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Every town has a beating heart. In Heyfield, it’s the pub. In Maffra, it’s the pub. In Rosedale, it was the pub, and in Woodside, who would have thought, it’s the pub. Erected on the side of the South Gippsland Highway in the 1850s, the Woodside Beach Hotel, also known as the Woodside Pub, quickly became the beating heart of the 53-person township. Woodside expanded with rich opportunities for cropping and livestock grazing predominating, increasing the town’s population. Woodside Primary No. 1176 was built in the 1870s, followed by the town hall in 1889 and a Catholic church in 1904. The early 1920s saw several properties in the Woodside region subdivided into smaller farms, marking the border lines for the Woodside here today. In 2006 the population of Woodside had grown to 267, and the Woodside Pub was unwavering in its test of time, remaining the epicentre, the true blue beating heart of the small regional town. Then came the fires. The little town was devastated by the deadly 2009 Black Saturday bushfires, incinerating the Woodside Post Office, with another blaze burning down the Woodside General Store later in the year, leaving little more than blackened cindered frames. Despite suffering so much loss, Woodside began rebuilding, hopeful and with prospects, but reality was not so kind. In 2016, the Woodside Beach Hotel closed its doors after 170 years, taking with it the heart and soul of the Woodside community. Until now. In November 2021, an 11-person syndicate, including director Clint Hillas, Redd Catt Sale cafe owner Matt Raidal, star player of the Western Bulldogs Josh Dunkley and a clandestine Financial Review Rich-Lister, signed the ownership contract to the Woodside Pub. Clint Hillas found himself out of work when the pandemic hit, prompting the 230-kilometre move from Melbourne to Woodside. “My wife is from Woodside, so I have been going to the town for 15-plus years,” Mr Hillas said. “WE WERE IN THE EVENTS AND HOTEL GAME, SO WHEN THE PANDEMIC HIT, WE BOTH LOST OUR JOBS, SO WE MOVED TO WOODSIDE JUST TO HELP OUT ON THE FAMILY FARM.” That was when Mr Hillas noticed the Woodside pub was for sale. “We noticed the sold sticker came up,” he said. “Twice it was sold during the lockdown, and both times, finance fell through.” As the world moved slowly back to pre-COVID life, the Woodside Pub was back on the market yet again. “I made an enquiry, pulled together a group of mates and locals, all with a connection to the area, and we managed to buy it,” Mr Hillas said. “IT WAS VERY SPECIAL.” With the paperwork signed, sealed and delivered, the hard work began. Behind its beautiful facade, the Woodside Beach Hotel was a lifeless, dilapidated cavity that needed serious attention. “The previous owners didn’t give it the love that it actually needed,” Mr Hillas said. “All the walls and the floors were rotting. “IT NEEDED A LOT OF LOVE.” And a lot of love they gave. The inside was gutted entirely, leaving a blank canvas to play with. With the old leaky roof replaced, new flooring, bathrooms and commercial kitchen, walls freshly painted, and a 16-metre L-shaped bar erected, the former derelict Woodside Pub is now unrecognisable from its former state. The smell of Gippsland steak, red wine jus, five-spice crispy calamari and golden brown chicken schnitzels topped with melted mozzarella, Neapolitan sauce and shaved champagne ham waft from the sparkingly new, state-of-the-art commercial kitchen. Behind the tantalising smells, making mouths salivate and stomachs rumble in anticipation, is Robert Paget. Originally from the UK, Robert Paget has come on board as head chef after spending the last 17 years in Sydney, making a name for himself in the culinary industry, heading some of the best kitchens in the region, including Gazebo, The Winery and The Bellevue Hotel. “I have worked in a lot of great places and in good companies, and Sydney has changed a lot in the hospitality industry, and I just wanted a change of lifestyle,” he said. “I LOVE COUNTRY PUBS. I LOVE PUBS; I AM A POM, SO OBVIOUSLY. “I love a pub woodfire, that cosy pub feel, and being a part of that just doing great food, that is what drew me here.” Having been open only a few weeks, diners are flocking in the hundreds to Woodside Pub to get their hands on Mr Paget’s parmigiana, steak, vegetable curry or classic English Sunday Roast; all made with locally-sourced produce. “The vibe we are really going for is in winter that comfy, hearty food and in summer a little bit lighter with things like fish and chips, seafood platters and stuff like that, just good food, done really well,” Mr Paget said. “It’s not over-complicated, just food, done really well that tastes great.” Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events Steve Dimopoulos said the re-opening of the Woodside Beach Hotel is a significant step forward for Gippsland tourism. “The re-opening of the iconic Woodside Beach Hotel is a major milestone in Gippsland’s recovery and will be another incentive for more people to visit, stay longer and enjoy all the region has to offer,” he said. “Gippsland is a unique part of Victoria that offers visitors incredible beaches, bushwalking and fishing with some of Victoria’s most spectacular national and state parks.” It is undeniable that the resurrection of the Woodside Beach Hotel has been monumental for the regional Victorian community, and thanks to co-owner and Western Bulldogs midfielder Josh Dunkley, the pub has gained national traction. Growing up in Yarram, the blue-eyed Bulldog’s star has many memories of the Woodside Pub, a prominent landmark on the drive to his grandparent’s house. “It was just something that was always here,” Dunkley said. “Then one day, I was driving past, and it was closed.” It was a no-brainer for Dunkley when syndicate director Clint Hillas called the local footy star with the proposition to be a part of the Woodside pub’s resurgence. “A lot of people throughout this area gave a lot to me and my upbringing, made sacrifices and put time into me to get me to where I am today,” Dunkley said. “NOT ONLY MY FAMILY BUT THE COMMUNITY HAS HELPED GET ME TO WHERE I AM, SO TO GIVE BACK A LITTLE BIT IS A BIG THING FOR ME, THEN I AM SORT OF, NOT REPAYING BUT DOING A LITTLE THING FOR THE COMMUNITY THAT MIGHT HELP BRING IT BACK TO LIFE A LITTLE BIT AFTER ALL THE HARD TIMES.” With almost 55,000 Instagram followers and growing media attention, especially as Essendon, Port Adelaide and Brisbane Lions show interest in the out-of-contract gun premiership player, Dunkley’s hopeful his social influence will boost tourism to his home community. “When you are here, you can sort of see Woodside Pub now kind of brings a city vibe to the country because it’s a bit more modern,” Dunkley said. “A lot of country pubs have the more old-fashioned feel, whereas Woodside is more vibrant and just has this really cool feeling to it. “It’s nice to have something different in the area, and I think a lot of people will come and look at it and think, ‘wow, this is actually pretty cool’. “I’ve been promoting the pub a lot on social media, and already so many of the guys (at the Western Bulldogs) have said they want to come down and do things here. “We are even planning to get our RSAs and work behind the bar one night. “I think the pub will bring good business to the beach, the beach will become more popular, it is nice down there on good days, but yeah, it will just bring a lot more of the general public to the area. “The talk around the Woodside Pub has been big. “You know it’s been in the news, the Herald Sun, everyone on social media have been all over it, and I think that guys from regional areas will probably see it and realise it is a good thing to do that will help their own community. “Especially after the last few years, I think those things, like community, are more important than ever.” Wellington Shire Mayor Ian Bye said it was excellent to have the Woodside Beach Hotel back in operation, adding another great feature to the Wellington Shire tourism and hospitality sector. “Council welcomes and encourages new local investment in Wellington Shire, and it’s particularly exciting to see the tourism and hospitality industry beginning to thrive again,” he said. “It’s also fantastic to see activation happening in that part of the municipality, and it will be great to have an additional place for people to stop and enjoy The Middle of Everywhere.” The Woodside Beach Hotel is open from 11am, Thursday through Sunday. For more information about upcoming events, what’s on the menu, or to make a booking, head to their website at http://www.woodsidebeachhotel.com/ or find them and like them on Facebook.

