Bulla Tip Stinks

Our community is getting increasingly worried about the Bulla Rubbish Tip and some residents requested Diggers Rest Talk to follow this subject.

Photograph by Daniel De Carteret - Bulla landfill failed to cover asbestos waste

Extract of article by  Helen Grimaux of the Northern Star Weekly, 6 May 2014

Bulla and Tullamarine residents kick up tip stink

There’s something rotten about the Bulla tip, neighbour Carmel Egan claimed last week. Citing clouds of dust, paper and plastic rubbish, mud and an acrid smell, other neighbours say there are times they could not invite friends over or enjoy the outdoors because of the odour.

A recent Hume council meeting agenda included a request to extend the life of the privately owned tip on Sunbury Road in Bulla, and a decision to abandon development plans for buffer land around the former Tullamarine toxic waste dump at Westmeadows.

Nineteen speakers told councillors what they thought during the two minutes they were each allocated for feedback during question time. Bulla residents argued strongly against extending the tip’s permit for another 10 years and urged councillors to limit the extension to three years, as proposed by Cr Jack Ogilvie.

Extract of Report by Daniel De Carteret, Dangerous Ground, Monash University Arts, 2 August 2012

Government agencies failed to respond adequately to asbestos risk

A lack of coordination between the Environment Protection Authority, WorkSafe Victoria and local government has raised questions about the handling of public health incidents arising from potential exposure to asbestos fibres.

An EPA report produced after an inspection of a landfill in Bulla found that asbestos had not been covered sufficiently to prevent the release of fibres to the air

While the EPA put an action plan in place to ensure environmental impacts were resolved, an investigation by Monash University investigative journalism students found that neither WorkSafe nor Hume City Council were brought in to assess the human health risks.


More will follow as this story unfolds. Let Diggers Rest Talk know about it.

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Lost Diggers Rest Plane Resurfaces

A large model of the famous Houdini biplane was taken from the Australian National Aviation Museum late 2013.

Photo: Model Biplane with builder Ian Satur - sourced from diggersrest.com

The Lions Club, who own the model, only found out about the misappropriation several months later through a Diggers Rest Talk article in January 2014. The Lions Club were dismayed that nobody had notified them about the the removal.

Since then the Lions have been trying to find out where their property had gone.  The Lions asked the local council to help find the biplane model.

An report appeared in diggersrest.com that there has been a submission to hang the model biplane in the Melton library.

Now that the biplane has resurfaced, the Lions Club hope to get involved in deciding the fate of the model.

If you know anything details about these recent actions then please notify the Lions Club through P.O. Box 34 Diggers Rest or notify them through Facebook.

Related Articles:

• The Flight of the Flightless Houdini Biplane Model - diggersresttalk.com

• Bi-plane to hang on Council decision - diggersrest.com

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This is Very Serious - Heartbleed is the Highest Threat to Internet Safety in History

IT security experts warn internet users against even using the web for the next few days.

The Heartbleed security threat affects millions of protected web systems such as Internet banking, online payments and even social media. The security hole allows hackers to skim your personal details including: passwords and credit card numbers. Unfortunately. we have been exposed since 2011 and there no data about who's accounts have been hacked.

A message from heartbleed.com

The Heartbleed Bug is a serious vulnerability in the popular OpenSSL cryptographic software library. This weakness allows stealing the information protected, under normal conditions, by the SSL/TLS encryption used to secure the Internet. SSL/TLS provides communication security and privacy over the Internet for applications such as web, email, instant messaging (IM) and some virtual private networks (VPNs).

The Heartbleed bug allows anyone on the Internet to read the memory of the systems protected by the vulnerable versions of the OpenSSL software. This compromises the secret keys used to identify the service providers and to encrypt the traffic, the names and passwords of the users and the actual content. This allows attackers to eavesdrop on communications, steal data directly from the services and users and to impersonate services and users.

Read more at Heartbleed and stay alert until the matter is resolved. Read about it, try to keep safe and check your bank account details regularly after your online bank is secured.

