Mental health first aid course on offer at Kilmore
Mitchell Suicide Prevention Network is hosting a two-day mental health first aid course in Kilmore starting on Saturday.
The course, supported by the Zonta Club of Mitchell, will offer participants practical first aid skills to recognise common mental health problems; provide initial help using a practical, evidence-based action plan; seek appropriate professional help; and respond in a crisis situation.
Facilitator Roslyn Stewart said the training would help people support friends, family members, collegues and others.
She said the training would provide people with knowledge, confidence and support while destigmatising attitudes towards mental health.
The 12-hour course, with the second day on April 1, will be at St Patricks Parish Hall in Kilmore, and costs $25 each.
To register, contact Ms Stewart via email mitchellspn@gmail.com or phone her on 0419 367 582.
Regional residents’ anger over jam packed peak hour train services
By Colin MacGillivray
Regional rail service V/Line has blamed an unusually high number of wildlife strikes for overcrowded peak hour services on the Shepparton line that have annoyed Mitchell Shire commuters in recent weeks.
Mitchell Shire residents have taken to social media to vent their frustration after reporting being crammed onto peak hour services to and from Melbourne that have operated with only two carriages.
Many shared photos of their journey, with commuters left standing in the aisles due to a lack of seats.
With coaches now replacing trains on the Shepparton line until April 1 while upgrade works are carried out, V/Line customers said they feared their commute could become unmanageable.
Devanya O’Dea posted in the Seymour Train-line Action Group, saying her daughter now elected to drive from Kilmore to Melbourne for her university studies.
“The service is so unreliable with cancellations and buses replacing trains, and the connecting buses often do not connect with the trains,” she said.
“This comes at a large cost in both petrol and parking, once again leaving rural students very disadvantaged.
“When she previously caught the train she could rarely get a seat and so could not utilise the time appropriately to study on the train.
“On the times that my son has taken the train to Craigieburn it is often delayed and we have ended up driving to pick him up to ensure he gets home at a reasonable time. All in all, a useless service.”
Another commuter, Samantha McCormack, said the service was better 15 years ago than today.
“Some of the current later services – 7pm onwards – are five carriages with no one on them, yet our peak hour services are now consistently two carriages, nowhere near enough to cater for increased patronage at Wallan and Donnybrook,” she said.
“With the government trying to encourage city workers back to the office and sky-high petrol prices forcing people off the roads, our public transport system is just not good enough and many are opting to continue working from home or driving to [metropolitan] stations.”
A V/Line spokesperson apologised for the inconvenience to the passengers and said an abnormally high number of wildlife strikes had caused havoc for the Sprinter trains on the Shepparton line in recent weeks.
He said V/Line always endeavoured to operate services with a full complement of carriages, but that wildlife strikes often required a train to be taken out of service to undergo a deep clean and necessary repairs.
The spokesperson said future services scheduled to be operated by the affected carriages often needed to run with fewer carriages than normal.
“We thank passengers for their patience while some services ran with fewer carriages than normal earlier in March due to multiple wildlife strikes on the network,” he said.
“Works are currently underway on the Seymour and Shepparton lines to bring new infrastructure into operation, ensure the existing infrastructure remains in good condition and install new equipment to help us continue to deliver reliable services into the future.”
Public Transport Users Association, PTUA, spokesperson Ben Lever said overcrowding on V/Line services was ‘much too common’, especially in areas where V/Line served outer Melbourne suburbs in addition to regional passengers.
The PTUA believes the overcrowding issue is a long-term problem on the Ballarat, Geelong and Seymour lines, and called for V/Line to address it in January, with fears that weekend train services would be affected once cheaper fares are introduced at the end of March.
“It’s also becoming increasingly common for V/Line to run shorter trains than usual, even at off-peak times when there are spare carriages sitting idle,” he said.
“The government’s V/Line fare cut coming at the end of March will likely attract more passengers onto these trains, making them even more jam-packed.
“The government needs to commit to extending the electrified Metro network to serve the growth areas in Melbourne’s north as soon as practical. But in the meantime, V/Line has to make more of an effort to ensure it runs its trains at full capacity.”
Mitchell Shire Weekly Police News: March 14, 2023
Theft of copper
About 300 metres of copper wire was stolen from a powerline in Kilmore, some time between 8pm on March 5 and 4am on March 9.
