Bendigo Magazine - Issue 47 - Winter 2017

ISSUE 47 | WINTER 2017 www.bendigomagazine.com.au

LONG LIVE

Loong legacy

ON TRACK FOR NO. 7

restoration STYLISH TAKE ON INNER-CITY GARDEN

ISSN 1833-1289 AUD $5.95 (Inc. GST)

AU S T R A L I A N G L O B A L E N T E R T A I N M E N T P R E S E N T S A

ian

Ulumbarra Theatre Bendigo

the blue danube

COOPER

ORCHESTRA

Sun 18th June 2017 2pm Show Bookings: 03 5434 6100 Online: www.gotix.com.au Tickets: $75 | Conc: $69

5 Golden Fiddle awards | 2 MO Awards Opera Singers - Prima Ballerinas - Australian Champion Pipe Band

Opera Singers - Prima Ballerinas Australian Champion Pipe Band evoke the sheer exuberance- of THE PROMS in concert

4 ACE Awards | 1 platinum ARIA award

evoke the sheer exuberance of THE PROMS in concert

Rule Britannia, Land of Hope & Glory, The Can-Can

Selections from: Carmen, The Merry Widow, Sound Of Music, My Fair Lady, Johann Strauss II and other favourites

Rule Britannia, Land of Hope & Glory, The Can-Can The ACE Award winning “Best Production Show” in Australia

Selections from: Carmen, The Merry Widow, Sound Of Music, My Fair Lady, Johann Strauss II and other favourites

Ulumbarra Theatre Bendigo

violinmaestro.com.au THE PROMS - A Musical Spectacular info@austentertainemtn.com.au

Sun 18th June 2017 - 2pm Show Bookings: 03 5434 6100 | Online: www.gotix.com.au Tickets: $75 | Conc: $69 5 G o l d e n F i d d l e awa r d s

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2 M O Awa r d s

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4 A C E Awa r d s

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1 p l at i n u m A R I A awa r d

from the team

v ioli n m ae s tro.c om .au

T HE PROMS - A Mu s ic al S pe c tac u l ar

in fo@aust ent ertai nemt n.c om.au

With a new season comes a new Bendigo Magazine, filled with interesting stories about what’s happening in this wonderful city, and the people who are lucky enough to call it home.

For so many years, thousands of residents and visitors have lined the streets of the CBD to watch the Imperial Chinese Dragon, Sun Loong, make his annual appearance as the highlight of the Bendigo Easter Festival procession. He is as much a part of this city’s heritage as the gold rush; beloved by all. Since its inception, the Bendigo’s Chinese Association has raised millions of dollars through its annual Easter festivities. However, all good things do come to an end and it’s time for Sun Loong to enjoy retirement from public life ... you can still say hello to him by visiting the Bendigo Chinese Museum. Work is under way by a dedicated committee to raise funds for his predecessor. Bendigo Magazine spoke with the committee chairman about what plans are from here and how the public can help.

Daring to be different we hung out with the local Swordcraft crew in North Bendigo. As one member aptly describes it, this is football for nerds. Each Wednesday night, these friends come together, dressed in medieval garb, complete with weaponry and battle it out on the field. It’s fun, frivolity and very physical.

It’s thanks to some furry creatures going bump in the night that have seen a resurgence in claimed Yowie sightings. As Sarah Harris discovers, it’s not six-foot hairy creatures that are responsible for the interesting sounds coming from our local forests. Nope. It’s the cute and cuddly Australian icon; the humble koala.

It seems some Bendigonians are making their names in a sport that originated on Russian farms several hundred years ago. Kettlebell lifting is a new craze that proves age is no barrier to strength as Raelee Tuckerman discovered when she caught up with some of the city’s big guns.

Happy reading to you.

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MANAGING EDITOR / CREATIVE DIRECTOR Dustin Schilling DEPUTY EDITOR Sue Turpie CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER David Field WRITERS Ben Cameron, Sarah Harris, Geoff Hocking, John Holton, Paula Hubert, Justin McPhail, Lauren Mitchell and Raelee Tuckerman CONTRIBUTORS Lisa Chesters, Jayden Donaldson, Alex Fisher and Arj Perera EVENTS PHOTOGRAPHER Ashley Taylor PRINT MANAGER Nigel Quirk ADVERTISING advertising@bendigomagazine.com.au PO Box 5003 Bendigo, VIC 3550 Phone: 0438 393 198

Bendigo Magazine takes all care but accepts no responsibility for unsolicited materials. Bendigo Magazine holds copyright to all content unless otherwise stated.

ISSN 1833-1289.

While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information in this publication, the publisher accepts no responsibility or liability for any errors, omissions or resultant consequences including any loss or damage arising from reliance on information in this publication.

The views expressed are not necessarily endorsed by the editor or the publisher.

contents

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SPECTACULAR MUSIC EVENT Australia’s most acclaimed international violinist Ian Cooper is joined by opera stars, prima ballerinas, Australia’s current champion Pipe Band and the Blue Danube Orchestra to evoke the sheer exuberance of An Afternoon at the Proms – A musical spectacular.

winter wonders

Bendigo is hosting loads of fun activities this season, with the Proms music sensation, Rona Green’s interesting art, and the annual Sheep and Wool Show. Also, don’t forget your flu shot.

Voted ‘Best Production Show’ in Australia, this spectacular salutes the famous BBC Proms Concerts of London’s Royal Albert Hall performing all the well-known favourites including Rule Britannia, Jerusalem, Radetzky March, Ave Maria and Elgar’s Land of Hope and Glory.

The audience can enjoy selections from the Sound of Music, the Merry Widow, Carmen and The Waltz King by Johann Strauss, as well as can-can and tango dancers. Feel the romance and emotion of the Hungarian Gypsy Orchestra’s haunting renditions of Irish favourites and the Pipers’ tribute to the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo.

Our host, violinist Ian Cooper was commissioned to compose and perform at the Opening Ceremony of the Sydney Olympics – broadcast around the world to 2.85 billion viewers.

Bring your flags and join the fun and frivolity of Ian Cooper’s An afternoon At The Proms at the Capital on June 18. Visit www.thecapital.com.au for more information or bookings.

LEFT: Rona Green Submission Magician 2014, hand coloured linocut 56 x 76 cm.

RIGHT: Sam Jinks Medusa (Beloved), 2016 silicone, pigment, resin 71 x 49 x 29 cm

Courtesy the artist and Australian Galleries

RONA GREEN: CHAMPAGNE TASTE AND LEMONADE POCKETS June 24 – September 3 Tattoos, science fiction, B-grade movies and secret societies – this is the fodder of Rona Green, an artist renowned for her prints and paintings of anthropomorphic characters.

Champagne taste and lemonade pockets presents a menagerie of identities drawn from the last decade of Green’s printmaking practice. Rona Green is a La Trobe University Bendigo graduate and is currently based in Melbourne, where she is represented by Australian Galleries. At Post Office Gallery

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SAVE TIME! GET THE

FLU SHOT NO APPOINTMENT OR

PRESCRIPTION NEEDED There’s no need to make a doctors appointment or hang around in waiting rooms. Drop into UFS and one of our trained UFS Pharmacists will do it for you – no bookings or prescription necessary!

Avoid down time this flu season.

Visit UFS Pharmacies for a flu shot today.

UFS Pharmacies 379 Hargreaves Street Bendigo

UFS Pharmacies Cnr View & Barnard Streets Bendigo

bendigoufs.com.au

* Conditions apply, flu vaccination cost is $29.95, UFS members receive 10% discount & further discounts may apply, vaccination clinic opening hours may vary between stores.

events

Until July 30 Mode and Motif Living Art Space www.bendigotourism.com/whatson/ June 17 Bendigo Park Run Kennington Reservoir www.parkrun.com.au/bendigo June 24 Doug Anthony Allstars Live Ulumbarra Theatre www.thecapital.com.au

SHEEP AND WOOL ON SHOW The Australian Sheep and Wool Show was first held in 1877, and since then has been successful in attracting people of all ages from across Australia to Bendigo and gone on to become the largest event of its type in the world. The show will this year be held on July 14 to July 16 at the Bendigo Showgrounds.

Events scheduled include sheep competitions, the Young Stud Masters’ Muster, Working Dogs, the Bendigo Festival of Lamb, shearing, and Australian Wool fashion parades. Women are also ecouraged to enjoy the Women of Wool lunch.

For further information, visit www.sheepshow.com

June 27 Morning Melodies Bendigo RSL www.bendigorsl.com.au June 30 Kitty Flanagan – Smashing Ulumbarra Theatre www.thecapital.com.au July 5 Storytime for kids Bendigo Visitor Centre 5434 6060 July 6 Lior and Paul Grabowsky Ulumbarra Theatre www.thecapital.com.au July 8 The Handmade Market Bendigo Rotary Park Kangaroo Flat www.jazsmum.wixsite.com/ thehandmademarket July 8 - July 9 Barrel Alchemy 2017 Regional wineries www.bendigowine.org.au July 14 - July 16 Australian Sheep and Wool Show Bendigo Showgrounds www.sheepshow.com July 22 Bendigo Collectables Fair Bendigo Exhibition Centre www.bendigotourism.com

TIME TO IMMUNISE UFS Pharmacies offer quick and convenient flu and whooping cough vaccinations in store at their Hargreaves Street and View Street locations. There is no appointment nor script needed.

Anyone over 18 years can just come in and see one of the trained pharmacists.

The flu (influenza) is a highly-contagious viral infection that is easily spread from person to person by contact with fluids from coughs and sneezes. The flu can cause severe illness and lifethreatening complications, including pneumonia. Symptoms include fever, muscle and joint pains, chills, sore throat

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and headaches, and the symptoms can last one to two weeks.

Whooping cough (pertussis) is a very contagious respiratory infection caused by the bacterium Bordetella pertussis.

One in every 200 babies who contract whooping cough will die. It is important to protect ourselves and loved ones.

Immunisation of both the flu and whooping cough are available at UFS. Those most at risk include pregnant women, people aged more than 65 years, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and people with chronic medical conditions.

For further information on the vaccinations, visit UFS Pharmacies.

August 11 - August 13 Bendigo Writers Festival The Capital www.bendigowritersfestival.com.au August 12 Trove Makers’ Market Good Loaf Sourdough Bakery and Cafe www.trovebendigo.com.au August 12 Ales on Rails Castlemaine Railway Station www.vgr.com.au April 14 – April 17 Hazeldene’s Bendigo Easter Festival Bendigo CBD www.bendigoeasterfestival.org.au August 19 Blues Tram Central Deborah Gold Mine www.bendigobluesandroots.com.au

FI1294 FI1294 FI1294

Loong legacy

ABOVE LEFT: Bendigo journalist, John Ball, with dragon maker Lo On and the head of Sun Loong, Hong Kong 1969 ABOVE: Sun Loong parading in the early 1970s.

For five decades, Sun Loong has taken his place as the iconic finale of the city’s annual Easter procession, but now it’s time to secure his successor, Dai Gum Loong.

By Sue Turpie Imagine the Bendigo Easter Festival without its show-stopping imperial dragon? You just can’t. But that is what Dai Gum Loong Fundraising Committee chairman Richard Guy is asking people to do.

The retirement of the iconic Chinese dragon Sun Loong was announced five years ago. It is now that serious work is underway to secure funding for his heir; Dai Gum Loong

Richard says, “and they’ve put in their budget for the next financial year, a $100,000 contribution, and we’ve targets of $250,000 from the Federal Government and $250,000 from the State Government, and $150,000 we have to raise from other sources.”

The lengthy process of ordering and transporting a new dragon means it is likely to make its debut in 2019.

Richard says the goal is to raise $750,000 for the project with as much assistance as possible from federal, state and local governments. That figure will cover buying the new dragon, Dai Gum Loong, and the accompanying paraphernalia, such as the costumes, as well as repairing Sun Loong who is almost 50 years old.

“You can’t just walk into Myer and say: ‘I’ll have that dragon there, thank you’,” Richard jokes.

“Anita Jack (Golden Dragon Musuem manager) and her team have decided which one they want, and our Federal Member was in Hong Kong recently and went to see some of the dragons made there. Fortunately, both Bendigo Members are wanting to support this project.”

“We’ve already heard from local council,”

The public are also keen to do whatever they

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can to help.

“We’ve been almost swamped by inquiries from people asking what they can do to raise money for the project,” Richard says. “When we announced the project, I was thinking of John Lennon’s wonderful song Imagine… So, I fashioned what I had to say and it was imagine there’s no dragon, and we just can’t possibly imagine a Bendigo Easter Festival without a dragon. It’s not conceivable. We’ve got to have one and it’s got to be a good one, which Dai Gum Loong will be.”

For both Richard and Golden Dragon Museum director Russell Jack there is much pride and history tied up in this project. Both have a long association with the Bendigo Easter Festival and memories of how far the festival has come.

Richard Guy and Russell Jack with Sun Loong 13

LEFT: he frame of Sun Loong’s head under construction in the Lo On Kee workshop in Hong Kong in 1969.

BELOW LEFT: Sun Loong Easter 1971

“My father, Allen, was in this seat 50 years ago in 1968 when he and some colleagues were discussing the Easter fair and deciding it was dull and drab. It hadn’t changed much over the years and the dragon was worn out.

It was decided that what needed to be done was to spark up Easter, and a new dragon would just about do the trick.

“The Loong 100 committee, as it was called, began. Because my father was involved I felt it absolutely obligatory that I should accept the invitation to follow on the good work and I hope I can be half as successful as he was.”

Russell says securing Dai Gum Loong is a way of safeguarding the festival for the next five decades. “I think it’s wonderful and if Sun Loong can go for 50 years then this new dragon can, too. It’s a little bit of magic. We’re all wondering what’s going to happen and what the new dragon is going to look like.”

For all involved in the project the goal is clear; to ensure the longevity of the festival.

It is a trait that the Chinese brought with them when they came to Bendigo some 150 years ago.

“Bendigo was fortunate that the early Chinese had the foresight to put a levy on the people back in 1882,” he says, it was about doing something good for the town.

Since then the Easter festival has raised a staggering amount for the Bendigo Hospital.

Richard recalls the time when members of the Chinese Association would carry around sheets and residents and visitors would throw money in them.

“Loong was allowed out of the building for the last time ever only a couple of years ago, and I was invited to be a leg,” Richard says. “I had to pay for the privilege but all that money was donated back to the Bendigo Hospital.

“Right back to the start when the dragon first appeared, I remember as a small child apart from being terrified of that fearsome creature there were people carrying sheets and you threw money into the sheets, and all that money was donated to the hospital. It’s been raising money for the hospital since.”

As for Dai Gum Loong, we’re all waiting patiently to see what he’s going to look like.

“He won’t be bigger than Sun Loong, in my view, because it’ll cost too much and be too hard to carry,” Richard says.

“Dai Gum Loong will probably be the same because we want to maintain that reputation (for having the longest Chinese dragon in the world), but they don’t talk about how long Sun Loong is. It’s a closely guarded secret now. ” Residents wishing to donate to the Dai Gum Loong fund can visit any Bendigo Bank branch and their contribution will go through the Bendigo Bank Foundation.

For further information, visit www.daigumloong.com.au or fill in form on page 20.

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Mode & Motif

April 26 – July 30 2017 An exquisite exhibition of work by local artists combining the vibrant paintings of Sarah Boulton with designer furniture and homewares

by Brett Tully and intricately woven textiles by Jenny Carrington.

Bendigo Visitor Centre

Open 9am to 5pm daily (except Christmas Day)

51-67 Pall Mall, Bendigo • 03 5434 6060 tourism@bendigo.vic.gov.au • www.bendigotourism.com

Quality Souvenirs Locally Made Gifts Local History Books Visit us in store or online at www.uniquelybendigo.com.au

#ExploreBendigo

Bendigo Visitor Centre

Aden Jennings and Kayla Such

Andre Allen and Brad Steel

Emma James, Jemma Varley, Lucy Cullen, Tameya Martin and Su-ann Tan

Katelyn Parry, Kendall Pearson and Sara Monti

Lydia Hanrahan and Ataliah Zito

Sebastian Olle, Tess Montfroy, Glenn Needham and Niall Mooney

Alissa Van Soest and Chelsea Koetsveld

Sharon and Gabrielle Lock

Ellana Bobenko, Christian Wagstaff, Nick Vanderwert and Keith Wagstaff

Gaye Harrington, Mark Orlandi, Kathryn McKenzie and Alissa Van Soest

Jayd, Wayne and Shay Wignall

Jessica Bridgfoot, Matt Emond, Clare Needham and Kent Wilson

HUNDREDS GRADUATE Almost 800 of La Trobe University’s former students proudly took to the stage at Ulumburra Theatre.

The graduating students, along with family and friends, celebrated their years of study in a wide range of courses. Many have already found employment in their careers of choice, in Bendigo and regional areas.

Head of Campus Rob Stephenson says one strength of the Bendigo campus is its ability to meet the needs of local industries and give local people the opportunity to pursue rewarding careers in the region.

