The Sebastopol Community Hub Project will bring enormous benefit to the southern suburbs of Ballarat with construction of an integrated community hub the facility will provide a new home for the Sebastopol Senior Citizens and community groups that used the former Sebastopol Senior Citizens Centre Maternal and Child Health consulting rooms and provide spaces for community groups and organisations to run activities There has been significant visible progress made in April as the community hub starts to spring to life The structural steel frame and roofing works are now complete which is expected to be complete in mid-May the next step will be to begin the external cladding and window glazing works the remainder of the external building works are expected to be completed and works will begin inside the facility Detailed community consultation undertaken with user groups Project Identified as a Priority for Advocacy Project receives bipartisan support at 2022 Federal Election Consultation with stakeholders on Concept Plans Application to Victorian Schools Building Authority Building Blocks Capacity Grant Application to Investing in our Communities program to confirm Federal Government commitment Construction Tender and Evaluation Process 5320 5500 Services and Requests info@ballarat.vic.gov.au City of Ballarat © | Privacy Statement | Website Terms and Conditions The City of Ballarat acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the land we live and work on the Wadawurrung and Dja Dja Wurrung People and recognises their continuing connection to the land and waterways prese​nt and emerging and extend this to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People City of Ballarat Mayor Cr Tracey Hargreaves Federal Member for Ballarat Catherine King and Sebastopol Senior Citizens Club secretary Bev Lovett at the Sebastopol Community Hub construction site A project that will transform Sebastopol and become a vital part of community life has reached a major construction milestone The concrete slab of the Sebastopol Community Hub is about to be poured as significant progress continues to be made towards the community-shaping project It is expected the structural steel framing will be complete in autumn as the designs start to become reality The community hub will provide a vital facility for Sebastopol and surrounding suburbs and has extensive financial support from all three tiers of government The collaborative project is jointly funded by the City of Ballarat (up to $5 million) the Federal Government ($4.5 million) via the Investing in Our Communities program and the State Government ($4.5 million) via the Building Blocks Capacity program The Sebastopol Community Hub will include:   Cr Tracey Hargreaves joined Federal Member for Ballarat Catherine King and Member for Wendouree Juliana Addison for an inspection of the early stages of the works on Friday Significant progress has been made since the previous site tour in June 2024 with the project on track for completion in early 2026 Cr Hargreaves said it was an exciting stage for the project at the corner of Vickers and Beverin streets “We are extremely proud to have both Federal and State support for this project and to see it starting to come to life is incredible,” she said “This is going to be a transformational project for the Sebastopol area that will provide an enormous boost to community life for a wide range of people.” Federal Member for Ballarat Catherine King said the facility would provide a boost for a range of generations “It’s so exciting to see this important project taking shape,” she said “The new Sebastopol Community Hub will be a place of learning and social connection for both kinder kids and senior citizens multi-generational facility and that will serve our community for generations to come.” Member for Wendouree Juliana Addison said the facility would benefit the entire community “By investing $4.5 million into the Sebastopol Community Hub through our Building Blocks Capacity program we are not only creating new kindergarten rooms and places - but contributing funds for a much-needed purpose built space for the whole community,” she said.  The City of Ballarat acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the land we live and work on, the Wadawurrung and Dja Dja Wurrung People, and recognises their continuing connection to the land and waterways. We pay our respects to their Elders past, prese​nt and emerging and extend this to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People. The property was named after Jack Blankenship, the founder of Sonoma County Habitat for Humanity’s ReStore, which sells new and used furniture and construction materials. Blankenship, who died in 2021, grew up in poverty with insecure housing. Known as “Mr. Habitat,” he spent his adult life helping other people in need. Asked for a comment about the development, Mayor Stephen Zollman shared the following: The City takes great pride in its ongoing commitment to supporting our most vulnerable residents—not only within our municipal boundaries, but also in partnership with the County in its broader efforts. With the addition of this new initiative—alongside the efforts of Saint Vincent de Paul and our existing services—we are proud to have the following three supportive housing entities: Elderberry Commons, Gravenstein Commons and Park Village. We look forward to working closely with Burbank’s onsite management, whose responsibilities will include addressing behavioral concerns, to ensure that residents are not only housed, but truly embraced as valued members of our community. As we move forward, we recognize that maintaining a peaceful, respectful, and thriving environment is a collective responsibility. Sebastopol is an inclusive city, and it is our shared duty to support one another in building a community where all individuals have the opportunity to succeed—and to feel a true sense of belonging. You don’t have to be a seasoned cyclist to participate. Start by taking the Pledge to Ride Simply commit to riding your bike on Bike to Work Day or throughout the month for errands and other short trips Those who pledge will be entered into a prize drawing there will be a network of Energizer Stations throughout the county swag bags and endless encouragement as riders make their way to work There will be two Morning Energizer Stations in Sebastopol on Bike to Work Day: one at the entrance to the Joe Rodota Trail on Petaluma Avenue and another at Community Market For more information on Bike Month activities, visit bikesonoma.org/btwd. Looking for something to do this afternoon Melanie DeMore leads Joyful Noise Community Sing today at 4 pmJoyful Noise welcomes back renowned song leader Come ready to be lifted in song and united in community Sebastopol Times is a reader-supported publication The following are crimes excerpted from Sebastopol Police Department daily crime log entries and listed at the time the alleged violation was reported possession of unlawful paraphernalia and controlled substances without a prescription and violation of probation (misdemeanors) at Sebastopol Avenue including defacing property (misdemeanor) at Bodega and Washington avenues Petty theft from a building (misdemeanor) at Gravenstein Highway North Driving while under the influence of alcohol and resisting a peace officer (misdemeanors) at Healdsburg Avenue with two or more prior convictions (felony) at Sebastopol Avenue Sodomy with an intoxicated or drugged victim and giving drugs to aid in a felony (felonies) at Sebastopol Avenue Carrying a switchblade knife and violation of probation (misdemeanors) at Pleasant Hill Avenue North Battery on a spouse or companion and disorderly conduct involving alcohol (misdemeanors) at Petaluma Avenue Motor vehicle theft (felony) at North High Street The Sebastopol Police Department also recorded 163 other events requiring police action during the period At the ribbon cutting for Blankenship Place. (Photo by Stephen Zollman)Habitat for Humanity and friends celebrated the beginning of construction of Blankenship Place, a four-unit townhome development at 333 North Main St., across from Community First Credit Union. It will consist of four 3-bedroom, 2-bath, 1,350 square feet homes, all of which are designated as affordable housing. The property was named after Jack Blankenship, the founder of Sonoma County Habitat for Humanity\u2019s ReStore, which sells new and used furniture and construction materials. Blankenship, who died in 2021, grew up in poverty with insecure housing. Known as \u201CMr. Habitat,\u201D he spent his adult life helping other people in need. The City takes great pride in its ongoing commitment to supporting our most vulnerable residents\u2014not only within our municipal boundaries, but also in partnership with the County in its broader efforts. With the addition of this new initiative\u2014alongside the efforts of Saint Vincent de Paul and our existing services\u2014we are proud to have the following three supportive housing entities: Elderberry Commons, Gravenstein Commons and Park Village. We look forward to working closely with Burbank\u2019s onsite management, whose responsibilities will include addressing behavioral concerns, to ensure that residents are not only housed, but truly embraced as valued members of our community. As we move forward, we recognize that maintaining a peaceful, respectful, and thriving environment is a collective responsibility. Sebastopol is an inclusive city, and it is our shared duty to support one another in building a community where all individuals have the opportunity to succeed\u2014and to feel a true sense of belonging. You don\u2019t have to be a seasoned cyclist to participate. Start by taking the Pledge to Ride For more information on Bike Month activities, visit bikesonoma.org/btwd. How long have you lived in your council/ward?: Have lived a majority of my life in Ballarat Twenty-seven years working with local youth across all Ballarat Schools delivering safety messages and programs Life Member of Ballarat Blue Light Inc and Current Chairperson and Facilitator of the monthly Blue Light Dance event for kids in Sebastopol Chairperson of the Ballarat & District Suicide Awareness Network Championed the roll out of the Live 4 Life Program across a majority of Ballarat Schools that is delivering mental health training to Year 8 and Year 10 students Long history of involvement with the Sebastopol Vikings Soccer Club as player Associated with a political party or movement?: I’m not indicating preferences in line with the VEC Ballot practice Three most important issues in your ward?: Management of Growth… Housing supply and the implications of the state government housing targets as part of Plan Victoria and an expected 48,700 new homes over the next 28 years The provision of social and affordable housing and housing remaining affordable in Ballarat for the next generation of first home buyers… Housing diversity on the type and size of homes constructed and the need for more funding from all tiers of government to better maintain it reviewing the current construction standards to reflect increased traffic volumes size and weight of vehicles using the road network Strong advocacy to state and federal governments for Ballarat’s fair share of infrastructure investment… City of Ballarat Mayor Cr Des Hudson with Member for Wendouree at the new viewing area and shelter in Orion Street Works to upgrade three key connections to improve cycling and pedestrian access from Sebastopol to the Yarrowee Trail have been officially unveiled Juliana Addison MP on behalf of The Honourable Gayle Tierney MP Cr Des Hudson have marked the completion of the Yarrowee River Access project with an official opening at the new viewing area and shelter in Orion Street The City of Ballarat delivered the $1.2 million investment to upgrade connections to the Yarrowee Trail funded as part of the State Government’s $5 million Spotlight on Sebastopol commitment Two additional initiatives being funded as part of the Spotlight on Sebastopol program are also progressing Works have started on the first stage of the 770-metre off-road Hertford Street bike path and are expected to be completed by the end of the year The $946,000 stage one section of the path from the Midland Highway (Albert Street) to Phoenix P-12 Community College along Hertford Street (Glenelg Highway) will provide a safe way for students to access Phoenix P-12 Community College and kindergarten Raised crossings across side streets will allow safer access to schools shops and services for all pedestrians and cyclists Works to deliver the Victoria Albert Streetscape Project have also begun The $974,000 project will deliver landscaping accessibility and beautification of the area from just north of Birdwood Avenue to Ophir Street The upgrade is expected to be completed by the end of the year Cr Des Hudson said the Spotlight on Sebastopol initiatives are working to enhance the area making it an even more inviting place to live “The City of Ballarat is proud to deliver these upgrades and thanks the Victorian Government for their vital investment into Sebastopol’s infrastructure and its future,” he said “The accessibility and beautification upgrades along the 16.5 kilometre Yarrowee Trail will strengthen important connections between between Docwra Street and Gong Gong Reservoir “Connecting Sebastopol with this important natural asset is an excellent opportunity to create living corridors that will enhance residents’ physical and mental wellbeing.” Juliana Addison MP said: “Through the Allan Labor Government’s transformative Spotlight on Sebastopol we are making Sebas an even better place to live.” “The completion of the $1.2 million Yarrowee River Trail delivers three new connections to allow people to gather and connect with nature as well as new pathways “I am pleased to see the progress being made on the Hertford Street Bike Path Our investment of $946,000 for the dual direction bike land and share path this will be of particular benefit to Phoenix students and staff who chose to cycle to school.”   “Through the $5 million Spotlight on Sebastopol projects we are improving amenity whilst maintaining and promoting the unique identity of Sebastopol.” Works on the Yarrowee River Access project started in December 2023 and were completed in July 2024 The City of Ballarat worked with contractor Urban Initiatives which carried out the detailed design works for the three sites The planning phase involved consultation with the Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Corporation and the development of a Cultural Heritage Management Plan File pictureTwo men have been arrested following a fight in Soldiers Hill on Saturday morning in which a Sebastopol man was allegedly stabbed All articles from our website & appThe digital version of Today's PaperBreaking news alerts direct to your inboxInteractive Crosswords Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinuePolice responded to reports of two or three males fighting at a home on Doveton Street North in Soldiers Hill about 7.30am Officers were told a 37-year-old Sebastopol man was allegedly stabbed He was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries Police cordoned off the front of two houses with police tape as they began their investigations into the alleged stabbing A 31-year-old Queensland man and a 24-year-old man from New South Wales were arrested at the scene and are expected to be interviewed by police It is believed the parties are known to one another The investigation into the incident continues Police have called for anyone who witnessed the incident, with dashcam/CCTV footage or information, to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report online at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au Newsletters & AlertsView allDaily Today's top stories curated by our news team Grab a quick bite of today's latest news from around the region and the nation Catch up on the news of the day and unwind with great reading for your evening Get the editor's insights: what's happening & why it matters tips & travel writing to transport you around the globe Your weekday morning newsletter on national affairs Your essential national news digest: all the big issues on Wednesday and great reading every Saturday Let the ACM network's editors and journalists bring you news and views from all over reviews and expert insights every Thursday from CarExpert Your digital replica of Today's Paper Test your skills with interactive crosswords Juliana Addison and Federal Member for Ballarat A major project that will transform the Sebastopol community is making significant progress and will soon start visibly coming to life The tender process for the Sebastopol Community Hub project is underway following the building's demolition in May A builder is expected to be appointed in August with work on the new Vickers Street building to begin after the contract is awarded The project has significant support from three tiers of government Federal Government ($4.5 million via the Investing in Our Communities program) and State Government ($4.5 million via the Building Blocks Capacity program) working in conjunction to deliver the new facility Cr Des Hudson joined Federal Member for Ballarat Catherine King Member for Wendouree Juliana Addison and Sebastopol Senior Citizens Club secretary Bev Lovett for a tour of the site on Friday they stood at the now vacant site of the former building while inspecting the designs for the new community hub the Sebastopol Community Hub will provide a fresh home for user groups of the existing building including the Sebastopol Senior Citizens and the 1st Sebastopol Guides For more information on the project and to view more designs of the building, visit the project page on the City of Ballarat website Quote attributable to City of Ballarat Mayor “It’s exciting to be standing on the site of the future Sebastopol Community Hub and I can’t wait for the project to start to come to life “This is a vital project for Sebastopol that will benefit so many different cohorts of our community.” Quote attributable to Federal Member for Ballarat The Sebastopol Community Hub is really progressing now that demolition is complete and the tender process for a builder is underway “It’s fantastic to see all three levels of government working together to deliver the best result for the Sebastopol Community.” Quote attributable to Member for Wendouree “I am proud that the new Sebastopol Community Hub will bring together our earliest learners with our senior citizens “It will be a truly inter-generational community space that will transform Sebastopol now and into the future.” Quote attributable to Sebastopol Senior Citizens Club Secretary “The Sebastopol Senior Citizens are eagerly looking forward to the new Community Hub which will benefit everyone in the Sebastopol community providing a place to recognise the values of our older generation and a sense of belonging.” Picture by Greg GliddonIt's a new-look Melton Bloods A grade side in 2024 and the game plan started to click on Saturday when they proved too strong for Sebastopol Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueAfter a couple of narrow losses including a heartbreaker a fortnight ago to Lake Wendouree the Bloods made sure there was no chance of the opposition getting the better of it late as raced away to a convincing win who took the reigns of the team for the first time on Saturday but she saw plenty of room for improvement as well it was actually my first week back coaching with the girls so it was nice to get some of the girls back who haven't been available in the first few weeks of the season," she said "I think from some of the girls having a history of playing together So it's nice to know when you're enjoying yourself together "There's only the one girl from last season At the moment we're working on gelling together it's not something we've mastered just yet but friendships are helping in that department "I think the improvement will come from getting some stability in our team I noticed today we had lots of options in moving the positions around which was great Lily Francis of Redan looks for a passing option against East Point Picture by Lachlan Bence"I think as we get the girls get back regularly playing and we will only get better from there." The big match of the round saw Sunbury affirm their premiership favouritism with a convincing win over North Ballarat It was an attacking masterclass from the Lions who slammed home 72 goals against one of the strongest defences in the competition Rebecca Hicks continued her brilliant start to the year with 63 goals at 92 per cent on the day as Sunbury recorded a 22-goal win It was Sunbury's mid-court pressure that proved the difference North Ballarat's shooters shot as well as the Lions but put up far fewer shots as Sunbury won the turnover game Sunbury's win was only one goal different to it's result in the opening game against Darley showing they right now seem about a 20-goal better side than their nearest rivals Darley ended Bacchus Marsh's winning streak with a hard-fought six goal win Olivia Cawthray's first quarter was one out of the box shooting 14 goals as Darley took a seven-goal lead into the first change the game was fairly even with Darley able to maintain the lead throughout A 12-7 last quarter propelled Redan to its first win of the year over East Point Scores were locked together at the last change but Redan finished the stronger of the two for a 42-37 win Friday's Anzac night match between Lake Wendouree and Ballarat saw the Lakers prove too strong Today's top stories curated by our news team. Grab a quick bite of today's latest news from around the region and the nation. Catch up on the news of the day and unwind with great reading for your evening. Get the editor's insights: what's happening & why it matters. Going out or staying in? Find out what's on. Love footy? We've got all the action covered. The latest news, results & expert analysis. Every Saturday and Tuesday, explore destinations deals, tips & travel writing to transport you around the globe. Sharp. Close to the ground. Digging deep. Your weekday morning newsletter on national affairs, politics and more. Your essential national news digest: all the big issues on Wednesday and great reading every Saturday. Get real, Australia! Let the ACM network's editors and journalists bring you news and views from all over. Get news, reviews and expert insights every Thursday from CarExpert, ACM's exclusive motoring partner. Your digital replica of Today's Paper. Ready to read from 5am! Test your skills with interactive crosswords, sudoku & trivia. Fresh daily! Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinuePolice spotted the allegedly stolen vehicle driving erratically on Sturt Street at about 10am The car sped off and was later seen along Power Court in Sebastopol The stolen car then allegedly drove onto a residential driveway before crashing through the resident's carport Nearby Phoenix College was placed into a precautionary lockdown with parents receiving notification through the school's internal messaging system The male driver dumped the car and fled the scene on foot also allegedly fled and was arrested a short time later on Beverin Street The 20-year-old Smythesdale woman was charged with theft of a motor vehicle Phoenix College had to lockdown after a police chase in Sebastopol File pictureShe was released pending summons Police are still trying to locate the male driver A Department of Education spokesperson said staff and students at the school were safe and well "Police advised the school to enact its student safety protocols as a result of an incident near the school today," the spokesperson said "Students and staff remained in their classrooms as a precaution until the incident had been resolved safety and wellbeing of students is a top priority and wellbeing support is available for any student who may need it." 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 Picture by Greg GliddonA narrow defeat is one thing but when it happens after losing arguably your best player Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueBut Sebastopol coach Tony Lockyer was still putting on a brave face after Saturday's 10.8 (68) to 11.18 (84) loss to Melton despite him having to race off for scans on what looks certain to be a broken arm Lockyer's departure from the game in the first half could have been the death knell for the Burra after looking all at sea for a quarter-and-a-half and all but for a little bit of luck in the last quarter The Burra was charging home on the breeze and had kicked the first two goals of the quarter when another looked to have gone through which would have reduced Melton's lead to 11 points it was barely a coat of varnish that ultimately changed the course of the contest that Sebastopol players had every right to start celebrating it was a behind and the Bloods raced the ball down the other end of the ground to goal taking the lead out beyond 20 points again The ability that the Burra has had to finish off games all season has been their hallmark reducing the lead to nine points deep into the last quarter kicking the final goal of the game to win by 16 points The Bloods can thank the likes of Ryan Carter who went down back in the last quarter and a tireless game from Jaycob Hickey for getting them over the line This game last season was memorable for all the wrong reasons for the Burra with the Bloods inflicting the club's worst defeat of the season This time Sebastopol can hold its head high and should be singing the song in the next couple of weeks all going to plan Lockyer said he had got his arm caught in a contest but we'll go get scans now and see," he said "I thought the ball hitting the post was a bit of a turning point we should take a bit of confidence from that Melton are the yardstick of the competition and we were in a position to win the game in the end Joel Van Meel of East Point and Rudie Forde had a great duel in the ruck Picture by Lachlan Bence"Unfortunately we still are 0-3 but we've had some really good performances against East Point and now Melton shows we can match it." Lockyer said he felt early his team had been a little gun shy to take the game on "We didn't commit to our method early enough," he said maybe a memory of what happened last year and we probably went into our shells a little bit "Its understandable coming up against Melton for the boys to be a little bit conservative We've taken some big steps forward but unfortunately it hasn't acquainted to premiership points yet It was hard to get a smile out of any of the Bloods players after the game but coach Troy Scoble was incredibly positive about the game "The boys hold themselves to really high standards and really high account and we felt today our first quarter-and-a-half but we had a send off and it probably changed the momentum of the game we gave up a number of goals from free kicks Early in the game it probably mirrored that game last year "We are just really proud to come away with a win in the end Jake Egan was best afield for Sunbury in the win over North Ballarat File pictureEast Point overcame the fright of its life early to pull away from Redan eventually prevailing 16.9 (105) to 8.13 (61) Redan had the first four goals on the board and 12 of the first 13 scoring shots it powered away with arguably the best second half it has produced this season East Point coach Joe Carmody said his side had wilted early under sustained pressure from Redan but he was pleased with the way they fought back their intensity around the ball was rally good I think it was 19 inside 50s to six at quarter time we couldn't get it out of our back half," he said "Then when we started to win in the midfield we were able to start playing our way." Matt Johnston was moved forward after copping a knock to his knee He would boot five goals showing his versatility up forward But the win looks to have come at a cost with the in-form Paddy Hannaford dislocating his shoulder and is set to miss the rest of the season and Max Wilson is feared to have torn his ACL and will be scanned this week A 10-goal-to-nil opening half set Sunbury up for a big win over North Ballarat The lions eventually slowing down winning 14.9 (93) to 6.9 (45) Sunbury coach Matt White said he couldn't have been happier with the way his side attacked the contest early "To keep them goalless for a half of footy and kick 10 on the trot was outstanding Brett Bewley was back to his best in Darley's win over Bacchus Marsh Picture by Lachlan Bence"Jake Egan was brilliant in the first half My favourite thing to come out of the game was Sean Reilly just got back to what I think is him as the best full back in the league he controlled everything which was fantastic." Darley pulled away late to secure a solid win over Bacchus Marsh in their derby match-up The Devils got away in the third quarter with a six-goal-to-two blast to open up the match-winning lead Brett Bewley was back to his scintillating best knocking up getting the ball and finishing it off on the scoreboard with two goals Luther Baker also patrolled the midfield will Will Johnson was big all day up forward finishing with four goals The one downer for Darley was the early loss of Leigh Spiteri who was taken to hospital with broken ribs after a big collision in the first quarter Juliana Addison with kinder student Ameli under the new covered area at the Sebastopol South Kindergarten A kindergarten facility in Sebastopol has undergone a much-needed facelift The Sebastopol South Kindergarten Refurbishment project was officially unveiled on Thursday Juliana Addison MP joining City of Ballarat Mayor Cr Des Hudson and Eureka Community Kindergarten Association CEO The project was funded with $500,000 from the State Government via its Building Blocks Early Childhood Refurbishment and Minor Works Program with the City of Ballarat contributing a further $62,973 The refurbishment of the Spencer Street kindergarten has delivered a fit-for-purpose and inclusive facility for 44 children per day in both three and four-year-old kindergarten The works include the addition of a large outdoor covered area to provide an improved indoor and outdoor learning experience and extending the children's amenity areas into the existing verandah to include changing tables The works also increased the internal storage space improved the overall functionality of the facility with the addition of new adult and child height wash basins within the kindergarten rooms and an upgrade to the heating and cooling system landscape and facade treatments have significantly improved the appearance of the building Cr Des Hudson said the refurbished facilities aligned with the priorities outlined in the City of Ballarat’s Municipal Early Years Plan 2022–2026 “It is vital we ensure that children at our centres have access to quality early learning kindergarten and schooling that meets their needs,” he said “We are thankful for the State Government for their substantial investment in this project are very proud to help deliver it for the families of Sebastopol.” Juliana Addison MP said the refurbishment was a wonderful outcome for the community “Our littlest learners at the Sebastopol South Kinder deserve a bright beautiful and safe learning environment,” she said “By modernising and expanding this kindergarten Best Life reform and ensuring all children gain the academic and social benefits of kinder.” The kindergarten refurbishment is the latest in a series of Sebastopol projects recently completed in collaboration with the State Government and City of Ballarat including the Sebastopol Library Small Spaces Community Garden the Urban Forest Update and completion of MR Power Park Upgrades Other collaborative projects that are currently under way include the implementation of projects within Marty Busch Reserve Master Plan and the construction of the Sebastopol Community Hub which is also in conjunction with the Federal Government The are also projects currently being rolled out as part of the State Government’s $5 million Spotlight on Sebastopol program The Sebastopol South Kindergarten Refurbishment project as well as the joint-projects mentioned above are examples of the City of Ballarat’s commitment to delivering a better Ballarat.  