Anzac Round and all Healesville Football and Netball teams made their way to Mt Evelyn looking forward to both checking out Mt Evelyns new facilities and also the next challenge in their journey into Premier Division
Mt Evelyn were leading by 30 goals at quarter time
Healesville managed to reduce Mt Evelyn’s scoring rate for the last three quarters
Mt Evelyn led early and were ahead by 17 goals at half-time
Healesville fought hard and won the final quarter
Mt Evelyn’s best were Kaila Swindell
First up on the football front was the Senior Women’s team
In their first season back in the Outer East competition for a number of years
Mt Evelyn showed Healesville why they are such a powerhouse in women’s football in Outer East
While Healesville women battled hard all game
The Rovers’ best were Jessica Hoskin
The first quarter of the U18s footy was a low-scoring
tight battle with Mt Evelyn just managing to come out on top to lead 1.3.9 to Healesville 1.2.8
Mt Evelyn took control of the game and managed to win all the next three quarters of football
Final Score Mt Evelyn 14.11.95 to Healesville 3.3.21
Mt Evelyn proved to be way too strong from the first bounce
Half time saw Mt Evelyn 9.11.65 to Healesville 1.3.9
The third quarter saw Healesville a bit better with Mt Evelyn only having one more scoring shot but with much more accuracy (4.1 to 0.4) to extend their lead
Healesville really struggled in the last quarter with Mt Evelyn powering on to win 20.14.134 to 2.8.20
which saw all netballers and footballers from both clubs come together to pay their respects to all those that have served our country
After a great first two weeks in Premier Division
Healesville boys were confident but prepared for the strong physical game that they knew Mt Evelyn would bring
This proved to be the case but Healesville stuck to their game style
winning the first two quarters to go into the main break leading 7.8.50 to 2.6.18
The third quarter saw things tighten up a bit with Healesville only managing to outscore a hard-fighting Mt Evelyn by a single point
Healesville stuck to their plan and went on to win the last quarter and the game
Final score Healesville 12.15.87 to Mt Evelyn 5.11.41
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“Disappointed but not unexpected” was how the main objector to a service station proposal for Mount Evelyn described a recent state tribunal decision to approve the build
The plans for 41 Monbulk Road were refused by Yarra Ranges councillors in March last year but were overturned by Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) members Alison Slattery and Phil West on 29 January
and convenience shop with drive through built at the former garden centre site
with conditions placed on the permit to be fulfilled by landowner Peregrine Corporation
who led the 194 objectors and community petition last year and was a key respondent in the VCAT hearing
opposed the application because of the proximity to Mount Evelyn Primary School and the 24/7 operating hours of the servo
“The community does not want this servo at this location next to our primary school on Monbulk Road,” he told Star Mail in March 2024
Mr Sanders’ objection was founded in the possible health risks to students from petrol vapour
the noise and site impacts on other properties
Mount Evelyn Primary School assistant principal Helen Basham also raised similar concerns in her submission to VCAT
Most notably the location of the school’s sensory play area which would line the boundary of the fuel bowsers
“Having a petrol station right next to the school will be unsightly and ruin the natural look of the space too
It will generate increased noise on a daily basis and will totally change the feel and usage of the outdoor learning/nature play space we have developed for our students,” she said in her submission
noise from the car wash – vacuuming and hosing cars
dogs barking at the dog wash and increasing in lighting will all create constant distractions
“It will compromise student learning in the outdoor learning space
the classrooms beside the space and students using the space during play times and at other times throughout the day.”
Ms Slattery and Mr West said in the report that “the proposal must meet the requirements of the Environment Protection Regulations” which the applicant has said would occur through the installation of a 2.6 metre high noise barrier
with other barriers of different heights on adjacent boundaries
“The permit conditions require that the noise levels from the proposed facility be measured for compliance with the requirements of the EP Regulations
soon after the facility starts operating.”
In terms of the environmental and health impacts of a petrol station being in such close range to a school
the EPA itself “had no objection to the proposed service station development and did not request specific conditions regarding air emissions in a planning permit”
Given the intent of the applicant to install vapour recovery equipment
despite not being a requirement in Victoria
Ms Slattery and Mr West were “satisfied” the “service station will not result in air emissions or odours that are at a level contrary to the requirements” in regulations
Ms Basham also raised concerns about the increased traffic movement in an already congested and “chaotic” area
especially at school pick-up and drop-off time
with students walking past the service station
The report noted several investigations of the traffic movements around 41 Monbulk Road
prepared by both Traffix Group for the applicant and SALT traffic engineer Jarrod Wicks on behalf of Mr Sanders
It was also identified that “The Department of Transport indicated that it had no objection to the approval of the service station subject to the construction of left and right turn lanes into the site from Monbulk Road
approval of a temporary bus stop during the construction of the turning lanes on Monbulk Road
and the Department’s approval of the final design plans for the site and approaches to the site”
According to a Traffix Group’s analysis of the “evening peak” between 4pm and 5pm
Their estimated number of vehicles using the service station was 140
equating to 70 vehicles in and 70 vehicles out
“Traffix Group concluded that the operation of the service station will not have a detrimental impact on the operation Monbulk Road,” the report reads
Ms Slattery and Mr West also looked at the matter of what was allowed under the Industrial 3 Zone
which also contained a bushfire management and environmental significance overlay
Yarra Ranges Council submitted that “proposed use does not strike an appropriate balance” between the residential and the school
The VCAT members were “satisfied that the use of the site for a service station with retail component and ancillary services is appropriate in this location”
Ms Slattery and Mr West imposed conditions that plans must include the location of a 10,000 litre static water tank and a 5000 litre rainwater tank; noise barriers; a minimum of 85 per cent indigenous plant species in the plan schedule; a minimum two canopy trees; and signage must be clearly visible “directing patrons to consider neighbours and leave the premises as quietly as possible”
time restraints have been placed on certain aspects
The drive through can operate between 6am and 10pm
Monday to Sunday; the manual car wash 7am to 6pm
Monday to Sunday; waste collection 7am to 6pm
Monday to Saturday; and fuel deliveries 7am to 7pm
Mr Sanders said he would now prepare for the impacts of the service station at his property
we start organising our property to reduce any noise and sight views over the fence,” he said
Exploring the somewhat unknown history of three naturalists who set up camp in Mount Evelyn over a century ago has led three historians to a shortlisted nomination in the 2024 Victorian Community History Awards
Mount Evelyn History Group’s Janice Newton
alongside Paula Herlihy and Karen Phillips
authored the book The Woodlanders of Walden Hut in 2023 and were announced as part of the shortlist on Tuesday 4 March
The book tells the story of E Brooke Nicholls
founders of the Walden Hut located on the Olinda Creek
who went on to be some of the most notable naturalists and writers of the early 1900s
But more than that the book documents the Victorian and Australian nature writers who shaped the understanding of the country’s flora and fauna
“Paula and Karen and I are thrilled to be shortlisted and I was a bit surprised because I didn’t feel it was truly a local community history (text)
because I had tried to link it into nature writers in Australia
but focusing mainly on the Victorian ones,” Ms Newton said
Barrett and Kinane observed and recorded what they saw
writing a series of articles which would feature in The New Idea: An Australasian Journal for Women
“They’re very beautiful descriptions of the Olinda Creek and the birds and what it looks like in the dawn and then the dusk,” Ms Newton told Star Mail before the launch of the book in September 2023
it’s a very poetic but also scientific appreciation of nature
So they write romantically or sensually about nature and how it feels and looks and the colours and the scents.”
Ms Newton said she essentially wrote the book in such a way that it was “a rationale for the council
to remember them somehow” which led to the installation of a detailed signpost at the location of Walden Hut along the Olinda Creek Trail
“The sign’s great and it’s just lovely to imagine these fellows going down and observing all the nature they can,” she said
paired with further research which was circulated in the History Group’s newsletters
Barrett and Kinane in initiating the development of nature writing and this award nomination further recognises the importance of this field of work
Ms Newton said nature writing remains less celebrated in Australia than it does overseas
environmental writing is very well accepted as a category
but I think it’s grown a little bit,” she said
The Woodlanders of Walden Hut was named as one of 39 history publications and projects shortlisted across 11 prize categories including the Victorian Premier’s History Award
“Victoria has a strong history and these dedicated storytellers have worked tirelessly to help all Victorians better understand our past – I congratulate them on their nomination,” Government Services minister Natalie Hutchins said
The Victorian Community History Awards are presented by the Public Record Office Victoria in partnership with the Royal Historical Society of Victoria and supported by the State Government
these nominees help us all to better understand our past
I thank our nominees for their contribution to Victoria’s history,” a Public Record Office Victoria director and keeper of public records spokesperson said
The awards ceremony will be held on Monday 24 March
Ms Herlihy and Ms Phillips were all looking forward to attending
Wandin’s began their 2025 AFL Outer East campaign with their traditional season opener against local rival Mt Evelyn
kicking 48 points to Mt Evelyn’s meagre 7 in the first quarter
Every time Mt Evelyn attempted to regain control
Wandin’s pressure was too much for them to handle
Wandin had doubled their score to 90 while Mt Evelyn struggled to break past 17
The match’s trajectory only continued the same path Wandin had set at the start
with Wandin putting up another 57 points compared to Mt Evelyn’s 10
leaving the total scores for the teams at 147 to 26
respectively by the end of the third quarter
Wandin had managed a brilliant score line of 175 points
Aaron Mullett and Joel Garner’s efforts in the forward line particularly stood out in the dominant display
Mt Evelyn will be significantly better than the result suggests but Wandin have set a standard early in the year
Yarra Ranges Crime Investigation Unit detectives are investigating a grass fire in Mount Evelyn on 22 January
It is believed a small area grassland was burned just east of the intersection of Clegg Road and Monbulk Road just before 4pm
The exact circumstances surrounding the blaze are yet to be determined
CFA crews also responded to the grass and scrub fire at about 3.44pm
A CFA spokesperson said crews arrived to find a small fire in the grass
three from Mt Evelyn Brigade and one from Wandin Brigade,” they said
“The incident was declared under control at 3.57pm and safe at 4.02pm.”
Anyone who witnessed the incident or has information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report online at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au
have in recent weeks been popping up across the Yarra Ranges and around the state
CFA brigades responded to a lightning fire in Mount Evelyn
requiring the swift response of local firefighters to keep the blaze contained
The 1.40am call out to the grass and scrub fire required the manoeuvring of fire trucks down a narrow road
with firies from Wandin and Montrose there to assist
Comments from the local community said the fire started roughly 10 minutes after the strike hit
with most nearby waking to the sound of the crack
it’s certainly scary too,” one person said
Firefighters in Cockatoo also responded to a similar scenario
“Our Brigade responded to a lightning strike which hollowed out a decent sized gum
requiring a swift response and a good deal of teamwork and hard work to bring it under control
and slippery ground,” the brigade posted to social media
A CFA spokesperson confirmed that just this year
over 200 fires caused by lightning have occurred in Victoria
“From 1 January 2025 to 11 February 2025 there have been 235 fire incidents occur throughout the state where the ignition factor was lightning including the fires that have occurred in the Grampians National Park and Little Desert in the states West,” they said
This includes 71 incidents in the North East Region
a fire in the Yarra Ranges National Park was also suspected to have been ignited from lightning
It required upwards of 60 firefighters and three waterbombing aircraft to contain the blaze
A multi-brigade response was also required at the end of January in Macclesfield when lightning struck in bushland
“When the lightning struck it didn’t take much to start a fire and spread to the surrounding bushland,” Macclesfield CFA captain Sharon Merritt said
The CFA spokesperson said a network of members are situated throughout Victoria to monitor dry lightning
caused when thunderstorms carry little to no rain
CFA and FFMVic have members in a network of fire spotting towers across the state and activate reconnaissance flights following lightning storms during the fire season,” they said
“Fire management is a joint responsibility and we ask the community to remain alert and in tune with warnings if there is a dry lightning storm in their area.”