REFLECTING ON ART EXHIBITION For a limited time, the View Street end of Rosalind Park hosted an innovative exhibition brought to the city by Bendigo Art Gallery.

A special event was held to mark the arrival of the House of Mirrors to Bendigo. The unique installation was based on the 19th century mirror mazes, and created by artists Christian Wagstaff and Keith Courtney. During its limited stay in the city centre, hundreds of locals and visitors enjoyed exploring the mirror maze.

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bear-ly there A recent resurgence in “Yowie sightings” and reports of alarming noises in the bush at night beg the question: how much can a koala bear?

By Sarah Harris - Photography by Patrick Kavanagh Of the many myths that have sprung up from the bush in the Greater Bendigo Region the biggest fiction is that there are no koalas in these parts.

There are most assuredly ‘bears’ out there, with estimates varying between 200 and 500 animals within a 30km radius of Harcourt – the epicentre of the contemporary Goldfields koala story.

“People only really identify koalas with the Grampians, the Strzelecki Ranges and Phillip Island, where they are iconic,” ecologist and Natural Newstead wildlife blogger Geoff Park explains. “But they are to be found across much of Victoria including the box ironbark forests around Bendigo. There are quite regular sightings around Newstead and Castlemaine, and you will hear them at night far more often than you would see them. There are islands of population which increase in good times and crash in the bad.

Koalas are definitely part of the arc of local wildlife.”

Similarly, according to the myth, koalas eat only one or two types of eucalypt, whereas of the 700-plus species of tree in Australia they will eat around 50 but, if you are offering a smorgasbord, really prefer just 10 types.

The Phascolarctos cinereus, the treedwelling herbivore that counts the wombat as its closest living relative, was widely 18

distributed across Victoria in the early days of colonisation but, by the 1850s the population had been decimated by disease and indiscriminate shooting from which the species was not offered full protection until 1885.

A good percentage of the current local population are likely descendants of the ill-fated Mt Alexander Koala Park Reserve, which was one of the region’s earliest examples of eco-tourism.

Perhaps it was intended as a pleasant distraction from the absence of many of Harcourt’s much-loved sons when the park was established at the height of World War II. The 38 acre (15ha) reserve was stocked with koalas transferred from Phillip Island which seemed to take happily to their new location, with the population reportedly doubling within three years. This was in stark contrast to their distress at removal from their original territory with “grating cries filling the air” as they were lassoed out of gum trees by long ropes attached to poles — a process with saw many hundreds of koalas relocated from Phillip Island and French Island to various inland sites.

As the Mt Alexander population started to munch through available resources the park was extended by a further 10ha. Through the ‘50s, the ‘60s and much of the ‘70s the park

remained a great attraction with cars winding their way to the Mount carrying folk keen to get close up and personal with the marsupial.

Harcourt’s most prominent citizens took turns sitting on the gate of the park at weekends collecting donations to support the hamlet’s furry friends.

In keeping with the times there was little thought of limiting interaction, with visitors being allowed to cuddle the more obliging animals. (My own mother-in-law Hylda is pictured on the following page nursing a ‘bear’ in 1964). Eventually though demand outstripped supply and by the late ‘70s some koalas were actually transported back to Phillip Island to prevent more of them dying from starvation as they literally ate themselves out of house and home.

As fast as the Mount Alexander Koala Reserve Committee (MAKRC) tried to plant new trees with metal rings round the base to try to protect them, the koalas ate them.

It was decided a new park was in order, but when it came to allocating funds and land too many bureaucrats and politicians had become involved and no one listened to the MAKRC, which warned the proposed new site would be an unmitigated disaster.

The new sanctuary was expected to house 80 koalas and anticipated to become “one of Victoria’s top tourist attractions”. To this

Koala photographed by Patrick Kavanagh at Strangways, near Newstead in 2016.

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end there were modern toilet facilities, paved roads and as more ‘bears’ were shipped, they were held aloft by beaming politicians like babies on the election hustings. But sadly within 18 months of the new park opening in 1978 more than 70 per cent of the residents had either escaped or died, many of them suffering from pneumonia. There would be more groups of koalas and their young introduced from offshore, but Leanganook Koala Park as the new site was named, was a flop.

The last chapter of the story is not at all cuddly as George Milford, a locally born stalwart of the Harcourt Valley Heritage and Tourist Centre recalls.

“I remember as a little boy being taken up there and literally poking a koala with a stick there were that many of them,” the septuagenarian recalls a bit sheepishly.

“Then when I was about 12 or 13 a friend and I camped up there in the picnic pavilion and the noise of the koalas overnight was just appalling and so thrilling at the same time.

We went up there a couple of times after they built the new park to try and hear them and there was nothing, it was just totally silent.”

Just as the committee warned, the new park was a disaster. It was in totally the wrong spot on the wrong side of the Mount.

“The old park was on the east side and sheltered, but in the new site they either left and found a new home or died of pneumonia,” George recalls. “The lucky ones were blown out of the trees into the surrounding countryside and wandered into Harcourt and beyond. Everyone around here has seen a koala in a tree at some time, but they were all escapees from the Mount.”

The park limped on until the new millennium, but it really became the last place to look for koalas and in 2009 the fence was finally pulled down and a collective memory freed.

PS: Yes, we know koalas are not bears.

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WINEMAKERS CELEBRATE It was another successful celebration for the region’s winemakers as they marked the end of the harvest with the Strategem Bendigo Winemakers Festival.

Crowds mingled in Rosalind Park while sampling more than 60 wines from 17 wineries.

Kimberly Phillips and Sherridan Harris

Carly and Mandy Cooper

Cath Gallagher, Maggie Williams, Jo Gallagher and Therease Hyland

Cherie Gaskin, Kris Connor and Nicki Waters

Elli McLeod and Angela Forbes

Finn Vedelsby and Kath Bolitho

It was also an opportunity to meet the winemakers, feast on regional food and attend a wine masterclass and enjoy entertainment for both children and the adults.

BEST WESTERN CATHEDRAL MOTOR INN Situated 500m from the CBD and adjacent to the beautiful Sacred Heart Cathedral • Featuring 31 spacious rooms • Wireless broadband and complimentary Austar • All rooms include a queen size bed with spa rooms available • Breakfast service available

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Ayla Papallo, Taylah Smith, Olivia Turner and Mia Nally

Brittney Hicks, Madison Bryce and Haylee Lester

RELAY FOR LIFE

Jade Dowsey, Dearna Henderson and Ashlee Peebles

Madi Marsh, Sophie Lillie and Bridget Stanley

Kim Kavanagh, Gill Ramskill and Jenni Hocking

Tahlia Baldwin and Jarnae Peautagitama

OPEN COLLEGE EVENTS

Hundreds of residents — families, friends and colleagues — came together in teams for this annual Cancer Council event. The Relay for Life raises funds for research, prevention and ongoing support services for the community.

Participants, some in costumes or carrying mascots, took turns walking laps for the weekend at the Flora Hill Athletics Track. Many walked in the memory of someone they had lost, joining thousands across the country in support of the Cancer Council.

2018 PROSPECTUS OUT NOW!

NEW NAME, NEW LOOK, NEW BUILDINGS and of course… NEW STUDENTS in 2018.

La Valla Campus

Coolock Campus

Principal’s Tours

Call to arrange a personal tour and find out about our VCE and VCAL pathways, or visit our Subjects & Pathways Evening on 24 July.

(Years 7-9)

9 am on 1 June, 3 August and 7 September, or by appointment.

(Years 10 – 12)

on the right track

Images courtesy Bendigo Tramways Archives

A tram from a bygone era has the chance of returning to its former glory thanks to a dedicated team and the generosity of strangers.

By Paula Hubert At 101 years old, the No.7 tram is understandably showing its age.

A neglected shell of its former self, propped up with no windows or seats inside, it sits idle in the Bendigo Tramways depot. The paint is peeling and faded, but it still bears the distinctive green, yellow and cream colours of its old boss, the State Electricity Commission of Victoria. This once charming little J Class tram has had plenty of journeys and number changes, beginning life on the tracks in the leafy Melbourne suburbs towards the end of World War I, before moving to Ballarat in 1931 and Bendigo in 1960.

It seems somewhat fortuitous that its final destination is Bendigo where precious skills preserved from a forgotten era are offering this vintage tram a new lease of life.

Like the gold that runs through the veins of this city, Bendigo boasts one of the best working collections of heritage trams in the world, but it takes a lot of money and goodwill. No.7 is lucky enough to be the recipient of both following a highly successful crowdfunding social media campaign which exceeded its target and raised $31,655.

“Crowd funding was a good way to get the community on board and give them a better understanding of what we do. We not only operate trams as a tourist service but we also restore them, says Tramways Manager Luke Jenkins, who started as an apprentice 16 years ago and completed a unique course on coachbuilding. Such is his expertise that he has played a prominent role in restoring 20 trams at the depot.

Luke is confident that No. 7’s renovation will be as close as possible to the tram’s original look so that everything is in keeping.

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“This was an operational tram and has a lot of the original components so we’re lucky,” Luke says.

“It will be a mad house for a while as you have to make sure you coordinate all of the work teams so it needs to be scheduled properly,” Luke says.

Wood-workers, metal workers, electricians, engineers, cabinet-makers and coachbuilders are all playing a vital role in the different stages of the revamp. Collectively, this highly-skilled group, volunteers and paid staff, share generations of knowledge, having rescued trams that were often abandoned and left to rot.

“We do a lot of external restoration works where we rebuild trams. Some can take up to 18 months,” says Luke.

Trams in disrepair are often sent to Bendigo from Melbourne, Sydney, Launceston and even New Zealand because the skills base at this depot, from fabricating parts, cabinet making, steam bending, fitting and painting, can get these heritage trams back to peak condition.

“Our job changes every day and the skills are so diverse so you have to think on your feet,” Luke says. “Some people are used to things fitting perfectly but a tram sits and settles for 30, 40 even 100 years so you have to build things to make it fit,” he says.

He is supported by Tramways Inspector Mick McGowan, known as the “Oracle” at the depot. He became heavily involved in preserving Bendigo’s tram heritage in the 1970s when he was taught how to maintain the trams from former SECV employees. He was also the first non SECV person to obtain

a tram licence.

Mick says the No.7 itself was reconfigured in Ballarat to become a small capacity tram which only needed a driver. It was transferred to Bendigo for that reason.

“The No. 7 worked between North Bendigo until 1972. It has a real heritage look about it and it was semi-enclosed so there was no risk of a passenger falling out,” Mick says.

With a capacity for 60 passengers paying a shilling for the privilege, the No.7 trundled along, filled with the chatter of mothers, school kids and workers by day and revellers heading for hotels and cinemas by night.

Now, the No.7 will have a new role, joining the Vintage Talking Trams tourist service fleet when it’s officially unveiled to the public this November.

Some of the donors who have contributed generously to No. 7’s overhaul will have a lasting legacy for all to see. Donors’ names will be etched on tram windows; names plaques will appear on seats or cabins and a limited number of businesses are advertising inside the tram and on the external roof panels.

On a personal note, Luke is thrilled that the crews working on the No.7 revamp will see it operational once again as more often than not trams are restored at the depot before being dispatched to their owners on the back of a lorry.

“It’s good because it is one of our own and we will get to see it operate in its former glory,” Luke says.

“To see a job from start to finish and then see the tram back on the track is a great representation of what we do.”

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John and Noemi Cummings

Arnold Moore and Bronson Ilsley

Astrid, Ruben and Holly Notarangelo

Charlie Copeland, Mackenzie Fox, Shayla Lister and Katie Copeland

Deeanne, Alina, Lauren and Tia Gould

Keyaan Nasim, Nasim Uddin, Janeeta Nasim and Nasrin Shah Naaz

CULTURAL FESTIVITIES The Festival of Cultures is a week-long celebration of Bendigo’s thriving multicultural community and has grown to become one of the region’s premier multicultural events since it started in 2001.

This year’s event focused on the city’s progress in acknowledging that Diversity is Mainstream. There was an impressive line up of performances, art, food, forums, markets, and exhibitions, culminating in an all-ages concert outside the Town Hall.

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As your Federal Member of Parliament, my office and I can provide a wide range of services and support.

As yourdon’t Federal Member of in Parliament, my office and Ieither can provide a Please hesitate to get touch with me anytime, at my office wide range of services. wide range services. on (03) 5443of9055 or by lisa.chesters.mp@aph.gov.au Please don’t hesitate to email get inat touch with me anytime, either at my Please don’t hesitate to touch with me Please don’t hesitate to get getorin inby touch with me anytime, anytime, either either at at my my office office office on (03) 5443or9055 email at lisa.chesters.mp@aph.gov.au on (03) 5443 9055 by email at lisa.chesters.mp@aph.gov.au on (03) 5443 9055 or by email at lisa.chesters.mp@aph.gov.au

www.lisachesters.org Authorised by L Chesters, 16 Myers Street, Bendigo www.lisachesters.org www.lisachesters.org

Pat Dungey, Patti Jeffrey, Margot Falconer and Di Cook

Harry Burns Howe, Mark Pallot, Kevin Reid and Steven Reid

TEEING OFF FOR OTIS

Barry Lineham, Roger Partington, Ron Bradley and Paul Linehan

Peter Mulqueen, Warren Pollock, Robert Black and Lachlan Margrain

Some 30 teams, mainly local businesses, took part in the OTIS Foundation’s Annual Golf Day at the Bendigo Golf Club.

OTIS Foundation’s General Manager Rachel Mason says the event is one of the most enjoyable on their calendar.

“It is a great opportunity to catch up with our supporters and thank them for their on-going contribution to OTIS,” Mrs Mason said.

Jamie Hearn, Glen Turner, Dick Phillips and David Hays

Krissy Cook and Rachel Mason

All funds will assist the foundation to continue its work providing retreats for women dealing with the challenges of breast cancer, and their families.

AT GIRTON YOUR CHILD WILL BE KNOWN AND CARED FOR

HUMANITIES In recent years Girton has invested more than $20 million in building state of the art learning facilities that provide students with the best possible learning environments.

We’ve made it easy for all students to see, hear and participate with class sizes capped at 25 in all year levels; most classes are smaller.

SPORT With high but reasonable expectations of our students and with teachers who instil belief in every student, we are developing young people who can think for themselves, ask questions and continuously grow.

Students can pursue their passions through our Sports Excellence Program and Central Victoria’s most comprehensive Performing Arts program as well as our Community

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HEADMASTER’S TOUR • FRIDAY JULY 28 • 9.00AM

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top talking

team

There’s a reason Ian Cover and his fellow Coodabeen Champions are still a hit, and it’s because they don’t take themselves or their beloved footy too seriously ... thank goodness.

By Ben Cameron Coodabeen Champion Ian Cover will never forget one golden February day in Kangaroo Flat. Ian, one of the radio institution’s longestserving members, strode onto Dower Park six years ago for a celebrity cricket match to raise money for local sporting identity John Forbes, who was battling bowel cancer.

“Forbesy” remains Ian’s strongest link to the region.

“He’s a legend,” Cover says. “I met him when he was working for Puma in the early 90s.

He got Parkinson’s and then bowel cancer, but he just keeps boxing on. One of the great highlights of my life was to walk onto the ground (for the tribute match) with my captain Mark Tubby Taylor.”

The Coodabeens, a panel of AFL gurus that features on ABC radio, have thrown up plenty 28

of highlights of their own over nearly 40 years, from quirky Greg Champion ditties to their hilarious talkback segment.

“In an ever-changing world, we’ve remained a constant,” Ian quips with a mock BBC announcer voice. “We get a lot of anecdotal feedback ... particularly from women, who say I can’t stand the football and all the football shows, but I listen to yours.”

Like the best footy coaches, Ian says the Coodabeens always try to keep things simple.

“To get a chance to get on radio and talk about it (footy) as fans, it was just outright fun,” he says. “The only thing that makes us different to every fan is that we’ve got microphones.”

it’s become a business, it’s become serious, on and off the field,” he says. “There are so many people talking about everything except the game. We’ve never wavered from talking about footy and the people who play it. The game is almost analysed to death.

“From time to time I’ll run into somebody during the week, talking about some issue, and they say ‘I can’t wait to hear what you blokes are going to say’. And I say ‘Don’t tune in because you’ll be wasting your time, we won’t be talking about it, it’s been done to death.’ ”

He believes footy can sometimes take itself too seriously these days.

Ian once said the Coodabeens began (back in 1981) at a time when the footy media was populated with ex-players. So what’s changed?

“The longer the footy’s gone on, the more

“It’s now populated by ex-footballers and

journalists,” he says. “It would be interesting to survey the fans and ask them about any footy story, (and ask) who was the journalist who broke the story, people don’t remember (who wrote it). In recent years, I’ve taken less notice of what experts say and write.

He says a commitment to grassroots footy has maintained the Coodabeen’s common man and woman appeal.

“That’s one of the things that gets lost at the pointy end of the pyramid, it’s all about the AFL at the top, but they wouldn’t be up there if there wasn’t grassroots underpinning it all,” he says.

“We love talking to grassroots people.”

While unashamedly old school and occasionally twee, Ian maintains the Coodabeens also have an eye on the future.

