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Man taken to hospital following highway smash

The North Central Review
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Man taken to hospital following highway smash

A 53-year-old man has been taken to hospital following a multiple vehicle crash on the Northern Highway near Wallan on Wednesday morning.

The man was treated for minor injuries following the crash which happened at 8.30am, March 28.

The exact circumstances surrounding the collision are still unclear.

A Victoria Police spokesperson told the North Central Review the investigation was still on going.

“Anyone who witnessed the incident or has dashcam footage is urged to contact Wallan Police Station.”

The crash caused disruptions on the roads through Wallan this morning until about 10am.

No one else was injured during the incident.

Panthers take gutsy win without import

The North Central Review
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Panthers take gutsy win without import

By Joshua Wells

A STIRRING home crowd has backed the Wallan Panthers home in a thrilling six point win over the Altona Gators on Saturday night.

The big RB Robson Stadium audience was vocal down the stretch as the Gators tried to come back in the Big V Division 2 Men round 2 clash.

Without Canadian import Kojo Afari – who was sidelined after an eye injury at training last week –  a late charge from the Gators saw Wallan lead by just seven points as time ticked down in the fourth.

But the home side steadied the ship and with two minutes remaining a steal and a jump shot from Brent Radoslovic (23 points, four assists) put the game out to a 10-point lead.

Despite the comfortable lead, the Gators wouldn’t say die and kept sending Radoslovic to the line (6/9) – before a three point bucket to Jordan Lino cut the lead to just seven.

Under pressure, Radoslovic went 1/2 with 27 seconds on the clock giving Lino another shot, but a missed three point jump shot ended their night as The Jungle erupted.

Head coach Carey Papanicoloau said he was proud of his side as they backed themselves in for the victory.

“It was a hard, gutsy effort from the boys, Altona kept coming at us and we are pretty proud of how we handled it,” he said.

“We got out to a double figure lead but then they came back.

“The team put in a team effort, we didn’t need to rely on one player… we are still trying to play clean defence.

“The less fouls, the more run we can get and we will keep working on that at training.”

Panther Hayden Annett was one of the stars with 24 points, five rebounds and four assists in his 34 minutes on court.

Wallan hit 23/30 at the line, but Altona couldn’t convert with 16/25.

Both sides were guilty of fouls, but it was in the paint where the match was won with 28 from the home side.

It was enough to keep them ahead despite leaking 14 points from turnovers.

Both sides head into the bye for Easter.

O’Nial dominates the court in Wallan win

The North Central Review
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O’Nial dominates the court in Wallan win

By Joshua Wells

EMMIE O’Nial’s performance for the Panthers at The Jungle on Sunday has been described as the best individual effort ‘we have ever seen in a Wallan singlet’.

The praise from Coach Warren Taylor came after her enormous contribution to a 31-point home win over Collingwood All Stars where O’Nial put up 28 points, 19 rebounds.

“She was close to unstoppable and we know it is there, she is capable of what she did,” Coach Taylor said after their Big V Division 2 Women win without captain and point guard Jayda Hunter.
“She got the ball and just did what she wanted to do, the points were nice but the rebounds were great… but in saying that we aren’t all about her, the whole team is growing in confidence and our guards are playing well off the bigs.”

In a testament to the team’s performance, O’Nial wasn’t the only player with a double double.

Tessa Ramsay claimed the accolade with 10 points, 10 rebounds.

But, while the individual performances were good, Coach Taylor said the real story was off the ball.

“We are second in defence after two matches and our pride is getting our feet set, getting our hands up,” he told the North Central Review.

“Our first priority is to get into a good position, force players to be uncomfortable and, in our league you seem to get whistles, so it is about defensive feet trying to draw fouls.”

But despite all the positivity, stand in captain Gemma Jackson will be sidelined with a broken arm and will likely miss up to six weeks.

The jump ball win for Jayde Popovski was as good as it got for Collingwood All Stars in the first quarter when the home side raced out to a 15-0 lead.

The home side’s dominance was attributed to the quick ball movement and amount of assists, as O’Nial stood tall under the basket to keep the ball off the All Stars.

By the end of the period, Wallan was up 22-7, holding onto their lead for a 38-21 halftime score.

The defence of Wallan meant Collingwood failed to score any fast break points and put back just four in second chance buckets.

Jackson stood tall with five assists, and both Sarah Scott and Alex Darby picked up four assists each.

The bigs dominated for the Panthers putting up 40 in the paint – doubling the All Stars’ 20 points inside.

Big V will head into an Easter Break this weekend.

No to hipster highway

Ian Blyth
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No to hipster highway

MITCHELL Shire Council has moved to set up a working party following growing community opposition to the planned Wallan to Heathcote rail trail.

