Home Blog Page 551

Broadford bowlers strike in GDCA action

November 28, 2023

Broadford’s bowling and fielding prowess shone through on day one of Johnstone Shield round seven action in the Gisborne and District Cricket Association, GDCA.

The home side bowled out Aintree for 130 in 47 overs in the two-day matchup.

Broadford coach Gareth Sharp said Saturday was ‘a pretty good day overall’.

“Bowling [Aintree] out for 130 is always a pretty good result in a two-day match,” he said.

“It was just some pretty all-round good bowling from the side to bowl them out in 47 overs and restrict them to 130.”

Leading the way were Nathan Woods with 5/45 and captain Jack Connell with 3/31, backed up by a wicket each from Mitchell Collier and Riley Nolan and a spate of catches out on the field.

Broadford made a start to its batting innings later on in the afternoon and are currently 4/51 off 19 overs.

“It was probably not the best start. We just struggled to get off the mark early and lost a few cheap wickets, but I think with the players we still have to bat, we’re in a pretty strong position looking into next week,” Sharp said.

“We’re starting to get on the right track and we’ve got a few young blokes playing in the ones at the moment trying to find their feet, so it’s a bit of a process.

“We’ve got some older blokes in there at the moment who are really steadying the ship for us, so hopefully they’ll be able to get the job done for us next week.”

Connor Stute, Joshua Nolan, Declan Teohaere and Riley Nolan were all dismissed, however returning to bat this weekend will be Connell and Ash Wood – the pair sitting on 13 and 11 respectively.

Sharp said he expected the remaining batsmen to carry the team over the line.

“I think [Wood] will play a big part in this run chase and also Mitch Collier probably next to come in,” he said.

“It’ll be really on those two to take us past 100 and then look for a few other blokes to chip in and get us over the line like Kyle Hopkins and Jeremy Bradshaw.”

Broadford currently sits second on the ladder with three wins and two losses, however Sharp said ladder-leader Wallan was still the ultimate target for the remainder of the season.

“We’re trying to find ways to improve to get to their level, and then when we play next in the last round before finals, we’re hoping that we’ll be able to be pretty level with them and really test them,” he said.

“The rest of the competition are all pretty even and I think Wallan’s definitely the standout, but I think we’re probably the next team trying to push them.

“Going into Christmas with the two losses really puts us in a strong position to push for second on the ladder come finals time.”

Elsewhere, Kilmore was scheduled to host Wallan but wet weather late last week meant the match was declared a washout.

The pair will instead play a one-day match this weekend.

In the Johnstone Shield seconds, Kilmore dismissed the Wallan side in 63 overs, leaving itself a run chase of 159 this weekend.

Brent Proctor and Lachlan Partridge each took three wickets on the day, restricting Wallan’s run count with Zac Bell on 44 and captain Alex Potocnik on 36.

Broadford’s seconds face a challenge after scoring only 114 before being bowled out by Aintree, who then went on to make 2/50.

McIntyre Cup

The clash between the McIntyre Cup titans Romsey and Gisborne has swung in favour of Gisborne in the early stages.

Playing at home, Gisborne was able to bowl out the Romsey side for 190 in 61 overs.

Heavy hitters Matthew Milne and Taylor Stevenson were sent out after only having made a total of 22 runs, with Romsey’s highest count recorded by captain Ben Way on 59 followed by Chris Burkett on 30.

Picking up the bat early, Gisborne has racked up 58 runs and lost only Warren Kelly – the batsman bowled out by Jamie Taylor in the 13th over.

Romsey’s seconds had better luck in its match, as Jed Richardson managed a massive 135 runs before stumps at the end of the 75th over.

The team sits at 8/300 with Gisborne to bat this weekend.

Whittlesea’s performance of Chicago celebrated

Pam Kiriakidis

November 28, 2023

Whittlesea Secondary College has received its first nomination in the Music Theatre Guild of Victoria 2023 junior category for its production of Chicago: High School Edition.

A total of 52 schools across Victoria were judged for the awards, which will be announced at the 36th Bruce Awards Ceremony next month, recognising the state’s most well-performed musicals.

Director Shaun Geerlings-Parker said it was great to find out the school was recognised alongside the state’s most elite schools.

“Some of those massive schools obviously have a bigger budget, a bigger theatre and probably more access to more musicians and access to more resources than what we will receive,” he said.

