Junior golfers complete scholarships at Kilmore

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December 12, 2023

Junior golfers complete scholarships at Kilmore

This year’s group of young golfers have now completed their Junior Golf Scholarships at Kilmore Golf Club, KGC.

Presented with certificates at a special award presentation on December 9, the girls will continue to be full junior members of the KGC through to March 2024 and will be encouraged to further enjoy their golf.

KGC members will develop opportunities for the young golfers and encourage other junior players at the club by organising small group golf sessions during the term and encouraging competitive play in club competitions during school holidays.

KGC is now recruiting for its 2024 program, with six scholarships from the Australian Golf Foundation available to girls aged nine to 16 years to pursue playing golf.

President Bea Lay encouraged keen young golfers to get involved.

“This is a terrific opportunity for young girls to improve their golf skills or try golf for the first time,” she said.

Scholarship recipients receive 24 coaching sessions with a qualified professional, a one-year junior membership at KGC and a shirt and cap designating their scholarship status.

The 2024 coaching sessions will be on Saturdays, during term only.

Students will be encouraged to play in KGC events and competitions as well as gain a handicap.

“Experience shows that through this program, participants develop friendships with other scholarship members and with students who graduated in previous years,” Ms Lay said.

“All we ask is that applicants show a desire to develop their golfing skills and a willingness to engage in the scholarship group’s activities.”

For further information and to apply, contact Ms Lay 0437 712 973 or email info@kilmoregolfclub.com.au.

Bright and colourful at Willowmavin

The North Central Review

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December 12, 2023

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Willowmavin Primary School hosted its colour run fundraiser last month, raising money to improve students’ experience at the school.

The idea for the colour run started out of a wellbeing day that the school hosted earlier in the year, in which students had the opportunity to take part in gardening, painting, cooking and the School Sports Victoria Diversity Dash, all while promoting diversity and inclusion with no fundraising allowed.

Willowmavin wellbeing leader and colour run organiser Peta Smith, who has been working to improve and implement wellbeing approaches across the school year, said the most recent event was created from the success of the earlier Diversity Dash.

“It made me think ‘let’s have the colour run at the end of the year as well and actually use that to raise money’,” she said.

“We set up an obstacle course with some balance beams and hurdles, balloons for them to run through, and just lots of colour too.”

The school’s 46 students raised about $4000 in the lead up to the event, which will be put towards decodable readers to help improve learning outcomes for students.

The day of the colour run was also complemented by a slime activity, which gave students the opportunity to pour slime on any teacher they wanted.

“It was a very exciting day, we had targets to be reached for the fundraising and if we made it to $3000, we’d be able to slime the teachers,” Ms Smith said.

“[The students] made that and a little bit more, so all the teachers that were present on the day put themselves forward.

“It was something that the students really enjoyed along with involving themselves in the colour run.”

Ms Smith said the school was now looking towards future colour runs depending on input from the Willowmavin community.

DrillDance on show in Broadford

Max Davies

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December 12, 2023

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DrillDance arrived in Broadford on Sunday for a day of dance performances from multiple teams made up of people of all ages and abilities.

Teams from Geelong, Bacchus Marsh, Werribee, Bendigo, Echuca and Melbourne’s northern suburbs converged on Broadford Stadium for a round of DrillDance’s domestic competition – a stepping stone to future state and national competitions.

DrillDance is a style of dance performance incorporating categories including dance, prop and drill-team for participants of all ages, with Victoria one of the strongest arms of the national DrillDance Australia organisation.

DrillDance Victoria president Julie Melbourne said while it was not technically classed as a sport, DrillDance was an opportunity for people to be active and get involved with clubs in their local area.

“We call it a sport that involves mostly women, although we do have a lot of young guys in it now, which is awesome,” she said.

“It revolves around doing drill routines and we incorporate dance as well, which helps keep all the members interested in doing both.”

While dance forms a portion of DrillDance activities, significant focus is placed on the ‘drill’ aspect, which requires teams to learn marching routines that are performed in time with backing music – usually of military origin.

Teams present at Broadford on Sunday competed in junior, intermediate, senior and masters categories, with prizes on offer for the best performances at the end of the day.

Ms Melbourne said a key part of DrillDance was encouraging and supporting the youngest members, as a large number of current participants have been involved since they were young or were involved through family.

“We’ve got the children coming around, it’s about supporting them, mentoring them, guiding them and just cheering them on and making sure everyone has a good time,” she said.

The Electrik Force Intermediate team performs an Exhibition Drill.
The Sapphires, based in Melbourne’s northern suburbs, were in attendance on Sunday. Pictured is their Masters team performing a Technical Drill.
The Sapphires’ second Masters performance of a Rhythmic Drill featured the dancers in military-themed costumes.
Echuca’s Thunder DrillDance team performs a Technical Drill. Thunder’s Seniors team is one of DrillDance’s all-abilities teams.
The Electrikaires Seniors, of the Electrik DrillDance team from Bacchus Marsh, perform an Exhibition Drill.

