Hume council is seeking feedback on the Sunbury Aquatic and Leisure Centre Master Plan Council is inviting the Sunbury and broader Hume community to help shape the future of the aquatic centre and is wanting to hear from everyone who uses or plans to use the facility The master plan will review the centre’s current facilities programming and performance to understand the requirements to meet the future aquatic remains sustainable and evolves over time to meet future needs council is hosting a number of drop-in sessions throughout May for residents to share their thoughts These sessions will be in person at the Sunbury Aquatic and Leisure Centre Council said these sessions are part of its ongoing effort to make the consultation process as accessible as possible For those who can’t make it to a session or need more time residents can provide feedback by filling out council’s Aquatic and Leisure and Indoor Sports Plan Community Survey Find the survey here: participate.hume.vic.gov.au/sunbury-aquatic-and-leisure-centre-master-plan Glenroy continued its perfect start to the season with a commanding win over East Sunbury on Nelson Alexander EDFL Match of the Day Glenroy coach Addam Maric joined the crew with player of the game Daniel Riley as well as East Sunbury captain Zac Watkins Check out EDFL Podcasts in your browser or listen below!  Play Duration: 2 minutes 55 seconds2m 55sBrought to you by The mayor of Hume council has raised questions over the naming of a new commercial development in Sunbury.  The development will be named Sunbury Town Centre, but mayor Jarrod Bell says the name is misleading, as it will be located five kilometres from the town's existing centre. The Village Green in Sunbury. ( Supplied: Hume City Council website) Download the ABC listen app to text and call your favourite live radio Amelia Makin is worried about her Hecs debt She just wants to live in a comfortable home and not have to worry about leaving Amelia Makin has travelled an hour from Sunbury to support her friend’s new cafe. She’s holding a cup of coffee, sitting on a small stool, talking about how only old people watch live news. This will be Makin’s second election. She’ll vote in Hawke, the safe Labor seat on Melbourne’s western fringe. She doesn’t hold any strong convictions about voting, but there is one policy that has caught her attention. I work three days a week at Patricia, a cafe in the CBD, and am studying psychology full-time. That’s all online, so usually I can go to work and then catch up on the content when I get home. But it means that my weeks are really full-on. And then on the weekends, it’s a lot of seeing family, they’re pretty spread out. Am I earning enough money? Yes. But it comes as a compromise on my studies. I’m just constantly reaching for time to make sure that I can absorb as much information, as much studying as possible. Read moreIf I cut down to two days a week which would probably work a lot better for me Most of the [other students] I talk to do two days That was the original “this is what I want to do with my life” Sign up for the Afternoon Update: Election 2025 email newsletter As an individual, I don’t have a lot of friends. Me and my fiance, Angus, live in Sunbury, which is an hour out. So if someone’s like, ‘Hey, do you want to catch up for a coffee?’ I’m like, ‘No, not really, because I have to travel an hour to see you’. So it’s just a lot of seeing Angus’s family, and a lot of seeing my family. We pay $425 a week for an upstairs unit, which was the cheapest place in Sunbury. We’ve lived there for two years. But it went up for sale not long ago, so we have to move out. The rent in our area has gone down recently, which is good. I feel like last time we had to move house, it was like $500 a week for a tiny space, and now it’s like $500 a week for a house. But we are worried about getting a new place. When you go to a rental inspection, there’s a line of like 200 people. You’re competing against all those other people to get it. 2:41Voting 101: How do you actually vote on election day? – videoWhat are your major stressors right now?I feel like you’re studying for a really long time to get a good degree, so you can get a really good job, and then, like, spend the rest of your life paying off the debt that you have. And just hoping this new fancy job you have gets you by. Or you work hospo for ever. Which sounds nice, but I can’t imagine 50-year-old me lifting those coffee bags. I want to get married. We got together in high school when we were 17, but we got engaged in September. I don’t want to have a wedding, I just want to get married, whereas Angus wants a wedding. It’s just, like, really expensive. I think my hopes would be to live somewhere really, really, comfortable and not worry about having to leave. I know that sounds like just buying a house, but if we could actually rent a place and just stay there, that would be great. Sign up to Afternoon Update: Election 2025 Free daily newsletterOur Australian afternoon update breaks down the key election campaign stories of the day, telling you what’s happening and why it matters I wouldn’t say it was better or worse. They had different struggles. There were different societal expectations, especially between men and women. Financially, we were on like $20 a day growing up. So it’s not like they were doing better financially – they bought a house and then struggled because they had a mortgage. I don’t trust anyone, but I get all my information from Instagram or YouTube. If there’s something really big happening in the world, it’ll come up in your feed, or there’s that news bar on YouTube that’ll pop up like, “Pope Francis died”. That’s how I knew, because YouTube told me. I don’t watch the news on TV. I feel like no one my age actually watches live TV any more. They’re talking about cutting down Hecs. I’m really looking forward to seeing if that happens. Read moreEveryone’s probably going to have the same answer, but making it easier for people to buy a house, which I think they’re both advocating for, but in really different ways. I don’t think either will work. Like, we’ll make it so you only need a 5% deposit, but also you’re still screwed with this really giant mortgage and huge interest for the rest of your life. So like, yeah, OK, thanks. My family growing up was always Liberal. And I would ask: “Why do you vote Liberal?” My parents’ explanation was that if you earn a lot of money, you vote Liberal. And if you don’t earn a lot of money, you vote for Labor. Their explanation was, if we vote for Labor, then all of our money is going to go the people who don’t earn that much money. But I’m like, is that not like a fair trade-off? And they’re like, no, I earned that money. That’s my money. And I’m like, sure, yeah, OK, that makes sense. But also, I still want money, so I tend to vote for Labor – but I’ve only ever voted once, and to be honest, I had no idea how to vote, and was just like, ticking random boxes. Now, I know a little bit better how to vote. I will probably vote for Labor because of the Hecs thing. Picture by Lachlan BenceThey didn't talk about it before the game but it was clear just five minutes in that Sunbury was laser focused on setting the record straight after their unceremonious exit from last year's finals All articles from our website & appThe digital version of Today's PaperBreaking news alerts direct to your inboxInteractive Crosswords Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueSaturday's 19.11 (125) to 9.7 (61) win might have been secured in a third-quarter blast of 10 goals but it took just five minutes to show which team would be the one to beat on this day It was three goals in just the first moments of play that set the tone Ballarat had barely got out the changerooms by the time the Lions put their stamp on this contest While the Swans gathered themselves to trail by just 11 points at the long break the second half was all one way traffic as the Sunbury midfield went to work It took the Lions eight minutes into the third quarter to break the half-time deadlock but the next 20 minutes was as good a football as you would see A 10-goal-to-one blast ended the match as a contest It was a midfield dominated by another best-on-ground display from Jake Egan but it wasn't helped when two of its stars were clearly hobbled throughout Bigoa Nuyon suffered a calf injury which affected his movement across the ground while midfield dynamo Paddy Simpson also rolled an ankle and was noticeably in discomfort after the match as he hobbled to the car +27Pictures by Lachlan BenceSunbury coach Matt White said in his 18 months in charge at the Lions this was as good a four-quarter effort as he had seen "We've been at them for 12-18 months now about how they need to get the job done in there How they exited the stoppages was outstanding as well "It all just clicked in that third quarter and when it does we'll enjoy this one given we haven't won up here in a while Hopefully that's the monkey off our back now White said last year's finals was not mentioned before the game nothing came up about it," he said "We knew what Ballarat were like so we tried to keep it as simple and workman like as possible there might have been a bit of panic in there but the fact we were able to put it on the scoreboard Ballarat coach Ash Baker refused to call the loss a reality check but said his team needed to go to work on stopping momentum "They are obviously a very good side and got a run on in that third quarter and kicked 10 straight which we couldn't stem," he said we need to look to try and be better at that how we can stem that momentum and limit the damage a bit "We've got a couple of injury concerns we need to get right this week so we'll see how we manage them throughout the week but it gives our boys a good chance to see a really good team in operation how they move the ball and what we need to do to get up to that standard." While the Lions win over the Swans was a blowout there were two thrillers with Redan getting its first win on the board while Melton held off a surging North Ballarat to win by three points and keep its unbeaten record in tact Redan coach Gary Learmonth said it was amazing the difference in emotions just two points can make "They jumped away from us in the third quarter but Brody Hope got us going Fraser Perkins of Ballarat breaks away from his Sunbury opponent at Alfredton on Saturday Picture by Lachlan BenceThere was on downside to the win with Steve Fitzgibbon taken to hosptial with a depressed fracture in his cheek bone Learmonth said Fitzgibbon was in good spirits and had been messaging most of the night the Bloods overcame the fright of their life to deny North Ballarat it's first win of the season Melton held on for a 10.11 (71) to 9.14 (68) win over a greatly improved Roosters side Melton coach Troy Scoble said North was the best side his side had played this year but we were able to win some really crucial contests to get back in front again and were able to hold on," he said Jaycob Hickey continued his great start to the season with another best-on-ground display Scoble said he felt his team wasn't quite as settled as it was last year "I think we've used something like 30 players already," he said we're just not as settled as we were last year "But we keep on finding a way to win and that's the pleasing part We just have to keep banking these wins while we get things together." Darley showed just how powerful it can be this season with a thumping win over Lake Wendouree conceding just one goal after quarter time The Devils were led by their powerful midfield brigade in the massive 23.12 (150) to 4.9 (33) win Newsletters & AlertsView allDaily Today's top stories curated by our news team Grab a quick bite of today's latest news from around the region and the nation Catch up on the news of the day and unwind with great reading for your evening Get the editor's insights: what's happening & why it matters tips & travel writing to transport you around the globe Your weekday morning newsletter on national affairs Your essential national news digest: all the big issues on Wednesday and great reading every Saturday Let the ACM network's editors and journalists bring you news and views from all over reviews and expert insights every Thursday from CarExpert Your digital replica of Today's Paper Test your skills with interactive crosswords A Sunbury house recommended to buyers for either renovation or demolition has sold more than $150,000 above its reserve price In what has been described as the biggest auction for the suburb this year, an estimated 250 people turned out to watch 4 Cuming Place test the market who kicked the auction off at $480,000 — the bottom of the home’s advertised price guide RELATED: Want an extra $50k for your home sale? Try a tea cup Seedy pool in Melbourne house the most popular in the country Melbourne’s ‘supercharged’ suburbs for 2025 revealed: Hotspotting Price Predictor Index By the time offers reached $500,000 the five-bedroom with Ray White auctioneer Aaron Hill continuing to take rapid bids ranging from $5000 to $2500 But it was a woman who grew up next door that drove the final result with a $651,500 bid that finally sidelined the remaining first-home buyers who had been planning to revive the property A split can be seen to the left of the kitchen’s joinery indicating where the floor has begun to sink as a result of issues with the stumps The backyard pool is not expected to survive renovation plans “It ended up selling to the next-door neighbours’ daughter,” Mr Hill said plans to renovate what they can before moving into what will be her first home and progressively updating it over the coming years Mr Hill said about 80 per cent of the bidders had been prospective first-home buyers all of them intent on renovating and updating the home with stumps in the middle of it having sunk causing a lean to the kitchen water damage from one of the upstairs bathrooms impacting the lower level and a backyard pool that hasn’t been used in 20 years described by the agent as unsalvageable — and most likely to be filled in He added that he was getting the sense that buyers wanted to get in now The block’s size and location helped to make up for the condition of the house An update is on the cards for the home’s bathrooms “They want to get in before it gets a bit silly again,” he said And there are signs this might not be that far off Mr Hill said today’s result occurred about a year after three-bedroom single-level house in the same street sold for $690,000 after an extensive renovation For sellers looking to make the most of the market taking off in the months ahead Mr Hill said the sales method would be important “If you want to get good competition and the best price “This home wouldn’t have got that price without an auction.” Sign up to the Herald Sun Weekly Real Estate Update. Click here to get the latest Victorian property market news delivered direct to your inbox MORE: Two Victorian wineries for sale in Red Hill and Beechworth regions Tiny Timboon townhouse likened to Dr Who’s Tardis could be yours for $310,000 Melbourne University lists Parkville mansion with tower, garden views and heritage detail third parties have written and supplied the content and we are not responsible for it completeness or reliability of the information nor do we accept