“We started talking to women in women’s footy about 10 years ago,” he says.

consuming … there’s a portion of your mind that has to be always switched on.”

The Coodabeens clocked up 1000 shows last year, and Ian has barely missed a match.

Ever the team man, Ian steers the conversation back to the Coodabeens.

Working as a cadet with the Geelong Advertiser, he scored his first gig with the Coodabeens as their “provincial spy” back in the early ‘80s. He eventually became the Member for Geelong, sweet-talked by another famous football and political figure: Jeff Kennett.

“We don’t like to put individuals in front of the team at the Coodabeens,” he jokes.

“Geelong wasn’t going too well economically and socially during the ‘80s and early ‘90s,” he says. “I kept running into him (Kennett), he’d keep saying ‘Why don’t you run in Geelong, we need you down there.’ I thought now is a good time to put my hand up and make a contribution. It’s a very demanding job, it’s all

“But they have become long-time listeners.

It’s another generation of listeners. We wouldn’t be on anymore (without them). The interest and involvement (from fans) is greater than ever.”

Any other secrets to your longevity then?

“You run into people who say: ‘Dad used to make us listen to it in the car. And we had no idea what you blokes were on about,’ ” he says.

The Coodabeen Champions play at The Ulumbarra Theatre on July 1.

29

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FEASTING ON THE LONGEST LUNCH Bendigo hosted its World’s Longest Lunch at Rosalind Park, as part of the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival. There were six courses from Wine Bank on View chefs, each matched with a local Bendigo wine.

Guests were seated alongside winemakers, enjoying a relaxing afternoon seated at a table stretching the grand boulevard of Rosalind Park.

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30

John Fletcher, Melissa Butler, Val Butler and Margaret O’Rourke

Emilie Johnston and Jared Keely

Paula and Gary Walters

Nick Hall and Beth Scott

Sarah and Danny Nalder

Caz Wood and Wayne and Laura Naughton

Kirsten and Ben Galea

GALA EVENT FOR BFNC Past and current players of the Bridgewater Football Netball Club, along with supporters, friends and family, gathered to celebrate the club’s premiership history.

In particular, the recent gala dinner was in honour of what the club is calling its Golden Era of 2010 to 2016, which includes seven senior premierships, three reserve premierships and four netball premierships. The footy boots and netball bibs were swapped for suits, ties and evening dresses for a fun night out.

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31

evolution

For artist Andre Sardone it’s all about seeing the potential beauty in scrap metal, as he busily prepares his steel artwork for an upcoming exhibition at Dudley House.

By Sue Turpie Andre Sardone has that great quality that all artists have; the ability to see the beauty in an object that is not normally considered beautiful.

For most, the pieces of metal and scraps that we come by on a job site or in a recycle bin are viewed simply as junk. But for Andre, he spends his hours taking these scraps of metal and turning them into interesting works of art that are so much more than the sum of their parts.

Andre, originally from Melbourne, is a plumber by trade, specialising in roofing for the past 20 years. Back in 2004, he started making art out of Colorbond, putting together pictures using cuttings from flat sheets. He had a few exhibitions in Melbourne in 2004, ‘05, and ‘06, and for five or six years was supervisor of a roofing company.

“It was doing really well,” Andre explains, “but then we went travelling around Australia on a bus with the kids and ended up in Bendigo. I’m back on the tools now.”

Back on the tools, yes, but also spending his spare time pursuing his passion for creativity.

“I’ve always been artistic; I’ve always been looking for something I can do and wanted to do this. It’s just about getting myself in a good position where I can earn money a few days a week and then (create art). I’m quite happy with my balance in my life at the moment.”

It was through chance and “just playing around with stuff” that led Andre to the artwork he is currently creating.

“I was experimenting and happened upon steel. I’m doing some big steel sculptures and can see all my experience coming into what I do now. ” 32

33

Andre’s work is very much like himself ... individual. His work is distinctively dominated by round or egg shapes, but he’s also branching out, inspired by a Bendigo fun house and putting together pieces that are interactive.

“Where it’s going is becoming my Confectionary Capers,” he explains, “and I’m just starting to get a bit of movement into things.”

Andre’s also found support from the community for his art, although there sometimes is a bit of ribbing from other blokes. But Andre takes it all in his stride.

“Where I’ve worked for the past seven or eight years, in an industrial yard in Golden Square, there is a business next door, Sandhurst Steel,” he says.

“Tony who owns that is such a wonderful man. They were throwing out buckets of small round pieces of steel — offcuts from plates for mining companies — and a lot of other stuff, like old teeth of an excavator … you can polish them up and change them. They’ve been great and saved me stuff. They even gave me that drill,” Andre says, pointing to the corner of his workshop.

“I also found a scrap yard in Lockwood and he lets me go in and have a look. I have access to some beautiful material and a lot of things that would be thrown out.”

Andre’s work will soon meet the public thanks to a grant from the City of Greater Bendigo, as one of six artists to use the gallery space at Dudley House.

“The grant was allocated in November, and that’s given me seven months to get everything ready,” Andre says, although he admits he’s a little nervous now that time is flying by. But he’s ready.

“Everything’s falling into place for me — it’s all been really positive. I don’t know where it’s all going and I don’t know where a lot of it comes from. Michael Leunig was here for a talk and he said that he just has this compulsion to create, and this is just something I want to do. This exhibition will be the first time I’ve shown any of this, so we’ll see what happens.

Andre’s exhibition Steel Evolution will be at Dudley House, View Street, Bendigo, June 16 to 25. Phone the Capital on 5434 6100 for details.

34

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belonging

With the support and love of her family, Mishel McMahon overcame many obstacles to complete her education and find her calling; helping other Indigenous students at La Trobe.

By Lauren Mitchell This year La Trobe alumna, Indigenous student services officer and Yorta Yorta woman, Mishel McMahon, welcomed nearly 70 Indigenous students to the Bendigo campus. It was almost double the number from 2016, and drastically more than when Mishel came to study social work 11 years ago. She welcomed them with a story, told through the grey haze of a traditional smoking ceremony.

“I spent my childhood with Dad and Mum in the bush,” she says. “I spent a lot of time by myself out there, too. Dad taught me a lot about the weather and the birds, and which ones would look after me ... Mum taught me about trees, that particular ones were part of my family, they cared for me. Bush and books were my childhood. Mum wasn’t allowed to read at home as a child, not allowed to be too smart. So her Grandma hid books for her in the chook pen to read. Mum grew up and become a librarian in the 1960s.

“When I came to La Trobe as a student, I was too afraid to walk from the car park to the cafeteria. I thought I looked different, I talked different, I thought I’d never fit into this place.

“Mum and my sisters were studying here too.

So Dad would sit next to Sweeney’s Café in the Student Union. He’d sit there because his girls were here. When we had a break he’d make us sit down and he’d get up and get us lunch, because we were studying and we had to rest.

“Dad, Mum and my sisters being on campus gave me a sense of belonging, love and family while I studied at La Trobe. For the students here now, that’s my aspiration. To give them a sense of belonging, of love and family. Because that’s what I had when I was a student.”

Mishel says prior to coming to La Trobe, her relationship with education was not an easy one. Primary and secondary school proved tough, and Mishel was diagnosed with behaviour problems and learning difficulties.

“I didn’t even go to classes with the other kids,” she says. “They made me sit in another room. So you learn to hate yourself at school. I hear a lot of Indigenous students say similar stuff. To say it’s traumatic doesn’t seem enough.”

Mishel persisted, finished school, had a family of her own and worked as a house maid, “before my sister pretended to be me and enrolled me at Bendigo TAFE in an aged care course”.

“It was during my placement for aged care that I realised I preferred to talk to people than do nursing,” she says.

The realisation led her to study social work at La Trobe. Fast forward 11 years and Mishel now holds a Bachelor of Social Work with Honours and is writing the final chapters of her PhD in Indigenous Childrearing Discourses. The topic arose after she worked on the Bendigo and District Aboriginal Co-op placement prevention

team, assisting families at risk of having their children removed.

“I worked between the Department of Human Services and the families,” Mishel says. “I found there was hardly any mutual understanding. It seemed the non-Aboriginal workers and the Aboriginal families attached different meanings to what they were saying.

My position was right there at the cultural interface. It was a full-on difficult job.”

Mishel hopes her PhD will inform social workers of Indigenous Australian childrearing principles, and help alleviate misunderstandings, for the benefit of children, families and community. In the meantime, she’s making a big difference to the experiences of Indigenous people on the Bendigo campus.

“I’ve had a couple of students this year with anxiety so high they can’t go to class.

University as a mainstream institution is terrifying. I say to them, come here, to the Jimbeyer Boondjhil Indigenous Centre, and we’ll take it from there.

“I tell them, when you feel you don’t belong, stand your ground. Own your degree, don’t let anything or anyone steal it off you. It can steal your degree, that feeling.”

Mishel said she’s found a deep personal fulfilment in a place she thought was once closed to her. “I get as much out of working here as I hope the students do. We’re a really tight-knit family. I‘m a very fortunate lady.”

37

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Sara's quest for a cure It was watching her sister battle cancer that set Sara, a former BSSC student, on a path to find chemical combinations to slow or stop the spread of tumours.

By Jennie Mellberg Sara Al-Rawi believes science’s greatest task is to develop treatments for cancer, and other conditions, that do not hurt the rest of the body.

Consequently, science students, especially regional students, can now more easily access cadaveric material — real tissue — rather than just using plastic models.

Born in Mosul, Iraq, Sara’s family left their hometown on one of the last buses out before Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait.

Sara’s father, an eminent scientist, took a professorship first in Yemen, then Libya, before bringing his family to Bendigo where he secured a position with La Trobe University.

In 2010, Sara travelled to the UK as her older sister had been diagnosed with cancer.

Alongside helping her sister’s family, Sara worked as an administrator. However, the impact of this prolonged encounter with cancer was immense.

“I celebrated my 14th birthday in Australia but I wasn’t fluent with English until Year 11,” Sara recalls. Despite this obstacle, Sara graduated from Bendigo Senior Secondary College in 2003 with a scholarship for Biomedical Science at RMIT. Aspirations about involvement in cancer research were barely on her radar.

“I imagined I would finish the degree and get a job as a lab assistant,” she says, “but in 2008 I completed a RMIT Honours project that looked at the effect of inserting gold nanoparticles into cancer cells that were then irradiated.

Essentially the gold ‘attracted’ the radiation and the other cells were not harmed.”

Honours completed, Sara joined a project with Dr Richard Guy setting up an ‘eAtlas’.

“You know,” she says emphatically, “cancer is a hideous monster and I will never forget hugging my little nephew, who was only three at the time, waiting to see if the last-chance treatment my sister was about to begin would work.”

Her sister achieved a remission few had dared to hope for, so in 2012 Sara returned to Australia and enrolled in a Master’s degree at La Trobe University, Bendigo.

has a fantastic advantage: treatments have virtually no side-effects.

Sara has stepped up to the challenges of a PhD. The focus, however, is not on cancer – well not directly. The technical term for Sara’s PhD is: ‘Investigation of the toxicity and metabolism of quinazoline analogues by CUP450 enzymes’. Confused? Sara explains it like this…

“Novel compounds can cause tumours or other abnormal cells to shrink or die back,” she said. “Whether it’s cancer or abnormallyfunctioning cardiac cells, the principle is the same or similar. Novel compounds might also treat often-fatal conditions such as Long QT syndrome, cardiomyopathy and SIDS.” As our conversation draws to a close I wonder about Sara’s future aspirations.

“Now my focus was novel compounds,” she says. “I was looking for new chemical combinations that would slow or stop the spread of solid tumours from one site to another.”

“A university lecturer,” she says without pausing — and then describes her delight in those moments when she has, “communicated with students and seen that look of puzzlement disappear from their faces”. And Sara’s heart is still set on participating in cancer research.

Novel compounds are molecules that deprive abnormal cells of essential nutrients or cause a radical reduction in their blood supply. It also

“Even if my work is only like a drop in the ocean, my sister’s cancer has made me realise how precious every minute is.”

39

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Open Day

Explore the possibilities

BSSC Open Day

Our ROLE is to empower learners for individual, community and global leadership.

We value Respect, Optimism, Learning and Environment.

Explore the possibilities Sunday 30 July 11 am - 2 pm Open Day is the perfect opportunity for prospective parents and students to see what BSSC has to offer.

Meet Learning and Engagement Coordinators and talk through options for student programs.

See the stunning Ulumbarra Theatre, dance studios, music rooms and the new state of the art kitchens for Hospitality and Food Studies.

See all the subjects that BSSC offers on display in the Ulumbarra Theatre foyer. Subject teachers will be there to offer individual advice.

BSSC offers the widest range of curriculum choices in Victoria, including a number of specialist programs, and flexible learning options, all designed to create an environment CONTAC T US that supports learners at all levels.

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proudly

thriving

For the director of Bendigo’s hugely successful writers festival, the good life begins at home.

By John Holton

“Wherever your dog is, that’s home …”

There might be some tongue in cheek to Rosemary Sorensen’s answer when I ask what ‘home’ means to her, but for the director of the Bendigo Writers Festival, there’s a certain honesty in our canine companions that sits perfectly with her understanding of home.

For me it’s been about getting to know the history – talking to the people. The Bendigo Writers Festival grew from that feeling.”

Sorensen’s childhood home was Adelaide, but she feels little nostalgia for the city of her birth.

“It’s about leaving your persona at the door,” she says. “When you’re out in the world you present the most useful version of yourself, whereas at home you’re totally unbuttoned.

“I looked up my childhood home on Google Earth recently and saw that it had been knocked down to make room for a McMansion,” she says. “Even my old school is gone, so it’s a very different place now.

“It’s also the place you go to process all your interactions with the world, so in that sense, home is a kind of processing plant for all our thoughts and ideas.”

“I still have strong and happy memories of my childhood, but no deep connection to the place. I’m not a sentimental character … more of a here and now person.”

Thoughts and ideas are important to the former journalist, who has been the driving force behind the Bendigo Writers Festival since its inception in 2012. There have been some big ideas tackled by the many hundreds of authors, songwriters, poets, journalists and other creatives who’ve contributed over the past five years, but for Sorensen the festival grew from a strong sense of place.

Life as a journo took Sorensen first to Melbourne, then Sydney and eventually Brisbane, at a time when the Arts were expanding and the city was on the cusp of something she describes as “pretty special”.

“We came to Bendigo from Brisbane to be closer to family, but the landscape around Bendigo, and then the city itself, felt like home very quickly,” she says. “We live on reclaimed farmland about 30 kilometres from town and we’ve planted hundreds of trees. I can stand and watch the grass parrots … it’s good for the soul.

“There’s a sense of familiarity that I feel in Bendigo. I think having a map of a place in your mind really cements that sense of home.

“I spent 15 years in Brisbane at a time of great possibility and excitement,” she says. “There was a palpable feeling of everyone being open to change, and success seemed to naturally follow. I think Bendigo is on the verge of that now.”

Architecture plays a big part in Sorensen’s sense of home, both aesthetically and socially.

From the old barns and farmhouses that dot the landscape around Bendigo, to the houses and public buildings that make up the city’s history, she is fascinated by the way we use spaces and interact within them.

“I see the signpost to the Great Stupa, or walk up to the entrance of the Ulumbarra Theatre

and think, ‘That’s a part of my home.’ It makes me incredibly proud.”

It’s with a similar sense of pride that Sorensen heads into her sixth Bendigo Writers Festival as director, but also gratitude for the way the city has supported what began as a something of a ‘build it and they will come’ idea.

“It’s hard for me to explain just how moving it is that Bendigo gave me the chance to do this,” she says. “When I came to Bendigo and said ‘This is what could happen here,’ people said yes, that’s huge.

“The city has moved with me on this and that’s why it’s been able to grow and succeed.”

Despite the success, when Sorensen describes how good the festival has become, there’s still a sense of touching wood.

“You’d think after six years, and at the point we’re at now, I’d be confident to say we’re doing it well,” she says with a laugh. “Every year we say, ‘How could we possibly better that?’ but then something happens that takes it to a whole other level.”

Festival regulars will no doubt agree. This year’s program includes an astonishing seven overseas guests, putting Bendigo on the international map, while the festival’s Outreach Program is introducing visitors to other parts of the region with sessions in Maryborough, Dunolly and Eaglehawk.

“The festival focuses on the ‘good life’,” Sorensen says. “When you live a good life, everything is more enjoyable, because you’re being thoughtful, ethical and kind.”

Now that sounds like a place to call home.

41

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La Trobe’s unique Aspire program recognises that leadership skills are critically important to well-rounded graduates. That’s why the program seeks students who are already community leaders.

supporting our students A needs-based funding scheme means schools can work to re-engage students, as well as offer a greater range of support services and alternative methods for learning.

By Lisa Chesters Most of us have fond memories of our school days. A favourite teacher, the fun of sports days, or the time you had the chance to play the lead in the school production.

mentor-focused approach is proving successful in ensuring that students, who may not finish VCE, get through the final few years of schooling or enter the workforce.