Picture by Lachlan BenceLaura Luus from South Africa visited 188 Albert Street twice last week peeking through the windows at the new International Grocery Store in Sebastopol Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueShe has been a loyal customer of the Geelong shop owners for more than a decade and has been nagging them to expand their storefronts to Ballarat "I just want to see how they go because I really would like them to be successful," she said You leave it all behind when you get on that airplane you only have 30 kilograms to bring and pack your whole life up "You get so excited when you see something that reminds you of your roots and where you are initially from." and offers about 1500 products from countries including the Middle East Shop owner Parmjit Kaur has operated a store in Geelong for 15 years she said many customers from Ballarat had encouraged them to open a Ballarat branch It explains why they decided to rent the old Sebastopol post office in just one week 'You come here so that we can travel less'," Ms Kaur said "We had young kids so we couldn't do it before One of those eager customers is Ms Luus and her partner Rodene Brits who have frequented Ms Kaur's Geelong store for over a decade Ms Luus has lived in several different cities across Australia she moved from Geelong to Ballarat for a job with the Australian Red Cross Livelihoods Laura Luus migrated from South Africa to Australia in 2003 Picture supplied"Even when we were travelling from Ballarat we would make an effort to go to [the International Grocery Store] in Geelong," Ms Luus said "We kept on nagging them to open a shop here in Ballarat because there are a lot of South Africans around." The 2021 census data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics showed Ballarat residents speak 111 different languages at home Ballarat celebrates the city's cultural diversity with Harmony Fest 2025, running from March 14 to 27 and featuring more than 20 events Ms Luus said her favourite item from the shop was Zoo Biscuits from her native South Africa "It is one thing I can share with them from my childhood," she said you don't have the opportunity to show them the house where their mother was born but you can share a biscuit from years gone by." Qiyun (Gwen) Liu is a bilingual journalist in English and Chinese with The Courier. For story tips on Ballarat : gwen.liu@austcommunitymedia.com.au. Picture by Lachlan BenceA driver has crashed into a wall at a Sebastopol fast-food outlet Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueEmergency crews were called to the KFC on Albert Street about 12.20pm on Wednesday Picture by Lachlan BenceA blue sedan appeared to have hit a wall A witness who was inside the building at the time said even with his headphones in He said there were glass shards that came through A firefighter at the scene said the driver appeared to be distracted when the crash happened - he urged drivers to stay off their phones while driving Picture by Lachlan BenceIt's understood there were no injuries though the exact circumstances are not yet known The drive-through appears to still be open Picture by Lachlan Bence Construction has started on the next drive-through venue in Sebastopol Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueMexican takeaway chain Guzman y Gomez have been planning a new location in Sebastopol for more than a year Applications to build the drive-through near the Sebastopol Coles on 222 Albert Street were sent to the City of Ballarat council in March 2023. In the meantime the brand, known as GyG, started construction on a Wendouree location outside Stockland. with long lines snaking around the car park The GyG team anticipate the Sebastopol location will be ready in early 2025 Separate planning applications for a petrol station and more drive-through food options at 12 Albert Street are still pending Plans were submitted on June 30, 2023, and at the time included a petrol station indoor dining and drive-through spots for fast-food brands Oporto and Taco Bell Planning documents dubbed the development "Times Square" The petrol station could also have a drive-through and there were two food spaces and three retail spaces that had yet to be filled The council is still assessing the application Need more news from The Courier? Follow our WhatsApp channel for the latest stories, or download our app for the fastest access to our news, Today's Paper and puzzles. Nieve is The Courier's political reporter. She covers council, state and federal politics. Something bothering you in the community or want to see change? Send an email at nieve.walton@thecourier.com.au Picture by Lachlan BenceA service station sign was set on fire in Sebastopol just after 2am Friday with emergency crews arriving to find it "fully involved" Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueA CFA spokesperson said the 4m by 2m sign was destroyed and specialist fire investigators were called in A stolen ute was set on fire in Miners Rest on Friday Picture by Lachlan BencePolice said the fire is being treated as suspicious with detectives from the Ballarat Crime Investigation unit involved a stolen Ford ute was set on fire on Dowling Road in Miners Rest Police said the vehicle had been stolen from a Maryborough address earlier in September "The investigation remains ongoing," they said Anyone who witnessed either incident, or who may have CCTV or dashcam footage, is urged to phone Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report online at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au Need more news from The Courier? Check out our WhatsApp channel for stories as they go online, and download our app for breaking news alerts - and daily puzzles Picture by Lachlan Bence.Sebastopol has added an established young key defender for its 2025 Ballarat Football Netball League campaign Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueRhys Perry is making the move from Ballarat Swans who played his early junior football with Sebastopol before continuing at Mt Clear Rhys Perry is returning to Sebastopol where he played as a young junior Picture Lachlan Bence.The 21-year-old made his senior debut in 2022 and leaves the Swans with 50 senior appearances "We love getting Sebastopol people back involved in the club and he's a quality person," Sebastopol senior coach Tony Lockyer said He said Perry had developed a good reputation as a key defender who is also returning to Sebastopol after playing in Horsham this year Burra star is set to return home with the club confirming the return of Hugo Papst who has rejoined Sebastopol after a year in Horsham Papst is a two-time grand final team member at the Burra and is coming into the prime of his career he has been training with Sebastopol in the past year but had chosen to play a season closer to family in Horsham But he is now set to return to play with Sebastopol as the club looks to quickly build from what was ultimately a disappointing season 2024 where it missed the finals Hugo Papst has returned to Sebastopol for the 2025 season Picture by Lachlan Bence"He's a terrific player and a great person," coach Tony Lockyer said "He came across to us in 2018 or 2019 and he's been with us in the time that I've been there "He's developed from a kid back then to a really really high-quality senior player He left last year purely to spend some time with family in Horsham "And he's so excited now to come back and we're excited to have him." Lockyer said Papst had developed into a key utility who the club will look to use in a number of positions next season "He developed up here as a backman but towards the back end of his career up here He kicked 29 goals in the last year with us as a swingman playing forward and back a good marking playing and is fast at ground level too so we're really excited to have him back." Papst is the second big name recruit for Sebastopol in the off-season with the club having also secured mature-age recruit Gedd Hommelhoff to add to the mix Lockyer said the club was keen to continue down the path of promoting youngsters but was thrilled to be able to add some mature-age players to the list as it looks to return to finals next season The father of Lachlan Young has been jailed for six months after a "frightening attack" on a Sebastopol woman he believed had stolen his dog Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueThe incident occurred at a Sebastopol home on the afternoon of October 8 when a woman had returned home and parked her car in the garage the Victorian County Court heard that Anthony Young began banging on the woman's garage door once she was inside The dog had run into the woman's garage as she parked her car and was stuck inside behind the garage's remote roller door the woman called her brother and the police Anthony Young could be heard in the background of the call threatening to "f***ing run through the place" The court heard Anthony and Lachlan Young then pushed over a fence at the home and broke into the garage by damaging the roller door The dog left the garage as the pair then took their anger out on the woman's car Anthony Young grabbed a nine-litre gas bottle from an outdoor heater in the garage and threw it at the woman's car The court was told the pair began hitting and kicking the woman's car Her car then collided with Anthony Young's Nissan Navara which was parked in front of the garage door the woman told the pair multiple times she did not have the family's dog and did not know what they were talking about Police arrived at the home at about 9pm and had to physically separate Anthony Young from the home When Anthony Young began to confront a man at the property police used a taser and OC foam to arrest him for disturbing the police He was taken to the Ballarat police station where he admitted to parts of the offending in an interview Judge Trevor Wraight called the attack "reprehensible" especially as it continued after the dog had left the garage "In this instance the conduct you engaged in together with your co-offender.. can only be described as extremely serious and entirely unjustified," Judge Wraight said "It is unexplainable that your son formed the view that she had somehow taken the dog "What is most concerning is that when you and your son both entered the garage via the external door the dog ran out with your knowledge and you still continued "Your conduct was reprehensible and frightening and it was entirely unjustified." Anthony Young's lawyer Adrian Paull told the court his client had claustrophobia and PTSD which would make his time in prison more onerous Judge Wraight said his client had no criminal history prior to the attack and had good prospects of rehabilitation He was sentenced to six months imprisonment in combination with a two-year community corrections order Lachlan Young has yet to enter a plea to the offending practice ketamine-assisted therapy in Sebastopol (Photo by Laura Hagar Rush)Liminal Medicine is Sebastopol’s only ketamine-assisted therapy practice In every treatment room and even in the hallway the walls are decorated with dandelion seeds drifting away in the wind or birds taking flight It’s a not-so-subliminal suggestion to patients to not attempt to control the psychedelic experience they’re about to have Tamar-Mattis is a board-certified family medicine physician She spent most of her career treating underserved populations such as the homeless in community health centers and Native Americans through the Indian Health Service It was her work with these groups—seeing the extent of mental illness and the relative ineffectiveness of standard treatments—that led her to embrace alternative methodologies like ketamine she did the California Institute of Integral Studies’ certification program in Psychedelic-Assisted Therapies & Research Several of the therapists in the practice went through the same nine-month program Tamar-Mattis requires all of her therapists to have training in ketamine-assisted therapy and to have taken ketamine themselves so they can understand what the patient is experiencing the Integral Studies program covers the use of MDMA and psilocybin that’s the only one Tamar-Mattis said she uses in her practice It was approved for use in the United States in 1970 and since then has been regularly used in veterinary medicine (ergo its street reputation as a horse tranquilizer) and in wartime medicine “Ketamine is widely used as a battlefield anesthetic “People protect their airways on ketamine so you don’t have to intubate…It’s been widely used as anesthetic in ERs and on the battlefield—and they started noticing that some people that had had ketamine as an anesthetic were not depressed anymore.” The use of psychedelics to treat mental illness was pushed underground during the War on Drugs It has only become “respectable” again in the last few years “I’d like to acknowledge our debt and gratitude to the indigenous peoples and cultures who’ve used psychedelic medicines for eons and have brought this information forward to us to use at this point in time We also acknowledge our debt and gratitude to the work of underground therapists