DIVERSIFIED property business, Chinese-owned Jinding, has purchased two adjoining sites in Kilmore’s south-east with plans for a development of about 550 lots.
The property company purchased two parcels of land located between Quinns Road and Tootle Street comprising a total of 60 hectares and aims to create lots averaging around 550 square metres each.
Jinding was established in 2016, with an integrated model incorporating developments, real estate, investments, funds management and services.
Jinding’s current development portfolio consists of more than 4000 homes, with an estimated end value in excess of $1.8 billion.
Current developments include The Patch Wollert, Octave at Junction Village and Harriott Armstrong Creek.
The two Kilmore lots were secured prior to their rezoning from farming to residential land.
Jinding chief executive Luke Guthrie said the developer would target owner-occupiers and tree changers given the larger average lot sizes and established periurban location.
Mr Guthrie said the site’s proximity to the Kilmore town centre and schools such as Assumption College and The Kilmore International School would appeal to buyers.
There are plans for the development to enhance the natural drainage in the area, design the road network around established trees and promote a connection to nature.
“Developing in Kilmore was a deliberate choice for us, with the trend towards regional living growing significantly in the past 18 months,” Mr Guthrie said.
“Our aim is to meet this growing demand in Victoria, with best-in-class developments, championing premium living that is underpinned by a strong mix of amenity for all our customers.”
Jinding development division managing director Liz Ronson said there had been a flurry or urbanisation in the Wallan and Beveridge growth areas, but Kilmore had remained relatively untapped.
“The recent rezoning is a very strong proposition from a development perspective, as the land is relatively affordable and well connected to established social infrastructure, with a leafy rural backdrop,” she said.
“Our strategy is to identify and acquire sites that offer something special, such as, amenity, established trees, and beautiful natural features. I think with our first projects moving into settlement mode, people are now able to see we deliver on our vision of quality.”
Jinding will launch the Kilmore lots for sale in 2022, with construction anticipated to commence late next year, ahead of welcoming residents in 2023.
For more information about Jinding and its portfolio of planned and active projects in Australia, people can visit www.jinding.com.au.
WESTERN Bulldogs supporters are pinching themselves over their beloved Doggies’ success during the last six years.
In 2016, they won their first grand final since 1954 – where ironically, they bet the Melbourne Demons, who they come up against this Saturday in this year’s big game.
Kilmore’s Flannery family members are all born and bred Bulldog supporters, with mum, Sarah, born at the Footscray hospital and growing up in the Western suburbs. Sporting the red, white, and blue was the only way she knew.
For the Flannery children – they didn’t have much of a choice, but wouldn’t have it any other way.
“I’ll be honest, the kids pretty much had no choice,” Ms Flannery said.
“It’s such a family thing, and my family have always been football supporters. So, when they were born, it was only natural they left the hospital in a Bulldogs jumper.
Each year the Western Bulldogs has made finals, the Flannery family has decorated the front of their house.
“The kids drive that a little, there’s been years where I’ve said, ‘let’s give it a miss’, but the kids have said no chance in that,” she said.
“In the beginning it was my idea. As soon as we started winning a few games and getting into finals, I thought, ‘you beauty let’s go with it’.”
River and his little sister Billie all dressed up for this year’s footy colours day at school and kinder.
The family is disappointed that this year’s celebrations will be without their family and friend, including Sarah’s daughter Audrey who has moved to Melbourne.
“It is a shame that we can’t be without family who are all Doggies supporters. We are divided this year and won’t be able to celebrate the result.
“I’m sure when the final siren goes, we’ll all be on FaceTime celebrating the result and crying tears of joy if we win or tears of misery.
“It’s going to be strange though because usually we are all together.”
Meanwhile, over at the Spargo family, young River is preparing to celebrate grand final week with his family and is excited about hopefully seeing his second premiership win.
River’s father Brett said that his son began supporting the Western Bulldogs midway through 2016 and wasn’t surprised of his decision as Brett has always had a soft spot for the Doggies despite being a Geelong supporter.