any liability or responsibility arising in any way from omissions or errors contained in the content We do not recommend sponsored lenders or loan products and we cannot introduce you to sponsored lenders We strongly recommend that you obtain independent advice before you act on the content realestate.com.au is owned and operated by ASX-listed REA Group Ltd (REA:ASX) © REA Group Ltd. By accessing or using our platform, you agree to our Terms of Use. The future Sunbury Town Centre shows a retail precinct anchored by Coles A $2bn retail surge is on the way to one of Melbourne’s fastest-growing suburbs — and it’s already drawing in the major retail players a 10.3ha permit-approved town centre site dubbed Sunbury South Town Centre has hit the market offering what agents say is one of the last chances to deliver a major retail precinct in the city’s booming north Set along a 380m stretch of Sunbury Rd — one of the region’s busiest arterials with 17,000 vehicles daily — the site has already drawn interest from institutional investors private syndicates and experienced retail developers RELATED: Insurance trap catching Melb homeowners off guard North Melbourne bin bandit strikes apartment buildings ‘Once we bought this place it put work into perspective’ with multiple major brands reportedly keen to secure a slice of the action Colliers National Director Tim McIntosh said the demand from both tenants and developers was already “on the ground” “There just isn’t another opportunity like this in Melbourne’s north,” Mr McIntosh said “The demand is already there — and this site is ready to go.” Sunbury is one of Melbourne’s fastest-growing suburbs with a projected population of more than 105,000 by 2046 and increasing demand for retail Sunbury’s population is forecast to more than double from 44,000 to over 105,000 residents Retail expenditure in the area is tipped to soar from $1.15bn in 2024 to $2.45bn by 2041 the region has remained undersupplied — particularly when it comes to full-line supermarkets discount department stores and large-format retailers Coles is already secured through an agreement for lease discussions to bring them back are ongoing “We’ve spoken with Kmart — they’re still very interested,” Mr McIntosh said Sunbury South Town Centre has two confirmed major tenants Coles and Kmart The town centre’s design includes a dedicated bus interchange linking directly to Sunbury station aligning with the state government’s plan to boost public transport frequency as part of the Metro Tunnel rollout BP and GYG have expressed interest in tenancies particularly along the high-exposure stretch of Sunbury Rd Mr McIntosh said the precinct could be delivered in stages allowing developers to unlock value progressively as demand continues to rise Developers are already fielding interest from major national tenants in the Sunbury area Stonebridge Property Group’s Julian White said as the population expands positioning this site as a vital retail and commercial hub for Sunbury’s growing community and entertainment precincts in the area presents an immediate opportunity for new entrants to capture market share in an underserviced region,” Mr White said Sunbury is set to benefit from the Metro Tunnel with more frequent and reliable services connecting the suburb to Melbourne’s CBD and making the new town centre more accessible to public transport users Sunbury was once seen as the fringe of Melbourne freeway upgrades and public transport expansion it’s increasingly seen as part of metro Melbourne The site is being sold by Colliers and Stonebridge Property Group via an Expressions of Interest campaign closing at 2pm on May 8 MORE: Government gives up on one million renters in latest budget Rental option many tenants don’t know about Aussies now more confident they’ll escape mortgage prison in 2025 realcommercial.com.au is owned and operated by ASX-listed REA Group Ltd (REA:ASX) © REA Group Ltd By accessing or using our platform, you agree to our Terms of Use. RELATED: Insurance trap catching Melb homeowners off guard North Melbourne bin bandit strikes apartment buildings ‘Once we bought this place it put work into perspective’ \t\t\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\n\t\t Sign up to the Herald Sun Weekly Real Estate Update. Click here to get the latest Victorian property market news delivered direct to your inbox MORE: Government gives up on one million renters in latest budget Rental option many tenants don’t know about Aussies now more confident they’ll escape mortgage prison in 2025 Jaimee-lee Wilson’s mum wanted her to retire from football after she hyperextended her knee in her first game Wilson ran out for game 250 for her beloved Sunbury Lions as they faced off against East Sunbury in the Essendon District Football League women’s division 2 competition “Reaching 250 games honestly feels surreal,” Wilson said before the game “I never set out chasing numbers — I just love the game and the moments we share on and off the field “I’m incredibly grateful to still be out there learning and being part of something bigger than myself When Wilson started she was just going to fill in for a game at the request of her long time best friend Alana Bell “I definitely didn’t plan on playing this long I just kept showing up because I loved it — the game “I’m so glad I said yes to that one fill-in game all those years ago.“ Wilson said it’s the people that keep her coming back every year the team dinners and the midweek trainings when you’re tired but leave feeling lighter “This team’s been my second family for so long And let’s be honest — I’m also here for the sneaky rubdowns I’ve been filling in for 250 games now — might as well keep the streak alive.” Wilson said there were so many highlights in her career and it’s never just been about the big wins it’s the little moments and her teammates that mean most the muddy games,” said Wilson who quickly runs to the rooms after much disliked muddy games so she doesn’t get dumped into the mud winning back-to-back premierships in 2009 and 2010 then another flag in 2015 — they’re hard to beat Playing my first final on my birthday in 2009 and actually winning it.“ As well as playing Wilson has also been involved in coaching at the Lions She said whether it’s been with the seniors or juniors it has given her a whole new perspective on the game “It’s incredibly rewarding watching players grow in confidence and start to believe in themselves — especially the younger ones “I’ve helped even one player feel more at home in footy then that’s something I’m really proud of.“ Wilson has no plans to retire and says she still loves getting out there With the Lions looking to form a women’s masters side next season it’s set to continue her career even longer “I always say I’ll keep playing as long as the body holds up — and as long as they’ll keep having me,“ she said the feeling of being part of something bigger than yourself So I’ll keep showing up until the boots walk off on their own … or someone hides them from me “Maybe I’ll retire when mum finally gives me her blessing — but I wouldn’t hold your breath!” Wilson also makes banners which she stresses about and loses sleep over but will never run through them Wilson was quick to thank her teammates and family who have been part of the journey “I feel lucky to have shared the field with every one of them,“ she said “Each of them taught me something — about footy about team — and they’ve all helped shape the player and person I am You’ve been there from day one — through the injuries the muddy laundry and the last-minute banner panics cheered when you had no idea what was happening and somehow never told me to hang up the boots Wilson would have liked for the milestone to go under the radar but long time teammate Krystie Dudley has made sure she got her moment in the spotlight There were plenty of celebrations on Saturday so having the spotlight on me feels a little strange,” Wilson said “I feel incredibly lucky to be part of a group that backs each other in and makes these moments special.“ By Rachael Dexter Sunbury from Holden Hill.Credit: Justin McManus Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time 40 kilometres north-west of Melbourne’s CBD Jarrod Bell can see his beloved Sunbury’s past and future in one sweeping vista planes landing and taking off at Melbourne Airport You can also see the older suburbs built in the ’70s and ’80s concentrated down in the valley near Sunbury’s town centre while up on the sprawling grasslands the frames of new houses are going up and excavators hungrily carve up new estates mayor of Hume and life-long “Sunbury boy” “Everything that’s flat will be built on,” he says He grew up in the ’90s in a home surrounded by horse paddocks when the population was about 10,000 people driving up out of the Sunbury valley during spring he would see “fields and fields” of yellow canola crops out the rear window of his parents’ car Sunbury’s population is now about 40,000 people – four times as large Bell is on a mission to do what he can as mayor to keep his home town’s “city living knitting together old and new Sunbury in the face of a population boom That includes keeping the historic heart of the town beating when new retail chains open in nearby housing estates New homes being built in Kingsfield Estate on the eastern edge of Sunbury.Credit: Justin McManus Sunbury was one of the earliest European settlements in Victoria in 1836 George Evans and Samuel and William Jackson arrived from Van Diemen’s Land (now Tasmania) a view from the picturesque “Nook” picnic ground.Credit: Justin McManus It was a pastoral area until it was proclaimed a village in 1851 The Jackson brothers named the district after Sunbury-on-Thames in Middlesex in England when it was established in 1857 Today the wide streets in central Sunbury – lined with English oaks churches and bridges – date back to those early periods when the township was a stopover between Melbourne and the Central Goldfields region It was in the late 19th century when Sunbury became known as the “birthplace of the Ashes” to a local team in December 1882 at Rupertswood Mansion – the estate of wealthy landowner William Clarke Clarke’s wife is said to have burnt a cricket bail in “remembrance” of the death of English cricket creating the ashes for which Australian and English teams have competed ever since The legacy of the mansion was, however, stained by child sex abuse against students in the latter half of the 20th-century while it was operating as a Catholic boarding school Rupertswood Mansion.Credit: Melanie Faith Dove Sunbury was a major Victorian wine-growing area first planted in 1863 by James Goodall Francis many vineyards were removed when grazing became more profitable by the late 1920s the area’s major employer was a “lunatic asylum” which later became a school for the intellectually disabled The arrival of Tullamarine International Airport in 1970 was pivotal for Sunbury The airport is a 20-minute drive from the town and became a major employer for locals the area was declared a satellite city alongside Melton and housing estates cropped up boasting large blocks with gum trees and room for kids to have ponies and motorbikes About 30,000 people attended the Sunbury Pop Festival in January 1974.Credit: The Age Archives It was also in the ’70s that Sunbury gained notoriety for the Sunbury Pop Festival – Victoria’s answer to the Woodstock music festival in the United States (although locals quietly point out the farmland where the festival was held is technically in nearby Diggers Rest) Today at 40,000 people – on the edge of the Macedon Ranges but still technically falling inside the boundary of metropolitan Melbourne – Sunbury still can’t decide its identity: a suburb of Melbourne What is considered within Sunbury’s 3429 postcode now spans 132 square kilometres 10 bus routes and at least 16 different housing estates Its status has been a point of local contention since the early 1990s when former Liberal premier Jeff Kennett controversially amalgamated hundreds of local councils the former Shire of Bulla (which took in Sunbury) Greenvale and Cragieburn were brought together under the vast new Hume City Council For many – including Mayor Jarrod Bell – Sunbury’s inclusion in the mega- council still doesn’t quite make sense while the rest of Hume is on the Hume Corridor Sunbury is on V/Line’s Bendigo line and the Sunbury metropolitan train line while the others are on the Craigieburn line It takes 90 minutes to take public transport from Sunbury to Broadmeadows (Hume) but 20 minutes on the train to Gisborne (Macedon Ranges) “There is no doubt in my mind that there’s a stronger connection to Diggers Rest (in Melton City Council) and into the Macedon Ranges,” says Bell “But ultimately these are the boundaries that Jeff decided to draw in the ’90s.” Sunbury’s identity crisis developed into a serious campaign for the town to secede and break out as its own council in the early 2010s taking the area’s biggest ratepayer – the airport – with it a non-compulsory poll was conducted across the City of Hume by the then-Liberal state government in which 61 per cent voted to establish a new municipality backed up by a panel report a year later that recommended its reincarnation as the “City of Calder” The view of Melbourne’s CBD from Jacksons Hill estate in Sunbury.Credit: Justin McManus But the 2014 election of a Labor government under former premier Daniel Andrews kiboshed the plan with its own reviews finding the carve-up would leave Sunbury ratepayers worse off It still sticks in the craw of longer-term residents like Graham Williams who runs the Sunbury Ratepayers Association He believes there is a lingering sentiment that Sunbury is ignored and neglected in comparison with Craigieburn and Broadmeadows “According to all the reports written [secession] wasn’t economic But a lot of community members said they were happy to pay a bit more in rates to be independent,” says Williams Diggers Rest is actually right on the periphery of Melton and they have the same sense of being abandoned.” Sunbury station which services both metropolitan trains and country V/Line trains.Credit: Justin McManus acknowledges the “feeling of neglect”; Sunbury residents often point to the huge new aquatic centres in Broadmeadows and Craigieburn as an obvious disparity compared with their 1960s-era public pool “You can’t deny the reality of the feeling and the perception [but] the facts don’t back it up,” he says claiming Sunbury gets ample council attention Even with the ‘Sunbury out of Hume’ movement that was a movement that was really trying to celebrate the story of a community,” he says Williams is emblematic of “old Sunbury” – although he maintains many families with longer ties to the area would still consider him a “blow-in” He and his wife moved from Tasmania to the mainland in the early ’90s seeking job opportunities and to be closer to his wife’s family the land adjacent to the Sunbury railway station was a dusty paddock used as an impromptu car park and a place for travelling circuses to set up Sunbury Residents Association president Graham Williams at Sunbury railway station.Credit: Justin McManus “It was a large but small country town,” he says “When we came here the council had plans that there would never be development between the top of Bulla