A field of seven quality harness racing youngsters will line up on Sunday at Ascot Park for the $100,000 Group One Diamond Creek Farm Two Year Old Classic The Steven Reid colt Jumal (Downbytheseaside) is expected to dominate the betting trained by Mark and Nathan Purdon wasn’t in the original nominations but the stable decided to bring him south when nominations were extended for the two year old feature We pulled a blood test and it didn’t read all that bad We’ve put some sliding blinds on for Sunday,” Nathan said “I’d like to think that he could at least hold the trail depending on what Steven’s horse does I think Steven’s horse has got the measure of them but he should be a good as everything else.” Treacherous Dreams (Captaintreacherous) at barrier two and Freeze Frame (Bettor’s Delight) at barrier seven represent Cran and Chrissie Dalgety’s stable Treacherous Dreams faded late at his last start at Winton but his run before that at Addington was very good “He’s probably not the star horse in that field We left him down there and he will be a percentage better It’s a Group One race so we’re going to have a shot,” Dalgety said Freeze Frame was a distant second behind Jamal at his last start and was also second in the Kindergarten Stakes last month “He just lacks a wee bit of speed at the moment but he’ll get better He still thinks it’s a bit of a joke rather than being a racehorse at the moment I’m sure Jumal will be the hotpot but someone has to run second.” Three facts about the Diamond Creek Farm Two Year Old Classic by Bruce Stewart Harnesslink.com is the only harness racing website dedicated to covering news and events in the Standardbred Industry world-wide © 2024 Harnesslink | All Rights Reserved | NV © 2024 Harnesslink | All Rights Reserved | NV The parade was led by the Diamond Creek Pumper and included both junior and senior CFA volunteers from Diamond Creek Members of the community lined the 800-metre route as the brigades travelled down the main street of Diamond Creek holding LED-powered lanterns which resemble traditional torches. four marshals and many family members there to watch and support. Antoinette Calleja from Diamond Creek Fire Brigade said the parade has been an important tradition for the community for many years. “We have been participating in the torchlight parade for over 20 years and we have tried to maintain the historical integrity of the event each year,” Antoinette said “As the organiser of the event on behalf of the brigade my aim is to ensure that the event is not only successful but that it also honours the traditions associated with it. “I want to ensure that the correct steps are followed to maintain the traditional ceremonial aspects networking and coordination required to put this event together. “It’s fantastic to hear the pipe band in the background and see the last marcher stepping off.” Awards are given to the three highest ranked senior and junior brigades with Plenty and Doreen brigades taking out the junior awards Whittlesea and Hilldene nabbing the senior awards. Inclement weather on the day caused some last-minute problems with Eynesbury Fire Brigade unable to attend and a change to the planned marching route. “We had a hailstorm pass through just before we commenced and access to Coventry Oval was deemed to be a safety risk for the marchers,” Antoinette said “Rather than cancelling the event I proposed a change of route The skills I’ve acquired through CFA kicked in pretty quickly and we adapted well to overcome the challenge.” Some quick changes to the plans and a briefing for everyone involved saw the march go off without a hitch Diamond Creek Fire Brigade’s cohort of 17 marchers was led by 2nd Lieutenant Bruce Selleck for the first time. he expressed how extremely proud and humbled he was to lead the brigade after having transferred just 12 months ago and the sense of occasion wasn’t lost on him,” Antoinette said The event also provided an opportunity for CFA volunteers to interact with the community with some locals showing interest in joining their brigade or attending future events at Diamond Creek Fire Station. Diamond Creek Rotary Club and Antoinette Calleja View all stories View more contacts Tweets by CFA_Updates We are currently experiencing issues with our embedded Twitter feed We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the Traditional Custodians of the land Copyright 2025 CFA (Country Fire Authority) The Diamond Creek Junior Football Club is seeking players for its Under 15 boys team ahead of the 2025 season the Diamond Creek Junior Football Club are looking for the final few players to fill its Under 15 boys side this year Those interested should contact secretary@diamondcreekjfc.com.au or head to the club’s social media pages The South Morang Football Netball Club is seeking Under 13 and Under 14 boys’ junior footballers for the upcoming season Keon Park Stars JFC are still seeking Under 11 Junior Football players (born in 2014 and 2015) for the upcoming 2025 season The Mernda Junior Football Club is seeking Under 9’s and Under 10’s footballers for the upcoming 2025 season © Copyright 2023 Northern Football Netball League Melbourne’s million-dollar club has defied the odds and grown across 2024 despite widespread home value falls for almost 200 suburbs around the city Eight areas have had typical home prices stretch to seven figures It comes at a time when wider Melbourne’s typical home value has declined 1.1 per cent in the past year with values declining or flat in 195 suburbs RELATED: Aussie gold hunters reveal how to spot a bush block with gold on it PropTrack economist Anne Flaherty said the additions to Melbourne’s $1m club proved that even when the broader trend was for home values to be falling that wasn’t always what would happen in individual suburbs “And a lot of these suburbs have a few things in common,” Ms Flaherty said “They are all middle-outer suburbs that are on train lines and all have good lifestyle amenity “So it’s not surprising they have been more resilient or that they continued to see price growth.” Coburg North’s median price rose above the $1m mark this year. 7 Snapshot Drive, Coburg North has a $1.1m-$1.2m price guide The economist noted that one of the few things that would have kept some of the suburbs out of the $1m club previously was their distance to the CBD — which was becoming less of a concern as Melbourne’s urban boundary expanded “Diamond Creek was almost a country area 20 years ago but now it is very much Melbourne,” Ms Flaherty said Ms Flaherty said there was also the ripple effect in play with areas closer to Melbourne like Brunswick now unaffordable for many buyers who were simply working their way further out The three-bedroom home at 10 Sovereign Rise, Diamond Creek is up for sale with $1m-$1.1m price guide Bell Real Estate’s Corinne Sukroo said Ferny Creek had been gaining popularity for its relaxed lifestyle as the acceptability of working from home had grown Ms Sukroo noted many were renovating and updating residences which had raised the quality of homes in the Dandenong Ranges suburb there are no traffic lights in the suburb — the nearest one is in Ferntree Gully,” she said Morrison Kleeman director Craig Parker said both Greensborough and Diamond Creek had performed well throughout the year with buyers increasingly appreciating its array of shops and eateries “And I have said for years that Greensborough is undervalued and underpriced,” Mr Parker said Ferny Creek had one of the biggest price jumps among the $1m club. 50 One Tree Hill Road, Ferny Creek is currently on the market. He noted that both areas would likely have even brighter futures ahead of them when the North East Link was completed in a few years’ time Nelson Alexander’s Sam Gotzilianis said while Coburg North had been a dangerous place 30 years ago when Pentridge Prison was still open the former lockup was now more commonly a place to go see a movie or grab some dumplings with friends With many locals in the suburb catching up for barbecues and to exchange presents for their neighbours’ kids at this time of year he said a family-friendly nature was now part of the area’s fabric 32 Wahroonga Cres, Greensborough one of the suburb’s where the median house price rose above $1m “And they are value for money areas,” Mr Gotzilianis said “You can still get a family home with a backyard for $1m And with an easy commute to the city as the two almost neighbouring areas are largely set along two train lines he said their rise through the ranks to $1m median house price status had likely been inevitable 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: How much RBA’s grinch move will really cost you Portelli slammed: Block is dud investment Marketing mogul puts $8.8m ‘street secret’ oasis up for sale 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. New walking and cycling path under the Sherbourne Road bridge The second stage of the Hurstbridge Line Duplication delivers further improvements for Melbourne’s north east less crowding on peak trains and better connections to public transport we've built 2 new stations at Greensborough and Montmorency and upgraded Diamond Creek Station Works also included duplicating 2km of rail track between Greensborough and Montmorency stations and 1.5km between Diamond Creek and Wattle Glen to allow more trains to run more often We are also building a new walking and cycling path between Greensborough and Montmorency stations The 2km path will provide better community connections as well as safe and easy access between Greensborough and Montmorency stations linking with the Plenty River Trail and station forecourts Two sections of the path were completed in late 2023 with works on the remaining middle section of path to begin in mid-2024 and completed by early 2025 the Department of Transport and Planning has started planning for stage 2 of the shared use path between Montmorency and Eltham Railway Road between Gladstone Road and Para Road will become a south-bound one-way street allowing drivers to turn both right and left into Para Road This will make the intersection at Para Road and Railway Road safer for pedestrians Motorists will have the time and space to give way to people walking and cycling on the new path We’ll also build a new footpath connecting Railway Road to the new walking and cycling path providing safe access from Briar Hill to Greensborough Station While entry from Para Road into Railway Road will not be possible vehicles may enter Railway Road via Sherbourne and Williams roads Once the walking and cycling path is complete we’ll finish landscaping and planting along the path Landscaping will include a combination of native trees shrubs and grasses to complement the character of the local area We’ll use a highly diverse mix of species including plants typical of local eucalypt woodlands This will create a bush landscape character as well as a native plant corridor for local birds and wildlife Stage 1 of the shared walking and cycling path between Greensborough and Montmorency Record ANZAC crowds New Mayor appointed Remembering ANZAC Residents invited for budget feedback Mobile pledge towards Whittlesea Where to vote: Whittlesea CCTV promise for Whittlesea 2026 Prep enrolments now open Magpies record first win Eagles back on track Laurimar powers past Demons Kilmore stay perfect Wallan treks to the coast Kilmore clips Hawks’ wings Len Baker’s Sulky Snippets: April 29, 2025 From the Boundary with Ray Carroll: April 29, 2025 The Northern Football Netball League (NFNL) grand final was a test of the best and when South Morang challenged Diamond Creek at the Preston City Oval on Saturday the crowd were treated to an inspirational match The metropolitan oval seemed sheltered from the extreme hail and wind sweeping across Victoria but in Preston the conditions were favourable Three South Morang teams made it into the 2024 grand final The South Morang U19.5 team were defeated by St Mary’s by 31 points while the Reserves defeated Diamond Creek by five points with Cayden Failla and Ben Power named among the best players The much anticipated opening bounce of the Seniors match between South Morang and Diamond Creek was contested by each team South Morang’s Liam Jolly scored the opening goal Tom Baird for Diamond Creek kicked the next before South Morang’s Joshua D’Intinosante kicked another goal It was a low scoring quarter but with plenty of action Diamond Creek scored the first goal of the second quarter on the four-minute mark and South Morang’s Bailey Brown replied with a goal Diamond Creek players forced the ball to their end and Jett Mclaughlan rewarded them with a goal South Morang’s D’Intinosante kicked two goals and when the siren sounded to end the first term South Morang finished in front by six points Diamond Creek scored first with a behind after an intense three minutes but the Lions exploded onto the scoreboard with four back-to-back goals leaving Diamond Creek with a 31-point deficit to make up in the final quarter the sun shone and D’Intinosante scored the opening goal for South Morang Diamond Creek’s Ben Major scored their first goal The Creekers had three back-to-back goals and were making a comeback but they had no one in their forward 50 to pass it to so Diamond Creek rushed it back to the country end and scored a point To win the game Diamond Creek needed 11 points Major was tucked away neatly in the forward 50 and