Wallan school makes way for new leaders
By Aleksandra Bliszczyk
Our Lady of the Way Primary School in Wallan has selected its school leaders from its largest cohort to date.
Two school captains, two social justice and mission captains and eight house captains were elected out of 58 year six students.
Students and teachers made their selections last month, based on the students’ altruism and work ethic, paying close attention to how they made the most of remote learning during lockdown.
“They showed responsibility towards others, compassion towards others, they’ve also shown that they can juggle their academics and extra responsibilities already,” year five and six teacher Mark Van Zyl said.
“We also looked at these kids coming up and how they juggled their workload at home and the things they did at home, and how they took their learning seriously.”
The school captains, Charli Dafos and Dylan Turner, will host assemblies throughout the year and act as role models to the other students and representatives for the school within the community.
Mr Van Zyl said they would also work closely with the social justice and mission leaders, whose role was to identify and support areas of the school community and the wider community most in need.
“Being a Catholic school, it’s all about going out and serving the community, so [the social justice and mission leaders] are going to help us model that to the school, but also to find some different charities and different organisations that need help in our community, that we can, as a school, follow and try to help out,” Mr Van Zyl said.
“It’s one of the biggest [roles] and one of the most rewarding ones too.”
Mission leaders Ananya Bonsrey and Chiboy Iroeche will organise fundraising events at the school, including an upcoming collection drive for St Vincent De Paul’s and raising money for impoverished communities in Africa.
“They did choose that role as what they wanted to go for and they both shine in that way, they’re always helping others, they’re always thinking of others before themselves and it was just an easy decision for them,” Mr Van Zyl said.
“They’re both very, very creative kids too so hopefully they’ve got fresh ideas that they can bring to the party.”
House captains for 2021 are Aspen Singh, Alana Pulis, Tahlia Furfaro, Charlotte Marshall, Blaze Bertolini, Kobe Scinto, Tariana Bennett and Max Curcic. They will coordinate their houses for the school’s sports days and serve as exemplars of strong teamwork.
“It’s not necessarily just sport, it’s also about sportsmanship, so again being role models and just helping out,” Mr Van Zyl said.
The leadership team is the largest yet for the school, which was founded in 2018, so the leaders’ roles are more significant than ever.
The school staff will be working closely with the leaders to foster their leadership skills, and are looking forward to seeing them and the cohort excel.
“We’re only a fresh school and the first year here we only had four year six students so they all had a role, and then last year we gave some roles out but we didn’t utilise them because of COVID, so this year really is the first time that – fingers crossed it runs better than last year – they’re going to shine a little bit more,” Mr Van Zyl said.
Cultural Diversity Week celebrates inclusivity
The City of Whittlesea is hosting a series of art, film, music and language events and workshops over the next fortnight, celebrating belonging, inclusivity and the municipality’s rich cultural and linguistic diversity.
The program is across Harmony Week, the five days in the lead up to Harmony Day on March 21, and Cultural Diversity Week, which falls on the following week.
Harmony Day, now in its 22nd year, coincides with the United Nations International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, while Cultural Diversity Week, from March 21 to 28, is Victoria’s largest celebration of multiculturalism.
Whittlesea’s centrepiece artwork is Listening to Land, a public installation by several artists, including paintings by Simeon Walker and Wurundjeri artist Mandy Nicholson; Birrarung, a film composition by Maudie Palmer; and the Solace Stream by landscape artist Vin Anderson.
Mr Anderson used rocks, branches and water to create a running stream on the tiled floor of the council offices’ Great Hall in South Morang.
“We’ve brought in some sights and sounds, bush, trees, some noise with the water, smell with the eucalyptus. Everything is sourced locally and will all go into another project next,” he said.
Taking cues from patterns found in the area’s landscapes, the Solace Stream invites visitors to reflect on the importance of nature on residents’ wellbeing throughout lockdown last year, and what they may have discovered in their areas.
“We want to reflect what people have been finding, particularly in the last 12 months, down these little streams, nooks and crannies around their own area,” Mr Anderson said.
“I’d like people to walk in the door and say ‘wow’, and then feel something different, smell something different and then from there hopefully reflect.”