On particular days of the year, the Bendigo Aquatic Centre is invaded by armies of colour with school swim days. Even on Federal election days, our schools host the obligatory sausage sizzle and cake stall to raise funds.

I have been a long supporter of NETSchool, popping out to catch up with the students whenever I can. This place gives students back their hope, empowering them to a future they didn’t think possible.

In central Victoria, we have 86 schools, all of different sizes, shapes and varieties. The smallest school, Guilford Primary School, has nine students, while Bendigo Senior Secondary College at 1700 students is the largest provider of VCE and VCAL in the state.

Teagan Carboon, 18, has been in the program three years and said she never imagined she would be back in mainstream schooling and focusing on a career in social work.

We have Catholic, private and state schools, a Steiner school and several schools which support students who have left, or are at risk of dropping out of mainstream schooling.

“If I am having a bad day, or an issue, or I feel isolated, I know I can come to NETSchool and there’s people I can talk to, people I can rely upon. I know I can talk to any mentor and feel understood. It’s a safe, comfortable place for me.”

Mainstream schooling has its challenges and not all students thrive and learn. For some students, the school environment is traumatic.

Michael Trew, 16, started at NETSchool at the start of 2017 after years of struggling in mainstream schooling.

NETSchool offers programs for people aged 15 to 19 which support the transition back to mainstream school, an alternative educational placement that suits or a pathway into employment.

“This is a more inclusive place and I feel more comfortable here. The mentors are more than happy to help you whenever you need. I feel like I will achieve more here and I look forward to going to school every day now.”

The school’s intimate setting and strong

Michael, who dreams of becoming a

professional photographer, says it is vital the government continues to support educational programs like NETSchool. The success of NETSchool reflects the fact that mainstream school model is not for everyone.

The original Gonski needs-based funding scheme sought to address this by allowing schools to tailor their programs to meet their student’s needs. Across the electorate, we are seeing the original Gonski needs-based funding being used to facilitate programs that promote the wellbeing of students.

Along with my colleague, Shadow Minister for Education, Tanya Plibersek, I met with principals from the Bendigo electorate to find out more about these programs. It’s inspiring.

Most schools had hired speech pathologists and social workers; others had used it to upskill staff. All the principals say extra resources were leading to re-engagement of students at risk of falling outside of the system, an improvement in educational outcomes, and less frustrated students.

While funding alone cannot fix educational inequality, the examples from around the electorate show that the extra resources are having a significant impact in supporting students.

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why bendigo?

From country SA to London and back, Sam Harris and his family now call Bendigo home.

By Sue Turpie When Bendigo Magazine caught up with oncologist Dr Sam Harris, he and his wife Regina were busy painting the interior of their house. It was easy to see how comfortable the family is with its new life in central Victoria and the work Sam does at St John of God and Bendigo Hospital. Not that Bendigo is all that new to Sam. He and Regina spent six months here while Sam was completing his medical training, and the city made an impression. They moved during May of last year, and now live here with their five-year-old son, Eddie, and three-yearold daughter Anna.

Sam grew up in Yorketown in South Australia.

“It’s a tiny town with a population of about 700 people and my wife, Regina, is from Orange in New South Wales, so we’re both country kids originally,” he says.

It was lucky for Bendigo that Sam fell into oncology when he was working at a hospital in the UK some 10 years ago.

“I was inspired by the work I was doing and it made me think this is what I want to do for the rest of my career,” Sam says. “We went to university in the city, but I always had it in the back of my mind that we’d get back to the country or a regional centre. During my

training I was a medical registrar in Bendigo for four months, then when I started oncology advanced training, my first oncology job was working at Bendigo Hospital as the oncology registrar working for medical oncologists Dr Rob Blum and Dr Mark Warren.

“Regina came up to live with me for the six months I was here. She was doing her PhD, and wasn’t committed to being in Melbourne where we were living at the time.

“When you’re a junior doctor you do many country rotations, even from Bendigo they go up to Echuca and Swan Hill, but often your partner doesn’t go with you,” Sam says. “You’re there Monday to Friday and then go home at the weekend to be with the family. Because we had six months in Bendigo we wanted to approach it like this was our home for six months rather than thinking of it as a tour of duty in another place.

“We had a fantastic time. We really enjoyed the city and living here and always knew we’d be happy living in Bendigo. The work was brilliant, too. When we left after the six months I stayed in touch with the people I had worked with, and when I was getting toward the end of my training I met with Mark Warren in passing and asked if there were any jobs going. On the

Monday I got a phone call from Dr Rob Blum to talk about how to (get me here).”

Sam and his family moved to London for a couple of years where he did a Fellowship, while back in Bendigo a job was being put together for him, which he came back to last year.

Sam now spends one day a week working at St John of God with Rob .

“Rob and I set-up to go to St John of God to do a clinic-a-week together, and cover each other on the weekends,” he says. “We were well supported by St John of God administration because they were keen to get an oncology presence at the hospital. We started that in August of last year.

“There are a lot of patients who have had all their treatment at St John of God and are quite happy to stay there.”

For Sam, and his family, Bendigo combines both work that they are passionate about as well as a quality lifestyle.

“It’s a fantastic city to raise kids in and there are so many things around town that make our life easier and activities for the kids to do. And in a relatively short period of time we’ve made a really nice group of friends who all do things together. We feel we’re settling into the town.”

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style for hire A lifelong passion for clothes, and a few twists of fate, have led Tamera Grant to discover her dream job.

By Sue Turpie For Tamera, her stylish life is incredibly busy but she couldn’t be happier juggling fulltime work, being a mum to her one-year-old daughter, marriage and now a home business.

doesn’t make sense. Tamera is offering her clientele quality and stylish garments to wear for that special occasion and at a fraction of the cost.

Tamera’s venture, a dress hire business she aptly called Wear It Once, is steadily growing thanks to word-of-mouth and social media and has loyal clientele both in Bendigo and interstate. It came to be when Tamera was trying to decide what to do with some items of clothing of her own.

“There is so many people that don’t know you can hire dresses,” Tamera says. “Girls are telling me that they buy dresses and then never wear them again. And with social media, what you wear is plastered all over the place.

Often you don’t want to wear the same thing again.”

“I had all these really nice dresses, one was quite expensive,” she says. “I wasn’t sure whether to sell it or what, so I searched online and it popped up on a hire site in Melbourne.

Her range caters for people who are pregnant, or who can’t find stylish dresses in larger sizes. Tamera believes everyone has a right to look amazing regardless of size. She admits that since opening her business, she has come to see how hard women are on themselves and how they look especially since the average woman is size 14.

“I was talking with my friends about it and they suggested I started one myself. Long story short, I was on maternity leave and I had about nine or 10 dresses myself. I went out and got a heap of different sizes and set up a room at home with a change room, and launched Wear It Once. I dove in headfirst. I absolutely love it; if I could work and do it forever I would.”

Tamera has brought and sold clothes for long as she can remember. She did her work experience at Sussan and has always kept up with what’s happening in fashion. Her extensive wardrobe was a favourite among friends.

“I don’t know why but I’ve always loved fashion,” Tamera says. “Since I was a teenager my girlfriends would come over and borrow my clothes, probably because I was the one who kept wasting my money on them,” she laughs.

The concept has been welcomed by women of varying ages and sizes, and the reason why is obvious. Life changes, people change, styles change … spending a lot of money on one dress only to have it hang untouched in the cupboard for months or years afterwards 46

“I currently do up to size 16 but I’m hoping to go up to size 22. You can go into a boutique store and they only have up to a size 12 which is still smaller than average, and these women are made to feel big,” Tamera says.

When it comes to choosing garments, Tamera relies mainly on her own ideas but will also ask friends who have different tastes, to give their opinions.

“Manning Cartel is one of the designers that I stock and their stuff is just classic. One of their dresses I have was designed and released years ago. It’s still selling now.”

Other makes include Bec and Bridge, Acler Swindon and Thurley.

“I try and really have a range of stuff that’s in, which some women want, while others just want a dress. You don’t want to have to be always turning over all your stock, it’s about trying to find pieces I think will last.”

Visit wearitonce.com.au

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not simply black and white Much has happened in the past 50 years with the breadth of political correctness changing how we see the world and our behaviour in it.

By Geoff Hocking Last issue I wrote a story about Easter in Bendigo. Accompanying that story was a photograph of students from the old School of Mines dressed, both up and down; ready to follow the Tech float around the streets of Bendigo at the tail end of the parade.

It was three of those students squatting on the ground on the right side of that picture that caused some concern to at least one of our readers.

One of those students was myself; the others were Jon Hubbard and the late Neville Wilson.

The three of us had decided to enter the parade in the guise of Indigenous Australians and we each were holding a long spear. I am not sure whether it was our pretending to be Indigenous Australians that caused concern to our correspondent or the fact that we were carrying what did appear to be genuine Aboriginal artefacts.

If it was the former, I can only offer in our defence that it was more than 50 years ago and sensitivities about political correctness were not as they are today.

In truth, there is no way we would do the same today. Back then, certainly in Bendigo, our contact with Indigenous Australians was very limited indeed.

I remember the Jimmy Sharman boxing tent set up in Hargreaves Street during the Easter Fair and it was on the platform in front of the tent that I might well have seen an Aboriginal person for the first time.

I remember Pastor Doug Nicholls came to the Specimen Hill Methodist Church and he, either took the service, or maybe he gave a talk at a men’s tea and he was a very impressive personality.

My mother had a Methodist Mission collection box, always on the mantelpiece in the kitchen; this showed portraits of two Aboriginal people, a male on one side and a female on the other, and it was into this box that she would put a spare florin every now and again, which eventually was collected by the church and sent off to help the mission in its work.

This was the extent of my knowledge of the lives of Indigenous Australians, apart from a casual exposure in the media, in some Australian-made films and, more prominently, in the sporting arena.

We certainly were not mocking Indigenous Australians in our actions at the Bendigo Easter Fair of 1964, anymore than we were mocking the rest of the Australian population, politicians, media personalities and even poking fun at ourselves.

In fact, the spears we were holding we had ‘rescued’ from a collection once held by the museum collection of the old School of Mines. This quite extensive collection of stuffed native birds and animals, geological specimens, Aboriginal weapons and other artefacts had been removed from display and stored up in the roof above the upper floor of the School of Mines building in McCrae Street.

The powers that be had decided that the collection had become a fire hazard, probably correct in that assumption, and that it was to be removed. An opening was made in the roof and the collection was thrown through this opening to land on the footpath outside the building to be picked up — and dumped.

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We were told that under no circumstances were we to souvenir anything. Everything had to go.

Of course, few of us took any notice of this direction and we ratted through the ceiling securing what we could, and what could be hidden in our studios as we did it. The spears are from that collection. I could not tell you where they went after the Easter Parade but as students we were quite disturbed that everything was just to be disposed of with such little concern for its provenance or its cultural value.

That last line was written with hindsight and the sensitivities of the 21st century. In 1964 I would not have even known what provenance or cultural values were, all I knew was that it seems a waste to see items once regarded as educationally valuable — valuable enough to be kept in the collection of a place of higher learning — to be disposed of in such a cavalier fashion.

So we grabbed what we could and, later, ran through the streets of Bendigo at Easter clutching them.

It seemed like such good, harmless fun at the time.

So, to anyone who was offended by our photograph, and assumes that we were not being respectful, I would like to think now that was not the case. Fifty years ago we just didn’t know any different.

We were a product of our time, and thank heavens ‘the times they were a-changing’, and we have all changed along with them.

Sad thing is, those items would probably be treated with great respect today, but once history is gone it is lost forever. In many ways I think we have still have that lesson to learn.

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for more performances at ulumbarra theatre, the capital and the engine room.

Cameron Anderson and Billy Quirk

Esther McRae and Chris Tuohey

Eve Beedle and Lily Edsall-French

Jemma Lyons, Jack Sides and Amy Manderson

Jemma Lyons, Jack Sides and Amy Manderson

Renee Wilkes and Hailey Taylor

Art Lynch and Glenda and John Armstrong

Liam Lynch, Geoff Hocking and Sarah Boulton

Sarah Boulton

Christine Hocking and Lesley McKellar

Molly York, Megan May, Melinda Jarvis and Amy Kiraly

Ruth Norris and Pamela Oakley

BSE PULLS OUT THE PINK STUMPS Students and teachers at Bendigo South East College donned pink and enjoyed a teachers versus student cricket match to raise funds for the McGrath Foundation.

The friendly game may have resulted in a win for the teachers but the true winner was the comradery the school showed by getting behind this worthy cause. There were gold coin donations, face painting and food stalls as part of the day.

ARTISTS ON SHOW Two of central Victoria’s individual and creative spirits show off their talent at the Castlemaine State Festival.

Geoff Hocking and Sarah Boulton were on hand at the official opening of their respective art shows as part of the popular event. Their works lined the walls of the mess hall in the Old Castlemaine Jail for the festival, while some of Geoff’s Australiana art can still be seen at the jail in the governor’s residence.

For more information on the artists’ works visit www.geoffhocking.com or www.sarahboulton.com.au 50

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Until recently, Mum was still making meals for us shearing boys at the family farm. When she had a fall, I realised I couldn’t provide the care she needed and still run the farm, raise my family and work as a full time firie. My greatest fear was putting my fiercely-independent Mum in a nursing home. Thank heavens I discovered Freedom Aged Care. Today Mum enjoys the privacy of her own self-contained unit in a vibrant Freedom community. She’s making new friends, gets the nursing and personal care she needs - and wouldn’t you know it – she’s still making tucker for “us boys!”.

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51

cool knights There’s nothing like donning medieval garb and waving a sword to relieve the pressures of daily life as members of Bendigo’s Swordcraft crew explain.

By Sue Turpie Coming along to one of the Bendigo Swordcraft gatherings is like walking onto the set of the TV show Merlin. Great costumes, big swords, and lots of fun. The official website describes Swordcraft as “Australia’s largest live action role play and battle game”.

And that says it all, really. Simon Vincent is the president of the Bendigo chapter, which is fitting considering he founded the group some four years ago.

It starts with two teams at both end of the battleground. In this case, the soccer pitch at North Bendigo. There are cones on the ground indicating certain terrains and a marshall in a fluro vest overseeing the game.

The group is big on safety.

“I studied at university in Melbourne and I went to the chapter that was down there,” he says. “I moved to Bendigo to support my partner studying, so I opened the club because I couldn’t be bothered driving down to the city.”

“Each player has a number of hits they can take,” Simon explains, “determined by how protective their kit is. A knight would be more easily protected than an archer, with a knight wearing plate and an archer wearing leather.

Teams are based on historical themes. We have a Viking, an Oriental, a Landsknecht which are German mercenary soldiers, and a few other groups. We have a made-up fantasy world and we fight over territory in that world.

The group started with about five people turning up to each gathering. This increased thanks to an article in a local newspaper.

“We’ve been relatively strong and consistent ever since,” Simon says. “It’s a little bit of passion in history and little bit of stress release from work … it’s the nerd’s version of football.”

“We’re quite free when it comes to historical accuracy. We try to follow semi-accurately, but it’s up to everyone how far they want to go. The weekly get-together is basically stress release but every few months we have a camping event which is more role-play, and we build big wooden forts and siege each other because it’s more fun.”

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53

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“We advise people to come along and we loan them a sword for their first night because it’s easy and after a while we encourage people to take a shield because it’s easy. Then people can start generally buying their own weapons of choice.”

There aren’t as many women on the field though.

“The game generally discourages females just because of the combat side of it,” Simon says, “but it’s completely safe. A lot of the women we have are passionate about the game, and they’re very good. Because of the fake equipment, this game isn’t necessarily about strength, it’s generally more about speed – the faster you strike your opponent the more likely they are to die.”

Gabbi Hodge is one of the female Swordcraft chapter, who was apprehensive at first when she joined in with her husband Michah, but is now a devoted part of the team.

“I’ve been doing it for nearly a year. My husband and I are both big nerds and like sci fi and all of that stuff,” she laughs. “My husband and

his friends started going and at first I thought it would be ridiculous but now I really enjoy it. It’s more like a sport.

“My husband and I both use shields and long swords. Micah was quick to master it but it took me a little longer. But it’s like Michah said, when boys are little they’re always playing with sticks and hitting each other.”

With a bit of training at home, much to the delight of the couple’s children, Gabbi’s skills improved and she’s not afraid to get stuck in on the field.

“The next day I’ve got all these aches and bruises all over me. There’s a bit of strength, too, in holding the shield up and the chainmail I wear is about five or six kilos.

There is a minimum age limit of 16 years to take part in Swordcraft at the recreation reserve in Fenton Street, but anyone is welcome to come along on a Wednesday from 8pm and watch the action.

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Anthony Dempster and Gary Egan

Asher and Elly Irwin-Booth

Jazlin Fear, Bethany Dean and Audrey Savage

Malakai Sevudredre and Corey Wilson

Josh Lim and Ricky Welsh

Joui, David and Ava Labozzetta

WORLD-CLASS EASTER EVENT It is arguably the main event on the city’s calendar, and as anticipated as the Easter bunny himself.

