A man has been charged with murder after the death of a 21-year-old man in Endeavour Hills this month
Emergency services were called to reports of a man located deceased inside a property on Mossgiel Park Drive about 6.30am on 13 April
A 20-year-old Springvale South man was arrested nearby and was taken to hospital under police guard
He was remanded to appear at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on 21 August
Springvale South Ward incumbent Loi Truong looks in the “box seat” to be returned as a Greater Dandenong councillor
the ALP-member was on 2181 votes (35 per cent of the vote) well ahead of his main rivals Thayhorn Yim (1205) and Andy Tran (1062)
Truong is expected to draw strong preferences from Tran as well as other candidates Yen Thai (636)
Truong only won the 2020 election by 90 votes after preferences
Truong would help form a likely majority of at least six Labor-affiliated councillors on the 11-member council – Lana Formoso (Noble Park North)
Jim Memeti (Dandenong) and Sophie Tan (elected unopposed in Noble Park)
Labor candidates are also in the mix in Springvale Central and Cleeland Ward
which is a neck-and-neck tussle between Greens ex-councillor Rhonda Garad (1756) and ALP incumbent Angela Long (1575)
there were just 39 votes splitting Labor member and real estate agent Alice Phuong Le (1486 votes)
architect Minh Le (1466) and Labor member and migration agent Meng Bunlay (1447)
Independent incumbent Bob Milkovic (Dandenong North) as well as independent Melinda Yim (Keysborough) and Greens candidate Isabella Do (Keysborough South) are strongly ahead
Official results are expected to be announced by the Victorian Electoral Commission on 11 November
Senior Buddhist monks from across the world gathered at Wat Buddharangsi Melbourne temple in Springvale South this month
Cambodian Buddhist Monk Council of Australia and New Zealand (CABMCANZ) president Sovann Srey said the monks discussed the faith’s rich traditions and spiritual teachings at the 29th Annual Cambodian Buddhist Sangha Congress on 11-12 January
“It is of great importance to engage in discussions
Greater Dandenong mayor Jim Memeti opened the congress
presenting appreciation certificates to Sovann Srey
Cambodian Buddhist Association of Victorian president Ol Sam and public relations manager Thayhorn Yim
“Thank you for sharing your Buddhist beliefs
the ancestral stories passed down through generations
and the spiritual teachings that continue to shape your families and extended communities today,” Cr Memeti said
“I can assure you that you are having a meaningful impact on the world around you.”
The double-storey brick house was “fully involved in fire” when firefighters arrived within three minutes of receiving triple-0 calls about 8.43pm
Thirty-six firefighters and 12 appliances attacked from the outside with multiple hoselines due to concerns about the structure’s stability and the size of the fire
“The blaze was intensified by a high fuel load present at the property
“Homes on both sides of the fire were under threat from the flames
but firefighters were able to protect them from fire spread.”
The two occupants – a man and woman – were treated by Ambulance Victoria for smoke inhalation
The woman was taken to hospital for treatment
A firefighter was injured and treated by AV for minor injuries
The fire was declared under control at 9.24pm
“The cause of the fire is yet to be determined but will be investigated by fire investigators.”
A community advice message was issued for smoke from the blaze
Police are investigating the circumstances for they described as a “suspicious fire;”
“Police have established a crime scene and an arson chemist will attend the scene on 14 October.”
CCTV or dashcam footage to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or crimestoppersvic.com.au
Sitting councillor: Loi Truong (Australian Labor Party)
No response to Star Journal candidate survey: Truong
How long have you lived in Greater Dandenong: 1 year
Business interests: expanding reasonable and affordable housing to the low income 
Three most important issues for your ward: affordable housing
enhancing infrastructure and community safety including better street lighting and security cameras
Describe your involvement in the local community: I have been involved with the Vietnamese community for almost 10 years to provide community engagement
support and help to improve lives for family and senior residents
I want to bring new ideas with different approaches
My focus is on improving infrastructure and local amenities
MPs or ex-MPs have assisted or advised your campaign
 I will be your loyal and honest representative at CGD Council
How long have you lived in Greater Dandenong
business/employer name: Senior Immigration Advisor
Three most important issues for your ward: !)
Community safety and crime prevention for residents and business
I have worked closely with police to improve community safety and business image in the areas
Uplifting Springvale South Shopping Mall on Athol Road and Coomoora Sporting Reserve for Family Friendly and enjoyment
Making the Mall modernised to support local business and attract business acumen
Home Care Services and supporting local businesses
I will advocate strongly against the privatization of essential services and work for better facilities
My track records and awards highlight my commitment to social welfare of people
Describe your involvement in the local community:
I have lived in the City of Greater Dandenong for almost 30 years
With 10 years as a senior public servant for Centrelink/CES/DSS/DEETYA
30 years of volunteer experience on school councils and community committees
including a peak professional body the MIA (Migration Institute of Australia) as Vice President of Vic/Tas
My awards highlight my commitment to social welfare of people
I have advocated strongly against the privatization of essential services and worked for better facilities
I am passionate about advocating on behalf of residents and businesses that Springvale South Ward has been neglected too long
 I want to improve the community hub facilities and community safety
I have received so much support from many quarters of people of experts in the field including former mayors
Hallam Kalora Park and Springvale South will effectively play for second place and the double chance in round 13 when the two face off at Hallam Recreation Reserve in two-day Dandenong District Cricket Association’s Turf 1 cricket
Both are tied on 52 points with two matches remaining with the Hawks in a rich vein of form since returning from the Christmas break
Last week’s outright victory over Dandenong West has seen them take 45 wickets in three contests as the quartet of Will Whyte
Lauchlan Gregson and Lee Brown round into form at the perfect time of year
They have combined for 43 of the 45 wickets since Christmas and will enter the upcoming contest confident of defeating the Bloods after knocking them off by 61 runs earlier in the year
Hammond was the hero on that occasion for the Hawks
after taking 4/10 in a wicked nine-over spell
Springvale South’s batting line up is not carrying the same prestige as previous seasons with the Bloods relying heavily on allrounders and bowlers to cover the batting shortfalls
Jordan Wyatt is without a half-century since round eight while he and the Forsyth brothers are the only three with more than 300 runs to their name for the summer
The Bloods have Buckley Ridges in the final round of the year
a far tougher task than Hallam Kalora Park
and puts extra importance on the contest for Springvale South
the Hawks had not defeated Springvale South since their premiership winning year of 2020/21
having now shed the proverbial monkey off the back
three sides will keep a keen eye on Buckley Ridges’ clash with North Dandenong in the context of relegation
North Dandenong is last on the ladder and could take an even stronger hit to its percentage in this match up
already the lowest of the four sides intertwined on 24 points
it will mean the winner of Dandenong West and Narre South is likely safe for another season
Whichever side is victorious will move six points clear of the drop zone and barring a stunning turn of events in a one-day clash in round 14
will presumably be safe from being caught on percentage in the final round
the Battle of the Creek sees Berwick and Beaconsfield lock horns once more
If it’s anything like their round six encounter
when Beaconsfield prevailed by one wicket with four balls to spare
fans will be in for a treat at Arch Brown Reserve
Tips: HALLAM KALORA PARK v SPRINGVALE  SOUTH
Two residents have been safely evacuated from a fierce blaze at a home in Springvale South on the morning of Thursday 13 February
Fire Rescue Victoria and CFA members were called to the blaze about 9.48am
finding the garage fully involved by fire and spreading into the roof of the adjacent house
“The response was escalated and the scene was deemed under control at 10.01am,” an FRV spokesperson said
“Firefighters are conducting checks for fire extension and any remaining hotspots
 “Two occupants were evacuated safely with no injuries.”
A community warning for smoke has been issued for the Dingley Village
Victoria Police and Ambulance Victoria were on the scene
Springvale South is in a commanding position to inflict the first loss of Buckley Ridges’ season following day one of the Dandenong District Cricket Association’s two-day clash clash in Turf 1 action at Park Oval
The Bloods fought back from a tough opening hour in which Buckley Ridges played with attacking intent with the bat to be 52 runs into the chase of 270 at stumps
having rolled the Bucks for 269 in 59 overs
You can always expect something unexpected when these two sides go toe-to-toe
the clear benchmarks in recent seasons as the only teams to play in the last three grand finals and with a respectful but fierce rivalry spanning many recent seasons and battles
Hot conditions saw Buckley Ridges win the toss and bat first on their home deck
but waste away a position of promise with a series of starts
the final nine wickets fell for just 150 runs
pleasing new Springvale South captain Cam Forsyth
“If you had have said at the start of the day that they’d end up with what they ended up with
“I think our guys on the weekend were quite good in only getting hit to one area of the ground and that made it quite easier to set fields
unless the batters were more willing to take more of a risk
it was (about) trying to limit where they could score boundaries and build pressure that way
“It’s a good score and we’ll still need to bat well to win the game next week
“The boys had in the back of their mind that they chased 360 against us last year
so we were happy with how we came back into the game.” 
Opening batters Jake Cronin and Josh Holden got their side off to an excellent start who finding the boundary with relative ease to frustrate the Bloods’ attack
Having added 157 for the first wicket in the corresponding contest last summer
the Bloods were aware of the threat they posed and looked set for more pain once more
Holden hit nine fours and a six on his way to 51 and Cronin made 33 from 34
as solidly-struck ground strokes and the dissection of a tight infield replaced the outlandish stroke-making often enticing sides at Park Oval’s tight parameters
The pair added 61 for the opening wicket before Cronin’s was beaten for pace and 
having shared in a 58-run stand with Ben Wright
Holden dragged a short ball from Jarryd Straker
a man he targeted and took down last summer
and Straker had his second shortly after when Wright offered a leading edge to Wetering on 31
in Bucks’ skipper Jayson Hobbs shortly before the lunch break
put the contest back on level pegging at the interval
and consistent wickets after the break gave Springvale South the chance to bat late in the day
Straker bowled brilliantly in tough conditions to wash away the memories of last summer where he took 2/103 and conceded nearly six runs per over as the Bucks found a way to neutralise his impact
“He bowled into a big breeze which means you can get hit back over your head for six
but it also means the ball might do a little more in the air
whether that’s dipping or drifting,” Forsyth said of his left-arm spinner
“I think he had some success on the weekend doing that
“It was a really good bowling performance and made it a lot easier for us to rotate the quicks at the other end
“I don’t think it was the case that they really took him apart (last year)
they just targeted him and waited on that opportunity to put the bad ball away
they were just clean hits on a small ground
“I think Holden would have hit him for five or six sixes last year and he got him for one or two at the start of this game and he was bowling from the same end
“It would have been quite easy for him to think about last year but he bowled really well this year
“He’s a consummate professional with how he goes about it on a Saturday; he very rarely has bad games and he’s been one of the best spinners in the competition for a long time
Roshane Silva was the anchor in the Bucks’ top order
making 45 and Daniel Watson added 37 in his first two-day contest since before the Pandemic
instigated by Springvale South quick Josh Dowling
Only Hussain Ali’s boundary-laden 37 saved the Bucks’ blushes
the primary contributor in a frustrating 36-run final wicket partnership with debutant spinner Sam Bates
Straker finished with 4/63 from 20 overs and Dowling 3/40 from nine as the visitors’ most successful bowlers
Springvale South survived 21 overs before stumps
will both resume their innings on Saturday on 23
The Bloods take a slight edge into Saturday’s second day
with another 80 overs to bat for a full day’s play should it be required
they know they will have their work cut out for them
“We’re aware that they’ll come out hard on the weekend and that first hour or two will be pretty critical,” Forsyth said
“Hopefully the wicket and the weather is quite similar
but they’re always going to come out and give it a red-hot crack
with 20 overs on the board and a new player in Cam Scott at the top of the order as well
“To get through (to stumps) unscathed and to knock 50 off the total was very pleasing but we’re very aware that there’s a lot more to do this coming Saturday as well.”