Maffra Lionesses, Gwenda Millar and Maureen Moulton were recently awarded medals and certificates in appreciation of their achievements for 50 years of service with the Maffra Lioness Club. In March 1970, wives and partners of the Maffra Lions Club formed the Lions Ladies Auxiliary with Judy Pentland as the inaugural president, Jillian Johnstone as secretary and Heather Ollier as treasurer. Maureen Moulton joined the Lions Ladies Auxiliary in 1971, followed by Gwenda Millar just a few months later, with whom the two would become dear friends. In May 1985, the Lions Ladies Auxiliary became autonomous from the Maffra Lions Club, forming the service club still running today, the Maffra Lioness Club. The Maffra Lioness Club held its inaugural annual general meeting in July 1985, with Mrs Phyll Vardy as club president, Mrs Beryl Wynne as secretary, Mrs Rose Langley as treasurer, and a total of 24 members on charter. While the Maffra Lioness Club had become an independent service club; they continued to work closely with the men at Maffra Lions Club, appointing Mr Lindsay Wigg as the first Maffra Lions liaison officer. “We had a very nice relationship with the men,” Mrs Moulton said. “They never really went against us in the last 50 odd years.” “They just did what we told them to do,” chuckled Mrs Millar. In early July, Gwenda Millar and Maureen Moulton were commended for their dedication to the Maffra Lioness Club, receiving framed certificates and medals for 50 years of service from Past District Governor and Lions Council Chairman Steve Boyce. Over the past 50 years, Mrs Moulton has been Maffra Lioness Club president seven times, treasurer twice, in addition to multiple terms as vice president, assistant treasurer, assistant secretary and property steward. While Mrs Miller has declined all offers of a formal office role, she has worked tirelessly behind the scenes for over 50 years, and holds the highest attendance percentage of all current Maffra Lionesses, having missed only three meetings. “The same day I came out of hospital after giving birth to Leonnie (youngest daughter), I went to a Maffra Lionesses morning coffee,” Mrs Millar exclaimed. “It was the first time we had entered the Mardi Gra, so we were all into the fundraising morning coffees. “I came out of the hospital, and I got my husband Jim (deceased) to drop me off at the morning coffee with my little newborn baby,” Mrs Millar chuckled as she told the story. “She got passed around the group like a pass-the-parcel.” Mrs Millar has been Maffra Lioness Club’s meeting hostess and on every Meals on Wheels roster. Maureen and Gwenda were on most of the organising committees for Lions’ Balls, and agreed that the balls and banquets were highlights in their 50 years at the club. “We had big banquets that we catered for, didn’t we,” said Mrs Millar. “We had banquets and cabaret balls and all sorts of things,” added Mrs Moulton. “The First Fleeters cabaret ball was a wonderful night.” “Another one we did was the Buccaneers Banquet; that was fantastic,” Mrs Miller said. “Oh yes, the Buccaneers Banquet was a fabulous night,” Mrs Moulton said. “We had so much fun making up all the decorations and costumes.” “And we did sing some naughty songs; we were quite naughty back then,” chuckled Mrs Millar. Dear old friends, the pair flicked through photo albums on the dining table, reliving the experiences from past Maffra Lioness Club events. These days, the Maffra Lioness Club focuses on more service-type work, with their frolicsome years behind them, mostly. “We do a bit more service work these years, such as visiting the aged,” Mrs Moulton laughed. “The aged says me.” “And selling miles of raffle tickets, we would have sold thousands upon thousands of raffle tickets over the years.” Over the past 12 months, Mrs Millar and Mrs Moulton have helped the Maffra Lioness Club donate $1000 to the Maffra Municipal Band for new yellow jackets, held an Op Shop Fashion Parade and High Tea, with Maffra Secondary College students helping to serve the afternoon tea and model outfits, and host ‘A Pleasant Afternoon Tea’ donating proceeds to the Maffra Cemetery Trust for more seating around the cemetery. Mrs Millar and Mrs Moulton helped the Maffra Lioness Club pack 20 bags with period and hygiene products for Share the Dignity’s ‘It’s in the Bag’ campaign, supporting women experiencing period poverty and much more. Maffra Lioness Club President Fay Anderson said Gwenda and Maureen were highly valued ladies and members of the club. “Gwenda Millar and Maureen Moulton are very valued ladies, who have now given over 50 years of dedicated service to the Maffra Lioness Club,” Mrs Anderson said. “THEY STILL PLAY A BIG PART IN OUR FUNDRAISING ACTIVITIES, RAISING THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS FOR LOCAL MAFFRA CAUSES. “THEY ARE AN INSPIRATION TO OUR MEMBERS WHO FOLLOW OUR LIONS MOTTO, ‘WE SERVE’.” With no indications of slowing down, Mrs Millar, almost 85, and Mrs Moulton, nearly 82, are hoping for many more years of service.

