Staffing disaster
The year started off with a surge of rising Covid-19 cases, isolations, a lack of Rapid Antigen Tests and PCR result wait times creating a cocktail for a staffing disaster in the Yarra Ranges.
On 12 January, it was reported many businesses were left struggling to find staff in the midst of the Omicron wave, with shortages being felt across several sectors.
Some businesses imposed reduced hours, unable to trade their usual times with no staff available.
The hospitality sector was already struggling to find staff in the last year however, this was yet another blow upon blow for the industry.
Healesville Hotel director Michael Kennedy said this Covid-19 surge posed different issues than in previous years.
“There are already staff shortages, then we have to have somebody checking vaccinations all the time, that takes another person out of the equation, and then you add in isolation and public health orders and all of a sudden you’re really running out of staff,” Mr Kennedy said.
Courageous duo
Just before Christmas in 2017, two childhood friends who grew up in Chum Creek were holidaying with their families when a fire broke out at a Port Fairy Caravan Park.
Benjamin Martin and Benjamin Van der Burgt quickly ran to the cabin on fire and started to do all they could to stop the blaze and save surrounding cabins.
Mr Van der Burgt attempted to open the front door, but it was locked, discovering a teenage girl barricaded inside.
Mr Martin grabbed a nearby hose and began to douse the fire, as another man arrived to help the pair through several attempts to get inside to save the girl.
The men’s efforts didn’t go unnoticed and the Senior Sergeant involved in the case nominated them for a Bravery Medal.
They were announced as Bravery Medal recipients in 2021 and were awarded the medal during a ceremony on Thursday 3 February by the Victorian Governor Honourable Linda Dessau AC at Government House.
Snake bite victim saved
A Melbourne Water worker was winched through the air after suffering a snake bite in difficult terrain just outside Healesville.
Emergency services were called just before 3pm Thursday 3 March to help extract the man in his 20s, who was bitten by a snake on the leg while doing some maintenance work in the catchment area.
Lilydale SES Unit Controller Shaun Caulfield was at the scene and said several rescue options were explored due to the difficulty of the rescue site.
“SES were requested to assist with our mule wheeled stretcher carrier initially, but once AV got on scene, they identified it was actually about a 40 degree slope that the patient was down,” he said.
Melba statue returns
Lilydale’s Dame Nellie Melba returned to prime position at her home in Coldstream, with her life size bronze statue relocated to Coombe Estate in April.
The statue of the female opera singer and one of Australia’s greatest exports was created by artist Peter Corlett and originally placed at NewQuay, Docklands.
But the redevelopment of the inner Melbourne, waterfront suburb saw Melba be removed from her position and put in storage since 2016.
Coombe Yarra Valley managing director Grant Cummin said he had been in conversations with Development Victoria for a number of years about getting Melba moved to Coldstream but the pandemic delayed the process.
“We engaged with the artist, Peter Corlett, who came on site and we decided on a location. His directive was that Melba had to always be in the sun, always be in the light,” Mr Cummin said.
Generous juniors hospital donation
Healesville Hospital received a donation from Wandin Yallock Primary School in June in honour of a school staff member and her late husband who died from Leukemia.
Sue Marshall has previously been a teacher, relief teacher and currently runs playgroup, working at the school for 37 years and her husband Jim has always been there to support in other ways.
Ms Marshall said Jim did a lot for the school including as maintenance on the oval and other ways to help out.
“He did it because he loved the school and out of the goodness of his heart,” Ms Marshall said.
Jim sadly passed away earlier in the year while in end of life care at the Healesville Hospital.
The school and students wanted to do something in his honour and decided that raising a donation for the hospital was a fitting option.
The Junior School Council was given the opportunity to come up with an idea and decided to have a milkshake day, connecting back to one of Jim’s favourite treats.
Out of a school of 122 kids, they were able to raise $200 from the special day.
Kangaroos attacked
An illegal attack on a mob of eastern grey Kangaroos in Healesville shocked wildlife carers in June after two animals were found to be shot with arrows.
