Front page: The Blackwood Woodchop & Easter Carnival offers an action-packed day out for the whole family. The Carnival begins with a street parade, followed by the woodchop & music, plus loads of fun stuff - gumboot throwing, pet show, treasure hunt, kids novelty games & races, face-painting, tugo-war, market stalls, delicious eats and licensed bars. All at the beautiful Blackwood Recreation Reserve.
See you there, Saturday, April 19 from 10am to 6pm.
Image: Contributed
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The Local is a fortnightly community publication covering the Central Highlands of Victoria.
The next edition is out on Monday, April 21 2025. or online on Sunday, April 20 at www.tlnews.com.au
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General manager: Kyle Barnes on 0416 104 283 or kyle@tlnews.com.au
Editor: Donna Kelly on 0418 576 513 or news@tlnews.com.au
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Contributors: Darren Lowe (music), Sarah Lang (recipes), Jeff Glorfeld (life) & Bill Wootton (poetry)
Accounts | Julie Hanson Delivery | Tony Sawrey
'We're sorry': But community still angry
Hepburn Shire Mayor Cr Don Henderson, councillors and CEO have issued an apology for the failed Hepburn Hub at The Rex project.
"On behalf of the council the current elected councillor group would like to express our regret to our community of Hepburn Shire for the negative impact that the Hepburn Hub at The Rex project has had on us all.
"We recognise that some actions during the project have led to feelings of mistrust, and we regret the distress this caused. We acknowledge that certain actions taken in the past did not align with the values of our council and needs of our community. The Hepburn Hub at The Rex project did not deliver the outcomes promised, and we are sorry for the harm this caused.
"We acknowledge the impact of past decisions, including the ongoing impact this has had on the organisation and community. Council has taken active steps to address past shortcomings and has implemented numerous measures that prevent poor project management and improved our governance and transparency.
"We recognise that restoring the trust that has been damaged with our community will take time, but we are dedicated to listening to the concerns of our community and working to create positive partnerships."
Aaron quits Hobsons Bay
Former Hepburn Shire Council CEO Aaron van Egmond is now also former Hobsons Bay Council CEO.
Hobsons Bay Council released a brief statement last Tuesday, April 1 that Mr van Egmond has resigned effective immediately, to move to Queensland for family reasons.
Councillors had voted to suspend Mr van Egmond at an unscheduled council meeting on Saturday, January 25.
“Councillors became aware of concerns about safety in the workplace and the CEO’s fulfilment of his duties more broadly,” Hobsons Bay Mayor Daria Kellander said after the meeting.
“Councillors take these matters very seriously and have made this decision following thorough and careful consideration, pending further investigations.”
The council’s internal investigation into the matter is continuing while WorkSafe Victoria has also made inquiries.
Hobsons Bay Council acknowledged his service.
Mr van Egmond spent six years at Hepburn Shire Council before moving to Hobsons Bay Council in June 2018.
During his time at Hepburn Shire Council, the council bought The Rex building with plans to turn it into a Hepburn Hub with council offices, a visitor centre and library. The council later sold the building at a huge loss.
Mayor Don Henderson said the financial loss associated with the Hepburn Hub at The Rex project was $5.65 million. This included the purchase of The Rex in 2016 for $6.345 million, additional expenditure of $3.04 million, and proceeds from the sale amounting to $3.74 million.
Words:
Donna Kelly | File image: Kyle Barnes
The apology, issued on the council's Facebook page on March 25 after the monthly council meeting, did not take long to blow up on social media.
"Congratulations to Hepburn for having the guts to say this. It has only happened because Council Watch went public with the report the State tried to hide. We accept many were bound by confidentiality unfairly for far too long."
"Unfortunately for council, it's too little too late! The damage is done, trust cannot be repaired so easily!"
"It’s a polished PR statement that gestures at apology without fully embracing it. A real apology would be more specific, more direct, and include a genuine plan for restitution and reconnection with the community, and accountability taken by those involved by stepping down."
"Interesting how the comments are turned off on their post. Too scared to hear what the residents have to say."
"You don't restore trust by applying to raise rates by 10%."
"It wasn't hopeless project management, it was hopeless valuation practice, most projects first start by knowing what they wanted to achieve and then valuing what that would be worth on the market. The removal of in-house valuers at councils by the state revenue office changes (that put all GOVT valuers in SRO) destroyed that ability of councils to get excellent opinions."
"I will be following council watch with great fervour - keep up the great work."
"My goodness, a council pretty much apologising for something and saying they’ll do better. It shouldn’t be as hard or as rare as this. Because it certainly is refreshing."
Meanwhile, the council last Thursday issued a media release saying it was aware of harmful commentary and misinformation being circulated on social media.
"Recently, both commentary on social media along with emails directed to council have escalated in volume and offensive and threatening language," the release said.
"These attacks on council as a whole, and attacks on staff personally are nothing short of intimidating, abusive and unacceptable."
Mayor Cr Don Henderson said he and the councillor group "are incredibly disheartened by the baseless rumours circulating in our communities, both online and offline".
"We welcome frank, fearless and respectful conversations. We do not expect everyone to agree all the time. However, we do expect a healthy level of debate and respectful conversations to ensure that everyone is and feels safe.
"Threats made to staff will not be taken lightly."
Words and file image: Donna Kelly
Dr Bronwyn
Dr Ashvin
Dr Loshna
Hepburn House's Memory Lane Unit
Hepburn House's Memory Lane, a 15-bed unit built specifically to assist residents with dementia, is now open!
Hepburn House is at 1 Hepburn Rd, Daylesford. Book a tour of the new unit or the existing accommodation and living areas.
For everything Hepburn House has on offer head to www.hepburnhouse.com.au or call 5348 8100.
Honouring Private Thomas Alfred Chaplain
A tree planting ceremony in Daylesford's Avenue of Honour on DaylesfordMalmsbury Road was held late last month.
The tree honours Private Thomas Alfred Chaplain.
Leading the ceremony was Catherine Webster, development manager for Hygge Property, overseeing the Middleton Field project, and Army Reservist Infantry Lieutenant. Hygge Property will look after the tree for its first two years.
Ms Webster said her two roles may seem worlds apart, but in many ways, they were deeply connected.
"As a development manager, I work to help shape communities, ensuring they grow in a way that respects their history while providing a strong future. As an army reservist, I have the privilege of serving alongside dedicated men and women who embody the same values that have defined the service of Australians for generationsmateship, resilience, and sacrifice.
"We gather today to honour and remember Private Thomas Alfred Chaplain - a son of Daylesford - who made the ultimate sacrifice during the Great War.
"Born in 1882, Thomas attended Daylesford State School and later worked as a miner. In May 1915, he enlisted, joining the 26th Infantry Battalion of the Australian Imperial Force.
"The 26th Battalion was a unit raised from Queensland and Tasmania, part of the 7th Brigade. These men were among the first Australians to reinforce Gallipoli, landing in early September 1915. They endured the brutal conditions of the peninsula - steep terrain, relentless enemy fire, disease, and hunger. The battalion played a key role in holding the line at the infamous Lone Pine and Russell’s Top, where trenches were so close that battles were fought not just with bullets, but with grenades and bayonets.
"It was in these conditions that Thomas fell ill with dysentery, a fate that claimed so many young men in the trenches of Gallipoli. He was evacuated to a hospital ship, the HS Galeka, but succumbed to his illness on the 8th of November 1915.
"He was buried at sea, far from home, yet forever remembered on the Lone Pine Memorial in Turkey {Turkiye].
"Today, as we plant this tree in the Daylesford Avenue of Honour, we pay tribute not only to Thomas but to the 218 men from this very community who served in World War I. This avenue, planted over a century ago, is a living memorial to their courage and sacrifice. Each tree is more than a marker - it is a solemn promise that we will never forget them.
"May this tree grow strong and tall, a lasting symbol of their resilience and sacrifice. And may we, as a community, always honour their memory by living lives worthy of the price they paid.
"Lest we forget."
Hygge Property director Adam Davidson said it was an honour to come together to remember Private Thomas Alfred Chaplain and the many brave men from this community who served in World War I.
"This tree we plant today is more than a symbol - it is a tribute to the sacrifices of the past and a commitment to the future of Daylesford," he said.
"This town has always been built on strength, resilience, and a deep sense of community. The soldiers who left Daylesford to fight on foreign soil carried with them the values of hard work, mateship, and dedication to something greater than themselves. These same values continue to shape our town today.