The production team – 21 onstage and 10 behind the scenes – delivered the murder mystery tale in September and performed the show with a traditional set.

Without a curtain and minimal stage setup, Mr Geerlings-Parker said the students relied on their movements to perform one of the school’s most ‘successful’ productions.

“From the second they walked onto the stage, it wasn’t an opportunity to stand in the wings and wait in the wings like a lot of shows do – it was ‘boom, you’re on stage’,” he said.

“The minute these kids finished their scene, they had to remain in character until they actually got out of the building – we had curtains on the doors going into the foyer because we utilised the foyer during the show.”

Nominated for Lead Performer in a Female Presenting Role, year 11 student Ally Chesswas brought sassy Velma Kelly to life with her commitment and showmanship.

Year 11 student Daniel Martin’s portrayal of smooth-talking criminal defence lawyer Billy Flynn earnt him a commendation for Lead Performer in a Male Presenting Role.

Mr Geerlings-Parker said both students brought their own ‘flair’ to the roles.

“Daniel [had] that opportunity to really develop some performance and grow into the role,” he said.

“Ally was amazing as well, her commitment to the role was incredible – she did great learning bits and pieces … and her sass and attitude that she brought to the role was amazing to watch.”

The production received a commendation for musical direction, which Mr Geerlings-Parker credited to the entire cast for their commitment to rehearsals and learning the music.

Mr Geerlings-Parker said the production program underwent a reset during the COVID-19 pandemic and reassessed how productions were structured and ensured students were well aware of expectations.

“I invested in the program by building up the equipment, building up the resources, upskilling the students,” he said.

“We’ve got a huge community following now for the production, so getting that support from the township and surrounding has really help develop the show.”

Kilmore Racing Club awards life membership

The North Central Review

November 28, 2023

Kilmore Racing Club, KRC, has awarded a life membership to Maxine Brain at its recent annual general meeting.

Dr Brain has been a board member of KRC and its predecessor Kilmore Harness Racing Club since the late 1990s and has fulfilled all senior positions on the board – culminating in the chairperson’s role from 2017 to 2021.

She said she was proud to have received life membership and was pleased to have been acknowledged for her work.

“It took a little while for it to sink in, I was totally surprised and wasn’t expecting anything before they awarded it to me,” Dr Brain said.

“The next day it really sunk in, it was a very pleasing acknowledgement of what I’ve done. Not that you do it for anything else other than the love of what you do, but I was really taken aback and very proud to have received it.”

KRC acknowledged Dr Brain for her role on the board, serving with the upmost of integrity and distinction, while also ensuring both harness racing and thoroughbred racing was portrayed and promoted in a positive manner to all patrons and participants.

Dr Brain has worked with some of the best trainers and horses in Australasia and spent time offering her services as the on-course vet at Moonee Valley harness meetings.

At the same time, she operated her private practice and raised two children with her husband John, all while continuing to volunteer her time and expertise at KRC.

Dr Brain said she was involved in KRC for her love for horses and the racing industry.

“I love the horses. I love working with the horses and it’s probably more my life than a job or a career,” she said.

“I just wanted to give back to the horse community because I was making a living out of the harness horses and the racehorses, so I wanted to put something back into it.”

Dr Brain was also appointed to the Harness Racing Advisory Council, with her industry-first focus and ability to deal with complex and difficult problems to understand the core issue and show empathy and understanding of all facets of the industry invaluable to the industry and KRC.

“It’s been a great group of people to work with over the years and I’ve seen people come and go, the chief executive [Ben Murphy] at the moment is doing a brilliant job and my fellow board members have been really good – there’s been some good friendships from it,” Dr Brain said.

“I’d like to see the club be a more predominant venue in the future, I’d like to see us get more race meetings and be acknowledged as a premier country racing club.”

Macedon Ranges mayor re-elected

The North Central Review

November 28, 2023

East Ward councillor Annette Death has been re-elected as mayor of the Macedon Ranges Shire Council for the final year of the current four-year council term.

West Ward councillor Janet Pearce has been elected as deputy mayor for the same period, which will run through to the next council elections in October 2024.

Cr Death, who was first elected mayor in November 2022, said it was a privilege to be elected for a second term.

“I’m excited to continue the great work that has already been started alongside deputy mayor Pearce, my fellow councillors and our executive team,” she said.