Hill and Sunbury township.” Sunbury continues sprawling in several directions at once with new estates stretching south down Vineyard Road towards the Calder Freeway out north towards Romsey on Lancefield Road and south-east along Sunbury Road towards the airport People in Sunbury refer to their housing estates like they would a suburb – Ashfield Redstone and Everley are the newest arrivals But the newer estates aren’t like those built in the ’80s on large covenanted blocks with gum trees; many have small blocks with little to no backyards and are what Bell describes as “an endless sea of grey roofs” “It’s a heart-breaking situation,” he says “[But] the opportunity to have the say on the development of these precincts was 10 years ago.” The view from Jacksons Hill of new housing estates.Credit: Justin McManus But where older residents sometimes look at new estates with pity for new arrivals to the area they represent a precious opportunity standalone home in Redstone estate with their chow chow dog in October last year – a stark contrast to their previous two-bedroom highrise apartment in Southbank especially in our young 20s,” says Johnrey But when COVID hit – and they were both forced to work from home – Johnrey says the couple had a “realisation of the importance of space” Both he and his wife had grown up in the north-western and western suburbs of Sydney on larger blocks with backyards and wanted the same for their future children in an area they felt was as close as you could get to the country Johnrey and Ericka Baraceros with dog Kobe in front of their new Sunbury home in the Redstone Estate They swapped apartment living in inner Melbourne’s Southbank for space in the city’s outer north-west.Credit: Penny Stephens Despite being in what will become a dense estate the couple’s backyard faces onto a long-established farm property “We’ve swapped the sound of sirens in Southbank for sheep and roosters,” says Ericka The couple takes the train into Melbourne five days a week – driving five kilometres from home to Sunbury station and taking either the Metro or V/Line trains into the city they drive around the Macedon Ranges or out to Daylesford exploring bushland with their dog Bell and Williams worry about how these new estates will integrate into old Sunbury They are still facing classic greenfields issues – many are still not hooked up to sewerage systems with pump trucks weaving in and out of the new estates several times a day And there aren’t yet any public transport links into the main town centre One of the commercial waste trucks servicing a new estate in Sunbury.Credit: PENNY STEPHENS The only hard boundary to growth on the south-eastern flank of Sunbury is a remaining “green wedge” of Bulla between Sunbury and the airport “Sunbury will grow as far as it can to Bulla but there’s a reason Bulla still only has 500 residents,” says Bell Bell is unusually frank about the true reason for this buffer “It’s unofficial, but the green wedge in Hume isn’t about protecting prime agricultural land,” he says. “It’s actually about protecting the curfew-free status of the airport.” Hume Council, unlike neighbouring Brimbank, has never supported a Sydney-style nighttime curfew at the airport – even with the now-confirmed third runway causing concern for residents’ health in the area Hume has fewer residents living directly under the flight path and plans to keep it that way Allowing residential growth near the airport would mean more noise complaints and community impetus for a curfew With a lower-than-average level of economic disadvantage in Sunbury Bell says a 24-hour airport is an absolute necessity for the area “The airport has always been a massive driver of the economic success or prosperity of Sunbury,” he says “I remember vividly as a child the collapse of Ansett I remember going to school the days and weeks after and kids were crying because mum and dad had lost their jobs.” But there’s still not enough local jobs after a decline in manufacturing in the area “Sunbury is still very dormitory – we are different from the rest of Hume Most people leave town for their work,” he says The microeconomics of Sunbury are also at play in its main shopping streets Evans Street – speak to the growing diversity of the population with lines for Vietnamese banh mi rolls out the door at lunchtime and in the fair trade coffee roasters and deli-style cafes popping up “Evans Street is the ‘story of renewal’,” says Bell Evans Street in Sunbury.Credit: Justin McManus Williams says,the town centre’s three supermarket car parks are full “You can’t get a park for neither love nor money,” he says The newly minted $39 million multi-storey commuter car park has eased the burden somewhat With the new Metro tunnel coming later this year the Sunbury train line will open up to more of the city – and Williams is hoping for more state infrastructure funding not least to upgrade the local train station with modern features like lifts While the township is quickly outgrowing itself Bell says he and the council are worried about what will become of the historic town centre when a new major shopping mall with large chain retailers opens in Redstone estate five kilometres from the traditional town centre “That’s where all the big shops are going to go So the discussion that we as [a] council are having is how do we protect the historic town of Sunbury Concept plan for Sunbury’s arts and culture precinct in the former Sunbury Asylum buildings.Credit: Kirsten Thompson Architects One way is a plan to draw on the bohemian streak of its Sunbury Pop Festival history A forthcoming development will see a wing of the heritage-listed Sunbury Lunatic Asylum (the former Female Refractory) transformed into an arts precinct where local artists Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter 40 kilometres north-west of Melbourne\\u2019s CBD Jarrod Bell can see his beloved Sunbury\\u2019s past and future in one sweeping vista known as \\u201Cthe birthplace of the Ashes\\u201D You can also see the older suburbs built in the \\u201970s and \\u201980s concentrated down in the valley near Sunbury\\u2019s town centre \\u201CEverything that\\u2019s flat will be built on,\\u201D he says is a born-and-bred \\u201CSunbury boy\\u201D He grew up in the \\u201990s in a home surrounded by horse paddocks when the population was about 10,000 people he would see \\u201Cfields and fields\\u201D of yellow canola crops out the rear window of his parents\\u2019 car \\u201CYou don\\u2019t get that now,\\u201D he says Sunbury\\u2019s population is now about 40,000 people \\u2013 four times as large Bell is on a mission to do what he can as mayor to keep his home town\\u2019s \\u201Ccity living which winds through Sunbury before eventually meeting the Maribyrnong River was once the home of the Indigenous Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung people According it was their name for the river \\u2013 \\u201CSunburra\\u201D \\u2013 that gave the town its European name such as the town\\u2019s speak to the area\\u2019s pre-European settlement days George Evans and Samuel and William Jackson arrived from Van Diemen\\u2019s Land (now Tasmania) Today the wide streets in central Sunbury \\u2013 lined with English oaks churches and bridges \\u2013 date back to those early periods when the township was a stopover between Melbourne and the Central Goldfields region It was in the late 19th century when Sunbury became known as the \\u201Cbirthplace of the Ashes\\u201D to a local team in December 1882 at Rupertswood Mansion \\u2013 the estate of wealthy landowner William Clarke Clarke\\u2019s wife is said to have burnt a cricket bail in \\u201Cremembrance\\u201D of the death of English cricket stained by in the latter half of the 20th-century while it was operating as a Catholic boarding school the area\\u2019s major employer was a \\u201Clunatic asylum\\u201D It was also in the \\u201970s that Sunbury gained notoriety for the \\u2013 Victoria\\u2019s answer to the Woodstock music festival in the United States (although locals quietly point out the farmland where the festival was held is technically in nearby Diggers Rest) Today at 40,000 people \\u2013 on the edge of the Macedon Ranges but still technically falling inside the boundary of metropolitan Melbourne \\u2013 Sunbury still can\\u2019t decide its identity: a suburb of Melbourne What is considered within Sunbury\\u2019s 3429 postcode now spans 132 square kilometres For many \\u2013 including Mayor Jarrod Bell \\u2013 Sunbury\\u2019s inclusion in the mega- council still doesn\\u2019t quite make sense Sunbury is on V/Line\\u2019s Bendigo line and the Sunbury metropolitan train line \\u201CThere is no doubt in my mind that there\\u2019s a stronger connection to Diggers Rest (in Melton City Council) and into the Macedon Ranges,\\u201D says Bell \\u201CBut ultimately these are the boundaries that Jeff decided to draw in the \\u201990s.\\u201D Sunbury\\u2019s identity crisis developed into a serious campaign for the town to secede and break out as its own council in the early 2010s taking the area\\u2019s biggest ratepayer \\u2013 the airport \\u2013 with it backed up by a panel report a year later that recommended its reincarnation as the \\u201CCity of Calder\\u201D But the 2014 election of a Labor government under former premier Daniel Andrews the plan \\u201CAccording to all the reports written [secession] wasn\\u2019t economic But a lot of community members said they were happy to pay a bit more in rates to be independent,\\u201D says Williams and they have the same sense of being abandoned.\\u201D acknowledges the \\u201Cfeeling of neglect\\u201D; Sunbury residents often point to the huge new aquatic centres in Broadmeadows and Craigieburn as an obvious disparity compared with their 1960s-era public pool \\u201CYou can\\u2019t deny the reality of the feeling and the perception [but] the facts don\\u2019t back it up,\\u201D he says Even with the \\u2018Sunbury out of Hume\\u2019 movement that was a movement that was really trying to celebrate the story of a community,\\u201D he says Williams is emblematic of \\u201Cold Sunbury\\u201D \\u2013 although he maintains many families with longer ties to the area would still consider him a \\u201Cblow-in\\u201D He and his wife moved from Tasmania to the mainland in the early \\u201990s seeking job opportunities and to be closer to his wife\\u2019s family \\u201CIt was a large but small country town,\\u201D he says \\u201CWhen we came here the council had plans that there would never be development between the top of Bulla Hill and Sunbury township.\\u201D People in Sunbury refer to their housing estates like they would a suburb \\u2013 Ashfield But the newer estates aren\\u2019t like those built in the \\u201980s on large covenanted blocks with gum trees; many have small blocks with little to no backyards and are what Bell describes as \\u201Can endless sea of grey roofs\\u201D \\u201CIt\\u2019s a heart-breaking situation,\\u201D he says \\u201C[But] the opportunity to have the say on the development of these precincts was 10 years ago.\\u201D in October last year \\u2013 a stark contrast to their previous two-bedroom highrise apartment in Southbank \\u201CWe really enjoyed that city lifestyle especially in our young 20s,\\u201D says Johnrey But when COVID hit \\u2013 and they were both forced to work from home \\u2013 Johnrey says the couple had a \\u201Crealisation of the importance of space\\u201D the couple\\u2019s backyard faces onto a long-established farm property \\u201CWe\\u2019ve swapped the sound of sirens in Southbank for sheep and roosters,\\u201D says Ericka The couple takes the train into Melbourne five days a week \\u2013 driving five kilometres from home to Sunbury station and taking either the Metro or V/Line trains into the city They are still facing classic greenfields issues \\u2013 many are still not hooked up to sewerage systems with pump trucks weaving in and out of the new estates several times a day And there aren\\u2019t yet any public transport links into the main town centre The only hard boundary to growth on the south-eastern flank of Sunbury is a remaining \\u201Cgreen wedge\\u201D of Bulla between Sunbury and the airport \\u201CSunbury will grow as far as it can to Bulla but there\\u2019s a reason Bulla still only has 500 residents,\\u201D says Bell but the green wedge in Hume isn\\u2019t about protecting prime agricultural land,\\u201D he says \\u201CIt\\u2019s actually about protecting the .\\u201D has never supported a Sydney-style nighttime curfew at the airport \\u2013 even with the now-confirmed third runway \\u201CThe airport has always been a massive driver of the economic success or prosperity of Sunbury,\\u201D he says I remember going to school the days and weeks after and kids were crying because mum and dad had lost their jobs.\\u201D But there\\u2019s still not enough local jobs after a decline in manufacturing in the area \\u201CSunbury is still very dormitory \\u2013 we are different from the rest of Hume Most people leave town for their work,\\u201D he says Evans Street \\u2013 speak to the growing diversity of the population with lines for Vietnamese banh mi rolls out the door at lunchtime \\u201CEvans Street is the \\u2018story of renewal\\u2019,\\u201D says Bell Williams says,the town centre\\u2019s three supermarket car parks are full \\u201CYou can\\u2019t get a park for neither love nor money,\\u201D he says the Sunbury train line will open up to more of the city \\u2013 and Williams is hoping for more state infrastructure funding \\u201CThat\\u2019s where all the big shops are going to go a bit like Abbotsford [convent],\\u201D he says Start the day with a summary of the day\\u2019s most important and interesting stories 4 Cuming Place, Sunbury is going to auction this weekend A Sunbury home has unexpectedly become Australia’s hottest property — despite sinking stumps water damage and a festering pool that hasn’t been swum in for 20 years Melbourne will host 722 of the nation’s 1900 expected auctions And the Cuming Place home that’s been listed as “renovate or detonate” has been the most popular among prospective buyers out of all of them RELATED: Funky Tardis-esque home in tiny town has $310k price tag Shock move in Melbourne home prices revealed ‘Choked out’: concerning rise in insurance claims and home sales It’s the latest sign renovators delights are back on shopping lists after years of buyers turning their noses up at them in response to surging building costs Ray White Sunbury’s Aaron Hill has the home listed for sale at $480,000-$520,000 in one of the cheapest house listings in the suburb this year but he said its reserve will sit within that range as the owners move into care In the past four weeks it has been inspected by more than 200 groups and has 16 bidders registered The kitchen and dining space in the Sunbury property But the next owner will need to restump the home The kitchen is leaning as a result and will likely need to be replaced There’s also water damage from an upstairs bathroom that has impacted the ground level “And I don’t believe you can salvage the pool The agent noted that while some buyers were hoping to spend $50,000 to get it to the point where they could move in for a few years others were estimating it would cost as much as $200,000 to make it