Bendigo Magazine - Issue 73 - Summer 2023/2024

ISSUE 73 | SUMMER 2023/2024 bendigomagazine.com.au

EARTH

& clay

MUDBRICK MASTERPIECE IN AXE CREEK

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

CLOAK & SHIELD INSIDE OUR FIRST NATIONS GALLERY

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Positioned in a quiet bushland setting, discover a place of tree-lined boulevards and native flora and fauna, where majestic parks meet with thriving wetlands, and all are just a stones throw from every home. Whether you are looking for a large home site for luxury family living or a low maintenance allotment, Viewpoint has been designed to cater for your lifestyle.

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VICTORIA’S GOLDFIELDS: CHINESE CURIOSITIES FROM HERITAGE VICTORIA CURRENT UNTIL 10 NOVEMBER 2024 This collaborative exhibition between Golden Dragon Museum and Heritage Victoria shows small vignettes of the Chinese presence across Victoria from the mid-1800s into the 20th century.

MUSEUM, TEMPLE & GARDEN OPEN EVERY DAY DURING VICTORIAN SCHOOL HOLIDAYS Ph: (03) 5441 5044 | www.goldendragonmuseum.org

MANAGING EDITOR Dustin Schilling

dear reader, It’s hard not to get nostalgic at this time of year. And so please forgive us for basking in days of old, in time-honoured traditions and labours of love.

For this issue is brimming with all three.

Meet the custodians of the lost trades, the historians preserving the past, and one sentimental homeowner living in tune with the land and its seasons out in scenic Axe Creek.

Then again, there’s always the new year and it’s just around the corner.

Fill your to-do list with our pick of the top events for summer, the best wines to sample, the latest recipe to trial, and the local businesses to engage with in 2024.

Enjoy our latest issue, with all best wishes for a safe and peaceful season with friends and family, however you choose to spend it in our beautiful city of Bendigo.

FROM THE TEAM

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PHOTOGRAPHERS Leon Schoots, Kate Monotti, AJ Taylor, Daniel Soncin, Bryanna Colliver and Tyler O’Keefe WRITERS Dianne Dempsey, Geoff Hocking, Lauren Mitchell and Raelee Tuckerman CONTRIBUTORS Beau Cook, Stephanie Dunne Lisa Rundell and Sara Harte 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.

UNIQUELY BENDIGO GIFTS AND SOUVENIRS Looking for a perfect Bendigo memento for yourself or a loved one?

Browse our great Uniquely Bendigo range at our award-winning Bendigo Visitor Centre. You’ll be supporting our talented local artists and producers. From souvenirs to locally made food, beautiful gift ideas and delicious picnic hampers for the holiday season, there’s something for everyone.

If you can’t visit us in store, the range is available to purchase online at uniquelybendigo.com.au

DISCOVER LOCAL ARTISTS Visit our upcoming exhibition PICNIC to celebrate a gathering in the great outdoors. The exhibition is a dynamic installation of ceramics, textiles, jewellery and paintings.

November 25, 2023 to February 4, 2024 (open every day except Christmas Day) For more information, visit www.bendigoregion. com.au/explore-bendigo/ living-arts-space

HERITAGE BUILDING TOURS Explore stunning heritage architecture and discover the stories behind the buildings. Bendigo Town Hall or Sandhurst Gaol Tours available. For tours and booking information, visit our website or contact the Bendigo Visitor Centre team. www.bendigoregion.com.au/explore-bendigo/take-a-heritage-walk

BENDIGO VISITOR CENTRE Open daily (except Christmas Day) 9am-5pm or freecall on 1800 813 153.

51-67 Pall Mall, Bendigo • 03 5434 6060 • tourism@bendigo.vic.gov.au • www.bendigoregion.com.au • #Explore Bendigo • Find us on

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contents

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

PEOPLE & LIFE

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Best made by hand - Lost Trades

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Bendy but true tale - Go ‘Bendy’ Go

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Place of stories - Mick Harding

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Bridging the gap - Seb Wright

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Best in the field - Narelle Dalley

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Monica Crockett. Who are you?

- Bendigo Memories

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Kristy & Shaun - Wedding Feature

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Legacy to a life well lived - Earthy home of Susie Kotiw

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Life on the Sheepwash - Early Mandurang

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Cheers to the year that was - Wine tasting

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A fine pickle - Pickle ball

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Flavour fusion - Recipe with Beau Cook

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FOOD & WINE & HOME

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GALLERY TO HOST SANTIAGO’S LONG-AWAITED SOLO EXHIBITION Despite being born in Melbourne, celebrated Filipina-Australian artist Marikit Santiago has never exhibited her work solo in Victoria – until now.

Showing at the Bendigo Art Gallery from October to February, Marikit Santiago: The kingdom, the power brings together her recent works into a compelling exhibition.

Filipiniana: Marikit Santiago, Filipiniana 2021, with Maella Santiago.

Photo by Mim Stirling. Courtesy of the artist.

The collection will showcase Santiago’s exploration of the complex inheritances of religion, ancestry and gender as a Filipina-Australian woman, child of migrants, mother, and artist.

Many of her works feature Santiago’s signature material of repurposed cardboard boxes, as well as her adored children who are cast in richly symbolic and dramatic scenes. One major work on display that should not be missed is Thy Kingdom Come, a powerful reference to the Philippine creation story of Malakas and Maganda.

Working out of western Sydney, Santiago is a highly acclaimed artist. In 2020, she won one of Australia’s longest-running and most prestigious art prizes, the Sir John Sulman Prize, and is also a three-time Archibald Prize finalist.

The free exhibition Marikit Santiago: The kingdom, the power will run at Bendigo Art Gallery until February 4. Visit bendigoregion.com.au for further information.

summertime cups are full

Fill your to-do list with the best of Bendigo’s music, art, film and cultural offerings.

Pack a picnic for the annual Marong Cup, and keep the family fun going with the hotly anticipated Summer in the Parks program.

FESTIVAL TO EXPLORE THE ENCHANTING WORLD OF CHAMBER MUSIC Nationally and internationally renowned musicians are set to descend on the city this summer for the fifth annual Bendigo Chamber Music Festival, a joyful celebration of music, community spirit, and Bendigo itself.

Over five days, audiences will hear some of the finest chamber music the world has to offer, with 15 concerts planned. The opening gala event on January 31 should not be missed, as 13 musicians unite for a special 70-minute melodic performance on stage at The Capital theatre.

Continuing the partnership with London’s Young Classical Artists Trust, oboist Armand Djikoloum and violinist Irène Duval will also be welcomed to the festival from Europe. Their exceptional performances will be exclusive to the lucky ticket holders in Bendigo.

Since its inception in 2020 by cellists Howard Penny and Chris Howlett, the Bendigo Chamber Music Festival has gone from strength to strength and is now a well-established and favoured event on Australia’s musical calendar.

The Bendigo Chamber Music Festival takes place from January 31 to February 4 at multiple venues around Bendigo. Tickets can be purchased via bendigochambermusicfestival.com.au

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EAGLEHAWK TO SHOWCASE AN ANGELIC SELECTION OF FILMS For its third annual event, the Eaglehawk Film Festival returns to the Star Cinema in January for a weekend of filmmaking excellence. Each year, the films are chosen based on a unique theme, setting the festival apart from its counterparts.

In 2024, the theme Angelic will be explored through seven films from different genres spanning 81 years.

Opening the festival on a Friday evening will be the 2007 British romantic drama Angel. Attendees are encouraged to book into the Chambers Wine Bar for opening night dinner and drinks, which will be available from 5pm.

Other films on the festival schedule include Angel from 1937 (the oldest to be screened), and 1961’s Angel Baby. Closing out the festival on Sunday night will be the first Australian cinema showing of Angel (Un Ange) from 2018.

Created in 2022, the Eaglehawk Film Festival prides itself on not only showcasing fantastic films, but also the beautiful Borough and its community. Guests coming from out of town are strongly recommended to explore Eaglehawk and the surroundings during festival breaks.

The Eaglehawk Film Festival will be held at the Star Cinema from January 12 to 14. Visit eaglehawkfilmfestival.com to view the full program and purchase tickets.

BENDIGO HEALTH FOUNDATION CHRISTMAS APPEAL Melissa Foggie describes the birth of her gorgeous little girl Montana as the most traumatic thing she has experienced. Montana entered the world with cord prolapse, where the umbilical cord exits the cervix before the baby, restricting Montana’s oxygen levels.

“We were rushed to an emergency caesarean and Montana was then immediately rushed to Melbourne. I was heartbroken, I didn’t think I would see her again.” Melissa recalls.

Within days of her arrival, an MRI had shown damage to Montana’s brain consistent with cerebral palsy – a permanent condition with no known cure.

Montana was just six weeks old when she began therapy sessions with the Victorian Paediatric Rehabilitation Service at Bendigo Health and, 18 months on, little Montana is a confident and fun-loving toddler.

Had the rehabilitation service not been available locally and publicly Melissa says their family couldn’t have given Montana such intense therapy in the first 12 months of her life, which she credits as responsible for her incredible progression.

Montana is one of the many children who will benefit from an outdoor kids’ rehab play space at Bendigo Health. Fundraising for the space kicked off over 12 months ago and the health service is more than half way to its goal.

You can help by donating to the annual Christmas appeal, which is dedicated to helping raise the remaining funds required to support children like Montana.

Donate at www.bendigohealth.org.au/Christmas

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SPOTLIGHT ON OLD TRADES With more than 150 artisan makers sharing their knowledge, attendees of the Lost Trades Fair will leave bursting with inspiration and a new-found appreciation for traditional crafts.

On Labour Day weekend in 2024, the Lost Trades Fair will return for its fourth year in Bendigo and the 14th year overall. One of the largest traditional trade fairs in Australia, it was established to shed light on uncommon and often-forgotten professions.

There will be an array of heritage crafts being showcased at the 2024 fair, with the artisan village at the centre of the action. You’ll be able to watch rope makers and potters at work, learn the secrets of wheelwrights and blade shearers, and purchase beautifully crafted items from silversmiths and toymakers.

If you are lucky, you might even be able to try out certain crafts for yourself, as the artisan makers are keen to educate and open the minds of attendees, ensuring their cherished crafts are kept alive for generations to come.

The Lost Trade Fair will take place at the Bendigo Racecourse on March 9 and 10. Visit losttradesfair.com.au to purchase tickets.

FAMILY FUN ALL SUMMER LONG The hugely popular Summer in the Parks program returns with a stellar lineup for the 2023/2024 season. The City of Greater Bendigo and Agnico Eagle, in collaboration with local community groups, have organised more than 50 free and low-cost activities to entertain the whole family all summer long.

It began with the lighting of Bendigo’s beloved Christmas tree in Rosalind Park on December 1, ahead of a month full of festive carols and fireworks. Also in December is the 40th birthday celebrations for disability awareness group Lifely.

January’s schedule is jam-packed, from roller skating discos and lawn bowls, to live music in Hargreaves Mall and outdoor cinemas. For those wanting to show their national pride, there will be ample Australia Day celebrations to choose from, with eight different events taking place across Bendigo and Heathcote.

