Panthers celebrate youth achievement

The North Central Review

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February 3, 2021

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By Colin MacGillivray

WALLAN Basketball has returned with a bang, celebrating its inclusion in the Big V Youth League women’s competition.

Club president Gary O’Brien said the Panthers’ acceptance into the under-23 Big V Youth League women’s competition for the first time was a positive sign for the club.

“That’s the first ever women’s youth league team in the area, so there’s a real huge push for female basketball,” he said.

O’Brien said navigating the COVID-19 pandemic had been difficult for the club, but it was now poised to thrive.

“Basketball Victoria recognised that coming out of COVID, under-12 girls and under-18 girls were the two biggest-hit age groups,” he said.

“Getting a women’s youth league team really looks towards those girls in the 16 to 23 age bracket, which I think is really good.

“That provides a pathway for girls coming in in under-12 rep teams, go all the way through to youth league and then into women’s Big V.

“We’ve gone from trying to keep the club afloat during COVID everything happening at once.

“We’re coming off the Eltham-Dandenong tournament, which is the biggest tournament in the southern hemisphere.

“Our 15 rep teams went and competed and three of them won the title in their divisions, which is not a bad ratio for a little club like us.

“We’ve got CBL up and running and domestic competition restarted last Saturday. Now we’re building up to the Big V season, which will start in March.”

Priority groups for COVID vaccine announced

The North Central Review

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February 3, 2021

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Priority groups for COVID vaccine announced

AUSTRALIA’S COVID-19 vaccine rollout has been mapped following the Therapeutic Goods Administration’s approval of Pzifer-BioNTech’s vaccine.

The vaccine will be free to all Australians, and will be allocated in phases to the most vulnerable groups first, across more than 1000 vaccination sites nationwide.

Commencing in late February, up to 1.4 million doses will be administered to quarantine and border workers, frontline and healthcare workers, and staff and residents in aged care and disability care.

Phase 1b will prioritise adults aged 70 and over, Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander adults aged 55 and over, adults with underlying medical conditions and disabilities, and high risk workers including defence, police, fire, emergency services and meat processing.

Adults over 50 and other high-risk workers will follow in phase 2a, the balance of the adult population in phase 2b, and finally under 16s in phase 3.

Priority groups are identified by taking into account current public health, medical and epidemiological evidence on who would be most affected if they contracted COVID-19.

No dates nor timeline has been confirmed, but Prime Minister Scott Morrison said he hoped to start with 80,000 vaccines administered each week.

He also said he wanted four million Australians vaccinated by the end of March.

“It’s great news that the Pfizer vaccine is now TGA-approved but we have real concerns about the number of vaccines actually available and how the rollout will be prioritised,” Federal Member for McEwen Rob Mitchell said.

“In McEwen it is well understood that already rural and regional areas generally suffer poorer health outcomes and we don’t know how rural and regional communities will be prioritised in the rollout.”

But Federal Member for Nicholls Damian Drum said the approval was an ‘important moment’ for the region and Australia.

“The approval of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine comes after rigorous and independent assessment by the TGA, which shows it meets Australian standards for safety, quality and efficacy,” he said.

COVID-19 vaccines have been developed at record-breaking speed due to necessity, but underwent rigorous trials, testing on numbers of people above the minimum requirements.

Phase three of a clinical trial usually involves giving the vaccine to several thousand people, but phase three of the Pfizer/BioNTech trials tested on over 41,000 people, resulting in 95 per cent efficacy.

Minister for Health Greg Hunt said the TGA’s process was thorough and its regulators placed safety above all else.

“Australia’s high bar has been met – the vaccine has been approved as effective in stopping severe disease,” he said.

So far the government has ordered 10 million doses of Pzifer-BioNTech – enough for five million people – along with 54 million of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, 51 million of Novavax, and 25 million of COVAX, which are still pending TGA approval for use in Australia.

If secured and signed off, they would provide 140 million doses of vaccine and place Australia fourth in the world for the number of vaccines per capita.