Chinese dragons, local business floats, pipe bands, cultural groups … this year’s Bendigo Easter Festival had it all and more. There were heaps of side shows and activities, including the annual Golden Dragon Mile race, as well as the main procession which sees thousands line the streets of the Bendigo CBD to watch the famous event.

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CELEBRATIONS ABOUND AT BSDS

Jordan Gould, Dylan K, Bailey S and Bradley Barns

Meg Draper, Declan McFarlane, Sara Hunt and Rowan Cunning

Latara Pretty, Leisha Pretty and Lachlan Casey

Nicole Pieters, Angus Martin and Jesse Martin

Bendigo’s Special Developmental School marks milestone of providing quality care and education for a decade.

Staff, students, friends and family visited the school for the official presentation and celebrations in honour of BSDS’ 10th birthday. There was a tree planting ceremony, placement of a time capsule, and barbecue as part of the day. Students also treated guests to a performance by the school’s ukulele group and enjoyed showing off their circus skills.

education for art's sake

School drama classes provide a stage on which young performers can build a career in the arts, and Girton Grammar is ensuring its students have their time in the spotlight.

By Alex Fisher They say that where art happens, sophistication soon follows. Many Victorian towns have been put on the map thanks to a commune of financially poor, but creatively rich visual and performing artists, only for the G word — gentrification — to soon change the fabric of the place, for better or for worse depending on your world view.

a stage and unleash their creative expression.

The Bendigo Theatre Company is nearly 80 years old and its new offspring, Tribe, along with Nexus is attracting a healthy membership base of young local actors and singers, as are any number of small theatre groups in central Victoria from Castlemaine to Creswick and beyond.

With Bendigo undergoing somewhat of an arts renaissance, and with performing arts leading the charge, there are more opportunities than ever for amateurs and professionals to get on

It’s been floodgates open really, since the international premiere of Ned the Musical, featuring music and lyrics by local hero, Adam Lyons, was the jewel in Bendigo’s performing

58

arts crown, following the opening of the Ulumbarra Theatre in 2015.

School drama classes are often the breeding ground for successful young actors and singers and a little-known, but pertinent piece of the performing arts puzzle in Bendigo, was fitted into the picture in the mid-1990s, with the introduction at Girton Grammar School of a compulsory Year 8 production.

Having historically been an all-girls’ school and recognising the importance of getting

boys into the limelight, a decision was made to get young men to swap the sporting field for the stage, or even better, to embrace both.

Girton was undergoing a performing arts renaissance of its own.

In addition to the existing drama opportunities offered at the school, the compulsory Year 8 production featured an on-stage role for every student. Many boys then continued in the performing arts having had an irresistible taste of creating musical theatre and for many,

it truly changed the direction of their school and future life.

With so many Girton students, current and past, also involved in the local Bendigo theatre scene (including five students in Ned the Musical and numerous theatre technicians), Girton’s performing arts program fits like a hand in the glove of Bendigo.

Drama is a part of every student’s life at Girton from Prep up until Year 9 and the Year 8 compulsory production remains a much-

loved event. Beyond Year 9, students can choose specialised drama electives, including VCE Theatre Studies and VCE Drama. Every year are grand-scale theatre productions, performed at Bendigo’s Ulumbarra or Capital Theatre, alternating in the senior school each year between a musical and a straight drama piece, with the junior school performing a major and always magnificent, musical each year.

Head of Drama at Girton Grammar School, Nick Pease, says the school’s drama 59

productions and other public performances open many doors to professional arts careers for young people,” he says.

The students help decide the look and feel of the production and therefore, where and how the photo shoot might take place.

“Every year we have students go on to further study or paid work in the arts. We do our best to provide the students with a genuine experience of all elements of the industry, on stage and off.

“Over the past four years we have had shoots at the Maldon Railway station using vintage steam trains from the Victorian Goldfield Railways; the Oak Forest in Harcourt for our Into the Woods production; Fortuna Villa for Beauty and the Beast, which also featured a snow making machine and a Clydesdale horse; and the Shamrock Hotel here in Bendigo, which the students used to create a New York City jazz club vibe.

“Every student studies drama as part of the curriculum until at least Year 9 and we have an endless array of opportunities outside the classroom.”

One aspect of Girton Grammar productions that has taken on a life of its own is the publicity photo shoots that are staged each year to get the best possible shots for use in a range of promotional materials.

“In the senior school, we form a publicity team from our VCE Theatre Studies class.

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“These epic photo shoots are done over a weekend so the students and many staff members dedicate a weekend for a full dress publicity shoot.

“It is amazing how venues around town can be re-imagined to suit a production.

Recently, the junior school students came

idea of doing the shoot for Aladdin in the Ishka store in town and the photos amongst the rugs, lamps and trinkets came up beautifully.

“Jools for Jim hairdressing salon in Bendigo was perfect for our Year 8 Hairspray production.

“We are blessed with in-house graphic design and publicity expertise so we can work wonders with the photos that are taken.

“The reason the publicity is so important to the productions is that every show is run on a cost recovery basis. That means selling an extremely healthy number of tickets and programs to support the students’ creative ideas.

“Last year we were so thrilled that our unique and slightly dark take on Beauty and The Beast, with music performed by our school orchestra in the pit, was seen by so many people in the school and wider community.

“We have high hopes for this year’s production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, which will feature a live Jazz band on stage,” Mr Pease says.

The Girton production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream is set in a New York Jazz Club (with publicity photos taken at the Gold Dust Lounge) and Central Park (photos taken in Rosalind Park), with a live Jazz band on stage.

The glamorous and glitzy take on the play will feature outlandishly confusing love triangles taken from the original playwright. The storyline is delightfully far-fetched and has a distinct swagger of downtown cool.

Tickets for a Midsummer Night’s Dream are available via The Capital Theatre for performances on 20, 21 and 22 June, 2017.

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taste of the south It’s been years in the making, but two food and beer enthusiasts are living the dream, dishing up American-style chicken to patrons from both here and abroad.

By Sue Turpie

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You know you’re on a good thing when an ex-pat from the States compliments you on your Southern American cuisine.

Justin McPhail and business partner Nick Horgan have brought a taste of America to Bendigo with their new venture, Flight Bar and Bottleshop and the positive response has reinforced their belief that the city was ready for something a bit different.

After taking over the premises in Centreway Arcade, Justin and Nick gutted the shop and rebuilt it to their own specifications.

“This is something we’ve been working towards for the last two years. We opened as a chicken shop while we were waiting for our liquor licence to come through, and the response to that was awesome,” Justin says. “Then two months later when we got our licence, things just exploded.

“Everything sold is 100 per cent craft beer, independent beer. We want to also do smoked chicken but this space doesn’t allow for that so that’ll be down the track.”

It was more than two years ago Justin visited America, spending two months touring and tasting.

“I basically did the big food tour all the way down south, where food was basically smoked meats and southern fried chicken.

So I pretty much ate fried chicken from the right-hand side to the left-hand side of the country, and gained 10 kilos in the process,” Justin laughs.

“It was great to learn the different variety and styles of chicken that they’ve got because they all cook them differently, fry them differently and crumb them differently.

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Some use the free-standing fryers, while some really traditional fried chicken joints use cast iron pots still, like they did some hundred years ago. The best-tasting chicken came out of those cast iron pots.

“We’d been working on the recipe for a couple of years before we got here. I’d been playing around at home and at different restaurants. Eventually, about six months ago, I was really happy with what we were doing and we started doing a few pop-ups which lead to this.

“The menu itself is really simple; we offer three types of chicken — wings, tenders and thigh, which goes into the burgers — and basically you can choose your heat.

Everything comes out southern fried but you can add spices to it, from mild then running all the way up to Nashville which is traditionally known as the hottest chicken.”

The fat chicken requires 24 hours’ notice as the chicken is brined in chilli before being hot crumbed and given the Nashville-style finish … it’s a challenge for those who reckon they’re okay with ridiculously hot food.

“We’ve had people saying ‘It’s not that hot’ but with a big red face and tears and sweat on their forehead — I think it’s more of a pride thing to be honest,” Justin jokes.

“We’ve had in a few Americans who live in Bendigo. One came in who was from Austin.

They’re mostly southern Americans, and they come in and love it which is probably the biggest compliment.”

You can check out Flight on Facebook, and its selection of hot sauces are available to purchase, too.

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Ryan, Joel and Jesse

Cam and Taylah

Becky, Kodilee and Emily

Alesha and Bridget

Ben and Zach

Anna and Bailey

BENDIGO GETS ITS GROOVE ON Once again, the now iconic Groovin’ the Moo proved why it’s one of the most popular music festivals on our calendar.

Tickets to the annual music event sellout every year, and this year was no exception.The Bendigo Showgrounds was packed with the audience enjoying stellar performances by the likes of Amy Shark, Northeast Party House and the Wombats.

To keep an eye on next year’s festival visit www.gtm.net.au

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Come for the chicken.

Stay for the beer.

Belinda and Elie Assi, Kieren Henderson and Nicole Dellar

Ben and Shelley Dearaugo

GOOD FOOD KEEPS ON TRUCKIN’

Charles Walker, Will Sievers and Sarah Harvey

Sheridan Freer, Shania Bowers and Sarah Mewburn

David Jones, Meghan Rogers, Emily and Georgia Taylor

Emily Holmes, Hayley Abel and Jemma Smith

The Tom Flood Sports Centre was packed with patrons of all ages eager to sample all on offer at the Bendigo Food Truck Festival.

While the main attraction was the extensive range of cuisine on offer, with something to suit all tastes, there was a lot more to keep punters entertained. The weekend featured local entertainers, movies, stalls and a kids’ area for the young ones.

Cellar Door Open Daily 11am-5pm (except Good Friday) Taste and Purchase Current and OlderVintages | Boutique Accommodation Now Available 156 Forest Drive Marong,Victoria Australia | Phone: (03) 5435 2534 | Fax: (03) 5435 2548 | wine@sandhurstridge.com.au

hanging with the vines Under the ownership of Wes and Pamela, Mandurang Valley Winery has constantly evolved and grown in strength and reputation. But their goal has remained constant — to create the best drop ever.

By Sue Turpie It’s a picturesque set-up in the heart of the Mandurang Valley; vines stretching out amongst the undulating landscape, stonewalls, a family home and surrounding bushland. But behind the tranquillity lies a lot of hard work and dedication to the lifestyle that comes with being a successful winemaker. For Wes and Pamela Vine, they’re living the dream, and since planting the first vines in 1976 have established 68

their reputation as one of the region’s most successful producers of fine wine.

If running one vineyard isn’t enough work though, Wes and Pamela spend countless hours manufacturing wine for other vineyards throughout the region that don’t have their own processing equipment.

“We take it as grapes coming in through the front door and take care of it until it’s

wine going out again packaged in boxes,” Wes says. “It’s something I thought I always wanted to do because we were going to invest fairly heavily in equipment back in 2000 and to justify that we had to think about making wine for other customers.”

This means that not only do Wes and Pamela need to be aware of their own harvesting schedule, they also factor in the schedules of other vineyards and allow for

the time to prepare and manufacture other vintages as well. Given that this process is vital to a wine’s success means there is a lot of pressure on the couple this time of year.

“Our operation would be much more simple if we were only doing it for ourselves,” Wes laughs, “because we make nine different wines … that would be fairly easy. But when I think about how many wines we’ve got sitting here; each one is a separate batch,

you can’t just put everyone’s in.

conversations with them about their wine.”

“The grapes, of course, determine what style the wine is going to be. The wine is made in the vineyard in that sense, and then the owners have specific requirements like wanting to have more oak flavour which you can control. It’s interesting to see other vineyards and how they operate … that’s one reason why I’m enjoying it because you’re working with different people and having

It’s not a job for those who aren’t passionate about wine?

“That’s an understatement,” Wes jokes, “and sometimes passion gets in the way of common sense, but our main driving force is that each year is going to be better. You’re improving to create the best wine that’s ever been made.

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“The weather has very much controlled things for the past three or four years. When you look at last year, the 2016 vintage was the earliest vintage on record. Then this season has seen a totally different ripening period and with more rain at different times.

“When the grapes are picked does affect flavour, but it’s more about the weight of the wine. If you pick too early, you find the wine is light with not much body.

With the weather, we’re now looking at not necessarily sticking with the same varieties, such as the shiraz and cabernet.

You see a lot of Spanish varieties starting; we do Monastrell and Grenache and all the time assessing the situation to see what’s working, because the varieties we’ve had here for a long time are not necessarily suited to warmer conditions.”

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FUNCTIONS

BISTRO

A GREAT NEW LOOK BUT THAT OLD STYLE WARM BENDIGO WELCOME

DINING

BAR FRIENDLY STAFF

www.queensarms.com.au

Ph. 5443 3122 25 Russell St, Quarry Hill

new tricks

Winter is the time for citrus to fruit and chocolate to be eaten... and a great chance to match both of these flavours with beer.

By Justin McPhail DAINTON FAMILY BREWERY – DOUBLE RED Who makes it? Dan Dainton is the man. His brewery was recently built in Carrum Downs. Previously known as a ‘gypsy’ brewery, Dan used existing brewing set-ups to create his hop-driven ales and lagers. Now with his own brewery to play with, a number of seasonals and re-jigs of existing lines are being created.

What is it? An Imperial version of the Red Eye Rye — a rye malt-based hoppy red ale. This version ups the anti with a bigger malt bill (meaning more booze) and double the amount of hops thrown in. The result is a warm, spicy caramel flavour that ends with big bitterness and a fair dose of pine on the nose.

Try with: praline. The blend of caramelised sugars and toasted nuts works well with the roasted malt and sweetness in the beer.

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BALTER – ALT BROWN ALE Who makes it? Award-winning brewer Scott Hargrave is at the helm (ex Stone & Wood), and is making some damn fine booze.

One of the owners is the guy that punched a shark, Mick Fanning, along with legendary surfers Joel Parkinson, Josh Kerr and Bede Durbidge.

What is it? Altbier is a Germanic-style brown ale that is generally treated like a lager, but fermented at warmer temperatures before cold storage for clarity.

This version is one of very few in the Australian market and stands out amongst a crowd of dark ales, porters and stouts as it is still crisp and refreshing, not cloying.

Try with: whisky. Boilermakers are a thing. A toasty, nutty ale would go well with another local classic — Starward Single Malt Whisky.

SIERRA NEVADA – SIDECAR ORANGE PALE ALE

BREWDOG – SELF ASSEMBLY POPE

Who makes it? Sierra Nevada Brewing Company in Chico, California. Godfathers of the American Brewing Scene.

Who makes it? Scotland’s largest craft brewery, Brewdog.

Known for its punk attitude and Punk IPA, with a tradition of re-inventing classic styles with new and exciting ingredients.

What is it? An orange infused version of their classic Pale Ale. Adding orange zest into the boil and during fermentation brings all the citrus perfume to the fore. It’s hard to make a great tasting citrus beer that doesn’t smell like a household cleaning product, so Sierra have done this Orange Pale Ale justice.

Refreshing and innovative, like the original Pale Ale was 30 years ago.

Try with: Orange Cake? You could also have it with bacon and eggs in the morning to replace your OJ.

Expect to see a lot more Brewdog Down Under. In the coming years it will be building a brewery in Australia, and establishing its brand of bars across the States also.

What is it? A coconut, cocoa and vanilla porter. It’s a combination you may be familiar with as a Bounty chocolate bar. Coconut on the nose, chocolate and vanilla flavours with a dry cacao bitterness at the end. Smooth.

Try with: Bounty. A match made in heaven.

All beers featured are now available at Flight Bar Bendigo.

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Belinda, Kate and Rebekah Duncan

Chelsey Sanders and Karen McNaughton

Ellenor Gambonai and Ruby Lee Chapman

Tarnika and Challyla Aggett and Paige Tate

Kimberley Hobden and Xavier Guthrie

George Flack

EAGLEHAWK GETS FESTIVE Once again the annual Dahlia and Arts Festival was a huge success for Eaglehawk, with thousands visiting the borough to enjoy 10 days of activities.

This year the theme for the major procession was ‘Carnivale’, with floats and parade entrants going all out to make the event a colourful spectacle for the crowds.

made fresh EVERY ORDER, EVERY TIME

HOME DELIVERY NOW AVAIL ABLE $12.90 LUNCH DEAL - REGUL AR BURGER, CHIPS & SOFT DRINK 47-49 view st, bendigo | (03) 5441 2918 | www.borismurgers.com.au 

Darren Rogers and Briana Cowan

David Treloar and Andy Hicks

HISTORIC BATHS RESTORED

Ian Read, Damien Tuohey and Rod Leets

Josh Banks and Kurt Ross

Thanks to the new owner of the Fortuna Villa, the historic property’s Roman Baths have been restored to their former glory after 85 years.

To mark the occasion, guests were treated to drinks at Fortuna, the former residence of Bendigo’s Quartz King, George Lansell.