The February finale for Summer in the Parks will not disappoint, especially for music fans. Over three Friday nights, Harlem Band and the Funk Junkies, Tara Muscatello and The Grinners, and Taylor Sheridan will play for excited park crowds.

This summer, head down to our beautiful parks and outdoor spaces for non-stop fun that everyone can enjoy.

Summer in the Parks events will occur in Greater Bendigo throughout December, January, and February. Visit bendigosummerintheparks.com to view the full program.

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/ private dining & events

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INTRODUCING A NEW BAR EXPERIENCE FOR BENDIGO Have a drink to start. Enjoy a cocktail, craft beer or seriously good wine from our extensive list - at our new bar, in our restaurant or private dining room.

Share a snack or two or graze on our charcuterie selection.

101 Williamson St. Bendigo Phone 5443 8671 info@thewoodhouse.com.au thewoodhouse.com.au

Our friendly staff are happy to guide you through our extensive menu featuring wagyu and premium grass-fed beef, as well as fresh local produce, all cooked with wood.

Finish off with our cheese selection or one of our delicious desserts.

Restaurant bookings encouraged.

TUPPY NGINTJA GOODWIN TAKES OUT PRESTIGIOUS ART PRIZE With $50,000 on offer for the winner, the Arthur Guy Memorial Painting Prize attracts some of Australia’s most talented contemporary painters. From the 36 outstanding finalists chosen this year, Aboriginal Australian artist Tuppy Ngintja Goodwin was announced to have won the 2024 prize in late November for her work Antara.

The Arthur Guy Memorial Painting Prize was created in 2003 by the late Mr Allen Guy in honour of his brother, who tragically passed away at age 30 while serving in the air force in New Guinea. Taking place every second year, established and emerging artists are encouraged to enter.

The artwork of all 36 finalists is on display for three months as part of a free exhibition at the Bendigo Art Gallery, with Goodwin’s piece now part of the permanent collection.

While Goodwin was deemed the winner by judges Penelope Wise (representing the Guy family) and Jason Smith (director and CEO of Geelong Gallery), the public will have a chance to give their opinion. Voting for the People’s Choice award is open for the duration of the exhibition, with the favourite announced the day after it closes.

Bendigo Art Gallery will display the free 2023 Arthur Guy Memorial Painting Prize exhibition until February 18. Visit bendigoregion.com.au for more details.

Tuppy Ngintja Goodwin with her painting, ‘Antara’ 2022.

Image courtesy of the artist and Mimili Maku Arts, APY Lands, South Australia

CURIOUS NEW EXHIBITION UNVEILED IN RECENTLY DEVELOPED MUSEUM SPACE As part of an upgrade, the Golden Dragon Museum opened its new temporary exhibition space in November and, after many years, will return to displaying regularly changing collections.

For the next year, locals and visitors to the region can view the first exciting exhibition in this space, curated in collaboration with Heritage Victoria.

Victoria’s Goldfields: Chinese Curiosities from Heritage Victoria features the remarkable range of Chinese archaeological artefacts Heritage Victoria has in its collection, as well as small vignettes of the Chinese presence across Victoria from the mid-1800s into the 20th century.

The exhibition aims to shine a light on the often-forgotten and lost stories of Chinese communities throughout the state’s past. While small, the artefacts hold a great amount of significance, both in their history and the archaeological method of investigation, analysis, and identification used to discover them.

While the Victoria’s Goldfields exhibition is on display, Heritage Victoria and the Golden Dragon Museum will also present a number of special programs and workshops for schools and the community.

Victoria’s Goldfields: Chinese Curiosities from Heritage Victoria is on at the Golden Dragon Museum until November 10, 2024. To learn more, visit goldendragonmuseum.org

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A THRILLING DAY AT THE RACES IN SUPPORT OF LOCAL SCHOOLS The Marong Cup has been a highly anticipated event for many years, and 2024 will be no different. After a nail-biting win by British bay colt Zoom in 2023, thousands will crowd the track on February 17 to see which horse will be victorious and claim the $30,000 prize.

All of the usual race-day festivities – including live music, fashion and food – will feature at the event, but it will also have a strong family focus as funds are raised for the eight Catholic primary schools in Bendigo.

To keep the kids busy, there will be a dedicated area with all sorts of entertaining activities for them to undertake. In some racing-inspired fun, students, parents, and teachers from each school will team up to vie for a win in the very competitive Marong Cup Schools Challenge.

Whether you’re a big fan of racing or just want to support our local schools, you are sure to have a great day out at the Marong Cup with your family and friends.

The Marong Cup will be held at the Bendigo Jockey Club on Saturday, February 17, with gates opening at 11am. Head to country.racing.com/ bendigo to get your tickets.

Proudly supported by

bendigohealth.org.au/Christmas

1300 243 000

Platinum & Principal Program sponsors

Major Appeal sponsor

ng pti Acce

This Christmas, we continue our commitment to raising the remaining funds required to build a remarkable play space for kids undergoing rehabilitation. Help us make rehab fun.

ua ry 2024

Transforming rehab for local kids

do r nat eb ions until F

Appeal sponsors

NEW SPORTING PRECINCT READY FOR STUDENTS AND THE COMMUNITY After 10 years of planning, Catherine McAuley College’s Coolock Campus finally has a new state-of-the-art junior sporting hub. Opened in September, the Mercy Junortoun Sporting Precinct was built in partnership between the College, the City of Greater Bendigo, Cricket Australia, Cricket Victoria and the Victorian Government.

Students will now have access to the new indoor and outdoor facilities for a range of sports, including cricket, netball, AFL, soccer and basketball. The opening of the Mercy Junortoun Sporting Precinct was a significant milestone in the college’s history, with students and staff excited for the impact it will have on future generations.

The precinct will benefit the community as well, especially in the fast-growing Junortoun and Strathfieldsaye areas.

Outside of school hours, sporting and community groups will be able to use the facilities, which also feature social, meeting and catering spaces. Through the joint partnership, the City of Greater Bendigo will be able to cater to the high demand for sporting facilities in the region, particularly for junior and women’s sports.

The Mercy Junortoun Sporting Precinct is located at the Catherine McAuley College Coolock Campus, McIvor Highway, Junortoun. To enquire about community use, contact CMC on 03 5445 9100 or info@cmc.vic.edu.au

A DYNAMIC DUO IN RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE Local real estate partners Greg Heard and Alicia Squires are no strangers to the profession. The pair worked together at Heard & Co., ahead of merging with McKean McGregor Real Estate.

As a duo at McKean McGregor, Greg and Alicia have built a strong reputation for selling residential real estate in a skilful and professional manner, ensuring exceptional attention to service and outcomes for their clients.

Before founding Heard & Co., Greg had worked in real estate for 12 years and continues to enjoy his keen passion for the industry. Loyal to his clients and investing genuine care towards their objectives, he provides precise, educated and factual advice, placing high value on integrity and honesty for all transactions.

Alicia continues to thrive as a sales consultant through her devotion to client-first service, working closely with Greg for more than three years before joining McKean McGregor.

“Alicia’s approach to clients is to treat them like family, and she firmly believes that trust is built by treating people with respect and listening to what they have to say,” Greg says.

For a professional and trustworthy residential sales experience, reach out to Greg and Alicia who, with a love for people and property, always keep their clients’ needs at the top of their priorities.

Greg, Alicia and the rest of the friendly team can be found at the McKean McGregor Real Estate Office at 174 Strickland Road, Strathdale.

Contact Greg Heard and Alicia Squires on 0436 200 250 for any residential sales enquiries.

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A CELEBRATION OF LOST ARTS, RARE TRADES AND HERITAGE CRAFTS

The Fair celebrates skills, craftsmanship, making things by hand, heritage crafts and traditional trades. Great entertainment, demonstration program and live music on stage. Watch demonstrations by blacksmiths, woodworkers, metalworkers, instrument makers, potters, tailors, stonemasons, leatherworkers, spinners weavers, decorative artists, see vintage machinery and take part in activities.

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legacy to a life well lived LAUREN MITCHELL spends an inspiring afternoon in the warm and earthy home of Susie Kotiw, to discover a bespoke house and garden of timeless style.

Photography by Leon Schoots

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A few years before he passed away, academic and educator Charlie Kotiw wrote down the story of his and wife Susie’s home.

“Limited finances have meant that much of what has been achieved has been through our labours,” he wrote. “With continuing efforts and responsibilities… few others have been able to appreciate the captivating nature of this space.” Until now.

Susie has chosen to honour her late husband’s remarkable legacy through sharing the story of their bushland property and mudbrick house, crafted over more than 20 years of quiet and persistent dedication.

“A place like this takes a long time, because it is handmade,” Susie says.

“No one has got any time to do anything that’s going to take time.

Nothing is handcrafted anymore, everything is mass manufactured.”

Which is what makes this place so very special. You could travel the world and not find a comparable place to this little pocket, 20 minutes from Bendigo in the Axe Creek forest.

Susie found the 36-acre bush block in 2000 and declared it the antidote to the noise and bluster of the outside world, and a natural next step for a couple looking to live in tune with nature.

Charlie and Susie had met in the early 1980s, at a pub in Chapel Street. Their early life together in East Brunswick was big, social, bohemian. “A bit wild,” Susie says of the party scene with musos and neighbours.

Later, the couple moved to Malmsbury to renovate a historic building, where they lived and ran an antique business.

Selling up and purchasing the Axe Creek block seven years later offered the chance to pursue other inspirations: the garden of Edna Walling, the architecture of Alistair Knox, and the holistic lifestyle of Linda McCartney. Sound idyllic? “We lived in a caravan for the first two years, although it was only meant to be for eight months. It was horrendous,” Susie says. “We didn’t even have a proper shower. It was a nightmare.”

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Despite the hardships, the couple persisted with their goal to live within their means, in tune with the seasons, with the landscape, and with each other.

Charlie drew on his creativity as an arts teacher, using his woodworking, design and sculpting skills to co-build the house.

Through trial and error, the couple perfected the mix of local clay to make their mudbricks. They travelled far and wide to source recycled building materials – “this was the days before eBay,” Susie says. And they began work on the dry-stone wall.

The house design was based on an image of the Colonial Inn in Berrima, NSW, which Charlie had seen in the Australian Heritage Sketchbook, by Keith Norris. However, the Kotiws’ version is very much unique; it features fittings and fixtures repurposed from historic buildings, bridges, wharves and even a film set.

The cast-iron spiral staircase is from a 19th century Melbourne convent. The beautiful, ornate timber portico is from an original goldfields cottage that once stood on the Strathfieldsaye Road.

“Every component, down to the nuts and bolts, we took into consideration,” Susie says. This includes the interior design. There is barely a mod con to be found within. Take, for example, the kitchen; “I don’t think there’s many kitchens like this in Bendigo,” Susie says. Here, the soft forest light slips through a tiny paned window and falls into a farmhouse sink, with twin brass taps. There is a time-worn butcher’s block, a slow combustion oven, a blue enamel vintage gas stove, and the curved Kelvinator fridge from Charlie’s childhood home, which hasn’t skipped a beat in its 70+ years.