he took a mark making it his second for the day and reducing the Lion’s advantage to five points The clock was ticking down and the shadows of the evening were creeping in When Diamond Creek’s ruckman Robby Noble won the next tap their side’s ball carriers created a much-needed point Jesse John Christidis for the Lions had possession of the ball when the siren sounded and every South Morang player rushed to pat their captain on the back and the mob quickly attracted their families and faithful supporters with South Morang defeating Diamond Creek 10.5 (65) to 8.11 (59) Around 800 people viewed the game via the NFNL’s live stream on Facebook Diamond Creek Coach Andrew Tranquilli congratulated the Lions South Morang Coach Garry Hall said he felt for Diamond Creek and also thanked his players The Best on Ground medal was awarded to Nathan Stefanile Goal kickers were Joshua D’Intinosante with four © The North Central Review Pty Ltd The eleventh running of the Diamond Creek Farm Two Year Old Classic will be held at Ascot Park on Sunday has been the launching pad for some of the country’s star pacers Winners Lazarus (2015) and Don’t Stop Dreaming (2022) have gone on to be super stars of their generation the race has produced a long list of talented pacers Franco Indie ($240,277) and Republican Party ($771,840) all used the Diamond Creek Farm to get their lucrative careers underway four of the other runners – Always Dreaming Bettors Anvil and Marketplace have now collectively won over $800,000 The timing of the Classic also suits most juveniles as trainers can get a line on where their two year old sits in the current crop then give them a short break before targeting some of the big races in the second half of the season Those that wish to race into May and June have the Welcome and Sapling Stakes as possible targets A new work of art at Diamond Creek Fire Station highlights the amazing work the brigade is doing in their local community. If you have driven east on Main Hurstbridge Road Diamond Creek recently you may have found it harder than usual to keep your eyes on the road. There is a driveway beside the fire station complex and beside the driveway is a paling fence. Local artist Satoshi Sasayama has created a fabulous piece of art depicting the activities of the Diamond Creek brigade and VicPol This is part of a campaign to improve the amenity of Diamond Creek There are a number of other great pieces of his art around the Diamond Creek area. This one certainly gives the fire station a boost The Diamond Creek Football Netball Club is accepting applicants for an Under 19.5’s coach for the club’s second side in 2025 Last year was the first time in the 136-year history of the club that two Under 19.5’s teams were fielded We were very proud of the second side who had a great first season and played in the finals series This is a great opportunity for a young coach starting out or someone who has a passion for coaching The successful applicant would be working alongside a great team of senior coaches headed by Andrew Tranquilli The Macleod Football Netball Club is seeking a Canteen Manager to be responsible for the operation of a sports facility canteen The Northern Football Netball League is seeking expressions of interest for multiple coaching and observer positions in the football umpiring department ahead of the 2025 season The Heidelberg Football Netball Club is seeking expressions of interest for multiple coaching roles for the side’s Under 19.5’s development team ahead of the 2025 season Look for a new banner flying at the sales in 2025 Northwood Bloodstock and Diamond Creek Sales are excited to announce their merger and the creation of their new harness racing company Alliance Bloodstock will represent client horses at several of the major sales including Midwest Standardbred Horse Sale and the Standardbred Horse Sale The merger comes from Diamond Creek’s long time relationship with Bob Boni and the continued desire to better serve their consignment clients Alliance Bloodstock will be led by Bob Boni and Shaun Laungani of Diamond Creek with the Diamond Creek team providing support “Strength in numbers and experience will make this merger a recipe for success “We are combining Bob’s wisdom with a young and driven team.” Bob Boni has been in the Standardbred industry for almost his entire life After eleven years at Pine Hollow Stud in various capacities he started his original sale company International Standardbred in 1980 which then became Northwood Bloodstock Agency in 1992 serving on multiple boards and providing bloodstock appraisals and consultation for many of the top owners in the industry He will be inducted into the Harness Racing Hall of Fame this July Shaun Laungani serves as the Vice President of Diamond Creek You can find him regularly visiting client farms and advising on their horses Shaun has a passion for client relationships and seeing their success “We have talked about this merger for a few years and now the time is right,” said Boni “Our ultimate goal is to give our clients the best possible representation and we are clearly positioned to do just that.” Alliance will be powered by partnership and invested in their client’s success Focus will be on guiding them through the process no matter their experience level including sale selection and bloodstock management “Breeders should not hesitate to contact Bob or I and ask for our opinion on their sale options for any given horse” said Laungani “We take pride in treating each of our clients on an individualized basis to make sure their specific needs are met.” by Caroline Vazquez South Morang have won their first ever MC Labour Division 2 premiership in club history outlasting Diamond Creek in a dramatic six-point triumph at Preston City Oval Despite a contest filled with everchanging conditions the final game of the 2024 Division 2 campaign lived up to the hype and saw great moments of individualism from players of both sides A four-goal burst in time on during the third term saw the Lions lead by 31 points at three quarter time and after booting the opening major of the last quarter South Morang looked well on their way to securing a comfortable premiership triumph But the Creekers slowly reduced the deficit throughout the final term kicking the final five goals of the match to suddenly reduce the margin to under a goal before the Lions held their nerve in the closing moments to prevail 10.5 (65) to 8.11 (59) With the final siren sparking pandemonium for fans at Preston City Oval South Morang confirmed their place in the top flight for the first time since 1980 They did so by creating their status as ‘Kings of the close finish’ having won all three of their finals matches in 2024 by single digits Nathan Stefanile put in a brilliant performance on the big stage with his dominance in the ruck and even at ground level proving pivotal to his side’s premiership success He earnt a second Division 2 premiership medallion as well as the best on ground medallion for his efforts on Saturday Joshua D’Intinosante was just as impressive He ends his finals series with 12 majors in just three games Lions captain Tye Hall had some inspirational moments and kicked two crucial goals in the third term while brother Kain was a consistent contributor across all four quarters The pair are two of nine members of the senior squad who are now dual senior premiership players at the club with his two last quarter goals seeing him be one of three multiple goalkickers for his side in the defeat Northern Knights listed player Jett McLaughlan was lively and always involved in the action while Robby Noble played multiple roles around the ground and was serviceable Diamond Creek have now gone down in their last three Division 2 Grand Finals and have fell short in back-to-back deciders Despite a heavy wind favouring the Market End of the ground in the lead up to the start of the game the Creekers won the toss and opted to kick to the City End Liam Jolly would kick off a hard-fought first term at the five-minute mark creating something out of nothing in the ruck to slot the opening goal in just his sixth senior game of the season With the Lions having all the early running they would soon find a second through D’Intinosante and build a 13-point lead however the Creekers were the better of the two sides later in the term and were rewarded through a Tom Baird goal to help create a seven-point gap at quarter time Andrew Tranquilli’s men were eager to capitalise in the second term and looked to do so early with Ryan Pingree marking and goaling just three minutes into the quarter But the term would be another hard-fought slog in wet conditions with neither side able to gain any great ascendancy Bailey Brown and Jett McLaughlan would exchange goals courtesy of free kicks to see the scores level at the eight-minute mark before Diamond Creek made another attempt to get on top of the contest however they could only manage behinds from their flurry of inside 50 entries and would finish the term with 2.7 first against the run of play at the 12-minute mark before he would boot his third of the game just moments before half time when he pounced on a loose ball and snapped truly from congestion to set up a six-point half time lead for his side After some more rain in the initial stages of the third term With neither side having registered a goal inside the first 20 minutes of the third quarter South Morang would turn the game on its head with a scintillating five-minute burst scoring from long range to stretch the margin out to double digits for the first time since the opening stages of the first quarter before Adam De Propertis then snapped through a brilliant goal barely two minutes later with a move to the forward line after a quiet opening half paying dividends as he kicked back-to-back majors The skipper’s moments of excellence helped establish what looked to be a game-winning 31-point lead at three quarter time for Gary Hall’s side The result looked all but certain when D’Intinosante ran into the open goal and nailed his fourth major of the Grand Final just minutes into the last term cueing some big celebrations from the Lions faithful But South Morang would have to encounter a surge from Diamond Creek thereafter as Andrew Tranquilli’s men were careful with possession and lethal on transition to kick three goals in 12 minutes and trim the margin to just 19 points Having played a big role in wrestling momentum for his team late into the quarter Barnes would get the Creekers to within two kicks following a clever snap from the pocket would sail home the long-range set shot in between the big sticks to suddenly make it a five-point ball game but it was the Lions who won an important clearance and held their nerve to keep the ball in their forward half in the last minute of the contest to finish the decider as six-point winners capping off one of the most memorable Grand Finals in recent NFNL history Only four teams remain undefeated in the NFNL Women’s Competition as the grading period came to an end on Sunday reserves and under-19.5 game this weekend in the NFNL The selected teams are in for this week’s NFNL senior football matches The 2024 MC Labour Division 2 Grand Final is set to be a magnificent contest at Preston City Oval as South Morang look to make history with a second flag in three years and Diamond Creek aim to redeem themselves from their shortcomings 12 months prior It’s been a finals series to remember so far for the Lions who have defeated the top two sides in the previous three weeks by a combined total of 11 points to reach Saturday’s decider Only two years ago was the club coming off a Division 3 premiership and following a semi-final appearance last season South Morang have established themselves as a true premiership contender in the last 12 months Their run bares various similarities to Banyule who prevailed in the 2017 Division 3 decider before making a Division 2 preliminary final the following year South Morang’s star players have come from all areas of the ground this season but there has been few better in the entire competition than Tye Hall His continuous ability to find the football in stoppages while also being able to hit the scoreboard has seen him been a real difference maker for this side Joshua D’Intinosante and Joshua Lansfield have been exceptional in the club’s two finals matches so far and will be key players in their side’s premiership chances again on Saturday D’Intinosante has kicked 22 goals in his five games for the Lions this year He kicked five majors in a best on ground performance against the Creekers in the qualifying final and three majors in the second semi Lansfield meanwhile has elevated his status as a match winner in the post-season kicking the winning goal in extra time over Diamond Creek three weeks ago while booting five in their triumph over Whittlesea the following Saturday Having combined for 15 goals in the Lions’ finals outings this year they’ll need to stretch the Creekers’ impressive defensive again if they’re to come away with a premiership Gary Hall has his own talented defenders he can rely upon to shut down a Diamond Creek side who have won their previous two matches by 70 points or greater The unit will be led by Coburg VFL listed star Deacon Kalpakis who has been a superb interceptor again in 2024 The pair capability of shutting down their opposition’s firepower up forward