“River started following the Bulldogs midway through their premiership year of 2016 and from then on, his passion and secretly mine has grown,” Brett said.
Brett does everything he can to support River’s love for the Doggies and even has a membership with both Geelong and the Western Bulldogs.
“I took River to his first game, and he loved the Bulldogs from then on and now we support them together and are both Bulldogs members. I’m also a Cats member but much prefer watching the bulldogs play as their game style is so much more exciting to watch,” he said.
At whatever opportunity, Brett said River will wear his side’s colours, especially in front of the TV watching games.
“River loves to wear his red, white and blue bulldogs clothing whenever they play, even if we are at home and watching them on TV; it can get noisy with all the cheering,” Brett said.
River is confident in his side this week and expects the Bulldogs to win comfortably.
“The Doggies should be the Dees by 23 points. My favourite player is Naughts (Aaron Naughton) because he takes big speckies. I think he will play a very good game and will be exciting to watch,” River said.
“I will be watching the game at home on our big TV and my Dad will definitely be cheering with me.”
Melbourne final 57 years in the making
She might be the only Melbourne supporter in her family, but nothing is stopping Jess Gidman from celebrating grand final week.
IT’S been 57 agonising years for the Melbourne Demons and their fans since they held up the Premiership Cup, but next week, they go into the AFL grand final as favourites against the Western Bulldogs and the celebrations have already begun for the fans.
The last time Melbourne won a grand final was back in 1964 when the AFL was still the VFL and the Demons the ’64 grand final was their eighth in 11 seasons.
Aaron Frost and his two children, Rylee and Noah, are a family of die-hard Melbourne supporters, and for Aaron, he has been waiting for the day to wear his red and navy blue on the last day of September.
When Aaron was younger, a neighbour who was a good friend of his family gave him some Melbourne merchandise and Aaron said he “hasn’t looked back since” and it would mean so much if the Dees do win this Saturday.
“It would mean a lot with all the pressure we have been through the years,” he said.
“The family friend that gave me the Melbourne gear has now passed and it will nice to see them win for him too.
“Also it would be amazing to see them win a premiership for Neale Daniher before he passes away after all the work he does for the club and for MND.”
With plans to celebrate with family and friends at home around a barbecue not being able to go ahead due to COVID-19 restrictions, Aaron said it will end up being a quiet night at home watching the game.
“As much as I’d love to do a big barbecue and celebrate and watch the game with family and friends that probably won’t happen with lockdowns,” he said.
“We will probably have a quiet night at home with the kids and decorate the house in Melbourne colours. We have already decorated our front window.”
Aaron’s tip for the grand final is his beloved Dees by 24 points, with he, Rylee and Noah saying their favourite players Clayton Oliver, Max Gawn and Christian Petracca being the difference on the day to get the enforce the win.
Also beginning grand final celebrations is Kilmore resident Jess Gidman, who chose to support the Dees when she was seven years old, despite living in a house full of Carlton supporters.
She said that while she is excited to see her side make it to the grand final, it’s disappointing that her and so many Demon faithfuls will miss out on being at the game.
Noah and Rylee Frost are already celebrating Melbourne’s successful season and look forward to watching for the first time the Dees in a grand final.
“We haven’t made it in so long, and it’s pretty sad that we can’t physically be there,” she said.
Like Aaron and his family, Jess will instead turn to watching the game on the couch, and will have her husband and two daughters alongside her.
“My two girls don’t really follow footy and my husband is a North Melbourne supporter, but they all are following the Dees in the grand final with me,” she said.
“I really struggle to watch the games, like during the preliminary final; my heart was racing so much the entire time.”
When asked how she thinks Melbourne will go on Saturday, Jess said she is going into the game the same way she always has – with no expectation to win.
“I say before every game that we’re not going to win. I go in with no confidence and I don’t know if that’s a good or a bad thing,” she said.
