Classic cars on show in Clarkefield

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October 23, 2023

LANCEFIELD Romsey Lions Club is gearing up for its annual car show and swap meet, bringing together motoring enthusiasts for a chance to enjoy some of Victoria’s finest classic cars.

Set for Sunday, the swap meet and car show will this year be at Clarkefield Recreation Reserve after moving from Romsey as a result of works to prepare the grounds for major sporting events.

The event has taken place every year since 2013, however there was a brief hiatus during the COVID-19 pandemic, while last year’s event was affected by adverse weather.

Lancefield Romsey Lions Club member Ged McLaughlin said the group was excited to get the show back on the road at Clarkefield.

“We haven’t had one for a couple of years so it’s good to be back on again. The work they’ve done at Romsey [Park] means we can’t use it for the swap meet anymore … a couple of days ago I thought it looked like the MCG,” he said.

“They’ve put a lot of work into it so I can understand what they’re on about, and the other site where we go doesn’t give us enough space for a proper swap meet and car show, so that’s why we have taken it to Clarkefield.”

The show will feature more than 100 classic cars from Holden, Chevrolet, Ford, and other manufacturers, as well as about 30 members of the Renault Vintage Car Club who will use the event as part of their monthly drive.

Up to 200 stalls will also feature at the swap meet, giving visitors a chance to talk with enthusiasts and purchase hard-to-find parts.

Members of the Lions’ monthly arts and crafts market will also have a stall on the day, while food will be provided.

Mr McLaughlin said hosting the event at Clarkefield Recreation Reserve created difficulties with providing sufficient facilities, however the Lions Club were thankful for the support of partners like Bendigo Bank and Clarkefield Development Company.

“We do have issues because there’s no toilet facilities and there’s no power, so that means we do have a lot more expenses to hire toilets and generators,” he said.

“We’ve got support from the Bendigo Bank, they’ve granted us some funds to hire these things.

“We don’t know about the weather, but we have had up to 200 cars in the past, so we’re hoping somewhere within that range again this year.”

The swap meet and car show will be open from 8am to 2pm, with car entry for $15 and sites available for $20, while extra passengers and the general public can enter for $5 per person.

For more information, call the Lions Club on 0400 938 160.

Thunderstorm asthma season arrives

Grace Frost

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October 23, 2023

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GRASS pollen season occurs from October 1 to December 31 annually, posing an increased risk of Epidemic Thunderstorm Asthma, ETSA.

Warmer weather, increased amounts of grass pollen in the air and certain types of thunderstorms, when combined, can result in an ETSA event, potentially triggering severe asthma.

Symptoms of ETSA include an itchy and runny nose, sneezing, coughing, wheezing and/or chest tightness.

Some of these symptoms can quickly become severe and may require urgent medical assistance.

Northern Health chief outcomes officer and director of respiratory medicine Katharine See said people with hayfever or a history of asthma or undiagnosed asthma were most at risk of thunderstorm asthma.

“Thunderstorm asthma occurs when pollen particles are sucked up into thunderstorm clouds where they release microparticles,” she said.

“These micropollens are showered down at the start of a storm and being so small, are able to get deep into the lungs where they are able to cause severe symptoms.

“The best way to stay safe during thunderstorm asthma season is to make sure you have good asthma control all year round.

“This means using your preventer regularly, particularly during thunderstorm asthma season.

“When a storm is coming, stay inside with the doors and windows closed – don’t let that micropollen in.”

Dr See said it was also important for everyone in the community to be able to recognise the symptoms of someone having an asthma attack and to know the four steps of asthma first aid:

Step one: Sit the person suffering the attack upright.

Step two: Shake the blue/grey reliever puffer and give them four separate puffs using a spacer if available.

Step three: Wait four minutes and give four more puffs if the person cannot breathe normally.

Step four: Call an ambulance if they still cannot breathe normally and keep giving reliever puffs as above until an ambulance arrives.

For people experiencing mild to moderate asthma symptoms or are unsure of the severity of their symptoms, contact the Victorian Virtual Emergency Department for further assistance, visit a GP or attend the closest Priority Primary Care Centre.

For life-threatening emergencies, attend the nearest emergency department or call triple zero.

Police seize 700 kilograms of illicit tobacco at Beveridge

Lauren Duffy

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October 20, 2023

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Police seize 700 kilograms of illicit tobacco at Beveridge

Police seized 700 kilograms of illicit tobacco at a Beveridge property last night, as part of Taskforce Lunar ongoing investigation into organised crime syndicates linked to illicit tobacco.

The raid at MacGregor Road Beveridge follows police executing 36 search warrants on Wednesday and yesterday – 34 at retail outlets, including one at Mernda, and two at residential properties across Melbourne.