"This Avenue of Honour stands as a reminder of those who came before us, and it is our responsibility to ensure that Daylesford continues to be a place of connection, remembrance, and hope for the future.
"Thank you to all who have come here today to be part of this important moment. It is through events like this that we remember the past while building a strong and united future."
Words: Donna Kelly | Images: Ed Sloane - www.edsloanephoto.com
left, Adam Davidson,
Daylesford Community Brass Band president Shani Clark sounds the Last Post
From
Mayor Cr Don Henderson, Daylesford RSL president Ian Tinetti, Catherine Webster, members from the 8th/7th Battalion, The Royal Victoria Regiment, RSM, Warrant Officer Aaron Roberts and Lieutenant Jonathon O’Brien
Just briefly... Coming soon...
Ballarat's Keira Quinn Lockyer has been awarded the Community Diversity Award in the 2024 Victorian Community History Awards.
Ms Lockyer, formerly of Hepburn Springs, received the award for her book titled The Pioneering Jews of the Ballaarat Goldfields. Art curator and writer Rodney James received the 2024 Victorian Premier’s History Award for his Letters to a Critic: Alan McCulloch’s World of Art. Government Services Minister Natalie Hutchins said the dedication of local historians not only preserved Victoria’s history but "tells us more about who we are and will inspire future generations".
The state government has unveiled its Plan for Victoria, a document outlining the state’s long-term vision for how Victoria will grow over time.
This new framework, which spans up to 2051, is closely aligned with the Hepburn Shire Council’s Future Hepburn rural and township strategies, Mayor Cr Don Henderson says. “Key is the emphasis on managing growth through town boundaries and safeguarding valuable farming lands - an approach that resonates strongly with the council’s town planning principles.” The plan introduces a 3150 housing target for the shire over the next 25 years and also includes strong support for the integration of Dja Dja Wurrung cultural knowledge into the planning process.
Designs and artistic renders have been developed for the Daylesford Community Facilities project, and Hepburn Shire Council is seeking the community’s feedback on the initial design.
The project seeks to deliver a library, customer experience hub and multipurpose community facilities on the Daylesford Town Hall site. A community engagement period will run until Sunday, April 13. It is believed the building will cost between $15 to $20 million. Roofing and electrical works continue at the Daylesford Town Hall.
School logos on shorts, pants, skirts and socks in Victorian government schools will be banned from next year to help families save money.
Schools can continue to have branding on hats, tops, shirts, dresses and jackets –everything from the waist up – because it’s important for school pride, making sure all kids walk into schools as equals, and recognising students in a crowd.
A revamped Victorian Government emergency services levy is set to rip $140 million from rural communities annually according to a new analysis, prompting urgent calls for the tax to be scaled back, says Rural Councils of Victoria.
Hepburn Shire Council CEO Bradley Thomas said the council supported the analysis and recommendations put forward by RCV. "In Hepburn Shire, the projected increase is expected to raise from $3.21 million to $5.42 million. Council has written to the Victorian Treasurer expressing concerns about the new tax, its potential impact on rural communities, and the unfair expectation that councils should act as debt collectors for the state government." The new Emergency Services and Volunteer Fund represents a 150 per cent tax hike on some rural landholders, when compared to the Fire Services Levy it is designed to replace.
Got some news to share? Email news@tlnews.com.au
Easter Services
Catholic Parish
Holy Thursday April 17, 5.30pm Creswick, 7pm Daylesford
Good Friday April 18, 3pm Creswick & Daylesford
Holy Saturday April 19, 7pm Easter Vigil Wendouree
Easter Sunday April 20, 9am Creswick, 10.30am Daylesford
Christ Church Daylesford
Palm Sunday, April 13, 10am Morning Prayer
Maundy Thursday, April 17, 3pm Holy Communion
Good Friday, April 18, 10am Journey to the Cross
Easter Sunday, April 20, 10am Holy Communion
Anzac Day Services
Creswick-Smeaton RSL Sub-Branch
Anzac Day - Saturday, April 25
Wreaths can be ordered up to April 19 via creswicksmeatonrslsec@gmail.com for $40.
Creswick 5.40am – Dawn Service - assemble at the Cenotaph (cnr Albert and Raglan streets) for a 5.50am start followed by the Gunfire Breakfast in the Senior Citizens Centre. (Water Street next to the Town Hall).
9.30am - Service at the Soldiers Graves at the Creswick Cemetery, 141 Clunes Road.
10am - Service at the Memorial Stones, RSL Hall, 60 Albert Street.
10.15am - Anyone wishing to take part in the March to assemble at the Splash Park (Bottom of Albert Street).
10.30am - March commences.
Following the March - Anzac Day Service - Creswick Cenotaph. Incorporating "60th Anniversary of the Creswick-Smeaton RSL Field of Crosses".
12.30pm – Two-up at the front of the RSL Hall.
Kingston
Kingston Friends of the Avenue Anzac Day service and wreath laying at Cenotaph. Time: 9am at the corner of Victoria and Kingston roads, Kingston.
Daylesford
Dawn service at 6.30am
March to the Cenotaph, Burke Square, at 10.30am for a service at 10.45am.
Hepburn
Service at 10th Street at 8am.
Eganstown
Service at 9am.
BLOCK Watch
Daylesford College
A DECADE OF GROWTH
It’s been 10 years since I came to Daylesford College and wow has it changed!
Daylesford College has undergone an extraordinary transformation, with modern facilities and cutting-edge learning spaces that redefine our educational environment. These new developments have been designed to nurture curiosity, collaboration and innovation, ensuring that our students have the best possible opportunities to succeed. From contemporary classrooms to dynamic, purpose-built learning hubs, our school is evolving to meet the needs of today’s learners and prepare them for the future.
Our transformation extends, moreover, beyond our physical facilities. At Daylesford College, we are committed to academic excellence, raising expectations and challenging every student to achieve their very best. Through engaging and rigorous learning experiences, we cultivate a culture of ambition and achievement, equipping students with the knowledge, skills and - most notablythe confidence to excel.
In the past decade, Daylesford College has undergone a profound academic transformation. Once among the lowest-performing schools in the region, we are now the highest-performing school at the level of VCE: 'beating' every school from Bendigo to Bannockburn and Melton to Ararat. This remarkable achievement is the result of a
The building activity has certainly ramped up since the contestants arrived last month. And while social media remains interesting, most local food and beverage outlets say they are feeling the economic benefit. Watch this space...
collective effort driven by our dedicated teachers and staff, hardworking students and a supportive school community
At the heart of our school is, of course, our students. Rather than just focusing on results, Daylesford College actively fosters a mindset of both growth and resilience that will serve our students well beyond the classroom. We are dedicated to shaping the future by developing young people who are not only academically capable but also compassionate, creative and ready to make a difference. Our vision is to nurture lifelong learners who have the assurance and adaptability to tackle life’s challenges, regardless of the path they choose.
A keystone of the college's success is our commitment to student wellbeing. We know that students flourish in an environment where they feel safe, valued and supported. Our award-winning Wellbeing Team works closely with students to build resilience, develop positive relationships and navigate challenges with confidence. By prioritising both academic success and personal growth, we ensure our students leave Daylesford College as well-rounded individuals, ready to meaningfully contribute to the broader world.
As we look ahead, our focus remains committed: to provide an outstanding education that empowers every student to thrive and shape their future.
Steve MacPhail, Principal
2025 Heather Mutimer Honour Roll inductees
Jessie Leggatt
The days when Jessie Leggatt was alive in Daylesford must have been richly interesting ones.
Jessie (1825–1907) was a pioneering philanthropist whose legacy continues to benefit the town today. Her contributions recently came in for a current-day share of the spotlight when she was posthumously named among this year’s inductees onto the Hepburn Shire Council’s Heather Mutimer Honour Roll.
The International Women’s Day honour came about after Jessie was nominated by Woodend local Rachel Hewitt in conjunction with the Daylesford & District Historical Society which assisted Rachel with research into the deeds and doings of this community-minded past resident.
Asked what it was like to see Jessie posthumously honoured, Rachel said: “It was fantastic because Jessie Leggatt lived in a time when women weren’t recognised as pioneers. I mean at that stage they didn’t even have the vote.”
Born in Scotland, Jessie and her husband Neil emigrated to Australia during the gold rush of the 1850s. Settling in Daylesford, they ran a very successful storekeeping and gold-buying business at Wombat Flat.
In 1865 they built Leggatt’s Hotel and Store, a local icon (also known today as The Coach House) that still stands today overlooking Lake Daylesford.
