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Greater Western Water reminder to prepare an alternative water source

The North Central Review
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Greater Western Water reminder to prepare an alternative water source

Macedon Ranges residents are being encouraged to be prepared with alternative water sources in the event supply is impacted by fire.

With the fire danger period now declared across the state, Greater Western Water, GWW, has reminded that customers may experience low water pressure, loss of supply or reduced quality of water because of heat and fire damage, or extreme water demand from firefighters.

GWW operations and delivery solutions general manager Jodie Hallam said while the group was prepared for the fire season, water supply cannot be guaranteed during a bushfire.

“The above average rainfall has led to increased grassy growth and an increased risk of fires as the grass dries out during warm and dry conditions,” she said.

“In the event of a fast-moving fire, it’s vital to be prepared with access to alternative drinking water for household members and pets.”

If the water supply is affected, GWW will alert customers via text messages, web updates and social media.

“Notifications about impacts to water supply may include boil water notices or do not drink notices,” Ms Hallam said.

“We urge all customers to check their personal details are up to date on their GWW account to make sure they receive all safety messages.”

To update contact details with GWW, people can call 13 44 99 or text 0480 015 200.

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SDCA: Tallarook emerge as A Grade challengers

Lauren Duffy
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SDCA: Tallarook emerge as A Grade challengers

TALLAROOK made clear its status as a Seymour District Cricket Association A Grade threat with a comprehensive win against Broadford on Saturday.

The Rook overcame a slow start after being sent in on their home turf by Broadford, with opener Josh Rudge falling for a golden duck on the first ball of the game and Ben Tarran, 2, joining him in the sheds shortly after.

It was up to Tallarook skipper Lachie Watts to dig in his heels, grinding out 39 runs from 80 balls batting at number three to staunch the bleeding.

Kasey Duncan, 57 not out, and Leigh Irving, 53, also had success with the bat, with Irving belting three sixes and five fours to raise the run rate.

Jeremy Bradshaw, 2/20, was Broadford’s only multiple wicket-taker as Tallarook batted out its innings to score 7/173.

Despite runs from number three batsman Braden Hickey, 22, and number four Mitch Collier, 35, the Broadford run chase never got going in earnest, as openers Connor Stute and Gareth Sharp fell for a combined nine runs and Sean Baker, 19, was the only other visitor to reach double figures.

With James Jones unable to bat, Broadford was out of batsmen at 9/106, with Ben Tarran, 3/30, and Shane Topham, 2/14, doing the bulk of the damage for Tallarook.

The result leaves the Rook more than a game clear of Broadford in second place, and only six points behind ladder leader and reigning premier Eastern Hill.

The Eagles maintained their lead on the competition with a comfortable 63-run win against Seymour, led by 92 runs from batsman Ben Bryant and figures of 3/23 from bowler Jake Sutherland.

Tallarook will host Eastern Hill in a top-of-the-table clash this weekend, while Yea Tigers will return from a bye to play Seymour at Chittick Park. Broadford has a bye.

Romsey Coles conditionally approved by Macedon Ranges Council

The North Central Review
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Romsey Coles conditionally approved by Macedon Ranges Council

A new Coles supermarket on Romsey’s Main Street is a step closer to reality after Macedon Ranges Shire Council conditionally approved the project at the end of January.

Council issued a notice of decision to grant a planning permit to Coles, which remains subject to the formal planning process.

The proposed development at 51-53 Main Street includes a supermarket, a bottle shop and 195 car parking spaces.

The council permit outlines a series of conditions to be met as part of the development, including matters such as lighting, footpaths, fencing and landscaping.

Mayor Annette Death said council worked closely with Coles to ensure the proposed structure would fit within the existing Romsey streetscape and town character while providing adequate car parking and pedestrian access.

Cr Death said the proposed development would support local jobs and the broader Romsey economy.

“An estimated 2000 people moved to Romsey and surrounds from 2011 to 2021 – this proposed supermarket is a welcome response to helping service that population growth,” she said.

