WE’RE ALL BAFFLED BY THIS EXTREMELY RARE GOLDEN POSSUM, SPOTTED IN THE DANDENONGS
Friends, folks, comrades, cop an eyeful of this golden possum. Look at it. Study it closely.
You may never see another again, or you might, because this little golden boi actually lives in the Dandenongs.
That’s right. In your backyard, while you’re sleeping at night, this golden brushtail possum could be crawling and trawling through your trash or roof cavity.
Teagan Faull from Olinda captured the flaxen flavoured fella climbing a tree in Sherbrooke Forest on 12 August.
From these photos, we can deduce that like his brush-tailed brethren he enjoys nibbling on green things and scaling large trees, but that’s where the similarities stop. Unlike the common grey brushtrail possum, he is golden, which amongst any species suggests superiority.
Read the full story here.
By Derek Schlennstedt
You may never see another again, or you might, because this little golden boi actually lives in the Dandenongs.
That’s right. In your backyard, while you’re sleeping at night, this golden brushtail possum could be crawling and trawling through your trash or roof cavity.
Teagan Faull from Olinda captured the flaxen flavoured fella climbing a tree in Sherbrooke Forest on 12 August.
From these photos, we can deduce that like his brush-tailed brethren he enjoys nibbling on green things and scaling large trees, but that’s where the similarities stop. Unlike the common grey brushtrail possum, he is golden, which amongst any species suggests superiority.
Read the full story here.
By Derek Schlennstedt
HOLD YOUR LOVED ONES CLOSE, BECAUSE BIRD FEEDING AT GRANTS PICNIC GROUND STOPS NEXT WEEK
They come now, drawn with ravenous hunger to the house made of cedar timber.
People of the Dandenongs, hold your loved ones close, squeeze them a little tighter, give extra attention to those who matter most. Because, come 12 February, the great battle of our time will begin.
It’s official. Parks Victoria will cease bird feeding at Grants Picnic Ground from 12 February onwards, and I know what happens next – I’ve seen the movies.
If it’s anything like Hitchcock predicted, the great battle between man and bird will ensue. Yes. The great bird war, the cockatoo conflict, the avian attack – call it what you like, but they’re amassing out there someplace. You can count on it.
You can read the full story here.
By Derek Schlennstedt
People of the Dandenongs, hold your loved ones close, squeeze them a little tighter, give extra attention to those who matter most. Because, come 12 February, the great battle of our time will begin.
It’s official. Parks Victoria will cease bird feeding at Grants Picnic Ground from 12 February onwards, and I know what happens next – I’ve seen the movies.
If it’s anything like Hitchcock predicted, the great battle between man and bird will ensue. Yes. The great bird war, the cockatoo conflict, the avian attack – call it what you like, but they’re amassing out there someplace. You can count on it.
You can read the full story here.
By Derek Schlennstedt
BIN CHICKEN SPAWN POINT IN QUEENS PARK DRAWS CONCERN
At Queen’s Park there stands a mystical tree which draws to it all manner of Ibis.
The tree has a strange power over these birds and it’s widely regarded as a spawn point for the shunned yet beautiful tip turkey.
Now, I have nothing against the noble but the ignominious bin chicken, but it is public knowledge that the three worst things on this planet are, in descending order: world famine, dropping a six-pack of VB, and bin juice-drinking gronks – otherwise known as ibises.
But why the hate? Well there are a few simple reasons for that. For starters, they have a head like a water-logged walnut, and they’re picnic wrecking scab lords who are always poised and ready to stick their bizarre curved beak into the arse end of your kebab.
Read the full story here.
By Derek Schlennstedt
The tree has a strange power over these birds and it’s widely regarded as a spawn point for the shunned yet beautiful tip turkey.
Now, I have nothing against the noble but the ignominious bin chicken, but it is public knowledge that the three worst things on this planet are, in descending order: world famine, dropping a six-pack of VB, and bin juice-drinking gronks – otherwise known as ibises.
But why the hate? Well there are a few simple reasons for that. For starters, they have a head like a water-logged walnut, and they’re picnic wrecking scab lords who are always poised and ready to stick their bizarre curved beak into the arse end of your kebab.
Read the full story here.
By Derek Schlennstedt
THERE'S BEEN A BLACK PANTHER SIGHTING IN THE DANDENONGS
A true phenomenon, the Dandenong Ranges Panther is a rumoured big cat that roams the Dandenongs.