Much of the two-week program will be at the council offices’ Great Hall alongside Listening to Land.
On March 17 at 6.30pm, visitors will be seated around the stream for a free screening of Small Island Big Song, an internationally renowned documentary film tracing the songlines of communities in the Pacific Islands and the Indian Ocean.
Songlines are a method of storytelling and oral mapping, and have been a prominent element of First Nations communities for tens of thousands of years.
Filmed over three years on 16 island nations, the project by Taiwanese producer BaoBao Chen and Australian filmmaker Tim Cole unites hundreds of musicians through song from Hawaii and Madagascar, to Borneo, New Zealand, Taiwan, the Torres Strait Islands and more.
Other featured events include a performance by Australian-Jordanian musician Hana Zreikat on March 18; a workshop and discussion on interpretations and translations of Rumi’s poetry led by Merve Onder of the Islamic Museum Australia, including a poetry-writing session, on March 22; and a lesson in the history and technique of Aboriginal dot paintings by Western Arrarnta, Luritja and Kokotha artist Emrhan Tjapanangka Sultan on March 24. Each event is free but bookings are essential.
The full program runs until the end of March, with Listening to Land open weekdays until May 21.
Pool opening extended
Macedon Ranges Shire Council will keep its outdoor pools at Lancefield and Woodend open for an additional two weeks – closing on Sunday.
Due to the ‘significantly lower than normal temperature range’ during the summer period, and the temporary closure during the circuit-breaker lockdown, council opted to keep the pools open for the community to enjoy.
Council hopes with its extension of the opening the community will be able to attend the pool – weather permitting.
The pools will continue to operate under the Temperature Based Operating Guidelines during this period, which will mean the pool is open from 3.30pm until 6pm on weekdays if it is at least 26 degrees celsius that day.
The same temperature requirements apply on weekends, but pools open at 12pm until 6pm. Opening hours will be determined by the Bureau of Meteorology temperature forecasts for Kyneton at 4.30pm the day prior.
Diamond delay
By Colin MacGillivray
MITCHELL Shire Council has united with the federal opposition to call for immediate works on a planned Hume Freeway diamond interchange at Watson Street, Wallan.
Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Catherine King met with Member for McEwen Rob Mitchell and council representatives in Wallan last week to discuss the project, which will create south-facing freeway entry and exit ramps at Watson Street to align with existing north-facing ramps.
Ms King and Mr Mitchell slammed the Federal Government for its inaction on the project since announcing $50 million of funding in August last year.
Ms King said the government had ‘absolutely failed to deliver’ on the project since committing the funding.
“It’s symptomatic of what we’re seeing across the country in terms of the government making lots of announcements and putting out lots of press releases around their road projects, but not actually delivering,” she said.
“Every single year across the country the government is spending between $1.2 and $1.7 billion less than it has promised on infrastructure. It’s not as though the money is not there, the money just needs to flow.
“Particularly after COVID as we start to recover, these are really important construction jobs for local communities.”
Mr Mitchell said a diamond interchange would help alleviate peak-hour traffic in Wallan’s east.
“Anyone who drives through Wallan now will tell you that the traffic is getting horrendous, particularly as people are heading back to work after COVID and with the extra growth in housing,” he said.
“We’ve brought the Deputy Prime Minister here and stood him on this very spot to show him the importance of it, and [the government is] great at making the announcement but there’s been no following through.
“The council and the community are both saying this has to be done now.
“Each and every day people are queuing for sometimes up to 40 minutes to get from Wallara Waters into Wallan, and that’s just ridiculous.”
Mitchell Shire Mayor Rhonda Sanderson said she believed the talks with Ms King were ‘very productive’.
“We hope [this will get the ball rolling]. We know how important it is to the community that these things are carried through,” she said.
Council chief executive Brett Luxford said he saw no reason why the project should not be underway.
“We think the diamond interchange is vitally important to relieve congestion through Wallan and to provide alternatives for the community,” he said.
“We believe all the funding is in place and everything has been designed and is ready to go, so from the community’s perspective the sooner it happens the better.”
A Department of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development spokesperson said the project was in ‘detailed planning’.
