May 2, 2015 Edition 2
A new team arrives at Maddingley Park
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The 35 piece orchestra will be joined by the Melbourne Male Choir and Ballarat soprano Carolyn Bennett to present a ‘Celebration of Sacred Music’. The pleasant Sunday afternoon will feature inspirational sacred music selections by the orchestra conducted by its musical director Barry Wilkins. The Melbourne Male Choir will be conducted by Jared Kloprogge and soprano Carolyn Bennett will perform her beautiful classical repertoire. Mr Wilkins said the audience will also have the opportunity to join in singing some well-loved and popular hymns and Frank Clark from Radio 3BA Ballarat would compere the concert. He said the Moorabool Light Orchestra was founded in February 2013 and since then has presented six concerts in Bacchus
Marsh and two concerts at Ballarat with the Ballarat School’s Symphony Orchestra. The non-denominational Melbourne Male Choir will celebrate 25 years of entertaining people across the country. From sold-out concerts at the Sydney Opera House and the Melbourne Concert Hall, to just as satisfying performances at humbler venues such as churches, retirement villages and golf clubs. Carolyn Bennett has spent the last 15 years teaching voice, both classical and contemporary and runs her own singing studio in Ballarat. In January 2014 Carolyn launched her online singing course called ‘Sing to Inspire’ which teaches singers to develop, strengthen and understand the incredible versatility and individuality of their own voice. A Celebration of Sacred Music starts May 3, 2pm in St Bernard’s Catholic Church, Bacchus Marsh. Admission is $12.
is a fortnightly publication serving Bacchus Marsh and surrounding districts. For all your advertising and editorial needs, contact: Publisher/editor: Renee Robinson Phone: 03 5368 2870 0459 022 364 Email: bacchusmarshscoop@gmail.com Facebook: facebook.com/bacchusmarshscoop Web: bacchusmarshscoop.com ABN: 39 790 396 099 Front cover: Madelyn Clarke and Emily Crawford are leaders of the new Bacchus Marsh Women’s Football Club. Photo: Leone Fabre
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Madelyn Clarke (left) and Emily Crawford are leading the Lady Cobras. Photo: Leone Fabre
The Lady Cobras is one of two new teams to join the Victorian Women’s Football League’s (VWFL) western division alongside Kyneton, Manor Lakes, Sunbury, Jacana and Melton. Lady Cobras coach Jack Hanneysee said the club approached the VWFL at the end of last year to propose a new women’s team. “We have a Bacchus Marsh Youth Girls team and had a lot of girls graduate who had nowhere to go to keep playing. Darley has the same youth girls program. The head of the VWFL Darren Flanigan met with me and our team manager Rod Bertram and came down and had a look at the oval and facilities and was very happy.” He said then it was just a matter of recruiting enough girls to form the team. Twenty-six signed up in the pre-season: players who graduated from the youth girls at Bacchus Marsh and Darley, women who’d gone to play for Ballarat clubs returning home, people who’d never played Aussie Rules before decided to give it a go, and Hanneysee – a Cobra’s senior player – put his hand up to coach. “I was assistant coach of the youth girls last year and really enjoyed it. They’re more enthusiastic to learn the game because they really want to be here and learn. They definitely put in the same amount of effort as the men.” He said the women were a diverse but competitive group ranging in age from 18 to 45. “Abbey Bertram was the captain of the youth girls last year and has an athletics background and is a very good player. Vice-captain Emily Crawford has a gymnastics background and likes to put her head over the ball. Emily Scully was a standout in the last couple of games.”
