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THE inside of the Gippsland Regional Sports Complex (GRSC) was unrecognisable on Saturday night, as the stadium was transformed into a world-class stage for Wildfighter Boxing Round 8. Within hours, Stratford’s Max Reeves would enter the ring in the battle of the undefeated, taking on Queensland opponent Leo Grant. As quickly as you could count to 100 seconds, Reeves secured another Super Middleweight professional boxing title, defeating Grant in a first-round TKO.

Dr Rob Ziffer is finally hanging up his stethoscope and switching latex gloves for golf gloves after nearly five decades of providing healthcare services to the Gippsland region. After 44 years as a consultant physician, specialising in cardiology and a pioneer in Sale Hospital’s critical care services, Dr Rob Ziffer is retiring. “I have really done a bout of stages. I was working full-time until about five years ago, then I got off the hospital roster because that involved being on call, and I’d been on call all my working life, and that gets a bit demanding,” Dr Ziffer said. “It was the best part of nearly 50 years on call, so I thought it was time to give that up. “Then I just cut back to doing some clinics at the hospital, and I shut my rooms and did some teaching, and I have been doing that for the past four or five years. “I was just waiting until the hospital in my particular area was struggling a bit with staff, so I didn’t really want to go until that was all sorted out, and then the pandemic came, and everyone had to pull their weight during that time. “But now that everything is settled down a bit and the hospital’s workforce is substantially more robust, I thought it was a good time to go.” After graduating from high school, Dr Ziffer wasted no time heading straight to Melbourne University, where he would complete his degree in medicine. “I was a babyboomer, and things were a bit different then,” Dr Ziffer said. “The schools were very full, and so you didn’t get a lot of chance to get counselled on where you went. “I WAS INTERESTED IN A COUPLE OF THINGS, BUT IN THE END, I CHOSE MEDICINE, AND I WAS VERY GLAD I DID. “It was also during the 60s, so that was a great time to be young,” he laughed with eyes gleaming, reminiscing on his younger days. “There was lots happening, a lot of change, and I really enjoyed my time at uni.” The pathways in medicine are a labyrinth; with so many career paths available, it’s a wonder how one could choose what to pursue. But Dr Ziffer saw what he wanted and did what he had to do to get to where he is today.

LAST month, Sale brunch-goers braved the coldest Queen’s Birthday long weekend in over 70 years, lining up to get their hands on a hot cup of coffee and to try a classic egg-and-bacon breakfast at the newly-opened Raymond Cafe. In February, Kevin Nguyen became the owner of Raymond Cafe, formally known as Mr Raymond. Mr Nguyen, who also owns Viet Kitchen across the street, shut the doors to the cafe shortly after taking ownership. Spotting an open sign on a cafe door in Sale on a Sunday is a rare sight, so it has been a very long eight weeks for Saleites who can’t resist a weekly Sunday brunch outing, and local coffee connoisseurs with no other option than the Macca’s drive-thru. The wait is finally over.

EAST Gippsland award-winning journalist Kylie Miller visited Rosedale Library on Friday, July 8, to launch her new children’s book, Albert, The Greyhound Who Loves to Run. Ms Miller has been a storyteller since she was just a child, carrying her passion and skill into adulthood, working as a journalist and editor at Australia’s leading media outlets and overseas for more than 20 years. Shortly after saying sayonara to the big smoke of the city skyline, and hello to the serenity of East Gippsland’s natural rolling landscape, Ms Miller and her husband Brett Miller were, like so many others, devastatingly impacted by the 2019/20 bushfires. Employing her creative written talents, Ms Miller took-in the destruction around her, and set forth on a new professional journey, co-writing her first children’s picture book, Heroes of Black Summer. Albert, The Greyhound Who Loves to Run is the newest addition to Kylie Miller’s publications, based on the heart-warming true story of Albert, the adopted greyhound.

On the morning of Friday, July 8, talented local artist Harley Kewish conducted a free painting workshop for the young creative souls of Sale and the broader community at the Gippsland Art Gallery. Figurative abstract painter Harley Kewish is one of the region’s most talented upcoming artists, with works featured in the CARE – Concerned Artists Resisting Extinction exhibition at East Gippsland Art Gallery in 2021.

Sale United women kicked off Round 14 of the Latrobe Valley Soccer League on Saturday, hosting Falcons 2000 at the Godfrey Baldwin Reserve. The stakes were high for both women’s teams as they headed into the match, as Sale United was third on the ladder with 19 points, Falcons second on 20, and Fortuna in the lead with 22. Sale held possession of the ball early in the piece, taking shot, after shot, after shot, but was unable to find the back of the net. After 20 minutes, Falcons broke through the Swans’ defence, and a shot on goal from Danica Di Ciero put the away team in the lead 1-0.

PATRONS attending the Rosedale Recreation Reserve tomorrow can expect a field of rainbow, as Rosedale Football-Netball Club host Sale City FNC in the North Gippsland Football-Netball League’s annual Pride Cup round. Marking the seventh year of the NGFNL Pride Cup, the Blues and the Bulldogs will don commemorative rainbow uniforms to celebrate and support the LGBTQIA+ community.