Wildlife volunteers were first called on Sunday 19 June alerted to one male who was spotted with an arrow sticking out of him and a few days later a female was found dead with an arrow lodged in her back.
Vets for Compassion volunteer Leonie Sorrentino responded to the calls and was shocked by the discovery.
“[The female] you’d have to get pretty close to be able to shoot her from the direction of where the arrow went into her back, into her spin,” Ms Sorrentino said.
CFA captain makes history
A shuffle of roles at Reefton CFA resulted in Sue Jack becoming the brigade’s very first female captain in July.
With a big recruitment drive as the first goal, Ms Jack has been at Reefton CFA for a couple of years having previously been at Warburton and Hillcrest CFA.
Ms Jack said Reefton CFA elects a new captain and first, second and possibly third lieutenant every two years.
“We are not a very big brigade, so we’ve taken on double roles. At the moment, I’m the captain and also have the training officer role,” she said.
“I don’t know that I ever aspired to be captain. It was just a role that had to happen and the first lieutenant has done it for the past four years and wanted a break so I put my hand up to give it a go for a couple of years and see how it is. I never even thought about being the first woman.”
Tributes flow for the late Queen
Queen Elizabeth II died peacefully at her Balmoral Castle in Scotland on Thursday 8 September, aged 96, after an announcement doctors were concerned for her health.
The news has sent ripples of emotion throughout communities, with a poignant statement from Premier Daniel Andrews saying “very few of us know a world without The Queen in it.”
Memorial services were held including one at the Yarra Valley Anglican Church on Sunday 18 September.
Yarra Glen resident Noel Buchanan was invited to share a New Testament reading while also telling the story of when he saw Queen Elizabeth during the 1954 royal tour.
Mr Buchanan brought to the church the same flags that he was waving at the young Queen when he was nine years old while standing on Princes Bridge in Melbourne.
Support for Lauren
In October we meet a Wandin East mum who was struck with the devastating diagnosis of the chronic neurological disease Multiple Sclerosis, or MS.
Lauren Sneddon, at the age of only 34, was diagnosed with RRMS, relapse-remitting multiple sclerosis which results in unexpected ‘attacks’ and periods of ‘recovery’ and remission afterwards.
A good friend, Kane Williams, ran 100km to raise awareness and support for her.
Ms Sneddon said she met Mr Williams through her lifelong friend Kim, who she befriended in Year 9.
“She transferred to the same school as I and I remember distinctly that we were in a graphic class and started talking about Big Brother, which was the first ever Big Brother here in Australia, which is how we bonded,” she said.
Warburton Mountain Bike Project decision
In November, a landmark decision was handed down, with the proposed Warburton Mountain Bike Destination approved to go ahead by the State Government.
The Minister for Planning Lizzie Blandthorn’s assessment concludes that the majority of the project has acceptable environmental effects, subject to some specific project modifications and an amended environmental management regime.
President of Yarra Ranges Mountain Bikers Andrew Howieson said he was elated at the decision.
“I’m still in shock, to be honest. To have some sort of understanding and clarity, I can’t really put into words how it feels, I’ve never experienced a feeling like this. It’s just brilliant,” he said.
“I’ve been saying to people that I didn’t realise how much of an impact this had on my mental health over the last few years. You get used to carrying around this huge amount of stress, anxiety and uncertainty and forget how much it weighs you down.”
The project’s first feasibility study came way back in 2013 and by December 20 2019, Yarra Ranges Council referred the Warburton Mountain Bike Destination Project to the former Minister for Planning Richard Wynne under the Environment Effects Act 1978. On 21 May 2020, Mr Wynne decided that an environmental effects statement (EES) was required.
Yarra Ranges Council Mayor Jim Child said in a way, he was really glad that we’ve gone through this process because the EES was so thorough.
“It not only looked at the environmental impact but the social impact as well. It was a very thorough exercise and the actual inquiry panel has done an extremely good job,” he said.