DrillDance is entirely made up of volunteers, with many of the people involved in its operation having been members for more than 10 or 20 years.

Ms Melbourne said Thunder, a team from Echuca, also fostered an all-abilities team that added to the community atmosphere of DrillDance.

“They just want to perform and they get a standing ovation every time so it’s really about the people,” she said.

“We call it a family, we’re supporting them in what they want to do and all they want to do is go out there and have fun.

“We support each other, everybody brings mums and dads and all their family and friends and it’s all very focused on being a family.”

The next national DrillDance competition is set for April next year and will be hosted in Launceston as part of the rotation of venues across Australia.

For more information, visit www.drilldance.com.au.

Broadford carols in the carpark

The North Central Review

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December 12, 2023

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Broadford will come alive with Christmas spirit on Friday, December 22, as the community gathers for ‘Carols in the carpark’.

Broadford Christian Churches will host the event, aimed at providing a relaxed, festive family carols for all ages.

People are invited to gather in the carpark between St Matthew’s Anglican Church and Gavan Hall, at 72 High Street, Broadford, at 6pm.

Ministers and members of the various Christian congregations in the area will lead the singing of carols, both traditional and contemporary, as well as the telling of the Christmas story as it appears in the Bible.

Father David Kerr, the vicar of the Anglican Parish of Kilmore, said the story of the birth of Jesus was one of great hope and joy, and remained an essential part of why Christmas was time of coming together, giving gifts, sharing fellowship and brightening the lives of those who were doing it tough.

Churches in Broadford, of various denominations, remain committed to providing hospitality, social justice and pastoral care to the community as members of a diverse yet united entity.

The success of the ecumenical All Souls service in October was a motivator for the Broadford Ecumenical Committee to find more ways to provide care and celebration together, with people from all walks of life.

“The carols event will be a great way to reach out to local families,” Fr Kerr said.

“Along with their best singing voices, attendees are encouraged to bring a picnic supper, with either chairs or blankets to sit on, while tea and coffee will be provided from Gavan Hall.”

People are encouraged to bring their family and friends, and are welcome to join in for a fun and spirited evening.

Property of the week: A luxurious country lifestyle awaits

The North Central Review

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December 12, 2023

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SPONSORED

24 Mandel Court, Heathcote

4 bed, 2 bath, 6 car-space

Land size: 4.379 ha

For sale: $995,000 to $1,045,000

Offering the very best of country living in a luxurious, magnificently-presented grand home, this exceptional property set on approximately 11 fertile acres backs onto the McIvor Creek and boasts picturesque views to Mt Ida and nearby vineyards.

Situated in a prestigious location within minutes of Heathcote, there is a walking track at the end of the street that winds its way to the town centre. For those inclined to boating, fishing and watersports, Lake Eppalock is only a 15-minute drive away.

Located within 130 kilometres of Melbourne and 46 kilometres of Bendigo, commuting to work or for shopping, leisure or other pursuits is convenient.

Upon entering the 6.3 energy rated home, the high-quality build is apparent with no expense spared and fastidious attention to detail throughout. Expansive open-plan living areas with large double glazed picture windows capture the extraordinary views and fill the home with warmth and light.

24 Mandel Court Heathcote Kitchen Dining

The spacious kitchen is a chef’s delight with soft-close cabinets, stone bench tops, induction cooking and spacious four-door pantry. A spacious outdoor living area enclosed with transparent sliding blinds providing access to the expansive deck provides for entertaining family and friends all year round.

The opulent master suite with ceiling fan has a luxurious ensuite with an automatic skylight and a generous walk-in robe. Three other double bedrooms, two with built-in robes and main bathroom with separate shower and powder bar, provide plenty of accommodation for a large family. A large, fitted laundry/mudroom has access to the cavernous double garage with automatic doors.

Outside there is plenty of quality shedding with a 6.6-metre x nine-metre Colorbond workshop with power and a concrete floor, a further adjoining nine-metre x four-metre section providing ample room for boat or caravan storage, an attached 4.5-metre x 4.5-metre lock-up machinery shed and an additional garden shed.

Rainwater tanks provide ample water and a raised veggie patch provides home-grown produce. Secure, quality fencing completes this amazing property where an inspection will delight all who take the opportunity.

Inspection is by appointment.

