April 26, 2021 Issue 226 Anzac Day 2021
The Local - The Heart of the Highlands
2 About Us
www.tlnews.com.au
Front cover: It was a different Anzac Day again for Hepburn Shire with crowd numbers down for many services because of Covid concerns. Kyle Barnes took this photo at Eganstown. Images from the Daylesford Dawn Service on pages 22 and 23. More images on Facebook and at www.tlnews.com.au
The Local is a fortnightly community publication covering the Central Highlands of Victoria. The next edition is out on Monday, May 10, 2021. Or online on Sunday, May 9 at www.tlnews.com.au
April 26, 2021 Issue 226 Anzac Day 2021
Space bookings: Wednesday, May 5 Copy deadline: Thursday, May 6 Editorial deadline: Thursday, May 6 Managing editor | Donna Kelly General manager | Kyle Barnes Sub-editors | Nick Bunning and Lindsay Smith Sales | Henry Maxwell 0493 067 714
Image: Kyle Barnes
Writers | Kevin Childs, Tony Sawrey, Jeff Glorfeld, Carol Saffer, Narelle Groenhout and Donna Kelly
The Local - The Heart of the Highlands
The Local is a registered trademark of The Local Publishing Group Pty Ltd. The Local is a member of the Victorian Country Press Association, with editor Donna Kelly, a director.
Photographers | Kyle Barnes and David White Graphic designer & HLH coordinator | Dianne Caithness Contributors: Glen Heyne (gardening), Indre Kisonas (design), Glenn Robinson (cartoons), Darren Lowe (gigs) and Matthew Richardson (money) Accounts | Julie Hanson Editorial: 0418 576 513 | Advertising: 0416 104 283
The content expressed within this publication does not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of The Local Publishing Group Pty Ltd. The Local Publishing Group's editorial guidelines and complaints-handling process can be found at www.tlnews.com.au We welcome all feedback.
Local Lines
in stark daylight I never knew that you go all the way Geelong to Mansfield through Ballarat, Bendigo and Benalla
Midland HWY legs like ladders straddle the shoulder 2 blokes piss after smoko car door camouflage aviators feast on tarmac carrion rabbit, roo, possum, fox a bombed out blue Commodore sleeps in paddock green headlights wink in a high beam dalliance Pajero zones out: front end blindness LEDs too bright: rear end annoyance Daylesford Range Rover – no indicator BMW with dreadlocks Lalgambook laughs at the pines on his head dormant volcano / emu's nest Coca-Cola charges $7.50 for stolen water Mt. Franklin is just a label magpie and raven in mid fight breasts and curves emerge from open sky warped trees, jagged leaves this burntneck country is in trauma caravan procession, equine flotilla A300 / B180 motorbike flying past – blindspot! arms as arrows cradle their heads 4 blokes piss
news@tlnews.com.au or sales@tlnews.com.au
- Paul Dani Paul Dani is a man who lives life on the edge...of Daylesford and Hepburn. Inspired by the world around him, Paul's poetry dances with the sacred and the profane, often in the same poem.
Local Lines comes mainly from a group of local poets but other submissions are always welcome. To have a poem considered for publication contact Bill Wootton at cottlesbreedge@gmail.com
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News 3
Ambulance times cause for country concern
H
EPBURN Shire residents have “a valid concern” about the time it could take for an ambulance to arrive in an emergency, Mayor Lesley Hewitt has told The Local.
Her statement has been backed up by Victorian Ambulance Union secretary Danny Hill who said rural towns like those in the Central Highlands could be left without ambulance coverage for up to six hours. However, Central Highlands Rural Health deputy CEO Phillip Catterson said anyone with an emergency not requiring an ambulance could always attend either Daylesford or Kyneton hospitals “24/7”. Cr Hewitt said the recent Saturday incident at Victoria Park, on April 17, where Daylesford footballer Josh Cowan was left waiting for more than an hour for an ambulance after breaking his leg, highlighted the ambulance problem. “I understand that Ambulance Victoria have said it was a communication problem, apologised for something that was extremely distressing and are currently undertaking a look at their response times across Victoria. “So, it is a statewide problem but there is also concern about the amount of time it can take for an ambulance to arrive in Hepburn Shire. The data on response times indicates it is a real concern. And I totally understand the distress and concern that people have if they are facing an emergency. I would hope this incident would lead to some changes.” Cr Hewitt also said new residents, perhaps moving from bigger cities, needed to be aware that in a small regional area, many services were less available than they were in metropolitan areas. She said while ambulance transport was always best for emergencies, if people were given a real-time estimate of when an ambulance was going to arrive it would help them make more informed decisions. “Obviously on Saturday you would not have moved that footballer but maybe in other circumstances if you could drive and had someone else with you giving first aid, that might be an option. “Being properly informed allows people to make better decisions.” Cr Hewitt said council’s role was to advocate for more resources in the area and that was done whenever the opportunity arose. “People living here need to be aware there can be delays and if that happens in front of everyone at the football that becomes incredibly distressing to both the family and the spectators. Hopefully he is now receiving good care.” Victorian Ambulance Union secretary Danny Hill said people “absolutely” had a right to be concerned about the lack of ambulance coverage in Hepburn Shire. “The sad thing is, that while this gentleman last week suffered an extremely painful and traumatic injury to his leg, it wasn’t life threatening at that time, and eventually someone in a life-threatening emergency will have to wait for an ambulance and suffer the consequences of that. And that is frightening and people’s concerns are absolutely valid that they won’t get an ambulance in time.” Mr Hill said it would be common across rural regions, and especially towns around Ballarat, for there to be no ambulance available for up to six hours. “Ballarat is such a busy area and Daylesford would transport most of their patients to Ballarat (Base) Hospital and once they are there they might have to ramp there for a couple of hours. Then once they can leave, because of the backlog of cases that needed to be attended in Ballarat, basically they become Ballarat’s crew. "That leaves areas like Creswick and Daylesford uncovered. Peripheral crews are sucked into bigger towns and can’t get back to the branch they need to cover. Five hours would be quite common. “It’s like a footy match. You have your positions and you go back to that spot so you can best cover your area. It is meant to happen, but we are so busy in major centres they may never get back to their branch.”
