MACEDON Ranges Shire Council has invited public feedback on its new shire-wide footpath plan, which was endorsed for consultation at the March council meeting.
Residents can provide feedback on the new draft shire-wide footpath plan, created by council to manage infrastructure delivery across the shire.
Deputy mayor Jennifer Anderson said the revised plan was last adopted in 2018.
She said a new plan would created better transparency around the design and location process, including communication to affected residents when council plans new footpaths.
“Since this plan was adopted, council has spent close to $4 million on the delivery of footpaths as part of our capital works,” she said.
“This revised plan provides a clearer strategy to guide us on which of the already identified upgrades to prioritise, where budget allows, and how we propose to work with the community early on design options available.”
Broadford Secondary College celebrated diversity last Monday, with students dressing in colourful clothes and engaging in activities alongside community organisations that promote diversity and wellbeing.
To help spread the word of inclusivity, Nexus Primary Health, Mitchell Shire youth officers and not-for-profit-organisation Reclink Australia introduced their services through several activities including a wheel prize, face painting, recreational sport, friendship bracelets, and an information table.
Broadford Secondary College counsellor Bronwyn Kinnear, who is part of the student wellbeing team, said the lunchtime activity ensured students were informed about different services the school and community offered.
“We are aware that some students don’t feel comfortable talking about those kinds of issues at home and sometimes don’t feel comfortable talking about it at school either, and that can show in significant mental health problems,” she said
“This is an opportunity for them to see that it’s okay, and that we’re here to support them.”
Nexus Primary Health diversity officer Mathew Fowler, who takes care of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual, LGBTQIA+, department at Nexus, said while the focus was on mental health, there was also the opportunity to present where students could locate safe spaces across the shire.
“It’s important to offer to the students so that way we can also promote our LGBTQIA+ 12 to 18-year-old youth group, which is run out of Broadford youth room – hopefully get some more students to attend that, and also making LGBTQIA+ aware to the students, as well as diversity,” he said.
Not-for-profit organisation Reclink Australia also promoted its program in conjunction with VicHealth, which aims to reach more than 10,000 young people to actively engage in sport within Mitchell Shire and beyond.
Sports coordinator Daniel Lloyd, who was interacting with students through recreational sports such as spikeball and finiska, said recreational activities helped foster the community and confidence within students.
“We’re a community-based organisation and we’re trying to get people that are disconnected in community back involved in community and we think that sport and recreation is a great way to do that,” he said.
“We do a lot of different lawn games. We found that they’re a great way to reach that middle ground. It’s not the big physical contact sports like netball and football, but it’s a good one for people just to join in any ability, any age group.”
Casey, 17, left, celebrating diversity with Shaneequah, 16, at Broadford Secondary College last week.
Racial slurs were graffitied on a playground and sign in Beveridge last week.
Police are now investigating the graffiti on a playground in Burnett Drive Reserve and the Mandalay estate sale sign.
Mitchell Shire Council were notified last week of the racist graffiti and removed the offending material, which was spray painted on a playground, bins, benches and slides in the Mandalay Estate.
Mitchell Shire Council chief executive Brett Luxford recommended for anyone with information about the incident to contact police.
Beveridge resident Harjot Singh, who has lived in the Mandalay Estate since 2019, said he was ‘very disappointed’ with the act.
“It was absolutely a big shock, and it was like bright red and was quite clear reading,” he said.
“This was so disappointing and sort of really distressing for me this time when I saw this because I haven’t seen this kind of act for a while.”
With many young Indian families in the area, Mr Singh said his biggest concern was children seeing the racial language at such a young age.
“Most the Indian community are young families … they have kids, school aged kids and they’re reading it and hearing about it,” he said.
Mr Singh, who contacted council straightaway, said he was grateful that council had quickly removed the graffiti.
“I appreciate their action, so I’m not complaining about anybody like any government bodies that did what they’re supposed to do but this is how we feel,” he said.
or by calling 5734 6200.
• The Review has photos of the graffiti but has chosen not to publish the racist remarks.
This story is part of an ongoing series in the North Central Review aimed at showcasing and celebrating the people of our region. To nominate a worthy contributor to our region, email news@ncreview.com.au or send a message to our Facebook page.