“It’s not for everyone, but it just reflects Charlie and I,” Susie says.

“Everything was done on a tight budget, and on one wage. We were very frugal in the way we lived, and we lived simply.”

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The home is complemented with honest colonial furniture, curated curios and vintage artwork from France. Atop one of the staircases, with its hand-forged iron balustrade, a grandfather clock gallantly stands silent, not wound since the day Charlie died in February this year.

Outside, the house is wrapped in a garden of lavender, topiary, and olive trees; hardy plantings to withstand the harsh summers.

An ornamental dam features an island, which is a refuge for the peacocks, geese and guinea fowl that roam free-range around the property.

And then there’s that stone wall. It took the Kotiws 14 years to complete the 400-metre wall: Susie venturing onto the property with a wheelbarrow to select the stones; Charlie expertly placing them.

Susie says one of the reasons it took so long was she only took stones from the surface that weren’t otherwise sheltering a bush creature. “It was wonderful. I enjoyed it,” she says. “Charlie had a natural ability to build it. It was like a giant jigsaw puzzle, and he always just knew where to put the rocks and how to position them…

Thinking about Charlie, he was always positive. Even when things got difficult, he never gave up, and he gave me that attitude.”

Today, Susie shares her home with her birds, her little dogs, her big grey cat, and her horses Sienna and Bomby. She says they’ve all kept her going through the grief of losing her soulmate. Them, and this beautiful place. “To me, it’s not just a house,” she says.

“It’s a work of art.”

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Abbey, Jess and Mel

Amanda and Maddy

Mikaela and Bec

Pip and Alicia

Poppy and Bella

Tess, Ella and Harry

FAMOUS FOOD NOW IN BENDIGO Local foodies were salivating with excitement as an internet-famous restaurant arrived in Bendigo.

VIPs were welcomed to a special event four days before Milky Lane’s first Victorian restaurant opened its doors to the public, dishing up delicious burgers, cocktails and desserts in the newly renovated Lyttleton Terrace venue.

RANKED #1 IN VICTORIA

BY EMPLOYERS*

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Damien and Hudson

Hunter and Jarryd

GRAND FINAL A THRILLER Ian and Thomas

Ollie, Freddy and Max

Neve, Jaida, Olivia and Lucy

The Bendigo Football Netball League season came to a spectacular close during a showdown between Golden Square and Sandhurst.

With a packed crowd eagerly watching the match at the Queen Elizabeth Oval, Golden Square claimed its first senior football premiership in over a decade with a score of 71-65.

Reilly and Gabriel

ENROLMENT 2025 2025 ENROLMENT opens 20 March 2024 for Year 7, 2025

2024 OPEN EVENING Wednesday 20 March 2024 Coolock Campus, Junortoun

FIND OUT MORE: www.cmc.vic.edu.au

VIRTUAL OPEN HOUSE

Find out about Year 7 at CMC through virtual tours, videos, handy tips, FAQs and more... bit.ly/cmcOpenHouse

We welcome enrolment applications from all families in our region.

ENROLMENT ENQUIRIES: Audra Petri College Registrar | 5445 9100 | enrolment@cmc.vic.edu.au Catherine McAuley College | A Ministry of Mercy Education Bendigo Ltd | ABN 69 154 531 870

best made by hand

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Craftsmanship, trades, connection and creativity – why making matters.

By Lisa Rundell - Photography by Leon Schoots There is an unexplainable emotional connection with things made by hand.

Often it is a way to relax, to take our minds off work and to immerse ourselves in what can be the simple repetitive nature of craft.

Making is good for the soul; it is about connection; for many of us, it helps us to slow down, to reconnect our brains to our hands.

With trades and skills training now back in the news, it is like we have uncovered some magical truth that has suddenly become urgently relevant today, particularly in our building industry.

Closing technical colleges and pathways for young people to obtain apprenticeships in trades means we now are in desperate need of skilled people.

It is transparently clear that what is rapidly slipping through our fingers, is generations of trade skills and knowledge.

Knowledge and skills that can be shared and passed onto future generations. Success in our work is often defined

by trades terminology – you ‘forge’ a career, you ‘carve out’ a path for yourself. These terms reference the work of blacksmiths and woodworkers.

In the main street of Bendigo, the evidence of trades is overwhelming. The heritage buildings along either side of Pall Mall echo those in cities abroad; the stonemasonry, leadlight windows, the beautifully formed copper downpipes, carefully laid slate roofs and the gold leaf in traditional signage – all signs of work carried out by masters of their trade.

The craftsmanship and attention to detail displayed in these public buildings shows us that people create, they build and make with purpose, in many cases for the benefit and pleasure of future generations.

Visiting museums and galleries shows us that we have been making art and objects throughout our entire existence as a human race.

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Bendigo has a rich heritage in trades, skills and industry. Bendigo Woollen Mills was started by two local families and the historic buildings they occupy were built in 1901. The machinery at “the mill” runs 24 hours a day, five days a week to keep up with customer demand, with their wool grown here in Victoria and in the NSW Highlands.

Bendigo Pottery is Australia’s oldest working pottery, established in 1858 by Scottish settler George Guthrie after stumbling on clay deposits near the Bendigo Creek. The business grew to rival the great Staffordshire potteries in England. The enormous brick kilns still standing on the site are evidence of a burgeoning business that has stood the test of time and remained relevant with product innovation and contemporary styles and glazing techniques.

We protest about climate, jobs and our mountainous challenges with respect to consumption, but choosing local options when available instead of continuing to buy cheap imported goods can be part of the solution. Not only is it good for the planet, but it also supports local industries and provides jobs for future generations.

Working with our hands remains vital and valuable in the modern world. When you create something tangible, it can be an incredibly cathartic process. We as humans get great satisfaction when we make things – there are countless anecdotes that support a correlation between making and handcrafting and the positive benefits to our mental health.

Bendigo has become home to one of the world’s largest traditional artisan events. The Lost Trades Fair attracts 20,000 visitors to witness the greatest living museum experience in Australia, with more than 180 artisans gathering to share their skills and knowledge with a captivated audience.

In 2024, the Lost Trades Fair will again welcome artists from the US as well as Swedish artist, craftsman and author Jogge Sundqvist, arguably one of the most well-known and respected green woodworkers on the planet. Known as ‘the godfather of sloyd’ (Swedish handcraft), Jogge will share his generational skills and passion for carving, design and sloyd, His brand Surolle has deep connections to Scandinavian craft traditions and is strongly influenced by 17th century Swedish folk art.

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Today, artisans are busy; woodworkers, blacksmiths, toolmakers, jewellers, potters, weavers, printmakers, leatherworkers and building trades like stonemasonry, carpentry and furniture making are careers with a bright future.

We have seen a resurgence in wanting to learn how to do things, to make, and while some of this has to do with satisfying curiosity and trying our hand at something new, for many of us it is a deliberate choice to create something made to last. It is about sharing skills and passing on knowledge and leaving something tangible behind.

This question of ‘why do we make’ was posed to four makers taking a workshop with Windsor chairmaker and Lost Trades Fair co-founder Glen Rundell in Tylden, an hour south of Bendigo. Two participants travelled from NSW, another from Queensland. So why travel so far to learn something new? All four were competent makers in their own right, but making for each of them meant something different.

For one, they enjoyed the challenge, like putting a puzzle together (a chair is a complex thing to make). For another, making was a visible tangible process and resulted in something physical to show for the time and energy spent. When you have an emotional connection to your craft, you produce your best work – you leave a piece of yourself in the end result.

Ten years ago, Glen was asked why preserving these trades mattered and were handskills really necessary? In response, he posed this question to the journalist: “Just imagine if you could punch some key words and facts into a computer after taking these notes from us chatting, press a button and your story on me was generated with all your writing quirks and inflections and written as if you had done it yourself?” There was no answer; the idea that their job could be replaced by technology at that time seemed impossible. To think that a decade later this is a reality is quite sobering.

For many of us, it may be as simple as baking a cake, knitting a scarf, building a sandcastle, making a treehouse or a handmade card.

There is a satisfaction and joy that comes from this process and it is something that cannot be replaced by ‘pushing buttons’ or tapping your credit card at a store.

So why does making matter? Museums and art galleries would not exist without beautiful things, made and crafted by the human hand.

Knowledge not shared is knowledge lost – and maybe we are now realising what it really is that we have to lose.

This answer, from a NSW blacksmith, sums it up well: “As makers, we are all part of the same faith; we may work in different mediums, but it is about creating something with your hands that connects us.”

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MOON FESTIVAL RISES AGAIN

Jarrod, Luke, Brian and Daniel

Karen, Casey, Nita and Pipit

Megan and Bek

Russell and Vanessa

Tim, Maddi, Nataya and Tully

Vanessa, Charlotte and Nicole

The AFL Grand Final wasn’t the only event being celebrated in late September.

Bendigo’s multicultural communities united in the thousands for the Harvest Moon Festival, with roving performers, dragons and food trucks filling the Dai Gum San Precinct. The event is among the most important on the Bendigo Chinese Association’s annual calendar.

Open 7 Days 8 am to 4 pm Public Holidays 9am - 4pm We look forward to welcoming you seven days a week with our traditional opening hours.

The Das Kaffeehaus & Coffee Basics Team

FRESHLY ROASTED IN CASTLEMAINE

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Alex and Bek

Jack, Kate, Ned and Penny

EVENT A SUCCESS FOR ELMORE John and Brendan

Jonty and Hagen

Kym, Tyler, Simone and Brooke

Mark, Sune, Sarah, Mick and Aaron

Rain and cool temperatures couldn’t keep the masses from descending on the Elmore Field Days in early October.

Celebrating its 60th anniversary, the three-day event was once again a hub of all things agriculture, with shearing demonstrations, machinery showcases and animals of all sorts on hand to entertain attendees.

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To find out more, or to see the school, contact our Registrar on 5441 3114 or via email: registrar@girton.vic.edu.au. or see our website: www.girton.vic.edu.au

bendy but

true tale

History from near and far inspires new work for the young and young-at-heart.

Photography by Leon Schoots

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Bendigo Magazine contributors Geoff Hocking and Lauren Mitchell have once again taken inspiration from the city to publish their second children’s book.

Go ‘Bendy’ Go is based on the true story of Bendigo Thompson; underdog and street urchin turned heavyweight champion of mid 19th-century England, and the roundabout namesake of you-knowwhere.

The creators say, fisticuffs aside, this is a tale of striving for a better life, from Dickensian England to all the way Down Under.

The book’s release follows the success of illustrator Geoff and author Lauren’s earlier title, Dragon Dance, which was warmly received by all ages of past and present locals.

Geoff was speaking about Bendigo history – and Bendigo Thompson – at a Rotary event this year, when a primary school teacher in the audience commented that the story of how the city got its name would make a great children’s book.

“Geoff asked if I’d like to collaborate on a second title, and because we had so much fun with the first, I said yes,” Lauren says.

“It wasn’t long before he’d provided me with a host of illustrations to write words for. It was a great challenge to find a fun structure and deeper subtext to what was already an action-packed historical story.”

