Police have charged a Keilor Downs man after locating what is alleged to be a traffickable quantity of methylamphetamine worth $3 million in Stawell. Police intercepted a Honda HRV on Horsham Road about 2.20am on February 11. They conducted a search of the car and located two phones, cash, and what is alleged to be methylamphetamine. The driver, a 20-year-old Keilor Downs man, was arrested at the scene. He has since been charged with trafficking large commercial quantities of methylamphetamine and was remanded in custody to appear before the Horsham Magistrates’ Court today. CNN and the BBC World Service which is copyright and cannot be reproduced AEST = Australian Eastern Standard Time which is 10 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time The Melbourne school hit by the most COVID closures last year emerged with happier students and improving VCE scores Keilor Downs College principal Linda Maxwell said the upswing in academic results and student wellbeing was down to a collective effort to keep the school community connected through shutdowns when coronavirus cases were detected and during the state’s hard lockdown and move to remote learning Keilor Downs College principal Linda Maxwell with some of her students your kids are at home but your results went up?’ ” Ms Maxwell said “It was about communication and relationships The school has always had really good bones in terms of teacher belief and connections with kids and it suited our temperament to keep building on this positivity.” Keilor Downs College has scored the winning place for western government schools in The Age’s annual Schools that Excel awards tracking the state’s most-improved schools over the past 10 years You can view the full list of winning schools and explore the data for your high school using this year’s Schools that Excel dashboard: Its median study score has hit the coveted 30 mark Its percentage of VCE study scores above 40 also rose Ms Maxwell said the results were phenomenal and in line with other impressive data the school records itself including high attendance and student retention we know where they’re going and are supported in that pathway,” she said The disruption VCE students endured in 2020 allowed them special consideration from the Victorian Curriculum Assessment Authority but Ms Maxwell says she didn’t see the adjustment make much of a difference It was like this battle where they weren’t going to let anything else bad happen.” The school is now focusing on helping its current year 12s as they grapple with another coronavirus outbreak and lockdown They see school as a place where they can reconnect and reach out,” Ms Maxwell said As well as planning a longed-for formal and musical the school has won funding to create a large mural depicting how it got through the challenges of 2020 “It’ll be a happiness mural showing all the things that kept us happy during COVID,” Ms Maxwell said Keilor Downs College principal Linda Maxwell said the upswing in academic results and student wellbeing was down to a collective effort to keep the when coronavirus cases were detected and during the state\\u2019s hard lockdown and move to remote learning your kids are at home but your results went up?\\u2019 \\u201D Ms Maxwell said \\u201CIt was about communication and relationships and it suited our temperament to keep building on this positivity.\\u201D Keilor Downs College has scored the winning place for western government schools in The Age\\u2019s annual Schools that Excel awards tracking the state\\u2019s most-improved schools over the past 10 years and explore the data for your high school using this year\\u2019s Schools that Excel dashboard: we know where they\\u2019re going and are supported in that pathway,\\u201D she said but Ms Maxwell says she didn\\u2019t see the adjustment make much of a difference It was like this battle where they weren\\u2019t going to let anything else bad happen.\\u201D \\u201CThey\\u2019re reaching out for community They see school as a place where they can reconnect and reach out,\\u201D Ms Maxwell said \\u201CIt\\u2019ll be a happiness mural showing all the things that kept us happy during COVID,\\u201D Ms Maxwell said \\u201CThere are some lovely things happening.\\u201D Every Thursday evening for the past five weeks a group of about 70 parishioners from St Mary of the Assumption Parish in Keilor Downs have been faithfully gathering in the hall at St Mary Mackillop Primary School to consider ‘the case for Jesus’ As part of an eight-week Bible study led by Assistant Priest Fr Marcus Goulding, participants have been viewing videos and working their way through course materials based on the book of the same name by Dr Brant Pitre of the Augustine Institute which draws on evidence from both early Christian and non-Christian writings attesting to the authenticity and investigates the gospel accounts of Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection The intergenerational group that has been gathering for the Bible study includes men and women at all stages of their journey in the Catholic faith from those who are just beginning to ‘dip their toes in the water’ to those who have been faithful Catholics for many years all of them seeking to learn more and go deeper while connecting with other people of faith an Arts student at the University of Melbourne having been baptised in April this year at the Easter Vigil She says she got to know Fr Marcus ‘quite well’ when she did the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA) with him in preparation for her baptism and was encouraged by that experience to sign up for the Case for Jesus series ‘I’ve been interested in the Gospels as well because I hadn’t known very much about it read about the course in the parish bulletin at Mass She was looking for a Bible study because while she had been regularly reading the gospels she found she wanted more help with interpreting them ‘So I thought a Bible study would be good.’ Jenny says she has ‘learnt something new’ at every session she shares what she has discovered with her mum Miriam has particularly appreciated the opportunity to ‘get to know the historical facts about the Bible’ ‘Having more knowledge about it and that more objective side is really nice,’ she says While her reading of Scripture has previously been ‘very subjective,’ the course has given her more objective information about what she is reading ‘It definitely helps to read [the course materials] and see how it all fits together.’ Both Jenny and Miriam say they would recommend doing a course like this to anyone who wanted to deepen their understanding of Scripture and grow in their faith I’ve been learning a lot of things that I had absolutely no idea about,’ Jenny says things that other people probably already knew.’ Miriam is also grateful for the social aspects of the course saying that it has helped her to connect with others in the parish she would not have otherwise got to know I don’t really interact with other people,’ she says I can see familiar faces and get to know them a bit more now She also finds that she is more confident in talking to her family or friends ‘who are kind of Catholic but maybe not diving too deep into it’ ‘It’s really nice to talk about the evidence,’ she says and to see them respond positively to ‘proof of the faith’ Fr Marcus has been in the parish for a year, assisting Parish Priest Mgr Charles Portelli, and this is the second formation series he’s run in that time. The first series—a 10-week course called Parousia: The Bible and the Mass produced by the St Paul Center in the United States—was run during Lent and Easter this year ‘and we had really good attendance; we had like 50 people attending.’ ‘I started with the Mass because I thought this is something that’s common to everyone and it’s great to help people understand the Mass more .. We want more.” So it was really their demand Explaining the value of courses such as these for people’s faith formation he points to ‘the whole thing about knowledge and love the whole point of dating is that you’re getting to know the person And then over time you gradually fall more in love with them And one of the biggest struggles in the pews is we have so many people who have very minimal formation in faith.’ After the success of the first series on the Mass and recognising both the demand and the need for more Fr Marcus considered what he might offer as a follow-up that everyone has contact with but doesn’t necessarily understand particularly well Fr Marcus had read Dr Pitre’s book on a retreat and was impressed by the way it provided ‘tangible factual evidence from the Old Testament to show who Jesus is It makes the Old Testament accessible to people; it makes the gospels more accessible and that means that people are going to get more from it when they … hear the Word at Mass.’ Fr Marcus highly recommends offering courses such as these at a parish level After he ran the Parousia course at Lent and Easter ‘And one of the things I said [to him] was They’ve got so many good resources out there We don’t have to spend ages coming up with the talks You just get the resource and guide the discussion.” And that’s all I really do and I’ve got my own knowledge that I bring to it but really I just guide the discussion of the content that’s in the video.’ Fr Marcus says the social side of running a course such as this is also very valuable ‘People are desperate to know other Catholics who are walking in the same life,’ he says but they don’t necessarily know each other well.’ He believes many Catholics can feel quite isolated they don’t know anyone else in their workplace or even in their family who goes to Mass So I’ve always thought that community-building … on the social side of parish life is super important And you can do that while also teaching.’ While acknowledging that it can be beneficial to just do social things he points out that a sense of community can also be built around ‘a catechetical thing or around a spiritual thing or a prayer thing It doesn’t have to just be one or the other And it also gives them something to talk about So when you give them the opportunity to talk around content like this it gives them a way in to talk to the people around them Fr Marcus is heartened by the ongoing enthusiasm and commitment shown by participants in the Bible study ‘I’m always amazed by how people are so thirsty for the truth we can underestimate what our people are capable of ‘They want to know the answers to the big questions Our job [as priests] is to equip the laity to do their job And one of the ways we do that is by teaching them to pray I’m always amazed by how people are so thirsty for the truth Fr Marcus is already seeing the fruit of the course in the life of the parish ‘I see people talking to each other after Mass who previously didn’t know each other So I can see the social bonds being built,’ he says he also noticed ‘very quickly a deeper participation in the Mass not necessarily more people’ but a greater Fr Marcus hopes to offer similar courses in the future it’s so hard to balance how much of anything you do … There are so many good things to do.’ When parishioners first expressed a desire for a Bible study he was already running RCIA and a youth group and quickly realised he couldn’t realistically commit to running a weekly Bible study throughout the year too Get the latest posts and other things in your inbox. Police have arrested a Keilor Downs boy following an alleged stabbing in St Albans this morning Emergency services were called to reports a 37-year-old man was found injured in a fast-food outlet car park on St Albans Road about 6am It is alleged a dispute occurred between the victim and another man before the victim was stabbed A 16-year-old boy was arrested at a Keilor Downs address today It is further alleged that the Keilor Downs boy was involved in a stabbing at St Albans railway station yesterday It is alleged the victim was chased by three males before being stabbed The 21-year-old Tarneit man was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries The investigation into this incident remains ongoing Anyone with information is urged to contact crime stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report at www.crimestoppers 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 a 32-year-old woman died in hospital after falling from a car in Keilor Downs was five months pregnant with her third daughter at the time Helena died in hospital after an emergency C-section in a bid to save her unborn baby charged with dangerous driving causing death is determined to support his little nieces and has started a campaign to do that Click HERE to donate via MyCause. I didn’t actually set this up, a friend of mine set this up … and got in contact with me. “This is going to do a lot for the family with future medical costs for little Helena and funeral costs and the future of all the girls,” Mr Broadbent told Neil Mitchell. This is probably not the page you’re looking for A teacher in Victoria has tested positive to coronavirus as 400,000 students return to school full time The teacher from Keilor Downs College, in Melbourne, tested positive to coronavirus last Friday. Principal Linda Maxwell took to Facebook to inform parents, students and staff of the diagnosis.  'Please do not be alarmed but one of our staff has tested positive to COVID-19 in a community test,' she said. 'They have not been at school at all during this time so there is no action required at school.  'We have not been asked to close for cleaning and there are no contacts at school.' Ms Maxwell said the staff member would not be allowed to return to the school until the Department of Health and Human Services allows it. The staff member contracted the illness while teaching remotely.  Students from kindergarten to Year Two and students in Year 10, 11 and 12 returned to face-to-face learning on Tuesday in Victoria.  The rest of the students will return on June 9.  The state's Education Minister James Merlino said at 5pm on Monday 17,500 education staff had been tested for coronavirus.   He said that despite the return to school there would still be changes in place - such as no excursions or school camps. Drinking from water fountains is also banned.  A Department of Education and Training spokesman told Daily Mail Australia: 'The DHHS investigation determined there was no need for the school to close or for staff or students to take any further precautionary action as the staff member did not attend the school while ill. 'We wish the staff member a speedy recovery.' It comes as two schools in Sydney shut down on Tuesday after two students tested positive for COVID-19. Parents of students at Moriah College in Queens Park were notified of the positive test by letter after the school was informed by NSW Health at 11.15am on Tuesday. 'The college received confirmation from NSW Health shortly before noon that a student in our community has tested positive to COVID-19,' a Moriah College spokeswoman said, Daily Telegraph reported.  