By Max Davies
Not only has Kelly Scott established herself as a leading funeral director in Victoria’s north central region, but she has also been appointed the national president of the Australian Funeral Directors Association, AFDA, for the next two years.
A fourth-generation funeral director, Ms Scott has worked in the industry for more than 30 years.
She is currently the general manager of her family’s business TJ Scott and Son, which has offices in Kilmore, Gisborne and Kyneton.
She works with her father John and brother Daniel at TJ Scott and Son – a company founded in 1938 and a member of the AFDA for most of its history.
Ms Scott’s father also served as the AFDA national president from 2009 to 2011, making them the first father-daughter pairing to ever serve in the role.
“To be able to follow in [my dad’s] footsteps is such an honour. I’m absolutely thrilled to follow him because he’s been just an incredible funeral director and role model for me,” Ms Scott said.
“We’ve got to give the best of ourselves and like my dad, my passion is community and connection.
“As an association, we support our members, and someone has to put up their hand to do that.
“My dad and my brother know the importance of this work because they know it’s really important that our whole community, whether we’re doing a funeral for them or not, knows they have a choice of a really good quality experience and funeral director to help them through.”
The AFDA acts as a professional authority to help regulate the funeral industry as there is no government regulation in place, meaning anyone could start a funeral directors business with no prior experience or qualifications.
There are multiple smaller associations across Australia operating in the same industry, however the AFDA is the largest in the country and has members in every state and territory.
Kelly Scott with her father John, who presented her the chain of office at the Australian Funeral Directors Association induction night. They are the first father-daughter pairing to have served as national president. Photo: Kim Selby.
Ms Scott said her role as national president was mostly about government advocacy, however upholding professional standards was a top priority.
“It’s basically about promoting professional standards because recently we’ve heard of some people out there that aren’t doing the right thing, so we make sure that we make our members accountable,” she said.
“We have a code of ethics, a code of practice and a constitution and all those things to help professionalise the industry itself. We feel that’s really important so that families can get the best service possible when they’re at a time of loss and vulnerable.”
Ms Scott said a mission for her during her time as national president was to meet and connect with as many different industry figures from around the world, and learn about their ideas and practices.
“It’s an amazing opportunity to meet directors from all over the world,” she said.
“I’ve just attended a conference in New Zealand, which was fantastic. I met someone who showed me they can compress ashes into these beautiful smooth stones that can then be engraved. I wouldn’t have even known about that, so meeting those like-minded people is just so enriching.
“It’s a real privilege and a big commitment [to be president], but we want everyone to have a positive experience when they’re organising a funeral.
“We’re looking to make sure that we’ve got really great professional members who can be supporting each other so they can keep doing what they’re doing.”
Property owners interested in learning safe and effective weed control techniques are invited to a weed control field day planned for April 15.
Organised by the Upper Plenty Merri Catchments Landcare Group, the day will feature three demonstrations covering weed spraying and removal, as well as a morning tea.
Regional Vic Farm Services will present an EcoBlade demonstration for weed removal, while TREC Land Services and Drone Spraying Australia will demonstrate rig and backpack spraying and drone spraying respectively.
The field day will run from 10am to 12pm on April 15 at Cleves Road South, Upper Plenty, with participants required to RSVP by April 12.
For more information or to RSVP, contact Upper Merri Landcare facilitator Chris Cobern on 0413 855 490 or chriscobern@mcmc.org.au.
A significant increase in cultural heritage management costs has blown out Mitchell Shire Council’s budget to construct a shared path along Taylors Creek at Wallan.
In the original project costs, cultural heritage management was estimated at $35,000 but at a recent Mitchell Shire Council meeting it was revealed the current cost is now $488,577.
A significant number of artefacts were found during site testing in 2021-22.
The original budget, set out in a funding application in 2019, was for $1.7 million – $1.68 million sourced from the State Government’s Growing Suburbs Fund, and $98,395 from council.
Council will draw from Wallan Open Space Reserve funds to cover the project budget shortfall.
Councillors raised concerns at the March 20 council meeting about State Government requirements causing the cost of cultural heritage plans to soar.
Cr Bill Chisholm said anyone who read the report would have concerns about the rising costs.
“The cultural heritage management plan for this pathway has gone up substantially from $35,000 to nearly half a million dollars, which will concern us about the viability of this work into the future,” he said.
