Drivers from Sunshine West and Cairnlea were among the 10 people caught by police travelling at dangerously high speeds across Horsham and the Wimmera region last week. Officers intercepted several drivers, with the majority caught exceeding the speed limit by more than 25km/h. A 65-year-old Sunshine West man received a $790 fine after being detected allegedly travelling 86km/h in a heavy vehicle in a 60km/h zone on Main Street in Great Western. Another local, a 37-year-old Cairnlea man was detected allegedly travelling 87km/h in a heavy vehicle in a 60km/h zone in Great Western — he received a $1087 fine. Six other drivers had their licences suspended on the spot. This comes amid an alarming rise in road fatalities across Western Victoria. Eighteen lives have been lost on local roads this year – double the number recorded at the same time last year. Police said they will be highly visible and enforcing across the state, with a major focus on high-risk regional areas as well as motorcyclist safety. A statewide road policing operation will also be launched early in March to coincide with the Labour Day long weekend in Victoria. Police are investigating the car crash and subsequent fire at Port Melbourne Police are investigating a series of fires across Melbourne on Monday including one at a home linked to an underworld figure were taken to hospital for smoke inhalation as a result of a Port Melbourne fire Link copiedShareShare articleVictoria Police say they will be relentless in pursuing those responsible for a string of suspicious fires across Melbourne overnight with one man already arrested over a fire in Richmond Acting Commander Jason Kelly said police were investigating potential links between arson attacks at a tobacco store in Cairnlea at a unit linked to a gangland figure in Thomastown and a hairdressing salon in Port Melbourne Other fires also occurred overnight at an apartment block in Clark Street and a former retirement village in Patterson Lakes were taken to hospital with smoke inhalation as a result of the Port Melbourne blaze which began when a car crashed into the Bay Street salon in the early hours of Monday A car crashed into a hair salon in Port Melbourne starting a fire which destroyed the premises "It's only really through sheer luck that no one died in the Port Melbourne arson this morning and this has been one of our greatest fears .. since the arson series started back in March of 2023 and mainly at tobacco stores across metropolitan Melbourne," Acting Commander Kelly said "To light a fire in a business premises where residents are living above just shows no regard for the life and safety of members of the public." Fire Rescue Victoria (FRV) said more than 30 firefighters battled the Port Melbourne blaze which was brought under control just after 2am The vehicle and the shop were destroyed in the blaze A resident living above the hair salon managed to evacuate and two children in a nearby residence were taken to hospital for observation Victoria Police said investigators were told a person was seen running from the scene of the crash and subsequent fire More than 30 firefighters battled the blaze at a hair salon in Port Melbourne FRV said the salon suffered significant damage from the crash and the fire which also spread to the first floor of the building An arson chemist and detectives will attend the scene Police are investigating whether the salon fire and a blaze on Larch Street in Thomastown are linked and firefighters arrived to find flames coming from the first floor of the double-storey brick unit Twenty-nine firefighters attended the scene and managed to have the fire under control in less than 10 minutes "No one was present at the time of the arson attack in Thomastown luckily but Victoria Police will investigate that incident like we have a number of other incidents related to that address," Acting Commander Kelly said Firefighters were able to contain the fire to the front two bedrooms of the Thomastown property It’s the third time police have been called to the house in a matter of months, following a shooting at a Larch Street property linked to underworld figure Sam Abdulrahim in May. Mr Abdulrahim has survived multiple attempts on his life since 2022. Neighbours, who did not want to speak on the record, told the ABC they were increasingly worried about the number of troubling incidents that had occurred on the street recently. One told the ABC some neighbours woke others up and evacuated them before first responders arrived.  Police are also investigating three other fires across Melbourne.  Police said the Richmond fire, which also damaged four neighbouring apartments, appeared to have been lit by a resident around 9:15pm on Sunday.  A 37-year-old man has since been arrested over that fire, and remains in custody.  Emergency services were called to the disused Patterson Lakes retirement home about 1:20am on Monday, and the tobacco store in Furlong Road, Cairnlea, around 6am. Commander Kelly said there had now been 96 arson attacks across the state since March last year, with 77 of those taking place on tobacco or vape stores.  The Lunar Taskforce had so far arrested 78 people. "So my message to those who have been responsible for those arsons overnight — the likelihood of you being caught is high, and as I say, Victoria Police will be relentless in pursuit of you," Commander Kelly said. Anyone with information about the fires has been urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. CNN and the BBC World Service which is copyright and cannot be reproduced AEST = Australian Eastern Standard Time which is 10 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) Cairnlea Park Primary School celebrated its 150th year in style last week Students and former alumni gathered for a day of fun and games as some of the school’s oldest artefacts and memorabilia was displayed for all to enjoy Star Weekly photographer Damjan Janveski was at the school to capture the milestone as well as large scale urban renewal precincts.  Explore our interactive project map and see where our projects are located We create vibrant places to live and work across Victoria through diverse and strategic property development and urban renewal projects Our approach combines extensive development project management and urban renewal experience with strong relationships across government and industry technical capability and commercial thinking.With an emphasis on environmental sustainability our goal is to create vibrant places that enrich the local area – with diverse and affordable homes Join our team of experienced industry professionals and develop your capability in a diverse and collaborative workplace.    Development Victoria respectfully acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Victoria We recognise their continuing cultural heritage and connection to land Yinga Biik Birranga-ga (Sing land and Country) Connect with us to stay up to date on the latest developments Residents of growing Melbourne suburb Cairnlea deserve a community space designed to accommodate worship services according to associate pastor Jon Tran of Inner West Church The community has roughly 10,000 residents and no church Built in the late 1990s on the former Commonwealth Department of Defence Albion Explosives site the suburb is in the early stages of an extensive urban renewal project with Development Victoria While public and open community spaces have been the focus of a large part of the planning process no plans exist for dedicated places of worship according to Brimbank City Council and Development Victoria.  Mr Tran said that his Cairnlea community had grown since the initial estate was built more than 20 years ago.  The community largely comprises immigrants Cairnlea has more than double the national rate of people with both parents born overseas and more than triple the national rate of households where a non-English language is used.  The current needs of the community are varied who said the combination of families with young children university-aged young adults and people approaching retirement age provided both challenges and opportunities for the future of the suburb.  Read more: Bringing Jesus to the growth corridors About 40 per cent of Cairnlea residents are Christian according to the most recent census data but apart from a Buddhist temple the suburb lacks spaces in which religious and community groups can meet.  only 0.81 per cent of residents compared to a national percentage of 9.82 per cent but Catholicism is 37 per cent more popular in Cairnlea than across the rest of the country overall The suburb also has sizeable Buddhist and Muslim communities   Mr Tran said Cairnlea’s religious and ethnic diversity made the need for versatile community spaces even more apparent.   Mr Tran said he supported the building of a multipurpose community hub with spaces for holding worship that could be used by a variety of groups for different occasions.  He said he hoped the diocese would be able to give input regarding the use of commercial and community spaces during the planning process.  