“I’d like to thank my family, my fellow councillors, council staff and the community for their ongoing support, and I’d particularly like to acknowledge Cr [Jennifer] Anderson for her contributions as deputy mayor in the last term.”

Cr Pearce said she was proud to have been elected deputy mayor and anticipated a strong year ahead.

“I’d like to congratulate Mayor Death on her re-election and thank my fellow councillors for the privilege of being elected deputy mayor,” she said.

“I’m looking forward to working together with Mayor Death and our team of councillors, the chief executive and our executive team, and importantly our community, to achieve some wonderful outcomes in our final year of this term.”

City of Whittlesea workers reach pay deal

Pam Kiriakidis

November 28, 2023

City of Whittlesea workers reach pay deal

City of Whittlesea workers and executives have agreed to a new enterprise agreement following months of industrial action for better wages and conditions.

Council employees, who maintain parks and rubbish across the municipality, took various types of industrial action, including striking, over a few months after negotiations froze between City of Whittlesea executives and parks and gardens workers.

Australian Services Union, ASU, led the industrial action, which escalated last month when about 60 council workers and ASU members stood outside of council’s civic centre at South Morang calling for a new enterprise agreement.

The ASU claimed council’s proposed deal for workers rejected a range of better work and pay conditions, including 50-plus claims for improving conditions, 35-hour weeks for band three workers and the right of ‘secondary’ parents to equal parent leave.

Council was also criticised for paying private contractors to complete parks and gardens maintenance while their employees took industrial action.

Council told the Review in October it had been negotiating ‘in good faith’ with the unions over the past seven months to create an enterprise agreement for team members.

ASU deputy branch secretary Tash Wark said ASU delegates and their organiser were present at every meeting for a new enterprise agreement, and claimed the following conditions as a win for workers:

One of the highest pay rises in local government in Victoria – four per cent in year one;
Backpay to July 1, 2023;
$350 in pocket immediately;
15 week’s primary parents’ leave;
Five weeks of secondary parents’ leave;
Better casual conversion and casual salary progression;
Better protections around working in adverse weather.

Ms Wark applauded the work done by the ASU rank and file at Whittlesea.

“Union membership and solidarity with fellow workers is the only way to win significant and lasting concessions from employers,” she said.

Council chief executive Craig Lloyd said council’s offer to staff earlier this month had been agreed to by workers.

“The offer that was accepted by our staff was the same offer that was made prior to any industrial action commencing,” he said.

Mr Lloyd said it had now been lodged with Fair Work Australia for official ratification.

“We have sought to find a balance between appropriate recognition for our people and still being in the position to deliver on what we’ve promised to our community,” he said.

In addition to wage increase for the next three years, Mr Lloyd said the agreement included a range of other employment benefits and conditions, which he said council believed was ‘fair and balanced’ for all its staff.

Mitchell Shire outdoor pools set to open

The North Central Review

November 28, 2023

Mitchell Shire’s outdoor pools at Broadford, Seymour and Tallarook will open on Saturday, weather permitting.

The outdoor pool season officially opens on Saturday and the pool will open every day when the air temperature forecast by the Bureau of Meteorology reaches 26 degrees or higher until the end of March, 2024.

Wallan’s Community Bank Adventure Playground Splash Park opened on November 10.

Seymour’s outdoor pool was damaged in the October 2022 flood forcing its closure last summer. Extensive repair works were undertaken to prepare for the upcoming pool season.

Stage one of the works consisted of essential restoration works and some temporary solutions for the pool to open for the upcoming season.

Stage one included removal of flood damaged materials, new doors and door frames, a new ceiling in the multipurpose room, new hot water service and electrical and plumbing works.

It also includes plastering, painting, flooring, new barbecue facilities and new picnic tables and benches thanks to a partnership with the Seymour Men’s Shed.

The temporary solutions will be replaced when stage two of the works begin after the pool season in April, 2024.

Stage two includes new doors and partitions in toilets and showers, drainage and flooring works in the changerooms, new fixtures and fittings and a roof over the male, female and accessible toilets.

Stage one and two works were funded through $114,636 from the Local Government Victoria Emergencies Flood Support Fund, $90,000 from insurance and $338,528 from council.

A new slide will feature at Tallarook’s pool after the old slide was decommissioned 2021-22 season due to safety concerns.

