Bendigo Magazine - Issue 76 - Spring 2024

CLOSE TO HUNTLY RAILWAY STATION

WALK TO VIEWPOINT CENTRAL PARK

SHORT DRIVE TO EPSOM TOWN CENTRE

i Auslan SelfGuided Tour i

AUSLAN SELFGUIDED TOUR

Golden Dragon Museum Auslan Self-Guided tour allows d/Deaf and Hard of Hearing visitors to visit 10 key attractions at their own pace and in their own order. Scan the QR code to find out more about this groundbreaking initiative.

Ph: (03) 5441 5044 www.goldendragonmuseum.org

dear reader,

As we embrace the vibrant energy of spring, we’re thrilled to bring you another edition of Bendigo Magazine, celebrating the heart and soul of our community. In this issue, we explore the beauty of connection – from the delicate brushstrokes of a local artist to the rhythmic beats of our region’s cultural festivals.

We also take a closer look at the inspiring stories of those who make Bendigo shine, whether it’s through their dedication to the arts, their passion for winemaking, or their commitment to preserving our environment.

Each page is a testament to the creativity, resilience and warmth that defines Central Victoria. So, grab a cup of tea, find a cozy spot, and enjoy the stories that bring our community to life.

The Bendigo Magazine Team

MANAGING EDITOR

Dustin Schilling

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Leon Schoots, AJ Taylor, Daniel Soncin, Tayla Arceri and Tyler O’Keefe

WRITERS

Dianne Dempsey, Geoff Hocking, Lauren Mitchell, Raelee Tuckerman and Marina Williams

CONTRIBUTORS

Beau Cook, Stephanie Dunne and Danielle Snowden

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.

BENDIGO VISITOR CENTRE

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

SHOWCASING THE BEST OF BENDIGO

Start your Bendigo experience by talking to a local at the Bendigo Visitor Centre.

Located in the historic post o ce building on Pall Mall:

• Book your accommodation and find places to stay

• Buy tickets to events and our main attractions

• Explore with maps, guide books and local knowledge

• Collect unique gifts and souvenirs at Uniquely Bendigo

• Taste the region and purchase specialty produce

• Connect with local artists and creatives in the Living Art Space

• Discover culture in Djaa Djuwima, our First Nations Gallery

• Join a heritage building tour and uncover our unique history

Bendigo

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

20 Peacekeepers’ journey - Faces of Peace exhibition

PEOPLE & LIFE

26 Reviving community connections - Repair Cafe

56 The sweet life - Mia Green

64 Paris is done and dusted - Bendigo memories

78 Stefanie and Patrick - Wedding feature

84 Casting a line - Jared Hartley

93 Taking the plunge - Culturally diverse swim program

34 Sonic bloom - Sound installation

38 We are family - Rob McHaffie

FOOD, WINE & HOME

48 Raising a glass - Local winery Q&A

68 Trio to try - Wine tasting

74 Lemongrass delight - Recipe with Beau Cook

It’s finally Spring!

We’re so excited we’re almost wetting our plants

Gardening is about creating a beautiful and interesting space we can enjoy with our family and friends.

It’s good for our physical health, mental wellbeing and social connection. But did you know, water use outdoors accounts for up to 50% of total water use in the average home?

With a little planning and some clever tips from our handy Smart Gardens for a Dry Climate Guide, you can have an attractive and productive garden – and save on water and energy bills.

Small actions to save water and money

Use a trigger nozzle or watering can and only water when the sun is low.

You’ll limit water wastage and reduce water loss through evaporation, and your plants will thank you.

Most plants are tougher than you think and can go quite long periods without extra water once established. Choose waterwise plant varieties suited to our dry climate.

Mulch reduces the need for irrigation by cutting evaporation by as much as 70%. It also inhibits weed growth and improves the structure of your soil. Any mulch is better than no mulch!

Many plants are traditionally over watered. And some, like lavender, can be watered to death. Push aside your mulch before watering. If the soil is moist you don’t need to water.

Get your free copy

Our Smart Gardens for a Dry Climate booklet is bursting with useful content and inspirational ideas for creating and maintaining waterwise gardens in a changing climate. You can pick one up from our office or visit connect.coliban.com.au/smart-gardens-dry-climate to download or order a copy.

events blooming

From thrilling horse races and art exhibitions to vibrant festivals and garden tours, this spring brings a diverse lineup of local events for everyone to enjoy.

MOVE TOGETHER

Bendigo Health’s Move for Mental Health Challenge is back this October, encouraging people to improve their own physical health, while raising awareness and funds for local mental health services.

And it’s all up to you. Choose a way to move appropriate to your age, fitness level and interests – walk, run, bike, or dance your way to the finish line. The choice is yours.

Research shows that people who exercise regularly have better mental health and emotional wellbeing and lower rates of mental illness. Overall, exercise is an effective and natural way to improve mood, reduce stress, produce better sleep and promote mental health.

Since the challenge began in 2020, more than $300,000 has been raised to improve the wellbeing and recovery outcomes of mental health patients throughout the Loddon Mallee region. This has allowed Bendigo Health to deliver exercise and art programs, establish an on-site gym, provide sensory modulation tools and purchase a patient transport bus – all of which have made a world of difference for patients.

Don’t wait, sign up now and get ready to move!

Registrations are $25 per individual or $50 per family. Register or learn more at bendigohealthfoundation.org.au/m4mh

ANGELA HEWITT 2024

One of the world’s legendary pianists comes to Bendigo in October for an iconic program of Bach, Mozart, Handel and Brahms.

Winning the hearts of Australian audiences with sold-out national tours, Angela Hewitt finally returns to our shores for the first time in seven years.

This piano recital of the year links the compositional magic and genius of Bach, Mozart, Handel and Brahms, through themes of variation, chaconne and fantasia.

Mozart’s volatile Fantasia for Piano in C minor opens the program, setting the stage for his famous Sonata in C minor, reuniting the works that were first published together in 1785.

To conclude the first half, Angela then brings her profound understanding of Bach to his Chromatic Fantasia and Fugue in D minor.

In the second half, Angela explores Themes and Variations: Handel’s majestic Chaconne in G major, which prepares us for Brahms’ homage – his endlessly inventive Variations on a Theme by Handel.

This night not to be missed by pianists and other music lovers is on at The Capital from 4pm on October 13. Book via gotix.com.au

SPRING SEASON AT CASCADE ART GALLERY

Cascade Art Gallery director Kareen Anchen opens the creaky Gothic church doors to showcase a curated spring season of visual art exhibitions at Maldon’s fine art treasure.

First up is perennial favourite David Moore’s new collection Painted Atmosphere, featuring landscape, still life and romantic ‘tutu’ paintings for which he is renowned. No stranger to success, David is a finalist in the 2024 Len Fox Painting Prize at Castlemaine Art Museum.

David Moore - Painted Atmosphere was launched by choreographer, creative director and fine art photographer Simon Dow and is open until September 29.

October will herald the subtle, meditative landscapes of reclusive painter Chris Delpratt. Roadside Impressions is a survey exhibition from 2003-2015. Painterly oil on canvas works appear like gentle liquid watercolour paintings, rather than oils. Chris has a unique way of painting ‘en plein air’. Her evocative paintbrush technique is washy, deft and consistent, resulting in works that whisper, rather than scream, from the gallery walls.

Chris Delpratt - Roadside Impressions is on display from October 3-27. It will be officially opened by contemporary visual artist David Harley.

This will be followed by a large-scale exhibition of woodengravings and linocuts by printmaker David Frazer. His collection, Time Passes Together, zooms in on intimate and melancholic moments in relationships. He captures the quirky: for example, a couch sitting in a pastoral landscape. David’s images often resonate and linger in the mind’s eye long after they have been seen.

David Frazer - Time Passes Together will be opened by Australian Catholic University Art Collection curator and esteemed arts writer Caroline Field and is showing from October 31 until November 24. For more details, visit www.cascadeart.com.au

Chris Delpratt ‘Rain’, Photographer - Malcolm Cross

David Frazer ‘Time Passes Together’, 2023, etching, 131x149cm, Photographer - Ian Hill

David Moore ‘Composed’, 2024, Oil on Linen, 71 x 92 cm, Photographer - Ian Hill

David Moore ‘Summer Hills, Castlemaine’ (Study), 2024, Oil on Linen, 51 x 61 cm, Photographer - Ian Hill

ALL EYES ON THE TRACK

Anticipation has been steadily building all year for one of the most prestigious country cups on the state’s horse racing calendar. The 2024 Apiam Bendigo Cup will mark the 156th anniversary of the race, and with a prize pool of $500,000 up for grabs, the competition is expected to be as fierce as it has ever been.

After last year’s photo-finish win by Irish horse Interpretation, punters will again crowd the Bendigo Jockey Club to excitedly await the result of the iconic 2400-metre race. Off the track, the most glamorous will have the opportunity to show off their stylish race-day outfits during Fashion on the Field. Several hospitality packages are also available and selling fast, offering attendees a luxurious Cup Day experience through spectacular track views, private bars, and fine dining.

The 2024 Apiam Bendigo Cup will be held on Wednesday, October 30, at the Bendigo Jockey Club. Gates open at 10.30am. Visit country.racing.com/bendigo to purchase tickets or hospitality packages.

BSO CONCERT #4 ‘RESURRECTION’

In a thrilling conclusion to its 2024 concert season, Bendigo Symphony Orchestra presents Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 ‘The Resurrection’ – a transcendent journey from darkness to light. Witness the symphony on a colossal scale: 10 trumpets, 10 horns, two sets of timpani and an organ are just the beginning of Mahler’s mighty orchestration. After the success of the inaugural Symphonia Choralis festival in 2022, BSO is once again partnering with the Gisborne Singers to bring this glorious work to life.

“Why have you lived? Why have you suffered? Is it all some huge, awful joke? We have to answer these questions somehow if we are to go on living – indeed, even if we are only to go on dying!”

Written in a letter to a friend, these are the questions Mahler hoped to answer with this symphony. While epitomising the emotion and drama of the Romantic era, the work also anticipates the radical advances of the 20th century. Beginning with a steely funeral march, Mahler spins German folksong and klezmer-inspired flourishes through four stunning movements, culminating in a sublime hymn of resurrection. This symphony explores life and death on a cosmic scale, and showcases Mahler’s rich technicolour writing and flair for dramatic narrative.

Be swept away by an eternal masterpiece at Ulumbarra Theatre on November 24, from 2.30pm. Bookings via gotix.com.au

HIDDEN GREENERY GEMS

While driving around the Mount Alexander Shire, you may notice many beautiful gardens you wish you could explore. Wish no more – you will have your chance in November, thanks to a local festival.

The Castlemaine & District Festival of Gardens showcases some of the best private properties, from grand country gardens to sculpture gardens. To celebrate the gardeners and their creativity, the 2024 festival theme is The Art of Gardening. Held every two years, the festival sees over 10,000 garden visits across the nine days. This year, there is a curated selection of 24 gardens open for discovery, including 13 new additions. Several properties will have plants and handcrafted items for sale, as well as the opportunity to chat with the gardeners about their creations.

Many of the gardens are located in Castlemaine itself, with the rest only a short drive away in surrounding towns such as Maldon and Newstead. No matter which ones you choose to visit, you will be in awe of the gardeners and their tireless efforts to turn their soil patch into a vision of beauty and joy.