With some 45 per cent of the proposed route currently in private ownership and much of this over private farm land, concerns over biosecurity, land acquisition and loss of privacy have been widely expressed.

Critics of the community consultation process have also raised concerns over the objectivity of the consultants. Pyalong resident, David Waye, described the consultants who conducted the process as “hipsters who were condescending to local residents.”

“The lead hipster was a man clad in cycling Lycra whose main selling point was that the rail trail would result in the local store growing into an IGA supermarket, increasing employment in the town, due to walkers, cyclists and riders dropping in to do their grocery shopping,” Mr Waye said in a letter to the North Central Review (see page 8).

When the matter was discussed at the March council meeting Cr Bill Chisholm, clearly aware of the community concerns, moved an amended motion to establish a working party comprising landholder, Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) and user groups, to increase community involvement in the process.

The motion to endorse the findings of the feasibility study and matters relating to seeking external funding, along with the forming of the working party was put and carried seven votes to one with Cr Bob Humm, who has previously expressed concerns over farm biosecurity issues, voting against.

“It’s a long term project, 30 years at least, and we should be looking at more important issues in the same detail. We need to concentrate on these important immediate issues now,” Cr Humm said.

Speaking to the North Central Review following the decision Mitchell Shire Mayer, Cr Rhonda Sanderson said that the working party will be a positive step in the process.
“Everyone needs to talk and it important that we find a solution. I believe working together will achieve this. Issues such as the route, biosecurity and potential fire hazards will all be on the agenda,” Cr Sanderson said.

“I also think that it important to realise that at this stage the rail trail is very much at concept stage – it is an extremely long-tern project. As our shire grows, community will expect this sort of infrastructure to be in place but we’re talking very long term – 20-30 years,” Cr Sanderson added.

Cr Sanderson also said that council had no plans to compulsory acquire private land for the rail trail.

The Wallan to Heathcote Rail Trail is projected to be some 78km long, will cost at least $17.8 million to construct. Even with funding for construction coming from other sources the ongoing maintenance will fall to council and ratepayers.

The current route travels through farms, residential and rural properties despite over 70 per cent of the owners consulted opposing the project.  Many of the landowners haven not been consulted as yet, despite the route being mapped across their properties.

Sporting clubs call for funding

The North Central Review
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Sporting clubs call for funding

By Joshua Wells

TWO football netball clubs are desperate to continue upgrading their facilities, with lights and scoreboards at the top of the list.

Two Macedon Ranges clubs are fundraising for new equipment, with Romsey Football Netball Club after a new electronic scoreboard worth in the vicinity of $50,000, while Lancefield Football Netball Club chase money to install lights at the multi-purpose netball/tennis complex.

Romsey Senior Football Netball Club president Wayne Milburn confirmed to The Free Press the club was looking to upgrade the current scoreboard to offer more at matches and over the summer months.

“We would love to get an electronic scoreboard to go with our newly purchased goal posts,” he said.

“We have one of the best grounds in the region and it would top it off to have this scoreboard… it also allows us to run movie nights through the summer season.
“They aren’t cheap.”

The club fundraised with the juniors clubs, with the Macedon Ranges Shire Council also assisting, to get the new goal posts.

While the Redbacks are on the hunt for a new scoreboard, Lancefield Football Netball Club is hoping for the new lights.

They recently raised $15,000 to fund the new netball/tennis courts, but Lancefield Football Netball Club president Clark Todd said they needed lights too.

“They are 100 per cent important,” he said.

“Lights for the multi-purpose court are paramount and it is good for our community as a whole.

“We have been fundraising but we would like some more help.”
Macedon Ranges Shire could help the club get access to up to $100,000 from the state government.

Sport and Recreation Victoria’s 2019/20 round of the Community Sports Infrastructure Fund is anticipated to be announced in the coming weeks.

Council is looking for preliminary ideas from clubs on project ideas to improve facilities in the shire.

Mayor Cr Jennifer Anderson said she wanted to encourage clubs to get in touch with council’s Recreation Department to discuss their potential projects.

“Increasing participation is the main aim of this grants program, particularly projects that increase opportunities for females and juniors.

“Sport provides many health and social benefits to our community, and the more people involved the better. If you have a project idea to help the growth of your club, we want to hear about it,” she said.

Based on previous years, funding categories may include minor facilities, cricket facilities and female-friendly facilities.

Council’s expression of interest process closes noon Monday, April 9.

Council can apply to Sport and Recreation Victoria for up to five (5) expressions of interest on behalf of local sporting groups.

