Tuesday, 31 March 2026

 Anthony CIANFLONE (Pascoe Vale) (13:34): On 29 March I was happy to have visited the Kastoria Club in Elizabeth Street, North Coburg, for traditional bakaliaros and skordalia in honour of their 25 March Independence Day. Commendations to Eleftheria ‘Effie’ Lalopoulos, the 80-year-old dynamo who spearheaded the campaign to save the Kastoria Club, officially naming the adjoining laneway Kastoria Lane, a beautiful laneway with murals and depictions paying homage to the many Kastorians who have contributed to our community. Commendations to the entire Australian Association of Kastorians, the leaders, volunteers and community members, and John Pandazopoulos, who was there as well.

Kastoria in northern Greece is a picturesque lakeside city known for its stunning Lake Orestiada, historic Byzantine churches, traditional stonemasons and a long heritage in the fur trade. Nestled among the mountains, it beautifully blends natural beauty with rich cultural history on the other side of the world. We are honoured to have the Kastoria Club and Kastoria Lane nestled in North Coburg to maintain this cultural connection to our community that Effie has nurtured.