When Neil died seven years after the hotel was built, aged just 45, Jessie was left “a very substantial sum” as the sole beneficiary of his will.
Outliving her husband by 37 years, Jessie resided in the hotel, which she converted into a private residence, until her death in 1907 aged 82.
Jessie had no biological children, however a young local named Alfred Beckett was considered her adopted son and under her care he rose to become a councillor and Justice of the Peace with history recording that he was “looked upon as the most promising young man in the district”.
Sadly, his untimely death while aged in his 30s, left Jessie once again without immediate family.
But, as a woman of significant means, Jessie Leggatt went on to create her own legacy through philanthropy.
As the Daylesford Advocate reported upon her death, she was “widely known for her large-heartedness and generosity” and “a case of hardship or destitution had only to be mentioned to her, to bring forth a liberal gift”.
Jessie’s contributions significantly helped build Daylesford’s St Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, helped fund the Daylesford Hospital, and established a scholarship at the University of Melbourne.
Jessie’s foresight in creating long-term educational opportunities was groundbreaking for women of her era.
“She had this interest in education and in seeing people better themselves,” Rachel said.
Unfortunately, there do not appear to be any photos of Jessie in existence today. Yet physical traces of her presence remain.
Besides the church building itself, there also remains the foundation stone recalling her contribution at St Andrew's, a gravesite monument in the Daylesford Cemetery and the grand old house she once called home still stands at 8 Leggatt Street, overlooking Lake Daylesford today.
Lynda Poke
Daylesford’s Lynda Poke says that while many great strides have been made in improving gender equity there is still much ground yet to cover.
“We are still seeing women here in Australia retiring with, on average, about thirty per cent less super than their male countreparts,” the founder and operator of successful local walking tour business, Alice’s Journeys, says.
“And while the full-time gender pay gap is at a record low, women are still earning an annual taxable income that is on average 29.2 per cent less than men.”
Such issues are close to Lynda’s heart and her contributions to addressing them have very recently seen her receive International Women’s Day recognition with her inclusion on the Hepburn Shire’s Heather Mutimer Honour Roll.
“I was really honoured and felt really privileged to be recognised,” says Lynda, who is also known as Daizy in her capacity as a walking tour guide leading specialised tours in Daylesford and Hepburn.
The walking tour business, founded just before the Covid pandemic struck in early 2020, nevertheless has proven to be a survivor and its name, Alice’s Journey’s Walking Tours, pays homage to another woman of note, Alice Hepburn. Lynda explains that Alice was the first child of Captain John Hepburn who is well recognised as a regional pioneer.
The name of Lynda’s walking tour business - she also runs a business consultancy - is in itself an effort to redress a comparative lack of historical recognition for the nation’s female pioneers and fore-founders.
“To be in the company of the women on the roll is a real honour. There are really significant women on the roll going back over the years, and to have women’s work, both paid and voluntary, recognised is really important.
“We have achieved so much, but we know there’s still so much work to be done in terms of gender equity, which benefits everyone including men.”
Lynda has dedicated her career and countless unpaid volunteer hours to gender equity and improving access to essential healthcare services, and her place among the shire’s latest IWD honours acknowledges this.
With extensive experience in financial and strategic planning, she has provided vital support to local community organisations. As a former general manager of Springs Medical Centre, she spearheaded innovative health programs, including ‘Spring in Your Step’ which won national recognition.
As a member of the Hepburn Shire Council’s Gender Equity Advisory Committee and also as a life member of YWCA, Lynda’s many years of advocacy included striving to see safe, affordable housing become a reality for all.
It’s also included addressing social challenges around preventing alcohol and drugrelated harm and family violence. Lynda's advocacy extends to grassroots initiatives including a pivotal role in successfully challenging the Victorian Liquor Licencing Commission’s prior decision to grant a license to a proposed Dan Murphy’s outlet in Daylesford.
(The Heather Mutimer Honour Roll celebrated five inductees this year: Mary-Faeth Chenery, Mary Harvey, Lynda Poke, Donna Kelly and Jessie Leggatt (posthumous). The Local ran stories on Mary-Faeth Chenery and Mary Harvey in the last edition. The editor believes enough is known about Ms Kelly to have no need for a piece to be written about her. Ms Kelly agrees.)
From left, Heather Mutimer, Mayor Don Henderson and Rachel Hewitt
Lynda Poke, aka Daizy Words & image: Eve Lamb
Meet Paul, Australia's biggest llama farmer
Spring Hill's Paul Jamieson is Australia’s biggest llama farmer - by herd number. His career has taken a journey from being a physical education teacher at Sacred Heart Primary School in St Albans in the late 1980s to current-day farmer.
With no farming background, Paul left teaching in 1996, bought the property in Spring Hill and started a mobile animal farm, visiting schools and kindergartens.
In 1996, the Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria was looking for a promotions person and Paul wasn’t sure he could fill the role but said ‘yes’ anyway.
He was given the position and worked in promotions for two years and then spent another 17 years with the RASV running the Animal Nursery at the Royal Melbourne Show.
From year to year, Paul had to ensure enough animals were available to fill the stalls, where children and their parents would pet them and get to enjoy a little slice of farm life at the show.
During his time with the RASV, he was sponsored to take his mobile animal farm into schools and educate the children about animals and farm life. He had ducks, chooks, sheep, goats, dogs, pigs, emus, camels and llamas. He eventually sold that business and stumbled into becoming a llama farmer.
Sitting with mates in the Spring Hill sun and enjoying a quiet beverage, he saw an advertisement with llamas for sale. With the powers of creative thinking, generated by a beer or three, they encouraged Paul to make an enquiry about the stock. He called the seller and before long was making his way to New South Wales to collect the herd of 20.
A short time later, realising he needed more females, he contacted a mate and drove out to see him to purchase "some girls". His mate told Paul to make an offer on his whole herd as he was retiring and wanted them to have a new home.
Adding 200 plus llamas to the farm set on 24 hectares was a big ask but the offer was accepted, and the existing herd grew larger. Add to this the emus, chooks and dogs already roaming the property and you have a little menagerie magic happening.
The herd is currently made up of 100 females and 40 males. As well 40-50 baby llamas, known as crias, are born each year and grow the herd.
So, what are llamas used for ?
Some are sold as guard animals. The llama bonds quickly with paddock animals such as sheep, and their inquisitive nature means any visiting foxes are soon confronted by an approaching llama.
People owning lifestyle properties love them for guests to feed and pat because they are a very social animal and love being hand fed.
Meanwhile, a private Indonesian zoo has acquired llamas on more than one occasion. Others uses include meat, skins and wool.
While Paul’s career wasn’t meticulously planned but materialised from a good idea at the time, his llama idea has grown to a full-time passion. Words: Natalie Poole | Images: Natalie Poole, below, & Kyle Barnes
What's the difference between llamas and alpacas?
Alpacas and llamas are two of the four lamoid species - the other two species, vicuña and guanaco, are their wild cousins. Interestingly, all four species are able to interbreed and create fertile offspring.
While often conflated, alpacas and llamas differ in key ways. The mostdistinguishing physical differences between alpacas and llamas are their size, their hair, and their face shapes. Also, they differ in disposition, which affects the way humans have used them over the years.
The most-noticeable difference between the two animals is their sizes. Alpacas are smaller, around 90cm high at the shoulder and between 55 and 65kg. Llamas are the biggest lamoid at about 120cm at the shoulder and about 113kg.
So llamas are going to be a lot bigger than their cousins. Their faces are also dissimilar: alpacas have small, blunt faces with short ears, while llamas have moreelongated faces with banana-sized ears. Link: https://www.britannica.com/
MESSAGE FROM THE MAYOR
Council news
Councillors and staff are forensically combing through every aspect of our operations. Money must be saved, and Council must obtain significant grant funding for major projects to be carried out in the future.
Currently at the Daylesford Town Hall, work is focusing on repairing the roof and façade to waterproof the building and stop the deterioration of the structure. We are undertaking a planning project to determine the future of the Daylesford Town Hall for community facilities, including an upgraded library. These works to refurbish the building will take place well into the future and depend upon significant grants being available to carry them out. At the moment, the design project is being funded with proceeds from the sale of The Rex which were set aside for this purpose. Planning is crucial in case major grants become available.
The task of putting the Shire back into the black will not be an easy one, and an application to the Essential Services Commission will have to show that any variation to the rate cap is absolutely justified and the Commission will have full access to all of Council’s financial dealings.
