A Cranbourne man who serially groped 17 women at a nightclub over several nights has been spared jail pleaded guilty at the Victorian County Court to 17 counts of sexual assault and attempting to sexually assault an 18th at Revolver nightclub in Prahran On three nights in September and October 2023 Rayan inappropriately touched the strangers’ waists and/or buttocks Sentencing judge Peter Rozen noted that some of the acts were particularly brazen while the victims were dancing or kissing another man a venue manager monitoring Rayan on CCTV ordered security to escort him from the nightclub escaping up Chapel Street before they could call police Three victims told the court of the emotional impact such as feeling unsafe mistrustful and avoiding social gatherings One told of moving interstate for family and friends’ support and being unable to establish a romantic relationship since Judge Rozen noted Rayan’s type of offending would be normally heard at a magistrates’ court The judge inferred the case was uplifted because of the sheer number of victims brazen nature and the three separate nights of offending Rayan initially denied the sexual contact to police He also later claimed he was too drunk to remember what happened – a version dismissed as “illogical” and “unlikely” by Judge Rozen and his moral culpability was “considerable” the separated father had lost his IT job during Covid and used to “drink to get drunk” for a period he was socially isolated and had sold his home Judge Rozen noted Rayan’s remorse but was concerned about his lack of insight into his offending This was shown by Rayan’s reluctance to take part in further offender programs He had however taken part in men’s behaviour change programs as well as continuing to undergo psychological counselling had not re-offended while on bail since late 2023 and had “fair” rehabilitation prospects This offending over six weeks was “out of character” Judge Rozen stated the purposes of specific deterrence and community protection could be achieved without jail A punitive community corrections order was in the interests of the community to support Rayan’s rehabilitation and further reduce his small risk of reoffending Rayan was sentenced to a two-year supervised CCO including 180 hours of unpaid work as well as alcohol and offender programs Privacy Policy / Terms & Conditions The prospect of a return to racing at Cranbourne hit a major milestone on Thursday courtesy of a $4 million Victorian Racing Industry Fund commitment from the Victorian government to build a new racetrack Works are expected to start in the second half of this year with a 12 to 18-month construction period required to get greyhound racing back at Cranbourne for the first time since 2022 The proposed new track will be a one-turn track with a minimum width of 7 meters promoting less interference and congestion when compared with the old two-turn track which had a minimum width of 4 metres in some parts The track will cater for a large proportion of racing population with 330 but Thursday’s funding commitment from government ensures the project has the backing required to succeed “This upgrade will provide a safe and state-of-the-art venue for trainers greyhounds and participants,” Victorian racing minister Anthony Carbines said “The racing industry plays a vital role in the state’s economy GRV’s chief executive officer Stuart Laing said the Cranbourne redevelopment would ease the burden on the high percentage of trainers living in the City of Casey “The Casey region is home to the largest number of greyhound trainers and second highest number of active greyhounds in Victoria,” Laing said “The region is one of the most intensive areas for greyhound training in Australia “This investment will ensure that greyhound racing at Cranbourne can thrive with the construction of a new purpose-built track utilising industry best practice design principles fostering a vibrant and sustainable future for greyhound racing in Victoria and provides our participants with the much-needed confidence to continue to invest in the sport.” Member for Cranbourne Pauline Richards also threw her support behind Thursday’s announcement “This is a fantastic result for the racing community in Cranbourne,” Ms Richards said “Backing the upgrade will boost our local economy – bringing together racing enthusiasts friends and families for a great night out.” Cranbourne Greyhound Racing Club chief executive Andrew Fennell said he was thrilled the project was going ahead “We thank the Victorian Government for its significant investment to upgrade the greyhound racetrack here at Cranbourne,” he said “We know the upgraded track will be of significant benefit to trainers ensuring the continued safety of our racing animals and trainers while ensuring an enjoyable experience for patrons for years to come.” the Cranbourne Greyhound Racing Club (CGRC) conducted 89 race meetings involving 1,318 active participants and distributing over $4 million in prizemoney and returns Greyhound Racing is responsible for creating an economic impact of $36.9 million for the City of Casey This activity supports 282 full time equivalent jobs in the region and generates $21 million in household income Greyhound racing in Victoria provides an annual economic contribution of $844.8 million to the state’s economy A public affairs and communications specialist working with Greyhound Racing Victoria after a career as an award-winning racing and sport journalist GRV’s chair Peita Duncan officially launched the Victorian greyhound industry’s Good Friday Appeal campaign on 3AW on Friday App available on Google Play & Apple Store Call Investigations Hotline 24 hours a day - 7 days a week Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time I was once embarrassed to hail from Cranbourne “Crimebourne” was once — still is — its dreadful diminutive I felt tucked away from any semblance of culture emerging only to scoff a Shake n’ Dog at the beat-up Wendy’s in town to rent Human Centipede at the Blockbuster that was opposite Kelly’s Hotel or to play squash against my dad in the now-defunct courts behind one of Cranbourne’s many drive-through joints My home was a little over a kilometre out of the main strip: a seven-acre farm with racehorses I’d scale the paddocks of an evening while filling up water troughs and the echo of a thoroughbred’s neigh pierces through most of my childhood memories I was brushing a horse’s mane or picking soil from the furrows of their hooves while many girls stuck in suburban dwellings – the kind that framed the property I grew up on – could only dream of such a life I once boasted at school about having met Heli Simpson the actor who played the Saddle Club’s “mean girl” Veronica at a neighbouring horse show: a prized run-in for an 11-year-old girl who engrossed herself in the comings-and-goings of Pine Hollow Stables But tending to a stable’s daily needs was a large undertaking and somewhere between dusting myself off after a fall and wheeling a large sum of manure to a smelly pit books and make-up did not require such maintenance climbed into my car with a mattress shoved into the back where I commenced my 20s in the inner north which made returning home for the occasional family dinner – routinely held at the now-inoperative Cranbourne RSL – particularly difficult my family home was bulldozed to make way for a now-endless sprawl of new house-and-land packages as Cranbourne grew and the name spread through the suburbs of Cranbourne North Cranbourne was still technically part of metropolitan Melbourne: the last stop on the train line and one of the few places where people could still afford to buy like the Royal Botanic Gardens – a favoured excursion for many since it opened in 2006 It’s a striking homage to native shrubbery rare or threatened species of plants in its vibrant collection one is less inclined to mosey into the mall in a pair of rip-off Uggs and pyjama pants given the presence of not-half-bad dining establishments such as Groove Train and Times turned Pancake Parlour turned Taco Bell then became Amazing Grace The squash court once where jockeys belted out a sweat while the soft humdrum of Prince played on the speaker was turned into a community hall Even the odd smattering of meteorite replicas once only a meagre stone’s throw from Domino’s Pizza The homage to the enormous meteorite that crashed into Cranbourne around 200 years ago was remodelled and embedded into a rock display out the front of Casey RACE in Cranbourne East Rumour has it a blacksmith — way back in 1854 — nicked iron from the 3500-kilogram space boulder Even after all this time and exponential growth the pulse of “horse” types still persists down south: courtesy of the Cranbourne racecourse home to the largest training complex in the southern hemisphere cars will gather at a coffee float nestled just off the South Gippsland Highway for a caffeine fix before track work but all I need to do is mention my last name to a local if I wish to hear a wistful story or be met with an affectionate nod especially when driving through the trees that frame the racetrack I wonder: where did all the actual horses go I’d long seen them grazing on the fringes of the South Gippsland Highway their presence now replaced by estates and construction sites Cranbourne’s four-metre welcome sign even boasts the metal silhouette of a horse mid-gallop who has resided in Cranbourne for 50-odd years and runs a booming saddlery business tells me the horses can still be found – they’re just tucked deeper down the highway on larger blocks of land or at agistment properties – stable dwellings with sufficient acreage that suburban horse owners can rent The master leathersmith delights when I mention I’m a Griffiths and recalls how my grandparents rented a small shanty off him and his wife a humble farm where my grandfather would break in racehorses I am comforted to know that horses still run the joint When my uncle Rodney passed away in 2022 — an esteemed jockey and staunch Cranbournite — his funeral procession was held at the Cranbourne racecourse I no longer felt embarrassed about hailing from the dry flat pains of an outer suburb I once declared doddery I make sure to drive past the now-paved road I grew up on and lament the sight of traffic lights and crossings Madison Griffiths is a freelance writer and author of Tissue The Opinion newsletter is a weekly wrap of views that will challenge, champion and inform your own. Sign up here \\u201CCrimebourne\\u201D was once \\u2014 still is \\u2014 its dreadful diminutive emerging only to scoff a Shake n\\u2019 Dog at the beat-up Wendy\\u2019s in town to rent Human Centipede at the Blockbuster that was opposite Kelly\\u2019s Hotel or to play squash against my dad in