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More Mitchell cases and exposure sites confirmed as shire re-enters lockdown

The North Central Review
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More Mitchell cases and exposure sites confirmed as shire re-enters lockdown

Mitchell Shire went back into lockdown last night for a projected seven days after seven new cases of COVID-19 were confirmed in the municipality on Sunday, and one new case on Monday.

As of this afternoon there were 23 active cases and eight tier-two exposure sites; one in Broadford, two in Kilmore, one in Seymour and four in Wallan.

People who were at any of these locations at the time of exposure must get tested immediately and self-isolate until a negative result is returned.

Mitchell Shire is now one of four regional areas under the same lockdown restrictions as metropolitan Melbourne, joining the City of Ballarat, City of Greater Geelong and Surf Coast Shire.

The five reasons to leave home are back, with the addition of outdoor social interaction of up to four hours a day in groups of five fully vaccinated adults plus dependents, or two adults regardless of vaccination status.

Shopping, exercise and outdoor social interaction are limited to 10km from home. Masks are mandatory indoors and outdoors – and there are still no home visitors allowed.

Mitchell Shire Mayor Rhonda Sanderson said she understood another lockdown announced on Sunday afternoon wasn’t ideal, but that council would provide help through its dedicated community services to people who called 5734 6200.

“Once again, we are being asked to band together and follow the public health advice for seven days,” she said.

“Our community has shown great strength and resilience over the past 18 months – and together we have collectively done what needed to be done.”

Mitchell Shire council is now urging residents to get tested immediately and vaccinated at the earliest possibility, to bring its relatively low vaccination rate up.

On Sunday Premier Daniel Andrews also revealed Victoria’s roadmap out of lockdowns, which is based on the state meeting 70 and 80 per cent double dose vaccination coverage.

According to the latest data from September 13, 64.2 per cent of Mitchell residents had received a first dose, and 39.7 were fully vaccinated.

As of today the state has reached 72 per cent first dose and 43.9 per cent second dose.

“While it is not an ideal situation to be in, we now have a Victorian roadmap we can all work towards, so let’s take the next step by receiving a vaccination,” Cr Sanderson said.

“It is great to see so many people already roll up their sleeves, however let’s get those numbers even higher.”

“If you are eligible to be vaccinated, we strongly encourage you to do so.”

*This story was updated at 4pm Monday, after this week’s newspaper went to print, to include one new case that was confirmed for the Mitchell Shire today. The number of active cases in the shire is now 23.

Kilmore District Health urgent care centre listed as exposure site

Lauren Duffy
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Kilmore District Health urgent care centre listed as exposure site

Kilmore District Health is now a tier one exposure site after a patient with a non-COVID-19 related condition tested positive to the virus.

The patient attended the urgent care centre on Monday, September 13, between 9.40am and 12.40pm.

All impacted staff and patients are being contacted and will be advised what they need to do in relation to getting tested and isolating.

A KDH spokesperson said the health organisation was currently working with GV Health’s public health unit and the patient.

“We will provide any further relevant information as it becomes available,” they said.

“If you were in the UCC during the time period above and have not yet been contacted, please call the hospital on 5734 2000.”

Anyone who has visited a tier one exposure site during the times listed must immediately isolate, get a COVID test and quarantine for 14 days from the date of exposure.

The new exposure site is not yet listed on the Department of Health, DHS, website.

The news comes as authorities announced four new cases in the Mitchell Shire – two in Broadford, one in Wallan and one in Beveridge.

There is a total of nine active cases in the Mitchell Shire, according to the DHS.

Of the active cases in Mitchell Shire, there are three in Broadford, three in Wallan, two in Seymour and one in Beveridge.

Beveridge has a total of five active cases, but the 3753 postcode is split over Mitchell Shire and City of Whittlesea.

Laurimar Recreation Reserve redevelopment commencing next month

The North Central Review
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Laurimar Recreation Reserve redevelopment commencing next month

The City of Whittlesea has announced a sweeping redevelopment of Laurimar Recreation Reserve in Doreen, the home of Laurimar Football Club, starting next month.

The upgrade to the reserve’s west oval will include the installation of new drainage and irrigation, a cricket wicket and a natural turf surface, as well as new fencing and coaches’ boxes.