Lady Cobras captain Madelyn Clarke spent two years with the youth girls and was playing in Ballarat with the VWFL last year when the call went out to form a new team. “I was really happy to come back. You get fitter playing football. I played netball but it wasn’t really my thing. I like pretty much everything about footy, the team environment and teaching all the new girls how to play and watch them develop.” She encouraged people to come along and try out. “It doesn’t matter if you don’t know how to play, just come along. It didn’t take long for our team to get their skill levels up to par with the Ballarat team. Kicking and marking are the most important skills you can have in this game.” Clarke should know. She kicked 12 goals for the Bacchus Marsh Youth Girls in one game against Gisborne and won leading goal kicker and best and fairest in her final youth girls competition. Vice-captain Emily Crawford is a first year player who didn’t come through the youth girls ranks. “My cousin started and said come down and have a try. I have always wanted to do it but haven’t had the chance until now in the over 18s. My favourite part of the game is tackling.” The Lady Cobras will line-up for their third game today against Sunbury. They lost their first round against Manor Lakes but won convincingly against Kyneton, where captain Madelyn Clarke booted six goals.
Bacchus Marsh Scoop
It was the Bacchus Marsh community that rallied around Ian, his ex wife and his children when he lost his son Nathan three and-a-half years ago. And when Ian struggled to climb out of the black hole of grief, he realised the only way to heal was to come back to the community he loved. “I had my own business as a finance broker in Werribee and was more than happy to continue in that role until I retired. Reading the local paper one day back in about April last year I saw an ad looking for a branch manager for a new Bendigo Community Bank in Bacchus Marsh. My immediate thought was this was the perfect vehicle for me to put something back into this community after everything the community has done for me and my family. I understood the community bank model, so for me I did not have to think about this opportunity very hard and applied for the branch manager role.” He said the people in Bacchus Marsh were passionate about protecting what was theirs. “All my children grew up in this town and while they were involved in various sports and activities I got to meet and know a lot of quality people. When we lost Nathan this town overwhelmed me with their support and help for not only my children, but for all the other children and adults affected by Nathan’s loss. That really meant a lot to me and this is one of the driving forces behind why I am so passionate about making this bank profitable for this community. “I enjoy people who walk past and smile or acknowledge you. If you embrace this town the people will accept and embrace you. These two simple things give me some comfort that I live within a good community. When I moved away I then realised that I took these simple things for granted.” A rising star for the Bacchus Marsh Junior Football Club, Nathan Prince suffered a cardiac arrest during an Under 16.5 football qualifying final between Bacchus Marsh and North Ballarat City in August 2011 and later passed away. Ian said the loss had a huge impact on everyone and personally it sent him into a “black hole for almost two years”. “I realised that for me to improve I needed to be around my children and a more positive environment so I moved back to Bacchus Marsh in January 2013.”
Ian Prince wants to support the community that supported him
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Ian said he was excited to be in a position where he could now give back to the community that supported him and his family. “The Bendigo Bank has embraced the concept of supporting local communities. The community bank is owned by local shareholders, the board is made up of locals, the branch is staffed by locals and, with the support of locals, profit is contributed back into the community. “We’ve now been opened six months and we have already put $6,580 back into the community through sponsorships and donations to organisations including the Food Bus, Coimadai Avenue of Honour, Bacchus Marsh Basketball Association, CFA and others. “The simple message is we need the people of this community to bank with us so we can support this community. Some community banks have contributed over $1.5 million back into their communities, so with this community’s support we can also achieve these great results.”
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Bacchus Marsh Scoop
MOTHER’S DAY FEATURE
Dyna was born in Australia to Egyptian parents and grew up in a kitchen filled with the aromas of Egyptian cooking. When her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer, Dyna decided to document her mother’s recipes before it was too late. “I worked on them for over ten years. My mother’s recipes were mostly a list of ingredients for a dish as she never cooked using quantities. Those years were spent in the kitchen with trial and error until I found the quantity I was happy with that brought the taste of my mother’s cooking back to life.” Dyna’s mother sadly passed away in 2005. “It was only after my mother passed away and I became a mother myself that I worked in earnest to reproduce the food that I ate growing up.” Dyna began to blog and post clips on YouTube to demonstrate her mother’s recipes. The Bacchus Marsh mother-of-three was awake at 2am with her newborn baby 18 months ago when she received a phone call from Lebanon. That call catapulted her into a bizarre but rewarding adventure as a contestant on the first series of The Taste Middle East, which aired on Egyptian television earlier this year. “They saw my blog and cooking channel on YouTube and wanted me as a contestant. I didn’t have to audition. Up until they sent me a plane ticket, I thought it was a hoax.”