The new slide will be ready to go for the start of the pool season thanks to $26,250 from the State Government and $103,676 from council.

Lifeguards will be on hand during the pool season, but council has reminded people that it is the responsibility of parents and guardians to provide direct supervision for children.

All children under the age of 10 must be actively supervised by a responsible adult and children under 5 must be within arm’s reach of a supervising adult at all times.

Mitchell Shire Mayor Louise Bannister said it was disappointing that the Seymour outdoor pool had to close last summer and it had been a massive effort by council staff and contractors to get the pool ready for this pool season.

“Our pools and splash park serve as an ideal gathering spot for people to reconnect and look after their physical well-being,” she said.

“With a bit of luck, we’ll have some pleasant weather, providing an opportunity for many to partake in the free enjoyment as temperatures rise.”

While entry is free for casual use of council’s outdoor pools, user group hire fees, special event entry fees and entry fees to the indoor aquatic facilities will apply.

and for other updates throughout the season visit the Mitchell Shire Leisure Services Facebook page.

Bridge Inn Road upgrade on track

The North Central Review

November 28, 2023

Member for Yan Yean Lauren Kathage last week visited the Bridge Inn Road Upgrade site to inspect works and receive a briefing from the Major Road Projects Victoria team on the progress of the Doreen project.

The next major project milestone is expected to be reached in December, with the new bridge over Plenty River open to cars for the first time.

The new bridge will carry one lane of traffic in each direction ahead of a full opening of the bridge in 2024, catering for two lanes of traffic in each direction.

Ms Kathage said opening the new bridge over Plenty Road to traffic showed the project was well on track.

“Being here and seeing the bitumen going down is really satisfying after having seen the bridge being built from scratch into a major piece of local infrastructure,” she said.

The upgrade team will soon start work on turning the existing bluestone bridge over Plenty River into a shared walking and cycling path.

People wanting to get active will be able to walk or pedal from the new path to Bundoora once the upgraded Plenty River Trail is completed.

“I am really proud of this project and what it will mean for our community when completed. Inspecting the site, I can confirm that they are making real progress,” Ms Kathage said.

“I want to thank the community for their patience and understanding as these works are completed.”

People can also contact the Major Road Projects Victoria Team by emailing contact@roadsprojects.vic.gov.au or calling 1800 105 105.

Council seeks flood mapping funding

Jordyn Grubisic

November 28, 2023

Mitchell Shire Council will seek financial and resource assistance from the Department of Transport and Planning, DTP, to implement planning scheme changes recommended by recent flood studies.

Currently no flood planning controls exist for Kilmore in the Mitchell Planning Scheme.

Kilmore township’s flood risk had not been previously surveyed and with a lack of flood data and recent flooding events, the flood risk for Kilmore was not well understood.

The study area for the Kilmore Flood Study comprises the Kilmore Creek Catchment in its entirety, covering south of the township.

Also included was part of the Hamilton Creek Catchment to the north of the township and Ryan’s Creek in the west.

Implementing the flood mapping would see the floodway overlay, FO, and land subject to inundation overlay, LSIO, introduced to more than 1700 properties across the Kilmore township.

Council also commissioned the Whiteheads Creek Flood Mapping and Intelligence Study addressing the uncertainty to the extent of flooding for the Whiteheads Creek catchment in Seymour.

The study comprised the Whiteheads Creek Catchment that covers more than 100 square kilometres – not including areas impacted by the Goulburn River aside from that which influences the Whiteheads Creek Catchment.

The flood modelling allowed for scenarios with and without a flood levee along Goulburn River.

There are more than 800 properties currently affected by the FO and LSIO combined across the Whiteheads Creek catchment, with the proposed mapping increasing to more than 850.

Mitchell Shire councillor Fiona Stevens said the studies were ‘extremely important’.

“As we know by recent experiences in the northern part of the shire, we need to know where the water goes,” she said.

“These studies have looked at a couple of waterways – being the Kilmore Creek and Whiteheads Creek – and once we know where the water goes it’s important we embed it into our processes.

“That’ll allow us to build and develop those areas appropriately so we’re not allowing businesses or residences to go on areas we know are problematic.”

Cr Bill Chisholm said his experience with the October 2022 floods showed how important the data was.

“It’s really important that we have this sort of data. Working off the feedback I got after the most recent floods, in Shepparton, their data was spot on and they predicted exactly where the water would go and knew how to plan ahead of time,” he said.