a taxing schedule and slow spin-friendly wickets present the next challenge for Springvale South veteran Andrew Sharp in his cricketing journey at the pinnacle of Over 50s Veterans cricket
Sharp has been named in Australia’s 17-man squad to contest his maiden International Masters Cricket Over 50’s World Cup in Sri Lanka in February next year
where 14 teams will vie for the crown of best Over 50s cricket team on the planet
Only just reaching the qualifying age bracket at 53
the self-confessed cricket ‘nuffy’ has enjoyed an incredible rise within the Over 50s ranks
having only joined the circuit in recent years to supplement his playing days at Springvale South
In last summer’s Over 50s National Championships
he made 160 runs from three innings for Victoria including an unbeaten 88 from 62 balls in the final against Queensland
He toured New Zealand with the national team in March this year
and followed up with a Winter tour to the UK
where he made an unbeaten 102 off 91 deliveries against India
In November at the Over 50s National Championships
he captained the tournament-winning Victorian side and averaged 45 from four innings
enough to see him selected for next year’s conquest
He said it was a ‘good honour’ to earn his place in the Australian squad
and is looking forward to the challenge that awaits
“This is unbelievable in terms of what you can do in Veterans cricket and the opportunities that are there,” he said
 “There’s so many people playing Veterans cricket Over 50s that even if there were those opportunities there
you wouldn’t probably think you would get there anyway in regards to how many people
“It’s been a bit of a whirlwind 12 months but the World Cup is the pinnacle in that
all the countries that you would know of that compete in cricket
Sharp has played almost all of his 40-plus seasons of cricket for Springvale South in the Dandenong District Cricket Association and still plays in the Bloods’ Turf 4 side and Veterans side
supplemented by representing South East Veterans in Veterans Cricket Victoria – Over 50 Mixed Saxon Sports Shield competition
The opportunity to elongate his playing career with Veterans cricket has provided a plethora of physical and mental benefits
with the booming competition playing a key role for those in the age bracket still looking for a hit
“It does enormous things for your wellbeing
the networking of friends that you meet and make
“There’s a code in Veterans cricket called the ‘Spirit of Cricket’ and that’s how they want the games to be played – they’re competitive but after the game
you have a barbecue and a couple of drinks and do a man of the match award
“It’s pretty well nine-10 months of the year that you’re training
“I do understand where it sits in the scheme of things and it is Veterans Over 50s cricket
but you do get a lot of compliments about it.”
14 teams will contest the tournament with the competing nations split across two pools of seven groups
A gruelling itinerary sees the teams compete in six group games in 10 days before the top two teams from each group enter the semi-final play off stage
Sharp has played on Sri Lankan soil as part of a DDCA representative side that toured Sri Lanka in 2011 but inclement weather meant the team only took the field once in Galle
despite being scheduled to play five matches
He knows the Australian side will need to be at its best to climb the mountain
expecting each country to offer a new challenge to overcome
“Sri Lanka notoriously have been okay at World Cups
they have got former test and ODI players in their squad
“They’re going to be very very competitive
and knowing the conditions is going to be a massive advantage for them
they’ve hardly lost any games in a long period of time and they play round the clock
around the world and take it very seriously as well
“Then you’ve got the other countries like the USA who have a lot of expats
“When you say that you’re playing for the country
there becomes a little bit of pride that goes on and they want to improve
Burden Park Bowling Club has named its main greens after one of its life-long members
a great sportsman and a selfless individual
Ken Mackenzie has spent 45 years of his 92 years at the club
he was surprised at the sight of his name on the board at the club’s main greens
I think people pass on and they (people) forget who they were anyway
“It was a big honour to have a green named after you while you’re still breathing – it’s been a wonderful 45 years.”
The sports lineage is going strong with Mackenzie’s wife a star tennis player in her day
their daughter Sandra a pro golfer and grandson Jordan Mackenzie
Jordan remembers as a kid watching his grandad playing at the club
they had named one of the greens after someone
“I asked my mum if they would name one of the greens after (Ken) after he died
and I think mum said I don’t think he has to die
Moving to Melbourne from a little country town in Western Australia
Mackenzie looked for high-ranking first-division clubs and found Burden Park “with an amazing record” – second only to Melbourne Bowling Club
“I’ve played bowls now for 58 years and 13 of those were played in a little country town in WA
“I’ve had opportunities to go elsewhere but I wouldn’t take them because the club has been fantastic
“I’m not a city person… the bowling club has been my saviour because I wouldn’t be enjoying it one bit if I wasn’t tied up at the bowling club
That’s how it’s given me something else to do
administration and the committee apart from the bar committee because its more hands-on stuff.”
One of his favourite memories at the club was when they beat Altona
“We beat them down in the semi-final and went to win the premier division that’s the best moment I played
that’s as high as you can get,” Mackenzie said
He has been the club’s champion 11 times since 1981 and only stopped playing at the age of 89 due to health reasons
That won’t stop him from visiting the club and playing a few pennant games now and then
Macca still works with the club’s paid green-keeper who has been with the club for 40 years
Macca was a champion and “brilliant bowler” over his years
Mr Freestone describes Macca as a “popular clubman” held in high esteem and “the most laid-back bloke you get within a club” possible due to his country background
there were “no questions asked about that”
“Most of their (members’) attitude was
“He is a non-drinker and ironically makes himself available to work behind the bar to serve alcohol
“He will go out of his way to teach and coach anyone whose actions aren’t smooth.”
Crime and public safety in central Springvale have taken a turn for the worse
Springvale Central Ward candidate Minh Le and Springvale South Ward candidate Andy Tran were fresh from a fact-finding walk-through with Victoria Police on Wednesday 11 September
Top of mind was the spate of stabbings in Springvale’s CBD
There was a stabbing outside Commonwealth Bank on the previous Saturday and awful group-violence marring the night of Springvale Snow Fest
Le says he’s noticed a “decline” in safety in Springvale since the start of the Covid pandemic
“There are a lot of people afraid to walk to their cars at night.”
The same could be said for Springvale South shopping centre
says Tran – who tells a story of up to four offenders snatching a necklace off a shopper’s neck
“I get worried that we might accept this as a norm
We shouldn’t allow this sort of thing to happen
“We should make sure there’s confidence in the community
so they can go out without fear of being robbed.”
lighting and funding for Neighbourhood Watch – including for information in multiple languages
They are welcoming a police pledge for weekly patrols of the shopping districts
Le and Tran noticed that the police presence during last week’s walk-through seemed to help
Both were impressed by officers’ quick and efficient seizure of a hidden knife
after a sharp-eyed witness saw the handle protruding from a person’s bag
Springvale North councillor Sean O’Reilly raised the under-resourcing of police in Springvale
It was leading to long delays for police to attend triple-0 calls
Le says crime is under-reported in Springvale
resulting in police being allocated less resources than required
For the sake of getting better police resources
he urged shoppers and traders to overcome their reluctance to report crime
Or they can give anonymous information to Crime Stoppers
“They don’t want to give their names and details
The walk-through was organised by deputy mayor Richard Lim – who was aiming to switch seats to Springvale North Ward but his candidacy is in doubt due to not being named on the electoral roll
recently shared a joint campaign launch with Le and Tran
It was attended by other Labor candidates Jim Memeti
Zahra Haydarbig as well as mayor Lana Formoso – but would have put Lim at odds with sitting ALP councillors O’Reilly and Loi Truong
The pair stress their focus is on the community
Le says he is “not political” and doesn’t understand the political system
Tran says he’s a member of an unnamed political party but “not really a politician”
The duo say they share Lim’s vision for a more ambitious
which lags behind the towering Asian precincts in Glen Waverley and Box Hill
Tran adds that activating the areas with more people will make them safer
fresher energy to Greater Dandenong Council
Le volunteers for Springvale Rotary Club as well as teaching English to older migrants at SICMAA (Springvale Indo-Chinese Mutual Assistance Association)
But we can’t change it unless we get in a position to change it.”
Tran also is active with Monash Health public health unit as well as an Afri Aus Care board member and SICMAA volunteer
“It’s about the similarities between our communities
I see a lot of the African communities’ challenges are similar to our refugee families went through.”
He’ll be pitting himself against long-time sitting councillor Loi Truong
“Hopefully Minh and I can get a fresh face and a working relationship in the council to gain common ground and good results.”