Above, Daylesford Football Club members gather after the ambulance has finally arrived, left, Mayor Lesley Hewitt, right, Central Highlands Rural Health's Phillip Catterson Top image: Brendan Murray Mr Hill said the biggest issue at the moment was that demand, often because people had not kept up medical appointments during Covid, and time spent ramping was “off the charts” and even ambulance stations going 24-hours could not fix that. “One thing we are seeing is that during the pandemic there has been a real migration with so many people living and working from home in rural areas. So the workload in towns like Bendigo and Ballarat has really expanded a lot. “The biggest two main things we need to do is changing ramping so we are getting paramedics leaving hospitals quickly so they can get to other cases and the other is connecting all the health pathways, all the health services, the smaller hospitals. At the moment, it is almost like Game of Thrones with separate kingdoms and castles and each managing their own scenarios. We need to try to make the system work as a system. “Particularly in rural areas we have probably 130 extra beds in the system that we are not using and that could really help with ramping in rural areas.” Central Highlands Rural Health deputy CEO Phillip Catterson said both Daylesford and Kyneton hospitals offered urgent care around the clock and had Rural & Isolated Practice Endorsed Registered Nurses (RIPRN) on staff at all times, and doctors on call. “It is a fantastic model. Our RIPRN/senior nurses do the initial assessment,, triage, and our GPs work with us by telehealth or call-in to deliver great care as required. Our motto is "Triage, Treat, Transfer". If people need care we will look after them." Ambulance Victoria’s Grampians regional director Chris James told The Local he had spoken with Mr Cowan to "sincerely apologise for the delay in our response on Saturday". "I can confirm the patient is recovering well without any issues regarding our care. At the same time, we are continuing our review to determine what occurred and what could have been done differently." Ambulance Victoria did not return queries by press time on whether there were grounds for concern over ambulance times in Hepburn Shire.
Words: Donna Kelly | Top image: Brendan Murray | Images: Contributed
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Pets@Work Jay-Jay (rear) and Didak are hard working office companions for Brendan Hutchinson (front) and Troy Daff of Daylesford Country Retreats. Jay-Jay, a 15-year-old rescue pooch is a blue heeler/jack russell while Didak is 13 and a long-haired jack russell/beagle. The best mates help out in the office by keeping things calm and soothing, although these days they do also enjoy a nap. “We also have accommodation here and when we clean they come and sit outside. They go wherever we do and are never lonely. We are family.”
Sent – 15th Feb
Sent – 23rd Feb
On the mend.
Greg (work) – 1st Feb
How are you?
Glad I’m back!
Greg (work) – 20th Feb
See you soon. Everyone Every workplace
The sooner you get in touch after an injury, the better the return to work journey. If you’re recovering from a psychological or physical workplace injury, or if you are an employer supporting an injured worker, make contact as soon as possible. It just takes a few simple words to make a big difference. The sooner, the better. worksafe.vic.gov.au/thesoonerthebetter
We’re building big and there will be transport disruptions
As part of Victoria’s Big Build, we’re upgrading the Sunbury Line and building the Metro Tunnel, to make it quicker and easier to get to universities, hospitals and jobs in Melbourne. Save up to 10 minutes off your journey to Parkville and around 5 minutes off your journey to St Kilda Road. Train disruptions: Coaches replace trains in both directions Bendigo Line
9.20pm to last train, 14 May
Southern Cross to Bendigo, Eaglehawk and Epsom
Bendigo and Echuca lines
15 to 19 May
Southern Cross to Gisborne
Swan Hill Line
15 to 19 May
Southern Cross to Bendigo
Authorised by the Victorian Government, 1 Treasury Place, Melbourne
795
Find a detailed list of disruptions at bigbuild.vic.gov.au
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Our gardeners 7
A little peek into Stephen's private oasis
“
GARDENS are like peeking into someone’s wardrobe,” according to former Gardening Australia host and gardener extraordinaire Stephen Ryan. “They need to reflect the owner’s personality.”
For three years we saw Stephen grace our TV screens as the face of our most famous gardening show. His passion for gardening, his zest for life and his charming dulcet tones can still be heard weekly on the airwaves across Melbourne and regional Victoria. And now we can all get a little more up close and personal with the passionate gardener and nursery owner when he swings opens the gates to his private Mt Macedon property - Tugurium - as part of Open Gardens Victoria on July 24 and 25. It’s the first time his garden has been open in winter under the current program and for Stephen it’s a chance to showcase foliage and textures. “There is always something flowering in my garden over winter but visitors won’t really be there for that. I want to showcase the shapes, the textures, the barks and the foliage,” he said. “Visitors will get to see how foliage, texture and form of various plantings work harmoniously together with small pops of floral plumes to distract from the bare bones of the garden.” His beautiful haven is filled with a collection of rare and unusual plants, including species on the Plant Trust National Plant Collections Register. Stephen and his partner purchased Tugurium (which is the Latin word for hovel) in 1985 after the Ash Wednesday fires had destroyed the original house on the oneacre block. For Stephen it was about what they could afford at the time. “The original owners wanted to relocate after the fires. There was no top soil so it was a matter of starting over again. As time went on, we purchased a section of the road reserve and about 10 years ago purchased the house next door.” While the property expanded so did the unique garden complete with sheds, orchards, veggie gardens, a pond and a chook shed (Cluckingham Palace), that have all been designed to feature in the garden. “Too often people spend so much time trying to cover up structures and garden sheds. Why hide houses and sheds? It’s a matter of softening them to become a part of the garden’s story,” he said. And after years of hard work and thousands of hours spent in the garden, Tugurium has literally risen from the ashes into the stunning woodland garden it is today. “It is quite intensive and my partner and I have done it all ourselves,” he said. Stephen admits at times there are a few words exchanged over what should go where. But in the end, he is the one to give in. For Stephen, who also owns Dicksonia Rare Plants in Mt Macedon, his passion for gardening and all things unusual started when he was a child. “My family owned a nursery and I can remember looking at plants that I’d never seen before. There were always many different interesting and unusual plants. “For me as a child it opened up a whole new world and that stayed with me. I’m sure some of the plants that inspired me as a child might not have been all that rare, but it cemented my rare plants passion,” he said. Stephen began working for his dad in his nursery when he was 10 and, inspired by gardening at that young age, he joined the Mt Macedon Horticultural Society. At 19 he became president and is still with the society today. He has travelled the world hosting gardening tours, filming and researching for a host of media roles and is a published author. But he is happiest in his Mt Macedon refuge, one that truly reflects who he is. “A garden needs to reflect your personality. So, while I hope my garden inspires and awakens people’s passion for gardening, their own garden needs to reflect who they are. If you want gnomes then go for it,” he said.
COURTOT AUTOMOTIVE MECHANICS Phone: (03)
5348 3167
NEW - after hours tow service 0438 375 731
Meet Stephen in the flesh and see his personality reflected in his magnificent property when he shows off the amazing Tugurium in July. (Just don’t expect to see any gnomes when you are there.)
Words: Narelle Groenhout Images: Contributed
Friendly and reliable service. Come down and chat to our friendly staff. VEHICLE SERVICES MECHANICAL REPAIRS COMPUTER SCANNING TYRE REPLACEMENTS PUNCTURE REPAIRS AUTOELEC 10am WEDNESDAYS
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Services include: rug repair, wash, valuation and in-home interior consultations.
Finest handmade rugs collection in Daylesford. 1/52 A Vincent Street Daylesford (Next to Coles) Phone: 5301 8002 Opening times: Friday - Monday 11.30am - 4.30pm Wednesday. 11.30am - 4.30pm
It is now law to give cyclists the space to ride safely. Penalties apply.