Tamara Hall baked more than 300 delectable cupcakes, raising $1100 for an isolette and a new breast pump for Sale Hospital’s Special Care Nursery in this year’s Newborn Intensive Care Foundation ‘Bake for Babies’ fundraiser. Before the end of the year, the Sale local will be flooding the streets with that transportive baking smell, taking you back to days in your mum’s kitchen, licking batter off beaters and sticking hands in bowls, when she opens her baking business, Eight 9 Five. One day as the mother of two young girls was scrolling through Facebook, she came across an advertisement for the Newborn Intensive Care Foundation Bake for Babies fundraiser, sparking interest and ultimately marking the beginning of her ‘cupcakeathon’. “With plans to open my business before the end of the year, I thought this will get the name out there, and people can try my cupcakes all while raising money for a great cause,” she said. “I also love that NICF spends money locally rather than in other hospitals, which allows our local families not to have to travel long distances, but also to help treat their babies if they require long-distance travel to a bigger hospital.” When Tamara put on her apron and grabbed her mixing bowl, flour and sugar, she had no idea that she would end up baking more than 300 cupcakes and raise more than $1000 for Sale Hospital’s Special Care Nursery. When asked if she expected to raise so much money once she decided to take part in fundraiser, the mother baker extraordinaire replied unhesitantly, “God no”. “I was stoked that when I put my post out, I got an order, so I thought to myself, okay, maybe $100 would be cool,” Tamara said. “Then I started getting orders and donations without orders, and I got serious about reaching $500. “So $1000+ is huge.” Tamara was fortunate to have some very special ladies lending a helping hand as she baked cupcake, after cupcake, after cupcake. “My oldest (child) tried to help, but I’m not ready to trust her just yet,” she said. “SHE IS STRICTLY TASTE MANAGER! “My mum was my helping hand; I would not be able to have done this big a job without her.” Out of all the incredible cakes baked by Tamara, the cupcake connoisseur said the peanut butter and caramel ones were definitely a crowd favourite, receiving lots of feedback. “Surprisingly, confetti was the most ordered – I think for kids, the mini MnM’s inside was fun,” she said. The baker’s favourite – rainbow. “It looked amazing with the bright colours,” Tamara said. “Flavour-wise, I enjoyed the peanut butter one. People had asked for it, so it was new to the ‘menu’, and it was pretty great.” Tamara is already planning for next year’s Bake for Babies fundraiser, determined to raise even more money for the Newborn Intensive Care Foundation and help local families. “I already have plans for the bake next year, which won’t just include cupcakes,” she said. “I love baking, I love creating new flavours, and I really enjoy decorating and making them look fun.” Tomorrow from 11 am, Nicole’s Hair Design in Maffra is hosting a Bake for Babies High Tea. No tickets are needed, just a gold coin donation. It is the perfect opportunity to indulge your sweet tooth and enjoy a cuppa tea. Tasting plates are available to purchase, even take-home packs for those treats that really hit the spot. A raffle will be drawn in the afternoon, and all proceeds will be donated to the Special Care Nursery at Sale Hospital. For more information about the Bake for Babies fundraiser or to donate, head to the Newborn Intensive Care Foundation website https://newborn.org.au/regional-locations/central-gippsland-chapter/, or search Bake for Babies on Facebook.

Maffra Neighbourhood House held an open day last Saturday, showcasing its wonderful new home to the surrounding community. After years of scrupulously saving and with the help of the federal government as part of the Building Better Regions Fund, Maffra Neighbourhood House relocated from the Maffra District Hospital to the Freemasons building opposite Maffra Primary School in April this year.

Victoria’s wildlife shelters and rescues are crippling under financial strain and emotional pain, with a lack of funding available and an increase in horrific animal cruelty acts. Cancelling private health coverage, coming out of retirement to keep the lights on and more than $60,000 in debt; this is the financial sacrifice Theresa Matthews and husband Anthony Matthews have made to care for kangaroos at their self-funded wildlife shelter, Our Haven Wildlife Shelter. As difficult as financial struggles are, causing strain and emotional distress, it is not the cause of the warm, salty tears swelling in Our Haven founder Theresa Matthews’ eyes. Originally from Mornington Peninsula, Theresa and Anthony Matthews were frequent visitors to Gippsland, returning to the region for their biannual holidays. In 2000, Anthony ‘Scruff’ Matthews broke his back in a work incident, followed by a terrible staph infection that quickly deemed him redundant, incapable of working again. So in 2009, Theresa and Scruff packed their house into boxes, loaded a truck, hit the road, and headed to Golden Beach to enjoy their retirement. “We moved here to retire, to go on little holidays and do all that kind of retirement stuff and we were actually quite enjoying doing nothing,” Theresa said. “Scruff and I both love animals, and I have always checked the pouches (of dead kangaroos); I always knew to do that along roadsides. “THIS PARTICULAR DAY, A BLOKE HANDED A JOEY TO SCRUFF OVER THE FENCE.” “I just said to him, ‘a joey, what do you expect me to do with this?,” Anthony laughed. “The man had seen me checking pouches, so he thought that we looked after animals,” Theresa continued. “It was a long weekend, and we rang, and rang, and rang, and rang, but no one got back to us. “I mean, I have had five children; it was crying out, and you just knew it had to be fed. “So we Googled what we had to feed it and got the teets, Scruff went into town and got all that, and we just looked after it. “Finally, someone got back to me. The shelters were miles away, but most of them were full anyways, and they told me to take it to the vet where they were going to; well, you know, euthanise it; they had nowhere to put it. “I COULDN’T DO THAT. I WOULDN’T DO THAT. “Not long after, a woman who ran a shelter contacted me after she heard that I was looking after this roo. She took me under her wing and explained all the rules to me. “And from there, the roos just kept coming.” When Theresa and Anthony moved to Golden Beach in 2009, they were financially well off, with no mortgage and no debt. But that soon changed when the selfless couple took on the responsibility of caring for and rehabilitating injured and orphaned wildlife. “Everything comes to me now, koalas, possums, kangaroos, joeys, everything,” Theresa said. “I get them stable, fix them up if they can be fixed up, and then pass them to other shelters that have the right facilities for them.” Theresa has qualifications in personal care and has had training in wildlife care since founding Our Haven Wildlife Shelter. But, with limited funding from the government available, relying on personal funds, the Matthews can not obtain the necessary equipment to provide seriously injured wildlife the care required. “When I started this, I had no home loan, and financially, we had it great,” Theresa said. “We were about to buy a caravan, but all that money got spent on the roos. We let our medical fund go because we couldn’t afford to feed the roos and keep that because, for the first six years, we had no money from anywhere; it was purely what we had.” As the Matthews took on more and more kangaroos, joeys and other native wildlife, space soon became limited, and in order to continue providing rehabilitation and a safe space for injured and orphaned wildlife, they relocated to a larger property. In 2017 Theresa and Anthony received a donation for part of a block of land, which saw the couple and Our Haven Wildlife Shelter move from Golden Beach to a property in Stradbroke. “We