Tyler Wright

Articles

Examples of Tyler's work

The Eastern Melburnian •

WATCH: Meet the Ringwood volunteers reviving old fabric

Have you ever thought your old dresses or shirts could serve another purpose but you can’t be bothered taking them to an embroidery place? Well, there’s a group of Ringwood volunteers who can use your old fabric to help others. The Wonderful Upcycling Program (WUP) takes donated fabric and old clothes and fixes them up to be gifted to charities - including Vinnies and Women for Impact - or sold at community days

Have you ever thought your old dresses or shirts could serve another purpose but...
The Eastern Melburnian •

This $10 nasi lemak in Mitcham is tasty and budget-friendly

Hungry for some cheap Malaysian eats in the eastern suburbs? Then Jalan Alor in Mitcham or Ferntree Gully is for you. The Mitcham restaurant opened its doors on Christmas Day last year, offering meals starting at just $10, including Hainan chicken, pork noodle soup and nasi lemak. Located at 26 Britannia Mall in Mitcham and 19/1880 Ferntree Gully Road in Ferntree Gully. We recently visited Jalan Alor to give everything a try. Check out the video below to see what the delicious food looks lik...
The Eastern Melburnian •

Belgrave’s green scene makes for a healthier life

When Belgrave Heights resident Wendy Cross’s house was severely damaged in a brutal storm in February 2024, her friends asked her why she wouldn’t take the insurance money and relocate to avoid a rebuild. As convenor of volunteer group Friends of Belgrave Lake Park, Cross helps to manage weed growth at the local reserve and lists air quality and greenery as key reasons she moved to the area more than four decades ago. Now, new research led by Monash University's School of Public Health and Pre...
Ferntree Gully Star Mail •

Oldest platypus in the wild detected in Monbulk Creek

The oldest platypus found in the wild has been detected in Monbulk Creek, marking a new record for the monotremes.

Tagged 01F6-03FF, the 24-year-old male was found in April 2023 – and later in September – as part of the Urban Platypus Program (MWUPP), in association with Ecology Australia and Cesar.

The record title for the oldest platypus in the wild was given to a 21-year-old female found in the upper Shoalhaven River in New South Wales, according to a study published in Australian Mammology
Ferntree Gully Star Mail •

Social, inclusive soccer set to arrive in the Hills

A grassroots sports initiative is set to kick off in the Dandenong Ranges this young, helping very young soccer fiends get into the sport in a non-competitive way.

Upwey local Jorge Gonez is preparing to launch Grasshopper Soccer on Saturday 10 February for children aged two to 12 years old in the Ferntree Gully, Upwey, Belgrave, Lysterfield areas after noticing a lack of Grasshopper programs in the area.

“I was born in Uruguay, a soccer mad country, and played semi-professionally in three cou
Ranges Trader Star Mail •

Never too late to enjoy life for two Emerald aged care residents

Two local aged care residents are living life to the fullest in 2024, with a first-time tattoo and a 100th birthday on the roster for the pair.

It was Emerald Glades resident Gillian Murphy’s love of hedgehogs that inspired her first ever tattoo at at 83 years of age.

“I’m English and we used to have hedgehogs in the back garden coming up for a source of milk, and I’ve always liked hedgehogs,” Gillian said.

“I’ve collected them as I travel around…and I don’t know why I decided to have a tatto
Ranges Trader Star Mail •

Remembered, not forgotten

An Upwey local is uniting bereaved parents this Christmas with a tribute to their children who have passed away.

On the Tree of Souls at the FLAME Community Garden in Tecoma, hundreds of images of children of all ages who have died sit in the shape of baubles as a way for people to gather to celebrate and mourn their loved one during the holiday season.

The Tree of Souls began last year as Rineke Leigh approached what would be her second Christmas without her son Chris, who passed away in a sk
Ferntree Gully Star Mail •

Bobs Park remains rubbished

‘Absolutely disgraceful.’
That is how locals are describing the state of Bobs Park; a haunt in Menzies Creek that once used to be a gathering place for people across the eastern suburbs.
However, the land, leased by Parks Victoria, has become a hot spot for dumped rubbish and ‘drug deals’ since its closure in 2008.
“We used to come out and have barbecues down the back and mum and dad would bring us and we’d go kayaking out there we had a rope off the tree,” local resident Kate Young said....
Melbourne Food and Wine Festival •

You can now Afterpay the pub

Punters will now be able to enjoy their favourite pub meal first and pay later, as Australian Venue Co partners with Afterpay to provide an alternative paying method.