the now-defunct courts behind one of Cranbourne\\u2019s many drive-through joints I\\u2019d scale the paddocks of an evening while filling up water troughs I was a true-blue \\u201Chorse girl\\u201D and the echo of a thoroughbred\\u2019s neigh pierces through most of my childhood memories I was brushing a horse\\u2019s mane or picking soil from the furrows of their hooves while many girls stuck in suburban dwellings \\u2013 the kind that framed the property I grew up on \\u2013 could only dream of such a life the actor who played the Saddle Club\\u2019s \\u201Cmean girl\\u201D Veronica But tending to a stable\\u2019s daily needs was a large undertaking which made returning home for the occasional family dinner \\u2013 routinely held at the now-inoperative Cranbourne RSL \\u2013 particularly difficult like the Royal Botanic Gardens \\u2013 a favoured excursion for many since it opened in 2006 It\\u2019s a striking homage to native shrubbery once only a meagre stone\\u2019s throw from Domino\\u2019s Pizza Rumour has it a blacksmith \\u2014 way back in 1854 \\u2014 nicked iron from the 3500-kilogram space boulder the pulse of \\u201Chorse\\u201D types still persists down south: courtesy of the Cranbourne racecourse Even businesses with no presumed affiliation to horse racing embody its essence Silks \\u2014 a restaurant that hails off the South Gippsland Highway \\u2014 is affectionately named after a jockey\\u2019s colourful ensemble a popular sports club on Grant Street that overlooks the track is a salute to the three racing codes that operate out of Cranbourne: I\\u2019d long seen them grazing on the fringes of the South Gippsland Highway Cranbourne\\u2019s four-metre welcome sign even boasts the metal silhouette of a horse mid-gallop tells me the horses can still be found \\u2013 they\\u2019re just tucked deeper down the highway on larger blocks of land or at agistment properties \\u2013 stable dwellings with sufficient acreage that suburban horse owners can rent The master leathersmith delights when I mention I\\u2019m a Griffiths When my uncle Rodney passed away in 2022 \\u2014 an esteemed jockey and staunch Cranbournite \\u2014 his funeral procession was held at the Cranbourne racecourse The Opinion newsletter is a weekly wrap of views that will challenge home prices on the nose tooDavid Bonaddio Melbourne has often been ranked one of the world’s most livable cities but some pockets hit different for residents’ sense of smell Melbourne’s smelliest suburbs have been revealed with new data showing the city’s most pungent postcodes are also some of its more affordable property markets Every suburb on the list of the Environmental Protection Agency’s highest levels of stench complaints has a median house price below $1m and while some areas have recorded modest growth others are seeing buyers turn away due to the overpowering odours The EPA data shows Cranbourne was Victoria’s most complained-about suburb for odour in the past two years with 884 reports lodged over landfill stench RELATED: Ex-North Melbourne footy boss eyes near-$3m deal RCA: Melb Seamen’s sanctuary turned to beachfront gold ‘Authentically woggy’ retro Greek home worth millions having risen just 1.5 per cent in the past year Neighbouring Botanic Ridge was the second most affected with 463 complaints and a median house price of $907,500 which has increased by 4.3 per cent in the same time which didn’t make the list of odour complaint suburbs recorded stronger price growth of 11.2 per cent It’s worth noting that not all parts of a given suburb have an odour problem and weather conditions can vary the presence or intensity of certain smells while some suburbs such as those famed for the scent of cafe culture can come with far more pleasant aromas But for some residents of the smelliest suburbs the persistent odour has prompted them to sell up and leave — even losing money on what they paid for their home Families like the Lenko’s are packing up and leaving as overpowering odours make everyday life unbearable Former Cranbourne resident Harpreet Singh said the smell became unbearable soon after his family moved in “We had to keep our windows shut all the time because the stench of decomposing waste was so strong,” Mr Singh said “It would seep through the air vents at night After two years of complaints and little improvement where he said the fresh air has been a welcome change “Moving was the best decision we made,” he said Landfill stench lingers over Melbourne’s suburbs with residents struggling to escape the foul air Mr Singh said he would advise anyone buying a home to check what the EPA website said about the area before signing a contract The Lenko family (pictured above) also left the same area a few years ago only to find the same smell can be smelt in their new suburb nearby Monash Business School professor Harmen Oppewal said scent was directly linked to memory and emotion meaning buyers could develop a strong attachment — or aversion — to a place based on its smell “Scent bypasses conscious thought and triggers immediate emotional responses,” Prof Oppewal said Botanic Ridge home owners are among the most likely to raise odour reports with the EPA which is why a familiar smell can create a sense of comfort while an unpleasant one can cause an instant aversion.” He added that scent should be considered as much as noise “A smell can create an emotional connection to a place but it can also become a constant frustration,” he said “Just as some people struggle to live near a busy road Auctioneer Andy Reid said smell is the silent deal-breaker buyers often overlook Apollo Auctions Victoria head Andy Reid said scent could have a powerful impact on buyer perception the smell of coffee or fresh bread creates a feeling of comfort and familiarity,” Mr Reid said the scent of fast food or industry can be a deal-breaker.” The EPA this week said they had increased efforts to tackle odour pollution and were cracking down on businesses failing to contain industrial smells tracking down Melbourne’s worst odour offenders EPA Victoria principal odour scientist Chris Bydder said historic planning decisions had placed housing estates too close to odour-producing industries but new regulations were giving the authority more power to act and shut down businesses over repeated odour violations Sniffer drones are also now being used to detect air quality breaches in real time experts recommend inspecting a property at different times to ensure they are comfortable with the neighbourhood’s scent at all times but some buyers risk being trapped in a landfill-scented nightmare Apollo Auctions Victoria head Andy Reid said buyers needed to evaluate a suburb’s scent at different times of the day but if there’s an industrial or landfill odour at night Developers and real estate agents are also using scent to their advantage staging homes with fragrances such as fresh linen and baked goods to create a more inviting atmosphere Brooklyn residents battle industrial odours as house prices struggle to rise through the fumes Mr Reid said entire suburbs could even market their signature scents “Whether it’s the salty sea air of the Mornington Peninsula the aroma of freshly roasted coffee in Carlton or the unmistakeable scent of industry in Melbourne’s west smell is playing a bigger role in shaping property demand than ever before,” he said Melbourne’s cafe culture is built on the scent of freshly brewed coffee — but not all neighbourhood aromas are this inviting Abbotsford’s brewery aroma divides locals — comforting for some Abbotsford resident Amy Lee said the area’s brewery aroma had influenced her decision to buy there and warm — it reminds me of my grandfather that scent made the place feel like home.” 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: Interstate investors ‘blitzing’ Melb auction market Ex-forklift driver behind Melb’s biggest plaza buy since 2018 Next stop: Melbourne tram depot converted into cool loft 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. The Pakenham and Cranbourne train lines have been suspended with bus replacements between Oakleigh and Westall due to a train fault Trains will continue to run between Flinders Street and Oakleigh and between Westall and East Pakenham / Cranbourne According to the Public Transport Victoria website the replacement buses will take over 60 minutes to arrive since the time of the disruption The Department of Transport has asked passengers to check station platform displays and for motorists to be more vigilant for extra pedestrians and buses around train stations on the respective lines Early voting for the federal election will begin next week providing an easy opportunity for many to miss the line on election day early voting will begin on Tuesday 22 April and run until Friday 2 May centres will be open from 8.30 am – 5.30 pm centres will be open from 9am – 4pm and from 8.30 am – 6pm on Friday 2 May Buses will replace trains over three days next week as trial operations continue within the Metro Tunnel and along the future continuous line from Sunbury to Cranbourne and Pakenham Buses will replace trains on the Cranbourne and Pakenham lines between Parliament and Westall: From the first to last service on Thursday Cranbourne and Pakenham trains will terminate and originate at Caulfield during further night works from 9pm on Monday Passengers should switch to a train on the Frankston Line for travel between the city and Caulfield Coaches will replace V/Line trains on the Traralgon and Bairnsdale lines between East Pakenham and Southern Cross on Monday and Tuesday Trains will continue to operate between East Pakenham Regional passengers are encouraged to check the temporary coach replacement timetable before travelling and to allow around 60 minutes extra for their journey Coaches will not stop at Flinders Street (after 7pm) up to 18 trains per hour will operate along the Sunbury Cranbourne and Pakenham lines and through the Metro Tunnel to gather critical data Continuing trial operations include running through a wide range of scenarios involving the five new underground stations and practicing emergency responses to major incidents so staff are fully prepared when the Metro Tunnel opens in 2025 The Metro Tunnel will deliver twin 9km tunnels and five new CBD stations connections to the City Loop and will enable more trains to run more often across Melbourne Real-time traffic conditions are available at traffic.transport.vic.gov.au The latest public transport information and network status is available at ptv.vic.gov.au or in the PTV mobile app Cranbourne stood still on Friday 25 April as the crowd turned out to commemorate ANZAC Day Locals attended the dawn and the mid-morning services to pay their respects to those who had