Agent: Jeanette Laffan
Mobile: 0438 452 641
Email: jeanette.laffan@nutrien.com.au

116 Powlett Street, Kilmore 3764
T: 03 5782 0400
www.kilmore.nutrienharcourts.com.au

Nutrien Harcourts PROPERTY ID: L24036174

New park at New Epping

The North Central Review

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December 12, 2023

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A community park enriched with Wurundjeri culture has officially opened in New Epping, providing a central meeting place for stage one residents and workers.

In collaboration with property group Riverlee and City of Whittlesea, New Epping is a $2 billion mixed-use precinct transforming 51 hectares of land into a new suburb.

Initially planned to be a road reserve, council and Riverlee worked together to transform the park into an amenity including a shared path, seating areas and a nature-themed playground with a custom play structure featuring timber platforms, slides, custom nets, a firefighter pole, a swing set, and a flying fox.

The park also features a host of other precinct-defining leisure, wellness, and hospitality highlights at New Epping, complemented by the now open Grounders Café and the Northern Private Hospital, set to open in early 2024.

Designed in consultation with the site’s traditional owners, the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung of Kulin Nation, including Wurundjeri Elders Aunty Joy Murphy-Wandin and Craig Murphy, the public park takes its name from the Woi-wurrung language – woorike jellicka – meaning banksia play.

Riverlee project director Ben Row said the park displayed Riverlee’s devotion to working with the Wurundjeri to implement stories, knowledge, and culture into the development.

“The design and naming of the park came to life through a series of workshops with Wurundjeri Elders, which uncovered important opportunities to weave local traditional owners’ stories and culture into the project,” he said.

“As New Epping evolves, we are committed to enriching the masterplan with Wurundjeri narratives, inspiring the wider community to engage with Wurundjeri culture and language as they have the opportunity to do at woorike jellicka.”

Greenshoot Consulting principal Jeremy Gaden, who partnered with Riverlee to lead engagement with the traditional owners, said the banksia element was developed in the landscape design of the park, including animals that lived there.

“It was Aunty Joy’s idea to involve Wurundjeri children and have them draw the banksia and animals, which are now incorporated throughout the park,” he said.

A community event and smoking ceremony led by Aunty Joy celebrated the opening of the park, where families from New Epping and beyond gathered.

Key dignitaries at the event included Member for Thomastown Bronwyn Halfpenny, City of Whittlesea director of planning and development Emma Appleton and Northern Private Hospital chief executive Shaune Gillespi.

For more information on New Epping, visit newepping.com.au.

Commercial stamp duty to be cut

The North Central Review

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December 12, 2023

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The State Government will progressively abolish stamp duty on commercial and industrial properties to encourage businesses to invest and create jobs.

Announced in the State Budget 2023-24, the government consulted on the details of the change with business and industry bodies, and their feedback has helped shape the final design.

Abolishing the upfront cost of stamp duty and replacing it with a Commercial and Industrial Property Tax will make it easier for businesses to set up, invest in new land and buildings, and move to new locations.

It is estimated the reform will benefit the Victorian economy by up to $50 billion in cumulative net present value terms.

Commercial and industrial properties contracted from July 1, 2024 will transition to the new system.

For those properties contracted after July 1 2024, stamp duty will be paid one last time, with the Commercial and Industrial Property Tax to be payable 10 years after the last stamp duty payment.

When the properties are next sold, stamp duty will not apply – as long as the property continues to be used for commercial and industrial purposes, even if the property is sold prior to the Commercial and Industrial Property Tax becoming payable.

The Commercial and Industrial Property Tax will be set at a single flat rate of one per cent of a property’s unimproved land value – there are no complicated graduated rates – and exemptions applying land tax will also apply. Administration will also be similar to arrangements for land tax, to streamline compliance.

Eligible purchasers will have the option of accessing a government-facilitated transition loan to fund their last stamp duty payment, freeing up capital for businesses to invest in expansion or employing more workers.

The loan will be provided by the Treasury Corporation of Victoria on commercial terms with a fixed interest rate. Annual repayments over 10 years will be set upfront to provide applicants with certainty.

Further details on the transition loan, including eligibility requirements and terms and conditions, will be advised before July 1, 2024.

The reforms will not apply to properties whose primary purpose is residential, primary production, community services, sport, heritage or cultural.

Treasurer Tim Pallas said existing stamp duty concessions for commercial and industrial properties, including the regional concession, would continue to be available.

“Stamp duty is a barrier for business wanting to invest and grow and that’s why we are making this landmark change. We’ve worked with businesses to get the design right and look forward to the transition beginning,” he said.

The removal of stamp duty, which has long been seen as a barrier to growth, is supported by industry groups and independent think-tanks including the Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, VCCI, and the Grattan Institute.

“This is a bold, yet pragmatic move which will stimulate commercial property investment, development and upgrades by making more capital available,” VCCI chief executive Paul Guerra said.