The Castlemaine & District Festival of Gardens takes place from November 2-10 at various locations around the Castlemaine region. Entry to each garden is $5 for adults, and free for children. To learn more, visit festivalofgardens.org

GLOBAL FEAST OF CARE AND COMPASSION

A love of vegetarian food and animals will bring people together at the Great Stupa of Universal Compassion in early October. The annual Vegecareian Festival is a joyful celebration of vegetarian cuisine and cultures from all over the world, with all members of the family (including the furry kind) invited to attend.

Even if you are not vegetarian, you are sure to enjoy the mouth-watering food on offer at the festival. Dishes from all corners of the globe can be sampled, while learning how they are made through interactive cooking demonstrations.

A large emphasis is also placed on education. A series of talks will teach audiences about developments the vegetarian diet has experienced in other cultures, as well as how it benefits the wellbeing of both humans and animals.

Rounding out the schedule for this inclusive and compassionate festival is live music, activities for the kids, and pet blessings by a Buddhist monk – all animals are welcome.

The Great Stupa of Universal Compassion will host the free Vegecareian Festival on Saturday, October 5, from 10am to 3pm. For further information, head to stupa.org.au/vegecareian-festival

WEEKEND OF WINE SET TO DELIGHT

Even if you’re not a big fan of wine, you’ll have an absolute blast at the annual Heathcote Wine & Food Festival. The Heathcote Winegrowers Association has made sure to craft a weekend of fun the whole family can enjoy.

At the festival, you can indulge in the delicious dishes available to purchase, dance your heart out to live music by Bendigo Blues and Roots musicians, and try your luck at a game of lawn badminton – but, of course, the centrepiece of the event will be the wine.

Heathcote is renowned internationally for its wines, and more than 40 local producers will showcase their signature wines and new releases. Festival attendees should not miss sampling the Shiraz, perhaps the most famous wine from the region.

To aid in the festival’s mission of bringing wine to the people and people to the wine, buses will run from both Bendigo and Melbourne CBDs, so head to Heathcote with your family and friends for a weekend you won’t forget.

The Heathcote Wine & Food Festival will be held at the Heathcote Agricultural Showgrounds on October 5 and 6. To learn more or to purchase tickets, visit heathcotewinegrowers.com.au/festival

MUSICAL EXTRAVAGANZA TO HIT THE STAGE

An unforgettable afternoon at Ulumbarra Theatre awaits locals in October when the iconic BBC Proms Concerts that have enthralled audiences for over a century are brought to Bendigo. A former winner of the ACE Best Production Show in Australia award, An Afternoon at The Proms – A Musical Spectacular will be hosted by violin maestro Ian Cooper. He will be joined by Opera Australia vocalists, prima ballerinas, the City of Melbourne Pipe Band, and the Blue Danube Orchestra, performing The Sound of Music, Ave Maria, Amazing Grace, Jerusalem, and many more Proms favourites. Audiences are encouraged to get involved in the festival atmosphere by purchasing flags and noise-makers at the venue for use during the performance.

Ian is among Australia’s most acclaimed international violinists. He has been composing and performing for almost four decades and, most notably, was commissioned to compose and perform Tin Symphony for the 2000 Sydney Olympics opening ceremony.

An Afternoon at The Proms – A Musical Spectacular will be presented by Ian Cooper at Ulumbarra Theatre at 2pm on Sunday, October 6. Tickets can be purchased through bendigoregion.com.au

BEAUTIFUL BENDIGO IN FULL BLOOM

It’s the time of year again when the days are longer, the temperatures are warmer, and the Bendigo CBD is bursting with colour as the fabulous tulips open up for all to enjoy. For more than 20 years, the Bendigo Annual Tulip Display has been enticing visitors from around the region to the city, to get a glimpse of the famed flowers and how they brighten the streets.

Over 43,000 tulips – in all manner of colours and sizes – will be on display in Pall Mall and the Conservatory Gardens, carefully cared for by the City of Greater Bendigo’s Parks and Natural Reserves team.

During the school holidays, the tulips will feature in Bendigo’s spring program of events and experiences. Between 6pm and 10pm each day, Bendigo Bloom After Dark will see the tulip beds illuminated in a spectacular display. Day or night, viewing the tulips is an experience that should not be missed.

The Bendigo Annual Tulip Display is free to view from midSeptember to mid-October, with Bendigo Bloom After Dark taking place from September 20 to October 6. For the latest updates about the tulips, visit bendigoregion.com.au

MULTICULTURALISM CELEBRATED THROUGH JOYOUS FESTIVAL

In languages such as Hindi, Urdu and Bengali,the word ‘zinda’ means alive and lively – the perfect title for the largest multicultural festival in Bendigo. The annual Zinda Festival returns to the Garden for the Future in October for one vibrant day, showcasing the growing diversity of our region. Various community groups will be on hand to share their culture through dance, music, art and food, with thousands expected to attend the event.

Launched in 2018 by Loddon Campaspe Multicultural Services, the Zinda Festival is a celebration of the different cultures contributing to the vibrancy of Central Victoria. Festivals were also held for the first time in Castlemaine and Echuca in June this year.

The 2024 Zinda Festival takes place at the Garden for the Future in White Hills on Saturday, October 12, from 11am to 6pm. To learn more, visit zinda.org.au

A TASTE OF LOCAL EXCELLENCE

For five hours on a Saturday afternoon in October, wine lovers will wander Bendigo in search of the best drops on offer. It won’t be hard to find them – 10 centrally located venues are opening their doors for the Bendigo Winegrowers Association’s annual Heritage & Hidden Spaces Wine Walk.

Attendees will be able to sample more than 80 local wines as they move through the different venues, some of which are exclusively open for the event. Those who want to enhance their experience and enjoy the gastronomic flavours of Bendigo should purchase a food upgrade ticket. VIP upgrades are also available, providing extra perks for the biggest wine connoisseurs.

The Heritage & Hidden Spaces Wine Walk will serve as the premier event of Bendigo Wine Week. Taking place between October 11 and 20, the week showcases and celebrates the region’s best wines through tastings, movie nights and much more.

The Bendigo Winegrowers Association will host the Heritage & Hidden Spaces Wine Walk on Saturday, October 19, from 11am to 4pm. For tickets and more information, head to bendigowine.org.au

SPRING INTO ACTION WITH A NEW COOLABAH LAWN

As spring arrives and the days grow longer, there’s no better time to freshen up your yard with a lush new lawn. A beautiful splash of instant green turf provides a space where you and your family can relax, play, and enjoy the great outdoors while boosting your home’s street appeal.

Coolabah Turf is an award-winning grower and supplier of premium instant turf and has been transforming back yards across Victoria and southern NSW for 22 years. Located in Echuca, the dedicated team of over 50 pride themselves on offering drought-tolerant, environmentally sustainable, selfrepairing, and water-smart turfgrass varieties - perfect for Australia’s varied climate.

Coolabah Turf believes everyone should have access to an affordable, high-quality lawn for life. That’s why the company’s mission is to provide premium quality turf for instant affordable landscape solutions. Its Sir Walter DNA Certified Buffalo turf is the number one seller among Aussie homeowners and is perfect for kids and dogs.

Ready to spring into action? Let Coolabah Turf help you create the back yard of your dreams. Visit coolturf.com.au or call the friendly team on 1800 055 515 to learn more about their sustainable instant turf and lawn landscape solutions.

HONORING LOCAL PEACEKEEPERS

The Faces of Peace exhibition is a moving tribute to regional Australia’s peacekeepers. Hosted by the Bendigo Military Museum, this exhibition shines a light on the stories of 30 remarkable individuals who have dedicated their lives to promoting peace around the world. From military personnel to federal police officers, these local heroes have played pivotal roles in global peacekeeping efforts, participating in missions spanning over 60 years. Their contributions have touched 62 international peace operations since Australia’s first mission in 1947.

This exhibition invites visitors to rethink the image of a veteran and discover what it means to be a peacekeeper, through a deeply personal lens. The service and sacrifice of these everyday heroes is brought to life, reminding us of the extraordinary lengths they’ve gone to in the name of peace.

Open until November at the Bendigo Military Museum, this is a must-see event for those looking to connect with the rich history of Australia’s peacekeeping missions. Visit bendigorsl.com.au/facesof-peace-exhibitionfor more information

SPORTS PRECINCT BUZZING WITH ENERGY

The Junortoun and broader Bendigo community is fully embracing the Mercy Junortoun Sporting Precinct. From local sporting events to team training, locals are keeping active and having fun together. Last month, over 2400 community members enjoyed the fantastic facilities.

The MJSP was one of two venues for the Veterans Badminton Tournament, proudly hosted by Eaglehawk Badminton Association. With 500-plus attendees over one weekend, it was a smashing success.

Sporting Precinct manager Craig Green said: “July was jampacked with action at MJSP. We had 79 bookings across a variety of sports and activities, including cricket, basketball, netball, Bendigo Pickleball Club, Kelly Sports school holiday programs and even visits from the Melbourne Renegades and Netball Victoria. Healthy Mates brought their strength and conditioning programs and futsal was a hit, too.”

Want to get involved? Inquiries for use of the amazing indoor facilities can be sent to mjsp@cmc.vic.edu.au

journey peacekeepers'

Bendigo’s inspiring peacekeepers: when the military chooses words instead of guns.

By Dianne Dempsey -

Photography by Leon Schoots

One of the most persistent images of space travel is that of an astronaut surveying an eerie landscape on a strange and remote planet – an image peacekeeper Kellie Dadds can easily relate to.

In 2009, she wasn’t stationed on Mars but her post was just as isolated and her circumstances were always uneasy: the threat of misdirected fire was always prevalent.

Kellie had been sent to the Golan Heights as a peacekeeper, to Observation Post 54 on the border of Israel and Syria. “It was very isolated,” she says, “and there were just the two of us.”

Trained as an intelligence officer, Kellie says her core responsibility was to monitor ceasefires, armistice agreements and any activities that could threaten international peace and security along the borders of Israel and its neighbours Syria and Lebanon.

There was, however, a catch 22. The United Nations had incorrectly positioned the observation post within the demilitarised zone between Israel and Syria instead of on the Israel side of the border. Effectively, once inside OP54, they were in no-man’s land, stranded in their small compound until Israeli soldiers would allow them to re-enter Israel at a pre-arranged time.

Surrounded by barbed wire and vast tracts of stony, barren land, she and the other UN military officer were alone and lonely with little to do except look through the binoculars on the observation deck to ensure both sides were adhering to the ceasefire.

To keep sane, Kellie decided to run hundreds of continuous laps of the small compound’s bumpy perimeter track. “My plan was simple; just keep running until I got tired,” she laughs.

Kellie grew up in Bendigo and joined the ADF in 1996, when she was 17. Like many recruits, she wanted to explore the world beyond her hometown.

“I had itchy feet,” she says. “And I was always community minded. I was keen to do either emergency services or defence.”

Not all her deployments were as isolated as the Golan Heights.

Altogether, Kellie spent 22 years in the ADF, which included her first overseas deployment in 2003 to the Solomon Islands where, as a regular soldier, she was confronted with a volatile and violent situation. Her goal to see the world had certainly succeeded.

