Whittlesea’s Ebonie Lee lights up at Garryowen

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October 4, 2022

Whittlesea’s Ebonie Lee lights up at Garryowen

By Colin MacGillivray

WHITTLESEA 20-year-old Ebonie Lee is the toast of Australia’s equestrian community after taking out the prestigious Garryowen turnout at the Melbourne Royal Show last week.

The event – named after three-time show champion saddle horse Garryowen, whose owner Violet Murrell died trying to save him from a stable fire in 1934 – is the major equestrian competition at the show.

Entrants are judged in six different categories, including costume, the horse’s saddlery, general appearance, manners and paces, confirmation, and soundness and riding.

Ms Lee, who has ridden horses competitively since she was three years old, became the first entrant since the 1980s to win the Garryowen in her first appearance. She said winning the event was a dream come true.

“I have been riding since before I could walk – in fact, some people would say I was born on a horse,” she said.

“I have been competing in the ring since I was three years old and have been very successful over the years.

“Winning the Garryowen is more of a life goal; I have come up in the ranks and have always worked hard to be where I am today. It certainly is a big dream to win the Garryowen, as the next morning I woke up and I didn’t think it was real.”

Ms Lee’s other competition highlights include being named best rider under 12 at The Grand National, Equestrian Australia’s 16-18 champion rider and winning the rider class at every Melbourne Royal Show she entered including the pony turnout, Pemberton turnout and K R Luke turnout.

Garryowen Winner 1 — Ebonie Lee and horse Wynara Signature, also known as Orlando, pose for a photo.

Ms Lee praised her horse Wynara Signature, also known as Orlando, for performing after a difficult build-up to the Garryowen.

“Unfortunately, my original horse became unsound and had to be vetted out of competition,” she said.

“My substitute horse was only accepted just before 7am on the morning of the event. When we heard this, it was a mad rush to get organized and hope everything would just work out for the day.

“Even with the last-minute changes I still felt very relaxed, just taking it as it was and just lucky to be out there.”

Ms Lee thanked her family and friends as well as her coach Darryl Hayes and sponsors.

“Orlando is trained and shown by my sister Brynie Lee,” she said.

“I’d like to thank my mum and dad for getting us into the ring and for all saddlery and costume, my other sister Tamara Lee for getting Orlando plaited and ready for the event, and all my other family for always supporting me – you all know who you all are,” she said.

Policing memoir a big hit at Wallan launch

Lauren Duffy

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October 4, 2022

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Policing memoir a big hit at Wallan launch

By Colin MacGillivray

A life spent striving to improve the lot of Victoria Police members was celebrated with a book launch in Wallan last week.

Kilmore man Bryan Harding rose through police ranks during his career, becoming chief superintendent of Victoria Police and subsequently heading the Police Association of Victoria for three years.

Mr Harding, who is now aged in his 90s, completed the manuscript for his book Always in Need of Reform: Reflections of a Policeman last year but is yet to finalise a deal with a publisher.

He said his son Shane was in talks with an international book publisher, but that in the meantime he had chosen to print copies of the book himself.

At Wednesday’s launch at Hogan’s Hotel, attended by a large crowd, he said he sold every copy he brought.

“Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, we ran out of books,” he said.

“I thought it went very well. It was a nice afternoon.”

Mr Harding said the book detailed his at times controversial attempts to reform Victoria Police and what he described as ‘an absence of sensible administration’ within the service.

“What I think I have reopened are my concerns about the stressful nature of policing and the difficulty that police administration have in Australia of recognising the fact,” he said.

“What I want them to do is more research on the police working environment. Too many people are getting sick, which the book focuses on as much as anything.”

The book also focuses on Mr Harding’s relationship with Ronald Ryan, the last man to be executed in Australia.

Mr Harding, who grew up in Kilmore and attended Assumption College, said he was advised by former college sports mentor and Review contributor Ray Carroll when writing his book.

“Throughout the actual writing I was advised by Mr Ray Carroll ‘it is your book’,” he said.

While a publishing deal is yet to be finalised, people can find copies of Always in Need of Reform at The Kilmore Bookstore on Sydney Street.

Flash mob entertains Wallan shoppers

Max Davies

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October 4, 2022

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By Max Davies

Wallan’s Wellington Square was last week the setting for a surprise flash mob performed by students from a community dance school as part of Youth Fest 2022.