During the searches, investigators uncovered intelligence that suggested a property at Beveridge may be a storage facility for illicit tobacco.

A warrant was executed at the address, where police located more than 700 kilograms of loose-leaf tobacco.

Across the two-day operation, police seized:

• 53,147 e cigarettes, with a street value of more than $1.5 million;

• 712,385 cigarettes with duty excise evaded totalling more than $884,000;

• Over one tonne of loose-leaf tobacco, with duty excise evaded of more than $1.7 million;

• two kilograms of cannabis;

• More than $26,000 in cash;

• A small quantity of cocaine;

• Two expandable batons and;

• Industrial tobacco manufacturing equipment.

Six people were arrested, with a 40-year-old Northcote man charged and bailed in relation to drug offences.

The other five people were released pending further enquiries.

The warrants executed targeted retail outlets believed to be involved in the sale of illicit tobacco in Victoria.

Members of the taskforce were joined at the warrants by police from the VIPER Taskforce, Crime Command and North West Metro Region, along with representatives from Australian Border Force, Australian Tax Office, Australian Federal Police, Therapeutic Goods Administration, and Sherriff’s Office.

Investigators appeal to anyone, especially store owners and staff, who has information to come forward to police.

People can contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential crime report at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au.

Broadford seeks further advice after Kyabram Football Netball League rejection

Lauren Duffy

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October 20, 2023

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Broadford seeks further advice after Kyabram Football Netball League rejection

Broadford Football Netball Club, BFNC, is seeking further advice on its next steps after a bid to join the Kyabram District Football Netball League, KDFNL, was rejected.

A majority of KDFNL clubs voted last night to not allow Broadford into the competition for season 2024.

BFNC applied to move to the KDFNL from the Outer East Football Netball League, who conducted their own review of its competition structure.

The outcome of that review was that the Outer East league will move from three divisions to two divisions, requiring BFNC to travel further to the eastern suburbs of Melbourne next season.

BFNC’s special general meeting in August saw an overwhelming majority of the club’s life and paid financial members vote to apply to move to the KDFNL, after a BFNC sub-committee had investigated several options as to what would be the best fit for the long-term sustainability of the club.

Club president Bonnie Welch said the club was now looking into its options.

“While we’re disappointed with the outcome of the KDFNL vote, the process isn’t over for us,” she said.

“We’ll have further discussions with the relevant personnel including AFL Victoria to seek a better outcome for our club.

“We believe we have a strong argument to be in a league in the AFL Goulburn Murray region, which aligns with our junior club who plays in the Seymour District Junior Football Netball League. It just makes sense that is where our future is.”

BFNC considered many factors in opting to change leagues – while senior football and netball is always a focus, junior pathways, its volunteer base, and long-term sustainability are also key factors.

Ms Welch thanked the KDFNL executive for their assistance throughout the process.

“We’re in a situation where KDNFL clubs are affected by the uncertainty of the overall league structure within the Goulburn Valley, with many clubs unsatisfied with the current league set-up,” she said.

“That no doubt has had an impact on where we sit in the big picture. Clubs have been put in a difficult position to make a decision on our application at this uncertain time.

“We thank everyone who had taken the time to assist us and hear us out over the past three months. We will continue to seek to do what is best for our club, and for the Broadford community.”

Prior to moving to the Outer East league in 2019, Broadford played in the Riddell District Football Netball League after moving from Heathcote District Football Netball League in 2008.

WR (2023-10-17)

Whittlesea Review

The North Central Review

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October 17, 2023

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NCR (2023-10-17)

North Central Review

The North Central Review

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October 17, 2023

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‘No’ vote wins: See the results from every polling place in McEwen

Grace Frost

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October 17, 2023

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‘No’ vote wins: See the results from every polling place in McEwen

By Grace Frost

The proposed Voice to Parliament was defeated on Saturday, as more than 54,000 people in the McEwen electorate joined the Australian majority to reject the proposition with a ‘no’ vote.

Australian Electoral Commission, AEC, data has revealed how votes in the McEwen region compared with the national average.

As of Sunday night, 90,046 votes from the McEwen region had been tallied, 829 of which could not be counted due to informal entry.

A total of 60.7 per cent voted ‘no’, while 39.3 per cent voted ‘yes’ – the results within a decimal place of matching the national result.

McEwen recorded the 11th highest ‘no’ vote of the 39 federal electorates in Victoria.

In McEwen’s neighbouring electorate, Nicholls, which includes Broadford and Seymour, voters were more united on their opposition of the Voice, recording the second-highest ‘no’ vote in Victoria at 76.1 per cent.

