Southern Mitchell Rotary delighted with international dinner

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November 8, 2022

Southern Mitchell Rotary delighted with international dinner

By Colin MacGillivray

ROTARY Club of Southern Mitchell leaders are thrilled with the outcome of their recent annual international dinner in Kilmore, which raised about $3500 for school children in Madagascar.

About 75 people attended this year’s dinner at Kilmore Soldiers Memorial Hall, which supported Rotary Australia’s charity project Lift Every Malagasy Up Rotary, LEMUR.

The project aims to support about 1500 Malagasy children and their teachers at St Vincent’s Primary School in Ambovombe, Madagascar.

The area has suffered four successive years of drought in addition to the COVID-19 pandemic, forcing families in rural communities to resort to desperate measures to survive.

Rotary Club of Southern Mitchell president Rose King said a guest speaker at the dinner was Jessica Redwood from Australian charity Children First Foundation, which started in Kilmore and flies disadvantaged children from developing countries to Australia for life-saving and life-changing surgeries.

“[Ms Redwood] talked about how Children First had to rethink their way of doing things once COVID-19 started, because they couldn’t bring kids into the country for surgery anymore,” Ms King said.

“They looked at training up doctors in some of the overseas countries where they get children from, as well as providing after-care in their own countries rather than having it here.”

INT.DINNER2022 — Children First Foundation chief executive Jessica Redwood speaks at Rotary Club of Southern Mitchell’s international dinner on October 29.

Ms King said the money raised during the international dinner would all go towards LEMUR.

“If people want to donate to LEMUR, it is a Rotary Australia project. People can donate through Rotary itself online, and all donations are tax-deductible,” she said.

Donations will be used to source food, clean drinking water, medicine and school equipment to aid families in Madagascar. Project organisers also hope to build a water well at the school if enough donations are obtained.

People can donate online by visiting directory.rawcs.com.au/2-2022-23.

Children’s centre opening a win for Kilmore

Lauren Duffy

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November 8, 2022

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Children’s centre opening a win for Kilmore

MITCHELL Shire Council leaders and Member for Northern Victoria Jaclyn Symes celebrated the opening of the Marie Williams Kilmore Family and Children’s Centre last month.

The project incorporates the pre-existing Marie Williams Kindergarten and Kilmore Maternal and Child Health Centre into one unified centre.

As part of the project two new early learning rooms were added to the centre, as well as an additional play space and shared entrances for families and staff.

The centre now comprises four sessional kindergarten rooms, two associated play spaces, a connected maternal and child health consultation suite, program rooms and parent meeting spaces, and a staff lounge and office.

Mitchell Shire Council Mayor Bill Chisholm said works on the centre did not disrupt ongoing services.

Kindergarten children were included in the project and given opportunities to provide feedback on the construction as part of their learning.

Cr Chisholm said the redevelopment would help the growing Kilmore community access family services in one location, and provide opportunities to embrace the rollout of the Federal Government’s three-year-old kindergarten program.

“Facilities like these are so crucial for people living in our community – and those who are about to arrive,” he said.

“We are a growing shire and part of our challenge is making sure the education needs of our population are met. This project will go a long way to supporting our growing communities.

“To be able to assist in these projects is something we take great pride in. Thank you to the Victorian Government for providing much-needed funding support.”

The $3.36 million upgrade was funded with $1.86 million from the State Government’s Building Blocks Grants, $1.1 million from the State Government’s Growing Suburbs Fund and $394,000 from council.

Ms Symes said greater access to chidcare and early education had a profound impact on the development of children’s brains, with 90 per cent of brain development occurring before the age of five.

“An upgraded and expanded Marie Williams will mean children living in Kilmore will not only get the best start to life at kinder, but their transition to school will be made that much easier,” she said.

“We know families are struggling with the cost of living and free kinder will help make sure no child misses out on those vital early years.”

Remembrance Day services: Time for reflection

Lauren Duffy

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November 8, 2022

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Remembrance Day services: Time for reflection

By Colin MacGillivray

PEOPLE across the Mitchell, Macedon Ranges and Whittlesea municipalities will pause to reflect on the sacrifice of Australia’s servicemen and women this Friday as the nation marks Remembrance Day.

Observed on November 11 each year, Remembrance Day began as a commemoration of soldiers who died during World War One, but has become a broader memorial to armed forces members who have died in the line of duty around the world.

The Returned and Services League, RSL, is a support organisation for all ex-Australian Defence Force personnel and their families, and organises Remembrance Day services each year.

Kilmore Wallan RSL sub-branch president Rod Dally said it was important for the community to participate in Remembrance Day to pass on its message to younger generations.