When passing bike riders in speed zones up to 60km, slow down and give at least 1 metre of space. In speed zones over 60km, allow at least 1.5 metres. It is now law. Penalties apply. Learn more at tac.vic.gov.au/cyclingsafety
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HUGE RANGE
GREAT VALUE GIFTS FOR MUM
Open 7 days 10am to 5pm 42 Vincent Street Cards, gifts, homewares & more
News 9
Eggs, wine: Uber balloon?
A
UTUMN evenings in Daylesford are peaceful affairs at Rob Alexander and Ros Marsden’s Mistover property. So when a sudden roar engulfed their house on recent afternoon, they rushed outside to investigate the menacing sound.
"A giant hot air balloon was floating right over our heads," Rob said, "and it was clear that it wasn’t going anywhere except our backyard." The balloon brushed the top of Ros and Rob’s trees, sending leaves in every direction before sinking beside a nearby grove of gums. "I was a little horrified," Ros laughed. "I wasn’t sure what was happening and up close the balloon was enormous. I had no idea that balloons landed on private property." Suddenly Mistover had passengers climbing out of the basket followed by a support crew of men in utes arriving at the front gate. The air was so still that the balloon, which started its journey at Jubilee Lake, was not travelling any further than Ros and Rob’s back garden. "Next spring, I’m hoping to revive writing and gardening workshops on the property if Covid allows it, so maybe the theme will be unexpected visitors," Ros said. Rob was presented with a dozen eggs and a bottle of red wine from the owner of the balloon, who commented that it was the best landing spot in Daylesford. Balloon pilot Ben Phillips said the trip was a private charter and he had been looking for "a nice open garden" to land. "It often seems like an emergency but anywhere you can land is a good place. We always keep the balloon upright so we can keep going if landowners don't want us in their garden but Rob and Ros were lovely." Ben, who also works with Daylesford Ballooning, said he always carried wine onboard. "It should traditionally be champagne but we find most people prefer wine. The idea started with the first flight in France in 1783 , where they took a gift of champagne in case they landed in a farmer's field and they thought they were the devil from the sky." And the eggs? "They were in my car as a gift to someone else but Rob and Ros were so nice they got them as well."
Words & images: Contributed
10 Our history
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Carrying the flame through Eganstown
A
S ATHLETES get ready to take part in the Olympic Games in Tokyo on July 23, Eganstown resident John Menadue remembers his part in the Melbourne Olympics, back in 1956.
Mr Menadue was one of 2830 Australian male runners to carry the 1956 Olympic Torch almost 4800km from Cairns to the MCG in November that year. The 16-year-old Ballarat High School student received the miner's lamp containing the flame at 2.39 am on Wednesday, November 21 near his family home. "I started my leg of the relay from the shire boundary at the centre of the Deep Creek bridge where the Eganstown general store was at that time," Mr Menadue said. At that hour of the night, there were no crowds to cheer him, just a small contingent of family and locals. "I remember my mum and dad Nellie and Jack, my five sisters, Uncle Fred and Aunty Mary who had driven up from Footscray in their very grand DeSoto American car and Daylesford resident Tom Ferguson with this white beard were visible in the night's gloom," Mr Menadue said. Mr Menadue, to achieve the honour of becoming a torchbearer, had to comply with the strict criteria of being a male at least 16 years of age, a non-professional athlete able to run a mile in less than six minutes and able to supply his kit. Time trials were held at Castlemaine, where Mr Menadue and Daylesford boys Alan Thomas, Bob Scofield, and Stan Edwards competed against 30 or 40 qualifiers to gain a place in the historic relay. "I was an athletic and sporting boy running and rowing for my school," he said. "My best official time for running a mile was 4.38 minutes." Mr Menadue remembers after his one-mile run "all the family packed into the Vanguard and headed back home for breakfast, and then onto school". At the assembly in Ballarat High School's Peacock Hall, Mr Menadue, fellow student George Briggs and teacher Jack Hassell, who were also in the torch relay, were invited to talk about their involvement. "It was a great experience, only to be superseded by winning the Head of the Lake. It was a great year '56," Mr Menadue said. Mr Menadue trained every day before the relay, running on bush tracks in Eganstown or around Lake Wendouree. "It was a lonely experience, training on my own," he said. "However, I was thrilled to often see Olympic athletes running the lake at the same time I was." The official report of the XVI Olympiad Melbourne 1956 details the almost military precision and organisation of the Torch Relay. "Every athlete was on his mark early, and the front truck, running a mile or two ahead of the flame, was scheduled to arrive with five or ten minutes to spare. "The attendant on the truck then checked the runner's identity, gave him a torch and instructed him how to light it from the preceding runner's torch. The flame arrived, was transferred, and the runner was off on his mile." People in a second truck in convoy presented each runner with a medallion after each leg of the journey. Mr Menadue remembers receiving it and being somewhat disappointed it was not on a cord so he could wear it. One side of the medallion features in bas-relief Olympic rings with Australian flora and fauna, while the reverse showcases male athletes circling the outer edge. Holding the XVI Olympiad in Melbourne in 1956 was the first time the Games convened in the Southern Hemisphere. "Locally, I really felt part of it," Mr Menadue said. "Some of the rowing was in Ballarat, and as a rower for the school, I met many of the Olympians on Lake Wendouree when we were training." The Olympic Games was one of the most important things to happen to Ballarat and Mr Menadue. "Later on, we won the Head of the Lake for the second time ever."
Words & main image: Carol Saffer
BIODIVERSIY GRANTS OPEN Applications for the 2021 Hepburn Shire Biodiversity Grants are open between Friday 23 April and 17 May 2021. Groups are invited to apply for grants of up to $5,000 that align with the objectives of the Biodiversity Strategy. These grants support environment groups and the diverse work being done to protect and enhance our natural landscapes. They are an important part of the Shire’s Biodiversity Strategy, which aims to partner with committed local environment groups. Click here for the Guidelines: https://www.hepburn.vic.gov.au/biodiversity/ Click here for the Application Form: https://hepburn.smartygrants.com.au/Biodiversity
With their 2020 Biodiversity grant Friends of Quarries Park trialled a creekline planting in April using jute mat to enhance plant establishment and reduce weed competition.
Dome on the range, a bush bubble In Xanadu did Kubla Khan A stately pleasure-dome decree…
D
EAR old Samuel Taylor Coleridge could scarce foresee that pleasure domes had a future.
