Homicide Squad detectives have in recent days released CCTV of a man they are hoping to identify as part of the ongoing investigation into the fatal stabbing of Niariay Bol in Deer Park just over two years ago.

Emergency services were called to the 52-year-old’s home on Leila Street just after 11.40pm on Sunday, 5 December 2021 following reports of a disturbance.

In the process of police clearing the property, they located Niariay with significant injuries to his abdomen.

Paramedics attempted to revive him, however he was pronounced dead at the scene.

It’s believed that earlier that evening, a group of at least nine males arrived at the house he shared with two other men and were drinking at the address whilst Niariay remained in an upstairs bedroom.

While the circumstances surrounding his death are still unclear, it’s believed Niariay was subjected to an unprovoked attack while in his bedroom.

During this attack he was fatally stabbed.

Four people were arrested on the night at the scene, including a 23-year-old Deer Park man, a 25-year-old Fraser Rise man, a 22-year-old Derrimut man and a 22-year-old Caroline Springs man.

All four were interviewed and later released pending further enquiries. The motivation for the attack remains unclear.

Police believe not all of those who were at the property that night were close associates of Niariay or each other, and they are still working to determine the identities of several of the men.

This includes one of three men shown in CCTV footage captured just after 12.05am on Monday, 6 December 2021 near the Leila Street property.

The man police are seeking to identify is believed to be approximately 185cm tall with a medium build and was wearing a ski mask, hooded puffer jacket and tracksuit pants.

Police believe that this man may be carrying some items underneath his jacket which are believed to be stolen from the address.

Detectives are keen to speak to anyone who may have information that can identify this man.

Police are also keen to speak to anyone who might have information about why the stabbing occurred and who was responsible.

Anyone with information that could assist police is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report online via the Crime Stoppers website online.

Missing Persons Squad detectives have been searching in the Sale area over recent days as part of their investigation into the 2019 suspicious disappearance of Lakes Entrance man Dalibor “Dale” Pantic.

The 38-year-old was last seen by an associate at a farm in Perry Bridge on the night of Wednesday 10 April, 2019 and despite numerous searches, investigators have been unable to recover his body.

With assistance from Water Police, investigators searched an area of both the Avon and Thomson rivers near Sale on 28 and 29 December, 2023 in the hope of finding Dale’s remains.

In November 2021, a then 33-year-old Sale man was charged with one count of murder. He has since pleaded guilty to manslaughter.

In May 2020, following a renewed appeal for information about the missing 38-year-old and his vehicle, a number of members of the public contacted police after seeing media reports.

At the time, investigators released CCTV which depicted Dale’s 2005 silver Ford Falcon leaving a Sale address at 10.58pm on Friday 12 April, two days after he was last seen in Perry Bridge.

Following information from members of the public, investigators subsequently located a silver Ford in the Bunyip State Forest and the vehicle was retrieved on Friday, 22 May, 2020.

This vehicle was forensically examined, but was not Dale’s car. His vehicle has not yet been located.

Investigators now believe that a number of items from Dale’s car may have also been discarded in the Sale area at the time and are urging anyone who may have seen them or have any knowledge of their whereabouts to come forward.

Particularly, three children’s car seats and a double pram. It is believed the items were thrown into the water from a bridge on Myrtlebank Road around 11 April, 2019.

The car seats would likely have floated downstream, and police believe they may have been recovered somewhere in that water system.

Anyone who may have seen the Ford sedan, the pram or the children’s car seats or anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report via the Crime Stoppers website online.

A 37-year-old man was allegedly caught at more than six times the limit following a hit-run in Mitcham last week.

Last Wednesday evening Nunawading Highway Patrol officers were called to reports a Toyota Hilux had crashed into a parked car on Mitcham Road before allegedly fleeing the scene.

A member of the public witnessed the incident and followed the badly damaged vehicle to his Mitcham home and contacted police.

The man was breath-tested, returning an alleged reading of .317.

He was expected to be charged on summons with drink driving and other traffic offences.

Police also immediately suspended his licence.

Investigators would like to speak to anyone who witnessed the crash, has dashcam footage or any information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or lodge a confidential report via the Crime Stoppers website online.

A man has risked his own life to rescue a 74-year-old woman from floodwaters in central Victoria as the state’s flood emergency intensified earlier this week.

More than two dozen rescues have been carried out in a 24-hour period alone, with thousands of people under evacuation orders and two major flood warnings issued.

Mitch Smith spotted the woman in Bendigo Creek at Elmore and swam out to help after her car was swept off a road and washed about 100 metres downstream in raging waters on Monday night.

He secured her to a tree with a strap and the pair waited for about an hour before emergency crews in a boat came to rescue them. Neither was injured.

“The water was probably nine foot, 10 foot deep,” Mr Smith has told media.

The township of Clunes looks as though it may be poised to expand with a planning application lodged seeking to subdivide a 29.31 hectare parcel of land to create 106 new housing lots.

Daylesford Land Development Pty Ltd have lodged the application seeking a staged multi-lot subdivision of 106 lots and removal of native vegetation at 35 Paddock Street, Clunes.