In June the Government Land Standing Advisory Committee ran public hearings within the Cairnlea community It has since created a report for the Minister for Planning Construction for the redevelopment project is expected to begin in late 2023.  For more faith news, follow The Melbourne Anglican on Facebook, Twitter, or subscribe to our weekly emails More than 40 people attended the kintsugi workshop where they repaired cracked plates while reflecting on how Christ’s sacrifice mends human brokenness Refugee advocates renew calls for a Royal Commission and an end to offshore detention amid ongoing health concerns Anglicans will take a stand against domestic violence in homes Iranian refugees Hass and Mahi were granted permanent residency after over a decade of visa uncertainty You must be logged in to post a comment drinks ends with crazy dream result for sellerNathan Mawby DJ Aaron Jay Camilleri (right) plays for the crowd at 65 Furlong Rd A Cairnlea auction that started with the DJ turning down the music ended with a sale so strong the vendor felt it was a crazy dream Sarah Azzopardi was a bit sceptical about selling her 65 Furlong Rd home at auction after having once watched the method fail to get a deal as she attempted to sell another home But when Ray White Deer Park director Leigh Grixti suggested bringing in a DJ and a coffee van she figured it was just different enough to work RELATED: Melbourne real estate: Latest auction and sales results for week ending August 6 Australian cricketer Nic Maddinson’s Parkdale home proves to be a big hit under the hammer The Block 2023 episode 1 recap: Homes labelled ‘fugly’ as teams do Disney kids’ rooms I have never thought of an auction at night,” Ms Azzopardi said “But I just thought well nothing like this has been done and I thought it would be cool and a bit different “The home is different and there’s not many like it in the area When the July 22 auction’s final inspection started the 162 prospective buyers and interested locals were joined by caterers serving coffee The home’s indoor entertainment credentials were on display ahead of the auction playing a mix of positive songs to build energy for the sale “It kind of felt like everyone was having a party at my house,” Ms Azzopardi said “I was too nervous to know any particular songs the DJ announced the auction was about to start and to head out the front and everyone just went out the door like it was a school excursion.” only six had a chance to make an offer as it shot rapidly from a $1.01m opening offer past the $1.2m reserve and up to a $1.41m sale A party-friendly backyard added to the appeal for buyers who like to entertain An expansive crowd took advantage of the Rosetta Coffee van in attendance he added that the result was far beyond expectations for the agents as well as the vendors and a positive sign for his goal of turning “real estate in Melbourne’s west upside down” “We just had an incredible vibe,” Mr Grixti said Ms Azzopardi said it was “crazy” and she’d never seen anything like it “I was in another world thinking is this a dream,” she said “Then everyone wanted to go back in the house for a party afterwards They wanted to start walking in with the buyer again; they wanted more “But the DJ did leave the music on for a bit for us while they signed the contracts.” The auction attracted a crowd of more than 160 people The home sold for $1.41m with six bidders competing Property records show it is also now the second priciest home ever sold in the suburb Sign up to the Herald Sun Weekly Real Estate Update. Click here to get the latest Victorian property market news delivered direct to your inbox MORE: Melbourne landlord exodus: PropTrack figures show property investors sales spike Surprise Melbourne suburbs tipped for rent relief: PRD Affordable and Liveable Rental Guide Armadale: Bobby and Catherine Zagame list palatial house with indoor basketball court third parties have written and supplied the content and we are not responsible for it completeness or reliability of the information nor do we accept any liability or responsibility arising in any way from omissions or errors contained in the content We do not recommend sponsored lenders or loan products and we cannot introduce you to sponsored lenders We strongly recommend that you obtain independent advice before you act on the content realestate.com.au is owned and operated by ASX-listed REA Group Ltd (REA:ASX) © REA Group Ltd. By accessing or using our platform, you agree to our Terms of Use. You are not permitted to download, save or email this image. Visit image gallery to purchase the image The sale coincides with the 50th anniversary of the stud but it will also be the last year under the current ownership have decided to move on from farming and are looking for new opportunities either with their farm — which is on the market — as a going concern The stud was established by Mrs Stevens’ father the Paterson family having looked for a terminal sire to go over their halfbred ewes and experimented with various breeds before settling on Poll Dorsets Mr Paterson had spent time working in Canterbury and knew George Lowe from the Windermere stud and the stud was founded on the purchase of 10 ewes from T but two years later it was changed to Cairnlea even though Mr Stevens knew "absolutely nothing at all" about stud-sheep breeding their original plan was to teach while running a sheep stud on a hobby farm as a sideline Mr Stevens said he liked the idea of the recording side of stud breeding and he had also seen the kick that friends’ fathers with studs got out of sheep breeding he had not given any thought to what breed he would like to run but decided they wanted to exit stud breeding and there was a discussion about what would happen to their sheep they were both teaching in Invercargill and the sheep farmed out across the Paterson brothers Mr and Mrs Stevens bought their Poolburn farm in 2003 and while Mr Stevens had no experience of Poll Dorsets it seemed a good idea to take on an established stud and terminal sires were also a new aspect for him Mr Paterson kept a strong interest in the stud and Mr Stevens said everything he learned about stud breeding essentially started from him Those real basics were drummed into me right from the start," he said Kathryn Paterson had kept all the stud breeding records on paper and 20-odd years of lambing data were dropped off to Sheep Improvement Ltd (SIL) to be uploaded Mr Stevens praised their SIL technician Julia Aspinall and who had been invaluable to the stud’s genetic progress Initially they found their best looking and biggest rams did not match up as their top ones on SIL figures After several years linking everything in and developing a breeding programme focused on growth and eye muscle as they knew their top performing animals on farm were genetically sound as well An out-cross of Australian blood had added another dimension to the stud they imported some semen from the Gooramma stud in New South Wales which gave them a real boost with eye muscle and a much needed out-cross The biggest genetic pool for any terminal breed in Australasia was the Poll Dorset because there were so many Poll Dorsets in Australia bought another Gooramma ram in conjunction with Esther Glasgow from the ESTJAM stud in Australia which was sold by Andrew and Caroline McLaughlan for what was an Australian record price of $41,000 in 2021 The studs were chasing a high intramuscular fat score an attribute which the Australians had been on to for longer and which was starting to come to New Zealand with a focus on eating quality The ram remained in Australia with semen dispatched to New Zealand and his first crop of lambs were on the ground but they also discovered that a lot of Mr Paterson’s clients were very loyal to him They were in a different area and they found they had to start rebuilding They were now preparing for their 17th on-farm ram sale and the move to holding a sale provided an opportunity for new clients to have a crack at the top sheep on offer Mr Stevens recalled how the rams were not a very even line there was a "bit of a tail end" and they realised they needed a much more even line The farm had to be better and they looked to improve irrigation and pasture species on the property to finish their rams better and they have been able to produce much more even sheep Mr Stevens enjoyed working with Poll Dorsets — apart from shearing them he quipped — and found them to be quite clever in the paddock They also loved the dry conditions and would give everything they could to their lambs He recently enjoyed judging Poll Dorsets at the New Zealand Agricultural Show in Christchurch saying it was a real honour to be asked to officiate It was a very well run show and it provided a good catch up for breeders and a line up of quality sheep all the data would be available to be used and built upon "There’s still room for growth in the stud including a selection of Poll Dorset-Suffolk cross retained his position at the council’s annual meeting in Wānaka on October 23 He was absent from the meeting as he was in Rarotonga The family have lived on the farm for more than 20 years and the decision was tough for himself and his wife Deb "The hardest part of it is making the decision," he said and the farm lacked