got a donation for part of the block behind us, so then we went and took a loan for $60,000 for the rest of the money needed to buy the land, so then I went from no debt to $60,000 in debt,” Theresa said. “ONCE A YEAR, WE CAN APPLY FOR A GRANT (FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT, LAND, WATER AND PLANNING); IT’S $2000. MY MILK BILL IS THAT IN SIX WEEKS. “People don’t realise how much we go through. Depending on their age, whether their four-hourly feeds or two feeds a day, they slowly get weaned, but until they are 18 months, you are feeding them. “We do more than 10 kilos of washing a day, so our water bill is huge, fuel bills are out of this world, and I think you would have a heart attack at my electricity bill, and then there is all the medication and medical supplies. “There are plenty of (government) grants for domestic shelters, but you have a look at grants for wildlife.” DELWP provides the only government funding available to Victorian wildlife shelters, offering grants of up to $3000 for equipment, infrastructure, consumables, education and training through the Wildlife Rehabilitator Grant program. Last year, DELWP awarded $289,160.38 of funding to 120 wildlife rehabilitators across Victoria, which included the extra $60,000 of funding for rehabilitators hit by the July storms. In the 2020/21 State Budget, the state government allocated an additional $7.5 million boost to animal welfare grants, which saw domestic shelters across Victoria awarded $1.5 million in funding in 2021. That is a $1.2 million discrepancy in native wildlife and domestic animal funding. To add to the list, this year the state government is delivering its commitment to provide $3 million in Animal Welfare Grants, with $2 million going towards not-for-profit and community vet clinics to maintain and expand their services. The remaining $1 million will go towards domestic animal shelters and foster carers to buy equipment, upgrade, or expand their services. It is not just Our Haven Wildlife Shelter that is struggling to make ends meet as a result of the limited funding available. The local flying fox rescue and rehabilitation shelter, Moonshadow, also feels the overwhelming financial strain. Founder Lynne Amore says while some private organisations offer grants, money is limited, and successful applications aren’t guaranteed. “Government funding doesn’t cover anything,” Ms Amore said. “Rescuers are spending their own money keeping things running. “WE SPEND THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS ON FUEL A MONTH AND $100 A WEEK JUST ON THE FRUIT AND PROTEIN POWDER NEEDED TO FEED THE FLYING FOXES. “Some places we go to for our fruit offer us a few discounts, which is great, but unfortunately it really doesn’t elevate cost cover at all. “People frequently ask ‘Why don’t we ask for the old fruit places can’t sell’, but many people don’t know this, that mouldy fruit causes brain damage to flying foxes, so it has to be fresh; old is not an option. Rescue shelters save the government hundreds of thousands of dollars each year, whether through rescue and rehabilitation or euthanisation. “You wouldn’t believe the number of roos I have had to put down kid,” Anthony said. “THOUSANDS … THOUSANDS.” Veterinary services charge about $500 for the euthanisation of larger animals, not including burial, cremation or added call-out fees. But for Anthony and Theresa Matthews, euthanisation costs them. It costs them money on fuel and resources, it costs them time, and it costs them pain. So while wildlife rescuers like Mr and Mrs Matthews and Ms Amore appreciate the annual grant available from the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, it is not nearly enough to elevate the financial stress shelters are under. A spokesperson from DEWLP said, “the work that wildlife shelters and foster carers do is critically important to help rehabilitate injured and orphaned wildlife so animals can be released back to the wild”. “The Victorian Government is helping to stop the decline of native plants and animals and improve the state’s natural environment through its Biodiversity 2037 plan and has invested nearly $560 million towards protecting biodiversity and the natural environment since 2014. “This is the largest ever investment into biodiversity and natural environment by a Victorian Government. “Through the 2022/23 State Budget, $5.3 million has also been allocated to support authorised wildlife shelters and foster carers, implement the Victorian Koala Management Strategy, provide better protection measures for Grey-headed Flying-fox colonies during extreme heat events and the establishment of the Wildlife Emergency Support Network.” Despite the unrelating financial stress and pressure Theresa Matthews carries, her love and dedication to the animals are unwavering. “But honestly, they have been worth it,” she said. “SEEING THEM COME IN SO SCRAWNY WITH NO FUR AND EYES SHUT, THEN SUDDENLY RELEASING THEM AS THESE BIG HEALTHY ANIMAL IS JUST AMAZING, EVEN THOUGH I CRY ALL THE WAY HOME BECAUSE IT IS REALLY HARD SAYING GOODBYE. “There are a lot of losses as well, ones you try and save, but you can’t. You just keep hoping. Once they pass, you feel like you should have put them to sleep earlier, you know, you start thinking that you made them suffer longer, all that stuff, after a while its, it’s like a rollercoaster of emotions.” For someone like Theresa Matthews, who dedicates her life to preserving the lives of native Australian wildlife, it isn’t the financial strain that causes her the most distress, nor is it the death of an animal she has tried to save as distressing as that is. What breaks Theresa’s heart is the horrific acts of cruelty people commit on the poor defenceless animals. Theresa Matthews took a jagged, deep breath, hands shaking in her lap. “I am going to fight through and make sure this is heard,” she said. “I often go to the police and DEWLP, and nothing gets done about these cruelty acts. “LAST YEAR, THERE WAS A KANGAROO TIED BY ITS LEG; IT HAD BEEN DRAGGED A LONG WAY, AND ALL THE SKIN WAS GONE. “Where the kangaroo lay, it still had the electrical cord tied to its leg, and you could see all the way down the road all its fur and blood. “This is all the stuff I see and lots of it. “It is so hard to keep grounded. “Last night (June 21), my volunteer got called out to a kangaroo at Lake Reeve, Loch Sport. “THERE IS A FENCE THAT GOES DOWN INTO THE LAKE, AND SOMEONE HAD TIED A ROPE AROUND THIS KANGAROOS NECK AND TIED IT TO THE FENCE, SO WHEN THE WATER WENT UP, IT WAS DEAD.” Crimestoppers Victoria has received 74 reports related to wildlife crime between July 1 2021 and June 30 2022. Just recently, on Monday, August 1, Ballarat City’s Animal Management team found a dead eastern grey kangaroo decapitated and bound with orange rope during a routine street clean. In Victoria, all wildlife is protected under the Wildlife Act 1975. Hunting, taking, destroying, injuring, or interfering with wildlife is illegal, and severe penalties apply to those not compliant. The maximum penalty for hunting, taking or destroying wildlife ranges from $8261 to $41,305 and/or six to 24 months imprisonment. Crime Stoppers Victoria Chief Executive Stella Smith said, “it’s vital the public continues to come forward with information about wildlife crime because every Victorian has a role to play in protecting our native animals”. “You can share what you know about wildlife crime, including illegal hunting, anonymously with Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au.” By bringing to light these heinous offences, Theresa and Anthony Matthews hope the public will become vigilant in reporting such crimes, holding those accountable for wildlife crimes, helping shelters like Our Haven protect native animals. “Help us, help them,” is the message Anthony and Theresa Matthews urge the community to hear. To donate, volunteer or find out ways you can help Our Haven in their fight to preserve native wildlife, head to their website at http://ourhavenwildlifeshelter.org.au/ or find them on Facebook.