She isn’t the only local who, having grown up in a secure and happy environment, wanted to explore the wider horizons of our humanity. That there have been a multitude of peacekeepers who come from Bendigo and Central Victoria is the message of an exhibition in the Bendigo Military Museum in Pall Mall.

Titled Faces of Peace, it highlights 30 Australian peacekeepers, most of whom are locals.

Kellie says ADF members can nominate for a posting to a UN mission, but generally they are ordered to their new role. “Once you’re in the army, you do as you’re told.”

She was deployed to the Middle East with the United Nations Truce Supervision Organisation. (Peacekeepers can also be recruited from the Australian Federal Police.)

The basic difference between a soldier and a peacekeeper is a weapon. (On certain missions, peacekeepers are authorised to be armed as, for example, in East Timor.) Generally, missions involving United Nations military observers are unarmed.

Rather than carry weapons, a peacekeeper carries knowledge of the culture and history of the region to which they have been deployed. Intense education programs equip the peacekeeper to de-escalate and stabilise complex tensions.

Kellie provides a simple and graphic explanation of this basic distinction. “In the Middle East, I was unarmed with no authority to carry or use weapons. In the Solomon Islands, I was armed and in defined situations I was authorised to use force up to and including lethal force.”

She emphasises the distinction by referring to the carnage of Rwanda.

“Nothing speaks better to the complexity experienced by peacekeepers than the courage shown by 32 Australian servicemen and women who experienced the horror of the Kibeho refugee camp in Rwanda, in April 1995.

“... They witnessed the Rwandan army carry out a revenge attack on Hutu refugees, some of whom had taken part in the Rwandan genocide of the previous year. The Australians could not stop the massacre, but they courageously continued to work under fire to save as many civilians as possible, resulting in four army personnel being awarded the Medal of Gallantry.”

Despite this valour, the role of peacekeepers is occasionally challenged.

Former ADF member Carl Chirgwin was deployed as an unexploded ordnance specialist. He served as a peacekeeper in both Pakistan and Mozambique, training locals how to disarm landmines. He is adamant that peacekeeping has got to be a better option than a shooting war.

“It may not get the publicity and kudos of other operations, but what you are doing is very important. If one child doesn’t die because of your efforts, your service has been worthwhile for the greater good.”

As an army reservist, Bendigo police officer Justin Ludeman says his experience as a peacekeeper has helped him appreciate how lucky we are to live in Australia.

In 2010, Justin worked for six months in the Solomon Islands and says his experience was life-changing. “Peacekeeping is a thoroughly rewarding task where you get to see real-world benefit to a nation and community that usually doesn’t have the opportunities we take for granted here – things like a civil and democratic community. We have the potential to empower and stabilise an entire region. Small moments and interactions can have lasting effects.”

Kellie Dadds says many of her contemporaries who left Bendigo have now returned home to raise their children. Having served overseas, she says Bendigo provides families with many wonderful services and facilities. Furthermore, people are kind, generous and giving.

Faces of Peace will be on display at the Bendigo Military Museum, Pall Mall, until November 24.

DISCO DANCING ON WHEELS

The community was invited to grab roller skates and groove during the July school holidays.

Dragon City Roller Derby held its Winter Wonderland Roller Disco at Truscott Stadium, offering people of all ages a magical evening of skating and dancing. Coaches were on hand, ready to assist those new to skating.

Bec and Luke

Ellie and Lexi

Lucy and Casey

Bryden and Ty

Emma and Arlo

Theo and Moses

CHRYSLER CRAZE IN BENDIGO

The June long weekend saw the Midstate Mopar celebrate its 17th year with a spectacular Chrysler display on Bendigo’s streets.

Over 250 vehicles rolled into the Town Hall Precinct for the Show ‘n’ Shine, hosted by the Central Victorian Chrysler Club Inc, with large crowds keen to get a glimpse of the classic cars.

Bob

Makena, Josh and Brax

The Papasergia Family

Leon

Pacey

Paul

reviving community connections

Saving the planet one cake mixer at a time: inside the operations of

By

Bendigo’s Share and Repair Cafe

Dianne Dempsey - Photography by Leon Schoots

In an old Bendigo warehouse, a small group of people is gathered around a 54-year-old Kenwood Chef. The diagnosis is not good. Barbara Garde, the Kenwood’s owner, is worried.

Over the years, the loyal Kenwood has helped the farmer’s wife make birthday cakes, scones and pavlovas. But today, the Kenwood is on death’s door and Barbara is loath to throw it on a garbage pile. Apart from its functional purpose, the mixer has huge sentimental value. Barbara’s mother gave it to her for Christmas in 1970 when she married. She watches anxiously as two volunteers from the Bendigo Share and Repair Cafe take the machine apart. Ernie Wallace is retired but in his other life he was a dairy farmer and rural water-pump repairman. He brings to the Repair Cafe the mechanical skills and ingenuity typical of people who work on the land. Assisting him in the delicate operation is Ian Beckerleg, a retired electronics engineer who formerly worked for large-scale organisations.

As Ernie and Ian lay out the Kenwood’s clutch and gear system, they marvel at the archaeological layer of flour that has gradually been drawn into the machine’s parts over 54 years of mixing and blending. After a tense conference, Ernie, Ian and Barbara conclude the machine’s gasket has been worn away. The chances of sourcing a new one – zilch.

They take a break for coffee and homemade cake to mull over the problem. Then Barbara has an idea. She rummages through recycled textiles and discovers a tough synthetic fabric, perfect for a gasket. She then goes to the sewing room and, using the old gasket as a template, cuts and sews a new one and returns to her colleagues, triumphant.

The Kenwood is reassembled. A small crowd gathers. The motor is turned on and the Kenwood roars into action once more.

As the Repair Cafe has evolved over the past seven years, two broad but distinct functions have emerged. One is as a centre for repairs and recycling; the second is that of bringing together like-minded people who are keen to respond to the pervasive environmental crisis.

On retirement, Ian Beckerleg was looking for something meaningful he could do with the years that lay spread before him. He joined a service club, but while its objective of community service was worthwhile, Ian found the emphasis on meetings was not for him.

“I’d had enough of meetings and minutes,” he says. “I was looking for something that was more hands-on and, at the same time, allowed me to be involved in a community group. Along with Ernie and many other cafe volunteers, Ian enjoys the business of sharing diverse skills and nutting out problems.

Not all of the volunteers are retirees. Patrick Earley is in his mid20s and finds the Repair Cafe allows him to fit volunteer work around his paid job.

Like the other volunteers, Patrick is motivated by his belief in the ethos of minimising waste, decrying the practice of using the earth’s limited resources to continually manufacture new goods and then wilfully discarding them.

Patrick says he has particularly enjoyed setting up an online catalogue for the cafe’s tool library. On the principle of ‘why buy when you can borrow’, the library includes industrial tools as well as an enticing array of equipment such as pressure cookers and camp chairs.

Bendigo Share and Repair Cafe co-convenor Elsie L’Huillier says people may have observed that, over the past few years, the organisation has moved from the former Good Loaf bakery site, to the Little Church on the Hill, and then to Peppergreen Farm. She says it is thanks to the generous support of Sustainability Victoria and the City of Greater Bendigo that the Repair Cafe permanently set up last year in Garsed Street.

Elsie has always been a passionate community activist. When she observed the early days of repair cafes in Melbourne, that passion became focused on offering an alternative to our throwaway society.

Based on the initiative of Martine Postma in the Netherlands some 30 years ago, repair cafes are now found throughout Europe, the United Kingdom, the United States and dozens of other countries, including Australia.

Another co-convenor, Roz Effenberg, is particularly proud of “The Remakery”, which features clothing and gift items made from recycled materials. Roz even runs crochet workshops using recycled materials. Volunteers also teach interested visitors how to mend and repair clothing items themselves.

Since moving to 120 Garsed Street, the cafe’s services have exponentially expanded.

Newcomers are greeted by a friendly receptionist who guides visitors through the many sections or stalls. Based on the concept of Play School’s “useful box”, an entire section of the warehouse is stocked with recycled items sourced from households, businesses and factories. Food and surplus seasonal fruit and vegetables are free. As well, there is a book library and a coffee shop. In lieu of payment for items, visitors are invited to make a donation.

As Elsie says, by using the cafe either as a customer or a volunteer, people feel just a little less helpless in the face of the relentless messages about our doomed environment.

The Bendigo Share and Repair Cafe at 120 Garsed Street is open on Thursdays and Saturdays from 10am-1pm. For more information and updates, visit its Facebook page or website, bendigoshareandrepairshed.org or email info@bendigoshareandrepairshed.org

196 Arnold Street, North Bendigo

Country Hearing Care’s latest clinic is located just 500m from Bendigo Health and will provide much needed Audiology services for the local community.

Offering hearing tests for adults and children, the latest hearing device technology, Cochlear implant services, wax removal, tinnitus support and more!

HISTORY ROLLS ON

The city’s iconic trams were in the spotlight as the Bendigo Tramways Museum opened its new expansion.

Locals were invited to delve into 130 years of history through tours of Australia’s oldest operating depot, hopping on board for a Vintage Talking Tram Tour around the CBD before relaxing in the new Tram Café.

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

Jude, Sherridan and Leo

Henley and Katie

Valerie, Ashley, Lauren, Steve and Alfie

Kate, Phill and Vivienne

Tommy, James, Mila and Rain

Wendy and Catherine

FRESHLY ROASTED IN CASTLEMAINE

JESSE

“There are so many subject choices in a variety of learning areas.”

LU LU

“Every day I’m grateful to be here.”

HAYLEY

“BSSC is a really easy place to make new friends.”

BEAUTIFUL BENDIGO SHINES

Winter in Bendigo was a dazzling place as Electric Wonderland returned to Rosalind Park.

Those who braved the cold were provided with a spectacular view of the thousands of lights and interactive exhibits, including an illuminated 40-metre replica of Sacred Heart Cathedral. The event was held during the school holidays.

JOSH

“The level of independence you have at this school is unparalleled.”

BSSC offers the greatest choice of subjects for senior secondary students in Victoria. With a wide range of specialist programs and flexible learning options, BSSC is designed to create an environment that supports learners at every level.

Like to find out more?

Phone: 5443 1222

Email: admin@bssc.edu.au

Cassandra, Ava, James, Hayley and Chris

Maraia, Sandra and Tobias

Ruby, Jason, Emily and Laila

Clea, Zoey, Grace and Julien

Julie, Logan, Sarah, Peter, Patrick and Paul

Trent, Brady, Kiralee and Harper

sonic bloom

In the heart of Bendigo, a unique project is set to transform the city’s historic Rosalind Park Conservatory into an immersive sound experience like no other.

Photography by David Darrah

Commissioned by the City of Greater Bendigo’s Creative Communities and spearheaded by artistic producer Aimee Chapman, Sonic Bloom is not just a sound installation; it’s an exploration of how sound can deepen our connection to place, community and self.

Reflecting on the project’s inception, Creative Communities coordinator Maree Tonkin shares: “For me, the journey goes back to the creation of a vision for the city around public arts and temporary public art.

“The City presents a strong visual and performing arts program, however we hadn’t explored the presentation of a contemporary sound art project. I really wanted to find something unique and explore what a sound art project might look like.”

