The Local December 20, 2021

December 20, 2021 Issue 243 Merry Christmas

The Local - The Heart of the Highlands

2 About Us

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Front cover: Santa, aka Richard Herr, and his naughty helpers have come down from the North Pole to Daylesford and will be around town until December 25. Meanwhile, Ruby Slippers/House of Curiosity in Howe Street has Santa’s mailbox for any children wanting to post a letter to Santa. Merry Christmas!

December 20, 2021 Issue 243 Merry Christmas

The Local is a fortnightly community publication covering the Central Highlands of Victoria. The next edition is out on Monday, January 3, 2021. Or online on Sunday, January 2 at www.tlnews.com.au Space bookings: Wednesday, December 29 Copy deadline: Thursday, December 30 Editorial deadline: Thursday, December 30 Editorial: 0418 576 513 | Advertising: 0416 104 283

Image: Chris Turner (inkdfotogrfa.com)

news@tlnews.com.au | sales@tlnews.com.au The Local - The Heart of the Highlands

Managing editor | Donna Kelly General manager | Kyle Barnes Sub-editors | Nick Bunning and Lindsay Smith

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. Want to support local, quality journalism? Donate by scanning the QR code. 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.

Writers | Kevin Childs, Tony Sawrey, Jeff Glorfeld, Narelle Groenhout, Sandy Scheltema, Carol Saffer, Kate Taylor & Donna Kelly Photographers | Kyle Barnes, David White & Louise Gay Graphic designer & HLH coordinator | Dianne Caithness Contributors: Glen Heyne (gardening), Darren Lowe (gigs), Matthew Richardson (money), Jen Clarke (recipes) and Glenn Robinson (cartoons). Accounts | Julie Hanson

Delivery | Tony Sawrey

Merry Christmas to all our readers and clients. Be merry and stay safe. See you in 2022!

$880 support for energy-efficient heating / cooling hot water insulation draught-proofing blinds & curtains* For more info contact Tim: assessor@hepburnznet.org.au phone: 0490 436 264 hepburnznet.org.au/home https://bit.ly/2NfhOcG

Scan QR Code

ram Prog to nded exte 2022 April Apply here

*Eligibility conditions apply - for Hepburn Shire homeowners and renters in energy stress, low income earners, concession cardholders, and people with chronic or ongoing medical conditions or mobility issues and carers. An $880 co-contribution is also required to receive subsidy amount.

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News 3

Administrator should replace council - petition

PETITION is circulating asking for the Minister for Local Government to replace Hepburn Shire Council with an administrator.

The move comes after Hepburn Shire Council decided, at its November 23 meeting, to scrap the Hepburn Hub at The Rex project, which could see a loss of up to $6 million of ratepayer monies. The council bought the Vincent Street, Daylesford former theatre in 2016 for $6 million. It has since spent $3 million on the building which was to house a cinema, staff offices, library, social enterprise cafe and public toilets, with another $6 million needed to complete the project. Council officers had recommended the council continue with the project however councillors voted four/three against that recommendation. Those against were Cr Lesley Hewitt, Cr Don Henderson, Cr Juliet Simpson and Cr Brian Hood. Councillors in favour were Cr Jen Bray, Cr Tessa Halliday and Mayor Cr Tim Drylie. The petition at change.org, created by Daylesford Theatre committee president Gina Lyons, says The Rex project has been mismanaged from the outset and the Hepburn Shire Council needed to be held responsible and accountable. “The Rex debacle between 2016–2018 has been well documented and has been the subject of investigation by the Local Government Inspectorate. We await their findings with great anticipation. “In voting to discontinue the Hepburn Hub at The Rex project and to sell the building without any community consultation, councillors have treated our community with contempt. They have failed to follow their own Community Engagement Policy.” The petition continues on, saying that council and library staff work in substandard conditions in non-compliant buildings. It says the community cinema, built up over more than four years into a community asset is now facing closure. “The appalling mismanagement of the Hepburn Hub at The Rex project and capricious decision-making is in full view, the impact of which is massive for council staff and the community. We believe the council is not acting in the community’s interests and should be replaced by an administrator.” Ms Lyons told The Local the petition would be open for signatures until the end of January and she hopes to gain 1000 signatures by that time. The petition had more than 600 signatures at the time of going to print. However, Cr Jen Bray has put forward a Notice of Motion that will go before councillors at a meeting this Tuesday, December 21, which could slow down or even stop the sale of The Rex. Cr Bray will ask councillors to “defer action on the sale of The Rex building until officers prepare a comprehensive report on current council-owned facilities and other possible properties, and provide options to council that consider staff accommodation needs, and access to community facilities”. She is also asking for a community, staff and stakeholder engagement process to be held and for council officers to prepare the reports and conduct community input to council as soon as practicable in 2022. The council would then make a final decision on the Hepburn Hub project at a future council meeting in 2022. Ms Lyons told The Local that Cr Bray's motion was “a good faith attempt to try and stop the sale process until additional information is gathered to input to a decision on the future of The Rex”. “What she is proposing is that a lot of work be done next year to come up with a list of alternate properties and options for dispersing council staff across the shire. This information would then be used to inform a community engagement process and then council would make a decision on the Hepburn Hub project in 2022. That work is likely to take all of next year. “A lot of time and money will be wasted to potentially end up where we are now, that is, The Rex, or at some other site.

Clockwise, the council staff area, actor Chips Rafferty's signature, a sign from another era, a David Bromley painting at the stairs to the cinema

“In the latter case, detailed design will then be required (along with) the planning process, tendering and construction. It will take years to complete. It is likely that the project will not be finished in the term of this council. “(And) building costs are increasing, so it is highly likely that the total cost of whatever solution the council comes up with will be around the same as if they had awarded a contract at the November council meeting.” Mayor Cr Tim Drylie told The Local the decision had been made in accordance with all relevant governance rules and the Local Government Act. Cr Drylie, who was one of three councillors who voted in favour of continuing the project at The Rex, said he had a post graduate degree in cinema studies and was a big supporter of the arts but as mayor he supported the council’s decision. He said there had been discussions at a council level on the ability to reverse the decision and Cr Bray’s motion would look at some of the options available. The purchase of The Rex building and other matters relating to the project remain under investigation by the Local Government Inspectorate with a report pending. Meanwhile, two weeks ago, the council received reports of unauthorised access and activity inside The Rex. A query by The Local was responded to with a statement saying the damage included graffiti, smashed glass on external doors, smashed glass in the lightwells in the carpark, and a number of fires lit inside the building. The value of the damage was not yet known.

Petition link: https://chng.it/GrjFBJMNGP

Words & images: Donna Kelly

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4 Our musos

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Original Christmas tune for Donna Fisk

ENTRAL Highlands’ singer/songwriter Donna Fisk has capped off the year with an original Christmas tune, You are Christmas to me.