Geoff’s illustrations have been thoroughly researched, resulting in a historically accurate depiction of the landmarks, clothing and buildings of the time, all in his trademark energetic, often-comical style.

Lauren says the story of how Bendigo got its name is rarely known.

“Truth really is stranger than fiction, and Go ‘Bendy’ Go is the perfect example,” she says. “We hope our book sparks an ongoing interest in goldfields history for locals, young and young-at-heart.”

It’s a story that’s long interested Geoff.

“For several years now, I have been attempting to get the ‘movers and shakers’ of Bendigo to do something about honouring their namesake,” he says. “Maybe one day we will see something that publicly marks the name of Bendigo and its origin. I live in hope.”

Ask for Go ‘Bendy’ Go at Bookish in Hargreaves St, Bendigo.

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Adelaide, Elizabeth, Kaitlyne and Archie

Brent, Jack, Rick, Kris and John

Carolyn, Ange, Liz and Allannah

Danielle, Kristy and Carmen

Francis, Pat, Roy, Anna, Rosie and Thomas

Clem and Courtney

WINE TIME IN HEATHCOTE For a weekend in October, the spotlight was on Heathcote and its exceptional wines.

Over 250 wines from 43 local wineries were available to sample at the Heathcote Wine and Food Festival. The more than 4000 attendees also enjoyed mouth-watering food, live music and fun festival games including scavenger hunts.

NICK REED “BSSC prepares us brilliantly for University.

Class discussions go deeper and I always feel truly listened to.”

BELLA DAVIES “I’d use the word ‘inclusive’ to describe BSSC because there’s so much diversity here—and it’s welcomed.”

AMELIA CLEAVE “Every day I look forward to seeing my teachers who are all so lovely and care so much for me.”

NATHAN GORDON “BSSC feels like a place that is guiding us towards adulthood, into success.”

EXPLORE THE POSSIBILITIES BSSC offers the greatest choice of subjects for senior secondary students in Victoria.

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Jeneth, Maria and Ana

Kuljeet, Baljit, Swerngit and Manpreet

Kalin, Theodore and Ciara

Liz, Hugo and Casey

DIVERSITY IN THE SPOTLIGHT White Hills’ Garden for the Future came alive in a vibrant celebration of the region’s growing diversity.

Sara, Girrah, Koda and Lachlan

Tiya, Asin, Lisbet, Joanna, Amalia, Agnes, Rhea and Annika

Loddon Campaspe Multicultural Services presented its annual Zinda Festival to a large and lively crowd, who learned about and connected with different cultures through dance, music, art and food.

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bridging the gap A childhood spent playing board games led this young ace to learn some new card tricks – and represent his country on a stage usually owned by a much older demographic.

By Raelee Tuckerman - Photography by Leon Schoots

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When Seb Wright sits down at the competition table during a Bendigo Bridge Club event, it’s literally on for young and old. At just 22, he gives away many decades to most of his rivals. But what the club’s youngest-by-far member lacks in years and experience, he makes up for in dedication and skill.

Bridge is a card game for pairs that takes place in two parts – the bidding to determine the minimum number of tricks players think they can win, and the actual card play. While playing the dealt hand is a bit like playing ‘500’ and relatively straightforward, the bidding and scoring systems are more complex.

In August, Seb was part of the Australian team that competed at the World Youth Bridge Championships in the Netherlands. Playing with his Melbourne-based partner in the under-26 division, they enjoyed some tight contests and almost beat the host nation and eventual winners.

Bidding, says Seb, is an artform because you don’t know what cards your partner holds yet you’re trying to work out what they – and your opponents – most likely have. There are roughly 35 possible bids and each sends a message about the strength or otherwise of your hand.

“It was pretty cool,” he says. “When I first started at 16, I never thought that in just a couple of years I could be playing bridge overseas. It was a tough competition but that made it more enjoyable.

“I am always seeking a challenge (he is currently teaching himself Mandarin for no other reason than to extend himself) and looking to push myself. World youths was definitely an experience, as some teams were made up of professional bridge players being paid to play there.”

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“Imagine having a conversation with your partner where you are limited to saying only 35 words. And when a bid is made, that reduces the number of possible replies. You need to have a solid understanding with your partner about what each bid means to you.

My youth partner and I keep notes and we are up to about 27 pages with our systems!”

Seb was born in the UK, emigrated to Australia in 2012, moved here from Shepparton after finishing secondary school and works as a sales consultant for Bendigo Mazda.

His family instilled in him a love of board and card games including chess, Monopoly, canasta, Risk and rummy. “My parents were always about trying to spend more time together as a family instead of sitting in front of screens,” he explains. “Dad taught me to play chess when I was about five and my sister and I grew up around all sorts of card games.

“I heard about bridge out of the blue while doing a school community project in Year 10. We had a mentor come in from outside the school who played, and he asked if I’d like to come and try it.

“He taught me a few things and I went and played at the club in Shepparton. He also tried to run lunchtime lessons at school, which wasn’t super successful as we didn’t get a big turn-up – but I was always there.”

Once in Bendigo, Seb joined the local club and the sight of a teenage bridge talent turned heads.

“People were surprised to see such a young person at the club. I think they love having me there because bridge is traditionally an

older person’s game. Having young people involved makes everyone feel like the game still has life in it.

“The Bendigo club has been awesome – they’re really supportive, everyone is nice and there’s a good mix of new, improving and experienced players.”

Bendigo president Graeme Hegarty says club members are very proud of Seb and his achievements.

“Bridge can be a tough game,” he says, “but Seb’s a young fellow who is good at it and he represents us very well. We’d like to see more young people like him coming along.

“We have some very senior members, some in their 80s and even 90s, so there’s a great variety. But it’s not all about the bridge. It’s about health and wellbeing and it keeps everyone young at heart.”

The game has opportunities for other young devotees – there’s a weekly youth bridge club in Melbourne and an occasional Youth Week in Canberra. Seb has contested nationals as a member of the Victorian youth team three times, winning the Australian title in 2023, and has twice been selected in the Australian youth squad, though COVID delayed his international debut until this year.

So, what makes a good bridge player? “I like to flip that question into, what makes a good bridge partner?” says Seb. “Bridge is a game about two people – you can’t play it on your own. For me, being a better partner is more important than being the better one in the partnership. As long as you have patience, are flexible and able to admit mistakes and take on advice, you will keep improving.”

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Bridge takes time to master and while Seb was reasonably quick to pick it up, thanks to his affinity for cards and his strength in maths, he says it is a game where you never stop learning.

“As you develop, it gets harder to play because there are so many more things to consider. When you get all the basics you think you’re set, then you realise there’s all the intricacies and so much you still don’t know.”

He currently plays bridge three to four times a week, including Tuesday nights when the club hosts an “improver” session, and is a qualified director, meaning he can officiate, too. He plays online to develop better connections with his new Tasmanian-based partner and plans to fly there in 2024 to contest the state’s bridge congress there with him. He wants to play as much youth bridge as possible, especially if future overseas opportunities arise.

“I’d love to make the Vic open team once I’m too old for youth, and obviously I’d really love to play for the Australian open team, too.

But that is when it becomes a lot more competitive because there’s so many more players involved.”

In his spare time, Seb is busy building his first house and planning a wedding with fiancée Sheridan. But he still makes time for fun and games.

“In my family, if we have the opportunity to sit down and watch a movie or play a game together, we always pick the game!”

The Bendigo Bridge Club meets on Tuesday nights and Monday and Friday afternoons at the Long Gully Community Centre. Beginner classes will start early in 2024. For more details, contact Graeme Hegarty on 0428 380 180 or visit bendigobridgeclub.com.au

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WINE SHINES ON THE BIG SCREEN

Christine and Keith

Gail, Michael and Belinda

Geoff, Alison and Deb

James, Brit and Maddie

Norm and Carin

Tori and Josh

Film buffs and wine lovers rejoiced as a unique event was held to mark Bendigo Wine Week.

For one evening only, the 2019 film From the Vine was screened at the Star Cinema in Eaglehawk, alongside wine tastings by Sandhurst Ridge Winery.

The event was one of 11 on the Bendigo Wine Week calendar

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Bailey, Daley, Suzie, Melissa, Dane and Rach

Jenelle, Sarah and Nardine

A MOVING MORNING MEAL Jess, Carlie, Janine, Ewa, Trevor, Sarah, Cindy and Rachel

Rachel, Sarah, Nardine, Sonya, Jenny and Brock

(03) 5441 4800 (24hr) www.napierpark.com.au

John, Lisa, Chris, Vicky, Sandy and Emily

Vanessa, Jolyon, Aishleen and Meghan

Mental health was the focus of a special breakfast held in October.

While raising funds for mental health services for the region, the Move for Mental Health breakfast attendees enjoyed a healthy start to the morning through tasty food and energising breathing exercises. Police Superintendent Jenelle Fuller also gave an address on embracing mental health agility.

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place of

stories

Exhibition at First Nations gallery showcases traditional and contemporary art.

By Dianne Dempsey - Photography by AJ Taylor The two objects that pull you up with admiration when you walk into the First Nations gallery, Djaa Djuwima, are the magnificent shield and the possum cloak.

The work of Taungurung man Mick Harding, they are not only beautifully crafted but represent layers of knowledge of his people’s culture. Taungurung Country connects with Dja Dja Wurung Country near Heathcote. Both the Dja Dja Wurrung and Taungurung language groups belong to the Central Kulin nation. Mr Harding says the culture of the Kulin nation is far more nuanced than people think.

Let’s start with the magnificent shield, made from the bark of the eucalyptus trees of the Great Victorian Rail Trail, which goes from Tallarook to Mansfield.

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Mr Harding explains that he was part of a project to make a sculptural trail. “I did 20 scar trees, removed the bark and drew designs on the trees. We were carving mostly into the sapwood, using steel chisels. Each tree we have scarred has marks at the top that represent how our old people cut and scarred their bodies.”

He says the Taungurung people have been using the bark from trees as shields, baby carriers, food collection vessels, canoes and thatching for dwellings for at least 2000 generations.

“The project was a way of paying respect to our ancestors, showing their relationship to the country and how we lived. Their highways were the rivers and creeks, and the ridgelines that straddled the Strathbogies.

“Our people systematically moved through huge family estates, they lived on it and with it.”

Mr Harding relishes the use of the word ‘estates’. “For many people, estate immediately suggests that our ancestors must have been very wealthy, which of course they were, but the wealth was not based on money.”

Mr Harding believes many people think of First Nations people as nomads. “That’s a major myth. What did they think that we were doing, just wandering around? We are a civilised people. Our estates are vast and that’s where we lived and sustained ourselves.”

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Mallee Root Burl Tarnuk (bowl) hand carved using modern tools from a Mallee Root burl.

The striking design of his shield would have traditionally been carved with sharp, incisor-like possum teeth, but Mr Harding used a small hand chisel to mimic the possum tooth tool, as well as a pyrographic tool for burning.

A discussion of the second object, the possum cloak, leads us to the way First Nations people treated the animals on their estates.