“It’ll end up being a quiet night if we lose, but I’ll make so much noise and celebrate if we get up.”
The State Government has shut down all construction sites across all locked down areas including the Mitchell Shire for up to two weeks in response to violent riots at the CFMEU headquarters in Melbourne on Monday.
Urgent, unavoidable or essential repairs to protect health and safety will still be allowed.
A limited numbers of workers have been granted amnesty to attend construction sites in order to shut them down safely.
The closure was effectively immediately from 11.59pm Monday night and will last two weeks. If regional LGAs emerge from lockdown sooner than two weeks, as Mitchell Shire is scheduled to do, construction sites reopen as normal.
The government entered into crisis talks late last night after a group dressed in high-vis clothing stormed the offices on Elizabeth street, protesting a new mandate requiring all construction workers to have at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose by September 23.
Around 500 people gathered, most not wearing masks, and resorted to violence when union secretary John Setka tried to address the crowd. Rioters threw bottles at crates at Mr Setka before he was taken inside by security guards.
Victoria Police deployed crowd control tactics and equipment and several arrests were made.
Minister for Industrial Relations Tim Pallas said the decision was in response to ‘widespread noncompliance across the industry’.
“We put the industry on notice just a week ago, we have seen appalling behaviour on site and on our streets, and now we’re acting decisively and without hesitation.”
The government has also reported multiple outbreaks linked to construction.
Within the Victorian Opposition, Shadow Minister for Industry Bridget Vallence said the decision was drastic and would put tens of thousands of Victorians out of work, adding that the industry as a whole should not be punished for the actions of a ‘minority’.
Australian Council of Trade Unions secretary Sally McManus condemned the violence and told the ABC she believed the riot was organised by people not connected to the construction industry.
“We know from social media networks that the same people who were at the rallies on the weekend were asking people to come to these ones and to dress up in high vis,” she said.
“That’s not to say that there weren’t people there who were also construction workers, there were.
“But the people organising and orchestrating it were people with other motives.”
In a statement the Victorian Building Industry Group of Unions said the hardline approach was ‘unrealistic’.
“The Building Industry Group of Unions maintains the view that the construction industry would have voluntarily reached high levels of vaccination without a heavy-handed approach,” a spokesperson said.
“This heavy-handed mandate by the Chief Health Officer, which was implemented with no notice, has only served to drive many people towards the Anti-Vax Movement.”
On Monday Premier Daniel Andrews said said it was an illegal gathering and reiterated that getting vaccinated was the only way to stop the virus and reopen the state.
MITCHELL Shire Council has committed to working constructively with Kilmore Racing Club and the broader community after some residents raised objections to a proposed rezoning of land owned by the club.
The club has applied to have land at 15-35 East Street, Kilmore, opposite the racecourse, rezoned from public use to general residential to bring it in line with the land surrounding the site, which is zoned general residential.
A Mitchell Shire Council information sheet on the proposed planning scheme amendment C154 said the land had been owned by Kilmore Racing Club since 1985 and that its current public use zoning was inappropriate as the land is privately owned.
However, some Kilmore residents have argued the land should be retained for public use.
Kilmore and District Residents and Ratepayers Association, KADRRA, president Vyvienne Whitehurst said she believed the land had been gifted to racecourse trustees by the now-defunct Shire of Kilmore in the 1980s on the proviso the land remained public use.
She said she believed the land was subsequently gifted to the racing club by the trustees.
“This is contrary to the ‘intent’ of the Shire of Kilmore’s conditions and, we believe contrary to local government law,” she said.
The land has been used by the club as overflow parking at times, but has remained undeveloped.
KADRRA member Anne Rose said she would like to see the land retained for public use.
“This block of land is a precious public asset that should be developed by the shire for continual use by Kilmore residents,” she said.
“In this part of Kilmore there is no pocket park or playground. The Kilmore Bowling Club is planned to be moved so it could be placed there. No other land has been allocated to the Kilmore Bowling Club.”