The 441 voters who correctly filled out their ballots at the Seymour Masonic Lodge most strongly opposed the Voice, with 78.5 per cent of them writing ‘no’.

But further south in Wallan and Kilmore, a smaller 64 per cent opposed the Voice to Parliament.

Other polling stations that received the highest proportion of ‘no’ votes include pre-poll votes at Wandong Public Hall, at 73.2 per cent, and Wandong Primary School, 68.7 per cent.

A total of 7843 voters elected to vote ahead of Saturday at Wandong’s pre-poll booth.

Sixteen polling places recorded a majority ‘yes’ vote, including at Woodend Primary School, 71 per cent and Macedon Primary School, 61 per cent.

Member for McEwen Rob Mitchell said he respected the ‘no’ decision despite it not being the outcome he had hoped for.

“In a free and open democratic society, you have wins and losses and at the end of the day the Australian people have had their say,” he said.

“We know our Indigenous people are hurting immensely and we will stand with them and use this to achieve better outcomes.”

xAboriginal Flag Victoria Square — Opposition leaders say the result of the referendum should be seen as ‘a new beginning’, not the rejection of First Nations people.

Member for Nicholls Sam Birrell said the referendum should be seen as ‘a new beginning’, not the rejection of First Nations people.

“The recognition and advancement of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities remains a shared goal,” he said.

“The cause of recognition is right and just, but the wording of the constitutional amendment was an overreach.

“Our representative democracy is based on the key principle of equality and Australians have rejected a constitutionally enshrined instrument of government based on race.”

Mr Birrell said he would continue to work with Indigenous communities in Nicholls to achieve better outcomes and economic empowerment.

“This debate has been very difficult and not always respectful of the premise that decent people from diverse backgrounds and races who want to see reconciliation can have different views on how to achieve it,” he said.

“Necessarily, given the tone of some of the national debate, there will be a period of reflection; wounds must be healed, and as Australians, we must forge a new path based on mutual respect and shared ambition.”

The Taungurung Land and Waters Council yesterday put its flags at half mast as part of the week of silence that Indigenous Australians called in response to the referendum outcome.

* Results included are as of October 15. Counting continues until October 27 to ensure all postal votes are received.

‘No’ vote wins: How City of Whittlesea residents voted in the referendum

‘No’ vote wins: How City of Whittlesea residents voted in the referendum

Grace Frost

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October 17, 2023

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‘No’ vote wins: How City of Whittlesea residents voted in the referendum

By Grace Frost

The proposal to introduce a Voice to Parliament was defeated on Saturday, as more than 54,000 voters from the McEwen electorate joined the Australian majority to reject the referendum with a ‘no’ vote.

Australian Electoral Commission, AEC, data has revealed how voters in the City of Whittlesea compared with those Australia-wide.

As of Sunday night, 22,430 votes had been tallied from 15 polling locations stationed in the City of Whittlesea within the McEwen electorate.

Of those, 245 votes were not included in the result due to being filled out incorrectly.

At the City of Whittlesea polling stations, 60 per cent voted ‘no’, while 40 per cent voted ‘yes’ – the results within decimal places of matching the national result.

Only one polling place in the area of the City of Whittlesea within McEwen recorded a majority ‘yes’ vote – St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School in Mernda at 50.8 per cent.

Polling stations that received the highest proportion of ‘no’ votes include at the Macedonian Orthodox Church in Mill Park, 69 per cent; Whittlesea Secondary College, 68 per cent; Whittlesea Primary School, 66 per cent; and Yan Yean Tennis Club, 63 per cent.

As of Sunday night, 90,046 votes from the wider McEwen region had been tallied.

Of the 39 federal electorates in Victoria, McEwen recorded the 11th highest ‘no’ vote.

Senator James Paterson, who is also patron Senator for McEwen, said Parliament should focus on addressing the cost of living pressures rather than funding the referendum.

“Every engagement I’ve had in northern Melbourne shows that locals are overwhelmingly concerned about jobs, the economy, and cost of living,” he said.

“Labor has ignored these issues whilst spending over $450 million on a divisive referendum.

“The ACT being the only state or territory to vote ‘yes’ shows that this really was a Canberra Voice, and not a solution for the suburbs of Melbourne.”

State Liberal Member for Northern Metropolitan Region Evan Mulholland said voting against the Voice to Parliament was not a rejection of Indigenous Australians.

“We must all rally and unite to close those gaps in life outcomes which, to this day, deny so many First Nations people the dignity and equality of opportunity they deserve,” he said.

“We’ve seen all local, state and federal Labor MPs dedicating their time to promoting a complex constitution change when the reality is locals want their roads fixed and cost of living lowered.”