“A lot of the younger ones don’t have no idea what Remembrance Day means, although that is slowly changing,” he said.

“Some of the local schools understand what it’s about and they go out of their way to teach it. The kids often find out a lot when they come to a service.

“Even if a kid says ‘what are we doing here dad?’ they’ll get told, and I think that’s really good.”

Mr Dally said numbers at RSL events were slowly rebounding after COVID-19 disrupted services in 2020 and 2021.

He said the purpose of Remembrance Day was not to glorify war, but to understand the sacrifice made by soldiers.

“Our members have been to Vietnam, Afghanistan, Somalia and other places. We see first-hand what war does,” he said.

“We don’t like wars. None of us like them and we’d do anything we could to avoid one, but you can’t accept freedom – sometimes you have to stand up and fight for it.

“I believe the vast majority of military personnel don’t join to fight. They join for a career as mechanics or any number of other jobs. But if they are asked to fight, they are prepared to.”

Kilmore Wallan RSL will host services at Kilmore’s Hudson Park cenotaph and Wallan’s Hadfield Park cenotaph, both starting at 10.45am.

The sub-branch is encouraging as many members of the public and school children to attend services as possible.

Sub-branch members will also visit St Patricks Primary School Kilmore, BlueCross Willowmeade and Kilmore District Health’s Caladenia and Dianella aged care services to support residents unable to attend a service at a cenotaph.

Seymour RSL president Andrew Cox said the sub-branch’s hall was spared from flooding that struck the town last month, although several members were affected.

The Seymour Remembrance Day service will be at the Seymour Health memorial gates at the corner of Callen and Brettoneux streets from 10.30am.

Whittlesea RSL sub-branch will host its ceremony at the Whittlesea Memorial Arch at the corner of Walnut and Forest streets, Whittlesea, commencing at 10.45am.

Romsey Lancefield RSL will host a commemoration at the Lancefield War Memorial cenotaph, with a service, flag raising and wreath laying from 10.45am.

There will be no official service at the Romsey cenotaph, although people are welcome to lay wreaths during the day.

People wanting more information about any of the services can contact Daniel Burford, Kilmore Wallan RSL secretary on 0418 808 040; Andrew Cox, Seymour RSL president on 0435 107 599; Denys Potts, Whittlesea RSL secretary at den.bet1@bigpond.com; or Romsey Lancefield RSL president Reinhard Goschiniak on 0419 375 060.

Whata win for the Hopes

Lauren Duffy

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November 8, 2022

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By ‘Pegs’

THE father-son training duo, Lee and Shannon Hope’s Whatarap made the long trip to Geelong on Saturday worthwhile.

The six-year-old daughter of Kuroshio and Rap Tale was most impressive in taking out the Avis Ballarat & Western Victoria 0-58 Handicap over 1112 metres.

A first emergency in the original field, the mare managed to get into the race with Beau Mertens the rider.

Patiently ridden, Whatarap saw daylight in the long Geelong straight to defeat Chelsea Toff ($9) by a half-head with Via Capo ($9) a further three quarters of a length away, third.

“It was a good win,” the Seymour-based co-trainer Shannon Hope, who saddled-up the mare, said.

“She hasn’t got the greatest of feet and the farrier has done a wonderful job with her. She’s just a beautiful kind mare,” he said.

“Having gone up to a ’58’ rating there’s a few options for her next run – either Geelong, Kyneton and a fillies & mares BM64 at Sandown on the 13th, 15th and 16th November respectively.”

Purchased from Cranbourne trainer Doug Harrison earlier this year for stable clients, the mare was having her third run for Hope Racing.

Whatarap has now won two races with three minor placings from her 19 starts.

Members Day at Seymour

Seymour Racing Club will host its first race meeting this Friday (November 11) since Tuesday, April 10, 2018.

The course proper has undergone major trackwork in that time has had a number of recent jumpouts to satisfy Racing Victoria officials.

In that time, the SRC committee has worked hard with major building infrastructure including a passenger lift to the Bar Landy Restaurant.

Dining bookings and further enquiries for Friday’s meeting can be made by calling the club on 5799 1681.

Music returns to Hanging Rock

Lauren Duffy

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November 8, 2022

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MUSIC is set to return to Hanging Rock this month with a weekend of concerts planned from November 25 to 27.

Opening the concert season are Nick Cave and Warren Ellis who will perform to a limited seating audience on Friday 25 and Saturday 26 of November – both events quickly sold out.

The Cave and Ellis shows comes off the back of the duo’s acclaimed 2021 album Carnage.