“Ideally it will complement the existing independent supermarket and other shops in Romsey, providing more choice for surrounding residents as well as more employment opportunities.”

The Coles Group must now confirm it will adhere to the proposed permit conditions, while previous submitters to the original proposal can raise an objection within 28 days of the notice being issued.

A Coles spokesperson last year estimated the proposed development would create hundreds of jobs in retail and construction.

Kilmore Trackside continues partnership with Kilmore Football Netball Club

The North Central Review
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Kilmore Trackside continues partnership with Kilmore Football Netball Club

Kilmore Trackside is proud to continue being a major sponsor and partner of Kilmore Football Netball Club.

As a community-focused business with similar values, Kilmore Trackside has been a strong supporter of the club, having been a major sponsor for the past five years.

The two organisations align when it comes to promoting healthy living, teamwork, and community spirit.

The partnership has assisted the football and netball club in ensuring players have access to facilities and equipment, as well as supporting the club’s various initiatives.

In addition to financial support, Kilmore Trackside is proud to host the club for meals on Thursday nights and the popular end-of-year presentation night.

Kilmore Football Netball Club newly-appointed president Ben Egan said the events had allowed the club to come together and celebrate the achievements of its players, coaches, and supporters.

“The Kilmore Football Netball Club is grateful to have such a dedicated and community-focused sponsor like Kilmore Trackside [and] for the continued support. We look forward to building on this partnership in the future,” he said.

“Their support has been invaluable to our club and we look forward to continuing this partnership for many years to come.”

Both organisations are committed to supporting the community and promoting healthy living and teamwork.

Kilmore Racing Club’s chief executive Ben Murphy also shared his excitement about the continued partnership.

“We are proud to support the Kilmore Football Netball Club and impressed with the continuing improvement of the club – not only on the field but also off the field through the hard work of the committee, coaches, players and supporters,” he said.

“We look forward to continuing this partnership and supporting the club as it grows and achieves great things.”

Mernda paramedic awarded on Australia Day

Pam Kiriakidis
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Mernda paramedic awarded on Australia Day

By Pam Kiriakidis

Recognised for community action, Mernda paramedic Brett Drummond was awarded the Ambulance Service Medal as part of this year’s Australia Day honours list.

The Ambulance Service Medal recognises members of the Australian ambulance services for distinguished service.

Mr Drummond was awarded for his efforts in the emergency management unit, where he currently holds a management position.

Ambulance Victoria’s emergency management unit has assisted with some of Victoria’s major emergencies, including the asthma thunderstorms in 2016 and the first Bourke Street emergency.

“My job in these [emergencies] has been making sure we’re getting the right resources and care to the scenes, and trying to make sure what we’re doing for these major emergencies still allows us to respond to the other triple zero calls we get,” he said.

“I worked with a colleague [during the asthma thunderstorms], and we went through in really high detail all the things that Ambulance Victoria did, how we managed patients, the sort of cases and numbers of cases we went, [and] how we worked with other agencies.”

Mr Drummond’s work with Ambulance Victoria began in 2003 when his wife encouraged him to apply for a paramedic position due to his background in youth work.

For the next 20 years Mr Drummond served front-line roles in Ambulance Victoria, stationed at Epping, South Morang, and Kinglake.

He was also previously stationed at the Thomastown branch which helped respond to the Black Saturday bushfires.

Mr Drummond said during his senior team manager position at Epping, he helped establish the Kinglake branch – initially a portable facility located near the town’s footy oval.

“Part of my role at the time was getting the branch established, and working with Kinglake CERT, the volunteers that work as AV first responders in communities to support the community,” he said.

However Mr Drummond’s passion for community care is not only evident at Ambulance Victoria.

Outside of his work, Mr Drummond was also president of Plenty Valley Community Health when he was at Epping.

“Our service [Plenty Valley Community Health] worked with the residents of Kinglake as part of the bushfires case management service, supporting the fire-affected community. It was a pretty intense time, and one that really stuck with me,” he said.

Mr Drummond was also a volunteer with the State Emergency Service for 10 years, where he was unit controller at Broadmeadows.