The Prime Minister has not yet made it clear whether the vaccine will be mandatory for adults.

Wallan gyms raise money for family

The North Central Review

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February 3, 2021

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TWO Wallan gyms, Totally Fit and Bizy Bodies, have teamed up for a ‘Train the Trainers’ campaign, which will raise money for a family impacted by brain cancer.

Totally Fit member Dave Maskell’s daughter Jenna was diagnosed with brain cancer at age three, and his gym has raised money to support her family and brain cancer research over the past few years.

The money raised this year will go towards Jenna’s ongoing treatment.

Members at both gyms can place bids to win the right to turn the tables and train one of the gym trainers for a 40-minute public session.

“We’ll do whatever they tell us to do for the 40 minutes,” Totally Fit owner Kieran Atkin said.

Mr Atkin said Bizy Bodies owner and trainer Amanda Falahey reached out to him over the summer break about how her gym could help raise extra money.

“We’re having a bit of friendly competition to see which club can raise the most money, and then it’s going to be combined,” he said.

Last time Totally Fit raised just under $1000 and this year, with two gyms involved, the pair is aiming to at least double that figure.

“We’ve got over 750 members [at Totally Fit] now so it’d be really good to get as many as possible involved, even if they just want to donate a few dollars here and there,” Mr Atkin said.

“If we can get a couple of bucks off everyone then we’re well over our $1000 goal.”

Bids will remain open until February 28, and the training session will be in the first week of March.

For non-members, both gyms are also raffling free three-month memberships, valued at about $200 each. Raffle ticket money will top-up the fundraiser. Tickets can be purchased on site or via phone, email or social media messages.

Mr Atkin also hopes to bring awareness to other local charities and community groups that provide aid and support.

“[We want residents] to realise that there are businesses and groups within the Wallan community that they can reach out to for assistance if required,” he said.

Students’ spirits not dampened by rain

The North Central Review

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February 3, 2021

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By Aleksandra Bliszczyk

IT was a dreary and dribbly start to the school year last week, but after a confusing 2020 for many children, the cohort wasn’t disheartened by the weather.

“They arrived in the middle of heavy rain, and because parents are limited in their access [they] didn’t get to come inside the classroom, so our foundation students showed incredible independence and just managed their separation from their parents really well,” Kilmore Primary School principal Neil O’Sullivan said.

“I think all the kids that have come through this period are incredibly flexible and have a lot of resilience in dealing with change.”

Despite the challenges schools faced due to the pandemic, Mr O’Sullivan said many opportunities arose, including the use of new technologies to deliver curriculums and support learning, which helped some students thrive.

He also said professional development among staff had changed radically.

“There have been a lot of positives. We really came to know our community incredibly intimately during that time and we had a very strong focus on community wellbeing and supporting the physical and mental health of our kids, and that’s been highly valued,” he said.

Kilmore Primary School prep students enjoyed their first day at school last week. Pictured are students Zara Sheldon, Kobie McKenner, Lana Wright, Cody Male and Mackenzie Praag.

Kilmore Primary School’s focus on mental health has sharpened in 2021, with an expanded wellbeing program that includes new small-group support programs to help students develop their social skills.

“I think there’s a great sense of stability and regaining that sense of old routines which has been lovely for everyone,” Mr O’Sullivan said.

“It feels like the old normal and everyone is enjoying that.”

Many staff and students across the region shared a sentiment of joy of being back in the classroom after months of remote learning.

“The [preps] are normally nervous but [this year] they’re just so excited,” Pyalong Primary School principal Jessica Bowen-Duarte said.

“The energy they bring to the school – it’s just lovely.”

Some COVID-19 restrictions still apply to schools, including density limits, additional cleaning and infection prevention training for all staff.

Wandong Primary School students Kobe Barnes and William Bankuti in their classroom on their first day of prep.

Wandong Primary School principal Kelly Morrow said not allowing parents into classrooms had been the most challenging adjustment.