the scale required to run only sheep and beef The farm operation also features dairy grazing but those cattle numbers have decreased as more dairy farmers are running their own cattle or decreasing their herd size The Stevens also planned on selling their Poll Dorset stud Cairnlea this year A ram sale would be held on December 13 and the stud would celebrate 50 years Mr Stevens put his hand up to retain the council role as he doubted the farm would sell soon A farm sale would be more likely at the end of the trading season at the end of March next year Only a levy payer could be chair of a farmer council If the farm sold he would continue as chairman until the next annual meeting As long as I can run a good meeting and get results for farmers a few extra months [as chairman] won’t make a difference." He was investigating a "change in direction" for his career and intended leaving farming after the farm sold "I might do something else for a few years while I still can .. The former Maniototo Area School teacher had no plans to return to that profession after finishing full-time in 2022 A plan was to continue teaching agriculture through Primary ITO and look at securing facilitation work similar to his roles as chairman of the council and the Ida Valley Catchment Group He planned to stay on the catchment group after the farm sells "I have a project I want to get finished first — getting all the willows out of Poolburn Gorge." Brimbank council has identified a number of issues with a proposed redevelopment of the former Albion Explosives Factory site in Cairnlea including the decision to give Planning Minister Richard Wynne authority over the project Development Victoria has lodged a planning scheme amendment for the 41-hectare site at 147a Cairnlea Drive and 26s Glenbrook Avenue It is proposing to to transform the site into a residential of which 25 per cent will be affordable housing Mr Wynne has been granted planning power over the site at the request of Development Victoria removing council as the responsible authority council urged Mr Wynne to allow it to retain its planning powers over the project amid concerns that a range of issues that may burden council and the community in the future may not be appropriately addressed if Mr Wynne remains the responsible authority for the amendment It also raised concerns about the density of the proposed development the ongoing management of contamination of the site that a number of community facilities proposed for the site are not fully-funded and that infrastructure such as open spaces and roads were not proposed to be built to council standards A number of residents have also raised concerns about the development relating to the size of the blocks a lack of trees and the amount of social housing proposed for the site They also have concerns about contamination of the land Cr Victoria Borg said while the development had “great potential” the current proposal was “a recipe for disaster” Cr Virginia Tachos said the Cairnlea community deserved better this is an overdevelopment,” she said ” … It is nothing more than a land grab to build high density housing with debatable social services and infrastructure to support it afterwards It puts tremendous pressure on a community that deserves better.” Mr Wynne has asked the Government Land Standing Advisory Committee to provide independent advice on the suitability of the proposed amendment The committee is proposing to hold a public hearing the week beginning May 23 Cairnlea residents have renewed their calls for Development Victoria to listen to residents in regards to the development of the old Albion Explosives Factory site residents and Brimbank council have expressed concerns over the planned development of the 41-hectare site on Ballarat Road which has been set aside to create a new residential neighbourhood The state government Land Standing Advisory Committee recently released a Planning Scheme Amendment (PSA) application for the 41-hectare site Development Victoria has requested that the planning provisions for the site be changed to reflect master planning to facilitate the site An advisory committee has been established and will consider the proposal and any submissions made to the application A group of Cairnlea residents have previously expressed concerns that their views have been dismissed Community advocate Graeme Blore wants the plans for the estate to support social disadvantage housing rather than impede it “We call upon Development Victoria to ensure that the plans for the estate do not further entrench social disadvantage provide a diverse range of options regarding lot sizes and provide highly planned and well funded service delivery to support social housing clients for both the immediate and long term future,” Mr Blore said “The Cairnlea community will be lodging a highly detailed submission regarding the estate “We call upon the minister for planning to meet with us as requested in Parliament by shadow minister Ryan Smith two weeks ago.” The group has also said there are still many unanswered questions in relation to the soil remediation of the site and what was previously located there The concerns extend to the Gateway Hill which Mr Blore says the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) does not have an account for what is in the soil there “Residents are also gravely concerned about the remediation of soil and the toxicity therein regarding their health,” he said they hold grave fears for their safety from the inevitable levels of dust “The proposed playground is on the foot of Gateway Hill where massive amounts of toxic material is left over from the Albion Explosives Factory (who were the occupants of the site).” To have your say on the development visit: bit.ly/35gfyLJ Cairnlea community group will host an information session this evening at 8:30pm to discuss the future of the suburb and the proposed plans for the area by Development Victoria The session will be held via zoom with local residents invited to join the session to understand the concerns of the plans that are being raised among community members The session will provide further information about the development plans for Cairnlea in future as well as explaining how to put a submission through to Development Victoria For further information visit: www.facebook.com/events/948411295871450/?ref=newsfeed To join the zoom meeting visit: us02web.zoom.us/j/86345773451?pwd=OGlGU0VFOFB4cHYxTlhUTzlqaDlGZz09 Tucked away in the grassy suburb of Cairnlea lies a small building It looks unimpressive and you’d be forgiven for walking past it without a moments thought but the little building holds a special place in Brimbank’s history The Black Powder Mill was built in 1942 in the midst of World War II with the purpose of making gunpowder Friends of the Black Powder Mill’s Olwen Ford said the mill stands for so much more these days “It’s a symbol of the explosives industry which started in Melbourne’s west 140 years ago,” she said “It’s one of the last serving reminders of the industry and the thousands of workers who served in it.” The building and its machinery still function today and the public is invited to have a look back into history the Black Powder Mill (corner of Parklea Avenue and Grassy Point Road Cairnlea) will open its doors on May 4 from 11.30am “We think this is the only mill of its kind in Australia that still works and it’s the last part of a factory – now gone – which was pretty important,” she said “On the open day we’re even going to have 19th century firearms being demonstrated … by a professional team.” Stories of the Black Powder Mill – which will involve members of Friends of the Black Powder Mill and the Sunshine District Historical Society sharing some of the more infamous stories of the mill – will take place at the Sunshine library on April 14 from 2pm The mill will also feature in Brimbank’s National Heritage Festival Details: www.brimbanklibraries.vic.gov.au/index.php/what-s-on/386-national-heritage-festival-2019 Preparatory work is under way to ready former Department of Defence land in Cairnlea for development the government body that now owns the 38-hectare site bordered by the M80 has erected fencing to prevent rubbish dumping Soil and groundwater testing and the movement of soil stockpiles will take place over the coming months a new entity formed by the merger of Places Victoria and Major Projects Victoria informed nearby residents to expect heavy machinery movements on the land while preliminary site investigations were under way Work is scheduled to take place on week days Development Victoria’s integrated housing and land general manager Peter Vlitas said the masterplan for the site was still at a very early stage “Community engagement and detailed design work will proceed once we have completed preliminary site investigations,” he said Places Victoria reworked its original masterplan for the land after community outrage to what residents conceived as a heavy industrial use Commercial development will now be confined to the southern part of the site on the corner of Ballarat Road and Cairnlea Drive Some mature sugar gums have been removed from the site Mr Vlitas said any hazardous