MACEDON Ranges Shire Council has been advised by contractors, Wheelie Waste, that it has suspended its collection of waste, recycling and garden waste services for the shire.
The statement said council staff are working with Wheelie Waste and the government to work out arrangements going forward.
“Residents should continue to use and put out their bins,” the statement said.
“We are working to ensure services resume as soon as possible and we will provide another update later today.”
By Brooke Haffenden
The North Central Review can reveal that the college has been accredited by the Department of Education and Training for the International Student Program.
On March 15, Wallan Secondary College Principal Sally Lasslett will depart for China as part of the first Victorian Government roadshow to promote the college to Chinese education services with the possibility of meeting potential families who will participate in the program.
Ms Lasslett confirmed the program is in the early stages of development and should be up and running at the college by 2019.
Ms Lasslett said the program was a department initiative to bring students from overseas “into our schools so our students have global connections”.
“It’s important to our students as it brings our students a global perspective on life and a global experience. It enhances the second language abilities of our students and provides positive high performing peers to work with in the classroom,” she said.
“(We) look forward to allowing our students access to a variety of different cultural experiences and the opportunity to make links with people in other countries to improve employment pathways for our students.”
Ms Lasslett told the North Central Review that students who enrol in the program will come from countries such as China, Vietnam, Thailand and Cambodia. They will attend the school in years 11 and 12 and complete their VCE over a three year period.
The aim of the program is for international students to then go to university in Australia.
At the maximum, the school will accept 20 students into the program which will have no impact on current enrolments.
Having opened the new VCE Learning Centre at the college last week, Ms Lasslett said the program will allow full use of the facility.
“We also get further funding to the college which will allow future school improvement, including an additional court at the gym which can then be available to the community as well,” she continued.
A spokeswoman for the Department of Education and Training said more than 250 Victorian government schools have been welcoming international students for more than 20 years, providing students from abroad an exciting opportunity to study in our local schools while experiencing Australia’s culture and lifestyle.
“Both international and local students benefit from Victoria’s international education program by developing a better understanding of the world and an appreciation of different views, cultures and languages,” she said.
“The jobs of the future are increasingly global, so it is essential that Victorian students have exposure to the wider world outside their own neighbourhood.
“Developing intercultural capabilities is an important part of the Victorian Curriculum and having our students sit side-by-side in class with students from other countries and cultural backgrounds is a great way of doing that – while at the same time building global friendships.”
Wallan Secondary College will also be looking for suitable homestay options. Homestays will be paid $250 a week.
For more information regarding homestays or the program, contact the International Student Program coordinator Lauren Mozzina on 5783 0300.
The Women’s Chainsaw Club will see 10 women in the Lancefield, Benloch and Cobaw townships given the chance to build their skills in using the machines.
They will even carve sculptures.
Mayor Cr Jennifer Anderson said the program was an opportunity for women to build confidence and self-reliance while learning new skills in the process.
“Knowing how to handle a chainsaw has historically been a skill associated with men, so it’s great to be able to challenge this stereotype,” she said.
“The program is open to all women in the areas of Lancefield, Benloch and Cobaw, with preference given to women in higher fire risk areas, single parent families, women in isolation and those experiencing financial hardship.
“I’m proud that council’s part of this initiative, and I look forward to seeing expressions of interest from many women in the region.”
The program has been backed by the CFA alongside course facilitator Angie Polglaze – a chainsaw championship competitor – who said she was excited to bring the event to the region.
“This art form has taken me all over the world, literally,” she said.
“It keeps you strong, it keeps you fit … and there’s always something new to make.
“You’ll walk away from the course with a chainsaw certificate under your belt, skills with carving and a chainsaw, so get involved.”
The Women’s Chainsaw Club Program is an initiative of Macedon Ranges Shire Council, in partnership with the Lancefield Neighbourhood House and Benloch CFA following funding from the CFA Summer Local Initiatives Grants Program.
Meanwhile, a fire track will be constructed in Benloch in an attempt to improve safety for those throughout the region.
The state government’s annual Fire Access Road Subsidy Scheme (FARSS) was accessed to provide the funds for the development of the track which will grant CFA access to small and large fires.
The Macedon Ranges Shire Council township was one of several places in the North West CFA region to be given funding.
CFA Manager Community Safety North West Region David Allen said the scheme supported local initiatives developed between brigades and councils and over the years has seen significant investment across the region in numerous projects.