“It’s tricky because that’s not how we operate with kids and families. We want family involvement, we want community involvement, we want them in our schools, and to try and keep distance is not in our teachers’ natures,” she said.

Wandong Primary School has also introduced a new Auslan language program for students of all ages, which Ms Morrow said had been well received.

With 73 preps, Wandong is among several schools that have seen record enrolments this year, thanks to many new families coming from neighbouring postcodes.

Pyalong has 15 preps this year, an increase from 11 last year.

Ms Bowen-Duarte said the small school had doubled in the past four years, now with 87 students in total.

Our Lady of the Way Catholic Primary School in Wallan has 97 preps this year, including four sets of twins.

IMG 0362 Again for no reason — Our Lady of the Way in Wallan has four sets of twins in prep this year. From left, Bailey and Mason Ferrise; Edith and Gillian Collis; Jackson and Lachlan Marcucci; and Angel and Josh Ustuner.

Call for clarity on logging plans

The North Central Review

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February 3, 2021

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BEAM Mitchell Environment Group leaders have called for more transparency from state forestry body VicForests over concerns about planned logging in Tallarook State Forest.

The group believes logging at coupes in the forest could begin as soon as April, but president Peter Lockyer said VicForests had not been forthcoming with information about its operations.

He said the group had scheduled a video meeting with VicForests in November but the forestry body cancelled the meeting and had not rescheduled.

Mr Lockyer described the information on VicForests’ website as confusing, incomplete and sometimes contradictory.

“We have a range of concerns, and a response of ‘here, go find the answers on our websites’ is lazy and draws into question the integrity of their process,” he said.

“The website references have contradictions and the information portal is not easy to navigate.

“If VicForests were to be straight and answer our questions, now two months old, we may have some reassurance that they actually want to engage with stakeholders.”

Mr Lockyer said separate letters from former state Minister for Agriculture Jaclyn Symes and VicForests said there would be no logging in the Tallarook State Forest during this financial year, but that VicForests’ online information portal indicated logging would start at three coupes in the area in April.

“They contradict each other, and obviously one of them is wrong, so we’re suspicious,” he said.

A VicForests spokesperson said the organisation regularly engaged with stakeholders about planned harvesting operations and still intended to have a formal meeting with BEAM.

“VicForests is committed to ongoing and constructive engagement with stakeholders consistent with the regulatory framework in which it operates,” he said.

“VicForests also thoroughly assesses all coupes prior to harvest and applies all buffers and exclusions required by regulation. In addition, VicForests excludes high value habitat trees from harvesting as a contribution to the maintenance of habitat for priority species.”

Mr Lockyer said environmental groups were concerned about the effects logging in Tallarook State Forest would have on greater gliders and other native flora and fauna.

He said citizen surveys indicated the presence of the threatened species in the Tallarook forest, but that VicForests’ survey data was incomplete.

“We’re still doing our surveys and finding greater gliders and we’re engaging others to help with the survey of flora,” he said.

“As citizen scientists it’s pretty onerous, and it would be better all-round if we could work with VicForests and piggyback off their studies.”

Mr Lockyer said logging at Tallarook would be a short-sighted move.

“There’s not a lot of big trees in the Tallarook forest, so what we’re looking at primarily – probably, but we don’t know because [VicForests] haven’t shared which coupes will be logged in which way – is clear-fell logging,” he said.

“That means most of that forest will go for woodchips, and you just think in this day and age, when species are being threatened by climate change, we’re in the wrong century if it’s ending up as woodchips.”

Mr Lockyer said BEAM would fight to save the forest.

“We had a meeting with a representative group from Strathbogie who had worked for five years with their council to get Minister Lily D’Ambriosi to put an interim protection agreement in place to protect the forest,” he said.

“In due course after a lot of politics and surveying, that forest will be reclassified. That’s where we want to go.”

Dance group aims to host state comp

The North Central Review

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February 3, 2021

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BROADFORD-BASED marching group Mitchell DrillDance Club hopes to host a round of state competition in March.