Every part of the possum was employed – for food, for the skins and to use as carving tools. Mr Harding says both men and women participated in making possum cloaks. Which takes us to another myth.

Apart from thinking Aboriginal people were nomads, Mr Harding believes there has been an over-emphasis placed on separating men’s business from women’s business.

“Our stories tell us that men are made from bark and women are made from mud, we are intimately related to the trees and the earth, and we need each other to exist. Together, the men and women would skin the possums, remove the meat from the bones and cure the skins. The tasks would have been divided.” He also points out that traditionally, people would draw on the skin’s lining, indicating their status, storylines and songs.

Art, he continues, is a fundamentally Western expression. “Our people have been using art as part of a spectrum, as a way of communicating. We’ve been doing it for thousands of years. We paint ourselves, walls and skins. We express ourselves with song and dance. We tell stories in a non-verbal way.”

Blackwood Parrying Shield featuring Bunjil the Wedge Tailed Eagle Design. Malgarr (Shields) were used traditionally with Liyangayi (Fighting Sticks) for combat and defence.

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He also points out another misconception: that Aboriginal art is all about dot painting. “That may be the case in the central and northern areas of Australia, but the art of the south-east is more about symmetrical shapes – we use our own symbols.”

The current exhibition celebrates the art of First Nations men and represents a variety of expertise; the youngest participant is Tylajae Charvat, who designed the striking Bendigo Senior Secondary College hoodie.

Djaa Djuwima curator Janet Bromley says Tylajae is very humble about what he does. “However, the design he created is a very considered way of expressing himself. His work is, in fact, clear and uncluttered. I think he has done an amazing job,” she says.

Other Aboriginal artists represented in the exhibition are Simon Briggs, Paul Chapman, Alvin Darcy, Nathan Phillips, Jason Sampi and Stephen Corp. The collective work includes woodwork and wood burning, painting, body adornment and digital art.

Janet says the gallery is a safe place for First Nations artists to explore cultural expression, identity, heritage and connection. It also encourages new creative opportunities, new networks and professional development – an important step for First Nations creatives who are seeking to build their businesses.

Mr Harding’s Gippsland gallery includes wood-burning, woodwork, sculpture, printmaking and giftwares. More details can be found on his website, ngargawarendj.com The Djaa Djuwima gallery is in the Bendigo Visitor Centre. Its current exhibition, Strength in Stories: This is what we do, is open to the public every day (except Christmas Day) until January 22.

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Australian Red Cedar Wall Parrying Shield featuring Gaan the Snake Design.

A FUN FUNDRAISER

Amy, Sophie and Ruby

David, Mia and Mackenzie

Layla, Justin and Evie

Lucy and Sanneke

Megan and Grace

Teddy and Ollie

Classic family fun was had as Strathfieldsaye Primary School welcomed all to its Community Fair.

A key event on the school’s fundraising schedule, the fair was an exciting way for families to spend a Friday evening together. Rides, carnival games, a silent auction and an animal farm were just some of the activities on offer.

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.

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Damien, Max, Shea and Whitey

Jess, Ashleigh and Mel

BRINGING THE BEACH TO BENDIGO Jorja, Shae, Brandi and Mikaela

Jules, Amelia, Leticia, Zac and Sonnie

Josh. Kayne, Michael and Brad

Lachlan, Marcus, Callum, Daniel, Nick and Sam

Swapping suits and fascinators for sunglasses and board shorts, punters embraced the relaxed vibes of the Beach Party Race Day. The spring extravaganza at the Bendigo Jockey Club featured eight actionpacked horse races, and off the track, DJ Teddy Cream provided the allimportant tunes for the ultimate beach club feel.

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The health system inspires a career of care.

By Sara Harte - Photography by Kate Monotti As a schoolgirl, Narelle Dalley was a fierce sports competitor and determined to ignore a painful lump in her leg.

But several months later, the diagnosis of an aggressive form of muscle and bone cancer signalled the beginning of a challenging few years of multiple treatments and major surgeries.

Today, Narelle speaks about her experience of cancer as a matter of fact, but she acknowledges it’s a sensitive topic, and she found it extremely confronting to face the reality of being unable to play sport.

The silver lining for Narelle was, she wanted to be a sports physiotherapist and the experience opened her eyes to a much bigger world of physiotherapy and allied health in a hospital setting.

“During my experience in the hospital system as a patient, I decided that physios had the best job,” Narelle says. “And I had to do a lot of physio in the lead-up to university.”

Undeterred, Narelle continued to work hard towards a career.

“School was really important to me, so the hospital staff would plan my surgery for school holidays and plan my chemotherapy so that I would start on a Friday and finish on a Monday,” she says.

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Local access to services in rural areas for patients and their families has improved since then, but there is still a high demand for qualified staff. When Narelle was looking to progress her career, she saw potential advantages in the public sector.

Specifically, it was the public health response to COVID and Bendigo Health’s provision of vaccination clinics and preparing the hospital for potential COVID wards that really impressed Narelle and she applied for the Allied Health Operations Manager role at the organisation.

“The professional development opportunities here are great. The staff are really well supported. There’s lots of opportunities with respect to improving patient services through grants from the Department of Health within Bendigo Health, but also beyond in the community. There’s just so many avenues that you can go down,” she says.

“I think one of the things that public health does really well is always pushing the boundary to improve care for patients, and looking for innovative ideas to do that.”

As for sport, Narelle’s passion still shines brightly out on the field. As a local junior hockey coach, teamwork is vital to her success.

Just as the allied health team that cared for her as a teenager was vital to her surviving cancer and getting well, the allied health professionals Narelle supports today are vital for quality patient care.

Narelle is being her best in both fields.

That way, Narelle was able to graduate and go on to forge a rewarding career that has taken her to the UK twice, to New Zealand and eventually back to Australia, including 12 years in the private sector. More recently, in April 2022, Narelle joined Bendigo Health as Allied Health Operations Manager.

Part of Narelle’s role now is to support the clinicians with operational issues and ideas to do the best job they can do. “Even though I don’t deal directly with patients any more, the decisions I make as a manager will impact the care the patient gets – decisions are made on values of patient-centred care.”

There are diverse career pathways available in allied health, from quality and research, to education, management, and clinical specialities. Narelle is a testament to this, having moved from being a physiotherapy-specific clinician to an allied health manager with oversight of a diverse range of disciplines; physiotherapy and exercise physiology, occupational therapy, dietetics, social work, speech pathology, podiatry and audiology, as well as allied health assistants.

“Supporting rural healthcare is really important to me. I come from a rural farming family, and at the time when I was 16-18 years old, we had to travel to Melbourne regularly for my treatment. Mum had to leave work for a period of time to accompany and care for me, while Dad looked after the farm,” she says.

Narelle also spent about six months in a wheelchair. “After two weeks of treatment in Melbourne, I came home and my dad and uncle had made a metal ramp for me to enter the old farmhouse, up and down the steps, and they had completely knocked down the bathroom and rebuilt it,” she says.

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Beck, Vicki and Vicky

Gail and Lauren

Gracie and Kerry

Judy and Kate

Karen and Lorraine

Kerrie, Marie and Judy

HIGH TEA FOR HOPE Champagne greeted breast cancer fighters, survivors, and their loved ones as they gathered at Bendigo Pottery.

Over high tea at the Supporting the Community event, attendees heard from guest speakers on cancer support and wellbeing. The emotional afternoon was hosted by the Bendigo Breast Cancer Support Services Network during Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

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Ella and Robert

Ella, Aaron, Bella and Matt

Emily and Hannah

SHOW A SMASH HIT More than 20,000 people converged on the Bendigo Showgrounds to welcome back a beloved local event.

George, Maddi, Sophie, Ella and Ella

Laura, Lincoln, Keira and Evelyn

The first Bendigo Agricultural Show since 2019 didn’t disappoint, with crowds delighted by two days of rides, animals, monster trucks and crafts. In the new Bakery Showdown competition, the top prize was claimed by the popular Elmore Bakery.

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Monica Crockett. who are you?

Our intrepid columnist tracks down the sharer of foibles, disasters, delights and doings.

Words and illustration by Geoff Hocking In the interests of research, I have joined several online communities: Old & Abandoned Australia; Signs of the Times; Old Houses & Sheds; Lost Axedale, Bendigo & Country Victoria, and a couple of others that keep me up to speed with what’s happening, and what is being giving away for free in the district.

There is one site that has regular contributions and pops into my Facebook feed several times a day and that is Lost…Bendigo.

The identity of the poster, written at the top of each feed, had me wondering if it was a real human or just a logarithm that was trawling the online resources of the State Library, National Library and Trove 24 hours a day – because the posts kept coming thick and fast.

So I wrote a message to Monica Crockett, asking ‘Who are you?’.

I received a reply. She was real, and I am indebted to her for finding and posting so many snippets of information about life in old Bendigo, and so many photographs and newspaper cuttings of people past: their foibles, disasters, delights and doings.

It has made me reflect on what has disappeared in my 70-plus years, from my early school days where I learnt to write using sticks of chalk on a black slate, and made ‘art’ with pastels in my little loose-leafed drawing book. It was a time when we all walked through the scrub to school, our little leather satchels banging against our knees. There was no tuck shop. Our lunches of cheese and Vegemite sandwiches were stuffed into recycled paper bags and we had an apple for afters. Drinks were from bubble taps shared by all in the school yard.

We were not unhappy. We didn’t know what we were missing. It was what it was and anything else was in a future we had no way of even imagining.

In the 1950s, post-war Bendigo was still a veranda-post-lined, horse-and-cart-transported frontier town, with pubs on almost every corner and poultry auctions still held in the main streets, where today boutique bistros and wine bars now ply their upmarket trade.

The images that appear regularly on my social media pages remind me of the things that have gone from our streets, replaced by a contemporary world.

I remember Allans Walk when you could walk through it, with Ramadges at the entrance – trousers and long-johns, socks and boiler suits cluttering the windows; the old Dad & Dave opposite where you could get a hot malted and a toasted sandwich. I remember the Olympic that was there before D&D, replete with marble-top, cast-iron tables and walls hung with fading photographs of the Parthenon and ancient Greece.

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I remember Every’s Bookshop, Edgar’s Newsagency, Fred and Flossie’s Lingerie Shop, Allan’s Music and Hartley’s with the dumb waiter in the corner. I remember Norm Quin’s Bluebird, with the little eponymous birdie painted on the window. I remember the Gillies Pies Window, where the best pasties, pies and apple turnovers were dispensed to a queue that snaked off into the distance.

I even remember the poultry auctions, where farm trucks parked in the street to unload crates of birds ready to face the auctioneer’s spiel.

I remember Wattie Corries, where Maccas is now, and Pro Motors on the next corner, and Cowlings that sold Fords in Mitchell Street, and Campbell Connelly, who made things out of sheet metal in the room upstairs on the corner of High and Forest streets.

I remember the Plaza when it showed blockbuster movies, the Lyric when it showed Dr Strangelove, and mourn the passing of the Princess.