Documents recently lodged with the Hepburn Shire Council indicate the 106 proposed new residential allotments would range from 2000 square metres to 2856 square metres in size.

The proposed site for the subdivision is situated at 35 Paddock Street, neighbouring the town’s primary school, and the staged proposal includes internal roads, street trees and green space within the mooted housing estate.

The proposal is currently being advertised until January 24, enabling opportunity for public response.

Planning documents that have now been lodged with the council state: “The site is located within a lightly populated rural-residential area of Clunes, with the nearby area zoned for Low Density Residential, Farming, Rural Living and Neighbourhood Residential.

“Extensive land surrounding the property is located within the Farming Zone, with some land also identified as being environmentally significant.

“The site abuts Esmond Park, with Clunes Common Nature Conservation Reserve further to the north.”

Last year, the Hepburn Shire had forecast that 300 new dwellings would need to be built in Creswick and Clunes by 2041.

Compiled by the state government in 2014, the central highlands regional growth plan had identified Creswick as a town experiencing medium growth while Clunes had been identified as destined for limited growth and sustainable change.

Goldfields Libraries and Eaglehawk Festivals Inc are calling for entries from writers all over Australia for the annual Mulga Bill Writing Award. 

Writers are encouraged to take inspiration from the theme ‘mystical waters’, and submit a poem (max. 25 lines) or short story (max. 2000 words).

Writers of all ages and skill levels are encouraged to apply and the entry fee is $5.

Entries close on Friday 23 February, 2024 with winners to be announced at at the Eaglehawk Dahlia and Arts Festival in March 2024.

The Short story category carries a $500 first prize and a $150 prize for secon place. while the poetry category offers a $200 first prize and a $50 second prize.

Further information on how to enter is available via the Goldfields Libraries website.

The Victorian State Government expects to open a new government-owned early childhood learning centre in Clunes by 2026.

Aimed at delivering local children the best start the early learning and childcare centre has been slated to be built at the Clunes Primary Schoool site.

The Victorian Government-owned centre will provide long day care and three-and-four-year-old kindergarten programs and may also include other spaces for community use.

From 2028 in Victoria, four-year-old kindergarten will transition to pre-prep while free kindergarten hours will double from 15 to 30 hours a week for four-year-olds and triple from five to 15 hours for three-year-olds.

Building the centre at the school is expected to help some parents avoid the “double drop-off”. It makes childcare and early learning accessible and convenient for working parents and carers. It can also make the transition to school easier for some children.

The new Clunes centre is one of 50 early learning centres set to share in approximately $14 billion as part of the Victorian Government’s Best Start, Best Life reform.

The Romsey library is inviting locals to tap their inner artistic talent this month and take part in its Tiny Art Show

Locals are being invited to “create a masterpiece for our Tiny Art Show” with those planning to participate able to. collect a mini canvas from the library and unleash their inner artist.

Their efforts will then be followed by a Tiny Art Exhibition in February where the community votes for their favourite and prizes will be awarded, organsiers say.

The Tiny Art Show is free to participate in and is intended for both children and adults.

Those interested can collect a canvas from the library from 2 January, and return by 31 January. 

The Woodend library is offering local youngsters a top chance to learn how to draw manga from an expert.

Manga artist Kenny Chan has worked as a freelance artist and animator in comics, animation, video games and movies. He’s the real deal and he’s coming to the little local library tomorrow to help teach interested locals a bit about how to draw manga too.

The free hour-long workshop takes place tomorrow Wednesday , January 10 from 10.30am, ofering a great school holiday activity for bored yungseters. the workshop is pitched at primary school kids aged 8 to 15.

Kenny will teach a quick and simple way to draw original characters in a Japanese comic style – with tricks to add personality and humour, along with some interesting cultural nuances and observation skills.

While the workshop is free to attend, bookings are required as space is limited, and can be made via the library website.

Growing Habitat for Net-Zero in Central Victoria – A new Central Victorian carbon offset project is aimed at helping local councils reach their net-zero emission goals, while providing private landholders benefits from growing trees and shrubs on their property.

The Community Carbon Project is a partnership between the North Central Catchment Management Authority (CMA), the City of Greater Bendigo, Macedon Ranges, Hepburn, and Mount Alexander shire councils.   

The initiative aims to leverage the carbon offset needs of local councils to support revegetation efforts restoring critical habitats, connect fragmented landscapes and address biodiversity loss.   

A recent Expression of Interest callout to private landholders saw strong interest within the Hepburn Shire and site visits have been taking place to determine which properties are best suited to growing trees and shrubs for maximum carbon sequestration potential.   

Engaging in large-scale revegetation can be very costly and many landholders find it difficult to justify the expenses and time commitments involved.

This program will provide financial support to deliver revegetation efforts, allowing landholders to enjoy a range of benefits, including:

• attracting diverse wildlife, 
• improving the aesthetic appearance of your property,
• reducing soil erosion,
• improving soil health, and 
• enhancing water quality. 

The Hepburn Shire Council says biodiversity assessments have been conducted to inform township structure plans for its five main towns as part of the ‘Future Hepburn’ program.  