Wellington Shire Councillors met last Tuesday, August 2. Outstanding petitions from the July 19 meeting calling for improved traffic and pedestrian safety in Maffra and implementation of a traffic management plan for Nightingale Street, Yarram, remain under review by Council Officers who are preparing a response. RAAF Base East Sale Wing Commander Neil Foate of the Air Base Executive Office presented Wellington Shire Mayor Ian Bye with a trophy commemorating and thanking Wellington Shire Council for its advocacy and support of the RAAF base centenary. Councillor Bye acknowledged the presentation, which will be displayed in the mayor’s office and reiterated East Sale RAAF Base’s importance within the community. “People mightn’t realise what RAAF base actually does for the area,” Cr Bye said. “There are over 1100 people that are base personnel and students; it is a huge amount of people, plus the contractors who service all the equipment, buildings and so forth out there, so it is a massive employer of the community. “(RAAF Base East Sale) is very important to the welfare of the Australian people and an important piece of the Wellington Shire and an important part of our community.” There were no outstanding questions on notice nor a delegates report. In the first real action of the meeting, Council proposed the adoption of revised governance rules. Council moved to approve and adopt the revised Governance Rules, which incorporate new Local Government Act 2020 provisions relating to virtual meetings. Coastal Ward councillor Gary Stephens moved the motion, seconded by Coastal Ward colleague Councillor Gayle Maher. “When the pandemic first started, the state government brought in temporary measure so that council could meet virtually,” Councillor Stephens said. “The temporary measures are about to finish on September 1, and the government brought in an amendment so that we (Council) can alter our governance rules, allowing us to provide for ongoing virtual meetings.” The proposal for Council to enter into a new land and building lease with H2X Global Limited (H2X) on Mortimer Drive, Fulham, West Sale Airport was carried, moved by Central Ward Councillor Scott Rossetti, seconded by Northern Ward Councillor Carmel Ripper. “This is quite exciting,” Cr Rossetti said. “H2X are a company that operates worldwide, producing an increasing production of hydrogen vehicles because transportation is one of the largest causes of greenhouse gases globally. “Hydrogen is one way that H2X and others are looking at to reduce our carbon footprint, to the point that they are expecting hydrogen production to increase about ten times by 2050. “What’s exciting here is H2X have actually wanted to set up within our region because of many things, but particularly our support of renewables. “We are very excited to have them coming into West Sale; they are going to bring with them not only changes to the way we support our transport and logistics, but they are going to bring in a lot of work, jobs, thousands of fulltime equivalent roles." The mayor then called the gallery for comment. John Lees from Boisdale took the podium, expressing concerns over the Council’s treatment of volunteers. “I volunteer out at Boisdale, and we have had a problem out there with a contractor who put in a sewerage system,” Mr Lees said. “We have tried to get him to come back and fix the fences he damaged and other jobs he had to do out there. We went through the Council; the Council didn’t get in touch with us about what he was doing or what he was going to do. “He supposedly fixed everything he was meant to, but he hasn’t. “It’s just the treatment that the Council has given to us as volunteers without giving us the opportunity to be involved. “I think the shire needs to have a look at the way some of their staff treat volunteers.” Councillor Bye acknowledged and thanked Mr Lees for his address and invited him to speak with Wellington Shire Built and Natural Environment general manager Chris Hastie following the council meeting to discuss the issue further. The next Council meeting will be held in the Wellington Room at Port of Sale on Tuesday, August 16, from 6pm. The public is welcome to attend the gallery or alternatively watch and participate in council meetings virtually. For more information, head to https://www.wellington.vic.gov.au/council/council-meetings.

Sale and Maffra businesses have been named 2022 Gippsland Business Award finalists. Sale companies Motel 24seven & Apartments, Summit Health and Performance, Elvas Hairdressing, Scarlet & Grace, Port of Sale Heritage Cruises and Siesta Central Apartments, and Designer Cabinetry from Maffra, were the finalists. The Federation University Gippsland Business Awards are the leading business prizes in the region, highlighting the successful efforts of local Gippsland businesses. Gippsland Business Awards committee chairperson, Graeme Sennett, said following the cancellation of the 2020 awards and virtual presentation of the 2021 awards, this year’s face-to-face awards would be an “extra special” occasion. Mr Sennett said once again, Gippsland businesses had shown their ability to change and adapt in unprecedented times, with this year’s awards attracting a wide range of outstanding entries. “Never before have we seen such a diverse range of finalists,” he said. “Usually, a large portion of applicants are from the larger Gippsland hubs, like Bairnsdale and Traralgon. This year, we saw a significant increase of applicants from further away, from places on the outer rim of Gippsland. “THE FACT THERE WERE ENTRIES FROM EVERY PART OF GIPPSLAND SHOWS HOW OUR SMALL TO MEDIUM BUSINESSES CONTINUE TO GROW AND DEVELOP DESPITE RECENT CHALLENGES.” Mr Sennett said it was fantastic to see small businesses persevere and succeed. “It is wonderful to know that people still have dreams for the future despite all the hardships they have been through,” he said. “This year, the judging process has again been extremely difficult, with many outstanding entries vying for finalist status. We have particularly been blown away by our New Business category, which attracted a huge field of entries, all of a high standard.” Mr Sennett said the Gippsland Business Awards allowed businesses to reflect on what they had achieved and what they needed to do to continue growing. “It is also an opportunity for businesses to recognise and appreciate their staff’s effort and, of course, promote tourism to the Gippsland region,” he said. “Overall, I think it is so important that we celebrate success, especially when there is so much negativity and bad things happening in the world.” With six local businesses, Sale has the second-highest number of finalists, behind Traralgon with eight. The awards night is on Friday, August 26 at Federation University’s Gippsland campus. The 43 finalists across 11 industry and specialist categories will attend the gala presentation, where the winners of each category will be announced. The 2022 Gippsland Business Awards categories include Accommodation, Beauty and Personal Care, Business and Professional Services, Food & Wine Producers, Health and Wellbeing, Hospitality, Manufacturing/Export, Mechanical Trades and Construction, New Business, Retail, Tourism Activities and Attractions.