“I’ve always been part of organisations that are about serving the community, and becoming a paramedic was a really natural extension to that,” he said.

Mr Drummond said he felt he always had a ‘knack’ for community action, which has allowed him to bond with patients, as well as learn valuable skills.

“Two of the most important I’ve found are being able to recognise when you need to look after yourself, and also being reflective of the way I’ve worked,” he said.

“The cases I’ve always loved are the ones where you connect with a patient, like having a laugh at a joke with them, or getting to hear some of their life stories.

“While it’s nice to be recognised in this way, I feel like all I’ve done really is do my best to make sure the community is well cared for in what I do.”

Mitchell Shire’s farming future a topic of debate

The North Central Review
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Mitchell Shire’s farming future a topic of debate

Does the future of Mitchell Shire farming lie in large-scale, broadacre operations or with smaller, more flexible lots?

That was the question at the centre of a debate at Mitchell Shire Council’s December meeting as councillors voted to adopt a Rural Land and Activities Review, RLAR, as part of the Mitchell Planning Scheme.

Council officers and consultants developed the RLAR during the past three and a half years to provide a vision for the future of rural land in the shire, primarily that zoned for farming.

It also sets out a framework for further planning to guide the futures of small towns such as Tallarook, Tooborac, Pyalong and Waterford Park.

The draft plan received nearly 60 submissions, with 41 submitters requesting changes.

The most contentious aspect of the plan was a change to raise the minimum size of farming zone lots in the shire’s north-west from 40 hectares to 80 hectares.

People intending to build on property of less than 80 hectares would require a planning permit showing they intended to use the land for agricultural purposes.

Cr Rhonda Sanderson said the change would protect existing farms from encroaching subdivision that could put non-farming residents in conflict with farmers.

“There is a lot of pressure on our farmers, particularly from people who are moving to the shire looking for a quiet life but who don’t quite understand how farming works,” she said.

“There are an awful lot of absentee farmers already about the place, because there are a number of smaller lots in that area.

“Some of them are very good, but for a lot of them it’s a weekender, or maybe once a month, or maybe just for the Christmas holidays. Some bring dogs that escape and they’re unaware of things like fire risks. That’s the reality.

“In an ideal world everyone would look after their land beautifully and there would be no issues for the neighbours, but as I see it this is about protecting the right to farm.

“We’re not going to tell farmers what to do with their land, and a planning permit will only be triggered in certain circumstances.”

Cr David Lowe opposed the change, arguing smaller-scale properties provided more options for agriculture in the area.

“What we’re talking about is scale versus flexibility,” he said.

“The idea of the larger farm [being] more profitable, and therefore more worthwhile and sustainable in some ways is one side of the argument. The other side of the argument is that smaller blocks make for a more flexible farming community.

“The rural north-east currently has the 80-hectare minimum farm size with no subdivision below that, and yet it is the only area in the shire that is forecast to lose population over the next 20 years.”

Cr Lowe said he believed a report prepared by consultants included ‘some preconceived ideas about size that are not well supported by the arguments they put forward’.

“I think flexibility is the future of farming in this shire. We all know that farming profitability globally has been reducing over the years. Without flexibility we will lose more farms and more farmers,” he said.

Cr Nathan Clark also opposed, noting more varied farm-size arrangements in the greater Bendigo area.

“The smallest subdivision in the farm zone is limited to eight hectares and they’ve localised that along the faults where the Precambrian soil makes for better growing of vines,” he said.

“There could be some finer resolution on the subdivision here. There are clearly businesses that are very profitable and support farming at much smaller lot sizes.”

Cr Bill Chisholm, who owns a property in Tooborac, said he was likely to lose money as a result of the RLAR but had decided to support it after much debate.

“Some of the changes in the north-west where I live have been very contentious from both sides of the coin,” he said.

“I can see both sides. A lot of people lose a significant amount of money out of this and I’m one of those … that will possibly lose money through this, but by the same token you do need large-scale farming, and you don’t want farming forced out of Mitchell Shire.