Lisa and Paul Banks

Neil and Kaye Wellington

For more information on the property, including upcoming events, visit www.fortuna-villa.com.au

WINE. FOOD. FUNCTIONS, WEDDINGS & CONFERENCES Visit our Cellar Door and Gallery. You can relax and enjoy wine tasting in air conditioned comfort or relax outdoors in the gardens.

“AN EXCELLENT WINERY, PRODUCING WINES OF HIGH TO VERY HIGH QUALITY” JAMES HALLIDAY Open at weekends, at other times by appointment - (03) 5439 5367 - 77 Faderson’s Lane, Mandurang - (9km South - East of Bendigo, Off Tannery Lane)

winter warmer

Using seasonal ingredients, this potato and fennel gratin is the perfect dish to come home to after a cold day out.

By Beau Cook Former MasterChef contestant, Beau Cook, has chosen a French-inspired dish as his meal of choice for the cooler months.

With the drop in temperature and shorter days, we turn to rich and hearty dishes to enjoy either with family and friends, or in quiet solitude in front of the heater ... or log fire, if you’re lucky.

Beau has chosen a dish that enjoys the subtle flavours of garlic, onion and fennel, while the rich and creamy sauce is sure to satisfy the heartiest of appetites. Gratin originated in French cuisine, being a dish baked with a topping of seasoned breadcrumbs, but beyond that it is open to interpretation in anyone’s kitchen.

So heat-up the oven, gather up some fresh winter produce, and enjoy creating this creamy sensation in the kitchen.

POTATO & FENNEL GRATIN • 3 medium-sized Dutch cream potatoes • ½ a red onion, sliced • 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped • ½ bulb fennel, sliced • 1 tsp lemon juice • 200ml thickened cream • 2 cups grated cheddar cheese • Salt and pepper • Olive oil CRUMB • 2 thick slices sour dough bread cut into chunks • Zest ½ a lemon • ½ clove of garlic • Pinch of salt and pepper • ½ cup of grated cheddar cheese • Sprig of thyme • Handful fresh parsley, roughly chopped

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Preheat oven to 180˚C. Place potatoes into a pot of cold salted water and bring to the boil over a medium to high heat. Boil until potatoes are 2/3 of the way cooked then drain and set aside to cool. When cool, slice into about 3mm-thick slices.

For the crumb, in a food processor blitz together the bread, lemon zest, garlic, and salt and pepper until a coarse crumb is formed, then add in the cheese and parsley and blitz again until combined.

Slice the fennel and toss with lemon juice, then sauté onion, fennel and garlic together in a pan over medium

heat with a tablespoon of olive oil. Cook until softened and set aside.

LAYERING In a medium-sized baking dish lightly coat the base with some cream, then place in a layer of potato, a sprinkle of salt and pepper, 1/3 of the cheese, half of the onion and fennel mix and a generous drizzle of cream. Repeat this layering once more then cap the dish with a layer of potato, reaming cream and cheese, and finally the crumb mix.

Lightly drizzle some olive oil over the crumb and bake for 30 minutes or until the crumb is golden and crunchy.

Serve with a fresh garden salad.

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home sweet home

When the temperature drops all we want to do is stay indoors by the fire, so here are some homemade trinkets and wares that will make your abode even more stylish, individual and enjoyable.

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Foxy toy handmade by Sonia Brit $48 | Indigo Garden Fine Art Print (A3) by Meander Designs $70 | View Street Journal by Gail Tavener $25 | Gail Tavener cards on linen card $6 each | Jaimie Orr ‘Love Birds’ original drawing on wood $100 | Jaimie Orr card on linen card $6 each (bird with top hat) | Bolton Court, Bendigo Art Gallery Giclée Print by Dale Harris $29.95 | Crocheted Foxy tea cosy made with Bendigo Woollen Mills pure wool $48 + extra $10 teapot | It’s only a short walk latte mug by Sonia Brit and Bendigo pottery $25 | Former Bendigo Fire Station Greeting Card by Dale Harris $6.95 | Silver Princess 100% Linen Tea Towel by Meander Designs $26.95 | Hand made crochet collar $40 | Jaimie Orr brooch, hand drawn on wood $48 One off hand made timber/resin necklaces by Sonia Brit $49 | Rainy day series print on linen by Sonia Brit $38 79

Tahnee &

Daniel

Fortuna Villa, itself an iconic and individual location, was the ideal choice for the wedding of this unique couple.

Photography by Niki Photography From the romantic proposal, to the dress and to the wedding itself; everything has been a reflection of the individual personalities of Tahnee Dunlop and Daniel Carr.

They moved to New Zealand for post grad studies together and then travelled extensively together again for months of travel before finding their current apartment off the internet on a train in Sweden in 2013.

The couple currently live in Northcote in Melbourne, however Tahnee’s parents live in Bendigo so it was here where they decided to have their wedding.

In March of 2016 they were on holiday in Japan together in Hakone, a beautiful hot springs town filled with magical lakes, rivers and forests.

And they chose the city’s most iconic residence as their ideal location.

waterfall and rapids, which was the perfect location for Daniel to ask Tahnee a really important question.

“Fortuna Villa is beautiful and it was super fun to have our ceremony, photos and reception all in one place,” the couple says.

Tahnee, an emergency medical doctor, and Daniel, a computer programmer, met through friends in Fitzroy North back in January 2010.

Tahnee had just moved into a share house two weeks earlier.

Daniel had returned from India and through his friend Bonnie he ended up sleeping on the couch in Tahnee’s brand new sharehouse for a week.

After that Daniel went back to New Zealand to start Uni and not long after Tahnee also had to go to New Zealand for a work thing so they met up in Christchurch and travelled around a bit.

And things suddenly really took off from there.

After Tahnee returned to Australia they did the long distance thing between meeting up in random airports.

They also travelled around Vietnam for three weeks.

They had a wonderful hotel room with a magnificent view of the

Tahnee did not see this proposal coming so it was a beautiful surprise when Daniel asked her to marry him and clearly she said yes.

When it came to planning their wedding, all Tahnee and Daniel wanted was a fun party to celebrate with family and friends. It was their devoted friends who the couple turned to for inspiration for putting the big day together.

They did the flowers themselves, with a shout out to Aunt Topsy and Patricia Helyer, and their friends Kirsty Hustwick and Marina Elliott make the wedding cake “Lisa Banks and Mynette at Fortuna Villa were amazingly helpful and had heaps of contacts,” Tahnee says.

The bride looked gorgeous in a unique white gown she uncovered at the bridal gown op shop in Strathdale, along with pearls from a market in Istanbul, and was walked down the isle by her father Hugo Dunlop.

When Daniel finished his degree he moved back to Australia in November and they officially moved in together to the very same sharehouse they met in but with Daniel well and truly off the couch this time around.

“Between us we have three brothers, I have Lorne and Noah, Daniel has his brother Peter,” Tahnee says.

From the moment they met they knew it was something special. There were movie dates and picnics on the Merri Creek.

“Daniel’s mother Yvonne Smith did a beautiful reading in our ceremony and each of our fathers did a great speech.”

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“The three of them were our MCs and helped keep the day running smoothly. It was an excellent choice to recruit our siblings.

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Allan & Nicole

A ‘fairy’ dressmaker altered Nicole’s dream gown in time for her relaxed and fun wedding day with Allan Underwood.

Photography by Leah Ladson Newlyweds Nicole Robins and Allan Underwood look back on their wedding day with much fondness and love. Their aim was to have a day that reflected who they are; chilled, relaxed and fun. Of course, it was everything they dreamed it would be.

For Allan, it was a traditional beginning, asking Nicole’s parents permission for her hand in marriage. For Nicole it was a sleepy proposal, with Allen waking her up one morning to pop the question.

“After my immediate confusion and frustration from being woken up subsided, it dawned on me that Al was serious,” Nicole says, and yes was the answer.

With Allan working as a business banking manager for the NAB and Nicole being a senior call consultant with Bendigo Bank, they work for the opposition in their careers, but worked together perfectly to plan their wedding.

“We tried to focus on things that would make both of us happy, and relaxed,” the happy couple says. “We are both mates with Linc, the owner of Gallery Café, and have known him from previous lives, so it helped make everything easy and smooth when preparing for the big day. We’re both good mates with Matt Giri, our muso too, which also made things easy. We knew we wanted the day to be cruisy, chilled, and fun — so that was our main focus. When we met photographer Leah Ladson, the three of us just clicked, so that also helped with the whole vibe on the day.”

Nicole, being the typical bride, turned to Pinterest to look for her wedding dress.

“I fell in love with this design and found a stockest in Oz, being Brides 82

on Collins, so naturally I had to see it first-hand,” Nicole says. “As soon as it was on, the tears flowed and all the family girls loved it.”

Things didn’t quite go to plan from there though.

“Having the gown altered caused more stress than expected as the shop changed hands once the dress was picked up, and there was no longer a seamstress available,” Nicole recalls. “Thanks to Larissa Gawthrop though, the most amazing dressmaker in the world, the dress turned out better than ever imagined.”

The couple made most of the decorations, while the ‘something borrowed’ was the arbor that Linc had made for his wedding. “It was oh, so much fun to move,” they laugh.

The most memorable moment of the day for Allan was seeing Nicole step out of the car, and stand at the bottom of the aisle with a massive smile on her face. For Nicole, it was when Allan ran down the aisle to walk her up it.

“As we didn’t have a bridal party, we tried to include our friends as best as possible.

Our mums were the witnesses for the signing, which was a massive surprise as neither of them had any idea it was going to happen. Joel Harrison was the MC, and he and Jason Twitt both lead the speaches, and kicked things off with a lot of laughs.”

Both fathers also took their turns saying a few words.

And for those planning their big day?

“No matter what, remember that this is your day, so do what you want to do, and have fun. And the day flies by, so make it memorable.”

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Emma Woodman, Karen McGowan and Lucy Rodda

Jess Cornford and Ryley Dickens

Jessica Grinter, Jenny Stone and Maddison Grinter

Jill Wilkie, Teleah Hayes and Sarah Byrne

Lachlan Carr, Ned Buckell and Leigh Browell

Whitney Eadon and Hannah Jordan

STEPPING OUT FOR CHARITY There was a stream of pink weaving throughout the Strathdale bush parkland and around Kennington Reservoir on Mother’s Day. However, locals weren’t alarmed as it was the crowds of runners and walkers taking part in the annual Mother’s Day Classic. The event raises funds for breast cancer research projects. Those taking part also wore tribute cards in memory of loved ones or offering encouragement to those undergoing treatment.

breakfast | lunch | events located in the very heart of the arts precinct, overlooking rosalind park, the gallery cafe is bendigo’s best kept secret. let our #cafewithadifference cater for any of your function/event needs, or simply pop in to enjoy a coffee, cocktail, glass of wine + creative café menu. open tues - fri 10am-5pm | sat - sunday 8.30am-5pm (evenings by appointment) see you there. linc + ben.

42 View Street, Bendigo | (03) 5441 8896 | bendigogallerycafe.com.au

Corina Reid and Kerry Anderson

Eliza Lanyon and Shannon Floody

FUN TIMES FACING THE FACTS

Emily Styles, Chelsey Pawsey, Clare Casey and Cathryn Smith

Jorja Panozzo, Georgie Stephens Rache Mahon and Yonah Evelyn

Maddy Clugston and Kiralee Reid

Madi and Ann Kenny

Three of Bendigo’s skin, make-up and hair experts came together to help participants Face the Facts at the Visual Art Centre.

Bendigo Skin Care Clinic owner Clare Casey, Wax Gallery owner Rachel Mahon, and Renik Hair owner Jeremy James collaborated to show participants how clinic and salon results are achieved and how to maintain the look at home. It was a fun affair of presentations and demonstrations by the three experts.

"I now have a beautiful home that I absolutely love. I could not recommend them more highly."

“During 2016 I became a proud first home owner of a beautiful Todd Newman Builders home. I entered this experience excited and nervous being a young first home buyer. From selecting building plans, through to the final handover, I was guided by experienced professionals who made the entire process easy and stress free. No request was too much or question too silly. I was consulted and included throughout the entire building process.

Staff, trades and design consultants went above and beyond to deliver me an exceptional home. I thank the entire team at Todd Newman Builders for all their dedication and hard work.”

Todd Newman, Emily Ellis and Kate Newman

EMILY ELLIS 1st Home Builder

SET PL ANS STARTING AT $205,000 RESIDENTIAL PROJECTS | COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS | FACILITY MAINTENANCE | RENOVATIONS | EXTENSIONS

Ph: 0417 508 153 www.toddnewmanbuilders.com.au |

DID YOU KNOW? Bendigo Health is currently recruiting midwives in our brand new world class facility. Each year our maternity services welcome more than 1,300 babies.

“

“

DON’T TAKE OUR WORD FOR IT

Women’s and Children’s Services in the new Bendigo

Hospital is an amazing place to work. Each day we get the joy of welcoming new babies into the world and

working with amazing families from across the region.

There are many opportunities and a supportive team

environment combined with a great work-life balance.

MONIQUE DA FONTE

Registered Midwife

www.bendigohealth.org.au/careers

Ravenswood Estate Past the reworkings of the Calder Highway stands a fine example of period architecture, designed by Vahland and a noteworthy chapter from the region’s goldrush history.

By Geoff Hocking The old Calder Highway, which overlooks the valley in which historic Ravenswood Estate has stood for more than 100 years, is undergoing some major changes.

What was once a meandering track for diggers who took the quickest, but not necessarily the easiest, route onto the Bendigo goldfields from Sawpit Gully, Elphinstone, has become a fastmoving four-lane highway where the turn-off to Mildura and all things north, meets the road to Big Hill and on into Bendigo.

It is this junction, just above the charming valley through which the Campaspe River has carved its path, that is the site of extensive works. Hillsides are being removed, the land is being scraped and cut, carved and carted away. Trees that have stood there since before the days when Major Mitchell was the first to cross this land in 1836, have been cut down.

When Mitchell crossed the landscape in the foothills of Mount Alexander he remarked on the depth of the lush and verdant grassland, the broad-limbed grand old eucalypts that dotted the open pasture and the richness of the granitic soils. He named it ‘Australia Felix’ upon his return to Sydney. His report encouraged scores of pastoralists to follow his ‘Major’s Line’ to establish themselves on large holdings which ran from the Murray to the bay.

Once settlement was formerly established, in what was then still known as the southern part of the Colony of New South Wales, free settlers ventured out from Port Phillip over the range that separated Mitchell’s ‘Australia Felix’ from the open country around the bay, taking up extensive pastoral runs wherever they could.

It was in a creek, at what is now known as Specimen Gully, half-way between Harcourt and Castlemaine, that shepherds employed on doctor-turned-squatter Barker’s Run found the first gold on what became the Mount Alexander diggings. Soon after this find gold was discovered near another shepherd’s hut in the creek that runs

through today’s Golden Square. He was nicknamed ‘Bendigo’ after William Abednego ‘Bold Bendigo’ Thompson, the most famous British pugilist of the period. Once the Bendigo discovery was broadcast thousands of gold-seekers tramped out from Port Phillip along the road to Mount Alexander and onto the Bendigo diggings.

When the rush to gold began there was almost nothing in either Bendigo, Ravenswood or Castlemaine. The only buildings were rudimentary farm homesteads, crudely built shepherd’s huts on the boundaries of the runs, and a few shanties, which served as wayside stops for those who tramped the tracks from the bay to the farms.

When Ravenswood was first established, Richard Grice, one of the early owners, wrote to his family in England stating: “We live in a hut made of slabs, between every inch a person might put their fingers, and would be considered good enough for cow-house in England.”

He added we “live on dairying, mutton and tea three times a day — the only change is to roast, boil or fry …”

Ravenswood was already an established working farm when gold was struck and made a good trade supplying mutton to the thousands of hungry gold-seekers who turned the valleys, almost instantly, from pleasant pasture into a turmoil of swirling mud, yawning shafts, sprawling campsites, sly grog shops and the constant tramp of thousands of determined diggers.

No doubt the farmers at Ravenswood Estate watched as a continuous line of men — and women and children — pushed their way along the track to Bendigo that ran just above his homestead.

A large number of gold-seekers took the road towards Happy Jack and onto Bendigo diggings via Lockwood rather than tackle the long climb over Big Hill. Others tramped across the Ravenswood estate itself attempting to gain advantage via the shorter route over the range that borders Ravenswood today.

As the rush to gold intensified the days of the squatter drew to 87

an end. The wide open sheep-runs were simply taken over, and largely ruined by the digging fraternity, yet grand homesteads such as Ravenswood Estate remained, even though their holdings were greatly diminished. Fortunately for Ravenswood a pre-emptive right to the home-block had been secured and the homestead could be constructed with confidence.

Built in the 1850s for pastoralist Frederick Fenton, from a design by Bendigo’s favourite architect W.C. Vahland, Ravenswood Homestead is a humble abode by comparison to those built by other pastoralists of the Victorian era — Chirnside at Werribee or Rupertswood at Sunbury. However, it remains one of the significant buildings of its period and rivals Lansell’s Fortuna for the elegance of its architecture, the beauty of its formal gardens and for the important part it has played as host, to among other visitors HRH Prince Alfred, when on his tour of the goldfields in 1853, and the Victorian Legislature which, at times, met at Ravenswood while the new Parliament was under construction in Melbourne.