served and defended the country Dandenong-Cranbourne RSL vice president and veteran Stuart Couch estimated that about a few thousand community members showed up at the mid-morning services “It is heartening to see our community gather here today I’ve been doing this only for a few years but I think that each year it grows,” Mr Couch addressed the public He said that Cranbourne RSL had been trying hard to mend the relationship with the community “There’s a little bit of background behind it with the loss of the Cranbourne RSL A lot of people felt angered by the joint standing on the Cranbourne RSL,” he said “And we’re here to try and mend those relationships in the community “A lot of people think that we’ve forgotten about the Cranbourne community but the word is starting to get out that we are here for the veterans and there are a lot of faces here that I’ve seen in the past that are starting to turn back up The mid-morning service started with a march along High Street led by local veterans and members of the Dandenong-Cranbourne RSL Mr Couch said ANZAC Day had been one of the most important dates on the Australian calendar since 1916 and it had become an occasion to honour all who had worn the country’s uniform in service it allowed people to honour the original Australians and New Zealanders who fought globally,” he said “Then it would become a day for those who served in World War I the many peacekeeping operations currently underway around the world and we recognise the more than 100,000 Australians who have given their life in service to this country.” As the country prepares to commemorate the fallen in just over a week the City of Casey will be supporting a number of Anzac Day services to honour the occasion The majority of services will be held on Friday with Endeavour Hills holding their service on Thursday for an 11am start at the Endeavour Hills War Memorial Berwick’s service will begin at 10:40am for the march and an 11am service at the Berwick Cenotaph in High Street Narre Warren’s service begins at 6am at Bunjil Place with Narre Warren North’s beginning at 9am at the Narre Warren North War Memorial at Memorial Drive the first being a 6am service at the Cenotaph Area in High Street The second will begin with a march at 10:40am Hampton Park will have a 6am service at the ANZAC Memorial in Arthur Wr Casey Council is seeking community feedback on the concept design of the proposed Cranbourne Hub The proposed $40.3 million community services hub at 1-3 Lyall Street will house the Connected Libraries (Cranbourne branch) City of Casey’s Customer Service and Cranbourne Youth Information Centre all in one convenient location in an attempt to offer the community access to a variety of services in one convenient location Peninsula Community Legal Centre has been identified as a preferred community service to be included in the proposed Cranbourne Hub concept design The draft concept design has been exhibited on Casey Conversations Communities are welcome to provide their feedback on some elements of the design and assets and services outside of the 1-3 Lyall property footprint are non-negotiables according to the council The public consultation will close on Sunday 16 March Council officers will consider community feedback and share the community engagement summary report in March this year Council will also seek endorsement to adopt the project into the Capital Works Program this year To submit your feedback: conversations.casey.vic.gov.au/Cranbourne-hub The council will conduct the following community drop-in sessions: More than $250,000 in prize money is available across the nine race card headlined by the $100,000 Group 2 DECRON Cranbourne Gold Cup and the $50,000 Group 2 Bruce Skeggs Memorial Cranbourne Trotters Cup contact the club on 5996 1300 or email cgallagher@trotscranbourne.com.au Purchase Ticket Cranbourne Gold Cup — Cranbourne Harness Racing Club Members of the passionate Cranbourne Club 21 syndicate will be in full voice when Harley Lane tackles tonight’s Nutrien Equine Classic final for three-year-old fillies The lightly-raced daughter of Lather Up produced an eye-catching finale to run third in her heat last Friday which followed an impressive maiden win at her home track on March 23 with individuals charged a small monthly fee to race a team of horses within the syndicate Horses are leased and sent to trainers based out of the Cranbourne training centre with Harley Lane prepared by top horsewoman Jayne Davies Cranbourne Harness Racing Club facilitates the syndicate with trotters Copacabana and Naked Ambition among the best-performed horses raced since its inception in 2018 “We approached (owner-breeder) Bruce Edward and he was good enough to lease Harley Lane after she qualified at Melton a month or two back and she’s done a good job,” club president and syndicate manager David Scott said “Her last run from back in the field was very but we think the syndicate can have some real good fun with her.” Harley Lane will be driven by leading reinsman James Herbertson and starts from barrier 11 in the $125,000 event Emma Stewart has Victorian heat winners Ivseenheavenslight and Beach Diamond in gates nine and 12 respectively stuffed toys for $3 and mugs for $1.50 are a few of the 28,000 ultra-cheap items that thousands of Melbourne shoppers have spent hours lining up for at Panda Mart since Thursday opened its first store in Cranbourne in the city’s south-east last week but was forced to close its doors early on Saturday after police were called to control crowds of bargain-hungry shoppers who attempted to push past staff into the store Customers queue outside the Panda Mart warehouse in Cranbourne on Monday.Credit: Gemma Grant We didn’t prepare to get this crowded and this [many] customers,” store owner John Chen said “We started managing by putting more security and put more staff on the floor Victoria Police were called to help manage a crowd of about 1000 people on Saturday afternoon when some attempted to push their way past glass doors and left shelves in disarray The retailer shut its doors that afternoon and reopened on Sunday morning While much of the initial chaos had subsided by Monday afternoon long queues continued to snake past the front door and throngs of people converged at checkout counters Stock was scattered across the floors of the warehouse while many shelves had been stripped bare The recently opened big-box retailer sources 28,000 items from China’s export manufacturing hub of Yiwu There are plans to expand to the full range of 50,000 Social media users sharing store experiences and shopping hauls also revealed rows of make-up Shoppers Bree McCurdy and Cherish Brimelow visited on Monday after seeing it on social media and said they were impressed with the low prices and wide range of goods There [were] people making fun of the things [in stock] here … but we’ve been finding some great things,” Brimelow said The pair of friends hadn’t intended to buy anything but departed the store with cushions whereas here you can just come down and get what you need in person at a similar price,” McCurdy said Chen is hoping Panda Mart can differentiate itself from e-commerce juggernauts such as Temu by having only a bricks-and-mortar offering and they know what they are paying,” he said you can’t really feel them … It might be difficult for customers to have what they really want.” Dozens of customers at the check-outs in Panda Mart’s Cranbourne warehouse.Credit: Gemma Grant Panda Mart is in the Cranbourne HomeCo centre Its Preston site sits across from Northland Shopping Centre and is due to open later this year founded in South Africa more than a decade ago and with more than 100 superstores across New Zealand intends to open more sites across Australia “We want to open in big cities that have more people like 3 to 4000 square metres in shopping centres,” said Chen Cost-of-living pressures have pushed customers towards low-cost international retailers which have undercut local retailers struggling to compete Nearly 4 million Australians have purchased from Temu at least once in the year to August while 2 million Australians have made a purchase from Shein Temu is expected to exceed $2 billion in sales The Business Briefing newsletter delivers major stories, exclusive coverage and expert opinion. Sign up to get it every weekday morning opened its first store in Cranbourne in the city\\u2019s south-east last week but was forced to close its doors early on Saturday after police were called to control crowds of bargain-hungry shoppers who attempted to push past staff into the store \\u201CWe didn\\u2019t expect we would be this busy We didn\\u2019t prepare to get this crowded and this [many] customers,\\u201D store owner John Chen said \\u201CWe started managing by putting more security and put more staff on the floor The recently opened big-box retailer sources 28,000 items from China\\u2019s export manufacturing hub of Yiwu There [were] people making fun of the things [in stock] here \\u2026 but we\\u2019ve been finding some great things,\\u201D Brimelow said The pair of friends hadn\\u2019t intended to buy anything but departed the store with cushions \\u201CShipping is such a big thing online whereas here you can just come down and get what you need in person at a similar price,\\u201D McCurdy said \\u201CWe want customers to feel the real goods and they know what they are paying,\\u201D he said you can\\u2019t really feel them \\u2026 It might be difficult for customers to have what they really want.