Held by RPA Studios with support from OKR FM and Benjamin Gregory with BGGROUPAU, the flash mob featured a group of students aged nine to 16 who performed a hip-hop inspired dance routine for the Wallan public last Friday.

RPA Studios last held a flash mob at Wellington Square in 2018, with one student from that performance also dancing this year.

RPA Studios founder and principal Rhiannon Johnson said Friday’s performance was refreshing for students who could not perform in recent years.

“This was a great opportunity for the kids, especially after a good few years of not being able to get out amongst people and perform,” she said.

“They’ve been really excited about it, they’ve worked really hard and I think things like this are fantastic for the young performers.”

Ms Johnson said the flash mob was also a way to remind people that the performing arts were an option for kids.

“Often the performing arts are forgotten because football and sports always come first for a lot of people,” she said.

“But a lot of children dance, and a lot of children perform, that’s their thing so it’s good to get out and do it.”

RPA Studios was established in Kilmore in 2002 and has since expanded to Craigieburn and Beveridge, with a new branch set to open in Kalkallo next month.

The studio is aimed at providing performing arts tuition for children and adults who live outside of metropolitan Melbourne, with dance competitions available for interested students alongside regular events and activities.

Teacher Joshua Pagram said the flash mob was a way for the school’s students to get back into performing in public in a more casual setting after COVID-19.

“This was a really good experience for the kids in getting them out, introducing them back to performing without making it overwhelming or too hectic,” he said.

“This was just a bit of fun for them and they enjoyed it.”

Mr Pagram said it was rewarding to be able to see the improvement of the students during their time with the studio.

“The most rewarding thing is watching these kids that we’ve had for such a long time mature and grow with the studio with the studio as it’s happened,” he said.

Ms Johnson hopes RPA Studios will continue to be able to hold public performances such as flash mobs in the future as the studio continues to grow in the Mitchell Shire and the City of Hume.

Kilmore bypass battleground

Lauren Duffy

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October 4, 2022

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By Colin MacGillivray

Progress on a Kilmore bypass looms as a key state election battleground locally, with the Liberal-Nationals coalition pledging $300 million for the project at a public meeting last week.

More than 150 people packed Kilmore Soldiers Memorial Hall on Wednesday night to voice their frustrations at the lack of progress on a Northern Highway bypass, which was first proposed more than 20 years ago.

Shadow Minister for Public Transport and Roads Danny O’Brien, Member for Euroa Steph Ryan, Member for Northern Victoria Wendy Lovell and Euroa candidates Brad Hearn, Liberal, and Annabelle Cleeland, Nationals, all attended the meeting after pledging $300 million for the bypass if elected next month.

Mitchell Shire Council chief executive Brett Luxford said regardless of which party formed government, council wanted a guarantee that the State Government would complete stage one of the project – finalising a public acquisition overlay, PAO, for land purchase along the entire bypass route – by 2026.

“We’ve had governments who have made promises and they haven’t been delivered. We’ve had funding commitments and they haven’t been realised,” he said.

“We really need to get some bite-sized deliverables that the State Government can actually deliver.

“We think the time is now for the Kilmore bypass. There is no other town like Kilmore with this population and a main street that acts as a highway as well.

Council strategic planning manager Travis Conway said the implementation of a public acquisition overlay was an important first step that would help finalise the northern alignment of the bypass to Kilmore’s west.

“The section to Willowmavin Road is largely fixed, and the PAO is likely to reflect that alignment. The largest uncertainty at the moment is heading north and how to connect to the Northern Highway,” he said.

“I understand there are two or three alignments being considered and they are likely to come through once the Department [of Transport] has undertaken their investigations.

“Kilmore bypass is the most important piece of road infrastructure to support Kilmore’s growth. Kilmore is projected to grow from its current population of 10,500 to over 20,000 people by 2041.”

Mr O’Brien said the government had ignored the project to the detriment of Kilmore and the surrounding region.

“There are businesses closing in the street partly because of the truck noise and extra traffic … [Kilmore] needs a main street that is a main street, not a highway,” he said.

“Frankly, if [Minister for Transport Infrastructure] Jacinta Allen dropped $300 million on a project in Melbourne, she wouldn’t bother to pick it up because that’s the sort of waste they’ve had.