who’ve also been doing this work since the ’60s and at great personal risk and who have been able to bring this work forward.” As interest in psychedelics as medicine has grown over the years ketamine clinics have proliferated in more psychologically adventurous parts of the country The Sebastopol practice that is now Liminal Medicine was first founded as Evolve Mind Wellness by psychiatrist Dr Tamar-Mattis worked at Evolve Mind Wellness she and Anne started Liminal Medicine in the same spot the clinic has four other employees: three psychotherapists and a part-time nurse psychotherapy is an integral part of the process There are four treatment rooms and when they’re all full of patients She checks on the patients’ medical status while the clinic’s psychotherapists keep the patients company while they’re tripping They take notes on anything the patient says or does and then helps them explore and discuss what they experienced while under the influence of ketamine “My job at the office is to get people the right amount of high,” Dr You’re not going to be able to bring it back So you need to be deep enough in that you’re able to have that psychedelic experience and yet be able to remember it and bring it back to work on it.” You can’t just walk in off the street and go tripping “There are three visits before you get ketamine,” Dr “The first visit is a medical intake with me The second visit is a psychological intake with a therapist and the next one is the prep session where the therapist you’re going to be working with will talk about how the medicine is going to go and just getting people ready for that And then there’s the first medicine visit—and that’s two-and-a-half hours.” The treatment rooms look more like therapists’ offices than doctors’ offices Medical equipment is kept discreetly out of view rather elegant recliners and wear a soft eye mask to encourage them to focus on their inner experience One of the practice’s psychotherapists stays with them throughout the entire experience Tamar-Mattis delivers the ketamine via intramuscular injection She checks in with the patients throughout the experience to make sure they’ve achieved “the right amount of high.” How much of that two-and-a-half-hour appointment is spent in a ketamine state and how much is spent talking about it “It really depends on the client,” said Moksha Donahue one of the psychotherapists who works at Liminal Medicine Donahue is also a graduate of the California Institute of Integral Studies’ Psychedelic-Assisted Therapies & Research program “Some people are so out there in the medicine that they’re not able to really respond or talk during that,” she said they’re under the medicine for a good hour and 15 minutes and then we’re helping them find their feet remember the imagery and the feelings they felt remember the things they saw and I’m recording that down.” Sometimes if patients seem frightened or agitated during the ketamine experience This treatment isn’t cheap. According to their website, the three initial intake visits are $875, and every ketamine visit is $950. “Most people do about four to six weeks of treatment, so that’s going to run about $5,000 to $8,000,” said Anne Tamar-Mattis, who runs the business side of the practice. (They sometimes offer special packages so check their website.) Anne also noted that they do group ketamine therapy ketamine therapy is meant to be a short-term treatment—weeks instead of months or years and clients may need to come back for another treatment Donahue said that ketamine can work as a kind of shortcut in psychotherapy “Ketamine offers quicker access to the psyche the undefended part of you that is actually working behind the scenes at all times That’s the part of you that is pulling for something or pushing away from something,” she said “And I think the ketamine really offers you a metaphorical glimpse into your psyche like your psyche is kicking up all these metaphors to help you kind of see what your dilemmas are on a different level.” but Donahue said that clients’ interpretations of the metaphors in their ketamine experience are purely individual There’s no interpretive guide to what the symbols or metaphors mean (unless you’re a Jungian—but that’s a whole other article) Tamar-Mattis says that ketamine has been successful in treating depression Tamar-Mattis and Donahue said it was particularly effective for people who suffer from suicidal ideation Their patients range in age from teens to seniors especially for people who suffer from motion sickness people have extremely intense experiences under ketamine—that happens about once every three months or so There are contraindications for ketamine treatment: While ketamine can be used for bipolar disorder it is not advised during an active manic state Donahue said that some personality disorders are resistant to ketamine “So people who are very stuck in a story of being sick and really blame a lot of people don’t typically do well with psychedelics,” she said “The important thing to know about psychedelics for treating any of these conditions is it’s not just the medicine; it’s the medicine and the therapy together,” Dr She is frustrated with the standard medical/pharmaceutical approach of “‘You get a pill and you just don’t talk to us anymore,’ and that’s it She also finds mainstream medicine’s distrust of anything psychedelic or mystical counterproductive “There are scientists trying to invent drugs like this that will not give you a trip,” she said “There’s a pharmaceutical company right now that is about to start human trials with an LSD analog that’s supposed to not get you high but that should help with depression But people have really profound insights sometimes during the psychedelic part…The research shows that if you get into that psychedelic effect And so we tend to dose up into that psychedelic effect and we feel like that’s not just a good side effect but that’s part of the healing experience.” Learn more at liminal-med.com. Sebastopol Times is a reader-supported publication. To support our work, consider becoming a paid subscriber. ReplyShare1 reply1 more comment...TopLatestDiscussionsNo posts Liminal Medicine\u2019s Moksha Donahue (Photo by Laura Hagar Rush)Liminal Medicine is Sebastopol\u2019s only ketamine-assisted therapy practice It\u2019s a not-so-subliminal suggestion to patients to not attempt to control the psychedelic experience they\u2019re about to have \u201CIt\u2019s the idea of letting go,\u201D said Dr It was her work with these groups\u2014seeing the extent of mental illness and the relative ineffectiveness of standard treatments\u2014that led her to embrace alternative methodologies like ketamine she did the California Institute of Integral Studies\u2019 certification program in Psychedelic-Assisted Therapies & Research that\u2019s the only one Tamar-Mattis said she uses in her practice \u201CKetamine is widely used as a battlefield anesthetic \u201CPeople protect their airways on ketamine so you don\u2019t have to intubate\u2026It\u2019s been widely used as anesthetic in ERs and on the battlefield\u2014and they started noticing that some people that had had ketamine as an anesthetic were not depressed anymore.\u201D It has only become \u201Crespectable\u201D again in the last few years \u201CI\u2019d like to acknowledge our debt and gratitude to the indigenous peoples and cultures who\u2019ve used psychedelic medicines for eons and have brought this information forward to us to use at this point in time who\u2019ve also been doing this work since the \u201960s and at great personal risk and who have been able to bring this work forward.\u201D There are four treatment rooms and when they\u2019re all full of patients She checks on the patients\u2019 medical status while the clinic\u2019s psychotherapists keep the patients company while they\u2019re tripping \u201CMy job at the office is to get people the right amount of high,\u201D Dr and you\u2019re not going to remember anything You\u2019re not going to be able to bring it back So you need to be deep enough in that you\u2019re able to have that psychedelic experience and yet be able to remember it and bring it back to work on it.\u201D You can\u2019t just walk in off the street and go tripping \u201CThere are three visits before you get ketamine,\u201D Dr \u201CThe first visit is a medical intake with me and the next one is the prep session where the therapist you\u2019re going to be working with will talk about how the medicine is going to go and just getting people ready for that And then there\u2019s the first medicine visit\u2014and that\u2019s two-and-a-half hours.\u201D The treatment rooms look more like therapists\u2019 offices than doctors\u2019 offices One of the practice\u2019s psychotherapists stays with them throughout the entire experience She checks in with the patients throughout the experience to make sure they\u2019ve achieved \u201Cthe right amount of high.\u201D \u201CIt really depends on the client,\u201D said Moksha Donahue Donahue is also a graduate of the California Institute of Integral Studies\u2019 Psychedelic-Assisted Therapies & Research program \u201CSome people are so out there in the medicine that they\u2019re not able to really respond or talk during that,\u201D she said they\u2019re under the medicine for a good hour and 15 minutes and then we\u2019re helping them find their feet remember the things they saw and I\u2019m recording that down.\u201D Sometimes This treatment isn\u2019t cheap. According to their website, the three initial intake visits are $875, and every ketamine visit is $950. \u201CMost people do about four to six weeks of treatment, so that\u2019s going to run about $5,000 to $8,000,\u201D said Anne Tamar-Mattis, who runs the business side of the practice. (They sometimes offer special packages so check their website.) ketamine therapy is meant to be a short-term treatment\u2014weeks instead of months or years \u201CKetamine offers quicker access to the psyche That\u2019s the part of you that is pulling for something or pushing away from something,\u201D she said \u201CAnd I think the ketamine really offers you a metaphorical glimpse into your psyche like your psyche is kicking up all these metaphors to help you kind of see what your dilemmas are on a different level.\u201D but Donahue said that clients\u2019 interpretations of the metaphors in their ketamine experience are purely individual There\u2019s no interpretive guide to what the symbols or metaphors mean (unless you\u2019re a Jungian\u2014but that\u2019s a whole other article) people have extremely intense experiences under ketamine\u2014that happens about once every three months or so \u201CSo people who are very stuck in a story of being sick and really blame a lot of people don\u2019t typically do well with psychedelics,\u201D she said \u201CThe important thing to know about psychedelics for treating any of these conditions is it\u2019s not just the medicine; it\u2019s the medicine and the therapy together,\u201D Dr She is frustrated with the standard medical/pharmaceutical approach of \u201C\u2018You get a pill and you just don\u2019t talk to us anymore,\u2019 and that\u2019s it This is not that type of medication.\u201D She also finds mainstream medicine\u2019s distrust of anything psychedelic or mystical counterproductive \u201CThere are scientists trying to invent drugs like this that will not give you a trip,\u201D she said \u201CThere\u2019s a pharmaceutical company right now that is about to start human trials with an LSD analog that\u2019s supposed to not get you high but that should help with depression But people have really profound insights sometimes during the psychedelic part\u2026The research shows that if you get into that psychedelic effect and we feel like that\u2019s not just a good side effect but that\u2019s part of the healing experience.\u201D Learn more at liminal-med.com. Picture contributedPolice are appealing for witnesses after the Sebastopol Vikings clubrooms were set on fire on Sunday evening Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueAccording to the official Ballarat Police Eyewatch Facebook page fire crews were called to the scene on Beverin Street just before 5pm on Sunday attended the clubrooms and set two bins on fire - the fire quickly spread to the roof of the building Club president Dan Hollingworth said the fire which mainly affected the referee changerooms "It's caused some damage to the verandah and got into the roofline "It's not the first time - four or five times last year people have tried to break in through the fire doors and there's constant graffiti and damage to signage around the ground we've had bins stolen and set on fire in the carpark as well." While the fire shouldn't affect the club's training or events as there was no damage to the main clubrooms I don't think we're the only club with vandalism causing issues," he said Anyone with information is urged to phone Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 $245.00 donatedin the past month If you'd like to help with maintaining or developing the website, contact us Publish your stories and upcoming events on Indybay. The 79th Apple Blossom Festival got off to damp start on Saturday, but by Sunday it was cloudy and warm and folks were happy to chill out to bands playing music from the sixties, stroll among the vendor booths, and eat the kind of festival food you can’t find anywhere else. ReplyShareTopLatestDiscussionsNo posts The 79th Apple Blossom Festival got off to damp start on Saturday, but by Sunday it was cloudy and warm and folks were happy to chill out to bands playing music from the sixties, stroll among the vendor booths, and eat the kind of festival food you can\u2019t find anywhere else. Sebastopol after a woman left the scene of a crash on Monday Picture by Adam SpencerPolice are searching for a woman who left a trail of destruction in a Sebastopol street after she drove onto a footpath and crashed into a number of parked cars before leaving the scene Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueThe woman was driving a metallic Ford sedan and crashed into three parked cars on Spencer Street near the intersection of Hertford Street about 8.15am on Monday "Officers have been told she drove up on the footpath before crashing into a parked white Holden sedan," a Victoria Police spokesperson said "The Ford then subsequently pushed into a Toyota roadwork utility before continuing to collide with another Isuzu roadwork vehicle "Witnesses went to help the female however she got out of her vehicle and was last seen walking south on Spencer Street." The intersection of Spencer and Hertford streets is closed while roadworks and footpath works are completed Police said the driver of a Ford sedan walked away from the scene and was last seen walking south along Spencer Street Picture by Adam SpencerOfficers from the Ballarat Highway Patrol are urging anyone who may have witnessed the Ford sedan in the Sebastopol area earlier in the morning to contact Ballarat West Police Station on 5338 9200 Anyone with information or dashcam/CCTV footage is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. A confidential