There are videos, pictures, and of course fantastic tales from folks who have witnessed the big boi over the years. Tales like this one from Melbournian Bryce who was visiting his brother’s property on Perrins Creek Road, Olinda.
Bryce told the Mail that on Tuesday 11 June he was leaving his brother’s house when he came upon the large monochromatic feline.
You can read the full article here.
By Derek Schlennstedt
There are videos, pictures, and of course fantastic tales from folks who have witnessed the big boi over the years. Tales like this one from Melbournian Bryce who was visiting his brother’s property on Perrins Creek Road, Olinda.
Bryce told the Mail that on Tuesday 11 June he was leaving his brother’s house when he came upon the large monochromatic feline.
You can read the full article here.
By Derek Schlennstedt
PACKING HEAT ABOVE YOUR MEAT PROBABLY NOT A GOOD IDEA
Yarra Ranges CIU are investigating a non-fatal shooting that occurred in Blackburn Rd, Mooroolbark earlier this morning on 22 January.
It is alleged a 35-year-old male was in possession of a homemade firearm, which was allegedly tucked, down the front of his pants. Because, sure packing heat above your man meat is always going to end well.
According to Police, the homemade firearm has discharged a single shotgun round, which impacted the man’s groinal region.
Read the full story here.
By Derek Schlennstedt
It is alleged a 35-year-old male was in possession of a homemade firearm, which was allegedly tucked, down the front of his pants. Because, sure packing heat above your man meat is always going to end well.
According to Police, the homemade firearm has discharged a single shotgun round, which impacted the man’s groinal region.
Read the full story here.
By Derek Schlennstedt
YARRA VALLEY WHETS APPETITE FOR OKTOBERFEST
There are two truths in this world, people.
One; that learning about different cultures and experiencing new things makes us better humans, and two; we as humans need to be fed and watered.
You can do both of these things at the Yarra Valley Oktoberfest on 26 October.
I mean, can you even stay conscious thinking about salty pretzels, chicken schnitzel, bratwurst, mashed potatoes and steins full of German beer? That’s a big oooft people.
Depsite being 16,000 kilometres from Munich, the Yarra Valley Oktoberfest brings all this and more to the Yarra Ranges.
You can read the full story here.
By Derek Schlennstedt
One; that learning about different cultures and experiencing new things makes us better humans, and two; we as humans need to be fed and watered.
You can do both of these things at the Yarra Valley Oktoberfest on 26 October.
I mean, can you even stay conscious thinking about salty pretzels, chicken schnitzel, bratwurst, mashed potatoes and steins full of German beer? That’s a big oooft people.
Depsite being 16,000 kilometres from Munich, the Yarra Valley Oktoberfest brings all this and more to the Yarra Ranges.
You can read the full story here.
By Derek Schlennstedt
IT’S THE CIRCLE OF RORTS, AND IT MOVES US ALL
Many woke millennials will be familiar with ‘the circle of life’.
It’s a term coined in the Lion King, and refers to how everything in life comes full circle.
“When we die, our bodies become the grass, and the antelope eat the grass. And so we are all connected in the great Circle of Life,” says the wise Mufasa to his son, Simba.
What Mufasa could not have foretold though, is how that circle of life would relate to the current political landscape in Australia – in particular, the Sports Rorts scandal.
Because, should Bridget McKenzie survive this week and return to Parliament when it resumes on 4 February, our very own Casey MP and Speaker For The House,
Tony Smith will have achieved the very embodiment of ‘the circle of life’.
Read the full story here.
By Derek Schlennstedt
It’s a term coined in the Lion King, and refers to how everything in life comes full circle.
“When we die, our bodies become the grass, and the antelope eat the grass. And so we are all connected in the great Circle of Life,” says the wise Mufasa to his son, Simba.
What Mufasa could not have foretold though, is how that circle of life would relate to the current political landscape in Australia – in particular, the Sports Rorts scandal.
Because, should Bridget McKenzie survive this week and return to Parliament when it resumes on 4 February, our very own Casey MP and Speaker For The House,
Tony Smith will have achieved the very embodiment of ‘the circle of life’.
Read the full story here.
By Derek Schlennstedt
SWARMING BEES: WHAT’S IT ALL ABOUT, AND WHY DO THEY DO THAT?
Bees. Can’t live with them, can’t live without them.