A different type of dome has now landed in the Central Highlands, and one that is bringing a lot of delight. Nestled into bushland at Eganstown, it is an Italian invention, a Skyview Bubbletent. A clear plastic dome reveals the sky and surrounding countryside. Air is pumped into the bubble and bleeds out through vents. After shedding one’s shoes, entry is through an igloo-like door leading to an airlock. Then you emerge into the serene four-metre bubble. Lying back on the bed a guest can watch the Milky Way unveil or peer at the 'roos and kookaburras, Anita Payne delights in this new attraction on her family’s farm in Brandy Hot Road. “A little bit of magic in insane times,” she says, as she shows a visitor around what she and her fine artist husband Richard call Frog Hollow. “The day we found the house we explored and found this valley and picnicked there. We are treehuggers, hippies at heart, with an organic farm…” Five years ago they found the recently developed bubble tent in Italy. They thought it would make a perfect honeymoon spot for their son and daughterin-law (“We’re all camping people.”). A family illness meant, however, that they married abroad. A few weeks ago the tent opened to visitors. “I’ve never been camping before,” said one young woman. “I’ve never even been in the bush before: I’ve been so scared.” The safety of the bubble tent overcame her fear. Anita describes the family’s eight-hectare property as a typical farm, with its alpacas, chooks, vegies, bees and two dogs. And she tells how during the gold rush nearby Brandy Hot Road lived up to its name. It had three pubs. An astonishing 20,000 miners swarmed in, many sleeping in blankets slung from trees, giving the area its local name of Blanket Flat. Today, a 10-year-old pizza oven brought from Europe is, naturally enough, the only place a fire can be lit. The mysteries of pizza-making had to be outlined to a young Chinese couple for whom it was a new world of cooking. “They cooked up a storm,” says Anita. With all possible mod cons (heated electric blanket, woollen doona, eye masks if the moon’s too bright) to fit the term glamping, plus an outdoor shower discreetly brush-screened, the $600-a-weekend dome has clearly found an eager market. Or, as Coleridge writes: And here were forests ancient as the hills, Enfolding sunny spots of greenery.
Words: Kevin Childs | Images: Kyle Barnes
“The day we found the house we explored and found this valley and picnicked there. We are tree-huggers, hippies at heart, with an organic farm…” - Anita Payne
Proposed Budget 2021/2022 BUDGET SUMMARY Council has developed a financially responsible proposed budget that is mindful of the impact of COVID-19, the size of the Shire and available resources. The $39.9 million budget aims to maintain and improve infrastructure and deliver projects and services which are valued by the community. The budget allocates funding for the provision of more than 100 services, from home care for older members of the community, to road construction, urban planning, libraries, environmental initiatives, leisure facilities and more. It also includes a $11.83 million capital works program to improve and build local infrastructure. The average rate increase is capped at 1.5%, in line with the Victorian Government’s Fair Go Rates System. For those who have kerbside collection, the waste charge will increase to $479 per year to ensure cost recovery of this service. This is due to a number of factors including the rise of waste management costs, a 20% increase in the volume of waste produced over the last year, the under-recovery of waste costs for 2020/2021, global recycling challenges and the compulsory State Government landfill levy.
OPERATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS • Additional investment in strategic planning following Council’s review of the Hepburn Planning Scheme (more than $400,000).
CAPITAL WORKS HIGHLIGHTS • $2.44 million for recreation facilities, including the commencement of the $2.4 million Hammon Park Trail Head project, $240,000 for cricket nets at Newlyn, $144,000 for hard courts renewal across the Shire, $30,000 to undertake a Recreation Reserve Lighting Strategy and $22,000 to undertake a masterplan for the ARC at Daylesford. • More than $1.45 million on road improvements, upgrades and rehabilitation, including an upgrade to DaylesfordClunes Road in Smeaton, and the Cotswold and Glengower roads intersection near Glengower. • More than $1.62 million on gravel and road reseals across the Shire. • $600,000 for bridges, including Mollongghip bridge in Blampied. • More than $1.5 million to renew community buildings. • $534,000 on new and upgrades to footpaths and cycleways throughout the Shire. • $1.09 million on parks, open spaces and streetscape works, including Chatfield Reserve landscape works at Lake Daylesford, renewal of reserve and open space furniture, and streetscape improvements in Clunes and Creswick. Community buildings $1.58M
Plant and equipment $0.86M
ICT and libraries $0.98M
Footpaths and cycleways $0.53M
Recreation facilities $2.44M
Bridges $0.6M
Roads $3.07M
• Support for low income earners to install solar power through the Solar Savers Program. • Review of key strategies to respond to climate change and environmental development, including the Waste Strategy, Biodiversity Strategy and Sustainability Strategy. • Further investment for COVID recovery opportunities. • Finalisation of the Hepburn Together Project and associated plans and strategies, including the Municipal Health and Wellbeing Plan. • Continuation of a $21 rebate on rates for pensioners. • Increased investment in Information Technology, including new Council website, to improve customer experience and make it easier to find information about Council. • Free pool entry and first year pet registration. • Development of an Arts and Culture Strategy, a Reconciliation Action Plan and a Walking and Cycling Strategy. • Ongoing funding for Council activities such as libraries, maternal and child health, sport and active recreation, tourism, care for the elderly, parks and gardens, programs for young people and more.
Parks, open spaces and streetscapes $1.09M
HAVE YOUR SAY The budget is available at Council offices in Daylesford, Clunes, Creswick and Trentham, and the Daylesford Library as well as online at https://participate.hepburn.vic.gov.au. Make a submission via the Participate Hepburn website, or write to the Chief Executive Officer, Hepburn Shire Council, PO Box 21, Daylesford VIC 3460, or email shire@hepburn.vic.gov.au. Submissions must be received by Council by 5.00pm on Thursday 20 May 2021. Council will consider the budget for adoption at the Special Council Meeting scheduled for 6.00pm on Tuesday 29 June 2021 at the Daylesford Town Hall.
Community News MESSAGE FROM THE MAYOR This weekend there will be various ANZAC Day services around the Shire which I would encourage people to attend. ANZAC Day provides an opportunity, not just to reflect on the contribution and sacrifices that servicemen and women have made to the way of life in Australia over many years but to also reflect on our own contributions to civic life and how we can ensure that what we do supports and enhances our way of life. Thinking about that I want to thank the 193 citizens who put in an expression of interest to be part of the Deliberative Engagement Community Panel and to sincerely thank those 40 members who were selected to attend the Deliberative Engagement Community Panel last week. These citizens also took part in two online sessions last week, and by all accounts their contributions have been considered and insightful and will be reflected in the 4 Year Council Plan and 10 Year Council Vision. Those who follow the live stream Council Meetings on Facebook (and it’s one of the benefits of COVID restrictions that have provided an opportunity for a larger number of citizens to be in touch with what Council is doing) will already be aware that there are a number of matters that are now on public exhibition and open for comment before being formally adopted. These include the 2021-2022 Council Budget, the Revenue and Rating Plan and the Road Management Plan. You can read these documents on the Hepburn Together Web page (https://participate. hepburn.vic.gov.au)Please have a look and consider putting in your feedback. If we don’t hear from you, we don’t know what you are thinking. You can also provide feedback to any of your ward Councillors and it will be taken seriously. The Budget is obviously very important as it demonstrates what Council can fund during the financial year. It is a $39.9 million Proposed Budget 2021-2022 that allocates funding for more than 100 services, ranging from home care for older members of the community, to road construction, urban planning, libraries, environmental initiatives, and leisure facilities and more. The budget includes $11.83 million towards capital works, which will go towards the improvement, renewal, and creation of new infrastructure for our Shire. This is a significant allocation of funding, in fact, 63% of general rates, and relies on extensive support from State and Federal Government. Ratepayers will want to know that the overall increase to rate income is capped at 1.5% in line with the Victorian Government’s Fair Go Rates System. People often say to me that our rates are expensive but in fact our average property rates for 2019/2020 were around $115 less than similar sized councils, and around $209 less than all Victorian councils. Please take the time to have a look and then make a submission either in support, or to suggest further ideas or changes. You can give your feedback via the Participate Hepburn website; via post to the Chief Executive Officer, Hepburn Shire Council, PO Box 21, Daylesford VIC 3460; via email to shire@hepburn.vic.gov.au. Or to your local ward Councillor but it needs to be by 20th May 2021. Cr Lesley Hewitt, MAYOR
CONTACTS
General enquiries
5348 2306
@
Mail Email Website
Aged & disability services enquiries - 5345 8399
PO Box 21, Daylesford 3460 shire@hepburn.vic.gov.au hepburn.vic.gov.au
HEPBURN LIFE - NEW COMMUNITY E-NEWSLETTER
We are very excited to launch Hepburn Life, our new monthly e-newsletter. This e-newsletter replaces the printed Shire News, which we previously sent to ratepayers twice-yearly. During the Hepburn Together Project we heard loud and clear from our community that most people (74% of respondents) want to hear from us via email. We are listening! The first edition will arrive in your inbox next week. Sign up now at https://mailchi.mp/hepburn/sign-up.