Three people have been arrested and large amounts of drugs and cash seized during a police raid of a Springvale South home on Thursday 7 November
During the operation in Sunrise Court about 9.15am
police allegedly seized almost 1 kilogram of ketamine
commercial quantities of methylamphetamine
heroin and ecstasy and almost three lires of 1,4-butanediol
They also discovered almost $100,000 cash and luxury watches
Greater Dandenong Neighbourhood Policing Team – assisted by Springvale Divisional Response Unit – allege the trio were making illicit drugs in the home’s bedrooms prior to distribution
A 32-year-old man was arrested while allegedly near a bum bag containing a loaded 9-millimetre semi-automatic gun as well as ammunition
A 28-year-old woman and a 59-year-old man were also arrested
several rounds of ammunition of various calibres and an imitation handgun
precursor chemicals used to make illicit drugs
The woman and youngest man were charged with trafficking a large commercial quantity of ketamine
ecstasy and 1,4-butanediol as well as trafficking cocaine
possessing precursor chemicals and knowingly dealing with the proceeds of crime
The man was also charged with possessing a handgun and ammunition
He appeared at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Friday 8 November and further remanded
The woman appeared at court on Monday 11 November and was granted bail
Both are scheduled to reappear at court on 14 February
The 59-year-old was released pending summons
the Gazette’s sports team will be re-sharing some of the most popular stories from over the course of 2024
Thank you for supporting our newspapers over the course of the year
We hope you enjoy the selection and have a wonderful holiday period
Buckley Ridges are champions of the Dandenong District Cricket Association’s Turf 1 competition for the ninth time after a 64-run win over Springvale South on Sunday afternoon’s grand final
Two seasons of heartbreak are long in the rear view mirror the Bucks
vanquishing the demons of grand finals past against the Bloods in comprehensive fashion at Arch Brown Reserve
the Bucks ground their way to 8/257 on Saturday and did the business with the ball on Sunday
with history beckoning as the potential first team to win a hat-trick of Turf 1 premiers
let the chance to etch their names into the history books slip through their fingers
the pressure was on Springvale South to make early inroads on a pitch that looked suited for batting
Yoshan Kumara removed the in-form Jake Cronin for just three
slashing a cut shot to Ryan Quirk at gully
and when Jackson Sketcher had Josh Holden caught in the ring in his first over for 33
the Bloods had the two openers back in the sheds within 11 overs
Roshane Silva joined Ben Wright at the crease
the Bucks’ two lynchpins and highest-regarded batters given their experience at international and first class level
Not much appeared to phase the pair as the Bloods turned to their dynamic duo of Blade Baxter and Jarryd Straker to settle in for another marathon spell
the tonic for a Buckley collapse in the previous contest two weeks prior
When the Bucks took down Straker at Park Oval
they made a point of not giving their wicket to Straker
the two made certain to show their intent to the crafty finger spinner
Wright advanced down the wicket in Straker’s third over and lifted him over the midwicket boundary with a glorious on-drive as the pair reached a 50-run stand
before Wright cut Straker to the boundary late in the over for a rare 10-run concession
Silva matched the intent shown by his partner
he too dancing down the wicket hit Straker down the ground for a boundary
with the pair threatening to make a mockery of the Bloods’ bold decision at the toss
Singles were easy to come by and the odd boundary sprinkled throughout reflected the ease with which the two were accumulating runs
Springvale South persisted with Straker and he was rewarded not long before the lunch interval
Silva showed deft footwork but a lofted drive brought him unstuck
Sketcher taking a difficult catch low to his left at mid-off with the Sri Lankan on 24
It was a costly and ultimately unnecessary blow for the Bucks
with the two looking so comfortable at the wicket and the dismissal coming completely against the run of play
The run rate fell dramatically after Silva’s wicket
as Jayson Hobbs took his time to settle at the crease
Baxter was hounding in around the wicket bowling with a packed offside field
and with Paul Hill keeping up to the stumps
Straker struck Hobbs on the pads on multiple occasions but his appeals went unrewarded
the tension eventually lifted when the Buckley skipper lifted him down the ground
but was given LBW attempting to sweep Straker on 57
It was the breakthrough they wanted in the first session and combined with Silva’s removal
gave them the ascendency heading into the interval with the Bucks at 4/126
Baxter and Straker continued their marathon spells after the break as the clamps were applied on Hobbs and Troy Aust
Aust began to show some scoring intent with sixes in consecutive overs to each of the bowling pair
Baxter’s spell came to an end after 21 overs with Sketcher proving a difference maker once again
striking in his second over as Aust fell to a spectacular diving catch from Baxter at midwicket for 18
It felt that the Bucks had missed a chance to attack with wickets in the shed
there was a danger in them not lasting the 80 overs
Ishan Jayarathna upped the tempo but was cruelly run out in Baxter’s follow through
having not made his ground after backing-up on 30 in the 76th over
from the dismissals in the last half-hour before the lunch break
to spectacular catching and the fortune of the run out
Jayarathna looked set to launch in the final handful of overs
the only batter to have success against Straker in the qualifying final
he had a partner capable of clearing the boundary and making quick runs
His run out put all the pressure back on Davies as the final recgonised batter
He holed-out on the long-on boundary to another excellent catch from Sketcher
leaving last week’s batting heroes in Westley Nicholas and Hussian Ali to make something from the final few overs
A straight drive from Ali just cleared Sketcher’s leap on the straight boundary and a dropped catch from Kumara at the beginning of the final over helped the Bucks attain a minor foot-hold
Now the little chances were starting to go their way
the Bucks reached stumps with their noses slightly infront
Wright’s 55 was the highest score on the card
with Sketcher taking 3/49 to go with his three catches
Mitch Forsyth edged the innings’ first ball for four through the cordon and the first of the second over off his hip for four in what shaped as a poor omen for the Bucks
bringing the dangerous Jordan Wyatt to the crease to pair with Quirk
Quirk looked in as good touch as he had all season
driving the ball with confidence and picking gaps in the field
the pair had the chance to put a nail in the Buckley Ridges coffin
snaffled by Davies in the gully for 35 in what was a significant breakthrough before the lunch interval
Wyatt played streakily in an action packed innings
freeing his hands and playing with the textbook cavalier approach that took him to Wookey Medal winning success
and skied a ball to no-man’s land on the off side
with each occasion feeling like a huge moment in the contest
Holden ran to his left and made it to the drop of the ball but fumbled at the crucial moment infront of the pavilion
with all watching from the comfort of the shade in disbelief that the chance went down
and a player like Wyatt is not someone you can afford to let off the chain
But his reckless abandon only lasted an action-packed 22 deliveries
Khil the man once again with the huge scalp in the 25th over the delivery after Aust put him down
not making the same mistake two deliveries in a row
Baxter and Sketcher were tasked with rebuilding the innings and used a handful of overs to get themselves set
Like Baxter and Sketcher had done 24 hours earlier
the squeeze was being applied to tremendous effect by the bowlers
with very few opportunities presenting themselves to hit boundaries or break the shackles
Nicholas bowled the final over before lunch
with Buckley now eating lunch with their tails up
five wickets into the Springvale South batting lineup and into the all-rounders
Kumara spooned a catch to a catching cover shortly after the lunch interval as Nicholas struck again
and a hobbled Mackenzie gritted through 16 deliveries for six before falling to a Davies yorker
two of the Bloods’ most experienced heads joined forces with a huge mission on their hands
in just his sixth Turf 1 hit for the season
played the aggressor while Baxter rotated the strike
Jayarathna returned to the crease as Buckley pressed for an early result
and struck Hill on the shoulder with a vicious short ball
He mixed the bouncer into this repertoire as an effort ball but Hill didn’t back down
attempting to hook him into a largely vacant leg side
as Hill fended at a rising delivery outside off stump and into the awaiting hands of Cronin the cordon
no matter what heroics Baxter could muster from the other end
Straker and Dowling helped to occupy their end of the crease
but their resistance only delayed the inevitable
Baxter’s 47 topscored for Springvale South
Wright’s 57 in the first innings saw him crowned the Damian Fleming Medal winner as the best player in the grand final
Cameron Forysth’s elevation to captain of Springvale South’s First XI etches the family’s name further into the history books at Alex Nelson Reserve
Very few families have been as intertwined with a single sporting club in recent generations as much the Forsyths’ with the Bloods
and Brett all having donned the red and white
in an association between club and family that dates back more than 30 years
Cameron and Mitch each have First XI premiership medals as mementos of their successes at the Bloods
while Ryan also was an accomplished First XI player
Harold Road is a venue within walking distance from the family home where the quartet of brothers grew up
and came to leave indelible footprints at the facility’s cricket nets
with Cameron and Mitch sharing the 2022/23 Turf 1 flag as teammates
“It’s (the club) always been a very special place for our family,” Cameron said
“The club has always been very supportive of myself
Brett and Mitch going off and playing Premier Cricket at Dandenong
with the expectation and knowledge that we’d return and give back to the club at the back end of our playing days
“It’s the least that we can do after the club supported us so much through our junior careers and the start of our senior careers.” 
Cameron said being asked to assume the leadership capacity was “quite a special thing,” replacing talismanic opening batter Ryan Quirk after two seasons at the helm that culminated in consecutive grand final appearances
“Making grand finals in the past three years is quite a testament to ‘Hilly’s (Paul Hill) job as captain and coach and the job that Ryan (Quirk) did over the last couple of seasons,” he said
“They should be quite proud of  the position that they’ve put the club in
“I feel quite blessed to be taking over the leadership role
Leadership is not a capacity unfamiliar to Cameron
having steered a number of sides in junior cricket and at various representative levels
But the Bloods’ predicament heading into the summer of 2024/25 is somewhat alien
needing to rebound from a grand final day that ended in contrasting fashion to the previous two –  without premiership medallions hanging around their necks – against long-time rivals Buckley Ridges
Cameron was unavailable for selection on grand final day due to injury
but played an integral role in his side’s return to the decider in the second half of the season
quickly becoming an integral member since returning from Dandenong
A home-and-away campaign that saw the Bloods finish in top spot
and be declared the second-best side for the season
suggests there’s slim room for improvement
and marginal requirement for significant change
and Cameron is not eager to mess with a largely-successful formula
but the new captain said he will draw on the triumphs of previous seasons in an effort to add to the trophy cabinet at Alex Nelson Reserve
and amplify the already steeped legacy of the current squad
“The team plays hard but has a lot of fun and I won’t be trying to change anything from that perspective
“There’s a few things that I’m excited to share with the group in terms of how I think we should play our cricket
and to see if we can all buy-in to that and get everyone pulling in that direction
“I think the 2021/2022 and 2022/2023 seasons where the Bloods won the premiership in Turf 1
there was much more even contributions across the team
“If you look at the players’ stats in those years and even at individual games
I think there were a lot more guys contributing to victories each and every week
“Last year we were probably too reliant on our best players; we had two or three guys who had outstanding seasons but then there were quite a few other players who were probably a little bit down on what they would expect from their seasons
“One thing that I’m going to look to achieve is to try to get a bit more even output across the team and really focus on players playing their individual roles to the best of their abilities
“While we want to celebrate the best performers in the team
my view is that if someone plays well in the position that they’re in with limited opportunities
that should be celebrated just as much as the top order batter who gets a better chance to make more runs
or the bowler who bowls more overs and gets more wickets
“We haven’t got together as a group and talked about last year or the season ahead yet
but I’d be very surprised if last year hasn’t stung the boys a bit
“I expect the group is very hungry to right the grand final result from last season and go one-better this season.”