Following ongoing issues with poor drainage and the general condition of the sportsfield surface, a concept design was undertaken in 2020-21 for upgrade, and consultation was undertaken with the Laurimar sporting clubs that use the oval – AFL and cricket – to ensure practical considerations for game-day were considered, such as the location of player access gates and coaches boxes.

The construction contract of $1.1 million has now been awarded with construction to start in October 2021 and expected to take six to nine months to complete and for the turf to establish.

The reserve is home to Laurimar Football Club, which includes more than 600 members and teams ranging from under 9s to over 35s.

Laurimar Football Club president Alasdair Walker said he was looking forward to teams playing and training on the new ground next season.

“The upgrade will be truly first-class and provide a better home facility for all of our teams,” he said.

“It will improve safety, accessibility and importantly sustainability, which will give us the confidence to grow and attract more members to the club.”

City of Whittlesea administrator Chris Eddy said providing first-rate facilities to support community sport was a high priority.

“Local sport is at the heart of our community and helps bring people together,” he said.

“The upgrade to Laurimar Recreation Reserve will boost participation in sport and help keep our community active.”

For more information about the Laurimar Recreation Reserve upgrade, visit whittlesea.vic.gov.au/majorprojects.

City of Whittlesea proposes mandatory cat desexing to combat strays

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City of Whittlesea proposes mandatory cat desexing to combat strays

The City of Whittlesea is proposing mandatory desexing of all cats in the municipality from 2022 as part of its draft Domestic Animal Management Plan 2021-25.

The draft was developed using more than 3000 community responses gathered earlier this year, and is now available for people to read and provide feedback.  

The plan is the framework for creating an environment where residents, domestic animals and other native animals can thrive and be safe.

It outlines proposed actions that may enhance council’s management of dogs and cats, including responsible pet ownership; nuisance complaints; overpopulation; reduction of euthanasia rates; animal registration and microchipping; managing dangerous, menacing and restricted breed dogs; and monitoring domestic animal businesses.

There are currently 18,321 dogs and 6798 cats registered in the City of Whittlesea.

A total of 2457 animals were impounded in the City of Whittlesea in the 2020-21 financial year, while 77 dogs were surrendered and 13 were seized due to dog attacks.

With 658 animals reclaimed last year, the plan outlines ways to improve outcomes for impounded animals, including reuniting pets with their owners and rehoming suitable unclaimed animals.

At the most recent council meeting, chair administrator Lydia Wilson said another ongoing concern for residents was the stray cat population, with mandatory desexing and a cat curfew being discussed within the community for some time.

“During the consultation for the DAMP, we received a great deal of feedback asking for action on roaming pet cats and stray cats because of the harm they cause to wildlife and the nuisance they create for neighbours,” she said. 

“The draft DAMP includes the introduction of mandatory desexing of new cats registered with council from 2022. 

“It also recommends undertaking further community consultation in relation to the issue of a cat curfew within the municipality, looking at the experience of other councils.” 

Ms Wilson and administrators Chris Eddy and Peita Duncan said the cat curfew idea was sensitive and complex, and more community consultation was required.

“This is not about introducing a cat curfew and there’s been no decision made in relation to that,” Mr Eddy said,

“I think it’s a cautionary tale that some other metro councils deferred the introduction of a cat curfew for another six months because it’s such a complex issue to manage, with behavioural change required and significant time needed in the community to prepare for such a thing, so it’s not a decision that would be made lightly.”

Council will work with vet clinics to educate owners about the benefits of desexing their cats and develop a discounted pet desexing program for concession card holders.  

The City of Whittlesea will also partner with the City of Darebin and Moreland City Council to promote the importance of dog socialisation and training, and will continue its education campaign to encourage dog owners to pick up after their pets and keep them on leashes in public places.  

Victorian councils are required to prepare and implement a Domestic Animal Management Plan every four years.

The draft was written following the first two stages of community engagement conducted between March and May 2021, which included an online community survey, nine community place-based pop-ups in the City of Whittlesea and 10 phone interviews with key stakeholders.

A total of 3049 contributions were received, which Ms Wilson said showed how much residents cared about animal wellbeing.