Since the leaking of the Hepburn Hub at The Rex report there have been a few residents who are linking their own personal issues that have arisen over some years to this project, and some even attempting to link an unfortunate road incident to Council Officers. This issue is the subject of investigation by authorities and so, comment will be limited. Publishers and social media pages need to ensure that what they allow on their pages is the truth and not driven by malice.
This week, Council issued a statement condemning the behavior of a few community members. While these offensive remarks are from a small few, they have an impact on our staff and Councillors and will not be tolerated. You can read the statement on our website at www.hepburn.vic.gov.au/latest-news
Festival season is in full swing and community organisations have successfully put on ChillOut, Clunes Booktown and CresFest, with Spudfest in Trentham to come. These festivals, whilst providing great joy, also inject much-needed funds back into our economy. They are also reliant upon great volunteer involvement, and the volunteers should be proud of their work.
Recently, we have seen a huge boost to building activity across the Shire and particularly prominent is the Middleton Field project and ‘The Block’ in Daylesford. Many local contractors and businesses are benefiting from these projects. When completed there will be a boost to housing stocks.
Council recently met with the Minister for Local Government and a strong message was sent regarding the new Emergency Services Levy and how this will heavily impact our farming communities in particular. The worst aspect is that the government expects Council to be the collectors of this tax via rate notices.
Cr Don Henderson
APRIL PUBLIC HOLIDAYS
Easter public holidays
Council hubs, libraries and offices will close from Friday 18 April to Monday 21 April.
Bins will not be collected on Friday 18 April, they will be collected the following day. Bins will be collected as usual on Monday 21 April.
Transfer stations are closed on Friday 18 April, but will open as usual over the Easter weekend.
Visitor Information Centres will open as usual over the Easter weekend.
Anzac Day, Friday 25 April
Council hubs, libraries and offices will close on Friday 25 April
There are no changes to kerbside collections or transfer station opening hours.
Visitor Information Centres will open as usual.
Duke Street Office, Daylesford
Please note that our Duke Street Office will close on Friday 18 April and reopen on Monday 28 April. Staff and services will be consolidated into other buildings. Other hubs will be open and you can raise a request online, www.hepburn.vic.gov.au/contact-us
For Council-related emergencies, phone 0419 583 573. For animal emergencies, phone 0419 587 955.
LISTENING POSTS
Listening Posts provide an opportunity for residents to share their ideas, provide feedback on services, and discuss matters that are important to them with senior Council Officers and Councillors.
Visit our website for details of Listening Post events, including dates and locations, www.hepburn.vic.gov.au/listening-posts
COUNCIL ADVOCACY
On Friday 28 March the Greater Ballarat Alliance of Councils (GBAC) quarterly meeting took place in Daylesford. Mayors and CEOs agreed on regional priorities that will require federal support and action. On the same day, the Mayor, a number of Councillors and Council’s CEO met with the newly appointed State Minister for Local Government, Nick Staikos, and local MP Mary-Anne Thomas to discuss the opportunities and challenges facing the Shire. Read more on our website, www.hepburn.vic.gov.au/latest-news
Cr Don Henderson
Cr Lesley Hewitt Cr Brian Hood Cr Tony Clark Cr Tim Drylie Cr Pat Hockey Cr Shirley Cornish
EAT | DRINK | ENJOY
The aliens among us by Jeff Glorfeld
Jeff Glorfeld says a movie made 37 years ago explains the crazy world of 2025.
The US filmmaker John Carpenter could rightly be called a cult artist. His movies always attract a ready audience of knowledgeable fans, and are usually moderately successful, but it isn't likely you'll see him on a red carpet during awards season, nor is he a frequent guest on the chat-show circuit.
One of Carpenter's best-known films is The Thing, made in 1982, a creature feature about a shape-shifting alien doing battle with the human occupants of a research facility in Antarctica. It was a remake of a 1951 production, The Thing From Another World, which itself was adapted from the 1938 novella Who Goes There? by John W. Campbell.
The 1951 movie was made at a time when the US was in the grip of one of its periodic internal wars, as conservative politicians ginned up a "Red Menace" to instil fear in the populace. According to opportunistic politicians such as muck-raking Republican senator Joe McCarthy, The Reds - communists - were living among us, undetected, biding their time until their Soviet masters told them to strike, with the aim of destroying the American way of life.
It doesn't take a background in literature or cinema studies to see the similarities between Carpenter's outlook in They Live and the world we live in today - the world of Trump's USA in particular.
The alien in the story, The Thing, had the ability to kill people and then perfectly mimic them, allowing it to infiltrate the human community and eventually take it over. As analogies go, it isn't subtle but it is effective.
One Carpenter film that is mentioned surprisingly often lately in these bruised and bewildered United States - surprisingly because when it came out in 1988 it was not especially well received - is They Live
Carpenter fans who love this movie will concede that it's not without some glaring flaws, but what makes it noteworthy today is its central theme. Now, before we go any further, SPOILER ALERT: here comes the big reveal. They Live came out 37 years ago, so if you were planning to rent the DVD or stream it on Netflix this weekend, sorry.
The central plot of the movie is this: Aliens have invaded our planet Earth - or at the very least the US part of it - and taken control. But it was a bloodless conquest, done by stealth.
These aliens have the ability to appear perfectly human and now live and work among us. How? Doesn't matter, something to do with technology. More importantly, the aliens have co-opted key humans into their takeover, by giving them access to vast wealth and power.
Again, the analogy isn't deep. When Carpenter made They Live - he was the film's director, co-wrote the soundtrack, and wrote the screenplay, based on a 1963 short story by Ray Nelson - the US was being ruled by a conservative government fronted by actor Ronald Reagan.
At the time, in an interview, Carpenter called the aliens in his movie "free enterprisers from outer space" who are "exploiting Earth as if it's a third-world planet. I began watching TV again. I quickly realised that everything we see is designed to sell us something. The only thing they want to do is take our money."
The aliens remain hidden but their human partners, the ones who have betrayed their fellow earthlings in exchange for bigger yachts, more and better holiday homes, and larger tax loopholes, are fully revealed.
In Trump 2.0, along with the accumulation of stupefying wealth is the demolition of almost 250 years of democratic governance and the rule of law, replaced by a mutant hyper-capitalist oligarchy run by fanatics and ideologues.
Most upsetting is that so many people who have not been invited to join the alien invasion party and reap the rewards have been so thoroughly deluded by the traitorous humans that they stupidly go along with the desecration and destruction. It's like the chook helping out the farmer by sharpening the ax.
They live, but so do we. As the Neil Young song goes, keep on rockin' in the free world.
After many happy years living and working in St Kilda and Wheatsheaf, Jeff and Carol Glorfeld decided to retire to the motherland, California. What a great idea (said in a sarcastic tone of voice). We've kept our Aussie passports up to date and our eyes open for cheap airfares home. Meanwhile, we stay busy. Jeff has a radio show, the Down Under Hour, music from Australia, on KKRN 88.5FM, streaming at KKRN.org. Have a listen.
Trentham Spudfest
Trentham celebrates its long history of potato growing with The Great Trentham Spudfest, a community-led festival bringing together local potato growers, artisans, music, food vendors, and history to showcase the region's finest offerings across the weekend of May 3-4.
This year marks the 17th iteration of The Great Trentham Spudfest, though the deep red volcanic soils of the district have provided perfect potato-growing conditions since the 1860s.
The two-day event, held against a backdrop of spectacular autumn colour, attracts over 8000 visitors and is hosted throughout the historic town of Trentham and surrounding districts.
Festival coordinator Kye Theobald says Spudfest remains a largely free event, with a selection of specially curated activities requiring tickets.
New for 2025 is the inaugural Digging Deep: Cooks in Conversation event on Sunday morning, featuring award-winning cookbook author and TV host Alice Zaslavsky, local chefs Tony Tan and Liam Downes, and moderator Jacinta Parsons at The Mechanics Trentham.
The festival runs a different program on each day.
“On Saturday, our legendary Street Fair is held in the heart of Trentham town, with four main precincts packed full of spud food, fresh regional produce, our local makers market, live music, and of course the fabulous Spud Olympics. It’s a great carnival atmosphere,” says Kye. “And if you want to buy a bag full of famous Trentham spuds, Saturday is the day all our growers are in town.”
Visitors can also join a Trentham Historical Society-led bus tour of the heritageprotected Spud Huts, dotted across the local landscape.
Saturday evening the fun continues with the Spudfest Cèilidh, a family-friendly celebration of Celtic music, food, and dancing, to mark the halfway point of the festival.