Labor Member for McEwen Rob Mitchell said he respected the ‘no’ decision despite it not being the outcome he had hoped for.

“In a free and open democratic society, you have wins and losses, and at the end of the day, the Australian people have had their say,” he said.

“We know our Indigenous people are hurting immensely and we will stand with them and use this to achieve better outcomes.”

Counting of votes continues until October 27 to ensure retrieval of all postal entries.

* The 15 polling booths in the City of Whittlesea used to generate the data in this report do not include those that fall in the Scullin electorate, only McEwen.

‘No’ vote wins: See the results from every polling booth in McEwen

Whittlesea Eagles shine on presentation night: GALLERY

Max Davies

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October 17, 2023

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Whittlesea Eagles shine on presentation night: GALLERY

By Max Davies

While the 2023 season on field was largely one to forget for Whittlesea Football Netball Club, it heralded a new building phase for future improvements.

The Eagles played in division one of the Northern Football Netball League this year, but a winless season for their seniors and two wins and a draw for their reserves meant they finished last and second-last on their respective ladders.

Despite the results, club president Adrian Stewart said Whittlesea was now looking to bounce back with a revitalised behind-the-scenes setup.

“It was a season where we didn’t necessarily get the results we were after on the footy field, but it was also a season where we could analyse our deficiencies and our gaps and put a plan in place to fix all those gaps,” he said.

“We really recognised that there was a shortfall in people within the organisation that can contribute, so we now have a football department … we’ve got a women’s department and we’re forming a netball department. Every area of the club will get the focus that it needs.”

Whittlesea’s football coaching staff for 2024 will consist of Garry Ramsay for seniors, Sean McAuliffe for reserves and Shane Stanton for under 19s, as well as new signing Aimee McDougall – bringing a wealth of experience to the women’s side.

Mr Stewart said the club was looking forward to developing its women’s team and was supported by a strong juniors program for both boys and girls.

“We know we’ve got a good group of players, but we haven’t had the person to lead them and give them a game plan to follow, or strict guidelines on how to get the best out of themselves,” he said

“Part of [last year’s] review was to go out and basically look for the best person for each team.”

Whittlesea’s presentation night was an opportunity to reflect on the past season and recognise those who stood out, both on and off the courts and fields.

Awarded best and fairest for the senior footballers was Mitch Andrews, for the reserves it was Ethan Mann and the Supers winner was Zac King.

In netball, the best and fairest was awarded to Shanae Watson, Tiana Markey and Tara Bradley for the one, two, and three teams respectively.

“Most of the votes were pretty close which was pretty interesting. It was a really good turnout and a good end to a pretty tough year,” Mr Stewart said.

“I think the feeling around the group and around the supporters is that there’s much better results coming around the corner.”

Stewart said the club was looking to start its junior academy during the off-season, aimed at players from under 13 to under 19 to build on their skills and give them a better understanding of how to get the best out of their game.

or @whittleseaeagles_ on Instagram.

Seniors best and fairest runner-up Xavier Dimasi. Photo: Ridewood Photography.
Reserves best and fairest winner Ethan Mann. Photo: Ridewood Photography.
Reserves best and fairest runner-up Harry Lehner. Photo: Ridewood Photography.
Women’s football best and fairest winner Tahlia Brander. Photo: Ridewood Photography.
Women’s best and fairest runner-up Jenaya Stewart, left, with third-placed Ella Stewart. Photo: Ridewood Photography.
Whittlesea Supers’ best and fairest winner Zac King, right. Photo: Ridewood Photography.
Whittlesea 2 netball best and fairest winner Tiana Markey. Photo: Ridewood Photography.
Whittlesea 3 netball best and fairest Tara Bradley.

Whittlesea Football Netball Club awards

Football

Senior football

Best and fairest: Mitch Andrews

Runner-up: Xavier Dimasi

Coach’s award: Curtis Taplin

Most committed: Keiden Treacy

Most improved: Christian Prestopino

Most courageous: Matthew Atta

Reserves football

Best and fairest: Ethan Mann

Runner-up: Harry Lehner

Coach’s award: Nick Papadopoulos

Most committed: Cody Bunworth

Most improved: Tulloch Bland

Most courageous: Lachlan Heaney

Women’s football

Best and fairest: Tahlia Brander

Runner-up: Jenaya Stewart

Coach’s award: Lara Likos

Most committed: Brielle Kinnear

Most improved: Taylor Wood

Most courageous: Jess Villinskis

Supers football

Best and fairest: Zac King

Runner-up: Jeremy Page

Best finals player: Israel Best

Netball

Netball 1

Best and fairest: Shanae Watson

Coach’s award: Rachel Kemp

Best finals player: Izzie Corr

Netball 2

Best and fairest: Tiana Markey

Coach’s award: Jade D’Amico

Best finals player: Sarah Baerken

Netball 3

Best and fairest: Tara Bradley

Coach’s award: Indiana Bushell

Best finals player: Madison Taylor

Life member

Colin Newport

Danihers drive into Romsey and Lancefield

Max Davies

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October 17, 2023

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Danihers drive into Romsey and Lancefield