“Personally I think we’ve got to go with what we’ve got and what’s recommended here but I definitely want to see some changes and we’ve definitely got to look at the aspects of any future work along waterways.”
Cr Rob Eldridge said the project’s aim was to form a vital link around south-west Wallan.
“The cultural heritage management plan has not only delayed the project but blown out the time and the cost as well,” he said.
“The restructuring of this [program] is to get what we can from the grant and what we have put aside ourselves for this, and get as much of the project vision as we can.
“It won’t be the full project and we’ll then have to look at some additional funding for completion of that project.
“These cultural heritage management plans affect all waterways and other designated cultural heritage sites gazetted to within 200 metres of such.
“Wallan has five creeks [and] many wetlands, and this half a million dollars for this one – and this is such as small part of what the future precinct structure plans are going to [mean] for us means there is no way council and the community can pay for this.”
Cr Eldridge called on the government to assist with the ongoing issue of the costs and requirements of cultural heritage plans.
“It’s a real concern. Going forward it’s enough to break the bank, so we really need to find another solution to this problem.”
Cr Nathan Clarke said the government introduced the Aboriginal Heritage Act in 2006, requiring a statutory obligation to preserve Aboriginal cultural heritage.
“The main purpose of the act is to provide for protection of Aboriginal cultural heritage, to empower traditional owners to strengthen the ongoing right to maintain culture, to promote respect for Aboriginal cultural heritage contributing to its protection as part of the common heritage of all peoples, and this is the key part – and to the sustainable development and management of land and of the environment,” he said.
“I think it’s a case of the road to hell is paved with the best of intentions.
“The best of intentions are there – we certainly want to preserve Aboriginal cultural heritage, and that’s what the cultural heritage management plans are supposed to do.
“The trouble is that as a growth suburb we have all this development happening, we face this burden where no other established council or community had to, so they effectively built their footpaths over the top of 50,000 years of history.”
Cr Clarke said the cultural heritage requirements had only come into effect in the past 15 years.
“We need to make sure and be mindful that there’s not an eternal pile of money to burn on projects that might find themselves blocked … or threatened like this,” he said.
“I think the Indigenous people of Mitchell Shire are entitled to have footpaths. I think they are entitled to have infrastructure that other suburbs and councils get to enjoy.
“I think the State Government needs to step up here, and have a think about the funding of this sort of work. It’s their Act and they impose it on us and I think they need to look after it.”
Testing at the site involved manual excavation and sieving of a large number of ‘test pits’ along the route of the path. After artefacts were discovered, additional test pits were required to be dug.
During the testing, a minimum of two cultural heritage advisors and two Registered Aboriginal Party representatives were required on site. All councillors except Mayor Fiona Stevens voted in favour of the recommendations.
The recommendations include that the awards contract stage one, parts A, B an C, be awarded to Cole Civil for $1.47 million; endorse a contingency allowance of up to $147,732 in addition to the contract sum; and endorse a project management allowance of up to $44,319 in addition to the contract sum.
CHEERS, tears and beers flowed in equal measure at Sunbury’s Langama Park on Sunday as Romsey ended a 40-year premiership drought in the Gisborne District Cricket Association’s McIntyre Cup competition.
The Redbacks clinched the cup with a display of exactly what captain Ben Way has preached all season – consistent, patient and disciplined batting and bowling.
Playing on the road against Sunbury United, Romsey won the toss on Saturday and elected to bat, with openers Matt Milne and Chris Burkett making the most of the 80-over format and taking their time to settle in.
Just when the pair seemed to have laid a stable platform the partnership was broken, with Rajitha Mendis dismissing Burkett for 11 in the first of his four wickets.
The dismissal triggered a nervous period for Romsey, with Milne, 12, Nathan Hoy, 7, and Tim Dale, 11, falling for the addition of only 32 more runs.
With Romsey’s premiership dream in danger of becoming a nightmare at 4/55, Taylor Stevenson joined Way at the crease to build what proved to be a match-turning partnership.
During a span of nearly three hours, the duo put on 109 runs for the fifth wicket before Way was stumped for 67, but Stevenson batted on as partners Adam Frost, 8, Corey Day, duck, and Aaron Paterson, 3, fell around him.