report can also be submitted online at crimestoppersvic.com.au Site visit: Sebastopol Senior Citizens president Val Rosser and secretary Bev Lovett (right), with City of Ballarat mayor Cr Tracey Hargreaves, Member for Ballarat Catherine King and Member for Wendouree Juliana Addison. Photo: EDWINA WILLIAMS WORKS to construct the new Sebastopol Community Hub at the corner of Vickers and Beverin streets are on track. Members of local, State and Federal governments, and the Sebastopol Senior Citizens group were on site for a progress update last week. The intergenerational facility will have three 22-place kindergarten rooms and play spaces, three meeting areas, a 150-person hall, maternal child health consulting rooms, a community kitchen, and on-site carparking. The slab is expected to be poured within the next week, and framing is expected in April or May. “I’d like to thank the Federal and State governments, the local government for the money that’s been put in to build this amazing facility … and thank you to the builders,” said Sebastopol Senior Citizens secretary Bev Lovett, who has been a key advocate for the site’s redevelopment for many years. “We’ve been watching with lots of interest, and we’re getting asked every week how it’s going and when the slab will be laid.” The City of Ballarat has contributed up to $5 million, the Federal Government has chipped in $4.5 million through the Investing in Our Communities program, and the State Government has allocated $4.5 million via the Building Blocks Capacity program. Federal Member for Ballarat Catherine King, Member for Wendouree Juliana Addison and City of Ballarat mayor Cr Tracey Hargreaves were at the site visit. “It’s so exciting to see this important project taking shape,” Ms King said. “The new Sebastopol Community Hub will be a place of learning and social connection for both kinder kids and senior citizens. “It will be a special, multi-generational facility that will serve our community for generations to come.” Ms Addison said the opportunities for intergenerational socialising will be exciting. “By investing $4.5 million into the Sebastopol Community Hub through our Building Blocks Capacity program, we are not only creating new kindergarten rooms and places but contributing funds for a much-needed purpose built space for the whole community,” she said. Picture by Lachlan BenceAfter a year playing back in his home town of Horsham Hugo Papst is back in his other home at Sebastopol ready to help lift the Burra up the ladder and back to the finals Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueAt 26 Papst is heading into his prime as a footballer and is determined to put his best foot forward this season with the club that he has mostly called home in his career to date "Last year I had a couple of family things back in Horsham so I decided to spend a bit more time back there for the season," he said "I spent the year at the Horsham Demons for the year but I got a new opportunity at the my school doing PE and I didn't really want to be travelling back and forward along the highway all the time living in Ballarat and travelling to Horsham so I was keen to return to Sebastopol," he said "Another big factor was Tony's (Lockyer) coaching as well I first moved to Sebastopol in 2019 and we played together there it's connected with the footballers and netballers Papst is teaching at St Columba's Primary School and he is well aware of the young football and netball talent going around "I'm with the Foundation (Prep) kids on Monday and then I'm in the year six classroom on a Friday I'm pretty much with the whole school at some point "I'm trying to get a few of them to come down to Sebas but a lot of them are either at North or Lakers last season we got through to state finals and had a couple of kids that were very handy we had one represent the School Victoria under-12 team." Sebastopol's Hugo Papst is ready to hit the ground running against East Point this weekend Picture by Lachlan BencePapst said the club had high hopes for this season as it looks to return to the top six "I followed them last season as I was training there throughout the year injuries just killed them at times last year," he said "We lost a lot of experience with guys going down there weren't many experienced players and I think you need that experience out there it's making people be more accountable for themselves but also for us as a whole group." Sebastopol opens its season on Saturday with a huge match-up against last season's grand finalists On Saturday, the rain held off just long enough for the 79th Apple Blossom Parade to wind its way from Analy High School down Main Street. With a ’60s theme of Flower Power, there were tie-dye and peace signs a plenty. The parade was its usual blend of hippies, old time ag, marching bands, VFW, police and other small town heroes—except this time, even some farmers wore tie-dye. Our reporter Mark Fernquest captured all the action from beginning to end. Sebastopol Times is a reader-supported publication. To support my work, consider becoming a paid subscriber. Just wondering where the HubBub Club band was? I have a friend who was playing Sousaphone.😊 ReplyShare1 reply2 more comments...TopLatestDiscussionsNo posts On Saturday, the rain held off just long enough for the 79th Apple Blossom Parade to wind its way from Analy High School down Main Street. With a \u201960s theme of Flower Power, there were tie-dye and peace signs a plenty. The parade was its usual blend of hippies, old time ag, marching bands, VFW, police and other small town heroes\u2014except this time, even some farmers wore tie-dye. Our reporter Mark Fernquest captured all the action from beginning to end. Picture by Lachlan BenceLegendary Ballarat businessman speedway racer and Sebastopol Football Netball Club figure Mick Clark has been remembered as for his wit his love of life and a man who had a "nickname for everyone Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueMore than 1000 mourners packed into the Ballarat Greyhound Club on Friday morning for the final farewell to the legendary figure in both business and sporting worlds Mr Clark died on August 30 after a long illness The first surprise for many in attendance was Mr Clark's name but rather his birth name of 'Thomas Patrick' He was revealed to be lively as a child "failing plasticine in grade five" as he was in later life as a man who people "would go and see whenever they needed a laugh or cheering up" Ballarat's sporting and business communities have paid tribute to Mick Clark after he died on Friday Adam TraffordThe eulogy was delivered by Mr Clark's son-in-law John Lyon alongside Mandy Littlehales predominantly recounting his speedway pursuits before Chris Parker spoke on behalf of his beloved football club Stories from his more than 50 years as the co-owner of Doherty and Clark Tyres speedway racing "just off to church on a Sunday morning - when instead he was working on the car" and perhaps not the greatest football playing career littered the at times hilarious recounting of his life "Mick played firstly for YCW then Bungaree - although not the most talented footballer Mick gave his best on all occasions," Mr Lyon recounted Mourners packed into the Ballarat Greyhound Racing Club for the funeral of Mick Clark Picture by Lachlan Bence"On one lovely day with Bungaree playing Springbank Mick was playing at full back with Springbank having recruited a player from the Ballarat League who had kicked over 100 goals the previous season "Mick had his hands full at half time as and his opponent let him know he'd already kicked six on him but Mick also missed the next six weeks with suspension I guess we can all join the dots and work out what might have happened at the end of that halftime conversation." Mick Clark arrives for one last lap around Marty Busch Reserve in front of hundreds in front of hundreds of the Sebastopol faithful Picture by Lachlan BenceAfter the service the hearse carrying Mr Clark completed one last lap of his beloved Marty Busch Reserve as the siren rang out friends and well-wishers formed a guard of honour at the venue as a mark of respect for the man who touched their lives in more way than he knew Federal Member for Ballarat and Cr Des Hudson City of Ballarat Mayor at an announcement of shared path between DTC and Yarrowee river Picture by Kate HealyA new shared pedestrian and bike route will allow Ballarat commuters to travel from Sebastopol to Delacombe Town Centre [DTC] on a fully-separated path as attempts to make the city safer for cyclists continue Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueThe 2.4 kilometre trail which will run along the Glenelg Highway from the Yarrowee River to Wiltshire Lane will connect with a path which is already under construction between Phoenix College and the Midland Highway The nearly $10 million dollar project will be finished by about April 2026 and has been funded by the Australian and Victorian Governments Ballarat cycling group Saxons member Jamie Govan welcomed the new route to DTC but when asked if the city was a safe place for cyclists He said the behaviour of Ballarat drivers meant the group was increasingly retreating to quiet country roads rather than riding on inner city streets He said routes such as Cuthberts Road and Gillies Street were particularly dangerous as drivers often passed too close to cyclists at high speeds Mr Govan said Ballarat was "heading in the right direction" when it came to improving conditions for riders "Most of the new roads they're building out - you can head out on Skipton Street and there's a bike lane there but I think they need to be marked clearer," he said "Our biggest issue is rider and driver education "If we're going to Gillies Street and there's a driver doing 100kmh they need to give us a metre-and-a-half and they don't .. Mr Govan said cyclists also needed to be accountable for ensuring the city's roads were safe "Not every bike rider is a goody two shoes," he said Speaking at a press-conference to announce the new multi-million dollar route City of Ballarat mayor Des Hudson said while Ballarat's cycle paths were a work in progress the city had become a safer place for riders "Where we've been able to build bike paths [it has] taken cyclists away from where the main traffic and thoroughfare roads are," he said "It always makes sure cyclists have that safer option." Cr Hudson said the new route to DTC would remove "vulnerable" road users from the Glenelg Highway and was critical to connecting different parts of the city Federal MP Catherine King said getting people out of cars was a "really important" objective for the government on August 30 Picture by Kate HealyFederal MP Catherine King said getting people out of cars was a "really important" objective and this would be achieved by constructing the safer route for cyclists and pedestrians "The great thing about this plan is it really takes the Copenhagen model," she said "You're actually building the bike lanes close to the curbing parking on the other side and then traffic on the other side "That really gives that much safer opportunity Ballarat Bicycle Users Group spokesperson Brendan McNally agreed that conditions for cyclists had improved but said he wanted to see more cycling infrastructure built near schools "The idea that we could bring back kids riding to school instead of the school pickup .. "The only way we're going to see that change is if we see more bike infrastructure on the roads A man runs with a pusher along Glenelg Highway where a new shared path will be constructed Picture by Kate HealyMr McNally said the city also needed to focus on connecting up routes so people could ride safely into the city without interruption and you're not going to see families riding up and down Sturt Street until they have really good connections without traffic," he said "I think we're a couple of years away yet from seeing families heading into town all on bikes rewritten or redistributed without permission https://www.sctonline.net/sebastopol-news-152 Click here for additional copyright information about this article Local news coverage is critical for a strong and vibrant community local publications are dying because of monopolistic Big Tech Over 30% of all newspapers are expected to close within the next three years Help support local news by making a donation today You would be supporting a local institution founded upon principles of integrity and strong editorial standards and have roots embedded in our local community Realtime Radar Hourly Forecast 7-Day Forecast Based on data from National Weather Service and OpenWeather If you are an existing Print subscriber click HERE for your login info you can also easily register or login with an existing Google you can also easily use an existing Google User Help/Support Page Copyright tbeeland@sctonline.net © Copyright 2025 The Scott County Times, 311 Smith Ave.- Forest, MS 39074  | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy Dear Reader,Unfortunately our comment platform isn\'t available at the moment due to issues with our paywall and authentication vendor whose urban garden in Sebastopol is featured on an upcoming Eco-Friendly Garden Tour is “eclectic and eccentric,” and a place she designed to share with Sonoma County’s many pollinators • Sally Anderson's urban garden in Sebastopol is one of 18 gardens featured on the annual Eco-Friendly Garden Tour • She has created a vibrant biodiverse place integrating a wide range of plants in her outdoor spaces Sally Anderson bent over a pipevine coiling along the fence in her front yard facing Sebastopol’s busiest street but she was so engrossed in nature-watching she barely noticed Tune out the noise and tune into nature on a small but significant scale Anderson used a pocket magnifier to scan a leaf for signs of the minute eggs of the Pipevine Swallowtail butterfly which will choose only this host plant on which to lay its eggs “I’ve been looking for eggs with absolutely no success,” she says her voice betraying only slight disappointment But I’ve seen the tiniest little ladybug and it’s been zooming around.” Anderson approaches her garden from the upside Some years produce fabulous results with some plants And if there is not one thing to delight her “That’s a very young ladybug,” she said.