Members of the Kilmore community earlier this month replanted the student garden at the southern end of the Kilmore Creek Art Walk track.
The garden was established and completed by students from The Kilmore International School, TKIS, in 2019, who raised money and helped with planting.
Resident Jeannette Jain said the Kilmore Creek Art Walk was always intended to present the full history of Kilmore and would continue to be properly maintained.
“Walkers using the track noticed the deplorable state of the garden and together with friends set about replanting the garden with healthy shrubs. This has now been done,” she said.
“Kilmore is the oldest inland town in Victoria, so we wanted to preserve the town’s history as well as the history of the area.”
Made up of three distinct sections, the art walk track was first proposed in 2008 and highlights the full history of the Kilmore area from Indigenous settlement and into the future.
The Indigenous section, from the Union Street bridge to Hudson Park, is made up of Indigenous art and native plants to present the rich cultural history of the area.
The second section of the track, spanning from Hudson Park to Kilmore Hospital, depicts European settlement through old Kilmore buildings in marble surrounded by mosaic stonework and edged with native shrubs.
At the southern end of the track, the third section features the student garden and represents the future of Kilmore and the next generation of residents.
Ms Jain said the restoration of the student garden preserved the memory of the TKIS students and their contributions to the community.
TKIS closed last year after changing its name to Colmont School.
“We remember [the students’] hard work, their generosity and interaction in big events in our town such as the Kilmore Art Expo and many others and their sharing of their culture and customs,” she said.
“We miss their presence and are grateful for what they brought to our community.”
Kilmore District Health, KDH, has transitioned to a digital mental health screening program to identify mums at risk of perinatal depression and anxiety and ensure they receive appropriate support.
Developed by the Centre of Perinatal Excellence, COPE, the iCOPE program provides women access to regular online mental health screening throughout their perinatal journey to identify symptoms of depression and anxiety as soon as possible to provide treatment early.
KDH maternity unit manager Tania Nicholson said the new system would simplify the process of screening for maternal mental health.
“Previously, we used a tool called the [Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale], which was a paper-based questionnaire that we would give to women coming into our service that are pregnant and wanting to birth,” she said.
“They would have to go through and answer some questions, then we would calculate a number and based off that number we would determine if they had a risk of postnatal or antenatal depression. From there, we would refer them on to the right specialist or support service they may need.
“That’s quite tedious, and sometimes not always the right environment to be sitting in a waiting room, depending on who’s with them and their circumstances.”
Ms Nicholson said KDH actively engaged with COPE to help develop and integrate the iCOPE program into the hospital’s maternity services, and was now one of the first organisations in Victoria to launch with the system and use their app and program.
When booking into a birthing service at KDH, women will be sent an online link to the iCOPE questionnaire to fill in at home before visiting the hospital.
A personalised report is then generated for each person that is based on the answers provided, covering a range of topics such as any previous history with anxiety, previous children, methods of coping with stress, and general feelings about pregnancy.
A list of links to relevant services available is also then provided, as well as access to the iCOPE app that allows women to choose what support they want to receive from KDH and how often they receive it.
“We have gone from having a compliance rate of completing our risk screening tools of about 80 per cent to nearly 100 per cent, so all women are coming in [to the hospital],” Ms Nicholson said.
“We already know what their risks are before coming to see us, so it means that we’re much more prepared, we can give them all that information from their booking in and refer them either to a social worker, or a perinatal mental health worker, which are linked in with GV Health at Shepparton.”
The iCOPE program began out of COVID-19 as a method to engage with clients while isolating, as instances of anxiety, depressions, loneliness and domestic violence increased and people were not able to physically visit healthcare services.
KDH has been a part of the iCOPE launch program over the past six months and is now able to engage with women as early as 10 weeks into their pregnancy, rather than 16 weeks as before.
“We want to engage with [women] much earlier and provide them the resources, the option to cancel if it results in medication, or making sure that they’re at the right organisation to birth, we can do that planning really early now,” Ms Nicholson said.
“It was so delayed in pregnancies before, we were intervening at a point where it’s becoming acute when we could have potentially picked that up a lot sooner.”
