Facebook Instagram Twitter
Facebook Instagram Twitter

Callum a real champion

By
Angela Crawford
-
Callum is Amazing

For the last three Royal Children’s Hospital Good Friday appeals, young Callum Judd has been watching progress from his hospital bed.
This year the brave seven-year-old joined his family to actually be involved in the collection with the volunteers from the Woodend CFA.
Callum suffers from neuroblastoma, which is the most common solid tumour of childhood. It is almost exclusively a childhood cancer occurring most commonly between the ages of 0-5 years.
Callum’s diagnosis is terminal, and he may only have a short time ahead. This year he was able to join his mother Claire, uncle Malcolm (who is 4th lieutenant with Woodend CFA), aunt Katie and cousins Aaron and Riley.
Officer in Charge at Woodend Mike Dornau said Callum was presented with a Woodend CFA cap and made an honorary member of the brigade.
“The amazing Callum jumped on the Woodend pumper and hopped on and off the truck with his mates, to collect a fantastic total of more than $610,” Mike said.
“The only problem was that he asked uncle Mal to sound the siren a little too often.
“The brilliant effort was cut short when the pumper was called to a smoke alarm activated at Woodend Aged Care.”
Mike said that by that stage, Callum was pretty exhausted and needed a break anyway.
“Callum, we were so honoured and inspired to have you share the day with us and wish you all the best in the time you have left,” Mike said.
“Mate, you are always welcome at the Woodend CFA, and we are sure the Good Friday Appeal will really appreciate your efforts in the collection this year.”

Callum Judd (centre) with his cousins Aaron and Riley.

Local efforts impress

By
Angela Crawford
-
Wood-GFA-Image
Wood-GFA-Image

Young people today can come under a lot of criticism, but the youth of the region made an invaluable and fantastic contribution to this year’s record-breaking Royal Children’s Hospital Good Friday Appeal collection.
More than $18M was raised this year across the state, with local contributions impressive across the region.
In the Kyneton district more than $31,500 was raised by volunteer collectors, local clubs, fire brigades and local businesses.
The Castlemaine Fire Brigade and community volunteers collected $15,778.
With help of 57 cubs and scouts, Gisborne firefighters and junior brigade members took to the streets to raise $13,676.
Family and friends and Woodend CFA volunteers made up the bulk of the more than 40 collectors in Woodend to raise a near record $13,135. Appeal coordinators from all districts congratulated all of their volunteers on an incredible contribution.

Kyneton Lions Club members transport the takings from the RCH appeal to the bank.
Kyneton Lions Club members transport the takings from the RCH appeal to the bank.
Young volunteers from the Kyneton community helped collect for the appeal.
Young volunteers from the Kyneton community helped collect for the appeal.
SONY DSC
SONY DSC
Gisbus once again donated their buses to help ferry the collectors around town. Photo: Lt Bevan Moody
Gisbus once again donated their buses to help ferry the collectors around town. Photo: Lt Bevan Moody

Barrier placement questioned

By
Angela Crawford
-
A ute carrying another ute on a trailer crashed into two sets of wire rope barriers on the Calder Freeway at Taradale before flipping and landing in a gully. Photo: IET Systems

The placement of wire rope safety barriers along the Calder Freeway has once again been questioned following a spectacular crash at Taradale on Saturday afternoon.
A driver and passenger – two men from Bendigo – miraculously escaped injury when their twin-cab ute and trailer glanced the centre wire rope barriers before bouncing sideways across the traffic into the kerbside barrier, which they say acted like a trip and flipped the vehicle over the top and down a gully.
SES Castlemaine controller Paul Fitzpatrick said the driver lost control in wet conditions in a 110km/h zone at about 1pm on Saturday.
A local CFA captain on the scene also claimed the centre barriers had been installed too close to the roadway, stating specifications required them to be a minimum of four metres from the carriageway.
Elphinstone captain Andrew Chapman said the distance between barriers and carriageway was about two metres along this stretch of road.
“In days gone by when we had an accident like that one the Calder we had plenty of room to move traffic around the scene and keep it flowing, whereas Saturday we probably had a two-kilometre line of traffic held up because we simply haven’t got the room to move now that we’ve got those barriers in there,” Mr Chapman said. “VicRoads say that ideally cars would hit the barrier on an angle between five and 25 degrees and no more than 100 kilometres an hour, but the speed limit along there is 110km/h and you cannot have a car hit it between five and 25 degrees every time there’s an accident.
“I believe that it’s a only a matter of time before someone is injured or killed because of the way the barriers are currently installed.”
Mr Chapman said everyone he talked to agreed the barriers should have been installed in a single row along the centre of the median, rather than in two rows along either side.
“VicRoads’ shows data that the wire rope barriers save lives, and they probably do, but they’re also going to cost lives,” he said.
“The VicRoads data is that they prevent run-off-road crashes and head-on crashes but the fact is that in a decade there hasn’t been one head-on smash on the new Calder Freeway.”
VicRoads’ Safe System Road Infrastructure Program director Bryan Sherritt said the centreline flexible safety barriers were designed to prevent vehicles from crossing onto the wrong side of the road and hitting oncoming traffic, or roadside trees and other hazards.
“There’s no ‘one size fits all’ approach to the rollout of flexible safety barriers, and that’s why we are continuing to work with CFA Regional Command, who unequivocally support the roll out of flexible safety barriers, to make sure that any issues raisedby local brigades are addressed,” Mr Sherritt said.