“ It’s probably first or second stage of metamorphosis into a larger and larger and larger dragon-looking guy until they turn into what we think of as ladybugs,“ she says a retirement passion for a retired librarian who was one of the first in Sebastopol to put in a little free library And in that spirit of sharing she has created a haven for butterflies birds and bees in the compact front yard of her circa 1899 cottage Not only is it a welcoming way station for pollinating visitors but it is so colorful and alive it prompts passersby to pause for over-the-fence chats people can pass beyond the fence and even into the backyard to see up close the spirited world Anderson created Her gardens are among 19 featured on this year’s Eco-Friendly Garden Tour sponsored by the Marin-Sonoma Water Saving Partnership The tour is a showcase for an emerging way of gardening that is organic uses less water and uses plants and trees that are native provide nectar or habitat for wildlife or are easily adapted to California’s summer dry climate vegetable beds and other features that are a far cry from the green lawns and flower beds of the 20th century The tour is free with registration, which includes addresses to all the participating gardens. Ticket holders can visit as many or as few gardens as they choose. They range from community farm gardens in Petaluma and Santa Rosa to a school garden in Rohnert Park, to a multitude of private, home gardens like Anderson’s. This year’s tour also features the new Michael A. Hall Park Pollinator and Rain Garden installed by the Town of Windsor and designed by landscape designer April Owens, founder of the Habitat Corridor Project. The garden is 100% native plants and is designed to slowly filter street pollutants from stormwater runoff back into the ground. Owens will offer tours of the garden in the park on Jane Drive between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Anderson will also be on hand in her own garden to tell its story, and talk about its many plants and features, down to the small dishes of water filled with rocks that she maintains for bees in need of a drink. She began work on the garden in March 2014, only six months after buying the little cottage, which was in need of TLC. “There was a ratty lawn with some sad petunias and some of those roses that are pruned into lollipops,“ she said. There also was a century-old catalpa tree in need of pruning. ”Everything else I put in,“ she said. It is a collection of old and new. A confirmed plant collector with sentimental attachment, she brought 137 containers of plants of various kinds over in her Volvo wagon from her old home on Calder. It took 30 roundtrips. Many were rescued from her mother’s garden in San Mateo County, like a Harry Lauder’s Walking Stick that is more than 70 years old. She trundled a massive Philodendron named Phil - RIP -who didn’t fit in her car, the six blocks from Calder on foot with a wagon. Anderson sheet mulched the old lawn with cardboard and brought in tons of compost to give everything a good start. She had help from Bryce MacMath, who trained at the Occidental Arts & Ecology Center, laying out the beds and installing the drip irrigation system in her back garden. She waters every four to 14 days during the dry months, depending on the plant and does most of the garden work herself, confining her chores to mornings because of a heart condition. Master aesthetic pruner Curtis Short of Santa Rosa comes by three times a year to train a series of espaliered pear and fig trees along one fence and to keep other favorite trees like a persimmon and Silk Tassel nicely shaped. Anderson took care to use and reuse materials wisely. Boards from an old back fence were cut and repurposed into a picket fence that separates the front yard from the sidewalk. Bricks from a crumbling kitchen fireplace were used to make a patio in the back. Old objects like ger great-grandmother’s two cast iron kettles, used in the 19th century to render lard and make soap, have found a new purpose as planters. The garden is a magnet for Pipeline Swallowtails, Monarchs and Anise Swallowtails and other winged visitors. “In spring it is a spectacle and in summer,” she said, “it’s very quiet. This is our marvelous season of fecund beauty in California.” About 80% of the front garden is native plants with some non natives making the cut. One is a shrub, just starting to unfold with yellow blossoms, called Baptisia that is from the Midwest. “I just loved it and it has done well there and I’ve bought four others. They’ve all promptly turned up their toes and expired. That’s the thing about gardening. You try and try and try and sometimes it works and sometimes they grow too fast. It’s never boring and thank god for that.” Anderson’s backyard garden is more eclectic and “eccentric,” to use her own words. A flat “weed patch” when she first moved in, it is now a cozy place where she keeps the beloved heirloom plants she brought with her. This is her own private refuge, with California fuchsia, fruit trees, salvias, vines for fragrance and “vertical excitement” and shelves of potted succulents arrayed along a back fence, It’s a collection of what she calls “oddball” plants that she simply loves, Many were chosen for their ability to provide nectar, pollen or seed for insects or birds, or fruit for her consumption, like the luscious lemon curd she makes and eats with homemade scones. Birds from barn owns to hummingbirds have settled into the space. She composts material from the garden on one side of the house and her kitchen waste goes into a worm box where the wigglers turn it into soil. In the front yard beneath the aged catalpa tree, beside the busy road is another congested spot. This is a growing little field of California wavy leafed soap plants, which native Miwok used to make sap and stun fish. The 18 bulbs that she initially planted have spread to cover that side of the yard. While automotive traffic passes the soap plant late in the day is a congestion of bees all coming in for a landing. It’s a little more than she envisioned. But she loves that the spot is doing just what she had hoped her garden would do - provide a landing pad for pollinators. “It was really an important plant and these blooms were not here two weeks ago,” she says. “They put out these arms and each arm has 100 little starry white blossoms that open about four o’clock in the afternoon it becomes like an airport out here. On a warm evening it’s just amazing.” You can reach Staff Writer Meg McConahey at 707-521-5204 or meg.mcconahey@pressdemocrat.com. • Sally Anderson's urban garden in Sebastopol is one of 18 gardens featured on the annual Eco-Friendly Garden Tour. • Composed mainly of native plants, it was designed to attract pollinators. • She has created a vibrant biodiverse place, integrating a wide range of plants in her outdoor spaces. announcing Talbot key position player Trent Severino as its latest recruit Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueThe 21-year-old tall was the vice captain at the Hawks last season but has decided to try his luck at a higher level in 2025 Severino is the brother of Burra listed player Jayden Severino with the pair now getting an opportunity to play together Coach Tony Lockyer said he saw enormous upside to the 193cm key position player "He's played a lot of representative football over a number and he's still only 21 "He's come in and is keen to give pre-season a crack and see where he can take his football to at a higher level "There's definitely something to work with there he's probably an undersized ruckman for us too uses the ball well at training and we're looking forward to see what he can do." Lockyer said Trent's brother Jayden was one of the best clubman the club he's at Sebastopol has also secured the services of Rhys Perry from Ballarat it was great to se Jayden get out there in the ressies and play his first final this year/ He's played mostly at centre-half-back at Talbot There's definitely something there and we're excited to see what he can do." Severino adds to a big list of recruits for the Burra already with Gedd Hommelhoff (Wycheproof Narraport) Rhys Perry (Ballarat) and Hugo Papst (Horsham) having also joined the Burra for next season Lockyer said the club was still in market for more recruits but said he was thrilled to have all four agree to join the club I'm pretty happy about the position we are currently in hopefully there might be a few more names still to add," he said "But if you had have told me at the end of the season we'd get Gedd Hommelhoff I would have taken that every day of the week." with the Webster Street property her family owned Former Sebastopol councillor and real estate business leader Dulcie Sullivan has been farewelled at the age of 98 Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueFamily and friends paid tribute to her life at her funeral at Redan's St Aloysius Church on Monday said his mother represented the last of those who lived through World War II leading mothers of the post-war baby-boom era paid tribute to a "remarkable woman" with unwavering resilience family and a deep sense of wonder for the world around her She was the driving force of the successful real estate business PV Sullivan which grew offices in Ballarat and Bendigo and across Victoria becoming one of the principal stock and station agencies of that era They raised eight children in their iconic home in Webster Street, Kent Villa Dulcie was born in 1926 in North Queensland the year that construction began on Sydney Harbour Bridge and women were first elected to Australian parliament Her childhood was rich with experiences and shaped the woman she would become - "always well ahead of her time" Her daughter Terri said her family's journey through the Great Depression moving between Bowen and Proserpine in North Queensland in search of stability taught her the value of perseverance and unity despite the challenges of earning approval and acceptance she relocated from Queensland to Ballarat with her husband a successful real estate business with offices in Ballarat Her son John said the business largely focused on business sales and farms They later expanded their business with PV Sullivan Kingsway Homes and Western District Constructions They bought Kent Villa at 24 Webster Street in 1921 The iconic home was built in 1865 by architect Henry Caselli The Sullivans raised their eight children - Terri Richards Mark Sullivan and Barry Sullivan - there through until adulthood Dulcie was committed to the Ballarat community through her service as a Sebastopol councillor from 1979 to 1982 she passionately fought for environmental causes and to preserve the Yarrowee River and its valley it was under threat of being developed as a major sewerage farm "She enlisted the support of state and federal politicians to fend off development plans from the then Ballarat Water Board for sewerage treatment plants," Terri said "She has left a lasting impact reflecting her deep love for the natural world and her belief in social justice." where she became one of the country's most successful breeders of Alaskan Malamutes She later returned to Ballarat and fought for independence until her final days "a testament to her enduring strength and determination to live life on her own terms" her mother remained a source of inspiration and strength to those who knew her 37 great-grandchildren and six great-great-grandchildren achieving excellence in her passions or preserving her family's history resilience and an unshakable commitment to her values," she said Picture by Lachlan BenceThe daughter of a Ballarat Anzac hero has been reunited with her father's war medals seven years after they were stolen in a burglary Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueJune Edwards-Coon the daughter of Rat of Tobruk and former Sebastopol RSL president Stanley Edwards was presented with the missing medals at the RSL on Thursday The five medals were stolen from Ms Edward's-Coon's nephew's Ballarat North property in 2018 and largely given up on as lost by the family the beloved medals were found in a pile of burnt-out rubbish at an oval in Sebastopol A post on Facebook about who the medals belonged to started a massive community effort eventually culminating in their return to their rightful owner Seven years," Ms Edwards-Coon said in tears after being presented with the medals "I just had no hope of ever seeing them again Stanley Edwards served in the Australian Army from 1939 to 1945 in the 2/7th infantry battalion a campaign medal and an Australian Defence medal Members of the Sebastopol RSL played an instrumental role in returning the medals to Ms Edwards-Coon after they initially saw the medals had been re-located Sebastopol RSL sub-branch president Kevin Scott arranged the necessary paperwork to have the medals handed over and then restored from the fire damage they had taken people would buy them on the market for sure but value to the family is priceless," Mr Scott said Picture by Lachlan Bence"June (Edwards-Coon) said to me 'It breaks my heart that I will never see his medals again' I have some good news for you; I know where the medals are' Mr Scott said he had sent the medals to a restorer in Queensland The finishing touches came from Allen Bros Jewellers in Ballarat "I spoke to the lady behind the counter and told her the story Her father was also a World War II veteran in similar circumstances to June's father Stanley Edwards served as Sebastopol RSL president for 38 years before his death in 1991 Ms Edwards-Coon hopes to wear her father's now-restored medals to future Anzac ceremonies at the RSL branch honouring her father's contribution to his country June Edwards-Coon reunited with her father's war medals after a painful seven years Picture by Lachlan Bence"Dad was president for 38 years We went to every event," Ms Edwards-Coon said "I could remember Dad's last words for every speech were 'and a safe journey to your respective homes' "I am sure that he is looking down and smiling." Picture by Adam TraffordThe Courier will be interviewing each candidate for the local government election Candidates will all be asked the same series of questions about the issues in Ballarat and how they'd take action as a councillor Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueAfter 22 years as a City of Ballarat councillor including three terms as mayor and two as deputy mayor Des Hudson still considers it an "enormous privilege" to represent the people of Ballarat and the Sebastopol Ward Having seen the city grow by around 40,000 people over that time to about 120,000 residents and forecast to expand to around 188,000 over the next 25 years he's acutely aware of the growing pains the city faces "I'm still very passionate to see Ballarat thrive and progress and the biggest issues we continue to face at the moment are the issues of growth and housing," Mr Hudson said Key to creating liveable communities is having infrastructure in place to "build communities that people feel proud to be able to live in" In Sebastopol Ward that includes recent development at Marty Busch Reserve and planning for a new library at Delacombe And it means lobbying state and federal governments for a "fair share" of funding to help meet their housing targets across the city "The amount of money to be invested in key trunk infrastructure is beyond the realm of council being able to do that on our own ...we need to be able to unlock and tap into their grant streams around growth," Mr Hudson said growing jobs for the future and providing quality facilities to support residents' cultural and recreational needs roads are also vital and Mr Hudson has directly questioned transport authorities about road construction standards heavier vehicles on our roads which are beginning to crumble a lot sooner than years ago There needs to be some review of the standard to which roads are being constructed so we get longer life out of the road pavement." He understands people's frustration with rising council