Thefts
Unknown offenders attended a residential home on High Street, Broadford, and removed and stole a screen door affixed to the back of the property between March 6 and 7. No entry was believed to be gained to the property.
On March 7, an unknown offender attended a shopping centre in Wallis Street, Seymour, and stole a wallet belonging to another person. The offender removed $90 from the wallet and then disregarded the wallet in the car park.
A six-square-metre skip bin was stolen from the corner of Dorset and Bromfield Road, Northwood, between 5.30pm on March 3 and 5.30pm on March 5.
Criminal damage
A vehicle parked at Wandong Railway Station was damaged by possibly a key being used to scratch the vehicle, leaving damage across the whole panel of the door. The criminal damage occurred at about 7.30am on March 7.
Criminal damage by fire
At about 5.30am on March 7, two cars were set alight in Hamilton Street, Broadford.
Police believe an unknown offender attended the property on foot, carrying a large jerry can, and poured an unknown accelerant on the vehicles parked in the street, ignited it and causing both vehicles to catch fire.
Both vehicles were damaged, but due to the attendance of the CFA, the fires were contained, and no residential property was damaged.
Police seize 467 cannabis plants
The Seymour Divisional Resource Unit continued its effort to keep drug cultivation, trafficking and use out of Mitchell Shire, with two search warrants in Wallan resulting in the identification of two hydroponic houses containing a total of 467 mature cannabis plants.
If anyone believes there is suspicious activity in their street, contact Crime Stoppers or a local police station.
Live music to return to Wallan
Live music will be back in Wallan next Friday, featuring regional artists showcasing their talent.
BGGROUPAU founder Benjamin Gregory, known as Benny Gregs, is hosting the event at Vento Café Restaurant at Wellington Square shopping centre.
Mr Gregory said people could tune into artists including Australian Idol 2023 contestant Kaitlyn Thomas, Cherri Anderson, Tilly Rose, Leanne Langborne, Tayla Moran and others from outside of the shire.
Mr Gregory said it was time to feature another performing night in Wallan, which promoted regional artists, businesses and the area.
“It brings the community together, we can help celebrate our local artists but at the same time to celebrate the art of coming together, it’s so important to come together as a community,” he said.
“I think any opportunity for people to come in have a drink, support local, our local economy and support our local businesses while listening to amazing local talent – its going to be such a beautiful night.”
To book tickets to the Vento Live Mic on March 24, people can visit .
Children’s authors show first works in Seymour
An exhibition showcasing the early works of Australian children’s authors and illustrators will be on show at Seymour Library.
The Juvenilia exhibition includes the authors and illustrators’ early attempts at storytelling.
Mitchell Shire Council will host a launch at 4.30pm on Friday to celebrate the arrival of the exhibition, which be open until April 27.
Curator and author Aimee Chan and international Star Wars illustrator Chris Kennett will be at the launch. Work by Andy Griffiths, Alison Lester, Graeme Base, Ursula Dubosarsky, Danny Katz, Oliver Phommavanh and many more will be featured in the exhibition.
Whether it’s handwriting stories on scrap paper or drawing pictures in pencil, the works show the authors and illustrators started their creative journeys when they were children.
Mitchell Shire Mayor Fiona Stevens said the exhibition would be available for people visit during library open hours.
“This is a fantastic chance to see the early work of some of Australia’s best children’s authors and illustrators,” she said.
“Everyone had to start somewhere, and this exhibition shows the humble beginnings of the storytellers and artists we all know and love.
“It will be a fun family event and I encourage people in Seymour and surrounds to come to the launch event and check it out.”
Kilmore win makes it back-to-back for Modernissimo
By ‘Pegs’
The Alicia Macpherson-trained Modernissimo, paying $17, made it back-to-back wins in impressively winning on his home track at Kilmore on Friday.
Coming off a Benalla win a fortnight earlier, the New Zealand-bred four-year-old gelded son of Mongolian Khan and Ananiashvilli was again ridden by Jake Noonan in taking out the bet365 Top Tote Plus BM58 Handicap over 1600 metres.
The gelding coming from a rearward position, split the field in the straight to record a nice win over Diamanda, $12, by a long neck with Podente, $4.40, a short-half-head away third.
The gelding who has had head carriage problems throughout his career is improving with racing.
“Jake dropped his hands and the gelding raced kindly,” Macpherson said.