\\u201D \\u201CWe want to open in big cities that have more people like 3 to 4000 square metres in shopping centres,\\u201D said Chen The Business Briefing newsletter delivers major stories who worked as a project officer for the Department of Training and Education was sentenced to 10 years in jail after what the judge called “particularly abhorrent” including using carriage service to groom a person under 16 years old using carriage service to transmit child abuse material and to cause child abuse material to be transmitted to himself and possessing or controlling child abuse material obtained or accessed using a carriage service Judge Fiona Todd delivered the 10-year imprisonment sentence on Tuesday 18 February She said reading the 35-page prosecution opening summary was to experience a “relentless and profound revulsion and ultimately moral despair” The horrific nature of the content of the factual summary in your case presents a practical difficulty for the court,” she said The judge chose not to recite or even summarise the facts on the sentence but to quote the prosecution opening very selectively to reduce the exposure of court participants and the public to unnecessary harm and not to reproduce and transmit child abuse material in written form Vikraman was first arrested in December 2022 and was bailed on the same day which led to his second arrest in March 2024 The court discovered that he groomed a girl then aged between 13 and 15 The offender was also found to have sent child abuse materials to other girls The police discovered that Vikraman had more than 3,800 images of child abuse materials across multiple devices “The content of the images is quite simply horrific,” Judge Todd said “Your transmission charges involve the exchange of child abuse material with some 29 people The content is grossly depraved and violent Their images circulate with your help permanently and infinitely across the Internet making an enduring and endless republication of these children’s horrifying abuse.” While there was no evidence of monetary profit in the case Judge Todd said Vikraman participated in the trade of child exploitation material in online spaces where his fellow offenders would send to and repay him with images and videos on a one-for-one basis She called Vikraman “a market participant in the child exploitation industry” Judge Todd said that to spend time with these facts was to stare into the abyss “If the most vulnerable and smallest children are the subject of violent adult sexual conduct it is difficult to believe that anyone is safe anywhere,” she said The offender pleaded that he was lonely and felt inadequate to the task of forming an adult relationship which Judge Todd believed fell well short of excusing or even explaining what he did and you’d worked including in a government department,” she said “You were not raised in an environment that exposed you to or normalised deviant sexual behaviour and you were living in an environment where the moral compass was set to north.” The court revealed that Vikraman was born in India and raised in Singapore The family emigrated to Australia when he was eight His childhood was characterised by harsh discipline particularly in the context of academic performance Vikraman’s father would physically discipline him on some occasions and the two had a conflicted and detached relationship Vikraman achieved excellent academic results at school but struggled socially He was said to have significant issues developing connections with his peers and was subject to bullying He completed a Bachelor of Commerce at the University of Melbourne His mental health deteriorated during this period he was employed as a project officer at the Department of Training and Education The expert witness opined that Vikraman developed “’paedophilic sexual arousal patterns” Judge Todd said the role for this sentence was to deter other people from engaging in this behavior “This sentence must communicate to anyone tempted to involve themselves in similar conduct… “This sentence must also serve as a public denunciation of what you did on behalf of the community.” Vikraman was sentenced to 10 years of imprisonment including a non-parole period of six years and six months he had already served 348 days of pre-sentence detention He will be registered as a sex offender for life Phoenix-winning trainer Jihad Talgi and local MP Pauline Richards share their thoughts after government announce $4 million in funding for Cranbourne’s redevelopment Greyhound racing will come back to Cranbourne in late 2026 as an injection of $4 million from the State Government has locked in a much-needed rebuild The old greyhound track at Cranbourne Racecourse was closed in 2022 after racing incidents The old track’s design was regarded as unsafe back then Construction work for the new track is expected to start late this year and finish within an estimated twelve months Minister for Racing Anthony Carbines visited the Cranbourne Greyhound Racing Club on Thursday 27 March to announce the $4 million inflow through the Victorian Racing Industry Fund The cash injection will bring the total cost of the track redevelopment project to approximately $9.5 million on top of the $2 million contribution from the club and $3.5 million from Greyhound Racing Victoria According to the club chief executive officer Andrew Fennell the upgraded racetrack will feature the latest safety standards to address the concerns that saw racing suspended at the track in 2022 improved lighting and advanced drainage systems which all contribute to a safer racing condition He also emphasised that the new track would have modern practices in the designs and it was designed purposely for the race distances The club will introduce new animal welfare features including purpose-built holding and viewing pens and modern wash bays to ensure the health Further safety measures will include fixed starts at 650 metres a traditional cable lure and the newer Safechase system The Safechase system has improved monitoring technology to identify risk and safety patterns Mr Fennell said the old track had been around for 48 years and had a lot of repairs When the racing incidents happened in 2022 the club closed the venue and planned to rebuild straight away it’s taken a little bit longer to get to the point where we’re now,” he said Racing Minister Mr Carbines said the local region is home to 200 greyhound trainers He said the trainers and their greyhounds would not need to travel afar to Sandown and Warragul to train when the new track was completed a Devon Meadows trainer who has been in the industry for 25 years said he was excited about the coming new track He lives a five-minute drive away from the Cranbourne track but for the last two years after its closure he travelled everywhere to try and find a suitable track for the dog which very often involved an hour and a half on the car “It was disappointing because we educated our dogs on that track too,” he said “The news is very exciting and refreshing.” Greyhound Racing Victoria chief executive officer Stuart Laing spoke about the economic importance of the Cranbourne Greyhound Racing Club in the region Prior to the closure of its racing activities in 2022 the club conducted 70 race meetings and over 15,000 trials each year on average involving 1,318 active participants and distributing over $4 million in prize money and returns Greyhound Racing training and breeding activity in the City of Casey is projected to support close to 300 full-time equivalent jobs according to a review of the track redevelopment program the cumulative economic uplift stimulated by this new track development project has been estimated at $23.5 million,” Mr Laing said “That’s quite a significant investment into this region and it creates jobs but also sustains and maintains jobs and economic development.” Cranbourne MP Pauline Richards said it was a fantastic result for the racing community in Cranbourne “Backing the upgrade will boost our local economy friends and families for a great night out,” she said When the Metro Tunnel opens in 2025 the Sunbury Cranbourne and Pakenham lines will run through new tunnels under Melbourne’s CBD It will give passengers direct train access to new destinations Melbourne’s major health and education precinct (Parkville Station) and North Melbourne (Arden Station) Passengers will be able to travel all the way from Sunbury to Cranbourne or Pakenham without changing trains A single change will connect people to the Ballarat Warrnambool and Gippsland regional rail lines Receive project updates and notifications for works and disruptions delivered to your inbox and an early shutdown marked the grand opening of Australia’s first Panda Mart in Cranbourne last weekend International discount retailer Panda Mart opened its first store Australia-wide in Cranbourne on Thursday 27 February with a 20 per cent discount being offered on the first four days When Star News visited on the afternoon of Saturday 1 March with the line extending from the front of the store to Bunnings next door Carparks were full to their capacity as plenty of drivers hung around to try their luck The surrounding neighbourhood was also packed with cars on nature strips and kerbsides Shoppers were seen going home with full trolleys and red shopping bags with the panda logo who visited relatives in Cranbourne on the day and out-of-control as people “happily” carried their ladened bags with cheap stuff away from the store and more poured in “Where was the permit for this grand opening that insisted on traffic management?” she said Store owner John Chen estimated that more than 10,000 shoppers showed up each day during the weekend He and his team only expected less than one-fifth of the actual turnout The situation went out of control in the late afternoon on Saturday shoppers became agitated while waiting for about one hour and a half on average to check out It was not as fast as the shoppers expected so many people queued for a long time,” Mr Chen said Verbal abuse started and escalated into physical fights Mr Chen said the staff tried to break up the fight He also noted that some young people took advantage of the chaos by smashing goods onto the ground and tearing apart the packages the massive crowd wanted to get in all at once but the staff shut down the door due to the fights and overcrowding inside Eager shoppers swarmed all over the small space between the two rows of glass doors at the entrance People were pushing on the glass doors to get inside Mr Chen said they tried to manage the flow by putting on crowd-control officers He understood that many people drove hours to have a look and didn’t want to go home with their hands empty but they had to tell them to go home as the safety concerns loomed They kept putting their weight on the glass doors Police were called and arrived around 5pm to manage the safety and the order The store was then shut down early for the day The store later apologised on Facebook for the inconvenience “We apologise for the recent crowding in our store which may have impacted your shopping experience,” it states we’re actively managing customer flow by increasing staff “Thank you for your patience and continued support as we work to provide a better shopping experience.” Mr Chen said the early shutdown was a hard decision to make “We had to do it for everyone’s safety because we were afraid that the fights inside would affect the people lining up next to them and then there would be more and more fights,” he said “More people would be involved in the chaos and we were concerned about the possibility of a stampede “That’s why we decided to shut the door.” Mr Chen said they implemented crowd-control in the early morning of Sunday 2 March There were hundreds of shoppers inside,” he said “The average waiting time to get inside was about one hour and a half “We also put on four security guards.” Panda Mart has put Cranbourne town on the map on