Maree’s desire to elevate sound art within the city’s cultural landscape led her to Aimee, a talented sound artist whose work resonated with the city’s goals. Their collaboration began when Maree attended a showcase of artists at the Emporium Creative Hub, where Aimee presented a compelling vision for integrating sound into public spaces.

“The provocation to Aimee was, ‘What do flowers sound like? What do our gardens sound like?’ Aimee came back with a fantastic proposal, and thus, the journey began.”

Over the course of three months in spring, the Rosalind Park Conservatory will host three afternoon performances blending local audio stories, site-specific sound recordings, and live performances by renowned artists and local emerging musicians.

As artistic producer of the project, Aimee says: “I am incredibly excited and grateful for the opportunity to bring Sonic Bloom to life in Rosalind Park’s historic Conservatory. This project is a celebration of sound as a powerful medium to connect people to place and to each other. By weaving local audio stories with immersive soundscapes and live performances, we can offer the community a unique experience to explore and imagine their own place in these beautiful parts of Bendigo.”

Aimee’s vision for Sonic Bloom is deeply rooted in the belief that sound can create connections that transcend visual experiences. “Immersing the audience in these stories and sounds creates a vivid sensory experience that is both intimate and expansive.”

A defining feature of Sonic Bloom is its strong emphasis on community engagement. The project not only involves the public as an audience but also as active participants in the creative process. Aimee has been collaborating with local community members, including the City of Greater Bendigo Parks team, gardens volunteers, and local historical interest groups. These collaborations involve in-depth interviews and recordings that capture the passion, knowledge and love these individuals have for Bendigo’s gardens and parks.

Maree reflects on the project’s potential to bring people together: “The Parks team is so passionate about what they do and enabling them to create a sound library through Aimee’s guidance is something truly unique. These spaces and places are for all of us, and Sonic Bloom gives everyone an opportunity to engage in a way that feels personal and profound.”

For Aimee, the joy of capturing the experiences of the parks and gardens workforce and volunteers is a significant part of Sonic

Bloom’s success. “It’s a dream come true,” she says. “The Parks team has such deep care and enthusiasm for these spaces, so to be able to share their individual stories, favourite places and knowledge in this highly creative way, and to such a wide audience, really is a rewarding gift.”

Sonic Bloom is designed to be more than just an art installation; it’s an experience that invites the community to slow down, listen and connect. The monthly performances will activate the lawns adjacent to the Conservatory, projecting the performance audio into the gardens and enabling everyone to enjoy a picnic-style atmosphere.

Maree highlights the importance of this aspect: “I think what I love about it is the capacity to really engage with the community.” Aimee adds: “Sound really does have a unique ability to transport us, and I am looking forward to seeing audiences create their own narrative within these historic surroundings.”

As the community prepares to experience Sonic Bloom, it’s clear this project will leave a lasting impact on Bendigo’s cultural landscape by focusing on sound as a medium that creates space for personal reflection, community connection, and a deeper appreciation of Bendigo’s parks and gardens.

Maree’s closing thoughts capture the essence of the project: “Creative projects can enable everyone to be involved. Sonic Bloom is a testament to the power of collaboration, innovation and the belief that art can transform the way we see – and hear – the world around us.”

For Aimee Chapman and the City of Greater Bendigo, Sonic Bloom is not just an art project; it’s a journey that invites everyone to pause, listen and find their place within the symphony of Bendigo’s beautiful gardens.

Live performances will take place at Rosalind Park Conservatory lawns at 2pm on September 8, October 6 and November 3, with sound installations available for visitors to experience during Conservatory opening hours throughout spring.

PLANTING FOR GOOD

Thanks to National Tree Day participants, some fresh greenery has found a home at the Comet Hill Natural Features Reserve.

The Rotary Club of Bendigo Sandhurst gathered 50 nature lovers for the event, to plant native trees and shrubs to improve the local environment. Thousands around the country joined them for the largest community treeplanting event.

Maldon’s Fine Art Treasure Cascade Art is committed to presenting fine art in the autographic tradition of the handmade.

Limited edition artist made prints, painting, bronze and ceramic sculpture.

The Church - 1A Fountain Street, Maldon, Vic opposite the Maldon Gardens and Maldon Museum All welcome. Thursday – Sunday 10am - 5pm k kareen@cascadeart.com.au m 0408 844 152 Q

Bridget, Gemma, Nigel and Abbygail

Graeme and Linda

Kerry, Cathie, Lisa, George and Harriet

Ted and Paul

Judy and Andy

Madeleine, Phil and Colleen

PAWS AND PIZZAZZ

Hundreds of dogs and their owners packed the Bendigo Showgrounds for four days of fierce (and fluffy) competition.

The Bendigo, Eaglehawk, and Castlemaine and District kennel clubs joined forces for the annual Dog Show Championships, which saw breeds of all shapes, sizes and colours showcasing their skills. Onsite camping was available for the most enthusiastic participants.

Cate, Charlene and Chris

Jan and Kimberley

Paige and Natasha

Jaclyn and Nathan

Lachlan and Fabiola

Sue, Alana and Samantha

we are family

Central Victorian artist Rob McHaffie’s exhibition at Bendigo Art Gallery captures the humor and complexities of modern life, family, and urban/ regional living through vibrant, satirical works.

By Emma Busowsky, Curator, Bendigo Art Gallery

Photography by Leon Schoots

If a naturalist studies the patterns of nature, perhaps the satirist considers the urban world as our natural habitat, turning a David Attenborough-like eye to the study of the human species in our own self-made environment.

In the way that long-running animated TV series The Simpsons uses satire to highlight the absurdities of contemporary life, Central Victorian artist Rob McHaffie taps into a tradition of observational humour in his experience of being a painter in the world today.

Super-cool hipsters, art-world aficionados, celebrities, love-struck teenagers, and mums and dads all equally feature in Rob’s vibrant and colourful works.

For the past 30 years, he has recorded his observations of the world around him in diaries. Snippets of overheard conversations, small social interactions, family moments and the myriad characters that cross his path in daily life are captured in sketches or in a few noted words.

These are moments the artist revisits later, and inspire the subject matter for his paintings, portraits, collages and ceramic sculptures. Works such as ‘Where’d she get those legs? Where’d he get those shorts? And where’d they get that great floaty vest for the little guy?’ (2018) or ‘What if I’m left here or you’re left there’ (2016) describe relatable, everyday moments and also the anxieties many of us feel in navigating the contemporary world.

Rob’s exhibition at Bendigo Art Gallery is the largest presentation of his work to date, and brings together recent and new paintings, collages, works on paper, and ceramic sculptures across five gallery spaces, spanning the last 10 years of his practice.

The exhibition is arranged into thematic rooms, which include the idea of the urban jungle and domestic life.

“‘We are family’ felt like a beautiful broad title that kind of encapsulates the essence of my work,” Rob says, “which is ultimately all about relationships.”

RIGHT: Rob McHaffie. Did you bring your polaroid? 2024. oil on linen. Courtesy of the artist and Darren Knight Gallery.

ABOVE: Rob McHaffie. Word of mouth (Half Moon Bay) 2018, oil on linen. Bayside City Council.

BOTTOM LEFT: Rob McHaffie. Saag paneer, some basmati rice and an aloo paratha 2017, oil on linen. Courtesy of Buxton International Collection, Melbourne

Born in Melbourne in 1978, Rob spent his formative years in Bayside before moving to Castlemaine with his young family more recently.

His wife, Nartchanok, and children Larina and Kuli, feature extensively throughout his work. In imagined scenes such as an epic beach party in ‘Word of mouth (Half Moon Bay)’, the family dances alongside celebrities David Bowie, Karl Lagerfeld and Solange Knowles, while in ‘Carnegie (after dumplings)’ from 2021, a sweet, post-lockdown memory of a family dinner out in Melbourne is captured.

While the artist attributes his prolific use of joyous, high-keyed colour as a by-product of becoming a father, the challenges of domestic life are also wryly depicted in works such as ‘Warm night (it is what it is)’ (2018) and ‘A little more foliage should block out the Empire State bastard next door’ (2016). In these works, Rob astutely observes the social phenomena of the suburbs, and the common patterns of family life for many.

The recent move to Castlemaine has seen a proliferation of local places, themes and characters featured in Rob’s work. From the large wall drawing ‘I didn’t think I’d fall for a country guy’ (in which a stylishly bearded gent quips, “I moved from Coburg to Castlemaine two years ago”) to works such as ‘Harcourt Hard Rock’ (2021) or the major new painting ‘Night Walk with Powerful Owls’ local sites and characters are featured.

ABOVE: Rob McHaffie. Single mums at the Res (after Hermann Corrodi) 2024, oil on linen. Courtesy of the artist and Darren Knight Gallery

LEFT: Rob McHaffie. Night walk with Powerful Owls 2024, oil on linen. Courtesy of the artist and Darren Knight Gallery.

TOP LEFT: Rob McHaffie. Busking at the NGV 2021, oil on linen. Courtesy of the artist and Darren Knight Gallery.

BOTTOM LEFT: Curator, Emma Busowsky

‘Single mums at the Reservoir (after Hermann Corrodi)’ is another major new work produced for the exhibition. It takes its inspiration from the popular swimming spot at Golden Point, near Castlemaine, and the 19th century painting ‘Ladies of the Harem Bathing’, by Hermann Corrodi, in Bendigo Art Gallery’s permanent collection.

‘Single mums at the Reservoir’ is a humorous homage to the strong community of women and diverse families in Rob’s adopted hometown and, as do many of his works, features likenesses of his own family.

“This exhibition has been a great opportunity to work on a much larger and more ambitious scale, and to consider the major themes of my work,” says Rob. “Urban/regional life, portraiture, family… all these things draw upon observations I have recorded in diaries for the past 30 years.”

The final room of the exhibition offers a glimpse into the artist’s mind and working process.

In an intimate space called The Drawing Room, visitors can see a collection of materials from Rob’s studio, including diaries, books, sketches, drawings and new works in progress. They may also recognise reference material and preparatory drawings the artist has used in the making of the finished artworks in the show.

It is revealing of the way that drawing is central to Rob’s practice, and the ways he applies collage techniques to portraiture and narrative painting to reassemble and re-picture people, settings and moments, both real and imagined.

Through pop culture references to musings on domesticity and human relationships, Rob’s work reveals his enjoyment of life, and gentle amusement at the human condition.

The exhibition Rob McHaffie: We are family is on at the Bendigo Art Gallery until January 26, 2025. Entry is free and the gallery is open daily from 10am-5pm, excluding Christmas Day.

SHEEP STAR OF SHOW

Thousands flocked to Bendigo in July as the Showgrounds transformed into a hub of all things agriculture.

Breeders, shearers and wool handlers from around the country battled it out for top prizes at the 2024 Australian Sheep and Wool Show, as vendors showcased their finest food, fashion, and fibre products celebrating the mighty Australian sheep.

COME, VISIT, ENJOY

Make it a date to visit, and enjoy, 24 beautiful gardens across Mount Alexander Shire during Melbourne Cup Week 2–10 November 2024

Stay in touch with the Festival of Gardens online, where you can preview some of the gardens which will open around Castlemaine, Barkers Creek, Harcourt & Maldon

Ayla and Kate

Eliza

Harvey, Flynn and Mac

East Loddon P-12 College

Ellie and Harrison

Skyla, CJ and Ebony

WOOL LUNCHEON BLISS

A meal full of laughter and friendship brought together women from all over the country at the sold-out Women of Wool Luncheon in Bendigo.