For more information and view contact details, visit
mrsc.vic.gov.au/CSIF

Bottom of the lake

The North Central Review
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Bottom of the lake

By Brooke Haffenden

A LOCAL resident has slammed council for draining water from the lakes in Laurimar to irrigate the sports grounds at Laurimar Recreation Reserve.

For the past 10 years Robin Gipps has lived in the local area and each year is dismayed by the actions of City of Whittlesea Council officers.

Ms Gipps told the Whittlesea Review she has seen council officers drain the water down to the bottom of the lake on a number of occasions.

“You can see the bottom of the lake, it’s awful. It’s very disheartening to see that,” Ms Gipps said.

“The council have made this beautiful lake only for it to be drained out.”

With many birds such as Black Swans and Pelicans using the lakes, Ms Gipps said she was concerned for the future of wildlife.

Upset about the “irreversible damage” to bird life and vegetation, Ms Gipps contacted Melbourne Water with her complaint and said she wants action now or she’s “going higher”.
“I hope Whittlesea can never pump there again,” she said.

“I used to breed birds and I really enjoy the birds (at the lakes). It’s a part of the estate. I love to walk around and look at the lakes.

“Doesn’t anybody care? Am I the only one saying something?

“I just hope we get a good outcome from this. I hope it doesn’t happen again… And, I hope there hasn’t been irreversible damage. I hope Whittlesea (Council) don’t weasel their way out of this.”

Acting Team Leader, Regional Services (West Region, Maribyrnong), Glen Stewart confirmed that Melbourne Water is working closely with Whittlesea Council to establish a sustainable program of stormwater harvesting from Laurimar Wetlands in Doreen.

“Stormwater harvesting and re-use can help to reduce pressure on our drinking water supply, however an appropriate balance is necessary to ensure that animal habitat and visual amenity of impacted wetlands are also maintained,” Mr Stewart said.

“We look forward to formalising an arrangement that benefits the entire community and preserves the health of the Wetlands, which are home to a range of native plants and animals.”

City of Whittlesea Council Manager Parks and Open Spaces Lisa Pittle said there is a licence to draw water from the lake which is used to irrigate the sports grounds at Laurimar Recreation Reserve.

“The development at Laurimar including the drainage system and wetlands and the lake were constructed and handed over to Council more than 10 years ago,” Ms Pittle continued.

“Capturing and using road surface drainage through a wetland and lake system is a significant way of drought proofing local sports grounds and reusing storm water instead of drinking water.

“The ability to draw water from the lake is set at an approved level and this level has not been reached.”

Ms Pittle added that constructed wetlands are designed to similarly adapt to changing water levels and the level of the water in the lake has dropped due to low rainfall.

Passionate about the cause, Ms Gipps said she will continue to pursue the issue until council can longer pump water out of the lakes.

Split Personality

The North Central Review
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Split Personality

The good news about building on a slope

Clare 256

Clare 256 Classic Floor B

The Clare 256 is our latest split-level designed home. The versatile design is perfectly adapted to steeper blocks of land. This is good news for potential new home buyers struggling to enter an increasingly strong market.

Big volume builders have skewed the market – corralling their customers onto easier to develop flat blocks of land. This has created a pricing disparity, with less sort after steeper blocks trading at an attractive discount to flatter ones.

We believe the Clare 256 can exploit this opportunity. The split-level design contours the land avoiding the need for a high cost single building pad and unsightly high retaining walls. It can also be a better alternative to more difficult to install stump foundations.

The real attraction is space utilization. Very little land is wasted, with the split level allowing for multiple floor spaces to overlap. The staggered floors also give a stylish backdrop flowing throughout the home.

Our Clare 256 home has the family in mind, featuring a generous media room, study nook and double garage. The home comes with four spacious bedrooms – with the master suite including a well-designed walk-through wardrobe and ensuite.

The kitchen is the hub of the house, with a large butler’s pantry the perfect space for those serious about entertaining. The open-plan living area leads out into an extensive alfresco – a great place to relax and spend time with family and friends in an unobscured backyard.

stroud homes

Police confirm school investigation

The North Central Review
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Police confirm school investigation

VICTORIA Police has confirmed they are investigating an incident that occurred on Monday at a school in Wallan.

It is believed the Wallan Secondary College was allegedly visited by police following a fight with students.

A spokesperson from Victoria Police said an investigation was underway.

“Victoria Police is aware of an incident that occurred at a school on Duke Street, Wallan and we are making a number of enquiries in relation to it,” they said.

The school has been contacted but is currently unavailable.

More to come.

 

The rate debate

The North Central Review
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The rate debate

By Brooke Haffenden

RESIDENTS from the Mernda Retirement Village are taking on the City of Whittlesea in a bid for a fairer valuation process and fairer rates.