But Dyna took a leap of faith and flew to Egypt to showcase her cooking skills. The Taste Middle East’s contestants came from Bahrain, Lebanon, Tunisia, Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia. Dyna was the only contestant from outside of the Middle East. As the only non-Arabic speaking contestant she faced challenges to communicate, to recognise local ingredients and even to understand the judges’ feedback. What won the producers, and ultimately the viewers, over was her ready smile, passion for food, and innate Aussie give-anything-a-go attitude. “They love Australia, Aussies and Australian cooking shows over there,” she said. “The best thing about it was the people that I met. We still keep in contact.” Dyna’s views on her YouTube clips exploded to over 100,000 as the show aired and she received messages from friends in Egypt who said she was very well liked by viewers. “I’m really excited by it. It’s a lifechanger. It’s just about doing something and once you start you never know where it will lead.” Dyna is now working with American University in Cairo Press to publish her first cookbook, which she hopes will be released this year. The cookbook will showcase Dyna’s recipes that were adapted from her mother’s home cooking. Dyna’s Basbousa with Yoghurt (Basbousa bil Laban Zabadi )
2 cups semolina (1 cup coarse and 1 cup fine semolina if you can get it, but optional) 1 cup sugar 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 cup good quality vanilla flavoured yoghurt 125g unsalted butter, melted Syrup: 1 ½ cups sugar, 1 ½ cups water, juice of half a lemon, a drop or 2 of vanilla extract. To make syrup: Combine sugar, water and lemon juice in a saucepan and cook on low for 10 minutes until syrup thickens slightly. Add vanilla and leave to cool. Combine Semolina, sugar, baking powder, and yoghurt in a large bowl. Add melted butter and mix. Transfer mixture into a greased tray, 15cm x 25cm, and press firmly. Bake at 180°C for 40 minutes or until golden brown. Remove Basbousa from oven, cut into squares or diamonds and pour cooled syrup over warm Basbousa.
MOTHER’S DAY FEATURE
“On Sundays we used to sleep in until late and the one thing that always woke me up was the smells of roasts, pastas and gnocchi and the sauces cooking in the kitchen. “My grandparents used to live with us in Uruguay and my mother and grandmother influenced me in the kitchen. Mum learned from her motherin-law and I learned everything I know from both of them. Everything was homemade. Us kids used to help make the pasta dough from scratch.” Rose is continuing the tradition with her son Josh. This year the pair made history, and did Bacchus Marsh proud, as the first mother-and-son team to compete in My Kitchen Rules (MKR). “As a mum I can’t have been prouder. I’m so lucky I had Josh because he’s very calm. His support was amazing. So many people come up to me and say you have raised a beautiful son. As a parent, if you can achieve that, then you can be happy. “The one thing that I loved was spending so much time with Josh and doing something that we both love to do. I know at his age now (Josh is 19-years-old) I will probably never get to do that again. What we did together was worth more to me than anything else. “This experience allows people to learn so much if you love cooking. This has given me a different confidence in myself. It has proven to me that I can do other things. I can say if I have done this, I can do anything. It’s a good way of showing my children you can do anything in life. These chances come probably once in a lifetime. “ She said one of her highlights was having Manu and Pete come to Bacchus Marsh for a home visit. “We got along well with everybody. We became so close because you’re away from your family. We hope someone from our group wins. Eva and Debra became like my daughters because I didn’t have Jess (Rose’s daughter) with me.”