Whilst the past players at the Mt Evelyn Cricket Club celebrated the 40th Anniversary of their A Grade premiership
the present day Mounters celebrated some vital wins in their quest to feature in finals action
The Community Bank – Mt Evelyn 1st XI scored a season defining win against arch rivals
Seville in a hard fought contest at Gary Martin Oval
things were evenly poised as Mt Evelyn left a few runs on the table being dismissed for 259
before Caleb Hrabe made a mess of the Burras’ top order to have them teetering at 3/36 at stumps
the visitors knew that if they could get themselves into the contest on day two
Bailey Humphrey and Caleb Frankovic would navigate their way through the first dozen overs
to give the Burras the steady start they strives for
Hrabe would make it four from four as he would dislodge the determined
but the visitors would continue unperturbed as Jon Williams would join Frankovic at the wicket
and with the score closing in on three figures
It would be the home team who would break it open
Frankovic’s stout defence would be broken when he was inexplicably run out by the quick thinking Dan Giblin
whilst the Mounters were appealing for an LBW
and the game swung rapidly towards the home team
Bohdie Jones would remove Williams and his explosive uncle Kane Jones in successive overs
The visitors’ tail would show valiant resistance to string the game out
but the middle order collapse proved fatal
but would still fall well short of the chase
The Professionals Outer East 2nd XI missed a golden opportunity to consolidate themselves in the top four as they were outlasted by a determined Seville outfit
 After posting a competitive total of 9/241
the Mounters would’ve entered day two full of confidence that their recent form with the ball would see them chalk up another victory
Young gun Billie Laird would snag an early wicket with the score on 8
but a century partnership between Leigh Atkins (63) and Elkin Croydon (41) would deliver the momentum that the Burras required against a bowling attack struggling to deal with the tricky conditions
 Kynan Yates would come on and capture wickets in consecutive overs to give the fielding team a much needed boost
and with the support of veteran Luke Jones
the pair would put in a marathon stint with the ball to keep the visitors in the contest
 An unbeaten 64 run 8th wicket stand between Jarrod Carroll (62*) and Macca Hardy (26*) would finally break the Mounters as Seville would chase down Mt Evelyn’s total with four overs remaining
 Jones (4/67) and Yates (2/80) would be the pick of the bowlers
The loss has left the 2nd XI in a precarious position going into the final round
The Rhead Group 3rd XI’s season has been hanging by a thread after slipping up against some beatable opponents
It has left the team the task of winning the last two games to give themselves any chance of going beyond the final round
After day one of this split innings contest
both Mt Evelyn and Warrandyte would be relatively comfortable with their respective positions
as Mt Evelyn held a slight advantage at 1/164 just ahead of Warrandyte’s 2/139
The Mounters would continue their innings first
and would go about amassing a total too great for the Bloods to chase
Dickie Hearn and Alex Brisbane-Flynn continued their century stand and both cashed in
before getting too adventurous when he was stumped within sight of a century upon his return to cricket
 Hearn wouldn’t be denied his maiden century as his marathon 199-ball innings would take him to a match winning score of 133
 Great reward for a great contributor to the club
 With captain Graeme Foster adding a quick fire 58
the Mt Evelyn innings would be closed with the score on an imposing 7/375
 Warrandyte would make a fair fist of the chase
but would struggle to maintain the run rate once Tom Ellis (137) and Banjo Smyth (79) were dismissed
the Mounters would bowl the visitors out for 281
 The win now has the 3rd XI within sight of a finals birth
with a win against Heathwood in the final round a must
The Hop Hen Brewing 4th XI have finally clinched their position in the finals after outlasting a determined South Croydon outfit on ‘The Postage Stamp’ at Mt Evelyn
 The game would prove to be an unusually low scoring affair as the batsmen would struggle to assert dominance
 Mt Evelyn would win the toss and send South Croydon in to bat with some doubt on how long the weather would hold out
 The Mounters bowlers would do well to contain their opponents
a more than attainable target on the small surrounds
 All the bowlers would contribute with Mark Shepherd (3/23)
Angus Van Hoogstraten (2/30) and Mike Leonard (2/34) sharing the wickets
What should’ve been a relatively easy chase proved to be a real struggle as the Bulldog bowlers would heap the pressure on the Mounters limiting the boundaries and taking regular wickets
and young stars Jake Rigg (31) and Mason Jones (23) would contribute vital runs to the cause early
but it was left to cult hero Robert ‘Robdog’ Wilson to notch up the winning runs
 The win now locks in a finals birth for the 4th XI
The Mt Evelyn 5th XI entered Round 15 with a point to prove after to succumbing to Kilsyth for their second loss of the season last week
 Their clash against Seville couldn’t have filled them with great confidence as father/daughter duo Matt (4/6) and Kaylen Tilney (1/15) cut a swathe through the Mt Evelyn top order to have them decimated at 6/56
 The Mounters have built their success this season through contributions throughout their team
so it was no surprise that the visitors dug in their heals courtesy of steadying knocks from Ezra Joyce and Paul Flavel who notched up unbeaten half centuries
whilst the rest of the batting order would push the score to a competitive 7/187
The Burras would show great resistance with the bat
but they would never challenge Mt Evelyn total
and their innings would be closed at 4/127 after their allotted overs
 Andy Cummins would carry his bat in an innings of 48
whilst Mark Kuhne would be the pick of the Mt Evelyn bowlers taking 2/24
would field five new players in their lineup for their clash against Lusatia Park
and they found the task to great to overcome the Tigers
 Braidyn Doyle would show his fight scoring his best score of 35 not out
whilst Chase Missen (23) and Brett Hartman (21) would add some beef to the low total
 Mt Evelyn’s total would prove to be light on
the Tigers would reach the target with relative ease
the home and away portion of the 2024/25 season has disappeared for the cricketers of Mt Evelyn
the Mounters have emerged with four Senior teams in finals to join the four Junior teams who began their finals campaigns this weekend
The Community Bank – Mt Evelyn 1st XI finished their home and away season with a disappointing loss on the road to South Warrandyte
The home team batted first and amassed an impressive total of 7/282 on the back of considerable contributions from Morgan Persson-Clark (78) and Thomas Peter-Budge (66)
The Mounters bowlers simply had no answers to the onslaught
Bohdie Jones (3/57) and Darcy Fraser (3/82) would take a handful of wickets
The disappointment of the game would be the visitors inability to muster some fight with the bat
they would be bundled out for a mediocre score of 166
Mike Mawson would continue his excellent season contributing a top score of 42
whilst Campbell Mole and Darcy Fraser would show fight towards the end
but all in all it was a disappointing outing for the Mounters
Hopefully the loss will spur on the team for an improved effort as they face a road trip to Seville for their do-or-die Elimination Final clash with the Burras
The teams have split the points over their two games this season so this promises to be another epic contest
The Professionals Outer East 2nd XI also missed an opportunity to chalk up a win against a good opponent and in the process almost relinquished their position in the top four
came prepared to give the finals a shake and almost pulled off the perfect heist
The Sharks elected to bat and immediately had the hosts’ bowlers
Two early wickets wouldn’t stymy the visitors’ run rate in pursuit of a big total to blow the contest wide open
Billie Laird would defy his age to lead the Mt Evelyn attack
whilst Kynan Yates and Luke Shepherd would keep scoring tight
but the Sharks would feast on the rest of the bowling attack
A glimpse of finals if they could bowl well
the Mounters had to tread the tightrope of chasing the total with gusto and preserving wickets as a collapse would hand the Sharks their position in the top four
The Mounters would cautiously chip away at the total ensuring they wouldn’t suffer a catastrophic collapse and eliminating the threat on their finals position
The Mounters’ experienced top order would put the team in a position to attack the total if good enough
but the required run rate and pressure bowling strangled the hosts and they eventually bowled out for 199
After holding on desperately to their place in the top four
the 2nd XI now travel to Heathwood to take on the top of the ladder Lions
Both teams had dominant wins against each other during the season
so there is an air of anticipation as to what this two-day contest will bring
The Rhead Group 3rd XI were the hard luck story of the weekend
and Coldstream faltering to a rampant Mooroolbark outfit
would be enough to surpass at least one of the teams to replace them in the finals
The Mounters would tick the first box by completely dominating Heathwood
The Mounters would grind away at a disciplined Lions batting lineup to restrict the hosts to 7/95 off their allotted overs
Alex Whiting’s speed proved too great for batsmen as he recorded useful figures of 3/11
whilst the rest of the attack would be miserly
Sensing a quick chase of the small total would enhance their finals chances
the Mounters blasted their way to victory within 16 overs
Whiting would complete a great all-round game scoring an unbeaten 34
whilst captain Graeme Foster would blast a quick-fire 33
the victory wouldn’t be enough to surpass Heathwood on the ladder
whilst an upset victory to Coldstream left the Mounters desperately short of the finals
A bitterly disappointing finish to their season
The Hop Hen Brewing 4th XI had the task ahead of them in the final round of the season up against a dominant Ainslie Park
The Mounters would bat first and soon found themselves under the pump against an experienced Ainslie outfit
The visitors couldn’t muster any form of resistance and found themselves in a desperate position at 6/52
The Mounters lower order would grit their teeth and an unbeaten half-century from Glen Rigg
with some good support from captain Chris Doyle (34)
would not only see the team to the end of their allotted overs
The Mounters would make the Parkers earn their victory
but they couldn’t maintain the restriction of runs as tight overs would inevitably be undone by a loose one where the runs would flow
and the home side would ease themselves to victory without any great problems despite the Mt Evelyn attack being far from disgraced
The result leaves the 4th XI with a return date with the Parkers
their third clash in the space of four games
Ainslie has proven too tough for the Mounters to overcome in their previous outings
but with some firepower with the ball and some timely wickets the 4th XI could be well on this contest
The Lilydale Tyres 5th XI have been nestled in the top end of the table for the majority of the season with finals a formality from a long way out
Their only hiccups were against top of the ladder Kilsyth
The team hosted Templeton in their final home and away game in a perfect tune-up for finals with the Taipans keen to remain in finals calculations
The Mounters would bat first in a quest to establish dominance with a large total
and Jason Dunstone (31) and Craig Kenins (52) would ensure the hosts would make the best possible start
The innings would grind to a halt and the innings would be quickly wrapped up for 158
a total that would appear defendable with good bowling
but in reality a fair way short considering the size of ‘The Postage Stamp’
Short of the mark is what it would prove to be
The Mounters would take their share of wickets to keep things interesting
but Templeton had the luxury of not being pressured by run rates and they would nurse their way to an impressive four-wicket victory
the teams will meet in the first week of the finals
With one win each in their previous two contests
both teams claim to have an advantage in this game
but reality says that this is anyone’s game
and the step up in venue may play an intriguing part to this battle
the victor will be made to earn their place in the Grand Final
The Flowtec 6th XI would suffer a heart breaking loss in their final game of the season as they were outlasted by Mooroolbark
and in their most complete performance with the bat
they would blast their way to an impressive total of 4/257
Jett Hartman and Chase Missen would combine for a quick scoring partnership that would give the innings some serious momentum
Hartman would blast his way to an unbeaten half century
whilst Chris Graham and Bruce Smith would capitalise on the spritely start to also record half-centuries
After a tough season where wins have been hard to come by
the 6th XI were in a great position to close out their season on a high
The bowling and fielding would back up the batting efforts and for the majority of the Mooroolbark innings
the visitors had their noses in front of the contest
so much so that the contest was virtually over as the Barkers required 74 runs for victory off the last five overs
and with the cool head of Mooroolbark captain Steve Hall
The tidal wave of momentum would overrun the visitors on the final ball of the chase condemning them to gut-wrenching end to the season
With high fire danger ratings forecast for the weekend
cricketers across the Ringwood and District Cricket Association were left to cool their heels as competitions ground to a halt in the name of player safety
it was a somewhat hollow end to the home and away season
it’s not the end of the road for many of Mt Evelyn Cricket Club’s youngest cricketers as they now prepare for finals
Playing undermanned for the majority of the season there were plenty of positives
the lack of numbers would cost them the opportunity to chalk up a few more wins
One pleasing aspect for coach Joseph Chamberlin would be the spread of contributors across the season
Billie Laird (306 runs) and Chase Missen (221 runs) were stars with the bat with many others posting personal bests across the season
Laird (13 wickets) and Jake Rigg (10 wickets) would lead a balanced bowling attack with wickets shared most weeks
The Mt Evelyn/Lilydale U16-2 combined team have clinched a finals berth squeaking into the top four
They have combined well to post some wins against strong opposition and will enter the finals chock full of confidence that they can give the finals a big shake
The Lilydale boys have been the stars with the bat led by Angus Smith (304 runs) and Darcy English (291 runs)
whilst it has been the Mt Evelyn lads who have shone with the ball as Austin Leonard and Caleb Doyle have both snagged 16 wickets for the season
The highlight for the season would have to be Doyle’s 6/22 vs Heatherdale
The team will have a stern test in the Semi-Finals as they look set to oppose a formidable Mooroolbark outfit
The Mt Evelyn U14-5 team have slowly built across the season as they have discovered their best balance with bat and ball
The young team have progressively felt more comfortable stepping up against their older opponents
Ezra Joyce has been a run machine this season and has amassed 226 runs for the U14-5 team
with Harry Dunstone a handy contributor with 159 runs of his own
Dunstone has been a standout with the ball as he has taken a team high 16 wickets
whilst Toby Kenins has chipped in with 12 crucial wickets
The Mounters will take on a strong Yarra Junction outfit in the Qualifying Final with the winner booking their place in the Grand Final
This game promises to be a cracker as both teams have had some tense battles over recent years
and they have both built amazing teams as the season has progressed
The Mt Evelyn U12-2 team are a talent-laden bunch with some serious cricketing skills
Ezra ‘Run Machine’ Joyce has notched up 280 runs at a Bradmanesque average of 93.33 whilst Harry Dunstone has captured an amazing 20 wickets at the unbelievable average of 3.75
including a hatrick on the way to 7/5 in the first game of the season vs South Croydon
Pocket rocket Hudson Hall has been a huge addition to the club with 169 runs
and the improvement of both Jacdan Mikaelian and Amos Flavel with the ball has been remarkable
The team have to finish up their final game against Heatherdale next week
but a semi-final date against Warrandyte looks on the cards
the Mt Evelyn U12-7 side went from winless until the final game before the Christmas break
to secure a finals berth on the back of four wins over their final five games of the season
captain Toby Kenins inspired the team with his positive leadership
and the matter of 175 runs and 11 wickets to his name helped the cause
the team have a renewed confidence to take on a dominant Wandin outfit and will be keen to crash the Bulldogs party
Rounding out the junior action for the Mounters has been the Mini Bash and Cricket Blast programs led by Paul Flavel and Luke Shepherd respectively
fun and safe environment for our youngest cricketers to fall in love with the great game of cricket
The improvement in skills from the participants in these programs have been amazing
If you have some keen cricketers who have missed the boat this season
but are keen to have a hit when summer rolls around next season
then be sure to reach out to Junior Co-ordinator
Daniel Meades at mtevelyncricketclub@gmail.com
to keep abreast of all the off-season developments
The Mt Evelyn Bendigo Community Bank has been serving customers in the region for 22 years
they’ve given back more than $4 million dollars to community groups to help strengthen the social
emotional and physical wellbeing of our community
they are investing in their physical presence in Mt Evelyn
with the branch in Wray Crescent recently celebrating a refurbishment
“We want our branch here in Mt Evelyn to continue to be a place our community can  feel proud of as well as ensuring our space serves the needs of our banking customers,” board chair John Stroud said
“Our refreshed branch aims to provide a great environment for customers to do their banking in as well as demonstrate to our customers
that we are here to stay (unlike the big four)!” 