The club, which was formed in 2019 by Broadford resident Dianne Pungor, is hoping to attract new members to participate in DrillDance Victoria competition.

DrillDance Victoria, which was formed in the 1990s, had its roots in the female-only Australian Marching Association competition before being rebranded as a unisex sport.

It emphasises teamwork, coordination, good posture and physical activity through technical drills and thematic dance aspects.

Mitchell DrillDance Club secretary Coleen Lazaric said the group was looking to expand in 2021 and were seeking council approval to host a round of domestic competition. The club will also compete at the state titles in Geelong on the last weekend of March.

“It’s a good sport and it’s easy to do,” she said.

“We’ve got ladies in the masters team who are up into their 60s, and I know of other ladies in other teams who are in their early 70s, so it’s a sport you can join when you’re young and pretty much do it your whole life.

“We have nine members in our masters team, an under-13 team with six members, and our committee members and affiliated members plus a coordinator for each team, so there are probably 25 members in the whole club.

“Our plan is to continue to grow, ideally. We had a stall set up [last week] at the Broadford festival and there was a lot of interest from the younger age groups. We had a bit of interest in the under-eight age group and a couple of kids interested in the intermediate age group from 13 to about 15.

“We also had a bit of interest in the masters age group, and the more people you have, the better the spectacle.

“March will be the first time either of our teams have competed at a state competition. They’re all very excited, especially the little ones.”

Ms Lazaric said hosting a round of the state championships would be a good chance for Mitchell Shire residents to discover what DrillDance was all about.

“If all goes well with council and COVID restrictions aren’t too tight, we hope to make use of the Broadford Leisure Centre on either March 7 or 14,” she said.

“We thought if there is going to be a competition in the area, we could encourage people to come along and see not only us, but all the other teams from around the state as well.”

Bins for bales

The North Central Review

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February 3, 2021

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By Colin MacGillivray

HIDDEN Valley’s Ethan Liddy is a unique teenager.

While his peers might ride their bikes around the neighbourhood for fun, Ethan has a different reason for pedalling.

The 13-year-old rides the length of his street each week putting out bins for seven of his neighbours. In return, they pay him $1, $2, or sometimes even more, all of which he donates to the Buy a Bale campaign supporting rural farmers.

Ethan has been at it for more than two years and in that time has donated more than $2000 for drought-stricken farmers. His ultimate goal is to raise $5700, the cost of a full semi-trailer load of hay.

In the lead-up to Christmas, Ethan received $200 from the Wallan chapter of the Country Women’s Association (CWA), bringing his donation total above the $2000 mark.

Ethan’s mother Jo Liddy said she was extremely proud of her son’s selfless actions.

“We’re very proud of him. He’s a teenager and it would be so easy for him to say ‘this is uncool’ and not do it anymore, but he’s stuck with it for more than two years,” she said.

“What I really love about it is that he’s kept it going. He’s in secondary school now and he kept it going through COVID.

“I’m so proud that he’s thinking about people other than himself. It would have been so easy for him to have kept some of the money for himself, but he keeps none of it.

“He’s always had a really strong sense of community.”

Ethan said he was inspired to begin raising money for farmers after a Hay Mate fundraising concert in 2018, and his parents agreed to match every $100 that he raised.

From humble beginnings, putting out two of his neighbours’ bins, he has expanded, and plans to bring in even more money through a paper run and other activities such as busking.

“I’m hoping to hit the target [of $5700] by 2022 or 2023. If I start doing the paper run I’ll get more money from that,” he said.

“But I don’t want to just stop after getting there – that would be a bit odd just to stop after several years because I’ve gotten to a certain number.

“We’re still in drought and it’s not like it’s all over. We still need to keep donating and helping the farmers.”

Ethan said it was ‘amazing’ to receive the $200 donation from the Wallan CWA and hoped that more community organisations would support his efforts.