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She said they filmed MKR from July to December last year but both she and Josh had been kept busy this year with promotions for the show, supporting charities, attending restaurant openings and also promoting the new MKR cookbook which features five of their recipes. “Even now we go out and people come up to me. It’s overwhelming. I’m just little me from Bacchus Marsh, but people know me. For us it’s been a really positive experience. With us, what you see is what you get. Without a doubt I would recommend this experience to others. We have no regrets whatsoever.” Rose said she hoped that the traditional South American cooking of her childhood would continue through Josh. “I hope that one day Josh’s kids will learn to cook from him, and hopefully me.”
1.5 litres milk 400g sugar ¼ tsp bicarbonate soda
500g plain flour 1 litre water 2 tbs vegetable oil Lemons rind of 1 lemon 2 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp salt Caster sugar and cinnamon to coat Sunflower oil to fry Dulce de leche - combine ¼ cup of milk with bicarb soda and mix until dissolved. Put aside - add milk to a large saucepan over medium heat, add sugar and stir until sugar dissolves - add bicarb mix and stir - simmer on low heat, stirring often for an hour or until mixture thickens and turns caramel coloured Churros - heat water, salt, lemon rind and oil in a saucepan. When it starts to boil add all the flour, stirring with a wooden spoon until a fine dough forms. It should separate from saucepan. Set aside to cool - Place dough in piping bag. Pipe mixture, cutting every 12cm. Place on a tray lined with baking paper and set aside - in a frying pan, heat sunflower oil and fry churros until golden and cooked through - roll churros in caster sugar and cinnamon and serve with a sauce bowl filled with dulce de leche
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Bacchus Marsh Scoop
The parents’ whooping cough vaccination program will be available to all pregnant women from 28 weeks gestation and their partners. All parents and guardians of newborn babies under six months of age and those born after June 1 will be eligible for the vaccine. Under the free program women will be eligible during every pregnancy, and all other parents will be eligible if they have not received a whooping cough vaccine booster dose in the past 10 years. Whooping cough is a highly contagious disease that affects the air passages and breathing. It causes severe coughing spasms and can lead to complications such as haemorrhage, convulsions, pneumonia, encephalitis and death. In recent years, there has been a significant increase in cases of whooping cough. Babies are at risk of contracting whooping cough from birth, with children less than six months at greater risk of complications and severe outcomes because they are not fully immunised. In 2014, notifications of whooping cough cases increased by 57.7 per cent – up from 2926 in 2013 to 4615 in 2014. In particular, there was an increase in case notifications among children less than one-year-old – 115 in 2014, compared to 74 in 2013.
As of April 7 this year, the number of notifications of whooping cough cases across all ages was 1625 compared with 849 at the same time last year. The Member for Melton, Don Nardella, has welcomed news that from June 1, parents would be able to receive the free whooping cough vaccine from their local GPs, maternity hospitals, obstetricians and local councils.
Where:
Navan Park, Centenary Avenue, Melton
When:
Sunday, May 17
On day registration: 8.30am Walk commences:
10am
Walk length:
3km
Event concludes:
Early afternoon
Parking:
There is limited parking at Navan Park so we strongly recommend walking or car pooling to the event.
Melton entry fees:
Adults $17 Child (under 16) $10 Family (2 adults, 2 children) $27 Concession $10
“Whooping cough can be deadly, especially for newborns,” Mr Nardella said. “This free vaccination program for mums and dads will help protect our youngest from this deadly disease.” For more information, including key immunisation dates, visit www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au.
Moorabool Light Orchestra will perform with Melbourne Male Choir and soprano Carolyn Bennett at St Bernard’s Catholic Church, Bacchus Marsh from 2pm. Admission: $12 Join Ballan’s Hospital Auxiliary at the Mechanic’s Hall, Ballan from 1.30pm. Cost $15. Bookings essential. Ph: 5310 6678
2pm and 7.30pm, Clocktower Centre, 750 Mt Alexander Rd, Moonee Ponds. Adults $8 students $5. Ph: 9243 9191
St Andrews Uniting Church, Bacchus Marsh, 10am to 2pm. For enquiries and bookings phone 0402 959 761
Bacchus Marsh RSL Ladies Auxiliary is holding a morning tea to raise money for the Cancer Council. A morning tea, guest speakers, raffles and prizes up for grabs. RSL Hall, Main St, Bacchus Marsh from 10.30am. Entry $5. Ph: 5367 6604 or 5367 1324 Moorabool drug information evening, 7.30pm - 9pm. Town Hall, Main St, Bacchus Marsh. All welcome.