Mitchell Shire Council chief executive Brett Luxford said both the racing club and the community would be able to provide input on the proposed planning scheme amendment.
“Amendment C154 was placed on public exhibition between June and July and received multiple submissions raising concerns to the proposed rezoning,” he said.
“These submissions are still under active consideration by council and a report will be considered at a future council meeting around how to proceed with the planning scheme amendment process.”
Mr Luxford said council had the option to refer the amendment to an independent planning panel for consideration.
“This would involve a public hearing and is an opportunity for the applicant and submitters to present their views to an independent planning expert,” he said.
“The panel will provide a report outlining its findings after the hearing which will become a public document.”
Kilmore Racing Club chief executive Ben Murphy said the club was working with council on the matter and had followed the correct procedures.
“Kilmore Racing Club is working through the rezoning process as outlined by Mitchell Shire for land owned by Kilmore Racing Club,” he said.
“We will continue to work proactively with Mitchell Shire on ensuring that any concerns that the council or community may have with regards to the rezoning are addressed.”
A final decision on amendment C154 is not expected to be made by council until early-to-mid-2022.
The Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning has issued a snake warning to the Mitchell and Macedon Ranges shires as snake season has started early this year due to warmer-than-usual weather bringing them out of hibernation.
Wandong-based snake removalist Anthony Calleja said he had received calls from people with snakes in their homes across the Mitchell, Macedon and Murrindindi shires since early August.
“It starts about October but they’re early this year. Even though we’ve had wet weather it’s been a bit mild so they started about a month ago,” he said.
Snakes can be found anywhere, day or night, especially near water sources like creeks, dams or drains, and sunny places like train lines.
The department’s senior wildlife management officer, Belinda Cant said when snakes were left alone, they presented little to no danger to people, so the best thing to do was stay well away.
“Snakes are generally very shy and prefer to keep away from people and often when a snake is found in a backyard it’s because it’s moving through the area to other habitat,” she said.
“Most snake bites occur when people try to capture or kill a snake.”
Snakes are native and protected under the Wildlife Act 1975 and it is illegal to harm or kill them or capture them without authority.
“Unfortunately people get a little bravado with them and want to hit them with a spade and that’s when it gets ugly,” Mr Calleja said.
“When they bite they hurt – it’s like a dog bite with 1000 teeth.”
Mr Calleja said while snakes bites were uncommon if people behaved responsibly, people needed to keep an eye on their pets as a dog’s or cat’s natural hunting or inquisitive instincts meant they could intimidate a snake.
“There’s already been many dogs and cats bitten this season – in the dozens – and it’s only going to escalate until January,” he said.
“And it’s costly; if a dog or cat gets bitten by a snake it’s minimum $2000 [at the vet] and that doesn’t mean it’s going to survive either. It’s really important if dogs or cats start acting strangely or start to bark differently to be aware.”
Experts advise if people see a snake on their property, don’t attempt to capture or scare it off.
Instead call DELWP on 136 186 for advice, or call a snake catcher such as Anthony Calleja on 0413 592 398 for a removal.
Other measures people can take are to maintain lawns and clean up around their house, as snakes are attracted to shelter such as piles of rocks and timber, sheets of metal, and building materials.
First aid training and a home first aid kit that contains several compression bandages can be lifesaving. If someone is bitten, call triple zero immediately.
A call from the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) for dedicated domestic and family violence prevention officers in all local government associations has been met with praise from Mitchell Shire council, as new data showed alarmingly high incident reports.
Following the National Summit on Women’s Safety earlier this month, ALGA is now pushing for state and federally funded dedicated family and domestic violence policy officers as recommendation by the 2020 federal parliamentary inquiry into family, domestic and sexual violence.
The recommendation stated that dedicated officers would empower councils to directly, and on an ongoing basis, help prevent men’s violence against women in their communities.
Mitchell Shire Mayor Rhonda Sanderson said council supported dedicated resources, services and people to work on intervention and crisis support.