AUSTRALIAN Men’s Shed Association (AMSA) is leading the way for men’s mental health, teaming up with the Black Dog Institute and introducing the ‘Shed Mates’ initiative to Men’s Sheds throughout Victoria and across the country. For those unaware, a Men’s Shed is a community-based, non-profit, non-commercial organisation accessible to all men, and offers a safe, friendly and supportive environment where members can work on meaningful projects at their own pace in their own time in the company of others. On the morning of July 14, members from Men’s Shed from across Gippsland came together at Ken’s Shed in Heyfield for the Australian Men’s Shed Association’ Shed Mates Muster’.

The ultimate night of boxing is hitting Sale this Saturday. Some of the top fighters from across the state will converge on the Gippsland Regional Sports Complex for Wildfighter Round 8. Stratford’s Max Reeves and Bairnsdale’s Blake Wells headline the evening, which also features local fighters Lucy Avage, brothers Jhon Cotejos and Peter Pirona, and Codie Hodges, who will be making his amateur boxing career debut. Never before has Sale hosted a sporting event of this calibre, so in anticipation of Wildfighter Round 8, the Gippsland Times sat down with some of the local boxing stars who are taking the ring.

Cousins Ava Harrington (10) and Alyssa Greening (15) will pack their bags and horse floats this September, en route to Sydney to compete in the Victorian Equestrian Interschool Series 2022 National Showjumping finals. Ava, from Nambrok-Denison Primary School, has been riding horses since she was three, competing in her first competition at just four-years-old, and is following in her mother Sam Harrington’s footsteps, competing in the National Showjumping finals. At the VEIS Showjumping Qualifier at Riddells Creek in early June, young Ava qualified not one but two horses for the upcoming national competition, where she will be competing in the 90 centimetre competition and 80cm competition. While Ava can’t pick her favourite competition to compete in, she confessed that she did have a favourite horse to jump. “At the moment, it is Razz,” Ava said.

Victoria has imposed restrictions prohibiting the movement of bees and bee products from New South Wales, following the detection of Varroa mite in biosecurity surveillance hives at the Port of Newcastle. On Tuesday, June 28, the New South Wales Department of Primary Industries (DPI) issued an emergency order in response to the current varroa mite outbreak to euthanise bees in emergency zones to eradicate the pest parasite. Since the initial detection of Varroa mite, the NSW DPI has detected further infestations and has established additional emergency zones in response. As of Sunday, July 3, the NSW DPI confirmed 16 premises at Tanilba Bay, Salt Ash, Mayfield East, Somersby, Tomago, south of Newcastle and the Port of Newcastle had varroa mite infiltrating their hives. Varroa mites are tiny red-brown external parasites of adult honey bees that mainly feed and reproduce on larvae and pupae in the developing honey bee brood, causing malformation and weakening of honey bees and transmitting numerous viruses. Australia is the only significant honey-producing country free from Varroa mites. These parasites are considered the greatest threat to Australia’s honey and honeybee pollination plant industries, with estimations that varroa mite could result in losses of $70 million a year should it become established in Australia. The NSW DPI has destroyed roughly six million bees in the red zone as part of the statewide emergency order to control the movement of hives and stop the spread of the deadly parasites. Dr Chris Anderson, NSW DPI Manager of Plant Biosecurity Prevention and Preparedness, said the NSW DPI continues to act and protect the NSW bee industry to arrest the spread of the threat. “The varroa mite response plan has also been updated while it remains necessary to euthanise honeybee colonies in the eradication zones and destroy internal hive equipment such as brood and honey frames,” Dr Anderson said. “Other equipment will only be destroyed when a risk assessment deems it necessary, with options to decontaminate external equipment such as hive boxes, pallets and straps, as well as metal ware so that beekeepers can retain them.” Victoria has restricted bees and all bee products, including honey, from NSW as a necessary measure to support the national response against Varroa mite. Victoria’s Deputy Chief Plant Health Officer, Dr Stephen Dibley said the restrictions would ensure Varroa mite is kept out of Victoria and protect beekeepers. “Varroa mite is a serious threat to Australia’s bee population and horticulture industries that rely on pollination,” Dr Dibley said. “The restrictions mean that no bees, hives or beekeeping equipment can be moved into Victoria from New South Wales without a permit. “However, no permits will be granted while the NSW standstill is in place to comply with NSW emergency orders. “We will also be supporting the New South Wales government in their response.” There has been no detections of Varroa mite in Victoria, and restrictions are in place to prevent that from happening, but Dr Dibley said beekeepers should be vigilant with their surveillance of hives. “Beekeepers should inspect their hives regularly for signs of Varroa mite and other exotic pests, using the appropriate methods including sugar shake and drone uncapping,” he said. Any suspect detections must be reported immediately to the national Exotic Plant Pest Hotline. Authorities are investigating the origins of the Varroa mite, and continue exterminating tens of millions of bees in a desperate attempt to save Australia’s honey industry from a devastating mite plague. For NSW beekeepers, this is a devasting blow, with many already feeling the full-frontal effects of the Varroa mite outbreak. On Wednesday, July 6, Agriculture Victoria sanctioned additional measures for beekeepers for this year’s almond pollination season, requiring all beekeepers, local and interstate, to apply for a permit to move hives into Victoria’s Sunraysia region. Changes were put in place effective immediately, impacting the movement of bees, hives, used beekeeping equipment and bee products. However, products including processed honey, wax, new beekeeping tools and equipment are exempt from movement restrictions and can be transported freely into and within Victoria. In Agriculture Victoria’s determination to protect Victoria’s bees from Varroa mite, all beekeepers must obtain a permit for the movement of any bees, hives, used beekeeping equipment and bee products into Victoria if they were in NSW at any time after January 1, 2022. These measures have been put in place by Agriculture Victoria to safeguard Victoria’s bees from Varroa mite in hopes of preventing what would be a catastrophic blow to the beekeeping industry. Restrictions on bee movements to control and manage this threat have come at a critical time for Sunraysia almond producers, with about 277,000 hives needed to pollinate their crops in August, nearly half of which usually come from NSW and Queensland. Mr Dibley said these new measures provided assurance for the almond industry heading into pollination season, and would help with contact tracing if Varroa mite is detected in Victoria. “The permit system helps ensure the almond pollination can proceed in a manner that won’t jeopardise Victoria’s bees,” he said. “If you plan to take beehives to the Sunraysia region from any location, please visit the Agriculture Victoria website and apply for a permit.” Varroa mite is a serious threat to Australia’s bee population and horticultural industries that rely on pollination. Dr Dibley said although the Victorian permit system would help protect bees during this busy time, Victorian beekeepers should stay vigilant. “Check your hives for varroa mite if the weather is appropriate, and if you see anything suspicious, please report it immediately to the Exotic Plant Pest Hotline on 1800 084 881.” Victoria has imposed a border ban on bees and bee products from New South Wales in the wake of a Varroa mite detection.