and non-indigenous trees that are removed will be replaced with native species October 8, 2013: Cairnlea residents take hard line on plans November 29, 2013: Cairnlea residents rejoice in ‘power of the people’ December 3, 2013: Cairnlea fight: Residents vow to block businesses December 10, 2013: Cairnlea fight: Report supports loss of 300 trees January 17, 2014: Cairnlea community to be consulted on ‘mixed-use’ project December 9, 2015: Cairnlea masterplan to be resubmitted soon Developers have been fined more than half a million dollars for dumping asbestos in Cairnlea following the demolition of a 159-year-old Carlton pub two years ago Magistrate Richard Pithouse admonished the developers as he imposed fines of $120,000 each on Raman Shaqiri and Stefce Kutlesovski in the Sunshine Magistrates Court on Wednesday built in 1857 on the corner of Leicester and Pelham streets was demolished without planning or building permission As well as leaving exposed asbestos amid the rubble on the Carlton site mortar and other building waste – with asbestos in it – to a development site they owned in Cairnlea 350 metres from a primary school and a childcare centre and close to a group of townhouses their company had recently finished developing Moving the waste from Carlton to Cairnlea occurred after the developers were warned by the EPA which brought Wednesday’s charges against the men The charges against the men related both to dumping waste at Cairnlea and failure to properly secure the Carlton rubble Tarpaulins placed over the Carlton rubble and waste were torn had holes in them and were blowing in the wind Shaqiri’s response was to “tape them back together” The magistrate said he would have jailed the men if that option had been open to him you put the residents of those areas at substantial risk,” Mr Pithouse said I would be imprisoning the accused in relation to these matters I am constrained by the [Environment Protection] Act and I am limited to imposing financial penalties “It is my view that both [directors] of this company have acted with complete disregard to the law for their own financial betterment and that they have a cavalier disregard [for] the law.” This is probably not the page you’re looking for I knew I wanted to continue working in the area I grew up in All the kids at the school here are really good it’s close to home and there’s everything we need out here Is there anything you think could be done better Everything seems to be going along really well but we also help out with things around the school literacy and things like that … we’re really big on school and community engagement How’s the school changed in your time here We used to be a smaller school over in Deer Park We had about 150 kids and now here in Cairnlea we have about 850 … with all the new development A 1.925 hectare development site in Melbourne's Cairnlea has sold under the hammer for $6.41 million A prominent local developer was the buyer of the Brimbank Council development site Zoned Mixed Use, the property includes a 114.29 metre frontage to Furlong Road and 157.90 metre frontage to Cairnlea Drive Fitzroys agents James Gregson and David Bourke handled the campaign Mr Bourke said the site was originally earmarked for Brimbank Council offices however this was subsequently shelved with Council deciding to develop the new Civic Centre in Sunshine central and subsequently the site became surplus to council requirements We're on a mission to radically improve the quality of Urban communities being developed across Australia We aim to showcase every development in Australia to help you find the perfect new home Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time Masked intruders stormed this Cairnlea home early on Friday morning.Credit: Zach Hope Four men in balaclavas stormed a family home and repeatedly stabbed a man during a terrifying home invasion in Melbourne's north-west The gang broke through the locked front door of the Cairnlea unit about 2.50am on Friday when they were confronted by the man who was home with his family – a 33-year-old woman and three children aged five The 50-year-old victim tried to fight off the intruders and was stabbed multiple times in the torso He was taken to Royal Melbourne Hospital in a serious condition "The family are understandably quite shaken by what's happened," Detective Senior Constable Kane Treloar said "They're spending some time with him now in hospital." are believed to have fled south on Station Road in a white Holden Commodore station wagon Detective Senior Constable Treloar said it was early in the investigation but there was no indication the offenders and victims were known to each other Police are investigating the terrifying home invasion in Cairnlea.Credit: Zach Hope Police and forensic teams are at the scene and talking to potential witnesses Above the damaged  screen door of the home is a security camera has lived a few doors down for about eight years He said car break-ins were a regular part of living in the area and crime had been getting worse in the last few years But to his knowledge there’d never been groups of thugs breaking down doors in the early hours of the morning ’But I can expect that with all the (rising) crime who was back in the neighbourhood visiting a friend also said crime was increasing in the west ‘‘Now even little ones are getting around with knives,’’ she said it makes you a coward because you’re not man or woman enough to get a job said it was normally a peaceful area filled with working people "Normally you never see this kind of thing in this line of units but these days you just never know," he said Another neighour reportedly heard a dog barking and voices about the time of the attack Detective Senior Constable Treloar said there didn't appear to be any other related crime in the area last night "We're appealing to anyone who may have information about last night to come forward if you saw anything suspicious last night at or around three in the morning call Crime Stoppers,"  he said Anyone with information can contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. Four men in balaclavas stormed a family home and repeatedly stabbed a man during a terrifying home invasion in Melbourne's north-west. The gang broke through the locked front door of the Cairnlea unit, on Station Road, about 2.50am on Friday when they were confronted by the man who was home with his family \\u2013 a 33-year-old woman and three children aged five, 16 and 17. The 50-year-old victim tried to fight off the intruders and was stabbed multiple times in the torso.\\u00A0 He was taken to Royal Melbourne Hospital in a serious condition. The woman and children were not hurt. \\\"The family are understandably quite shaken by what's happened,\\\" Detective Senior Constable Kane Treloar said. \\\"They're spending some time with him now in hospital.\\\" The masked men, who were wearing dark clothing, are believed to have fled south on Station Road in a white Holden Commodore station wagon. Detective Senior Constable Treloar said it was early in the investigation but there was no indication the offenders and victims were known to each other, nor did it appear anything was stolen. Police and forensic teams are at the scene and talking to potential witnesses. Above the damaged\\u00A0 screen door of the home is a security camera. Ali Malik, 29, has lived a few doors down for about eight years. He said car break-ins were a regular part of living in the area and crime had been getting worse in the last few years. But to his knowledge there\\u2019d never been groups of thugs breaking down doors in the early hours of the morning. \\u2018\\u2018I think it\\u2019s pretty scary,\\u2019\\u2019 he said. \\u2019But I can expect that with all the (rising) crime. I\\u2019m definitely putting cameras in.\\u2019\\u2019 A former resident Brooke, who was back in the neighbourhood visiting a friend, also said crime was increasing in the west. \\u2018\\u2018Now even little ones are getting around with knives,\\u2019\\u2019 she said. \\u2018\\u2018First thing is, it makes you a coward because you\\u2019re not man or woman enough to get a job. And now on top of that, they\\u2019re using weapons.