got off to a horror start at 4/6 after just six overs.

It’s luck didn’t change much as the visitors were bowled out for 82 after 35.2 overs.

Darcy Pell (13) and Marc Steiner (43) put together a 31-run partnership to get the visitors back on track but Yea’s lower order dropped like flies.

After Pell was dismissed, only one Yea batsmen reached double figures while the remaining bats struggled to get on the board.

Tallarook captain Leigh Irving rolled through Yea’s batting lineup, taking 7/29 from 14 overs with five maidens while Will Dundon took 2/14 from 9.2 overs.

Irving said once the momentum started, it kept going.

“It was pretty special. Will Dundon’s been the best bowler all year and to take a couple early ones got the momentum going,” he said.

“It was surreal, it just started and it kept going for us. We were able to hold on to catches and that made the difference for us.

“Yea had beaten us three times this season and we felt like an underdog so to get the win against a good side.

“We didn’t have the mental edge but we were able to overcome it on the day, was pretty special.”

Irving said it was great to be able to take seven wickets but he was more proud to be able to help get his side to the top of the mountain.

“I’d taken nine wickets all year and everything fell in my favour on the day. Our whole team fought it out with the bat on Saturday and things just fell in my favour on Sunday,” he said.

“It really was amazing. My personal achievement didn’t worry me but to be able to lead with the ball and do it when it mattered was huge.

“I was more proud that I got the team there than anything.”

A Grade: Tallarook 164 (M Itter 39, C Muir 35, J Smith-Williams 31; C Armstrong 4/24, B Tarran 3/28, A Chisholm 2/19) def Yea Tigers 82 (M Steiner 43; L Irving 7/29, W Dundon 2/14)

B Grade: Alexandra 5/102 (S Parker 33) def Royal 100 (J Geldat 5/39, J Leary 3/23).

C Grade: Pyalong 147 (S Delaney 44, J Cadman 36; T Bradshaw 3/25) def Broadford 106 (C Mason 28; C Wittig 3/14, M Zoch 3/15)

A woman to be celebrated on International Women’s Day

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The North Central Review

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March 13, 2019

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A woman to be celebrated on International Women’s Day

By Evelyn Leckie

MERNDA resident and founder of ‘Eyes for Africa’ Julie Tyres has received the Selina Sutherland award as a part of the 27^th annual International Women’s Day dinner in Doreen last week.

Ms Tyres started the charitable foundation in 2007 after a trip to Ethiopia that shed light on the assistance remote communities required with sight restoration.

Since the foundation’s beginning, the charity has assisted with more than 3000 cataract surgeries in Ethiopia resulting in sight restoration and improved livelihoods of Ethiopian communities.

The foundation assists with training Ethiopian cataract surgeons and sets up specialists in remote areas.

Ms Tyers who is a full-time ophthalmic nurse spends her holiday leave leading sight-saving expeditions to Ethiopia.

“Here in Australia we take our excellent healthcare for granted and I couldn’t sit back any more and let people in Africa go blind without doing something about it,” Ms Tyers said.

A exhibition in January brought Ms Tyres and her volunteer team to Metehara, a village three hours from Addis Ababa.

The two-week campaign was at a medical clinic, nine kilometres from Metehara.

The group restored sight to 157 people and were also able to organise specialised care to four other patients.

Member for Yan Yean Danielle Green hosted the International Women’s Day dinner and presented the Julie Sutherland award to Ms Tyers.

“The 2019 Selina Sutherland Award recipient Julie Tyers was deservedly acknowledged for her contribution and for her determination and resilience,” Ms Green said.

“Julie is truly an inspiration to all those who meet her.”Her extraordinary efforts in nursing, particularly through her foundation ‘Eyes for Africa’, will have major worldwide benefits long into the future.

”Ms Tyers said she was proud and honoured to be a recipient of the award.“Women are very resilient, we use a lot of common sense and we have much more power than we realise to fulfil our goal,” she said.

Mitchell Shire Council opposes extra pokies for Hogan’s

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The North Central Review

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March 12, 2019

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Mitchell Shire Council opposes extra pokies for Hogan’s

Mitchell Shire Council will make a submission opposing Hogan’s Hotel’s application for an extra 20 poker machines at its Wallan premises.