'We have now activated our COVID-19 Positive Diagnosis School Response Plan. The student was in attendance on our campus, on Thursday May 21, 2020.' The student was on school grounds last Thursday and students have been sent home as contact tracing begins. The college has been shut to undergo a deep clean and sanitation. It is expected to reopen next week. The news comes after a Year 7 student tested positive at Waverely College, in Sydney's eastern suburbs. Parents collected their children from the Catholic boys' school on Tuesday morning. Fees for the exclusive school cost up to $15,600 a year. State premier Gladys Berejiklian said earlier this month that a return to full-time face-to-face learning is safe, but admitted there could be a spike in cases as a result. She also said it would be 'common' for some schools to 'shut down temporarily' if a student tests positive. Daily Mail Australia has contacted the Department of Health and Human Services for comment. Major terror attack 'was just HOURS away' before it was foiled by the special forces and police:... Victim of acid attack 'plotted by his ex-partner who teamed up with a gang' dies in hospital six... We are trapped in unsellable newbuild homes after a £52m dual carriageway was built on our... Horror as $4.5M influencer-laden yacht SINKS off Miami... after glam women made a rookie maritime... 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Teacher positive for COVID-19 as students return to class in Victoria Commenting on this article has endedNewest{{#isModerationStatus}}{{moderationStatus}} Play Duration: 4 minutes 39 seconds4m 39sBrought to you by the north-eastern Melbourne suburb of Keilor was inhabited by the Wurundjeri people for over 40,000 years It is one of the oldest sites of recorded human habitation in Australia with multiple important archaeological sites Drive listeners share memories of Overnewton Castle Green Gully and settle the debate: kee-LAW or kee-lah: Helen thinks there but be some influence from "younguns saying Keilooooor...it's Keelah...always Keelah" Many fond childhood memories of times spent in Keilor - Barbara recalls "playing British bulldog on the hill at Keilor primary school and making cubbies in the boxthorns scattered around the school grounds The hill later got cut off to build the Calder Freeway out the back." Anne also remembers a time before the Calder "feeding the cows and horses carrots on the corner of green gully and old Calder before the houses went in." Michelle in Preston has a distant Keilor memory of the "road to Ballarat used to go via Keilor I remember the drive well- in the 1970's there used to be a big skull and crossbones painted on the road near a dangerous intersection My siblings and I loved seeing it appear in the distance and get bigger and closer...lots of screams and gasps Definitely a highlight of the car trip." Sandra loved "Horseshoe Bend Farm in Keilor It was a childrens farm with animals such as chickens and pigs in pens Overnewton Castle in Keilor is just wonderful too originally brought out from the U .K Beautiful gardens where they hold weddings and reception in the castle buildings." Annie lived in Keilor as a young person "and the local Fish and Chip shop was the absolute best My doctor at the time also had his rooms in Overnewton Castle - it sure made a doctor's visit more pleasant walking in beside those gardens!" Daria is in fierce agreement with Annie: "Keilor has the best fish and chips shop in all of Melbourne I grew up in East Keilor and now in St Albans and still drive there for my grub!" And one listener warns "don't talk about Keilor - we are a hidden gem and prefer it that way!" Drive with Raf Epstein wants to uncover in to the 'real' history of iconic Melbourne spots by hearing your stories. If you have a great suggestion of a location for us to delve in to, email us Painting of Keilor Plains, Victoria in 1855 by Alfred H. Vickers(SLV: Alfred H. Vickers) Download the ABC listen app to text and call your favourite live radio The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) is now operating in line with Caretaker Conventions until the resolution of the 2025 federal election Home > ARENAWIRE > Brimbank Aquatic and Wellness Centre heat pumps make a splash Solar energy26 September 2022VICBrimbank Aquatic and Wellness Centre heat pumps make a splashA new aquatic centre in Melbourne’s west is showcasing electrification technology powered by renewable energy The Keilor Downs community Melbourne’s western fringe is celebrating the opening of Australia’s first all-electric, renewable energy aquatic centre Brimbank City Council has spent the last two years redeveloping the former St Albans Leisure Centre the Brimbank Aquatic and Wellness Centre is open to the public and has been met with enthusiasm from the local community The $60 million facility has all you would expect What makes the centre special is its integrated approach to keeping emissions down Leisure centres are among the most emissions intensive buildings owned by local governments in Australia Gas boilers heat huge volumes of water for pools and showers heating and cooling large indoor spaces also require a lot of energy sustainability has been at the heart of the new centre’s design A 500kw rooftop solar system powers the site and state-of-the-art insulation helps maintain the temperature inside But what really makes the centre cutting-edge is the four-pipe heat pump system Heat pumps use electricity to move thermal energy from one place to another Using similar technology to household refrigerators or air conditioners fossil fuel-powered heating or cooling systems Brimbank’s sophisticated heat pump system is capable of providing simultaneous heat and cooling which includes water-to-water heat recovery for maximum energy efficiency provides heating and cooling for the centre and regulates the temperature of both water and air The heat pump uses renewable energy from the onsite solar system An 88,000 litre hot water storage unit acts like a thermal battery as a back up Brimbank received an $1.5 million grant from ARENA. The aim is to provide a blueprint for councils across Australia. ARENA Knowledge Sharing Officer Dr Lisa Randone described the centre as the “first all-electric aquatic centre in Australia powered by 100% renewable energy.” “The project will provide valuable insights on how to design, construct and operate a 100 per cent renewable energy powered aquatic and leisure centre,” Dr Randone said. “Other councils will be able to have access to a broad range of data including financial model, emission reduction and other performance metrics. “I was pleased to see the community fully supportive of the initiative, with proud and loud acknowledgments of the sustainability side of the project,” she said. Brimbank Aquatic and Wellness Centre is open to the public seven days a week, with 24-hour gym facilities available to members. An outbreak at a nursing home in Melbourne’s north-west has become Victoria’s largest active COVID-19 cluster after the coronavirus spread to 45 people linked with the facility claimed three lives and put 20 residents in hospital More than 60 per cent of residents at the Estia Health facility in Keilor Downs have been infected since the first case was detected on September 11 A staff member in protective gear disposes of waste at Estia Health in Keilor Downs on Monday.Credit: Justin McManus It is believed the outbreak started when a resident returned to his shared room following a stay at Footscray Hospital where he was in a room with someone who later tested positive for COVID-19 While Victoria’s daily coronavirus count continues to fall with just five new cases reported on Monday about 30 aged care facilities are still reporting active infections Of the 872 deaths from