It seems that in spring, even more noteworthy then angry magpies swooping careless and innocent children is the recent surge in large swarms of bees deciding to settle down in houses, cars and basically any stationary object that is left alone for an hour or two.
In the past few weeks, we’ve had bees on cars at Healesville Hospital, bees in houses in Monbulk and folks, it doesn’t look like it’s going to stop anytime soon.
Now, while bees might be absolutely vital to the continuation of our global ecosystem, nobody wants thousands of stingy bois swarming directly outside your car or inside your house.
Read the full story here.
By Derek Schlennstedt
It seems that in spring, even more noteworthy then angry magpies swooping careless and innocent children is the recent surge in large swarms of bees deciding to settle down in houses, cars and basically any stationary object that is left alone for an hour or two.
In the past few weeks, we’ve had bees on cars at Healesville Hospital, bees in houses in Monbulk and folks, it doesn’t look like it’s going to stop anytime soon.
Now, while bees might be absolutely vital to the continuation of our global ecosystem, nobody wants thousands of stingy bois swarming directly outside your car or inside your house.
Read the full story here.
By Derek Schlennstedt
WE’VE BEEN TRACKING THE ESCAPED CARDINIA RESERVOIR EMU
To the uninitiated, emus are just large flightless birds that run around and lay unnaturally large eggs. But to those of us who remember the Great Emu War these birds pose a very real risk to the natural order.
The Great Emu War of Australia may sound like a joke, but I assure you it was very
real, and in 1932 the Australian army was called in to the Western Australia district of Campion after a marauding emu population of at least 20,000 emus had been devastating farms across WA.
No sooner had the conflict begun, however, than it became clear that the Australian military had vastly underestimated the emu. Cunning adversaries, the emus proved almost impossible to hit with machine-gun fire, and they seemed able to shrug off even serious injury from bullets without breaking stride.
So, why am I telling you this? Well, between 8-10 November Victoria Police received a number of phone calls about a lone emu, lurking on the roadside of Wellington Road.
Read the full story here.
By Derek Schlennstedt
The Great Emu War of Australia may sound like a joke, but I assure you it was very
real, and in 1932 the Australian army was called in to the Western Australia district of Campion after a marauding emu population of at least 20,000 emus had been devastating farms across WA.
No sooner had the conflict begun, however, than it became clear that the Australian military had vastly underestimated the emu. Cunning adversaries, the emus proved almost impossible to hit with machine-gun fire, and they seemed able to shrug off even serious injury from bullets without breaking stride.
So, why am I telling you this? Well, between 8-10 November Victoria Police received a number of phone calls about a lone emu, lurking on the roadside of Wellington Road.
Read the full story here.
By Derek Schlennstedt
WE KID YOU NOT: GOATS ARE BEING USED TO CLEAN UP THE WEEDS AROUND BELGRAVE STATION
Humans and animals living together in harmony – you love to see it.
A herd of hungry goats is being used to control out-of-control weeds, berries and grass at Belgrave train station.
Metro Trains hired six of the living lawnmowers from grazing company GrazeAway on Wednesday 16 October to eat away the overgrown greenery abutting Belgrave Station.
Metro Trains Vegetation Manager Katrina Lewis said that from next week onwards, six goats will be deployed to Belgrave Station where they will provide a more environmentally sustainable method to control weeds in a nearby section of bushland.
Read the full story here.
By Derek Schlennstedt
A herd of hungry goats is being used to control out-of-control weeds, berries and grass at Belgrave train station.
Metro Trains hired six of the living lawnmowers from grazing company GrazeAway on Wednesday 16 October to eat away the overgrown greenery abutting Belgrave Station.
Metro Trains Vegetation Manager Katrina Lewis said that from next week onwards, six goats will be deployed to Belgrave Station where they will provide a more environmentally sustainable method to control weeds in a nearby section of bushland.
Read the full story here.
By Derek Schlennstedt
HERO CAT NAMED SANDY WINS RESCUE AWARD FOR SAVING OWNER’S LIFE
The question lends itself to the popular interweb obsession of calling dogs, good bois, but I argue that cats, who I admit are grumpy teenagers in furry bodies can also be good bois.
Sandy the carrot coloured cat is definitely deserving of the ‘good boi’ title and became this year’s winner of the Advocate People’s Rescue Story in the national Jetpets Companion Animal Rescue Awards.
Sally Gaunt from Boronia said the bittersweet tangerine titan saved her son Beau in 2011 when he suffered a seizure while sleeping.
