2023 brought with it many news stories from the Dandenong Ranges and the foothills.
The Star Mail has collated the most notable of the year.
Ash Wednesday firefighters honoured
Firefighters who paid the ultimate sacrifice protecting their communities during the horrific events of the Ash Wednesday bushfires 40 years ago were honoured in an anniversary commemoration in Cockatoo.
Hundreds of past and present firefighters, and community members, gathered on Sunday 12 February at the Ash Wednesday Bushfire Education Centre, to share in grief and appreciation for the 47 people who lost their lives in the fires on 16 February 1983, which is considered one of the worst natural disasters in Victoria’s history.
Tears were shed and wreaths laid in memory of the 14 of those people who were CFA firefighters.
John Minett was the captain of the Narre Warren Fire Brigade when the truck he was on was engulfed in flames, killing everyone on board.
His son Brian held his Dad’s spare helmet while reflecting on his sacrifice.
“At the time, being Upper Beaconsfield and Narre Warren being small communities, it sits very well that Dad saved lives before he perished,” he said.
CFA chief officer Jason Heffernan said the state-wide memorial was a day to quietly reflect.
“This date is permanently etched into the minds of several generations of Victorians. For many, it still haunts them,” he said.
The sombre and special day was an opportunity to reflect but never forget and learn the lessons of the past, Mr Heffernan said.
“As we can see, the Ash Wednesday fires had a lasting effect on all firefighters, emergency service personnel and community workers in the community and it’s important, particularly for the 14 firefighters that perished on that day, that we have learnt and made improvements across the sector as a result,” Mr Heffernan said.
Hard lessons were learnt about how to combat fires, and improvements in the following years include command and control arrangements, training, latest technologies in firetrucks to ensure firefighters are responding are the safest they can be, the PPE that they wear and the other technologies like radio communication.
Emerald SES volunteers paint in orange for recognition
Emerald’s SES Unit celebrated Wear Orange Wednesday (WOW) on Wednesday 17 May by painting Elephant Rock near Dewhurst.
With the help of Emerald Arts Society member Wendy Lindrea, the artwork displayed the SES logo and the colour orange for locals to enjoy.
Emerald SES Unit Controller Ben Owen said WOW Day is an opportunity for the community to thank the volunteers who respond to flooding and motor vehicle accidents in their area.
“I made a point at our training session this week to thank everybody and to remind each other that we all do it for nothing, so to speak…we give up our time away from family, and sometimes work, to do what we need to do for the community,” Mr Owen said.
“Sometimes you go about business as usual, but you don’t stop and pause and be grateful for the time and commitment everyone gives when they can.”
Macclesfield Pony Club suffers arson attack
The Macclesfield Pony Club’s building was burnt down on Saturday 17 June, with the fire treated as suspicious.
Macclesfield Adult Riding Club secretary Delvene Henderson said the pony club grounds service both the Macclesfield Pony Club and Macclesfield Adult Riding Club, with the blaze a “real shock” for volunteers.
“It was very sad to see…It’s a bit of an icon, the pony club grounds and the club rooms… and we had a lot of memories in that building,” Ms Henderson said.
“A lot of memorabilia, a lot of photos. We’ve been getting contacted by people that were members there 40, 50 years ago, saying how upset they are that this has happened.
“For two not for profit clubs, it’s a real blow.”
Yarra Ranges Council has issued a statement on Tuesday 4 July.
Yarra Ranges Mayor, Cr Jim Child said rebuilding after an emergency can be a lengthy process and is dependent on finances.
“Staff met with the club members last week to talk through the impact of the loss of their building. Often rebuilding takes much longer than people anticipate to rebuild – usually two or more years,” Cr Child said.
“Council buildings must follow the planning controls and overlays for the ‘zone’ of the area where the building is located. The National Construction Code of Australia must be followed, and this can dictate the type of materials needed, accessibility and energy efficiency requirements.”
In a show of support, two Seville Pony Club members Emily and Jorja raised $500 for the Macclesfield Pony and Adult Riding Club to assist with the rebuild.
Internationally acclaimed garden opens in Olinda
The Chelsea Australia Garden in Olinda officially opened to the public in June, with both locals and visitors to the Dandenong Ranges able to enjoy the award-winning build.
Designer Phillip Johnson’s original ‘Australian Garden’ exhibit, created by Horticulturalist Wes Fleming and the Trailfinders Team, was the first Australian entry to win Gold and Best in Show at the London Royal Horticultural Society Chelsea Flower Show in 2013.
On Friday 30 June, a replica over 20 times the size of the original display was unveiled at the Olinda Golf Course to around 20 visitors including representatives from both Parks Victoria and the People and Parks Foundation.
Phillip Johnson Landscapes general manager Vaughn Greenhill said the opening was a “relief,” with the build being “incredibly difficult” due to the amount of rain over the past 12 months.
“Getting to the opening, seeing people in here just makes me proud of the whole team,” Mr Greenhill said.
“It’s an incredible feeling to know that there’s a permanent generational garden here representing our work, our beliefs and will be here connecting 1000s of people back to nature each year.”
The ‘Australian Garden’ features a billabong and waterfall operated by solar/battery power, alongside native flora.
Some 15,000 plants from over 400 different species find their home in the garden; approximately 100 of which are rare and endangered.