“There has been $28 billion of overspends on big projects in Melbourne, and yet Kilmore hasn’t been able to get this project under a Labor government.”

Ms Ryan, who has advocated for the project as an opposition member for the past eight years, said she had become convinced the project would never happen unless there was a change in government.

“In the last eight years [the government has] conceived, planned, started and almost finished the West Gate Tunnel, they are shovelling dirt on the North East Link, they’re building the Melbourne Metro [Tunnel] and they say that they haven’t had enough time to build a regional bypass. It is an absolute joke,” she said.

Ms Cleeland and Mr Hearn said the project’s importance to Kilmore residents had become evident during their campaigning.

“We’ve door-knocked a few of the businesses throughout the main street, who have unanimously supported this investment,” Ms Cleeland said.

“The crumbling buildings [on Sydney Street] are a sign that while B-doubles are coming down here, people are not investing in their shop fronts because there is no motivation to while it is deteriorating at such a pace.”

Mr Hearn said his brother had attended Assumption College in Kilmore and spoke about the problems created by frequent heavy traffic.

“[A bypass] is something that doesn’t just benefit Kilmore, but it benefits all of our regional communities, making sure that our roads, which are disgusting, get the investment and love that they need to be safe,” he said.

Minister for Roads and Road Safety Ben Carroll fired back at the opposition, saying the coalition had a track record of failing to follow through on previous road funding commitments, and questioned the $300 million costing of the project.

“Time and again the Liberal and National parties make promises we know they cannot and will not keep – their track record when it comes to roads is cuts, cuts, cuts,” he said.

“We know how important this project is to the Kilmore community which is why we’re continuing our work to progress the final design, formal planning and approval process.

“Given the planning and design phase is still underway and no business case has been complete, it is impossible for the opposition to confidently allocate $300 million to a project of this scale.”

Mr Carroll said Regional Roads Victoria was obtaining planning approval to finalise a northern alignment of the bypass that would minimise impacts on the nearby Kilmore Wastewater Management Facility.

Several community members spoke at Wednesday night’s meeting, expressing an array of views on the project.

Former Wallan-Kilmore Bypass Group secretary Wendy Law said she remained opposed to a western bypass route and wanted the government to reconsider an alternative option, but Mr Luxford and Ms Ryan said it would be detrimental to the project.

“I would urge you not to go back as a community and re-prosecute the route. If the community splits, there is more reason for the current government to say ‘the community doesn’t know where it wants to go, so we can kick the can down the road,” Ms Ryan said.

“What we have to do is be political about this. I’m not saying vote one way or the other … let’s write letters to the editor and email those government politicians who are not putting money into this.”

Pyalong resident Fr Paul Walliker favoured a more direct form of action.

“Why don’t we just put cars across the road on a long weekend and get the media to come up here? That’s the only way politicians will listen,” he said.

“Until the people of this community … start doing things in a way that causes fuss and causes discomfort, we’re going to get nowhere.”

Mitchell Shire community clubs recognised

Lauren Duffy

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October 4, 2022

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Mitchell Shire community clubs recognised

Two Mitchell Shire football and netball clubs have been rewarded for their efforts to promote road safety in the community.

Wallan and Kilmore football netball clubs were named among 151 Victorian clubs that will share in more than half a million dollars for showing their commitment to eliminating death and serious injuries on the road throughout the 2022 season.

Clubs from across Victoria were able to apply for the program by showing how they supported road safety, including taking part in the Transport Accident Commission, TAC, Road Safety Round and wearing blue armbands during July.

Roads and Road Safety Minister Ben Carroll said community sporting clubs played an important role in spreading the message of road safety.

“Local sporting clubs are the backbone of the community and the TAC Club Rewards program is another great initiative that incentivises clubs to spread an important message and influence change,” he said.

“We are proud to support the long-standing partnership between the TAC and AFL Victoria, which provides a platform to educate hundreds of thousands of Victorians on road safety issues through local sport.”

The TAC Club Rewards program encourages AFL Victoria-affiliated clubs to educate their players and members on the dangers associated with risky driving behaviours including speeding, drink and drug driving, fatigue, and distractions.

Rewarded clubs are expected to use the money to upgrade equipment and facilities, as well as purchase uniforms and hold education programs covering topics such as mental health and road safety.

Also named as successful recipients were Lancefield Junior Football Netball Club, as well as multiple clubs from the Northern Football Netball League and Riddell District Football Netball League.