The homestead also served as a staging post for Cobb & Co. coaches before the coming of the railway in the 1860s. After then a station, platform and loading bays were built just over the creek, which served the farmers of the region and also brought picnic parties down from Bendigo right up until the 1960s.

As a family home Ravenswood is most impressive. A tall building of two storeys, it is built of triple brick walls with substantial locally cut granite footings that extend five metres into the ground. This provides for a commodious cellar easily accessed via a set of granite steps located between the house itself and the kitchens.

The brickwork is unusually tuck pointed on the face of both floors, and the walls feature some unusual brickwork where a decorative course has been laid with the points of the bricks facing out, achieving a zigzag pattern around the building. A similar effect can be seen on a house in nearby Maldon, but is quite rare, as it would have taken a good eye and considerable skill to achieve such a consistent line across such a large surface as the façade of Ravenswood.

A long serpentine drive across almost untouched farmland brings the visitor to the house. It is gradually revealed beyond a formal hedge, but the garden itself is not overbearingly formal in its design. It has a human scale, looking more like the garden planted out for the pleasure of its owners rather than as a showpiece to impress. It looks like the garden you would plant and work in yourself if you had good taste, good ideas and more than 100 years to achieve them.

The forecourt is crushed stone, which makes a lovely crunching sound as you drive in. The house is entered through a large brick portico that is swathed by a vigorous Wisteria. The entrance hall is

large and features a substantial cedar sideboard. A simple staircase leads to the family’s living quarters upstairs. Two reception rooms flank the entrance and a large dining hall is off to the right; its windows look out over the farm beyond. Period furniture enhances each room.

This house was constructed for practicality. Its floors are timbered, walls are plastered, but do not bear the over-fussy decorative details that are the feature of most Victorian homes of this scale. Ceilings in some rooms are pressed tin. A servants’ stair leads to the cellar below but is separated from the house, ensuring that the servants were not to be seen in the house itself unless required. Servants’ quarters are accessed across a covered way and are connected to the large kitchen that still houses an original large cast-iron range with a traditional baker’s oven tucked into the wall beside the stove.

The servants’ rooms have been fully restored and offered today as accommodation to guests. Each room looks out onto the farm where sheep can be seen grazing, countless native birds jostle for position in the large gums or peck at the ground and kangaroos lay dozing in the sun. Each room has modern facilities, are well heated for those cold winter nights and the beds are, while traditional in style, comfortable in reality.

With 23 bedrooms and 18 bathrooms able to accommodate up to 48 guests, there is no shortage of room at Ravenswood Homestead.

A common room is accessible to all and offers all that one would expect in modern entertainments: comfortable lounge chairs, books and magazines, open fire, television and computer facilities.

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The original farmers of Ravenswood It is generally accepted that the English farmer Charles Sherratt was the first occupant of Mount Alexander North (Ravenswood Run).

However, Cumberland farmer Richard Grice, who was also in the district in the mid-1840s looking for land, may have been the first. He had taken up a run which stretched from Mount Alexander to the Loddon River which included the run later known as Loddon Plains.

It was possibly after Grice and his men were victims of an attack in April 1841 that Grice handed over the run to Sherratt. Sherratt moved to the Western District two years later and Grice and his partner Benjamin Heape resumed occupancy. They stayed until 1848 when it was transferred to brothers Robert and Stewart Gibson. Owing to his declining health Robert withdrew and Frederick Fenton joined Stewart.

It was Fenton who set about building the current homestead.

sold to Sandhurst doctor, Harry Leigh Atkinson, and Ravenswood remained with the Atkinson family for the ensuing 70 years.

After Henry Atkinson’s death, Ravenswood was left to his daughters: Miss Helen Atkinson and Mrs Ede Nicholaus.

They kept the property until 1961 when it was broken up and the 8,800-acre homestead block was purchased by Chapman and farmed from 1962 to 1974.

Just like the Chirnside Estate on the Werribee Plains a great portion of the Ravenswood Estate was also secured for Soldier Settlement after World War II. For these large estates, first diminished with the need to house families once the rush to gold had faded, after the war’s returning men also needed land on which to fashion a future. The days of the squatter were well and truly over.

Bendigo Secondary School teachers Edmund and Erika Beilharz lived at Ravenswood for the next two decades until they sold to Art van Dyke (formerly of Bendigo’s Copper Pot Restaurant) in 1994. He developed the homestead into a popular bed and breakfast and reception venue. He sold the Frederick Fenton remaining 14-hectare (35 acre) property in 2014 and In 1869 Fenton sold off to Scotsman, Robert Moffatt, built a new home at North Harcourt, which has been who had several runs across northern Victoria and was featured on Grand Designs Australia. Erika now lives in one of the wealthiest squatters of his day. her own smaller home on a section of the property that was By 1874, after the run-licence was cancelled, Moffatt’s estate was once part of the original farm.

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Current owners Corey and Grace Scoble are adding to van Dyke’s original concept of providing a Victorian goldfields-era experience with all the modern amenities. At the time of writing, Corey and Grace, having worked long and hard on the house and updating the servants’ quarters for overnight stays, are renovating the old stables and are in the middle of creating what they expect will become the place to go for a Friday night with friends, a lazy bite and a beverage on a Saturday afternoon or a relaxing Sunday lunch at any time of the year. The outdoor dining area will be a great place to linger when the kitchen and bar are open for business later in 2017.

Wedding parties, or any gathering at all, will be well catered for in the rustic building which will be able to seat in excess of 150 guests. Already wedding parties favour the old stables for photographs; the greying timbers, broad gumtrees and weathered walls make an ideal setting for a classic album shot.

The old overseer’s hut adjacent to the stables has been completely renovated and now serves as the ‘Bridal Suite’.

A large eco-friendly Portuguese charcoal oven, one of only two in Victoria, is being installed in the new stables kitchen and promises to be both a drawcard and a unique dining experience.

In keeping with their commitment to supporting the producers of the Bendigo region only local wines brews will be served. Fresh water comes from their own spring and sheep do not travel very far from ‘paddock to plate’.

After 150 years, over which the Ravenswood Homestead has witnessed both prosperity and decline, its future today looks assured. When Henry Atkinson was in residence he was at the centre of social and cultural life in Bendigo and district. It can be predicted that once the dedicated slip-road finally reconnects Ravenswood with the outside world this legacy will live on.

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BENDIGO

…lifestyle by design T H E H A M P S H I R E D I S P L AY N O W O P E N

SAM O’CONNOR FOR JM HOMES BENDIGO. YOUR BENDIGO AND SURROUNDINGS CUSTOM BUILDER.

“WE BUILD HOMES TO REFLECT YOUR LIFESTYLE AND STAND THE TEST OF TIME”

WWW.JMHOMESBENDIGO.COM.AU VISIT US AT IMAGINE ESTATE DISPLAY VILLAGE | 3 WALLAROO AVENUE STRATHFIELDSAYE

Justin carr

landscape constructions

design, supply & install 0411143 097 - justin-carr@hotmail.com

cream brick with a twist

A love of the 1950s and the desire to create something new from something old resulted in this unique renovation project in the heart of Bendigo.

By Sue Turpie Behind the unassuming, cream-brick facade of this Carpenter Street property is a bold and innovative renovation, pushing the boundaries of what one might expect in an historic pocket of town, yet staying completely in keeping with the character of its owner.

Lucas Hodgens of e+architecture says the goal was for the building to stay as true to its 1958-self at the front. “We always joked about the builders boarding going up out the front and construction going for nine months, that when the boarding came down everyone would be waiting to see what was there and it looks exactly the same,� he says.

The home was purchased in 2000 and used as a rental property, however its owner, Amanda, always planned to do something with it. After discussion with Lucas they decided to keep the house rather than pull it all down and start from scratch. The result is an eclectic

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and unique marriage between mid-century and now. The design also came from conversations between Amanda and Lucas about how Amanda sees herself living. She’s a self-professed ‘50s girl, even down to the clothesline; a metal Hills hoist which every child of a Baby Boomer will remember swinging on when they were growing up.

“People restore heritage houses and the inclination can be that it’s a 1950s cream brick let’s pull it down,” she says. “But it was solidly built and Lucas was fantastic. I really like Robin Boyd, the architect from the ‘50s. He has a house in Kew called the Bridge and that was the brief that I gave Lucas.”

It’s hard not to draw breath when you enter the home, taking in the meticulous interior and vast glass windows which offer an uninterrupted view across the adjoining suburbs.

A bedroom and laundry were taken off the original home, to make way for the addition of two wings coming off the main living area, between which are stairs leading down to the

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garden, garage, and inground pool.

“The original concept was rather than just trying to put an extension on the back of the house and blocking the view and natural light, but keeping all those wonderful things it had going for it,” Lucas says. “We came up with a concept of putting outdoor space where the extension would normally go and putting the extension off to the sides. It was all about connecting to the outside because we’re so elevated here.”

To one side is an enclosed bridge, which makes an ideal study nook, leading to the master bedroom and ensuite, while to the other side is a galley-style kitchen. The end of the two wings are connected to a balcony.

Looking at the house from the rear, it looks like it’s a floating box.

The interior decor is predominantly white, with metallic accessories, grey trimmings, and wooden floorboards. This allows the quality of the build to speak for itself.

“We wanted to keep the palatte of materials really simple and that’s why we’ve taken that

timber line through the kitchen to tie in the zoning of the spaces of kitchen and living.

“It’s probably unusual to see a master bedroom so prominent onto a public balcony space, but this is the operation of the house.”

Amanda, the owner of the house, is especially proud of the bathroom tiles that are distinctly retro in pattern yet the monochromatic tones give them a very ‘today’ feel. There is also a clever touch of colour in the kitchen with mustard tiles used for the splashback.

The louvre windows used for both wings suit the era of the house and as they’re the only window type, when they’re open you get 100 per cent opening – they allow good crossventilation, Lucas says.

The same attention to detail in the interior design of the property was paid to the outside.

There is a tree planted in the middle, between the two wings of the house and circled by the staircase, that when grown will add to the canopy of the balcony.

“It was about trying to connect back down to

those spaces so you didn’t just have an abrupt finish of the house,” Lucas explains. “What we wanted to effectively do is to make the journey down to the pool one of the features of the house.

“We’ve left as much of the old house intact as possible. The idea with the old red, blue clinker brick outside was because being an old cream brick house, the base under the floor was clinker bricks and above the floor was the cream brick.

“We’ve put a spin on that and because these are the outdoor spaces we’ve drawn that base of clinker bricks up in through the house, and again that’s the analogy of trying to connect the upper levels with the downstairs.”

When the sun shines through the bricks, it leaves a pattern of sunlight through the house.

“The other cladding is fibre cement sheet, which is also traditional material used on a post-war house so we’ve tried to keep everything in the family but put a modern twist on it. I really can’t see myself doing another house like this one again,” he says.

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new chapter for chapel Jayden Donaldson spoke with Shaun, one of three brothers who took on a piece of Bendigo’s history when they brought and redeveloped an empty shell in the former St Aidan’s Orphanage.

By Jayden Donaldson - McKean McGegor Real Estate Photography by Nathan Clarke – Top Snap Central Victoria What attracted you to purchasing an empty shell? What part of the orphanage did you buy?

Originally I came to take a look at one of the empty shells with a mate who was looking at purchasing one. I wasn’t really looking, in fact my brother and I were waiting to get a building permit through on another project we had invested in. Ironically, I came along with a mate for a look and was blown away with how much character the shells had.

I walked away thinking that if I wasn’t already committed to another project, I would buy one in a heartbeat. In the week that followed we suffered some massive setbacks with the other project. This started me thinking that maybe we could fit-out one of these empty shells in the interim. So I called the agent and asked to go back for a second inspection. After going through the same shell he mentioned 97

that the “Chapel’” was about to go back on the market and asked if I would like to take a look. Out of sheer curiosity I went along to view the Chapel.

issues, we were able to sign-off on a plan that we were happy with.

The minute I saw it I knew I would be crazy not to put in an offer. The space was incredible, even as a derelict shell I could see its potential as an amazing open plan industrial style apartment. So after extensive negotiations both on price and with my brothers to get in on the investment we bought it!

Initially we thought that the property’s age and heritage listing would create huge challenges however as our plans involved minimal structural changes with a few additional walls here and there this wasn’t the case. There were a couple of minor requirements we had to adhere to, they were:

Who was involved in the development?

• a pressed metal ceiling had to be reinstated throughout the apartment;

My brothers Tom, Liam and I did the majority of the work ourselves. One of the things that attracted us to the Chapel other than its character, was the fact that the layout didn’t need to be changed much at all.

Who designed the apartment?

We designed the layout ourselves and had the plans drafted. We loved the open-plan “chapel room” and didn’t want to change this space too much. As with any retrofit renovation it is always tricky to get the best positioning of services. In this construction it was more difficult due to the positioning of the plumbing in the ceiling of the apartment below. This was probably the most challenging part of the planning and design phase.

After seeking lots of advice from experienced plumbers and some of the other residents who had overcome similar 98

What hurdles did you face given the property’s age and heritage listing?

• we either had to restore the existing stain glass windows or glaze around them to seal them off from the weather.

In the end these are both things we were really happy that we were required to do, as they have become key design features of the apartment and complement all other work that we did.

How long did the project take?

We set-out to do this project in a year and we successfully completed it just under 12 months. The initial stages of planning and obtaining our building permit took a little longer than expected, but with plenty of late nights and working almost every weekend for eight months we were able to make up for lost time. It was already designed as a three bedrooms and one bathroom apartment. I knew that this would save us a lot of time and money in the

construction phase as it didn’t require a lot of engineering work.

How did you go budget wise?

from the outset and stuck to it. Changing things typically costs money — this is an expensive trap that a lot of people fall into.

Going into this project we knew our budget was going to be tight. As always there were unforeseen costs, and before we knew it the budget was blowing out. In the end however this just meant that we had to roll-up our sleeves and do the majority of the work ourselves.

What was the most challenging thing during the development?

Luckily Liam is a carpenter and was able to do a lot of the work that we would have had to employ a builder to do. This was what allowed us to finish the project on budget.

Since finishing and talking with some of the other owners, it has really made me appreciate how fortunate we were to be able to stick to both our budget and projected timeline.

• first two layers of soundproof insulation between our ceiling joist, then two layers of fireproof plaster needed to be hung and stopped up;

While it would have been nice to employ a few more trades just to lighten our own workload, we realise now that it has all been worth it.

• we then had to fix a layer of MDF sheeting to the drop ceiling for our pressed metal to be fixed to; and

Did the design or plan change over the course of the build?

No, and I think that this was another reason that we were able to stay on track with our budget as we had a workable plan in place

There were many challenges during the project however I’d have to say installing our new pressed metal ceiling was the most challenging part of the whole development.

This included the following steps:

• next we installed a drop ceiling to run our services through (such as electrical and fire alarm) along with another layer of soundproof insulation;

• finally we had to hang the cornicing and paint it all.

The other major challenge was working the whole project around everyone’s full-time work schedules; resulting in no social life for the best part of a year.

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For further information on holding your wedding at The Grounds of the Ravenswood Homestead, please contact Grace Cowling on 0400 606 127 or via email grace@thegroundsravenswood.com.au

green city living Landscaper Justin Carr uses a mix of herbs, plants and succulents as well as contrasting materials to create two lush balcony gardens for this inner-city apartment.

By Sue Turpie The address of this Bendigo apartment may be at the corner of one of the city’s busiest intersections, but its owners have managed to create a sleek and modern private home that is relaxing, refreshing and perfectly suited to their lifestyle.

Standing on the balcony off the open-plan kitchen, dining and lounge area, the view stretches across the city, taking in the tree tops of Rosalind Park as well as the city’s eclectic range of period and modern architecture.

The welcoming exterior of this centrallylocated haven is thanks to landscaper Justin Carr who was given the task of designing and creating gardens on the apartment’s two balconies.

The balcony that is accessed via the master and second bathroom, faces north and provides a more private space.

The couple who reside here have the option of closing the exterior doors and enjoying the indoors, or opening up the space creating one large living area comprising both inside and outside.

Justin says the brief was to have a garden that provided things that could be used in the kitchen, as well as something that was easy to maintain but impressive to look at.

The design of these areas proves that you can combine the joy of having a green thumb with the lifestyle that comes with living in the CBD. It was essential the design of the main courtyard catered for entertaining, complete with barbecue and seating, while the secluded courtyard has a more personal feel perhaps being tucked away in the more private part of the home. “(The private) courtyard garden is more seasoned with vegetables and strawberries

and things like that,” Justin says. “It’s one of those gardens that you just keep rotating, also with an evergreen theme, and we’ve used magnolias that give you that nice large flower and the scent also wafts into the bedrooms, and buxus is one of those plants that gives you a very structured linear theme which suits the lines of the building.

“The main balcony is more a feature so we created an evergreen theme with rosemary and bay trees around near the barbecue area, and plants that are low maintenance were used in the trays to give some colour. The succulents don’t need much looking after but still give you that softening effect.