“We have got to look at how we support larger-scale farmers, and many of these smaller blocks create problems with weeds spreading across the environment, domestic animals … [and] fire danger.

“The Ukraine situation has shown the importance of food, and there are so many people dying every day in this world. Australia needs to step up, protect its farmland and value it.”

The vote passed, with Crs Sanderson, Chisholm, Louise Bannister, Rob Eldridge and Mayor Fiona Stevens voting in favour and Crs Lowe and Clark against.

People can view the RLAR at engagingmitchellshire.com/rural-land.

Romsey Market Day back in action

The North Central Review
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Romsey Market Day back in action

Romsey Market Day is making a comeback, with Lancefield-Romsey Lions Club hosting stallholders and food vans at Romsey Skate Park on Sunday.

Lions vice president Angela Heywood said there was ‘quite a variety’ of stalls expected at the event, with more than 40 stallholders offering jewellery, candles, handmade goods, bric-a-brac, woodwork, as well as food options.

“They will be able to see all the wonderful work that people do here, the artistic ones, the creative ones and possibly buy a few things as well,” she said.

“It’s fabulous the amount of talent and creativity in the shire – it’s just amazing.”

Ms Heywood said she was expecting good weather for the first market day, which had been a popular event with 100 stalls over a decade ago.

Ms Heywood said she hoped to bring the Romsey market day back to full circle for the next generation.

“I really look forward to this becoming a long-term activity, once a month, and maybe expand as well,” she said.

“There’s a great variety of artists and things like that in the area, so hopefully, in the future, things will work out well.”

Ms Heywood thanked Romsey Neighbourhood House and Romsey Region Business and Tourism Association for their support to advertise the event.

The market is from 9am to 1pm at Romsey Skate Park, located at the corner of Main Street and White Avenue.

For more information, contact Angela Heywood on 0413 065 177.

Bicentennial to be celebrated in Kilmore

Grace Frost
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Bicentennial to be celebrated in Kilmore

By Grace Frost

The Kilmore Mechanics’ Institute, KMI, is excited to announce a major community event in the pipeline for 2024, and is calling on Kilmore residents to collaborate.

Since first being established nearly 170 years ago and revived in the early 1990s, KMI has played a significant role in advocating for the Kilmore township through campaigns, events, exhibitions, workshops, and projects, including the annual Scaretactics.

The institute is now gearing up for one of its biggest events yet – the bicentennial celebration of explorers Hamilton Hume and William Hovell’s journey through the district in December, 1824.

The explorers led an expedition searching for new grazing land nearly 200 years ago from Appin, New South Wales to Point Wilson in Port Phillip Bay, and passed through the area.

KMI plans to commemorate the journey in 2024 in conjunction with the 100-year anniversary of the construction of the Hume and Hovell monument at Monument Hill Reserve, Kilmore.

The group will host its annual general meeting on Sunday and is eager to receive residents’ input and ideas regarding the planning and implementation of the 2024 celebration.

Engineer and researcher Ken McInnes will make a guest appearance at the meeting to provide people with information on Hume and Hovell’s expedition.

“This presentation will review the young explorers’ historic overland journey … their legacy … our current knowledge of extant primary historic resources and our need to reconcile this knowledge with the knowledge of First Nations people,” Mr McInnes said.

Copies of the maps used by the original explorers will also be available for viewing by the public.

The annual general meeting will start at 2pm at the Kilmore Soldiers Memorial Hall, followed by afternoon tea.

Kilmore Mechanics’ Institute spokesperson Leanne Stute said people of all ages were invited to ‘come and be a part of the institute’, first by getting involved at the annual general meeting before the major event in December next year.

“We want all community groups and everybody to be involved in making it happen,” she said.

Ms Stute said the events would allow the Kilmore community to engage with and get to know their town.

KMI is seeking sponsorships for the bicentennial event, with hopes to potentially fund light shows and displays, activities for children, a street parade, music and entertainment.

All community groups and businesses are encouraged to get involved to acknowledge the history of Kilmore with the best celebration possible.