The revamped branch was officially opened on Monday 21 October with current and past board members
Bendigo bank officials and local Federal MP Aaron Violi
Mr Violi said Mt Evelyn Community Bank makes an enormous contribution to our local  community
“It was a pleasure to cut the ribbon on the newly refurbed branch in Mt Evelyn
The  branch gives back so much to support our community and we are very fortunate that it is here to stay,” he said
Branch manager Ann Peters said she was thrilled with the new look branch and that the staff are excited to get to work
continuing to deliver the great service and big impact for customers and community
“Drop in for a visit and check out the space
“We love having a big impact in our community through better banking!”
tough competitive competition and long days in the sweltering heat
finals have finally arrived for the cricketers at Mt Evelyn Cricket Club
With four senior teams featuring in the business end of the season
the energy and enthusiasm around the club has lifted with anticipation
The Community Bank – Mt Evelyn 1st XI travelled to Seville for another instalment in their intense rivalry
this time under the do-or-die spotlight of an Elimination Final
The visitors won the toss and took the opportunity to set the scene
The early exchanges between the opening batsmen and bowlers were tight
with neither looking to give their opponents the vital early advantage
Mt Evelyn openers Adam Smith and Jesse Fraser gave the Mounters the solid start they were after
added 47 runs to the scoreboard and saw off the opening bowlers
the opening pair were dismissed and the game swung back to level pegging
Jake Blackwell and Daniel Giblin would then combine for a steadying partnership and regain control of their innings
Blackwell would be the mainstay of what would turn out to be a match-winning innings
A series of handy partnerships would continue to keep the scoreboard ticking over
keeping wickets intact and tiring a disciplined Burras bowling attack in the process
Whilst his partners couldn’t quite capitalise on some promising starts
Blackwell would go on to score a memorable century
Blackwell would construct the perfect innings
cautious early before building momentum as his innings progressed
Blackwell would finally fall for 110 looking to ramp up the scoring rate
but his efforts had opened the door for a blistering finish for his teammates
Daniel Fraser (50 not out) and Mike Mawson (44 off 23 balls
featuring 3 fours and 4 sixes) would oblige and the pair would blast the visitors beyond 300
a great time for the Mounters to find form with the bat
the total would prove to be a tough task for the Burras
especially as the Mt Evelyn bowlers would hit the mark taking early wickets and keeping the scoring in check
fighting innings through the middle overs to give the hosts a sniff of victory should they be good enough after the tea interval
The hosts would see out their allotted overs
but the scoring dried up and when stumps were drawn
Seville would fall 103 runs short of victory finishing on 8/208
Blackwell would cap off a memorable weekend by taking 3/50 off an extended stint at the bowling crease
whilst tearaway Bohdie Jones would prove too quick for the batsmen taking 3/18
The Mounters now have a Preliminary Final date with Warrandyte
a team that has been dominant for the entire season
The Bloods will be a formidable foe and it will take the Mounters’ best to surpass them
the 1st XI have been building over the final rounds of the season to be hitting their straps at the right time of the season
The Professionals Outer East 2nd XI have had an up-and-down season recording some memorable wins and some tough losses
Consistency has proven to be a challenge with an ever-changing lineup
The team would travel to Heathwood for their semi-final against a team that they had had some success against during the season
The innings would be would be a classic two-day arm wrestle
they would not give away their wickets lightly and the bowlers would have to toil hard for any success
A final score of 9/224 would be testament to the fortitude of the batsmen
whilst no batsmen scoring a half-century would show that the bowlers wouldn’t give an inch in their efforts to contain their opponents
Kynan Yates (4/66) and Luke Shepherd (3/54) would be the key wicket-takers
whilst Will Macklin would prove miserly in his return from injury taking 1/38 off 20 tight overs
both teams would be pleased with their position in the contest
‘Runs on the board’ has been the catch cry of cricketers for decades
and this proved to be the case in this contest as the Mounters failed to muster any resistance or partnerships of significance
A combination of tight bowling and poor decision-making from the batsmen consigned the visitors to a disappointing loss being bowled out for 98
A performance that belied their improvement
desire and fight throughout the season will leave a bitter taste for the 2nd XI across the winter months
The Hop Hen Brewing 4th XI had the task ahead of them up against a formidable foe in Ainslie Park in their Semi-Final
the Mounters would be immediately put under pressure through early wickets
Cambell Finch would do his best to keep the Mounters afloat early
but regular wickets would prove difficult to overcome
Captain Chris Doyle (44 not out) would do his best to keep his team in the contest
and some key partnerships with Caleb Doyle
then Mason Jones would give the visitors a chance as they would bat out their overs to score 8/148
Ainslie Park have built their success around an experienced lineup
and despite giving their all with the ball
the Mounters couldn’t break down the cool and calm approach of the Parkers batsmen
The home team would have little to worry about in the chase and would cruise to victory and a place in the Grand Final
Although disappointed with the final result
the 4th XI have uncovered some genuinely talented youngsters
these juniors will find themselves in the higher grades striving for higher honours
The Lilydale Tyres 5th XI would have the heart-stopper of the weekend as they took on Templeton at Gary Martin Oval
The 5th XI have quietly gone about their business this season
occupying a spot in the top two on the ladder for the entire season
They have faltered in recent weeks with losses against Kilsyth
and a final-round loss against their opponents in the final round
This would give the Taipans an air of confidence going into the game
As would be the case for most finals over the weekend
Despite some strong resistance from Andrew Hathaway
the Mounters would assert their dominance with the ball as the visitors would fall to 5/69 to have the contest well within their grasp
Arjun Arun Nair would join Hathaway at the wicket and the pair would turn the contest with an initially cautious approach that would flourish as the innings progressed
Hathaway would retire for a well-made half-century
whilst Nair would add some scoring oomph with a run-a-ball innings of 42
Ben Dunstone would continue his wicket-taking ways with 4/28
whilst Mark Kuhne’s two early strikes would get the Mounters off to an ideal start
Mt Evelyn would find themselves in a desperate position early as they fell to 6/70 to be on the precipice of a devastating end to a promising season
the Mounters would find a face-saving innings courtesy of the experienced pairing of Mark Kuhne and Craig Steele
Kuhne found the accelerator to his innings and after a painfully slow start
he would blast a series of match-defining boundaries
whilst Steele would show all his skill to compliment Kuhne’s strokeplay
Both would fall within sight of victory to give this contest one last twist that would take the game to a final gripping overs
if anything you would’ve given the Taipans a slight advantage
 Jonah Langenbacher and Paul Flavel would hold their nerves to lead their team to a heart-stopping victory
Well deserved considering their standing throughout the season
The 5th XI will now face Montrose in next week’s Grand Final after the Wolves upset a rampant Kilsyth lineup
this promises to be a classic as both teams have the firepower to take their team to victory
He has represented the Billanook Ward across a 15 year period and Tim Heenan said he still has “so much to give to my communities of Mount Evelyn and Lilydale”
Trying for another term on Yarra Ranges Council
Mr Heenan said with over a decade of service under his belt
including two instances of being mayor and one as deputy mayor
he said “sincere thanks” had to go to the community “for having ongoing faith in me for all these years”
“I believe I am well placed to work hard again with a councillor team for my ward of Billanook and of course other Yarra Ranges councillors to make decisions in the best interests of the ratepayers,” he said
Recognised for his dedication to local government
Mr Heenan recently received a 15 year service award from the Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV)
“It was a great honour to receive a 15 year award from the MAV and I was proud that my hard work was recognised,” he said
“Being a councillor in local government is not an easy task because we are the closest to the people and there is always high expectation placed on us
We don’t get it right all the time but it means we have to continually listen and check back with the community.”
Mr Heenan said the highest priority for him if re-elected would be the upgrading of ageing infrastructure
from drainage to footpaths and council-owned buildings
with a vision for the basics to be addressed first
“I know only too well that people in Lilydale and Mount Evelyn want to see clean and decent facilities that they can use
I have always understood that this is what people expect of their council
“Local unmade roads in Mount Evelyn would have all been made by the end of this decade but with the Federal Government taking back $97 million from Yarra Ranges
this has now dealt a devastating blow to these people who now have to continue to use roads in poor condition
“I have been and will continue to advocate for the upgrading of Mount Evelyn’s unmade roads
In all my years of service to my community the most important issue that keeps coming up is attending to the basics that affect them.”
Having voted down rate rise over the last four years
Mr Heenan said this would also be something he’d continue to advocate for
while putting spending of ratepayer money at “front of mind”
Mr Heenan said having witnessed and felt the continual cost shifting and forced changes from both higher levels of government throughout his last term
particularly with the effects of pre and post pandemic
this would require a great deal of attention
“The Yarra Ranges is not getting its fair share of Federal and State grants
This is of great concern to me and will mean as a council we will have to work harder with less,” he said
“We are the fifth largest council in Victoria and covering urban and rural areas and the continual cost shifting of services to local government will mean greater responsible accountability in all areas of council
“I believe Yarra Ranges can grow and thrive into the future with good fiscal management but it will take a deeper focus on concentrating on what the people expect us to deliver to them.”
Mr Heenan said he would like to see public meetings at the forefront of the discussion process to “see more open and transparent connections so [the community’s] voices can be heard”
As someone who has lived in Mount Evelyn for 38 years and prior to being elected for the first time in 2005
He prides himself on being a local and representing his community
“You know me and know I will always be your voice in the council on matters that affect you directly
“Yarra Ranges is my home and I care greatly about every part of it.”
Mount Evelyn vs Wandin always draws a crowd and Saturday was no exception with both supporter bases turning up in numbers
It was Mt Evelyn who jumped out the gate kicking 5 of the first 6 goals with Wandin struggling to get their hands on the footy
But as quickly as they had started the momentum shifted
with Aaron Mullet and Jordan Jaworski the key drivers in Wandin kicking the next 6 goals and going into the quarter-time break with a 6-point lead
Wandin controlled the next two quarters but were unable to put away a resilient Mt Evelyn side who although down by 5 goals at three-quarter time never gave up and had the better of the last quarter
A Grade Netball: Mt Evelyn 45 defeated by Wandin 47
C Grade: Mt Evelyn 29 defeated by Wandin 36
D Grade: Mt Evelyn 21 defeated by Wandin 23
17 and Under: Mt Evelyn 11 defeated by Wandin 49
Police are appealing to the public for information into a mysterious car crash that turned fatal in Melbourne's east in the early hours of Tuesday morning
Victoria Police are asking the public for information to help unravel the details of a fatal car crash that occurred in the early hours of Tuesday morning
Police have little information in the early stages of the investigation
as it was a single-vehicle crash and the driver
investigators believe the car collided with a tree on Clegg Road about 3.50am
The deceased driver is yet to be formally identified
“The exact circumstances surrounding the crash are yet to be established and the investigation remains ongoing,” Victoria Police said in a statement
“Anyone who witnessed the crash or with footage is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report online at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au”
17 lives have been lost on Victorian roads already in 2025
Known to most in the Mount Evelyn community simply as Amigo
the kindness of one man rippled across hundreds and has shown the power of regarding each and every person as a friend
was more than the Red Robin Milk Bar owner
a community member and an immigrant twice over
some humour and of course lollies with all who walked through his shop front door
With Sam’s sudden passing on Monday 12 August came shockwaves and an outpouring of support for his wife Sue and children Nina and Will
Will said he didn’t just do that for his own children but for so many others in the community
“He’s the hardest working person I’ve known
He’s never taken a day off but he never complained about the hours
He was very positive naturally,” Will said
“He would never mention anyone in a negative light
that’s why people looked up to him as a person
fatherly figure to a lot of us men from 20 to 40 who grew up around the shop.” 
Nina said her father’s generosity spanned beyond just giving to people
He was really humanistic and he could feel anyone’s pain,” she said
“He had this gift of being able to know what to say to each person
“He made everyone feel special and important
and it didn’t matter if he saw you every day
Sam was one of many migrants who travelled to South America
setting up businesses and starting a family
so they decided to migrate to Australia with their young family,” Nina said
the couple worked opposite shifts at different factory jobs
with Sam doing the night shift at the Buttercup bread factory and Sue working day shifts at a large sewing factory
Over two years they saved enough money to then open their own milk bar in East Doncaster just as it was starting to develop
“They did that with little English and they learned everything along the way
That’s the magic about my parents,” Nina said
“I always think they were migrants twice from Lebanon to Venezuela at a very young age
they grew up there and then started again in two languages
“They were always seeking a better future for us.” 
opening a milk bar and Amigo’s Charcoal Chicken shop
it will be 24 years since Sam took over the running of Red Robin in Mount Evelyn
He’d wake up at five o’clock and from 5.30 he’d be in the shop
even though it says it’s a 6.30 start and he used to close at 9.30
Having been immersed in the South American culture of friendship and camaraderie for many years
Nina said this was something her father latched on to when arriving in Australia as well
he realised there was a culture of mateship and he was like ‘Oh
It’s the same thing as amigo in Venezuela and South America
Nina said the progression happened naturally
“People would come in asking for a certain lolly and dad was always thinking
We’ve got some American stuff and Dutch stuff
That was the process and it just got bigger
He always surprised me with his ability to find new suppliers.”
networking and always paying it back to others who helped him
And while day-in-day-out Sam was ready to work
“He would deliberately find shops with houses behind them and I would always ask him ‘what’s the situation with that’ and he would say ‘I want to see you guys running around’
he was that family oriented and he was just one of the hardest working sweethearts.” 
Stories of Sam’s love and kindness flooded social media in the days after his death
Star Mail has chosen some of these stories from the 85 that were shared
“I loved how every time I walked in he’d always say ‘hello my friend’ so genuinely
and was always so generous to the kids who would walk out beaming because they’d received a free lollypop from Amigo!”
“If he only had two packs of kindling he would only sell you one
just in case another person was needing some heat that night.”
“What I loved about Sam was he always made me laugh
“One of this world’s very rare true gentlemen and a genuine caring soul.”
“I hadn’t been in the shop for about 15 years
but the day I went back in it was like I had been there yesterday
Couldn’t believe he had remembered me from when I was a teenager!”
“Amigo always made us feel like we were his most special customers and cherished friends
“When my children and I walked in for our weekly visit
as per normal I was so kindly greeted with the most amazing smile and pure happiness in his voice
I said ‘how are you my friend?’ and he responded with ‘I am great
what more could I want’ and he then looked at my children and said ‘you are very lucky too’ and he couldn’t have been more right.”
“Walking into the shop was like walking into your friend’s house
he always gave our kids extra lollies and joked that he was going to eat half of them
You walked away smiling no matter what kind of day you’d had.”
“He was the nicest man and an incredible part of our amazing town
How are you my friend?’ It could have been your first time in the shop but he’d make you feel like you’d known each other for years
He always made us laugh and smile and feel happy
He loved everybody and everybody loved him.”
“Sam and Sue used to own the milk bar at McAdam Square
They sent their kids to Luther same timing as our boys
So we got to know them well regularly popping in to buy something
we bought an acreage property back in Mt Evelyn
only to find Sam and Sue had moved to the Red Robin Milk Bar/General Store
and most gentle people you could ever hope to meet
Always a friendly greeting… ‘hello Amigo’ every time you walked in the shop
a GoFundMe set to a $5000 target raised over $20,000 in just a few days
The impact Sam had on Mount Evelyn can not be overstated
“It’s been overwhelming to see that he loved everyone and cared for everyone
‘the kids are so pure’ but not to this extent
because if it wasn’t for all of our community
I don’t think we could have gotten through the shock of it
And because we don’t have any blood relatives here
Nina and Will said the shop was their dad’s happy place and so
“We’ll continue it because dad’s here
So we’re definitely going to continue his legacy because this is what he loves.”