“The stone bar top means you have the benefit of not only just being able to sit but work on your laptop or read the paper, and it gives you more room for entertaining as well.”

Out of all things to be considered, for Justin the climate was near the top of the list.

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“The biggest challenge here is having things that will live and look great under Bendigo’s extreme weather, because this is a hot courtyard,” he says. “But we’ve managed to put plants and flora in that are hardy and will look good all year round and won’t need the looking after. There’s a citrus tree that’s fruiting and it gives you fragrance and blossoms but will withstand those hot northerly winds.”

Between the building itself and the addition of planter boxes and furniture, there is an eyecatching mix of materials and colour, as well as geometric and natural features.

In a nice twist, Justin chose to use corten steel for the large boxes.

“The corten steel gives a really warm, natural feel and rather than using timber,” Justin 102

says. “Traditionally they built ships out of it, so it’s a steel that gets to a point that it bleeds off and then it stops rusting. It enables you to put plants in it without waterproofing and membrane materials. You also don’t get all the staining and discolouration you do from other products.”

Their rust colouring provides warmth against the grey tones in the established exterior of the building, he says. The containers were custom made to suit the space and are portable so there is the possibility to redesign the area, not that there is a need too — it’s hard to imagine the layout of these two balconies being any different.

“It’s getting that sense that when you walk out onto the space it’s a true garden, rather than just another balcony.”

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new look at cataract surgery

By Dr Farokh Irani MBBS (melb), Dip Anat, FRANZCO – ophthalmic surgeon – Eye Surgeons Bendigo Cataracts are very common, and so, at our practice a new approach to surgery has been devised.

At Eye Surgeons Bendigo, we employ a painless, no-stress technique. It’s same day, walk-in walk-out surgery.

No general anaesthetic is employed and I do not use needles around the eye; hence there is no risk of damage to the eyeball, eye muscles or large blood vessels. Blood thinning medications are not ceased beforehand and no suture is placed in the eye at the surgery conclusion.

Unique to our technique, no cover or patch is ever worn over the eye and vision is immediately restored. Also, there are no restrictions so everything from walking, exercise, gardening, recreational activities, reading and television and the like can be started immediately.

There are only a handful of very skilled, highly regarded cataract surgeons in Australia using this technique.

So, what are Cataracts?

Nearly every aging eye will develop some form of opacity in the normally crystal clear lens inside the eyeball. This is situated behind the pupil. When the opacity attains a certain density or cloudiness, visual symptoms ensue. These could be as benign as needing a frequent change of glasses. Initially, by doing this, vision is restored back to before.

Gradually however, even glasses will not correct the lost vision. Manifestations of this include: difficulty seeing fine print, reading street signs, or enjoying clarity on television; glare; problems with night driving; noticing drab colours; and diminished brightness. As the cataracts worsen, the vision drops and in advanced cataracts there is near total loss of sight.

Cataract surgery is the only remedy for this.

It has success in removing the clouds and restoring improved quality vision, colour and brightness. The other attractive benefit is that often spectacles may only be required just for reading, or, not at all. In fact, we do an

increasing number of cases just to rid the use of spectacles entirely, whether there is cataract or not.

The cloudy lens (cataract) is removed through a micro incision as small as 2.2mm. An artificial lens (intraocular lens implant) is then put into the eye, in the same place as where the cataract was. This artificial lens is specific to each eye. It has a special power and often is toric in design so all astigmatism is eliminated. The eye can be left focused for distance, near, or both. This prosthetic lens stays inside the eye forever and will never degrade. It needs no maintenance or replacement.

Integral to success is a thorough eye examination, accurate ocular measurements, a full brief on expected outcomes, and experience in the selection of the correct lens implant. Thereafter, surgery by a highly experienced and skilled surgeon will ensure the best result.

For more information visit our website www.eyebendigo.com.au

FOCUSSED ON EXCELLENCE Our aim is to provide the highest quality eye care.

Achieving the best visual and clinical outcome.

Delivering an excellent service that is respectful, compassionate, professional and friendly.

WE ARE EXPERTS AT • Cataract surgery • Surgery to eliminate glasses Diseases of the Eye • Macular degeneration injections • Diabetic eye disease and other retinal problems • Laser to rid eye floaters • Glaucoma

Principal Eye Surgeon Dr F. B Irani has over 21 years experience treating eye diseases and performing eye surgery.

Ph: (03) 5442 8322 (Bendigo Day Surgery) Suite 1, 1 Chum St, Bendigo

www.eyebendigo.com.au

Tahlia Campbell, Jenny Dobbin and Lisa Campbell

Ruth Slavin and Carolin Munday

MUM’S THE WORD ON FUNDRAISER Rachel Mason, Lauren Andrews, Olivia Wells and Emma Nielsen

Pamela Nihill, Helen Comer and Mary O’Brien

Sandra Campbell and Ellen Gammon

Paul Gray and Kellie Martin

It was all bubbles, fun and friendship, when the Otis Foundation hosted its annual Mother’s Day fundraiser at Fortuna Villa.

This year’s event was hosted by 2013 Miss Universe Australia Olivia Wells.

Thanks to another amazing turnout, the Otis Foundation raised thousands of dollars to go towards providing retreat accommodation for those dealing with the challenges of breast cancer.

More than a hospital St John of God Bendigo Hospital is a contemporary private hospital providing health care services for people in Bendigo and surrounding areas.

DAY ONCOLOGY UNIT | BARIATRIC SURGERY | CARDIAC SERVICES | DAY SURGERY | MATERNITY | SLEEP SERVICES VASCULAR SURGERY | ALLIED HEALTH | HYDROTHERAPY | PET THERAPY | ALLIED HEALTH | REHABILITATION | ORTHOPAEDIC SURGERY GENERAL SURGERY | GYNAECOLOGICAL SURGERY | UROLOGY | EAR NOSE AND THROAT SURGERY | MAXILLOFACIAL SURGERY

133-145 Lily Street, Bendigo T. 03 5434 3434 | E. info.bendigo@sjog.org.au www.sjog.or.au/bendigo

BACK ROW: Sam Cook, Steven Hoiles, Tim Arnold, John Rodgers and Ted Aldridge MIDDLE ROW: Alan Ellis, Ian Connaughton, Rick Townsend (President) and Paul Byrne FRONT ROW: Colin Rice, Colin Tully and Trevor Wright 106

kicking goals With 125 years of football to look back on, South Bendigo Football Netball Club also has its sights set firmly on building a healthy club future.

By Sue Turpie Aussie Rules has long been a proud part of our culture with the local footy ground as much a part of the community as the primary school or post office. Next year will see the South Bendigo Football Netball Club celebrate its 125th anniversary, and for president Rick Townsend the club is all about community.

The milestone makes ‘the Bloods’ one of the region’s oldest clubs.

“There’s a lot of history at South, we’ve won 24 premierships and most of the time been up near the top of the ladder or been in the finals,” Rick says. However, for a while the club seemed to have lost its way, but with some hard work and going back to grassroots things are really looking up for this historic establishment.

“For the past three years we’ve had a bit of a downer; 2014 was the first year the club got the wooden spoon,” Rick says. “The club was struggling for numbers and the under 18s, reserves and seniors were all on or near the bottom of the ladder which hadn’t happened before. That was about the time this administration came in to start picking things up, but it was always going to be a slow process over four or five years.

people. We now have a club chaplain, we bring in presenters to talk about respect and responsibility, alcohol, drugs and suicide. We see it as part of our role to look after our own.

If you get all that right, then everything else takes care of itself on the field.

“Got a fantastic group of volunteers and we want to look after them and make sure they’re not burnt out. Every Saturday, a couple of past players come and work the barbecue, which is good and they have a great day catching up with their old mates.

“There’s a past players’ committee that’s got together and different past players from different decades just wanting to get back involved in the club which is great, and there’s some real legends and characters, Colin Tully (Collingwood) and Colin Rice (Geelong) who played AFL footy and played in Bendigo in the 60s and 70s, they’re coming back and getting involved in the club,” Rick says.

“I barracked for South Bendigo when I was a kid, and the guys from the 1974 premiership team were just idols to me, and when we had a premiership reunion a couple of years ago, having these guys come back was just gold.”

South Bendigo club to move permanently to the Harry Trott Oval in Kennington. It will be a few years before all the work is complete but Rick says the club is already looking forward to moving out of the city centre.

“We need to get into a suburban environment, to get into a community,” he says. “We’re finding that our supporter base is getting thin because of the location… it makes sense because the Harry Trott area is South Bendigo, so we currently play three home games there a year until we fully move when the full upgrade is complete.

“Once (the full upgrade) is done it’ll be a great complex, a great suburban ground, and a real home for us. We see that as our future sustainability. We’re keen to engage with the people of those suburbs – Kennington and Strathdale – to get on board with South and engage with the schools so we have a pathway of juniors coming through the club. It’s about setting a foundation for future success.”

Along with preparations for next year’s 125th anniversary celebrations, it looks as if South Bendigo can be as proud of its future as it is of its past.

Work is already underway for the

“Our focus is on the current playing group and bringing kids through the club. That’s improved now which is great as we’re seeing the young players up in the seniors, coming up through the junior ranks. There’s also a lot of stability. We have focused on growing within and doing it responsibly.”

The other focus for the club is its culture, and making the club a place where people want to be, he says.

“What we’ve seen big time over the past 12 months is the club is a place where people enjoy themselves,” Rick explains. “We see ourselves as a community.

We have a responsibility. It’s about our job as a club to build better

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monkey see monkey do There is so much we can do at home to feed the developing minds of children with healthy habits when it comes to exercising and nutrition.

By Arj Perera - Head Coach - The Human Mechanics Ever get the feeling you’re being watched?

You know what I mean — you’re at home in the kitchen and you head to the pantry and reach for the lamington and suddenly that sixth sense pricks up and you feel eyes on you.

Unfortunately for parents, this is a constant problem and you always have to keep your wits about you when you’re trying to secretly scoff down something you probably shouldn’t be.

This is where it begins though, as the small, sponge-like minds of our kids kick into full gear and they are absorbing every single piece of information thrown at them by the big wide world and yes, by you, their parents. It’s a pretty amazing time for them really. All these new experiences, tastes, smells, activities and yet, amongst all these fantastic things there’s those little lessons we tend to not pay too much attention to which then carry the most effect at the end of the day.

We all saw those ads on television a few years ago — the flashback to the weekend barbecue, the dads standing around the grill doing what dads do best and getting the snags and burgers cooked to perfection and the mums prepping the rest of the meal in the kitchen. Amongst all the busy preparation and socialising the dad yells out to his young son 108

to go and grab him another beer when clearly he’s had a few already. Flash forward and it’s now the son’s turn as he’s turned into a father and husband and lo and behold, he’s doing exactly the same thing to his son.

Now, I’m not saying all parents do this or set bad examples, however the message is pretty clear cut here — monkey see, monkey do. To relate this back to a health and fitness angle, it’s imperative that in these formative years of your child’s development you are doing your utmost to teach them proper habits surrounding food and exercise. Yes — even if you’re not the most active person in the world, you still have a responsibility to try. I could harp on about the latest obesity figures here for kids and adolescents but I’d really like you to read on and realise I’m not writing this standing on a soap box.

How can you make it easy to teach kids healthy habits? How can you make sure that they are getting the right information, a balanced diet geared for their high daily outputs and how can you get them out and exercising all within your own busy schedule? Like most things – it begins at home.

Where possible, try and include your kids in some of the food-related activities at home.

Doing the weekly shop for example, getting them to help you plan the menu for the week and trying different food groups as they develop their own favourites for meals. Then there’s the meal preparation. Now with hot water, stoves and ovens around proceed with care here especially when they are smaller, but they can still be involved even if they aren’t handling any of the equipment. Reading the recipe to you as you prepare the meal, now there’s their reader homework done. Weighing food where required and sampling different vegetables raw to see what they taste like before being combined in the dish.

Then after the meals are done, getting outside and doing some of the weekend jobs together.

Tending to the garden, walking the dogs, or just getting out and doing a quick lap of the block after dinner and letting everyone talk about their day to the family. A great way to bond and finish off a delicious family meal.

So you can see that teaching kids about being healthier, making smarter food choices without going overboard into the realm of cutting out food groups and a little exercise can be easily and gradually built into the daily routine of any family. You’ve just got to get these little monkeys into the swing of it.

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Create your next print project! graphic design ❘ offset ❘ digital ❘ large format ❘ signage 20-22 Deborah Street, Bendigo VIC 3550 ❘ 5441 6600

Create your next print project! graphic design ❘ offset ❘ digital ❘ large format ❘ signage 20-22 Deborah Street, Bendigo VIC 3550 ❘ 5441 6600

kettlebells

Once used to weigh farm produce in 18th century Russia, kettlebells are now lifted as a competitive sport, and one Bendigo gym is proving to be an international powerhouse.

By Raelee Tuckerman

Coach Don Grant takes everyday Central Victorians and builds them into worldbeating athletes, whose feats raising heavy cast-iron balls rank right up with the best.

No better example is Bendigo grandmotherof-two Maxine, who at 62 declares she is far fitter and stronger today than she was 40 years ago, thanks to her training regime.

addictive.”

Nine members of his Rock Hard Training gym represented Australia at the world kettlebell marathon championships in Denmark, bringing home nine medals, including seven gold, and four world records (Melanie Harris, Jen Fletcher, Hayley Lethlean and Maxine Smith).

She is also now a world champion and record holder, lifting the 12kg kettlebell a staggering 712 times during her hour-long marathon competition.

“We trained really hard in the lead-up, because you have to reach a certain standard to qualify for worlds, so to be able to pull off my best result on the day was pretty special.”

“It’s truly amazing,” says Don, beaming like a proud father. “Mums and dads who are not athletes come in here and the next thing, they are the best in Australia and the world.”

“I didn’t start training at the gym until I was 58 and have only been doing kettlebells for the last three years,” she says. “I had broken my arm badly and was determined not to be defined by my injury, so I used the kettlebells as a tool to help get my strength and confidence back.

“Once you start, they become quite

Maxine has competed twice at the Australian titles, but Denmark was her international debut.

Kettlebell sport involves repeatedly raising one or two heavyweights overhead as many times as possible over a set period — traditional (10 minutes), half-marathon (30 minutes) or full marathon (an hour). Lifting styles include the snatch, jerk, and long cycle.

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Don explains kettlebells originated on Russian farms more than 300 years ago for measuring produce, where one “pood” weight equalled 16kg.

“I wanted to learn how to use the kettlebells properly, so I engaged five-time world champion Sergei Rudnev, who was coach of the Russian national team, to teach me.

“Over the years, with the cold winter nights and a bit of vodka, I guess the farmers started challenging each other and seeing how many times they could lift them overhead.

“I contacted him over the internet and started doing coaching with him online, then did a course when he came out to Melbourne. My gym is based on the Russian template.”

“They were in Russian gyms around the turn of the century and then, after World War II, the Soviet Government passed legislation around rebuilding a strong nation and kettlebell lifting, called ‘girevoy’, became their national sport.”

Almost 20 of Don’s personal training clients compete regularly in kettlebell competitions, through organisations like Girevoy Sport Australia Association, the International Kettlebell Sport and Fitness Academy, and the International Kettlebell Marathon Federation.

Western nations began embracing kettlebells as a fitness tool for strength, performance and endurance in the mid1990s and they have become more popular in recent years.

“Lifting is a fantastic life skill, because we lift many things every day,” says Don, who also won gold on the world stage by completing 994 repetitions with a 20kg kettlebell in an hour.

“But it has to be done correctly — this is a very safe sport but it’s important the trainer knows what they are talking about to avoid incorrect technique, which can cause injury.

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Athletes from his East Bendigo gym range in age from teenagers to veterans in their 70s.

The youngest is 14-year-old Georgia Welsh, from Calivil, who was introduced to kettlebells by a teacher who trains with Don and runs lunchtime lifting at East Loddon P-12 School.

(It’s worth noting the teacher, Hayley Lethlean, is herself a world champion.)

“I started when I was 12, after Mrs Lethlean suggested I go to one of her sessions,” Georgia recalls. “I went to have a look and

thought it might help me with my asthma, and I have loved it ever since. It really is a fun sport.

“The kids at school think what I do is pretty awesome and we’ve had a few more join the lunch classes since I’ve been overseas.

“It was definitely cool to compete with the team and such an amazing feeling putting on my Australian uniform for the first time.”

Georgia claimed bronze in her junior division half-marathon in Denmark, with 327 reps of the 12kg weight over 30 minutes of continuous lifting and lowering.

Many of the Bendigo kettlebell crew enjoyed success at the recent Arnold Classic Australia meet in Melbourne and are now eyeing the 2017 world titles in Italy at the end of November.

Despite his team’s incredible achievements, Don is not motivated by competition or results.

“At the end of the day, it’s not really about the sport for me – it’s about movement. And kettlebells are the perfect tool for helping others become fit, healthy and strong for life.”

For more details, contact Don Grant at Rock Hard Training in East Bendigo on 0432 440 646.

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