2022/23 premiership player Matthew Wetering is being touted as a ‘new’ recruit
having battled injury for much of last season and not featuring at senior level
while premiership-winning allrounder Yoshan Kumara has departed the club
will remain at Springvale South but without the leadership tag
Forsyth is confident he can return to his prolific form from the 2022/2023 season
where he was one of the competition’s highest run scorers and placed second in the Wookey Medal vote count
Police have seized a substantial amount of drugs and cash following the arrest of three people
in an investigation into the alleged trafficking of illicit substances in Melbourne's southeast
The Greater Dandenong Neighbourhood Policing Team - with assistance from the Springvale Divisional Response Unit - executed a search warrant at a home on Sunrise Court
It will be alleged he was in close proximity to a bum bag containing a loaded 9mm semi-automatic firearm
•	Commercial quantities of methylamphetamine
•	Almost three litres of 1,4-Butanediol
•	Firearm parts and several rounds of ammunition of various calibres
•	Precursor chemicals used in the manufacture of drugs of dependence
•	Several mobile phones and electronic devices
•	Pills that will undergo further analysis
Police also seized almost $100,000 cash as well as luxury watches
The 32-year-old man and 28-year-old woman were charged with trafficking a large commercial quantity of ketamine
trafficking commercial quantities of methylamphetamine
trafficking cocaine and possessing precursor chemicals
as well as knowingly deal with proceeds of crime
He appeared in Melbourne Magistrates' Court on Friday 8 November
while the woman appeared on Monday 11 November
They are both due to reappear on 14 February 2025
The 59-year-old man was released pending summons
Police will allege the trio was manufacturing the substances in bedrooms of the home prior to their distribution
Sitting councillor: Vacated by Richard Lim (Australian Labor Party)
Candidates: Meng Bunlay (Australian Labor Party)
How long have you lived in Greater Dandenong?:
I’m lucky to have lived in Greater Dandenong for 3 years now and I hope to stay
My only interest is fighting dodgy landlords and real estate agents
Greater Dandenong should vote for candidates who put the community first
not what will enrich their business or property portfolios
We urgently need more public housing and rent controls
not an investment opportunity for the wealthiest few
sustainable development – including taking action on the climate crisis – not ones that only listen to big business and big developers
fighting for justice alongside First Nations people
or opposing racism and attacks on the LGBTIQ+ community: councils should speak out and act against injustice
In recent times I’ve supported the local community organising and fighting for a free Palestine
I hope to build new ties with the community for a range of issues as their councillor and fight for fairer Greater Dandenong council
Working class people deserve a workers party
Both Labor and Liberal are full of wealthy landlords that have opposing interests to the people that elected them
If the council had more renters and less landlords
Every single one of my competitors have made it challenging to even discover their political affiliations
Victorian Socialists will always preference from left-to-right
We will always put the most rabid right-wing parties last
Suburb of residence: City of Greater Dandenong- Springvale 
I have had the privilege of living in Greater Dandenong for over 15 years
during which I have also run three small businesses
This experience has strengthened my connection to the community and deepened my 
Political party (past or present): Labor Party
business/employer name: I am the Director of Area Specialist Alice Phuong (Keysborough office base)
Property interests: I am an owner of property
Business interests: I have interests in real estate as well as building design and drafting through my business
Three most important issues for your ward:
• Infrastructure Improvement: Upgrading roads
and community facilities to enhance accessibility and safety
• Affordable Housing: Addressing the need for accessible and affordable housing options to support diverse community needs
• Safety: Enhancing street safety and neighbourhood security through improved lighting
I have been actively involved in the local community through various nonprofit organizations
I volunteered as a team leader with SEMVAC Inc
(South Eastern Melbourne Vietnamese Associations Council) and served as a board member for the Vietnamese Australian Federal (VAF)
I contributed my time and skills as a Judo coach and board member (serving as secretary and referee) for Judo Victoria
helping to promote community engagement and support local initiatives
I’m standing for election to make a positive impact in our community
inclusive environment where everyone’s voice is heard
By addressing key issues like infrastructure
I aim to improve the quality of life for all residents and ensure a brighter future for our ward
focusing on cost-effective strategies to engage the community and promote our message
leveraging volunteer support and local resources to maximize impact while staying within financial constraints
I have not received contributions from any donors for my campaign
My focus is on grassroots support and community engagement
ensuring that my efforts reflect the interests and needs of the residents without 
the current councillor for the Springvale South Ward in Greater Dandenong
has provided valuable assistance and advice for my campaign
His insights and experience in local governance have been 
instrumental in shaping my approach and priorities
I will direct my preferences to my campaign manager
but I’ve been involved in my Cambodian communities in Springvale and Springvale South for over 24 years
I run my own migration practice in Springvale for several years
Political party (past or present): Australian Labor Party
business/employer name: Director and Immigration Consultant of Visalink Solutions
1)      To support local business to drive economic growth;
2)      to enhance community safety with strong police partnerships
3)      To keep council rates low through responsible spending
I’ve been a community advocate for the Cambodian communities in Springvale and Springvale South for over 24 years
I have held several community positions including as Secretary of the Cambodian Buddhist Association of Victoria for 14 years till 2014 and am now their Senior Advisor
I held the position as Secretary for the Cambodian Australian Federation
With my community and professional experiences
I believe that I can serve the residents of Springvale Central Ward with passion
integrity and offering new ideas to our City of Greater Dandenong
 Residents of Springvale Central Ward deserve a councillor who puts their interests first
I’ve been assisted and advised by the current and ex-councillors for my campaign
A hark back to school cricket days was the inspiration for Springvale South to improvise with Nick Boland at the top of the batting card against Narre South in round 12 of the Dandenong District Cricket Association’s Turf 1 competition
Springvale South named a bowling-heavy line up as they continue to tweak with their batting card before finals get underway
one of the standout bowlers in Victorian Premier Cricket in recent summers
asked to open the batting with Mitch Forsyth
With just 45 runs to his name this summer and a highest score of 14
the decision on face value speared one of desperation for the Bloods
still searching for the right batting combination in the absence of Ryan Quirk
But captain Cameron Forsyth said the idea spawned on the back of playing alongside each other growing up when the hierarchical roles were reversed
“We both went to St Bede’s (College) and he was my school cricket captain when I was in year 11,” the captain explained
“At the time he had a back stress fracture and was playing exclusively as a batter
“When we recruited him at the start of the year
a few of the boys and I knew that he was more than a handy batter
“In terms of the decision to open with him
it’s probably come about with Ryan’s injury and trying a few different guys at the top of the order
“Obviously Jordan Wyatt opened in the one-day games but I think in two-day cricket he’s more suited to the middle order with the way he plays
“I think with Nick’s technique and knowing that he’s quite a solid batter
has a good technique and had done it before at junior level
“I spoke to him at the start of the year about potentially floating up the order at some stage during the season
whether that be opening or at the number three slot
“He’s probably had it in his mind for a little bit that he might get a chance so he was very keen to give it a go
It proved a masterstroke decision from the Bloods’ brains trust
with Boland reaching 65 on a lively batting surface that saw both Forsyths and Wyatt fail to build upon their respective starts
Baxter (23) and Andrew Staude (43) contributed vital stands lower down the order to help the Bloods reach 208
before returning on Sunday to secure the six points with an excellent bowling display
It was important for the Bloods to press on and pass 200 despite their main batters not firing
having at times relied on that trio too heavily this summer
dismissed for 126 with Vineth Jayasuriya making 63
Boland added excellent figures of 4/8 from 12 overs to his runs in the first innings in an excellent all-round display
Boland’s batting success comes with a double-edged sword
with Quirk enjoying his first innings at the crease since returning from a major wrist injury that has sidelined him for much of the year against Lynbrook in Turf 4 on Saturday
With matches against Hallam Kalora Park and Buckley Ridges to come in the final two rounds
who will require a permit to be eligible for finals selection
may upset a formula that worked on its first deployment
will have some interesting discussions in the coming weeks
“At this stage of year and given how tight the ladder is
we’ll just be picking our best team every week,” Cam Forsyth said
“Ryan is obviously a quality player but he’s coming back from a pretty significant injury
“Having a few games under his belt would be best for him and if he’s fully fit
each win is going to be important in terms of the finals ladder and the top four being so close
“I think we’ll just take it on a game-by-game basis
I don’t think that will hold him back from being selected
playing against teams that you’re likely to play against in finals in the coming weeks
“I think the next couple of games in particular are going to be like mini finals given team are playing off for top two positions
After pulling off a special run chase and eliminating third-placed Berwick last week
if there was ever a time for Springvale South to turn the tides and get one back on Hallam Kalora Park
Can Springvale South continue its run from fourth and meet Buckley Ridges in the big dance or will Hallam Kalora Park get a shot at redemption
The two encounters between the sides have gone the way of the Hawks this season
who have taken the points in one-day matches
but this match up at Hallam Rec Reserve promises to be box office
While Springvale South is pumped following its triumphant win last weekend
Hallam Kalora Park scored a massive 395 in their losing effort with a number of top-order batters going big
Opening pair Leigh Booth and Ben Hillard are in some fine form and will be looking to take apart the Bloods’ bowling attack and get their side off to a great start
a big positive for the Hawks is the fact they only had 22 runs contributed from their best two batters in the big team total last week
Damith Perera (18) and Mahela Udawatte (4) both missed out on getting in on the run-fest and will look to make amends when they stroll out to the crease this weekend
Perera has scored 641 runs at a staggering average of 53.42
while Udawatte has notched up 520 runs at 47.27
Early wickets will be crucial in this contest
as both sides bat deep and have proven that they have a variety of players who can stand up and be the match-winner
Another player to watch will be Springvale South batter Jordan Wyatt who started the 2024/25 season in some serious form with destructive knocks like 102 not out off 59 balls (including eight sixes)
Wyatt has struggled to emulate those performances making three ducks and hitting just 76 runs across his last five knocks in the Turf 1 competition – 55 of which came in one hit a few weeks ago
He has the ability to change the game and showcased his power-hitting earlier in the season belting 22 sixes before Christmas
but has managed to hit just two maximums since
And after a golden duck in last week’s elimination final
Springvale South captain Cam Forsyth said there were no mental demons following the 149 run loss to the Hawks in Round 14
“They’ve had the better of us this year and beaten us both times in one-day games … last time they gave us a shellacking,” he said
we’ve had the wood over them for four of five years
so it’ll be a good challenge … I’m looking forward to playing them in a two-day game.”
The Bloods’ fearless leader said having valuable finals experience within the side helped the players stay calm and execute in the win against Berwick
“The boys definitely played like a team that knew what to do and weren’t overawed by big moments in the game,” he said
“We’ve got a few different batters scoring runs and contributing to the success of the side which has been pleasing.”
 A surprised Greater Dandenong council election candidate Alice Phuong Le was caught unawares when she’d provisionally won the Springvale Central ward after preferences on 7 November
so surprised to be honest,” the ALP member told Star Journal
the entire time during the campaign I worked so hard
“Every single day I worked for hours and asked residents to support me
the Area Specialist real-estate agent has called Springvale home for almost a decade
she had been narrowly leading by just 34 votes over ALP candidate Meng Bunlay (1635) and 41 over Minh Le (1628)
she drew away from Minh Le to win by 1077 votes
on the back of a 71 per cent preference flow from party colleague Bunlay
Her contender Meng Bunlay says her gender may have contributed to her winning as she was the only female amongst the six candidates for the ward
It could be that she’s a female while most of us are male – that could be advantageous for her
“Other candidates had a stronger base from the start
I grew up in this country and I respect that.”
Meanwhile Melinda Yim – who stood as an independent but is applying for Labor membership – comfortably defeated long-term ex-councillor Peter Brown by 1330 votes after preferences in Keysborough Ward
a former Labor member who stood as a genuine independent
first served on the council from 2003-16 and 2019-21 and was a one-time mayor
Yim says Brown was a concern for her during the election campaign
“I wouldn’t have been disappointed if he did win because I think I agree with a majority of his policies
“I would’ve respected the residents’ decision.”
The young 28-year-old is waiting on her ALP membership to be approved
saying she’s looking forward to work with her “family’s favourite” the five-time mayor Jim Memeti from Dandenong Ward
who presented her family’s citizenship award as a mayor of Greater Dandenong Council
“My family would definitely be excited for me to work with him
“My major policy is assisting with residents with disabilities and elderly residents
They could have more attention given to them.”
The quality-assurance assistant in the pharmaceutical industry says she’d like to focus on the upkeep of parks
She says she chose to pursue science at the University of Melbourne to “better understand” her sister’s condition
and also of others in the disability community
Greens party member Rhonda Garad defeated the ALP’s Angela Long
a three-time mayor who had been on the council for the past 25 long years
The Cleeland ward also went into preference vote with Garad drawing out 424 votes ahead after preferences
She will be teaming up with the victorious Greens party member Isabella Do in Keysborough South Ward
she defeated second-placed ALP member Alexandra Bryant by more than a whooping 2529 votes
62.8 per cent) as well as conservative independent Bob Milkovic (Dandenong North
52 per cent) all polled more than 50 per cent primaries – and have provisionally won their seats
Counting in Springvale North and Springvale South wards will continue tomorrow (8 November)
with ALP incumbents Sean O’Reilly and Loi Truong favoured to reclaim their seats
The president of Aris spoke to Neos Kosmos about the previous season
South Springvale Aris is a club steeped in Greek culture with a loyal fanbase
Not content with just being at the top end of the state league
they also nurture the future generation through their brand new Junior community program
you won’t catch Jim Simos and his team relaxing poolside
They are now teaming up with South Melbourne Hellas for a one-day Junior community program led by local football star
in order to find out some more information about the club’s new program
“This Junior community program is an opportunity for the kids to continue playing football in the offseason
Joining forces with a club like South Melbourne
shows our commitment to these kids and our passion in getting them playing at the highest levels as possible,” Simos told Neos Kosmos
Speaking of the collaboration with David Clarkson he said it’s a “fantastic” opportunity
“This is someone who played at the highest level in this country
and was coached by one of football’s all time greats
The kids will be able to have a fun day learning about the game
Simos also reflected on the senior squad’s season for Aris which wrapped up not too long ago
“I am extremely proud of how we performed
Our finish of 7 wins and a draw in the last 8
and all the boys put in a massive effort to finish third.”
The president has many reason to look forward to the next season
“Most of the group have already committed to next season
so the league title needs to be the target
Doveton and Beaumaris to be in the same boat as us
And that’s not even including the other Greek side Bayside Argonauts
Can’t wait for an additional Greek Derby.”