their forever home it’s in one of the best spots in the suburb It’s right behind Salesian College,” Mr Hill said MORE: Cost of living: Melbourne families now need $75,000 a year to cover mortgage, bills he sold Ozman (Oz) Abu Malik and Omar Slaimankhel and Omar’s series winning home to Adrian Portelli in 2023 While tight lipped on what this year’s season might hold he did note that the Cuming Place home would have been “amazing for The Block to have fixed up” though they would have needed a few more like it Belle Property Victorian boss Anthony Webb said his agencies had been seeing a significant shift in Victorians’ appetite for renovation projects and demolition jobs “We had one in Melton last weekend … we had to reduce the price because you had to factor in demolition the house was in abysmal condition,” Mr Webb said “But it had heaps of people through and sold really He noted another in Mornington got a similarly strong response the week prior those homes would have sat on the market and you wouldn’t have had anyone through,” Mr Webb said “But the cost of living is hitting people hard at the moment and while construction is still definitely expensive … people are looking for the ones where they can do things themselves “It’s mates rates and weekend jobs for tradies.” while last year buyers had been prepared to wait and see if they could buy a better finished property today they were becoming more worried they would miss out as the market rose MORE: Coburg: Dilapidated house sells for almost $1m after 70+ years in one family Moonee Ponds heritage mansion with bank vault in the garage up for sale Frankston North house price record: Local and interstate bidders battle for home A new initiative in Sunbury is helping the community access fresh and affordable produce The Sunbury Community Harmony Food Co-op will be a weekly market offering an alternative to major supermarkets by providing fresh but will also operates a referral-only membership program offering additional discounts to individuals and families who are experiencing financial hardship The initiative is a partnership between Goonawarra Neighbourhood House Multicultural Resource Hub and Sunbury Aboriginal Corporation It was also supported by start-up funding from the state government and supported by health promotion staff at Sunbury and Cobaw Community Health Co-op coordinator Bianca Lyndon and her dedicated team of volunteers are excited to welcome the community to the co-op for the launch on Saturday the market will be running alongside the launch including cooking demonstrations run by Hume council The launch event will take place between 10.30am and 12.30pm at the Sunbury Aboriginal Corporation with the market running every Saturday from 10.30am to 12.30pm The seat of Bendigo is currently too close to call The current Bendigo MP Lisa Chesters holds the first preference count lead while Nationals candidate Andrew Lethlean trails closely behind with 27,234 votes On the two candidate preferred for the seat Mr Lethlean holds a slight lead over Ms Chesters with 52.98 per cent and 47.02 per cent respectively The seat will come down to preferences as the vote continues to be counted the seat of Bendigo has been seen as a traditionally safe seat for the ALP with the party holding the seat since 1998 and it seemed that she would be a shoe-in once again come the May 3 election redistribution in the Bendigo seat saw the gain of Rochester a traditional Nationals stronghold town from Nicholls This brought down the margin held by the ALP to 11.2 per cent The current results coming in are seeing a strong swing against the ALP Mr Lethlean has been heavily campaigning in Bendigo with a reported $1 million budget according to the ABC Mr Lethan is also the first Nationals candidate to run for the seat of Bendigo in a number of years both Ms Chesters and Mr Lethlean are staying quiet on social media as votes continue to be counted however supporters are expecting the Bendigo vote to go into recounts with the final result potentially not clear for a few days The seat of Bendigo is situated in Central Victoria and also covers parts of the Macedon Ranges and surrounds Other parties on the ballot at the 2025 federal election included the Greens Avery Barnett-Dacey Liberal candidate Matt Evans and One Nation’s Heather Freeman it would be the fourth Nationals seat in Victoria The Sunbury Lions have gotten off a strong start to the Ballarat Football League season as it looks to bank early wins With a six week period in the middle of the season with four games away and a bye the Lions are keen to make the most of their matches at home the Lions have won their next three matches to be ahead of the ledger early on “We’re really happy with the start to the season,” coach Matt White said before the weekend’s match with Ballarat “We could have got the job done against Darley to start the year At home we’ve been great against Redan and North Ballarat on the weekend “Hopefully we can tame the old nemesis in Ballarat and make it 3-1.” White said getting wins on the board early in the season was something they had focused on before heading away from Clarke Oval in the middle of the year The Lions form in the past two matches have impressed White particularly the first half against North Ballarat in round three “The guys were slotting goals from 50 and then from 40 metres out in the rain “We’ve been happy with how the boys have come out White said he had been thrilled with their off season recruits and how they had fitted into the line up He said the combination of Daniel Johnston joining Jake Sutton up forward was working well “We’ve had a spread of goalkickers in the forward line and the mids have been kicking goals,” he said “DJ is yet to hit a big bag yet but it’s to do with how we have designed it Him and Jake are opening up the forward line and allowing the middle through to kick goals “Myles [Gollant] has been really good at centre half back We’re not sure how his old club let him go “By luck his sister plays netball for us and he started to look at us.” The Lions though have lost Cody Bramble for season after tearing his ACL White said they would look to get Bramble back around the group as soon as they can “He did a lot of work in the off season,” he said “He trained with three different VFL [Victorian Football League] clubs and got on the Bulldogs list He was brilliant against Darley and had 14 or 15 disposals at half time against Redan The Lions were back in action on Saturday against Ballarat and had a big win Jake Egan and Jake Sutton kicked five goals each Riddell has announced its first new signing for the next Gisborne and District Cricket Association season The Bombers have announced that Peter Cashen will join the club Cashen has played many years with the Heidelberg and after moving to Riddells Creek is now excited to be joining us at the Bombers Sunbury has announced the signing of Jack Narraway for the Victorian Turf Cricket Association Steve McNamara Shield Narraway comes to the club with a wealth of experience as a wicketkeeper and top order batsmen He has been captain-coach of Emmbrook and Bearwood for the past seven years with the senior division tam winning two league titles Gisborne got back on the winners list with a hard fought win against Strathfieldsaye in the Bendigo Football League on Saturday The Bulldogs led by 23 points at quarter time before the margin was brought back to four points at the main break Scoring was hard to come by in the second half The Bulldogs managed to do enough to come away with an 8.9 (57)-7.10 (52) win Braidon Blake and Patrick Trotta were named the Bulldogs best Macedon and Diggers Rest couldn’t be split on Anzac Day in the Riddell District Football League the Cats were made to pay for inaccurate kicking as they had to settle for a draw with the Burras Kyneton beat Lancefield in the battle of the Tigers in the other Anzac Day match Melton South made it two in a row against the Gisborne Giants and Riddell beat Melton Centrals Gisborne showed plenty of resolve to sneak home against Eaglehawk in the Bendigo Football League on Saturday After a five point win against Strathfieldsaye the previous week the Bulldogs were again made to fight hard the Bulldogs were able to come away with a 13.6 (84)-12.10 (2) win Bulldogs skipper Jack Reaper said they were relieved to get the win “It was really nice to head up there and face Eaglehawk on their home ground,” he said “We were able to manage the minutes and produced the result in the end.” Reaper said it was a back and forth game with both sides having their time to shine in the sun He said it was a really competitive game with the Hawks having some big bodies The Bulldogs kicked the first couple of goals in the last quarter to open up a bit of a lead before the two sides went goal for goal later in the quarter Reaper said early in the season they’ve had to play hard final quarter football which will be important later in the season “We had our chance against South Bendigo and were five goals down and had to chase them,” he said “This time they were the ones chasing and we were able to put guys behind the ball That’s two games we have won under two goals “It’s good to get the result and move to 3-1.” Pat McKenna and Shane Clough were named the Bulldogs best McKenna and Clough both returned to the side from injury and Victorian Football League respectively Reaper said the pair make a huge difference to the squad He said it was pleasing to see Jacob Floreani come into the side on the wing and play a good role after starting the season in the reserves The Bulldogs face Castlemaine this Saturday before a break the following week Reaper said they were hoping to enter the week off with a 4-1 record “We know that Eaglehawk and South Bendigo are better teams than last season,” he said “We have two tough games to come and we have a few players go away in the middle of the year It would be nice to beat them and have a good win at home and be 4-1 at the bye.” Sunbury’s in-person visitor information centre will begin to wind down with Hume council transitioning to online delivery of the service Located at the Hume Global Learning Centre the Sunbury Visitor Information Centre will close at the end of June the council will instead focus on online information delivery – such as through its Discover Hume page on Instagram – with the transition “consistent with industry trends across Victoria” This follows a council review that found more people are accessing visitor information online and the majority of in-person enquiries at the Sunbury Visitor Information Centre at the Hume Global Learning Centre are not visitor-related The spokesperson said the council will connect the centre’s staff and volunteers with relevant job opportunities and help them explore other voluntary roles within Hume “As we transition this service there will be increased support for Sunbury businesses including those with a tourism focus,” the spokesperson said Sunbury Residents Association president Graham Williams said he believes the lack of in-person visitation for tourism inquiries is due to the centre’s location and the opening hours of the Hume Global Learning Centre “I think … it’s not accessible nor well-signposted or advertised and it’s basically a very low-key service currently and doesn’t lend itself to visitors to Sunbury finding it and managing to get to it,” Mr Williams said “I think the loss of the previous visitor information centre was a retrograde step and we would like to see it reinstated.” mayor Jarrod Bell said the volunteers at the Hume Global Learning Centre in Sunbury are “familiar faces and often the first people visitors and locals alike turn to for support “It’s also important to acknowledge that while the service is volunteer-led managing an accredited visitor information centre … comes with significant costs.” He said the nature of the service has changed with the volunteers now providing more of a community concierge service at the Hume Global Learning centre rather than a traditional visitor service Cr Bell said he will continue to advocate for the volunteers who wish to remain involved to “have a place within a refreshed model of support at the GLC,” which is currently being explored by Hume the sound of bagpipes greeted those approaching the Sunbury War Memorial for the beginning of the town’s Anzac Day dawn service the beginning of the service was marked with the completion of the overnight Sunbury Anzac Youth Vigil where local youth from Sunbury Scout groups and the CFA and SES took turns in shifts throughout the night to maintain a continuous silent watch at the memorial cenotaph this was the fifth Anzac Youth Vigil in Sunbury since it was introduced as part of the town’s Anzac Day services The Sunbury RSL’s dawn service began at 6am with vice president Dieter Jankovic addressing the silent crowd the Australian and New Zealand troops landed under fire at Gallipoli that the Anzac tradition was formed,” Mr Jankovic said we remember those who served our nation in times of war and peacekeeping in the tragedy of war – they adored our nation’s history.” The guest speaker at the dawn service was Sunbury veteran David Jordan who shared the story of two local Sunbury brothers – Harold and Norman Benzley – who were raised on Barkly Street and fought in World War I “Their family faced hardship even before the war their father was accidentally killed at the Sunbury Train Station,” Mr Jordan said enlisted at just 19 … He fought at Gallipoli – a name that still resonates deeply across Australia and New Zealand Harold’s military journey didn’t end at Gallipoli where he was wounded in action and died on [August 6] Mr Jordan said that Harold’s older brother Norman enlisted at 32 rising through military ranks and receiving a Belgian Croix de Guerre award that made news in Sunbury and wrote a haunting letter home saying “I am still going well but you can never tell when your number is going to be up.” Norman was severely wounded after being shot in the shoulder and was listed as dangerously ill “The legacy of Anzac is not a distant chapter of history and the attending crowd remained silent for The Last Post Talking with Star Weekly after the service Mr Jankovic said that the dawn service and the crowd it drew “reflects on the love the Sunbury community have for our dawn service.” “I’d like to thank all the people of Sunbury – and particularly the people of the Sunbury Youth Vigil who [stood] by the cenotaph for the previous 12 hours,” Mr Jankovic said Mr Jordan said that it was “great to see the number of people from the local community turn out especially on the back of identifying those two locals as part of the Anzac Day address.” The Sunbury RSL’s Anzac Day services continued with a march to the memorial on Stawell Street from 9.50am followed by a morning service from 10.15am Melbourne’s housing market is set for a monster comeback with almost two thirds of suburbs now on an upward trajectory and battler ’burbs tipped for “supercharged” price growth A rise in sales activity in Sunbury has the area in Melbourne’s north west ranked as the nation’s top spot for a lift in house values this year Hoppers Crossing and Deer Park have also been tipped for a boost RELATED: Shock move in Melbourne home prices revealed Cost of living: Melbourne families now need $75,000 a year to cover