The State Government announced funding in May to help local governments complete up-to-date flood data and mapping and incorporate completed studies into planning schemes.

Council will seek financial and resources assistance from the DTP but if funding is not available, a further report will be required to undertake the planning scheme amendment.

“Unless [the reports] are embedded into our planning documents we can’t enact them or enforce them,” Cr Stevens said.

“Unfortunately this process is very timely and it’s very costly so we’re hoping if we go down the path of seeking assistance from DTP they may be able to offset some of the costs for us.

“If we are unfortunately unsuccessful then we will bring it back to us to revisit and see how we move forward because it’s very important that we get this into our planning environment sooner rather than later.”

Kilmore golf day a success

Max Davies

November 28, 2023

Kilmore Golf Club, KGC, hosted its Try Golf Day on November 19 and welcomed people interested in learning to play golf.

Supported by ideal weather, the Try Golf Day attracted several families and individual players, while many members also volunteered their time to help.

Sponsored by Future Farms and run by member volunteers, the Try Golf Day required the preparation of the course, par three tees and grounds, while members organised player registration for the competition, a barbecue and drinks at the bar after the day’s play.

Members also guided player groups around the golf course, helping as needed with details of play, golf etiquette and scoring.

Organiser Helen Dennett said the event was aimed at getting people interested in golf in the community.

“The aim of the event was to increase community awareness of playing golf at Kilmore Golf Club,” she said.

“I think we did that and hopefully we will run another one before the summer is over.”

While waiting to tee off, players were invited by members Greg Campbell and Tracy Hedditch to join in a creative putting competition on the practice green.

The main event was a nine-hole, par three competition with four categories for male and female adults and juniors, with the adults playing the front nine holes while the juniors played the back nine.

The winners of each category received a four-month membership to KGC as well as a substantial reduction in fees for the following year.

Adult winners were Jason Maggs and Kellie Freeman, alongside junior winners Jake Laws and Madeleine Ryan.

Runner-up prizes were awarded in each category, with Tony Salomone and Angelina Cirelli-Salomone, adults, and Kash Laws and Aubree Maggs, juniors.

There were also nearest the pin prizes on each of the 18 holes, but only two were awarded – both to Jake Laws.

“One learning is for nearest the pin on Try Golf Days is that we should abolish the need to land on the green and make it nearest to the hole but not necessarily on the green,” Ms Dennett said.

The event was open to all who did not possess a Golf Australia handicap.

Players interested in the next event, other events or membership at KGC can register their name, email address and phone number by email to info@kilmoregolfclub.com.au or call 5782 1123 and leave a message.

Sod turned at Aboriginal Gathering Place

The North Central Review

November 28, 2023

The City of Whittlesea’s journey towards reconciliation reached a milestone on Tuesday when the first sod was turned on the Aboriginal Gathering Place at Quarry Hills Parkland.

The Aboriginal Gathering Place is a key part of council’s commitment to reconciliation and self-determination for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Establishing a place to promote cultural practices and knowledge-sharing has been a policy priority for council, Whittlesea Reconciliation Group, WRG, and the Whittlesea Aboriginal Gathering Place Advisory Group for many years.

City of Whittlesea administrator Peita Duncan, also a member of WRG, said council was committed to reconciliation and creating opportunities for improved cultural, health, social and economic outcomes for Aboriginal residents.

“The Aboriginal Gathering Place will have enormous benefits for the local Aboriginal community,” she said.

“It will be a culturally safe space where Elders can connect not only with each other, but with younger generations and the community at large.”

The Aboriginal Gathering Place will be built on land at Quarry Hills Parkland in South Morang, a location of great significance for the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung people.

It will feature indoor and outdoor multi-purpose spaces including consulting suites, a meeting room, quiet room and a large community events space for up to 100 people.

Construction is anticipated to begin in early-to-mid 2024, with the centre expected to open in 2025.

“By celebrating Aboriginal culture, we can increase awareness and understanding in the wider community,” Ms Duncan said.

“This is a wonderful opportunity for us to make a real difference in the lives of so many people in our community.”

For more information about the Aboriginal Gathering Place, people can visit www.whittlesea.vic.gov.au/aboriginalgatheringplace.

1...550551552...1,193 Page 551 of 1,193