WE WANT YOUR FEEDBACK Don’t forget to keep checking the Participate Hepburn website for opportunities to provide input into Council activities and projects. Along with the budget and Trentham Community Hub, items currently open for feedback include the Revenue and Rating Plan, Road Management Plan, and more. For more information visit https://participate.hepburn.vic.gov.au.
NEW KERBSIDE COLLECTION SERVICE At last week’s meeting, Council approved a move to a new kerbside collection provider. SUEZ Recycling & Recovery was the successful tenderer for the service based on a public tender and selection criteria that included cost, service delivery, safety and sustainability. We are excited to be working with the new service provider and residents can expect a smooth transition when the service commences from 1 July. Creating an efficient and cost-effective waste management service is a priority for Council and we will develop a five-year waste strategy later this year. The strategy will involve detailed community consultation, which will begin in the second half of 2021. For after hours emergencies please call: Animal Control - 0419 587 955 Other Council Emergency - 0419 583 573 hepburncouncil
Out & About
Open Evening Tuesday 18 May, 4pm – 8pm Book Online: shckyneton.catholic.edu.au Hands on activities, information sessions and displays – something for everyone.
Sacred Heart College Kyneton
T, JEAN NERY
BY CHRISTIANE ROCHEFOR
Presents
T CR
MANY
KS
m the 1959 Rank Film A Radio Play adapted fro rtwee Screenplay by Michael Pe
DIRECTED BY ADAPTED FOR RADIO AND
JOHN ROWLAND
Fri 14 May - Sun 30 May Evening sessions 8pm Sunday matinees 2pm Mountview Theatre 56 Smith St Macedon
Bookings via www.themountplayers.com or phone 5426 1892
Do you feed people? Advertise here.
Let’s support our community and shop local! “Locals supporting Locals”
Restaurants, Bakers, Butchers, Cafe’s, Local vineyards, Distillers, Brewers and of course each other.
Remember we offer free delivery, T&Cs apply. Delivery times are Monday to Saturday between 10am and 4pm. We accept credit cards over the phone or we have an on-board eftpos machine. You will need to be at home for the delivery with proof of age if asked by the driver. Give the Foxxy team a call on 5348 3577. Keep safe, everyone.
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Out & About 17
148th Daylesford Show back in November
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Mr Harvey said a Covid marshall had been appointed to oversee all Covid compliance issues on the day and he had already attended several days of training and many hours of familiarisation with the DHHS Committee chair Don Harvey said with the show guidelines. "The committee is really hoping that the pandemic traditionally held on the fourth weekend in November situation will be well under control by show time but there was a possibility for a restricted show, but when the situation in Victoria deteriorated badly mid-year the is determined to be prepared for all eventualities if they show society had to reluctantly cancel and abandon what are forced to. We were all looking forward to the 150th annual show being a big event and a celebration but now would have been the 148th annual show. that has all been put a year further back and this year we "This year however the society is hoping for better things and the committee members and some exhibitors might have to just celebrate the show returning. "If the enthusiasm of exhibitors is any indication it are already starting to prepare for the 148th Annual should be a good show because we have already had a Show to be held on Friday and Saturday, November number of calls asking if we are going ahead and people 26 and 27 with preparation, exhibiting, judging and are obviously following our progress on Facebook." awarding only on the Friday.
AST year's Daylesford & District Agricultural Show was just one of many hundreds of events postponed or cancelled due to Covid.
The society spent time and money last year on refurbishing the Junior Arts Craft and Performance area in the Tom Ford Pavilion, with the help of a Federal Government Stronger Communities Grant, and is looking forward to unveiling a brighter new area there as well as extending the development of the flower, fruit and vegetable display area in the table tennis pavilion.
Words & Image: Contributed
A PUB FOR THE LOCALS Come in, grab a drink and be local. Join us for STEAK NIGHT every Thursday $25 and our locals’ favourite SUNDAY NIGHT ROAST $25.
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18 Out & About
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Markets
Gig Guide
Trentham Neighbourhood Centre Makers Market - first Saturday Woodend Farmers Market - first Saturday Creswick Market - first Saturday
Thirsty Friday presents Gaymes Night - Friday, April 30 Sergio Ercole with Spanish guitar, cajon and flamenco dance - Saturday, May 1, 8pm A Queer Soiree, Last Friday of every Month.
Castlemaine Artists Market – first Sunday
Guildford Hotel, Guildford
Trentham Community Group Market - second Saturday Kyneton Farmers Market - second Saturday Ballan Farmers Market - second Saturday Kyneton Rotary Community Market – second Saturday
Quiz Night - Thursday, April 29, 6pm Ade Ishs eMotion Band - Friday, April 30, 7pm
Maldon Market – second Sunday Clunes Farmers Market - second Sunday
Got a gig happening? Email news@tlnews.com.au or post it, no charge, on our website at www.tlnews.com.au
Daylesford Sunday Market – every Sunday Wesley Hill Market - every Saturday
Palais-Hepburn, Hepburn Springs
All gigs correct at time of publication. Check with venue for full details.
Trentham Farmers Market and Makers Market - third Saturday Glenlyon Farmers Market – third Saturday Leonards Hill Market - third Saturday Creswick Market - third Saturday Malmsbury Farmers Market - third Sunday Talbot Farmers Market – third Sunday Woodend Lions Market - third Sunday Daylesford Rotary Farmers Market - fourth Saturday Trentham Station Sunday Market - fourth Sunday Buninyong Village Market - fourth Sunday
Watercolour workshop
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Mary-Anne Thomas MP
A
watercolour workshop by John Orlando Birt will be held at the Kyneton Art Group on Saturday, May 1.