China’s RedNote a social media platform used widely by Chinese living overseas The Chinese community hailed the discount store as “Melbourne’s Yiwu” is widely recognised as the world’s largest wholesale market for small commodities The discount store also went viral on TikTok SearchCranbourne Salvos ‘can start dreaming again’ after finding new homedeansimpson7Mar 282 min readUpdated: Mar 31 The new building that the newly named Casey Cardinia Salvos will utilise after fire destroyed the old Cranbourne Corps building (right).BY KIRRALEE NICOLLEFollowing a fire that gutted the Cranbourne Corps building in Victoria in July 2023 the congregation has finally found a new home.The congregation will meet in their new building for the first time this Sunday which has now become part of a hub known as the Casey Cardinia Salvos which also includes the Pakenham Corps and former Berwick Corps will begin meeting in the new rental property originally purpose-built as a medical centre Casey Cardinia Team Leader Captain Katie Ryan.Team Leader Captain Katie Ryan said the new building meant more than just a place to gather for those who had been using temporary locations for almost two years whereas now there’s a feeling of ‘we can move forward “There is so much safety in knowing you belong somewhere.” Katie also said that with all programs now coming back under the one roof the corps could get back to doing what was needed for the community throughout the week READ MORE: Cranbourne Corps fire the Cranbourne congregation has been meeting in a chapel within a retirement village operating from a council community building to be officiated by Victoria Divisional Commander Colonel Kelvin Merrett The wider community has been coming alongside the Casey Cardia=nia team with Bunnings Pakenham recently donating furniture from their showroom which will be utilised in the new building For anyone who would like to attend this Sunday The Salvation Army is an international movement Our mission is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and to meet human needs in his name with love and without discrimination Search past articles on Others Read past issues of Others Magazine Read past issues of Pipeline Magazine Read past issues of On Fire Magazine Salvos Online is the internal news website of The Salvation Army Australia Territory The website is part of the Internal Communications Department and includes leadership updates Cranbourne West Primary faces plenty of challenges but the children in the school’s “human-powered vehicle” program are not going to let anything slow them down racing to the top of the state’s standings in the niche sport A human-powered vehicle is simply a recumbent pushbike encased in a carbon fibre chassis and Kevlar shell; very aerodynamic and tough enough to keep the rider safe when they crash (and crash they do) at speeds of up to 65 km/h out on the track Grade 6 riders (front right) Isla Sieben (front left) Akur Jok and (back) Ella Smith.Credit: Joe Armao and Cranbourne West’s funding is below average – even by the standards of Victoria’s cash-strapped state education sector – with the majority of the children there coming from the lowest quarter of the school socio-economic index The vehicles and associated gear had to be fund-raised meaning plenty of weekend shifts on the barbecue outside Bunnings for senior teacher and coach Chris McGowan school parents and the young racers themselves But McGowan says the benefits to the children – many from troubled or trauma-affected backgrounds –has been well worth the effort He reports that progress for the children involved in the program has been “incredible”; mental health has improved academic engagement and success are better and students grow in self-esteem and frequently end up delivering confident talks on the design and construction of their machines The human-powered vehicle racers of Cranbourne West Primary School prepare to hit the track.Credit: Joe Armao “It helps them gain some purpose,” McGowan said “It teaches them leadership skills and teaches them how to be a part of the team it connects them to school and the community a bit more and we’ve had a lot of success with so many troubled kids over the journey.” his colleague and assistant coach Sophie Hendricks and 15 students heading to South Australia in September to compete in a 24-hour race against the 10 fastest schools from that state were considered quick enough to compete in the event which is shaping up as a sort of human-powered vehicle State of Origin a lifelong Cranny West local who attended the school himself as a boy is bursting with pride that the program has given his young racers the chance of an interstate sporting trip something that might be taken for granted in more privileged school communities Shell Energy has come on board as a sponsor of the program and will make the South Australian trip financially possible But nobody is getting out of their Bunnings sausage shifts “We like the kids to learn that they have to earn these experiences that this is the result of some hard work,” McGowan said but the children in the school\\u2019s \\u201Chuman-powered vehicle\\u201D program are not going to let anything slow them down racing to the top of the state\\u2019s standings in the niche sport and Cranbourne West\\u2019s funding is below average \\u2013 even by the standards of Victoria\\u2019s cash-strapped state education sector \\u2013 with the majority of the children there coming from the lowest quarter of the school socio-economic index But McGowan says the benefits to the children \\u2013 many from troubled or trauma-affected backgrounds \\u2013has been well worth the effort has been \\u201Cincredible\\u201D; mental health has improved \\u201CIt helps them gain some purpose,\\u201D McGowan said \\u201CIt teaches them leadership skills and teaches them how to be a part of the team and we\\u2019ve had a lot of success with so many troubled kids over the journey.\\u201D \\u201CWe like the kids to learn that they have to earn these experiences that this is the result of some hard work,\\u201D McGowan said Tim O'Connor has done the form for Saturday night's meeting at Cranbourne R1 – 6.04pm – CRANBOURNE FENCING PACE – 2080m Corravally Star is flying and hasn’t had much luck his last couple He has good gate speed and if he can get to the pegs here BACK: 4 Corravally Star – 1 unit (win) R2 – 6.30pm – NEW ZEALAND BLOODSTOCK STANDARDBRED PACE – 2080m Plains In Heaven has good form against good rivals and cut ground off Raging Whitebait in a fast race on Bendigo Cup night He beat the flying El Boston from the chair here before that BACK: 10 Plains In Heaven – 0.5 unit (each-way) R3 – 7.06pm – WOODLANDS STUD PAM HOCKHAM MEMORIAL PACE – 1609m R4 – 7.44pm – ALDEBARAN PARK TROT – 1609m I’ve been impressed with Tripod in recent starts and he brings some solid form against good rivals to this contest He looks overs and happy to have another small-each-way play BACK: 3 Tripod – 0.5 unit (each-way) R5 – 8.19pm – BLUE HILLS RISE CRANBOURNE TROTTERS CUP (GROUP 1) – 2555m Parisian Artiste failed in the Inter Dominion final in December but he won a heat and his form this campaign has been very good Connections bypassed the Great Southern Star for tonight’s feature and I like him drawn a touch better than his key rivals on the back row BACK: 9 Parisian Artiste – 1 unit (each-way) R6 – 8.54pm – DECRON CRANBOURNE GOLD CUP (GROUP 2) – 2555m Think Mach Dan looks very likely to cross down to the pegs and then take cover R7 – 9.24pm – AIDAN GRAHAM MEMORIAL PACE – 2080m R8 – 9.54pm – MARK GURRY & ASSOCIATES PACE – 1609m Anakin has been brave his last few and strikes a very winnable event here His third placing when three-wide up on a hot speed three back at Kilmore is super form for this grade For all your harness form in one place go to goodform.thetrots.com.au  ** A betting unit is typically a percentage of the total bankroll or the amount of money you are willing to risk on a particular bet – for example 1 unit is 10% of your bankroll therefore with a $100 bankroll 1 unit equals $10 Chances are you’re about to lose. For free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au Cranbourne’s pin-up model Bulletproof Boy is fighting fit and ready to tackle Saturday night’s Group 2 Decron Cranbourne Gold Cup after being a late scratching for last week’s Sportsbet A.G Hunter Cup The 10-year-old won the Bendigo and Ballarat Cup booking his spot in the $250,000 Grand Circuit classic before being ruled out on Saturday morning “On Friday I got him out and we don’t know where he did it but he had a cut on his hock and of course being on his hock – it blew his hock up pretty severely,” trainer Scott Ewen said “We worked on it all of Friday and Saturday and iced it and got it down a bit but come Saturday morning – the swelling had gone down to his tendon “We thought it would be better to scratch him – I worked him and he wasn’t lame at all and you can’t go to the races especially when you have got a niggly injury.” The gelding out of My Riviera Girl has been ‘good as gold’ since but Ewen is keeping tabs on the laceration I worked him today and he worked the house down – as he does,” Ewen said “The leg goes down every day and we have been treating it – there is a mark on his hock but there is no swelling.” “He has pulled through it good and he is ready to go on Saturday.” A sticky draw (eight) and Queensland Superstar Leap To Fame in prime position – has made the task a little bit tougher “They haven’t given me a good draw,” Ewen joked “There is a lot of speed there and Leap To Fame got crossed by Tact Mcleod last week – so there is a chance Mach Dan could cross him.  