‘Dine Now, Pay Later’ launched in 12 New South Wales venues this week, and will roll out to 160 venues across Australia on November 15.

This will allow customers to pay off purchases in four fortnightly instalments without incurring interest if payments are made on time.

Australian Venue Co will be the first hospitality group in
Melbourne Food and Wine Festival •

Wildwood is the niche bakery from an ex-El Bulli chef wowing Preston and Thornbury

Its delivery footprint might be small, but this is one mighty bakery.

Wait, did somebody say duck pie delivered to your doorstep? Just when you thought Thornbury and Preston couldn’t get, you know, any more Thornbury and Preston, along comes a bakery so niche, it bakes for subscribers, only covers two suburbs, and delivers just once a week, on Saturday mornings.

If that sounds so niche that it borders on the precious, rest assured that it’s more about keeping it manageable in a work/life/kids
Ranges Trader Star Mail •

Mount Burnett Observatory to celebrate National Science Week with biggest event of the year

The Mount Burnett Observatory (MBO) is preparing to hold its largest event for the year as part of National Science Week.

MBO will take over the Gembrook football ground on Saturday 19 August, with stargazera able to look up at the sky from around 20 telescopes during the event called Footy Oval Astronomy.

Event coordinator Kim Steere said there are 500 tickets up for grabs for the free event, which will start at 7pm and finish at 10pm.

“It was going to happen two years ago after the storms t
Ranges Trader Star Mail •

Capturing the story of the Belgrave wizard

Over several decades, the ‘Belgrave Wizard’ has grown to be a popular, albeit mysterious figure in the Dandenong Ranges.

Known for his soft-hanging, colourful clothes, and his plethora of staffs, 93-year-old Desmond Patrick Bergin, AKA Baba Desi, frequents local haunts in Belgrave, Tecoma and Upwey; an intriguing sight for passers-by and those willing to have a chat.

One of those curious locals was long time Upwey resident Pauline Klemm.

“Everyone’s attracted to him when they see him because
Ranges Trader Star Mail •

PAVED festival to return with a bang

Emerald’s PAVE Festival is set to return to the Hills with a bang in November after receiving a $30,000 grant from the state government, and under the name PAVED.

Recipients of the government’s Small and Medium Events Program received funding designed to attract more visitors, boost employment, and support local businesses in Greater Melbourne.

PAVED Festival coordinator Non Blair said it “means the world” to have an extra funding boost to the festival, which ran on a “very small” scale in 202
Ranges Trader Star Mail •

TV crews spotted filming in Olinda for thriller High Country

Film crews have been spotted around Olinda as filming for police TV drama High Country continues throughout Victoria.

It’s understood Parks Victoria approved filming at the former Olinda Golf Course (Olinda Precinct) on Monday 12 June between 9am to 5pm, following a permit application from Brokenridge Productions.

“That would explain the sign that said “HC” this way at the pool!” social media user Jennifer Melford wrote on Facebook.

“… I just thought it was roadworks,” commenter John Raymond
Ranges Trader Star Mail •

Blacksmiths Way transformed in youth outreach initiative

Belgrave’s Blacksmiths Way has been turned into a haven for art lovers, with the laneway now filled with street art for locals and visitors alike.

Over the past six months, between 60 and 100 artists have been working on creating works in the laneway; including full scale illustrative works, stencils and installation pieces.

“People are doing miniature little tableaus that they insert into nooks and crannies in the laneway and they’re what we call our discoverables,” project coordinator Tiffan
Ranges Trader Star Mail •

Thriving thriftalicious fashionista

Tecoma’s resident fashionista is continuing to post her show-stopping outfits to thousands of Facebook followers.