“[This] involves identifying and investigating investment priorities for upgrades along the corridor, including the construction of southerly orientated ramps at the interchange of Watson Street and the Hume Freeway,” the spokesperson said.
“A delivery schedule is being determined as part of this process in consultation with the Victorian Government.
“The Australian Government has committed $50 million to fully fund the upgrade to the Hume Freeway between Watson Street in Wallan and the M80 Ring Road under the Urban Congestion Fund.”
Ms King said the project had been in planning since it was announced.
“We ask what’s happening with this project at every senate estimates, which happens regularly, and the government keeps telling us it’s in planning,” she said.
“In planning can mean anything, and they’ve been saying it’s in planning for a long time now. We think it’s time for it to be under construction.”
Doreen harpist fuses music and meditation
By Aleksandra Bliszczyk
Music’s beneficial physiological effects have always been evident to Doreen harpist Michael Johnson.
The accomplished musician is about to embark on a series which will bring harp music and meditation together, with a free introductory lesson on Friday.
The session will be at Brookwood Community Centre in Doreen, open to anyone.
“Music stops us focusing on things that happened in the past and the possible things that could happen in the future and really puts us in the present moment in a very peaceful way,” Mr Johnson said.
“I’m aware as a musician of the effects it has on me, and I’m also aware of the effect music has on the audience just by watching the audience with their eyes closed and all breathing in time to each other.”
As an established concert performer and the resident composer and musician at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Melbourne for more than 20 years, Mr Johnson has played many instruments, but is best known for his work on the harp, with which he fell in love for its unique reverberating and resonating qualities.
“The harp really literally sang to me,” he said.
“It does what no other Western instrument does. When you pluck, for example, middle C, and you dampen it – in other words stop it from ringing – all of the other Cs on the harp ring out [and] it’s the most beautiful sound.”
Alongside his performances at the Botanic Gardens, Mr Johnson began to play at yoga classes and meditation events, and was asked to work for the Gawler Foundation, a not-for-profit cancer support organisation and meditation retreat in the Yarra Valley, piquing his interest in the many ways that music can help people.
His career has taken him across Australia and beyond through documentary music he’s composed for the ABC and SBS.
But more recently Mr Johnson has put music under the microscope, undertaking study in music and neuroscience at Swinburne University.
“I’m actually able to carry out [research] at places like Delmont Psychiatric Hospital, where I’ve worked for the last 10 years practising mindfulness and music with the dementia patients and also people with schizophrenia, bipolar and chronic depression, because in each of those cases, even though mindfulness is part of the non-drug intervention, it’s very difficult to get into meditation in silence for people with those illness because silence is deafening for them,” he said.
“If you have a whole lot of voices in your head arguing with your own thoughts, it’s very hard and very distracting, and music, because it releases that lovely cocktail of serotonin [nicknamed the brain’s calming chemical], melatonin [the sleep-regulating hormone], oxytocin [ the ‘love hormone’] and dopamine [the ‘happiness hormone’] in the brain, what ends up happening is it almost anesthetises the fear of ruminating thoughts.”
Ruminating thoughts are excessive, intrusive thoughts about negative experiences or feelings, which are particularly persistent in people who have experienced trauma. But these thoughts can also be triggered by stress in mentally-well people.
“You don’t have to have a mental illness to have ruminating thoughts and particularly so with times of stress like during the bushfires and during the lockdowns during COVID,” he said.
Since 2019 Mr Johnson has been running a meditative music program at the Botanic Gardens, but this will be the first time he has brought his two passions to Doreen, and he encourages everyone to give it a try.
In the first half of the session, he will guide the group through meditation while playing hypnotic, slow-heartbeat music on his harp.
He will help participants enter a state of observation, rather than past or forward thinking, noticing and focusing on breathing and temperature.
The second half will be a simple performance, where Mr Johnson will play music he has composed in nature and in the Botanic Gardens, telling the stories behind each piece.
This first session will start at 7pm on Friday in the Brookwood Community Centre’s Hazel Glen Room at Doreen. Tickets are free but bookings are essential and can be made at www.michaeljohnson.com.au/concerts.htm.
Station parking upgrade
Riddells Creek and Kyneton train stations will have new car parking built, while Gisborne station will be upgraded to improve passenger experience.