coronavirus in Australia 624 have occurred in Victorian nursing homes The worst-hit facility has been St Basil's Homes for the Aged in Fawkner where 44 residents have died after its outbreak Residents continue to return to St Basil's but large parts of the complex are to remain shut according to families agonising over whether to send loved ones back to the facility A resident of St Basil's is taken to hospital in July amid a cluster of COVID-19 cases and deaths at the facility.Credit: Justin McManus More than 30 residents have returned since St Basil’s was deemed by the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission on September 11 to have met safety standards Some people with relatives who survived the outbreak say they have been told another 10 or so residents were likely to follow but large parts of the 120-bed home would remain closed because there were no longer enough residents to fill it Tony Papantoniou’s 91-year-old mother Maria is among the St Basil’s residents who survived coronavirus but her health has deteriorated after nine weeks in hospital "Her dementia has progressed," Mr Papantoniou said "Before COVID she used to be able to take a few steps and walk to the toilet or shower .. "She can’t walk at all or get out of bed." Mrs Papantoniou remains in hospital and Mr Papantoniou said he was still considering whether he would allow her to be sent back to St Basil's where there are no current cases of coronavirus "The facility takes 120 residents and they are down to 40," he said Melbourne’s aged care outbreaks remain concentrated in the city's west including at Opal Hobsons Bay in Altona North where there have been 42 cases and four deaths There are 15 active cases at Baptcare Wyndham Lodge Community in Werribee where there have been 30 deaths during a persistent outbreak with the largest number of confirmed cases of any Victorian aged care facility 15 staff and 24 of the 37 residents have tested positive for coronavirus A statement on Estia Health's website said all staff members who had tested positive or been identified as close contacts were self-isolating while remaining staff and residents continued to undergo regular testing "We are immediately informing residents families and employees of both positive and negative test outcomes as test results are returned and we are in frequent contact with residents’ families to update them of the situation and answer their questions," the statement said An outbreak at a nursing home in Melbourne\\u2019s north-west has become Victoria\\u2019s largest active COVID-19 cluster after the coronavirus spread to 45 people linked with the facility While Victoria\\u2019s daily coronavirus count continues to fall The worst-hit facility has been St Basil's Homes for the Aged in Fawkner Residents continue to return to St Basil's More than 30 residents have returned since St Basil\\u2019s was deemed by the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission on September 11 to have met safety standards Tony Papantoniou\\u2019s 91-year-old mother Maria is among the St Basil\\u2019s residents who survived coronavirus \\\"Her dementia has progressed,\\\" Mr Papantoniou said \\\"Before COVID she used to be able to take a few steps and walk to the toilet or shower .. \\\"She can\\u2019t walk at all or get out of bed.\\\" Mrs Papantoniou remains in hospital and Mr Papantoniou said he was still considering whether he would allow her to be sent back to St Basil's \\\"The facility takes 120 residents and they are down to 40,\\\" he said Melbourne\\u2019s aged care outbreaks remain concentrated in the city's west A statement on Estia Health's website said all staff members who had tested positive or been identified as close contacts were self-isolating \\\"We are immediately informing residents families and employees of both positive and negative test outcomes as test results are returned and we are in frequent contact with residents\\u2019 families to update them of the situation and answer their questions,\\\" the statement said Brimbank’s own Miss Liberty Foxx is hoping to dazzle audiences at this year’s Australian Burlesque Festival Keilor Downs resident Emily Garretto – who is also known as Miss Liberty Foxx – is one of 22 performers taking to the stage at Federation Square on September 26 for the festival’s new follies show said she enjoyed the freedom of being a burlesque performer “I danced for a very long time … with dancing we all had to be the same and nothing could be different But with burlesque I can express whatever I want and do whatever I want,” she said “Most people think of burlesque as the traditional classic style – which I do – but predominantly I do style-neo which is comedic “There are so many style of burlesque that people don’t realise.” Garretto said her performance for the Australian Burlesque Festival – which pays tribute to King Kong – is one of her favourite routines “This is my most booked act and my favourite The suit comes off throughout the show into a showgirl costume Details: australianburlesquefest.com Keilor Downs College students have been recognised for their success in Victoria’s Premier Reading Challenge Four students won awards for reading more than 100 books this school year The school has a strong history of taking up the challenge and about a quarter of the 233 year 8s registering for involvement this year Teachers and librarians at the college encourage the students to approach “different” types of reading – such as graphic novels – to spark their interest in books and reduce the time they spend on phones and computers The decision to implement reduced reception counter hours at the Keilor Downs police station has been described as a ‘slap in the face’ to the local community The Keilor Downs police station will join several stations across the state that will no longer have 24-hour reception counters as Victoria Police continues to deal with staff shortages Victoria Police said reception counter hours will be “temporarily” reduced during off peak times at 43 police stations across Victoria but provided no timeline as to when reception counter hours will return to normal The Keilor Downs police station reception counter hours will be reduced from 24 to eight hours per day At the most recent council meeting on December 12 councillor Virginia Tachos raised a notice of motion imploring the state government to work with Victoria Police to reverse this decision Cr Tachos said the Brimbank community has the right to be safe “I am very concerned about the shortage of police officers in Brimbank and the proposed reduction in hours of the police station in Keilor Downs,” she said “The safety of our community is of paramount importance and it is being undermined by these measures.” North west metro division three Acting Superintendent Shane Brundell said the reduced hours at the station will allow police to respond to urgent incidents “Please be assured – the temporary closure of Keilor Downs’ reception counter does not mean the actual police station is closing,” he said “… The closures will also mostly be occurring at times when we know reception is rarely attended “Anyone who needs to attend a police station during these hours can go to Sunshine Police Station which is only 7km away and open 24 hours.” Cr Tachos cited concerns around placing “limits” on the community’s ability to access their local police station “… especially in the lead up to Christmas time – which we know is a time where incidents can spike and issues arise – to have this reception close will put additional pressure on the Sunshine police station.” recorded criminal offences