Guests were charmed by host Catriona Rowntree, inspired by presenters Sharnie Curnow and Ann Peacock, and entertained by raconteur Geoff

Betty and Jill

Clare, Alexandra, Robyn and Jane

Caitlin, Melinda, Jane and Alexandra

Kerry, Angela, Jan and Marg

raising a glass

Cheers to a wonderful time sipping wine, tasting fine food and having fun at Bendigo Wine Week 2024. MARINA WILLIAMS chats to a trio of local winery representatives.

By Marina Williams - Photography by Leon Schoots

Wine enthusiasts from near and far are set to raise a glass for one of Central Victoria’s most anticipated events – the annual Bendigo Wine Week.

It’s billed as a wine “week”, but the festival offers “10 days of wine, food and fun” in some of the city’s glorious landmark buildings from October 11-20.

The festival is more than just a celebration of the grape; it’s a celebration of the art of living well. Alongside wine tastings, visitors can indulge in culinary delights prepared by local chefs, perfectly paired with the festival’s featured vintages.

As you get ready to sip, savour and celebrate, we break the ice with three local wine industry experts.

WAYNE LEICHT, NATIONAL SALES MANAGER, TURNERS CROSSING VINEYARD

How did you get started in the wine business?

I started some 42 years ago as a sales representative for Hunterbased wine company Arrowfield Wines. I was transferred to Melbourne to assist in the successful relaunch of Yellowglen Bubbly. I have done vintages in various and numerous regions of the world.

What is your winemaking style?

Winemaking preference is to make balanced wines full of flavour that over-deliver on the quality-to-value relationship. It’s been a great wine motto to live by. Our mission at Turners Crossing (TC) is simply to produce the very best grapes and this, combined with the ability to call on different winemakers’ expertise, has greatly helped TC to be able to produce individual varietal-driven styles.

TC also purposely holds onto and ages wines until they are more approachable and balanced – another unique trait these days.

How do you know when you have a particularly good vintage?

It’s all about the grapes and the Terroir – the climate, the soil, the minute attention to detail in every aspect of the vineyard operation. TC is a fully accredited and certified sustainable wine grower. TC also sells its quality grapes to some other local and internationally recognised Australian iconic wine brands. Our 2021 vintage was exceptional.

Do you have a favourite wine or vintage that you have made?

A favourite – that’s like asking which child you prefer! If pushed for just one, then it would be The Crossing Shiraz 2018 (wow, what a wine) with a very close second the about-to-be released Frederick 2021 Shiraz Cabernet. But it would be remiss of me not to mention the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon as the only Bendigo wine to win two gold medal, internationally acclaimed awards. It’s now sold out. What is one of your favourite varietals to work with and why?

Again, a tough one to nail down as we are blessed with such good fruit from every single varietal grown at our pristine Serpentine vineyard, alongside the Loddon River. It varies from year to year, but the Cabernet Sauvignon for me is world class and often overlooked for the much more familiar Shiraz

PAUL GREBLO, WINEMAKER AND PROPRIETOR, SANDHURST RIDGE WINERY

How did you get started in the wine business?

My journey into winemaking is deeply rooted in my family history. My grandparents were winemakers in Italy, and after my father migrated to Australia, he held onto that passion. For years, he encouraged his sons to continue the family tradition by planting a vineyard and making wine here in Australia. After much consideration, we finally took the plunge in 1989 and planted our first vines, marking the beginning of our winemaking adventure.

What is your winemaking style?

Our approach to winemaking is centered on minimal intervention. I believe in allowing the unique characteristics of the vineyard site to shine through in each bottle. It’s about capturing the essence of the land and letting the wine express itself naturally.

How do you know when you have a particularly good vintage?

A truly exceptional vintage is often the result of favorable conditions during the growing season. When the weather has been kind, meaning it hasn’t been too hot or too wet, the vines thrive, and the grapes develop beautifully. That’s when you know you’re in for something special.

Do you have a favourite wine or vintage that you have made?

The 2002 Shiraz and the 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon hold a special place in my heart. These wines truly reflect the hard work and ideal conditions of that year, making them standout vintages in our collection.

What is one of your favourite varietals to work with and why? Nebbiolo is a varietal that has always fascinated me. It possesses an enigmatic quality, often revealing its true character and complexity only after several years of ageing. Working with Nebbiolo is a journey of discovery, as it can surprise and delight in ways that are truly unique.

WES VINE, WINEMAKER AND PROPRIETOR, MANDURANG VALLEY WINES

How did you get started in the wine business?

I developed an interest in wine like many others in the early 1970s. With my wife Pamela, we purchased a four-acre block in Mandurang in 1973. We planted the first few vines in 1974, followed by a larger vineyard in 1976 after we shifted to Mandurang. We made our first wine in 1980 whilst continuing to expand the vineyard. We formed a partnership with another family, as they had sufficient land to develop a much larger vineyard. We also gained a liquor licence in 1994 when we had completed the winery building. We planted another vineyard with our son Steve and his wife Jacqui in 1997 and we have expanded the winery twice in the last 16 years. We are a family business with our two grandsons, Tristan and Oliver, forming the team.

What is your winemaking style?

We make wines that are true to variety and style. We acknowledge

tradition but balance it with new research and techniques that improve the product. Our son Steve, who is now my “cowinemaker”, has an inquiring mind and a desire to continually improve our wines year on year.

How do you know when you have a particularly good vintage?

The fruit is pristine, and the weather conditions have been conducive to the development of exceptional flavours in the grapes.

Do you have a favourite wine or vintage that you have made?

Yes, I think my favourite vintages would be 2002, 2008, 2014, 2020 and 2022. I think that the “Old Vine” blend (Cabernet, Shiraz and Malbec) would be my favourite wine overall. This blend is now challenged by the GSM (Grenache, Shiraz and Monastrell), as the drinking public is moving towards lighter-weight wines.

What is one of your favourite varietals to work with and why?

We make 10 different wines each year, so it is a difficult choice. I think Riesling in the whites and Grenache in the reds.

BEST OF THE BARRELS

Decades of tradition and experience were unveiled as Sandhurst Ridge Winery and Mandurang Valley Wines’ cellar doors opened to the public.

The family-owned vineyard and wineries shared their history and insights into the industry for the annual Barrel Wine Tasting Weekend, allowing guests to enjoy samples of the extensive ranges of wines straight from the barrel.

Ben, Belinda and Michael

Izak and Jo

Matthew and Chika

Glen, Lisa, Phil, Tom and Donna

Miguel and Katherine

Callum, Chris, Pam, Kelvin, Genine, Emily, Allison and Scott

FAMILY DAY BRINGS JOY

Hundreds united at the Bendigo Exhibition Centre for a fun-filled celebration of NAIDOC Week in July.

The Bendigo and District Aboriginal Cooperative NAIDOC Family Day offered a range of activities in the spirit of the theme ‘Keep the Fire Burning! Blak, Loud & Proud’, including magic shows, Indigenous hip-hop dancing, and boomerang painting.

hello@soulcarebendigo.com.au www.soulcarebendigo.com.au

Charlene and Kiarrna

Jobee and Jhat

Nicole and Rhiannon

Fraya and Belinda

Iziah, Tyson and Lilliana

Tayden, Rylie, Jet and Tellrim

the sweet life

If you’re lucky enough to have tasted a cake made by this Bendigo local, you’ll know that she pours her heart into each slice.

By Danielle Snowdon - Photography by Leon Schoots

Mia Green’s small business was officially established in 2023, however the journey to creating Sweet Peach was never entirely intentional for this Bendigo Senior Secondary College alumna.

School was a great place for Mia to find the people she clicked with – friends she still has by her side, supporting her, to this day. While she never specifically set out to start her own business, entrepreneurship ran in the family, and she was likely destined to also follow that path.

“Looking back, I constantly had something on the go: I even went through a stage of thrifting – buying clothes and selling them.”

Hard work and authenticity have been the main ingredients in Mia’s recipe for success.

“I’ve always been a worker,” she says. “After graduating, I ended up having a gap year and juggled three different jobs.”

Mia began a TAFE course in early childcare education, but soon decided it wasn’t for her.

Despite not knowing exactly what she wanted to do as a career, Mia’s curiosity and love of hands-on learning led her to take up an apprentice chef position at The Woodhouse in 2014, two years after finishing at BSSC.

“I gave it a go and really enjoyed it,” she says. “Working in the kitchen taught me so many

things: how to prioritise tasks, be efficient and work under pressure.”

It was during her stint at the restaurant –renowned for its mouth-watering steaks – that she discovered, ironically, she was a vegetarian. Luckily for Mia, that wasn’t her only discovery.

“During the first year, I realised I loved the dessert side of things: it really sparked joy for me.”

When she became fully qualified, Mia gained invaluable experience at local cafe Harvest, which helped her learn even more about working in the hospitality industry. It further solidified her love of creating sweet treats for people to enjoy.

After a brief change of industry – and a global pandemic – Mia was drawn back to cheffing and started working at St John of God Hospital. She absolutely cherished the position and struck the perfect work-life balance.

“In my spare time, I made a little Instagram page to post some photos of what I’d been making at home, just for fun.”

Originally called Cooking with Green, the page was soon noticed by people admiring her work. The requests started rolling in –her first commission was a 30th birthday cake for a friend.

“I was freaking out! I’d never made a two-tier cake in my life! Plus, I had to drive it to Melbourne,” she remembers.

The cake was a hit. Mia started making puddings and tarts to sell, advertising them through her Instagram stories, which proved extremely popular. From there, she dived into the world of cakes and continued to share her work with her followers.

After a name change to Sweet Peach – inspired by Mia’s cat, Peach –and orders becoming more frequent, it was clear there was potential for this side-hustle to become so much more.

“I was thinking, ‘where do I go from here?’”, she reflects. “I was so scared to take it any further, but I had so much encouragement and support from my friends.”

One friend in particular, Grace, encouraged Mia to establish her branding early on, and was a driving force behind the creation of Sweet Peach business cards, cake care cards and social media elements.

“She believed in me and was really adamant that I make my brand stand out.”

With a fresh new look featuring a logo designed by local firm alienmoth, Mia was all set to take things to the next level.

Despite loving her role as chef at the hospital, Mia gradually reduced her hours there as Sweet Peach grew. Her baking was no longer a hobby: it had transformed into a business that now needed her full attention.

Her colleagues, who had become wonderful friends, fully supported Mia in her creative pursuit.

“I had figured out my niche and what I liked creating, which was vintage cakes,” she says.

Scroll through her droolworthy Insta grid and you will not only see how talented the baker is, but – more importantly – how true to herself and genuine she is.

One of the reels Mia shared on her page received 1.4 million views. It was a behind-the-scenes video of her carving up a 25kg slab of butter into individual portions for her cakes.

She says social media plays a big role in today’s business landscape.

“It’s extremely important: keeping up with current trends, evolving with cake designs, being active on socials.”

Her customers (often repeat customers) spread the word via their socials about her delicious creations.