The council met earlier today and all councillors in attendance voted unanimously to submit a Social and Economic Impact Assessment to the Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation.

Hogan’s Hotel has applied to expand its gaming facilities from 45 electronic gaming machines to 65.

The council will also send a representative to the regulation board’s public hearing on April 2 to present its case.

For more on this story, see next week’s North Central Review.

Going for gold in Abu Dhabi

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March 12, 2019

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SPORTS star Laura Butler will compete at the Special Olympics World Games in Abu Dhabi this week, representing Australia in the 200 metre sprint, long jump and relay race.

The Pyalong resident and Broadford Secondary College student said she had been going to the gym every night and pracitising long jump training twice a week in Kilmore to prepare for the event.

“I hit a personal best the other night training for long jump,” Ms Butler said.
Ms Butler is excited but also nervous about the competition.

“Sometimes I get really nervous but I just get out there and I feel alright after a while,” she said.

Ms Butler will be joining 17 other Australians at the Special Olympics and 7000 athletes from 170 different countries.

It’s the first time the Special Olympics will be hosted in the Middle East since the movement’s founding in 1968.

“It’s my first time going overseas,” she said.

“It’s going to get up to 40 degrees and it’s outdoors – but if it gets too hot we’ll be competing at night.”

Ms Butler said she had received a lot of support from the community, particularly from Moira Waye of Pyalong Neighbourhood House.

“I’ve now got $7000 to help cover flights and accommodation,” she said.

Ms Butler’s family will fly to Abu Dhabi to support and cheer her on.

The Special Olympics’ mission is to promote positive social change for people with intellectual disabilities and create a more inclusive society.

Ms Butler said she had told only a few close friends that she was competing in Abu Dhabi.

“I’ve kept it to myself,” she laughed.

Whittlesea council to re-think Mernda pool budget

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March 12, 2019

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Whittlesea council to re-think Mernda pool budget

By Evelyn Leckie

RESIDENTS have applied pressure on the CIty of Whittlesea with the ‘Extend the Mernda Pool Campaign’ causing councillors to re-think the proposed 25-metre pool at Mernda Aquatic Centre.

All 11 councillors were present at the Whittlesea council meeting last week, voting unanimously in favour of an urgent motion raised by Cr Tom Joseph.The motion was for a costings report to be prepared to indicate how much it would cost to build a 50-metre pool.

Last month, council voted against the 50-metre pool option due to budget constraints.

Cr Joseph said that once the figures come in, councillors will know what they’re dealing with.

“Once we have the costings then we can consult the community and move forward,” Cr Joseph said.

The report does not mean the 50m pool plan will necessarily be approved, but it’s one step forward for Ryan Hogan who ran the ‘Extend the Mernda Pool’ campaign.

“I think the council members reconsidering the decision means they’re doing a great job,” Mr Hogan said.

“Our kids don’t get to vote – but we do.

“It affects our kids and a lot of sport clubs in the area are coming forward and supporting the campaign.

“We’ll continue to apply pressure and collect signatures which can be signed and dropped off at the Split Bean Café in Mernda.”

Mayor Lawrie Cox said he remained concerned about the costings of a 50m pool.

“I don’t oppose the pool, I oppose the cost – that has to be taken into account,” Cr Cox said.

“The purpose of the resolution is to make sure that information on the costings are factual.”

Kilmore East foundation celebrates 20 years

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March 12, 2019

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Kilmore East foundation celebrates 20 years

Children First Foundation is celebrating its 20th year in operation.

To recognise the milestone, television program Sunrise and Honda teamed up to donate a car to the foundation.

For two decades Children First’s Miracle sMiles program has facilitated life-changing surgery for hundreds of disadvantaged children from developing countries who do not have access to health resources.

The program provides pre-and-post surgical care for children with various conditions including orthopaedic, craniofacial, burns and urology cases.

Miracle sMiles program manager Deb Pickering said she was not expecting such a generous donation.

“The reporter said ‘I just want to get a photo outside on the stairs’. She then said ‘I’ve brought you out on false pretense, Sunrise would like, with Honda’s 50th year, to give you…’ then the car came around!” Ms Pickering said.

“I’m thinking, ‘who’s going to get out of the car?’ But no, it is the car!