Thousands flocked to celebrate a series of Khmer New Year festivae events at Springvale South last weekend
Amongst celebrations occurring across Australia this month
Wat Buddharangsi Buddhist Temple held a rich display of Cambodian culture and community spirit across days and nights from 11-13 April
Each day began with traditional Buddhist chanting and a blessing ceremony conducted by the temple’s monks
attendees were invited to a luncheon of traditional Cambodian cuisine
Each afternoon of the event included religious activities and traditional games from the Khmer culture which attendees were encouraged to participate in and play
each night featured a Khmer food festival which features even more traditional Khmer cuisine
including delicious cakes and live dancing and music
There is plenty of excitement around Dandenong District Cricket Association circles this week ahead of Berwick’s venture to Springvale South
Berwick is flying with wins in its last five Turf 1 games
supplemented by three successful T20 results
beginning with a huge six points against Buckley Ridges
If Berwick is to have any chance of picking up the six points
it will need to solve the Jordan Wyatt equation
The Bears’ last win over the Bloods in Turf 1 predates Wyatt’s arrival at Springvale South
coming nearly four years ago back in February 2021
when Ruwantha Kellapotha grabbed a hat-trick in a 93-run thrashing
Wyatt remains one of the most dangerous batters in the competition with 348 runs at 49.7 this summer but the contest against Berwick is one that he has particularly dined-out on in recent years
He only managed 17 against the Bears back in round two
but that effort was a clear outlier compared to previous scores
his five previous scores against the Bears read as follows: 77
with just one coming with a strike rate below 100
In both sides’ final home and away contest last summer
with Berwick needing a win to climb back into the four
Wyatt returned to the crease after being dismissed to run between the wickets for an injured Jordan Mackenzie
giving his side a much-needed boost during a dangerous period in the first innings
and sealing his Wookey Medal victory with three votes
Springvale South’s 10 points against Dandenong West gives the Bloods a cushion in second place over Berwick
but a loss will open the door for Berwick to mount another charge at the top two in the final few weeks
Berwick got the chocolates when the two met at Alex Nelson Reserve earlier this summer in a T20 contest and will take that positivity into the season-defining game this week
Narre South’s emerging rivalry with Buckley Ridges will add another chapter when they meet at Strathaird Reserve
When these two have met in the last 18 months
none more so than Buckley Ridges’ epic two wicket win in last season’s preliminary final
the Bucks snuck home by one wicket despite an incredible fight back with the ball by the Lions
Looking back on that scorecard will cause great pain for the Lions
as their key contributors no longer wear the club colours
in import pair Alex Cruickshank and Callum Nicholls
Narre South bowled excellently at Park Oval earlier this summer but fell victim to the wrath of a returning Daniel Watson late in the innings
Watson won’t feature for Buckley Ridges this week
With Springvale South’s outright win last week
with the Bloods now in prime position to overtake them at the top
has a great chance to return to the winner’s list after three consecutive losses against North Dandenong
the Journal’s sports team will be re-sharing some of the most popular stories from over the course of 2024
A clear frame of mind and a continual love of the battle has culminated in Springvale South batter Jordan Wyatt claiming personal success on Sunday in the form of the Alan Wookey Medal
The medal is the highest honour that Dandenong District Cricket Association Turf 1 players can receive
awarded to the player judged the best over the course of the season
two ahead of North Dandenong all-rounder Jawid Khan
who led the vote count for much of the middle stages before Wyatt snatched the lead in round 13
Both were expected to poll in the final week
with Khan hitting 100 against Beaconsfield and Wyatt a brilliant 77 against Berwick
making for an intriguing conclusion to the count
Khan received maximum votes to take a four-vote lead
before Wyatt did the same and ultimately finish ahead
seeing Alan Wookey present him with the coveted silverware
 He’s just the second Springvale South player to win the award
after Steven Spoljaric claimed his sixth as a Blood back in 2018-19
“It’s a huge accolade and I’m extremely proud,” Wyatt said of the honour
“I thought I might be around the mark but I thought Jawid (Khan)
“I just find cricket really fun at the moment and it’s something that
you go through the down times and they’re really hard
“I’m trying to enjoy it as much as I can when my form’s been good.” 
Wyatt enjoyed another stellar season for Springvale South
his third since departing Victorian Premier Cricket side
topping the competition for runs with 617 at a staggering average of 77
against Berwick in round five and Buckley Ridges in round 12
finishing the home-and-away campaign with scores of 129
On two occasions he polled the maximum six votes – both against Berwick – while big scores in losses
against Buckley Ridges (129) and Narre South (75) late in the campaign
still netted him eight of a possible 12 votes
Consistently striking at better than a run-per-ball throughout the season
Wyatt spoke of a heightened sense of enjoyment in the middle and simplification of his game
No better was this showcased than in a small run chase against Hallam Kalora Park
when he smashed 68 from 43 balls at home in pursuit of 81
“They bowled quite full so I was throwing my hands at anything
“That’s not discrediting either of the hundreds that I made
I was able to execute my plan; my plan being
Mid-season discussions with Casey South Melbourne about a potential return did not eventuate
leaving his focus fairly and squarely on creating history with Springvale South in securing a third premiership
I loved my time at Casey but I was always playing with the mindset of ‘I might not have my spot if I don’t perform’
whereas (now) I know that I’m good enough to keep my spot
“I loved my time at Casey and I adore that club
but when you’re playing for your spot every week
“I’m having so much fun at Springvale South and hopefully that can continue in the next few weeks
I want to win a flag – that’s all that matters to me.” 
Khan was considered a front-runner by many to be around the mark
despite North Dandenong’s form slump in the second half of the year
while Pradeep’s placing was one from left-field
having flown under the radar for the lowly St Mary’s
making the most of the return to two-day cricket this season
Jarryd Straker (Springvale South) and Yohan Arumadura made the early running
before Khan made his move in the middle of the season with two six-vote performances in rounds five and eight
Jordan Wyatt (Springvale South) – 30
Jarryd Straker (Springvale South) – 18
Hallam Kalora Park is through to the grand final against Buckley Ridges in the Dandenong District Cricket Association (DDCA) Turf 1 competition after a washout saw them claim victory over Springvale South due to a higher ladder finish
The Hawks will get a shot at redemption against the Bucks who recently defeated them in a qualifying final where a combined 809 runs were scored
Hallam Kalora Park finished second at the end of the home-and-away season behind the Bucks
while Springvale South finished in fourth position
The result ends a streak of grand final appearances for the Bloods who have met Buckley Ridges in the big dance in the past three seasons
going back-to-back in 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons before falling 64 runs short last year
Meanwhile the Hawks will return to the grand final stage for the first time since they held the cup aloft in the 2020-21 season
The home side won the toss and elected to bat first
looking to post a big total for the second consecutive week and the top order delivered in spades
Ben Hillard (4) was the first wicket of the day as Bloods’ opening bowler Matt Wetering hit him on the pads and the umpire’s finger went up
It was a big wicket after the opener scored a season-high 73 last weekend against the Bucks in the qualifying final
after scoring an unbeaten century last week at number seven
was elevated back into his original number-three batting position
Hayer has hit a rich vein of form towards the back-end of the season and will pose a significant threat to Buckley Ridges’ bowling attack this weekend
Despite 188 of Hayer’s runs coming in his last two knocks
which is a stark contrast to his 63 runs at an average of nine last year
Hallam Kalora Park continued to take control of the game
as the consistent Leigh Booth and Hayer got the scoreboard ticking along
combining for a 117-run partnership before pace bowler Nick Boland got one past Booth (57) in the 36th over
The score was 3-194 and the wicket came as a reward for the Springvale South bowlers who’d been bowling a tight line and length which restricted the Hawks to just 24 runs between overs 20-30
Hayer was met by Damith Perera at the crease and the duo immediately began to alleviate the pressure that the bowlers had worked so hard to build
Runs were flowing nicely and the pair looked solid in the middle
until Hayer flicked one off the pads in the 55th over and took off for a single thinking it had got past a diving Wetering
but a classy piece of fielding saw Wetering underarm the ball to Paul Hill who took the bails as Hayer (82) failed to get back to his crease in time
The destructive batsman was determined to pile on the runs after he missed out scoring four last weekend
He belted the ball to all parts of Hallam Rec Reserve and the game was slipping away from the visitors with every ball that rocketed off the middle of his bat
The 66th over was a big one for the former Sri Lankan test cricketer as he smashed Jordan Wyatt for two maximums to collect 15 off the over
showed his class with a cruisy 71 to push the total even higher
As soon as Perera was dismissed in the 71st over
the intent was clear as captain Jordan Hammond wasted no time in putting Jordan Mackenzie over the fence
The Bloods would’ve been happy to see the back of the skipper who scored 12 runs of Mackenzie’s previous over before he was caught of the bowling of Wetering
and in a season where the triple figures have escaped him
the stage was set for a fairy tale finish as he entered the 90s
But it wasn’t to be as the 38-year-old was dismissed with eight balls remaining in the innings for an incredible 92 off 66 balls
just eight runs shy of reaching his maiden century for the 2024-25 season
Hallam Kalora Park finished their allotted overs with a total of 7-359
a score that would take some serious chasing for the Bloods the following day – Wetering (three wickets) and Boland (two wickets) toiled hard
so too did the inclement weather which took away Springvale’s chance at reaching a fourth consecutive grand final
and the decision was made to abandon the match which sent the Hawks into the grand final and Springvale South back to the drawing board for next season
Hammond would’ve been rapt with the way his side perfectly built their innings and kept wickets in hand
which allowed them to accelerate and score 7.15 runs per over for the final 20 overs
The Hawks seem to have hit their straps at the right time of the year with their top-order batters standing up on the big stage
their last two team totals of 395 and 359 have been their biggest for the season by a long way
with 279 their top score of the regular season
Confidence is high and they will be looking to take this form into the final game of the season this weekend
Springvale South captain Cam Forsyth was disappointed that the weather had decided the game
adding that some late season losses hurt their chances at securing the luxury of going through in the case of a washout
“There’s a shame there isn’t a reserve day like the other finals
but the two best teams of this season are playing off in the grand final so it’s fair at the end of the day,” he said
“What ultimately cost us is losing three of our last four games during the season through injuries and availability
that cost us a top two position so we can’t have too many complaints (about the result).”
Forsyth said it would’ve been a good toss to win as the wicket didn’t offer much for his fast bowlers who “tried their hearts out”
“The wicket was very different to how it has been throughout the season
it normally has a fair bit of grass but it was very dry and difficult to get wickets on,” he said
“We expected there would be fair bit of rain on Sunday so our plan was to try and get them out early and make as many runs as we could on the day but it didn’t quite go to plan.”
It is expected to be an enthralling encounter this weekend between Buckley Ridges and Hallam Kalora Park
“They’ve played a few tight games during the year including the recent final; both sides have batting as their strong point and if our final at Berwick is anything to go by
it’ll be quick and good for batting,” Forsyth said
“I’d like to see Hallam win given ourselves and Buckley have had a fair bit of success over the past few years; but it’s a genuine 50-50.”
Bryan Hunter was given a ‘blank cheque’ to lead Athol Road Primary School’s environmental studies program
he and his students and volunteers have propagated a learning oasis at the Springvale South school
vertical gardens and aquaponics systems – which harvests the nutrient-rich water from fish tanks to grow hydroponic plants
but advanced gardening techniques such as grafting
They turn their produce into meals such as spinach ricotta triangles
even raising grain crops which are ground into flour and cooked as damper over a campfire
These are opportunities that children can’t get anywhere else
 “It goes back to the old thing that children are disconnected to where their food comes from these days
which they then harvest and use to prepare a meal – rather than relying on the supermarket to provide a ready-to-eat meal
“They learn by doing and by getting their hands dirty.”