AFL Victoria head Ben Kavenagh said it was good to see community clubs committing to improving road safety.

“Our clubs are the heart of Victorian communities and once again we are proud to stand alongside the TAC to be leading these conversations,” he said.

“We hope [conversations] will help reduce the incidents of road trauma and ensure everyone gets home safely.”

More than 100 people have lost their lives on regional Victorian roads so far this year, an increase from 78 at the same time last year.

AFL Victoria will continue its 31-year partnership with the TAC Club Rewards program to speak directly with Victorians who travel on the state’s roads for training and games to work on reducing road trauma and serious incidents.

For a full list of successful clubs, visit cdnaflvic.performancecrew.com.au/raw/tac-club-rewards-list-of-clubs-2022.pdf.

Kilmore heritage demolition to go ahead

Lauren Duffy

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October 4, 2022

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DEMOLITION of the second floor of a heritage-listed building at 38 Sydney Street, Kilmore will begin on Saturday.

Mitchell Shire Council issued a building order for demolition works to the owner of the building, originally known as the All Nations Hotel, in January this year.

Council received a structural engineer’s assessment last year that identified safety concerns relating to the integrity of the second floor. The report recommended the second floor be removed for safety reasons.

Council reviewed the report and its municipal building surveyor confirmed issues regarding the structural integrity of the second floor.

Car parks from 38 to 46 Sydney Street will be closed to allow a demolition contractor to access the building and room for construction bins to collect debris.

The footpath directly in front of 38 Sydney Street will be closed, with traffic management in place to guide pedestrians across the road and around the work site. Traffic speed in the area will be temporarily reduced to 40km/h.

The Mill Street pedestrian mall will still be accessible, but sections directly adjoining the building will be restricted.

There will also be infrequent stopping of traffic to enable the placement and collection of debris bins.

Works will begin on Saturday and are expected to be completed on Monday.

For more information, people can call council on 5734 6200.

Changes to childcare subsidy mean families in Mitchell are better off

Lauren Duffy

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October 4, 2022

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Changes to childcare subsidy mean families in Mitchell are better off

Member for McEwen Rob Mitchell estimated about 6500 local families would be better off under a Federal Government childcare plan introduced last week.

The government introduced laws that aim to cut out-of-pocket costs for families with children in early education and childcare.

Childcare costs have skyrocketed, increasing by 41 per cent in the past eight years.

Mr Mitchell said it was a big cost to families and a disincentive for parents, especially mothers, to do more paid work.

He said the new laws meant about 96 per cent of local families with children in early education and care would be better off.

Mr Mitchell said a family earning $120,000 with one child in early education and care would be more than $1700 better off annually under the legislation.

“This is good for children, good for families and good for our economy,” he said.

“Not only will this help families with cost-of-living pressures by cutting the cost of child care, it will help get thousands of skilled workers into our economy.

“This is important economic reform that the Albanese government promised to deliver at the election. Legislation introduced now will implement this promise.

“It means children get access to early education, and parents especially mums can do more paid work if they want to.”

The changes to the childcare subsidy will take effect on July 1 next year.

City of Whittlesea’s new governance rules reflect diversity

The North Central Review

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October 4, 2022

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City of Whittlesea’s new governance rules reflect diversity

City of Whittlesea endorsed a community-friendly update to the Governance Rules at this month’s council meeting to reflect diversity.

Governance Rules control how decisions are made and communicated, and how the elections of Mayor and Deputy Mayor are managed.

To shape the rules, City of Whittlesea consulted with council’s advisory groups including the Whittlesea Interfaith Network, Youth Advisory Committee and Multicultural Network.

Chair Administrator Lydia Wilson thanked those who contributed to the consultation process to enhance community participation and understanding.

“We want to ensure that Council Meeting are more inclusive and accessible, and reflective of our diverse community,” Ms Wilson said.

“That’s why we will now be including an Acknowledgement of Traditional Owners of both the Wurundjeri Willum Clan and the Taungurung people as well as a diversity statement in place of the Lord’s Prayer at the beginning of Council Meetings.”

The new user-friendly rules are written in plain English, and align with the changes to the Local Government Act, which enabled virtual and hybrid meetings.

To view Council’s updated Governance Rules, visit www.whittlesea.vic.gov.au.