“Council, community and service provider partners are working to reduce the alarming rates of family violence throughout the region and will continue to strongly advocate for improved mental health and family support services to all levels of government,” she said.
“It is a scourge on our community, and we stand behind all the victims no matter if they live in our community or elsewhere. We empower you to speak up.”
Mitchell Shire is ranked as one of the worst local government areas in Victoria for family violence incidents, with a reported incident rate almost double the state average.
Mitchell Shire’s current rate of reported family violence is 2443 incidents per 100,000 people, compared to Victoria’s 1389.
While this incident rate was the 11th highest of any LGA in Victoria, when adjusted for comparative LGAs – geography and demographics – Mitchell has the highest incident rate of any municipality.
In the north central region, Mitchell’s rate of reported incidents is roughly double the City of Whittlesea and Murrindindi shires, and almost three times the Macedon Ranges shire.
By town, Seymour has the highest numbers by a wide margin. If Seymour were an LGA, it would have the highest family violence incident rate in the state.
Wallan is second in the shire – followed by Broadford, Kilmore and Beveridge – and would be 8th in the state if it were an LGA.
There is also no evidence that Mitchell’s family violence rate has been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19.
Ms Sanderson said the cause of family violence comes down to inequality.
“We know from local and international evidence that the major cause is inequality between men and women – that is the unequal distribution of power, resources and opportunity,” she said.
“Stereotypical ideas about the roles of women and men in society and the way they should behave fosters an environment for violence against women to occur.”
Mitchell Shire council has a a number of initiatives aimed at early prevention and education, including the 16 Days of Activism campaign; successful funding application for the Orange Door Access Point, Wallan ($1,284,000 project jointly delivered by Mitchell Shire Council and the State Government); education through the Wallan East/Wallan Family Children’s Centre and the Seymour Our Place Partnership; a Goulburn Family Violence Executive Committee; and hosting Family Violence Roundtables with 70 local partners and organisations.
In 2020 ALGA also launched an online resource to help local governments prevent men’s violence against women in their workplaces and communities.
“Community awareness of violence against women and their children is growing; the quality and availability of support services are increasing, as is women’s trust in them,” ALGA president Linda Scott said.
“We all have a duty to facilitate and support actions that reduce its incidence and impacts and to support its victims.”
A KILMORE resident is ensuring others do not have to battle mental illnesses by themselves and for the second consecutive year is raising funds for the Black Dog Institute.
Kala Veljanovska holds the Black Dog Institute and other mental health organisation’s close to her, as she herself has struggled with mental illnesses and almost lost her battle in 2019.
For the last year, she has been growing a bright pink mullet in support of the institute’s ‘Mullets for Mental Health’ fundraiser and just recently, hit over $2000 in her fundraising efforts.
During September, participants of the fundraiser grow out mullets in support of mental health, however Miss Veljanovska took the idea one step further, dying her hair pink in the hope of gaining the attention of more people.
“The pink hair just sort of came along. I knew September was coming and that’s mullet month, but I thought to get more people involved and to get more attention drawn to Black Dog I thought of doing something crazy,” she said.
“All my friends and family started suggesting different colours but then I decided to not say anything, went and dyed it and surprised them all with it.”
Miss Veljanovska hopes that her fundraising efforts will support those who feel like they can’t speak up, or don’t have the appropriate facilities nearby to receive support.
“Knowing that I was stuck for so long and when I, or others finally make that step to reach out for help and there is nothing there you feel so lost,” she said.
“The Black Dog Institute is raising these funds to do research and support those who can’t or don’t come forward.
“I know in the Goulburn Valley Catchment there is little support for mental health, there’s a lot out in the suburbs and in metro, but out here we fall into a different catchment.
“Shepparton is the closest large-scale mental health facility but then there’s nothing else.”
As an empath, Miss Veljanovska says she truly understands how others feel because of their mental illnesses and if there was anything she could do to support them, it is to direct them to the help they deserve.