“We value pets and the role they play in our community and this plan is how we balance the wellbeing and management of pets with the needs of the community as a whole,” she said.

People can visit engage.whittlesea.vic.gov.au until September 30 to find out more or have their say on the City of Whittlesea’s draft Domestic Animal Management Plan 2021-25. 

The final plan will be considered for adoption at the council meeting in November.

Whittlesea Public Gardens redevelopment announced

The North Central Review
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Whittlesea Public Gardens redevelopment announced

Whittlesea Public Gardens in Lalor will be extensively relandscaped and redeveloped into an outdoor recreation hub, with construction set to start later this year.

Signalling a new era for the popular park that was built in the 1990s, City of Whittlesea administrators say the upgrade will restore the park to its former glory, re-energise the area and create a modern space for residents and families.

At the most recent council meeting, council divided and awarded the construction contracts, with the redevelopment to be delivered in stages. The first stage is expected to be complete by mid-2022.

The first stage will include a new playground equipped with a large play tower, double flying fox, rope climbing unit, swings, slides, in-ground trampolines, rockers and nature play.

A new learn-to-ride area will help children learn how to ride bikes, scooters or roller-skate safely on mini roundabouts, speed bumps, intersections and crossings.

Future stages will include a skate park, upgrade to the dog off-leash area, rock climbing wall, basketball courts and outdoor fitness equipment.

City of Whittlesea Chair administrator Lydia Wilson said the redevelopment of Whittlesea Public Gardens would reflect the changing recreation needs of the Lalor and Thomastown community.

“It certainly is going to be transformational for this particular, very important and well-used space that clearly has been a gathering place for the communities of Lalor and Thomastown for many, many years, and hence that sense of starting to return the public parks to their former glory,” she said.

“We look forward to celebrating the rich history of the site by reimagining its most popular features including the lake, wetlands and play area and welcoming a new generation of Lalor and Thomastown residents to Whittlesea Public Gardens.”

Stage one of the redevelopment is estimated to cost more than $3 million.

Council’s $2 million investment into the first stage of the transformation is supported by a further $2 million contribution from the State Government.

Lancefield Primary Spoonville connects students learning remotely

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Lancefield Primary Spoonville connects students learning remotely

By Aleksandra Bliszczyk

Lancefield Primary School students and parents connected with each other during lockdown via a Spoonville village of hand-crafted characters.

While the students can’t be physically together, their spoon characters can be, thanks to the activity that was part of the school’s wellbeing Wednesdays program.

Principal Joanne Emond said the spoon decorating idea was intended as something fun to foster a sense of school community.

“We sent out instructions and said if you’d like to participate all you need is a wooden spoon, scraps, paint materials and your imagination,” she said.

But after a few days she said they were ‘inundated’.

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“One of our parents is the manager of Romsey IGA and they said they ran out of wooden spoons,” Ms Emond said.

The dozens of spoons, which families have dropped off at the school, are painted as people, animals, rockstars, dragons, aliens and more, and are now on display in a school window for passers by.

The figures are also lit up at night and are hung next to a poster that reads: Community is about doing something together that makes belonging matter.

“Our first idea was to stick them in the garden but they’re so beautiful, so now what we’ve done is put them in the window of my office that looks out onto the main road,” Ms Emond said.

Acknowledging that lockdowns continue challenge families with young children, Ms Emond said the activity has been well-received by parents and that it was as much for them as it was for the students.

“You can see that the kids have had help, and that’s the whole point,” she said.

“Our families are amazing and our mantra is do what you can, when you can. The teachers work really hard to support [everyone] because it’s tough and people get tired. It’s important that we think of new ways of engaging kids.”

A 166-year-old cottage in Romsey has won a government heritage grant

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A 166-year-old cottage in Romsey has won a government heritage grant

The Romsey and Lancefield Districts Historical Society has been awarded a State Government grant to help preserve the historic Seymour Cottage in Romsey.

Erected on Palmer Street in 1855 from prefabricated parts imported from Singapore several years earlier, the cottage is one of the earliest colonial buildings in Romsey.

Its first inhabitants were Sidney and Elizabeth Seymour, who immigrated to Melbourne in 1840 from Somerset, England, as part of the British government’s early bounty scheme. They moved to Romsey in 1855, where the family lived in the cottage until 1915.

