Around six weeks ago on a Thursday, a Mernda resident formed a walk and talk group focusing on men’s mental health, which will soon be supported under the Mernda Community House.
Mernda Menergise Walk and Talk Group meets at Waterview Recreational Reserve every Thursday at 7pm, where men, including sons, older men and ages in between take the time to talk and walk through Mernda’s scenery.
Facilitator and founder Anthony Brancatisano put the word out online around two months ago, wanting to connect with others who felt there was a need to discuss life and interests, all while focusing on physical and mental health.
The idea to start a local walking group drew from his own involvement in men’s groups, including Menergy and Island of Men, where Mr Brancatisano had seen others reducing the stigma of men’s mental health, but it was not known among the wider community.
Mr Brancatisano moved to Mernda three and a half years ago, always travelling due to work but once he settled into more of a normal life when swapping jobs, Mr Brancatisano realised he had no connection to his community.
Mr Brancatisano said he still pinched himself from the community response.
“The six weeks I’ve been running now, some of the stories from the men and even the thank you’s … I’m the facilitator, I have a trauma informed certificate, but I’m not there to help anyone, we’re there to give direction,” he said.
“It’s just a space to express with other men and encourage men to get out in the community and seek help.”
Starting from April, the walk and talk group will be a program under the Mernda Community which has embraced the project among their other community initiatives.
Mr Brancatisano said the program would remain the same, but the support of the community house would make a difference for when the group wanted to meet more during the winter and to have a secure place.
“It’s the same thing, and if the weather’s not favourable, they provided a space for us that we can sit down … so we now have somewhere for shelter, we can sit down and we could chat for an hour,” he said.
“It’s just a space to express with other men and encourage men to get out in the community and seek help.”
Anthony Brancatisano
Through the support of key community members and the Mernda Community House, Mr Brancatisano said he had goals to expand the group, with plans to include a family walk once a month and get involved in more community projects.
Mr Brancatisano said it was all about community connection.
“I don’t just want to be the strictly men’s club, I want to expand into the good work that we’re doing,” he said.
“Then hope to get involved in more community projects as well because a lot of lonely older men out there that just don’t have some outlets.”
The group meets at Waterview Recreational Reserve every Thursday at 7pm.
For more information, there is a Facebook group to join at Mernda Menergise Walk and Talk Group.
Whittlesea businesses will once again be in the spotlight with the 2024 City of Whittlesea Business Awards.
Entries for the awards, which are dedicated to recognising and celebrating the achievements of local businesses, are now open.
Chair Administrator Lydia Wilson said the awards offered a unique platform for entrepreneurs, innovators and hardworking operators across the City of Whittlesea to showcase their successes and contributions to the community and industry.
“The City of Whittlesea Business Awards are not just about recognising excellence, they’re about inspiring our business community to strive for a higher standard of innovation, sustainability and service,” Ms Wilson said.
“Through our Business Awards, we want to highlight the incredible talent and dedication that drives the City of Whittlesea’s economic landscape. The awards are an opportunity to come together, share our successes, and set new benchmarks for excellence.”
Awards will be presented across six categories, with the addition of a new category this year for home-based businesses.
“The City of Whittlesea Business awards are a true reflection of the rich and varied stories that make our business community exceptional. I look forward to seeing and honouring the remarkable success stories that will undoubtedly emerge from this year’s awards,” Ms Wilson said.
The 2024 Business of the Year will be selected from the winners of all categories, celebrating a business that embodies the pinnacle of excellence across all these areas.
Entries for the awards will close at 11.45pm on March 3 and finalists will be announced on March 18, with winners celebrated at an awards evening on May 23 at the Mantra Epping.
To enter your business for the City of Whittlesea Business Awards, visit www.whittlesea.vic.gov.au/BusinessAwards.
Seymour Football Netball Club, SFNC, is boosting wellbeing support across the club, following the announcement of a partnership with Central Church.
Current senior ministers Daniel and Fiona Sanders are strong supporters of the Seymour Lions and are eager to provide off-field wellbeing support to the club’s players, members, and supporters.
Central Church is a contemporary church, with services held at the VRI Hall on Railway Place at 10am every Sunday.
The church has also now expanded into Kilmore, with a 4pm Sunday service now part of the offering.
Seymour Lions president Gerard O’Sullivan welcomed the opportunity to provide extra support to the club.
“The football club is one of the key meeting places in our town and across the past few years we’ve been through some challenging times in our community,” he said.
“Daniel and Fiona have been great supporters of our club over that time and have provided a compassionate ear and voice for many of our members.
“While our club is a fantastic place to be, we know sometimes people have a lot on their plate. To be able to support our players off-field and our members through this partnership is a great step forward for us.
“Regardless of the religious beliefs of our individual members, we’re pleased Daniel and Fiona will be on hand to provide caring support and guidance when it’s needed.”
Pastor Daniel Sanders welcomed the partnership with the club and highlighted the importance of player and supporter welfare.
“Central Church is delighted to be involved with the Seymour Lions and continue to grow our connection with the Seymour community,” he said.