Removal of Lancefield plan overlay declined

Grace Frost

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December 12, 2023

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Removal of Lancefield plan overlay declined

A request to the Minister for Planning to remove the Lancefield Development Plan Overlay, which would have simplified development requirements for affected landowners, has been declined.

The request to remove the Development Plan Overlay Schedule 24, DPO24, from the Macedon Ranges Planning Scheme was submitted in April following a resolution by council.

In reviewing the application, Planning Minister Sonya Kilkenny acknowledged that DPO24 was introduced to provide certainty and guidance for landowners, and coordination and conformity of residential development in the three development areas of Lancefield.

In addition, its introduction occurred via a statutory process that included public exhibition; that provided an opportunity for interested parties to make submissions and to have their views considered by an independent planning panel.

Macedon Ranges Shire Council director of planning and environment Rebecca Stockfeld said council was disappointed with the outcome.

“We have worked closely with impacted residents and listened to their concerns and frustrations with the current planning overlay,” she said.

“Council will continue to work with the affected landowners on future options for development in the area.”

In declining the request, Ms Kilkenny explained the removal of DPO24 could give rise to potential risks associated with land being developed in an uncoordinated manner and create further difficulties for residential development to take place.

Rotary’s Christmas luncheon success

The North Central Review

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December 12, 2023

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Nearly 100 senior citizens were treated to a three-course Christmas luncheon on November 26 at Broadford Shire Hall with support from the Rotary Club of Southern Mitchell.

Jordie Cook and his loyal workers cooked and served the lunch while a local team of Broadford singers and musicians provided entertainment on the day.

Rotary Club of Southern Mitchell member Ian Dempsey said the menu on the day consisted of lamb and vegetable soup, roast beef and pork, potatoes, peas, carrots, pumpkin and gravy, fruit salad, and plum pudding with custard and cream.

A choice of sherries were provided and gifts were available for all with many taking home multiple items.

Rotarians also provided transportation to and from the event for those who had difficulty attending.

There were also 30 volunteers from the community including people from the Bendigo Bank, Broadford Mill and Broadford Newsagents.

Entertainment was provided by Leanne Paice, Broadford singers and backup musicians providing a fantastic selection of Christmas Carols and popular songs.

Mr Dempsey said the day went well.

“The Rotary Club of Southern Mitchell would like to thank all our very supportive sponsors and donors,” he said.

“A great day was had by all, with very positive feedback and comments being received.”

Next year’s luncheon is expected to be November 24, 2024 at the Broadford Shire Hall.

Water outlook secure, despite forecast warmer weather

The North Central Review

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December 11, 2023

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Water outlook secure, despite forecast warmer weather

An updated water security outlook shows the region’s urban water storages are in a good position heading into 2024.

Goulburn Valley Water’s Annual Water Outlook, published last week, shows the outlook for the next two years is secure in the short term, despite an overall warming and drying climate.

The report indicates there is generally a very rare likelihood of water restrictions over the next 12 months, resulting from wetter catchments and strong position of water storages following the October 2022 floods.

Bureau of Meteorology and Agriculture Victoria predictions both indicate drier and warmer conditions over the next three months, in line with the expected conditions under the El Nino event.

All of Goulburn Valley Water’s off-river storages are currently sitting at 90 per cent capacity or above, with these storages generally responsible for supplying water in areas like Kilmore, Mansfield, Alexandra and Euroa during warmer months, when the water authority can’t source directly from rivers.

In the central Shepparton region and north towards Cobram, most towns source water direct from the Murray River, which has a very high reliability of supply.

Goulburn Valley Water, GVW, managing director Steve Capewell said while short-term supplies were secure, GVW was working towards proactive long-term reliability options.

“Our region is experiencing significant population growth which leads to increased water demand, and longer-term climate projections show that we are more likely to experience declining water availability and more frequent and severe droughts,” he said.

“To balance increases in demand in areas where our supplies are particularly rainfall dependent, we’re investing in our infrastructure and forward planning to ensure we can continue to supply our services sustainably.”

The outlook reflects GVW’s Urban Water Strategy, which outlines actions and improvements to ensure the security of water supplies for the next 50 years.

Major projects highlighted by the strategy include new opportunities for recycled water use, supporting water efficiency initiatives, completing upgrades at our treatment plants to cater for future growth and exploring options to secure the long-term water supply.

While storage levels remain high, people are encouraged to still follow the permanent water-saving rules to ensure water use remains sustainable into the future and minimise water wastage.

Ways to save water include using automatic watering systems or sprinklers between 6pm and 10am, using a broom to clean hard surfaces, washing your car with a bucket and using a leak-free hose fitted with a trigger nozzle.

People can find updated storage information on GVW’s water resources page, along with a copy of the full outlook.