Kilmore Public Cemetery remembers passed babies

Lauren Duffy

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October 4, 2022

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Kilmore Public Cemetery remembers passed babies

Kilmore Public Cemetery Trust will place a floral display in the cemetery’s gazebo to remember babies who passed away too soon on October 15.

Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day is an international day for families and the community to pay their respects to babies who died during pregnancy, at birth or in infancy.

In 2021, October 15 was officially recognised in Australia, thanks to the efforts of Nicole Ballinger, who worked with NSW members of parliament, and Kate De’Laney who campaigned for recognition in Western Australia to honour the loss of babies.

The motion to recognise a national day was moved by a group of senators led by Kristina Keneally, who lost her daughter in 1999.

Kilmore Public Cemetery Trust chairwoman Madeleine Laming said she was honoured to display the flowers, as the memorial reflected Kilmore’s lost babies from the past 50 years.

“There are an awful lot of babies and children who died young in our cemetery … we thought we should do a memorial to all of the children,” she said.

“It’s simply [because] we are the cemetery trust. We are responsible for the care and maintenance of the public cemetery in Kilmore.”

The memorial will be at Kilmore Public Cemetery, Kilmore-Lancefield Road, from about 8:30am onwards.

Whittlesea Fire Brigade celebrates over 630 years of combined service

Pam Kiriakidis

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October 4, 2022

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Whittlesea Fire Brigade celebrates over 630 years of combined service

By Pam Kiriakidis

Whittlesea Fire Brigade, CFA, volunteers were recognised for their service at an awards presentation last month, which also celebrated 630 years of combined service.

Members gathered at Whittlesea Bowls Club to present a range of certificates and medals, and other additional awards, including the firefighter of the year and the running team trophy.

Five-year certificates were handed to seven members, six members received 10-year medals, while seven members obtained medals for their 15-year mark.

Members who reached the 20 and 25-year mark accepted medals, including one volunteer gaining a CFA retiring certificate for 25 years.

The evening went on, presenting medals and life member medals to volunteers who have been around from 30 up until 55 and 60 years.

Whittlesea CFA treasurer Rodney Clark accepted his 45-year medal and was voted by the brigade to become a Life Member of the Country Fire Authority.

At that moment, Mr Clark felt honoured to be given such a prestigious award that is not easily handed out.

“I was very honoured in particularly because it was done in secret and made it a little bit more special, I suppose,” he said.

“There not given out too lightly, particularly in our brigade, we respect a lot of those higher awards very much, so there not given out willy-nilly as such, so I was quite surprised and happy that I did get one.

“Nothing is ever done as just an individual, it’s not a bravery award that separates people from the rest of the crew that are there.”

According to Mr Clark, the evening was an eventful one, as Whittlesea CFA was long overdue for an awards ceremony due to the impacts of the pandemic.

“The award that was applicable was 45 years, and because of COVID, it was not able to be awarded when it should have been, so that’s why the night was more special, and that’s why there was so many,” he said.

“It’s just you feel good that you did something to serve the community and somebody’s recognised that you’ve done it for so long.”

During the presentation, Mr Clark flashed to old memories from his time at the brigade, as he witnessed a volunteer he visited at a primary school receiving a 20-year mark medal.

Mr Clark happened to discover a drawing from the young boy when he visited his primary school in his more active years,

“I actually took it in the brigade and said, ‘this [is the] young bloke I met him in primary school’ and he mentioned [in the drawing] along the lines of ‘Thanks Rob for coming to show us your hat,” he said.

Mr Clark has watched the club improve in all sorts of areas since moving to Eden Park in his twenties when he joined the brigade.

The brigade in his first years ran quite differently to how the brigade runs now with the annual presentations and increased membership from all different walks of life

“We’re on our third fire station since I’ve joined the brigade, we’re in a ram shackled shed when I first joined,” he said.

“Back when I joined, there was never a lot of members in the brigade, so you relied on the same people all the time, but now we’re very lucky to have a larger membership and a wide range of ages which makes me able to just back a little bit and do what I used to do.”

He said the increased membership has allowed Whittlesea CFA to take care of the larger areas they are responsible for.

“We’re sort of isolated to a certain extent, our nearest neighbour was Mernda, so it’s a fair way away, and we’ve had a very large area responsibility, we go right up to Mt Disappointment and nearly up to King Lake.”