The State Government projects will also deliver additional accessible car parks, bicycle parking and increased safety and security with CCTV and lighting improvements in the car parks.
Residents can have their say on the concept designs for the projects, online at www.engage.vic.gov.au/car-park-upgrades-kyneton-gisborne-and-riddells-creek, and available until March 31.
Member for Macedon Mary-Anne Thomas said the project was in response to an increase of passengers travelling on the Bendigo line.
“These car park improvements will help people living in the Macedon Ranges get to their local station and I encourage people to provide any feedback they have on the plans,” she said.
“This is the second time we have increased car parking at Gisborne and Kyneton stations and these projects respond to the fact that over recent years more and more people have been catching the train on the Bendigo line.”
The project will be delivered by VicTrack as part of the government’s Car Parks for Commuters program which will see 11,000 new car parks built to free up streets, make it easier to catch the train, improve safety and generate jobs across the state.
Minister for Public Transport Ben Carroll said the project was part of a continued upgrade to Victoria’s rail network.
“Increasing car and bicycle parking at stations makes it easier for people to access public transport and get to where they are going,” he said.
“We are building new and upgraded car parking at stations across the state to respond to the increase in passengers we have seen over recent years, particularly as we continue upgrading Victoria’s rail network.”
Panthers impress in long-awaited return
By Colin MacGillivray
WALLAN Panthers returned to Big V competition with a bang at the weekend after more than a year of waiting.
Wallan’s men’s and women’s teams each recorded double-digit victories at RB Robson Stadium, defeating Pakenham and Mornington respectively.
For the men’s team, the talking point was American import Sharif Black.
Black, who was signed before the 2020 season was derailed by the COVID-19 pandemic, made his long-awaited debut for the Panthers and thrilled spectators with a 40-point performance in the 86-68 win.
Black’s explosive speed and ferocious attack on the rim earned him 16 trips to the free-throw line, of which he converted 12. His thunderous transition dunk in the third quarter was the game’s highlight, bringing the Panthers’ bench players to their feet.
But Black was far from the only contributor for Wallan. Recruits Keenan Gorski and Dominic Bruno shone in supporting roles, scoring 19 and 13 points respectively and each netting three three-pointers.
Wallan coach Tim Annett said the Panthers’ combination of outside shooting and transition offence was a blueprint for the rest of the season.
“We played the style of basketball we want to play this year – really fast-paced, up-tempo, taking the shots that are there and a really exciting brand of basketball,” he said.
“We’ve got three or four really high quality three-point shooters, all guys who can quite easily have 30 points on their night.
“I’ve given them the green light if they’ve got a bit of space away from the defence to just shoot and shoot and shoot, because I’ve got every confidence that they’ll make them.”
Annett said Black’s debut was a great story for the Panthers.
“Sharif has had to be very patient, and to be able to reward him with a win like that – especially with the way he played – was outstanding, and I think it opened a lot of eyes around the league,” he said.
“He’s so quick and athletic, he gets his way to the bucket very easily, and to be honest he could have gone to the free-throw line another 10 times if calls had gone his way.”
The Panthers’ women were even more dominant in a 74-47 win against Mornington on Sunday.
Forward Rebecca Romeo dominated in 27 minutes of action, scoring 25 points on 8-13 shooting and hauling in eight rebounds.
Carly Simons and Alex Darby chimed in with 10 points apiece, and guard Sarah Scott celebrated her return from a two-year layoff with an Achilles injury and the pandemic by scoring three points.
Wallan’s defence stifled the Breakers, who shot an abysmal 28.8 per cent from the field.
The Panthers’ youth league teams could not match the exploits of the senior sides, with the division two men losing 79-74 and the division two women losing 72-58 in their Big V debut, both to Southern Peninsula.
Wallan’s senior men will host Mornington at RB Robson Stadium on Saturday at 8pm, with the youth league men also playing Mornington in a curtain-raiser at 6pm.
The senior women will be on the road to face Corio at Geelong Arena on Saturday night, with the youth league women at home against Collingwood at 1pm on Sunday.