will also go a long way towards their chances of a flag South Morang have not been in the top flight since the DVFL’s last year playing as one division in 1980 and could create some incredible history if they can go all the way this weekend But Diamond Creek are coming into this game with a vengeance having fallen short in last year’s Grand Final despite a 17-1 home and away record Their massive preliminary final triumph over top of the ladder Whittlesea would no doubt had sent a message to the Lions that they mean business Their two most recent finals wins have seen them kick 80 points or more in consecutive weeks for the first time since May meanwhile they have kicked more goals than points in their previous four encounters In their 93-point preliminary final victory over Whittlesea last weekend the most they’ve ever had in a game in 2024 It includes Toim Baird and Andrew Elward who have booted eight and six goals (from two games) respectively in the finals campaign while goalkicking midfielders Tyler Barnes and Jacob Booth have also proven they can hurt teams on the scoreboard Although the Creekers’ forward line has impressed in recent weeks it hasn’t come close to their incredible defensive ability which has played a large part in the club reaching the final match of the season they have conceded just 46 total points and only five goals against an extraordinary effort to go along with the fact that they averaged just under 46 points against throughout the home and away season A host of players have made the Creekers the most disciplined defensive unit in the league Matthew Lewis finished as his side’s best in the preliminary final over Whittlesea and has now been named in his side’s best in four of his last five matches Full back Brenton Keating has done so in his previous four games while captain Nathan Searl returned from injury last week and had a major influence in the defensive end also The highest score Diamond Creek have conceded in 2024 is 10.13 (73) which came from South Morang in their last match up in the qualifying final all four of the Lions’ defeats this season have come when they have failed to score more than 70 points which appears to be the magic number that the Creekers will be aiming to avoid South Morang reaching in order to prevent the number one attacking side in the competition from kicking a winning score it will be their first senior men’s premiership since 2005 This will be their third decider since that day and will be more determined than ever to avoid another Grand Final defeat both of whom have full squads to select from all roads are leading towards this being one of the great MC Labour Division 2 Grand Finals this Saturday afternoon Diamond Creek have ended Whittlesea’s hopes of an unbeaten MC Labour Division 2 campaign after claiming a nine-point victory over the ladder leaders at Coventry Oval the Creekers ended the match with nine more scoring shots as their inaccuracy kept the Eagles in the hunt throughout the afternoon But the hosts held their nerve and didn’t lose their lead in the final quarter to run out 6.13 (49) to 6.4 (40) victors prevailing over Whittlesea for the first time since 2009 The victory means that Diamond Creek are still able to finish the season as minor premiers for a second consecutive year particularly due to their superior percentage over Whittlesea The Creekers will need to defeat fellow top three side South Morang next week while also hoping that Whittlesea go down to Northcote Park at Bill Lawry Oval in next week’s final round Nicholas Barro was outstanding in the ruck and was a crucial player in his side’s win He was also one of six individual goalkickers for the afternoon while Danyon Kambouris too impressed with one of his best performances of the season Matthew Lewis led a resolute Diamond Creek defence in the absence of captain Nathan Searl who suffered an injury during the game which kept the Eagles to their lowest score of the year His side have now kept an opponent to 40 points or less for three consecutive weeks Xavier Dimasi did all he could for Whittlesea with a stellar display in midfield while Mitch Andrews was just as influential as their side came short of a 17th straight win Paul Higgins kicked a season-high of three goals to keep the scoreboard ticking for the visitors Some great ball movement from the home side helped create the first major of the afternoon at the three-minute mark when a pinpoint Ryan Pingree inside 50 entry found Nicholas Barro before the big man went back and converted his set shot Andrew Tranquilli’s men were creating stoppages at every opportunity putting constant pressure on their opponents which almost produced a second goal inside the opening 10 minutes it was Whittlesea who would find the big sticks next after a miraculous shot on goal from the boundary by Higgins dribbled its way through It sparked the Eagles into action as they created the next few opportunities before registering a second major of the day thanks to Matt Langford Garry Ramsay’s men led by five points at quarter time before the highest scoring term of the match would follow in the second with five majors kicked between the two teams with Jacob Booth producing a brilliant snap from the boundary before Higgins converted his set shot for his second of the game It would continue to be goal for goal throughout the latter parts of the term with Khaled El-Leissy and Tyler Barnes booting majors for their respective sides before the quarter ended with a brilliant individual effort from Lucas Hobbs who found the big sticks from a forward 50 stoppage to help his team lead by seven points at the main break The third term saw Diamond Creek get back on top around the ball as they limited Whittlesea’s ability to get scores on the board The visitors were kept to one behind for the term while the Creekers produced the quarter’s only goal after Dale Marshall nailed his shot on goal from just inside 50 to tie the scores Despite the ball staying in the home team’s forward half for the majority of the term chances to take a comfortable lead into the final break were not taken and Diamond Creek had to settle for a one-point advantage at three quarter time Consecutive minor scores from Andrew Tranquilli’s side commenced the last term with the latter behind making it 12 behinds for the game which threatened to come back and bite the hosts But a vital set shot conversion from Daniel Jarvis at the 16-minute mark helped the Creekers settle Whittlesea responded immediately through Higgins to end a goal drought of almost two full quarters but Ben Major would have the last say of the game kicking the ball off the ground close to goal to cue the celebrations at Coventry Oval and secure a nine-point triumph for the hosts designed by Alistair Knox has Hollywood Hills grandeur and is in sync with natureAlesha Capone was created by noted designer Alistair Knox who worked with the original owners on the build A Hollywood Hills-esque Yarra Ranges house that was the brainchild of renowned Australian designer Alistair Knox is for sale with a $1.38m-$1.49m asking range The four-bedroom home at 51 Ridge Rd, Kallista, still retains much its 1974 build’s mid-century charm is famous for pioneering the distinctive Aussie architectural style characterised by a low flat roof line RELATED: Meredith: mud brick house on bush block planted with 180+ native flora varieties ‘Eclectic’ fairytale mud brick cottage hits the market Belgrave: Time capsule Art Deco house features a secret door He also focused on homes being in harmony with the natural environment an Australian Institute of Landscape Architects’ founding member and fellow was awarded an honorary Doctor of Architecture degree by the University of Melbourne in 1984 The Kallista house is not the only Knox-designed pad on the market at the moment with other homes designed by him in Diamond Creek Eltham and Wheelers Hill also awaiting new owners Knox worked on the Kallista house with associate John Pizzey who later started his own architecture practice The house is a short drive to Kallista’s shops and cafes The views take in the surrounding hills and greenery Bell Real Estate director Ryan Bell said the abode “I would describe the property as unique and a very rare offering in a very good location in terms of the views and being in a quiet and private area,” Mr Bell said “It’s in incredibly good condition for a Knox Set on 1.29ha a garden that includes Australian flora the house features original handmade red bricks Mr Bell said that much like the well-known mid-century homes of the Hollywood Hills in Los Angeles Manna Gum House’s architecture makes the most of its connection to the outdoors through big windows “I think the standout room is the kitchen and meals with views looking out to Mt Donna Buang and surrounds but has been updated in sympathy with its history Many of Alistair Knox designs have large windows brickwork and natural timbers incorporated into their builds an extension consisting of an additional bedroom and home office was added it complements the original design,” Mr Bell said The current owners have also updated the house “The home has been very well kept by these owners who are very passionate about Alistair Knox,” Mr Bell said Their additions include an Australian-made Eureka fireplace installed in the sunken living space wool carpets and natural stone bathroom vanities to complement the bathrooms’ handmade Japanese tiles The kitchen and dining areas finger parquetry has been restored and the roof freshly painted Handmade Japanese tiles have been paired with Fratelle brand stone vanities in the bathrooms Work from home or study in this very cool office powder room and deck looking out to the garden There’s also a separate studio and shed connected to power double carport with internal entry and a rainwater tank with an irrigated sprinkler system for the garden More than 40 buyer groups from across Melbourne looked through the house at its first open for inspection on Saturday Mr Bell said some of the buyers wanted a treechange while others were young families or seeking a weekend retreat He’s also received calls about the residence from Sydney-based buyers is another house on the market at the moment that has links to Knox And a house crafted by Knox at 38 Fyffe St Other Greater Melbourne properties connected to Knox that are on the market include a four-bedroom house at 34-36 Rockliffe St, Eltham, with a $1.5m-$1.6m asking range it features timber in the kitchen stained by Sonia Skipper who worked as a forelady on some of Knox’s builds stone floors and a separate mud brick studio is another Knox design that’s currently for sale A three-bedroom mud brick house at 38 Fyffe St, Diamond Creek, crafted by Knox Another three-bedroom house at 5 Karjen Place, Wheelers Hill, designed by Knox is for sale with $1.15m-$1.25m price expectations MORE: Couple turn 80s Surf Coast bushland pad into area’s ‘coolest house’ Star reveals behind-the-scenes look at home reno show: The Flip Off including the 2024 MC Labour Division 2 Grand Final Montmorency have made two changes for their preliminary final on Sunday Northern Knights duo Aaron Doyle and Jordyn Gillard are back in the side for their first Montmorency games since Round 13 the Magpies will miss captain Stefan Uzelac and leading goalkicker Patrick Fitzergald for the final Their opponents in Greensborough have made one change with Bayley Blakeley making way for Ben Money Both South Morang and Diamond Creek have named unchanged sides for their MC Labour Division 2 Grand Final meeting tomorrow Click on the links to see the selected teams With support from Melbourne Water’s Waterwatch Platypus Program and Nillumbik Shire Council volunteer group Friends of the Eltham Platypus is continuing to improve the health of our waterways for the benefit of this Australian icon Group convener Rebecca Kable spent much of her childhood in Mt Beauty along the Kiewa River where her favourite spot was home to a resident platypus After moving to Eltham in 2023 and heading for walks along Diamond Creek Rebecca said she was struck by the volume of rubbish clogging it up “I found out that Diamond Creek has the highest entanglement rate for platypus that’s usually from hair ties Rebecca recruited friends and printed flyers in the hope of organising a volunteer group to remove litter from the creek to slow and improve the quality of stormwater entering the waterway and start revegetating the creek gully It was this grassroots campaign that led to the formation of Friends of the Eltham Platypus which remarkably has been meeting every month since November 2023 Between 20 to 40 people have turned out to remove the litter and replant native species such as the Prickly Currant Bush and Kidney Weed and month by month help restore the creek to health. “Some of the volunteers have studied ecology but all you need to join a planting party is a love of nature,” said Rebecca said “The Waterwatch Platypus Program supports community groups to take action in key habitats and we are excited to see where our partnership with Friends of the Eltham Platypus will take us,” Waterwatch Coordinator Platypuses live in submerged burrows they build in undercut riverbanks and they feed and take refuge in wetlands whose stout frame and sharp quills contrast with the supple platypus with its beaver-like tail and webbed feet “Rebecca has gone out of her way to look at getting