mortgage, bills Respected property pundit and the author of the Price Predictor Index has also earmarked units for “supercharged” gains across suburbs including Docklands the Hotspotting.com.au founder believes a whopping 63 per cent of all Melbourne’s suburbs are now positioned for growth and that the city is now the third best positioned region nationwide to grow in value in the year ahead Only Darwin and regional South Australia are better placed for mass growth across their suburbs and towns is up for sale at $895,000-$980,000 in the suburb ranked most likely to see growth nationwide Werribee also made the “supercharged” list of suburbs with 79 Tindale Blvd listed for $730,000-$790,000 Mr Ryder used a 16.4 per cent rise in sales activity across the city as a metric to track increasing demand that is likely to underpin rising prices in the near future with bigger things expected for areas like Sunbury that have had sales surge from 140 a quarter early in 2023 to 250 in the final three months of 2024 It follows a surge in investor sales over the past few years that had the city’s home values flat or falling from early 2022 until the tail end of last year Hotspotting founder and property analyst Terry Ryder Mr Ryder said Melbourne’s recovery had been “quite a long time coming” after limited growth and even home value losses in various parts of the city at a time when other capitals had been rising “But the sales activity shows that things are improving,” he said “It’s the beginning of a strong upward trend and relative to other cities Melbourne is now very attractively priced we should see Melbourne doing much better than recent years.” Craigieburn has had one of the biggest increases in sales numbers around the country in what is generally considered a pre-cursor to home price growth a three-bedroom house like 15 Birdswood Cres would set you back $570,000-$610,000 A $700,000-$770,000 budget could get you a home at 44 Arroyo Place another suburb that has recorded a significant rise in sales numbers The property pundit added that there were already signs of rising investor activity and alongside population growth increasing homebuyer and renter demand broad growth was looking likely within the next six to nine months Mr Ryder added that with limited new supply being built some of Melbourne’s long-term affordable unit markets were likely to experience growth as a result of buyers who wanted a home they could lock up and leave for convenience — not just something affordable “And now the construction industry doesn’t have the capacity to build the number of apartments that Melbourne and other places need And that puts a floor under the value of existing ones — and therefore prices are rising.” Raine and Horne Sunbury’s Amanda Burt said the suburb’s property market had already “changed significantly” compared to a year ago A budget to cover $640,000-$670,000 would get you a home like 4 Earlsferry Lane where house prices are tipped to soon rise Home prices are also expected to lift in Hoppers Crossing which could be good news for the buyers of 17 Kathleen Cres It is currently listed for sale at $620,000-$640,000 “Buyers are coming from Airport West and Niddrie but they see Sunbury is still 35 minutes from the city,” Ms Burt said The agent said sales had surged again since the interest rate cut and future cuts were expected to drive even more activity those who owned homes were now selling up to buy larger properties in the area or neighbouring suburbs such as Riddells Creek Real Estate Institute of Victoria president Jacob Caine said there was a growing list of data points heralding a home price lift for Melbourne in 2025 you see that Melbourne prices are comparatively affordable but while Melbourne and Brisbane have historically traded places as the second most affordable capital there’s only so long Melbourne ever slips back,” Mr Caine said “The fundamentals of living in Melbourne and Victoria are just so strong.” is listed for sale with a $675,000-$695,000 asking price that gets you a two-bedroom floorplan today A one-bedroom apartment at 403/20 Peel Street will set you back $590,0000-$630,000 today — but later this year it could be worth more Behind rising home sales numbers being observed by Mr Ryder the agent said the city’s blend of lifestyle a strong economy as well as cultural and sporting attractions that consistently made it a draw card for population growth PropTrack senior economist Anne Flaherty added that Melbourne’s comparative affordability to other major capitals would help underpin the city as a leader for migration both internationally and from interstate putting further upward pressure on home values this year with a lot of opportunities for jobs,” Ms Flaherty said “So Melbourne is ticking a lot of boxes for where people might want to live right now.” Two bedrooms and an expansive urban view will set you back $580,000-$590,000 for a home like 1606/100 Lorimer St and it’s been tipped this could lead to price rises Source: Hotspotting.com.au Price Predictor Index The Metro Tunnel will create a new end-to-end rail line from Sunbury in the west to Cranbourne/Pakenham in the south east Receive project updates and notifications for works and disruptions delivered to your inbox It was the perfect start to a new chapter for East Sunbury in the Essendon District Football League division 2 winning its first game in more than 1300 days After an off season of change including new coaches bringing home grown talent back and a new uniform it was time for the Thunder to put it on the ground it was a result that the Thunder could have only dreamed of Co-coach Justin Belleville said before the match that there would be plenty of celebrations when they got the first win It won each of the final three quarters to come away with a 17.8 (110)-6.8 (44) win its first in 1344 days and since it returned to the competition Belleville said before the game they had done a power of work to get to this point “It’s exciting for the club and everyone is looking forward to,” he said “It’s a really exciting time and we just hope we can have a bit of success having not had a lot of success the last few years.” Belleville said the club was all heading in the right direction Heading into the season they didn’t want to set their expectations too high “We’ve introduced a lot of things,” he said “They haven’t played a lot together besides a couple of practice matches “We are still learning and it will take time for it all to come together We set our own goals internally and we’ll see how we go out there.” The Thunder entered Saturday’s match with four or five of its best side missing but still felt it had a strong line up Much of the attention was on whether former AFL full forward Brendan Fevola would make his debut for the club He announced on Thursday morning on radio that he would play after returning from filming the Amazing Race but was overshadowed by Joshua Crump and Todd Elton Crump kicked seven goals in a best on ground performance while the former Richmond player kicked four goals “It will be huge for the club,” Belleville said of Fevola playing “He is there for a reason and it will get everyone up and about “He has been great so far and hopefully he’ll kick a few goals for us.” While Fevola was the one stealing the headlines it’s the return of some former junior players to the club that has Belleville and others around the club most excited Belleville said being one pointers really helps with what the club wants to achieve “They were originally from East Sunbury,” he said Getting them in allows us to get some more top end talent in “It’s a whole process and a start of where we are going.” said he was getting his head around the new competition the Thunder faces last season’s runners-ups Westmeadows this Saturday and then Rupertswood on Anzac Day in a big start for the club Michael Treweek and John Corso were named best More CCTV cameras in Sunbury are now guaranteed to go live following a bipartisan election funding pledge the Liberal party matched Labor’s pledge of $1.5 million for the installation of CCTV cameras across locations in Sunbury Hawke Liberal candidate Simmone Cottom said that this funding will help ensure people in these areas “feel safe as they go about their daily lives.” “This funding is a direct response to the concerns raised by our community I’ve heard first-hand from local businesses sporting groups and the local community that more CCTV is needed in these areas to help deter and fight crime,” Ms Cottom said “I’ll always listen and fight for our community parks and other shared community spaces safer,” she said The Liberal’s funding would be delivered under a proposed Safer Communities Fund which opposition home affairs and cyber security spokesperson James Paterson said “will help protect local communities by ensuring they have appropriate security infrastructure in place such as CCTV cameras alarm systems and security lighting” Sunbury Business Association president Michael Osborne said the association one and a half million – that’s great … Hawke’s a big area … so one and half might not go that far,” Mr Osborne said “We’d be really interested to see how much of that $1.5 million is earmarked for that Sunbury area,” he said Mr Osborne said that more CCTV in the area is “well-needed,” as he has heard anecdotal evidence from Sunbury businesses and the Sunbury community that there has been increased criminal activity The Easter Bunny has found a gap in its calendar this month to make a special trip to Sunbury as part of an annual Easter egg hunt fundraiser April 12 by Sunbury Business Association with support from Hume council the Sunbury Easter Egg Hunt will raise money for the Good Friday Appeal and support the Royal Children’s Hospital and its services children will be given an Easter egg bag and a map of participating businesses – predominantly across Brook and Oshannassy streets – where they can drop in to present the map and find or receive an egg or gift from staff Easter egg hunt director Anne Curran said about 26 businesses have got involved in this year’s event The Easter Egg Hunt will run from 10am–4pm on Saturday Bags can be purchased online and collected from The Floatesium on Brook Street Details: supportsunbury.com.au/product/easter-egg-hunt-bag Sunbury resident Nick Burnett is the facilitator of the Sunbury Dads group at the Sunbury Neighbourhood House held each Friday from 4pm for local fathers and their children aged 0–5 Oscar Parry spoke with Nick about his connection to Sunbury and what he enjoys most about being a part of the group I moved here from the United States last year … kind of looking for a better life for my three year old boy Moving back to Australia was a great choice for us … [we were] looking for a way to make a community and make a space for him and Sunbury Dads was something that we could be proud of that’s special to us and gives back to the community in a sense I think Sunbury is perfect for family raising and [has] that kind of community aspect being a place where a lot of new families move to for its affordability and its access to all those kinds of community things – like this dad group and other parent groups – that make it special And I think that’s created because it’s got such a [family-oriented] atmosphere in Sunbury There is a focus on bringing in [speakers] who have specialities in certain areas like family connection and how to be a vulnerable dad the tougher stuff like suicide prevention – because male suicide is pretty high – family violence and what it looks like in the family It allows dads a place to get familiar with each other … helping dads build the confidence in being out in the wild engaging in social settings and branching out into other regular playgroups … [and] making the time to be a dad and spend time with your kids One thing I’ve noticed is we’ve really started to connect and feel comfortable and vulnerable around each other and we’re all able to bring our own unique parenting strategies … it just provides a really good space for us to talk about anything that really comes up A new community kitchen will open in Sunbury next month aiming to provide additional food relief and address an “increased need.” An initiative of non-profit organisation Give Until It Hurts the kitchen will operate each Wednesday night from the Sunbury Youth Centre and is set to open on March 12 Give Until It Hurts social worker Garnet Jacob said the idea stemmed from talking with attendees at another food relief kitchen in Sunbury realising that there was a need for another one in the suburb “There’s an increased need because there’s only one kitchen … operating on Monday and I think Friday Salvation Army does it in the afternoon but there’s no mid-week [kitchen] available for people who are struggling … the ones who really need the additional help and support,” Mr Jacob said “I think … that in terms of financial hardship [it’s] rising The rental market is so high … and people are finding it difficult to get employment and struggling to pay their bills.” He said the organisation is looking for volunteers for the new kitchen to be added to the roster and at “least a few” volunteers with food handler certification and that he welcomes support from local businesses Mr Jacob said he would like to see support agencies in Sunbury to work collaboratively to “address the needs of our vulnerable community members.” the kitchen will operate from 7–8pm on Wednesdays at the Sunbury Youth Centre Details: facebook.com/guihorg The Sunbury Road Upgrade has built a new bridge over Jacksons Creek complete with a stunning mural on the retaining wall We wanted the artwork on the mural to reflect Sunbury's significance to the community and asked the community to be part of this project by sharing ideas on the mural themes We also asked for expressions of interest from artist's who would like to paint the mural Local artist Ervin Molnar was selected to create the mural on the retaining wall of the new bridge over Jacksons Creek Ervin Molnar is no stranger to the art world having established himself as a versatile artist capable of working across a wide range of mediums His portfolio already includes large-scale murals overseas having previously worked on projects for the Royal Canadian Mint and several major public facing murals across Canada in places including Ontario Community preferences were assessed and a final decision on the mural themes were made in August 2023 The end result producing a mural that reflects the heritage of the Jacksons Creek celebrates distinct flora and fauna and acknowledges Sunbury as the birthplace of cricket’s legendary Ashes urn "The community wanted flora and fauna and what better way for it to be represented than to have the cockatoos Everything that’s here in Jackson’s Creek is on the wall here I wanted it to blend in with the surroundings." Minister for Transport Infrastructure Danny Pearson and Member for Sunbury Josh Bull were joined by Australian test legend Nathan Lyon and Big Build Roads Program Director Dipal Sorathia to unveil the continuous 40-metre-long artwork along the underpass of the bridge has been treated with an anti-graffiti coating to ensure it is protected against vandalism and can be enjoyed by the public for years to come Ervin Molnar shares his passion for Sunbury and public art The 2025 season is just around the corner so EDFL Media will be previewing each club heading into Round One we chat to East Sunbury coach Lisa Borg who provides some insights on their 2025 campaign "This pre-season we have been focusing on fitness and culture This is important for us with new players and a new group." "Paris Latimer is one with strong fitness and a new mindset Rhianna Kirk is an experienced player with 20 years under her belt and will be a great asset "Jennifer Stevenson and Chantelle Harding are a pair who have had strong pre-seasons and deserve a mention." Winning a few games and bonding as a group is the priority My partner Melissa Courts who is also my team manager She does a lot behind the scenes and doesn't want recognition Player most likely to become a coach one day A team full of champions or a champion team East Sunbury will be excited to enter its second women's season as it looks for its first win While the Thunder would have loved a four-point win in 2024 an even bigger win is solid retention and participation as it looks to build its program Lisa Borg will again be in charge and is keen on building a strong culture at the club Football Australia’s Club Development Program has awarded the 1 and/or 2 Star Status to 1,100 clubs!  