“He rode him a treat.”
Macpherson said the gelding would have his next start at Geelong in a fortnight in a race over 1700 metres.
“It’s a big track that will suit him,” she said.
Modernissimo has now won two races from his 12 starts.
A highlight at the meeting was the first winner for claiming 4kg apprentice Makisha Salter. She was aboard the Amy and Ash Yargi galloper Yulara.
Four favourites were successful on the eight-race card.
Brown’s Lady goes one better
Luckless at Kilmore at her previous start, the Stephen Brown-trained Lady Whistledown, $3, went one better at Echuca on Sunday in taking out the O’Connors now in Echuca BM58 Handicap over 1600 metres.
Dawdling out of the barriers, the Unecumbered Seymour-trained four-year-old mare was positioned at the rear of the field and was given her head by Mitch Aitken in the straight to record a comfortable victory over Miss Athena, $4.20, by two and three quarter lengths with Hanmer Springs, $9.50, a further half-length away third.
“We sent her up Darwin for the Derby last year but they changed the rules,” Brown said.
“All she wants to do is stay.”
Bred and raced by Brown along with his wife Elisha and long-time stable client, Perth-based Peter Jones, Lady Whistledown has now won two races with three minor placings from her 16 starts.
Broken Hill win
Kilmore trainer Jody Thompson, family and her owners made the nine-hour-plus trip with their team to Broken Hill, NSW, a successful one at the weekend.
Thompson saddled-up the newly-acquired Pill Box, a $2.50 favourite, for a decisive win in the Mulga Hill Tavern Benchmark 45 Handicap over 1000 metres on Saturday.
Giving young South Australian claiming-4kg apprentice Caitlin Tootell the first leg of a winning double, the Fighting Sun six-year-old gelding blitzed the nine-horse field to defeat Casino Angel by 4.91 lengths with Honor The Moment third.
Formerly trained by Neville Kennedy, the gelding is now raced by the Thompson family, former Kilmore trainer Angie Barton, and other stable clients.
Pill Box has now won nine races with seven minor placings from his 53 starts.
Kyneton on Thursday
Kyneton and Hanging Rock Racing Club will host a meeting at bet365 Park Kyneton this Thursday.
OUR PEOPLE: Empowering Whittlesea women at Women’s Day breakfast
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 Pam Kiriakidis
Guest speakers Bobby Lama and Ozge Sevindik-Alkan provided inspirational leadership stories at a City of Whittlesea International Women’s Day breakfast last week.
Kim Stadtmiller, from the Hume Whittlesea Local Learning and Employment Network, hosted the breakfast at City of Whittlesea’s Great Hall on Wednesday, where women of the region shared their leadership stories.
Arriving from Nepal in 2007, Ms Lama and a few friends created the Band of Women in Action Group in 2019 to support young mothers and women with a Nepalese background in the northern suburbs.
The group continued through the COVID-19 pandemic, with welfare checks, Zumba exercise sessions, and training from the Multicultural Centre for Women’s Health to discuss serious issues affecting their community.
“We used to talk about different topics like raising children, mental health, all these biases and what were the challenges … especially during the lockdowns” Ms Lama said.
“Every month we were attending the sessions … about mental health, about family and domestic violence, things that were not discussed or talked about before and I think after that, we built that connection with each other.”
Ms Lama said the group focused on empowering women to adopt different skills and knowledge through programs the women felt was needed.
“I think everyone wanted that safe space and I feel like a woman can understand another woman,” she said.
Speaking about her own experiences at the International Women’s Day event, Ms Sevindik-Alkan, a writer, was told she was not allowed to wear a headscarf when she attended school in Turkey.
After leaving her life behind for America at 13, Ms Sevindik-Alkan is inspiring Australian Muslim writers through her group organisation, The Right Pen Collective, which hosted an online Australian Muslim Writers Festival in 2021.
Ms Sevindik-Alkan, who directed the event, said the festival provided a platform to other Australian Muslim female writers.
“People write about us, rather than talking about us, but there’s so many excellent Muslim writers, especially female Muslim writers that are coming through the ranks who are absolutely killing it in the awards and recognition,” she said.
“I wanted to amplify their voices [and the] first time the poster went out, I literally got messages from people double checking [if it was for] real life.”