Bacchus Marsh Public Hall, 10am - 4pm. Ph: 0414 672 458
Re-enactment of 1918 dedication ceremony honouring WW1 volunteers. Merrimu Reservoir Picnic Ground, 2pm opening.
Bacchus Marsh Scoop
Moorabool leading senior constable Jim Ross wants people to know the facts and that’s why he’s organised a Moorabool drug information evening on May 28. LSC Ross said he’d held two previous forums on the use of illicit drugs and would continue to hold them while people still wanted information. “In relation to ICE (crystal methamphetamine), it’s so addictive and people just need to know the facts. The youngest person I have seen affected is 12-years-old and the oldest was 63-years-old.” He said two of the presenters at the forum would be drug and alcohol case workers speaking about the signs and symptoms of drug use, and another presenter was a mother of an addict who would talk about her son and his road to detox. “The theme of this forum is ‘a way forward’ and letting people know the services available. People are unaware of the services available to them.” He said a recent program on 60 Minutes which highlighted drug use in Bacchus Marsh wasn’t pointing the finger at the town, rather it used Bacchus Marsh as a backdrop for how drugs were affecting all regional towns. “It’s no better or worse in Bacchus Marsh than it is anywhere else. Bacchus Marsh is just one of the many regional towns suffering. If you have one person who is addicted to ice then that is one person too many. “It’s hard to put a number on how many it’s affecting. People who are doing these drugs, unless they’ve engaged with a drug and alcohol worker or been included in figures for ambulance or police callouts, then that figure is unknown. “The community needs to step up and do something about it. Ringing Glenn Manton is the special guest speaker for the ‘A Way Forward’ forum CrimeStoppers anonymously is a start.” He said the forum was for people of all ages as long as a parent felt that their child was able to understand it. “The forum is a good place to get the conversation started. You’ll get some professional advice rather than carpark advice.” LSC Ross said he was also in the process of forming a drug action group in the community with the help of a leadership program and had some senior leaders from Bacchus Marsh onboard. Special guest speaker at the forum will be former Carlton AFL player Glenn Manton, who co-founded the organisations ‘Whitelion’ and ‘Outside the Locker Room’. Outside the Locker Room focused on local country football and netball clubs, the peer pressures that young players were faced with and the challenges of drug and alcohol abuse. Manton said he had “extensive personal experiences both internal and external that have contributed to my passion for this endeavour.” “My interest in people stems from my upbringing and life experience. I am fuelled by the knowledge that there is a great need for people such as myself to share stories that entertain, educate whilst acting as life navigation tools. “I do not believe sporting clubs are more susceptible to drug use than other community groups. Club culture is developed through the positive actions of the president, committee and coaching staff first and foremost who work ‘top-down’ to ensure authentic values are not only created but upheld by the playing group. Defining what winning means to a club is crucial in the process.” He said the key to tackling drugs and alcohol was to educate people and allow them to maker considered personal decisions. “Genuine relationships, thoughtful communications and an evolving knowledge of self are the key areas of personal development that I believe underpin decision making and crisis survival.” “I am not interested in prescribing information to anyone but rather sharing stories and thoughts.As such I would simply suggest that your actions are always your responsibility.”