Garlands Of Tinsel Carols By Candlelight The first Noel Silent Night Mum’s plum pudding Leave some cake for Santa Claus Have you been good? Girls and boys More than all the things That Yule tide brings More than all the gifts beneath the tree You that lights my way forever more You are Christmas You are Christmas to me During her career Donna has shared the stage with artists including John Denver, Donny Osmond, Dame Edna Everage, Tom T. Hall, Canned Heat, Muhummad Ali, Brian Cadd, Susan Raye, James Morrison, Tommy Emmanuel, Dave Dudley, Blood, Sweat & Tears, and The Seekers. She has won five consecutive Southern Hemisphere Country Music awards, been nominated for the Variety Entertainment MO Award and both the national & Victorian Female Vocalist of the Year.

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHEQygSn5xs

Don’t travel to high risk areas on Extreme Fire Danger Rating days. If you plan to travel through Victoria, during fire season, it’s important to check the Fire Danger Rating every day. If the rating is Extreme or above, avoid travelling to high risk areas, including to cities and towns.

Plan. Act. Survive. Go to emergency.vic.gov.au

Authorised by the Victorian Government, 1 Treasury Place, Melbourne

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News 5

Christmassy things Mass times for St Augustine’s Creswick and St Peter’s Daylesford Friday, December 24, 6pm - Creswick Saturday, December 25, 9.30am - Daylesford Sunday, December 26, 9am - Creswick Sunday, December 26, 10.30am - Daylesford Saturday, January 1, 9am - Creswick Saturday, January 1, 10.30am - Daylesford Sunday, January 2, 9am - Creswick Sunday, January 2, 10.30am - Daylesford Services are open to all, vaccinated or non-vaccinated as per the Victorian Government's latest update. People will need to use the QR code at the entrance. Daylesford Community Brass Band Wednesday, December 22, Carols by Candlelight, Hepburn Sound Shell, 8.30pm Friday, December 31, New Year's Eve Gala at Daylesford Saturday, January 1, Glenlyon Sports Day at noon Christ Church Daylesford Friday, December 24, Blue Christmas, 6pm Friday, December 24, Christmas Eve Service, 11.30pm Saturday, December 25, Christmas Day Service, 9am Glenlyon Sports Day Saturday, January 1, New Year's Day, Glenlyon Reserve

Nolan and his sister Natalie from Kangaroo Flat are among the hundreds of residents and visitors who have picked out their perfect pine from the Daylesford Christmas Tree Farm. Image: Narelle Groenhout

Gifts Treats Toys Games

Santa's little helpers

Fun Beer Playing Cards $7.95

Local Beeswax Wrap $15.95

daylesfordtradingco.com.au

Wombat Soy Candle $8.95

Whoopee Sound Machine $8.95

Retro Kombi Planter $15.95

42 Vincent Street Daylesford

6 Fire season

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Firefighters upskilling in Creswick

FIREFIGHTING training camp in Creswick played host to nearly 50 of Forest Fire Management Victoria’s newest recruits ahead of the impending bushfire season.

The course covered hands-on training in tackling a forest bushfire including dry firefighting techniques, given water is a scarce commodity in many situations, and skills needed to construct a mineral earth control line. FFMV is responsible for fire management in state forests, national parks and protected public lands. More than 600 seasonal firefighters have been recruited for the coming bushfire season with a further 154 permanent staff added to FFMV workforce. This is part of the state government's recent announcement of a $517 million investment in the 2021/2022 budget for firefighting services.

Words: Narelle Groenhout

BBQ SAFELY THIS SUMMER.

KNOW THE DRILL B E F O R E YO U G R I L L 1 CHECK FOR GAS LEAKS WITH SOAPY WATER 2 IF YOU SEE BUBBLES, TURN THE GAS OFF

There were too many dangerous gas BBQ fires in Victoria last summer. So please BBQ safely. To find out more, and to order a free soapy water bottle, visit esv.vic.gov.au/knowthedrill

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News 7

Tennis love match moving to its final set

LONG, hard slog appears to be approaching an end with the $2 million-plus redevelopment of the Daylesford Lawn Tennis Club.

Central to the project is the creation of four all-weather courts (some floodlit) that can be used at night, ending the annual April to October shutdown. Known for having one of the best country grass courts in the State, Daylesford used to attract many Melbourne players on weekends such as the Australia Day and Labour Day weekends. Now it still draws city players during events such as ChillOut. Club secretary David Tindal says the project has been moving slowly for the nine years he has been in the position, but now the council has given permission for rezoning and sub-dividing, there was fresh impetus. It took six years to get the land rezoned residential, with a massive amount of work continuing to be done by club president Dr Greg Malcher, pictured. The club has satisfied all but three of 25 council subdivision conditions. Under state law, the council gets five per cent of the purchase price, but Dr Malcher hopes that this may be returned in some form. There will be five grass and four all-weather courts in the top area. The first four of the 10 grass courts will become all-weather courts. “Juniors don’t learn to serve and volley on grass,” says Dr Malcher. “All-weather courts are rallying courts.” As well, senior players will be able to use them in late autumn and early spring.

Seeking tennis history

HE Daylesford Lawn Tennis Club is looking for the club's lost history, like this fun 1935 photo of guests ready to play at Tangenong Guest House.

Many guest houses had tennis courts as part of their activities. Club spokesperson Dianne van Baalen said the club was hoping people with local knowledge about the history of the club would contact them.

The present fifth grass court will provide access to two or three lower courts. All up, this will give the club 11 or 12 courts. The clubhouse, an old farm building that was moved in many years ago, will go, to be replaced by a new one. Originally, the club was with the bowling club in Camp Street, but moved in the 1940s to what Dr Malcher says was then the outskirts of town. The 110-member club has owned the land for many decades. The sold land may be used for townhouses. All up, 7300 square metres will be sold in the block bordered by West, Albert, Perrins and Raglan streets. “We’re not going to end up with $1million in our pockets,” says Dr Malcher, noting delays caused by the pandemic and ever-rising building costs. “The physical clubrooms and courts will just be the environment for, literally, fun and games.” As well as the money from the sale, the club is seeking state and federal grants, but not relying on them, Mr Tindal said. If possible, it would like the sold land to include low-cost social housing, but this could not be guaranteed. Dr Malcher recalled a visit five years ago by the manager of the Albert Grounds in Melbourne where players practice for the Australian Open who said the Daylesford courts were as good as his. Dr Malcher paid tribute to the volunteer curator, Peter Risstrom and the volunteer team who mow and line the courts. As for the date of the opening of the new clubhouse and courts, Dr Malcher said: “Optimistically, four to six months, but I’ve been saying four to six months for quite a while.”

Words: Kevin Childs | Image: Contributed

"We want to archive all forms of memorabilia - trophies, records, badges, rackets - and especially images. As they say: 'A picture tells a thousand words.' "We would love to hear from people whose relatives played tennis in the area this is everyone's chance to be a part of this legacy of Daylesford. "The club and the Daylesford & District Historical Society will work together to archive everything and return them back to their owners."