Mr Birt attended the South Australian School of Art, studying fine art and art history. He then studied industrial design at the Institute of Technology to pursue a career in the automotive industry initially designing automobiles in Australia and then the USA, Japan and Italy, becoming design manager of Ford Asia/Pacific. He now lives in Melbourne and is a full-time exhibiting artist, predominantly a plein air painter, preferring to paint outdoors to engage and be inspired in real time with his subjects. Mr Birt has held 25 solo exhibitions and each year, with an exception for Covid, takes painting groups to Venice, Veneto, Siena and Tuscany.
Enquiries: Anna on 0411 896 852 or ba.mcgrath@me.com
LABOR MEMBER FOR MACEDON
As your local Member of Parliament I am keen to hear from the community and assist with any State Government matter. Mary-Anne Thomas Shop 14, Nexus Centre, 9 Goode Street, Gisborne, VIC 3437 P: 5428 2138 E: mary-anne.thomas@parliament.vic.gov.au MaryAnneMacedon maryannethomasmp Authorised by MA Thomas, Shop 14, Nexus Centre, 9 Goode Street, Gisborne. Funded from Parliamentary budget.
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We are proud to have been selected as a COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic to support the community. Appointments for COVID-19 vaccinations will be available as part of the Phase 1b rollout at a date to be confirmed. For info please visit: www.campaspefp.com.au/covid-19-vaccination Book online: www.campaspefp.com.au Phone: 5422 2877 CampaspeFamilyPractice Hours: 8am–8pm Mon–Fri, 9am–5pm Sat, 10am–1pm Sun Located at Kyneton Hospital: 7-25 Caroline Chisholm Drive, Kyneton
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Happy and Healthy 21
Rainbow Coffee Club
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For those living in rural areas in the LGBTIQ+ community this social disconnection can be made worse by experiences of discrimination, concerns about privacy and a lack of inclusive services and public spaces. A social group run by Sunbury and Cobaw Community Health who meet monthly at the Social Foundry in Kyneton aims to connect local LGBTIQ+ adults. The Rainbow Coffee Club is one of the initiatives of the Country LGBTIQ+ Inclusion Program known as CLIP, and the program’s facilitator Belinda Brain is excited about starting the group up again after a year. “Being part of a community and feeling socially connected can really have a positive impact on a person’s mental and physical health,” Belinda said. “These coffee catch-ups are a great way to meet new people and create meaningful social connections and a sense of belonging to the community.” The Social Foundry recently completed a workshop run by Sunbury and Cobaw Community Health on how to create a safe, welcoming and inclusive space for those who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex or queer. The Rainbow Coffee Club meets on the last Friday of the month from 11am to noon with the next one taking place on Friday, April 30. The Social Foundry is at 86 Mollison Street, Kyneton. Sunbury and Cobaw Community Health’s CLIP program and the youth specific WayOut program both work to increase LGBTIQ+ visibility across the region and to ensure a more inclusive community. For more information about the various programs, groups and training offered, call Belinda on 5421 1666 or email healthpromotion@scchc.org.au
Words: Contributed
BOOK NOW: Text Fiona Harris 0417 371 587 or scan My home clinic is on the edge of the Wombat Forest in Glenlyon
G
Happy 100th birthday Gretchen!
RETCHEN Rebeiro (née Schmidt) was born in Akyab, Myanmar (Burma) on March 9, 1921. Her father was a German immigrant who married her mother, a Burmese resident from Akyab. Gretchen was the youngest of her siblings, Daisy and John Schmidt.
Gretchen and her sister attended boarding school at St Anne’s Convent, Akyab, run by the order of The Sisters of Our Lady of the Missions founded in Lyon, France. After finishing her education there Gretchen was given in marriage to Alexander Rebeiro, who was the eldest son of a large family of Rebeiros of Portuguese heritage. By the time she had her first son, Bertram, in 1940, WWII was upon them. Gretchen with her husband and family and extended family then moved in 1942 to Calcutta, West Bengal, India, to start a new life. Gretchen and Alex had two further children, a boy, Ernest and a girl, Shirley, in the late 40s. She remained a full-time housewife and ran a household with the help of servants. In 1972 Gretchen and Alex finally emigrated to Melbourne, Australia, to join her daughter Shirley who had settled in Melbourne in 1970. Gretchen happily remained living with Shirley and her growing family in Sunbury, Victoria for 36 years until she finally decided to take permanent residence at Hepburn House, Daylesford in September 2017. Both she and her family love the quiet and serene life that Daylesford offers. She celebrated her 100th birthday on March 9 at Hepburn House with her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren from Melbourne. She also has grandkids and great-grandkids in Canada and the UK. Gretchen was very happy to receive congratulatory letters from HM The Queen, and five other letters from all levels of the Australian Government including the Prime Minister, Governor-General, Premier of Victoria and the Federal Member for Ballarat. Gretchen continues to enjoy living at Hepburn House thanks to the wonderful management and staff who care for her and the beautiful residents she calls her friends. Hepburn House is now home sweet home to Gretchen. Hepburn House is located at 1 Hepburn Road, Daylesford. For more information, call 5348 8100 or visit www.hepburnhouse.com.au
Pictured, from left, four generations celebrate, daughter Shirley, Gretchen, granddaughter Rachel and great-granddaughter Isabella
Anzac Day 2021 Lest We Forget
Images: Kyle Barnes & Donna Kelly More images on Facebook and www.tlnews.com.au
Bells Water Gardens @ Newlyn
Bells Water Gardens has been in the water garden business for over 25 years, building and maintaining ponds and growing a diverse range of aquatic plants for the nursery trade and public. We are passionate about building natural eco-system ponds, adding beauty and encouraging wildlife, allowing interaction with nature. Water gardens built by us are quiet, contemplative places to rest and energise the senses. Contact us for all your water garden requirements or come and see our nursery at 1 Campion Rd, Newlyn.
0418 567 195
F place.