On Sunday, Trentham Town Square will transform into the Spud Hub, with freshly harvested potatoes on sale, exclusive Spudfest merch, details about all tours and trails, and sign-ups for the Scavenger Hut. There will be horse and cart rides, guided historic walking tours and Red Beard Bakery tours.
Link: www.trenthamspudfest.org.au/
Words: Contributed | Image: Karen Malbon
Cyber safety for Hepburn Shire students
Students at Daylesford Dharma School, St Michael's and Trentham, Hepburn, Bullarto, Newlyn, Daylesford and Yandoit primary schools are learning cyber safety – even those in prep.
Inform and Empower’s director and educator Marty McGauran said 380 were taking part in the Australia-wide initiative with a parent seminar happening at the Daylesford Primary School on May 29 at 6.30pm – with all welcome.
The program was made possible by funding from the Daylesford Foundation and the Community Bank Daylesford District. Inform and Empower has also partnered this year with the Community Bank Creswick & District for work with Creswick, Creswick North, Mt Blowhard and St Mary's Clarkes Hill primary schools.
Marty said he came from a primary school teaching background and now specialised in supporting primary schools “in all things online safety and digital wellbeing”.
“I always had a real interest in technology and how kids use the online space from a school perspective, so I was often the teacher driving the use of technology and saw the imbalance between skilling these kids up and they had even more access than they ever had and then I was starting to see the challenges.
“Reports were coming to the principal and myself that kids were getting into issues at home without that equivalent skill set to navigate the challenges. So it's all great throwing them on devices and there's awesome stuff, but I really saw that difference and then the hole in the market that we were really just educating kids with a lecture every year.
"We'd get a police officer in just to lecture kids and go, ‘don't do this, don't do that, great, off you go’. And I knew that I could apply what I know about teaching and how kids learn to this particular space as well.”
Marty said the work was twofold.
“It’s in the classrooms every term where we live stream a learning session with a teacher and it unpacks topics around being online, how to navigate the tricky challenges, how to make the most of the opportunities and that will be happening from prep to grade six.
“Alongside that is the parent education element. All the parents of those schools are invited to come along where we will speak to them on a very adult level, unpacking the real challenges and what is best to understand as a parent in this 2025 digital space.”
Truth, Lies and Media
Broadcast journalist Nicole Chvastek and Australia's pre-eminent journalism ethics expert Denis Muller seek out the media industry's good, bad and ugly, taking you behind the headlines in their revealing podcast Truth, Lies and Media.
New episodes are out each Wednesday. Episodes already aired, from the latest, are The Election Circus, The Judge and the Journalist, Streets of Fear, Great and Powerful and Attack Dogs.
People can support the crowdfunding show by donating at www.buymeacoffee. com/truthliesandmedia
Nicole, who is well known as the former host of the ABC Statewide Drive radio show and lives in Malmsbury, said it would be appreciated if people are enjoying the show, that they share it around, and write a quick review on their Podcast platform of choice.
"Every piece helps us reach a wider audience. It's very much appreciated!"
Denis Muller, also a resident of Malmsbury, is a former associate editor at The Age. The pair hosted the Behind The Media segment for eight years on ABC Radio. Words: Donna Kelly
Marty said the sessions the Hepburn Shire students were tuning into were run around Australia at the same time, giving them the feeling they are part of a unique delivery method and feeling like they're almost part of the one community learning about the online world.
“We really begin at that young age to get the conversation started, particularly with teachers, just that the online world is not something to just leave to an older millennial or a Gen Z or a boomer.
“We really encourage the fact that the teachers are in there in the classrooms and even from prep, just start to talk about the online world and some of the common language about the games they play.
“The messaging for preps is really simple around talking about trusted adults to go to when you're online and it's not until the upper grades where we get into the really nitty-gritty of critical thinking and dis- and misinformation in the upper years.
“It's exactly the digital equivalent of letting kids know that when you're online some people you're playing with might say this is how old they are or might look like this in their online profile, but actually who could it be on the internet with you?
“Just starting those early conversations with kids so that they're aware that the online space is not full of always safe people, just like we do in the offline world as well.”
Marty said after the parent sessions many came away with a new appreciation of the world their children were in. “Particularly parents of younger kids, if they've only got six and seven-year-olds, they're really ‘wow, okay, I know what's ahead of me now - I sort of feel more prepared for what's coming’. And with the parents of maybe older primary it’s ‘oh, my kids are already in this world’.
Marty said the most constant feedback was just the amount of information being fed to children and even adults.
“We have access to so much more that we're just not designed to compute so much. So a lot of the time that overwhelming feeling that both kids and adults experience at times because it is like a fire hose of information, whether it's entertainment or news or whatever it might be, the quantity is just unheard of and there's a lot of argument that we're just not developmentally evolutionary ready for so much onslaught and it's why we're all battling a little bit, to be honest.”
Words: Donna Kelly
Gigs
with Darren Lowe
Daylesford Hotel has a new bar.
Bar Bamford is a cosy, intimate new space towards the back of the pub, perfect for those who love great music, good company and something a little different.
Bar Bamford will play host to a rotating line-up of events including jazz nights, whisky tastings, disco bingo, private functions and more. It’s a warm and inviting spot to settle in, sip something delicious, and enjoy a bit of fun.
Things kick off on Saturday, April 12 from 7.30pm with Swing Time – the enchanting duo of Jai and Barbarella, pictured, – who’ll take people on a musical journey through the decades with their distinctive blend of jazz, swing, cabaret and vintage pop. Expect clever takes on unexpected tunes and a show that’ll leave you smiling.
To follow, DJ Jen Moore takes over the decks with her signature funky soul and jazzy house vibes, perfect for easing into the night.
Daylesford Hotel, Daylesford
Jeremy Beggs - Saturday, April 12, 2pm
Bamford Bar opening with Swing Time with DJ Jen Moore - Saturday, April 12
Groove Connection - Saturday, April 19, 7.30pm
Dolly's Disco Bingo - Thursday, April 24
The Martini Set - Saturday, April 26
Got a gig to share? Email news@tlnews.com.au
CLUNES FARMERS & MAKERS MARKET
Cosmo Birthday Bash
The Cosmopolitan Hotel is celebrating its 15th birthday with a Meet the Artists event over the Easter weekend.
High Ace (Alison Ferrier & Jeff Lang) - Good Friday, April 18, 7.30pm - 9.30pm
London-born and raised singer/songwriter/guitarist/violinist Alison Ferrier has released three solo albums and most recently has been touring and releasing music with the highly regarded Opelousas alongside Kerri Simpson and Anthony Shortte. Their debut album Opelousified won Music Victoria’s Best Blues Album of the Year.
Acclaimed guitarist, singer/songwriter Jeff Lang has won three ARIAs, collaborated with countless artists including Malian Kora virtuoso Mamadou Diabate and Tabla maestro Bobby Singh in Djan Djan. He’s toured the UK, US and Europe multiple times and played extensively in Asia, including appearances in major festivals in Japan, China and India. In 2021, Jeff published his first book – Some Memories Never Die – a fascinating and funny memoir of his life on the road.
Together, the wife and husband team have created a fascinating new musical project they’ve called High Ace and have now delivered a fabulous debut album, Snowcap Menace
Karl S. Williams and Sally Wiggins - Easter Saturday, April 19, 3pm - 5pm
Karl S. Williams and Sally Wiggins make music that is steeped in delta blues, gospel and old-time folk, with poetic sensibilities that call to mind the classic singer/ songwriters of yesteryear. With a voice that sounds about a thousand years old, Karl moves between guitar, piano and banjo while Sally holds it down on the kit with mesmerising rhythms drawn from her wealth of jazz and Afro influences.
Karl proudly traces his bloodlines to the Butchulla and Darug people of Australia’s First Nations. This deep connection to the landscape of his homeland pervades his work and infuses it with a spirituality that is older than time.
Together, they are liberated to lean into the music, playing with space and silence as much as notes - veering effortlessly from acoustic intimacy to fuzzed-out garage blues. With a mandate to improvise, eschew convention and give voice to the human spirit, they take audiences on an emotional ride, which is frequently described as mesmerising.
The Deserters (Brooke Taylor & Delsinki) - Easter Saturday, April 19, 7.30 pm9.30pm
Two voices and many strings drawing on multiple influences, Brooke Taylor and Delsinki bring a wealth of experience to the table in their exciting new collaboration going under the moniker 'The Deserters'. There’s a bunch of new songs, some choice new covers, all presented with the same down-home charm and urbane wit they have become respectively known for.
