Front page: Jackie Airey and Ken Parfrey have called last drinks at the magical Radio Springs Hotel, aka The Centre of the Universe, in Lyonville, after 17 years. Read their story by editor, and long-time patron, Donna Kelly on page 5.
Image: Kyle Barnes
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House.Land.Home.
February 24
Out in time for the Labour Day long weekend. If you are selling houses, land or homes, and are not in this publication, ask your agent "why not?"
The Local is a fortnightly community publication covering the Central Highlands of Victoria.
The next edition is out on Monday, February 10, 2025. or online on Sunday, February 9 at www.tlnews.com.au
Space bookings: Wednesday, February 5
Copy deadline: Thursday, February 6
Editorial deadline: Thursday, February 6
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
Editorial: Eve Lamb on 0493 632 843 or editorial@tlnews.com.au
Sub-editors: Nick Bunning, Lindsay Smith & Chester the Cat
Writers: Eve Lamb, Kevin Childs, Tony Sawrey, Kyle Barnes & Donna Kelly
Photographers: Kyle Barnes & Eve Lamb
Graphic designer: Dianne Caithness
Contributors: Glen Heyne (gardening), Darren Lowe (music), Sarah Lang (recipes), & Bill Wootton (poetry)
Accounts | Julie Hanson Delivery | Tony Sawrey
Hepburn Shire community awards
Hepburn Shire Council announced the recipients of the 2025 Community Awards last Friday, January 24 at a civic event at The Mechanics Trentham.
The awards recognised individuals and community organisations that have made outstanding contributions to the local community.
The event was attended by a number of councillors along with Ballarat MP Catherine King and Ripon MP Martha Haylett. Dja Dja Wurrung Elder Aunty Marilyne Nicholls performed a moving Welcome to Country.
Citizen of the Year was awarded to Steve Ellis, a member of the Creswick CFA for 40 years, for his exceptional community service and volunteer efforts in various local initiatives.
"Steve has over 40 years’ service to the Creswick Fire Brigade with his many leadership roles, CFA and the Running Championships, as well as his service to the football community."
The Event of the Year was awarded to the 160th Anniversary Clunes Show, for its significant impact in celebrating and promoting the region’s heritage and community spirit.
"The Clunes Show has always shown a wonderful exhibition from local and surrounding districts, of stock, machinery and homecraft exhibits, illustrating the abilities and dedication of both the farmers and townspeople to produce only the best products."
Hepburn Together was awarded to the Daylesford and Hepburn United Soccer Club, for fostering inclusivity, team spirit, and youth development in the region through soccer.
"Daylesford and Hepburn United Soccer Club is a 100 per cent not-for-profit community-run sports club with its number one commitment to provide a safe, welcoming and inclusive environment for all members of the Hepburn Shire community."
The civic event also included an Australian citizenship ceremony, with six people becoming citizens. The new citizens hailed from Germany, Philippines, Vietnam, New Zealand and Ireland.
Words & image: Contributed
Former CEO suspended
Former Hepburn Shire Council chief executive officer Aaron van Egmond has been suspended from his positon as CEO of Hobsons Bay City Council.
In a statement released on the Hobsons Bay City Council's Facebook page on Saturday, January 25, Mayor Cr Daria Kellander said:
"Following an unscheduled meeting of council today, Aaron van Egmond has been suspended as CEO of Hobsons Bay Council effective immediately.
"Councillors became aware of concerns about safety in the workplace and the CEO’s fulfilment of his duties more broadly. Councillors take these matters very seriously and have made this decision following thorough and careful consideration, pending further investigations.
"Given the sensitivity of these matters for all concerned, council can make no further comment at this time."
Hobsons Bay City Council's website says Mr van Egmond started his role on June 12, 2018 after six years at Hepburn Shire Council.
"Aaron has been a strong leader in the Victorian local government sector for 15 years. Aaron previously served as CEO of Hepburn Shire Council for six years where he had a strong focus on project delivery, financial sustainability, operational efficiency and occupational health and safety. He also focused on significant improvements in customer service and community engagement."