Note: We believe that this is not a hoax but please cross check information with other sources to confirm your doubts.

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Police Appealing For Assistance - Australia Post Van Involved in North-West Thefts

Police are appealing for public assistance after an Australia Post van was stolen and used in a number of thefts throughout the north-west region of Melbourne.

The Mitsubishi express van was stolen from Winchester Street in Moonee Ponds around 10.30am on Tuesday 31 December last year.

Investigators believe the same van, registration YSQ 483 has since been involved in a number of thefts that occurred between 28 January and 3 April.

• 28 Jan – Theft of trailer at Kerferd Street, Essendon

• 30 Jan – Burglary at Ormond Road, Ascot Vale

• 31 Jan – Theft from a Taylors Lakes store on Melton Highway

• 12 Feb – Theft from motor vehicle Footscray West

• 13 Feb – Theft from Coburg store on Gaffney Street

• 14 Feb – Theft of trailer and a Honda motorbike with registration CB750 from Addison Street Ascot Vale.

• 3 April – Theft of caravan at Heather Court Melton.

The male offender is perceived to be of Middle Eastern or Indian appearance, aged in his late 20s to mid 30s, 170-175cm tall with a medium build.

He was wearing a black cap, an orange fluro jumper with blue sleeves, black pants, runners and blue and black gloves.

Investigators from the Moonee Valley Vehicle Crime Reduction Team have released images of a man and stolen property that may assist with their enquiries.

Anyone with information about the thefts are urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or visit www.crimestoppers.com.au

Article by Senior Constable Melissa Seach of Victoria Police News

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Police Are Appealing For Information About Melton Botanic Gardens Burglary

Police from the Melton Burglary Unit are appealing for information following a burglary at the Melton Botanic Gardens last month.

It is believed offenders broke into three sheds on William Street just before 5am on Tuesday 25 March.

Once inside two men allegedly stole a large amount of property including a distinctive red 70-year-old concrete mixer, two lawn mowers, six weedicide packs and two hoses.

Investigators have released an image of the stolen concrete mixer and images of two men that may assist with their investigation.

Police are also investigating another burglary that occurred at the gardens sometime overnight on 6 April.

One shed was broken into and a watering system, pavers and hoses were stolen.

At this stage it is not known if the burglaries are linked.

Anyone with information or anyone who may have witnessed the burglary is urged to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or log into www.crimestoppers.com.au

Senior Constable Melissa Search

Media Officer

Article by Victoria Police News

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Drag Racing Idiots with a Toddler at Tullamarine

A trip to illegal street races in Tullamarine has left a 22-year-old Brookfield man and a 23-year-old Melton woman with fines in excess of $500.

Report by Victoria Police News, 27 March 2014

Officers from Fawkner Highway Patrol were checking Tullamarine industrial estates for illegal drag racing last night.

Around 9.45pm one of the patrolling units was passed by a Holden sedan which revved its engine a number of times.

Officers intercepted the car and spoke to the driver who told them that he had come to the area to watch the illegal races.

Police checked the car and found a female passenger in the back who was not wearing a seat belt.

She was sitting next to a 2-year-old who was in a properly fitted child seat.

Officers will issue fines to the driver and passenger for seat belt offences.

Senior Constable Dan Carbonneau from Fawkner Highway Patrol was shocked by the incident.

“Illegal drag or street racing is an incredibly dangerous and risky activity” he said.

“I am at a loss as to why anyone would attend and put their own life at risk let alone that of a child.

“We will continue to patrol known hot spots in marked and unmarked cars and discourage anyone from attending these risky illegal events.”

Senior Constable Adam West

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Warrant Issued for Donna Clark

Police are appealing for public assistance to help locate Donna Clark who is wanted on an outstanding warrant.

On 12 February the County Court revoked Clark’s bail for drug-related matters and issued a warrant to arrest.

The 35-year-old is known to frequent the western suburbs of Melbourne.

She is 170cm tall with an obese build, long auburn/brown hair, blue eyes and a ruddy complexion.

An image of Clark has been released in the hope someone can provide information on her current whereabouts.