Hunter earned the School Garden Champion trophy in the Victorian Schools Garden Program award for his dedication and achievements
Among his initiatives were leading a 75 per cent reduction in the school’s waste
which have been connection points for parents
Principal Carmel Nigro said Hunter was an “exceptionally effective garden educator” with a “deep passion for the natural environment”
who engaged students from kindergarten-Year 6
He was someone who always went “above and beyond” – including volunteering on weekends and holidays to maintain the garden
“Bryan has been a powerful force in inspiring both students and the broader community to engage with gardening and sustainability
“His tireless efforts have transformed the school garden into a cornerstone of sustainability and education
“His innovative approach to gardening inspires curiosity
as he introduces students to non-mainstream plants like rice
expanding their understanding of diverse crops.”
Hunter’s love for the garden came from his parents
The late Robert Wakelam from Gardeners Gate Nursery helped build the school garden in 2012
provided the resources on Hunter’s wish list and passed on an array of skills to pass onto students
And behind him from the start was the school’s former principal Ruby Toombs
Toombs selected the then-PE teacher to lead the environmental education program
“She told me to make it something that hasn’t been done before
I’ll give you a blank cheque – and she funded it all
“It’s great to have the passion but if you don’t have the leadership and the funding behind you
This is probably not the page you’re looking for
Berwick has 285 runs to defend against Springvale South in its quest for a sixth-consecutive victory in the Dandenong District Cricket Association’s Turf 1 competition’s top-three contest at Alex Nelson Reserve
Three half-centuries from Berwick’s top four did the bulk of the scoring for the Bears but a poor showing from the tail and fightback from Springvale South’s bowlers saw them fail to cash-in on the excellent foundations
Beginning with Jake Hancock’s wicket at 3/248
Berwick lost 6/36 in the final six-and-a-half overs to post 284
who now averages 100.3 in his last three innings
forming quality partnerships with Matthew Hague (45) and Michael Wallace (135)
Hague reached his fifth half-century of the summer with 60 and Wallace his third with 77
Returning quick Matt Watering brought Hancock’s downfall to begin the collapse for Berwick
with wickets in consecutive balls for Josh Dowling in the 77th over bringing Jarryd Wills and Jordan Cleland’s stays at the crease to an end in short time
Wetering grabbed the big wicket of Wallace to claim both the Bears’ twin towers
proving a more-than-handy inclusion to the side in his sixth senior appearance of the summer
He and Dowling were the only multiple wicket-takers
sharing new ball duties with Blade Baxter’s absence
the Forsyth brothers and Jordan Wyatt will be required to do the bulk of the scoring next week for the Bloods
Beaconsfield failed to replicate the batting form that took them to the brink of victory last week
making just 143 against a rampant Hallam Kalora Park outfit
The Hawks bowlers have come back from the Christmas break on a mission
taking 25 wickets in 129 overs in their last three bowling innings
Tyler Clark played a lone hand for the Tigers
but just two others – Mitchell Tielen and Zack Watson – made it to double figures
Clark rescued his side from disaster at 4/8 following a devastating opening spell from Hawks quicks William Whyte and Jordan Hammond
Narre South is in a more favourable position
needing to defend 217 at home to defeat Buckley Ridges
Buckley Ridges made light work of Narre South’s batting card
outside of an excellent hundred for Vineth Jayasuriya and 60 for Jeevan Mendis
The pair combined for 173 of the 217 runs scored
with Jayasuriya reaching triple figures for the first time at Narre South
the opening batter has given the Lions a fighting chance to upset the reigning premiers
a result that could be pivotal in the fight to avoid demotion to Turf 2
Dale Tormey grabbed 3/38 for Buckley Ridges
A tobacco store has been scorched in what police believe to be a “targeted attack” in Springvale early on Thursday 11 July
Emergency services were called to a shop fully ablaze on Springvale Road about 4.30am
Victoria Police stated that they were treating the “suspicious” fire as a “targeted attack”
An arson chemist was set to attend the scene that morning
police were also investigating a car fire on Glassford Avenue
“Detectives believe the two fires are linked at this stage,” a police spokesperson stated
No one was in the store or in the car at the time
Springvale CFA and Fire Rescue Victoria brigades brought the shop fire under control in about 14 minutes
The car fire was extinguished and declared under control by firefighters at 4.50am
Any information to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or crimestoppersvic.com.au
North Dandenong has concluded the one-day portion of the new Dandenong District Cricket Association summer as the only Turf 1 side without a win and suffering a hammering to its percentage on the back of a nine-wicket thumping from Buckley Ridges
Buckley Ridges brought the Maroons’ innings to a close in the 15th over for just 81 runs
led by seamer Ishan Jayarathna’s second-consecutive six-wicket haul
before completing the chase in the 13th over
Jayarathna struck with the second and sixth balls of the innings to have Ramneet Dhindsa and Tahsinhullah Sultani’s tenures at the crease come to an end without scoring
before Hussain Ali joined in the act with the next two scalps to cut North Dandenong to 4/7
North Dandenong skipper Imran Laghmani was forced to retire
but some late boundaries from Muhammad Dawa Khan and Ghairat Mangal pushed the total to 81
Jayarathna finished with 6/30 and Hussain Ali 4/19
Buckley opener Josh Holden lost his wicket on the innings’ opening delivery but Ben Wright and Jake Cronin ensured there were no further blemishes on the scorecard
Hallam Kalora Park’s victory over Springvale South has moved the Hawks behind Buckley Ridges and into second on the Turf 1 ladder
bettering a side that had previously had their measure by 61 runs
It was a sensational spell of bowling from Hawks skipper Jordan Hammond that turned the tide of the contest
decimating the Bloods’ top order after another typically rapid start from Jordan Wyatt in their chase of 194
Wyatt and Mitch Forysth put on 49 for the opening wicket
before Hammond’s introduction into the attack in the sixth over saw the union broken
Springvale South were galloping along at just shy of 10 runs per over before Hammond came on
and with the first ball of his second over he had Wyatt caught behind for 33
Stephen Hennessy was Hammond’s next victim for a 10-ball duck in his third over and after a brief stabilising period from Blade Baxter and Cameron Forysth
Cam Forsyth and Paul Hill followed Baxter back to the pavilion shortly after as Springvale South fell to 6/82
Jackson Sketcher and Nick Boland added a vital 49-run partnership to give their side a fighting chance but their tail did not wag
with the final four wickets falling with just one run added
the innings reaching 132 when concluded in the 34th over
Hammond finished with sublime figures of 4/10 from his nine overs
Important contributions from Mahela Udawatte (52) and Ben Hillard (46 not out) in the first innings helped push the Hawks to 7/193 batting first as the Bloods’ bowlers returned to form
Nick Boland showed his class by removing the key Hawks batting pillars of Leigh Booth and Udawatte in the top three
removed dangerous pair Damith Perera and Austin Fardell in the middle order and affected the run out of Lee Brown later in the innings
Dandenong West leveled its win-loss record at two wins and two losses after thrashing Narre South at home
The Bulls put the disappointment of a loss on the previous day behind them by thrashing the inconsistent Lions by five wickets
chasing their total of 101 in the 31st over
Winning the toss and opting to bat after a brilliant showing 24 hours prior against Springvale South
the Lions made a disastrous start by losing opening pair Kyle Hardy and Morteza Ali within the first seven deliveries of the innings without scoring
Stephen Brooks and Vineth Jayasuriya added 25 runs until Jayasuriya lost his wicket to Adam Reid
before the Lions were cut back down to square one
Jeevan Mendis and Riley McDonald in consecutive overs to be reeling at 6/33
It was left to the tail to scrounge its way to something defendable
as Zac Wilson led a late-innings fightback with 25
with the Lions barely breaching the 100-run mark
It was a tremendous bowling performance from the Bulls’ attack
Narre South made early inroads with the ball and looked a chance at causing a boilover when Riley Siwes’ wicket reduced them to 4/57
but Venuk Hemachandra weathered the storm from the other end
He made 34 to top-score for the Lions and by the time his wicket fell
just 27 more runs were required for victory
Springvale South’s quest to avenge last season’s Dandenong District Cricket Association Turf 1 grand final loss has gathered significant momentum through the signing of one of local cricket’s most coveted names this week
will bolster the Bloods’ bowling attack in 2024/25
having stepped away from his Victorian Premier Cricket career
Boland brings nearly a decade of Premier Cricket experience to Alex Nelson Reserve
having made his senior debut for Frankston Peninsula back in the summer of 2015/16
He solidified his place in the Heat’s First XI in the 2017/18 season before switching to Prahran Cricket Club ahead of the 2020/21 season
He took 29 wickets at 23.2 that summer and was a critical piece of Prahran’s premiership-winning side
a team skippered by Berwick’s Jake Hancock that downed Tom Donnell and Brett Forysth’s Dandenong
Last summer he took 24 wickets at 20.6 at First XI level
including 4/78 in Prahran’s preliminary final loss to eventual premiers
He had previously represented Parkdale in Turf 2 back in 2014/15
the Bloods last week announced a raft of premiership players that have recommitted for another campaign in attempt to make it three Turf 1 premierships in four years
Paul Hill will once again lead the side as a playing-coach
while Wookey Medal winner Jordan Wyatt will continue to strike fear into opposition bowling attacks in the top order
Joining Hill and Wyatt in recommitting is last season’s leading wicket taker Jarryd Straker
2021/22 Wookey Medal runner-up Blade Baxter
Ryan Quirk and Cameron Forsyth pledged their commitment to the club
with Forysth replacing Quirk as First XI captain
The Bloods blew the chance to become the first side in DDCA history to win three First XI premierships last summer when a golden season came unstuck at the final hurdle against Buckley Ridges on grand final day
expect them to be one of the teams to beat once again next summer
as well as large scale urban renewal precincts. 
Explore our interactive project map and see where our projects are located
We create vibrant places to live and work across Victoria
through diverse and strategic property development and urban renewal projects
Our approach combines extensive development
project management and urban renewal experience with strong relationships across government and industry
technical capability and commercial thinking.With an emphasis on environmental sustainability
our goal is to create vibrant places that enrich the local area – with diverse and affordable homes
Join our team of experienced industry professionals
and develop your capability in a diverse and collaborative workplace.   
A new residential development in Melbourne’s south-east will deliver more housing opportunities for Victorians to live in one of the city’s fastest growing regions
Sales for Development Victoria’s <a href="https://www.development.vic.gov.au/projects/springvale-south?page=overview">Coomoora project</a> in Springvale South have commenced which will see 47 two-story townhouses – consisting of a mix of two
three and four bedroom homes – available for purchase
The project also contains 16 land-only lots which have already been sold
the Victorian Government’s property developer
is transforming the site into a welcoming residential community
<a href="https://coomoora.com.au/home" target="_blank">Coomoora</a>&nbsp;has been designed with over 10 per cent of the site devoted to open space
to encourage community recreation and outdoor activities
Development Victoria will work with the City of Greater Dandenong to deliver and maintain these spaces which will enhance the area for many generations to come
A key feature of the release is Development Victoria’s <a href="https://www.development.vic.gov.au/our-approach/creating-affordable-communities/pages/priority-access-to-affordable-homes">Priority Access program</a>
which gives eligible moderate-income earners an opportunity to buy quality homes before they’re made available on the open market
The Priority Access program highlights the commitment of Development Victoria to provide more homes for purchase by moderate income earners at an affordable level
Development Victoria’s Group Head Property Development
Penny Forrest said the Priority Access program is helping to make home ownership a reality for more Victorians
“The Priority Access program highlights the commitment of Development Victoria to provide more homes for purchase by moderate income earners at an affordable level,” Ms
“This program creates a great opportunity to get into a new home.”