“I feel like I’ve unintentionally created a bit of a community with Sweet Peach.”

With Mia’s relaxed and sunny nature, she certainly makes running a business look like, as the saying goes, a ‘piece of cake’. But with the influx of orders and rise in popularity, does the humble baker ever get stressed with the task of creating all those sweet treats?

“I thrive under pressure – I’ve learnt that over the years – especially within my business.”

When asked what she loves most about what she does, Mia smiles.

“I once had a girl pick up her cake and she just started crying because she loved it so much! I love being able to make someone’s day: it’s nice to be able to add something special to their event.”

Mia has gone from being the ‘designated cake friend’ to running a booming business, with people far and wide wanting a slice of what Sweet Peach has to offer.

She is grateful for the constants in her life that have championed her and been there every step of the way throughout the evolution of her business.

Her dreams for Sweet Peach include moving into a commercial kitchen space, hosting cake decorating classes and even collaborating with some of her favourite brands.

Whether she’s causing happy tears over cake tiers or evolving her unique decorating style, one thing’s for sure: Mia will be having fun along the way.

Check out @sweet.peac.h on Instagram.

FIBRE

Fibre showcases the diverse artistic expressions of First Nations artists from the City of Greater Bendigo region.

These artists blend traditional and non-traditional techniques, including cordage, coiling, traditional and random weaving, and the storing and dyeing of plant fibres, to create unique fibre art pieces.

The exhibition features an array of woven objects, recycled materials, possum skins, baskets, wall hangings, knitting and crochet works.

September 5, 2024 – February 6, 2025

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.

Program Partner:

TO SHOW AND SHARE COUNTRY

Djaa Djuwima, Bendigo Visitor Centre

51-67 Pall Mall, Bendigo | Open daily from 9am to 4.30pm (except Christmas day)

Djaa Djuwima branding reflects the presence of emus that commonly roamed Dja Dja Wurrung Country before the arrival of European settlers. Artwork created by Yorta Yorta woman Janet Bromley.

FUN GLIDES INTO MALL

Hargreaves Mall was cooler than usual during the winter school holidays, thanks to Stars on Ice.

A pop-up ice skating rink ensured local families had tons of fun as they strapped on their skates and glided across the ice, with first-timers shuffling around aided by adorable penguin pals.

Astrid, Rebecca and Willow

Jye, Aleira and Ruby

Lauren, Louis, Charlotte, Rylee, Alfie and Nick

Bowie, Jess, Nate, Kym and Liam

Karen and Grace

Will, Abbey, Nikki and Beth

DANCING THROUGH LIFE

Dancers of all abilities put their best foot forward at the Let’s Dance Bendigo Term 2 Medal Day.

The performances were the culmination of 10 weeks of lessons, and to support the studio’s mission to build camaraderie and make dance accessible, the audience was invited to take to the floor for some social dancing.

Fiona, Jennifer and James

Paul, Anna, Oliver and Angus

Tully, Michelle, Liz, Alex, Bron and David

Nathan and Keren

Phil and Maree

Yuliya, Ty-Lee, Andrea, Brett, Maryanne and Peter

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Paris is done and dusted

A school visit from local athletes Faith Leech and Jack Trickey, sharing stories of their experiences at the Melbourne Games, left a lasting impression of perseverance and ambition

Words and illustration by

Geoff Hocking

Now that the berets, baguettes and Beaujolais have been packed away and all the athletes have returned home, some clutching medals, others just memories, I can now recall the day Bendigo’s own Olympic heroes paid us a visit at Laurel Street State School in Golden Square and shared the glory of medals won in Melbourne during the summer of 1956.

Swimmer Faith Leech and cyclist Jack Trickey came to our classrooms and told us about their Olympic experience, and we were thrilled. We all felt connected to greatness. The Melbourne Olympics were the most exciting event to happen in our lives, not forgetting the drive-past by Her Majesty and the Duke just two years earlier when we were all bussed up to the footy oval – renamed the QEO in her honour – and waved our little paper flags on sticks as the young queen passed us by. As a former anglophile, our longserving PM Robert Menzies later intoned, ‘I did but see her passing

by…’. Well that was our experience – exactly.

Faith and Jack, however, spent enough time with us that now, after almost 70 years, I still remember both coming into our school. Maybe I remember because back then, I felt a personal connection. Faith’s father, prominent Bendigo jeweller ‘Jonah’ Leech, was my mother’s first cousin. I really don’t know how this connection was made, who and how our parents or grandparents were and how they all fitted together into our family, but I do know that we were related.

I also know that we weren’t a close family. We never really had anything at all to do with their side of the family, although my mother was fond of Jonah’s brother Fred, who with his wife Flossie ran a small shop in Allans Walk specialising in ladies’ undergarments: stockings, knickers, brassies and negligees. Fred

and Flossie were quite the pair. The only thing I do remember was that after the Olympics were over, my grandparents were invited to the Leech family home on McIvor Road Hill, to an event to welcome Faith, a victorious hero of the Melbourne pool, home to Bendigo. We all went along. The Leeches were very proud of their daughter and obviously wanted to show her off. She was still only 15 years old.

Faith Leech was just a child when she competed in the Melbourne games. She had only been swimming for a few years, taking to the pool as an exercise to help strengthen her spine. She was born with scoliosis, a double curvature of the spine that doctors believed swimming could help. Tall, lean and athletic, she soon showed promise in the pool and began to swim in competitions – and win. She swam with such an elegant, restricted movement that she was nicknamed ‘the Flying Fish’. She set her sights on the ’56 Olympics. While most of her training was in Melbourne (her parents had rented a flat so she could train with a professional coach and continue her schooling at St Michael’s Girls Grammar School), it is believed that when back home she also trained in the Castlemaine pool as it was the only fully chlorinated Olympic-sized pool in the district at the time. The Bendigo pools – Municipal, Golden Square, Hilda and Specimen Hill – were all dirt-bottomed ‘mud holes’.

Hilda and Speci were the worst. As we lived not far away, just down off Booth Street, a block away from Marong Road, I occasionally rode up that steep hill, turned right at Gill’s Store and threw myself into the brown waters of the Speci. To be honest, it wasn’t a pool at all, more like a muddy dam opposite the Gold Mines Hotel. I usually preferred the short bike ride down Maple Street to the Square, which also had a dirt bottom even though it was quite a good size, and it had clean concrete sides.

Faith Leech won a bronze medal in the 100m freestyle, only beaten by the reigning queen of the pool at that time, Dawn Fraser, and Lorraine Crapp who took home silver. Together with Sandra Morgan, their relay team won gold in the 4x100m freestyle event, the first Australian women’s team to win gold at any Olympics.

Coupled with the success of the men’s team in 1956, this marked the beginning of Australian domination of international swimming sports that holds unto the present age – if you ignore the few American, Chinese and Russian pool gods who also make quite a splash.

So, that visit to our classroom was the last time I saw Faith until one day I went into Leech’s Jewellers in Hargreaves Street to buy a watch and, in the course of the transaction, introduced myself. The following exchange was pleasant, but that was all. I don’t remember if I bought the watch.

Cyclist Jack Trickey was an Australian champion but unfortunately didn’t bring home any gold. He crashed out at a feeding station in the individual 100km road race and his Olympic dream was over. He rode again in the team race but, alas, once again, no medal. We were pleased to have him in the classroom on that day anyway as he represented to us the concept of aspiration and participation, even though there was not always the reward one was seeking. It was enough to give it a go, try your hardest, but hopefully not crash out of the race.

We have another, tenuous but nevertheless real connection to the swimming team. My wife, at 16, worked in the Bank of New South Wales office in View Street. The manager of the bank in those days –and this was long before we were wed, so that goes back more than half-a-century – was Lorraine Crapp’s father, Everard. My teacher at the Tech College art school eventually married his daughter, Lorraine’s sister Bronwyn, who had been a teacher at the girls’ school in Flora Hill at that time.

It is a small world: six degrees of separation, they say.

Today, the Bendigo Municipal Pool has been renamed the Faith Leech Aquatic Centre, ensuring the name of Bendigo’s own ‘Flying Fish’ is honoured in perpetuity.

In 2021, having returned to compete successfully in veterans’ events after 30 years out of the saddle, Jack Trickey was inducted into Bendigo’s Sports Star Hall of Fame.

NIGHT OF NOSTALGIA

A grand celebration was had as the FC Eaglehawk Soccer Club reached a major milestone.

Players past and present gathered to honour the club’s 50th anniversary, reflecting on the highlights and the strong community spirit in its history. The evening also featured the presentation of the senior men’s and women’s best and fairest awards.

Owen, Peter, Neal and Paul, from the first team in 1974

Jesse, Jessie, Nonna, Craig and Alba

Eaglehawk Women’s FC players

Greg, Geoff and Albert

Leanne, Maurice, Harry, Mick and Sam

Zac, Ben, Shane and Bekki

HISTORY FOR ALL

August saw the launch of a groundbreaking initiative at the Golden Dragon Museum.

In a commitment to making history accessible to all, the new self-guided Auslan tour allows deaf and hard-ofhearing visitors to explore 10 exhibits independently and spontaneously. Free entry was offered for the launch day.

trio to try

Casual wine appreciator LAUREN MITCHELL takes one for the team and opens three bottles of this season’s picks.

Photography by Leon Schoots

A Bendigo region wine is a reminder: that having a bottle to open and friends to share it with is one of life’s little pleasures; that winding down after a long day’s work is a privilege; and that despite our tech-fuelled, time-starved lives, there are people here blessedly living by the seasons.

Spring is the ideal time to toast to these dawnings, and don’t the winemakers know it. They’ll be downing tools during October to showcase their wares for Bendigo Wine Week, which features the Heritage & Hidden Spaces Wine Walk on October 19. They’ll be dotted around 10 secret or celebrated spaces in the CBD for tastings and conversations.

Meanwhile, we’ve tried three top local drops of our own this issue.

MANDURANG VALLEY NV SPARKLING BRUT

Get ready to toast to said sunny days with this gorgeous sparkling Chardonnay/Pinot Noir blend from the Vine family of the Valley. These stalwarts of the Bendigo wine region really know how to share; be it opening their home garden for a community market, their cellar door for casual tastings, or even their enterprise for budding winemakers.

Did you know you can experience the thrill of making your own wine, from grape picking, bottling, to designing a label, and everything in between? Aha. Check out their website for the details.

But back to the Brut, which presents a persistent bead and flavours of green pear, summer citrus and ripe strawberries. Sounds lovely, and it is.

TURNERS CROSSING VIOGNER 2021

Winemaker Rob Ellis of riverside Turners Crossing made us wish away the last of winter with this delightful light strawgreen Viogner.

Bring on the peaches, the apricots, the nectarines! Bring on the salad days and a crisp white wine with which to enjoy them. This local example features beloved stone fruit flavours with a richly textured mouthfeel, and a long and delectable finish.

Easy seafood or spicy Asian dishes will be the ideal pairing. We enjoyed it alongside a sweet chilli chicken and veggie stir fry with rice noodles, and a dose of longing for the warmer days to come.