grants and assistance from council which manages the flood zone at Birrarung and Diamond Creek,” said Environmental Works Officer George Collins “The accessibility and safety of volunteers are also front of mind as we pick sites with pathways and vehicle access to make events as inclusive as possible.” “We are proud to support a new generation of volunteers who are working to improve and restore our waterways,” said Mayor of Nillumbik Shire Council “By helping platypus thrive in their community Join Rebecca and the Friends of the Eltham Platypus for a tree-planting party at any of these locations: Become a citizen scientist with the Waterwatch Platypus Program using theWaterwatch Portal Visit Edendale farm, Our history - Edendale Community Environment Farm We use reCAPTCHA to protect our website from spam, for more information about the data we collect see our privacy website statement Melbourne Water respectfully acknowledges the Bunurong Wadawurrung and Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung peoples as the Traditional Owners and Custodians of the land and water on which we rely and operate We pay our deepest respects to their Elders past Thrive Community Garden is located on previously under-used land in Diamond Creek talk about the garden's origins in agreement with the local Council the joys of growing and harvesting food with others of all ages and the organic way in which people contributing their various skills keep the garden thriving 3CR is proud to acknowledge the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin nation traditional owners of the land from which we transmit people powered radio You can now click/tap WATCH to start the live stream You can now click/tap LISTEN to start the live stream You can now click/tap LATEST NEWS to start the live stream Diamond Creek Hotel Many years have passed since a visit to the Diamond Creek Hotel then owned by the Collingwood Football Club and with a clever interior makeover involving freeing up space by removing some walls it is easier to navigate with much packed in Sitting perched above the bowls club and Coventry Oval below – home of the Diamond Creek FC – the facade resembles Alpine Ski Club with a very neat front deck/rooftop to catch the rays and socialise is the main area to gather and watch the sports Plenty of tables to park the quarter acre and relax blue/gold colours for the fixtures and furnishings solid pub grub at fair prices compared with its cousins in other locations Upstairs is home to functions and live entertainment This is not a sprawling pub you would expect to find in the ‘burbs Its compactness gives off a strong communal vibe (Tip: Good luck getting a car park at rear) Drink Deals complete the package of a well run pub that strives to please The Diamond Creek Hotel sticks to the road more travelled with its beer delivered from the massive stainless steel tanks Wine list is small and interesting including Hardy’s Sanguine Progeny Shiraz from Heathcote (15pg/60 btle) was the preferred The Diamond Creek Hotel has an expansive menu with some different items – ones you don’t expect to see on suburban/pokies menus – that warrant consideration cheesy garlic bread ($10) looked the favourite leaving the galley rice ($31) are a sample of an appealing selection of mains Liking the resurgence of sausages on pub menus (steaks higher) come fully plated but a real effort is made to do a menu that doesn’t join the dots what strikes me about hospitality in pubs at the moment – is that nothing is too much trouble and a willingness to serve and make the experience as good as can be was astonishing – who (to a total stranger – me) said she loved her job and loved working at the Diamond Creek And this was a common theme with other staff and as a result a very good afternoon was enjoyed at the Diamond Creek You are not permitted to download, save or email this image. Visit image gallery to purchase the image The 2-year-old justified his red-hot favouritism on Sunday with a brilliant win in the Diamond Creek Farm Classic at Ascot Park While Reid and Ottley are in agreement on Jumal being a classy customer the pair are yet to agree on who is the bigger fan of the exciting youngster you wouldn’t even know he has had a race." Ottley’s high opinion of Jumal was part of the reason the reinswoman took no chances in Sunday’s Group 1 feature After runner-up Freeze Frame took the lead off the favourites early "I thought on paper he was the best horse in the field "I knew he would be good in front or in behind." Reid and Ottley have formed a winning association in the months since the trainer moved from Auckland to Canterbury The reinswoman was full of praise for the trainer who has unearthed yet another star pacer in Jumal "You get a lot of confidence driving for Steven," Ottley said "He has his horses ready to go and they’re very "I have been lucky not just to drive for this fellow Jumal is raced by Malcolm Wrigley from Reid’s old stomping ground in Pukekohe who made the trip south to take in Jumal’s Group 1 triumph shares in the ownership of the pacer with Reid’s partner Ottley and Reid contributed to a special result for the Dawe family on Diamonds Day with Rakero Lightning The pacer ran second to Midnight Babe in Sunday’s opener The quinella came days after the death of Ray Dawe who owned both Dawe Contracting and Rakero Racing Stables alongside Ronnie and Kevin Dawe Midnight Babe is by champion sire Bettor’s Delight from the outstanding former race mare Beaudiene Bad Babe who won the Group 2 Southern Oaks Final on Diamonds Day in 2009 By Brittany Busch Diamond Creek on the outskirts of Melbourne.Credit: Joe Armao Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time Melissa Russell says she knew when she started looking to buy her first home she wanted to raise her family in Diamond Creek But she and her now-husband Scott became disheartened by the competition in the traditional homebuyers market they wrote letters introducing themselves and outlining what they were looking for in a home They walked their favourite street in the neighbourhood – wide and only a street away from Scott’s sister – and left the note in the letterboxes of their favourite homes Russell says there was something about Diamond Creek that allowed them to trust the process “I feel like you can talk to people a bit easier here,” she says “There’s a certain type of person in this area and you wouldn’t be here if you’re not a community person.” Melissa and Scott Russell outside their Diamond Creek home.Credit: Joe Armao That unorthodox community spirit has endured since the suburb was first settled in the late 1830s beginning with the early white arrivals who named their town after a dead bullock – or so the legend goes Nillumbik Historical Society president Jean Verso says the area was initially referred to as Wilsons after one of the original settler families that she herself is descended from six generations later The traditional owners of the land – the Wurundjeri-willam clan of the Woi-wurrung speaking people – were forcibly displaced after occupying the land for thousands of years The Wurundjeri name for the region is “nillumbik” which remains the name of the local government area today the region began to be referred to as Diamond Creek Verso says the truth is likely lost to history a story of a bullock – a gelded bull – named Diamond is the local favourite bullocks traversed the rough and arid land transporting materials between towns a lead bullock named Diamond wandered into the creek and drowned People began to refer to the place as “down by the creek where Diamond died” A second theory involves a land surveyor referring to a part of the creek as the Diamond Rivulet which may be more plausible but is much less interesting to locals they just think it’s fantastic that Diamond Creek is named after a bullock that died in the creek,” Verso says It’s not named after some explorer or some local person Miners flocked to the town when gold was discovered in 1862 and the township built up around a new mine There were actually four pubs in Diamond Creek … They became places where people gathered,” Verso says “The community feel of the place I don’t think has really changed One of those local associations was the football club The Diamond Creek Football Club – now with a netball club – produced Collingwood’s Coventry dynasty Collingwood’s Gordon Coventry kicked 1299 goals in the VFL.Credit: Fairfax Media As many as four Coventrys played for the Magpies who held the VFL/AFL all-time goalkicking record for 62 years until Swan Tony Lockett broke it in 1999 He is the namesake for the Coventry Oval in Diamond Creek and he and his brother Syd are buried in the local cemetery before following the path to Collingwood stardom Heath and Rhyce Shaw cut their teeth in the rough northern suburban competition Two football ovals straddle the main road right in the centre of town and the netball facilities housing eight courts are among the best north of Melbourne Community Bank Stadium hosts the basketball and park-run – a free five-kilometre group run – brings hundreds to the Diamond Creek Trail on a Saturday morning There is an unapproved BMX track tucked away off the trail rebuilt by defiant locals after the local council levelled the decades-old jumps in 2021 Locals built a BMX track beneath the towering gums of Diamond Creek.Credit: Joe Armao The suburb is still waiting on a library to be built but the best prospective building is already occupied by group fitness classes and a gym “Diamond Creek has a really strong community culture .. There’s a really strong sense of bonding within the community,” says Kerry Jones secretary of the Rotary Club of Diamond Creek Rotary Club of Diamond Creek president Warwick Leeson and secretary Kerry Jones They collaborated with the Diamond Creek CFA and the Men’s Shed to get a retired tram for the community which they have outfitted as a cafe.Credit: Joe Armao When she put out a call for volunteers in a local Facebook group earlier this year to help distribute food to people in need and it feels good to be able to give back,” she says Diamond Creek sits in a green wedge.Credit: Joe Armao says the local volunteerism culture is one of the things that makes Diamond Creek special “Everything good in Diamond Creek is run by volunteers,” he says Perkins says the suburb distinguishes itself even from its closest neighbours of Eltham and Greensborough “There’s a different thing about Eltham with their mud-brick and their artisan culture Diamond Creek used to be referred to as ‘Tradie Town’,” he says He says tree-lined arterial roads break up the urban sprawl and create a feeling of separation between suburbs “There’s a sense of arrival when you get to Diamond Creek,” Perkins says The Diamond Creek Trail winds through the suburb past the duck pond.Credit: Joe Armao as he likes to call it – has been less gentrified and property prices remain more affordable than its neighbours “A suburb just indicates it’s part of greater metropolitan Melbourne but it’s more than just a suburb,” he says and I think people are quite proud of where they come from.” But with the state government bearing down on the locality as a prospect for new development Perkins says the council has concerns over how best to implement growth while protecting the suburb’s character The windmill house on Windmill Rise has been a feature of the landscape since being built by Dutchman Peter Van Wunnik in 1974.Credit: Joe Armao He says Nillumbik is one of the 12 green wedges around Melbourne the state government has committed to protect Diamond Creek sits on the urban growth boundary meaning any major development must happen within the suburb’s existing limits Perkins says the Shire of Nillumbik planning strategy had aimed to build about 3500 new homes in the council area in the next 25 years the state government hiked the target to 12,000 The new goal more than doubles the existing number of dwellings in the local government area and must be built within the urban regions that make up only 9 per cent of the land area in the shire “We’re scratching our heads a bit as to how that could be achieved,” he says Perkins says too-rapid development makes it more difficult for the council to provide services with kindergarten places already more difficult to secure and traffic congestion worsening “Everything’s busting at the seams at the moment,” he says “There’s that balancing act of trying to provide housing to a growing population but still trying to maintain that sense of community and our neighbourhood character as we know it “Change is a good thing because I think everyone’s happy to see more people live in the area Diamond Creek’s volunteer organisations have a history of collaboration.Credit: Joe Armao but it also poses a threat; the prospect of bushfires looms large over a town that has had its share of narrow escapes and it only narrowly escaped the 2009 Black Saturday fires because of a change in wind direction “Anywhere where there’s an urban-rural interface where there’s a lot of houses up against rural land holdings … There is a risk of bushfire to the town,” says Perkins who was captain of the Diamond Creek CFA for 10 years But the community remains committed to defending it Firefighter Fiona Macken says CFA volunteers sacrifice a lot – weekends family time – but she has found a second home within the brigade She now works for the CFA as