I remember Waldron’s Wine Bar in View Street and Hocking the Printer (no relation, same tribe, different tent); Mrs Gray’s Milk Bar, where her son had his personal gymnasium on the floor upstairs; the little picture framer further along and another milk bar run by one of my cousins; and Bram Schriever, who made orthopaedic footwear.

Not to forget the original Baby Health Centre opposite the fountain, where we were placed in a woven basket and weighed on the scales.

The centre was demolished to make way for the ultra-modern crèche that spanned the creek, and was eventually picked up and taken somewhere else.

I remember the Dairy Queen in Mitchell Street; Pizza Hut when it was the first in town; Des Duguid’s Coffee Lounge, where we gathered late on Saturday nights to sing folk songs upstairs in a room featuring a magnificent mural of a beatnik on the wall.

Dessies became the first iteration of Clogs, which challenged Pizza Hut for the round, flat, tomato-based Italian fast food market.

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I remember the Copper Pot. I remember Favaloro’s with all its marble and polished chrome and bentwood chairs and oldfashioned Neapolitan charm. I remember Stan Sotos’ Snack Shop near the School of Mines, and Mrs Gibson’s little newsagency next door. Close to the Catholic community of St Kilian’s and the Marist Brothers School, Gibson offered a sideline in religious icons: keepsakes, statues of the Virgin and lithographic images of the Redeemer with the fiery heart.

I remember all the Chinese shops that were razed along Bridge Street, before the museum was established, and Lin Kee the Herbalist on the TAFE corner. I remember the trams when they ran from the cemetery to Eaglehawk, from the Terminus Café in Golden Square back along past the fountain and out to the lake. I remember when the Bendigo Rowing Club had sheds beside the lake, when a roadway went all the way around. I particularly remember the smell of the Gasworks on the other side of the creek.

I remember driving through the Memorial Archway of the White Hills Botanical Gardens, and the caged monkeys that occasionally nipped a finger poked carelessly through the wire. I remember the tired-looking kangaroos and the bored emus trapped inside garden enclosures.

I mourn the loss of the big Coca Cola sign at the Terminus in the Square. I still miss the Reeds and M.O.N advertisements on the building along the Eaglehawk Road and the old faded advertising signs on Gill’s Store façade along Marong Road.

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I remember local artist Dorothy Dempsey’s little log-cabin studio, built in her garden along the road to Eaglehawk. Even still at primary school, she inspired me to want one of my own.

I remember when the big banks were still operating from the grand offices they had built for themselves before they were reduced to a hole-in-a-wall or a kiosk in a shopping mall, and the Bendigo Bank was an auctioneer’s storeroom.

I remember Sacred Heart when it had just two spires and the side facing High Street still had cranes and workshops, where imported Italian craftsmen worked amid clouds of dust for the better part of a generation cutting blocks for the third and tallest spire.

I remember Plaza Jack and Billy Baxter, the rouseabout fundraiser for the Baptist Church, whose exuberant cries encouraged crowds to throw loose change into blankets carried by eager young parishioners in the Easter Parade. Not to forget the number of strange and questionable characters who seemed to hang around the junction of the main streets at the fountain.

I remember Easter when St John’s Lucky Tickets were actually lucky because the prizes were worth winning, and once the procession had finished, long queues formed at the Old Town Hall as ticket holders descended into the basement eager to lodge their claim.

I recall the ANA building in View Street with its copper, mansard roof. I don’t miss the ANA Motel that replaced it. I remember the Five Lions on the corner of Barnard and View, with a veranda that ran around both sides. I remember the hotels in Hargreaves Street that gave way for Killians Walk. I knew a chap who drove his Volkswagen bug through the walk before it was completed. The same fellow also took his bug to the depths of the Bendigo pool just after it had been excavated. He drove out again.

I remember the YM dance on a Saturday night and the Esquires and the Reg Bridgeland Dance Band, and the Pacific Ballroom and the dances at St Kilian’s and Peter Rechter at the Boy’s Bandroom and at the Golden Square Fire Station.

I remember the open-ended toilets in what is now known as Sidney Myer Place, which we knew as ‘Africa’, and the elegant Victorian cast-iron ‘pissoir’ in Hargreaves Street.

I remember Coles when it was in Mitchell Street and when it moved, twice, in Hargreaves, and the crockery-clattering cafeteria on the upper floor where OfficeWorks now stands; and Mr and Mrs Ham sold hardware in Hargreaves at a time when you could drive through, and park, and shop.

I remember when the Tourist Information Centre was the Post Office and the Post Office was the State Electricity Commission office, where you could actually pay your power bill to a real person.

I remember the great sand dumps where St John of God now stands, and Allan Chan’s stone and road metal crusher on the corner opposite, which sent clouds of dust across Barnard Street at any time of day. I recall the great red hills in West Bendigo, where the motorbike scrambles were held, and the West Bendigo cricket pitch, now lying beneath the tarmac of the Schweppes Centre.

I remember Sims’ Grocery Store and Georges two doors up; Rasmussen’s along Barnard and the little milk bar on Sandhurst Road that advertised homemade ‘Mickey-Pop’ ice-blocks on their window, along with other appropriated Disney character-related products; Rechter’s ‘The American’, with the strange-looking fairground rabbit above the parapet and its risque comic quotes, and jukebox-jiving, burger-chomping bodgies; and Mrs Scott’s little shop along Carpenter Street. I remember the pub in Kangaroo Flat with all the cartoon comic drawings on the exterior walls. Were they Joliffe? Or Dad ‘N’ Dave? Or just copied from the funny pages in the old Australia Post?

I remember the poppet heads that still stood against the city skyline: Deborah, Hustlers, New Chum and Sailors Gully, and the huge steel stampers quietly rusting away beneath overgrown peppercorn trees still there among growing housing estates.

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In remembrance, there are just so many markers of old Bendigo that have disappeared – the mud-bottomed Specy Hill swimming hole, the Hilda, the Munie and the Golden Square pool, all also with mud-bottoms. All gone now, except for the Square, now tiled and chlorinated.

So many Bendigo things that have gone: the pubs, the corner stores, the harmless dances and the family-run restaurants. Gone and replaced by the box stores and the franchises and now Bendigo looks like every other country town with the same supermarkets, the same bottle shops, the same chemists, the same servos, the same sports stores, the same hardware conglomerates and the same… the same… the same…

Except – the Toi Shan has not changed at all.

I remember a unique Bendigo – and so does Monica Crockett.

TO SH OW AND SH ARE COUNTRY

Djaa Djuwima is a dedicated and permanent First Nations gallery on Dja Dja Wurrung Country that signifies an important cultural step towards reconciliation.

Djaa Djuwima means to ‘show, share Country’ in Dja Dja Wurrung language.

Djaa Djuwima, Bendigo Visitor Centre 51-67 Pall Mall, Bendigo Open daily from 9am to 5pm (except Christmas day)

Audrey and Sebastian

Cass, Arlo, Finlee, Barkley, Axel and Rach

Lochie, Melissa and Nina

Max and Layla

Sam and Maddy

Uvi, Goldie and Hamish

FREE FAMILY FUN Parts of the CBD were turned into a mecca of free family activities in celebration of National Children’s Week.

The 2023 FunLoong Fun Day (named after the Hargreaves Mall dragon playground) attracted massive crowds, with children enjoying laser tag, skateboarding, an animal farm and performances by various community groups.

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Cecile, Zoe and Elise

Dan and Raelene

SWEET TREATS FOR ALL Francis, Caroline and Gina

Maria S, Evonne, Anna, Maria A, Francene and Andriana

Jocelyn and Alana

Trish, Jess and Amanda

Bendigo’s biggest sweet tooths swarmed the historic Beehive Building to get their hands on the tastiest sugary goodies.

The Sweet Sisters of Central Victoria baked up a storm for the second Sunday Sweet Session, attended by over 1000 people. Nineteen local businesswomen united for the event, which also included high tea and cooking demonstrations.

Single vineyard wines from the Goldfields region of Victoria.

Available at your favourite Bendigo restaurants, bars & liquor stores, or online at:

www.turnerscrossing.com.au

cheers to the

year that was

Get ready to clink glasses with a trio of top Christmas-time choices from three celebrated Bendigo region winegrowers.

Photography by Leon Schoots For Turners Crossing, in riverside Serpentine, 2023 proved especially fruitful, as makers of the only Australian wine to win a medal at the Intercontinental Wine Challenge. The vineyard took home double gold for its 2017 Turners Crossing Cabernet Sauvignon, plus all-important recognition for the local wine region.

Experience the breadth of the season’s offerings with three wines, made for summer. They make ideal gifts for discerning friends, or popular additions to your festive dinner table. Each is perfect for the hot season predicted and best served chilled with good company, a little seafood, some shellfish, a light charcuterie board or easy, breezy chicken and salad.

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SANDHURST RIDGE 2022 ROSÉ This beautiful, ruby pink wine combines the savoury elements of Nebbiolo, Cabernet Sauvignon and the crisp acidity of Sauvignon Blanc, which were grown side-by-side on the Sandhurst Ridge estate on the fringe of the Marong township. One of the region’s prettiest vineyards and cellar doors, this landmark property is well worth a visit this holiday season. Come for the Rosé, stay for the views and the warm hospitality of the Greblo family.

TURNERS CROSSING 2019 VIOGNIER

VIN DU VAN 2022 CHARDONNAY

Time well spent in French oak has produced a lovely, lively Viognier of succulent fruit flavours. While its colour and aroma of figs and apricots suggest a sweet wine, the variety is satisfyingly dry and spicy, making it a perfect accompaniment to Asian dishes.

If you’re a fan of Chardonnay, you’ll love this comparable varietal from winemaker Adam Marks at Serpentine’s 5-star rated winery.

Pull out a crowd favourite for Christmas with this Chardonnay from the boutique Vin Du Van in Mandurang. We know you shouldn’t really judge a book by its cover, or a wine by its label, but who could look past the vintage French-inspired peacock gracing this elegant bottle? With aromas of green apple, pear and citrus, and a classic zesty flavour, this is the perfect way to toast a hot summer’s day. Visit the winery bistro on weekends and experience the wine at its source, along with a prosciutto, fig and rocket pizza.

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TALENTED TEENS SHINE

Colin and Jordyn

Daniel and Rory

Irie, Rowan, Josephine, Evie, Chris and Vincent

Kerrie and Lee

Lukas and Grace

Sebastian and Ruby

Friday evenings are for music and family, at least on the last one in October.

Music filled Hargreaves Mall as part of a special concert featuring student bands from schools around Bendigo.

Parents, families and friends of the students proudly watched on as they showed off their musical talents to the town.

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Bill, Jan, Melissa and Alex

Dawn, Kim, Jesse and Hayley

TRADITION LIVES ON George, Darren, Jack, Ross and John

Jo, Shane, Sonia and Darren

Jenny, Jan, Darren and Mark

Leah, Jess, Aaron and Kym

The night before the Bendigo Cup, a cherished racing tradition returned for the first time in over a decade.

Members of the Bendigo Jockey Club had a ball at the Golden Square Hotel for the Cocktail Calcutta, engaging in lively conversation over refreshments and bidding on the contenders for the highly anticipated race.