The Rotary Club of Lilydale held its annual Primary School Speech Competition (PSSC) earlier this month and the audience was treated to 10 very impressive speeches by Grade 5 and Grade 6 students from five local primary schools
Jointly MC’d by Toastmasters and Rotary Lilydale
the event is held after each participating school conducts heats
with two students per school competing on the night
Held in an appropriately intimate setting at Mt Evelyn Christian School
the students looked and sounded like professional public speakers
Judged by members from Wandin Toastmasters and Croydon and Yarra Toastmasters
their job was not an easy one due to the high calibre of every speech
William from Montrose Primary School won first prize with his speech about the ‘mysteries of the deep sea’
William’s sense of humour and witty approach garnered many laughs from the audience
Amelie from Mt Evelyn Christian School shone colourfully with her beautiful cape and won second prize with her speech ‘if I could have a superpower what would it be’
Eliza from Bimbadeen Heights spoke passionately about ‘the best part about living on earth’ and won third prize
Eliza spoke of our national floral emblem and her hairstyle featured pretty sprays of Golden Wattle
Both William and Amelie will represent their schools at the Rotary District 9815 PSSC Grand Final later in the year
Des Shiel commented that the competition provides students with a wonderful opportunity to further develop creative writing skills and practice public speaking
“The amount of research each student undertakes to deliver their speech really shows their dedication and desire to deliver a first class speech,” Des said
friends and school representatives were treated to a supper prepared by the wonderful volunteers from Rotary Lilydale
Rotarians and representatives from Community Bank Mt Evelyn Bendigo Bank who has generously committed to sponsoring the event
Monbulk’s recent good form had catapulted the club into finals contention
The most critical fixture in the run home would be the Round 15 clash with Mt
Evelyn as the winner would be in the box seat to claim the last remaining finals spot
The Hawks and Rovers met in ideal overcast conditions at Mt
In what turned out to be an extremely interesting and high quality match
the momentum seesawed back and forth as both sides showed flashes of brilliance
Monbulk had a slight lead at quarter time and consecutive goals by Johnathon Hevern to start the second quarter had the Hawks well placed
The Rovers fought back to kick the next four and led by 12 points at the main break
Monbulk again pegged them back to edge ahead by a solitary point at the final change
The last quarter was full of drama as things got willing in the tight tussle
Monbulk looked to hold on to their slender lead late in the game when a last forward foray by the Rovers extracted a free kick 20 meters out
Mt Evelyn kicked the goal after the siren to snatch a five point win and have their foot in the door for finals
Lochlan Beecroft was again outstanding on the ball and finished with 5 goals
He has been named in the club’s best players every week this year
the only player in the League to have managed that
After winning all but one game last week against Olinda
The Monbulk Reserves had not beaten the Rovers at Mt
Evelyn since their 2010 premiership season
With a hard attack on the ball Monbulk had a lead of around a couple of goals for the first three quarters before kicking four goals to none in the final term and came away with a well deserved 35 point victory
Monbulk’s Senior Women’s team had already ensured that they had claimed the minor premiership
with top place at the end of the home and away season having been secured last week
The final home and away encounter was a trip down to Officer against the rapidly improving Kangaroos
In a good hitout before the finals it was Officer who eventually triumphed by 20 points
and also qualified for the finals in the process
The Hawks will play Woori Yallock in the Qualifying Final at Seville next week with the winner advancing to the Grand Final
Evelyn clash would claim second spot on the ladder for the time being
and potentially help avoid an elimination final which teams 3 to 6 will face
The Hawks were under a cloud with the flu hitting the squad hard and only four players being able to train on Thursday
Evelyn eventually won by 5 goals off the back of a 17-7 second quarter
The defences of both sides worked hard to pick off loose passes and it was a well contested match
Evelyn’s B Grade team is entrenched near the top of the ladder and they proved to be too accomplished for Monbulk
Goal shooter Jorja Wragg has made the squad for the Victorian Under 19s team that was selected during the week while Rihanna Kelly made her 50th appearance for the Hawks
and will look to grab a finals spot in the coming weeks
Evelyn just held a slight edge throughout this meeting and eventually won by 8 goals
The match was decided in the third term and the rest of the contest was very even with nothing between the teams
Monbulk slipped to seventh and will face three finals bound teams in the upcoming weeks
The development squad tried hard and restricted the Mt
Players were rotated through various positions over the course of the match with Isla Stubbs and Bridie McCormick returning from their morning match in the Under 15s at Beaconsfield to help out the side
Monbulk met Beaconsfield for the third time this season
with all these clashes having taken place at Holm Park
It was to be goal for goal as the Eagles led by a single goal at the first three changes before registering a three goal win
The early autumn bushfire which burned 40 hectares after rapidly doubling in size in Montrose is a stark reminder of the continued risk of fire in the first quarter of the year
This fire risk is not meant to reduce over coming weeks either
with the CFA remaining vigilant as temperatures stay warm and ground cover dry
“While conditions remain dry with little rain forecast in certain parts of the state over coming weeks
the fire risk will continue but our crews are ready and will adapt to changes as they develop through autumn,” a CFA spokesperson said
“Areas with dry or cured vegetation can result in fast running fires under hot
Messages of preparedness and having a fire plan to draw upon in times of increased risk were highlighted in the days after the event
not only for Montrose but for everyone in the Yarra Ranges
The Montrose bushfire also triggered a wake-up call of sorts across the Dandenong Ranges and the Yarra Valley
Comparisons between the Dr Ken Leversha Reserve and Mount Evelyn’s Quinn Reserve
Owl Land Reserve and the Beryl Phillips Nature Reserve were noted by Mt Evelyn Fire Brigade
very high fuel loads after the storms of recent years
and poor mobile phone coverage on a good day,” a post on the brigade’s social media reads
“We can’t rely on just one source of information
we can’t rely on even getting this information
What if lines of communication completely drop like they did for days during the storms
Our area had no mobile service once the back up power dropped for the phone towers immediately after the storms came through
“You need to be able to make your own decisions without being reliant on getting any alerts
text messages or notifications from official sources
“You need to make the call for your own family
because you will not get a knock on your door telling you that it’s time to leave
“If your fire plan is waiting until you receive an official notification to leave or to enact your fire plan
This was reiterated by the CFA spokesperson
being prepared is the best way to stay safe
“Fire preparation and safety is a shared responsibility
You cannot expect a fire truck at every property – you need to prepare your property for fire
even if you live in metropolitan Melbourne,” the CFA spokesperson said
“Residents on the urban fringe are still located in a high-risk fire area and should understand their local risks
prepare their properties and plan ahead for what they will do in the event of a fire this autumn
“It is important that people in bushfire prone areas have a bushfire plan
which includes how they will access emergency information
You should never rely on one source of information.”
The Mt Evelyn Fire Brigade’s post did acknowledge the sudden change in wind and conditions which came as a shock to everyone
“We understand the events in Montrose were not anticipated but that shows the community the unpredictable nature of fire
All it takes is the slightest gust of wind to quickly change the dynamic of a fire
It went from being within a containment line
to doubling in size without a chance to prepare for it
“We don’t have the luxury of a crystal ball to know when these changes will hit
you can’t wait for an official message to act
you must act for your safety and your family.”
while it didn’t change the CFA’s response and commitment to “protecting the lives and property of Victorians”
CFA District 13 Assistant Chief Fire Officer Dave Renkin said strike teams faced very difficult conditions on Saturday 15 March
“The area was inaccessible for vehicles
so we heavily relied on aircraft support,” he said
“There’s no doubt that without the extraordinary efforts of strike teams
“I want to thank all emergency responders for their efforts
“Their swift and coordinated actions were pivotal in limiting the extent of losses.”
Engaging residents both from Montrose and further afield in a Fire Safety Essentials meeting on Monday 24 March
the CFA spokesperson said it focused on fire preparedness and planning as a refresher for everyone on best practices in fire-prone areas
The one-hour session run by the CFA was designed “to help community members better understand how they can best prepare and respond in the event of a fire”
“Community members (learned) about local fire risk in the area
understand what the Fire Danger Ratings are and how to act accordingly
where to access the best source of information to stay informed during emergencies and how to prepare before the fire season,” the spokesperson said
The meeting was live streamed on the Montrose Fire Brigade Facebook page
For more information on how to best prepare
head to cfa.vic.gov.au/plan-prepare and download the VicEmergency app
the Mt Evelyn Cricket Club were geared up for on field action this weekend to kick off the 2024/25 season
rain curtailed play to abandon all Senior games leaving unfinished business
A massive amount of work has been done behind the scenes over the winter months in what shapes as a huge season for the club
Both the Junior and Senior clubs have seen a rapid growth in playing numbers looking to experience the action in some of the best facilities local cricket has to offer
The club’s 1st XI enters the season keen to atone for the hasty exit from last season’s finals campaign with the great depth at the club meaning competition for positions is hotly contested
The club grew from four to five teams last season and this looks set to continue with a sixth team beckoning
the club now fields teams in all age groups
and combined U16 team starting their campaigns with a round one victory
All junior teams will be on the park this coming weekend
With teams catering for eight year olds through to 16 year olds
there is ample opportunities for new players
With many cricketers using the long weekend to head off for some much needed rest before the Christmas rush
the Ringwood and District Cricket Association left it to the upper grades to battle it out in perfect conditions for cricket
it left the top two grades to fight it out with Yarra Valley rivals
whilst it was a road trip to Warrandyte for the Third XI
it was a trip to Seville in a key clash for early ladder positions
Seville won the toss a duly elected to put a score on the board
The early going was tough and tight as neither team looked to give the other an inch
In-form Seville opener Aaron Bermingham and fellow opener Finn Saurine held strong in the early overs seeing the opening bowlers off and setting their team up well with a 54 run partnership before Jamie Shaw would make the timely breakthrough
having Saurine caught by Daniel Giblin in the 14th over
Bermingham would continue his stout resistance against some tidy bowling by the Mounters
The pair would put the home team in a powerful position at 1/93 after 24 overs
leaving time for a late order assault on a tiring attack
Bermingham would bring up his third half century in a row on his way to a score of 65
would have none of it and with three quick wickets
gave the visitors a chance of keeping the final total in check
and when Riley Foster and Jarrod Carroll fell to the hand of Will Macklin
the innings looked to have lost it’s lustre as it had been squeezed to 6/146 with just under four overs remaining
A pair of familiar faces would ensure the early work of their top order would not be in vain
Kane Jones (47 not out off 24 balls) and Jon Williams (13 not out) would push the score to a healthy 6/193
but a lot more substantial than it looked to be in the final overs of the innings
After an early flurry of shots from Hancock
the Mt Evelyn innings struggled to take flight
Hancock and Giblin would be dismissed on consecutive balls with the score on 30 and when Campbell Mole joined them in the pavilion
the innings couldn’t have got off to a more disappointing start with the score teetering at 3/40
Brothers Jesse and Dan Fraser would look to resurrect the innings and momentarily steadied the ship
the partnership wouldn’t grow into something substantial
and when Jesse Fraser fell with the score on 4/68
the pendulum would significantly swing in the Burras favour
Kane Jones would seize the opportunity to enter the attack
will swiftly reduce the visitors to 8/88 within the space of 10 overs effectively ending the contest
repelling an opposition full of confidence
and at time pushing the onus back on the fielding team to find answers
With under 40 runs to score off the final five overs
he had given the Mounters an outside glimmer of hope
his resistance would end with the score at 9/157
and with that the innings was swiftly wrapped up
The Mounters now have some work to do after consecutive losses and need to find the rhythm of the season quickly due to the high number of one day contests before the Christmas break
They will welcome back some handy additions for their Round 5 clash against South Warrandyte
but last season’s grand finalists will provide tough opposition so the challenges will keep coming for the men in maroon
The Second XI have made an excellent start to the season
and they would host Seville in another key clash considering the ladder positions
would take the opportunity to put a score on the board
and in the face of some disciplined bowling
the pair would navigate the team through to the first big milestone
the home team were well set with wickets in hand to have a burst at a significant total in the back end of the innings
The openers would then tick off the next goal
with Smith collecting an impressive half century along the way
his innings would end just shy of a half century as he was caught by Jordan Foster
Smith would power on as his innings would open up with some more expansive stroke play
Eventually Prowse would have his measure and Smith was dismissed for an impressive 84
would add a little cream on top with an unbeaten innings of 30 to lead the home side to 6/211 at the end of the allotted overs
but with big scores being the norm at Gary Martin Oval over the opening rounds of the season
it was attainable with the right application
Seville’s young opening pair of Jasper Barry and Elkin Croydon
approached the chase just as their opponents did
keep the scoreboard ticking over without any undue risk
the pair would safely navigate their team to the drinks break without the loss of a wicket and 82 runs on the board
Croydon would lose his wicket to Brad Westaway trying to ramp up the run rate
but Barry would continue on to a much deserved half century
Luke Shepherd would swing things in the home team’s favour within a blink of an eye
bag another two wickets for himself and finish with three wickets and three catches in the space of 15 balls to stall the innings at 5/136
Seville still requiring 76 runs off 51 balls
they needed a batsman to ramp up the challenge
The big hitting left-hander blasted his way to an unbeaten 48 off 25 balls to charge his team to victory
Ably supported by Macca Hardy (23 not out)
the victory target would be achieved with an over to spare
A fantastic contest with a memorable finish
The Second XI will be buoyed by the efforts
and will look to regroup against Bayswater Park in Round 5 action
The Third XI would ensure the club would not go empty handed from the weekend’s action as they travelled to Warrandyte and comprehensively eclipsed the hosts
Daniel Meades (44) and Kadyn Newport (29) shrugged off recent struggles to give the team a great start
and despite a duck by captain Graeme Foster
Flynn Orchard (35 not out) and Sam Vanhoogstraten (66 not out) would ensure the Mounters would push to an impressive total of 5/230
Orchard (4/35) and Meades (2/25) would immediately have the Bloods on the back foot and a long way in arrears
The home team would show some fight through a gritty unbeaten half century from Nathan Croot
but the Mounters were destined for victory
and Mike Leonard brewed up the perfect finish with three wickets to wrap up the tail
It was a much needed victory for the thirds and they will look to string together consecutive victories as they face Heathwood in an important clash for early ladder positions
A much loved owner of an iconic milk bar enjoyed by generations of Aussies has been remembered as one in a million
Salami Abounajm, also known as Sam or 'Amigo', 71, died earlier this month after 25 years of serving customers at Red Robin Milk Bar in Mount Evelyn in <a target="_blank" href="/news/melbourne/index.html" id="mol-e6548180-5e05-11ef-b632-ef0701dde07c">Melbourne</a>'s east
He opened the general store in 1999 which was renowned in the community for its wide range of lollies and Mr Abounajm's kind nature
His children confirmed the sad news on the milk bar's <a target="_blank" href="/sciencetech/facebook/index.html" id="mol-e650b0f0-5e05-11ef-b632-ef0701dde07c">Facebook</a> page last Friday
sparking an outpouring of tributes and plans to keep the milk bar open in his honour
Customers past and present reminisced on returning to the store just to see Mr Abounajm because of his kind and friendly nature
Local federal MP Aaron Violi led the condolence messages which flooded the post
'Sam will be greatly missed by the whole community
my children loved nothing more than stopping by the 'Lolly shop' after school and having a chat with Sam,' Mr Violi wrote
Other remembered Mr Abounajm as 'one in a million' who touched countless people's lives with genuine compassion and kindness
Other remembered Mr Abounajm as 'one in a million' who touched countless people's lives with genuine compassion and kindness
'This world is sprinkled with people who make a real impact
Sam was our sprinkle of goodness,' one wrote
the sweetness in many a persons day - spanning generations
A second said they had never 'imagined a wold without Amigo ..
(who) loved his family and community like nothing I've ever seen'
'Walking into the lolly shop is like walking into your favourite parent or grandparents house for comfort.'