well as continuing to volunteer Firefighter Fiona Macken lives only a kilometre from the Diamond Creek CFA station meaning she is often on the first truck out in an emergency.Credit: Joe Armao “I haven’t lived anywhere else for a long time … I can’t comment on the communities and whether or not volunteering is really strong but Diamond Creek does feel pretty special,” she says According to the latest data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics 88.3 per cent of households were owned by the occupiers with 35.3 per cent of those being mortgage-free The state average for home ownership is 68.3 per cent The median household income is much higher than the Victorian median One consequence of higher levels of long-term home ownership is a lack of diversity in the population There are lower levels of migration in Diamond Creek with 83.2 per cent of residents born in Australia compared with the Victorian average of 65 per cent Locals are also more likely to have both parents born in the country: 61.4 per cent compared with the state average of 42.4 per cent It is not just people who put down roots in Diamond Creek are the third generation of their family to run what is now Nillumbik Cellars and The Vines Cafe We’ve had children come in from such an early age So it’s really come full circle,” Vanessa Di Pietro says It is a true family affair at the Nillumbik Cellars and The Vines Cafe with Vanessa Daniel and Albert Di Pietro.Credit: Joe Armao but he missed it so much he bought it back five years later and is now meandering to retirement his friendships have all actually come out of this business We had a bit of a party for him the other day here just inviting all the people that come in and visit him,” she says that’s why he’s finding it hard to hang up the apron Melissa Russell’s ingenuity of letterboxing prospective future homes has landed her in a white weatherboard home on a grassy hill – her favourite on the street The expectant mum says she is looking forward to raising her family there She says there is nothing flashy about Diamond Creek “In a small community because there’s not so much turnover it’s not easy to keep up with trends,” she says Get the day’s breaking news, entertainment ideas and a long read to enjoy. Sign up to receive our Evening Edition newsletter here. They walked their favourite street in the neighbourhood \\u2013 wide and only a street away from Scott\\u2019s sister \\u2013 and left the note in the letterboxes of their favourite homes \\u201CI feel like you can talk to people a bit easier here,\\u201D she says \\u201CThere\\u2019s a certain type of person in this area and you wouldn\\u2019t be here if you\\u2019re not a community person.\\u201D beginning with the early white arrivals who named their town after a dead bullock \\u2013 or so the legend goes The traditional owners of the land \\u2013 the Wurundjeri-willam clan of the Woi-wurrung speaking people \\u2013 were forcibly displaced after occupying the land for thousands of years The Wurundjeri name for the region is \\u201Cnillumbik\\u201D though it wasn\\u2019t made official until 1867 a story of a bullock \\u2013 a gelded bull \\u2013 named Diamond is the local favourite People began to refer to the place as \\u201Cdown by the creek where Diamond died\\u201D they just think it\\u2019s fantastic that Diamond Creek is named after a bullock that died in the creek,\\u201D Verso says It\\u2019s not named after some explorer or some local person There were actually four pubs in Diamond Creek \\u2026 They became places where people gathered,\\u201D Verso says \\u201CThe community feel of the place I don\\u2019t think has really changed they supported the local associations.\\u201D The Diamond Creek Football Club \\u2013 now with a netball club \\u2013 produced Collingwood\\u2019s Coventry dynasty and park-run \\u2013 a free five-kilometre group run \\u2013 brings hundreds to the Diamond Creek Trail on a Saturday morning \\u201CDiamond Creek has a really strong community culture .. There\\u2019s a really strong sense of bonding within the community,\\u201D says Kerry Jones and it feels good to be able to give back,\\u201D she says \\u201CEverything good in Diamond Creek is run by volunteers,\\u201D he says \\u201CThere\\u2019s a different thing about Eltham with their mud-brick and their artisan culture that\\u2019s not so prevalent in Diamond Creek Diamond Creek used to be referred to as \\u2018Tradie Town\\u2019,\\u201D he says \\u201CThere\\u2019s a sense of arrival when you get to Diamond Creek,\\u201D Perkins says as he likes to call it \\u2013 has been less gentrified and property prices remain more affordable than its neighbours \\u201CA suburb just indicates it\\u2019s part of greater metropolitan Melbourne but it\\u2019s more than just a suburb,\\u201D he says \\u201CIt\\u2019s got its own little identity and I think people are quite proud of where they come from.\\u201D Perkins says the council has concerns over how best to implement growth while protecting the suburb\\u2019s character meaning any major development must happen within the suburb\\u2019s existing limits \\u201CWe\\u2019re scratching our heads a bit as to how that could be achieved,\\u201D he says \\u201CEverything\\u2019s busting at the seams at the moment,\\u201D he says \\u201CThere\\u2019s that balancing act of trying to provide housing to a growing population \\u201CChange is a good thing because I think everyone\\u2019s happy to see more people live in the area The town\\u2019s greenery is a big attraction \\u201CAnywhere where there\\u2019s an urban-rural interface where there\\u2019s a lot of houses up against rural land holdings \\u2026 There is a risk of bushfire to the town,\\u201D says Perkins Firefighter Fiona Macken says CFA volunteers sacrifice a lot \\u2013 weekends family time \\u2013 but she has found a second home within the brigade \\u201CI haven\\u2019t lived anywhere else for a long time \\u2026 I can\\u2019t comment on the communities and whether or not volunteering is really strong but Diamond Creek does feel pretty special,\\u201D she says \\u201CNot that we\\u2019re biased.\\u201D We\\u2019ve had children come in from such an early age So it\\u2019s really come full circle,\\u201D Vanessa Di Pietro says \\u201CYou invest a lot of time in the business but you invest more into the community.\\u201D Di Pietro\\u2019s 80-year-old father Albert We had a bit of a party for him the other day here just inviting all the people that come in and visit him,\\u201D she says that\\u2019s why he\\u2019s finding it hard to hang up the apron Melissa Russell\\u2019s ingenuity of letterboxing prospective future homes has landed her in a white weatherboard home on a grassy hill \\u2013 her favourite on the street \\u201CIn a small community because there\\u2019s not so much turnover it\\u2019s not easy to keep up with trends,\\u201D she says \\u201CI wouldn\\u2019t say it\\u2019s a trendy suburb .. entertainment ideas and a long read to enjoy He hand-laid the letters himself in the 1970s The private tasting room at Diamond Creek Vineyards A map of the Diamond Creek property shows its four different vineyards If any Napa Valley winery can truly be called old-school where rockier soils and higher elevations can yield those chewy unwieldy tannins — and where particularly stubborn personality types intent on shaping great wine from unforgiving ground Winemaker Graham Wehmeier, who previously worked at Futo Estate, joined Diamond Creek in 2020. Her team has replanted significant portions of Diamond Creek’s 20 acres, including removing some surviving 1972 vines in a corner of the property known as the Lake vineyard. Winemaker Graham Wehmeier, who joined in 2020 — just the third winemaker since its inception — instated updates in the cellar too, changing the approach to oak and extraction. these are the sorts of changes that can upset or even alienate longtime fans who often seem to be searching for reasons to be suspicious of corporate ownership But Diamond Creek represents a takeover done right Roederer has preserved the elements essential to the winery’s antique charm And Wehmeier’s shifts to winemaking and viticulture have arguably made the Diamond Creek wines more old-school than they’d been in a long time returning the wines to a style that made them beloved in the first place Its commitment to Cabernet Sauvignon in Napa Valley was prescient and its insistence on delineating different vineyard segments according to their terroir was an audacious bet that paid off Al Brounstein, who bought this Diamond Mountain parcel with his wife Adelle “Boots” Brounstein in 1967, knew he wanted to make Cabernet Sauvignon. He’d caught the Cabernet bug while working the harvest at Ridge he’d even smuggled vine cuttings from Bordeaux in a suitcase he brought into the country through Tijuana The creek from which Diamond Creek Vineyards takes its name is studded with quartz crystals The creek from which the new winery took its name was studded with quartz crystals, which the neighbors affectionately called diamonds, Brounstein would later recall in an interview with Wine Spectator He had his property’s soils analyzed and discovered that he had at least three distinct single-vineyard wines were virtually unheard of in California let alone wines that represented sub-sections of the same property (what we now might call block-designate wines) The Brounsteins dubbed the warmest part of the property Volcanic Hill fluffy volcanic ash; it would go on to produce Diamond Creek’s most powerful and its north-facing aspect would lead to restrained the property’s coolest and smallest site at just three-quarters of an acre Diamond Creek has produced a Lake Cabernet Sauvignon only 17 times when the vines yielded enough fruit and got sufficiently ripe; otherwise the grapes are blended into Gravelly Meadow The Diamond Creek wines were so distinguished that in 1997 selected it as one of the 30 greatest wines in the world for a celebration to mark his 30-year anniversary of running the company He invited the Brounsteins to Paris for the party had always thought of it as “an old-school stalwart,” he said But once he tasted extensively through the vintages He noticed that the wines took an abrupt turn in the early aughts; the clearest way to see it was in the alcohol levels Practically everyone in Napa was starting to make riper, bigger wines around that time While Diamond Creek remained a darling of the sommelier class who sought out its older vintages like trophies “it had meanwhile joined the modern era in Napa Valley,” Wehmeier said creeping up in oak influence and in ripeness “There was no doubt that these were significant wines but there was a lack of distinction in the modern vintages,” said Carter the imperative was to “unabashedly return the wines to what the French would call a place of freshness.” The Gravelly Meadow is floral and silky; the Volcanic Hill boldly aromatic reminiscent of dusty strawberries; the Red Rock Terrace savory and electric Tastings at Diamond Creek come with a snack plate As the winemaking and vineyard care have evolved, so has the pricing. Diamond Creek was always expensive: Brounstein boldly charged $7.50 for his initial release in 1972, at a time when most Napa wines, were a mere $5, as Boots later recalled in a Michelin Guide interview The vintner even claimed to be the first in Napa to charge $100 a bottle the final vintage before Roederer’s acquisition and as of the 2021 vintage the single-vineyard wines are $500 apiece Reach Esther Mobley: emobley@sfchronicle.com Esther MobleySenior Wine CriticEsther Mobley joined the San Francisco Chronicle in 2015 to cover California wine, beer and spirits. She reports on the business of the state’s $55 billion wine industry; reviews Bay Area wineries, wines and bars; and writes about the effects of climate change on vineyards. Previously Esther was an assistant editor at Wine Spectator magazine in New York. She has worked harvest seasons at wineries in Napa Valley and Argentina. She was the 2019 Feature Writer of the Year in the Louis Roederer International Wine Writers’ Awards, and her work has been recognized by organizations including the California News Publishers Association, the Society for Features Journalism and the Association of Food Journalists. Heidelberg have claimed the club’s first Marbuilt Division 1 Under 19.5 premiership with a 42-point victory over Diamond Creek in the 2024 Grand Final at Preston City Oval the Tigers stamped their authority in the final three terms of the match conceding only one goal up until three quarter time in the 11.10 (76) to 4.10 (34) triumph It was Northern Knights duo Buol Majur and Josh Shepherd who were the key players that led their side to a historic flag Majur was dominant in the ruck and along with his tireless work rate around the ground he would go on to win the best on ground medal Shepherd meanwhile was lively inside forward 50 and kicked a game-high three goals to add to his impressive 2024 tally Although the pair were highlights in the victory the Tigers ran in sync throughout the decider and didn’t have a single passenger with solid performances from the likes of Connor Dooley Jack McKenna and Nicholas Shaw suggesting the future is very bright at the club The Grand Final defeat meanwhile ended a great top flight campaign from Diamond Creek who after winning last year’s Division 2 Under 19.5’s decider finished