A hometown cup would be the icing on the cake to an incredible start to 2025 “It would be great to win and he (Bulletproof Boy) is the flagship horse over here – if he could win the Cranbourne Cup it would be pretty special.” The gelding will be piloted by James Herbertson while Leap To Fame has drawn two for the $100,000 event The Group 1 Blue Hills Rise Cranbourne Trotters Cup is the squaregaiting feature on the card with last year’s victor Mufasa Metro for John Justice outside the main draw New Zealand star Oscar Bonavena has drawn 11 and will likely be the hot favourite Cranbourne will get a new Medicare Mental Health Centre under a wider $1 billion election promise if Labor is re-elected in the election next month Labor’s $1 billion mental health commitment includes $225 million for 31 new and upgraded Medicare Mental Health Centres including the establishment of the Cranbourne branch $500 million for 20 Youth Specialist Care Centres to support young people with complex mental health needs and $90 million to train more than 1,200 mental health professionals and peer workers in postgraduate courses and workplace placements the Cranbourne Medicare Mental Health Centre will provide free walk-in support for people experiencing mental health distress as well as ongoing care for those with more complex needs This centre will be staffed by a multidisciplinary team who will offer wraparound care across extended hours Incumbent Holt MP and candidate Cassandra Fernando highlighted a roundtable with Hon Emma McBride MP the Assistant Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention in February last year to discuss mental health issues in Holt and then advocated for a Headspace in Cranbourne She said Holt is one of the youngest electorates in the country “Too many people in Cranbourne and surrounding suburbs are struggling to get the mental health support they need when they need it,” she said “This new Medicare Mental Health Centre will be a game-changer The Liberal Party has pledged to double Medicare-subsidised mental health sessions from 10 to 20 and invest $400m into youth mental health if re-elected Police are investigating after a number of goods were stolen from a store in Cranbourne this afternoon Officers were called to reports of two men and a woman entering a store on Thompsons Road around 11:05am The offenders attempted to leave the store without paying for a range of items Security grabbed one of the men and a passer-by intervened The remaining offenders and a third man returned in a van got out of the vehicle and produced what appeared to be metal bars Threats were made before security released the person they were holding All offenders then got into the vehicle and fled the scene Videos of the incident were posted on Facebook which has since gained traction and has been shared in multiple groups Investigations into the matter remain ongoing and anyone with information that could assist police is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report online at www.crimestoppers.com.au Melbourne’s Cranbourne Park Shopping Centre The heat in the shopping centre market has been highlighted by talks between private equity real estate investor IP Generation and ISPT regarding a 50 per cent interest in Melbourne’s Cranbourne Park Shopping Centre for about $125m The demand for shopping centres is spiking at year’s end as the funds houses that have dominated buying in this part of the cycle want to stock up ahead of larger players returning to the market IP Generation has been active, and in June snapped up Stockland’s Glendale centre in Lake Macquarie, NSW, for about $315m Retail property is in demand despite the cost-of-living crisis as buyers believe that interest cuts are on the way which will cut their borrowing costs and lift consumer confidence ISPT put the stake in the centre on the block last month just as investors were surging back into the market They chased the interest in the dominant subregional shopping centre which sits on a 7.51ha land parcel in Melbourne’s burgeoning southeast corridor The centre is managed and co-owned by retail giant Vicinity Centres The shopping centre giant once valued the entire complex at about $320m at its peak on a capitalisation rate of about 5.25 per cent but it will now change hands above 8 per cent in keeping with the shift in the market Sam Hatcher and Stuart Taylor and Stonebridge’s Justin Dowers Carl Molony and Philip Gartland are handling the sale but declined to comment Cranbourne Park is the largest centre in the trade area with specialty productivity exceeding $10,000 per sq m placing it in the top 20 of Little Guns reported by SCN last year 29 apparel tenants and 23 retail service providers Fresh investors have poured into the sector over the past 12 months and demand for retail property is on the rise ISPT and Vicinity undertook a $113m revitalisation and expansion an additional 12,500sq m of retail space and a new food precinct The centre is also a rare subregional asset to hit the market in metropolitan Melbourne and was just the second on the block this year The property is underpinned by strong population growth and more than 55,500 dwellings forecast to be developed in its trade area so it can build on the turnover of about $320m Local private investors and syndicators have been the largest buyers of retail over the past three years But now more offshore investors and funds are looking to re-engage in the sector ISPT has been selling assets. This month, Asian-backed property player JY Group bought a half stake in Warriewood Square on Sydney’s Northern Beaches for $135.5m from the ISPT Core Fund realcommercial.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. IP Generation has been active, and in June snapped up Stockland’s Glendale centre in Lake Macquarie, NSW, for about $315m ISPT has been selling assets. This month, Asian-backed property player JY Group bought a half stake in Warriewood Square on Sydney’s Northern Beaches for $135.5m from the ISPT Core Fund It has also capitalised on interest in industrial real estate by carving up a three-strong portfolio worth about $250m. ISPT split a sale portfolio between two buyers; the Rowe family behind the Busway empire Champion pacer Leap To Fame atoned for his gallant defeat in the Hunter Cup when he completed back-to-back wins in the Group 2 Decron Cranbourne Gold Cup on Saturday night Leap To Fame was beaten for the early lead by Mach Dan however Grant Dixon was able to ease away from the pegs and wrest the front running back with two laps to travel Dixon increased the tempo with a 27.6sec back straight quarter and although Dont Stop Dreaming chased valiantly in the home stretch Leap To Fame comfortably held a five metre margin on the line in a mile rate of 1:58.4 for the 2555 metres Dixon acknowledged the effort of the runner-up “I had to tap him up in the home straight. Dont Stop Dreaming ran a great race and he started to come at him a bit,” Dixon said Dixon said the elements represented somewhat of a challenge in the run to the line “The track is reasonably soft and the wind is strong but he went through the line good and was comfortable on the line,” he said “He felt really good and travelled well and I just think with the strong wind and heavy track he didn’t get up and zip down the straight as quick as we probably thought.” Dixon said the son of Bettors Delight is Sydney-bound next month in order to defend his Miracle Mile crown “We hope to go to the Miracle Mile and then on to the Inter Dominion is the plan at this stage,” he said The Mark and Nathan Purdon-trained Oscar Bonavena chalked up his first win on Australian soil with a brilliant last-to-first win in the Group 1 Cranbourne Trotters Cup having his first drive on the nine-year-old bided his time at the rear of the field from the second row draw before commencing a three wide sojourn with a lap to travel Oscar Bonavena ($2 fav) showed scintillating speed looping the field from last before surging to the lead with 500 metres to travel and outclassing his rivals in the home straight to score by 12 metres from Harold Smith Butt said he wasn’t overly concerned when spotting the leaders a tidy start with a lap to travel but I knew he was very fast. I just didn’t want to go too early because when you light him up he can sort of keep running,” Butt said “I just wanted to time his run and get it right - he’s got unbelievable speed,” he said Butt ranks the winner in a similar realm to outstanding racetrack performers such as Lyell Creek and Take A Moment and although it’s the first time I’ve driven him his record is outstanding and he’s probably still at the top of his game,” he said “He’s one of the fastest over 200 to 300 metres very few trotters have got that high speed like this.” Oscar Bonavena is likely to head north where he will clash with Inter Dominion winner The Locomotive and Great Southern Star victor Watts Up Partytime in next month’s Group 1 Hammerhead Trotters Mile at Menangle You could hear the groans go through Cranbourne a couple of years ago when the club’s Cup was moved to the week after the Hunter Cup A proud country cup with an Honour Roll boasting names like Paleface Adios Tailamade Lombo Im Themightyquinn and Mr Feelgood could drift into obscurity With respect to winners between 2016 and 2022 there was no Cranbourne Cup in 2023 as it moved to the second Saturday of February Hard-working club manager Cam Gallagher was up for the challenge He set his sights on getting a marquee act for last year’s first running of his beloved Cup in its new timeslot Numerous calls to Leap To Fame’s owner Kevin Seymour and trainer-driver Grant Dixon making them aware of the $100,000 purse and upside of the race’s new timeslot The Cranbourne Cup had another megastar on its Honour Roll after “Larry” rolled into town and did his thing just seven days after he’d won the Hunter Cup “We hadn’t really thought about Cranbourne when we were making his Hunter Cup and Miracle Mile plans but it made total sense when Cam rang,” Seymour said then Newcastle Mile into the Miracle Mile.” “It just worked so well,” he said “The one thing we changed this year was bringing him down to Melbourne to race the week before the Hunter Cup instead of having that last run at Albion Park last year “It (Cranbourne) will be his fourth race in as many weeks “That’s one of his greatest strengths the racing doesn’t seem to take anything out of him “If you go back to that Brisbane Inter Dominion he had the four runs in two weeks and came through raring to go again the next week.” Gallagher’s successful efforts to lure Leap To Fame to last year’s Cup were a two-fold coup Not only did he give the locals something special that night but he literally put the Cranbourne Cup back on the map “There’s no doubt everyone knows about the race and when it’s on now and that’s largely because of Leap To Fame running last year,” Gallagher said but Saturday night’s race has all the makings of one of the best Cranbourne Cup fields we’ve seen So many of the stars from the Hunter Cup will likely back-up Kiwi pair Tact McLeod and Don’t Stop Dreaming will run both trying to become the first NZ-trained winner since Dexter Dunn drove Bettors Strike for Cran Dalgety in 2009 The local will have their own “champ” to cheer for who returns for his fourth crack at the race after an untimely “hiccup” forced him out of the Hunter Cup For so long the Ballarat Cup has been in a league of its own as Victoria’s marquee country cup Cranbourne now well and truly holds that mantle as we will all get to see and enjoy on Saturday night even if you don’t know it at the time Ryan Phelan has done the form for tonight's 6-race card from Cranbourne R1 – 5:44pm – Dual Code Good Friday – April 18 Pace - 1609m Etiz Amodel is in good form and looks well-suited to these conditions She has the early gate