Members of the Mernda Retirement Village Action Group, Bain Simpson and Emilio Moreno told the Whittlesea Review that there is an application before VCAT on March 28 challenging the valuation process.

The VCAT application is the next step in the process for the group following a council meeting earlier this month where council moved to write to the Minister for Local Government requesting that differential rating for retirement villages be allowed under Net Annual Value (NAV) rating.

The original recommendation put forward by officers was to maintain the status quo until the proposed new local government bill is enacted which forces all the councils currently under NAV to more to Capital Improved Value (CIV) system which allows for differential rating.

However, this change is not expected to come in force until 2020/21.

During a high tension council meeting, councillors Ricky Kirkham and Mary Lalios moved amendments to the recommendation for a 25 per cent rate concession for residents.

“Here at the City of Whittlesea we have an opportunity to set a precedent moving forward that anyone living at a retirement village will have a 25 per cent discount,” Cr Kirkham said.

Cr Lalios moved to refer a 25 per cent concession on retirement village rates to the 2018/19 budget process. And, offer this concession until the rating methodology is changed.

Some of the councillors opposed the amendment, with Cr Lawrie Cox calling it a ‘simplistic solution’ that does not solve problems.

After a lengthy debate that saw Cr Kirkham removed from chambers, council passed a resolution to send a letter to the Minister of Local Government.

Cr Tom Joseph told the Whittlesea Review that he is hopeful the Minister will favourably consider the request.

“Looking at all the available evidence I am convinced that the way the retirement village residents are rated is unfair. It is unfair because the lease value of their property is rated, which is substantially more than a similar sized property across the road,” Cr Joseph said.

“City of Whittlesea currently follows the NAV system of rating and unfortunately under that system the council is not allowed differential rating for retirement villages which is essentially what the residents of the retirement villages were seeking with their petition.”

Mr Simpson and Mr Moreno said the group was encouraged by council’s conversation regarding their plight, but pointed out that many councils including Maribyrnong, Glen Eira, Yarra City, City of Monash and East Gippsland offer pension concession for rates.

“Clearly the fact that it’s gone through in these other councils means it’s an option that clearly can’t be illegal,” Mr Simpson said.

“However, even if the special amendment was put through, and there was that discount, if the valuation is wrong the discount’s going to mean nothing because if the valuation’s go up we’re back to where we started,” Mr Moreno added.

Mr Simpson said until the group receives a response back from the Minister he will still pursue the VCAT application.

“What we’re talking about is the change from NAV to CIV. CIV enables them to provide us with a differential rate but it doesn’t mandate a differential rate. So you’ve got to win that argument again,” Mr Simpson explained.

Council were contacted for a comment but as the matter is before VCAT were unable to provide a response.

What was that?

The North Central Review
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What was that?

By Joshua Wells

WAS it a gold mine blast, fighter jet, asteroid, an earthquake or a volcanic explosion?

Residents across the Macedon Ranges Shire experienced an unexplained sonic boom at 10am on Wednesday morning, with Macedon Weather still unsure quite what it was.

Reports from Melton, Pyalong, Romsey and various other places poured into experts who were hard at work to determine what caused the sonic boom.

Macedon Weather’s Anna said the group began using their weather networks and tools to pull together data, public theories and even solar phenomenon, but have only been able to come to one logical conclusion.

“There was no logical explanation and we had reports flooding into us… over the next 24 hours we examined all reports and posts which uncovered at least a dozen theories. Many were easily dismissed but two theories in particular had merit,” she said.

“After mapping the reports that came in, ground zero of the blast wave was around Yandoit, just south of Castlemaine.

“We then followed up a meteor theory by checking across the globe for sightings as three separate sky streaks sighting were seen in the Macedon Ranges around this time. At this point we found significant evidence of meteors burning up in the earth’s atmosphere over Oklahoma City only four hours before the central highlands sonic boom.

“Based on the earth’s rotation and going through the densest portion of the meteor stream, late arriving fragments of the same minor meteor shower could not be ruled out. This theory became the leader but is still not confirmed at this point.”

While the boom has a logical explanation, that did not stop the rumour mill from going into overdrive on social media.

People clambered to get their stories and versions heard by Macedon Weather, but Anna said they always try to ‘keep it real’.

“Many theories were posted into the page including Fighter jets, quarry blasts, Blackwood phone tower issue, [drug related] explosions, Alien landing, Chinese satellite falling to earth, Smeaton and Mt Franklin volcanoes awakening, hypersonic weapons off the east coast… the list could go on but all could be ruled out fairly quickly and some gave us a good laugh,” she said.

“Without more evidence, it will go into the X files as the unsolved ‘Yandoit incident’ but the meteor theory is probable the most plausible at this stage.”

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