\\u2019\\u2019 A neighbour, who does not know the family, said it was normally a peaceful area filled with working people. \\\"Normally you never see this kind of thing in this line of units, but these days you just never know,\\\" he said. Another neighour reportedly heard a dog barking and voices about the time of the attack. Detective Senior Constable Treloar said there didn't appear to be any other related crime in the area last night. \\\"We're appealing to anyone who may have information about last night to come forward. Station Road, it's very busy road, if you saw anything suspicious last night at or around three in the morning call Crime Stoppers,\\\"\\u00A0 he said. Anyone with information can contact on 1800 333 000. Cairnlea Park Primary School marked Anzac Day with a lasting reminder of the sacrifices made by those who fought at Gallipoli. The school was selected to take part in the National Trust of Australia’s (Victoria) Gallipoli Oaks Project. National Trust of Australia (Victoria) chief executive Simon Ambrose said the planting of a tree at the school stemmed from a young soldier’s journey. “At the core of this project is the story of how a young Australian soldier, Captain Winter Cooke from Murndal, near Hamilton, noticed some unusual holly bushes while stationed at Gallipoli that had acorns like oak trees,” he said. “Captain Winter Cooke remembered that his Uncle Samuel in Hamilton was a bit of a tree enthusiast – someone that would be interested in these rare acorns – and so sent a package of acorns to him from Gallipoli. “Schools will plant seedlings that are direct descendants of those acorns from Gallipoli.” Following the ceremony, World War I memorabilia, organised by the Wartime Living History Association, was exhibited. School community engagement and transition co-ordinator Natalie Roach said it was a unique way to honour our soldiers. “To be one of a few schools to be selected to take part in this makes it really special,” she said. “It added an extra element to our traditional ceremony.” Cairnlea Park Primary School pupils will soon be spending more time on two wheels. The school has been donated 30 bikes as part of the Fix the Cycle program. Under the program, offenders on community correction orders upgrade bikes donated by police and the community. The work is carried out under the supervision of corrections staff. Cairnlea Park Primary School community engagement and transition co-ordinator Natalie Roach said the new additions would significantly bolster the school’s bicycle education program. “Currently the program runs two students to one bike, but this will mean we’re able to run two classes at the one time and every student will have their own bike. “A lot of our kids don’t have bikes or the skills to ride bikes, so this is a great way of teaching them those skills and bike and road safety.” Ms Roach said the donation would also give the school the ability to give back to the community. “We were also able to get some smaller bikes, which we might be able to give to people in the community who don’t have the funds for their own bike … whether it be the kindergarten or someone local,” she said. The bikes were handed over to the school by police officers and Department of Justice and Regulation officials last week. CAIRNLEA found its season at the crossroads in the Football Federation Victoria men’s state league 3 north-west on Saturday. The Reds went into the half-time break a goal down to relegation-threatened Williamstown Blues at Cairnlea Park and in serious need of a change in fortunes. It was the difference between a relatively cruisy end to the campaign or a nerve-racking last month. After 45 minutes, the Reds were staring down the barrel, but they always believed a comeback was on the cards. “Going in at half-time 1-0 down, all the players gathered in together and basically believed that we could win,” Reds team manager Jenk Kulac told the Weekly. “We had to win basically to stay in the league because if we had lost today, it would’ve put us right down.” The Reds summoned every ounce of courage to turn the match around and claim a 2-1 win. They were offered a lifeline in the form of a trip in the box. Paul Muscat made a confident run into the penalty area and was brought down, prompting the referee to point to the spot. Kemal Irdem fired home the kick, hitting the ball dead straight and leaving Blues goalkeeper Andrew Gvozdic wondering why he decided to dive in the first place. Then came the piece de resistance from Metin Alibeyi five minutes from time, a pearler of a free kick curled in from the left side of the 18-yard box and into the top corner. The bulging of the net sparked frenzied celebrations on the Reds’ bench. They knew what it meant in the context of the season. “It was a six-point game for us,” Kulac said. “We’ve left Williamstown behind now.” Sener Gehc and Mehmet Karakilic were brilliant in the midfield for the Reds. Janusz Podgurski was solid in defence. One of the stars was undoubtedly new recruit Mason Interlandi. The 18-year-old goalkeeper from Altona East Phoenix has been a revelation since his arrival at Furlong Road. The effervescent youngster made a string of quality saves to deny the Blues. “He’s been with us for about six weeks now,” Kulac said. “The kid has got a future. Week in, week out, he pulls out really good saves.” The Reds will head into Saturday’s local derby at Sydenham Park, which has been promoted, with a weight lifted off their shoulders. SL1: Sunshine George Cross 3 FC Bulleen Lions 0 SL3: North Sunshine Eagles 2 Sydenham Park 3, Cairnlea 2 Williamstown 1 PL3: Brimbank Stallions 0 Melbourne City 0 New signs warning against feeding birds will be installed in Cairnlea following concerns from residents. Residents have contacted Brimbank council in regards to the feeding of the birds, with the council now finalising the design of pictorial informative signs to be installed in the coming weeks at Cairnlea Lakes. The council is also in contact with Melbourne Water about installing the new signs at the Melbourne Water-owned Jones Creek wetlands in Cairnlea. Brimbank city development director Kelvin Walsh said the new signage stems from the well-intentioned feeding of birds and the impacts on water quality and animal welfare issues. The council first installed signs on the council owned wetlands in 2019 telling people to not feed the birds. “Occasionally, council receives customer calls raising concerns about wildlife and bird rescues in the Cairnlea area,” he said. “It is important that we protect the diverse variety of bird life in Brimbank. “We stress that feeding the birds is not recommended and will cause harm to the wildlife. “Unfortunately what is seen as a joyful and well-meaning experience for visitors, can have consequences for the health of birds and waterways.” A resident told Star Weekly that two-minute noodles, doughnuts and bread are among the items being regularly fed to the birds. She said she had been concerned about the safety of some of the birds in the area, including a =well-known duck. “Anyone with concerns about wildlife should contact Wildlife Victoria to rescue injured, sick, and orphaned wildlife. Whenever possible, they return healthy animals to the wild,” Mr Walsh said, “Melbourne Water owns and manages the Jones Creek wetlands in Cairnlea, and any issues at the site should also be reported to Melbourne Water customer service team.” Brimbank council has agreed to look again at ground conditions at the Kevin Flint Memorial Reserve after Cairnlea Football Club took to Twitter last week claiming its barren surface is causing injuries and driving good players away. Club president Yagiz Adal said the ground had five “massive” patches where grass was not growing and the club had been forced to move games away from the main ground to manage the surface. “We use flour to mark the ungrassed areas,” he said. “We’ve had some players sustain ankle injuries. It’s hard to retain good players; it’s been an ongoing issue for years.” The club’s Twitter blast included a video of officials filling holes with soil before the final home match against Sunbury on August 28. But the council’s community wellbeing director, Neil Whiteside, said the council has been working with the club to improve the surface, and monthly ground inspections were undertaken. He said the council had not been made aware of any injuries as a result of the ground’s condition. “The surface conditions are a result of the very heavy usage of the pitches and climate conditions,” Mr Whiteside said. “Council invested significant time and funding into the soccer pitches at this reserve prior to commencement of the 2015 season. This included a significant renovation program. “Clubs are encouraged to spread the load on the grounds, abide by approved usage levels and times, and – as part of their tenancy agreement – inspect all surfaces before use to identify any issues and report them immediately to council for rectifying.” Coles and Cairnlea Park Primary School are teaming up to make sure none of the pupils go hungry. Each week the team at the Cairnlea Coles puts together a selection of fruit and donates it to the neighbouring school. The fruit sits in a basket in the main office for pupils who have missed breakfast or forgotten lunch. Cairnlea Park Primary School community engagement and transition co-ordinator Natalie Roach said the initiative was popular with the children. “There’s a lot of kids who don’t have breakfast or may have forgotten lunch, so this is a way to make sure they have something healthy to eat,” she said. Cairnlea Coles manager Aaron Carlton said the store had decided to resume the initiative after a brief pause. “We wanted to bring it back because we think it’s a really important thing,” Mr Carlton said. “The food we donate is basically fruit, which keeps it simple and healthy. We pick out a few of the apples, bananas, oranges and try to donate a colourful arrangement. “We were doing it a few months ago and we’ve started it up again, so hopefully it’s an ongoing thing. “The teachers have told us it’s for the kids who don’t have lunch that day, so it’s nice to know they’ve got something to eat.” The youngest learners