OR all those long eons before mankind learned to walk upright, and invented the spade, nature had hummed merrily along, slowly evolving with everything living in the garden world, rosy and orderly and in its
It didn’t take all that long for us, in our infinite wisdom, to decide to “make things better”. Apples and all the other fruits were too small, colourless, sour or tasteless. Grain crops ripen at the wrong time of the year. So we learned how to crosspollinate and hybridise everything to our taste, little caring they could be less sturdy, less pest-resistant, thirsty and hungry. No problem there, we just created chemicals to cure diseases and eradicate the pests that now thrived on the pampered plants and fertilisers to keep them well fed. Oh, and don’t forget to keep the water up to them. There’s always a downside to every story and this one is that hybridising (or crossbreeding) to improve one feature of a plant often means sacrificing another. In roses, the race to produce bigger, taller-stemmed flowers has, in many cases, meant the loss of that beautiful perfume, and so it goes. The greatest problem this country has faced began with our early settlers and their desire to replicate practically everything from “home” and so they tried bringing everything they could with them. They discovered all too late that what was normally sedate and under control at home, would become rampant on this wide, unspoiled continent. Admittedly many things, especially in the plant world, were unable to cope with the heat and withered. Unfortunately the opposite occurred with too many of the rest - much to our regret and distress today. Squire Trelawney and his cohorts’ penchant for hunting gave us such treasures as rabbits, foxes and wild boar. The apparent distress at a “lack of birdsong in the colourless, drab forests” gave us those lovely starlings, blackbirds...and the list goes on. (I don’t dare mention cats). In the plant world there have been and still are many varieties of beautiful plants, grown under difficulty, often only in green houses, that have literally bolted once let out into our climate. Such plants as oxalis - the pestilent soursop, and Paterson’s curse and others among them were innocently introduced as genteel greenhouse plants. Many of the early plants were “quarantined” or more likely acclimatised at the fledgling Melbourne Botanical Gardens. More than likely, I’m embarrassed to say, under the supervision of my great-grandfather Ernst. It doesn’t end there. Over the subsequent years there have been many disastrous introductions of feral species, not the least the ubiquitous prickly pear and pampas grass, which rode rampant over much of our countryside and still occasionally poke their heads up mostly in older gardens. But it isn’t always the case that the rampant plants are totally noxious on a national base. For example, I was amazed to find that the beautiful (in South Australia) Italian lavender is totally banned in Victoria. Likewise the colourful, sturdy shrub lantana, is at the top of the banned list in northern New South Wales and especially in Queensland. I first learned of lantana’s reputation one hot Saturday afternoon when I was about 12, hand watering the potted shrubs at the front of the nursery. I was abused by a rather inebriated man, standing amidst the bed of lantanas threatening to "dob us in" for selling them. I only learned later about their Queensland reputation. It isn’t only exotic plants that can turn feral and overrun indigenous plants. There are many native plant species, such as grevilleas and acacias, that will become rampant when in another state or region and take over the local inhabitants. That’s another good reason to seek out and plant locally indigenous trees and shrubs.
Rather than show you some feral plants or animals I have chosen a few of our garden's inhabitants right, a friendly huntsman, above, a hungry caterpillar and a katydid
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a4 b3 c6 FOR SALE PRICE $1,100,000 - $1,200,000 CONTACT Tom Shaw 0438 118 903 OFFICE 43 Vincent Street, Daylesford 5348 2328 DAYLESFORD 80-82 EAST STREET
ARCHITECT DESIGNED, AWARD-WINNING HOME ON 2000M2 Built by renowned local builder Ben Sims of Daylesford Builders - Winner of the Best Renovation/Addition 2008 for Western Victoria, this home will not disappoint. It is surrounded by mature and leafy landscaped gardens with productive fruit trees, vines, veggies patches & established garden beds. • 2000m2 block [approx.] • Original 1860’s miners cottage with contemporary addition • Double height lounge dining with a rolling curved roof form • All town services connected plus 3 large roof water tanks • Garage with concrete floor, mezzanine level, and roofmounted solar panel
a3 b2 c4 FOR SALE PRICE $1,200,000 - $1,300,000 CONTACT Michael DeVincentis 0417 142 152 OFFICE 43 Vincent Street, Daylesford 5348 2328 ID and contact details are required at all open for inspections
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LOOKING FOR CARPET?
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Crossword 29
W RD
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Here's the solution for Crossword 225. How did you go?
30 Opinion
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Just briefly
Just sayin’... By Donna Kelly
I
WAS away in Melbourne last Saturday, April 17, but if I had been home I would have attended the Daylesford/Hepburn football match at Victoria Park. But I am glad I didn't. It was set to be a great game; a year of nothing, and now two great rivals getting together for the Bill Malone Cup. What could go wrong? So much. Being back as a fortnightly publication meant we weren't going to press the following Sunday so I stayed out of the socials and just enjoyed the weekend. What happened became apparent when I read the match report emailed in by our recently gained football reporter Brendan Murray on the Sunday night. It started well: "The stage was set for a marvellous afternoon of senior football between two great rivals. In perfect sports conditions, there was a carnival atmosphere as a great turnout of supporters from both clubs were able to chat, smile, banter or nod with acquaintances in their own colours or on the opposite side. For an occasion designed around contest, there was a cheerful and tangible sense of unity, across generations." Brendan (who I must admit is a Daylesford supporter) went on to talk about the "very welcome presence of Josh Cowan, former junior champion and along with his family, known to all Bulldog supporters". And then the very short match report. "From the siren, Hepburn made a quick start kicking one goal, two points." And then the real news of the day. "Then early in the quarter a devastating injury was suffered by Josh. Too severe to be carried from the ground, an ambulance was urgently needed to assist him. To the utter dismay of everyone present and to the great anguish of his immediate support, the ambulance took around 80 minutes to arrive. We can be grateful that Matt Pearce had rejoined the club after many years as head trainer at Richmond, to provide expert guidance. "Among the supporters of both sides, there was an almost surreal mixture of sentiments - concern and sympathy, (hoping) an ambulance would soon arrive and the long-awaited game might resume. At 4.30pm, play was abandoned." What a football report and what a day. For my own sanity I am glad I was not there and I have talked to many people who were and still feel traumatised by the event. It has also sent shockwaves throughout the community, wondering why an ambulance would take so long (it was put down to a pretty epic communication failure) and what would happen in a truly life-threatening situation? I don't know what the answer is. If you haven't already, read page 3 for some ideas. One thing I do know is I am pleased both Daylesford and Kyneton hospitals are open 24/7. Great caring staff just 10 minutes away. If you can get there. Just sayin'...
The 2021 Venie Holmgren Environmental Poetry Prize has been launched.
In her late 50’s Venie Holmgren began to write poetry and her first published anthology, The Sun Collection for the Planet in 1989, became a poetry best seller. In 2010 Venie moved to Hepburn where she wrote her last poetry collection, The Tea House Poems. In January 2016, Venie ‘caught the bus’ at the age of 93 . The major prize is $1000 and all entries must be received by 11.59pm, Monday, July 26, 2021. The winner will be announced at the Words in Winter festival in Daylesford on Sunday, August 22. The judges for the 2021 competition are Carissa Lee and John Charles Ryan.
Link: www.holmgren.com.au/
Hepburn Shire Council has launched its Towards Zero Community Grants Program for 2020/21 with funding offering support to non-profit organisations for community projects to save energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in community facilities. Projects can include any activity that will save energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in community facilities. The grants close on May 31.
Hepburn Shire Council has a new kerbside collection provider - SUEZ Recycling & Recovery. And for those with a kerbside collection service the waste charge will increase to $479 per year, up from $396.
SUEZ will deliver residual waste and recycling kerbside collection; public litter and recycling bin collection; residual waste and recycling transport; residual waste disposal; special events bin collection, transport and disposal; and recycling processing. Recycling will be processed onsite by Cleanaway in Coolaroo in western Melbourne and landfill waste will continue to go to a Smythesdale landfill site near Ballarat. Organics collected through the Clunes trial will also continue to be taken to Creswick Transfer Station to be composted on site.