increased by 4.6 per cent across the municipality in the 12 months to June according to the most recent data from the Crime Statistics Agency “While there are a number of reasons why crime rates are higher in Brimbank it demonstrates the need for effective policing and resources including both the restoration of police numbers and a 24 hour manned police station,” Cr Tachos said Cr Kerr said the decision was a “slap in the face” to the local community “The closure of this police station overnight means that there is no police station available to our local community between Sunshine and Melton,” she said We have an ageing population in Keilor Downs people don’t know how to lodge a report on the internet they want a police station they can actually enter into The police car accelerates and we hurtle down the on ramp and on to the Western Ring Road “A 59-year-old male driver has called saying he’s been affected by chemicals,” the female voice says breathing … he doesn’t know what chemicals are involved but there’s an urgency to Senior Constable David Attard’s driving He and First Constable Matt Jeffs are responding to an incident on the ring road the magnitude of which is unknown until we arrive and the chemicals are identified and was on his way to Laverton North when he began to feel his throat tighten He dialled triple-0 and managed to park his old Toyota HiAce in a median strip between the freeway and the Airport Drive off ramp They’ve walked the driver about 100 metres away from his van and he’s now slumped against a concrete buffer on the in-bound side of the highway attaches an oxygen resuscitator mask to his face despite the B-doubles and peak hour traffic hurtling past crouching down to find out the name of the man’s employer the police officer is on to the courier driver’s boss trying to find out what the chemicals might be A burly VicRoads incident responder arrives and gets to work leaving a trail of orange cones behind him as he closes off the exit ramp “If it’s something that’s going to explode we’ll have to shut the whole freeway,” Constable Jeffs said “We just need to know if it’s going to go bang Metropolitan Fire Brigade station officer Phil Menzies is of the same mindset “I’m just taking baby steps with this one,” he says He’s ordered two of his men to don protective wear and oxygen tanks and head down to the van paramedics say the courier driver appears to have suffered an anxiety attack rather than any adverse affects from chemical exposure Luckily – for the team of emergency service workers and thousands of Western Ring Road commuters unaware of the potential catastrophe – the chemicals are stable he had collected two consignments of cleaning products often used on wine vats that shouldn’t be stored together the potassium hydroxide and hydrogen peroxide in the products creates oxygen [But] These two chemicals should not be carted together,” says one of the sergeants on the scene “He’s probably smelt something and panicked.” the incident has been a reminder of the danger our emergency services confront every day The courier driver is taken to the Western General Hospital for treatment His vehicle is driven to a nearby carpark so he can collect it later Senior Constable Attard and First Constable Jeffs are soon on their way to another job The particulars are read out over the police radio network: “A female has been punched in the face by her partner And then details of another incident come through: “A girl is 16 She’s hiding in the bathroom and is yelling at her Senior Constable Attard says mental health issues and domestic violence make up the bulk of Brimbank police officers’ work “But there’s a little bit of everything in Brimbank,” he says Their first call-out of the shift was to a fallen light pole in Taylors Lakes that had quickly led to gridlock on the roads but it blocked off access to the Taylors Road and Kings Road roundabout the pair was directing traffic and placating angry drivers Despite the danger they place their lives in multiple times each day the Keilor Downs-based officers appear to relish the job but I love it,” First Constable Jeffs said A Keilor Downs College graduate was among 279 top achievers lauded last week at the Premier’s VCE awards who graduated from Keilor Downs College last year was acknowledged for her near-perfect score in sociology – 49 out of 50 Geetha said sociology and global politics were her two favourite subjects at secondary school which was probably the reason she scored so well “I did put a lot of effort into the subjects I wanted to excel in.” Geetha said she picked up sociology as a subject for the first time in year 12 after she had enjoyed studying politics in year 11 Now studying for a double degree in arts and commerce at Monash University Geetha says a lot of study and commitment are the keys to success in year 12 and she encouraged year 12 students to make time to do the things they love and remain social and active outside school “Don’t just focus on the studying aspect of it enjoy yourself as well; that’s the main thing,” Geetha said but while studying you should take part in social activities and enjoy your hobbies Indian classical music lessons helped take her mind off things and her family and teachers had given her great support I could rely on them to help me feel less stressed,” she said Sociology teacher James Milner and college principal Stuart Andrews were also at the Melbourne Convention Centre for the awards “I think it’s equally rewarding for my teacher as well because he did play a large part in me getting the score,” she said A pedestrian has died after being struck by a car in Keilor Downs this morning It’s believed a gold Toyota Camry travelling east on Taylors Road mounted the kerb and struck a pedestrian on the footpath The male pedestrian who is yet to be formally identified The male driver and sole occupant of the Camry was taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries Police are investigating the crash and have closed the citybound lanes of Taylors Road Keilor Downs between the Keilor Central shopping centre and Sunshine Avenue Motorists are asked to avoid the area and to detour using Kings Road and either the Melton Highway through Taylors Lakes or Main Road through St Albans to reach Sunshine Avenue Access to Keilor Central shopping centre is being maintained Eastbound bus services along routes 418 and 421 will divert around the road closure and will miss stops The VicRoads signals team is monitoring conditions in the area and will adjust traffic lights to minimise congestion along detour routes The road closure is under the control of Police and will only re-open when investigations are complete and it’s safe to do so Police are urging any witnesses to the crash to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report via www.crimestoppersvic.com.au Details: traffic.vicroads.vic.gov.au Keilor Downs College was on high alert this morning after social media posts warned clowns were expected to pay the school a visit School principal Linda Maxwell alerted parents late on Wednesday night that students had told teachers the school was a potential target of the clown trend currently sweeping across the world which involves people dressing up as a clown and stalking the streets in an attempt to threaten and intimidate others emerged recently in the US and is being replicated worldwide Ms Maxwell said police had asked the school to take the online threats seriously “They believe that these groups are adults whose aim is to threaten and intimidate,” she stated Students were cautioned not to provide support or encouragement to