at Cairnlea Park Primary School have successfully completed their first week of school. More than 100 preps commenced their learning journey at the school, and one thing was consistent among the cohort –the playground was the place to be. Engagement and transition co-ordinator Natalie Roach said it was exciting to welcome the pupils to school. “They were all very excited about making new friends and starting at their new school,” she said. “The students were most excited to play on the playgrounds, especially the monkey bars.” She said one of the reasons the transition is so smooth is because when the kids are in kinder they get a year four buddy. “We had lots of transition sessions last year and we do kinder visits,” she said. “This means when they come to school they know those familiar faces in the yard. “Learning to be independent is huge for the preps – they don’t have mum and dad around. “The teachers have been really happy with the way they have settled.” Pupils at Cairnlea Park Primary School are preparing to make a special delivery. Staff and pupils at the school have put together a bundle of care packages which will be sent off to defence force members in time for Anzac Day. Cairnlea Park Primary School community engagement and transition co-ordinator Natalie Roach said the concept was about helping the children do something positive. “One of our teachers is in touch with the defence force and told us about the idea,” she said. “We thought what better way to get the kids engaged in the community that exists outside of our small community.” Mrs Roach said the response from staff and pupils was tremendous. “We’ve ended up with 38 boxes which will get shipped off to serving members.” The school places a large emphasis on recognising Anzac Day and Mrs Roach said the care packages were a reminder that there are still people serving today. “We do a really big Anzac Day assembly each year and we really try to instill into the kids that Anzac Day isn’t a celebration, it’s a commemorative day,” she said. “The packages are a nice way to add to that commemorative process and to show the kids that Anzac Day will be around forever.” Eastern barred bandicoots are extinct in the wild, but there are a number of the small, nocturnal marsupials in captivity … and one very large one, measuring some 20 metres in length, can be found in grassland at Cairnlea. Friends of Iramoo, a group of volunteers, banded together about 20 years ago, starting a 30-year project aimed at restoring some 40 hectares of grassland at Cairnlea known as the Iramoo wildflower grassland reserve. Their plan was unique … what they needed to do was eradicate the serrated tussock and Chilean needle grass that had infested these once bountiful volcanic plains and replant native wildflowers. They commissioned local artists to sculpt endangered marsupials using scrap tin – sourced sustainably from the Albion Eco-Living Centre, of course – and erected these on top of the piles of weeds. The science was simple … the sculptures were left in place for two summers, during which time whatever lay underneath was smothered, baked and sterilised. Friends of Iramoo secretary Amanda Dodd said once a metal marsupial was lifted and moved to another spot, the burnt soil beneath was planted with natives lemon beauty heads and common everlasting. “This year, he’ll jump again,” she said, referring to the group’s giant tin bandicoot. “Every two years, we pick him up and move him … so, by the time the bandicoot reaches the other end, the reserve will be restored with wildflowers.” The council worker and ecology graduate said their project was unusual in that it took such a long-term approach. “It’s taken 200-plus years of European colonisation to damage it, so it’s going to take us a long time to get it back.” The site was illegally demolished over a weekend despite a council stop-work order Link copiedShareShare articleConstruction rubble from the illegally demolished Corkman Irish pub at Carlton has been found at a site north-west of Melbourne which was at the corner of Leicester Street and Pelham Street near the Melbourne University law school was demolished more than a week ago despite a council stop-work order The demolition sparked outrage from the Victorian Government with Planning Minister Richard Wynne labelling the developers "cowboys" who had taken "outrageous behaviour". The developers were told they could not remove the debris because it contained asbestos and were ordered to cover it. But after a tip-off from a member of the public, the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) discovered some of the waste had been moved to a construction site at Cairnlea, in Melbourne's north-west. The EPA confirmed samples taken from the Cairnlea waste did contain asbestos. "EPA officers took samples of the waste at the Cairnlea site and test results have confirmed asbestos is present," authority spokesman Daniel Hunt said. They will be issued with a notice to cover the waste to prevent any dust from impacting on nearby homes and must erect signs around the property. "The owner will be required to undertake air monitoring at the site to ensure there is no airborne asbestos present," Mr Hunt said. "The must also install controls to prevent any sediment from discharging and contaminating the local stormwater system." Anyone who dumps construction and demolition waste, or permits its illegal disposal, can face fines of up to $758,350 if prosecuted. The EPA will fine the site owners $7,500 for failing to adequately cover the debris by the required date. Environment Minister Lily D'Ambrosio said it was "outrageous" that the waste had been moved, "putting the public at risk". She said the behaviour of those responsible would not be tolerated. "At every step of the way the people, the perpetrators have done the wrong thing," she said. Not only was the debris not supposed to be moved, the Cairnlea site does not have the appropriate approvals to accept it. "We will pursue this matter and bring to account every single person who's responsible for this terrible abuse of people's health," she said. Cinderella and Superman will take over Cairnlea Park Primary School on Tuesday when pupils come dressed as their favourite characters in celebration of Book Week Teacher Natalie Roach says the school embraces the annual event which helps foster a lifelong love of reading “It is important to celebrate Book Week to reinforce a love for books and Ms Roach will be reading to her class excerpts from texts by famous Australian authors Children’s Book Week is celebrated around the nation between August 20 and 26 The last World War II munitions factory building in Melbourne’s west was recognised last week when a national heritage marker was put in place at Cairnlea’s Black Powder Mill The mill was part of the former Albion Explosives Factory itself one of four such factories in Melbourne’s west The Cairnlea mill worked overtime to provide gunpowder for the war effort from 1942 to 1944 and its tower is the last remaining of some 400 buildings demolished at the Albion site as it transformed into the modern day suburb of Cairnlea The mill ceased munitions operations after the war but Friends of the Black Powder Mill president Noel Tozer worked there from 1957 until 1981 after it was converted for other manufacturing this factory and the others in the west employed around 25,000 people so it was an important part of the war effort,” Mr Tozer said “I feel almost certain that it increased its worth when Japan entered the war and closed off Pacific shipping channels so gunpowder for fuses had to be made here.” which included two factories in Maribyrnong and one at Footscray became known as Australia’s Arsenal during the war With the recognition of a heritage marker from Engineers Australia Mr Tozer said the site’s history would now be preserved for future generations “The mill is a reminder of the industry and the people that worked in it during the war,” he said it also spawned a number of other industries … part of Victorian manufacturing “Normally these buildings are closed … but this is open to the public,” he said A Cairnlea woman is calling for increased security at Albion train station after the wheels were stolen from her brand new Commodore VXR last Tuesday Diana Galati parked her car at the station about 7.30am returning 12 hours later to make the shocking discovery “I left the car there a little bit longer than I normally would “I’m not sure at what time of the day it happened.” Ms Galati said she no longer felt comfortable parking at the station “The hassle we had to go through to get the car out of the carpark was a four-hour ordeal,” she said “It’s incredibly disappointing – we’ve only had the car for two months Ms Galati has received quotes that the wheels will cost more than $5000 to replace and there was also some damage underneath the car from the bricks and where the jack had been placed “I went to the Sunshine police and they took a report but unfortunately there’s just not a lot they can do since there was no camera facing my car,” she said “It’s time for Albion station to be improved with more CCTV especially for being out of sight of any road but I’m