Ms Nicholson said the program had experienced a positive response from users and hospital staff in its initial stages.
“We’ve had positive comments through antenatal clinics and the information that they were given is great, they’re engaging,” she said.
“We’ve got great uptake with our social workers and we’re only six months into it, but we’ve certainly seen some really positive results.”
COMMUNITY groups are eligible for round eight of the Federal Government’s Stronger Communities Program, which supports organisations and councils.
The program aims to improve local community participation, providing grants between $2,500 and $20,000 for not-for-profit organisations and local governments to deliver local projects.
Each federal electorate will receive a capped amount of $150,000 to fund up to 20 projects, which Federal Member for Nicholls Sam Birrell said would help with infrastructure and flood recovery.
“Investment in our region is needed more than ever to help our towns bounce back from recent flooding as well as drive economic growth during these tough times,” he said.
“These cash injections will allow groups to go ahead with much needed upgrades or buy equipment which will have lasting social benefits to residents for generations to come.”
Member for McEwen Rob Mitchell said the program was a ‘real opportunity’ for clubs and groups to grow their organisations.
“The Stronger Communities Program is a great opportunity for not-for-profit groups in McEwen who have struggled since the pandemic to fund small capital projects that can encourage greater social interaction and boost participation in the community,” he said.
For this round, grant funding will be up to 100 per cent of project costs except for local governments where grant funding will be up to 50 per cent of eligible project costs.
The total cost of a project cannot exceed $50,000 and the project must be completed no later than December 31, 2023.
Applicants in the Nicholls electorate can request expression of interest forms by emailing Sam.Birrell.MP@aph.gov.au or in person at the electorate office at 426 Wyndham Street, Shepparton. Applications close 5pm on March 14.
Those in the McEwen electorate can request expression of interest forms by emailing rob.mitchell.mp@aph.gov.au or calling the Wallan office at 5716 3000. Applications in McEwen close March 10.
AS if further proof was required, Seymour Blasters’ men’s team reminded onlookers they rule the Country Basketball League’s north-east division, defeating Benalla in Saturday night’s grand final to cap an undefeated season and a championship three-peat.
The 71-53 win against the Breakers in Albury delivered the Seymour men’s 10th banner in the past 20 years – a record of dominance that now includes back-to-back-to-back championships in 2016-18 and 2021-23.
The stakes were clear early in the game, with both teams playing at a high defensive intensity and creating plenty of turnovers.
It was Seymour that settled first, with centre Tom O’Connor grabbing offensive rebounds and showing solid footwork and a deft post hook to score six early points.
Sam Beks and Jordan Birch did their best to answer for Benalla, with Birch hitting a pair of three-pointers to give the Breakers a narrow lead late in the first term.
Seymour dropped into a zone defence when O’Connor went to the bench, using guards Robbie Sartori, Jordan Hockley and Jack Murphy to harass Benalla point guard Eric Miraflores, the division’s leading scorer.
Seymour’s trapping defence forced Miraflores to give up the ball or take long, contested shots, blunting his offensive efficiency.
Photo: Seymour Blasters – Mens Team Facebook page
Blasters forward Tyler Best – named the division’s most valuable player this season – put immense pressure on Benalla centre Tom Downie with repeated drives to the rim, picking up two quick fouls.
While Best missed several early free throws, Downie’s foul trouble forced him to the bench.
Benalla opened up a five-point lead early in the second quarter when Kyle Termorshuizen picked off a lazy pass and scored, but Seymour seemed to reawaken when guard Abrahma Solano entered the game.
Solano made an immediate impact, driving strongly to the rim for a trio of layups.
Another turning point came when some slick Seymour ball movement found Jordan Hockley in the corner for a three-pointer.
Hockley pressured Birch on the ensuing possession, causing the Benalla player to mishandle and force a held ball.
Hockley appeared to stand over Birch after the play, with Downie remonstrating forcefully and knocking Hockley over, drawing an unsportsmanlike foul call.
It continued a dirty night for Downie, who scored a season-low six points – well below his average of 15.6.