Words: Donna Kelly | Image: File
From left, Cr Tony Clark, Aunty Marilyne Nicolls, Cr Tim Drylie, Mayor Don Henderson, Cr Shirley Cornish, Cr Pat Hockey, Daylesford and Hepburn United Soccer Club's Kristy Plews & Chris Gingell, Citizen of the Year Steve Ellis, Clunes Show's Jenny Redpath, Ripon MP Martha Haylett and Cr Brian Hood
Last drinks called for Radio Springs Hotel
Radio Springs Hotel has served its last drinks after 17 years providing refreshments, and plenty of bar banter, with locals and visitors alike.
The final day, Sunday, January 26, saw many people make their way to the Lyonville pub to say farewells and reminisce about great times over the years.
The decision to close the doors came after owners Jackie Airey and Ken Parfrey started to think about the next phase of their lives.
"We've been doing it for nearly 17 years now and we felt we might like to move on," Jackie said. "However, on the weekend, two weeks ago, we had a sudden change in our staffing and we thought about it and whether or not we had the energy to recreate what we've got.
"We're pretty picky about our staff so it would take us a while to find the right people and train them up. And we thought, well, would it be right to do that for only a few months, take on new people and all that kind of thing? So we thought maybe we'll just call it now."
Jackie said what the next phase was remained unclear.
"We haven't really had a chance to decide all of that. We'd started thinking about all those alternatives but we hadn't really come to any conclusions yet. And so with this sudden decision to close we'll just wait for the dust to settle and then we'll have a good think.
"We don't want to make a rushed decision, we want to make the right decision."
Jackie said deciding to close came with a sense of freedom but also sadness. "If you could imagine all the possible feelings that anybody could have at this stage, I think Ken and I are feeling all of them. It's very hard to describe, just think of anything and add it in."
Jackie said she and Ken never set out to create something as magical as Radio Springs and being at the "coal face", didn't realise how much it meant to their patrons.
"For us, we just created a place that we would like to go to. We just trusted our sense of this is what we would like a pub to be. But we didn't realise that we're so weird.
"When we first started putting this all together and gathering stuff over our long renovation, we had a chat about what kind of pub are we going to be? And we thought nothing that we do is going to please everybody. And we have to live here.
"We're going to be here 24 seven. And it's going to be our lifestyle as well as anything else. So we had to feel comfortable and happy in it. We knew there would be some people who like it and some people who don't. And that's how it's worked out."
Jackie said their reincarnation of the Lyonville pub came after they bought the propery to live in.
"And then while we were here, people would drop in all the time and ask us when we were going to open the pub and that they needed a pub, there wasn't anything. Back then, that was in 1997, there wasn't anything decent between Woodend and Daylesford.
"That coincided with Ken and I feeling that we didn't necessarily want to stay in the careers that we had for much longer. And so we thought, maybe we'll open it just as a B&B. And then the continued numbers of people who were calling in made us think maybe we'll expand that and open it as a pub. And then people said we need food. So it just really grew like Topsy, it became a bit of a juggernaut in and of itself."
Jackie said while there had been times which had provided challengeslike Covid - overall it had been a great part of their life.
"I met so many people and got to the point where I would get such a kick out of watching people enjoy themselves and listening to laughter and watching people eat and really enjoy their food.
"And there are a lot of people who have, through the hotel, become very good friends of ours who we wouldn't have met otherwise and we wouldn't have been able to welcome into our lives."
And the final word?
"I want to thank all the patrons and customers and all the regulars and all the locals who have supported us over the years. Because really, without all of those people, the pub's just a pub.
"I mean, it's like a theatre or cinema. Unless you've got an audience, it's just celluloid. It's just words in an empty space. You can be as quirky with your decor, as fancy with your food and as comprehensive with your wine list as you like. But if you don't have customers, it's an empty space."
Words: Donna Kelly | Image: Kyle Barnes
Bronwyn
Dr Ashvin
Dr Loshna
Quick go the shears...and those cheeky Undie 500 runners
Clunes Quick Shear promises a day of hot competition in more ways than one.
Staged at the town’s local showgrounds on Saturday, February 22, it draws gun shearers from across the state and much further afield, notably including Kiwi shearers who share a fair bit of healthy rivalry with the Aussies.