She said that no one should ever have to feel like they are fighting the battle alone.
“Don’t be afraid to lean on your friends or the support around you that you do know you have,’’ she said.
“You’re not a burden and the people that care about you, care about you for a reason and you shouldn’t be afraid to take advantage of that.
“Because then one day when you are feeling better, you can be that person that supports someone through their tough time… and that’s why I am supporting the Black Dog Institute because I want to help others now and let them know they are not alone.”
If you, or someone you know is struggling with mental health, there are services available to help you.
Kids Helpline offers support to people up to the age of 25 years old. Call 1800 55 1800 or visit kidshelpline.com.au/.
WALLAN man Adam Georgelin hopes a new online directory and associated forum will unite people with disabilities across Mitchell Shire and beyond.
Mr Georgelin, who was born with a spinal cord defect and spends most of his time in a wheelchair, set up the N’able’d directory to promote businesses that provide disability access.
“I’ve got a number of local businesses that have signed up for the local directory on it where they can advertise as disability-accessible,” he said.
“The business can advertise their name and location and a phone number, and I’ve got a section for people looking to advertise more in depth where they can advertise their website and that sort of thing.
“I’m also looking at promoting them in other ways, whether that’s going to the business for services and then I can review them and let people know that they’re definitely accessible.
“In the past I’ve had businesses tell me they’re wheelchair accessible and they’re just not. I had one business tell me they were wheelchair accessible because they just had one step to get in, but if you’re in a wheelchair, one step can make it completely inaccessible.”
Mr Georgelin won Mitchell Shire Council’s Access and Inclusion Champion during Australia Day celebrations in January.
The long-time disability advocate won the award after pushing his wheelchair along the entire length of the Great Victorian Rail Trail to raise money for Disability Sports and Recreation and the Robert Rose Foundation.
Mr Georgelin said he was inspired to set up a directory, as well as an online forum to connect people with disabilities, after becoming frustrated at a lack of mainstream awareness surrounding the everyday issues faced by many people living with disabilities.
“When I was young, organisations like Yooralla and others were advertised and promoted … but for quite a long time there has been nothing for people with disabilities to connect through to meet other people like themselves,” he said.
“That’s the backbone of what this website is all about.
“I’ve got a Facebook page linked to it and I’m hoping to build an online community so that people not only in the Mitchell Shire but in the community as a whole can live together and share their experiences with businesses, with organisations, with restaurants and even hospitals.”
Mr Georgelin said he hoped to bring awareness and conversations about disability into the public consciousness.
“Disability has always been a taboo subject I feel. People don’t understand it so they’re frightened of it. Because they don’t understand it they don’t know the questions to ask,” he said.
“A lot of people with disabilities are happy to talk about their disability, but I know a lot of people who don’t have disabilities don’t know how to approach it.
“What I’m trying to do with this website and the Facebook page is make it not such a hidden-away topic.
“It’s a safe place where people can talk about their disability and not feel like they’re getting judged, or people who don’t have a disability can actually come on and learn more about it from the other side.”
Mr Georgelin said he wanted to continue the momentum of the recent Paralympics, after the Federal Government agreed to pay the same bonuses to Australian Paralympic medallists as those of their Olympic counterparts.
“In the community lately we’ve had the Black Lives Matter movement and the [Me Too] movement dealing with sexual harassment, but there’s never really been a movement for people with a disability. It’s always been a topic people don’t want to talk about,” he said.
“In Australia alone there are 4.4 million people who are recognised as having a disability. With 26 million people in Australia, that’s nearly one fifth of the population, but the government keeps saying it’s not a high agenda topic. It needs to be.
“Every four years when the Paralympics come on, it becomes a hot topic, and then it disappears and in six months’ time nobody is talking about it again.
“I really do hope that the momentum continues on because I feel people with a disability have been left behind.”
People can view Mr Georgelin’s directory online at nabled.com.