A third remembered Mr Abounajm as a 'very rare' person and one of her family's first friends after moving to Mount Evelyn
'He was there for all our kids birthdays with a huge lollipop and lolly bags for the kids parties
always genuinely interested in how the family was doing and always smiling,' she wrote
'We moved out of the area a while back but he still stopped for a chat whenever we saw him out and about.'
A <a target="_blank" rel="nofollow" href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/honouring-amigo-sam-from-red-robin-milk-bar">GoFundMe</a> has been launched for Mr Abounajm's family to help pay for funeral costs and keep the milk bar open in his honour.
More than $20,000 has been raised within days.
'Amigo has warmed and sweetened the hearts of people of all generations in our community and showed incredible generosity,' local Dan Hickingbottom wrote on the page.
'He was an icon of our community, serving Mt Evelyn for decades.'
Bouquets of flowers and messages of support have also been left on the milk bar's doorstep in the days since his passing.
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With five of their six teams in the race for finals action
it’s go time for the Mt Evelyn Cricket Club in what could be an auspicious finish to the 2024/25 season
The clash between the Community Bank – Mt Evelyn 1st XI and the Seville Burras seemed to be in fast forward from the opening ball
 Mt Evelyn captain Troy Hancock won the toss and had no hesitations batting in excellent conditions
 Opener Jesse Fraser got the Mounters off to a flyer with a quick fire 33 off 30 balls
which was littered with three fours and three sixes
whilst partner Adam Smith continued his solid form at the top of the order
and the pair fell in quick succession opening the door for the Burras to regain some footing in the contest
so too did the wickets and with the score on 5/115 approaching the tea interval
the innings could’ve gone either way with the home team in danger of being bundled out for a score short of 200
 Jake Blackwell was the steadying hand before tea scoring an impressive half century
but he inexplicably threw his wicket away upon the resumption of play after the tea break leaving some work to do for the lower order
and the pair proceeded to keep their team from falling apart in the only way they know how…fast forward
 Hancock blasted his way to 64 off 49 balls featuring six fours and three sixes
whilst Fraser would bat through with the tail
scoring 67 valuable runs with four fours and five sixes
Seville would bowl the Mounters out for 259
they would be given a healthy 15 overs for the remainder of the day to knock off a decent chunk of the runs
the Mounters struck swiftly as speedster Caleb Hrabe captured a wicket with the first ball of the innings
and with two more to his name through an excellent opening spell
he would have the Burras scrambling at 3/36 when stumps were pulled
 The late wickets leave the contest in an intriguing position
 Runs will always flow at Gary Martin Oval
so the visitors will know they are only couple of healthy partnerships away from making a significant dent in the chase
whilst if the Mounters can capture quick wickets
it will leave a fair bit of work to do for the lower order of Seville’s batting line up
The Professionals Outer East 2nd XI have been humming on the back an allround game where they are experiencing success
 In a closely run race in the David Beatty Shield
and the Seville Burra’s season has followed a similar trajectory as they look to feature in finals action also
 Seville won the toss and sent the visitors in to bat and would ensue would be an excellent contest between bat and ball
 The Mounters would bat out their allotted overs
but by no means was it a dominant display with the bat
it looked as though the visitors would throw away a score of significance as there were plenty of starts early in the innings
but never really threatened to bust the game open
it looked as though they may have missed their chance
Nothing beats experience when the pressure is on
and some wise heads ensured that the Mt Evelyn innings would plough on
 Brad Jones added some scoring spark to the innings with a brilliant 63 to ignite the run home for the Mounters
whilst captain Shane Laird and veteran Ian Hawkey would keep the innings moving forward
 This contest is also well poised for an exciting finish as the chase is a challenging one
and both teams will be well satisfied with their efforts on day one
 The Mounters will be looking for another allround bowling performance to clinch another moral boosting win heading into finals
The Rhead Group 3rd XI have had a tough time of it since the break leaving their season on the brink as they are left needing to win their last two games
and looked to heap pressure on the Warrandyte bats
 Warrandyte would cautiously approach the start of their innings as the Mt Evelyn bowlers would turn up the pressure
and despite a quick pair of wickets with the score just beyond 50
they would navigate their way through the first half of their innings with little difficulty reaching 2/139
This placed the pressure well and truly back on the home side with the win imperative for their season to continue beyond February
When inform opener Kaydn Newport fell with the score on 36
anything could’ve been on the cards for the struggling bats
 Mainstay Dickie Hearn would role up his sleeves
and would be well supported by the returning Alex Brisbane-Flynn
and the pair would combine for the most impressive
 The pair would not only show some fortitude in defence
 Most importantly they would keep their wickets intact for the remainder of the day
 With the right balance of defence and attack
their unbeaten partnership of 128 saw the score balloon to 1/164 when stumps were drawn
 Hearn would be rewarded for a consistent season as he will resume at 75 not out
whilst Brisbane-Flynn looked as if he had spent no time away from the game as he looked assured scoring an unbeaten 46
 If the pair can continue on and help the side towards a total approaching 250
the Mounters could find themselves on the road to a season saving
The Hop Hen Brewing 4th XI have had to earn everything they’ve got this season and have managed to give themselves an opportunity to play finals as they embark in a tough run home
have been atop the tree for the majority of the season
and offered the Mounters a contest in which they could prove themselves finals worthy
and put the Mounters in on the batter friendly ‘Postage Stamp’
in a bid to manage their chase what ever that may present
the runs flowed freely off the Mt Evelyn bats which was punctuated with a string of useful contributions
Connor Hartman (58 not out) and Flynn Orchard (51 not out) would be the standouts in a solid effort with the bat leading to a score of 8/252
the Ainslie Park bats flexed their muscles and made short work of what looked like a challenging chase
 Although they remain in the box seat to feature in finals action
The Mt Evelyn 5th XI suffered their second defeat of the season last round
and entered their Round 14 clash against the third placed Templeton with a point to prove
 So it was no surprise that upon winning the toss
took the opportunity to put a score on the board to assert their dominance
and at times the Mounters would looked as if they would break the innings open
but they would be reeled in by untimely wickets
Leighton Joyce (30) and Craig Kenins (25) would all make useful contributions at the top of the order
but none could kick on exposing the middle to late order of the batting lineup
Templeton would run through the Mounters’ middle order as they would capture 8 wickets for just 24 runs to reign in the innings
 Young guns Ezra Joyce and Harry Dunstone ensured there would be no blushes of not batting out the overs as they would see the visitors to 144
After missing a golden opportunity with the bat
the Mounters wouldn’t let it slip with the ball as they dominated their defence from the opening over
and with half the Taipans batting line up back on the shed with the score teetering at 5/37
the Mounters showed why they have occupied the top end of the ladder for most of the season
 Templeton would show their fight in the back end of the innings to ensure the Mounters would have to earn their victory
but the early damage was too much to overcome as they were eventually bowled out for 117
 Harry Dunstone would complete a handy day with both bat and ball as he captured 2/20
whilst Mark Kuhne has been a handy addition to the team as he took 2/13
 The Mounters will now use the remaining three rounds to fine tune their game in the lead up to finals
The Flowtec 6th XI found themselves on the end of another honourable loss
 Although only posting two victories for the season
and once again this was the case in this Round 14 clash
and the ever reliable and experienced opening pair of Gary Scott and Andrew Frid got the batting effort off to a customary solid start
 The only blot in the book early was the unfortunate exit of Scott
Frid would bat on and secure yet another unbeaten half century to again highlight his importance to the young team
 The Mt Evelyn middle order would struggle to add any significant contributions to the scoreboard
Finn Blanksby would add some much needed beef to the back end of the innings as his quick fire unbeaten 28 boosted the final score to 7/157
Taking wickets has been a significant challenge for the Mounters this season
there was a glimmer of hope that a third victory for the season was a real possibility
 A game saving partnership of 85 between Evan Mack and Shane Donovan had the Barkers within reach of victory
the visitors would claim a two wicket victory
Blanksby would complete a great all round game capturing 2/9 giving his team an early chance which they almost took
Temperatures rose for the return of cricket after the Christmas break
and the cricketers from Mt Evelyn were looking to begin the new year with a hot start
The Community Bank – Mt Evelyn 1st XI travelled to Heathwood in a bid to capitalise on their good form leading into the break which saw them return to the top four in the standings
 Heathwood elected to bat first upon winning the toss
and put together an excellent innings based on a fruitful approach by their top order
Robert Cranmer gave the innings the impetus it needed with a well made innings of 78
and with the support of Sam Noske and Yadeesha Deerasooriya
the innings looked well set for a late innings flurry with the score on 2/159 in the 32nd over
 Regular wickets to the Mounters over the closing overs ensured the score wouldn’t blow out
 Darcy Fraser would be the main threat as his four late wickets saw the score reduced to 193 all out on the final ball of the innings
 Fraser would be the pick of the bowlers with 4/43 being well supported by Caleb Hrabe 3/43
Heathwood’s total would make for an interesting chase
 After a solid opening stand of 41 between openers Jake Blackwell and Daniel Giblin
the innings would quickly turn as Cranmer would again assert his dominance on the game as the host cut a swathe through the Mounters middle order
 The innings was left teetering at 5/56 after 15 overs
there would be a glimmer of hope for the visitors with plenty of time to bat
 Handy partnerships with Luke and Bohdie Jones would give the Mounters a chance to chase the runs late
but neither partnership would extend into a match winning effort
 When Blackwell fell with the score on 8/141
 Darcy Fraser would keep the flicker of victory burning with a quick fire 30
but it wouldn’t be enough as the visitors would fall 31 runs short of victory with their innings wrapped up on 163
The Professionals Outer East 2nd XI would post an impressive victory against the top of the ladder Heathwood at home
Darren Westaway and Jamie Shaw would navigate their way through a testing opening spell from the Lions
and it seemed to set the course for the innings
despite neither batsmen going on to a significant score
 Quick middle order wickets would put a dampener on proceedings
 The game would be won by the Mounters with an excellent partnership between Mike Mawson and TJ Hancock
 The pair would firstly right the ship and ensure that the innings would fall away
and then as it progressed and the bowlers tired under the sapping sun
they wouldn’t miss the opportunity to blow the innings open
 When it was all said and done the pair would put on a 178 run partnership littered with brilliant strokeplay
Mawson would post his second century of the season
whilst Hancock would add 75 of his own runs to boost the score to an impenetrable 5/257 when the innings was closed
the Mt Evelyn bowling ensured there would be no wobbles in defending the total
 Shaw would be the chief destroyer as his five wicket haul left the Lions with no answers in the chase
 Kynan Yates would also chime in with his best bowling performance of the season
 Eventually the visitors would be bowled out for 154
with Mt Evelyn snaring an impressive 103 run victory
The Rhead Group 3rd XI would score an important victory for their finals chances against South Warrandyte
 South Warrandyte would start the game on the front foot through an excellent century opening stand
but the Mounters bowlers would keep their cool and kept things in check through the middle overs
 Spin twins Sam Vanhoogstraten (2/27) and Ian Hawkey (2/33) would keep things tight whilst capturing wickets to keep the total to 5/170
but by no means unattainable after the positive start from the Hawks
Mt Evelyn would expertly navigate their way through the chase
courtesy of a well made 62 not out from opener Kadyn Newport
 Newport’s strokeplay would ensure the scoreboard continued to tick over
whilst a string of useful partnerships would ensure the innings didn’t suffer any fatal gluts of wickets
helped support Newport to the winning total with six wickets in hand and ten overs still in the bank
The Hop Hen 4th XI would also score an important victory for their finals chances as they hosted Bayswater Park on ‘The Postage Stamp’ at Mt Evelyn
and would swiftly bat their opposition out of the contest
 The Mounters would blast their way to an unbeatable total of 8/307 off their allotted overs
Cambell Finch (48) and Tom Merlino (41) would all fill their boots in the batting masterclass
 Although they valiantly fought through their 36 overs
the Sharks couldn’t muster the same scoring flourish as the hosts as they could only muster a score of 5/179
 The Mt Evelyn bowlers would be tidy in their approach to defending the total
but the damage had already been inflicted by the batsmen
The Mt Evelyn 5th XI would travel to Hoddles Creek in a bid to keep themselves on top of the heap in their competition
the Mounters didn’t give the Wombats any chance of breaking through with some scrupulous bowling
 Hoddles Creek wouldn’t give their wickets away cheaply
but tidy bowling from the visitors ensured they would have no opportunity to break free and assert any semblance of domination
 The arm wrestle would eventually end with Mt Evelyn taking the final wicket
 Craig Steele (3/12) would be the pick of an all round effort by the Mt Evelyn bowlers
 Mt Evelyn wouldn’t have the same scoring issues as their hosts as they quickly wiped out the runs in ten overs with Alastair Churchill contributing 26 not out
The Flowtec 6th XI would battle manfully against the top of the table Warranwood
but found themselves a little short on class when it was all said and done
and despite the Mounters keeping things tight early
courtesy of some great bowling from Mason Jones
the Sharks would eventually break through against a tiring attack
 The home side would eventually post a score of 3/193
but one that would take the Mounters absolute best
and at times looked as though they could realistically trouble the target
however other than another excellent innings of 36 from opener Andrew Frid
none of the Mt Evelyn other batsmen could last long enough to extend the innings to really worry the home team
but Warranwood would tighten the screws on the lower order to which they couldn’t respond
and the visitors would eventually be bowled out for 124
The first big challenge for cricketers entering a new season is when the temperatures rise for the first sun baked day of the season
Saturday’s temperatures rose well beyond 30 degrees
it was either a long day baking in the sun
or a quick cameo before cooling in some much needed shade
The Community Bank &#8211; Mt Evelyn 1st XI had no hesitation asking their hosts
with a goal of asking them to stay out there all day
The Mounters have had their struggles with the bat at the top of the order and were determined to reignite their season with an improved showing with the bat
the innings would begin with a familiar tune
as the Mounters quickly fell to 4/14 despite a cautious approach to the innings
Captain Troy Hancock partnered with Jake Blackwell to avoid further damage as the experienced pair would combine the patient resistance of Blackwell with the blistering force of Hancock to re-establish the team in the contest after a dismal start
he would lose his wicket after consecutive boundaries
When Blackwell fell just ten runs later with the score on 85
the innings was teetering on an early finish with the afternoon tea break still some time off
Chris Morrow would hold things together as Jett Hartman and Will Macklin had short stays at the wicket
but it would take some lusty hitting from tailenders Bohdie Jones and Caleb Hrabe to add some substance to the score as the lower order would push the score from 8/104 to close at 191
would give the visitors some semblance of hope given the innings could’ve been wrapped up around 100
The most disappointing part of the innings is that the Mounters left a meaty 23 overs still on the bone
Luke Killey was the chief destroyer for the Bloods with excellent figures of 5/32
Warrandyte would take no risks for the remainder of the day
taking 31 runs off the chase without the loss of a wicket
It leaves them well in front of this contest and solid
risk-free start to day two would see them well on their way to victory
If they can find themselves deep into the order quickly