A ute carrying another ute on a trailer crashed into two sets of wire rope barriers on the Calder Freeway at Taradale before flipping and landing in a gully. Photo: IET Systems

Unique partnership – Students launch youth mental health initiative

By
Angela Crawford
-

Chain Reaction – Your Choices Matter is the theme chosen for the award-winning Live4Life program in the Macedon Ranges for the next 12 months.
The unique youth mental health promotion strategy, a partnership between the shire council, local secondary schools and key community agencies, has been operating locally since 2010. In that time more than 6500 students and 800 parents and teachers have received mental health education and support.
“Council is very proud of the wonderful achievements of this program and the opportunity it provides for young people to come together in support of mental health awareness,” Cr Janet Pearce stated in officially launching the Live4Life initiative at Sacred Heart College in Kyneton last week.
SHC principal Craig Holmes initially extended a warm welcome to the large number of year eight students and others from participating schools, and Cr Pearce welcomed and thanked guests, sponsors and supporters of the event.
She said she was pleased to celebrate council’s commitment to young people in the area, and to launch the 2018 initiative.
Cr Pearce emphasised the importance of being there and supporting one another, with more than 4500 year eight students and more than 2000 older students having participated in Live4Life in the past nine years.
“This is not possible without partnerships,” Cr Pearce said, acknowledging the excellent cooperation
between the schools, Victoria Police, Macedon Ranges Health and Cobaw Community Health, service clubs and business sponsors and supporters.
Cr Pearce also commended the dedicated Live4Life Crew members who work so hard each year, and who organised the launch program interspersed with entertainment and inspiration.
Current Macedon Ranges Young Citizen of the Year, Laura Crozier (a year 11 student at Gisborne Secondary College) summarised how she had been enthused and guided by Live4Life, and had gained the confidence to help other young people.
Kyle Hayes, who had also benefited from Live4Life involvement, provided some tips on how young people could help one another through some difficult times.
The background to the Chain Reaction – Your Choices Matter theme was briefly outlined as well.
Live4Life has a busy time ahead, and will be involved in the inaugural Puka Up Cup activities at the Riddell versus Macedon football and netball matches at Riddell on Saturday.

Live4Life crew members celebrate the 2018 launch of the program at Kyneton last week. Photo: Ties Urie Photography

School rescue plan

By
Angela Crawford
-

A new plan to secure the old Kyneton Primary School site for future community use has this week been proposed by Windarring Disability Services.
The community based organisation has already announced its plans to sell off its historic Hutton Street premises and now plans to make an offer to buy the school site from the state government.
Windarring chairperson Chinka Steel said the organisation aimed to provide services in “shared community spaces” while addressing participants’ individual needs.
“The primary school site potentially fulfils this criteria as it would be a shared community space, while having the capacity to ensure individual needs are addressed, in a safe and supported environment,” Mr Steel told the Express.
“Due to the central nature of the primary school site, it is accessible for participants to access services and is an excellent point from which to access other activities and transport in the community.
“Windarring’s vision for the KPS site is for a vibrant and inviting community space, where utilisation of the buildings are maximised and are representative of whole-of-community participation.
“Windarring would utilise the site in conjunction with other tenants.”
Mr Steel said the proposal presented an opportunity for small business owners to offer meaningful work opportunities through social enterprise for people living with disability, and mentor the development of individuals through their work contribution.
“Windarring will employ a site manager whose role will include; facility management, sales and marketing, business development, underpinned by sense of social responsibility and community engagement.
“This stand-alone role would be solely responsible for the management and income of the site, maintaining the buildings and grounds and also ensuring the available spaces within the site are fully utilised by tenants.
“Activities within the site are to be integrated, with shared access for whole of community. Other programs would be specific for Windarring participants.”
Mr Steel said the Board of Windarring was encouraged to enter into a long-term commitment of site use which would enable many of the Kyneton CRAFT group and Town Square Reference Group’s ambitions for broad community use of the site.
Windarring representatives are scheduled to meet with council and state government representatives this morning to discuss the proposal.

Windarring chairperson Chinka Steel and acting CEO Shelley Hoppen have announced a rescue plan to keep the old Kyneton Primary School site in community hands.

1...342343344Page 344 of 344

Featured

© 2025 Elliott Midland Newspapers Pty Ltd.