Karen Collins has shared the story of her great-grandmother, Minnie Eason, following a decade-long investigation, uncovering the historical brutality of the treatment of women and women’s health, finally giving Minnie a voice after many years of silence, cruelty, and violence. Karen first learnt of Minnie Eason’s profoundly sad and disturbing mental health records in 2011, setting on a journey to uncover the truth and emphasise the wrongs of the past, giving acknowledgement to her great-grandmother’s untold suffering and powerlessness after her husband discarded her into the chilling world of mental institutions. Minnie was eventually laid to rest in an unmarked grave at Rosedale Cemetery after 11 long years of institutionalised incarceration. A life seemingly erased from existence. In July 2022, after 11 years on a dark and challenging journey, Karen published her book, Into the Darkness: The Story of Minnie and William Eason, giving Minnie Eason the voice she so deserves. “I felt a responsibility to reveal the intolerable suffering she must have endured as a result of the death of her child and an unhappy marriage,” Karen said. “And significantly being an involuntary patient of three asylums for 11 years, in degrading, overcrowded conditions, vulnerable to violence and cruelty.” Born on June 30, 1882, Minnie Eleanor Watts was the 13th of 14 children to parents Eliza and William Alfred Watts, growing up on a farm, ‘Oakvale’, roughly four kilometres south of Rosedale. Minnie was baptised at St Rose of Lima, Catholic Church, Rosedale, on September 24, 1882, a place she would spend many a time over the years, attending mass, playing the organ for services, where she would marry and baptise her two eldest children. The Watts children attended Rosedale State School, where Minnie received an academic award for third prize in her Grade 3 examination results. In the final months of 1893, Minnie competed in the combined Willung Gormandale Hiamdale State Schools Sports Picnic hosted at Gormandale, where she placed second in a girl’s running race, receiving a skipping rope for her achievement. Minnie Watts recited the poem, ‘What Dolly has and what Dolly has not’ by John Shaw Nielson at the evening concert at the Gormandale Mechanics’ Institute Hall following the State Schools Sports Picnic. Her love of music and performance remained into adulthood, which would later lead her to play the organ at the Rosedale Catholic Church services and train children in singing for school concerts after she married. While Minnie excelled in school and showcased physical, musical and performative talents, her childhood was not easy. The youngest of the Watts children, Arthur Henry Watts, was born with down syndrome three years after Minnie on October 12, 1885. Arthur grew up on the farm with limited vocabulary and was permanently admitted to Kew Asylum in 1910, at the age of 25. It is assumed Minnie, being the closest in age to Arthur, most likely was charged with her younger brother’s care during her childhood. Four years after Arthur was born, when Minnie was just five-years-old, her father William Watts died in Sale on January 27, 1888, aged 57, from stones in the bladder, an ailment he suffered for many years. Just two years after her father’s death, the fourth eldest Watts child, Ellen Watts, died suddenly on January 16, 1890, from severe hepatitis. In August 1899, when Minnie was 17, 22-year-old William Lewis Eason arrived in Rosedale and was appointed the headteacher of the small rural schools, Holey Plain and Coolungoolum. William Eason was active in the community and competed in Rosedale’s local football, cricket, golf, and Easter athletic competitions, captaining the Rosedale football team in 1901. During this time, he began courting Minnie Watts, marrying the young woman on December 23, 1902. The wedding of William and Minnie Eason was awarded an entire column on page three of the Rosedale Courier, providing a comprehensive account of the event. On November 23 1905, Minnie and William welcomed their first child, Karen’s grandfather, Arnold Lewis Eason. Three years later, on February 22, 1908, William and Minnie’s second child, Elma Moira, was born in Rosedale, and on April 10, 1911, their third child, Norma Alvina, was born at a private hospital in Traralgon. Life for Minnie Eason took a terrible turn following a horrific accident on October 10, 1912, in which her 17-month-old child, Norma Alvina Eason, burnt to death in their Welshpool schoolhouse. Karen describes the death of Norma Eason as a defining moment for Minnie, causing the unravelling of the Eason family and marking the beginning of a grieving mother’s torment. At the time of Norma Eason’s death, there was a great divide between the Catholic and Protestant Churches. During her investigations into the profoundly sad events which shaped the life of Minnie Eason, Karen uncovered an added layer of guilt and distress for the bereaved mother following the death of her baby. “Arnold (Eason, Minnie’s first child) told my father that a priest cruelly blamed Minnie for Norma’s death because she had married a Protestant,” Karen wrote. “It is understandable and possible that the burden of Minnie feeling responsible for the death of Norma, not only through her temporary absence of supervision at the time but also for disobeying the Catholic Church, would have seriously affected her mental health. “MINNIE COULD WELL HAVE BELIEVED THAT SHE WAS PAYING FOR HER SINS, FIRSTLY BY HER ELDEST CHILD BEING SERIOUSLY BURNED YET SAVED IN A PRIOR ACCIDENT, AND SECONDLY BY HER TODDLER BEING HORRIFICALLY BURNT TO DEATH.” One month after the death of her daughter Norma, Minnie’s mother, Eliza Watts, unexpectedly died of a brain hemorrhage in Rosedale, aged 73. According to the Victorian Mental Hospitals’ Record, Minnie Eason had her first ‘attack’ at 31-years-old, sometime between eight and 20 months after Norma’s death, but symptoms and the duration were not recorded. After Norma’s death, confirmation of Minnie’s mental health struggles was revealed in her younger brother, Arthur Watts’ mental health records from the Kew Hospital for the Insane. The Eason family moved to Koo Wee Rup in 1914 when William was appointed headteacher of the local school. Minnie and William’s youngest child, Gwenda Eason, was born at a hospital in Warragul on March 3, 1916. After the birth of Gwen, William continued to volunteer for leadership positions on public committees, leaving his wife Minnie to cope alone with the children and household chores while still grieving over the loss of little Norma. Minnie Eason’s Patient Clinical Notes, dated August 17, 1917, reveals that she suffered a second ‘attack’ from April to August 1917. While the symptoms of this ‘attack’ are unknown, the patient records state that Minnie was diagnosed with Dementia Praecox, a term previously used to describe a psychotic disorder in which patients experienced symptoms such as insomnia and malnutrition. In the months leading up to this ‘attack’, William volunteered for three more committees in the community, played tennis and was First Master of the Lang Lang Masonic Lodge. Karen Collins continues to reveal the unrelenting challenges in Minnie Eason’s life, writing, ‘during the four months, Minnie suffered from this second ‘attack’, her brother, 31-year-old Arthur, died of pneumonia on July 22, 1917, in the Kew Hospital for the Insane’. A person was admitted to a psychiatric hospital in one of three ways in 1917: voluntarily, ordered by a court, or privately requested by a relative or friend. William Eason made a private request to have his 35-year-old wife, Minnie, committed to the Royal Park Receiving House in Parkville, based on his statement that Minnie kept accusing him of infidelity and that she was violent. Doctors Sewell and Spiers supported William’s request, stating in their committal certificates, ‘the patient is suspicious and erratic in her behaviour’, ‘refuses reasonable attempts at treatment’, ‘says her husband goes as he pleases’ and ‘suspects her husband has intercourse with other women.’ Minnie was committed as a result of her alleged behaviour being attributed to ‘jealousy’ and ‘baby burnt to death.' Karen’s research established that William had long absences from home with voluntary work, club memberships and sports, giving credibility to Minnie’s statement she believed her husband went wherever he pleased. Minnie Eason was committed to the Royal Park Receiving House in Parkville at 2pm on August 17, 1917. On October 19, 1917, two months after being detained at the Receiving House, Minnie was declared insane by the Medical Superintendent, Dr Clarence Godfrey, and was transferred to the nearby Royal Park Hospital for the Insane. “During Minnie’s 11 years of incarceration, her life had tragically become one of abandonment, insignificance, isolation and unimaginable suffering until the very end,” Karen Collins wrote. “WITHOUT A FRIEND OR RELATIVE IN HER FINAL HOUR, IT WAS AS THOUGH SHE NEVER EXISTED.” “This disregard for her life and dignity continued with the mandatory autopsy on her body the day after she died, followed by her burial in an unmarked grave at the Rosedale Cemetery on January 8, 1929.” William Eason died in 1936 while headteacher of Koo Wee Rup State School. After his death, the Koo Wee Rup community erected two stone pillar memorial gates to mark the entrance of the local school, now the Koo Wee Rup Secondary College. The Koo Wee Rup Sun, in December 1936, reported that these memorial gates were constructed in honour of a ‘greatly esteemed and trusted citizen’. William Eason had devoted an extraordinary amount of time to public committees, many in leadership roles, and assisted many of his students in earning scholarships. Into The Darkness: The Story of Minnie and William Eason is a recount of Australia’s disturbing history, highlighting the horrendous treatment of women, the wild misconception of mental health and illness, and the fundamental lack of power women possessed. On Saturday, July 2, Karen Collins, accompanied by descendants of Minnie Eason and friends who supported Karen throughout her journey, acknowledged the life of Minnie Elanor Eason by unveiling a headstone on her unmarked grave at the Rosedale Cemetery “to honour the memory of a life not forgotten”. “Minnie is now coming out of the darkness and into the light as she begins her journey of significance after so long being insignificant,” Karen said. Gippsland Women’s Health chief executive officer Kate Graham commended Karen on her courage in telling Minnie’s story. “Thank you, Karen, for your courage in telling Minnie’s story, for your generosity and time, and for your endurance in making a seemingly impossible task possible,” she said. “The stories of our women, past and present, will always play a vital role in shaping the lives of women well into the future.” Karen published Into The Darkness online in late July, and it is available to download for free at https://www.intothedarkness.com.au/, asking only those who can to make a donation to Gippsland Women’s Health to continue helping other vulnerable Gippsland Women.