The Professionals Outer East 2nd XI managed to succeed where their counterparts could not as they batted out the day at home against Croydon Ranges
he put the onus on his batters to keep wickets intact
and cash in over the back end of the innings
There would be a few of the Mt Evelyn top order who would be disappointed they didn’t hang around long enough to cash in with Adam Smith
Luke Paterson and Jesse Fraser all falling after making promising starts
The one thing the Mounters didn’t allow was consecutive wickets which would’ve pleased the captain
the innings could’ve taken a turn either way
The visitors could continue to take regular wickets and eventually wear down the batsmen
or home team could find a partnership of substance
and cash in at the back end of the innings
Thankfully for Mt Evelyn it was the latter
Mike Mawson and Jamie Bliss would come together
and their first point of order was to engage in the arm wrestle taking little risk in the lead up to the afternoon tea adjournment
They would creep the score forward over the next 20 overs
the partnership would continue unblemished
the pair had set the team well to fill their boots over the concluding overs
Mawson and Bliss would ramp up the run rate taking advantage of their earlier hard work
The only sour note to their partnership was that Bliss would fall within reach of his century
The pair had executed their partnership with aplomb
saw the pair put together 133 runs and have the Mounters in a position of power at 5/230 with 13 overs still in the bank
Luke Shepherd would ensure the innings would lose none of its momentum as he would play the perfect foil for Mawson who would go on to register a well deserved century
Mawson’s form over the last month had indicated a big one was coming
He would eventually be dismissed in the penultimate over for a fantastic 116
and the damage was done as the team had surged to 6/323 when stumps were drawn
The Mounters has executed the master plan to perfection and have a stronghold on this contest
The Kookaburras will be well aware that if they can replicate a similar game plan that they will give themselves every chance on a Gary Martin Oval full of runs
will be keen to sink their teeth into this task as their batsmen have given them a total where with tight bowling
their opposition will be forced to take risks
The Rhead Group 3rd XI had a tough first days play against Mooroolbark at Gruyere
their opposition will Barkers won the toss and elected to bowl first whilst the blistering heat had yet to arrive and it proved to be a master stroke
The Mt Evelyn batting performance never really ignited as wickets fell consistently under the pressure of a well tuned attack
was the only score of any substance as the home team were bundled out for 73 before they had seen out the first split
This consigned the team to a difficult period in the field under blistering heat and an experienced
the Barkers batters were able to keep their score ticking over with minimal risk
The Mounters would take four wickets over the course of the 38 overs in the field
the opportunity is theirs to give their bowlers enough time to chase an outright victory
try and grind the Mooroolbark innings to a close
then show a fair bit more resistance with the bat to avoid in ignominy of outright defeat
The Hop Hen Brewing 4th XI had a high scoring affair against Montrose on the ‘Postage Stamp’ at Mt Evelyn Recreation Reserve
Chris Doyle would win the toss and elected to send the Wolves in to bat
Nathan Veith got the innings off to a flyer as he reached his 50 and retirement within 25 balls and he was ably supported by Andrew Gibson who would also reach a half century
Up and coming star Cambell Finch and the experienced Mark Shepherd would then combine to rein in proceeding
Finch would be the wicket taker taking 5/35
whilst Shepherd was miserly taking 1/20 at 3.33 an over
Montrose would have one last splash at the total courtesy of Leigh Marshall (50 not out off 39 balls) to push the score to a respectable 8/229
Jarrod Hartman would get the chase off to the flyer it needed blasting himself to an early retirement scoring 55 not out
the Wolves would rein things in through the middle overs courtesy of regular wickets
but the Mt Evelyn run rate was too great to overcome
was complimented by contributions from Connor Hartman (36) and Mark Shepherd (25 not out) and the Mounters had the chase ticked away with still six overs to spare
The Mt Evelyn 5th XI would continue their winning ways with a victory on the road
and with unbeaten half centuries to Gary Mangall and Kane Rattray Robert
they looked set to put together an imposing total
Craig Steele and Ben Dunstone would stem the flow
and the pressure applied saw wickets fall regularly including three consecutive run out
which would see the innings closed at 6/161
but one that could’ve been greater had they capitalised on the early work of the top order
Mt Evelyn would steadily go about the chase and would get to the total with three overs remaining
The difference between the teams was that the Mounters would have even contributions through the innings
The steadying influence of Gary Scott (28) complimented the bull at a gate approach of Jonah Langenbacher (20) to kick start the innings
Ben Dunstone (34 not out) and Craig Steele (14 not out) would ensure the visitors would reach the target with minimal fuss
The Flowtec 6th XI fumbled their chances on the road to North Ringwood
and other than new recruit Andrew Frid (30)
none of the Mt Evelyn bats could contribute anything of note to the total
The Mt Evelyn bowlers would toil bravely under the hot sun
and managed to push their opposition to earn their victory
Caden Kuhne and a maiden senior wicket for Jacdan Mikaelian gave the visitors some joy
but the task was too great and the Bulls reached the total with five wickets in hand and 12 overs in the bank
Even leaving aside the sexist implications
it’s a narrow definition – that history is entirely about human activities
But it’s also said of history that ‘Whatever happened
was bound to influence what people did there
In the last few decades a new kind of history has emerged
in which the environment is central to the argument
has revived the old-fashioned term ‘Natural History’
flora and fauna: ‘anything that’s not human’
This has come about partly through a growing interest in Aboriginal history
Bill Gammage’s The Greatest Estate on Earth is a well-known example
Writing about the First Australians without taking account of their deep and subtle engagement with their environment would be almost impossible
Environmental history also fits well with regional history
Griffiths notes that all good ecologists are also good historians
The light-coloured rock from the western end is Mt Evelyn Rhyodacite
which originated in Devonian-era eruptions of the Dandenongs volcano more than 400 million years ago
The red basalt of the eastern side came from the so-called ‘Older Volcanics’ and is only about 23 to 40 million years old
Except for the alluvial soil found along the creeks
our soil is derived from these two rock types
The Mt Evelyn Rhyodacite produced a thin Light Grey Loam
The combination of the rock and the nutrient-poor grey soil defeated the early selectors from the 1870s in their attempts to support themselves on the land
The western side began to be subdivided for weekend housing blocks from the 1920s
The basaltic Red Loam found in the eastern and south eastern parts of Mount Evelyn supported flower
There was traditionally a social distance in Mt Evelyn between the agricultural eastern end and the more closely settled west
with the railway line marking an informal boundary between them
There was even a political divide between the rural
conservative East Riding and the more progressive South West Riding of the former Shire of Lillydale
So much depended on which volcano you lived under…
Despite fears of Mount Evelyn’s futsal hub turning into a McDonald’s
the owners want to reassure people this transition is not happening any time soon
nor will it be the end of the sport in the area
When the proposal for a McDonald’s and childcare centre was put forward at the end of last year with a permit submission to Yarra Ranges Council
But for Pro Futsal director Steven Campbell and centre manager Tervel Atanasov
it was the questions of closure and potential loss of the stadium that were frequent
So in working with the landlord and for us it&#8217;s going to be business as usual until the end of the winter season
which is around mid September but we&#8217;re actually quite confident that it will be extended to the end of the year,” Mr Campbell said
“So we are here for at least three-quarters of 2024 and should be all the way to the end of 2024 and that gives us enough time to properly put a plan in place moving forward.”
When Mr Campbell and Mr Atanasov originally acquired the lease of the futsal stadium
there was talk of redeveloping the site into residential
so the news this time did not come as a surprise
we knew they would be developing at some stage
we just didn&#8217;t know when or what,” Mr Campbell said
the timing of it was probably more difficult because we were half expecting that something would be put on the permit but again
we didn&#8217;t know what the outcome would be
With 110 teams signed up regularly throughout the two seasons
with people travelling mostly from a 30 minute radius but some from Pakenham and closer to Melbourne
that equates to 1200 people walking through the door
not just somewhere to play but actually where lots of people come in
Lots of people do their social nights for the week here,” Mr Atanasov said
Over the three years Pro Futsal has been operating out of the centre
Mr Atanasov said there have been some challenges
so they’re understanding that for some this may remove some of those impacts
“We&#8217;ve had a lot of big building in a small town so we&#8217;ve had a lot of
not issues but friction points over the years,” he said
“Neighbours and parking and just the things that are associated with the building so we quite amicably always try and find a middle ground.”
like No McDonald’s Mount Evelyn founder Amy Kidd
the increased traffic from a fast food outlet is just one reason for opposing the development
“My partner and I moved to Mount Evelyn because we love the community vibe and quiet
The last thing we want is golden arches beaming through the night
and the smell of fries wafting over our back fence,” she said
“The proposed location for the McDonald&#8217;s development makes absolutely no sense
It&#8217;s smack-bang in the middle of a residential area with no other shops around
And Lilydale McDonald&#8217;s is just seven minutes down the road.”
Ms Kidd said she does appreciate the need for more childcare services in the area and can support this use for the site
“I&#8217;m very supportive of the proposal for a childcare centre to be built on Hereford Road
Mount Evelyn desperately needs more childcare services
But a fast-food restaurant has no place on this residential site.” 
Mr Atanasov said Pro Futsal will look for other options with the local area to provide the futsal community a continued ability to play
Whether this building continues or not isn&#8217;t really up to us
“So we know we will be able to find a new venue hopefully and just get cracking and it might not be big and blue
Looking at opportunities to partner with schools or community halls
Mr Campbell said they will consider every option to find the right one for the Yarra Ranges and broader futsal community
A proposal to build a second service station in Mount Evelyn has left over one hundred residents and concerned parents baffled by the choice of location
The planning application for 41 Monbulk Road was first submitted to Yarra Ranges Council in 2020 by Peregrine Corporation to build a service station with fuel access
car wash facilities and a convenience store with a drive through
Previously the Mt Evelyn Garden and Produce
the property neighbours houses to the right and rear
with Mount Evelyn Primary School two doors down on the left
Yarra Ranges Council confirmed so far 174 letters of objection have been received
with a single letter of support also submitted
whose house will border the proposed drive through if approved by the council
can’t fathom the need for another service station
let alone one that will have some services open 24/7
“It will have a 24/7 drive through which will run one metre away from my fence line,” he said
seven days a week is a little over the top I think for Mount Evelyn.” 
Peregrine Corporation general manager planning Andrew Caspar said while some elements of the service station will be able to be accessed 24/7
it would only include the fuel supply and convenience retail
This was decided on because of the distance between major supermarkets or other convenience retailers particularly for shift workers
“We want people to have access to essential items 24/7,” he said
Despite the potential of living next door to a service station
Mr Sanders said he was more concerned about the potential safety impact it could have on the 400 school children who attend the primary school
Everybody in Renouf Court has put in a complaint that they just don&#8217;t want it
especially those with kids because those kids will walk straight across the service station driveway or they run or they jump around,” he said
Carly is one of those parents who has one child at the primary school
one catching the bus to high school from Monbulk Road and one at the kindergarten opposite the school
who has lived on Renouf Court for 35 years
often walks the grandchildren to school and kinder and home again
“It’s ridiculous why they would want to put [a service station] there with all the kids walking past,” Vicki said
Worried about the extra traffic a service station could attract and the potential for dangerous driving
Carly said with a pedestrian school crossing just before the proposed driveway entrance
“The traffic is so busy now and it will get worse and if you&#8217;re going to have big trucks coming in that don’t stop in time
there was already a crossing man who passed away years ago [of a heart attack] because a truck didn’t stop,” she said
“The garden supply centre was there for 20 years
Carly said the traffic report conducted by Peregrine Corporation’s consultants was completed in 2020 during lockdown and outside of school hours
Since meeting with the community on Monday 23 January and having follow up discussions with Yarra Ranges Council
Mr Caspar said Peregrine Corporation has re-engaged its traffic engineers to conduct further assessments during school hours on Monbulk Road
Despite being near Mount Evelyn Primary School
Mr Caspar said because there are no adjoining boundaries at the frontage of the property
he believes “traffic impacts will be minimised and contained” with “substantial parking” onsite for users of the service station
“We are comfortable that traffic movements and parking from our site will not impact on the school or on other users of Monbulk Road
and we are getting some more information together that will help demonstrate this,” he said
The site at 41 Monbulk Road is classified as an industrial three zone
“The zone seeks to allow retail opportunities in appropriate locations
Within an industrial three zone a service station land use is a section one use
which means no planning permit is required provided a buffer distance of 30 metres is met,” Yarra Ranges Council’s Planning
Design and Development director Nathan Islip said
“Given this buffer distance is not met in the current application
a planning permit is required for a service station.”
Mr Caspar said a lot is taken into consideration when choosing a location
including the availability of a site and suitable zoning
Mr Caspar said Peregrine Corporation attempts to choose a facility that will benefit the town it is contributing to
having only moved to Mount Evelyn a year ago after living in the suburbs for many years
the peace and quiet was what attracted him to the area
they&#8217;re fantastic and the people are great,” he said
It might not change hugely initially but it will
“I&#8217;m totally opposed but if it really comes down to the crunch
Submissions of objection or support can still be submitted via Yarra Ranges Council by going to www.eplanning.yarraranges.vic.gov.au
“Ten years ago, you used to be able to walk down the street on a Sunday, and it was a ghost town, but these days it’s bustling; cafes, local sports clubs, walking tracks – people have brunch here now.
“Dare I say it; Mount Evelyn is almost getting a bit trendy.”
Safe, friendly and, yes, even a little bit trendy, Mount Evelyn is 41 kilometres north-east of Melbourne’s CBD on a bend in the Olinda Creek. Once a weekender destination for Melburnians, postcode 3796 is bushy suburbia nestled between the Yarra Valley and the foothills of the Dandenong Ranges.
Jaclyn Knoll has called Mount Evelyn home for most of her life, and the suburb’s sense of “camaraderie and community” is why she’s keen to stay. It’s also the reason she and husband Graeme chose to open The Storehouse cafe, which accounts for approximately 96.9 per cent of Mount Ev’s trendiness, with its organic produce and in-house coffee roastery.
“Mount Evelyn still has that small-town feel,” Knoll says. “It’s marvellous … trees and paddocks this way, and city and convenience that way.”
Despite all this greenery, Mount Evelyn is home to plenty of city commuters, with Lilydale and Mooroolbark train stations just seven and 10-minute drives, respectively. The suburb has a selection of primary schools and a secondary college, playgrounds and a skate park. There are shops and amenities aplenty, gifts and homewares to browse, cafes including Billy Goat and Heart and Soul, as well as the Organic Empire food store, among other foodie outlets.
A whole nursery precinct, including beautiful Kuranga Native Nursery, runs along York Road, and recycled children’s clothing and toy store Pipsqueakz Recycle has quite a following. Every two years, the town hosts the fun 1940s and ’50s-inspired Mt Evelyn Street Party, a mainstay of the locals’ social calendar.