Ecological consultants, Practical Ecology, gathered existing and surveyed new ecological information over several months in 2023.

The work has already been used in community reference group workshops and will be available online as the council enters the community feedback period for the draft Strategic Plans (planned for March 2024).

 The reports have wider and ongoing value for informing the council’s conservation planning. 

The Future Hepburn project aims to improve the shire’s livability as well as understanding, protecting and enhancing the values and character of the whole shire, including townships and rural areas.

The above image shows current and potential wildlife corridors through the Trentham – an example of the assessment outputs, the council says.

Families, nature lovers and history buffs will have more to enjoy at Point Nepean National Park, with a campground extension, new ‘story-telling’ interpretation project, and planning for fort conservation works under way.

After opening in 2022, the campground has proven popular with visitors, with its pre-pitched tents and onsite facilities offering an easy camping experience on the foreshore.

The 2022-23 camping season saw over 1,000 people stay overnight in the national park. 

The campground is now being expanded to include a new ‘Woodland’ area, with additional tent platforms carefully placed among the national park’s Moonah trees, nearby in the Quarantine Station precinct. 

Works are expected to start over this summer, with Parks Victoria appointing ACE Landscape Services Pty Ltd to construct the facilities.

A ‘story-telling’ interpretation project is also underway to improve the park’s visitor experience. The project will deliver new interpretive signage across the park, and an immersive experience in the Boiler House. This will provide visitors with more opportunities to gain a deeper understanding and connection to the park’s significant cultural heritage and environmental values. 

The design and content of the story-telling and interpretation project is well underway, with a request for tender for the manufacture and install expected to be released in the coming months.  

The Hepburn Shire Council has welcomed ten community members and two councillors who have joined its Sustainable Hepburn Community Advisory Committee (the “SHAC”!), which met for the first time late last year.  

It’s a diverse group with members representing business and community leadership across the shire and who share a passion for making the shire more sustainable.

Their task will now be to assist with building stronger partnerships and collaboration between the council, community and other stakeholders for Sustainable Hepburn’s implementation as well as assisting with transparency of progress and effectiveness of communication.  

The council says those interested can visit its Participate Hepburn  web page to see who is on the committee and track the committee’s work through minutes of the group’s meetings and other updates in 2024.   

Bob ‘Bongo’ Starkie, guitarist from the legendary Skyhooks, is headed to The Palais, Hepburn to perform the classic songs of one of Australia’s most beloved bands.

The Bob ‘Bongo’ Starkie’s 50th Anniversary Skyhooks Show featuring Laura Davidson takes place at the Palais on Saturday, January 13.

In between songs Bob threatens to share humorous anecdotes and insights into the inner workings of the Skyhooks.

‘We have a female singer only because no male can match ‘Shirley’s’ vocal range and they are so much better to look at, so no apologies there,” Bob said.

With Grey-headed Flying-foxes travelling great distances to find food, Victorians may be encountering these vulnerable visitors in backyards and public places, prompting some warnings from DEECA.

“On average, Grey-headed Flying-foxes fly about 10 kilometres from their roost site nightly to find food, but they have been recorded travelling much further,” said Leila Brook, Senior Wildlife Officer at the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA).

“Eating fruit and nectar, they play an important part in ecosystems, pollinating native trees and dispersing
seeds.”

In early summer flying-foxes have young pups. This species are slow breeders, producing one young a year.

“Mothers and pups may be particularly vulnerable to disturbance, periods of high heat, and lack of food,” said Ms Brook.

“When females are stressed or malnourished they may not be able to care for their young who may
drop to the ground.”

Grey-headed Flying-foxes are protected by law in Victoria and it is illegal to harass, injure, or disturb them.

Offenders face maximum penalties between $3,846 and $48,077 or 12 months in jail. The Conservation Regulator relies on community information to investigate wildlife crime, including disturbance of native bats. Reports can be made to Crime Stoppers Victoria on 1800 333 000.

Only trained, vaccinated wildlife rescuers should handle flying-foxes. If someone is scratched, bitten or
exposed to bat saliva, they should seek urgent medical attention and contact the Department of Health for further advice on 1300 651 160. If your pet has interacted with a flying-fox, contact your local vet.
If you see flying-foxes, remember:

• Keep your distance and let them rest, even if they are on the ground or low on a tree.
• Avoid disturbing flying-foxes – sudden noise such as clapping or beeping horns can startle them.
• Don’t handle them. If you find a flying-fox on the ground, call a local vaccinated wildlife rescuer to
  assist. While flying-foxes may carry rare disease, risk is avoided by not touching bats.
• To find a local rescuer, call 136 186, use DEECA’s online Help for Injured Wildlife tool
  www.wildlife.vic.gov.au/injured-native-wildlife/help-for-injured-wildlife or call Wildlife Victoria on 8400 7300.
• Protect backyard fruit trees using compliant wildlife-friendly netting. For more information on
  wildlife-friendly netting visit, www.wildlife.vic.gov.au/managing-wildlife/wildlife-and-fruit-trees