It passed through several other owners, before it was gifted to the Romsey and Lancefield Districts Historical Society ‘for the purpose of preservation of the historical homestead’ in 1982.

The society is now campaigning for its World Heritage Listing.

The $37,000 grant from the government’s Living Heritage Program will go towards commissioning the development of a conservation management plan, a heritage landscape plan, and a structural condition report recommending appropriate remedial measures for Seymour Cottage.  

Minister for Planning and Housing Richard Wynne announced the round six recipients of the grant last week, and said the program intended to protect significant sites across Victoria for future generations to enjoy and learn from, as well as adding to the tourism value of regional towns.

Society secretary Fay Woodhouse said members were overjoyed by the announcement after a long campaign.

“This was a matter of third-time lucky for the society,” she said.

“After two unsuccessful attempts – the first in 2011-2012 and the second in 2018-19 – we are at last a winner.

“Seymour Cottage is certainly a treasured site in our region and tells us a great deal about the history of the township.

“When the cottage was open for its first ‘history tea’ in April 2021, over 150 people attended the day, keen to discover what they could about the cottage and its former owners.”

Ms Woodhouse said lockdowns had disrupted this year’s events schedule, but the grant ensured future events at the cottage could be planned.

“We are hoping that this heritage grant will, as Minister Wynne notes, ‘breathe new life’ into Seymour Cottage for the people of Romsey and Lancefield and for all Victorians,” she said.

People can follow the society’s updates at www.romseylancefieldhistorical.org.au.

Wallan’s Daniel Nolan awarded Victorian AFL coach of the year

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Wallan’s Daniel Nolan awarded Victorian AFL coach of the year

By Tricia Mifsud

After leading his side to the top of the Riddell District Football Netball League ladder, Wallan’s Daniel Nolan has been awarded Victoria’s AFL senior coach of the year.

The AFL received more than 600 nominations across the nine categories in this year’s Toyota AFL National Volunteer Awards, with all Auskick centres, schools, community clubs and leagues invited to nominate an outstanding volunteer.

Nolan said he had no idea he had been nominated for the award but was extremely humbled to be recognised.

“It was a complete shock. I had no idea I had been nominated until I received a call on Tuesday from Grant McMillan from AFL Victoria that I had been nominated and was successful in receiving the award,” he said.

Nolan thanked the Wallan club committee for its work throughout the year, saying without it he would not have had the team and resources to coach.

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“I’ve seen second-hand that they’re just unbelievably hard workers behind the scenes, and it’s been the same committee, especially Stephen Shephard and Neal Langborne who have been there with me from day one to provide the resources to the coaches and the players,” he said.

“I can’t do what I do without the committee and the award reflects the hard work they put in.

“It’s very much an award for the club – at least that’s the way I see it – so I’d like to thank them and also my coaching group.”

Nolan has been with the Magpies for the past six years, and this year led the senior side to a top-of-the-ladder finish before the season was cut short due to COVID-19 restrictions.

The Magpies were strong favourites to win the premiership in the Riddell District senior football competition.

Nolan said he had enjoyed his time at Wallan and looked forward to coaching the senior side again in 2022, after recently being reappointed to the position for another year.

“I’m forever grateful for the opportunity Wallan have provided me over the journey. It’s been six years that I’ve been with the club, and I’ve absolutely loved my time there,” he said.

“I’m now looking forward to next year after the disappointment of COVID-19 ending the season a little earlier and hopefully we can break the premiership drought.”

Wallan’s reserves and under 19.5 sides also finished on top of their respective ladders, which Nolan said reflected the culture the club had worked to make stronger.

“It says a lot about our depth, the culture and the environment that we have at Wallan,” he said.

“It’s not just a senior 22, the reserves and 19’s coaches do a power of work. We’ve had about 32 players in the seniors this year, and we know when players come in, they certainly play a role.

“That’s why we were probably sitting in a position to be successful this year, but now we just need to channel that energy and motivation into next year.”

New swab-free COVID-19 test trialled for kids

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New swab-free COVID-19 test trialled for kids

A new medical device, manufactured and developed in Melbourne, is helping reduce the stress in Victorian children when being swabbed for COVID-19.