“Everything we do is about community, connection and acceptance and I’m looking forward to working closely with members of the club.
“The partnership between Central Church and the Lions will support the holistic development of club members and ensure wellbeing support is available as needed.”
Mitchell Shire Council partnered with Victoria Police for Operation SafeCross last week in an initiative focused on strengthening safety measures around school zones.
Conducted in the Kilmore school precinct, the operation saw an increased presence of Victoria Police officers and council staff around school zones.
Supporting council’s crossing supervisors, Victoria Police members helped children cross the roads, ensuring they could do so confidently and securely. Driver behaviour was also in the spotlight.
Council’s Community Amenity Department was also on hand to target illegal parking around school zones.
Mitchell Shire Mayor Louise Bannister thanked Victoria Police for their work around school zones and their support of Crossing Supervisors and council’s Community Amenity Department.
“School zones are some of the busiest parts of our shire and council staff do a lot of work to make sure they are safe areas for everyone,” she said.
“It’s fantastic to have the support of Victoria Police to encourage safe behaviour and help manage issues when they arise. Everyone driving around our schools has a responsibility to take care on the roads, particularly during the peak pick up and drop off times.
“Children, especially those in primary years, can be unpredictable and difficult to see. School crossing supervisors work to help children cross safely as they travel to and from school and all drivers are asked to follow their instructions.”
Thomastown cheese producers Floridia Cheese collected the top prize of Champion Hard Cheese for their Pecorino Pepato at the 25th Australian Grand Dairy Awards earlier this month.
Hosted by Dairy Australia and the Royal Agriculture Societies in Melbourne, the annual awards acknowledge quality and innovations across 18 dairy product classes, attracting entrants from each state.
The awards saw 380 entrants across 18 categories judged on flavour, aroma, texture, body, and visual appearance to determine the finest products.
Each state was represented in the awards, taking home prizes across categories such as cheese, ice cream, milk, yoghurt, butter, and gelato.
Floridia Cheese owner Rose Portella said the team was proud of their products and committed staff, milk supplier and all partners involved.
“Our multiple awards provide confirmation that we are a class-leading Australian Dairy manufacturer of premium cheese and our Dairy Farmers can be proud that their quality milk is being converted into Award winning dairy products,” she said.
“We are always striving to produce the best products possible for our customers and put in the extra effort to ensure the highest quality products are produced and enjoyed by our customers.”
Florida Cheese has been a manufacturer of traditional Italian cheese since 1955, currently operated by a third-generation family upholding the grandparents’ – the founding fathers – vision of producing quality products.
Ms Portella said the business used time-honoured traditional methods combined with passion to produce the highest quality products.
“Our success is attributed to quality milk and ingredients, loyal and hardworking staff, passion, commitment and time-honoured recipes,” she said.
To shop the award-winning products, Australians are encouraged to look for the blue and gold medal on their packs.
Photo caption: Wallan’s Brian and Lorraine Weir have transformed their Wallan garden to abound with natives. Pictured is eucalyptus ficifolia, providing bright colour overhead.
Wallan’s Brian and Lorraine Weir have transformed their garden into a treasure trove of Australian plants, hopeful their passion for natives sprouts in the region.
The pair have spent every day out in their garden since their retirement in 2005, passionate about protecting the Australian environment and investing in the longevity of native flora and fauna.
Their keenness has sprouted a garden abundant in colour and tranquillity, with paths that twist through multitudes of grevilleas and overhanging eucalyptus, past bright chrysocephalums over a bridge and toward a small pond.
With their now blossoming garden space, the Weirs hope other gardeners feel drawn to invest in natives and conserve the region’s environment.
“The birds, especially in Wallan, are all losing their habitats. They’re knocking down more trees every day for houses,” Mr Weir said.
“Plant Australian plants. Climate change, the way it’s going, is going to wipe out the exotics.”
Throughout their 26 years at their Wallan property, the Weirs have implemented a variety of changes to their yard to combat water scarcity and differentiating climate and soil patterns.
Most recently, Ms Weir had to remove 80 plants from her garden after January’s mass rainfall and humidity.
In order to fortify native plants, Mr Weir grows and grafts most to grevillea robusta, more commonly known as silky oak.
“Probably two thirds of the grevilleas come from Western Australia and they will not grow in Victoria on their own roots,” Mr Weir said.
“Silky oak will handle a range of conditions and fertilisers without kicking the bucket.”
The grafting process, which can take up to two years for each plant, is undeniably worth its effort for the resulting lush gardenscape and also sees mass savings on purchases of already grafted natives.
“The point of grafting is that most of the things you put on top of the stick are ground covers,” Mr Weir said.
“The birds cover them in leaf litter, mulch, and you don’t get to see the flowers. But when you graft them at one and a half, two metres, the flowers are right in your face so you get to really appreciate them.”
Ms Weir’s front garden has also benefited from her husband’s efforts.
“I was an exotics grower and Brian has always been a native grower,” Ms Weir said.
“Then when the climate changed, I started pinching Brian’s grafted plants.”
The Weirs said those just starting out in their gardens should take heed in the fact gardening is a constant learning process and that all green thumbs continually learn from their mistakes.