“The program relies on joint partnership funding between the local municipality and government via CFA,” he said. “It further enhances the strong partnerships between local government and CFA.
“I welcome the successful program work to be implemented within Macedon Ranges and I’m sure it will greatly assist our local brigades and Benloch community.”
By Brooke Haffenden
Living by the Scout Promise to do their best and contribute to the community, the young group of Joeys, Cubs, Scouts and Venturers are not only without a home but have no place to store their equipment, and now they are turning to the community for assistance.
Assistant Group Leader Dinnae Galloway told the Whittlesea Review that currently there are four sections split across three different locations.
As a result of the Laurimar Community Centre fire in January this year, the Joeys and Cubs have had to move locations and are based out of the new Orchard Road Community and Early Learning Centre.
Whittlesea Council confirmed repairs have begun on the Laurimar Community Centre, with groups expected to return by Term 2.
Although, the Joeys and Cubs will return to the facility, the group will still be split across different locations as the centre is not big enough to host the other groups.
Currently the Scout troop operates out of the Mernda Uniting Church and the Venturers out of the Eltham Scout Hall, which affects preparing for events and impacts on equipment storage.
“We are really, really spread out because we do not have a home of our own,” Ms Galloway said.
“It’s difficult to organise for events.
“When I was helping our scout leader get ready for camp in October she was running all around. She had to go to three different parents’ homes to collect equipment just to be prepared for the camp.”
At the moment, the 1st Doreen Scout Group is storing equipment in eight different garages, as well as a carport. As a result of their relocation, they are also borrowing equipment from other groups.
Ms Galloway said while the group doubled their membership numbers from 42 to 80 within a six month period, the split locations can affect membership.
“It’s a lot more difficult to have parents of youth that are trialling and to encourage them to stick around. They’re not going to stick around if they don’t feel welcome and they don’t feel comfortable, and they don’t feel like they have found a home,” she said.
“So, when you have this really disjointed organisation it’s very hard to get to know all the different leaders.”
Whittlesea Mayor, Cr Kris Pavlidis said council has been attempting to find a more suitable location for the group.
“Council understands that the Doreen Scout Club is growing which is wonderful for our community. We have been working with the club to try and find more suitable locations for them to meet but at this stage we have been unable to identify a building that would suit their needs,” Cr Pavlidis said.
“We recognise the value to our community of organisations like the Scouts and will continue to work with the Doreen club to support them.”
Ms Galloway said council has been fantastic, however while they wait they need to look at temporary solutions, including storage facilities.
The group has put a call out for anybody with a storage container that can be stored in Doreen or Mernda.
Ms Galloway also reiterated while they don’t have their own hall, the 1st Doreen Scout Group is “still an amazing environment for children to learn skills they don’t learn in school.”
For more information or to help the group please contact
Group Leader Malcom Noyle on 0499 549 337,
or Assistant Group Leader Dinnae Galloway 0436 122 993.
Alternatively you can visit the website at
www.1stdoreenscouts.com.au
By “Pegs”
Brewster saddled-up Darci’s Money to win the Financial Momentum 0-58 Handicap (1170m) after failing to beat a runner home at his past two starts.
The nine-year-old Darci Brahma gelding, paying $113.10 on Supertab, stormed down the outside to run down the $2.90 favourite Our Cashier to win by ¾-length with Pacific Tycoon ($18) a similar distance away third.
The gelding was ridden by apprentice Jessica Eaton.
Brewster said the reason for the form turnaround was the Good 3 track.
“He’s hopeless on anything softer. He just needs conditions to suit.
“Track rider Chris Doherty and Ray Sonogan have been a great assistance to me,” Brewster, who works at the Kilmore District Hospital said.
Darci’s Money was a $100,000 purchase by the former Sydney trainer, the late Bede Murray, at the 2010 New Zealand Bloodstock Select Sale and later in the gelding’s career he was trained in Adelaide by David Jolley.
Brewster has won three races with the gelding.
Seymour trainers Alan Diggins and the father/son partnership of Lee & Shannon Hope bookended the Bendigo program last Wednesday.
The two stables were successful with Hegemon ($4.40) and Balcazar ($4.20) respectively.
The latter, luckless at his previous start, was ridden by Group 1-winning jockey Jordan Childs.