Ms Sevindik-Alkan co-authored the two Hijabi Girl junior fiction series that was featured at the Booklovers Festival at Lalor Yarra Plenty Regional Library in 2022.
Ms Sevindik-Alkan said she was proud she had contributed to such an inclusive event.
“It wasn’t just Muslim kids, it was all the other kids as well that saw these Muslim women as authors [presenting] workshops or sort of shifting the narrative about what a Muslim woman can look like or do,” she said.
Ms Sevindik-Alkan said being a guest speaker at an International Women’s Day event was a reminder to other women they were not alone with their own situations.
“You think you’re the only one going through these things, you think you’re the only one that’s burning out,” she said.
“Meeting other women who are going through the same similar things, and they are going ‘yes, this is hard, but this is so worth it’, it’s just life affirming.”
The City of Whittlesea event concluded with a traditional dance performed by Wurundjeri women’s dance group, Djirri Djirri.
Mitchell Shire councillors note progress on projects
MITCHELL Shire councillors are satisfied with the organisation’s delivery of both capital works and significant projects at the midway point of the financial year.
At last month’s meeting councillors reviewed second-quarter updates for council’s 2022-23 capital works program, as well as its slate of significant projects.
Councillors said the reports provided people with valuable information on the status of council endeavours across the shire.
The significant projects report outlines the status of 51 council projects that either cost more than $200,000 or cost less but are still considered significant, enabling projects necessary to complete other projects, projects of a strategic nature, and those that council deemed the community would view as significant.
Of the 51 projects, 26 are reported to be on track, nine were not scheduled to begin in the second quarter of 2022-23, one was deferred and five had been completed.
The remaining 10 projects were behind target but considered recoverable, including Kilmore’s Sydney Street rejuvenation, which was listed as 70 per cent complete compared to a 90 per cent target.
Cr Bill Chisholm said the report made it easy for readers to understand the completion level of each project.
“The report comes in a traffic light [layout] that shows you the individual status of each,” he said.
“If people have got the time and want to understand what council is doing, this is a great report.”
Cr Rob Eldridge said the term ‘significant projects’ would mean different things to different people.
“If you don’t think [the report] does reflect what the community sees as significant, we’d be happy with the feedback,” he said.
Also presented was an update on council’s $77 million capital works program, of which a total of nearly $56 million is forecasted to be spent during 2022-23.
The report listed wet weather as a factor behind delays to several projects including the Sydney Street rejuvenation, Seymour Resource Recovery Centre and Kilmore East Road bridge upgrade projects, while noting that flooding throughout the region in October also caused supply chain issues for multiple projects.
Cr Rhonda Sanderson reminded people the entire cost of the capital works program was not borne solely by ratepayers.
“It’s a $77 million program, but if you exclude purchases of land, developer contributions and infrastructure contributions, which are required, it’s a $51.6 million program,” she said.
“One part of this report includes new grants, so obviously the ratepayers of Mitchell Shire can’t fund the whole of our capital works program – we rely substantially on grants.
“It’s a huge capital works budget, and it’s great to see a lot of green lines on the report, which shows there is a fair amount of progress, especially for a half year. I think we’re doing really well … considering the challenges we’re still facing with COVID, getting materials and als staffing and contractors.”
Mitchell Shire Council’s significant projects listed
Projects are listed with their target completion percentage, followed by their actual completion percentage.