also putting this out there for the community to beware when parking at the station.” Ms Galati appealed for witnesses to the theft to come forward “It would really help if someone came forward that witnessed this,” she said “What’s disappointing is that someone going to their car or walking through the carpark would have seen this and didn’t call the police to report this.” We use cookies to improve your experience of using our website Please let us know if you agree to the use of these cookies A congregation in Airdrie has unveiled a stunning environmentally friendly renovation of their church The changes at Cairnlea Parish Church have made their buildings more accessible and include flexible spaces to better serve the needs of the community around them The ambitious project was begun after the union of two congregations in 2016 when it was decided that only one church would be used for worship and that the former Broomknoll site was no longer needed "Rather than putting the additional building on the open market the Cairnlea congregation invested in getting planning permission and drawings done to turn it into affordable housing," Rev Peter Donald "A housing association has now taken on the former church with support from the Scottish Government to adapt it "It was the most satisfactory way we could think of to make sure that the former church site was not going to be neglected." Through a combination of funds from the proceeds of the building and grant awards they were then able to begin the next phase to improve the interior of the remaining church "The sanctuary was not very accessible at all and there were fixed pews which meant it was felt that it wasn't really allowing the building to be used except on a Sunday," Peter says "We took out all of the fossil fuel heating and put in renewable air source heat pumps instead - creating an asset fit for the 21st century has really sung with the new lighting and the redecoration and is much more beautiful than it was before but with the advantages of full accessibility and new toilets so it's a total win." when the congregation were looking for a new minister and it was clear that they were wanting to make some big changes "They had got as far as appointing an architect but by summer 2018 we fully launched the Cairnlea 2020 project "In early 2020 we appointed a contractor to begin work in April 2020 "We moved back into the sanctuary by April 2021." began which took until October 2021 and included adding a lift for accessibility "Meanwhile we were trying to consider whether we could afford to do the hall and we had to keep on seeking out grants "The situation with Covid made it all the more urgent to find ways of regenerating community which opened up some funding from recovery funds." Work to the hall included insulating the ceiling all of which were ready in time for Christmas 2021 "We've all had to work very hard and this could never have happened without an amazingly gifted team within the church who have given so many hours to overseeing the project "The finished product is so much better than we even imagined it could be "It's been very exciting to see what a difference it's made "We've been able to change the way we serve communion such as by having lots of tables out so there's a sense of a communal meal and we can now have all different types of events in the sanctuary area which means it can be used through the week." a survey was done in the community to ask for people to comment on what they would like the hall to provide "We're very much in the centre of Airdrie and we've always had different groups use our hall such as dancing classes "My impression is we're quite advanced in removing the use of fossil fuels from our site - the direction of travel is towards net zero "All of these big 19th century spaces are being heated by air source heat pumps and it's working really well "One of our retired elders who drives a motorised scooter was able to drive into the sanctuary then he was able to drive into a platform lift to take him down into the church hall and then drove into the lift of the house to go up to the first floor - he could get everywhere "It will enhance our mission and outreach - people these days expect a welcoming space "I want people to cross our threshold thinking 'this is a place worth coming to' and potentially exploring their faith." who is the acting chair of the Church of Scotland's net zero group said: "With the Church of Scotland's commitment to achieving net zero by 2030 more congregations are looking at their buildings and how to reduce their carbon footprint "It's great to have the pioneering work on moving in this direction from Cairnlea and I hope we can share their experience with other congregations." On Saturday 5 March members of the public are invited to visit Cairnlea Parish Church from 10.15am for 10.30am A service of dedication will take place on Sunday 6 March at 11am and all are welcome Lewis baby bank founder celebrated for her community commitment Audio-visual technician recognised for 50 years of General Assembly service Commissioners encouraged to attend General Assembly fringe events Contact us EXPLOSIVES chemicals have polluted groundwater in part of a Melbourne suburb with the Environment Protection Authority unsure how far the contamination has spread and residents not told of it The authority said it was unable to say whether the groundwater posed a health risk before new testing at the site was completed next year The EPA has been strongly criticised in a series of letters from state Ombudsman George Brouwer for failures in monitoring the clean-up of the former Albion Explosives Factory site which now forms the suburb of Cairnlea in Melbourne's west The Ombudsman's investigation into the clean-up has raised serious questions about the performance of the EPA in monitoring how large contaminated sites are dealt with obtained under a freedom-of-information request catalogue system failures at the authority including in relation to the security of samples from contaminated sites ''The chain of custody forms related to the validation samples collected were not complete,'' the Ombudsman found He also said the EPA had been unable to provide documents showing where contaminated material had been ''removed transported and deposited appropriately'' The Ombudsman was particularly critical of the fact the authority had engaged the same company that dealt with contamination at the site to later carry out tests there after a complaint was made about the quality of the clean-up I am concerned that the validation sampling was undertaken by Golder and Mr [name deleted] with very little oversight by the EPA despite the fact that both these contractors were involved in the remedial work complained about,'' Mr Brouwer said in a letter to the EPA The Ombudsman also questioned why a report on the condition of a contaminated soil dump at the Cairnlea site was still not completed years after the ''repository'' had been completed A new report detailing the extent of the groundwater pollution and the condition of the ''repository'' at Cairnlea will not be completed until next year The authority would not say if there were water bores used in the area and said residents would be notified about the water contamination when it became clear if the groundwater had been cleaned up as much as possible Soil testing in other areas of the suburb did not return samples of concern In a December 2011 letter to the Ombudsman EPA chief executive John Merritt said while the extent of groundwater contamination at Cairnlea was not known ''monitoring of Kororoit Creek itself shows no measurable impact there has been no detection of explosives in it'' The authority also told the Ombudsman it was trialling a new ''risk-based'' approach to monitoring of auditors and reviewing audit reports with the criteria for review including ''high level of community interest'' The criticisms of the performance of the EPA come as the state government is planning a multibillion-dollar development at another former munitions factory site - the 128-hectare former defence complex in Maribyrnong After almost a century of explosives production about ''25 per cent of the surface area of the site is contaminated'' and groundwater is also contaminated The clean-up of the Maribyrnong site - planned to accommodate 3000 homes - could take up to five years and cost up to $20 million A source familiar with the site described the Defence Department's clean-up time frame as ''optimistic He said the most common and cost-effective clean-up method for large contaminated sites was to not remove the contaminated soil but instead ''shandy'' the soil to reduce contamination levels He said contaminated soil was also sometimes pushed to one location on the site ''capped and called a park'' It is not just Defence sites where the EPA will be monitoring the clean-up The 16.5-hectare Amcor site in Alphington - also believed to be heavily contaminated - will close by the end of the year with plans to sell it for development One developer is believed to have proposed covering the site in cement to deal with the contamination issue which now forms the suburb of Cairnlea in Melbourne's