CELLAR DOOR & BISTRO | OPEN WEEKENDS 11AM-5PM

Ph: 03 5439 3635 | 83 Cahills Road, Mandurang

www.vinduvanestate.com |

Kristy & Shaun After a beautiful backyard proposal, Kristy and Shaun danced the night away at their dream wedding Photography by Justin and Jim - Photographers

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A crowded dance floor in a Melbourne club was the setting for the start of Kristy and Shaun’s love story. After locking eyes with Kristy, Shaun danced his way over to her for a chat. They clicked right away, and Kristy knew she didn’t want the night to be a one-off.

“Before he left, I saved my number in his phone as ‘Kristy call her ASAP’,” she says. “And that’s just what he did.”

Years as a couple went by, and Shaun made the decision to propose to Kristy during a trip to Europe, a plan ruined by COVID-19 lockdowns. Not wanting to wait any longer, Shaun instead opted for the special moment to take place at home with their dogs, Jedda and Cody.

“He sent me to the shop to get a lime for our Coronas and when I got home, I found him down on one knee in the back yard,” Kristy says. “I said yes instantly.”

On October 21, 2023, Kristy and Shaun finally tied the knot at the beautiful Chateau Dore in Mandurang. Between getting engaged and the wedding, the couple had a daughter, Zoe, leading to one of the most memorable moments of the day.

While her parents were holding hands at the altar, two-year-old Zoe called out for her mummy, running up to Kristy and Shaun for a cuddle.

“That was a special moment for sure, just to be standing there with our little girl,” Kristy says.

Being surrounded by family on their big day was important to Kristy and Shaun, with the couple forgoing a formal bridal party. Shaun got ready with his dad and best mate before picking up Zoe to take her to the ceremony, while Kristy spent the time with her parents and brothers. She wouldn’t change a thing.

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“My younger brother Jake held my train up and my older brother Scott held my veil as I got into the car,” Kristy says. “I told them they were the best bridesmaids a girl could ask for.”

Kristy also enjoyed dancing with her dad, choreographing a few fun steps in hopes their family would believe they had planned a whole dance. They almost decided to scrap it due to their incoordination, but ultimately went ahead with it, a decision Kristy is grateful for.

Her first dance with Shaun was also one to remember. During the proposal, a Jack Johnson song played, and the couple chose the same one to dance to.

“We were worried the whole process would be slightly awkward and embarrassing, but that song came on… and it felt like it was just the two of us in that room,” Kristy says.

Once the formalities were over, the dance floor was never empty, with DJ and MC Ryan Gay of Knot Music providing the fun and relaxed party vibes the couple craved. Other vendors included Fifi&Edga Bridal, Cakes for Occasions, Married by Georgia, Justin and Jim - Photographers, Libertine Florist, Hair by Jaz, and Gemma Simmons Makeup.

The couple cannot speak more highly of all their vendors, recommending them to anyone planning a wedding in the region.

“We were so lucky; we had the Bendigo Dream Team!” Kristy says.

“Book everyone that we used for our wedding and you can’t go wrong.”

Kristy and Shaun are looking forward to jetting off to New Zealand in February for their honeymoon. For now, they are enjoying their new life as a married couple, although Kristy admits it hasn’t been very different at all.

“When you have been together for nine years, you have a home and a child together and then you get married.... nothing changes!” she says. “But that is exactly what we had hoped for because life was pretty sweet from the moment we got together.”

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CUP CLAIMS A TRIUMPH

Hannah, Caron and Jess

Jaz, Danielle, Danielle, Kellie and Fiona

Jody, Kelly, Jo and Rachel

Kate, Lauren, Josie, Jess and Nicole

Riley, Maddy, Andreia and Jamie

Tiffany, Hayley, Tamra and Sue

Gorgeous spring weather and good company blessed those who attended the 2023 Bendigo Cup. Thousands of family and friends came together trackside or under a marquee to watch the races, with horse Interpretation claiming victory in the main race. Off the track, the Fashions on the Field competition was as popular as ever.

Jerome, Aram, Ziva and Amanda

Katherine and Keegan

RELAXED EVENT RETURNS Robyn, Gary and Tyler

Susannah and Vincent

Sam, Michael and Kate

Tori, Travis, April and Phoebe

With a stellar combination of live music, drinks, food, and a laid-back atmosphere, Vibes & Vino could not be missed.

Heathcote’s Barrack Reserve was filled with people keen to spend an afternoon relaxing over glasses of boutique wine, craft beer and gin. There was even a mini-makers market and a dedicated kids area, ensuring there was something to entertain all.

6 Lewis Drive, Castlemaine | Ph: 0435 500 112 | Open: Fri 8 - 5 & Sat 9 - 2 |

flavourfusion Enjoy a modern take on chicken satay with a fresh way to harness the power of peanuts.

By Beau Cook - Photography by Leon Schoots

GRILLED CHICKEN WITH PEANUT SAUCE

Method:

Serves 4

1. In a small food processor, blend all paste ingredients into a coarse paste, then fry in a small non-stick pan over a medium heat for 15 minutes or until caramelised and oil has split.

Ingredients: • 3 chicken breasts, butterflied • 1/2 cup of salt-free, crunchy peanut butter • 150ml coconut milk • 30ml Ketjap manis • 20ml lime juice Paste: • 1 large red chilli, roughly chopped • 1 thumb-size piece of ginger, peeled and roughly chopped • 4 cloves peeled garlic • 2 tbls. peanut oil • 1 tsp. turmeric powder Salad: • 1 Lebanese cucumber, halved and sliced • 1/2 red onion, finely sliced • 1 punnet of cherry tomatoes, halved • 2 cups of mixed Asian herbs (coriander, mint, Vietnamese mint, Thai basil) Nuoc Cham Dressing: • 40ml water • 3 tsp. white sugar • 3 tsp. fish sauce • 3 tsp. rice vinegar • 2 tsp. lime juice • *Extra fish sauce, turmeric and oil for marinade • *Fried shallots and chilli flakes to serve

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2. Add peanut butter, coconut milk, ketjap manis and lime juice, stir until combined. Add some water to loosen the sauce if required and season to taste. Reduce heat to low until ready to serve.

3. Place chicken into a large bowl and season with 3 tsp. fish sauce, 1 tsp. turmeric powder and 1 tbls. of peanut oil. Mix with a pair of tongs then grill chicken in a hot pan or on a BBQ until charred. Set aside for a few minutes to cool then slice into large strips.

4. Meanwhile, place dressing ingredients into a jar and shake until well combined. Add to salad just before serving.

5. Serve chicken on top of peanut sauce, alongside the salad with some fried shallots and chilli flakes on top.

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Ella and Tony

MARKET A FOODIE HEAVEN

Hayley and Trevor

Konrad and Rachel

Locals couldn’t get enough of the delicious food on offer at the second Moonlight Market of the season.

Stallholders quickly sold out of their decadent goods as they were surrounded by hungry patrons of the vibrant night market. Attendees were encouraged to bring their dogs along for the eating and shopping experience.

Letti, Sarah and Brad

Kelsey, Rudy and Jorja

Carla, Mel, Courtney, Freyja and Anne

Georgia, Brianna and Irene

Jack, Drew, Angus and Sandi

Louis, Jason, Leah and Kylie

Nangsel and Drime

Verena, Aneesh, Jhanvi and Tanvi

DIWALI LIGHTS UP THE STUPA Attendees of Diwali at the Great Stupa of Universal Compassion were in for an illuminating evening.

As part of the Enlighten series, the Hindu festival of lights was celebrated with an immersive light experience.

During the traditional dancing, prayers and live music, the Stupa and the surrounding Peace Park were beautifully transformed by lights.

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BUNJA THAI

COMMODORE MOTEL MILDURA

AUTHENTIC THAI FOOD | DINE IN | TAKEAWAY

STAY | TASTE | CONFERENCES

Bringing fresh and delicious Thai food to Bendigo’s CBD with Thai chefs and table service in an amazing Gold Rush Architectural masterpiece. Fully licensed and open for lunch Mon-Fri and dinner from 5pm Mon-Sat.

Within walking distance to the Mildura shopping and dining precinct. All our modern rooms are designed with comfort in mind and contemporary decor for both the business and leisure guest.

bunja.com.au

commodoremildura.com.au

BENDIGO ERNEST HOTEL

THE CHAMBERS WINE BAR

STAY | DINE | SHOP | EXPLORE

RESTAURANT & BAR I BEER, WINE & COCKTAILS

Situated in the heart of the CBD, our new boutique offering provides holiday and business travellers a luxurious, modern and ambient getaway set against a grand heritage backdrop.

Complimentary off-street parking. 100m from the Art Gallery.

Open every Friday night 5-9pm in the old Eaglehawk Council Chambers, upstairs at Star Cinema. The perfect venue for your Friday after-work drinks, dinner or pre-film catch-ups.

hotelbendigo.com.au

starcinema.org.au/chambers

BEECHWORTH BAKERY

PERCY & PERCY

BREAKFAST | LUNCH | CATERING

COFFEE | BREAKFAST | LUNCH | CATERING

Conveniently located on the main thoroughfare through Bendigo, Beechworth Bakery offers a variety of scrumptious cakes, pastries, breads and pies plus a huge selection of fresh sandwiches, wraps and focaccias.

Watch the world go by from the courtyard or settle inside amongst a cosy setting of wooden tables and low pan lighting. Our coffee is reason alone to make a visit - but after a peek at the menu, you won’t be able to resist staying longer.

beechworthbakery.com.au

percyandpercy.com.au

Photo by Leon Schoots 86

life on the Sheepwash In March 2001, the results of a geographical survey of the state showed that a spot just in front of the old Methodist Church on a bend in the road from Bendigo to Mandurang was, in fact, the very heart of Victoria.

By Geoff Hocking

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At latitude 36O 46’ 23” S and longitude 144O 17’ 39” E, Mandurang is a small community with a big heart.

To celebrate this, my Mandurang-born-and-bred cousin Wilma Gorrie made contact and asked if I could put a book together that told the story of Mandurang and a life lived along the Sheepwash. Wilma, who was born a Pearce and lived on the family farm in Nankervis Road, had been collecting newspaper cuttings, interesting snippets, oral histories, and much more and needed to get it all in order.

I suggested she put it all together and I would have a look at it.

She rang about three months ago and asked if we could meet and get on with her project. Only about 20 years had slipped by in between.

When she pulled up in her ute, she began to unload from the rear canopy shopping bags and suitcases crammed with memorabilia, including a complete set of her father’s diaries that began in that first year of peace, 1946, and recorded every day of life on the family farm until 1991.

I knew that farm well. As children, we spent a lot of time playing in the haysheds with our cousins, swimming in the dams, helping at milking time, cutting hay, washing udders and mucking out. We picked tomatoes. We went rabbiting , setting traps along the creek.

We went out spotlighting, riding the back of the farm truck, sitting up above the cabin, scanning the big searchlight across the paddocks until we caught a bunny in our sights, then ‘bang’. Rabbit stew for someone tomorrow.