If you have any information or memorabilia please contact Dianne ASAP at vanbaalend@gmail.com Image: Courtesy of the Daylesford & District Historical Society

Offering company, comfort and a cuppa

“It’s an initiative by the Trust to engage more with the local community and make the cemetery a more integrated part of the community. “We have been having discussions during the year about what we can do to achieve that, and one member came up with the idea of morning tea on days like Board member Jeff Smith said whether people were “coming to contemplate, visit Mother’s Day and Father’s Day. Of course, with Covid, we couldn’t do that, but family or loved ones, or just take in the serenity of it all, we will be there to offer some Christmas Day will be the perfect time to provide support and comfort. It’s a company, beverages, and snacks to everyone that wants them”. kindness thing.” “We all know that Christmas can be a lonely time for some people and visiting Chris said most people would be locals or those coming to visit passed loved ones. loved ones on this special day is a tradition for many families. So, we are inviting “We are not sure how many people we will get but we will definitely be looking at people to the cemetery to remember those that we can no longer give that big doing this again on other important days throughout the year.” Christmas hug that fills our hearts with joy. We’d love for people to come along and The first burial at Malmsbury Cemetery, which overlooks the Malmsbury enjoy Christmas with those that are missed and take a small break and tell us a story Reservoir, was in 1862. about them.” Mr Smith said the Trust members appreciated learning more about the people that they are looking after. Words: Donna Kelly | Image: Contributed “It reminds us of the strong bonds of community and family in the district. Providing people with the opportunity to comfortably reflect and reminisce on Christmas Day seems a perfect way to honour those that rest with us.” Chris Byrnes, pictured left with registrar Ray Brindle in front of the historic Malmsbury bluestone lodge near the main entrance, said Trust members would be at the cemetery between 10am and 11.30am.

EMBERS of the Malmsbury Cemetery Trust will be at the cemetery on Christmas Day offering light refreshments, shade and seating for those visiting passed family or friends.

Sport 9

Golfing champions

EPBURN Golf Club champions for 2021 are, pictured from left, Wendy Wetzel - B grade champion, Bev Smith - club champion and Ann Bull - C grade champion.

Runners-up: Vicky Horrigan - B grade, Sue Howard - A grade and Jill Johnstone - C grade.

SUPPORTING COMMUNITY SPORT

For all your community sports results, scan the QR code or head to

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Community Bank Daylesford & District 5348 4186

Community News MESSAGE FROM THE MAYOR

Last time I spoke about Dr Robert Gordon’s approach to disaster recovery and how his teachings can help us as we mop up after the recent storm experiences and reemerge into the world as COVID restrictions ease. Continuing that discussion, he talks about the need for us to focus on the things we can control in our lives when many other things are less certain. The stress of uncertainty we are all experiencing to some extent with the continuing threat of getting sick or dying from the COVID virus and for those affected by the widespread damage caused by storms in parts of our Shire often causes us a lot of worry about problems we often can’t personally solve. Dr Gordon’s advice is to bring our focus back on to things we can do to manage our own circumstances like getting into regular sleep patterns, building our relationships, tidying the house, visiting friends and family, playing sport, or just listening to music. We can, he says, choose the attitude we take to these problems and if we keep refocusing on what we have achieved, what we can do and what we will do next, this helps us manage the stress and keep in mind that we will get through this and that there is an end in sight. As a Council, we are aware that some of the decisions we and other external authorities have made recently, including the Hepburn Hub at The Rex, the in-principle decision to transition away from in-house Aged Care and Disability services, and AusNet’s transmission line route announcement, have added to already elevated levels of stress in the community. However, I want to reassure people that there will be a way through these issues and that Council is actively pursuing solutions and problem solving on various fronts to find practical and satisfactory outcomes in the best interests of the community. We are also listening to the feedback that is coming in and taking your responses seriously, and treating your concerns and suggestions with respect. I am always interested to hear the views, interests and histories of local people and have welcomed the opportunity to be able to participate and talk to you at the many events and meetings I have attended in different parts of the Shire over the past few weeks. It is a very important part of the job as Mayor, and as a local Councillor, to be on the ground among the people that have elected us as their representatives. It hasn’t been so easy to be a visible part of things in the past year with restrictions on our ability to meet in public, but things are looking up. I urge you to keep asking questions and engage us in civil debate on the issues that matter. I can be contacted via email at tdrylie@hepburn.vic.gov.au and I encourage you to visit https:// participate.hepburn.vic.gov.au/ to give feedback on current projects and issues. I wish you all a relaxing, enjoyable and connected holiday break. There is much we can and will be doing in the year ahead and I look forward to working with you all. Cr Tim Drylie, 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

JOIN AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE

We’re establishing an LGBTIQA+ Advisory Committee to provide us with advice on programs and services to improve inclusion throughout the Shire. Hepburn Shire Council is proud of its diversity and believes that communities are enriched when all people regardless of their background or identity are embraced and supported to participate and contribute to community life. Do you love the beautiful mineral springs reserves in our Shire? We’re looking for volunteers to join our Mineral Springs Reserves Advisory Committee. The group provides advice to assist Council to plan, prioritise and implement maintenance works and major projects across all Mineral Springs Reserves in the Shire. To nominate for either of these committees visit https://participate. hepburn.vic.gov.au/.

SUSTAINABLE HEPBURN

Sustainable Hepburn is a new strategy that will update Council’s commitment to environmental sustainability. It’s an ambitious plan to guide our activities to be a beyond zero emissions council, a Shire protecting and enhancing our natural environment, and a low waste and climate resilient Shire. Thank you to everyone that nominated to be on the technical working groups. Four groups will be established to co-create the strategy with representatives from the community and Council - the groups are Beyond Zero Emissions Council, Low Waste Shire, Climate and Water Resilient Shire, and Natural Environment and Biodiversity. Working group members will be announced after the December Ordinary Council meeting. We will be holding in person community engagement sessions between January 21 and 29th to hear your ideas, aspirations and thoughts about how we can better manage and deepen our efforts on environmental sustainability. Keep an eye out on https://participate. hepburn.vic.gov.au/sustainable-hepburn.

POOLS & SPLASH PARK

Don’t forget that our Shire pools have free entry for the season. Our pools will be open until 14 March 2022. For opening hours and to see our weather policy visit www.hepburn.vic.gov.au/swimming-pools/.