“You weed, something dies, you grow something else, you replant it, you nurture it – it’s constant,” Ms Weir said.
“Gardening is a never-ending passion.”
The couple are part of the Mitchell Australian Plants Society, APS, which meets monthly.
Are you an avid green thumb and have tips to share? Send us an email at news@ncreview.com.au.
Riddells Creek Recreation Reserve and its users will soon benefit from better lighting through funding partnership between the Macedon Ranges Shire Council, community and the Victorian Government.
Last week’s State Government announcement of a successful $200,000 grant application by council, together with a $50,000 contribution from the Riddells Creek Recreation Reserve Consultative Committee, will support council’s budget contribution towards LED lighting upgrades that will bring the ground in line with appropriate standards.
The Victorian Government funding comes through Sport and Recreation Victoria’s Country Football and Netball Program, which – in partnership with the AFL, AFL Victoria and Netball Victoria – assists regional clubs, associations and umpiring organisations to upgrade and develop facilities.
Macedon Ranges Mayor Annette Death said council was proud to have collaborated on a positive outcome for the reserve’s many user groups including the Riddell Football Netball Club, Riddells Creek Junior Football Netball Club and Riddell Cricket Club.
“Better lighting will make such a big difference at this ground and opens up so many more opportunities for user groups with the potential for night matches, a better night-time training experience and other events,” she said.
“I’d like to thank the Victorian Government for its support in collaborating with council and the community to help make this important upgrade a reality for the community.”
With confirmation of the funding, council will now work to build on earlier cost estimates sourced to progress with detailed designs, tender out the necessary works and award work to the successful construction company to complete the upgrades.
Council will also continue to work closely with user groups throughout the process.
Final costs of the project are subject to procurement processes and will be confirmed upon project completion. Timelines will also be determined through the procurement process and updated as the project progresses.
The Lancefield and District Farmers Market returns this coming Saturday with a full house of 85 local and regional producers.
Recent adjustments to market bookings have allowed for more local farmers and food producers to join the market community.
One of which is Mowatts Scottish Food, produced in Sunbury by Stevie Mowatt, a Scotsman who moved to Australia in 2001 with his wife from Glasgow.
Mr Mowatt prides himself on being a specialist producer of Scottish foods he calls “a wee taste of home.” He is preparing haggis, black pudding, tattie scones, scotch pies, British-style sausage, Scottish sausages, gammons and award-winning pies for the market this Saturday.
Another new stall is MR Lamb (Macedon Ranges Lamb) produced in Sidonia by John Stewart and his family.
The farm has been in Mr Stewart’s family for six generations and is now also a regenerative farming enterprise, committed to leaving the land in an improved state with a farming model that sequesters carbon, builds topsoil and creates conditions for healthy animals that are naturally more robust and healthier.
Visitors can find MR Lamb down at the west end of the market with other regular meat producers such as Warialda Belted Galloway Beef, McIvor Farm Foods Pork and Mike’s Mussels.
Noble Bootleggers are a regenerative farming family from Bendigo who have established their own experimental distillery creating gins, whiskies and small batch cocktails. Husband and wife team Daniel and Kristin Lemura work alongside each other with sustainability in mind to create the products at their distillery.
Market organiser Meggs Hannes offers many items for a smooth market visit, including bags, baskets and trolleys. Visitors are advised to park at the west end (Post Office) with an Esky in their vehicle to store perishables.
Seymour Racing Club, SRC, has appointed a new board member following the resignation of Lyndel Feery last week.
Cooper Lubeck, 23, has filled the vacancy after coming fourth in a member ballot to fill three vacancies late last year.
Mr Lubeck is Seymour-born and bred and has a strong connection to the local racing industry, with father Kelvin, a past SRC president and longtime supporter of the club.
Mr Lubeck is a fully qualified plumber and active member of numerous sporting organisations across the community, including the Seymour Football Netball Club and is a strong middle-distance runner in the Victorian Athletic League.
SRC chief executive Chris Martin thanked Feery for her service to the club and welcomed Mr Lubeck to the position.
“We’ve been lucky to have incredibly talented locals on our board for a long time and Lyndel is certainly no exception,” he said.
“She was a great contributor over some challenging years with track reconstructions and the pandemic. We know we’ll continue to see plenty of Lyndel trackside for many years to come.
“Last year, we had a very strongly contested election to fill three vacancies, with Cooper just missing out in fourth place.
“We’re delighted to appoint him to the position vacated by Lyndel and excited by his passion and the injection of a young and community-focused voice.
“I look forward to introducing Cooper to the board and working closely with him through his tenure.”
Mr Lubeck said he was eager to increase his involvement with the local racing industry.
“I’m honoured to serve on the board here, given the calibre of our membership and the important role the Racing Club plays in the community,” he said.
“I’ve always been connected to racing through my family and have been lucky enough to be involved as an owner in recent years.
“Racing clubs are fantastic places to be and I’m hoping to support the club’s strong work in engaging and retaining younger members and supporters.
“We’ve got a great community club here and I’m excited to support its growth as a premier country racing destination.”