Michelle Trebilco, or ‘Veteran Vamp’ as she is known, has become known for her matching pre-loved outfits among her fans, or ‘Vampsters,’ since she started posting to social media in 2018.

“I started my page in 2018 at the insistence of my fans on the I Love To Op Shop FB page,” Michelle, 65, said.

“They had been requesting me to do my own page for a while, but I resisted because
Ranges Trader Star Mail •

Recognising local SES volunteers on Wear Orange Wednesday

By Tyler Wright
Emerald’s SES Unit celebrated Wear Orange Wednesday (WOW) on Wednesday 17 May with a special artwork popping up in the area.Volunteers spent two days painting Elephant Rock, near Dewhurst, with the help of Emerald Arts Society member Wendy Lindrea, to create an artwork displaying 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...
Ranges Trader Star Mail •

Emerald based painter enters Archibald Prize

An Emerald based painter has entered his portrait into the 2023 national Archibald Prize.

It will be Ken Hunt’s 18th entry into the competition over the past 23 years – this year deciding to paint local barrister, professor, engineer and scientist Arnold Dix.

According to Hunt, Dix travels the world as an underground tunnel expert adviser and inspector, and lives on a farm in Monbulk with family with a range of diverse pets, including three emus.

“With Arnold, he’s a pretty quirky character t
Ranges Trader Star Mail •

Boo Seeka brings headline show to Belgrave in biggest regional tour yet

Electro-pop act Boo Seeka, AKA musician Ben ‘Boo’ Gumbleton, will bring his synths to Belgrave’s Sooki Lounge on Thursday 23 March as part of the solo artists’ biggest regional tour yet.

Packed into his own car with three crew members, Gumbleton has performed to crowds at venues in Townsville, Byron Bay, Port Macquarie and Woolongong along with other regional destinations throughout the country on his Australian tour with 25 plus dates.

“It’s a little crew in my car all packed up, all squashed
Ranges Trader Star Mail •

Selby local hits television screens on Australian Idol

A Selby local is set to hit television screens across the country as a contestant on this season of Australian Idol.

Anya Hynninen, 19, grew up playing gigs in the Dandenong Ranges including open mic nights at Sooki Lounge in Belgrave, and has now taken her talent to the international stage with a performance of Johnny Cash’s Ring of Fire.

Accompanied by step-dad Bernard on guitar, Hynninen said it was “daunting” stepping in front of the panel of judges.

“I didn’t have my glasses on, so I cou
Ranges Trader Star Mail •

Burrinja Cultural Centre hosts interstate and local artists’ work for Climate Change Biennale

After the June 2021 storm event, Olinda-based photographer Cathy Ronalds collated a series of images capturing the aftermath and damage to the environment, called ‘There Used To Be A Canopy Here’.

With a background in environmental science and having worked in climate change policy, Ronalds has taken the opportunity to express the importance of climate change in her work in Burrinja Cultural Centre’s 2022 Climate Change Biennale.

Ronalds’ print ‘Unnatural’ will be featured in the exhibition; a
Ferntree Gully Star Mail •

Upper Ferntree Gully Fire Brigade on hunt for new recruits

By Tyler Wright
The Upper Ferntree Gully CFA Fire Brigade is holding a recruitment drive to attract new members after losing volunteers since the beginning of the pandemic. Held in the outside and inside area of Maxi Foods on Burwood Highway in Ferntree Gully on Saturday 13 August, Upper Ferntree Gully Fire Brigade Captain Peter Smith will be looking to draw in at least half a dozen new recruits.
The brigade currently has 35 and 40 members, but Peter said more are needed to attend...
Ranges Trader Star Mail •

Storm recovery is still far from over in the Dandenong Ranges

As last year’s June storm came around, Monbulk local Leharna Black’s home was saved from damage but over a month later her life was unexpectedly turned upside down.
In July, a nearby Mountain Ash tree fell on her house, breaking through the top of the roof cavity narrowly missing the floor and Leharna underneath.
It’s believed the tree was unstable due to the storms the month prior and 7:30pm on Tuesday 27 July is a point in time Leharna Black said she will never forget.
Taken to hospital,...
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