Recognised for their immense work in the Women & Girls football space Club Changers are making waves when it comes to building sustainable community clubs we are recognising the winners of the Club Changer two clubs—one from the metropolitan area and one from a regional location—stood out among numerous other outstanding nominees due to their unwavering commitment to making football more inclusive and safe for both club members and the broader community.  Sunbury United Football Club (Metropolitan) has undergone significant transformation implementing initiatives to address gender inclusivity and expanding the club’s female programs the club exceeded its goal of establishing more female teams creating new opportunities for young girls to engage in football Introducing the MiniTillies program provided an enjoyable introduction to football while the establishment of a senior women’s team created a vital pathway for players transitioning to senior levels An increase in female mentorship and female coaches was also achieved by the club aiding in creating clear developmental pathways events and celebrations enhanced community engagement whilst Sunbury United FC has also updated their Fair Access Policy to ensure gender equality expressed “Football Victoria is proud of Sunbury United FC's achievements over the past 12 months which reflect the positive impact of the Club Changer Program Through their focus on community engagement and player development the club has demonstrated how investing in women’s and girls’ football has contributed to their success Sunbury United’s progress highlights the benefits of inclusive innovative strategies for growth and success and has played a key role in their accomplishments including winning this prestigious award.” Millthorpe Junior Soccer Club (Regional) are a small community club in a village of around 1300 people Millthorpe Junior SC strategised to combat the challenge of dropout rates and to promote female participation particularly among girls aged 11-15 years old whilst also focusing on implementing strong safeguarding measures the club has implemented a comprehensive Women & Girls program Through the implementation of the “Girls Love Football” program the club was able to attract new participants The program also allowed for empowering club members by taking on leadership roles and coaching the club introduced a member protection policy Football NSW Program Manager - Club Development “it is great to see Millthorpe continuing to foster female participation especially in their junior girls age groups whilst also providing pathways for new volunteers to join the club To be awarded the Club Changer Regional Club of the year is fantastic acknowledgement of the clubs continued hard work.” Sunbury United FC and Millthorpe Junior SC had an unforgettable experience during the CommBank Matildas v Chinese Taipei match at AAMI Park Young players from both clubs proudly walked out as player mascots and participated in the Little Legends Lap around the stadium The clubs were also recognised at half-time in front of over 25,000 fans celebrating their contribution to football they enjoyed an exclusive visit to the Home of the Matildas where they watched a recovery session and had a personal interaction with the players Club Changer also recognises the additional Clubs that formed the top 10, five metropolitan and five regional/rural clubs, nominated for to their efforts and initiatives over the past 12 months. Their great work is embodied in a case studies booklet that you can access here or in the image below Congratulations to all 10 Clubs for their hard work and dedication to helping make football a better for all we acknowledge and congratulate the clubs that made the Top 20 – read advice from these clubs in the case study linked above Congratulation to Sunbury United Football Club and Millthorpe Junior Football Club and thank you again to the 1,100 Club Changers who have contributed to showcasing the incredible impact football has on members and local communities Your club could be the next Club Changer Club of the Year! If your club is not part of the Club Changer Program yet, visit www.footballaustralia.com.au/clubchanger for more information, or send us an email to  clubchanger@footballaustralia.com.au More CCTV cameras could soon go live in Sunbury following a federal election pledge $1.5 million will be invested in CCTV cameras across Hume and Moorabool councils if Labor is re-elected Mr Rae said the funding is aimed at ensuring people in Sunbury Bacchus Marsh and surrounds are “safer and more secure.” “This $1.5 million election commitment is about tackling the issues that matter most to people in Hawke,” Mr Rae said Mr Rae said “our shopping centres and our parks need to be safe for everyone to use and enjoy,” and that Labor will “work with Victoria Police to make sure that our communities are safe and violence-free.” a spokesperson for Hume said the council is “committed to advocating for safety measures that will help keep our community safe” “We look forward to learning more about this initiative and how it will be utilised within Hume,” the spokesperson said “Council will then consider this commitment in line with our external grant management policy as it falls outside of our capital works program.” Sunbury Business Association president Michael Osborne said that the association welcomes the announcement and that during a recent workshop with members of the Sunbury business community “there was great concern raised in relation to crime and drug issues in and around the Sunbury CBD” Mr Osborne questioned the funding amount and how it will be allocated across the electorate and more specifically Sunbury … Hawke is a large electorate $1.5 million won’t go very far,” Mr Osborne said Mr Osborne said the association was “heavily involved” in lobbying to the relevant government bodies to install the initial CCTV cameras that were installed in the Sunbury business area several years ago (WOLF) — A violent storm shook the city of Sunbury on Tuesday night Resident Brad Landau says the peak of the storm was around 8:30 at night and most of the damage was caused in only 45 seconds “I looked out and all you saw was a sheet of gray Some of the worst damage was seen on Julia Street where a portion of Julia Street Seld Storage partially collapsed from the storm eventually needing to be demolished for safety reasons Other structures throughout the area suffered damage from heavy winds and falling trees and immediately noticed my fence was on top of my car on it’s side against my neighbor’s house,” said Geise almost completely destroying the structure “I looked out to see the tree there wasn’t standing and instead it was in the road,” said Geise A tornado has not yet been confirmed by the National Weather Service but there were multiple reports of straight-line winds “The hanging flowers [in front of my house] didn’t shift at all and those are just plastic hooks yet it tore my entire electrical box off the wall,” explained Geise but PPL Crews worked through the night to restore power “There were trucks just rolling in constantly and we still probably wouldn’t have power if they didn’t work so quickly but we had it by 11:30 this morning,” said Landau with an all hands-on deck effort including Sunbury Mayor Josh Brocious I think it wasn’t until 7 or 8 in the morning when I stopped seeing him,” explained Landau Many other residents say they have never seen such destructive winds in the area The Gap Road level crossing located in the heart of Sunbury was a major source of congestion in the busy town centre with 19,000 vehicles crossing the rail line at Gap Road daily With the boom gates down for more than a quarter of the morning peak and traffic expected to grow 40% by 2026 removing the level crossing was critical to improving safety and liveability in Melbourne’s booming north west Gap Road closed to traffic in June 2022 and reopened in September freeing up Sunbury’s worst traffic bottleneck 3 years earlier than first planned The Gap Road level crossing was removed with a road under rail design New pedestrian and cycling paths were also included as part of the design better connecting the community to both sides of Sunbury Gunaikurnai and Gunditjmara artist Teena Moffatt created the artwork for the new Gap Road rail bridge The Gap Road Level Crossing Removal project was approved by the Minister for Planning on 14 April 2021 under Clause 52.03 (Level Crossing Removal Project) of the Hume Planning Scheme On 5 January 2021, the Minister for Planning designated the Gap Road, Sunbury Level Crossing Removal Project Area under section 95 of the Major Transport Projects Facilitation Act 2009 (MTPF Act). See Gap Road, Sunbury – Project Area Designation. In November 2020, we asked you to give us feedback on a range of planning matters relating to the Gap Road level crossing removal project. You also told us what you value about Sunbury, how you move around the area and how you access and use public transport. Using the collated community feedback, the design was refined and finalised. Sunbury stalwart Bernard ‘Bernie’ O’Farrell died on March 17 at age 88, leaving behind a A proud Sunbury resident for more than 50 years, Bernie’s local involvement included serving as a president and councillor with the Shire of Bulla and as a president of the Sunbury Residents Association – a group he was a member of for more than 40 years. Daughter Sue-Ann Surkitt said Bernie was married to his wife Veronica for almost 66 years and was a “devoted” father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, with four daughters and three sons. “Dad was just a community-based person who always wanted the best for the wider community. He was a family man – our family is his most important treasure and he was loved by us and the community,” Ms Surkitt said. “He loved the ‘city living, country style’ mantra of the old Shire of Bulla and strived for years through action to ensure that sense of country was never lost from the town he loved … he listened to everyone and was happy to take on the difficult to make life better for everyone,” she said. “He loved his sport and was still actively involved with Sunbury Masters football club right up until the end – he was still training with the boys into his eighties … just a genuine [and] good person who put others before himself.” Proud of his Irish heritage, Ms Surkitt said that Bernie “fittingly passed on St Patrick’s Day.” In a Facebook post by the Sunbury Lions Football Netball Club, a spokesperson said those involved in the club for many years “would know the name and familiar face of Bernie O’Farrell and the O’Farrell family.” A funeral service will be held at St Anne’s Catholic Church, Sunbury from 11am on Wednesday, March 26. Picture by Lachlan BenceSunbury coach Matt White remains undecided just how he will motivate his team heading into Saturday's BFNL match-of-the-round with Ballarat at Alfredton Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueHe knows that it's hard to ignore what happened last time these sides met when Ballarat came from the clouds to deny Sunbury on what turned out to be the second last kick For White it's a balancing act of 'don't mention the war' or play it up as he prepares his in-form team for the rematch White knows a little bit about how to build up a big game having played under both Damien Hardwick and Ken Hinkley in his AFL career "Dimma (Hardwick) would get pretty fired up about it but Kenny (Hinkley) was the one you really had to watch," he said I'm not sure yet exactly how I will go about it we've had some chats about what we see in the opposition "I've got a little bit of work to do before the game but we can't be focusing on living in the past "Saturday morning will all about how we do it We'll give it some thought for then as to how we motivate the players leading into the weekend." RELIVE LAST YEAR'S THRILLING ELIMINATION FINAL BETWEEN BALLARAT AND SUNBURY White said it was likely about 80 per cent of his team this weekend would have played in the elimination finals "We're going to lose Nathan Wood for the weekend his wife and he have had a little baby this week," he said "We're potentially getting Ben Cameron back Sam Parker who's been playing on a wing and going well for us We'll go in pretty well unchanged from last week except for Wood." One thing White is sure on is just how tough the opposition will be "I think they are a more offensive side from the bits and pieces I've seen "They've definitely been more attacking than what I had them as last year I think their defensive mechanism is a lot better albeit they are learning something different to last year "I actually think they've rounded the team out quite well I think Ash (Baker) has done a great job of bringing them all together." Sunbury's Josh Guthrie returned to some of his best form last weekend Picture by Lachlan BenceBallarat coach Ash Baker said while there would no doubt be memories for both sides we're rolling through each week and each week presents a good opportunity for us," he said we know they are going to be a quality side I think it would be more if it was in the same season Baker said Bigoa Nuyen would return this week after being unavailable last weekend a late out last week would return while the club will wait on the availability of Tristan Maple with VFL commitments "We'll lose youngster Ethan Drever who came in last week for his first game he's trying out with the Vic Country side as a bottom ager and we'll also probably not risk Jack Harwood who had a slight hamstring last week." The other crucial game of the round is the clash between Redan and Sebastopol at City Oval Redan coach Gary Learmonth said there would be three forced changes Flynn Batrouney and (Lachie) Clark are all out injured this week We actually think we'll get a few back over the next month or so which will be good." Learmonth said this week's opponent Sebastopol would be a test given the club's were in the same position without a win but I feel we were just about cooked when we played them," he said "They're obviously very fit the way they are finishing off games," he said "They've pushed both the grand finalists in Melton and East It has been confirmed that Sebastopol coach Tony Lockyer will miss about six weeks with a fractured arm The Burra has been good in its first three games with narrow defeats to both of last year's grand finalists in East Point and Melton This week's game is their first chance to test themselves against a side which didn't make finals last year Other match ups see North Ballarat travel to face Melton It's the second big road trip in two weeks for the Roosters and they'd want to show more this time after being held goalless in the opening half at Sunbury but keeps on winning and you can expect something similar here The final match-up sees Lake Wendouree again at home up against Darley The dryer predicted weather this weekend should ensure a free flowing match but the power of the Darley midfield looks to hold all the aces here WHO WINS AND WHY: Someone is going to be singing long and loud after this game with both Redan and Sebastopol having had a frustrating the form looks slightly stronger at Sebastopol given they have played three of the top four sides from last season Two narrow defeats to both grand finalists included in that Long term injuries to Tony Lockyer and Jed Hill notwithstanding the Burra look to be going a little better than a Redan side which itself is battling an injury crisis WHO WINS AND WHY: Another team battling an injury crisis early in the season is North Ballarat which has just two points to show for all their efforts They too have been dealt a very difficult hand early having played Ballarat Sunbury and now Melton to start the season The Bloods will be happy to 3-0 but they need to start playing a lot better because the pack is closing on them fast it's not the same Bloods line-up of last year but they should be able to get the job done at home here Darley 14.23 (107) d Lake Wendouree 5.7 (37) WHO WINS AND WHY: It's hard to make a case for the Lakers here given what we've seen in the first few weeks of the season from both sides Darley looks every bit the premiership favourite they are seen as and the way they handled Bacchus Marsh last weekend was frightening considering how well the Cobras have been going Lake Wendouree might be a much better side than last year but there are still too many lapses which are costing them games size and strength of Darley looks like it's going to be the difference here LAST TIME THEY MET: Elimination Final 2024 WHO WINS AND WHY: The match-of-the-round and the match-of-the-season so far should be an absolute beauty No-one will ever forget last year's elimination final when the Swans came from the clouds to deny Sunbury How much of that game has been bottled up by Matt White and his players for the return bout Ballarat has rarely been a happy hunting ground for the Lions and right now the Swans are the form team in the league Emergency services and organisations worked throughout the weekend to repair a major water main burst in Sunbury which flooded homes and businesses and left thousands temporarily without water supply at the corner of Evans Street and Macedon Street in Sunbury leading to floodwaters filling the surrounding area a spokesperson for Sunbury SES said the flooding had “primarily affected the area bounded by Macedon Street and Evan Street extending towards the Sunbury Cobaw Community Health building” “Several homes in this block have experienced inundation and silt and debris have been deposited along roads and footpaths and some local businesses floodwaters did not seem to penetrate business premises,” the spokesperson said “Further assessments are ongoing to determine the full extent of the damage.” Greater Western Water provided updates to Facebook during the incident February 8 that water supply for Goonawarra residents would be interrupted between 8pm that night and 7am the following morning and recommending that residents store drinking water in preparation the Sunbury SES deployed all of its available assets and about 25 volunteers to the incident In a Facebook update posted by the organisation at 6.28pm on Sunday it confirmed that repairs were completed and water was restored “This incident affected our community in many ways – homes inundated with floodwaters Traffic disruptions added to the challenges testing the patience of residents and commuters alike,” the organisation said and our emergency services came together to respond.” Sunbury Jets’ Big V men’s squad is ready to hit the ground running for another exciting season in 2025 coach Nathan Heywood says the team is eager to showcase their hard work The Jets kicked off their season on the weekend with a double header and we are super excited to put it all on the court after a long pre-season,” Heywood said before the weekend “We’ve played a few warm-up practice games and I think we are going to be an exciting team.” The squad boasts a mix of returning stars and fresh talent Import Joshua Yorke-Frazer is back for another season while Byron Gladden Jnr has been brought in to bolster the team’s inside presence “We are hoping Byron can be our highlight maker,” Heywood said “We think he can offer us rim protection and be that paint presence Sunbury is also placing an emphasis on home-grown talent with several rising stars stepping up to the senior squad “I’m really pleased to say we have a lot of home-grown talent,” Heywood said and three under-18 state players Sonny Maxwell “Our team is going to have a real local flavour mixed in with high International talent.” While Sunbury’s strong defensive identity remains Heywood says the team has worked hard in the off-season to refine their offensive approach and that underpinned our style of play,” he said “What we really tried to focus on this year is tweaking our offence to get the scoreboard ticking over in our favour That’s really going to be our style this year–maintaining our defensive efforts from last season while playing a more exciting and free-flowing offensive game.” Sunbury has also taken strides off the court bringing in an external consultant to help define team values and set a strong foundation for success “We’ve done a lot of work off the court,” Heywood said “We put together a trademark and really set down some values that we want to display both off and on the court The Jets had a mixed start to their season They started with a big loss to the Hume City Broncos on Saturday The Broncos led by 22 points at quarter time and then extended it throughout the game Gladden top scored for the Jets with 13 points Sunbury bounced back on Sunday against the Bellarine Storm while also having five rebounds and seven assists The Jets women lost their two matches to the Broncos and Storm Sunbury United is seeking consistency in the FV state league 3 north-west season United has had a mixed start to the season under new coach Jason Hayne he put the pressure on the group to stand up heading into round three It worked with United winning its first game of the season “We were poor and didn’t turn up against Hoppers Crossing,” he said “Last week I asked them to respond and it was a positive one After 35 to 40 minutes we went a man down and the rest of the squad stood up and gave a good account of themselves Hayne said that performance and effort was the standard that they had set for themselves and needed to bring each week He said consistency would be a key for them “The most disappointing thing about round two was a lapse for the full 90 minutes,” he said “We had a few changes in formation and personnel and it worked really well “That effort needs to be consistent now and we’ve set the standard and if not who has stepped up from being a player to coach said he was really pleased with the squad that he had put together He said he was really enjoying the coaching challenge “We’ve got 20 players and a couple of young boys who are 16-17,” he said “We have the maturity from the older players and the youth and the excitement coming through Hayne said seeing some of those young players already come into the senior side was exciting for what they are trying to do Riley Hampton played about 20 minutes [in round three],” he said “He played for the reserves in the first two rounds “The opportunity came up and he took it in both hands United was in action on Saturday against top side Surf Coast Hayne said before the game he was keen to see how his side stacked up against them being it was one of the top teams Discover a Perfect BalanceLive where natural beauty intersects thriving activity Elanor Sunbury presents a stunning array of residences that embrace nature and modern design to form intimate sanctuaries within a well-connected community.Thoughtfully designed to accommodate homes of every size and orientation the Elanor masterplan features a diversity of residences for every lifestyle From expansive corner blocks and double-story family townhomes to low-maintenance single-storey villas there’s every option for you to create a life that is a reflection of your unique needs and personal style.Elanor HomesThe VillasElanor’s Villa units provide a low-maintenance living option that doesn’t sacrifice style these three-bedroom homes are single-level and perfect for new homebuyers Located on the street side of the property envelope homes contain lusciously landscaped front and rear yards with plenty of room for outdoor entertaining and relaxation.The TownhomesFamily-sized double-storey townhomes set beside a tranquil creek and walking trails these highly considered three-bedroom residences will adapt to meet your needs over time homes allow residents to connect and engage with each other all while offering moments of privacy whenever needed A dedicated study room allows for homework or a home office while three generous bedrooms ensuites and a master bathroom feature uninterrupted views across Harpers creek.Interior SpacesThe art of simplicity has been mastered within these finely curated interiors the finishes palette comprises texturally rich yet pared-back materials including warm timber joinery each home is afforded with expansive windows that allow natural light to filtrate throughout the living spaces whilst providing framed views of the landscaped gardens and tranquil green vistas.High Quality InclusionsElanor has been appointed with a series of thoughtful selected energy-efficient appliances custom wardrobe joinery and plentiful storage throughout are just some of the details designed to cultivate an unrivalled living experience Find your haven where nature meets urban vitality Elanor Sunbury unveils a captivating range of residences blending natural allure with contemporary design Crafted to cater to varying needs and preferences the Elanor masterplan offers an array of residences to suit every lifestyle From spacious corner lots and two-story family townhomes to low-maintenance single-story villas there's a perfect match for you to shape a life that mirrors your individuality and taste We're on a mission to radically improve the quality of Urban communities being developed across Australia We aim to showcase every development in Australia to help you find the perfect new home A local advocacy group is calling for an additional library in Sunbury emphasising the importance of accessible libraries as spaces for studying and community connection DREAM Diggers Rest Advocacy group member and primary school teacher Tanya Harding said Sunbury Library at the Hume Global Learning Centre is an “incredible facility,” but feels it is geared more towards supporting the northern parts of Sunbury and is not easily accessible for parts of the suburb “It’s great it’s centrally located but … it’s just far enough away that walking there from the shopping precinct is impractical,” Ms Harding said She said she would welcome an additional library in Sunbury “I think libraries are more than just a place to read books … to have a place that you can walk to meet likeminded people … it’s about bringing the community together “There are quite a lot of disadvantaged families that might not have access to computers.” She said she is concerned that when her children are high-school aged they might not always have a designated place at home to study “It would be nice if they could get on a bus and go to local libraries and study with friends and test each other on exams … growing up I had all of those things that I’d like them to have access to as well,” she said A report published by Infrastructure Victoria in 2021 recommended that Hume will “likely … need a new library in the next five years.” A Hume spokesperson said that Hume has “three state-of-the-art Global Learning Centres one of which we’re proud to say is in Sunbury.” “Its location was chosen based on current and future planning needs the current site being the most suitable and available at the time of construction,” the spokesperson said “Planning for more library services in Hume is currently recommended under the Victorian Infrastructure Plan … future provision of a new library in the Sunbury South Precinct Structure Plan is identified we will continue to work with relevant stakeholders and the state government to advocate for services where and when they are needed.” Home Topics History & Culture ‘Rings of mystery’ excavation reveals rich Aboriginal history located on Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Country in the suburb of Sunbury they represent large-scale feats of human endeavour They also represent the ancient and ongoing connection Aboriginal people have to Country Our new study presents the results of the only known archaeological excavation of one of these rings combined with Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung understanding of these enigmatic places It expands our understanding of the richness and diversity of Australia’s archaeological record created over more than 65,000 years of continuous occupation by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples Earth rings have been reported across the world, including in England, Amazonia and Cambodia People created these rings hundreds to thousands of years ago They did so by excavating and heaping together earth in a large circle (or circles) measuring up to hundreds of metres in diameter earth rings are understood to represent secret and sacred locations of initiation and ceremony for different Aboriginal language groups Many earth rings were destroyed following European colonisation and land development. It’s estimated that hundreds of earth rings once existed in New South Wales and Queensland alone. But only around 100 remain today A smaller number of rings are documented in Victoria – including five earth rings in Sunbury The Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung people are the Traditional Custodians of a large area in central-southern Victoria This area includes much of greater Melbourne and surrounds In 2021–22, Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung people led the first cultural values study of the broader landscape that encompasses the five Sunbury earth rings this landscape holds immense cultural significance gathered together and raised successive generations of people Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung people have actively managed this landscape over thousands of years. This is in