speed to potentially cross and is likely to hand up to Blackmirra given her preference for racing with cover Her win at Geelong three starts ago followed a similar pattern and a repeat effort should have her right in the finish at decent odds BACK: 2 Etiz Amodel – 0.5 Unit (win) R2 – 6:16pm – Decron Trot – 2080m  R3 – 6:51pm – NZB Standardbred Maiden Trot – 2080m  stepping out for her second career start after showing encouraging signs on debut She was travelling strongly to the 400m before breaking stride and losing her winning chance yet she recovered well to make solid ground late improved manners could be the key - on raw ability R4 – 7:22pm – Betavet Maiden Pace – 2080m  R5 – 7:57pm – Hip Pocket Workwear & Safety Mornington Pace – 1609m  Techy Creed resumed as a 3YO in impressive fashion last start leading all the way for a dominant victory in a sharp 1:56.1 Hailing from the powerhouse Emma Stewart stable he won’t be daunted by more seasoned rivals expect him to be driven aggressively and prove to be the best horse in the field BACK: 6 Techy Creed – 3.5 Units (win) R6 – 8:32pm – Cranbourne Fencing 0-2 LTW Pace – 2080m  Luv The Nitelife is a beautifully bred 3YO filly being by the standout sire Poster Boy and out of champion mare Ladies In Red She returns for her second race start after an impressive debut victory leading all the way at Geelong from a similar draw in a sharp 1:56.1 BACK: 3 Luv The Nitelife – 5 Units (win) therefore a $100 bankroll 1 unit equals $10 A fire at a neighbouring property caused a 15-minute delay between races at Ladbrokes Cranbourne Cup Day on Saturday 23 November Fire Rescue Victoria (FRV) responded at 1.21pm on Grant Street in Cranbourne after callers reported a tree fire in a garden bed a fire was spotted outside the Trios Sports Club Firefighters arrived on the scene within five minutes to find a grass and scrub fire FRV and CFA crews responded and swiftly extinguished the blaze Four firefighting appliances were on the scene The scene was deemed under control at 1.30pm Victoria Police and Ambulance Victoria also attended Investigations into the cause of the fire are ongoing and initial indications are that it may have started from a discarded cigarette the operators of Cranbourne and Pakenham racecourses the fire caused a brief 15-minute delay between races but the remainder of the day’s schedule proceeded smoothly Southside Racing chief executive Neil Bainbridge extended his gratitude to the emergency responders for their prompt actions “It’s disappointing it happened to the neighbouring property who were on the scene immediately and put the fire out straight away A 21-year-old Cranbourne man was among three others who police have charged following a pursuit in an allegedly stolen vehicle in Melbourne’s southeast overnight Officers caught sight of an allegedly stolen black Volkswagen Golf driving at high speeds on the Monash Freeway in Mount Waverly around 11pm on Thursday allegedly crashing red lights and travelling at excessive speed through Narre Warren Police successfully deployed stop sticks on the entry ramp from Belgrave Hallam Road – Monash Freeway in Hallam This resulted in the Golf losing two tyres and coming to a stop at the intersection of Dandenong-Hastings Road and Bayliss Road in Lynbrook Operation Trinity arrested the three occupants at the scene an 18-year-old Officer man was also charged with the theft of a motor vehicle Both men were bailed to appear at Dandenong Magistrates’ Court on 29 May A 21-year-old Reservoir man was taken to the hospital under police guard he was interviewed by police and has been charged with reckless conduct endangering life dangerous driving while being pursued by police unlicensed driving and other driving offences He was remanded to appear at Dandenong Magistrates’ Court later today The vehicle was allegedly stolen from outside a residential address in Box Hill on 24 February Cranbourne residents say a rough sleeper is turning people off from a playground in the town centre as Casey Council says they have no authority to move the person Cranbourne Public Hall president Judy Davis said the homeless person had been residing in the Perry Park playground next to the hall since late last year Ms Davis said she had received a lot of complaints from parents who were worried that the man would scare their children “There’s a lot of personal belongings and rubbish collecting near the barbecue and it stops people from coming,” she said we’ve still got the hall to look after “We’re trying to make Cranbourne look presentable.” Ms Davis said she had reached out to Casey Council and Victoria Police place or occupy a temporary structure or dwelling in or on any council land Casey Council states that council officers do not have the authority to move individuals on Council may issue a direction or notice to comply for individuals to cease camping within a specific timeframe Infringements may also be issued to individuals for non-compliance there are complexities of issuing infringements to individuals of no fixed abode City of Casey connected communities manager Callum Pattie said the council is committed to supporting community members who are sleeping rough or who are at risk of homelessness “Council officers have visited the site next to Cranbourne Public Hall and can confirm that one person has now left,” he said “We are working with the remaining person to connect them with local homelessness and housing support organisations Council will undertake a clean-up of the area.” A spokesperson of Victoria Police said their priority is to link people who are sleeping rough to the services available to them “We work closely with local councils and support organisations to address these issues,” they said “Anyone who commits criminal or anti-social behaviour that puts the community at risk can expect a swift response from the police.” Residents in a Green Wedge zone in Casey’s south are objecting to a planning application for a temporary cultural event on their doorsteps which would attract 40,000 attendees over 12 days Non-profit Hindu organisation BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha proposed a cultural event between 12 February and 4 March this year at the old Five Star Equestrian Center along the Westernport Highway in Cranbourne South The applicant proposes most of the event set-up will utilise the existing shed structure on-site A decorative gantry will be erected to welcome the participants The morning session is expected to attract 1500 attendances which will lead to a total of 40,000 attendees throughout the proposed days About 1000 carparks will be provided on-site and cars will access the site via Homewood Road The proposed site is within the Casey Western Port Green Wedge and the applicant claims the application is consistent with the strategic policy It claims the event will not result in the permanent loss of productive agricultural land impact on biodiversity or environmentally sensitive areas or affect the visual amenity of the rural landscape and character of the area with screens by existing vegetation City of Casey manager Planning and Building Tania Asper said the council had received over 130 submissions to the proposal after advertising it to the community throughout December 2024 “Council is now considering the planning permit application as well as the submissions made before deciding on the application,” she said we do not have a timeline for a decision.” Council is now also advertising the original planning documents on its website due to “high community interest” “This will ensure that the community can continue to see the proposal until a final decision is made,” Ms Asper said “The conclusion date is a system-generated date and not a fixed date The documentation will be available to view up until the date a decision is made.” said the proposed event was not in line with what the green wedge had been intended for “They’re claiming that they’re not going to be affecting any vegetation but they’re building a car park with about 1000 cars So you tell me how that’s not gonna have 40,000 people trampling the land?” he said “They claim to be spending about $230,000 to run the event and it doesn’t even support any local jobs “It has provided no benefit to the local community Mr Bradley cited the lingering concerns about a similar cultural event that happened in late January last year at the corner of Browns Road and Kelly Road in Cranbourne South and people just started parking their cars on the side of the highway and walking with prams,” he said “I personally believe that they should go to somewhere like Cranbourne Racecourse somewhere that’s actually set up to hold an event with this magnitude Mr Bradley noted that a lot of community members had contacted the local councillor Michelle Crowther He hoped the matter could be heard at the next Casey Council Meeting in February The local community in the Green Wedge area in Casey’s South has seen several large-scale temple or cultural event applications in their backyard in recent years including a temple application on the corner of Dandenong-Hastings Road and South Boundary Road West in Pearcedale which was heard in front of the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) late last year BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha was contacted for comments Cranbourne firefighters are advocating for replacing a 15-year-old fire truck amid what the union called a state-wide crisis of aging and unreliable fleets Cranbourne Fire Rescue Victoria (FRV) senior station officer and United Firefighters Union (UFU) Victoria delegate Geoff Barker said the 15-year-old truck broke down three times last year The three breakdowns occurred during responding to and from emergencies “The front brakes caught fire last year when we got back to the station So we had to put an extinguisher on our own fire truck and I thought that was quite embarrassing,” Mr Barker said Mr Barker said he had advocated for a new fire truck to the local MP no funding to replace this fleet,” he said He estimated that a new fire truck would cost about $1.2 million Cranbourne MP Pauline said: “We have delivered more than $100 million to ensure our firefighters have the trucks resources and equipment they need to protect Victorians and keep themselves safe we delivered more than $15.4 million for five new FRV pumper platforms This is in addition to more than 20 trucks and support vehicles already on their way to FRV “Our dedicated fire services continue to deliver the best service to the community more than half of the fleet will be over 15 years old by the end of this year the alleged Truck Fire Crisis by the UFU Victoria was widely reported following the breakdown of a fire truck while deployed to