By Joshua Wells
Picture: Ian Blyth
UPDATE: OWNERS of the Wallder’s Cafe have taken to Facebook to thank neighbouring businesses and family for their help during yesterday’s ordeal.
They also paid tribute to the builders who came to secure the shop before dark.
“Also, the boys from builders team who came to secure the place in such short notice, who came to assist with the incident that occurred,” the post said.
“Thank god it all happened after hours and everyone is safe.
“We are sad to inform our customers that we will be closing until the cafe can be properly repaired.”
EARLIER: A PEDESTRIAN near a business in Kilmore has avoided a collision with a runaway vehicle only to watch it crash into a shop front at about 4pm on Wednesday.
A white vehicle parked across the road allegedly was left to rest without its hand break which has caused it to roll down across two lanes, up a gutter and into a shop.
No one has been reported as injured.
A witness exclusively told the North Central Review she herself had a near miss with the vehicle before watching it crash into the business in her rear view.
“It came rolling across the road, and I had to try avoid it,” she said to a reporter at the scene.
Police had been called at time of publication.
RIDDELLS Creek Primary School paid tribute last Friday to student Lily De Haas who passed away from a brain tumour.
Opening a new outdoor inclusive learning space and sensory garden, the school community made a garden entrance in memory of Lily.
Member for Macedon Mary-Anne Thomas visited the primary school alongside Catherine Andrews, wife of Premier Daniel Andrews, to celebrate the opening with the students and pay tribute to Lily.
Lily’s family, including parents Simone and Chris and siblings Brianna and Joel, were also present for the occasion and cut the ribbon to formally open the garden.
Riddells Creek Primary School Principal Kim Ryan said the development of the garden was in parallel with Lily’s illness and, as the completion of the garden coincided with her death and funeral, the school community wanted to do something special in memory of Lily.
Ms Ryan also thanked Ms Thomas for advocating for the project, the Happy Gardeners led by Adrian Strano and Romsey Engineering.
“We also wish to thank Romsey Engineering for making and donating the sign for Lily’s Gate, which we think is a perfect reflection of her whimsical and wonderful spirit,” she said.
The recently completed space includes a wheelchair- accessible edible garden, a music garden, sensory play areas, quiet alcoves, a purpose built shed and veranda that provides a specific place for classes to gather.
The $240,000 outdoor learning space was funded from the state government’s $20 million Inclusive Schools Fund.
The primary school also held its purple day on Friday to support Relay For Life, raising close to $500. Last year Relay For Life generously donated all the funds towards Lily’s treatment and care.
THE Kilmore Country Music Festival – the event that had its roots in Wandong in 1972 – will boot scoot off into the sunset with the final event at the Kilmore Racecourse on Saturday, March 3.
Dwindling attendances and an even smaller group of dedicated volunteers (there are only five of them this year) has brought an end to the festival that has been a major part of the district’s music history for 46 years.
Described as ‘the last hurrah’, the organising committee announced on its website that 2018 would be the last festival.
The other week, fate drove the nail further into the coffin with the announcement that Tim Farren, long-time favourite artist of the festival, would no longer be performing due to hand surgery.
“We wish him all the best for a speedy recovery. Tim will be missed, but health and wellbeing always comes first. Good luck Tim,” the website announcement stated.
Kaitlyn Thomas replaces Farren with the support of The Cartwheels and The Dalton Gang, Danny Stain, Bec Hance and Cameron Mason.
The day will start at the Royal Oak Hotel at 1pm followed by Mac’s Hotel at 4pm as a lead up to the final concert in the betting shed at the Kilmore Racecourse.
Harking back to Wandong in 1972, it was a different story then with 1800 people and twenty-one carloads of police turning up to the event at the LB Davern Reserve.
In 1979, the festival’s committee issued a two record set to mark the eighth festival by various artists, Wandong Country was the album’s name: the First Live Souvenir Recording of Australia’s Top Country Artists, via the R.I.M.S. record label, Melbourne.
Country music scribe James ‘Jazza’ Smith wrote the liner notes praising wonderful Wandong.
“Wonderful Wandong – with its hustle, bustle, sweat and heat, it’s hot dogs, pies and coke cola, toilet queues and honky tonk blues, berets and beanies, smilers and meanies, braless girls and topless blokes and truckies telling dirty jokes. Grinning grannies and crackling trannies, tapping feet, sizzling heat and a country beat.” Smith waxed lyrical.