“Melbourne’s south-east corridor is one of the city’s fastest growing areas
Developments such as Coomoora will help to meet housing demands as this region’s population continues to grow and offer residents low maintenance townhouses with access to quality open space.”
Development Victoria is working with Creation Homes to deliver a range of sustainable and affordable townhouses at Coomoora
Creation Homes Director and Chief Operating Officer
Tory Taouk said this is an exciting opportunity to partner with Development Victoria and deliver another prominent project in Victoria
“We’re particularly proud to be a part of a project that provides quality housing options to the community
“Through the support of Development Victoria's Priority Access program
it is great to see opportunities being created for Victorians to break into the housing market
“Creation Homes is dedicated to delivering the Coomoora townhouses to the highest of standards
maintaining a priority for sustainable and environmentally friendly construction practices,” Mr
Development Victoria respectfully acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Victoria
We recognise their continuing cultural heritage and connection to land
Yinga Biik Birranga-ga (Sing land and Country)
Connect with us to stay up to date on the latest developments
Taskforce Lunar detectives are investigating a fire at two tobacco shops in Springvale overnight
It’s believed offenders arrived at the Buckingham Avenue stores just before 2am on Thursday
The exact circumstances are still being established
however two neighbouring stores were set alight before the offenders left the scene
A resident of one of the apartments above the stores called triple zero (000) with police and Fire Rescue Victoria attending shortly after
All residents of the 20 apartments above the stores had to be evacuated as a result of the fire
An arson chemist is attending the scene this morning and it’s understood the building has sustained significant structural damage
No one was physically injured during the fire
Police are treating the fire as suspicious and detectives from Taskforce Lunar are appealing for anyone who witnessed the incident
or with any other information about the fire
Investigators also believe an attempted arson at the same stores on 7 October last year is also linked
Detective Inspector Graham Banks urges any witnesses with any information to come forward
“Early this morning we saw 20 residential properties evacuated as a result of this fire – that’s 20 homes filled with innocent people who potentially could have lost their life as a result of this reckless act
“We have been clear since these arson attacks started that it is only a matter of time before someone is killed directly because of one of these fires
Today we were very lucky but next time we may not be
“We also have a large number of people who have had to find somewhere else to stay and will be anxiously waiting to hear what damage their homes sustained
and we are doing everything we can to find those responsible for both lighting and directing the fire.&#8221;
Taskforce Lunar was established in October 2023 to investigate serious and violent offending linked to organised crime groups involved in the illicit tobacco trade
They are investigating over 125 fires across Victoria
with the majority occurring at businesses involved in the sale of tobacco
Detectives have arrested over 100 people in connection with these fires
as well as a range of serious offending such as extortions
Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000
A critically-injured 45-year-old man has been rescued from a house fire in Springvale
Emergency services received reports of a large amount of smoke from the Large Street single-storey brick-veneer house about 11.30pm on Tuesday 10 September
rescued the man from inside the house and gave him emergency first aid until Ambulance Victoria arrived
He was taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries
No one else was inside the house at the time
Three dogs inside the property were seized by local authorities
Greater Dandenong CIU detectives are investigating the blaze
“The exact circumstances surrounding the fire are yet to be determined and investigations remain ongoing,” a Victoria Police spokesperson stated
An arson chemist will attend the scene later today
Ten fire-fighting appliances and 34 firefighters were deployed – with extra resources dispatched due to the volume of Triple-0 calls
Firefighters brought the fire under control by 12.01am
with the house’s entire structure severely damaged
A Community Advice Message was sent due to the amount of smoke in the area
A proposal to construct a solar farm in a Melbourne suburb is continuing to face significant opposition from within the local community
We originally reported on the project <a href="https://www.solarquotes.com.au/blog/springvale-south-solar-mb1187/">back in 2019</a>, which involves the development of a PV power station featuring 68,000 <a href="https://www.solarquotes.com.au/panels/">solar panels</a> installed within a 44-hectare former landfill site in Springvale South in Melbourne&#8217;s south-east
the $38 million project will create dozens of full and part time jobs during construction
and 7 ongoing jobs over the facility&#8217;s expected life of 25 years
Lots of households in <a href="https://www.solarquotes.com.au/location/springvale-south-3172-vic/">Springvale South have solar panels</a>
more than 1,658 systems had been installed as at December 31
not everyone is enamoured with the idea of 68,000 panels plonked in a spot nearby
Opposition to the project includes all the usual concerns
but an issue that has really upset some residents is a claim parklands were to be developed at the site
The site is within the Greater Dandenong Council local government area and after Council failed to reach a decision on the project
proponent Progress Solar lodged an appeal with VCAT – the Victorian Civil &amp; Administrative Tribunal
Progress Solar had been expecting a Council decision by the end of 2019
This is where things are getting really messy
According to the <a href="https://dandenong.starcommunity.com.au/news/2021-02-22/solar-snub/">Dandenong Star Journal</a>
Council said it first required a decision on the status of the Section 173 agreement associated with the site to determine if the project complied
A section 173 agreement is made between a responsible authority (e.g
setting out the conditions or restriction on use or development
It&#8217;s called a section 173 agreement as the power to enter into this is provided under the section 173 of the Planning and Environment Act 1987
Apparently a clause in the section 173 agreement’s clause ensured the after-use of the land would be for recreational purposes in  accordance with the “Heatherton-Dingley Chain of Parks Concept Plan 1988”
But VCAT senior member Philip Martin is quoted as saying the concept plan is missing and what was in it subject to speculation
More than 160 people are reportedly opposing the project
Springvale South has a population of around 12,768 &#8211; so it could be considered a drop in the bucket
But the potential for a comparatively small group of well-organised people to change the course of a project &#8211; or prevent it from even starting &#8211; should never be underestimated
The Springvale South situation again highlights the importance for solar farm developers to first gain and then maintain social licence to operate
particularly where a project is on the doorstep of residential areas
there is a perception among some objectors that there hasn&#8217;t been community engagement on the project
A community information session took place in July 2019
but it&#8217;s not clear what level of community engagement has occurred since
Michael caught the solar power bug after purchasing components to cobble together a small off-grid PV system in 2008
He's been reporting on Australian and international solar energy news ever since
Please keep the SolarQuotes blog constructive and useful with these 5 rules:
Real names are preferred - you should be happy to put your name to your comments.2
If you are in the solar industry - try to get to the truth
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The spotlight is on the much-anticipated showdown between South Springvale and Malvern this weekend
– Clifton Hill and Yarraville dazzled the crowds with their footwork on the field – The Bayside Argonauts and P.A.O.K Altona showed their true wanderlust with triumphant away victories
Quarries Park witnessed a riveting showdown between Clifton Hill and Yarraville
the game concluded in a disheartening tie with a score of 2-2
Clifton Hill will be welcoming the struggling Strathmore
while Yarraville will be facing off against the ninth-ranked Corio at home
the Western Suburbs fell short of victory against their opponents from Corio
The Greek Australian squad had to settle for a draw against a determined and relentless opponent
couldn&#8217;t contain their excitement with the final score of 2-2
Western Suburbs must brace themselves for the relentless and consistently dangerous Sydenham Park
Springvale South Aris put up a good fight on Saturday
but victory was a slippery fish that got away in the final minute
The &#8220;yellow and black&#8221; were doomed by a questionable penalty called by the referee in the last seconds of the game
at least the atmosphere at Warner Reserve was a winner
with amazingly tasty gyros wafting through the air and a lively crowd cheering on the footballers
four goals and ninety minutes of stunning football
That&#8217;s all a true fan could hope for
Keep an eye out this week as Springvale South spices things up with a &#8220;Greek&#8221; derby against Malvern.&#8221;
Malvern may have gotten kicked in the grass last Saturday
but they&#8217;re not dwelling on their 0 -1 loss to Collingwood City
They&#8217;re gearing up to take on Springvale South
determined to bounce back and bring home a sweet victory against Aris
Hume United was no match for the mighty Westvale Olympic
The Greek Australian squad dominated possession and could have netted even more goals if they hadn&#8217;t taken a leisurely stroll in the second half
they&#8217;ll take their talents on the road to challenge Craigieburn City
the Greek Australian team needs to brush up on their defense game and pray for some better luck
this weekend they&#8217;ll be hitting the road for a juicy game against P.A.O.K
The &#8220;Doubleheaded Eagle&#8221; of Altona is soaring after a 1-2 victory on foreign turf against Lalor United
Now they enter a heated rivalry against Mill Park with sky-high confidence and a fierce desire to triumph
The Bayside Argonauts proudly sailed to victory over the Peninsula Strikers with a score of 0 &#8211; 2
leaving their opponents drooning in defeat
Despite being a close second to Hampton East Brighton
the &#8220;Argonauts&#8221; continue to reign supreme in the standings
ready to conquer yet another opponent like true Greek gods
The mighty Bentleigh United Cobras added another triumph to their record last weekend
The &#8220;yellow and black&#8221; squad slithered past Mooroolbark with a score of 1-2
climbing up the standings to a formidable fourth place
As the &#8220;Cobras&#8221; prepare to strike again this weekend
their home turf will be transformed into a snakepit for the visiting Skye United
Looks like Chisholm United got a taste of defeat served up by North Caulfield
The Oakleigh team may have put up a good fight
Chisholm will have a chance at redemption when they host Doncaster Rovers this Friday
The Waverley Wanderers fell short with a 1-2 defeat against Kings Domain on their own turf
who are trailing closely behind in eighth place by just five measly points
Apollon of Darebin gracefully conquered the Docklands
With expert skill and strategic efficiency
West Preston suffered a lackluster loss of 2-4 at home to Fawkner
the &#8220;Greens&#8221; couldn&#8217;t outshine the visiting team who seemed to conquer the field
the &#8220;Greens&#8221; have to hit the road and play Greenvale United
Maybe they&#8217;ll have better luck away from home
Looks like East Kew Olympiakos needs some olympic-sized luck if they want to climb to the top
They tied 1-1 against the Templestowe Wolves
but this week they&#8217;re bringing the game home by hosting East Bentleigh
With yet another notch in their victory belt
the unstoppable Keon Park A.E.K conquered Birrarung with a razor-thin score of 0-1
they&#8217;re coming for the leaders Meadow Park
currently only three points ahead in the standings
South Springvale &#8211; Gippsland United 2 &#8211; 2
Lalor United &#8211; Altona East Phoenix 1 &#8211; 2
Westvale Olympic &#8211; Hume United 4 &#8211; 0
Mill Park &#8211; Albion Rovers 1 &#8211; 5
Craigieburn City &#8211; Westvale Olympic 3pm
Peninsula Strikers &#8211; Bayside Argonauts 0 &#8211; 2
Mooroolbark &#8211; Bentleigh United Cobras 0 &#8211; 2
North Caulfield &#8211; Chisholm United 1 &#8211; 0
Chisholm United &#8211; Doncaster Rovers 8.30pm
Bayside Argonauts &#8211; Berwick City 3pm
Bentleigh United Cobras &#8211; Skye United 3pm
Waverley Wanderers &#8211; Kings Domain 1 &#8211; 2
Docklands Athletic – Darebin United 1 &#8211; 3