accordance with their traditional lore and customs relating to creation ancestors Bunjil and Waa Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung people today continue to hold traditional responsibilities to care for Country. The Narrap team is currently working to restore and preserve the health of this important cultural landscape https://www.youtube.com/embed/YtrCErx5k-s?wmode=transparent&start=0 Sunbury Ring G biik wurrdha (Jacksons Creek) and the Sunbury landscape (video courtesy of David Mullins) Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung people led a new archaeological excavation of one of the rings Sunbury Ring G represents a place where Liwik travelled and came together It is also a highly significant location between the traditional lands of the Marin bulluk and Wurundjeri wilam clans of Woi-wurrung speaking people separated by biik wurrdha (also known as Jacksons Creek) Archaeologist David Frankel first excavated Sunbury Ring G in 1979 no other excavation of an earth ring is known in Australia Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung people led the dating and re-analysis of the 166 stone artefacts found during the 1979 excavations This involved dating the ring deposits to estimate when the ring was made It also involved piecing the artefacts back together like a jigsaw and studying residues and wear patterns on their surfaces and edges This provides clues on how Woi-wurrung speaking people made and used stone tools at Sunbury Ring G The results of our study reveal Woi-wurrung speaking people constructed the ring sometime between 590 and 1,400 years ago They spent time in the area clearing the land and plants scraping back soil and rock to create the ring mound and layering rocks to create stone arrangements made stone tools which they used on a variety of plants and animals and moved items around the ring’s interior Wear patterns and residues on some of the stone artefacts suggest Woi-wurrung speaking people may have also used some of these stone tools to create feather adornments and scar human skin for ceremony. This practice has been documented in other parts of Victoria Our study is the first to combine cultural and archaeological insights on earth rings in Australia It demonstrates the importance of further investigating and preserving these earth rings as well as others known to occur across eastern Australia This is especially important in the face of continued threats by land development and climate change which threaten the survival of earth rings The authors of this article acknowledge Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Elders and community Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation Museums Victoria (including Rob McWilliams) Environment and Climate Action (formerly known as the Department of Environment This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article Our much loved calendars and diaries are now available for 2024 Adorn your walls with beautiful artworks year round From cuddly companions to realistic native Australian wildlife the range also includes puppets that move and feel like real animals By subscribing you become an AG Society member helping us to raise funds for conservation and adventure projects Sunbury train commuters can expect to soon use the upgraded Sunbury Line with the Metro Tunnel Project tracking along for completion at the end of this year and Pakenham train lines will connect through nine-kilometre twin tunnels and five new stations aiming to simplify travel and increase the number of trains and passenger capacity on these services The five new stations will be Arden Station in North Melbourne; Parkville Station next to Melbourne University; State Library and Town Hall Stations in the CBD; and Anzac Station under St Kilda Road near the Shrine of Remembrance project representatives explained that the main entrance on Grattan Street and three others will allow commuters to easily access Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and the Royal Melbourne Hospital – and be a short walk from the Royal Women’s Hospital – with the underground station also acting as a pedestrian underpass below Royal Parade This station’s features also include platform screen doors that create a barrier between trains and passengers until opened for entry and exit and a series of artworks – including native animal artwork embedded in the platform and created by First Nations artist and curator Maree Clarke The Metro Tunnel Project executive project director Ben Ryan said the tunnel will improve access to new parts of Melbourne “If you’re a student at the University of Melbourne or a hospital worker you’ll be able to catch a train directly to Parkville … if you’re going to the Grand Prix or the Shrine on Anzac Day you’ll be able to catch a train to Anzac Station,” Mr Ryan said “The Metro Tunnel will also be connected to the existing rail network so it will be easy to change between Town Hall and Flinders Street or State Library and Melbourne Central without touching off and on again,” he said Sunbury MP Josh Bull said that the project is the “biggest upgrade of our rail network in 40 years,” and that Sunbury residents will “reap the benefits for generations to come.” The Sunbury Line is set to be level crossing-free by the end of this year Sunbury is home to a large population of Common Myna birds and kangaroos – and two upcoming information sessions will focus on living alongside these animals will cover the impacts of the Common Myna to native wildlife and provide advice on how to identify and control this invasive species of bird in your own backyard The presentation will explain control methods including habitat modification and trapping – aimed at reducing their numbers and supporting native fauna Expert insights and a question and answer session will also be provided to attendees the council’s urban biodiversity team will host a session titled Kangaroos in Hume covering topics including what to do if you hit a kangaroo while driving how to best report injured or dead animals and how to live safely alongside Sunbury’s wildlife The team will provide practical advice on reducing risks on roads seeking help from a local wildlife rescuer The session will focus on educating residents on how to responsibly interact with wildlife and will promote coexistence with local fauna Both information sessions are free and will be held at the Hume Global Learning Centre Sunbury at 44 Macedon Street Riders who take their bikes on trains along the Sunbury line will face disruptions in January Replacement buses will be in use between North Melbourne and Sunshine from the first service to approximately 8.30pm Friday 3 January; and from the first service Monday 6 January replacement buses will be in use from approximately 8.30pm Friday 3 January Bikes are not permitted on buses unless they are folded and bagged.  Become a Member and help fund our advocacy work Or become our friend and subscribe to receive our fortnightly newsletter The Great Victorian Bike Ride is set to return in 2025 on 24–28 November offering an exciting new format while keeping the spirit of this beloved event alive Bicycle Network Memberships offer benefits to all kinds of riders The Peaks Challenge Ride2School fundraiser is on again for this year's epic event on Sunday 9 March The City of Adelaide will undertake a speed limit review to understand the need for reducing speeds to support business and residents and create a safer city environment Work on the much-anticipated $38.9 million Sydney Harbour Bridge ramp upgrade has begun the bike lane will link the country's most famous bridge to the bike network in Milsons Point we launched our Affiliate Membership program specially designed for cycling groups and clubs Orange in New South Wales is in line for a nice new stretch of bike path one that will expand the off-road network and improve access to schools Work has kicked off on a key Canberra bike route setting the wheels in motion for safer and more pleasant journeys through the city’s northern suburbs In a submission to the federal government’s draft National Urban Policy Bicycle Network and seven other Australian bicycle organisations have called for active transport infrastructure funding to be increased to 10% of federal transport investment Many of our best bike journeys are along coastlines or up and down the creeks and rivers that meet the sea But with rising sea levels some of this vital infrastructure is at threat of inundation erosion and from changes in groundwater chemistry Ever thought that you were too old to still be playing football but have the itch to still get out on the field The Sunbury Masters Football Club could be the place for you then The club has over 35 and over 45 teams and is searching for more players for both sides for the upcoming AFL Masters Vic Country season Lions president Adam McKenzie said they always had a few changes each year and were looking to top up their list “We’re looking for some players for both teams,” he said “A few players have gone off to play for points in different competitions “We don’t know how many players we have until training starts Normally if we can pick up one or two players four or five as their friends join as well.” The club plays in the country league which includes matches against Gisborne which means players don’t need to commit every week McKenzie said anyone was welcome to come down and play if they fit into those age groups “It’s only 10 rounds for the year,” he said “We start in late March and finish in August We’ve got quite a few take on footy after turning 35 “They are as keen as anyone and they keep the blokes that have been around really keen “It’s a really good footy club and we work around everyone at the club A lot of guys have kids playing juniors and we try to arrange games around them.” it is aiming to add women’s masters football to the club in 2026 McKenzie said they had been approached about putting in a team this season “It will be a big thing for the club,” he said “It would help the club develop even further “Women’s footy has grown astronomically and they came to us at the end of September and said would be interested to do it this year “We decided on next year to develop and get the numbers to join the club Pre-season training starts February 3 and will be on Monday and Wednesday nights at Clarke Oval from 6pm with training only on Wednesday nights during the season Details: www.facebook.com/groups/555748794500418 or 0409 082 369 When the Metro Tunnel opens in 2025 the Sunbury Cranbourne and Pakenham lines will run through new tunnels under Melbourne’s CBD It will give passengers direct train access to new destinations Melbourne’s major health and education precinct (Parkville Station) and North Melbourne (Arden Station) Passengers will be able to travel all the way from Sunbury to Cranbourne or Pakenham without changing trains A single change will connect people to the Ballarat Warrnambool and Gippsland regional rail lines A missing link in Maryborough’s footpath network will soon be filled making it safer for Sunbury State School students Fraser Coast Regional Council is constructing a new 2m-wide concrete footpath along the southern side of Edward Street between Jupiter Street and the school crossing Deputy Mayor Paul Truscott said the project would provide a safer and more accessible route for families and students “This new footpath will connect the existing paths at Jupiter Street directly to the supervised crossing outside Sunbury State School,” he said “It means children and parents will have a safer especially during busy school drop-off and pick-up times.” partly funded through the Queensland Government’s Transport Infrastructure Development Scheme will also include drainage improvements to help manage stormwater runoff from the school oval Traffic management will be in place during construction including temporary parking restrictions adjacent to the worksite Alternative pedestrian routes will also be clearly signed Work on the footpath started this month and is expected to be completed by the end of April 2025 “We thank the community for their patience and cooperation while this important safety upgrade is completed,” Cr Truscott said The Sunbury Jets are going to get better as the Big V champ women’s season goes on after a disrupted pre-season The Jets were hoping for a smoother pre-season under coach Monique Capraello but it was anything case “It was a stressful pre-season,” Caparello said “We were happy to be out there in round one “We were hampered by injuries and work commitments and late import arrivals “It was a disjointed preseason and then to have lost Chloe Hildebrand three or four weeks out from the season they were probably about four weeks ahead of where they were this time last year She said they still had that core group there that made a big difference Caparello said while they were low on numbers in round one they would continue to get players to come into the side in the next few weeks “Each week will add another piece back into the group,” she said before the weekend’s game “I think she will be a surprise packet in the league “We have another player still at college who is still to come back The Jets announced Emmonnie Henderson as their second import last week but she didn’t take to the court on Saturday night Caparello said it allowed some of the younger players to get some more court time She highlighted Addy Cameron and recruit Jelena Savic as two teenagers who played well on the opening weekend The Jets got on the board with an 89-57 win The Jets won every quarter and finished off the match with a 23-6 final term to seal the result Tresari McCarver top scored with 20 points for the Jets five assists and four steals after coming off the bench The Jets men got their second win of the season There wasn’t much in the game at half time before the Jets had an 18-9 third quarter to take control of the match Joshua Yorke-Frazer top scored with 22 points Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church is turning 150 this month with its parish celebrating the occasion with anniversary events throughout the next 12 months The church recently received repairs to its bluestone slate roof and although it is less used by the parish than it once was the anniversary will be recognised with a mass on Friday Chair of the church’s historic committee Joan Koren said that it is “amazing” to think that the church is still there after 150 years “When you think of buildings in other places it doesn’t seem very old in comparison – but it’s old to us,” Ms Koren said “There was a consideration for a construction of the church in 1854 but it was not until 1864 that the Catholic Bishop of Melbourne laid the foundation stone to commence work,” she said Work continued on the construction for the next seven years with an official opening held on January 24 in 1875 The church was designed by engineer and architect William Wardell who also designed St Patrick’s Cathedral and Government House in Melbourne Ms Koren said that additions to the church since its opening include an altar the parish stopped using the church for services and masses during Covid restrictions now using St Anne’s Church on Middle Road instead Ms Koren said that she hopes that the church is “something for Sunbury to celebrate as a whole.”