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Bacchus Marsh Hall has been allocated $110,000 for internal and external painting, while Bacchus Marsh Senior Citizens will have $100,000 for a new roof, gutters and downpipes. Lerderderg Gorge Road, Darley will be resealed At a special meeting on April 22, councillors ($116,000) and Links Road, Darley will undergo adopted a proposed 2015/16 budget which will road rehabilitation ($274,000). now go on public display until Monday, May 25. In total the council will invest $1,029,000 in new The rate increase follows a five per cent increase service initiatives. last financial year. The budget includes funding new staff positions More than $15 million in funds has been set including a community engagement officer aside for capital improvement projects across the ($87,000), an information management officer shire. and digital strategy initiatives ($148,000), and Bacchus Marsh residents will be pleased to see investment in rural and urban growth strategies that $3 million has been allocated for the con($85,000). struction of Halletts Way/O’Leary Way from Copies of the Proposed 2015/16 Annual Budget Halletts Way to Stonehill Estate, and a further will be available for inspection on weekdays $252,000 for the construction of Halletts Way between 8.30am and 5pm up to and including from Ramsay Crescent to Links Road. Monday, May 25, 2015 at council offices in BalImproving local sports facilities has also been lan, Bacchus Marsh and Darley. Copies can also taken into consideration, with $700,000 to be be viewed at moorabool.vic.gov.au invested in a Darley Civic Hub sportsground Submissions will be accepted until May 25, and change amenity, and $200,000 towards Masons a special meeting to hear submissions is schedLane training lighting to Oval 1 including a uled for Wednesday, June 3, 5pm at the Bungaree power upgrade. Community Facility, Bungaree.
Bacchus Marsh public hall will get a new paint job in the proposed 2015/16 Moorabool Shire Council budget
Contractors will be working across the region over the next few months assessing the condition of sewerage pipes and carrying out any maintenance needed. “There are more than 1,200km of sewerage pipes across our region that need regular inspection, cleaning and repairs,” Western Water’s acting general manager customer and community relations, Dean Barnett, said. “Residents might see people over the next few months working around sewer pipes, or they may receive a letter advising them we need to access their property for the work.” “This regular maintenance ensures that when people flush they can be confident their wastewater is being safely and effectively removed and treated.” Western Water treats more than 8,500 million litres of sewage a year at its seven recycled water plants. The sewage is treated to produce high quality recycled water, most of which is pumped to sports grounds, school ovals, parks and businesses across the region for irrigation.
Bacchus Marsh Scoop
The timeless musical classic ‘Beauty and the Beast’ will feature a huge cast of young actors, singers, dancers and musicians from Bacchus Marsh Grammar. A free Friday matinee dress rehearsal performance will be offered on Friday, May 8 at 12pm. To obtain tickets for this performance send an email to school@bmg.vic. edu.au with ‘Beauty and the Beast Friday Matinee’ in the subject line or alternatively contact the school on 5366 4800. Tickets will be distributed on a ‘request received’ priority. Opening night will be next Friday, May 8, 7.30pm at the Clocktower Centre, Moonee Ponds, followed by performances on Saturday, May 9 at 2pm and 7.30pm. Ticket prices are adults $8, students $5 and family (two adults and two children) $21. Tickets can be purchased via the Box Office on 9243 9191 or purchase them online at clocktowercentre.com.au The Clocktower Centre is at 750 Mt Alexander Rd, Moonee Ponds.
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RI V ET T E
Bacchus Marsh
UPHOLSTERY Luke
115 Main Street, Bacchus Marsh, VIC 3340 Ph: (03) 5367 8422 Fax: (03) 5367 6944
9 Park St, Bacchus Marsh, 3340
Advertise your business or business card here in full colour for affordable monthly, six monthly or yearly rates. We can also help with artwork (like the Rivette ad). Phone 5368 2870 today!