Despite the rain, Daniher’s Drive participants were treated to a warm welcome in Romsey and Lancefield on Thursday – the first two stops of a drive to raise money and awareness for motor neurone disease, MND.

Daniher’s Drive is an annual road trip through regional Victoria and this year included 220 participants, including the family of former AFL footballer and coach Neale Daniher, who is fighting MND and has raised more than $70 million to research the disease.

Fight MND chief executive Fiona McIntosh said the route was selected to visit towns they hadn’t stopped at before and were flood-affected.

“What we try and do is spread our support across Victoria and we really wanted to come to areas we hadn’t been through before but had also been affected by floods in the recent year or so,” she said.

“It’s really important to come and see this region because they’ve been doing it tough.

“The community support has been really humbling because people have been doing it tough, not only with the floods and COVID, but now the cost-of-living and they still come out and support Neale and the family and still dig deep to help us fight the ‘Beast’.”

The Romsey Primary School singing group, taught by Sharon Brasher and accompanied by assistant principal Sally Davies, performed their songs at the Romsey morning tea for Daniher’s Drive.

After leaving the Essendon Football Club training facility on Thursday morning, the drive headed to Romsey for a morning tea relocated to the Romsey Recreation Reserve following poor weather.

Country Women’s Association and Red Cross volunteers provided baked goods alongside Rafael’s Coffee, Waymaker Coffee and a sausage sizzle.

The Romsey-Lancefield Lions Club also assisted with the morning tea and Jenny Stillman, from Business and Tourism Association of Macedon Ranges, emceed the event.

The Romsey Primary School singing club and local bush poet Jack Bamford also performed.

At Lancefield, it was St Mary’s versus Fight MND in an ice bucket relay with St Mary’s victorious.

Students and supporters cheered as St Mary’s principal Julie McDougall, teacher and Mr Daniher’s sister Colleen Bruest, and students Max, Nait, Nate, Pat, Maggie and Marley were doused in ice buckets.

St Mary’s Lancefield students Max, Nait, Nate, Pat, Maggie and Marley participated in the ice bucket relay along with principal Julie McDougall and Neale Daniher’s sister Colleen Bruest, who is a teacher at the school.

Ms Bruest said the relay was a great event bringing some fun to the drive.

“It’s all about community with the Fight MND Daniher’s Drive. They love to go through the country communities and spread the word about Fight MND,” she said.

“A lot of these kids are now attuned with Neale’s Fight MND cause to try cure MND.

“They watch the Big Freeze, they’ve got their beanies so they were kind of on board and then to have people come out into the country and do fun activities like this just puts a smile on everyone’s face.

“For a lot of these families, they see Neale or they see Fight MND and they see it out in Melbourne, Victoria and it resonates with them.

“They see the battle that Neale’s fighting and it resonates with them. But for them to be able to support the cause and be able to action [it], like holding the morning tea in Romsey and then being able to host them here, it’s really big for our little Lancefield-Romsey community.

“It’s just a fantastic event. It’s also really nice to catch up with family because I’m not on the drive this year so it’s really nice to catch up with Neale’s wife Jan and I think it’s really lovely for other people to see how hands-on they are.”

St Mary’s Lancefield teacher and Neale Daniher’s sister Colleen Bruest gets an ice bucket tipped on her head during the ice bucket relay as part of the Daniher’s Drive event.

Daughter of Neale Daniher, Bec Daniher, said the events showed the massive community support in trying to ‘beat the Beast’ – the name given to MND by the organisation.

“For someone who’s got a family member battling against the Beast I think it shows there is a massive community that want to help, who want to change the narrative that is an MND diagnosis,” she said.

“It’s currently terminal but we know that when we continue to fight against it and continue to fundraise, we’re going to get some amazing researchers working around the clock to find a way to find an answer to the Beast.

“We see the over 200 drive participants and all the amazing community towns that come out, like with this incredible spread here in Romsey, and we just know we’re going to get that at each beautiful town we stop at.

“I think that’s just showing that there’s so many people that care and that want to help and that’s just what the drive is all about.”

This year’s drive raised $2 million. .