The one thing the place is missing is a noteworthy nightlife, although Jackson suggests this means there are “no drunk people stumbling around the streets” – another reason it’s safe and family-friendly.
Ray White sales associate Cameron Knoll, who happens to be Jaclyn’s cousin, agrees that Mount Evelyn is just the kind of place you’d want to raise a family (as the Knoll clan can clearly attest) and with a median house price of $679,950, according to Domain data, young families and first-home buyers are streaming into town.
While historically a cheaper option to its better-connected neighbours of Lilydale, Mooroolbark and Montrose, the suburb in recent years has gained ground, according to Jackson, the result of a flow-on effect, but also that buyers appreciate its easy access to trains with the bonus of leafy, quieter streets.
“All things considered, Mount Evelyn is still relatively affordable,” he says, citing entry-level housing in the $550,000-$600,000 range, “and out here we’re talking quarter and half-acre blocks”.
“You’re living in suburbia with a rural aspect,” he adds. “You don’t feel like you’re living in a built-up area – there’s space for the kids to run around, you can leave your windows open at night and not hear any traffic.”
Property diversity is another plus. “Mount Evelyn has always been a mixed bag,” Jackson says. “You can have a first-home buyer house in need of renovation right next door to a million-dollar home.”
This blend of house styles and price points creates a feeling of community, says Cameron Knoll – those that have called the suburb home for years live alongside newcomers. It’s the type of place where people know their neighbours.
“It’s a wonderful community to be a part of,” says local primary school teacher Andrea Vakulcyzk. Having called Mount Evelyn home for the better part of 40 years, she says the suburb retains a country community feel despite its growing population.
Vakulcyzk’s daughters play netball and football with local sports clubs, and go to the same kindergarten and schools she did as a kid. She says she couldn’t imagine a nicer place to live or a better place to raise her family.
“We briefly moved out of Mount Evelyn, but quite quickly realised that we missed the town and its beauty, so we sold and returned,” she says with a laugh.
The information on this website is intended to be of a general nature only and doesn't consider your objectives, financial situation or needs.
where we are privileged to live and operate
A woman has been arrested in Mooroolbark following an alleged assault in Mount Evelyn on Tuesday 15 August
was assaulted following an altercation at a property on Gardner Parade about 10.30pm
with local residents saying he appeared to have bleeding wounds
Road and air paramedics were called to the scene to attend to the man&#8217;s injuries
&#8220;A man believed to be in his 20s was airlifted to The Alfred Hospital with upper body injuries in a critical condition,&#8221; an Ambulance Victoria spokesperson said
The Alfred Hospital confirmed the man has since been discharged
allegedly fled the scene before police arrived
The 27-year-old woman was arrested in Mooroolbark on Wednesday afternoon
She is assisting police with their enquiries
Residents near to the area said on social media that police blocked off the street for much of Wednesday while detectives investigated the circumstances of the incident
&#8220;The major crime scene unit has arrived now and I think they’re expected to be here for a good part of the afternoon,&#8221; one person said
has provided information boards on the history and the environment at several of Mt Evelyn’s trails and reserves
They deal with the history of the Reserve; the bush environment; the platypus
which is found in Olinda Creek; and work of the the Friends of Water Race and Quinn Reserve (FWRQR)
a volunteer group that cares for the Reserve
which provided Lilydale’s first water supply
the Water Race skirts the gully at Quinn Reserve and continues to the Puddle Dam on Birmingham Road
Another sign there gives the history of the Water Race and the Dam
Near the Hereford Road crossing on the Warburton Rail Trail
there is a sign with the history of the nearby First Aid Post
where Railway First Aiders from all over Victoria held their annual competitions
There are two recently installed signs on the Rail Trail between Monbulk Road and the Bailey Road bridge
One deals with the Stringybark tree and its many uses for Aboriginal people
The other is a beautiful panel of the Birds of Mt Evelyn
Press the buttons to hear bird names and a chant in the Woi Wurrung language of the Wurundjeri people
Two further signs are located on the Olinda Creek Trail between Swansea Road and Olinda Creek (now within the Lilydale postcode area
of which there are a number in the Olinda Creek valley
The other sign is on the site of Walden Hut
where a group of young amateur naturalists camped to study the local bird life in the early years of the 20th century
Mt Evelyn History Group’s publication The Woodlanders of Walden Hut by Janice Newton was launched on 16 September
We are grateful to Yarra Ranges Council staff for their efforts in getting the sign installed in time for us to visit it as part of our book launch
The historical and environmental signage adds to the enjoyment of our trails and reserves
which we’re so fortunate to have in Mt Evelyn
We&rsquo;ve undertaken planning to investigate a potential upgrade of York Road between Swansea and Monbulk roads in Mount Evelyn
we also investigated potential improvements at the intersections at Swansea and Monbulk roads and to walking and cycling infrastructure
We&rsquo;ve now completed our development work and a comprehensive business case providing a detailed examination of the potential upgrade has been submitted to the Department of Transport and Planning
A business case helps ensure that the government is well informed on the potential upgrade and can make an evidence-based decision about whether to proceed with a financial investment
helping ensure the best use of Government funding
From 6 - 27 April 2022, we asked the local community and businesses for feedback via <a href="https://engage.vic.gov.au/york-road-upgrade">Engage Victoria</a> on the potential upgrade to York Road
Thank you to everyone who took the time to share your views
Feedback was considered in our planning and helped us to understand how people currently use York Road as well as their views on access
safety and what&rsquo;s important in the local area
For more information on what we heard, read the <a href="https://bigbuild.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0009/756342/Community-and-Business-Consultation-Summary.pdf" target="_blank">Community and Business Consultation Summary (PDF, 959.6 KB)</a>
If you have a question or want to learn more about the potential York Road Upgrade, please contact the <a href="https://dtp.vic.gov.au" target="_blank">Department of Transport and Planning</a> on 133 778.
Sign up to receive email and SMS updates for this project.
After six years, the planning application for an upgraded sports and community hub at Mount Evelyn Recreation Reserve was unanimously approved by Yarra Ranges Council on 8 June. 
Mount Evelyn Sports and Community Hub (MESCH) president Bryan McCarthy said getting to this stage started in 2015 after the Mount Evelyn Recreation Reserve Master Plan was finalised.  
“We’re really appreciative of the support the council has provided in approving it and that unanimous support was really pleasing to us, that they could see the value of what the hub’s going to do for the community and support it in the way that they have,” Mr McCarthy said. 
“It’s not just something that happens over night, it’s a long journey, it’s several years.”
An objection was placed by the Mount Evelyn Environment Protection and Progress Association in regards to the loss of vegetation due to the CFA BAL rating which was taken under consideration by the council. 
Councillor Tim Heenan spoke to the motion and urged his fellow councillors to approve the application because of the community need for such a facility. 
“The people involved, in volunteering and being part of the football, netball club deserve much, much better than what they’ve had for a long time,” he said. 
Mr McCarthy couldn’t agree more and said the current building was old and dilapidated, not meeting current AFL requirements. 
“The change rooms were small and non compliant with the current expectations of having male and female requirements for change rooms. So we just didn’t have the capacity to have female teams as well as the male teams,” he said. 
The new $5 million two storey building received funding from State and Federal governments, as well as Yarra Ranges Council. 
It will include a gym, appropriate change rooms, meeting rooms, an industrial kitchen and function space. 
“The finish and the style of the building, we don’t just want to reflect the $5 million investment, it gives us the opportunity to provide a community facility that the community of Mount Evelyn can be really proud of and somewhere they want to go and something they want to use,” Mr McCarthy said. 
As much as the new hub is for the clubs and teams, Mr McCarthy said MESCH hopes the general community can also find value in the facility for their own events. 
“Clubs are trying to promote that real family atmosphere within the clubs and within the teams, it’s not just about the teams and playing games, it’s about bringing their family and friends together,” he said. 
Mr McCarthy said Mount Evelyn Football/Netball Club, Mount Evelyn Junior Football Club and Mount Evelyn Cricket Club were committed to working together to achieve the best outcome possible. 
The support of local businesses including Bendigo Bank and Professionals Real Estate in Mount Evelyn has also been instrumental in getting this application approved, Mr McCarthy said. 
Demolition will begin in late July and is expected to be completed by the middle of next year but a confirmed completion date will be provided with the appointment of a builder. 
But before the building is gone, Mr McCarthy said the clubs will host a ‘last drinks’ to reminisce about the old building and celebrate the new one.
Fast food giant McDonald’s is making an attempt to score real estate in Mount Evelyn with a proposal to build on the site of a popular sporting destination. 
Submitting plans to Yarra Ranges Council on 18 December for both a 24/7 McDonald’s and an adjacent childcare centre, the land at 19-23 Hereford Road, currently the Pro Futsal Stadium and physiotherapy clinic, has been eyed off for development. 
The planning permits, which are currently under assessment, are estimated to cost $4.5 million for the fast food restaurant and $3.5 million for the 108-place childcare. 
Social media lit up just a few days after the submission was made by Planning Property Partners on behalf of the two entities vying for the land. 
A group of objectors has since formed called ‘No McDonald’s in Mount Evelyn’, garnering close to 480 members, “to work together to stop the development of a McDonald’s”. 
A similar group who protested against the Tecoma Maccas, ‘No Maccas in the Hills’ is backing the call to stop the build. 
In between the outcries calling it a “disgrace” and “McYuk”, some residents have taken the stance to work with the food giant to advocate for better outcomes. 
“I’d want excellent waste management along the Mt Ev section of the rail trail. I’d also prefer it isn’t open 24 hours and that lights are turned off by a certain time so the rest of us can enjoy the stars,” one Mount Evelyn resident shared. 
She went on to say “friends who strenuously opposed the Tecoma development, who are now quite happy with how things turned out” because of the opportunities and investment.
“They said businesses there have boomed and that there are far more goods and services stores than before. The locals also love their kids having somewhere to work that doesn’t involve driving down the mountain,” she said. 
“These friends have also shared that, no matter what concerns/complaints were taken to Maccas, that they’d find a way to comply and rectify/alleviate the concern (therefore just saying “we don’t want a Maccas, we don’t like it” simply isn’t a reasonable argument).”
A survey however, posted to the Mount Evelyn Community Forum page returned a result of 72 per cent opposed to the development from 507 votes. 
Traffic management and litter were the two main concerns raised by residents of the small hillside township. 
While there were arguments that a McDonald’s would increase visitor traffic, others said the off-street car park provided in the plans could be a safer option than the current street parking. 
“The reduced risk of hitting a child because there will be no need to run across the road anymore during sporting events,” an anonymous poster said. 
“No one is going to go out of their way to come to the Mt Evelyn Macca&#8217;s. They will capture their customers from traffic already passing through. Those on the edge of Mt Evelyn, along Hereford, York and Birmingham Roads, may visit the Maccas in Mt Evelyn rather than go to Macca&#8217;s in Lilydale or Kilsyth,” a resident of 40 years said. 
In a statement, McDonald’s Australia said it was committed to providing the best outcome for the township, including work opportunities. 
“McDonald’s is committed to supporting the community it operates in through creating jobs, investing in the economy, supporting local community groups and providing ongoing training and development opportunities for employees,” it said. 
“If approved, the restaurant will inject over $5 million into the local economy and create 100 jobs during construction, as well as a further 120 jobs once operational.”
This was something raised by residents onboard with the application proposal as a positive outcome for the town. 
“Think about the teenagers that can get work!! I think having Maccas in Mount Evelyn is a great idea,” someone said. 
As the permit application progresses, McDonald’s said it would work with the community. 
“We are committed to being a good neighbour and engaging with [the] council and the local community throughout the development application process.”
Passengers in the car asked Toulson to slow down in the minutes before the crash. (ABC News)
Link copiedShareShare articleA drunk-driver who killed a 16-year-old girl when she crashed into a pole at high speed with eight passengers crammed into her car has been jailed for at least five years.
Emily Toulson, 24, was more than twice the blood-alcohol limit when she took a bend at high speed, clipped two cars coming in the opposite direction and slammed into a pole at Mount Evelyn, east of Melbourne, in October 2015.
Amber Beard, 16, was sitting on her brother&#x27;s lap in the front passenger seat of the sedan and was killed in the crash. Five other passengers were seriously injured.
Toulson also suffered serious injuries, including an acquired brain injury.
She pleaded guilty to culpable driving causing death and five counts of negligently causing serious injury.
In sentencing, County Court Judge Michael O&#x27;Connell said it was difficult to overstate the seriousness of her offending.
&quot;You were grossly affected by alcohol, you&#x27;d been told not to drive, your car keys had been taken from you but you demanded them back, you then drove dangerously and at excessive speed … you ignored requests to slow down,&quot; he said.
The court heard Toulson had been binge drinking with friends on the day of the crash.
Her boyfriend had taken her car keys off her but a friend later gave them back.
In the minutes before the crash, two of Toulson&#x27;s passengers asked her to slow down, concerned she was tailgating other cars, speeding and overtaking dangerously.
Her teenage victim&#x27;s mother earlier told the court she would never get over her daughter&#x27;s death.
&quot;We didn&#x27;t have much but what we had was each other,&quot; she said.
&quot;All that changed on the sixth of October 2015, when my baby didn&#x27;t come home.&quot;
The court heard Toulson&#x27;s personal life had deteriorated in the months leading up to the crash.
She had depression and had lost custody of her young children, who were living with her mother.
The court heard Toulson had begun binge drinking as a way of coping.
Outside court, her sister, Charlotte Pritchett, said she hoped the case would raise awareness about the tragic consequences of drink-driving.
&quot;She never set out to harm anyone let alone have somebody lose their life,&quot; she said.
&quot;Emily herself suffered severe and life-threatening injuries … one of which was a severe brain injury.
Judge O&#x27;Connell said Toulson was deeply remorseful and her offending was out of character.
The court was told she would live permanently with impaired mental function.
Toulson was sentenced to eight years and eight months in prison, but will be eligible for parole in five years.
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)
Councillors have voted to overturn a recommended motion which would have seen eight trees remain on council land in Mount Evelyn despite resident concerns
Instead the eight trees will be removed after resident from the neighbouring property
pleaded with Yarra Ranges Council to protect her family
Having had a tree from the council land fall onto her Hereford Road house in the 9 June storm last year
the mother of two raised the ongoing impacts it had had on her family
“Basically I’m here to uphold my maternal responsibility to protect my kids and look after their physical and psychological wellbeing,” she said
“I’m here because without eight additional trees replaced I just don’t feel safe enough to take them home and I’ll have no choice but to uproot them from the community.”