“They came here and spoke with all the children that were here, the mums and babies – it was fabulous. It was really overwhelming.”

The foundation made headlines over the past year, with the successful separation surgery of Nima and Dawa, the Bhutanese conjoined twins.

Children First Foundation funded the operation and helped the twins recover at their property in Kilmore East.

The twins returned home to Bhutan last week, something Ms Pickering found quite emotional.

“Their mum starting crying. They are incredibly poor in Bhutan and she appreciated everything we’d done,” Ms Pickering said.

“It’s very quiet here without them now. We’re still a bit emotional, we found some of their washing in the basket that they’d left behind.”

“They became part of our family.”

When the North Central Review arrived on Thursday, Children First Foundation development manager Treaisa Rowe had organised a working bee at the property.

“Most of the work done here is from volunteers. We have people from the area and also corporate volunteers come down for the day to help out,” Ms Rowe said.

“We’re always looking for more people who want to help. People want to do good they just don’t know how to go about it.

“We are doing a working bee once a month so anyone who wants to get involved can contact us.”

Moira marvels women’s lunch

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The North Central Review

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March 12, 2019

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By Lauren Duffy

Humanitarian Moira Kelly had a sold-out audience captivated through her International Women’s Day speech at Mitchell Shire Council’s lunch on Friday.

Ms Kelly’s humble, down to earth yet emotional, and at times amusing, story-telling exemplified the spirit of what International Women’s Day stands for.

After a decade living in Kilmore East, raising Ahmed and Emmanuel at the Children First Foundation’s base, Ms Kelly now lives in Melbourne, caring for Trishna and Krishna – the twins from Bangladesh, who were seperated after being cranually conjoined.

“Kilmore will always have a special place in my heart,” Ms Kelly said.

“I will always feel welcomed back to Kilmore.”

Ms Kelly said she was inspired by Mother Theresa to embark on a life of humanitarian work, which has taken her to countries across the world, including Ireland, USA, Romania and Yugoslavia.

“Mother was a small woman from Ethnic Albania, from humble village beginnings. At the end of the day, take off that cross and veil and she was an ordinary woman like us,” Ms Kelly said.

It was in Bosnia, at a refugee camp, where Ms Kelly met a child injured by a massacre of the war, which led her to a life of organising life-saving treatment for children.

Ms Kelly organised for the child to have surgery in Boston, USA.

And after a successful outcome, Ms Kelly believed she could help more children.

In her speech, Ms Kelly outlined the stories of several of the children she has helped, and updates on the lives of the children she has adopted after helping them – Ahmed, Emmanuel, Trishna and Krishna.

She spoke of incredible medical stories and the effect many of the ground-breaking surgeries have had on the Australian medical industry.

While stepping away from Children’s First Foundation, Ms Kelly’s new venture in Melbourne continues to help sick and needy children, as well as women in need.

But she still carries the same mantra – “dont give up on hope”.

Women hit the town

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The North Central Review

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March 12, 2019

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Ladies of the Red Hat Society celebrated International Women’s Day out on the town with a ‘Champagne and Shopping’ day in Kilmore.

Red Hat Society – originating in the US – is a global initiative to help women over 50 connect with their community and to just have fun.

It began as a simple gift of a red hat given to a friend and has grown into a universal symbol for women to celebrate their age and the process of entering a new phase in their life.

The society helps renew friendships and promote periods of ‘recess’ from the duties and cares of everyday life.

Members who have attained the fabulous age of 50 all wear red hats and purple clothing, while those under 50 wear pink hats and lavender clothing.

Rubies and Pearls of Kilmore organised the event with women from Bendigo, Geelong and Muckleford South joining the group first at Copella fashion boutique for a personalised shopping experience, followed by a lunch at Oddfellows Cafe in Kilmore.

Rubies and Pearls of Kilmore, Red Hat Society organiser Jan Childs, aka Queen Janesca, said she started the group about three years ago.

“We’re not a charity, it’s purely for ladies over 50 who want to go out and enjoy social activities,” Ms Childs said.

“You go through life and you’re someone’s daughter and then you’re someone’s wife and then you’re someone’s mum and someone’s grandmother and eventually you become invisible – other than being connected with someone else.”

Copella owner Christine Batskos said Ms Childs helped her organise the event.