The Murdoch Children’s Research Institute and Royal Children’s Hospital are trialling a new device – Rhinomed Junior – to test children for COVID-19.

The device sits at the base of the nose and collects virus particles for testing. It comes in a range of colours and designs, such as moustaches and cat noses, making the procedure less stressful.

Rhinomed Junior is currently being trialled with PCR tests at the Royal Children’s Hospitals drive-through COVID-19 testing clinic, which tests about 1500 children for COVID-19 per week.

About 250 children aged four to 18 will use the device over the six-week trial and the results will be compared with ‘traditional’ testing methods.

Alternative COVID-19 testing methods are going to be needed to maintain high testing rates in the community. Children, especially young children, can often become stressed during tests, which not only makes it harder to obtain a sample but is also distressing for the parents and treating clinicians.

Health Minister Martin Foley said the rate at which the device was inserted into the nose could be controlled by the young person, making the experience less traumatic.

“Taking a medical test can be a frightening experience for some kids, but as we know, testing is critical in limiting the spread of COVID-19 among young Victorians,” he said.

“Rhinomed lets kids control the rate at which the swab goes in, which increases their sense of control and makes the whole experience a lot less stressful.”

Meanwhile the Opposition continues to call on the State Government to change its stance on rapid testing.

Member for Euroa Steph Ryan said securing supplies of rapid antigen tests was urgent and would allow the state to reopen and return to some kind of normality.

“The Federal Government anticipates that rapid antigen tests will soon be approved for widespread use in the community, as is the case in other countries where you can buy the tests on pharmacy shelves,” Ms Ryan said.

“Both the New South Wales and federal governments are ordering supplies of rapid antigen tests.

“I am baffled as to why the Andrews Government has not done the same to ensure we can reopen as quickly as possible.”

Ms Ryan said NSW had rolled out rapid testing to residential aged care facilities across Sydney. 

“Rapid testing has been in place in Sydney’s aged care system since the middle of August to increase screening of aged care residents and visitors,” she said.

“Regular use of these tests, which can be used on a daily basis by people working in high risk settings, helps detect asymptomatic transmission and outbreaks. 

“The Andrews Government seems to have an ideological opposition to rapid testing, repeatedly talking down the technology despite it being widely backed by epidemiologists.”

Social housing to be built in Seymour

The North Central Review
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Social housing to be built in Seymour

The Mitchell Shire is set to gain 16 new social housing homes following a State Government announcement on Friday.

The 16 homes will be built in Seymour, partnering with community housing provider The Haven Foundation.

The total cost of the project is $5.39 million, of which $3.77 million is from the State Government’s Big Housing Build fund.

Under the Big Housing Build, the government is set to invest a minimum of $25 million in the Mitchell Shire in coming years.

Mitchell was identified as one of 18 regional municipalities to invest in social housing due to its high population growth.

The government announced its first allocation of funds last week for community housing projects that will create thousands of new homes across Victoria.

Minister for Housing Richard Wynne said 89 projects would deliver 2352 new social homes for Victorians who needed them most.

The projects, worth more than $1 billion, are located across 38 local government areas and range from a 152-home development in Melbourne to several two-home developments in regional areas.

The investment includes $148 million for housing projects in regional Victoria, delivering 583 new social housing homes across 44 projects creating more than 1800 jobs.

As well as Mitchell Shire, homes will be built in municipalities of Ballarat, Baw Baw, Benalla, Corangamite, Glenelg, Bendigo, Geelong, Shepparton, Horsham, Latrobe, Moorabool, Southern Grampians, Surf Coast, Warrnambool and Wodonga.

The homes will be available to those in the most need – including people living with mental illness or disability, people escaping family violence, Indigenous people and individuals experiencing homelessness.

The government expects constuction to begin by the end of the year, with the new homes being delivered in partnership with 22 community housing agencies.

The projects include 62 new supported independent living homes for Victorians living with mental illness being built across four sites announced in June.

Mr Wynne said the new houses would give more people the certainty of a roof over their head and the security of a job.

“More than $1 billion in projects will start this year – delivering new housing and hope to thousands of Victorians,” he said.

“This is so much more than a construction project – it’s a safe place to call home, training and apprenticeship opportunities and thousands of local jobs.”

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