He also thanked one of his neighbours for giving him his old bike after Ethan outgrew the one he had been riding.

“He gave me a bike that had been sitting in his garage for four years, so it’s nice to have another bike. It’s more comfortable to ride and go on my bin runs. It’s really nice that he donated that to me for free,” he said.

People interested in contacting the Liddy family to make a donation to Ethan can email Ms Liddy at mysecondaddress@hotmail.com.au.

Seymour constable receives Rotary award

The North Central Review

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February 3, 2021

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SEYMOUR Senior Constable Jason Crossing was recognised for his service with the 2019-20 Rotary Peter Toomey Memorial Community Police Officer of the Year and Rotary Clubs of Victoria District Police Officer of the Year awards.

Sen Const Crossing was presented with the awards during the Australia Day ceremony at Kings Park in Seymour last week.

The Peter Toomey award is presented annually to a police officer within the Rotary 9790 district who demonstrates outstanding service above self in the community. The 9790 district spans an area from the northern suburbs of Melbourne to southern New South Wales, including all of Mitchell Shire.

The Rotary Club of Seymour and Mitchell Police Service Area Inspector Peter Koger presented Sen Const Crossing with the award and paid tribute to his dedication.

Insp Koger said Sen Const Crossing had been a member of the Australian Defence Force prior to joining Victoria police and was deployed on active duty to conflicts in Iraq, Afghanistan and Timor during his 10 years of service.

Sen Const Crossing received eight service medals during his time in the army, including infantry combat badges, a soldier’s medallion and commendations.

“Jason’s service to his country has now turned to serving our community,” Insp Koger said.

“His diverse background and experience has equipped him with life skills that he is able to utilise in every day policing duties.

“Jason consistently demonstrates his commitment to making the community a safer place whether it be attending family violence incidents, addressing anti-social behaviour in town or policing our rural roads.”

Insp Koger said Sen Const Crossing had attended numerous family violence incidents, some involving recidivist offenders.

“The compassion he displays to victims of family violence allows them to again feel safe and on numerous occasions the victims have taken the time to make comment on the empathy he has displayed towards them,” he said.

“Jason has twice been commended for the actions he took while attending serious family violence matters and his commitment to reducing family violence in our community.

Insp Koger said Sen Const Crossing’s commitment to serving the community and Victoria Police’s fundamental value of protecting life and property was no more evident than in 2018 when he and his partner were called to assist three adults and two children stranded in the Goulburn River at Yea after their canoe had capsized.

“All five were clinging to branches in the water and starting to suffer from the effects of hypothermia,” he said.

“With specialist assistance some time away, Jason realised that time was of the essence and enlisted the help of a nearby fisherman in a boat.

“By the time they rescued the last person they were so cold that they were unable to physically get into the boat, so Jason entered the water and assisted them.

“All ended well in a situation that could have very well ended in five people drowning.”

Cannabis seized at Pyalong property

News

The North Central Review

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February 2, 2021

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By Colin MacGillivray

POLICE have charged two Vietnamese nationals residing unlawfully in Australia with drug trafficking and theft offences after nearly 200 cannabis plants were seized at a Pyalong property.

Pyalong police, with the assistance of Mitchell Crime Investigation Unit and division response units, searched a property at 3 Nicholson Street, Pyalong at about 12.16pm on Monday last week.

Investigators found what Mitchell Police Service Area Local Area Commander Inspector Peter Koger described as ‘an extensive, sophisticated set up of hydroponically-grown cannabis in four rooms of the house’.

Insp Koger said an electricity bypass was attached to the property’s power supply, which was used to avoid payment for power use at the home.

Police seized 189 cannabis plants, deemed a commercial quantity and estimated at a value of more than $750,000.

Insp Koger said Vietnamese nationals Minh Van Phan and Nga My Tran, both of St Albans, were arrested in connection with the investigation and transported to Seymour Police Station, where they were interviewed with the aid of a Vietnamese interpreter.