SANDHURST RIDGE 2021 NEBBIOLO

Not ready to give up the red to the warmer weather? Reach for this cherry-toned Nebbiolo from the Greblo brothers of Marong. This estate-grown-and-bottled wine is a lighter take on the classic Bendigo red. While the tannins are firm, they’re also beautifully balanced by fruity flavours and a savoury finish. An easy-drinking wine that’s also very pretty in the glass.

In Strathdale, we paired it with homemade beef and black bean nachos with all the trimmings. The winemakers also recommend a wild mushroom risotto as the perfect accompaniment.

LOVE AT THE OPERA

Opera Australia provided Bendigo with an enchanting evening thanks to its performance of Puccini’s La Bohème.

The bohemian love story was staged at Ulumbarra Theatre for one night only as part of a national tour, with the audience left dazzled by the fresh and witty take on the classic opera.

Ana, Tim and Lindsay

Linda, Napier, Aravis, Jeremy and Lynton

Pamela, Mary and Sue

Helen, Noel, Geoff and Irene

Nicole, Heather and Anne

Paul, Amber, Denise, Bev, Frank and Samantha

MUSIC ON THE MOVE

For a few hours one Saturday afternoon in August, music lovers were delighted by a unique experience.

Boarding the Blues Tram, they grooved to intimate live performances from talented local artists Amie Brûlée and Jarrod Shaw and enjoyed drinks while rolling through the Bendigo CBD.

Amie and Jarrod

Bruce and Owen

Nicole, Nancy and Owen

David and Lachie

Chris, Neil and Larissa

Sherie and Prudence

lemongrass

delight

Enjoy a refreshing and flavourful dish with Beau’s spring offering. Tender chicken, crisp veggies, and a zesty dressing come together for a perfect light meal.

Photography by Leon Schoots

LEMONGRASS CHICKEN BÚN

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 6 boneless/skin-on chicken thighs

• 1 tbl. fish sauce

• 1 tbl. minced lemongrass

• 1 tbl. minced ginger

• 300g dried rice vermicelli noodles (cook according to packet instructions)

• 1 Lebanese cucumber, cut into sticks

• 1 cos lettuce, sliced

• Bunch of fresh coriander and mint

• 1/2 cup crushed roasted peanuts

Pickle:

• 1 medium carrot, peeled and julienned

• 1/3 large daikon, peeled and julienned

• 1/4cup rice vinegar

• 1/4 cup water

• 1 tbl. white sugar

• 1 tsp. sea salt flakes

Nuoc Cham dressing:

• 60ml water

• 2tbl. white sugar

• 30ml fish sauce

• 30ml rice vinegar

• 20ml lime juice

• 2 birds eye chillies, sliced (optional)

• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped

Method:

1. Place chicken in a bowl along with fish sauce, lemongrass and ginger. Mix, then place in the fridge and let marinate for at least 1 hour.

2. To make the pickle, mix vinegar, water, sugar and salt together until well combined. Add carrot and daikon then set aside in fridge.

3. To make the dressing, mix all ingredients together then taste and adjust if required. Set aside in fridge.

4. Meanwhile, prep noodles and remaining veg/herbs.

5. Cook chicken in a non-stick pan over medium/high heat with a little oil until caramelised and cooked through. Set aside to cool for 3 minutes, then slice.

6. To serve, lay down a base of noodles then top with vegetables, herbs, pickles, chicken and nuts. Spoon over dressing to taste and serve.

POWER OF COMMUNITY

The spotlight was on the Borough’s best and brightest at the annual ‘This is Eaglehawk’ celebration.

Empowering Eaglehawk awarded passionate locals for sports and community engagement achievements, celebrating the past and excitedly looking ahead to the area’s future. Outgoing president Mitch Graham and secretary Brian Davey were also honoured.

Charlie, Mitch and Makkede

Matt, Mitch and Julie

Ruth and Albert

Carlie, Sonya, Cindy, Michael and Mitch

Mitch and Brian

Sue and Adam

ALPACA SHOW JAM-PACKED

The Australian Alpaca Association National Show presented an unforgettable showcase featuring the finest fleeces in August.

People from all over the country travelled to the Bendigo Showgrounds to witness the array of Suri and Huacaya alpacas on display, and purchase luxurious fleece clothing, arts and craft wares from more than 200 exhibitors.

Caieta and Grace

Jenny, Metro, Fleur, Kyle and Phil

Rebecca

Roger and Juanitta

Michelle and Andrew

Eric and Kerrin

Stefanie and Patrick

Stefanie and Patrick’s wedding day was a beautiful celebration of love, filled with personal touches and memories that reflected their journey together.

Photography by Jim Aldersley from Justin & Jim

The story of Stefanie and Patrick began back in 2016 at the National Hotel, a place that would come to hold special significance in their lives. Over the years, their bond grew stronger, leading to a proposal that was as spontaneous as it was meaningful.

One Thursday evening, Patrick surprised Stefanie with an impromptu dinner. His original plan was to propose in the serene gardens of the Gold Mines Hotel, but fate had other ideas – the gardens were closed. Quick on his feet, Patrick decided to pop the question at a spot that held fond memories for both of them, where they had shared many late-night burgers after work. It was a moment of improvisation, yet it perfectly encapsulated the essence of their relationship – easygoing, sincere and filled with love.

On May 4, 2024, Stefanie and Patrick exchanged vows at Chateau Dore, a venue that provided the perfect backdrop for their special day. Stefanie walked down the aisle in a stunning dress from Fifi & Edga, while Patrick looked sharp in a suit from Connor. The rings, sourced from James & Irisa and Gentlebands, were symbols of their enduring love.

The couple was fortunate to have some of their favorite local musicians, Chris DeAraugo and Jake Turner, perform at the wedding. Having enjoyed their performances at the National over the years, it was a meaningful touch to include them in the celebration. This connection to their past made the music feel even more special, weaving the history of their relationship into the fabric of their wedding day.

One of the highlights of the day was the time Stefanie and Patrick spent together, away from the crowd. “Despite loving our guests, it was really nice once we were married to disappear with (photographer) Jim for a while, slow down, and hang out with each other,” Stefanie says. It was a moment of calm in a day filled with excitement and emotion.

After the formalities were over, the couple could truly let loose and enjoy the company of their guests. “It was lovely once all the formalities were done and we could enjoy having fun with our loved ones.” The reception was a joyful celebration, with laughter and love filling the air.

Stefanie and Patrick made sure their wedding was uniquely theirs. Their families walked down the aisle before the bridal party, a nod to the impact they had on the couple’s lives. Stefanie’s bridesmaids each carried a single-variety posy, with those flowers combining to form her bouquet – a beautiful representation of how each bridesmaid had contributed to shaping Stefanie into the person she is today.

The cake, crafted by Bake Me I’m Yours, was a work of art, featuring the flower varieties from Stefanie’s bouquet painted onto the icing. This thoughtful detail, along with the many talented vendors who contributed to the day, added layers of personal significance to the celebration.

As parents, Stefanie and Patrick wanted to ensure their young family could be involved in the festivities. They decided to do their sparkler entrance into the reception after their sunset photos, allowing their children to participate before being tucked into bed at a reasonable time. This decision not only included their kids in the celebration but also eased the pressure at the end of the night.

Of course, not everything went according to plan. Just a week before the wedding, their original celebrant had to pull out due to illness. Stefanie and Patrick were prepared to have their party and officially marry later if necessary. Fortunately, Stefanie found Katherine from Adore Celebrancy, who stepped in with just four days’ notice and made the ceremony unforgettable.

Looking back, the couple fondly remembers playing in the autumn leaves with their children and the light-hearted leaf fight among the bridal party. “The whole day was utter perfection,” Stefanie says, though it seemed to pass by all too quickly.

Although they haven’t had a honeymoon yet, life as a married couple has been a continuation of the life they built together. “Realistically, our lives haven’t changed too much! Sometimes it’s still a bit weird to call each other husband and wife.”

For those planning their own wedding, Stefanie and Patrick have simple yet sage advice: trust your vendors and don’t stress the small stuff. “Pick vendors that you trust and let them do their thing. They are experts who do a fantastic job, and it will make your day far less stressful.”

And for those who love a bit of organisation, “an Excel sheet to keep track of your vendors, jobs list, and due dates for deposits is really beneficial”.

In the end, Stefanie and Patrick’s wedding was a day filled with love, laughter, and a deep appreciation for the people and places that have shaped their journey together.

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PADDLING TO VICTORY

A different type of Bendigo Cup hit Lake Weeroona in August, with horses traded for watercraft.

Bendigo Canoe Club hosted two days of events as part of the Paddle VIC Marathon Series, including clinics and competitions. Blessed with perfect weather, the weekend ended with the club community coming together for a paddle.

WINE. FOOD. FUNCTIONS, WEDDINGS & CONFERENCES

Visit our Cellar Door and Gallery. You can relax and enjoy wine tasting in air conditioned comfort or relax outdoors in the gardens.

“AN EXCELLENT WINERY, PRODUCING WINES OF HIGH TO VERY HIGH QUALITY”

JAMES HALLIDAY

Alice and Floyd

Milla and Maya

Tobias and Claudia

Elise and Annabelle

Ryan, Elyshia, Vivian and Tristan

William, Eddy and Matt

SILVER SCREEN SUCCESS

A trip down the Calder to the capital was saved when one of the world’s oldest film festivals came to Bendigo.

Over two weekends, the Star Cinema in Eaglehawk screened a selection of 10 movies from the main program of the Melbourne International Film Festival, with the claymation coming-of-age film Memoir of a Snail serving as the festival opener.

Bec and Manon

Eva and Gen

Gus, Brett, Eve, Ruby and Zeb

Rob and Bronte

Gail and Myra

With a passion for fishing and design, a man who handcrafts lures tells MARINA WILLIAMS about his quest to help fellow anglers outsmart the Murray cod.

By Marina Williams - Photography by Leon Schoots

For Jared Hartley, fishing is more than just a hobby – it’s a lifelong pursuit that has led him down an unexpected path of lure-making and entrepreneurship.

Jared has been honing his craft of building custom fishing lures since 2018, blending his love of the outdoors with his knack for tinkering and design.

“I’ve fished pretty much since I could ride a bike,” he says. “My earliest memories of fishing are with my grandfather. We absolutely loved fishing. He would take us (Jared and his brothers) all over the place, mainly on the Loddon River around Serpentine. I can picture a lot of the spots but I was too young to know where I was.”

Fishing trips continue to be a tradition for his family.

“Our family has camped every Easter on the Loddon at Serpentine for over 20 years and both my grandparents’ ashes are spread in a special little spot near the campsite.

“I’ve always been somebody who likes tinkering with things, seeing how they’re made, and working with my hands. One thing led to another, and I just started experimenting with making my own lures.”

Jared’s lure-making journey began with 3D printing, which “worked horribly”, before moving to crafting timber and soft plastic lures. He mainly builds spinnerbaits, making them in six different weights. “I take a stainless-steel wire form, attach a hook and join them together by encasing them in lead.”

After the body is formed, the lure is powder coated for the colour, a blade is attached with a swivel that flashes as it spins to attract fish, and a coloured silicon skirt is also added to give the lure a larger appearance.

“On some lures, I will add one of my soft plastics to also attract fish and give the lure an even larger profile. The soft plastics have a paddle tail that kicks back and forth as it’s pulled through the water.”