Anyone who sights Clark is urged to contact triple zero (000) immediately.

Anyone with any other information on her whereabouts is asked to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or www.crimestoppers.com.au.

Article from the Victoria Police News

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Police Investigate CFA Depot Burglary

Police are appealing for public assistance after more than $23, 000 worth of property was stolen during a burglary at a CFA depot in Darraweit Guim, near Kyneton, last weekend.

Photograph by Victoria Police News

Investigators believe the offenders entered the Quades Road property sometime between 4pm on Saturday 15 March and 7.30am on Sunday 16 March where they broke into a locked shed used to store equipment.

A distinctive ‘Australian Lighting’ tower, valued at $10,000, was stolen along with other equipment including protective fire fighting clothing, UHF radios, a 10 horsepower Mercury boat motor, infrared binoculars, Olympus digital camera and a Stihl chainsaw.

Macedon Ranges Crime Investigation Unit detectives believe the offenders have used a large vehicle or trailer to transport the stolen property, which was paid for by money raised by the local community and CFA.

Detectives have released images of the stolen lighting tower, of which there are only three in Victoria.

Anyone with any information about the burglary is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or visit www.crimestoppers.com.au

Original Article by Victoria Police News

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Incident at the Train Station

On Monday morning, 10 March 2014, a person was hit by a train at the Diggers Rest station.

Photograph by Grant Logan

Emergency services including CFA, SES, Police and Ambulance were quick to arrive at the scene. Residents were alerted as helicopters flew above the township. Metro trains suspended services between Sunbury and Watergardens for approximately two hours and put buses on order.

Update 5:00 pm, 10 March 2014

Police have appealed for witnesses and information relating to the incident at the Diggers Rest Railway Station where a man was hit by a train.

Police say the man jumped from the moving Melbourne-bound Metro train about 7am. The male passenger activated the emergency release as the train slowed at the Diggers Rest Railway Station and fell from train.

He received significant injuries to his legs and arms and was air lifted to Alfred hospital. His injuries were life-threatening. Ambulance Victoria spokesman Paul Bentley told media that paramedics found the man, in his 20s, lying beside the railway track.

He was flown to The Alfred hospital with life-threatening injuries

Police say there were only four people on the train at the time and none in the carriage the man jumped from.

Anyone with information should phone Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Update 8:00 am, 11 March 2014

Channel Ten Video Report, 10 March 2014
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Diggers Rest Talk will update this article as more information comes to light.

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Melton Area Crime Rate Climbs By 1.5%

Victoria Police has today published its latest crime statistics.

Melton Crime Rate By Victoria Police Crime Statistics February 2014

The statistics compare the 12 months to December 2013 with the 12 months to December 2012.

The overall recorded crime rate across Victoria increased by 1.2 per cent, measured as a rate per 100,000 of the population which is standard across Australia. The total number of offences recorded is up by 3.1 per cent (up 12,607 offences to a total of 420,719 offences).

The overall recorded crime rate in the Melton area increased by 1.2 per cent up to 7.65 per cent. The overall number of recorded crimes was 7628.6 per 100,000 people for the 2013 period.

Read about the overall Victorian report in the Victoria Police Media Release
View more details about the Melton crime statistics

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Drug Labs Raided Across Melton

According to Natalie Gallenti-Brekalo of the Melton Star Community, police raided and detected 11 clandestine drug laboratories in 2013.

Police clandestine lab chemists remove drug related paraphernalia during a raid at a Kurunjang house.  Picture: NICOLE VALICEK

Victoria Police statistics shows four labs were detected in Melton, two in Melton South, and one each in Kurunjang, Caroline Springs, Diggers Rest, Hillside and Taylors Hill.

The shocking figures come in the wake of Star’s report last week which revealed the highly addictive and harmful drug ice was being used by an increasing number of teenagers throughout the municipality. Last week Melton Police Inspector Stephen Mutton told Star police were targeting drug manufacturers and dealers to stamp out the growing problem.

Read full story at the Melton Star Community

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