Local Sale small business Night Babe, founded by Elle James, was nominated by Australia Post Sale Business Centre and selected as one of Australia Post’s 2022 Local Business Heroes. Australia Post has awarded Night Babe up to $5000 worth of tools to support and promote business and branding with new marketing tactics. Born into a family owning a soft furnishing business, Elle James was surrounded by texture, colour, pattern, and style from the word go. As a child, Elle’s grandmother Margaret taught her the craft of sewing, uncovering a god-given artistic talent. After high school, Elle followed her love and passion for all things beauty and fashion, moving to Melbourne and completing a 12-month Diploma in specialised make-up. For nine years, Elle was busy working in Bridal make-up, striving to do more and reshift focus toward editorial fashion. So in 2016, Elle headed to Sydney to complete an intensive editorial course with one of her favourite make-up artists, Rae Morris. “At the end, we had to do a photo shoot, hire a model and create a brief,” Elle said. “I put together mine and shot it, and Rae Morris said to me, ‘this is amazing Elle, I can’t believe you pulled this off in the time frame I gave you’. “A few days later, after the course had finished, I got a phone call from Rae saying she had just gotten the proofs back and wanted to tell me how impressed she was. “I NEARLY DIED. “And from there, I started assisting her in editorial fashion make-up, travelling to Sydney and Melbourne. Rae Morris headlines at lots of fashion weeks, so I began working there and yeah, that really changed my career.” When the pandemic came, the world flipped upside down, and Australia came to a halt, seemingly frozen in time, including the make-up world. But like they say, sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together, and for Elle James, this couldn’t be more true. With work on a hiatus and time on her hands, Elle desperately needed to find a new creative output. So, combining her passion for beauty, fashionability and creative talents, Elle employed her sewing skills and started producing 100 per cent mulberry-silk pillow cases. Thus began Night Babe. “I am such a creative person, and I really just needed something creative to work on.” “When my mum was pregnant with me, she started working for my grandma at her soft furnishing business; this sewing room actually was the old sewing room that used to be at my grandma’s house,” Elle said. “But I was always in the sewing room as a kid and would make pencil cases and pillow cases, square things,” Elle laughed. “Growing up, I used to be like ‘ugh, I am never going to sew’ just because I was in the sewing room all the time; but another thing that made me want to sew was in 2020, in June, my grandma passed away. “And sewing just made me feel closer to her, and I knew she would be proud that I am sewing, so that was another reason I started,” Elle added emotionally. Night Babe prides itself on its Aussie-crafted silk pillowcases’ care, love, look and feel, creating a tool for the ultimate beauty sleep. And if anyone knows just how important a good night’s sleep is in your beauty routine, it is the busy, working mum Elle James. With restrictions eased, Elle is back working in the fashion industry, often spending days at a time in Melbourne throughout the week and sewing late into the night for Night Babe orders. Amongst all her work, Elle is the mother of four-year-old Harper, who inspired her business name, Night Babe. “Every night when I tuck Harper into bed, I say ‘night babe’, and it just seemed perfect,” Elle said. In under two years, Elle has hand-crafted and sold over 1500 Night Babe pillow cases to customers nationally and internationally. Despite working a full-time job in the fashion industry, looking after her daughter Harper and running her own business, Elle has no plans to slow down. Elle will continue to grow Night Babe sharing the craft of sewing with her daughter Harper, as her grandma did with her, in a heart-warming tribute to a woman truly loved.

Twenty three Wellington Shire residents became Australian citizens this month. Wellington Shire Council holds Citizenship Ceremonies every three months. In January, 63 local residents from 17 countries became Australian citizens. In May, the shire welcomed 34 new citizens from 11 countries and most recently, on July 12, the shire gained 23 new citizens from 10 countries, totalling 120 new Australian citizens in 2022. Karen, Angus and their three children, Heather, Ellie and Hamish MacGregor, are five of the newest Australians in the Wellington Shire. In a wild coincidence, it just so happened that the MacGregor’s became Australian citizens precisely 15 years to the day since their arrival in Australia. As Karen MacGregor prepared for her Citizenship Ceremony, she thought back to her family’s arrival in Australia in 2007, then it clicked. “It’s quite a coincidence,” Mrs MacGregor said. “I was thinking back, and it just clicked; we came to Australia on the 12th of July, 2007, and it just so happened that we became citizens exactly 15 years later.” Originally from England, Karen and Angus moved to New Zealand in the late 90s, where they worked on a dairy farm. After arriving, Mr and Mrs MacGregor enjoyed life in New Zealand together for a few years before the arrival of their eldest child, Heather. Then came Ellie. Then Hamish. As work at the dairy farm became taxing and the option to buy a farm in New Zealand off the table, and with three kids under three, Mr and Mrs MacGregor needed a change. “My husband had siblings in Australia, in Tasmania and Victoria,” Mrs MacGregor said. “So we decided to come to Australia for a year’s holiday to see if we liked it. “We got a caravan and travelled Australia; it was the first time in 18 years that my husband and his siblings were all in the same country.” As much as the MacGregor’s loved New Zealand, it was family ties that ultimately kept them in Australia. After 10 months of travelling the country with kids aged three, two and one, Mr MacGregor began looking for work. Mr MacGregor’s dairy farm experience drew the family to Sale, landing a job at a farm in Dennison in 2008. Today, Mr MacGregor owns his own business, and Mrs MacGregor works at the Sale Hospital. Heather, Year 12, Ellie, Year 11, and Hamish, Year 10, are in their senior years at Catholic College Sale. “With the kids being in their last years at school, we decided to become citizens so they could have more options for their future,” Mrs MacGregor said. “SALE IS HOME, THE KIDS HAVE THEIR FRIENDS, MY HUSBAND HAS HIS OWN BUSINESS, AND I WORK AT THE HOSPITAL; IT JUST MADE SENSE, AND WE HAVE NO REASON TO MOVE.” The next Wellington Shire Council Citizenship Ceremony will be held in September.