Magpies soar into grand final
WALLAN is ‘quietly confident’ of bringing home the Gisborne and District Cricket Association Johnstone Shield on Saturday after a big semi-final victory over minor premier Rupertswood at the weekend.
The match was played over two days after being rained out after 24 overs on Saturday, but the Magpies held their nerve and rode their outstanding batting and error-free bowling to a grand final berth.
Wallan was already well on its way to a big total when rain cancelled play on Saturday, with openers Todd Keenan and Ryan Cumberland putting on 76 for the first wicket.
Cumberland fell leg before wicket to Rupertswood’s John Lane just after bringing up his half-century, but Keenan batted on unperturbed with new partner Bryan Vance on Sunday.
Vance was caught for 46 shortly before Wallan’s 40 overs were up, but Keenan got just reward for his patience with an innings of 108 not out.
A massive total of 2/216 gave Magpies skipper Steve Bell plenty of confidence.
“I think we have the best bowling attack in the comp, so I was very confident with the total we set that we were going to be able to defend it,” he said.
“All the bowlers did what needed to be done. Chris Vecchie was a standout with 4/23, which was pleasing to see because last week he was doubting his spot in the side and whether he belonged in the team.
“Brent Hanson is our best bowler, and it was pretty standard from him to get three wickets.
“All the bowlers bowled well, but the figures probably don’t reflect that. That was probably due more to the field we had set, where we were happy to give up singles because of the big total we had set.”
Bell’s field placements worked to perfection, with the high-scoring Rupertswood line-up bowled out for 184 in the final over of play.
The Magpies will now face Bacchus Marsh – a team they comfortably beat in the final round of the home-and-away season – in the grand final.
Bell said his side simply needed to replicate its form of the past two weeks.
“We have beaten Bacchus Marsh a couple of times this season, but they are a good team and we obviously can’t go in overconfident. We’re more quietly confident,” he said.
“It would be great if we could get plenty of support and people coming over to watch us in the grand final.”
Wallan Youth Hub opens
A $1.74-million one-stop-shop providing essential youth support is now open in Wallan.
The Bridge Youth Service will manage the facility, providing a suite of services as well as assisting other providers outreaching to the area.
Services that will be available include housing and homelessness services, mental health, substance abuse, family relationships and support for young parents.
There will be a variety of early intervention programs including family reconciliation, adolescent support, links to education, future parenting programs and school disengagement.
The former Wellington Street kindergarten building has been transformed thanks to Mitchell Shire Council’s in-kind contribution of $1.09 million and $645,789 from the State Government’s Growing Suburbs Fund.
Member for Yan Yean Danielle Green and Mitchell Shire Mayor Rhonda Sanderson officially opened the youth hub on Friday.
It is envisaged new group programs and other services will be provided once the facility is opened.
The hub features youth social spaces; consulting rooms; intake rooms; GP room; modern reception and waiting area; landscaped open space, seating and shade; and open plan kitchen.
Cr Sanderson said the initiative had been a key focus for the youth council who worked alongside Mitchell Shire Council to highlight the need for increased youth services, particularly mental health support in the area.
The Youth Services Hub also ticks two vital boxes recommended by The Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System – providing early intervention and offering services much closer to home.
“Youth mental health and wellbeing is a priority for our community, and the youth hub will provide essential support services to our young people,” she said.
“Projects like the youth hub are imperative to keeping up with the growth in our communities and to delivering on our commitment to provide a healthy, connected and sustainable community now and into the future.
“We’ve seen first-hand from young people and service providers in the community how important locally accessible services are. It’s good to be to be able to give an old building a new lease on life for a good cause.”
Youth mayor Thomas Starkey said having a youth hub in Mitchell Shire was crucial to the health and wellbeing of young people in the community.
“Being able to access mental health support locally means young people can get the help they need without having to travel hours on public transport or wait months for appointments. This support will change lives and set young people up for a positive future,” he said.
The Bridge Youth Service chief executive Melinda Lawley said improving access to services was crucial, as was providing effective and easy pathways, closer to the young people’s homes and their families.
“Working with other providers, we will be able to coordinate and integrate support for young people closer to their homes,” she said.
“We are working hard to attract new mental health funding for young people in Wallan and the whole Mitchell area.”