Council
- Technology strategy: 50 per cent target, 25 per cent complete
- Customer channel strategy: 50, 50
- Project management software: 40, 40
- Customer request management software: 40, 40
Nature
- Urban forest strategy: 30, 30
- Mitchell open space strategy: 15, 15
- Rural land and activities review: complete
- Rural landscape assessment study: 50, 50
- Sustainable resource management strategy review: complete
- Climate emergency action plan: 25, 25
- Waste management strategy: 90, 90
- Greenhill Precinct masterplan: 10, 10
- Chittick Park Seymour masterplan: not scheduled to start in quarter two
- Harley Hammond Reserve Broadford masterplan: not scheduled
- JJ Clancy Reserve Kilmore masterplan: not scheduled
- Monument Hill environmental management plan: 30, 15
- Safer places review: deferred
- Northern Council Alliance Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Project: complete
Built Environment
- Mitchell integrated transport strategy: 50, 25
- Wallan Structure Plan and neighbourhood character study: 10, 10
- Wallan Structure Plan peer review: complete
- Hidden Valley controls review: 20, 10
- Kilmore and Broadford neighbourhood character studies: not scheduled
- Heritage gap study: not scheduled
- Anzac Avenue revitalisation plan: 25, 25
- Broadford development contribution plan: 10, 10
- Wallan Town Heart, stage two: 10, 10
- Powlett Street, Broadford Town Square revitalisation: not scheduled
- Kilmore rejuvenation streetscape upgrade: 90, 70
- John Street Kilmore development plan: not scheduled
- C157 planning scheme review implementation: 80, 80
- C163 Kilmore south east development contributions plan overlay: 50, 50
- C133 Seymour Structure Plan modifications and planning scheme amendment: 50, 40
- C152 Beveridge Township Development Plan: 80, 80
- Broadford Structure Plan planning scheme amendment implementation: 60, 60
- Wallan South Precinct Structure Plan: N/A
- Beveridge North West Precinct Structure Plan: N/A
- Wallan East Precinct Structure Plan: N/A
- Precinct Structure Plan to subdivision, streamlining for growth: 50, 10
Community
- Economic development strategy: 50, 5
- Tourism destination plan and local area action plan: 10, 10
- Affordable housing strategy: 60, 50
- Accommodation strategy: 100, 80
- Hilldene employment precinct, stage one: 80, 80
- Hilldene development plan: 80, 80
- Hilldene landfill rezone: 50, 25
- Business survey: complete Health and community services gap analysis: 10, 15
- Aquatics strategy: 5, 5
- Gambling and packaged liquor strategy: 5, 5
OUR PEOPLE: The heart of Love in Action
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 Grace Frost
Founder and ‘heart and soul’ of charity group Love in Action, Sue Scrivens, is regarded by many Mitchell Shire residents as ‘an inspiration’ for her dedication to community wellbeing.
Ms Scrivens said she was left ‘extremely honoured and humbled’ after numerous people nominated her to the Review as an inspiring woman in the area for International Women’s Day.
The nomination, however, comes as no surprise to those who work alongside Ms Scrivens, who recognise her as ‘a symbol of love and kindness’ and an ‘inspiration to both men and women’.
Ms Scrivens, together with friends, started Love in Action eight years ago with the dream of providing assistance to members of the community who were facing difficulty.
“We knew Mitchell Shire had an extremely high number of single mums and started to make enquiries as to how we could make a difference to struggling families,” Ms Scrivens said.
The team hoped the organisation would belong to and be owned by the community, and money raised would go directly to those who needed help the most.
From humble beginnings, helping six families from a lounge room, Love in Action has now helped hundreds of individuals across the region, including those affected by family violence and homelessness.
The charity have more than 6500 people supporting their mission via its Facebook page.
“I still have to pinch myself,” Ms Scrivens said.
“I think the charity has had a huge impact on our community and the credit goes to all those working so hard behind the scenes.”
Love in Action provide major assistance at Christmas and Easter with hampers and presents, which are given to families in need of assistance who would otherwise go without.
Throughout the year, their emergency hampers are filled with essential items including toiletries, nappies and food items for those disadvantaged.
The team also organise and host major events throughout the year to fundraise, including a trivia night and raffles.
Ms Scrivens said the charity had experienced families who needed a helping hand then extend that hand to help others.
“We have seen children share some of their Christmas presents as the year before they had nothing and remembered we delivered to them. When things got better for them they dropped off some of their presents,” she said.
“We have seen families with such sad faces when we meet with them emerge with a smile and realisation that someone cares.”
Ms Scrivens said her mother and the compassion she showed inspired her in beginning Love in Action.
“I had a great role model in my own mother who spent years at the North Melbourne commission flats teaching the mums how to cook, budget and feel good about themselves. We always had interaction in our home for those needing a lift,” she said.
A mother and grandmother, Ms Scrivens said she had seen the women in her family ‘pass the baton’ and continue the legacy of making a difference.
“My daughter is now president of Love in Action and my grand-daughter is following in her footsteps, spending lots of her spare time raising awareness and working on fundraisers,” she said.
To Ms Scrivens, International Women’s Day is about contribution and community.
“It means that every woman has something to contribute. You never know where sowing a small seed can lead,” she said.
“A group of dedicated women – and men – can change the world and their local community.”