END OF YEAR CLOSURE

Council offices, depots, hubs and libraries will close at 2.00pm on Friday 24 December and reopen on Tuesday 4 January. Transfer Stations are closed on Christmas Day and Code Red days. For Council-related animal emergencies (eg. dog attacks and stock on Council roads) during the festive season phone 0419 587 955 or for all other Council-related emergencies phone 0419 583 573. Kerbside bin collection won’t be impacted over the festive period, so please put out your bins as usual. Councillors and staff wish everyone a safe and happy break over the festive season. For after hours emergencies please call:  Animal Control - 0419 587 955  Other Council Emergency - 0419 583 573 hepburncouncil

The Yandoit community are selling firewood to raise money for much-needed learning equipment for their primary school

BURNING TO LEARN T

hey’re a lively little bunch out at Yandoit. And their tiny school’s 14 students uphold a huge tradition of 160 years of learning in a farming community founded by Swiss-Italian immigrants who came for the gold and stayed for the agriculture. Testament to these forebears are fine stone buildings, Italianate two-storey villas and stone walls that identify the area. They knew how to build a school too. The original weatherboard building serves as office and resource centre; its small library sharing space with some fundamental teaching aids that have stood the test of time. There is always a need to upgrade, but with only a small pool of funds to draw on, it will take an injection of cash to purchase iPads and modern reading aids that are everyday to most of their more well-resourced contemporaries. The school’s main teacher is Matthew Spaccatore. He works with a teacher’s assistant, Dave Lewis and another teacher, Jose Berto, who comes in each Friday. Matthew takes a break from morning instruction in the sport of fencing. Two older children lunge and retreat with plastic sabres as they respond to the instructions: en-garde, pret, allez, (prepare, ready, go). Matthew is proud of the school and of Yandoit. ‘The people who settled here were from the Ticino area, which straddles the Swiss-Italian border. They were great winemakers and some of our earliest vines here were brought in by those people. It was quite a rocky area and so they’d have found familiarity in this landscape.’ With primary students of all ages, Matthew says Yandoit Primary School’s benefits are many, including integration across all ages. And there are those who thrive better in a quieter environment. ‘We are always looking for more enrolments,’ he says with a smile. ‘We hope not to drop below 10 students.’ John Combes is a fifth generation Swiss-Italian man whose mother attended the school in the 1930s. He is a member of the Planning and Development group who are keen to help support the school and arranged some free firewood through Council’s Community Firewood Program. To purchase firewood or To register for the Community enquire about donations : Firewood Program : John Combes 0409 750 073 rturner@hepburn.vic.gov.au

‘Funds from the wood will be distributed three ways. There’s the local CFA, who always need money for equipment. We’d also like to donate to the Uniting Church project – rather than have the 145-year-old red brick church sold, we are taking over the management of it for a year, in the hope that we can retain it as a communal asset. And then there’s the school, which some describe as a hidden gem.’ Being annexed to the Daylesford Primary School leaves Matthew free to focus more on teaching and less on paperwork. The curriculum includes music, an indigenous habitat garden, healthy lunches and a weekly initiative for students to work on a ‘Passion Project’. Some surprising results have sprung from that including a go-kart, a lesson in carburettors, and on the workbench currently is a trebuchet (a medieval catapult). Who knows what bright future these young kids may launch into! No doubt the fundraising will go a long way to helping that.

Yandoit Primary School was built in 1861

Yandoit Primary School was established in 1861

Yandoit Primary School has 14 students, one full-time teacher, a teacher’s aide and a part-time teacher on Fridays.

12 Recipe

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Cooking

with Jen Clarke

Middle Eastern chicken baked with rice This is a simple, satisfying dish with a middle eastern vibe. You throw everything into a pot and bake it in the oven…what’s not to like? I recommend using homemade or good quality chicken stock, it really boosts the flavour. If you can be bothered, toast the cumin, coriander or cardamom seeds then grind them in a pestle and mortar, but it won’t be the end of the world if you don’t. You can use harissa instead of sumac if you like a bit of heat. I added a few carrots in with the chicken for good measure…use your imagination. Serves 4 3 tblsp olive oil 1 onion, finely chopped 8 bone-in chicken pieces, thighs or drumsticks 2 tblsp sumac (or harissa to taste) 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 teasp each ground cumin and coriander or cardamom 1 cup basmati rice, rinsed until the water runs clear (don’t skip this step) 6–8 dates, deseeded and chopped 1 orange (or failing that, a lemon) zest and juice 1 bay leaf 1 1/3 cups chicken stock 2 tblsp chopped pistachios Chopped parsley, to finish

Merry Xmas!

Preheat the oven to 200C. Heat 2 tblsp oil in a wide pan suitable for the oven (if you don’t have one just fry the onions in a pan and transfer to an ovenproof dish or tray). Add the onions, reduce heat to medium low, add a pinch of salt and saute until the onions are soft, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, put the chicken in a bowl, season generously with salt and pepper, add remaining oil and sumac and toss to coat. Add garlic to the onions and cook for a minute more. Add the spices and stir well. Add the rice and stir again, then add the dates, orange zest and juice and bay leaf. Mix well and season with salt and pepper. Put the chicken on the rice and add the stock. Now is the time to add additional vegetables if you like. Bring to the boil, then transfer the pan to the oven (uncovered) and cook for 40 minutes. Check after about 25 minutes that there is enough liquid, and add more stock or water if it looks dry. When the stock is absorbed and the chicken is cooked, scatter with pistachios and parsley and serve immediately.

Pizzeria

La L na Home deliveries Thursday to Sunday Get your pizza fix during COVID-19 Thursday, Sunday, Monday | 5pm - 9pm Friday and Saturday | 5pm - 10pm Tuesday & Wednesday | CLOSED

5348 4123 | 24 Albert St Daylesford | pizzerialaluna.com.au

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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Money with Matt

N WHAT is a hot topic of conversation coming out of Covid, the property market is on everybody’s mind.

Whether you are an owner/occupier, or a landlord, you have a vested interest in where the market is heading. One of the influencing factors in market pricing is that of ‘home loan buffers’. When you apply for a home loan, the interest rate may be 2.5 per cent in today's market which will dictate the amount of your home loan repayments. Part of the application process however revolves around ensuring that you can afford the home loan if rates were to rise. As a result, you are assessed on the actual interest rate plus, a home loan ‘buffer’. This buffer prior to October 2021 was 2.5 per cent, and this has been extended to 3 per cent.

News 13

Therefore, you are assessed on the initial 2.5% rate and the buffer rate giving a total of 5.5 per cent. The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority suggests that this 0.5 per cent basis points increase in the serviceability buffer would reduce maximum borrowing capacity for the typical borrower by around 5 per cent. This is thought to cool the market somewhat to slow the price increases that we have experienced over the last 2-3 years. Financial experts at this point in time believe that 2022 will see a market rise of roughly 6 per cent and 2023 we can expect a stagnation in the market to very low growth or even a slight market correction where we could see small negative growth.

- Matt Richardson is a certified accountant with Cooke & Foley

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.

03 5348 2335 LUNCH SAT & SUN DINNER THU - MON

DAYLESFORDHOTEL.COM.AU

Thank you to all of our customers, past, present and future

– and to our community for being a special part of our lives.

We wish each and every one of you a joy filled Christmas, a season of connectedness, love and laughter. May it be all you desire – and more.

Christmas Trading Hours: Friday 24th Dec Saturday 25th Dec Sunday 26th Dec Mon 27th Dec - Thurs 30th Dec Friday 31st Dec Saturday 1st Jan Sunday 2nd Jan Normal trading hours resume. Visit us for tastings and sales.

10am – 2pm Closed Closed 10am – 5pm 10am – 2pm Closed 10am – 5pm

Lot 2 Railway Crescent DAYLESFORD | 03 5348 1920

terraaustralisdistillery.com | herballoreliqueurs.com

14 Sport

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Daylesford Soccer under 15 league winners

AYLESFORD & Hepburn United Soccer Club's Under 15s, under coach Danny Koleski, have won the Ballarat Soccer League Competition for the third time.