Even if it is as minuscule as a characteristic, it is a common belief that we are all born destined for something. Max Knobel, Jonti Schuback and Coby Burgiel, sons of professional Australian Rules footballers Trent Knobel, Jacob Schuback and Hayden Burgiel, ascertain the belief to be true that they were predisposed to bear talents for football. That they were born with footy running through their veins, if you will, and destined to follow in their fathers’ footsteps, having been selected for the 2022 NAB AFL National Championships. The NAB AFL National Championships are the highest state and territory representative football level, as part of the AFL’s Talent Pathway Program. The AFL National Championships features the most talented boys from across Australia who are the next generation of professional Australian Rules Football stars. Local Maffra boys Max Knobel, Jonti Schuback and Coby Burgiel, are part of the Under 18 Boys 2022 NAB AFL National Championships Victoria Country squad. The first time in the AFL National Championships for Knobel and Burgiel and a second time for Schuback. “I also played in the Under 17 National Champs,” Schuback said. Best mates on and off the field, Burgiel and Schuback played for Gippsland Power last season, with Knobel joining this year. The Under 18 Boys 2022 NAB AFL National Championships commenced on Sunday, June 19, at Adelaide’s Thebarton Oval, with South Australia and the Allies going head-to-head in the opening match. Victoria Country played their first game against South Australia at Thebarton Oval on Sunday, June 26. Coaches and supporters held their breaths until the match's final seconds, with Vic Country holding on to win 9.8 (62) to 8.12 (60). Coby Burgiel collected 25 touches in the first game against South Australia, and Jonti Schuback had 21 disposals and 11 marks. Burgiel, Schuback and Knobel agreed that they played their best game of footy in the National Championships so far against the boys from SA. “I thought they were all decent (games),” Burgiel said. “I would say the first game (against SA) was my best; I felt like I was more impactful, I used the ball really well throughout the game, and I was consistent.” Knobel said: “So far in the National Championships, I think my best game was probably over in Adelaide against South Australia”. “I thought I rucked well that day, had a good competition, got around the ground well and got involved in general play.” “I thought the South Australia game was probably my best game,” Schuback added. Vic Country took on the Allies at the Gabba on Sunday, July 3, in their second game of the championships. Vic Country overpowered the Allies with a 10.15 (75) to 5.12 (42) win. Victoria Country was too strong for Western Australia in their third game, beating the west coast team 12.11 (83) to 6.4 (40) at GMHBA Stadium on Sunday, July 17. Coby Burgiel kicked three goals for Country in the match against Western Australia. With Victoria Metro’s win over South Australia earlier in the day, Country’s win over WA set up a championship decider in Grand Final week. Country will meet Metro at Marvel Stadium in the last game of the carnival on Thursday, September 22. For Max Knobel, Jonti Schuback and Coby Burgiel, having dads who have made it in AFL has certainly acted as a driving force for the three youngsters. “Dad has always been a big driving factor for me,” Schuback said. “Growing up, dad played a lot of footy, and I watched a lot of his footy and I’ve always really enjoyed the way he has played and want to implement it into my game. “He has pushed me to train, taught me to get me where I need to be; dad has been a huge aspect for me.” “Dad was very supportive of me deciding to play AFL,” Burgiel said. “Going and watching his games from a young age, it really motivated me to choose AFL.” “I definitely started playing footy cause of dad, growing up watching him play,” Knobel said. “He has been really supportive, knowing AFL is what I want to do, teaching me about the craft of the game.” The three Maffra musketeers are giving it their all in the lead-up to the championships decider and the final rounds of the footy season in the hope that they will be drafted at the end of the year, continuing the path their fathers once walked.

Netball players from North Gippsland Football-Netball League, Gippsland League and Sale Netball Association competed in the Netball Victoria Association Championships Final Days on Sunday, July 24. The 22nd Netball Victoria Association Championships Final Days saw thousands of Victorian netball players compete in the round-robin style tournament in Melbourne. Formed in 2000, the Victorian Association Championships are a crucial part of the Netball Victoria pathway, with talent identification opportunities for athletes, umpires and coaches from the qualifying events through to finals, which sees nearly 200 Victorian associations and leagues take part each year. This year, Sale Netball Association Under 15s, Gippsland League Under 15s, Gippsland League Under 17s and North Gippsland League Under 17s qualified for the Victorian Association Championships finals. Gippsland netball players dug deep, giving it 100 per cent in every game. Sale Netball Association and Gippsland League Under 15s won their games in Round 1 of the Association Championship Finals, but were defeated in Rounds 2 and 3. Round 4 saw the local Under 15s teams go head-to-head, with Gippsland League defeating Sale Netball Association 22 to 10. Sale Netball Association and Gippsland League Under 15s won their Round 5 games, with the girls from Gippsland League going on to win their Round 6 game against Albury Netball Association, while Sale Netball Association was defeated by Wimmera Football-Netball League. In Round 7, Sale Netball Association tied with Goulburn Valley League while the Gippsland League girls lost to Wimmera Football-Netball League by one goal. Sale Netball Association lost to Ballarat Netball Association by one goal in Round 8, while Gippsland League beat Goulburn Valley League 18 to 7. In Rounds 9, 10 and 11, Sale Netball Association and Gippsland League were unable to secure wins, ending their chances to make the finals. North Gippsland and Gippsland League Under 17 teams were successful in Round 1 of the Association Championships, with the NGFNL beating Albury Netball Association 11 to 9 and Gippsland League beating Sunraysia Football Netball League 16 to 10. Both North Gippsland and Gippsland League won their games in Rounds 2 and 3 before facing off in Round 4, with Gippsland League beating NGFNL by one goal. North Gippsland drew in Round 5, and the girls from Gippsland League beat St Albans/Caroline Springs Netball Association 16 to 10. Gippsland League drew in Round 6 while the Under 17 North Gippsland girls beat Outer East Football-Netball 12 to 8. Both teams saw victory in Round 7, but NGFL fell short in Round 8, losing to Ovens & Murray Football-Netball League, while Gippsland League was victorious over Bendigo Football-Netball League. North Gippsland had their final win of the Association Championships in Round 9 over Sunraysia Football-Netball League, falling short of making the finals. Gippsland League won games in Rounds 9 and 10, but Ovens & Murray Football-Netball League beat the local Under 17s team in Round 11. The Gippsland League Under 17 Girls made Round 1 of the Netball Victoria Association Championships. However, Hampden Football-Netball League was too good for the Gippsland League girls, winning Round 1 of the Association Championships Finals, 17 to 11 and putting end to Gippsland League’s Association Championships venture. The 2022 Netball Victoria Association Championships were welcomed by many, with Victorian netball players, coaches and umpires grateful and eager for the opportunity to be recognised as one of the state’s best.