rates but said council needs to deliver services to the city going forward as it grows "We need to make sure we deliver to the best of our ability with the increasing cost of living," Mr Hudson said Picture by Kate HealyThe Courier will be interviewing each candidate for the local government election Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueWorking as a union organiser Colin Muir has honed his skills in community relations and negotiation - skills that will stand him in good stead if elected as a councillor for Sebastopol Ward "This is my opportunity to give back to the community more locally," Mr Muir said Better community engagement and transparency around council decisions and improved oversight over providers where council services have been outsourced are high on his list of priorities as is equity in spending across the wards and ensuring council gets planning right for growth "When I look at some of the controversial things like the (Bridge) Mall Prince of Wales Park where there has been a fair amount of community outrage it shows me there's a need for change around community engagement and community-led decision making - and that's the work I've been doing my entire life," he said The outsourcing of the aged care assistance program hit particularly close to home and contributed to Mr Muir's decision to run and if a private provider can do it at profit how can council not as a service to the community," he said "That was one issue around the consultancy process that disenfranchised a lot of people." Mr Muir wants more focus on ensuring council projects and actions provide value for money for ratepayers and that decision-makers actually listen to stakeholders said traffic and infrastructure as the city grows were also among his concerns "Infrastructure is not keeping up with growth he said there must be more infill housing within the inner city including affordable housing options but it must be done "keeping in mind the fabric of the city's historical outlook" Mr Muir said as a member of the Ballarat Trades and Labour Council he would receive assistance from them for activities such as letterbox drops This is probably not the page you’re looking for Member for Wendouree Juliana Addison and members of the Sebastopol Football Club and Napoleons-Sebastopol Cricket Club celebrate the oval resurfacing and new lights The lights are bright and the grass is green at Marty Busch Reserve as Sebastopol’s major sporting precinct continues its vast transformation The No.2 Oval at Marty Busch Reserve has recently undergone a multi-faceted upgrade that has seen new lighting installed the playing field resurfaced and a new turf cricket wicket introduced to replace the former concrete-base wicket The oval will be used as a turf wicket venue option for Napoleons-Sebastopol Cricket Club and the Ballarat Cricket Association while also hosting some Ballarat Football Netball League women’s and junior matches that are not held on the number one oval the fencing and irrigation were not functional The $1.85 million City of Ballarat project is the first step towards delivering the Marty Busch Reserve Master Plan that was adopted by Ballarat City Council in April 2023 The State Government will contribute $8.4 million towards additional projects in the Master Plan after committing the funds during the 2022 election while the City of Ballarat has currently budgeted a further $1.026 million The next priorities as part of the Master Plan include: will be improvements to public amenities including the proposed play spaces reserve entry points and pedestrian path networks to benefit the wider community Cr Des Hudson said it was exciting to see the Marty Busch Reserve Master Plan starting to come to life “This project is going to make Marty Busch Reserve a fantastic sporting and recreation hub for the Sebastopol community,” he said “We are thrilled to get the ball rolling on the first phase of the Master Plan and look forward to working with the State Government to deliver further items along the way.” Juliana Addison MP said she was proud to be supporting the development of the precinct “We are investing millions of dollars to transform and upgrade Marty Busch Reserve we will deliver the sporting and recreational facilities the Sebastopol community deserves,” she said.  On the rear deck of the Sebastopol Library a community garden is sprouting to life and providing vital skills and knowledge The Sebastopol Library Small Spaces Community Garden project was officially opened on Friday with Member for Wendouree Juliana Addison and City of Ballarat Mayor The project was funded with $34,900 from the State Government’s ‘Jumpstart Round 2 Program’ and delivered by the City of Ballarat The Sebastopol Library project is one of 180 VicHealth Jumpstart which aim to provide more opportunities for Victoria’s children and young people through sport The City of Ballarat has been partnering with community groups and hosting cooking masterclasses with the likes of chef Tim Bone to teach useful and transferable skills that can assist with ongoing health and nutrition more than 230 people have participated in programs including planting days the programs and garden will be supported by the City of Ballarat into the future Cr Des Hudson said the project would prove a vital community asset “At a time when cost of living pressure is high for families there is a lot to be gained from educating people about gardening and growing your own food,” he said “We often say that libraries are about so much more than just reading books and projects like this reinforce that Libraries are great social hubs and broader learning environments that go far beyond sitting down and quietly reading.” Juliana Addison MP said the new space would certainly be an asset to the community “Creating opportunities for our community to become skilled up in gardening creates not only social cohesion but a deeper understanding of where our food comes from,” she said “The Small Spaces Community Garden Project is about promoting learning developing knowledge and encouraging participation.”  making the call to join Sebastopol in the BFNL Picture by Adam Trafford.A Central Highlands Football League midfielder is returning to the BFNL to ply his trade in a new environment Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueSebastopol has lured Tarun Raven out of Carngham-Linton While a more than handy pick up for the Burra Raven's move is another blow for the Saints after two finals campaigns Tarun Raven has spent three seasons with the Saints He joined the Saints as a largely untapped talent at senior level - making three senior appearances with Lake Wendouree in 2021 when he was still an under-19 player - and developed into an important inside mid in Carngham-Linton's rise up the ladder in 2023 He has been named in the best 28 times in his three years in the CHFL highlighting how high he has been regarded Raven joins a solid list of recruits for Sebastopol as it strives to improve on seventh place last season and return to finals in 2025 The Burra has also signed Gedd Hommelhoff (Wycheproof Narraport) Trent Severino (Talbot) and Chris Jeffrey (Rokewood-Corindhap) The Saints are still to announce a major recruit and as it stands look like having to find replacements for the Ravens from within David Brehaut is a contributor. He is a former sports editor with The Courier and has been covering country football for almost five decades. Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueTyson Briggs after previously pleading guilty to three charges related to weapon and firearm possession Briggs was arrested by police after being found in Marty Busch Reserve three rounds of ammunition and a knife in his bag The arrest came just three days after the 21-year-old was released from prison and he was serving a community corrections order at the time the court heard the homemade gun was not dischargeable but would have been so with minor modifications Defence lawyer Sarah Wood said a police report concluded the weapon "may meet the definition of a handgun" Magistrate Michelle Mykytowycz said the "very serious" offending was aggravated by the fact it had occurred in a public place during the middle of the day and just three days after the 21-year-old's release from prison she said it was also significant that the gun was unable to be fired on the day of Briggs' arrest Other important considerations of the sentence included Briggs' status as a young offender and that he had shown "insight and maturity" since his arrest Briggs was sentenced to four months in prison with 115 days already served meaning he will be eligible for release in about five days He was also fined $750 for possessing the knife and ammunition Ms Mykytowycz said if she had found Briggs guilty at a contested hearing she would have sentenced him to eight months behind bars Adam TraffordBallarat's sporting and business world have joined together to pay tribute to Mick Clark Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueMr Clark was best known as the co-owner of Doherty and Clark tyres services which has stores in both Mair Street in Ballarat Central and Hertford Street in Sebastopol He was also seen as the heart-and-soul of the Sebastopol Football Netball Club having served as president and long-time board member while he was also an accomplished speedway driver The Sebastopol Football Netball Club led the tributes "There are no words to explain the heartache we feel losing Mick," the tribute read passion and most importantly the love for our club will never be replaced "You fought so hard and never lost your cheeky sense of humour Even though you couldn't get to our games as much as you would have liked "The Burra will not be the same without you." Mick Clark with son-in-law John Lyon in 2011 Picture by Adam TraffordThe tribute continued saying Mr Clark had first sponsored the club through his tyre business Doherty and Clark making new friends and with others started the 'Kooka Social Club'," the post said "Mick soon became a club committee member taking over the president role for season 1982 and serving for seven years Mick then started a second term jointly with Geoff Holmes for season 1990 "Mick's football nous and business acumen resulted in the recruitment of Malcolm Scott to coach and in the early 1980s began to rebuild the club The reserves were runner-up and the seniors were preliminary finalists in 1984 and seniors runner-up in 1985 "Mick's presence around the club never stopped whether it was assisting his daughter Janine Lyon when she was elected club secretary in 2010 Mick was always a critical part of running our club Both Mick and Mary were awarded life membership in 1990." Mick Clark (right) with long time club member Roy Browning in 2013On Saturday afternoon the Sebastopol reserves team won a thrilling elimination final battle Coach Mick Hutt told The Courier it had been a tough 24-hours for the club I'm just so super proud of everyone today," he said I came here in 1988 and Mick was president then He was a legend of a bloke and an absolute legend of the club "There was a bit of Sebas of old in our game today work harder than the opposition and he would have been super proud of it Senior coach Tony Lockyer said he had lost a father figure he was very good friends with my grand father we always had a personal connection there," Mr Lockyer said Even though his presence hadn't been there the last couple of years "You could tell how big of a character he was in the first 10 seconds of talking to him Doherty & Clark owner Justin Doherty said Mr Clark taught him many lessons while working together Mick and my father Frank started Doherty & Clark 50 years ago," Mr Doherty said in a statement "I was lucky enough to work with Mick for nearly 20 years until his retirement "I could never have imagined how much I would learn from him about tyres he was like a second father to me who mentored me through life and taught me so much more than just work He'll be missed by everyone at Doherty & Clark and by so many people he connected with over the years." Mr Clark's family said his funeral arrangements are still to be made Greg GliddonGeneral news and sports journalist Nieve WaltonJournalistNieve is The Courier's political reporter. She covers council, state and federal politics. Something bothering you in the community or want to see change? Send an email at nieve.walton@thecourier.com.au apothecary gardens and more will host a family-friendly farm tour and seasonal supper will host a family-friendly farm tour and seasonal supper from 2-5 p.m the bucolic property is home to Fledgling Farm Bramble Tail Homestead and others dedicated to regenerative farming practices The guided tour is followed by a family-style supper prepared by chef Melanie Burkett of Inner Temple Foods The menu includes Meyer lemon roasted chicken with smashed baby potatoes vegetables and cheese biscuits with radish butter Cap it off with chocolate buttermilk cake with fresh strawberries and whipped cream Tickets are $109 for adults and $34 for children under 10. Purchase at pdne.ws/4jE2ss8 Get a jump on the summer fruit season and learn how to turn its bounty into delicious jams with Leslie Goodrich “queen jammer” and owner of Lala’s Jam Bar Known for her marmalades and creative jam flavors Goodrich will share the secrets behind her award-winning creations Each two-hour class includes a jar of jam and a cotton apron to take home Classes are $75 per person and are limited to three people For more information, see pdne.ws/44tBW0f or call 707-773-1083. 720 E. Washington St. File picture by Kate HealyA man has been charged with several offences after police executed a search warrant at a home in Sebastopol Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueDetectives from the Ballarat Crime Investigation Unit executed the warrant on Albion Street on Wednesday the 35-year-old has been charged with three counts of possessing cannabis Police said he has been bailed to appear at the Ballarat Magistrates' Court at a later date the driver of a Ford Falcon ute has been fined and issued a defect notice in Ballarat over the very poor condition of their vehicle Police in Ballarat have defected this vehicle Picture supplied by Victoria PoliceMembers from the Ballarat Highway Patrol were patrolling the city on Friday in response to community complaints about hoon behaviour when they spotted the ute on Albert Street After pulling the driver over because the car had no headlights or indicators officers found the ute also had bald tyres a broken seatbelt retractor and the driver seat was held in with one bolt TEHRAN-An Iranian filmmaker will serve as a juror in the upcoming edition of the Sebastopol Documentary Film Festival (SDFF) The documentary filmmaker Mostafa Salehi Nezhad will be on the jury of the Short Film section judging films that are from 10 to 39 minutes in length The winner in this section will qualify for the Academy Award and university professor with over 13 years of experience in cinema and media based in Iran.  