However not all good things are meant to last and dwindling crowds in the early 1980s led to the festival closing.
It was not until 2000 that Wandong saw its return – for the next 11 years until 2012 around the time it was moved to Kilmore. A wet weekend in March 2000 saw the reborn festival with a hardy crowd welcoming festival icon Eureka Smith.
Two years later the festival seemed to be ticking along nicely and a Ute competition was added in 2003.
A highlight of that year was Coxy of ‘Postcards’ fame sitting in on drums with the Dalton Gang belting out some classic bluegrass.
The 2009, was held in the wake of Black Saturday as a CFA and bushfire benefit event. The day will perhaps best remembered for the debut of Premier John Brumby singing the Slim Dusty classic Duncan with words re written for Wandong.
“I love to have a drink in Wandong – because Wandong is great,” Brumby belted out.
Wandong, and to some extent Kilmore, was the ultimate experience for professional and amateur country music entertainers in Australia.
Wandong wrote Australian music history with a sensational peaks and even more sensational troughs over the years – but it put the town on the map.
Perhaps testimony to Wandong’s success was when Tamworth radio station 2TN ‘Country Music Capital of Australia’, urged visitors to head south to Wandong for the ’biggest country music show in the Southern Hemisphere.’
But now, as Kenny Rogers once sang – ‘you’ve got to know when to hold them, know when to fold them’ – and sadly for Kilmore, it’s time to walk away, this time the dealing’s done.
Kilmore Free Press
Thursday, February 26, 1948
Appeal to shooters
Spotlight-shooters were put on the spot themselves recently when the Australian Primary Producers’ Union claimed that spotlight shooting – especially from cars – was the sport of many irresponsible and inaccurate marksmen who would shoot at everything – even a farmer – that came within a range of rifle and spotlight.
Kilmore Free Press
Thursday, February 26, 1970
Ratepayers to foot the bill
Kilmore Water Trusts new storage basin near the town, which has failed on two occasions, is to again be repaired and ratepayers will foot the bill by way of increased rates to cover the cost of loan redemption.
At last week’s meeting of the Trust, it was reluctantly decided to go ahead with the work, for which a tender of $72,000 had previously been accepted.
Kilmore Free Press
Wednesday, February 23, 1983
Tougher bans on water use
Consumers supplied with water by the more and District Waterworks Trust face even tougher restrictions and rationing as from Friday of this week. Since December 9 the trust has limited domestic use of its water to 700 litres (154 gallons) per person per week. From this Friday the new limitation will be only 420 litres (92 gallons) per person per week. The extremely serious situation of the water supply for the townships of Kilmore, Kilmore East, Wallan, Wandong and Heathcote Junction is evident from the declining levels in the storages.
By Joshua Wells
When Trish Santinon arrived back to her Heathcote Junction home recently, she noticed her dogs Winston and Lily barking like crazy which prompted her to check her CCTV system and was startled by what she found.
Just minutes earlier, a copperhead snake had slithered into her backyard and under her verandah, prompting her to immediately call her neighbour Simon Perry.
This was just the second snake experience in Ms Santinon’s residence since she moved in 17 years ago and it was something which startled her.
She called The Snake Removalist Anthony Calleja who spent 40 minutes removing the serpent.
The home owner said she was forever grateful to those who helped her.
“I haven’t had many run ins with snakes before, I know they are there and I respect them, but it did scare me,” she said.
“I was very panicked but thankfully Anthony took him very far away. He was just warning us to not attack them, just let them be.
“It certainly is the dry bringing the snakes out. “
After her sighting, Ms Santinon’s story was part of another media organisation’s attempt to frame the region as a snake capital.
But The Snake Removalist, Mr Calleja, said it was actually Wallan that more snakes were being found in curious places.
“Snakes are always more frightened of us than we are of them, and people need to educate themselves because they are not scary or as dangerous as people think,” he said.
“I wouldn’t say it was the snake capital. They are around. They always stay away from humans because escape is always their first option.
“To be honest, I see more in Wallan. I have had a lot of calls around there.
“If you do see a snake, stay a safe distance and back away slowly. Don’t try to go near it or hit it with a shovel as it could become defensive.
“Call a licenced snake handler if you do think it needs to be removed.”