Of 25 trees assessed by the arboreal team at the council
seven were identified as needing removal but Ms Walton said by removing a further eight trees
“On compassionate grounds I’m asking that eight trees be replaced with local vegetation so that I can feel safe enough to take my kids back to their community,” she said
Ms Walton described the mental and physical challenges the rebuilding of her family home has had on each of them
emotional and psychological wellbeing have all declined
we’ve moved in and out of temporary housing six times
we’ve received multiple diagnosis of mental ill health due to the trauma related to the storm
we’ve spent weekends rebuilding our home while juggling the demands of a young family
“I understand this is a critical period of recovery for our community and sadly my lived experience of displacement is shared by many but what is distinctly different with my situation is there are still 25 trees on council land within reach of my home
“25 trees that could hit my kid’s bedroom again.”
Councillor Tim Heenan said from experience living in Mount Evelyn for 36 years and living through the same storm as the rest of the town’s residents he could sympathise with the Walton family
“I understand the conversations that I&#8217;ve had with you and obviously visiting the site and I suppose more importantly I understand what’s been happening in our township over the last couple of years with enormous storm damage and inclement weather that continues to come and come and come,” he said
Cr Heenan said he had witnessed more trees come down
confirming with Ms Walton that at least 60 trees came down on Kookaburra Lane in the most recent storm event
Ms Walton said not only are the trees of concern but the sodden ground and lack of drainage with much of the road’s gravel washed into the gutter system
the instability of the roots system is unsettling
A member for the council’s trees assessment crew said within the last two weeks
he has had 475 tree related requests with many parts of the shire experiencing similar conditions
While Cr Sophie Todorov asked whether there were any drainage solutions
she was advised that any sort of excavation could potentially cause root damage resulting in a more likely scenario of a tree falling
Cr Jim Child said given the precedent of a tree falling on this property in question
he could not move forward with the motion to retain the trees
I wouldn’t be able to go home tonight with this still sitting in my mind and the ones I’ve dealt with in the past that have always resonated with are the ones where you can walk away knowing you’ve done the right thing,” he said
“But more so we’ve got to appreciate what has actually happened at this site
that a family has virtually lost their home
they’re still not back in their home and there’s still some kids and a mum and dad that are doing it tough.”
Cr Child thanked the arborist team for their professional assessment and work but said as councillors
they’re job is to the community which is “different to the other circumstances we have to deal with.”
“Most times trees will stay but we’re dealing with difficult times and a site that has some history,” he said
Cr Heenan said in many circumstances life is more important than the environment and this was one of those times
“Everyone knows I’m on the record saying I’m passionate about trees but I’ve seen so much in the last couple of years in Mount Evelyn…there’s been huge impacts on people in Mount Evelyn with trees
in particular the storm last year,” he said
“Many people have lost their homes or a large portion of their homes
“We all live with trees in Mount Evelyn and I know we love the trees
they’re a bad master when weather has an impact.”
The alternate motion to remove the eight trees was approved by all councillors
Police attended after a woman died in a car crash in Mount Evelyn on Wednesday 20 September
Emergency services were called to the intersection of Monbulk and McKillop roads to reports a car had crashed into a tree
The driver and sole occupant of the vehicle
The exact circumstances surrounding the crash are yet to be determined and police will prepare a report for the coroner
Despite the forecasted rain the township of Mount Evelyn turned out in droves to the Anzac Day dawn service
commemoration or respect shown by the thousands who attended
The sound of the bagpipes ringing out over the silent streets of the hillside town triggered the beginning of the service at 5.45am
led by Mount Evelyn RSL president Matt Crymble
“It has been 109 years since the landing at Anzac Cove Gallipoli
The feats of our troops and our dear friends New Zealand forged our names into the history books,” he said
“These two unknown and unproven nations of Australia and New Zealand will forever be known for their great deeds on this day 109 years ago.”  
Reflecting on what was said to be “the war to end all wars”
Mr Crymble said Gallipoli presented an immense challenge to Australia
arguably one of the most damaging but the entirety of the war proved …
“To many the belief is this was our greatest challenge during the Great War
“Today we pause and pay respect to all our servicemen and women who paid the ultimate sacrifice for this great nation
we acknowledge and respect all those who have served our nation in our defence both in war and peace at home and abroad
We thank them for their service and continued protection they provide
The Anzac legacy remains and is carried out by current serving troops.” 
While Anzac Day remembers the diggers and troops who fought during World War I
the evolvement over time has led to the remembrance of all those who have served in wars since 1914
“It would be remiss of me not to acknowledge the 25th anniversary of the East Timor campaign
An Australian led military force of more than 20 countries came to the aid of East Timor
who had elected to gain independence from their invaders
“Initially a tense and volatile situation from Indonesia and pro Indonesian militia forces which could have developed into a full blown confrontation
“Later this operation would become a monitoring and peacekeeping force
Many of our troops served in both war and peacetime operations in this country over 14 years
read by Mount Evelyn CFA member Geoff Dawson
“We remember those who still sleep where they were left — amid the holly scrub in the valleys and on the ridges of Gallipoli — on the rocky and terraced hills of Palestine — and in the lovely cemeteries of France,” it reads
“We remember those who lie in unknown resting places in almost every land
and those gallant men whose grave is the unending sea
“We think of those of our women’s services who gave their lives in our own and foreign lands and at sea
“We think of those gallant men who died in Korea
Floral tributes were laid by Mount Evelyn’s football
St John Ambulance and many more from the community
The service was completed by the sound of kookaburras laughing on cue as the dawn began to break
scouts and members of the community led attendees back to the RSL clubrooms for breakfast
Remembrance Day services were held across the region on Saturday 11 November
seeing crowds gather to pay their respects to the fallen and those still serving
Mount Evelyn and Montrose’s war memorials stood in silence to commemorate the soldiers who didn’t return home from battle
Mount Evelyn RSL president said Remembrance Day this year marked the 105th anniversary of the agreement to end World War I
“Today is the anniversary of the cessation of hostilities in World War One
the Allies and Germans agreed to an armistice at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month 1918,” he said
“This day for many years was called Armistice Day as a result
the armistice led to a formal peace agreement ending World War One.” 
But as World War Two rolled around not long after in 1939
it was decided by the Allies at the end of the war to change the day’s name
allied nations agreed to rename Armistice Day Remembrance Day to honour and recognise the Second World War,” Mr Crymble said
many wars and military operations including peacekeeping missions have continued
Some of those conflicts we revisited more than once
we pause and remember all those Australian men and women who have served their great nation and defended our way of life.”
Kevin Van Lieuwen from the Mount Evelyn Christian Reformed Church prayed for peace in this world and for the ongoing suffering experienced by service men and women
“We pray for peace in our hearts and homes
We pray for peace that we so badly need,” he said
“We pray for those left behind and we pray for the care of those who need the support that is given
We thank you so much for the work of the RSL and legacy who support families of service men and women who have been affected by war and conflict.”
As the community came forward to lay floral wreaths and tributes at the base of the cenotaph
piper Iain Townsley let the bagpipes fill the silence
An iconic 1947 W-Class tram has made its final stop in Mount Evelyn
bringing a piece of Melbourne’s rich public transport history home to the Yarra Valley
The green and yellow carriages &#8211; complete with their high wooden steps
cosy brown leather interior and overhead advertisements &#8211; were the workhorse of Melbourne’s tram network for over 60 years
While tram 927 historically rode the city tracks around St Kilda
it has officially come to a rest at its new home at Mount Evelyn Garden Centre
the slice of history took its place at the nursery earlier this month and is set to enjoy retirement as part of a new outdoor eatery that is currently under construction
the tram will remain in its current well-travelled condition and provide eatery seating and a historical experience to visitors
Manager of Mount Evelyn Garden Centre Julie Melbourne said that when owners Barry and Rebecca Humpris saw tenders advertised
the opportunity to bring a rare attraction to their nursery and Mount Evelyn was something they could not pass up
“The purpose was to bring a part of Melbourne to the Yarra Valley,” Ms Melbourne said
&#8220;It will be transformed in coming months to an outdoor eatery catering for all
“It completes the experience for our customers
making it a great destination to visit,” she said
VicTrack opened expressions of interest for retired trams in mid-2018
offering the public the chance to give a new home to over 130 trams that had been retired from the network over the last 30 years and stored away in Newport workshops
with the selection panel giving preference to applicants who could demonstrate their tram would be accessible to the public
benefit the community or promote Melbourne in some way
Member for Eastern Victoria Harriet Shing said the historic tram will provide a unique setting to enjoy a coffee once restored
“This historic W-Class will become a new landmark for locals and visitors at the Mount Evelyn Garden Centre,” Ms Shing said
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It will remain closed for the foreseeable future as it is currently being used as a construction site for the railway line.&nbsp;
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20222 min readMount Evelyn returned to the Eastern Football Netball League in season 2022
finishing second on the ladder in Premier Division
The Mount Evelyn Senior women returned to the Eastern Football Netball League in season 2022
The club’s senior side competed in the highest division
winning nine out of their fourteen matches to finish in second place
They were the only side in 2022 to knock off the eventual Premiers
They also defeated every other team in the top division at least once throughout the season
A second-place finish saw the girls earn themselves the double chance and a Semi-Final match-up against the Eastern Devils
A 55-point loss to the Minor Premiers meant the side had to take on South Croydon in a Preliminary Final for another shot at the Devils
It was an even game for the majority of the afternoon
Two last-quarter goals saw the Bulldogs runaway 22-point winners
the Senior Women Best and Fairest winner and a representative in the EFNL Premier Division Team of the Year
Coming second in the Best and Fairest was the club’s leading goal kicker Isobel Urquhart
Savannah Bowden was one of the club’s most consistent players
not missing a single game for the year while Matilda Kelly finished in the best a total of eight times in 2022
By far the club’s most impressive win for the year
knocking off the undefeated Eastern Devils at home
The win was set up off the back of a dominant first quarter
They were challenged for the rest of the afternoon with the Devils cutting the margin back to ten points at the final change
kicking the sealer in the last quarter for a fourteen-point win
Considering how strong the Devils were throughout the year
this was a giant win for the club and will be something the club can take into next season knowing they can run with the best
One key area the club might want to focus on over the off-season is their forward line
Compared to the other top four sides in Premier Division
Isobel Urquhart was the side’s leading goal scorer with 15 but an extra one or two targets inside 50 would certainly help
the club is one of the best sides in the competition so if they were able to match it at the other end of the ground
they may be a serious premiership contender in season 2023
The Under 18 Girls side had a fantastic year in 2022
The side lost just one game for the Home and Away season and capped off a fantastic season
They’ll be back next season to defend their premiership
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After a bumpy and challenging start to the season
Mount Evelyn’s under 18 girls football team have finished up the year with a grand final win in the Eastern Football Netball League’s (EFNL) premier division
Beginning the season without a league to play in and coping without proper change rooms while they undergo a rebuild
coach Chris Tesoriero said the girls “had some pretty tough times” but were rewarded for their determination with the win
“There&#8217;s been plenty of hardships for us throughout the year but the girls just stuck together and that was the best thing about our team
“Some of our girls have been playing footy since the under 12s
so we&#8217;ve got a pretty close knit team and the fact they stuck together throughout the whole year
that was what I think got us over the line and got us the flag.”
who the Rovers lost their only game to throughout the season
Tesoriero said the game plan was to kick three or four goals in the first quarter
“We got off to a really good start and then Vermont came back at us towards the end,” he said
although we’d done the damage in the first quarter
So we were four goals up and then we won by five goals
“It was a pretty skillful match until the rain came and then it became a bit of a dour defensive game
There weren&#8217;t a lot of goals scored in the second half but the girls
Tesoriero said Mount Evelyn has a strong junior girls program
as well as the senior women’s playing in the EFNL’s premier division
“We&#8217;ve got a constant flow of junior girls coming up through the ranks
We&#8217;ve definitely got more teams than anyone else around the Yarra Valley area
“We&#8217;ve got a lot of good coaches throughout the whole program and there&#8217;s a big light at the end of the tunnel where they can go up and start to play senior footy and don&#8217;t have to go and play elsewhere
So it&#8217;s that continuation right through from under 12s
With some of the senior players starting to take on coaching roles with the junior sides
Tesoriero said “it just goes to show that if you put back into the program
The under 12 girls will be competing in the grand final on Sunday 21 August against Wesburn
the 14s are playing off against Monbulk for a spot in the grand final and although finishing on top of the ladder
Tesoriero said “seven girls are eligible next year to play senior footy” and he hopes they decide to stay on and play
“We just want to keep building and make sure that girls and women have a place in football
in a very supportive senior club and junior club
“It’s starting to show that if you&#8217;ve got a good program and you can build a good program
Final scores Mount Evelyn 7.11-53 to Vermont 3.5-23
Mount Evelyn Football Club has welcomed the reappointment of women’s coach Steve Varley for another three years
bringing stability to the team after a jumbled few years
“The past few years have obviously been pretty disjointed with Covid even though I started coaching the girls back in 2020,” Varley said
“So my commitment is for three years just to show that this isn&#8217;t just a one year thing
it&#8217;s something that we&#8217;re looking to do long term and it&#8217;s going to be ongoing
and that&#8217;s going to be part of our club forever.” 
The club’s aim is to create a strong women’s and girls program that doesn’t separate the two to ensure there is a pathway for female football in Mount Evelyn
there&#8217;s not the funding to be able to pay players so there&#8217;s a lot of loyalty involved still in football with the girls
“What we&#8217;re trying to do is make our own and have homegrown players who love the club and want to stay there and we&#8217;re going to do that by building the program with good coaches all the way through.”
Combining the under 18s with the senior women at training
Varley said each player does every drill the same to create that sense of community and friendship
The least experienced under 18 would do exactly the same as the captain of the senior girls
so that fast tracks them immensely but it also makes them feel part of it
“We want the girls to feel there&#8217;s not that stigma about going into the seniors because they have that sense of comfort and they already know everybody.”
Always encouraging girls and women to try football or get involved in the club
Varley said every level of skill is welcomed
“We want to make sure that if any girl wants to come down and just have a kick or wants to try to make AFLW
we want to be able to facilitate that for them by having the right environment.”
With two female coaches already leading the under 16s and 18s
eventually Varley aims to have a female senior women’s coach
“It wouldn’t be as a token but to have someone who is a genuine football person who understands the game and can pass that knowledge on and we feel we&#8217;ve got a handful of girls almost ready now which is a great position to be in.”
Proud of the success Mount Evelyn has had with its junior and senior women’s program
Varley said since starting the female sides in 2015 the club has seen numerous junior players selected to Eastern Ranges and the seniors have only missed out on finals once
“We know what we do works and we&#8217;re really proud of that
“The junior program has been brilliant right from the start
What we&#8217;re doing now is just making that a conduit between the two and making sure it&#8217;s just the one girls program.”
Preseason training began on Thursday 24 November and will continue each Tuesday and Thursday
with Varley saying the weeks before Christmas would be very focused on ball skills rather than game structure
Mount Evelyn Junior Football Club will also be having two player registration nights on Wednesday 14 and 21 December
To find out more information on the junior club
go to www.mountevelynjfc.com.au or for the senior club