His works have been screened at numerous festivals including Oscar and Canadian Screen Awards-qualifying festivals Collaboration with organizations such as UNICEF and the World Food Program (WFP) has allowed delving into critical human and social issues on an international scale.  the first ever Sebastopol Documentary Film Festival boldly curated 44 films that brought into focus a wealth of talented filmmakers from Sonoma County and the greater San Francisco Bay Area nearly 700 titles from 62 countries were openly submitted for SDFF 2023 attended by 93 filmmakers and an impressive audience It continues to provide equal opportunity for filmmakers through open calls for entry and explore what it’s like for anyone to wake to its existence It is an Oscar qualifying Film Festival for documentaries in the short form often featuring spotlights on social justice The festival relishes diversity in all its forms Attending filmmakers often comment they come to see films here that they can’t find anywhere else Emails obtained by The Press Democrat reveal that a series of testy exchanges occurred shortly before the Sebastopol City Council and Don Schwartz parted ways In his 15 months as city manager, Don Schwartz steered Sebastopol through a financial crisis, helping the city fill a large chunk of its gaping budget hole That’s among the reasons why Schwartz’s abrupt departure Tuesday — and the $183,750 severance payment that comes along with it — perplexes former City Council member Diana Rich and others in Sebastopol “They were both rowing in the same direction,” Rich said of council members and Schwartz while also noting “there must have been irreconcilable differences.” That policy named Sebastopol’s mayor as the city’s primary media spokesperson with the city manager assisting in “preparing the correspondence” the mayor would provide But the council on March 4 walked back the entire policy amid a citizens’ outcry that it would stymie a free flow of information to the public In between, Schwartz and council members sparred over the policy. Those members included Rich, who during her time on the council criticized Schwartz over his comments to The Press Democrat regarding a permit controversy with the Sebastopol Farmers Market according to the documents obtained under the California Public Records Act At another point, Schwartz had harsh words for Mayor Stephen Zollman Schwartz emailed the mayor to tell him that while Zollman thought “the press protocols that you have approved are helping me as city manager,” the reality was “these protocols actually make my job more difficult They do not follow other common practices.” Sitting council members declined to comment on Schwartz’s departure Multiple attempts to reach Schwartz for comment have gone unanswered In November 2024, a five-month effort to get the popular Sebastopol Farmers Market into compliance with city rules came to a head. At the time, the market had been operating with an outdated permit had moved some market vendors into an outlier parking lot without filing paperwork required by City Hall The move angered some brick-and-mortar business owners who complained customers couldn’t easily access their stores issued warnings to the market and forced it to scale back its footprint It proved a public-relations nightmare for the city as the farmers market rallied support on social media “There’s no indication that (Schwartz) intends to work with market managers or crafters,” Sebastopol resident Trinity Winslow wrote on the market’s Facebook page “Two weeks in a row his responses have been punitive and circular as if he and the city weren’t the ones responsible for making this such a big deal Schwartz maintained that the market needed a new permit “We don’t create permit requirements just because,” Schwartz told The Press Democrat in a Nov. 26 story We want to make sure we’re following rules to protect the health and safety of people.” Schwartz also noted that Hom and the market “had plenty of time to address the problems we called to their attention in June and … had no interest in doing so [Enforcement] seemed like an appropriate step to take.” The newly obtained records show the council admonished Schwartz over those statements the council has designated the mayor as spokesperson for the city council and primary media spokesperson for the city I wrote you an email regarding a statement you made to a reporter about the town’s position on the Sebastopol Farm Market issue.” Rich was wrapping up her term on the council serving as the mayor in the last of her four years 27 email to you I expressed my surprise that you had made a statement to the press on behalf of the city on such a high-profile issue without coordinating with the mayor and reminded you of the council-approved protocol.” Rich downplayed the damage that email might have caused saying the role of the City Council is to push back on its city manager Conversations were had when staff would not agree with what council would propose,” Rich said And city councils are supposed to challenge the city manager Such friction was also evident between Schwartz and Rich’s successor Zollman earlier this year sought council approval to expand the media policy The additional language he proposed would require journalists to reach out to him — preferably via email — with any questions He would then send those questions to staff who could provide answers through the mayor … if those answers lined up with “city goals and initiatives.” In a March 1 email to two Sebastopol Times reporters obtained by The Press Democrat Zollman said the proposed policy was put forth in part to assist “our relatively new GM [general manager].” responded to Zollman on March 3 requesting a meeting with the mayor to “discuss the message.” “I’ve highlighted the line of particular concern,” Schwartz wrote to Zollman “Am not seeing the highlighted line,” Zollman responded “It is in red and highlighted,” Schwartz wrote back Schwartz responded: “Hmm … My concern is the language here: while assisting our relatively new GM.” A better word would have been ‘supporting’ as that is what I consider our council-manager relationship.” “To clarify my concern: I interpret your wording about ‘assisting our relatively new GM’ as suggesting that the press protocols that you have approved are helping me as city manager “As we’ve discussed re: other city practices these protocols actually make my job more difficult In nearly all cases that I am familiar with the city manager or public information officer is the designated contact for the media and handles the vast majority of press inquiries involving council members when appropriate “Our practices require additional time for myself and other staff slow our ability to provide timely responses and address follow-up questions and take away from our ability to work on the council’s priorities.” Schwartz suggested the City Council consider a policy like one in another California city where the mayor serves as the spokesperson only for the City Council — not the entire city — saying that it “better reflects common practices” and was his “understanding of the intent of the approach” the council wanted to take Schwartz was out of office for at least 10 days after the exchange “I am out of the office and unsure when I will return.” Zollman’s proposal to expand the news media policy backfired the council not only refused to accept his changes His $183,750 in severance pay is based on contract language that states that “if terminated without cause during his first 18 months of employment the city shall pay the equivalent of nine months of Manager’s then base salary.” Schwartz also helped the council bring on a swath of new department heads, including a city attorney, public works director, community development director and police chief Zollman expressed best wishes for Schwartz “The city council thanks Don Schwartz for his services and extends its best wishes for success in his future endeavors,” he said Amie Windsor is the Community Journalism Team Lead with The Press Democrat She can be reached at amie.windsor@pressdemocrat.com or 707-521-5218 The City Council voted 3-2 to approve Don Schwartz’s departure with council members Neysa Hinton and Sandra Maurer dissenting The Sebastopol City Council is parting ways with its city manager of 15 months and has agreed to pay him a six-figure severance “The City Council and City Manager Don Schwartz came to a mutual agreement to end its professional relationship effective immediately,” Mayor Stephen Zollman said after a nearly 40-minute closed council session Tuesday night The agreement between Schwartz and the city obtained by The Press Democrat through a California Public Records Act request says that “certain disputes” arose between the city and Schwartz While council members didn’t provide any details Tuesday night the agreement indicates Schwartz will get $183,750 in severance pay which states that “if terminated without cause during his first 18 months of employment the city shall pay the equivalent of nine months of Manager’s then base salary.” Schwartz’s employment with Sebastopol began on Jan Schwartz was not at Tuesday’s council meeting and didn’t respond to requests for comment attended and were part of the closed session that preceded the council’s 3-2 vote to approve Schwartz’s departure Council members Neysa Hinton and Sandra Maurer cast the two dissenting votes Vice Mayor Jill McLewis and Council member Phill Carter joined Zollman in approving Schwartz’s dismissal When asked why she chose to vote against the dismissal Maurer said in a statement Wednesday morning “I am disappointed in the decision to separate Don Schwartz from the City Manager position Don accomplished a lot of good things during his time here and I wish him the best.” All other council members declined to comment The agreement notes that the “city and manager each deny any liability whatsoever to the other” and that both parties “wish to fully and finally resolve any and all disputes they may have with each other.” Schwartz helped guide the city through a number of significant challenges in his year and a half as city manager Schwartz assisted in negotiating an agreement to consolidate the fire department and helped establish a path to solve the city’s financial challenges.” Zollman said the city would be appointing an interim city manager in “a number of days” until a new permanent city manager could be hired Assistant City Manager Mary Gourley will serve as acting city manager until an interim is named Schwartz was named city manager in November 2023, succeeding longtime city manager/city attorney Larry McLaughlin. Schwartz came to Sebastopol from Rohnert Park where he served as the assistant city manager for nine years “We really came away with a great feeling about Don and all that he brings to the position,” Hinton said “We’re a small city and sometimes it’s hard to compete for really good people so we’re just thrilled to have somebody as qualified as Don.” The city declared a fiscal emergency the same night Schwartz’s contract was approved. As Zollman noted, Schwartz led the council through cost-cutting measures, bringing the city’s budget deficit down from nearly $3 million to $669,000 Amid the budget crisis, Schwartz helped the city council bring on a swath of new department heads, including a new city attorney, public works director, community development director and police chief Ballarat City Council resolved to enter into a contract with a Ballarat-based contractor to construct a large drainage basin system and landscaped wetlands in Sebastopol’s MR Power Park The basin and flood mitigation upgrades are critical for the protection of surrounding streets such as Morgan Street and Grant Street in Sebastopol The City of Ballarat has contributed seven per cent of the overall cost of the basin project from existing funding with the Ballarat West Development Contributions Plan covering the majority of the basin’s cost The works to be undertaken at MR Power Park include: Cr Des Hudson said MR Power Park is a vital community facility for the residents of Sebastopol “It is home to extensive play equipment including a flying fox basketball court and even skate park,” he said “To deliver such vital infrastructure to the residents of Sebastopol is a great collaboration and outcome.”   MR Power Park is becoming a great asset for the community of Sebastopol barbecues and public toilets completing the large 22 hectare public space The large open space at MR Power Park sits right on the cusp of a residential growth zone There are now many residents living near the park Development contribution plans make possible the development and timely delivery of infrastructure to new communities in the Ballarat West Growth Area to create livability Development contributions fund major infrastructure projects such as drainage slated for Tuesday at the Sebastopol Community Cultural Center is a chance for Sebastopol residents and business owners to learn and ask questions about the upcoming transition Sonoma County Resource Recovery (SCRR) will host a community meeting Tuesday to introduce its services to residents and business owners meeting will take place at the Sebastopol Community Center's Youth Annex The meeting is a chance for Sebastopol residents and business owners to learn and ask questions about the upcoming transition recycling and organics collection services to Sebastopol customers on July 1 The meeting will allow customers to “engage directly with us and to understand the upcoming changes to services and rates,” Alissa Johnson SCRR’s administrative operations manager said in a press release SCRR won a contentious bidding war over Recology, securing a 15-year, multimillion dollar contract and ousting the city’s longtime waste services provider The city’s contract with Recology was slated to end in June 2023 but the city and waste service provider extended its relationship through June 2025 working during the first year of that extension to try to renew a contract at the Sebastopol Community Cultural Center Note: With youth baseball season in session parking next to the Sebastopol Community Cultural Center may be limited to street parking As a result, the City Council sent its trash services contract out for competitive bidding in June 2024. SCRR, which has been providing waste hauling services to Windsor since 2017 The City Council chose SCRR in January 2025 saying its decision was based on a series of criteria including rates that officials concluded were better for all constituents Recology publicly disputed that conclusion, and the council’s decision was met with outrage by local business owners who feared the switch will cost them more “The financial ramifications … it came as such a gobsmack,” Roxanne Goodfellow, chief operating officer of Rialto Cinemas, Sebastopol’s sole movie theater, said at the time Records obtained by The Press Democrat show some — but not all — of SCRR’s rates in its initial proposal to the city were lower than Recology’s Recology offered lower rates for its 32-gallon can 20-gallon can for low-income residents and 32- 64- and 96-gallon cans for apartment complexes and business customers comprising more than half all residential customers She can be reached at amie.windsor@pressdemocrat.com or 707-521-5218.