The soft plastics are brightly coloured and feature a sprinkle of flake or glitter.

They are made either by injecting a hot plastic liquid, plastisol, into an alloy mould or via an open pour. The challenge is getting the temperature correct – if it’s too hot, the colours mix and the flake will fall to the bottom; too cold and the layers will eventually fail and fall apart.

“Fishermen will call it flake but people would see it as glitter – it’s a special heat-stable glitter, as the plastic is heated to 200 degrees.”

Then, there’s his specialty – the timber-carved surface lures.

“These are spectacular to fish with as the lure paddles across the top of the water and a Murray cod will explode from underneath the lure and eat it off the surface.”

Using materials like Huon pine (from Tasmania) and Baltic pine, Jared hand-carves each lure, sanding and airbrushing them in his shed to achieve the perfect look and movement in the water.

“I come up with a shape then add weight to get it sitting in the water correctly, so it swims with the right action. This is all done by trial and error, so it’s turned to swim exactly as I want it to.

“The great thing about smaller lure manufacturers is that it’s a really custom product,” he explains. “Everything is hand-bent and handmade, so no two lures are the same. I just try to make them a little bit more durable than the mass-produced stuff, because our Murray cod can get really big.”

Jared finds the technical aspects rewarding, from sourcing materials (often from the US due to limited local availability, but he’s learned to be strategic in his purchasing to remain competitive) to refining his designs.

Breaking into the fishing market hasn’t been easy, even with a background in retail sales.

“It’s a lot more work than I thought,” Jared admits. “The design and packaging have been a big learning curve, thankfully made a lot easier by my sister, who has a design business called Studio Ink. Then there’s the business side of running inventory and trying to be competitive with the big brands, as well as managing a website with online orders and social media.”

Despite the challenges, Jared finds joy in offering fellow anglers a unique, handcrafted product.

“I don’t begrudge big companies for getting stuff made overseas – that’s what they need to make profits,” he says. “But for me, it’s good to offer something more unique and handcrafted.”

Jared’s side hustle ramped up during COVID-19 lockdowns, and his attention to detail and focus on quality have paid off, with his lures now stocked at local tackle shop McCredden’s, on the Midland Highway, and sold online across Australia.

Jared designs his lures with fish behaviour in mind. He knows fish see contrast well, so uses bright colours and elements of contrast to make his lures stand out.

“I’ll make sure I paint a colour that will appeal to fishermen and also try to add some contrast to help the fish see it, as they see a bit differently to us.”

Six years on from launching HC Lures, Jared remains committed to designing and building lures with purpose.

He is excited about unveiling a redesigned lure range, complete with a new custom-made jig head and fresh look. “I’m always trying to make things a little bit better, a little bit more durable than what’s out there – a lure specifically designed for the native freshwater fish of Australia.”

The Bendigo-based fisherman’s passion for angling is evident. Whether casting a line in the Loddon, Campaspe or Goulburn rivers, or Lake Mulwala for “the big fish”, he finds solace in the outdoors, surrounded by nature and family.

“It’s good to get out and not have a lot of people around,” he says. “I work in a busy environment, so it’s nice to be outside, catching up with mates or brothers, and trying to land a big cod.”

His biggest catch was a 1.28m Murray cod from Lake Mulwala. But he’s quick to note that it’s not always about the size of the fish, but the overall experience.

“You don’t need a boat or much gear to get into fishing around here,” he says. “There are so many great spots, and the Victorian Fisheries do a fantastic job of stocking the local lakes and reservoirs. Even if you don’t want to venture out to the bigger river systems, there are plenty of places close by where you can just grab a rod and have a go.”

When it comes to lure selection, Jared has a few go-to favourites, including his own handcrafted timber lures and the ever-reliable spinnerbait.

But he emphasises persistence and versatility when it comes to enticing the elusive Murray cod. “Keep throwing different lures until you find what the fish want,” he says. “And don’t be afraid to get out there, even if the conditions don’t seem perfect. The fish are always biting somewhere.”

For more information, visit www.hclures.com.au, or @hc.lures on Instagram and Facebook.

SHOWCASE OF STORYTELLERS

An intimate and rare insight into one of Australia’s most well-known journalists was in high demand at the Bendigo Writers Festival.

The audience at the sold-out opening gala witnessed the spotlight shift onto Annabel Crabb as she was interviewed by La Trobe University’s Professor Clare Wright. Poetry readings from Sara M. Saleh and Jazz Money also opened the festival.

SPARKLING FOR THE SPIRITS

To celebrate a Buddhist tradition, the Great Stupa of Universal Compassion was illuminated in a stunning and vibrant display.

The ‘Hungry Ghost’ festivities paid tribute to ancestors with food, music and entertainment, while the Peace Park was aglow with colourful lights. This event was part of the ongoing Enlighten series.

Charlie, Jordon, Jodi and Jemma

Jasper, Addison, Sarah and Noah

Mia, Harper, Renee, Ali and Jaz

Flynn, Carrene, Jobe, Harry, Jess and Spencer

Leesa, Ella, Isabelle, Kylie, Ivy and Mia

Nabin, Anji, Sujan and Sudarshan

Caetlyn and Felicity

Kat, Karen, Cat and Laura

Simone and Sarah

Geoff, Sandy, Laura and Chris

Narelle, Tori and Caroline

Steve and Jo

BUNJA THAI

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THE CHAMBERS WINE BAR

taking the plunge

In our land girt by sea, a local partnership is delivering lifesaving lessons to Bendigo’s refugee communities – and they’re diving in with great enthusiasm.

By Raelee Tuckerman - Photography by AJ Taylor

Amid the rainbow array of foam kickboards and noodles, excited laughter can be heard echoing around the room, almost drowning out the sound of splashing water. This could be a scene from any ordinary learn-to-swim class held every day across Australia, but it’s not.

The participants in the privately run SWIMZ Bendigo pool on this occasion are adults from the local Karen community, who are gaining skills that could one day save their life.

These lessons are part of the health promotion program run by Bendigo Community Health Services for the region’s Karen and Afghan refugee populations. Royal Life Saving statistics show

one in three people who drown in Australia are born overseas, highlighting the importance of water safety education for new arrivals.

“We have seen on the news where people have drowned, particularly new arrivals,” says BCHS refugee project worker Nido. “So we want to make sure our new arrivals are equipped with swimming skills so they are not surprised when they get into water.

“If you have come from a camp in Burma, you are living in a totally new environment here in Bendigo. You would not see a lot of flood water in Burma, and flash flooding can be very dangerous. In Australia, you have got to be able to swim.

“Swimming is good for safety; it is good for health; and it can help create friendships and social connections. Also, when people can swim properly, they can help teach their kids to swim, too.”

The SWIMZ Bendigo pool in Contempo Court hosts three private 45-minute learn-to-swim sessions a week for former refugees – one for Afghan women, one for Karen women and one for Karen men. Interpreters stand on the pool deck (and sometimes in the water), ready to translate instructions and offer words of encouragement.

Teacher Kirsten Boyd has been involved in CALD (culturally and linguistically diverse) swimming programs for 15 years and understands the needs of her multicultural clients. Consideration is given to attire, privacy, gender, religious holidays and other issues when planning classes.

“I know the importance of building rapport and asking lots of questions to find out what they have been exposed to already and what they have not,” she says. “I really take my hat off to them –some have gone through so much to get here and still they come and want to learn to swim.”

The group members range in age from late teens through to an 84-year-old. “He got in the pool and couldn’t swim to save himself,” says Kirsten, “but by the end of one lesson, he was doing a full lap. Some people pick it up so quickly.”

While some participants have rudimentary self-taught swimming skills, others have had very little exposure to rivers, lakes and beaches. Many have never been in a pool before.

“One lady came in a woollen jumper because she didn’t know what to wear,” says Kirsten. “It can be tricky attempting to swim fully clothed, but that’s ok – we respect whatever people feel comfortable in.”

David Chan, who came to Bendigo in December 2023 from the Mae Surin refugee camp, is a perfect example of those benefiting from the sessions.

Speaking through an interpreter, the father of three and his fellow swimmers share their experiences.

“Back in Burma, I had never been swimming before,” says David. “I had waded through water to get across it, but not swum. Here in Australia, swimming is very much part of the culture, so that’s why I’d like to learn.

“And because we learn to swim, we can also help teach our children, which is important.”

Paw Htoo Mya says she was encouraged to take part in the local classes by her adult daughter.

“When my kids were at school, they had swimming lessons, and she said it would be very good for me to attend these lessons for safety for the future,” Paw Htoo Mya says.

“In Burma, there was no training and we would just swim because we had to. But it’s important for our community to learn to swim for protection, just in case something happens.

“I love the socialising and I love how the instructor is teaching us the technique – it’s really helpful and if I didn’t come here, I wouldn’t have learnt anything like this. Also, the pool area is very private and it’s an all-girl group, which is really good.”

Water safety is also a priority for Eh Kaw Htoo, who taught himself to swim when he was young but is enjoying these more formal sessions.

“Back home, there was nobody to teach you the technique, like we learn here. If you are able to swim properly here, when you go to a big lake or you go to the beach, you are much safer.”

Shar Poe Wah says swimming is good for his health and he is even interested in competitive swimming, like he has seen on television. Asked why it is important to know how to swim, his answer gives an insight into the life he left behind when he moved to Australia in January.

“When there is a war happening and you have to flee, you might have to do so across a river.”

After the kickboards have been put away and the swimmers have changed back into their street wear, BCHS staff share health promotion information with participants, including healthy eating booklets and other resources produced in Karen and Dari languages.

SWIMZ Bendigo owner and director Nicole Cox says being involved in such a worthwhile community partnership brings great satisfaction.

“My philosophy is that everybody should have the opportunity to learn to swim,” she says.

“It’s a vital life skill, particularly in this country where we are surrounded by water. I think many people take being able to swim for granted. But it is very important that people new to Australia have the chance to learn as well.”

Teacher Kirsten sums it up very simply: “The rewards speak for themselves. If we can save just one person from drowning, then this program is successful.”

FANDOM FUN AT CONVENTION

Fans dressed in creative cosplays filed into Red Energy Arena for six hours of pop culture entertainment.

Raising funds for the Peter Mac Cancer Foundation, Bendi-Con saw the largest turnout for the cosplay contest in its 10-year history. Panels, demonstrations and a comics display were also popular parts of the day.

CHEERS TO A DECADE

A festival uniting independent breweries from around the country marked 10 years in August.

Since its inception in 2014, Bendigo on the Hop has seen thousands of craft beer enthusiasts savour limited-edition brews, while exploring historic Bendigo venues. The festival roster showcased 19 breweries and 10 venues this year

Alex, Anthony, Isabella and Lee

Nate, Max and Riley

Bridget and Shantara

Elizabeth, Eve, Jay, Mirah and Alex

Shan, Tayte and Cas

Valentine, Derek, Harrison and Owen

Anne, Michelle and Kate

Kelly, Tim, Nick, Steve, Nic, Kate, Sheri, Paul and Chelsie

Ron, Rach, Ingrid and Glen

Emily, Brady and Leanne

Rav, Liam, Trent, Jag and Ben

Shavaun, Jemimah, Beth, Tanya, Tanith, Cathy and Jane

www.bendigojockeyclub.com.au