East Kew &#8211; Templestowe Wolves 1 &#8211; 1
Dandenong District Cricket Association (DDCA) heavyweights Springvale South added more silverware to its trophy cabinet at Alex Nelson Reserve after securing the DDCA’s T20 competition on Sunday
After defeating North Dandenong by six wickets in a semi-final earlier in the day at Wilson Oval
the Bloods then turned their attention to Turf 2 side
Heinz Southern Districts (HSD) in the decider
keeping the Cobras to 6/140 in pursuit of 179
it was Brett Forsyth that led the charge for the Bloods
with scores of 65 in the semi-final and 87 on a ground that he knows better than most
SEMI-FINAL: ST MARY’S 121 (20) def by HSD 1/122 (15.2)
Erratic batting from one side and excellent bowling from the other
not overawed by the challenge of tackling a Turf 1 team
saw HSD easily account for St Mary’s in the first of the semi-finals on Shepley Oval
HSD made the bold decision to field first after winning the toss
putting the pressure back on an all-or-nothing St Mary’s side
The decision proved a masterstroke from Cobras skipper Mackenzie Gardner as his bowlers ran through the St Mary’s’ top order
Nanayyakara made just 16 but was the leading run-scorer in his side’s top five
as the Saints slumped to 6/61 at the innings’ halfway point
The Cobras never took the foot off the gas
with regular wickets keeping the run rate down after an early peak of eight
HSD used just the five bowlers with each performing their role of bowling tight and taking wickets
Marquee Jonathan D’Rozario bowled first change and lived up to his high-profile billing with his tidy leg spin
who both proved effective with taking the pace off the ball
Deeshan Umagiliyage and Chameera Fernando’s 34-run stand for the seventh wicket saved St Mary’s blushes and helped post a score that would require a steady chase
and crucially helped them to face the entire 20 overs
with Blake Misson the last man dismissed on the innings’ final ball
D’Rorazio (2/25) and Jansen (2/20) were the leading wicket takers for HSD in an excellent showing from the bowling unit
Navoda Hettiarachchi top scored for the Saints with 31
Gardner and D’Rozario made light work of the chase
the captain and the marquee shared in a 96-run partnership to book their place in the decider
Gardner finished unbeaten of 61 and D’Rozario on 46
Saints’ captain Susantha Pradeep was the sole wicket taker for his side
having got through Brent Patterson’s defences
SEMI-FINAL: NORTH DANDENONG 8/146 (20) def by SPRINGVALE SOUTH 4/148 (18.2)   
North Dandenong found itself in trouble early against Springvale South
slumping to 4/18 in the fourth over after losing four wickets in eight balls
Jarryd Straker and Josh Dowling did the damage for the Bloods with two wickets each
removing the dangerous Jawid Khan for just two and Imran Laghmani for a second-ball duck
It was left to Clayton McCartney and Tahsinullah Sultani to pick up the pieces
the two adding a much-needed 62 for the Maroons to get the innings back on track
Springvale South bowlers allowed very little to be hit square to avoid the short boundaries of Wilson Oval coming into play
forcing the Maroons to hit straight and work ones and twos in the gaps
hitting some long balls to close the first half of the innings at 4/67
The Bloods were ringing the bowling changes after an unusually long period without a wicket in the middle overs
keeping the North Dandenong batters on their toes
It would be Jordan Mackenzie’s off spin that made the breakthrough
Sultani holing-out to Baxter on the leg side boundary for 31 in the 13th over to bring the vital partnership to its demise
Mackenzie then showed his fielding prowess with a direct hit from point to run out Zarak Aseel for a duck
Baxter getting through his defences for an excellent 45 that ensured his bowlers had a target to defend
Gupta continued to hit out in the final overs
including two huge sizes into the Shepley Oval cricket nets in the final over from Dowling
as the Maroons reached a competitive 8/146
North Dandenong needed to take every opportunity to make life difficult for Springvale South but the first over could hardly have gone worse
Jordan Wyatt crunched a four and a six before taking a single off the innings’ final ball
but poor fielding resulted in four overthrows
Khan made the breakthrough by removing Wyatt in the fourth over after building dot-ball pressure
as North Dandenong worked its way back into the contest
Boundaries weren’t coming frequently for the Bloods
but with Brett Forsyth at the crease and only needing seven runs per over
there was little doubt that they would reach the target
An unwell Ryan Quirk could only manage four
but contributions from Mackenzie and Blade Baxter gave Forsyth all the assistance he needed
Some lusty blows from Baxter finished the job in the 19th over
the final ball hit into the creek on the leg side
Khan and Gupta each took 4/28 from their respective four overs for the Maroons
GRAND FINAL: SPRINGVALE SOUTH 4/178 (20) def HSD 6/140 (20)
HSD’s decision to bowl first again did not come with the success that saw it claim the semi-final in the face of two of the competition’s premier batting talents
Forsyth and Wyatt added 143 for the first wicket that set the innings up for the Bloods
in a partnership that put the contest squarely in the Turf 1 side’s hands
Wyatt played the aggressor while Forsyth showcased his familiarity with Shepley Oval as one of Dandenong’s greatest ever batters
working singles and twos to the long straight boundaries while adding the occasional boundary
HSD turned to D’Rozario in the fifth over to bowl to fellow Premier Cricketer Forsyth
but Forysth welcomed him to the crease with three boundaries that put the Cobras’ import on the back foot
and shortly after Wyatt was the beneficiary of a missed stumping on 38 from Gardner
The two reached the 100-run partnership in the 12 over
with both batters raising the bat for half-centuries in the coming overs
his intent signalled by advancing down the wicket to the speed of De Silva to hit him for six
HSD went back to D’Rorazio but Forsyth was up to the challenge
slog-sweeping him to the grandstand side for six and out of the attack once more
Wyatt was dropped again on the boundary on 62
the ball landing on the other side of the cones for six as a result
a flat six to cow corner to rub salt into Cobra wounds
He eventually fell in the 16th over attempting a switch-hit
his man-of-the-match innings reaching 78 off just 49 balls
Forsyth picked up the slack as his partners came and went at the other end
dismissed on the second-last ball of the innings for 87 off 60
departing the playing surface with a bow to the vocal HSD supporters in the Frank Storan Grandstand
Leg-spinner Omair Rana was the pick of the HSD bowlers with 1/13 off his three
with the unused fourth over looking like a missed opportunity in hindsight
while D’Rozario went wicketless in his three overs
HSD opening pair Mackenzie Gardner and Brent Patterson made an impressive start to the chase in a 74-run opening stand
The heat of the afternoon and the fatigue of a second game in one day appeared to hamper Patterson early in the innings and he began to cramp
The two managed to find sporadic boundaries in the face of an experienced and dangerous bowling attack
to the delight of a strident HSD supporter base watching on
The pair weren’t giving Springvale South any chances but needed to up the run rate if they were any chance of causing a major boilover
Jackson Sketcher provided the breakthrough in the 10th over
Brent Patterson skying a ball to the square leg boundary before it fell into the awaiting hands of Liam Hamilton in front of the HSD dugout
The Bloods went back to Jarryd Straker in the next over
the short square boundary proving too tempting for Triyan De Silva as Hamilton repeated the dose in the field
When Gardner fell to Mackenzie’s part-time spin
it was three wickets in three overs for Springvale South
Richmond&#8217;s D’Rozario showed the strokeplay and class you would expect from a Victorian Premier Cricketer as he took the fight to a handful of the Bloods’ attack
but he lacked contributions from the remainder of his side
When he departed for 32 after skying a catch to Wyatt off Dowling in the 17th over after hitting him for six earlier in the over
Dowling finished as the only multiple wicket taker for the champions with 2/27 as the Cobras eventually fell 39 runs short of the total
Spin bowlers Mackenzie (1/12) and Straker (1/15) played crucial roles in building dot ball pressure in the middle of the innings
having thrashed one Turf 1 side and pushed another in a valiant defeat
A revered landmark and place of worship in Springvale South has been destroyed by a massive fire
The spectacular Bright Moon Temple was engulfed in flames when fire crews arrived about 8pm on Sunday 5 February
A huge contingent of about 80 firefighters and more than 30 appliances from FRV and CFA brought the blaze under control about 10.35pm
Flames and smoke was visible across the suburbs
with devastated onlookers posting images and condolences
The cause of the fire was yet to be determined
Noble Park and Springvale South were issued a watch-and-act message to shelter indoors
Springvale Road was closed in both directions during the emergency
Bright Moon Buddhist Society has been based on the 1.7-hectare site since 1991
converting a former sports hall into a multi-storey temple complex in Chinese Imperial Palace style
It has been a renowned part of a spectacular precinct of Buddhist temples
drawing thousands of tourists and worshippers
“Gutted for the Asian community in Springvale,&#8221; a social media post stated
&#8220;It’s like my second home and those temples were a thing of beauty
Mordialloc MP Tim Richardson posted: “This is utterly devastating to see and hope everyone is okay
“Thank you to our local emergency services for responding so quickly to keep our community safe.” 
South Eastern Metropolitan MP Lee Tarlamis stated: “It’s heartbreaking to see this destruction to the beautiful Bright Moon Buddhist Temple.”
Plans to build a solar farm next to a residential area in a Melbourne suburb have been met with backlash from some in the local community
Progress Solar is proposing a PV facility on a 44-hectare former landfill site in Springvale South &#8211; around 24 kilometres south-east of Melbourne&#8217;s CBD
Approximately 68,000 solar panels will be used for the clean power station
which is estimated will generate more than 39,000 megawatt-hours of electricity annually and avoid approximately 42,000 tonnes of carbon emissions each year
A dedicated project substation will be constructed at the site to export energy to the grid and a battery storage facility is also under consideration
Progress Solar says the project represents a direct investment of approximately $38 million and will create 50 full and part-time jobs during design and construction
Seven staff will be required during operations
which are expected to continue for 25 years
Solar energy projects are a great use of old landfill sites as often they can&#8217;t be used for much else
some Springvale South residents would beg to differ
According to a <a href="https://www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/south-east/neighbours-fear-springvale-south-solar-farm-will-completely-destroy-the-area/news-story/94118d07a81e506b5f2aca6d9bbdc921" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Herald Sun report</a> (paywall) published this morning
the disgruntled residents say the site is meant to be an area for green space and they believe the solar farm will &#8220;completely destroy&#8221; the character of the neighbourhood
After years of dealing with the impacts of having a landfill close by
the residents were looking forward to seeing parklands developed
The group has filed an objection with Greater Dandenong Council
which is yet to make a recommendation regarding the project
How many residents are opposed to the project isn&#8217;t clear
Progress Solar indicates it is keen to address concerns
&#8220;The Progress Solar team understands that it is vital to build good relationships with the communities in which they work and is committed to having open and transparent conversations with the Springvale community,&#8221; <a href="https://www.progresssolar.com.au/community-impact">says the firm</a>
Another Australian solar farm project for a metropolitan area landfill site is in Western Australia. The <a href="https://www.solarquotes.com.au/blog/south-fremantle-solar-mb1135/">4.9MW PV facility</a>, proposed for the Perth suburb of <a href="https://www.solarquotes.com.au/location/south-fremantle-6162-wa/">South Fremantle</a>
gained approval from the state&#8217;s Department of Water and Environmental Regulation last month
A man has died following a fatal crash in Springvale South early on Sunday 28 February
Police say the driver crashed into an unoccupied parked car on Sharon Road just after 1am
The 27-year-old local man and sole occupant of the vehicle died at the scene
Greater Dandenong Highway Patrol are investigating the crash
Investigators are seeking information on who may have been in the street at the time and witnessed the incident or heard anything just prior to the crash