Committee member Ivan Carter said it was worthwhile reflecting on how far the juniors had come. "They've bonded as a group, the core players have put in massive efforts every season, taken new players in and supported them to become the great team they still are today. "Bear in mind that at the beginning of each season, particularly the past two years, we didn't know if we could field a team. Common denominator here, apart from the core players, is coach Danny. "Captain Tulley Pelham thought he would like to say a few words when receiving the flag after the win so he did his own research. Danny has been coaching him for eight years. He signed up at age seven and is now 15. "It's an understatement to say that Danny's done a great job with these kids and long may he continue in this role or another. Special mention to Joshy who stepped in when Danny was unavailable and kept the fire burning and the good results continuing. "These players are exemplars for our club. They play with passion, intent, style, ability and aggression but they are fair, humble and respectful to opposition and referees. We should be very proud of their efforts." Mr Carter said the team was the 2018 league winners and cup winners for the U13 Division 2 winning the league 10 points clear of Vic Park White with a goal difference of +63. The top three goal scorers were Zach Koleski, Mehdi Bennani and Otis Smith. The team won the grand final over Vic Park White with 5-4.

The following year they were the 2019 league winners in the U13 open winning the league by six points clear of the Vikings with a goal difference of +5. Monty Hughes was 3rd highest scorer followed by Frey Pelham at 7th, Zach Koleski at 8th, Tate Koleski at 12th and Logan Koleski at 16th. Tulley was the centre defensive midfielder - and leading yellow card recipient with four. The team lost to Vikings in the grand final 1-0. Last year, they were leading the U14 open league after four games by three points and 19 goals but the season was shut down by Covid. This year there were no finals, again with Covid, but the team were the 2021 league winners in the U15 open finishing equal on points but with a goal difference of +15. Zach won best and fairest.

The current team, pictured above, from left, back row, Valentine Smith, Acen Slater, Codie Chapman and Bernard Kelly, middle row, Murray Pelham (manager), Jacob Slater, Monty Hughes, Zach Koleski, Alex Schroder and Danny Koleski (coach), front row, Tulley Pelham (captain), Samuel Ashby, Frey Pelham and Tate Koleski, absent, Mehdi Bennani, Ellah Carpenter and Madeline Lemphers

Image: John Mayger

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COVID-19 Vaccination Update COVID-19 vaccine booster The COVID-19 vaccination booster is available to anyone aged 18 and over who has had their second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine five or more months ago. This is a change from the previous six month interval, and reflects updated advice from the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation. The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are approved for use as booster vaccines, and are considered equally acceptable. You can get a COVID-19 booster dose from a GP, some pharmacies or Victorian vaccination centres. COVID-19 vaccine for children aged 5 - 11 years Australia’s medical regulator, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), has provisionally approved the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for children aged 5 to 11 years. The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) also recommends use of the Pfizer vaccine for children in this age group. The program for vaccinating 5 to 11 year olds will commence on the 10th January, 2022. The recommended schedule for vaccination in this age group is two doses, eight weeks apart. The interval can be shortened to a minimum of three weeks in special circumstances, for example: as part of an outbreak response before the start of significant immunosuppression, or before international travel. Planning is underway to provide a safe and positive environment for 5 to 11 year olds to get vaccinated. Bookings will be available at doctor's clinics, some pharmacies and family-friendly state vaccination centres. For more information please visit www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/vaccine. Source: https://www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/vaccine on 17th December 2021

Christmas Update Our COVID-19 swabbing clinics remain open during the Christmas period. Completing the online COVID-19 Testing Registration Form will help save time in the registration process (valid for 90 days). You still need to call the testing centre to make an appointment: Daylesford - Monday to Friday - 5321 6654 Kyneton - Daily (except Christmas Day) - 5422 9900 Our Urgent Care Centres in Daylesford and Kyneton are open 24/7, however in a life-threatening emergency please call 000. Community Health & Wellbeing services will be closed from 25th December 2021 until 3rd January 2022. Clunes I Creswick I Daylesford I Kyneton I Trentham 5321 6500 www.chrh.org.au www.facebook.com/CHRHorgAU

New custodians for Wombat Park

AYLESFORD couple Tony De Marco and Theresa Albioli have bought the historic Wombat Park homestead and estate at auction.

The asking price for the 101-hectare property on the DaylesfordMalmsbury Road was between $7 million and $7.7 million however the final price was not disclosed. Wombat Park was created by William E Stanbridge and is known for its Arts and Crafts home and impressive garden. Mr De Marco said he had been visiting Daylesford since he was 10 years old and had always loved driving past Wombat Park’s stunning driveway. He said the property would become the couple’s home. “We’re just rapt. We’re going to live in it and be the next custodians. We have a bit of family around who can come and stay and it will be nice to have a place that we can be very proud of and love. We really love the garden and there are some productive acres so we will run a few sheep and cattle. “It will just be our home and we will enjoy it, look after it and do whatever needs to be done. But that is very little. We are not going to modernise it at all, not even paint it. But we are lucky in that we have resources and we can give the garden a bit more maintenance and bring it up to scratch. The garden will be a real focus for both of us. We just want to get it up to where it used to be in its heyday.” Mr De Marco said there were only three Arts and Crafts properties in Victoria. The Arts and Crafts movement has its origins in England during the second half of the 19th century and was a reaction against the mass production and homogenisation of Victorian design. Features generally include an open floor plan, natural materials such as stone, brick, and wood, airy, light-filled rooms that encourage interaction with the outdoors and the tasteful arrangement of a few well-designed, decorative, and useful objects. “The home has up to 16 bedrooms, so pretty massive, and it is a really interesting place. The history is just wonderful and the whole garden is magnificent.”

Mr De Marco said they had asked groundsman Stuart Henderson to stay on and would be opening the gardens to the public for future charity events. “We do a lot of fundraising with Rotary Victoria and we will be having open gardens, to raise money for whatever we need around the local area, and also because the garden can’t be hidden away, people need to see it.” Mr De Marco, who with Ms Albioli, owns holiday home accommodation business The Houses Daylesford, Bellinzona, the former Hepburn Chalet and Alkina Lodge on the Great Ocean Road, said settlement was not until July next year giving the family of the previous owner, the late Isabel Mackenzie, time to remove the home’s belongings. He said, with a section of Wombat Park also sold for residential development, he would be planting “plenty of quick growing trees” along that fence line. “But you can’t see that from the house and at the end of the day when you are inside, you can’t hear anything, it is just beautiful and all we need to do is add our own styling and that’s it. “I said to Theresa ‘there is no work to do here’. I am done with renovation, totally worn out. We have been going hard for the past six years so I just can’t wait to take over in July and sit back and enjoy.”