While both are long-term members of The Bad Seeds, they have composed and recorded scores and worked on many other projects together. This is the first time the pair have toured Australia as a duo.

The show is part of Always Live, a new state-wide celebration of contemporary live music supported by the Victorian Government through Visit Victoria.

Always Live brings to life a long-held dream of late Australian music icon Michael Gudinski, who owned a holiday house in Macedon, and had staged concerts at Hanging Rock for many years.

Then on Sunday November 27, commencing at 2pm, the Mushroom Group, the Victorian Government, and Bad Apples Music will present First and Forever – a new, day-long festival celebrating First Nations inspired music.

Artists from multiple nations will converge on Victoria’s most spectacular stage, The Gathering Place, Hanging Rock for this landmark music event.

Gates to the picnic-style event will open from 1pm, with music running into the night. Artists will showcase a set on one main stage, located at the foot of Hanging Rock.

Over the years Hanging Rock has provided a spectacular backdrop to a range of performers including Rod Stewart, Foo Fighters, Elton John, Bruce Springsteen and Cold Chisel – to mention but a few.

City of Whittlesea council accepts funding for children’s facilities

The North Central Review

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November 8, 2022

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City of Whittlesea has accepted a 9.2 million donation towards developing two community centres through the Victorian Government’s Building Blocks Partnership Program.

The funding will allow council to build West Wollert Community Centre and the Patterson Drive Community Activity Centre in Donnybrook, which also received an additional $2 million from the Victorian Government’s Growing Suburbs Fund, and just over $7000,000 from the Living Libraries Infrastructure Program Fund.

City of Whittlesea said they will also contribute $6.7 million to the projects.

Administrator Peita Duncan said council was honoured to collaborate with the government to give access to children’s services for Whittlesea residents.

“A partnership approach always enables us to build much-needed facilities for our fast-growing communities and also increase capacity to meet the demand generated by the Victorian Government’s 3-year-old kindergarten reform program,” Ms Duncan said.

“The Victorian government’s funding is co-contributing to kindergartens and maternal and child health services spaces; and these two centres will also provide meeting rooms, community kitchens, gardens and outdoor areas.”

Opportunity to get to know Yan Yean candidates

The North Central Review

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November 8, 2022

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Opportunity to get to know Yan Yean candidates

Whittlesea Community Futures will soon host a Yan Yean state election candidate question and answer forum, giving residents and businesses an opportunity to get to know their candidates.

Hosted in partnership with Plenty Valley FM and facilitated by the ABC’s Barrie Cassidy, the forum will provide a chance for the community to learn about each candidate contesting the seat of Yan Yean in the lead-up to the state election later this month.

The City of Whittlesea, which makes up a significant portion of the Yan Yean electorate, has been identified as one of Victoria’s fastest-growing municipalities, with the population expected to grow by 60 per cent by 2040.

The growth can create both challenges and opportunities, with Australian Bureau of Statistics data showing the City of Whittlesea is the fifth most disadvantaged metropolitan municipality in Victo-ria.

The City of Whittlesea is seeking state government co-investment in 19 key initiatives across seven identified economic domains: infrastructure and community services, employment, public transport, health and wellbeing, affordable housing, roads, and environmental sustainability.

Investment in these areas is anticipated to create and enhance conditions for economic growth, liveability and sustainability, supporting a rapidly expanding population.

The question and answer forum will be held on Thursday, November 17. To attend, residents must register their interest and will then be advised if they have successfully secured a ticket.

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To confirm your electoral district, visit the Victoria Electoral Commission website at maps.vec.vic.gov.au.

$1.8 million for Lancefield kinder, health centre

Lauren Duffy

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November 8, 2022

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$1.8 million for Lancefield kinder, health centre

MACEDON Ranges Shire Council is celebrating $1.8 million of State Government funding for a two-room kindergarten with an attached maternal and child health centre in Lancefield, announced in one of the final acts before the government went into pre-election caretaker mode last week.

Member for Macedon Mary-Anne Thomas announced the money at the site of the future modular kindergarten and health centre next to Lancefield Primary School, funded through the government’s Building Blocks Grants capacity building stream.

In 2021, Council identified that early years services in Lancefield were likely to be strained in the future due to and expected increases in demand.

Community feedback gathered in the development of council’s municipal early years plan CREATE 2021-2025 also emphasised the need for additional early-years infrastructure to accommodate the growing Lancefield community.

Mayor Jennifer Anderson said council identified that the current Lancefield kindergarten would be unable to meet the increased demand due to population growth, the roll-out of funded kindergarten for three-year-olds, and an increase in hours of pre-prep for four-year-olds.