west The Ombudsman's investigation into the clean-up has raised serious questions about the performance of the EPA in monitoring how large contaminated sites are dealt with ''The chain of custody forms related to the validation samples collected were not complete,'' the Ombudsman found He also said the EPA had been unable to provide documents showing where contaminated material had been ''removed I am concerned that the validation sampling was undertaken by Golder and Mr [name deleted] with very little oversight by the EPA despite the fact that both these contractors were involved in the remedial work complained about,'' Mr Brouwer said in a letter to the EPA The Ombudsman also questioned why a report on the condition of a contaminated soil dump at the Cairnlea site was still not completed years after the ''repository'' had been completed A new report detailing the extent of the groundwater pollution and the condition of the ''repository'' at Cairnlea will not be completed until next year ''monitoring of Kororoit Creek itself shows no measurable impact there has been no detection of explosives in it'' The authority also told the Ombudsman it was trialling a new ''risk-based'' approach to monitoring of auditors and reviewing audit reports with the criteria for review including ''high level of community interest'' about ''25 per cent of the surface area of the site is contaminated'' and groundwater is also contaminated A source familiar with the site described the Defence Department's clean-up time frame as ''optimistic He said the most common and cost-effective clean-up method for large contaminated sites was to not remove the contaminated soil but instead ''shandy'' the soil to reduce contamination levels The ad-free version is ready for purchase on iOS mobile app today we couldn't find that page";var n=e.querySelector("h2");return n&&n.remove(),{staticContent:e,title:t}},d=function(e){var t=document.createElement("button");return t.innerText=e,t.classList.add("error-page-button"),t},f=function(e){var t=document.createElement("div");t.id="recirculation-404",t.classList.add("brand-hint-bg");var n="\n \n \n \n \n \n '.concat(e,' Tick here if you would like us to send you the author’s response The file could not be found for a number of reasons such as the file being moved or deleted. 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Click here to get back to where you came from Rev Peter Donald at Cairnlea Church in Airdrie town centre(Image: Tom Dick/Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser)A newly-refurbished church and a virtual fire station tour are among the Lanarkshire highlights of this weekend’s nationwide Doors Open programme Public buildings across the country are welcoming visitors and running special events this Saturday and Sunday as the annual event resumes following lockdown with a hybrid offer of in-person and virtual events The Lanarkshire Live app is available to download now Get all the news from your area – as well as features sport and the latest on Lanarkshire’s recovery from the coronavirus pandemic – straight to your fingertips The free download features the latest breaking news and exclusive stories and allows you to customise your page to the sections that matter most to you Head to the App Store and never miss a beat in Lanarkshire - iOS - Android Its minister, Rev Peter Donald, told Lanarkshire Live how the first two phases of work have been completed with the church reopening its transformed interior to parishioners in April and work on the adjacent former manse being finished last month He said: “We’ve had a couple of open afternoons for the congregation and thought that with Doors Open weekend taking place across the whole area we’d join in for people in the community to see the space “It’s a very beautiful interior and the church has gorgeous stained glass – it was poorly lit before the refurbishment so it didn’t sing before but now it’s quite striking “There’s a lot of glass at the front now so people can see what’s going on and no longer wonder what’s behind the walls; and the sanctuary is now a very flexible space instead of having fixed pews and we’ve made accessibility improvements replacing steps with platform lifts and taking away the sloping floor.” The renovation work has also included transforming the former manse now used as meeting rooms and for small groups with Rev Donald saying: “We’re very keen to have it be of service to the community as a newly-refurbished facility in the heart of the town.” Cairnlea church in Airdrie has now been transformed into a flexible space for worship and community use(Image: Contributed/Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser)Now the final stage of the renovation, currently underway and the minister added: “It’s always been a very heavily-used part of the building; the good thing is that with the sanctuary being very flexible we can have everything taking place there for the moment which used to be happening in the church hall “We’ve had things like our toddler group in the sanctuary and it’s good that we can use it in different ways.” He added: “We’ve added new air-source heat pumps lights and insulation – and we’re really chuffed to have achieved heating which is environmentally responsible and will last for decades “We’re very happily opening up for Doors Open weekend; the whole project has been rather wonderful and people are very struck by it and there’s been an overwhelmingly positive response.” The interior of Cairnlea parish church in Airdrie pictured before its major renovation(Image: Contributed/Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser) Also taking part this weekend with visits and tours this weekend are North Lanarkshire churches St Augustine’s in Coatbridge and St Mungo’s in Cumbernauld while events will take place on Saturday at Summerlee musuem North Lanarkshire heritage centre and Cumbernauld library and museum Online sessions include a virtual tour of Coatbridge fire station with links to be shared on the Doors Open day webpage; while the South Lanarkshire attractions welcoming visitors will include Biggar’s museum and fire station Cuthbertson’s snow ploughs and Leadhills miners’ library *Don't miss the latest headlines from around Lanarkshire. 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Zona Howell might have been looking a bit grubbier than she would in the classroom but she was still smiling as she drenched and vaccinated calves on an Ida Valley farm last Thursday is among a group of agricultural pupils who take part in a twice-weekly on-farm education programme at Sam and Deb Stevens’ farm Cairnlea The couple have a Poll Dorset sheep stud and they also graze dairy cattle and sheep The programme was the brainchild of Mr Stevens Maniototo Area recently became a Trades Academy school for Primary ITO in which pupils could do level 2 unit standards with the credits counting for both NCEA and the national certificate in agriculture It was the only school in the South Island accredited to level 3 assessment of vehicles While there were other schools involved with similar programmes often pupils visited different farms rather than being based at one It was a busy day at Cairnlea — there were pupils driving tractors to feed out to stock drenched and vaccinated at a neighbouring property and cattle also to be weighed and drenched Mr Stevens usually picked up the pupils from the school bus at Oturehua about 8am and they were on-farm until after 3pm Repetition of tasks was the key and that was how they learned the skills Aside from the skills they learned on-farm he impressed on them the need to turn up on time have a good attitude and be prepared to do a day’s work There was a maximum of five pupils at one time and it was usually about a 50% mix of rural and non-rural teens How quickly those not accustomed to farming picked things up was "completely an attitude thing" Often those from farms either had a preference for machinery or for stock but and all enjoyed being out of the classroom What they did in a day depended entirely on what was happening on the farm at the time Many of the pupils coming through the programme either went on to further training Zona hoped to go to Telford and then embark on a dairy farming career Some pupils who were struggling with literacy this year were also going to Cairnlea to use the experience to help them with their learning Mr Stevens was recently appointed to the agribusiness subject expert group for the Ministry of Education’s review of NCEA achievement standards He is also a member of the Beef + Lamb New Zealand Central South Island Farmer Council initially seeking election over concerns about the perceived urban-rural divide The next big push for Beef + Lamb was sector capability which tied in nicely with his teaching background Mr and Mrs Stevens will open their farm gates for Open Farms an initiative aimed at reconnecting Kiwis through food and farming It was centred on a nationwide open farm day event and it would be a good chance for the pupils to show what they had been doing If you still have problems, try contacting us and we'll do what we can to help you. 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