the activity and parents were asked not to comment on social media about the trend Creepy clowns holding pretend knives and a cap gun have terrified motorists in Melbourne’s south-east t.co/huB0WyF27e pic.twitter.com/MuLNj9yZ1p — The Age (@theage) October 11, 2016 “The police are on alert tomorrow and will be making regular patrols past the school “They also have a response team ready to deal with these issues and have been clear that criminal charges will be laid,” Ms Maxwell said “All perimeter gates will be locked and the front entrance will be closely monitored.” said she was initially concerned but was impressed the school had addressed the students’ concerns proactively I like the fact the principal believed them and listened to them,” she said Ms MacMahon said her son was initially worried but was placated by the steps the school was taking to ensure students’ safety A Victoria Police spokeswoman said Keilor Downs police sent a patrol out to check on the school this morning but no clowns were spotted The Keilor Downs school is the latest Victorian school to have been affected by the ominous clown trend Trinity College in Colac went into lockdown after receiving threatening phone calls saying clowns were going to invade the school grounds Students were asked to stay indoors for almost an hour as a precaution On the same day St Columba’s College in Essendon went into lockdown following alleged sightings of clowns outside the school grounds Police later said the incident wasn’t clown related But officers found a mask hanging over a passenger seat of a car parked near the school Earlier in the week clowns were also spotted near Elsternwick Primary School Keilor Downs College has been contacted for comment A Victorian secondary school has been closed for at least 24 hours after a student tested positive to COVID-19 Victorian health authorities said the senior student from Keilor Downs College was tested after five family members were confirmed to be COVID-19 positive The school will close for at least 24 hours The student's diagnosis comes just days after preps and year 11 and 12 and all specialist school students returned to Victorian schools The teenager was in a VET class on Tuesday with seven students from two other schools St Albans Secondary College and Taylors Lakes Secondary College "[The student] was probably infectious on site at the school only on May 26," said Victorian Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton The source of the family’s infection is being investigated "The acquisition for this student is known but because of that one day with a potential period of infectiousness there are some close contacts that need to be quarantined," Professor Sutton said He added that student-to-teacher transmission of coronavirus was "pretty rare" Professor Sutton told radio station 3AW that 78 students and staff from the three high schools that came into contact with the student who tested positive are in quarantine for 14 days They will be tested if they become symptomatic This number could rise as contact tracing continues An Education Department spokesman said the Health Department had advised that neither Taylors Lakes Secondary College or St Albans Secondary College needed to close and staff and students did not need to take any further action beyond existing precautions Keilor Downs College is expected to reopen on Monday after a thorough clean on Friday and across the weekend Professor Sutton said the school was closed on May 25 – the day before the student was on campus – so he was confident that other students were exposed to the virus for only one day A teacher from Keilor Downs College tested positive to COVID-19 a week ago but authorities believe there is no link between the educator and student “Keilor Downs College will close for all students and staff for at least 24 hours so that contact tracing can occur and appropriate cleaning can be undertaken,” an Education Department spokesman said “Further investigations are being undertaken by DHHS the school and DET to identify whether any staff or students are required to self-isolate and to determine any further actions required to reduce the risk of infection.” There is no evidence of a link between the student and a staff member who had previously tested positive “The teacher was not infectious when they were on-site,” the statement read “We wish the student and their family a speedy recovery.” Health Minister Jenny Mikakos said residents of Keilor Downs or neighbouring suburbs who were concerned about the positive cases could be tested they can go to Sunshine Hospital and be tested at the screening clinic there," Ms Mikakos said The state government has invested up to $45 million for enhanced daily cleaning in every school during terms two and three All Victorian school staff were prioritised for voluntary coronavirus testing before classes resumed The student's diagnosis comes just days after preps \\\"[The student] was probably infectious on site at the school only on May 26,\\\" said Victorian Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton The source of the family\\u2019s infection is being investigated \\\"The acquisition for this student is known but because of that one day with a potential period of infectiousness there are some close contacts that need to be quarantined,\\\" Professor Sutton said He added that student-to-teacher transmission of coronavirus was \\\"pretty rare\\\" Professor Sutton said the school was closed on May 25 \\u2013 the day before the student was on campus \\u2013 so he was confident that other students were exposed to the virus for only one day \\u201CKeilor Downs College will close for all students and staff for at least 24 hours so that contact tracing can occur and appropriate cleaning can be undertaken,\\u201D an Education Department spokesman said \\u201CFurther investigations are being undertaken by DHHS the school and DET to identify whether any staff or students are required to self-isolate and to determine any further actions required to reduce the risk of infection.\\u201D \\u201CThe teacher was not infectious when they were on-site,\\u201D the statement read \\u201CWe wish the student and their family a speedy recovery.\\u201D they can go to Sunshine Hospital and be tested at the screening clinic there,\\\" Ms Mikakos said after a student linked to a previous confirmed case tested positive for COVID-19.Several cases have been linked to Keilor Downs College after transmission amongst family members in households Australians urged to maintain physical distancing as borders debate continues going back to 'normal' life after coronavirus isn’t so welcomed ShareGet SBS News daily and direct to your InboxSign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.Your email address *Morning (Mon–Fri) The union for state school principals has urged the Andrews government to abandon face-to-face classes for students in years 11 and 12 and in specialist schools and return to remote learning in Victoria's COVID-19 lockdown zones More than one in 10 Victorian secondary schools were closed on Monday after being linked to a recent coronavirus infection with most of the affected schools located in Melbourne’s north and west according to a list published by the Department of Education Keilor Downs College has been forced to shut three times this year due to a positive case The list of closed schools grew from 44 on Monday morning to 58 by the afternoon which was forced to shut on Monday for the third time this year Other new closures included Melbourne Girls’ College in Richmond Epping Secondary College and Gisborne