Benalla co-captain Lachlan Kego’s airball on the half-time buzzer was emblematic of the second quarter, where the Blasters outscored the Breakers 25-6 to take a commanding 40-24 lead.
The second half saw a return to the scrappy, turnover-filled basketball of the first quarter, with neither side able to capitalise on its scoring chances.
The game finally broke open late in the third term when Seymour guard Zac Donoghue found Solano wide open at the three-point line on back-to-back possessions, with Solano nailing both shots to extend the Blasters’ lead to 20.
The final term became a procession, with Seymour draining the shot clock on many of its possessions to leave Benalla as little time as possible.
With the game well in hand, coach Craig Hockley emptied Seymour’s bench in the final minute, ensuring every Blaster got on the court.
Hockley paid tribute to his players and their enviable record of success after the win.
“For a town of our size – about 6000 people – to continue to get up and challenge for finals, play grand finals and win them, I think it’s an outstanding achievement,” he said.
“It shows the commitment to the program from our guys. We had a list of 15 at the start of the season, and Lincoln [Stewart] retired, so we were down to 14.
“Some of those 14 don’t get much court time, but they get along to training and they love the club and the culture, which is important.”
Photo: Seymour Blasters – Mens Team Facebook page
Hockley lauded O’Connor, who helped restrict Benalla big men Downie and Kego while scoring 16 crucial points of his own, as well as Solano, who scored a game-high 17 points off the bench.
O’Connor was named the grand final MVP after the game.
“Abe came on and really stepped up. He made some big baskets and gave us a buffer,” Hockley said.
“I thought him and Tom were our best on the night, and either one of them could have been the MVP.
“We had Tom and Tyler [Best], and then Harry [Stones] had to play that other big for us. They stepped up and kept [Downie and Kego] to 11 points between them. That’s a great defensive effort.”
Downie and Kego were not the only Breakers kept quiet, with Miraflores held to half of his season average of 22 points.
For Seymour, Best had 12 points, Jordan Hockley scored 11 and Stones added eight to provide scoring support to Solano and O’Connor.
Craig Hockley thanked the many Seymour supporters who made the trip to Albury.
“A big group of supporters took a bus up, and it was really great to have them in the crowd,” he said.
“It was awesome that they made a two-hour drive, and we want to thank them for their support during the season.”
The print edition of the North Central Review incorrectly listed Abraham Solano as the grand final MVP. The North Central Review apologises for any inconvenience.
NEW students at Donnybrook Primary School and Wollert Secondary College made history last Tuesday, celebrating the schools’ official openings with teachers, parents and parliamentarians.
Donnybrook Primary School and Wollert Secondary College were among 12 schools across Melbourne’s outer suburbs to open for the first time in 2023.
Minister for Education Natalie Hutchins officially opened the schools and spoke to students about their historical contributions.
“You will be the first students to run on that gym floor in there, you’ll be the first students to learn English and maths in your classrooms, you’ll be the first students to perform up on this stage,” she said at Donnybrook Primary School’s opening.
Minister for Education Natalie Hutchins opening Wollert Secondary College with principal Melissa Lozanovski and Member for Thomastown Bronwyn Halfpenny on Tuesday.
With the population growth across Melbourne’s north, Ms Hutchins said areas such as Donnybrook and Wollert were destined for great education.
“Having a school that kids can walk to is extremely important in building local community, but also teaching independence for kids as well. Having something that they can get to themselves and engage in is really important. Also supporting employment in the local area for teachers,” she said.
Donnybrook Primary School principal Dave Williams said he was thrilled to welcome 120 students to the school, which would rapidly grow in the next few years.
Mr Williams said the first week was a ‘positive start’ with new routines and buildings, such as the gymnasium, for the year ahead.
“We had such a positive start to learning … three great days of building school structures and routines, making our school a safe and happy place for great learning to occur, and now we’re underway [with] the day-to-day tasks,” he said.
While most of the school is still under construction, Mr Williams said it would be an asset to the Donnybrook community as it continued to gradually develop .