Words: Donna Kelly | Image: Contributed

18 House.Land.Home

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House.Land.Home. 19

A gift that keeps on giving It’s the same each year. Christmas Day is closing in fast. You’ve still got names on your gift list and mere hours left to fill it. Problem solved. Go garden. I can’t say I know anybody who wouldn’t appreciate something botanical for their home, whether it be a flowering shrub, a potted plant for the window sill, or even a plant-themed ornament and, of course, there’s a plethora of gardening books. The good news is that almost all of these are to be found in your local garden outlet or nursery. Of course, if your friend or relative is a gardener, you have an advantage as the problem is easily solved. At the same time however it pays to consider well what they would find interesting. Not too big a problem, there are always new varieties or colours available for just about every popular plant. The automatic choice of a hydrangea, the living Christmas gift most often given, although showy and tempting, could be limited in its appeal either because so many gardeners already have them growing or they don’t have the space for something of that size. A carefully selected Christmas gift plant could open up a whole new gardening world for the receiver. Fortunately, there are many indoor-tolerant plants and always somewhere they will grow, particularly when there’s a porch or a well-lit windowsill just begging for a little colourful plant life. Leading the fray and looking at their best in the garden centres at present, are plenty of fine looking ferns, pictured bottom left, philodendrons, sansevieria (snake plant), palms and other ornamental foliage favourites that can be as ornamental and colourful year round. For floral colour, along with the all-time international favourite floral emblem of Christmas, poinsettias, pictured above, there are African violets, cyclamens and those many coloured, long-flowering phalaenopsis (butterfly) orchids. But don’t limit your choice to just indoor plants, there are always plenty of colourful shrubs looking at their best right now and a great gift, especially if supplied with an attractive, ornamental pot. One of the biggest reincarnations in the garden world, with seemingly endless new and different species arriving on the scene is that of what, until recent times, was disparagingly passed off as Granny’s garden plants, the ubiquitous succulent tribe. The title, succulent, covers more than those strange, parched, spiky-leafed or cabbage-like potted plants on our grandparents’ porch. In fact, if you looked carefully in your own garden you would be surprised to find many plants are, in fact succulents. Frangipani, pictured bottom right, the climbing waxy-flowered hoyas are FRIENDS of Wombat Hill Botanic Gardens continue their plant sales, after a for a start. Christmas break, from January 6. But I stray from the course and will uncover more secret succulents in my next The sales are held at the gardens Thursday to Saturday from 10am to noon. There column. really is something for everyone - come for a look. Be that as it may there are myriad small-growing, multi-coloured succulents available which would make excellent gifts and can be used either as pot plants, in window boxes or in dry, sunny aspects in the garden. Some, as well as having handsome, colourful or interesting foliage also provide colourful flowers at this time of year. Best of all they’re almost bullet-proof, needing little care. Apart from plant life most garden outlets also stock a great range of attractive pots STUFF and complementary ornaments as well as gardening gadgets and tools. All of which Petrol, oil, swap & go gas, make highly desirable gifts for your gardening friends. Motorpass, farm produce, Some will also carry a range of gardening books, both pictorial and technical. farm produce store, ice, milk, If all of that still leaves you wondering about what to give, there’s always the gift soft drinks, take away pies, coffee, voucher to fall back on. confectionery, local honey, etc Have a great Christmas, I’ll be back with more of the same next year, Rusty junk, secondhand books, Glen

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Loving summer at Barwon Heads

HILE we love the Central Highlands, waiting for warmer weather to arrive can take a while, so we decided to go and find some summer vibes at Barwon Heads recently.

We have stayed over the bridge at Ocean Grove, which was lovely, but Barwon Heads has a much more laid back feel - more like a little hamlet than a town. We stayed at Seahaven Village, pictured right, opposite a lovely park, and just a stroll into the town or down to the beach. Our apartment was The Attic, upstairs, with two bedrooms, a lovely open plan kitchen, dining and lounge area, and a little balcony overlooking that park. We did bring a few things from home in the Esky but ended up eating out for lunches and having Chinese delivered for dinners, on both nights. Meal delivery is a bit of a treat when you live at Glenlyon. The Chinese was excellent, from Ocean Grove's Ming Terrace. Barwon Heads is well known for the filming of the TV series SeaChange with Sigrid Thornton and David Wenham, and others, living in the fictional Pearl Bay. And while Diver Dan may be gone his beach shack is still there and is now a wonderful restaurant/bar, At The Heads, pictured below, set over the water. The perfect place for a pre-dinner drink, or a meal. We also ate at the Barwon Heads Hotel which is another top spot. They take the green tick very seriously, which I like, and the food was great and very affordable. We just chose from the starter menu, which sounds small, but factor in 1kg of chicken wings for Kyle, lamb ribs, calamari and gyoza and you have a pretty substantial meal. All finger licking good. It was a bit cool for swimming but the beach walks are amazing with views, of course, over to the Mornington Peninsula and Sorrento/Portsea. We thought about getting the ferry over for a few hours but this was a working holiday, so next time. Oh, getting to Barwon Heads, which is less than a two-hour drive, is a bit of an adventure. And be prepared for a wheel alignment when you get home. Despite plenty of signs talking about improving roads, they are terrible. We drove from Daylesford to Ballan, shocking, and then through Anakie, even worse, and onto the freeway and down a few smaller roads, not too bad. We decided to come back via Ballarat on the A300, a tiny bit further, but we thought it might be a smoother and quicker run. Wrong. Lots of roadworks, really rough roads and then, surprisingly, random signs saying "rough roads" on the OK places. Still it's been a long time since I went through Meredith and Buninyong. Not much has changed. Seafood. Almost forgot about this. If you do head to Barwon Heads, stop at the seafood place at the little airport on the way in. Or the way out. Be prepared because it is a 100kmh piece of road, and no-one slows down, and there are huge potholes at the entrance and exit, but it's worth the drama. There's all you could want and it's all freshly caught. Or frozen. Take an Esky but they will also pack it pretty well if you ask. We bought a lobster on the way home, the biggest one they had so the most expensive, but how often do you eat lobster. It was fantastic - and they did all the hard work cleaning it - so we just sat down with some seafood sauce and crusty bread. Back home, just in time for the warmer weather. Perfect.

Words & top & bottom images: Donna Kelly | Centre image: Contributed

www.tlnews.com.au

Happy & Healthy 21

More needed in the shire's disability space

HE Rotary Club of Daylesford recently hosted a Disability Awareness event in Daylesford. The idea for the session came from 52-year-old Hepburn Springs resident Peter Waters.

