Verity wins award for ‘amazing’ recovery
Five year-old Verity Watkins of Bunyip is back at school, riding her pony, doing callisthenics and generally running around, something that looked a long way off after she fractured an elbow a couple of months ago.
Initial surgery didn’t go too well and more was on the cards until she and her mother Allison heard of a rehabilitation centre – located at Drouin – that specialises in shoulder, elbow, wrist and hand injuries.
Seven weeks after her injury and no further surgery Verity says she now has full arm extension and 118 degrees flexion in her arm.
Last month she went to Melbourne to receive an Australian Hand Therapy Association national award valued at $700 in recognition of her “amazing” recovery.
It all began for her when she fell out of her cubby house.
Therapist at Action Rehab at Drouin Nick Criticos described Verity’s arm as “ugly” when he first saw it.
With a custom-made splint and rehabilitation activities Verity has almost full movement and strength back in her arm, treatment she will continue for a short while yet.
Mr Criticos said the Drouin centre was one of three in Gippsland as well as several others in the metropolitan area.
He said while the injuries they treat locally are a “bit of a mixed bag” most were the result of incidents on farms or when playing sport.
In an attempt to approve the planning permit, Cr Peter Kostos moved an alternative motion to support the proposal but did not gain the support of fellow councillors.
After the motion was defeated, Cr Joe Gauci moved the officer’s recommendation to refuse the application, saying it was against the rules.
The application sought to develop a house on an eight hectare property in McDougal Rd.
The report to council said the applicant sought approval for the house on the basis they intend to grow and harvest garlic and strawberries on the property.
The farm management plan submitted with the application said they intended to plant two hectares with garlic bulbs and strawberry runners, that would generate a gross margin of about $95,000 per year.
The report said the property was one of five smaller rural lots of about eight hectares along McDougal Rd.
Recommending the application be refused, planning staff said the applicant failed to demonstrate a house was required for a commercial farming purpose; the house would contribute to a proliferation of dwellings; and would remove land from viable agricultural production.
There were two objections to the application. Objectors cited concerns about the use and storage of chemicals; suitability for intensive farming; contamination of rainwater; lack of staff amenities given the heavy labour component of the operation.
Cr Kostos argued half of the property was natural vegetation and it was not classified as prime agricultural land.
He said the land would be intensively farmed. Cr Darren Wallace supported approval of the application, saying it was common sense given most surrounding properties had houses.
He said council had to give people an opportunity to develop an existing lot.