“Jan is a regular customer here, and I told her I wanted to retire, and that’s how the whole thing started – she said ‘let’s have a champagne and shopping day’ so we did,” Ms Batskos said.

Ms Childs said events like the shopping day united women and allowed them to have a day to themselves.

“We’ve encouraged ladies here to come and join us. Being IWD it makes this particular event even more special.”

Students unite for time trials

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March 12, 2019

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Broadford Secondary College students will participate in a 24-hour time Energy Breakthrough trial this year.

Students are coming together to build two cars that will enter the Energy Breakthrough challenge in Maryborough in November.

Led by their physics teacher Paul Briggs, the students will compete in a two-day race against other schools.

“One of the aspects of the project is that the kids get out there, engage with the community and find support,” Mr Briggs said.

The teams entered in the competition will be scored on different categories, including a presentation on their journey, the energy efficiency of the bikes, how well the students have built them according to the rules and the number of laps completed in 24 hours.

“The energy efficiency aspect of the competition means that we have to look at things like lowering the centre of mass, the pressure the tyres should run at to get grip, but also with the least amount of resistance,” said Mr Briggs.

The event will be in Maryborough, where the town centre is used as the racing circuit for participants.

“They have a fair, an expo and tents. It’s just a huge event,” Mr Briggs said.

The Broadford students attended the competition last year and are hoping to gain the same amount of support.

Mr Briggs said the project was a good way to get all the students involved and to grow the connection between students.

“It’s all about getting students that would never speak to each other to come together,” Mr Briggs said.

He said that he would like to acknowledge the involvement of Cluney Constructions in Clombinane, who had already contributed $800 and were assisting in construction of the bikes that the students were unble to do themselves.

Any businesses that are interested in sponsoring the students can call Broadford Secondary College.

Community seeks 24-hour vet service

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The North Central Review

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March 12, 2019

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Pet owners are calling for a 24-hour vet service in the shire after several pets have died during after hours.

Kilmore resident Anita Gisch lost her six-year-old cat Ollie to a snake bite earlier this month.

Ms Gisch had to drive 50 kilometres to Essendon Fields where Ollie did not survive the trip.

“It just seems crazy that the population around here is booming and there is no essential overnight care in the region,” Ms Gisch said.

“If we’d known it would take an hour I wouldn’t have gone into a wait and see mode – I would have taken him earlier.

“Between Melbourne and Bendigo there is virtually nothing. I understand it is difficult for vets in the area, maybe it is something needed for council to address? We don’t know what we can do to help.”

Kilmore resident Andrea, who did not want her surname published, said she had experienced several occasions where she had to drive long distances to a 24-hour vet.

“I had accidentally ran over my cat and we panicked as we didn’t know who to call for this emergency, she died on my lap while driving to Kilmore and then Broadford in the hope someone was open,” Andrea said.

“We have had other occasions where we had to drive to Bundoora which is 40 minutes away on a good run.

“One vet can’t do it all themselves, we don’t want them working 24 hours. Can they rotate like our doctors do? Can we fund vets to come up from Melbourne?”

“The area is growing that much now we need something in the area, our pets are our family we need to do something.”

Northern Veterinary Group owner Dr Paul May opened the 24-hour emergency hospital in Wallan in September, 2016.

“We kept this service going until June 2018 at which point the service was reduced to overnight nurses only and vet staff on site until 11pm – this was then ceased in November 2018 to our current opening hours,” Dr May said.

“The change was due to the inability to find experienced vets to work the night shifts. The night shifts are sole charge and create very difficult working hours for vets and therefore they are extremely difficult to fill.

“For the majority of the emergency centre operation, the staff shortages would often be filled by me and occasionally some of my other full-time staff. This meant working overnight shifts on top of regular day shifts.”

Dr May is perplexed by the shortage of vets in rural areas.

“No one has an explanation given there are more graduates per year than ever before,” Dr May said.

“One thought is the low wage and high demands of the profession lead vets to move into other professions. There is certainly high rates of mental health issues and compassion fatigue.

“There is certainly no perfect solution except maybe a nationwide Medicare for animals.

“The solution lies in many areas: early career support, ongoing professional support and possibly more pet insurance pick up among owners (to take some financial pressure off).”