Want to promote your business or advertise an upcoming event? Advertise with Bacchus Marsh’s newest, most colourful and affordable publication: Bacchus Marsh Scoop! We can also help you create your own personalised ad. Phone 0459 022 364
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From left: CVA manager conservation Ian Smith, John Cutler, Ian Walker and CVA chair Gerry Morvell
The living memorial project will help link avenues of honour in Bacchus Marsh, Myrniong and Ballarat through biodiverse plantings alongside a continuous walking and cycling track. Between May this year and December 2018, Conservation Volunteers aims to plant more than 100,000 trees to create this corridor. Conservation Volunteers chairman Gerry Morvell announced an investment of $100,000 towards the ANZAC Living Memorials initiative at the launch. “These memorial projects include the restoration of existing historic places, from the painting of the community RSL hall to the weeding and landscaping around historic markers to large scale commemorative native tree plantings,” Mr Morvell said. “Conservation Volunteers has been involved in Gallipoli for the last ten years and it’s one we’re very proud of in regards to the heritage aspect. Building on that link, you look at what you can do back in Australia.” He said the people who served in World War One were all volunteers and so were conservation volunteers. “ANZAC Living Memorials provides a unique connection, linking today’s volunteers to those volunteers who joined the armed forces 100 years ago. We invite community groups and individuals to register their ANZAC Living Memorials projects on Conservation Volunteers websites if they are looking for support.” Commemorating 100 years of the ANZAC spirit, Conservation Volunteers will work with communities to create more than 100 ANZAC Living Memorial projects across Australia and New Zealand. Mr Morvell said projects have been identified by the local communities and relied on their passion and ANZAC connections, making them significant community initiatives across Australia and New Zealand.
“These projects are about local communities together with Conservation Volunteers honouring and respecting the sacrifices and outstanding contributions ANZAC’s made in shaping the Australian and New Zealand identity. “Many projects have already commenced including where we are today, at Myrniong ‘the Island’, which forms part of a major ANZAC living memorial project linking the avenues of honour of many local towns including Ballarat, Bunninyong and Bacchus Marsh via a trail and native re-vegetation.” Speaking at the launch was the Bacchus Marsh to Ballarat walking track project’s committee president, John Cutler. Mr Cutler said: “This is a significant moment and there’s a touch of emotion that goes with it. Three years ago we at Grow West had a lightbulb moment to link existing avenues.” He said a Perpetual Trust grant of $120,000 helped to grow the project and Ballarat Council embraced it and wanted to extend it even further out to Buninyong and Yendon. “That lightbulb moment has now become a reality. The purpose and objective is really to celebrate people and their connections to the land and environment.” Some of Australia’s major corporations including Telstra have thrown their support behind the ANZAC Living Memorials initiative to help Conservation Volunteers deliver projects with local communities.
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Bacchus Marsh Scoop
ENVIRONMENT
Moorabool Environment Group’s Rose De la cruz talks autumn, nectar gardens, bees and botanicals. Rose will be a regular contributor to Bacchus Marsh Scoop
Life is humming in the garden in autumn, a time of great activity before winter sets in. Autumnal colours have been particularly spectacular this year due to snaps of very cold temperatures which trigger the cut off of chlorophyll to leaves on deciduous trees which leads to their death. Dazzling reds, oranges and yellows are giving a beautiful display before they fall in a blaze of glory to carpet the ground. This means it is a great time for collecting free mulch. Oak leaves and pine needles make good mulch for acid loving plants (like rhododendrons and camellias) and any leaves mixed with a sprinkle of blood bone will give all trees and garden beds a healthy boost. Autumn is the best time to plant natives. The Moorabool Catchment Landcare nectar project is in action in Ballan. Landcare is encouraging residents to plant food plants (nectar and seeds) for native birds, insects and small creatures. You can find out more about it on MCLC face book page. Habitat loss is a huge sadness for native birds in particular. 23 species of Australian birds have become extinct since European settlement largely due to habitat loss. We can help native species a little by providing food plants, shelter, water and nesting spots in our gardens. In fact “birdscaping” (rather than landscaping) is becoming popular. An excellent book available at our library is Birdscaping Australian Gardens by George Adams. You will have seen the beautiful little New Holland honeyeaters, Eastern spinebills and fairy wrens flitting around your garden if you have native food plants flowering. We have enjoyed watching a family of yellow tailed black cockatoos crunching away in the hakia tree this autumn – a lovely sight and sound.