To be involved or express interest, people can call Leanne Stute on 0408 166 088 and email lmarees27@outlook.com.

Back to learning at Darraweit Guim Primary School

Pam Kiriakidis
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Back to learning at Darraweit Guim Primary School

By Pam Kiriakidis

School is back in session for Darraweit Guim Primary School, using temporary classrooms and community donations to continue on-site learning after flooding in October last year.

While some of the the school is still under repair, including the school’s historic bluestone building, principal Carol Booker said students and teachers felt ‘relief’ to be on campus after re-locating to Wallan Primary School for six weeks last year.  

“It was a relief for everybody, although the school is still half cut off at the construction area and does not look overly inviting because there’s big fences up, the kids are very happy to be back,” she said.

Ms Booker said Wallan Primary School was ‘more than accommodating’ with their resources, allowing the students to continue their education post-floods last year.

“Our priority was to put everything else aside and just make sure that in the six weeks [we] were relocated, our learning program could continue. It wasn’t without challenges, I must admit, and I can’t say that it wasn’t impacted, but we did the very best we could,” she said.  

“It was challenging, we’ve got 40 kids and they’ve got 670, so we didn’t have our resources and lunchtimes at the same time, but we used their facilities like the canteen, which the kids loved.

“We were offered use of their art room and gym, but timetabling our classes was a real challenge.” 

Darraweit Guim Primary School this year has five prep students, currently learning in the school’s repaired portable and other temporary classrooms provided through the Department of Education.  

Ms Booker said the first day was positive, however the school was still feeling the flood impact – with prep students unable to complete traditional routines such as transition week and parents could not visit the school’s staff room as it was now a storage room.

“We were a little bit nervous as to how the kids would go on their first day back but they were fabulous,” she said.

“Even though the classrooms, they weren’t set up … we met down at the park, so our transition sessions were made at the park, and we did some fun games down there.

“I had encouraged the parents to bring them over the holidays and play on the equipment to get the feel of the place, and a couple of parents took that up.

“When the parents dropped off the kids [on the first day], traditionally we would have the parents in the staff room … we couldn’t do that because our staff room is chock a block with a whole lot of stuff because we don’t have any storage area.”  

Ms Booker said the school was still enduring a massive clean-up, especially after the overwhelming response from the community with donations, including a new portable speaker system, which assisted graduation and the school’s concert last year.

She said it was ‘heart-warming’ to receive equipment from several businesses and organisations to set up for the first day back, and was grateful of the extra efforts from the school’s teachers.

“Our teachers worked very hard over the holidays as well, I must add, because we’ve got all these donations that were then organised to get classes set up … so I’ll take my hat off to them,” she said.

Prep students start their school lives in Pyalong

The North Central Review
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Prep students start their school lives in Pyalong

Prep students across the region have settled into their classrooms, learning activities and procedures on their first day to prepare for their first year of schooling.

Pyalong Primary School enrolled 12 prep students for the year ahead.

Principal Jessica Bowen-Duarte said the number of students enrolled was ‘positive’ for Pyalong.

“Previously we were quite low, we’re growing each year, which is really positive, so any number of attendees is really great,” she said.

Ms Bowen-Duarte said prep students were ready to get started with introductory activities and a buddy system on Monday last week.

“I’ve been in and out of the classroom, and today we’ve been doing a lot of getting to know you activities and fun things together,” she said.

“They’ve done a buddy system … older students in the grade six area and then a student from the middle school so they’ve done some buddy activities.

“What we really want for them is to feel really happy at school because we know that when the kids are happy they learn really well.”

St Mary’s Primary School in Lancefield filled two classrooms with 18 students who were excited to start on Tuesday last week.

Prep teacher Chris Zarb said the students participated in a range of activities and classroom routines to set up for the year ahead.

“It’s a lot of going over procedures … and throwing in a bit of fun just to make sure they have a really happy day, and they feel settled,” she said.

Ms Zarb said the school was set on teaching the preps important values surrounding kindness and respect.

“We’re really focused on teaching kindness … and that we look after each other,” she said.

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