Romsey bowler Aaron Paterson sends one down during the McIntyre Cup grand final against Sunbury United.
Stevenson’s match-high innings of 68 finally came to an end when he was caught off the bowling of Ashan Ranaweera, and Romsey’s innings also ended shortly thereafter when Jamie Taylor fell for five, with the Redbacks all out for 199 in 78.3 overs.
With all of Saturday night to prepare for a long day in the field, Way admitted nerves crept in, but he said he maintained a positive mindset.
“We were reasonably confident, but in cricket you always think you’d feel better if you had another 50 runs,” he said.
“We would have felt a lot better if we had 250 on the board, but we played them at Romsey [earlier in the season] and 180 was enough on a very quick ground.
“There have been some big scores at [Langama Park], but apparently it was a much different ground – dry and fast – whereas it was very slow this weekend.”
Taylor Stevenson was named man of the match. Aaron Paterson and Louis Moor celebrate their success.
Romsey made the most of the slow ground on Sunday by suppressing Sunbury United’s scoring rate to start the run chase.
Ranaweera made 15 speedy runs for the home side before falling just as quickly to Paterson, but thereafter scoring opportunities dried up as the Romsey attack, led by Paterson, Moor, Taylor and Stevenson, forced Sunbury United’s Damien Edwards and Steven Fogarty to bat with extreme patience.
While the Redbacks struggled to dismiss the duo, the run rate dropped below two an over – well under the 2.5 runs an over required by Sunbury United at the start of its innings.
A bowling change proved to be just what Romsey needed, with Corey Day bowling Fogarty with his first ball.
Corey Day looks for a close run-out chance.
The breakthrough gave Romsey fresh energy, and Paterson soon followed Day’s wicket with one of his own when he had Liam Sherlock caught behind for two, leaving the home side 3/67.
Sunbury United needed a saviour if it was to have any hope of winning the grand final, and it found one in the form of skipper Upul Fernando.
Fernando brought a sense of urgency to his team’s run chase after the tea break, batting with a disciplined blend of patience and aggression to push for runs without taking undue risks.
The scoreboard – and seemingly luck – started turning back in Sunbury United’s favour as one Jamie Taylor over yielded a missed catch and two inside edges that, rather than ricocheting onto the stumps, raced to the boundary for four.
“I nearly rubbed my eyebrows off after that,” Way said.
“You start thinking ‘is it not our day?’”
But where Romsey teams of the past might have panicked, the Redbacks stayed the course, confident in their ability to apply pressure with consistent line and length bowling.
That confidence paid off when Taylor finally got reward for his efforts by snaring the crucial wicket of Edwards for 64.
“If we’re ever under pressure, we just go back to bowling good balls and making them hit good shots. If you do that enough, you feel like you’re in the game,” Way said.
Romsey captain Ben Way gets his premiership medal.
With Edwards gone, Fernando became the make-or-break player for Sunbury United. He continued to bat with the same disciplined aggression and attempted to control the strike, but as wickets started to fall around him the required run rate crept upwards.
The match hung in the balance with seven overs remaining, but with a vocal Romsey crowd cheering them on from the boundary, the Redbacks took the final three wickets in a flurry.
Hoy took a catch on the boundary to remove Fernando for 49 off Stevenson’s bowling and Milne gave Stevenson his third wicket by holding onto a skied shot from Cooper Boyes, ending the match.
With Sunbury United all out for 172, Romsey supporters stormed the field, joining in a raucous celebration with the players.
There were tears from many older onlookers, who had waited decades for the Redbacks to win a top-flight flag.
Stevenson earned man-of-the-match honours with 3-43 from his 21.3 overs to go along with his innings of 68, while Day’s five overs yielded an excellent return of 3/8.
Other wicket takers were Paterson with 2/29 from 14 overs and Taylor with 2/52 from 20, while Moor was unlucky not to take one with 0/25 in 11 overs. Adam Frost bowled a four-over cameo, finishing with 0/12.
Way paid tribute to his players after the match, thanking them for the years of dedication they had put into making the premiership a reality.
“It’s been 40 years since Romsey has won a premiership in the McIntyre Cup, so carrying that weight and still performing on the big stage is a big thing,” he said.