Phan, 44, and Tran, 42, were charged with trafficking and possessing a commercial quantity of cannabis, as well as electricity theft.

The pair was remanded in custody to appear at Shepparton Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday last week, where they were further remanded for a committal mention on April 20.

Insp Koger said police had begun to investigate the property earlier in January, using the air wing to conduct a thermal evaluation of the building and completing an electricity check with the assistance of Powercor.

He said cannabis-growing operations similar to the one found at Pyalong were not unusual, but could be dangerous.

“It’s quite common for someone to rent a property and then use it for the sole purpose of cultivating cannabis like that,” he said.

“We do have a lot of fires from cannabis crops, particularly where they’ve bypassed the power, because they’re not usually set up by a licensed electrician. They’re done ad-hoc by the people who are growing the cannabis crop.

“Quite often they’ll have a fire. It’s very dangerous for the members who are attending as well due to the electrocution risk because it hasn’t been done the right way.”

Insp Koger said due to Phan and Tran’s status as unlawful residents in Australia, they would be deported after court proceedings concluded.

“They will go to court. If they’re found guilty, because they’re not permanent residents they will be deported by Border Security. Once they’re found guilty at the court, that’s the end of it,” he said.

CEO selection conflict

Council

The North Central Review

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February 2, 2021

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By Steph McNicol

THE selection of a new chief executive caused conflict at a Macedon Ranges Shire Council meeting last week, with Cr Geoff Neil claiming the process had been ‘manipulated’ and ‘belittled’.

The council is in the process of recruiting a new chief executive after the resignation of Margot Stork in September last year.

Councillors were discussing the formation of a panel to select a new chief executive officer following a motion by Deputy Mayor Mark Ridgeway, who suggested the committee include three councillors.

“I’m happy to move that our selection committee consists … of Mayor Anderson, Cr Death and Cr Guthrie. That’s a representative from each of the three wards, and as near as you can get gender-balanced out of three people – that’s what we’ve got,” Cr Ridgeway said.

“In moving this motion I’d just like to say that I’m of the view that when it comes to these committees, the smaller the better. After many years’ experience working on panel selection processes in the past, groups of about three people is probably the most effective group to work with.

“I think it’s very important in terms of how our council is seen by all of our residents and ratepayers that we actually have equal representation from each ward involved in it. I have every confidence in each of the people I have recommended to be on the [panel].”

But Cr Neil opposed Cr Ridgeway’s motion, and said he felt ‘grossly disappointed’ and ‘excluded’.

“Councillors, from the get-go you’ve been aware of my view in relation to the appointment of a chief executive. From day one I have always believed it’s all in or virtually nothing, and I look at this and say we have picked a nothing,” he said.

“You knew where I stood on this matter, that I wished to participate from go to end, and yet you’ve deliberately chosen to exclude me.

“To my mind that says heaps. Do I have confidence in the processes? The answer is no.

“I think it’s been manipulated as it was last time, but I’m not given the chance to be proven wrong.

“I think the other part for me is that, given this is the most important decision we will ever make in our four years, that you’ve decided to belittle it to three councillors.”

Mayor Cr Anderson advised Cr Neil to ‘be careful with [his] language’ and requested he withdrew the word ‘belittle’.

“Let it be noted that I requested the word belittle be removed, it’s a derogatory term towards a motion before us, each councillor is entitled to put a motion before us,” Cr Anderson said.

“Yes Cr Neil, this is one of the most important, if not the most important, decisions this council will make. If this motion is passed tonight, there is more than one person sitting in this room that would’ve passionately loved to have been on this committee.

“Whatever decision we make tonight, we all need to be united in that decision and work together.

“I have no doubt that whatever committee we choose, there will be openness and transparency between committee members and council … hopefully the process can run as smoothly as possible.”

The motion was carried with support of all councillors, except Cr Neil.

“Councillors, I think if you can’t find time to do the process as a whole, I often wonder why you’re here. I’m not devastated, just grossly disappointed in the motion before the chair,” Cr Neil said.