Halls Gap during the Grampians National Park fire The union states that there are over 70 fire trucks out of 200 that are so old they should be off the road “This is putting lives at serious risk,” it states FRV Fire Rescue Commissioner Gavin Freeman AFSM acknowledged in a then-statement that FRV has a policy of replacing fire trucks at a maximum age of 15 years but he claimed fire trucks do not expire simply because they reach a certain age “These appliances are specially built and can remain in service for long periods depending on their usage and workload,” he stated another firefighter at Cranbourne FRV and UFU Victoria delegate said it was getting harder and harder to maintain the 15-year-old fire truck “The mechanics had to find parts in Western Australia because these trucks are getting so old and their parts are getting scarcer,” he said “There are no spare trucks across Victoria at the moment “The reality is when a truck’s manufactured the standard is that they provide spare parts for 10 years there are no more spare parts of that exact model made anymore You’re left with whatever’s in surplus at the supplier’s or you’re forced to go to aftermarket parts or refurbish parts “So these trucks are getting harder to find parts for plus they’re getting more expensive and less reliable as they’re rebuilt and remanufactured parts “They get more costly to fix and service every single time and they don’t last as long as the original parts as well The two firefighters said Cranbourne Station is the third busiest station in the district When inquired if Cranbourne FRV is going to get a new fire truck a spokesperson of FRV said FRV is making strong progress in updating its fleet of more than 200 firefighting road appliances “FRV recently welcomed three new Pumper Platform trucks and our first electric fire truck to our fleet,” they said “On top of these new additions to FRV’s fleet right now there are a total of 27 new vehicles on the way with many expected to arrive before the end of the year “The proposed allocation of new appliances is subject to internal consultation and has not been finalised “FRV is committed to supplying the most appropriate appliances to meet the risks in the community.” Ryan Phelan takes a look at Sunday night's 7-race card from Cranbourne R1 – 5:52pm – Dual Code Good Friday – April 18 Pace - 2080m R2 – 6:22pm – Decron Cranbourne 7000 Pace Final – 1609m  Ima Charma impressed with a dominant all-the-way win in his heat and looks poised to replicate that performance in the final over this short trip BACK: 5 Ima Charma – 2.5 Units (win) R3 – 6:257pm – NZB Standardbred Maiden Pace – 1609m  R4 – 7:33pm – Betavet Pace – 2080m  Scherger That is a promising three-year-old who has shown plenty of grit in all three runs this campaign making ground late after being hampered by an awkward draw while the winner had already skipped clear giving him every chance to put himself in the race as a strong winning contender BACK: 5 Scherger That – 3 Units (win) R5 – 8:08pm – Hip Pocket Workwear & Safety Mornington Pace – 2080m  Best Back Bruce has been one to follow for a while consistently producing gutsy runs from tough draws While a front-row draw would have been ideal his honesty and determination make him hard to ignore and although he’ll need things to fall into place BACK: 9 Best Back Bruce – 1.5 Unit (win)  R6 – 8:47pm – Hygain 0-2 LTW Pace – 1609m  Capitalism looks to rebound here after a disappointing run at Melton as an easing favourite the stewards' report shed light on key factors - over racing in the preliminary and contacting his legs With gear changes and hopefully a better mindset tonight he gets the chance to show his true ability for an astute stable R7 – 9:17pm – Mark Gurry & Associates Maiden Trot – 2080m  Kimberleys Tree resumes here as a four-year-old after a long break since her two-year-old debut she found the line well while still learning She’s had two trial wins leading into this Maiden trotters are never the safest betting proposition but she appears to be heading in the right direction BACK: 4 Kimberleys Tree – 1 Unit (win) Family opens latest Mazda dealership in Melbourne on greenfield site AUSTRALIA‘S newest Mazda dealership has opened in Melbourne with the Clough Automotive Group’s $20 million-plus greenfields site Cranbourne Mazda now trading The family started in Nar Nar Goon in 1994 and relocated to Pakenham in 2016. The Cranbourne dealership also follows expansion of the family’s business after opening a new GWM franchise at Pakenham two months ago. Cranbourne Mazda dealer principal Patrick Latin told GoAutoNews Premium that the PMA in the south-east corridor of Melbourne was defined by Mazda Australia as a growth area It also has one of the largest local government areas in the nation Mazda Australia then selected Clough Automotive Group as the franchisee.The dealership is on 10,000 square metres of land with the showroom and buildings covering 9000 square metres over two storeys The top level is sales and administration with the lower level for the showroom and cafe with the service centre linked by a full canopy providing weather protection for customers It has a large workshop with 20 service bays a full undercover drop-off area for service clients and three delivery bays for new cars Mr Latin said the dealership will initially employ 25 people but believes that as sales and the community expand it would have to grow to 50 staff to meet expected demand Innovative rewards program for dealerships to be sold by Presidian sales teams Changes to Carbucks Rewards offer deliver immediate profits for selling dealers ACCC court action as LDV says it is disappointed after attempting to resolve complaints The stunning exterior of the Watson’s former display home in Cranbourne East where they have put their own touch on the home A Cranbourne East home that didn’t secure a sale under the hammer on Saturday is now negotating with interested parties for the rights to the keys The property, located at 19 Lineham Drive, Cranbourne East now has a price guide of offers over $955,000 the couple said the house tells a story of “love at first sight” RELATED: Couple discover lost treasures in hoarder home Melbourne couple reveal bold plan to get a home via a pay cut ‘Looked the same’: seller’s $30k reno mishap “We’d always adored this area,” Mrs Watson said with vendor Geoff Watson’s handcrafted saloon bar – perfect for entertaining Geoff Watson’s expertly designed the home’s cabinetry throughout – a standout feature of the home Mrs Watson said she remembered all the moments spent in their beloved home from heartwarming family memories to the delightful quirks of everyday life my mum was found blissfully eating Red Rooster unexpectedly delivered by Uber Eats,” she said “Mum said a driver had bought her lunch but we found out the order wasn’t even for us.” The home located in Cranbourne East’s prestigious Mayfield Estate is ready to be snapped up by a new owner Mr Watson said location was another strong point of the property nestled in the heart of Cranbourne East’s most sought-after areas “Everything we need is just a stroll away,” Mr Watson said “I remember doing lots of handy work in the home – I crafted the entire bar myself.” The move-in ready interiors captured many buyers attention’s at the open homes the Watsons are ready to part with their cherished home with both agreeing it was time to downsize and explore new adventures YPA Cranbourne’s Frances Cutri said she gives nothing but praise to the home’s intricate features and was sure the home would very quickly secure another buyer “Geoff has turned timber work into art — the handcrafted cabinetry and charming bi-fold doors are just the start of what makes this home so special ,” Ms Frances said Vendors Sherryn and Geoff Watson reminisce on their cherished moments in their family home with many entertaining moments taking place on the deck Ms Cutri said interest from eager buyers remains unabated – with pre-auction offers put in from buyers that were unable to transact inside of auction conditions “We’ve seen a flurry of activity online and expect even more interest at our upcoming open house,” she said this property sits within the prestigious ‘Mayfield Estate,’ there’s convenience with schools “It’s design for both living and entertaining it’s a dream home for whoever purchases it.” Despite passing in at auction YPA Cranbourne’s Frances Cutri praised the home’s intricate features and charm 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: Ski chalet developer swaps snow for sun Melbourne hits sad landlord exodus milestone Sprawling country retreat has jaw-dropping views Our crews are wrapping up work on the Camms Road level crossing removal project with the new Cranbourne Station car park and plaza now open The level crossing was removed in November 2023 with a new road bridge over the rail line The completed project features 400 new and upgraded car parking spaces The new car park includes more accessible spaces and parking spaces on both sides of the rail line This project has been delivered as part of the Car Parks for Commuters program Works are also complete on the new Cranbourne Station plaza which has created open space for locals to enjoy and features seating and landscaping connecting the new and existing pedestrian paths around the road bridge The community is invited to celebrate the project's completion from 10am to 12.30pm Saturday 17 August at the Cranbourne Station car park The project follows the completion of the Cranbourne Line Upgrade which allowed 50 extra services to run on the line each week a new Merinda Park Station and the removal of three level crossings The Cranbourne and Pakenham Lines will be boom gate free in 2025 The Victorian Government has removed 84 level crossings and delivered more than 19,000 new and upgraded car parks since 2015 A Cranbourne woman has won $1 million on this year’s Valentine’s Day The local held the only division one winning entry nationally in draw 4508 “I’ve been playing the same numbers since the 90s it’s about time they came up!” she said when an official from The Lott confirmed her newfound lottery loot I think I’m going to go on a holiday amongst other things but now I’ll be able to take some time off and pursue them She said the win took off the pressure of looking for a new job Her winning marked 13-game entry was purchased on The Lott website The winning numbers in the Weekday Windfall draw 4508 on Monday 17 February 2025 were 1 while the supplementary numbers were 14 and 31 there was one division one winning entry in Weekday Windfall draw 4508 The Lott’s division one winning tally has now reached 311 so far in FY25 there were 109 division one winning Weekday Windfall entries across Australia