Bees – our all important pollinators need food plants too through the colder months. If you have a hive or are thinking of getting one – have a look at a new Australian invention called a Flow Hive: honeyflow.com It’s time to dig holes for planting bare rooted fruit and nut trees in winter and it isn’t too late to get your winter vegetables in – broad beans, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, leeks, garlic, silver beet, rocket, spinach and some Asian greens. Autumn is also time to divide and plant bulbs and corms – asparagus, irises and the ever-romantic peonies. All do well in our climate if the soil is right. If you haven’t invested in a soil testing kit you can take a spoonful of soil into any good nursery and ask them to test your soil pH. The correct pH of soil helps plants take up nutrients more efficiently. The pH range is 1 (extremely acid) to 14 (extremely alkaline). Different plants like different pH soils. Check what levels are needed for your plantings and if soil is too acid add lime, wood ash or dolomite. If it’s too alkaline add sulphur. Why not celebrate Mother’s Day with a picnic at one of the beautiful Botanical Gardens in Ballarat or Daylesford or one of the many local community gardens. Also try to fit in a walk around one of the towns – Ballan (“a town within an arboretum”), Blackwood, Trentham or Bacchus Marsh – all offer a week or two more of autumn colour. Next Moorabool Environment Group (MEG) meeting: Thursday, May 28, at the Community House, Ballan, 7.30pm – 9pm. All welcome.
Photographic Competition ‘Natural Beauty within the Moorabool Shire’ Entries close 21 May 2015 $600 in prize money and trophies Conditions and entry form go to www.mooraboolmeg.org.au or call 0433 828 194
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Bacchus Marsh Scoop
Wow. Thank you, thank you, to all those wonderful people out there who have encouraged and supported my new publication. It’s not easy being the new kid on the block, but the feedback I’m getting gives me confidence I’m on the right track. So who is Scoop? That’s me over there on the right, circa 1986, doing work experience at my local paper The Donald & Birchip Times. Yes, Lady Di’s hairdo and bomber jackets were in back then. And there was no such thing as a PC. We all learned to type on a - gasp - typewriter! Even then, as a teenager, I knew that I wanted to be a journalist. I loved reading and writing and being creative, so it felt like a natural fit. I’ve been in the industry for more than 20 years now and have seen a lot of changes, not all of them good. I’ve had freelance articles published in The Age, The West Australian, various magazines, and have worked at newspapers including Canterbury Today (in Christchurch, New Zealand), Mountain Views Mail/Upper Yarra Mail, the Ballarat Courier, Leader Community Newspapers, The Hepburn Advocate, and most recently The Moorabool News. Last year articles I wrote received industry recognition for quality journalism at the Victorian Country Press Association awards. The articles I love to write the most, and the ones that I think are my best, are also the hardest to write. Those articles come from sitting down and talking with people who’ve experienced unimaginable things: homelessness, the loss of a child, a family member’s murder, horrific injuries or worse. I feel completely humbled by the trust these people have placed in me to write their stories and to do them justice. I’m also in awe of their courage and honesty. It’s a heck of a responsibility to not only write those articles, but also to make sure that those people and their families are protected. Some details are best left written in shorthand and hidden in the notebook. I’ve always had a strong focus on country voices and community spirit because those are my roots too. Two people in particular I spoke to this week embodied community spirit: Ian Prince and Jim Ross. Ian was lifted up and carried by this community when he needed it the most and he hasn’t forgotten it. When he spoke about Bacchus Marsh I could see this community through his eyes and realised how amazing it really is. Jim is a champion of the community. The work he does in his role as a Leading Senior Constable is above and beyond the call of duty. I hope to see a packed hall at his forum into illicit drugs on May 28. If it only helps one person make the right decision should they be exposed to drugs, or inspires only one parent to sit down and have a talk with their children, then it’s worth it. Don’t you think?
Scoop
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