However, even though I knew the family had been farming in Mandurang for generations, I did not know that the original founders, both paternal and maternal great-grandparents Billman and Hargreaves, were the first to farm in the valley and the first to bring dairy cows onto the Bendigo goldfields, providing fresh milk to the diggers. They were also the first to plant vines, even before De Ravin, who was still market gardening when John Billman planted his first vineyard, although the descendants of Theodore De Ravin may not agree that Billman planted vines before him.

In 1853, keen to settle in the lush valley and begin farming, John and Lydia Billman camped on a slight rise above the Sheepwash Creek right beside the spot where the old, now unused, Methodist Church stands today.

At 16, their daughter Hosannah married Lancashire-born John Hargreaves, who had arrived in the colony in 1852. John, along with 88

his brothers William and George, headed straight for the central goldfields. A claim to fame that the Hargreaves family liked to repeat was that one of John’s uncles, James Hargreaves, invented the ‘Spinning Jenny’ that revolutionised the cotton industry in the great factories of England’s north in the late 18th century.

On arrival, John saw that there was no milk available and, ever the entrepreneur, he recognised an opportunity. He headed straight back to Sydney, returning to Mandurang weeks later with a small herd of dairy cows, having walked all the way there and back. Hargreaves was the first dairy farmer on the Central Victorian goldfields. For five generations, Billman and Hargreaves descendants farmed along the Sheepwash and five generations continued in the industry established by the first European settlers in the valley.

My uncle, Wilma Gorrie’s father Ken Pearce, farmed on Nankervis Road, Mandurang, all his adult life. A failed venture in South Australia, on dry country 120km east of Adelaide, forced his father Joseph and mother Amy (daughter of James Hargreaves) to send Ken back to Mandurang to live with his grandfather, before the rest of the family could return. Brothers Joe and Walter went to live with their Uncle John and it was here that a new generation of dairymen was born. The boys were thrown into farm life, rising at 4am each day to help milk the herd of 60 cows before they had to walk off to school.

When the property, which has been known as the Pearce family farm for almost a century, came up for sale in 1918, father Joe arranged to buy it. In November 1918, Joe Pearce took over part of his brother-inlaw John’s milk run. At just nine years old, Ken assisted by driving the horse and cart delivering milk to customers in Bendigo.

In May 1948, Ken took over the farm from his father, who was by now almost 70, and although he maintained a keen interest in the farm his methods were from the old days and Ken was keen to modernise.

He built his own, new dairy building. He dug several dams to harvest his own water and maintain supply needed for irrigation in times of poor rain. He hand-built his own small cottage next door to the weatherboard house lived in by his parents.

The family was relentless in their commitment to the farm, to the continuance of the family dairy, and to the community. It is no surprise that the recreation reserve on the Sutton Grange-Bendigo Road honours the commitment of the family to Mandurang.

From the earliest European settlement of Mandurang – the building of the little church at the heart of Victoria, the establishment of the Mandurang Primary School, the Rural Fire Brigade and the Recreation Reserve – five generations of the Billmans, Hargreaves and the Pearces have left their mark in Mandurang.

Mandurang is a corruption of the indigenous word Mandorong, meaning ‘black cicada’. Some early settlers believed it meant ‘no man’s land’, but this may have been simply an extension of Captain James Cook’s ‘tella nullius’, which, 200 years since colonisation, has been well and truly proven otherwise.

It is known that the Dja Dja Wurrung, a clan of the Jarra people, held this part of the Central Victorian region, including the wide valley of the Bendigo goldfields, to be their traditional lands.

For most indigenous groups, the future occupation of their lands once Europeans arrived, was bleak indeed. While some worked for squatters, who had taken up large holdings across the central pasturelands, they were susceptible to both disease and abuse

and many did not stay in service long. Before long they had all but disappeared.

Subsequently, the land of the black cicada became Mandurang and the freshwater creeks that once flowed freely, bringing fish and crays, kangaroos and wallabies, soon brought crops and market gardens, vineyards, sheep and dairy cattle.

The book Mandurang– Memories of living along the Sheepwash… is still in the preparation stage. It also includes memories of more than one family whose history is also woven into the rich cloth that is the Mandurang community, lots of photos of farm life, old school photos and the story of historical enterprises such as the Edinburgh Tannery, De Ravin and Chateau Doré, and much more.

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REMEMBERING THE PAST

Ada, Frank and Amy

Bev, Bev and Lois

Fletcher, Judith, Trevor and Darcy

Harry and Evie

Terrence and Sandy

Zachary, Jessica and Reuben

Margaret, Sharon and Amy

Natasha and Scott

Ned, Maree, Doug and Hugo

Rob and Jenni

Annie, Jason and Rebecca

Bernadette and Maria

At 11am on November 11, silence fell across Bendigo to mark 105 years since World War I ended.

In Remembrance Day services hosted by the Bendigo District RSL, locals gathered at the Bendigo Soldiers Memorial Institute and in Eaglehawk’s Brassey Square to pay their respects to those who died in the line of duty.

EXHIBITION PREVIEW DELIGHTS GUESTS VIPs of the Golden Dragon Museum got a sneak peek of its newest exhibition one evening in November.

In collaboration with Heritage Victoria, Victoria’s Goldfields: Chinese Curiosities from Heritage Victoria was opened by Mayor Andrea Metcalf and blessed by the Bendigo Chinese Association Lion Team at an event ahead of the exhibition’s public opening.

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WE DDI NGS PRIVATE FUNCTIONS CONFE RE NCE S C ONCE RTS & FE STI VAL S SPE CI AL EVE NTS

www.silksfunctions.com.au

To arrange an appointment to view our venue and discuss your wedding or function requirements please call Jenny on 5448 4209 or email j.rawiller@bendigo.countryracing.com.au |

a fine

pickle

It began as a bit of backyard fun between American family friends; now it’s achieved pro-sport status and is proving to be a smash hit around the world… including right here in Bendigo.

By Raelee Tuckerman - Photography by Leon Schoots

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What do basketball stars LeBron James and Kevin Durant, tennis aces Nick Kyrgios and Naomi Osaka, NFL legend Tom Brady and actress Eva Longoria have in common, apart from their celebrity status? All own professional Major League Pickleball teams, buying into the hybrid racquet sport that is winning the hearts and minds of so many who dare pick up a paddle.

And while the elite level is gaining attention with high-profile investors, grassroots pickleball is growing in popularity thanks to its simplicity, low-impact physicality and social enjoyment factors.

“You start hitting that little ball back over the net and it’s such a joy. It’s so easy to play – it’s a little bit like tennis, a little like table tennis and a bit of badminton” explains Bendigo Pickleball Club founder and president Elena Gagliardi, who first came across the game while cruising the Pacific on an American liner eight years ago.

“I had a go and just loved it. I was keen to continue, but when I got back to Australia nobody had heard of pickleball, so I just let it lie.”

It wasn’t until years later, when her cruise companion contacted her from Tasmania to say pickleball was being played in Hobart, that she sprang into action. “I thought, if they can do it in Hobart, we can do it in Bendigo.”

Elena contacted the Victorian Pickleball Association, borrowed some equipment, and tried in vain to attract local interest via Facebook. “I couldn’t get anyone to come and play by advertising, so I asked my friends from table tennis, rock ‘n’ roll friends I dance with, and some tennis friends here in Bendigo. It took a lot of convincing for some of the tennis players to come and hit a little plastic ball with holes in it, but they came – and now most of them are hooked!”

After that first game day on August 29, 2022, Elena gained a council grant and formed the club that now runs three popular pickleball sessions a week at the Bendigo Badminton and Table Tennis

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Complex in Eaglehawk, with multiple courts offering doubles matches and newcomer coaching.

She can’t quite believe how quickly things have taken off from such humble beginnings.

“Some of our players have gone to national tournaments and come home with medals. When I think about it, I get a bit overwhelmed and I’m so proud I brought pickleball to Bendigo.”

One of the initially reluctant tennis converts mentioned earlier is club treasurer Greg Woodman, who recently won gold in doubles and bronze in singles at the Australian Championships in Sydney, where almost 700 players were competing.

“I was very sceptical at first,” he laughs. “I thought, what the heck is pickleball and couldn’t understand why Elena was making such a big deal about it. I wasn’t even going to go to the first session but a couple of mates said, ‘come on, give it a go’. So I did and of course I was hooked as soon as I started. Now we are all addicted to it.”

Greg still plays tennis but is just as keen on pickleball.

He says there’s even a professional league in Australia featuring the Melbourne Mavericks and teams from other states playing for prizemoney. “I saw some of those open singles players at the national titles – their skill and the standard they were playing at was something to behold. It is appealing to largely the older generation in Bendigo, but younger ones are taking to it at the higher levels.”

Pickleball is played on a badminton-size court and involves hitting a plastic “wiffle ball” over a little-lower-than-tennis-height net using paddles slightly bigger than table tennis bats. There’s less running involved than tennis and the ball bounce is lower, so placement becomes the key to success.

It originated in the US in 1965, when three families looking for something to do one summer afternoon grabbed some ping pong bats and a perforated ball and started hitting it over a lowered net on a badminton court. There are conflicting reports about the name – one version claims it came from one of the families’ pet dog Pickles; another that it came from the rowing term “pickle boat” for a mismatched ad hoc crew, because the game was thrown together using random equipment.

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Regardless, the modern version is suitable for all ages and abilities, with the Bendigo club boasting members from their 30s to their 70s but welcoming anyone who wants to try their hand. Experienced players are always available to help newbies learn the rules and improve their game.

Social player and club secretary Eva Silverstein went looking for pickleball after hearing about it on a radio segment about unusual sports early last year – but the game found her instead.

“When I started searching for a venue, I could only find ones in Melbourne and Ballarat,” she says. “I was ready to go to Ballarat for a come-and-try day and that very same day, I saw Elena’s ad through the Victorian Pickleball Association on my Facebook page that it was being offered at the Bendigo badminton complex. I thought, wow, this is for me.

“It was fate and from that day on, I’ve tried not to miss many sessions.”

Eva says part of the attraction is the fact you can play the game from your very first day.

“It’s not super difficult to learn the rules and you can just get into it and get on with it,” she says. “I love the atmosphere and the fun – we can have a ‘hit and giggle’ or we can take it more seriously, it really doesn’t matter. It is inclusive and not too strenuous but at the same time you know you have done some physical activity. It takes care of so many parts of our lives – it’s mentally stimulating, it provides physical activity, and we leave feeling good about ourselves.”

Organisers aim to one day see a dedicated pickleball facility established in Bendigo, where courts can be permanently set up for players to use whenever they want.

Elena says that may still be a while off. In the meantime, they’ll keep setting up and packing away their equipment for regular sessions at the badminton complex: Mondays 1.30-4pm, Fridays 10.30am-1pm and Sundays 9-11.30am.

“Sometimes I don’t even play myself, I just sit back and watch, like a mother looking out over all her kids. I get such a buzz seeing everyone else playing. Pickleball has opened up a new world for me.”

If you’d like to be part of the pickleball revolution, contact Elena Gagliardi on 0418 362 322 or email bendigopickleball@gmail.com

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