Macedon Ranges Shire Council is celebrating from May 2 to 8 with free compost deliveries for schools and early learning centres across the shire.
Schools and early learning centres can apply online for their compost donation by visiting mrsc.vic.gov.au/compost Five lucky residents will also win a free delivery of compost. To enter, keep an eye on Macedon Ranges Shire Council’s website and social media channels during these dates for its Compost Week competition.
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Opinion 31
Kyle’s Rant
T
HERE is so much effort and thought these days put into the upbringing of kids, and I have to wonder if these new age, woke babies are going to cut it in the real world.
There seems to be far too much concentration and worry about, well everything, with motherhood statements like the one I saw on Instagram the other day: “It is not how you look to others; it is how you view yourself.” Or this gem. “There are no limits on what you can accomplish, except the limits you place on your own thinking.” That nugget of wisdom by Brian Tracy (whoever he is), a legend in his own lunchbox I suspect. Maybe it’s time to stop thinking about accomplishing and just get stuck in and do it. We can't all be winners despite the positive ions flowing through our brains, life will soon enough kick you in the guts one day and make you feel invincible the next. We are spending too long building up the new generation’s expectations, making them think they can accomplish whatever they want, but there is a little thing called luck. Take a busy café and around the corner from it a not so busy eatery, the food can be just the same and the service similar, but there is something a little off with the not so busy café, that you just cannot put your finger on. Life is 30 per cent skill, 50 per cent luck and timing and the other 30 per cent is salesmanship, and I know that adds up to 110 per cent and that is about the effort you must put in. The difference between the Beta and VHS videos (Google it, kids) is a case in point and then there was the Qwerty and Dvorak keyboard layouts, the Dvorak is a far more user-friendly option, but back in the day the public opted for the harder to use Qwerty option which we are all stuck with now, and why? Once again timing, marketing and the universal planets lining up, actually no-one really knows, it is just the way things went. However, you hopefully can see how I arrived at the point of not over-encouraging the youth into believing they can achieve anything as this will lead to vast disappointment. The world needs a whole gamut of achievement levels, not just people wanting to be put in at top administration levels as that is what they think is “easier.” My teacher always said “Barnes, you will wind up on the rubbish truck”. I took her meaning to be as a garbo, and what is wrong with that I thought. In those days, a garbo would swing from the back of the truck hitting the ground running to pick up the rubbish tins, throwing them into the back of the truck and then back onboard for a ride in the fresh air infused with a tangy rubbish smell. These days I look at the rubbish truck driver longingly up there in their warmed air-conditioned cab, flicking levers with civic pride. And look at me now churning out this column edition after edition, turning up to take photos at celebrations and commiserations, maybe a rubbish truck wasn’t such a bad option. Let's not encourage the kids too much rant over…
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Dancing a Jig With Dad
L
AST year's Covid lockdown resulted in the dedication of a Trentham sculpture commemorating the life and works of the late, globally renowned sculptor Matthew Harding being delayed for 12 months.
But the delay didn't dull the poignant emotions and tears when the postponed moment, including a minute's silence punctuated by one local bird flying over, finally came on April 18. The small, Covid-safe crowd, mainly family, friends and local volunteers involved in design, fundraising and creation of the memorial, heard that Harding left behind a prodigious body of work. That included 69 major commissions, usually large-scale public sculptures which connected and enhanced their local environments. Unlike paintings - research shows gallery visitors spend something like 30 seconds looking at an individual painting - Matt's sculptures engage the public, who often sit with or even on them, in the case of the mirrored, polished stainless steel cushion in Canberra, which is one of his 12 public works in that city. The Trentham sculpture in Trent Creek Reserve is from an original design by the late Trentham artist David Bryant, uses local granite boulders and metal jigs from Matt's studio/workshop, and echoes one of his most popular public works, The Sculpture by the Sea, Bondi's The Cheshire's Grin. Matt's partner, Freya MacLaren, told the gathering she was grateful for the town's support since his death in 2018, and she paid tribute to the "Dancing a Jig With Dad" group of volunteers who worked tirelessly to make the commemorative sculpture a reality. Macedon MP Mary Anne-Thomas, who played a role in facilitating State Government funding for the memorial, said, in a message read on her behalf by Richard Ryan: "Matthew had a tremendous impact on Trentham and the surrounding area, and I hope everyone can utilise this quiet and contemplative space to both remember Matthew and celebrate his life and work."
Above, remembering Matthew Harding, anti-clockwise, Matt and Freya's son Hugo, Al Dickerson and Denise Connors, Freya, Peter Young, Event MC Bern Barry, Hepburn Shire Cr Brian Hood, Susie Spence and Jan Robertson Words: Peter Young | Images: Contributed
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PUBLIC NOTICE
PUBLIC NOTICE
Hepburn Shire Council has prepared its Proposed Budget 2021-2022 for the financial period from 1 July 2021 to 30 June 2022. The proposed budget is available for inspection at Council offices in Daylesford, Clunes, Creswick and Trentham, the Daylesford Library and the Participate Hepburn website at https://participate.hepburn.vic.gov.au. Any person may make a submission to Council on any proposal contained in the proposed budget. Submissions must be received by Council by 5.00pm on Thursday 20 May 2021. Those who write a submission should clearly specify if they, or their representative, wish to be heard in support of their submission at a Special Council Meeting scheduled for 6.00pm on Tuesday 8 June 2021 at the Daylesford Town Hall. Submissions should be addressed to the Chief Executive Officer, Hepburn Shire Council and submitted by post to PO Box 21, Daylesford VIC 3460, emailed to shire@hepburn.vic.gov.au, or via the Participate Hepburn website. Council will consider the budget for adoption at a Special Council Meeting at 6.00pm on Tuesday 29 June 2021 at the Daylesford Town Hall.
Hepburn Shire Council has reviewed the Municipal Road Management Plan in line with the Road Management Act 2004. The proposed Road Management Plan is available for inspection at Council offices in Daylesford, Clunes, Creswick and Trentham, the Daylesford Library and the Participate Hepburn website at https://participate. hepburn.vic.gov.au. Any person may make a submission to Council on any proposal contained in the revised Road Management Plan. Submissions must be received by Council by 5.00pm on Thursday 20 May 2021. Those who write a submission should clearly specify if they, or their representative, wish to be heard in support of their submission at the Special Council Meeting scheduled for 6.00pm on Tuesday 8 June 2021 at the Daylesford Town Hall. Submissions should be addressed to the Chief Executive Officer, Hepburn Shire Council and submitted by post to PO Box 21, Daylesford VIC 3460, emailed to shire@ hepburn.vic.gov.au, or via the Participate Hepburn website. Council will consider the Road Management Plan for adoption at the Special Council Meeting scheduled for 6.00pm on Tuesday 29 June 2021 at the Daylesford Town Hall.
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