Secondary College The principal of Gisborne Secondary College, which is just outside Melbourne’s lockdown zone but has many students who attend from within it, had asked staff and students to wear masks days before the government adopted the same policy The schools within the Parkville and Malmsbury youth justice centres were also listed as closed on Monday The growing number of coronavirus-related closures led the Australian Principals’ Federation to call for "an immediate return to flexible learning for all students in metro Melbourne and Mitchell Shire" The principals' union also lashed the Department of Health and Human Services' "staggeringly poor" management of positive cases in schools claiming schools had been left waiting for days for advice on how to handle closures and contact tracing Federation president Julie Podbury said principals had lost confidence in the Health Department "Extreme delays in decisions being communicated to school principals about closure and contact tracing has damaged many hard-won relationships in schools," Ms Podbury said She called on the Andrews government to strip the DHHS of responsibility for communicating with schools "We believe that the Department of Education and Training should be the body communicating with schools about any COVID-19 matters and DHHS should be cut out of the loop to avoid the confusion that is currently occurring." Secondary schools also received advice on Friday on how to prepare for a possible closure including directing students to take text books and computers home at the end of each school day president of the Victorian Association of State Secondary Schools said there was anxiety and frustration among school leaders "Principals are so used to communicating with their school communities and communications take too long to come through which creates more anxiety," Ms Bell said But Premier Daniel Andrews rejected the notion of a return to remote learning for senior students reiterating the advice from the Chief Health Officer that schools can open safely He said closing all schools "would not be a proportionate response" "We’ve got a real focus at the moment on getting that deep cleaning done as quickly as we possibly can and making sure that schools can reopen as quickly as possible," Mr Andrews said He called on senior students to focus on their studies praising Victorian teachers as the best in the world "They work very hard and did a magnificent job last time and I’m confident they’re doing their very best now," he said Students in Melbourne and Mitchell Shire in years 11 and 12 year 10 students taking senior subjects and specialist school students are attending face-to-face classes in term three Get our Coronavirus Update newsletter for the day's crucial developments and the numbers you need to know. Sign up to The Sydney Morning Herald's newsletter here and The Age's here The union for state school principals has urged the Andrews government to abandon face-to-face classes for students in years 11 and 12 and in specialist schools and return to remote learning in Victoria's COVID-19 lockdown zones with most of the affected schools located in Melbourne\\u2019s north and west The s grew from 44 on Monday morning to 58 by the afternoon Other new closures included Melbourne Girls\\u2019 College in Richmond The principal of Gisborne Secondary College which is just outside Melbourne\\u2019s lockdown zone but has many students who attend from within it The growing number of coronavirus-related closures led the Australian Principals\\u2019 Federation to call for \\\"an immediate return to flexible learning for all students in metro Melbourne and Mitchell Shire\\\" The principals' union also lashed the Department of Health and Human Services' \\\"staggeringly poor\\\" management of positive cases in schools \\\"Extreme delays in decisions being communicated to school principals about closure and contact tracing has damaged many hard-won relationships in schools,\\\" Ms Podbury said \\\"We believe that the Department of Education and Training should be the body communicating with schools about any COVID-19 matters and DHHS should be cut out of the loop to avoid the confusion that is currently occurring.\\\" \\\"Principals are so used to communicating with their school communities and communications take too long to come through which creates more anxiety,\\\" Ms Bell said He said closing all schools \\\"would not be a proportionate response\\\" \\\"We\\u2019ve got a real focus at the moment on getting that deep cleaning done as quickly as we possibly can and making sure that schools can reopen as quickly as possible,\\\" Mr Andrews said \\\"They work very hard and did a magnificent job last time and I\\u2019m confident they\\u2019re doing their very best now,\\\" he said Get our Coronavirus Update newsletter for the day's crucial developments and the numbers you need to know. Sign up to The Sydney Morning Herald's newsletter here and The Age's here More than 100 houses will be built in Brimbank for those who need it most as part of the state government’s Big Housing Build The state government recently announced the first round of the build which includes 2352 social housing properties across 89 projects Each project will be completed in partnership with a housing provider which will result in 108 properties being built two or three bedroom properties built in partnership with Women’s Housing Limited A partnership with BaptCare Affordable Housing will result in 47 properties being built in Keilor Downs Eight properties will be built in Sydenham in partnership with Affordable Rentals Victoria Women’s Housing Limited chief executive Judy Line said the project would provide much-needed housing She said the housing would help women and their families escaping family violence as well as older women and Aboriginal women Work on the projects are expected to start later this year The Big Housing Build is set to deliver more than 12,000 new homes to boost Victoria’s social housing supply by 10 per cent Housing Minister Richard Wynne said the houses would give more people the certainty of a roof over their head “More than $1 billion in projects will start this year – delivering new housing and hope to thousands of Victorians,” he said “This is so much more than a construction project – it’s a safe place to call home training and apprenticeship opportunities and thousands of local jobs.” The announcement is the second social and affordable housing boost in Brimbank in recent months The state government is currently building 51 new social and affordable homes with 14 of those homes already finished in Albion and Sunshine Four are currently under construction in St Albans I’m connected through various associations in the western suburbs including the St Sebastian Association (St Albans) the Malta Rabat Senior Citizens Association (Keilor Downs) the Maltese Cultural Association (Albion) and I always get invited to compere the dinner dance and the fiesta of St Sebastian each year Now I’m retired so my wife and I periodically go and visit each one They also keep me informed of their activities and in turn I broadcast them as public service announcements I like the company of the Maltese community and keeping our seniors active I like to mix with them and hear the stories of how they got here The landscape of Brimbank is an attraction as well the green area has to be maintained because it’s an area that’s in full development The green areas are an attraction for all families they keep the community of Brimbank together I’ve been in broadcasting for over 21 years I started on 3ZZZ and then I