Read the full story here.
By Derek Schlennstedt
Sandy the carrot coloured cat is definitely deserving of the ‘good boi’ title and became this year’s winner of the Advocate People’s Rescue Story in the national Jetpets Companion Animal Rescue Awards.
Sally Gaunt from Boronia said the bittersweet tangerine titan saved her son Beau in 2011 when he suffered a seizure while sleeping.
Read the full story here.
By Derek Schlennstedt
THE BEWITCHING BONSAI TREE
It’s not like garden plants are a new thing, but never before have they been so in ‘fashion’.
Seriously, plants are now a serious sartorial statement – especially since social media has made our living spaces as important style-wise as the threads, we wear on our bod.
In fact, house and garden plants are having a Pinterest-worthy renaissance, but if you are serious about turning your place into a fashion plant wonderland then you have to make sure you have plants of superior strain.
For example; the simple and un-killable succulent is an easy choice among the working class proletariat, but for the intellect, a bonsai tree is a true symbol of affluence among the plant community.
Read the full story here.
By Derek Schlennstedt
Seriously, plants are now a serious sartorial statement – especially since social media has made our living spaces as important style-wise as the threads, we wear on our bod.
In fact, house and garden plants are having a Pinterest-worthy renaissance, but if you are serious about turning your place into a fashion plant wonderland then you have to make sure you have plants of superior strain.
For example; the simple and un-killable succulent is an easy choice among the working class proletariat, but for the intellect, a bonsai tree is a true symbol of affluence among the plant community.
Read the full story here.
By Derek Schlennstedt
BRACE YOURSELF: MAGPIE SWOOPING SEASON IS HERE
Don’t be alarmed, but magpie swooping season has officially started.
The black and white winged avians have already claimed one victim – Mount Evelyn woman Therese, who on Sunday 9 September posted a photo of her bloody forehead after a run-in with a magpie while walking along the Warburton trail.
Facebook has since been beset with similar survival stories warning people to stay away from certain locations around the Yarra Ranges.
Read the full story here.
By Derek Schlennstedt
The black and white winged avians have already claimed one victim – Mount Evelyn woman Therese, who on Sunday 9 September posted a photo of her bloody forehead after a run-in with a magpie while walking along the Warburton trail.
Facebook has since been beset with similar survival stories warning people to stay away from certain locations around the Yarra Ranges.
Read the full story here.
By Derek Schlennstedt
LIVE AND LET PIE
There is no finer food than the humble country pie, and inside every Australian there is a profound desire to find the perfect pie – the one above all others.
For those searching you can now rest knowing that you can bite into Australia’s official ‘best gourmet pie’ at Edison Bakehouse in Monbulk.
At this year’s Great Australian Pie Competition Edison Bakehouse was crowned the best gourmet pie in the country for their steak and pepper pie, against 2000 other entries.
On top of this, their chicken, curry banana pie, plain steak, steak and chilli, and steak and Guinness pies were all gold medallists in their categories.
Read the full story here.
By Derek Schlennstedt
For those searching you can now rest knowing that you can bite into Australia’s official ‘best gourmet pie’ at Edison Bakehouse in Monbulk.
At this year’s Great Australian Pie Competition Edison Bakehouse was crowned the best gourmet pie in the country for their steak and pepper pie, against 2000 other entries.
On top of this, their chicken, curry banana pie, plain steak, steak and chilli, and steak and Guinness pies were all gold medallists in their categories.
Read the full story here.
By Derek Schlennstedt
MAY THE DOGS BE EVER IN YOUR FAVOUR
Are you the type of person who has a dedicated Instagram profile for your pet? Do you refer to your pet as a ‘floofy child’ and spend more money on their birthdays than you would for your friends, family, or yourself?
Well, you’re in luck because Animal Aid is giving you the chance to make your pet a superstar and share its floofyness with the world.
The Animal Aid Photography contest has opened its doors to residents of the Yarra Ranges and the best photos entered will be included in this year’s Animal Aid Calendar.
Read the full story here.
By Derek Schlennstedt
Well, you’re in luck because Animal Aid is giving you the chance to make your pet a superstar and share its floofyness with the world.
The Animal Aid Photography contest has opened its doors to residents of the Yarra Ranges and the best photos entered will be included in this year’s Animal Aid Calendar.
Read the full story here.
By Derek Schlennstedt