the home and away campaign in second position and won three finals on their way to the last match of the season Captain Jack Brown fought hard all day across the ground and was one of four individual goalkickers for his side while league best and fairest winner Connor Lidgerwood’s class was also on display in midfield in another solid performance The Creekers would start the best of the two sides with some early inside 50 entries the second of which resulting in a major at the seven-minute mark with both sides looking to gain the ascendancy and set the tone for the Grand Final before Heidelberg got on the board through a Callan Healy major which made it a one-point ball game at the first break An opening half that was tight and fierce was elevated in the second term as finding open space proved very difficult to come by for each team initially But the Tigers would soon break through when Sebastian Cannizzaro and Josh Shepherd kicked goals in a four-minute window to help establish a handy 13-point half time lead Diamond Creek would start positively in the third quarter as they sensed an opportunity to get the game back on their terms while the margin was still within reach that had conceded more than eight goals just twice in 2024 applying some terrific pressure in their defensive end and ensuring the Creekers got very little looks at goal The Tigers then turned that defensive pressure into scoreboard pressure as they produced a three-goal term to extend their lead out to 30 points at the final break Any hopes of a Creekers resurgence were extinguished just five minutes into the last quarter when the Tigers nailed their seventh goal of the match with seven more majors kicked between the two sides to round out the match It mattered little in the grand scheme of things however with Heidelberg having done enough to kick off what would turn out to be a famous day for the club South Morang have prevailed in an all-time classic in the MC Labour Division 2 qualifying final overcoming Diamond Creek by six-points in extra time at Epping Recreational Reserve After the Lions led by four straight majors in the second quarter a stunning Creekers comeback saw them hit the front in the last term before the two sides traded blows in the dying moments of regular time With scores level at the beginning of time-on a Koby Davies set-shot goal beckoned to be the deciding goal until Ben Major roosted the ball from outside 50 metres which went right in the middle of the big sticks but no team could manage a score before the siren confirmed the anxiety of extra-time across the field of 36 exhausted players Chances were fleeting in the two three-minute halves that followed with Joshua Lansfield’s set-shot goal proving to be the knockout blow which clinched a dramatic 10.13 (73) to 10.7 (67) victory for the Lions The result snaps a 10-game winning streak for Diamond Creek and sees them face the winner of tomorrow’s elimination final between Lower Plenty and Thomastown while South Morang await a mouthwatering second-semi final clash with Whittlesea for a place in the Grand Final It was the Lions’ inclusions which made the difference with Joshua D’Intinosante enjoying a five-goal haul in his return from the Coburg VFL side utilising his party-tricks to dazzle the Creekers defence playing a key-role against Jacob Booth in midfield while also making numerous contributions in defence and attack Kobe van Zwienen created immense tackling pressure and proved to be a vital cog in the transition ball-movement for the Lions working tirelessly alongside James Traianou and Bailey Brown Booth finished as his side’s best player and kicked two massive second half goals to help Diamond Creek force extra time while Jack Empey and Joel Randall were excellent in defence taking multiple intercept marks throughout the afternoon After Tom Baird kicked the game’s first major the Lions soon asserted their dominance over the contest as Joshua Lansfield and Joshua D’Intinosante slotted back-to-back goals Daniel Jarvis would soon respond with a set-shot The star forward threatened the goals with every possession and by the quarter’s end had secured another two majors to bring his tally to three the Lions looked to strengthen their foothold on the match as they kicked with the wind 18-year-old Jett McLaughlan emerged as one of the Creekers’ best performers competing fiercely throughout the middle and forward-line but a swarm of intensity from South Morang hamstrung Andrew Tranquilli’s men Matthew Robinson bagged the first of the term before D’Intinosante again surfaced to claim his fourth of the match The Lions pummeled Diamond Creek to within their defensive half but three consecutive behinds failed to distance the lead beyond a four-goal margin when Baird kicked his second of the match in time-on the Creekers headed into their rooms with belief and just a three-goal deficit to chase After a textbook opening centre clearance and kick to the leading chest of Tyler Barnes Diamond Creek would find themselves back within two goals South Morang would again wrestle back control but their wayward goalkicking proved costly as a further four consecutive behinds left the door open for the opponents Koby Davies ended the Lion’s hoodoo of seven behinds without a goal but Jacob Booth’s brilliantly launched kick from outside 50 again kept the Creekers breathing down their neck and the comeback began to look increasingly likely as Daniel Jarvis slotted his second before Jack Empey claimed another to reduce the margin to just two points The Creekers would continue their third quarter form to start the final term as Ben Major launched a kick on the run from just inside 50 remarkably sending his side back into the lead for the first time since the opening moments of the match South Morang regained dominance in the territory battle but the Lions fans would have to wait through another string of consecutive behinds before Joshua D’Intinosante calmly slotted a set-shot from 30-metres to give his team the advantage again before Koby Davies converted his set-shot to again give South Morang the lead Ben Major would then mark on the pain of the 50-metre arc he faced a monumental task to keep his side in the hunt Major easily cleared the line of players on the goal-line and drew the game level once again The ball dabbled in the forward-line of both sides but chaotic last ditch defending saved the day each time and an unsettling hush fell upon the ground as the final siren sounded Both sides had only a brief moment to pick themselves up after 120-minutes of bone-crunching football because with extra-time allocated at just two three-minutes halves the roar was electric when Joshua Lansfield freed himself from his opponent and marked 30 metres from goal directly in front The 23-year-old took his moment to put his side ahead and the Lions ended the first period of extra-time up by a goal Knowing they only had to defend for a few minutes South Morang put hoards of players behind the ball and slowed play at every opportunity Diamond Creek committed their whole team forward but in the congestion and panic of the closing moments With the ball rattling along the outskirts of the Creekers forward 50 marking an astonishing victory for South Morang and ending one of the most memorable NFNL finals matches in recent memory The Victorian Government is committed to removing the Ruthven Street level crossing in Macleod by 2027 This means more benefits for local communities and a better transport network for all Victorians Removing this level crossing will improve safety This level crossing sits where Ruthven Street and Chapman Street meet at the rail line Removing this crossing will create more reliable travel times for the 12,600 drivers that travel through the crossing each day free up space for the community to enjoy and create more room for pedestrian and cycling connections Removing this level crossing now will make the area safer and prevent even longer boom gate down time when the Hurstbridge Line Duplication delivers more train services The second stage of the Hurstbridge Line Duplication will deliver further improvements less crowding on peak trains and better connections to public transport in Melbourne’s north east Works are underway to build two new modern stations at Greensborough and Montmorency and to duplicate the rail track between Greensborough and Montmorency and between Diamond Creek and Wattle Glen Trains are targeted to be running along the new duplicated track and stopping at the new stations by the middle of 2023 A new rail bridge at Ruthven Street in Macleod will deliver the best outcome for the community We are in the early stages of project design engineering assessments and community engagement will be undertaken on this project You’ll hear more from our teams next year about the removal of this crossing This will include more information on how to get involved project timelines and what early investigations will be happening in your area We will be out in the community to talk to you about these projects in the coming months. In the meantime, the best way to stay in touch is by subscribing to our email updates Send us a private message on our Facebook page More than 100 primary-aged children will hear the gospel at an annual program at St John’s Diamond Creek this school holidays. The action-packed Going Bananas school holiday program will include dance The initiative aims to instil faith and leadership skills in young participants providing them with a solid foundation for their lives St John’s generations minister Maddy Bialecki said she hoped young people would come away from the program alive with the knowledge of who Jesus was. She said this year’s theme for the program was Jungle Rumble and people needed Jesus to help them find their way Mrs Bialecki said group teaching would be followed by small group discussions that would cover Jesus’ identity through John’s gospel. She said the program used biblical principles to provide a toolkit to navigate what it meant to be a Christian in this world and to celebrate it. The program will run from Wednesday to Friday in the first week of the winter school holidays It is open to children from both church and non-church backgrounds Read more: Melbourne churches transform kids’ lives one hour at a time Team coordinator Kylie Pilkington said the program’s focus on mentoring fostered a core group of volunteers who were invested in the program. “We’re hoping that Going Bananas gives them a purpose and a place that they really feel at home serving the church,” she said Ms Pilkington said Going Bananas was a fantastic way for the four congregations from St John’s to come together She said volunteers ranged from 12 to over 70 years old. She said the program provided an accessible pathway to church because people brought their children to the event even if they would not normally attend a Sunday service. This experience also brought people back to the church who had not attended for years and opened conversations with them about the gospel. “Ultimately we’re trying to speak the truth of Jesus into kids’ lives so we want the kids who are participating in the program to love what they’re learning and take some of those truths home and speak them into the lives of their family as well,” said Ms Pilkington 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 Gareth Lorigan moved to Diamond Creek in early 2023 After having several volunteer roles in the past he joined CFA to meet and give back to his new community “I have always wanted to be part of something big I have a deep personal value in giving back and CFA has that impact not just the firefighting but the community engagement that comes with the role,” Gareth said He has enjoyed using equipment and receiving ongoing training in areas he was previously unfamiliar with “The opportunity to learn practical skills that take me out of my comfort zone has been challenging yet rewarding,” Gareth said a program that operates in conjunction with Ambulance Victoria that uses a smartphone app and volunteers to assist people suffering cardiac arrest Gareth said the opportunity to support someone facing an end-of-life emergency is a real honour and privilege. Gareth finds the most rewarding part of volunteering is knowing that his efforts are directly contributing to the wellbeing and safety of those having a tough moment or even their worst day so the opportunity to learn hands-on and deliver in practical critical frontline services is fulfilling and keeps my world in balance,” Gareth said Gareth has been donating blood for a few years “I was a late starter because I had to wait for Red Cross Lifeblood to lift the ban on people who lived in the UK in the 1990s it doesn't hurt at all and it is an easy way to give back,” Gareth said Gareth donates blood and plasma because it is a simple yet powerful way to save lives “I love that the Blood Bank tells me what my donation was used for and they have great milkshakes as a reward!” Gareth encourages everyone to find something to do that will make a difference joining a charity group or helping someone less fortunate is a great way to maintain your own mental health and improve overall wellbeing and volunteer worlds can collide for the good I find it very stimulating and rewarding to say the least.” held annually by Australian Red Cross Lifeblood from 1 June to 31 August calls on emergency service workers to compete