moved on 98.9 north west FM and I’ve been on that station for another 15 years I present the fresh news from Malta of the day and I also have a religious content in the program I present local singers of Maltese background I was born in Malta and came over when I was 19 The best person I can say was the only Maltese bishop in Australia He was an inspiration to me and a lot of other people He knew what the lay people were after and he didn’t hold back on anything that he thought would be the right thing for the Maltese community not bombastic about holding such a high position how he happened to be here and how he was looking after the Maltese people religiously; he was very much loved in the western suburbs My father was a very hard-working Maltese man he was widowed for 13 years and he brought myself and my sister up together with an aunt Keilor Downs resident and Sunshine Mosque vice president Osman Kemal talks to Yasemin Talat about life in Brimbank I’ve been a resident of Brimbank since arriving in Australia in 1974 I moved to Keilor Downs where I’ve been living for about 35 years I’m very used to living here now – it’s my home What is one of your first memories of moving to Brimbank I moved here from northern Cyprus with the help of my uncle I remember when I first arrived I was very surprised to see the homes were made from wood I was so curious to know why they used wood here instead I remember being told it was to protect the homes in case of an earthquake I was a taxi driver for many years and now I am a chauffeur I volunteer my time to help the Cyprus Turkish Islamic Community I like to help the mosque and community as much as I can I was recently elected as vice president of the committee and look forward to working even closer with the whole community I also love my garden and really enjoy gardening What do you do as part of your volunteer role with Sunshine Mosque Together with a dedicated committee we work to assist our community and help our mosque grow We are all very passionate about helping where we can so I often get called when someone in our community passes away I pick up their body and bring it to the morgue we have here I usually go with our imam and pay our condolences to the family What do you like about volunteering at the mosque I used to see my late father go to the mosque This has stayed with me through my life and is something I have also passed on to my children It’s very special to me to come to the mosque and be a part of the community What are the goals for the future of Sunshine Mosque We built this mosque over the last 20 years and we want to continue to build it up We want it to be a place for both the young and the old We have many social activities for the youth and have plans of building sports facilities for them to use in the future It doesn’t matter what your religious background is – we don’t discriminate here We love and respect everyone and we gladly welcome everyone For more, visit www.facebook.com/SunshineMosque Locations of phone and seat belt detection hi-tech cameras are now out These cameras detect and take photos of drivers who use portable devices The cameras can also pick up people in the front seats not wearing their seat belts Each camera trailer has two cameras and an infra-red flash that are enabled with artificial intelligence (AI) software The twin cameras take high-resolution images any time of the day or night The AI technology automatically reviews each image The minimum fine for omitting to wear a seat belt is $370 while offences for using a mobile phone illegally start from $555 and come with a penalty of four demerit points Below are some of the Brimbank suburbs and roads that are fitted with the cameras: The Commonwealth Bank’s decision to permanently close its Keilor branch has been met with anger The bank is attributing the closure to a decrease in customer usage of the branch we made the difficult decision to close our Keilor branch,” a bank spokesperson said “A customer notification was posted at the branch on 23 February and the branch’s last day of operation will be Friday While an ATM will remain in Keilor Village customers will be directed to the branch at Keilor Downs which has recently undergone a refurbishment Airport West and Niddrie are also being suggested as options No jobs will be lost as a result of the decision to close the branch with staff to be relocated to neighbouring branches But Keilor Traders Association president Neville Young said the closure would negatively impact Keilor Village “The majority of traders here bank with Commonwealth Bank and it brings people to the village,” he said “The bank is like an anchor – people come to the village to do their banking Mr Young said that with the bank’s decision seemingly final he would write to other banks in an effort to fill the void “We’re disappointed there’s been no consultation in reaching this decision,” he said but this branch has been here 45 years and a lot of people have grown up with it “It’s sad to see someone from outside the area has made this decision which I’m hopeful of getting a couple of thousand signatures on I’ll write to the Bendigo Bank or the Bank of Melbourne to see if they’re interested in coming to the village.” Vicinity Centres has sold a shopping centre in Melbourne’s north-west for $113 million following an off-market campaign The Keilor Central Shopping Centre at 80 Taylors Road, Keilor Downs (pictured top and left), is being acquired by Walsh & Company Investments Limited, for the entity Fort Street Real Estate Capital IV (Fund) On a 9.1 hectare block also with access to Sunshine Road the complex includes 19,700 square metre of area and a large car park Fort Street Real Estate Capital acquired the centre on an initial yield of 6.3 per cent “The centre is located in a well established suburb of Melbourne, 17 kilometres from the CBD, and services a wide catchment area,” Fort Street Real Estate Capital investment director David Rogers said in this statement Aldi and Kmart and comprises primarily convenience-based retailers 59 speciality tenants and two pad sites,” Mr Rogers said with national retailers representing 72% of total income “We are very pleased with this acquisition of Keilor Central It is an exceptional asset and a great quality investment for the Fund The asset is performing strongly given its convenience-based retail offering and strategic location in a part of Melbourne with limited competition there are a number of ways that we believe we can enhance the value of the asset,” Mr Rogers said “We have a strong track record of successfully re-positioning assets and there is potential to improve the tenancy mix as well as longer-term opportunities to add value to the asset.” strong services offer and strategic location contribute to its consistently strong sales performance Colliers International’s Lachlan MacGillivray negotiated the off-market deal Vicinity Centres sold a 1.9 hectare parcel of land abutting the Keilor Central Shopping Centre to a land speculator for $6.5 million That purchaser sold the site a year later for $11 million to a residential developer after obtaining a permit to replace it with 99 townhouses Earlier this week we reported that Charter Hall was paying $74 million for the Campbellfield Plaza shopping centre on a 5.9 hectare block about 16 kilometres north of the Melbourne CBD Campbellfield Plaza attracted a purchaser keen to exploit the land development potential A former property analyst and print journalist Marc is the publisher of realestatesource.com.au Forgot your password? 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