She said without a dedicated maternal and child-health centre in Lancefield, residents currently travelled to Romsey for services, which are also experiencing high demand.

“Lancefield and Romsey are experiencing growth which is expected to continue into the future,” she said.

“Current services in the area are operating at capacity and it became evident further early years services were needed to ensure families were able to sufficiently access kindergarten services and maternal and child health supports.

“This project is one of council’s priority projects for 2022 and we are extremely pleased to now be able to deliver it to the Lancefield community.”

Council expects the new centre to be completed and operational for the 2024 school year.

The facility will be available for use by the current community-based Lancefield Playgroup, with the potential for access by supported playgroups in the future.

Cr Anderson thanked the State Government for funding the project.

Inland Rail works to start in Seymour

Lauren Duffy

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November 8, 2022

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THE Australian Rail Track Corporation, ARTC, has awarded construction company McConnell Dowell a $200 million contract to start work on the first Inland Rail sites in Victoria, including at Seymour.

Upgrades to the Seymour-Avenel Road bridge in Seymour are among a first tranche of Inland Rail works that also includes works on the Murray Valley Highway, Wangaratta Station and Beaconsfield Parade in Glenrowan.

Inland Rail aims to link ports in Melbourne and Brisbane via a 1700-kilometre rail freight network, allowing double-stacked trains to traverse Australia’s east coast.

ARTC Victoria and South Australia projects general manager Ed Walker said with environmental approvals in place and McConnell Dowell appointed, Inland Rail’s construction was set to deliver local stimulus and support hundreds of jobs in Victoria.

He said an estimated 170 people would be directly employed with McConnell Dowell over the life of the project – expected to be complete in 2025.

“McConnell Dowell has already carried out initial design and preparatory works at four sites on the existing north-east rail line to enable Inland Rail double-stacked freight trains to run between Beveridge and Albury,” he said.

“Now they have been confirmed as the construction contractor for sites in the first tranche, they will get on with the job of building the designs they have been developing.

“Construction activity will bring opportunities for businesses to participate in delivering the work, but there will also be a positive flow-on effect for motels, retailers, cafes and restaurants through to a range of service providers who will reap the benefits of the project.”

Mr Walker said Inland Rail selected McConnell Dowell based on the company’s experience delivering major projects including multi-million-dollar rail, bridge and road projects in Australia and New Zealand.

“[This] announcement brings a new wave of enthusiasm to north-east Victoria, with construction on this vital project set to start toward the end of this year,” he said.

“ARTC remains committed to meaningful and respectful consultation with the communities in north-east Victoria as we continue through delivery activities for these sites.”

McConnell Dowell will complete signalling works, track slews and overhead utilities works as part of the contract.

McConnell Dowell T2A project manager Tom Foley said the first tranche of Inland Rail in Victoria would bring tens of millions of dollars of investment into towns such as Seymour, Wangaratta, Glenrowan and Barnawartha.

“This project will create fresh opportunities for existing businesses, while supporting the establishment and growth of new businesses,” he said.

“Our team has worked night and day with the ARTC Inland Rail team over the past two years to make this vision a reality, we are very much looking forward to getting boots on the ground and building infrastructure that will change the way that freight moves around Australia for our future generations.”

For more information on Inland Rail in Victoria, people can visit inlandrail.artc.com.au/where-we-go/projects/tottenham-to-albury.

Successful memorial bowls tournament at Broadford

Lauren Duffy

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November 8, 2022

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Successful memorial bowls tournament at Broadford

THE Broadford Bowling Club held the Ailsa Kell Memorial Fours Tournament on October 27.

It was a very successful event even though it rained throughout the day. All bowlers competed in the spirit of the game with players coming from Alexandra, Yea, Heathcote, Romsey and other clubs from within the Mitchell Shire.

The club extended its thanks to Denisse Grech of E.D.G. Realestate for her financial contribution to all the winners on the day.

The Winners consisted of a team from Wallan: Lead: Janny Cockerill, Second: Zac Hapeta, Third: Terry Hinchcliffe and Skip: Erica Koskelainen.

Cheques were presented by Peter Hoskins, on behalf of his daughter, Denisse – who was unable to attend on the day. Medallions to commemorate the day were also presented by Aaron Stephenson – Ailsa’s son -Broadford Bowling Club would also like to extend an invitation to anyone who would like to try out the game of bowls.

The club has Barefoot Bowls every Friday night and interested players can contact Jim Hinchcliffe, Club President, on 0418345744, Jan Goring (Secretary) on 0435258191 or by email to broadfordbc@gmail.com.