The Deserters promises to be an exciting new chapter in the career of this pair of much-loved and hard-working Melbourne players.
Jess Parker - Easter Sunday, April 20, 3pm - 5pm
Summoning the dark folk spirits from her home in the Victorian Goldfields and making them dance to sweet country blues, Campbells Creek guitar picker Jess Parker has been sharing her stories state-wide for the past eight years.
Gearing up to release her third solo record and having shared the stage with the likes of Cedric Burnside and CW Stoneking during her career, Jess is one not be missed.
Steve Kilbey - Easter Sunday, April 20, 8pm - 10pm
Steve Kilbey was born a long time ago and very far away. In 1980 he formed the best group in the universe called The Church who have released over 30 albums. But there is much more to his musical journey...
This will be a special intimate evening with the lead singer of The Church. Steve is set to perform all the hits and deep cuts from The Church, plus songs from his solo career and cover versions, all accompanied by anecdotes, tall tales and true, and pithy observations of the music business and his 45-year career.
Bad Debts - Easter Monday, April 21, 1pm - 3pm
Bad Debts are a local Castlemaine outfit, fronted by three individual songwriters in Pete Daly, Al Carr and Mitch Dillon. They came together in mid-2024, joined by Al Stanley on drums to rehearse an initial batch of material variously described as loose rock'n'roll and open sky roots music.
They played one well-received hometown gig in late 2024, as well as a quick trip down the Calder to play for a Melbourne audience at the Old Bar, before hunkering down in local studio Ragged Gum to record their first album. The album will be out in mid-2025.
Walks of the Central Highlands with Eve Lamb
The Lerderderg State Park offers some top bushwalking options and today my trusty walking companion and I are here to sample one of them - a short, sharp little circuit that sets out from the Blackwood Springs Reserve.
Driving carefully past the Blackwood Mineral Springs Caravan Park that nestles on Golden Point Road beside the Lerderderg River, we stop momentarily (on account of my walking companion’s admirable inclinations) to drop a requested $3 gate donation into an honesty box strategically positioned to catch the pious and unwary on entering the reserve.
Once at the pretty little Springs Reserve picnic area we park, shoulder our day packs and stroll across the footbridge over the river, where we encounter a couple of bush-walking blokes filling a container with the waters of said springs.
“How’s the water?” I enquire.
“Tasty,” says one of the two, who are visiting from Werribee.
There’s apparently good reason for their summation of the waters, as according to on-site signage the mineral springs here were described in 1887 by the French government analyst as “equal to ‘Apollinaire’, an expensive French wine”. Owing to a subsequent reduction in chloride and sulphate concentrations over the years since, the signage asserts, they have only improved with age.
My walking accomplice, Paddy H, gives the waters a whirl and reckons they do taste pretty good.
The blokes say they’re planning to do the same neat little 4km circuit walk as us, only in the reverse direction.
Paddy H and I take the signposted option to the right and set out following the path that will take us firstly along the river then up to Sweet's Lookout, and then on to Lake Shaw and Hard Hills to complete the Moonlight Gully circuit.
It’s a ferny ramble along the forest-fringed river with maidenhair and tree ferns growing among other attractive under-storey plants including native clematis with its fluffy silvery seedheads catching the autumn light.
In a couple of spots along the trail we encounter taped-off cavities identifying the location of disused mineshafts, legacies from this area’s intensive mid-1800s gold rush era history.
Gold was reported to have been found in the vicinity of the Lerderderg River early in 1851, according to my go-to walk manual, Walks, Tracks and Trails of Victoria by Derrick Stone.
The book’s potted history also informs that in November and December of 1851 gold was dug up in hefty quantities near Blackwood. But it took another four years before the real gold rush began.
In 1855, 300 diggers arrived and within a short time there were 2000 milling about with a lust for the yellow shiny stuff which, Paddy H duly informs me, has been “breaking records” in terms of current-day global prices.
But back in the day, a “rush” known as the Geelong Rush brought thousands of prospectors to the field to work the alluvials of the Lerderderg River. Over 13,000 diggers, shop owners, blacksmiths, and con men were on these gold fields by September 1855.
Fortunately it’s more serene now. After hiking on for about a kilometre we reach a signposted left-hand turn that heads up to The Lookout. This is where the sharp part of “short and sharp” comes into it.
The climb up to Sweet's Lookout is the most exertion that this little circuit hike entails. The brief yet pulse-raising effort is rewarded more by simply reaching the top than with any spectacular vista as the view all around is pretty leafy. But then a good dose of leafiness is largely what we’re here for.
From the apex of Sweet's Lookout we continue on straight ahead through the eucalypt forest, following the path toward where a bushland shelter, with more informative signage, eventually appears up ahead to our left, on the other side of a dirt road with which our foot track intersects.
We notice the shelter through the trees off in the distance before, on checking it out, we discover that we have also arrived at the tranquil little pond-sized body of water that is Lake Shaw.
“Good spot for a coffee break,” suggests Paddy H. I agree and we crack out the thermos and cake and sit admiring the swaying reeds, watery reflections and mysterious ripples in the little lake for an hour or so.
From here we re-join the trail, which is clearly signposted, to complete this handy little Moonlight Gully circuit walk, observing the calling cards of resident forest wombats as we ramble along.
“You could do this as your evening walk if you were staying at the caravan park,” Paddy H muses, as we agree we should return.
Completing the circuit, we arrive back at our start point at the springs to find a newcomer is now filling a recycled yoghurt bottle with the subterranean mineral waters.
We end our walk on a promise to return and sample some of the longer Lerderderg Walks taking in more of the Lerderderg River and also the Lerderderg Gorge. As a nifty little introductory reconnoitre/ramble, today’s Moonlight Gully circuit walk has been ideal. More photos at www.tlnews.com.au
Moonlight Gully Circuit walk, Blackwood 4km
CRESWICK TOWN HALL
26 April at 2pm
70 Albert Street, Creswick
Amazing where
The Local pops up... Nogales, Arizona.
Glen's Garden
After 12 years Glen Heyne, known as The Grandfather to The Local, has called it quits on his column.
Glen got us our first corporate advert (thank you Bendigo Bank), never missed supplying a column, and has been at every crew party in history. And there's been a few.
But he has some health issues and needs to steer his energy in that direction. Not that he's going anywhere soon. We might even coerce him into a column to start off every season. Glen's Seasons sounds good.
And he's still coming to those crew parties. Even if we have to drag him there. Thanks mate. Or Grandalf. It's been a privilege to run your words and photos in The Local!
Donna XXX
Public Notice
LEONARDS HILL MECHANICS INSTITUTE AND
Notice is given of a PUBLIC MEETING to be held at Leonards Hill Mechanics Institute and Free Library, 2095 Ballan-Daylesford Road, Leonards Hill on 28 April 2025 commencing at 6.30pm.
The purpose of the meeting is to nominate no less than three (3) or more than nine (9) persons as the Committee of Management for the Leonards Hill Mechanics Institute and Free Library for a term of three years.
The current committee’s term will expire on 1 May 2025 and all positions will be declared open and nominations will be accepted prior to or on the night. Nominations from women, Aboriginal people, people with disabilities, young people and people from culturally diverse backgrounds are encouraged.
Further information, nomination forms and nominee declaration forms may be obtained by contacting your local Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning office or at the meeting.
For further enquiries please contact the Secretary, Melanie Thurstun, on 0437 443 527.
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Monthly produce swap starts at Clunes
More than just a smart way to ensure surplus garden produce does not go to waste, the newly launched Clunes Produce Swap is also aimed at strengthening community.
The first in an ongoing series of monthly produce swaps took place on Saturday, March 29 from 10am-noon at the front of the Attitude Clunes building.
It’s the brainchild of Transition Clunes which is auspiced by the Clunes Neighbourhood House, which also provided a barbeque brunch for the debut swap.
People can also bring along seedlings, bunches of flowers and homemade goods made using garden produce, such as preserves, jams, sauces, relishes or pickles to exchange for like-valued items. Other useful backyard produce like eggs or honey can also be swapped along with handicraft goods.
Terms like “re-localising” and “circular economy” do apply here, says organiser and Transition Clunes member Sandra Nichols who moved to Clunes some years back from the Blue Mountains where she ran a permaculture group.
“It’s about bartering or swapping goods, so no money exchanges hands. People don’t get stuff for free, they exchange items. But if we do have any produce left over we’ll take it up to Food Is Free (which operates from the back of the old Clunes Bottle Museum),” Sandra said.
“We’re also offering tea and coffee and the idea is that people hang about and talk and share knowledge.