Living with cerebral palsy and confined to a motorised wheelchair, Peter joined Rotary on the basis he wasn’t a token member and wanted to actively contribute in his community, raise awareness of people living with a disability, (visible and invisible) and to hopefully create more action rather than empty promises. Peter has been planning the night for six months and gained huge support, including from Ballarat company Leef Independent Living, a medical equipment company, which has committed to continue working with Peter and Rotary. On the night, with audience members including Hepburn Shire Council, private and public organisations, carers, and people living with a disability, Peter talked about his accomplishments over the years: travelling from Sydney to Melbourne in a wheelchair to raise money and the joy he felt when 200 people cheered him on. He talked about the struggles he faces each and every day going about simple tasks able-bodied people take for granted. For Peter, a trip to Ballarat involves weeks of planning through his NDIS package, his carers and whether or not he has enough in his care package to cover the cost – sometimes up to $150 per trip. The night coincided with International Day of People Living with a Disability. It was a timely reminder of just how non-inclusive the Hepburn Shire is for those living with a disability, in terms of accessibility to facilities, accommodation and businesses. Rotary Daylesford president Pat Groenhout said the night was not only about having an open discussion about the need for more services for those with a disability, but to hopefully work together with local government, other community groups, schools, individuals and advocates to make much-needed change. “Our region quite rightly prides itself as a holiday destination of choice. We attract more than 800,000 visitors a year, with some 600,000 visitor nights and a total tourism spend of $150 million each year, according to the shire’s 2016-21 strategy document,” he said. “But, if we look at the statistics, that’s potentially 160,000 fewer visitors than we might attract because our towns and villages and accommodation services just aren’t well set up to cater for visitors with a disability.

“The point is this simple. Improving disability accessibility actually makes sound economic sense. More importantly, it’s about dignity and about ensuring that our own neighbours, families and colleagues that live here in Hepburn Shire are afforded the opportunity to participate as fully as possible in our community, whether they get about on two feet, or four wheels, or with crutches or a frame.” Participants talked about the advocacy that continues to take place across the shire including in relation to additional basic needs like public toilets; there are around 30 across the shire but not all are accessible to the public. Another example discussed was the plastic ramps the shire has used in the main street of Daylesford which are dangerous in the wet for an abled-bodied person, let alone someone on crutches or using a walking frame. A number of participants on the night said that more appropriate ramps that can be safely used by disabled people should be a council priority. Basic changes could make significant differences was a theme echoed across the night. Other comments centred around access to shops and businesses. While one councillor told The Local businesses do not need the added burden of costs for ramps, this is inconsistent with the minutes from the council’s Disability Access Committee which highlighted a 2020 achievement for the committee was local businesses receiving an access and inclusion pack. One participant said work had already been done to encourage local businesses to offer a ramp on request but was met with objection.

New inclusion officer for the shire

Hepburn Shire Council has confirmed the appointment of an inclusion officer who will be working across two areas – disability access and inclusion and LGBTIQA+ inclusion. The role includes reviewing council’s Disability Access and Inclusion Plan 2019-2022 and seeking input from its Disability Advisory Committee and stakeholders to develop an updated version of the plan due in August 2022. Rotary will engage with the officer and attempt to work together with council administration and Coles Supermarket administration to reinstate the Coles public toilets with much-needed upgrades to include a disabled toilet equipped with baby changing facilities.

Words: Narelle Groenhout

CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR

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CHRISTMAS A time of sharing, caring, giving. A time of connectedness, laughing and loving. An opportunity to let shine the beautiful gifts within us for all the world to enjoy.

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DATE

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22 Opinion

www.tlnews.com.au

Just sayin’...

Local Lines

By Donna Kelly

Antipodean

RECEIVED the perfect Christmas present last week. A Covid booster shot. Much better than a partridge in a pear tree. Or even seven lords leaping. Got it at the Blooms Chemist in Daylesford. Very nice woman, Tayla, did the deed. No pain, and a cute bandaid to boot. And it was free.

Thinking of standing on the other side of the world on that big round globe

I must admit with the arrival of Omicron, I have been hanging out to get my booster. But it was a six-month wait from the second shot and that was on July 14. So you can imagine my happiness, if you can call it that, when the government announced the gap was down to just five months. Tuesday, December 14 was the big day. I arrived at 9.30am for my booked appointment, filled out the form and went up the stairs to wait. And I waited and waited. And then I had to leave for an interview I had also booked in. I will say the chemist was very busy - most people must come for scripts first thing. So, I returned at lunchtime. And looked up the stairs and there were lots of people waiting. A staff member, very nice, said there were five people in front of me. I was going to explain that my booking was 9.30am so technically I was in front of them, but you know, no-one gets paid enough for venting. And I just felt pretty pleased that people were taking heed and getting the third shot. So, I returned at 4.30pm and there were only two people waiting, and one was waiting because they had already had the shot and were just making sure there were no adverse reactions. And then Tayla called me in, went through the paperwork so I could get my electronic third tick, and gave me the shot. I didn't even feel the needle go in. And then she popped a bandaid on - which I never got the first two times at a pop-up clinic at a showground in Queensland - and I was away. Well, after a five-minute wait to make sure all went well. I went with Pfizer but you can also get Moderna. It's hard because I suffer from FOMO (fear of missing out) but I thought that I had already had Pfizer with no adverse reaction, so, you know, go with what you know. Now I wonder if I should have mixed and matched but it's too late. I also read that the best vaccine is whatever is in your arm. Anyway, I never thought I would be spending the days leading up to Christmas wondering about vaccine efficacy. Nor did I think I would spend two years of my life in a pandemic. But there you go. It's going to be a quiet Christmas, no family stuff happening for various reasons, border control being one of the main ones, but we will spend the day with some great friends, parking Covid at the curb and eating and drinking and generally being merry. And then we have a few people turning up for New Year's Eve. And maybe a karaoke machine. Always a hit. Or not. (Quick fact - kara means empty and oke means orchestra. So empty orchestra - or just music. You add the words. Oh, karate empty hand. No weapon. OK. Japanese lesson over.) And then for New Year's Day it is off to the Glenlyon Reserve for the Glenlyon Sports Day. If you haven't been, you gotta go. It's just a fun day of strange competitions, like eating bullboars and drinking dodgy mineral water, and just gathering finally. I really take off my hat to those who make the day happen every year - well almost every year. Stupid Covid. They are an amazing bunch of volunteers who work tirelessly preparing the reserve for weeks in advance and then spend the day making sure it all goes perfectly, right down to the final event, generally the popular ladies' nail drive. I might see you there. If not, have a wonderful silly season, stay safe and see you in 2022. What a year! Again. Just sayin'...

Catherine

KING MP

You would imagine it would feel like being upside down If you then go there to find out for yourself you will be disappointed It doesn't seem the case at all it just has that same old feeling as if nothing is changed Still if you keep looking hard you will find that after all there is something to it 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

It is the sky that will surprise you by being upside down You only fully notice it at night Orion's feet in the air sword hanging upwards in his belt The moon too is the other way around looking to wax when it wanes So if you do take a closer look you will realise you actually are upside down Just as you expected you would be when you were on top of the world - Lal Von Steenson

Lal is a retired nurse. He photographs, is a counsellor and a writer and has been living off and on in Daylesford for 30 years.

Mary-Anne Thomas MP

LABOR MEMBER FOR MACEDON

Federal Member for Ballarat 03 5338 8123 Catherine.King.MP@aph.gov.au CatherineKingMP @CatherineKingMP

Standing up for our Community!

www.catherineking.com.au Authorised by Catherine King, Australian Labor Party, 5/9 Sydney Avenue Barton ACT.

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Authorised by MA Thomas, Shop 14, Nexus Centre, 9 Goode St, Gisborne.