in a bit of healthy competition by providing the highest number of blood and plasma donations To book a donation, visit www.lifeblood.com.au call 13 14 95 or download the donate blood app To find a donor centre near you visit www.lifeblood.com.au/donor-centre A stunning new bridge has been installed to provide safer access to Diamond Creek Falls a 120-foot cascade in Willamette National Forest southeast of Oakridge “The new trail bridge has handrails and steel girders that make the bridge safer, stronger, and designed to withstand big snow loads or a large tree strike,” a social media post from Willamette National Forest said “Diamond Creek Falls is an iconic and beloved western Cascades recreation site visited by many each year.” The previous bridge had been badly damaged by a large tree falling in 2008 and left much to be desired it had been little more than a sketchy log with broken handrails “A huge thank you to the Youth Conservation Corps crew for their hard work and enthusiasm,” the post said which added that the project was funded by the Great American Outdoors Act The bridge can be found by following the Diamond Falls Loop a 3.5 mile hike that begins at Salt Creek Falls Trailhead It’s a roughly 1.6 mile hike to a trail junction with signs for Lower Diamond Creek Falls The trail drops steeply downhill and then crosses the creek on the new bridge to reach the falls lower viewpoint The loop continues back to Salt Creek Falls' parking area More: Oregon State Parks to close multiple campgrounds, including Silver Falls, for construction U.S. Trotting News Lexington, KY — Diamond Creek is excited to announce the arrival of the first foal from 2023 Horse of the Year Confederate Proud mom is Priceless (Rockin Image) who was a winner of $620,544 Congratulations to the owners of Priceless and Anvil and Lace Farm LLC on the arrival of this “priceless” filly What is the USTA? Become a Member Renew Discounts Free Account Member Services Department Directory MyAccount Hoof Beats Magazine It isn’t just about the reputations of the people named by the USTA it is also about the reputation of the SRIF itself that warrants a public airing: What did these people actually do What sort of evidence do you have against them What sort of investigative body are you really So there are some in the harness industry who are less sympathetic than others to Diamond Creek’s troubles Some believe that those on the list got off softly And there are some who are disappointed with the judgment of those who did business with Surick – the ones who made the list and the ones left off it – and with the lack of any public apologies or contrition once the USTA’s sanctions were announced.Whether that disappointment will manifest itself toward Diamond Creek at the yearling sales this fall or whether it is greater than the disappointment those targeted have expressed toward the USTA for its Surick investigation That’s because the USTA doesn’t come off shining brightly is on the sanctions list because she was the owner-of-record for the horses allegedly mixed up in this Another central question here is whether Nick was acting on his own behalf or on behalf of his mother Someone asked me last week: If the USTA was so concerned about the Suricks why was Debbie Surick still licensed by the USTA until June 2024 “The USTA and SRIF had reason to believe that Nick Surick remained active in the Standardbred industry despite his legal troubles and USTA membership lapsing in 2021,” an SRIF lawyer told me last week “We investigated whether this was true and our investigation determined that certain USTA members had ongoing relationships with Mr Surick involving registered Standardbreds and may have engaged in misconduct with Mr Surick in violation of the USTA’s Rules and Bylaws.” This misconduct did not involve horse doping or anything of that sort – on this everyone agrees.The investigation took place within the past 10 months or so the SRIF went to the USTA’s board and shared some findings The USTA then appointed a five-person “investigative committee” to review the evidence and make recommendations about sanctions The SRIF and the committee then reached out to the targets inviting them to participate in a hearing and sharing evidence with them the SRIF and the committee came to the USTA’s Board of Directors with its recommendations some were adopted at the annual meeting earlier this month Taylor’s criticisms of the SRIF and USTA here focused on the makeup and impartiality (or partiality) of that five-person committee that acted as a bridge between the SRIF and the USTA Taylor also forcefully criticized the process the SRIF and the USTA offered those who were accused I reached out to Taylor for comment but he declined the invitation.Diamond Creek’s chief Adam Bowden Bowden was fined $28,000 for his alleged role I reached out to him last week and he was blunt in his assessment of the SRIF investigation “What the USTA neglects to admit in all of this is that they have all these records of who owns what who is bred to which stallions and when,” Bowden told me The USTA on countless occasions refuse to give guidance when asked by our team regarding how to handle specific situations regarding breeding the mares in question We feel like we were railroaded by a dysfunctional investigation.” Later Bowden told me: “For eight months this has been a distraction and in my opinion the investigation of us has been a colossal waste of time and money.” By Andrew CohenAndy Cohen is a three-time winner of the John Hervey Award for reporting on horse racing and a two-time winner of Canada’s Joe O’Brien Award for racing commentary See someone else’s good coverage of a racing integrity topic you want us to share Let us know via email at andrew@paulickreport.com has an 80 percent chance of rain on Kentucky Derby day Hosted by Diamond Creek’s Adam Bowden and Shaun Laungani Creekside Chat returns with a brand new format talking about all things happening both on the farm Episode 1 is up now! Filmed in early July, the Episode 1 covers the end of the breeding season, future plans for Diamond Creek and current and upcoming racing news. The podcast is available on YouTube and Spotify Copyright © 2022 | Standardbred Canada. All rights reserved. Use of this site signifies your agreement and compliance with the legal disclaimer and privacy policy The battle of the two unbeaten sides in MC Labour Division 2 saw Whittlesea power home to prevail by 15 points over Diamond Creek at the Whittlesea Showgrounds A high scoring opening half saw the Creekers produce a clinical display before the Eagles fired back to take the lead by the same margin at three quarter time and never look back in a 12.15 (87) to 11.6 (72) triumph The victory is Whittlesea’s seventh consecutive win over Diamond Creek and have now won eight straight matches to sit alone at the top of the MC Labour Division 2 ladder It was an even more impressive win considering some of the Eagles’ star players such as captain Xavier Dimasi VFL listed midfielder Blake Watson and deputy vice-captain Mitchell Andrews all not in the side Thomas Falls was sidelined in the third quarter and did not return leaving the home side’s midfield shorthanded it was the efforts of Taidgh Bland and Lachlan Shinn-Mahony that willed Whittlesea over the line producing some crucial clearances at stoppages all around the ground while Shinn-Mahoney was composed with ball in hand and effective by foot going on to kick the sealing major for his side Meanwhile Clancy Bland and Khaled El-Leissy were a superb ruck paring for Garry Ramsay’s side Riley Carter and Deakin Tennant all influential in their own right Tarwan Rennie and Dale Marshall were Diamond Creek’s most impactful midfielders and were the catalysts to the visitors’ multiple good looks at goal throughout the game Ryan Pingree returned to the side and finished with three majors but had the opportunity to put more through the big sticks throughout the afternoon including an excellent major in the second term Although the Creekers were accurate in the first half six of their final eight shots of the match were behinds which all but shut out a winning chance for last year’s minor premiers Andrew Tranquilli’s men got the perfect start to the match 90 seconds in through Daniel Jarvis who continued his streak of matches kicking at least one goal Riley Powell opened Whittlesea’s account moments later before back-to-back majors from Ryan Pingree put the Creekers in a solid position But the Eagles kept piling on the pressure forcing Diamond Creek to give up consecutive free kicks that led to goals which Kane Johnson and Harry Beattie were the benefactory of who won the ball from the hitout of a forward 50 stoppage and snapped truly from 40 metres out to give the away side a nine-point quarter time lead Whittlesea would have the quick start in the second term when Taidgh Bland found space inside 50 and kicked the goal with his left Opportunities on goal would slow down from both sides but the hosts would still kick the next two majors of the match with Harvey Hempenstall’s goal giving his side a 10-point lead at the 16-minute mark What followed was an outstanding three-minute patch from Diamond Creek where they slotted four majors in quick succession to completely turn the momentum of the match to their favour The Eagles didn’t help themselves by giving away some ill-disciplined free kicks in that burst however the highlight was Kambouris who produced one of the goals of the match nailing the running shot from 40 metres out on a tight angle to kick the fourth successive major of the chain Andrew Tranquilli’s side had suddenly got out to 14-point lead before a Jack Taylor major and some more Eagles behinds reduced the deficit to six by the main break More goals were to come to start the third term none more impressive than Whittlesea’s Max Dyson bounced and slotted the running shot on goal to give his side back the lead Both sides would trade majors before the Eagles went into three quarter time six points to the good Whittlesea would press their opposition throughout the opening 10 minutes of the final quarter with repeat inside 50 entries putting a usually resolute Diamond Creek defence on the backfoot The home side could only manage behinds initially before a second Jack Taylor goal looked to seal victory for the Eagles The Creekers tried to respond again and did manage a major from their 23rd player Blake Wylie to reduce the margin to 11 points as Lachlan Shinn-Mahony streamed into the open goal to make it a 17-point ball game all but capping off a terrific afternoon for himself and the Eagles On Friday, Dec. 20, Diamond Creek Farm announced that 2024 Hambletonian winner Karl will not stand at stud in Kentucky in 2025 and will return to training "Karl has been at Diamond Creek in Kentucky since the first week of December," stated the farm in a release "Preliminary tests indicated he is unlikely to serve a full book of mares in 2025 however his fertility may improve over time To all his fans and share/breeding applicants We wish Karl and his owners all the best and thank them for the opportunity to work this amazing horse If you need help booking to another Diamond Creek stallion A Breeders Crown champion during his Dan Patch Award-winning two-year-old campaign the son of Tactical Landing-Avalicious is a career winner of 18 races and more than $2.4 million from 23 starts with a mark of 1:50.2. A beach access trail in the Diamond Creek Recreation Area near Homer is temporarily closed after recent heavy rainfall caused a landslide said efforts are underway to restore the trail We hope to get out there and cut the alders back to put down tread He said seasonal erosion is common on the trail but the recent washout is larger than usual The landslide began approximately 100 yards from the trailhead While state parks staff are working to restore the damaged section Okuly said there’s no firm timeline for reopening the trail he said other trails in the Diamond Creek area are still open for bikers and hikers But Okuly said people should be cautious when using those trails usually muddy and get icy and slippery as we start to get that winter weather with your ice cleats when it's below freezing,” Okuly said Alaska State Parks will provide updated information about the condition of the trail on their Facebook page Diamond Creek Football Netball Club is seeking a practice match for their under-19’s side on Saturday April 1st The club is looking for an under-19’s opponent to play a practice which will take place at Coventry Oval with NFNL umpires already confirmed to officiate the match For more information or to book in the match ,please contact Stephen Elliott on 0419 155 077 or email secretary@diamondcreekfc.com.au The Montmorency Football Netball Club’s Division 3 senior women’s team is seeking a practice match opponent on Saturday March 29th West Preston-Lakeside Football Netball Club is seeking a venue for their scheduled practice matches on Saturday The Eltham Football Club is seeking a practice match for its senior women’s side for either Friday March 21st Belinda Harris and Antoinette Ribchester believe what benefits CFA members ultimately benefits the communities they serve and the organisation more broadly The three hold Lieutenant roles within their brigade management team (BMT) and like their fellow BMT members they are committed to supporting the brigade’s efforts