“There are a lot of people who have played from then to now who have been trying to do the same thing, and they’re the first ones to come up and shake your hand. They’re super excited and as happy as we are.
“It’s been a bloody long wait, so we’re going to enjoy it, and we’re going to be back again next year because we want to win another one.”
“It’s a strong A Grade competition in the RDFNL, but I think we’ll be very competitive this season.”
– Jenni Wood, treasurer
WALLAN supporters could be forgiven for checking their match-day programs a little more regularly this season.
The Magpies have lost no fewer than a dozen players from last season’s senior ranks, meaning this season’s team will have plenty of fresh faces.
The departures will be felt across the board, with the likes of star forward Corey Grindlay; reliable defenders Nathan Fowler and Corey Baker; midfielders Jarryd Bonello, Ricky Schraven and Jesse Davies – the latter two former Bowen medallists; and even ruckman Will Brock set to join other clubs.
But while the departures will leave a huge hole to fill for a side that had premiership aspirations last season, Wallan president Stuart Broomfield believes the Magpies could retain their status as one of the league’s elite sides after a stellar recruiting campaign of their own. Among the inclusions are Carlton VFL-listed tall Hayden Gill; former Brisbane Lions VFL player and ex-Wallan junior Jacob Langbourne; Mason Bowden, another former Wallan junior returning from Northern Football Netball League division one club West Preston-Lakeside; Craigeburn premiership player Josh Vilinskis; and former Romsey veteran Michael Tinkler, among others.
Providing a sense of stability will be returning coach Daniel Nolan and his panel of assistants, along with reigning Bowen Medal winner Steve Boyall, league goalkicking champ Matt Perri and captain Michael Mannix.
Broomfield said the many new faces at Wallan would make for an interesting season.
“We’ll be very different from what we were last year, but we think we’ll be pretty good,” he said.
“It’s just the way it turned out. Some of [the players who left] went to better competitions to play a higher standard of footy, and you can’t stop that.
“It’s part of footy. There’s not much you can do about it.”
Broomfield said the club would also draw on its exceptional junior depth, with a few members of last season’s under 19.5 premiership side set to be called up to the senior ranks this year.
“We’ve had five or six kids come up from the under 19s, and some of them will be pushing to play regular senior footy,” he said.
“The under 19s will be strong again. We’re getting good numbers at training – between 50 and 60 the past few weeks.”
Netball
Also sporting some fresh faces will be Wallan’s A Grade netball side, with four new players set to bolster a team that finished with 11 wins in 2022.
Club treasurer Jenni Wood said returning A Grade coach Lucas Bennett-Hullin would work goal shooter Maeve Donegan and goal attack Rebekah Konstantopoulos into the line-up in place of departed spearhead Chloe Meulenmeesters, while Teagan Walker and Amanda Rothwell-Hiscock are set to shore up the defensive end of the court.
Wood said the team had bonded quickly with its new players, impressing during a recent practice match in Torquay.
“We’re very lucky to have them. They’re friendly, lovely girls and they fit in with the team atmosphere really well,” she said.
“They’ll be good additions to the team. They’re all fitting in and started to mesh nicely.
“It’s a strong A Grade competition in the RDFNL, but I think we’ll be very competitive this season.”
AT just 18 years of age, Kilmore’s Mitchel Langborne has already recorded a series of impressive results in athletics both at a state level and Australia-wide.
Competing for Assumption College for the past few years, Langborne now attends Wesley College after receiving a scholarship and also competes for Keilor St Bernard’s Athletic Club, recording a number of wins in the 800m event.
Mother Rachel Langborne said she was proud of her son’s achievements and dedication to training and improving.
“He’s from a football family, but at one point he thought he’d give athletics a go and he’s been training a lot, we’ve seen so much improvement,” she said.
“He trains six days a week and travels to and from training in the city, he’s also managing his schoolwork at the same time so his dedication is really impressive.”
Langborne was named the under 20 800-metre state champion for the second consecutive year earlier this month, backing up previous championships in the under 17 and under 18 categories.
He was also the under 18 national champion in 2021, and secured second place in the under 20 1500-metre event at the Oceania Games last year.
Langborne is looking to travel to Brisbane later this month to compete in the Australian Open and Under 20 Track and Field Championships.