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Opinion 23

Kyle’s Rant

Because this yarn is a Christmas emotional mash-up heaving with sadness, selfregret and a pinch of shame. It all began just before my 50th birthday, way before Covid. My dad, a mad fisherman from the far north of New Zealand, called to say he couldn’t make the celebrations, which I found more than a bit upsetting. There was no particular reason. He was simply moving into a new home and “didn’t have the energy”. Now, this was not good enough in my book, so if he couldn’t come to my birthday I decided to drag the chain on visits back to him. So, in March 2019, after 18 months I decided to pop over and see him. I felt I had paid him back his neglect. (On reflection, what an arsehole I am). A year later I had another trip booked but we all know what happened there. Nowadays I catch up with him on the phone every other week and although he is fit as a fiddle, he is not good with technology so we haven’t been able to Zoom connect. Forward wind to last week and my sister, who also resides in New Zealand, makes a video call out of the blue. She smiles on the phone and says she has a surprise for me. She had driven up north and visited Dad to hook us up on Facetime. So, here is my dad after almost three years, smiling down the other end of the phone. He took me on a video journey of his home. It was 26 degrees, the sun had just gone down and the familiar-to-Kiwis birdsong was nearing the end. I could almost smell the Pohutukawa trees. The odyssey continued onto his trailer boat, pointing out the, freshly-baited with squid, box of fishing hooks ready for the morning fishing quest. Out the back to the veggie patch and he stopped so I could admire the home brew, bubbling ready for bottling in the next couple of days. I was doing all I could do to keep the waterworks from flowing and as he wound up his broadcast and sat in his chair, I had to throw the phone to Donna as “it” had started - the gush of emotion that I had staved off for many years. I was unable to stop the tears, as hard as I tried, the more water came out. So Donna ended the call while I rocked in the corner. I had planned to be with my father this Christmas, but once again my plans are dashed. So please, if you are blessed enough to have your family this Christmas, no matter how much you think you can’t stand your creepy uncle, your overcompensating brother or your dad who still thinks you are a crazy teenager, heed my warning. Embrace them, hold them, squeeze them and love them, because there are no doovers. Sad long-winded rant over…

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services EXPRESSION OF INTEREST Council is seeking an expression of interest from values-aligned aged and disability care providers for the delivery of the Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) in Hepburn Shire. Visit www.hepburn.vic.gov.au/ tenders for more information and response documents. Closing date Monday, 17 January 2022.

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CREDITORS, next of kin and others having claims against the estate of any of the undermentioned deceased persons are required to send particulars of their claims to STATE TRUSTEES LIMITED ABN 68 064 593 148, of 1 McNab Avenue, Footscray, Victoria 3011, the personal representative, on or before 16 February 2022, after which date State Trustees Limited may convey or distribute the assets, having regard only to the claims of which State Trustees Limited then has notice. POST, Saskia Sharon, late of 41 Market Street, Trentham, Victoria 3458, deceased who died on 16 March 2020. 8 December 2021

F20514

OU may be about to embark on a merry Christmas with family and friends and have only started reading this column due to curiosity. Or you may be a regular reader of my rant and expect to be bemused by the ramblings of a fifty-something-year-old grumpy bastard who thinks the world is comprised of selfish pricks, politicians and knuckleheads. But if you are after light entertainment, don’t read on.

24 Crossword

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CROSS

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Here's the solution for Crossword 242. How did you go?

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Opinion 25

We don't need to Make Australia Great Again

ECOMING Australian citizens meant a lot to my wife Carol and I. The ceremony was in the Daylesford Town Hall on Vincent Street and we were joined by others also taking up citizenship that afternoon. Honestly, it was an important day for us but we can’t remember the exact year, except that it was in the early 2000s. Ah, isn’t it grand to be growing old.

Not long afterwards, we cemented the deal by obtaining Australian passports, and whenever we travelled overseas, we went as Aussies, figuring that most people around the world look favourably on Australians, which isn’t always true of our native nationality, American. Although officially we were Australians, spiritually we’d been granted Aussie status in 1989. It was at a backyard barbeque and in many ways it meant as much - and maybe more - than did the town hall ceremony all those years later. Working at The Age newspaper and its associated publishing offshoots, it had been my good fortune to make some great mates, at work and at play. One fine summer day Carol and I hosted a barbeque at the house we rented in Barkly Street, St Kilda. In the backyard was a disused trash burner made of cement blocks, which I fixed up and converted into a barbeque. Now, barbeques were a hotly contested topic among these friends of mine. One of them had built in his backyard what amounted to an outdoor kitchen, complete with a gas line that led from the house to the grill. One of the more dogmatic of our crew refused to acknowledge it as a barbeque - he insisted it be called an “outdoor cooker”. There was also some controversy over whether charcoal briquettes were a legitimate source of barbeque fuel. There was a highly vocal number of our friends who believed the only true Australian barbeque was a metal slab laid on bricks, heated by burning wood - it didn’t matter what kind of wood, old face palings were considered excellent. So when our mates saw our barbeque - a three-sided stack of bricks with a metal plate on top, heated by a flaming pile of wood underneath, they were so overcome that they on the spot declared us to be honorary Australians. Along with understanding local barbequeing customs, a big part of my job in Australian journalism was to learn The Age style - how to spell words such as travelling, not traveling; per cent, not percent; colour, not color; realise, not realize. Australians travel kilometres, weigh kilograms; Americans go miles, weigh pounds. The Age style had a particular prejudice against Americanisms, words and expressions coming from the US and gradually infiltrating Australian English by way of TV and movies. Australians go on holiday, Americans take vacations. Australians fill their vehicles with petrol, not gas (unless they’ve installed conversions). Their cars have boots, bonnets and windscreens. American cars always run on gas (ignoring electric cars), and have trunks, hoods and windshields. If they’re cold, an Australian might wear a jumper. An American would pull on a sweater. In Australia the season after summer is autumn, not fall. Australians might snack on biscuits or sweets, not cookies or candy. There are hundreds of words that could be added to this list, and you don’t need to be a dusty old newspaper journalist to have fun thinking about grouse Aussie phrases. One of my favourites is the word “mate”, which could mean either a pat on the back or a punch in the head. Or what about the different creative ways you can call someone a bastard. After 35 years in Australia, I still sounded like a Yank (asking for a glass of water was so difficult), or, as the esteemed owner/photographer of this august publication calls us, “bloody septics”. But I learned the language and spoke it with pride. It’s this pride that causes me to point out an especially repulsive development seen in recent news reports: people wearing red MAGA caps while demonstrating in Australian city streets in protest against mask and vaccine mandates, with the first “A” now representing Australia, not America. I don’t agree with the protesters but I do recognise their right to do it. But bloody hell people, have some self-respect. MAGA is a stupid slogan created by low people for idiots. Maybe you could repurpose your old slip-slop-slap sun hats. Be creative it’s the Aussie way.

Words: Jeff Glorfeld After many happy years living in Victoria and working at The Age, Jeff Glorfeld went back to California, the land of his birth, where in the past three years he has survived bushfires, snowstorms, Covid-19, and drought. And Trump. The cicadas and locusts didn’t arrive. Well, not yet.

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