“This is about building community. It’s an opportunity for people to talk to each other about what they’re growing, so you’re sharing knowledge about things like what type of plants grow well here.”
The next swap, set for Saturday, April 26, is expected to feature quite a few quinces among all manner of other fresh produce.
Words & image: Eve Lamb
Skip the super market mystery meat. Our locally raised, grass-fed beef and lamb is ethically farmed, properly aged, and expertly butchered - now at prices that’ll make the big chains blush.
No need to wonder about additives, hormones and vaccines. We don’t have a bar of that!
Many more specials in-store now!
Just a few of the Clunes locals who enjoyed the debut Clunes Produce Swap are (back row, left to right, Dale Betts, Lana de Kort, Jacob de Kort, Victoria Reeve and (front row, left to right, Cr Pat Hockey, Sandra Nichols, Eric Barnes and Kay Haugh
supporting Locals”
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Herbal Lore
Amazing Mill Markets
Cellarbrations
Daylesford Meat Co
La Luna Pizzeria
Daylesford Bowling Club
Macedon Ranges Glass
Clunes Farmers Market
Vic State Roofing
Hepburn Shire Council
Daylesford College
Lyster Opera
Blackwood Easter Carnival
Trentham Spudfest
Mary Anne Thomas
Catherine King
Petstock
Trentham Community Bank
State Government
Palmer Stevens Rennick
Skip Hire
Onsite
Sanae Services
Trentham Petrol
Daylesford Garden Supply
Hepburn House
Springs Medical
Skin GP Skin Cancer Clinic
Sunbury-Cobaw Health
Ellway Engineering
Give Beck A Call
Daylesford Community Op Shop
CDM Earthmoving/Landscaping
Repair It Right
John R Dorsett Tax Agent
Eddy’s Ride-on Mower & Small
Engine Repairs
Elgas
Christ Jules Services
Liam Malone
Trentham Storage
Spa Refrigeration
OZ Trans
Ballan Plumbing
Wastewater Systems
Jim's Mowing
Josh Nicholas Arborist
Yvonne Fix
Belle Property
Blackwood Easter Woodchop
Maze House
Thank You!
Looking to the future and hoping to move forward
By Yvonne Fix
Sorry this wasn’t meant to be too ‘heavy’. I was thinking of a series maybe being done about those who arrived here in the 1980s and who are the new ‘Elders’ but not to forget the big changes that the young people of the time had to adjust to caught between the ‘Old Country’ close knit community and the ‘Outsiders’ moving in.
And we must never forget the Generationals whose history is so important. It’s just that there is a gap of what had us of the 1980s move and to choose here and who we were before. That is important as it is what we accomplished and integrated here. And it is relevant today.
More so though with Mike’s health causing him (us) to think what to do when time catches up with us but resurgence or interest and actions regards to doing something positive and innovative is there waiting for someone younger to benefit from our knowledge and experience. And with me especially wanting to leave something behind that would help to move forward and pay back to those who were with us at the beginning of our 40 years and in some way keep the link. And he/we couldn’t have accomplished setting up in our new environment and our different type of agriculture without the help of those willing to experience and get involved with the ‘Newbies’. So much appreciated.
I believe that it’s wrong to wait until the person has passed to start ‘remembering’ all the things that contribute to knowing him/her, for that is only for those left behind and not to tell the person what a difference he/she makes while they are here.
In our case, with all the more recent turmoils and changes to our chosen industry and the property we chose to be our ‘retirement’ block but ended up opening up a new way of agricultural approaches until recently, as health issues and the fickle nature of the industry have caused us to lose real connection with the link that was so strong in the beginning and still influences with Mike's knowledge, expertise and staying power.
I’m hoping this is not too presumptuous of me to ask if any of those who were with us in the beginning, in the fresh market and later in the innovative implements and those who may read The Local from other parts who know Mike or were connected with him and were influenced by him and or his achievements and or personally and had some great stories to tell please do so he can know that he was/is appreciated and what he has accomplished as a person.
More so I would like that this original 200-acre property we bought in 1985 to be remembered and those who worked it for us remember all its quirky personality and its hidden gems, like when we first sunk bores and discovered caves and grew our produce and were part of bringing life into agriculture and enthusiasm into being connected with the land again.
When we had to downsize, and I emphasise had to, Mike instinctively portioned off our 27 acres with what is now the last bastion of fragile eco system beneath us and three acres of highly concentrate deposit of boulders.
And thanks to Ashley Cooper who stayed loyally with us through the next stage. So it comes back to my ask that he/we be remembered for the 40 years we have spent here and hopefully made part of and contributed and been embedded in the psyche of this last bastion of the volcano and all its memories.
We are still hoping we can give back by utilising most of the 27 acres to help rehabilitate people and to give those who are ‘different’ a chance to be a contributing factor by learning skills seasonal and assist and using their own initiatives.
But also for the times we still have left to achieve with the help of others and hopefully bring back some of the rapport with the land and what still can be achieved. We need others younger, with the same passion and dedication to see the potential here and work towards that goal to maybe take over and move forward with these and other ideas. We need more than just interest we need others contributing as well to those ideas and action taken.
There has been much interest in doing something a little lateral thinking as weather dictates here and as said so now does our health. We need those Transitionals with their skills and we also need Professionals to help and Innovatives and those who understand young adults who are ‘different’ within their family and without who can work together. Generationals, Transitionals and Newbies. And if not this there are so many possibilities where it is not them and us or Generationals, Transitionals and Outsiders and also so much is said and not done regarding the eco-system and the environment and survival but sometimes it depends on what you are sitting on as to the interpretation.
There are complications regarding this property but not the potential that is here. This property deserves more than is currently offered and I’m not talking monetary value and would need a collective of like minds and values to join together to achieve what I visualise. If that can’t happen I’ll know at least I’ve tried.
Mike needs to know that his time here has and still is being appreciated. His innovative equipment and his spare parts are still available and able to be produced. He also needs to know that he still has all his skills and can pass on his knowledge and creativity. And to be encouraged now.
Time and eventual health problems wait for no one and are indiscriminative.
Thank you for your patience. April is a big month for us as we came here in April 1985 with deceptive weather similar to this year and learnt in that year you do not plant broccoli here until October-November. Harvesting carrots must finish before May (in a normal year) as the frost cuts off the tops so the machines cannot lift without greens.
Stories of the south side of this volcano before and after we came memories of a different time come to mind. Changes happen. Hopefully to move forward for the better. The Local will give you the contact email address.
Much appreciated, Yvonne Fix
PO Box 497, Daylesford 3460
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Good Friday Appeal
The Daylesford/Hepburn community is so generous, the Good Friday Appeal has created a video about the region - and local appeal coordinator Natalie Kirby.
Last year the appeal raised a massive $31,000 - $10,000 more than any other year, equating to $11 per person in the towns.
Natalie said the appeal got in touch and did the video along with her connection "and I just cried all the way through it".
Natalie said with the Daylesford Town Hall currently tucked away, she was hoping for a marquee somewhere in Vincent Street but there would also be plenty of collectors roving around.
If you have an urgent, non-threatening health concern after hours, call the After Hours GP Helpline 1800 022 222 In an emergency always call 000
Cash is great but EFTPOS machines are now also on hand to take donations and to pay for raffle tickets.
The raffle is still being finalised but Natalie says the business community has once again rallied for the cause - "they are so incredibly generous and supportive".
"We have $2280 from Natasha Morgan for a workshop for eight people, accommodation from Kudos Villas and Penny Farthing, accommodation, and meals from Daylesford Hotel, vouchers from Cliffy's. I think we have about 30 local businesses who have donated and people are still getting in touch."
People can also donate online or via a huge QR code on a board outside Cliffy's.
Raffle tickets are being sold in the Coles breezeway and at this Saturday's Hepburn Football/Netball game, and next Saturday's Daylesford Football/Netball game.
Natalie says some of the funds raised now go to regional hospitals such as Ballarat Base. "I think that is a really great change because they have recognised the importance of keeping kids and families close to home and how much that can help their journey."
Head to their Facebook or Instagram pages for details - and that video. Above, Natalie's children and collectors, Xavier and Paddy
Kyle’s Rant
I find it strange that by and large when you walk into a place of work the people seem similar.
For instance, if you go over to Western Australia and visit a mine site, all the nonmanagerial FIFO employees are two to three axe handles across the shoulders and speak in a code of grunts and words strung together in an ocker way like “How-yagoing-mate-yeah-good”.