“This is the first piece of government infrastructure in the community, we can be a real hub for allied health, for local sporting organisations [and] community organisations, to welcome them to work in partnership to use our facilities, but also build relationships with other groups in the community so that we’re connected,” he said.
Member for Yan Yean Lauren Kathage helped officially open the school and said the school was a ‘new start’ for a community that could now receive education closer to home.
Wollert Secondary College, in Wollert East, greeted two year seven classes that will progress through the year levels thereafter.
The first stage of the school has space for 700 students, including about 50 places for young people with specialist needs as the new school is a supported inclusive school.
Principal Melissa Lozanovski said students were ‘beautifully settled’ in the first week, exploring the new grounds and engaging in lunchtime activities in the Redgum Gymnasium and Redgum Learning Centre.
“We had been in operation for a week and our year started without a glitch. Our facilities were ready to go and so were we,” she said.
Ms Lozanovski said she was honoured to open the school with fellow community members, including Member for Thomastown Bronwyn Halfpenny, Victorian Building Association representatives, architects and families who contributed to the school’s learning opportunities.
“To be given the opportunity to build something from the ground up is an incredible opportunity,” she said.
Member for Euroa Annabelle Cleeland wasted no time in putting the Kilmore Bypass front and centre at state parliament, raising it on the first sitting day on Thursday.
However, Kilmore and District Residents and Ratepayers Association, KADRRA, president Vyvienne Whitehurst fears Ms Cleeland is encountering the same roadblocks that frustrated her predecessor Steph Ryan as she pleads on behalf of the community for the State Government to build a Kilmore bypass.
Ms Cleeland last week addressed Minister for Roads and Road Safety Melissa Horne during her maiden parliamentary speech, seeking an official briefing from the Department of Transport on the status of the bypass.
She said while the State Government committed $20 million to acquire land for the bypass in its 2018 budget, only two blocks were acquired as of June last year, with the acquisition process now not expected to be complete until the middle of 2024.
Ms Cleeland said the Kilmore community had the right to know the status of the project.
“I’ve asked the minister to detail the land which has been acquired, as I worry there have been further delays and distractions by a government obsessed with neglecting residents outside Melbourne,” she said.
“It is baffling the government has still not completed any of the costings for a completed bypass. I’ve asked the minister to be honest as to whether this work has been done and what the total cost will be.”
The minister must provide a written response to Ms Cleeland’s questions within a month.
“The Kilmore community has put up with eight years of delay on the bypass with patience on the ground in very short supply,” Ms Cleeland said.
“Originally land acquisition was expected to be completed in just a couple of months’ time and now mid-2024 is the best we can hope for.
“With the budget coming up later this year, I want the government to be honest, provide an official update, explain the delays and provide clarity to the frustrated and fatigued residents of Kilmore.”
Ms Whitehurst described progress on the bypass as ‘non-existent’ despite a series of public forums on the matter organised by Mitchell Shire Council.
She said while KADRRA had encouraged Ms Cleeland to continue pressuring the government to progress the bypass, she had limited leverage as an opposition member.
“Annabelle has obviously taken it to the minister and to parliament again, and her predecessor did that about 26 times. It’s not making a difference,” Ms Whitehurst said.
“I don’t know what the answer is. One would assume the State Government is just not interested. The ones making the decisions don’t live here and don’t have to go up and down the main street.
“I don’t know what we can do, because we can’t force anybody’s hand.
“Unless somebody gets killed there I don’t think [the State Government] is even going to bring it up, and I think it’s really sad that it has to go to that length.”
Ms Whitehurst said a lack of progress on a roundabout at the intersection of the Northern Highway and Wandong Road – set to serve as the southern terminus of the bypass and announced in November 2020 – was equally frustrating.
Ms Cleeland said continued inaction on the bypass was harming the liveability of Kilmore.
“We have one of Victoria’s most historically significant towns crumbling because of this inaction,” she said.
“The bypass has stalled, not because of a lack of funding or a difficult planning process, purely due to a lack of willpower from the government.
“The bypass is my number one priority for Kilmore and I will be fervently holding the government to account.”