THE Aboriginal flag was hoisted atop the West Gate Bridge last Sunday, taking a permanent position alongside the Australian flag. THE BRIDGE IS LOCATED ON BUNURONG COUNTRY. Since 2019, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags have flown on a rotational basis on the West Gate Bridge during Reconciliation and NAIDOC weeks. With permission from Traditional Owners of Bunurong Country, Minister for Roads and Road Safety Ben Carroll, and Minister for Treaty and First Peoples Gabrielle Williams announced on Monday, July 4, the permanent position of the Aboriginal Flag on Melbourne’s West Gate Bridge. The new flag arrangements signify Victoria’s commitment to acknowledging and celebrating First Peoples’ history, heritage and culture. “The Aboriginal flag signifies unity, identity and resilience for Aboriginal people. We are very proud that we can now fly this important symbol above Melbourne,” Ms Williams said. “FLYING THE FLAG FOLLOWS OUR ONGOING PARTNERSHIP WITH THE FIRST PEOPLES OF VICTORIA ON OUR PATH TO TREATY AND TRUTH.” Changes to the West Gate Bridge’s flags come just weeks after 3AW morning host Neil Mitchell said, “it’s time to change the flags flown on the West Gate Bridge”. “They only fly the Aboriginal flag in NAIDOC Week. So perhaps you should put up another pole, provided it doesn’t cost $25 million like Sydney, or perhaps you’d take down the Victorian flag,” Neil Mitchell said. “It’d be a good gesture.” Following this call from Mr Mitchell, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews confirmed that discussions were underway to install a flag on the landmark bridge, saying the change “will be terrific.” Opposition leader Matthew Guy is also in full support of the plan. “It’s one of Australia’s national flags,” said Mr Guy. “I ALWAYS SUPPORT OUR NATIONAL INSTITUTIONS – THE ABORIGINAL FLAG IS ONE OF OUR NATIONAL INSTITUTIONS – SO I SUPPORT IT BEING FLOWN, AND I RESPECT IT.” Chairperson, Bunurong Land Council Aboriginal Corporation Kelly Lehmann said, “the Aboriginal flag represents inclusiveness, recognition and respect and having it flown permanently atop the West Gate Bridge demonstrates this commitment to Aboriginal communities in Victoria”. “This is a significant first step, and we look forward to seeing ways in which the Torres Strait Islander flag can also be flown in the future,” Ms Lehmann added. Mr Carroll revealed plans are underway to identify requirements and determine whether flying the Torres Strait Islander and Victorian State flags alongside the Aboriginal and Australian flags on the West Gate Bridge was feasible. “We are continuing work, looking at how we can also fly the Torres Strait Islander and Victorian State flags above the West Gate Bridge at some point in the future,” he said. This work will take into consideration current flag protocols, as well as the West Gate Bridge’s structural, safety and maintenance requirements.