And then there are the bureaucrats, the type of curved-shouldered folks who hide behind laws and rules. They have a huge sense of satisfaction when they never quite arrive at an answer and form a committee to umbrella the blame when a consensus is finally reached.
And then there are the rubbish bin operators, this clan of waste warriors have a completely different approach to training. I imagine, at the rubbish removal academy the lecturer shouting at “Johnno” the trainee driver. "No, don’t place it down gently, if you do, back up and hit it with the arm of the pick-up device. Make sure it’s lying a minimum five metres from where you picked it up with the lid open, preferably in the gutter so it gets a gut full of water. That way you can maximise the damage when the bin gets collected and sloshes all over the residents’ clean clothes. Okay Johnno you have passed”. Or something to along those lines.
Then there are the guys at the security check-in at the airport. I imagine they would gather round like a bunch of giggling pranksters before their shift. “Okay today, is it laptops removed from the bag or left in the bag? What about liquids? Should we tell them to have put them in clear plastic bags and then say 'no sorry, you don’t have to have them out' when they get to the checkpoint? And what about footwear or should we just ask every tenth blond person to remove theirs?
Belts off? That’s always a fun one, watching all the overweight guys hanging onto their trousers while trying to collect their luggage. And there’s bound to be one person who will accidentally drop their strides for a good laugh to break up the mundanity.
And then a quick trip to an app development camp (which is my most recent experience) and it would reveal this conversation: “How complicated should we make the sign-on given that it’s just a TV app, and after all the scammers can’t get much from someone’s free-to-air TV account information? Well, I think I’ll make them sign into their Apple account first because no one remembers that password. Once that’s complete, they should sign onto their Google account, because that’s harder to remember. And then we’ll set up a two-factor authentication code using their iPhone back at their Apple account to prove they are the same person who just signed into the Google account. Then we'll send them a couple of automated security emails to make it look like we care.
"If they get through those hurdles, we’ll allow them to download the app, but not before they have to come up with a password, facial identification and a biometric scanner log-in. I think that is sufficiently complicated and we can all listen in to their phones as they swear and curse, and we’ll be in hysterics.
"And there is nothing they can do about it if they are serious about tuning in to last week’s MAFS series their wife missed out on."
Overcomplicated rant over...
(Ed's note. I really don't know why I watch MAFS. It's like an addiction. I am getting help now. Just the final catch-up and then I am done.)
Local Lines
local haiku
old mechanics hall— people gather to discuss haiku construction
Sunbury self storage they won’t allow me to store myself
Hanging Rock— our car rolls backwards up a hill
I run away from the hissing goose— falling leaf
a raven dips his beak into a pie— country bakery
Anzac Day— the smiling veteran still grieves
someone coughing out the aged care window— magpie song
- Myron Lysenko
Myron convenes Chamber Poets, a monthly poetry reading held at the Woodend RSL. He is the director of the first Woodend Haiku Festival to be held throughout April.
Local Lines features poetry by locals about local and any other matters. Please submit poems to Bill Wootton at cottlesbreedge@gmail.com
Pick me, pick me!
G’day! I’m Yakka and I’m a survivor! I’m two years old, and before I arrived here at the shelter in Castlemaine I’d had a hard life living on my own out in the bush. Now that I’ve come out of my shell I’m sharing my great quirky personality. I love belly rubs, head scratches and I’ll happily laze around with you. I need a dog-free, loving new home. I can tolerate other cats.
Microchip: 956000017542502. Come and meet me at MAAWs in Castlemaine.
Phone: 5472 5277.
(Pick me, pick me is run in memory of Rosie & Curly - we picked them. Pick me, pick me is also proudly supported by Daylesford's petstock - where pets are family.)
Just sayin’...
By Donna Kelly
Hello ladies, it's time to talk about the ladies.
Are you up to date with your breast checks? I am. Just now. What a journey - and I hate that word.
Started quite a few years back. I had a bit of a lump and had a mammogram done at St John of God. And then an ultrasound and then a biopsy. Waited for the news and all clear. Just something fibrous. Happy days.
But the surgeon said I had dense breasts, like my mind most days now, and I should have a check every year. Which meant I had to keep going back to St John of God and paying the big bucks. But all good for health.
Anyway, last year I got caught up with life and missed my annual check. So this year I take my referral to St John of God and the receptionist asks me if I have any symptoms. No, I say. So she says I should go to BreastScreen Victoria because it will be free and otherwise I am out of pocket about $500.
Hmmm. So I made an appointment in Ballarat for the following week but then I saw a post somewhere that the mobile bus was in Daylesford and had some spare spots. So I booked for the next day - just popped up to Vic Park. Easy peasy. All very professional. Nice staff and nurse.
Three weeks later the email arrived saying I had to go back - to Ballarat this timefor follow-up testing. Bring a book, they said. So I made a booking for the following Wednesday, their follow-up day, and that was an eye-opener.
I was one of the first to arrive and the second last to leave so I saw a lot. Once you are checked in you go into a main waiting room and then into an adjoining dressing room and change into a gown for the top part. Then you go back into the waiting room and wait. The lucky ones go off for another mammogram and come back, get changed, and head off to enjoy their day. Follow up done. All clear.
Others, like me, get that bit done and then are told they need a follow-up ultrasound. So you wait. Meanwhile, the room is filling up, with one chatty volunteer, and women in different stages of distress, all cracking hardy. One woman showed off a bruised breast from biopsies from the previous week.
Anyway, a nurse arrives and it's my turn for the ultrasound. Ultrasounds are easy compared to mammograms. I don't know who invented mammograms but I am betting it was a bloke. If it was the same test for balls I reckon the death rate from testicular cancer would skyrocket.
You undress, step forward to the bottom plate, put your boob on it, with a helping hand from the radiologist, then it is smoothed out. Your right arm goes above the machine, your feet face the other way, your bum needs to stick out the back a bit and your face needs to be clear of the machine. And then they lower the top plate and squash your boob flat. Trapped. Sometimes they head off to hit the switch with a cheery "don't move" as if you could.
So, ultrasound done and the staffer says she will just find a doctor to check the results. He comes back with her and says he is pretty positive it is nothing. But pretty positive is not good enough. So it's time for a biopsy. Well, that afternoon. I arrived at 11am and it's now about 12.30pm. Biopsies start at 2.30. I am told I can go get lunch but I am not hungry now. I wish I had brought that book. At one stage I get dressed and go and sit in the car and play solitaire for a bit.
Then I go back and it's time for the biopsy. Not much fun there. But oddly the only painful thing is the anaesthetic, whose only purpose is to stop pain. I am back in the mammogram room where I get settled in a wheelchair and pushed to the machine. Breast in, plate down, then anaesthetic, I might have sworn a bit, then a sound like a sewing machine and six samples are taken.
I get given some ice, in the finger of a blue glove, to stop the bruising, but have to break the news that I didn't bother with a bra - not really since 2020. The nurse decides to use a body bandage to pop it in place and we are done. A week later, I have a phone chat, because I have the flu, and all is clear. Benign. Calcifications all gone. See you in two years. Happy sounding surgeon. All good. Yay.
But the main part is that these calcifications, which can indicate cancer, cannot be felt. They are tiny. Only a mammogram would pick them up. So that is why self checks are not enough. Every two years, get your breasts checked. And if they had found cancer, it would have been so early all would have been well. I hope.
Also, I would like to give a big thumbs up to BreastScreen Victoria. They are totally professional but also everyone was so very kind. I felt like I was being held in a big warm hug all the way through. Supported and cared for from the first visit at Vic Park right through that day and then the results.
I hope all the other women got good results like me but you know someone from that day is probably reeling now. I am thinking about you and the journey (that word) you are about to go on. Hope you are OK and have friends and family to lean on. Take care of you. Hugs. Just sayin'...
W RD CROSS
Here is the crossword solution for Edition 328.
How did you go?
All words in the crossword appear somewhere in the same edition of The Local.
Markets
Every Sunday - Daylesford Sunday Market
First Saturday - Trentham Neighbourhood Centre Makers Market, Woodend Farmers Market
Second Saturday - Trentham Community Group Market, Kyneton Farmers Market, Kyneton Rotary Community Market
Second Sunday - Maldon Market, Clunes Farmers Market
Third Saturday - Trentham Farmers Market and Makers Market, Glenlyon Farmers Market, Leonards Hill Market, Creswick Market
Third Sunday - Talbot Farmers Market, Woodend Lions Market
Fourth Sunday - Daylesford Farmers Market, Trentham Station Sunday Market
Business Directory - Buy Local
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