KILMORE Tennis Club junior players Lisa Gallagher and Olivia Kelly took part in a rare opportunity this summer, serving as ballkids at a range of tennis competitions in Melbourne during the summer.
Assisted by club coach Gavin Moreira, who helped teach correct form and technique in weekly lessons, the girls took part in trials across Victoria in May last year for a chance at a spot as a ballkid among more than 1500 applicants.
Both made it through the first round, with Kelly making it to the second round to become a fully-fledged 2023 Australian Open ballkid among 393 others who made up the final squad.
Gallagher was also given the opportunity take part in a program to train with members of the Australian Open squad at the National Tennis Centre.
Gallagher said they were committed to becoming ballkids, taking part in multiple intensive training sessions late last year.
“Once a month from August to November 2022, we made the journey into Melbourne Park to undergo difficult training sessions lasting for over two hours at a time, however we were rewarded with an ice cream,” she said.
“Towards the end of the year to enhance our match play skills, we assisted in various tennis events, such as the blind and vision impaired tournament, deaf and hard of hearing, and a wheelchair tennis tournament.”
In early December, Gallagher was selected to take part in the Kooyong Classic, where she spent time on court with players including Andy Murray, Alex Di Minaur, Alexei Popyrin and Dominic Thiem.
She also participated in the Hume Wheelchair Tournament in Craigieburn, spending four days assisting international wheelchair tennis players.
“Being behind the scenes of a major tennis tournament allowed me to understand the time and effort that was put into successfully running the tournament, from little things such as making sure the fridges were stocked, to holding umbrellas for the players and media,” Gallagher said.
In early January, Kelly took part in an orientation day for ballkids at Melbourne Park before the beginning of the Australian Open, and she said being on court at Rod Laver Arena with Novak Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev was a highlight.
“Being able to take part in the summer of tennis ballkids programs allowed us to further our skills and also allowed us to make new friends and memories and be provided with rewarding experiences we won’t forget,” she said.
In recognition of their hard work, Gallagher was granted tickets to the Kooyong Classic and the Australian Open to share with her family.
Kelly received limited edition Australian Open tennis uniforms, a dozen free tickets throughout the event, as well as a hoodie, towel, gift cars and AirPods.
CHARITY organisation Big Group Hug is calling for the community to help find it a new home after receiving notice to vacate its Bundoora warehouse.
The not-for-profit group is searching for a larger space in Melbourne’s northern suburbs, preferably between 800 and 1000 square metres, and including an office with heating and cooling.
Chief executive Bernadene Voss said the organisation had ‘outgrown’ its current premises in Bundoora due to the high demand for aid assistance.
Ms Voss said a new location needed to be volunteer friendly for the organisation to support more families in crisis.
Big Group Hug added about 12 new volunteers after an information evening in September last year.
“We are on the precipice of major growth and to support this, we need a new home,” she said.
“In the last financial year, we supported 4271 children. So far this year we have already seen a 52 per cent increase in requests for help.
“Our service is essential for struggling families and mothers fleeing family violence with their children.”
Big Group Hug is an organisation serving communities across the City of Whittlesea and surrounding suburbs to tackle child poverty, helping vulnerable children who live in crisis by distributing essential items in times of need.
Ms Voss said vacancies in the commercial warehouse sector were limited, currently at a record low of 0.6 per cent, hampering the organisation’s ability to find appropriate accommodation at an affordable rate.
She said she hoped the community would spread the word to find Big Group Hug a new home before September 15.
“We hope there is a person, or a group of people, in the community who can give us a new home or point us in the direction of someone who can,” she said.
“Our preference is the northern suburbs, where our core committed volunteer team is located, but I am open to exploring all opportunities available.
“Big Group Hug will continue. We do have a plan B, but our focus right now is on finding a new, larger home to ensure that every child in our community has the essentials they need to thrive.”
To help Big Group Hug, contact Ms Voss via email at bernadene@biggrouphug.org.
For more information on how to make a donation or to help with volunteering, visit the group’s websitebiggrouphug.org.