to build a safe While they know having three women lieutenants in a BMT is rare they see it as an opportunity to highlight the benefits of stepping up into leadership positions at CFA A brigade member for 15 years and lieutenant for five Fiona said diversity in brigade management meant that decisions were more likely to reflect the broader brigade membership “While I love that we have strong women representation among our operational leaders passionate people stood up and took on these leadership roles as I know that ultimately our brigade is better off as a result,” Fiona said “Encouraging diversity in our leadership means a broader range of experiences views and values are brought to BMT discussions and it also gives confidence to members that they will be represented “Greater diversity also means the brigade is likely to have and/or build strengths in a number of areas healthy brigade with something for everyone.” who has been a member of Diamond Creek for five-and-a-half years and its Junior leader for five “diversity is about the contribution you can make “I’m glad I can contribute in some way to what is a strong brigade with an amazing culture where everyone is made to feel welcome and part of a team,” she said “The three of us contribute to that culture in different ways with varied skills knowledge and experience which is priceless to not only the brigade put her hand up to be a member of the BMT after being a member for five years “I joined the BMT this year as a lieutenant because I wanted to contribute further and support the brigade beyond being an operational member,” Belinda said “My goal is ensuring we have a functional brigade with a focus on member welfare I also assist with the mentoring and recruitment of new members “It’s amazing being part of such an inclusive and welcoming brigade and meeting so many different people who are now lifelong friends.” who is also the brigade’s community safety coordinator said although it can be hard to make change history has shown that change can bring a myriad of benefits “Some of the initiatives we’ve seen include an increased focus on welfare such as ensuring there are sanitary items at the station and in our trucks stronger use of social media to engage our community and increased local partnerships and events,” Fiona said She encouraged members to put their hand up for leadership opportunities within their brigade give new people opportunities and to make incremental meaningful changes to improve brigade culture and diversity “If you’re reading this and feel as though you don’t identify with the majority of your BMT members maybe that’s a sign that you should be stepping up and bringing a new Antoinette agreed saying that it was important to have faith in yourself and have the confidence to “give it an honest go” “Give it a try and if it doesn’t work out or it’s not the right fit you can always take the opportunity to upskill or step back from the role “Remember that there are plenty of people around you who have either been in a similar situation or who are able to guide you through The second stage of the highly anticipated Diamond Creek Trail extension – running between Wattle Glen and Hurstbridge – has been opened to the public this week achieved through a combination of local and state government funds runs from Wilson Reserve in Wattle Glen to the Hurstbridge High Oval on Graysharps Road running parallel with the Diamond creek in many places The first stage of the Diamond Creek Trail extension - between Wattle Glen and the suburb of Diamond Creek - was completed in 2021 This newly unveiled second stage of the trail adds a further 3.2 km to its total length now offering riders a 15km continuous path between Hurstbridge and Eltham “This has been one of the biggest capital works projects we’ve undertaken in the Shire and it’s been a fantastic collaborative effort between the Victorian Government Council and the community,” said Nillumbik Council Mayor Frances Eyre People now have the opportunity to enjoy a day of bike riding by taking the train out to Hurstbridge and making the scenic trip back to Eltham against the backdrop of paperbarks and box gums You might even catch a kangaroo or two on the way Enthusiastic riders thirsty for more mileage can then link with the Plenty River Trail or even take the Main Yarra Trail all the way into the CBD The trail will likely offer a sizeable boost in tourism to the Wattle Glen and Hurstbridge townships which already enjoy a high level of activity from riders whipping through to Kinglake “This is something our community and Council championed for over many years and it’s wonderful to see the dream finally become a reality,” Cr Eyre said This article was made possible by the support of Bicycle Network's members who enable us to make bike riding better in Australia Find out more about Bicycle Network and support us in making it easier for people to ride bikes The Great Victorian Bike Ride is set to return in 2025 on 24–28 November offering an exciting new format while keeping the spirit of this beloved event alive Bicycle Network Memberships offer benefits to all kinds of riders The Peaks Challenge Ride2School fundraiser is on again for this year's epic event on Sunday 9 March The City of Adelaide will undertake a speed limit review to understand the need for reducing speeds to support business and residents and create a safer city environment Work on the much-anticipated $38.9 million Sydney Harbour Bridge ramp upgrade has begun the bike lane will link the country's most famous bridge to the bike network in Milsons Point we launched our Affiliate Membership program specially designed for cycling groups and clubs Orange in New South Wales is in line for a nice new stretch of bike path one that will expand the off-road network and improve access to schools Work has kicked off on a key Canberra bike route setting the wheels in motion for safer and more pleasant journeys through the city’s northern suburbs In a submission to the federal government’s draft National Urban Policy Bicycle Network and seven other Australian bicycle organisations have called for active transport infrastructure funding to be increased to 10% of federal transport investment Many of our best bike journeys are along coastlines or up and down the creeks and rivers that meet the sea But with rising sea levels some of this vital infrastructure is at threat of inundation erosion and from changes in groundwater chemistry Overseas travels inspired the design of a luxury Mexican and Moroccan-style mansion in Diamond Creek which lets the lucky vendors live like it’s a holiday all year round spa and eight car spaces add to the 3073sq m block’s resort-style feel The dreamy five-bedroom pad at 72 Old Diamond Creek Road is being offered for the first time RELATED: Berwick ‘Tuscan’ mansion with golf green could earn massive sum Narre Warren North’s ‘Hollywood Hills’ mansion hits the market Orana, Killingworth: Farm near Yea with modern woolshed for sale is offering buyers a taste of overseas while borders are closed Eclectic interiors were sourced internationally Morrison Kleeman director Rocco Montanaro said the vendors personally sourced most of the materials internationally before enlisting a builder to create the family home about nine years ago “They went on a massive shopping trip overseas and shipped it all back,” Mr Montanaro said “The decor inside is so eclectic — you couldn’t build this house again.” It took the owners almost two years to create Ornate details give the space a Mexican and Moroccan flair Rustic finishes including rendering designed to look like natural stone decorative tiles and stained-glass windows add to the home’s distinct style “Almost all the windows are different,” the agent said Stained-glass windows above the impressive bathtub A funky cinema room with overhead lights that mimic the look of stars in the night sky sweeping valley views and multiple entertainment zones were additional drawcards “(The home) makes you feel like you’re on holiday,” Mr Montanaro said 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 READ MORE: Al-Taqwa College: Islamic school collects $58m in Truganina land deal Melbourne land prices poised for $30,000 lift: Research4 Signs that Australia’s housing market is starting to simmer: REA Housing Marketing Indicators report reveals A new solar + battery system along with an electric car charging station at Community Bank Stadium in Diamond Creek Victoria were officially launched yesterday Diamond Creek is a is a suburb of Melbourne approximately 23 km north-east of Melbourne’s CBD and is part of the Shire of Nillumbik owned by Nillumbik Shire and managed by YMCA Victoria boasts among its features three indoor sports courts with retractable seating for 900 people The stadium also acts as an emergency relief centre in times of disaster so it was important it had an energy supply that can be independent of the grid The solar energy aspect of the recently installed system is 99.96kW1 capacity and is expected to generate around 131,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity a year Little detail has been provided about the battery system but according to the Community Bank Stadium web site Here’s a photo of it – no sleek lines of the Tesla Powerwall 2 or other new generation batteries to be seen here: Council says there’s enough storage capacity to allow the stadium to continue operating independently off the grid during power outages for up to eight hours “This solar system will enable us to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions, lower the running cost of our facility and enable us to support our community during emergency events such as bushfires,” said Nillumbik Mayor Karen Egan “Outages from extreme weather events can now be prepared for with this stand-alone power system ready for the coming fire danger period.” The public electric car charging station incorporated as part of the project is the first in the Shire of Nillumbik not much in the way of specifications in the announcement but according to a now-deleted post on the Community Bank Stadium web site it can “charge a standard electric vehicle approximately 50km drive capacity in 30 minutes” The full solar power + energy storage + charger project cost around $452,000 (not including time from Council staff) and was supported with $252,000 from the Victorian Government’s New Energy Jobs Fund Council says the system will reduce the stadium’s grid electricity demand by about 49 per cent and provide electricity bill savings of approximately $640,000 over its service life The system will also assist Council in its efforts to reduce carbon emissions According to its Climate Change Action Plan 2016-2020 Nillumbik Shire Council has set a goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions produced from Council operations by 17 per cent and from community activities by six per cent from 2012 levels by 2020 Michael caught the solar power bug after purchasing components to cobble together a small off-grid PV system in 2008 He's been reporting on Australian and international solar energy news ever since Please keep the SolarQuotes blog constructive and useful with these 5 rules: Real names are preferred - you should be happy to put your name to your comments.2 If you are in the solar industry - try to get to the truth This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" RSS - Posts Read The Good Solar Guide Free Online! © 2009 to 2025 SolarQuotes Home Electrification Pty Ltd We respect your privacy and you can opt out from the newsletter at any time 15 October 2019 | Tennis Victoria were recognised for their contribution to tennis in Victoria after receiving a Tennis Service Award over the weekend Both Janet and Marc have been involved in the club for many years and are both Life Members Janet joined the club committee in 2000 after nearly 30 years of playing and was appointed Treasurer in 2008 Janet plays a pivotal role in the day-to-day management of the club finances When not managing the club registrations and memberships working tirelessly behind the scenes at social functions attending working bees or simply enjoying time on the court where she continues to play competition with the club after 45 years (the club) has been very important to me,” Janet said “I have played (tennis) nearly every week of my life With Janet working alongside the “go to” person to get things done Diamond Creek Tennis Club is evidently in capable hands Marc has been a club member for over 15 years holding a number of roles including junior coordinator and for almost 10 years was Secretary of the club Some of Marc’s key achievements include; coordinating activities at the club organising financial grants and being a key contributor to several facilities upgrades ownership and organisation of court maintenance setting up the club’s webpage and much more Marc continues to serve on the committee and help where he can he enjoys playing tennis on the courts he works to maintain “I am really appreciative of the award and it’s a great recognition of volunteering and the importance of volunteering and how satisfying it is to give back to the club,” Marc said “I have enjoyed the work I have been able to do for the club and trying to raise tennis in the community which has been a really great experience.” Congratulations Janet and Marc and thank you for your contribution to Tennis in Victoria.