Burnham Beeches construction given green light
In June, the Trenerry Consortium received the go-ahead for its proposed $120m landmark redevelopment of Sherbrooke’s historic Burnham Beeches.
The Consortium has received a Heritage Victoria permit for the entire proposed master plan and the green light for the initial stage component from Yarra Ranges Council, with a further application to be lodged with the council for the remainder of the master plan to bring the council permit into line with Heritage Victoria’s permit.
These permits will enable the development team to undertake crucial conservation works to the existing buildings, alongside commencing construction of new buildings and upgrades to building and site services.
Notably, it will allow urgent repair works to begin on one of Australia’s most significant and unique art deco buildings – the Alfred Nicholas mansion.
The mansion has sat vacant for 36 years and is in need of urgent restoration and care.
The permits will also see works commence on the development of new buildings and landscaping, bringing the holistic restoration of Burnham Beeches – to be operated by Six Senses – another step closer to opening its doors and welcoming visitors once again.
The Trenerry Consortium, represented by The Victor Smorgon Group, The Kanat Group and Trenerry Property, has brought together the same team that delivered The Continental in Sorrento to Burnham Beeches, with expert Australian builders Hamilton Marino managing the build and restoration process, and global architecture firm Woods Bagot appointed as lead architects and designers.
Supreme Court rules in council’s favour
July saw the conclusion of the ongoing disruptions at Yarra Ranges Council, with the council taken to the Supreme Court on 4 July and announcing the return of an in-person gallery at council meetings on 11 July.
Yarra Ranges Council had announced the gallery would be shut out in April after two meetings were adjourned early in the year due to an ‘increasing pattern of verbal abuse, intimidation and anti-social behaviour.
Yarra Ranges Mayor at the time Jim Child said he was looking forward to welcoming community members into the public gallery once again.
“While it was disappointing to have to make the decision to close the gallery, it was a necessary decision to ensure we could maintain a safe workplace for our staff, councillors and community members, and ensure our meetings could be run in an orderly manner,” he said.
Plaintiff Darren Dickson sought an injunction from the Supreme Court to prevent the council from implementing its Draft Monbulk Urban Design Framework which sets out principles for the future development of the area as well as to challenge the decision to close meetings to the public.
Adjourned to August, the case was unsuccessful.
Locals say ‘enough’ to safety issues on Strawberry Corner
The local community of Cockatoo took a stand in the name of animal welfare after reports of livestock and wandering animals made over the last decade, at all hours of the day and night, due to poor fencing.
In some instances, cows have been seen falling from the embankment and dying as drivers have watched helplessly, or have died due to neglect or illness.
Dogs have also been spotted on this corner, with little evidence of any change, or hope for these animals seen by the community.
A deceased calf was found along the fence line in August.
An online petition was created to support the proper investigation and removal of livestock and other animals from this property, believing the owners of the farm are constantly committing offences under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1986.
A GoFundMe page was launched to raise funds for a calf that had been found on the corner in poor condition, which has raised over $1,000 for the calf’s recovery.
Upwey-Tecoma Bowls Club hit by vicious email scam
The Upwey-Tecoma Bowls Club was scammed of $118,000 after being targeted by a business email compromise scam; where hackers track email history.
The original invoice sent from Berry Bowling Systems Pty Ltd was quickly deleted from the club’s inbox after it was sent and replaced with an identical copy, with the only difference in the doctored document being the BSB and account number.
The money was sent to pay for works rebuilding the front green and back lawn which were damaged during flooding in October 2022.
Boronia development concerns
The VIctorian government’s lack of consultation and disregard of Knox City Council’s planning schemes has led the council – and locals alike – raising alarms over plans to develop 145 houses on a former school site in Boronia.
In May 2023, Knox City Council was notified that development plans for the former Boronia Heights College site, also previously known as Boronia Technical School and Boronia Heights Secondary College, were approved by the Department of Transport and Planning.
Deputy Mayor Jude Dwight, whose Chandler Ward contained Boronia Heights College, said when the development plan was presented to the council last year (2022), it was given a short period to make a response and there was no opportunity for public consultation.
“Knox City Council has a housing strategy in place that does try to encourage the density of housing appropriate to the infrastructure and services in the area around to support it,” she said.
“Our housing strategy would indicate probably about 25 dwellings across the site and a significant amount of open space, which potentially could have even included the oval that exists there because we are seeing a lot of pressure on sporting reserves across Knox.”
Community member Roger Davey is one of those concerned about the sites’ potential future, and is banding together with other locals to stand against the decision.
He said the site is a nice piece of greenery amongst the surrounding residential developments, and has provided him and his dog Snowy a great place to go for walks and enjoy the greenery.
“Tearing down the park and building houses on it would mean there is no more ‘green’ in the area. There are kids enjoying the bike tracks they’ve built, and a football field that is needed in the community,” he said.
Lake Knox fight continues
Knox locals are standing their ground against the proposed social housing development designated for Knoxfield.
The Lake Knox Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) hearing has been closed out, with the final submissions being completed in early December.
Now the involved groups await the final decision, after the tribunal postponed the subdivision hearing temporarily to determine a question of the law.
A decision by VCAT was handed down in September, determining Lake Knox does not fit the criteria of a waterway under the Knox planning scheme.
The VCAT hearing into the subdivision was still being heard in early December.