And then there’s the Undie 500.
“This year we’re introducing a few new things including a women’s-only shearing category and the females-only Undie 500,” says Jenny Redpath, treasurer of the Clunes and District Young Farmers who run the annual fundraising event.
“We’ve run the open Undie 500 for the past couple of years and we always get a few girls who enter but this year we thought we’d also give a females-only Undie 500 a crack as well, and put up the prize money for it.
“So get your good jocks on and if we can get at least 10 girls we’ll run it. It only costs $5 to enter.
“It’ll be the same course over the (showgrounds) oval covering 500 metres with a few obstacles thrown in like hay bales to get over, and you’ve got to skull a glass of water. It happens after the shearing sashes have been presented, on dusk.”
If that’s not enough to give you your fill of classic country entertainment for the day, there’ll also be a couple of live music acts set to hit the stage when the day’s competition is done and the winners’ spoils awarded.
“We’ve got Billy Menhennet who was on Australian Idol and then we’ve also got the band No Plans on after him,” Jenny says.
As to the (often blisteringly) quick shearing itself, competition categories include novice, intermediate and open divisions as well as this year’s newly added women’s and seniors' (over 50s) divisions.
Shearers race each other against the clock and are also judged on shear cleanliness - with qualifying heats culminating in a three-sheep shear off.
“Because we’ve added a few new things we’ll be opening a bit earlier so we can get cracking,” Jenny says.
“We’ll be opening the gates from 11am and the shearing will get started from 12.
“The prize money is the main drawcard and the chance to win your section. The open section winner gets a perpetual trophy and the Bushy Hill Memorial Shield.”
Now in its ninth year, the Clunes Quick Shear regularly draws around 50 competing shearers including some noted top guns with last year’s reigning open category winner, Caleb Morgan, among those set to return again this year.
“His blistering winning time last year was 24.22 seconds…unbelievably fast. It’s pretty amazing watching them.”
This time the dollars raised will be going to benefit the region’s own Fiona Elsey Cancer Research Institute in Ballarat.
The event is family friendly with entertainment available for the kids and onsite catering including food, coffee and bar. It’s a gold coin donation to get in the gate.
Words: Eve Lamb | Image: Supplied
“Caleb Morgan's blistering winning time last year was 24.22 seconds…unbelievably fast. It’s pretty amazing watching them.”
Over the years it’s been running the Clunes Quick Shear has raised plenty of money for many good causes. Last year it raised $5873 for the Royal Flying Doctor Service.
Clunes to form community advocacy group
Clunes locals are keen to form a new group to ensure the community gets good ongoing benefits from the 330 megawatt Nyaninyuk windfarm proposed for just west of the township.
Acciona is looking to establish the wind farm between Evansford, Clunes and Waubra, on the western side of Mount Beckworth with the proposal now in the planning and approvals phase.
The proposed development is valued at $700 million and projected to generate enough energy to power the equivalent of 210,000 households with the Western Renewables Link power conduit route proposed to pass just south of Clunes.
In recent days Clunes community members, farmers and council representatives were among those who met to discuss the proposed development and ways to ensure the community and landholders can broker the best impact compensation deals.
One of the meeting’s several co-convenors, Malcom Hull says general consensus emerging from the meeting is around the need to form and formalise a group to advocate on behalf of the community and to negotiate with the wind farm’s developers to ensure the community receives ongoing benefits.
“It’s coming and it was started back in John Howard’s day. This isn’t about being pro or anti wind farm. It’s about making sure the community doesn’t get dudded,” Mr Hull said.
He points to impact compensation deals that other communities have negotiated from the establishment of renewable energy projects in their area, as examples of what can be achieved.
“Waubra is getting $90,000 a year for the community,” Mr Hull said.
“Rokewood is getting $230,000 a year and every person who lives in Rokewood (and was living there before the windfarm was established) is getting their power bill paid for the next 25 years.
“We need to formalise an entity that can argue on behalf of the community and it’s up to the community to put thoughts forward as to how money could be spentmaybe a community battery, maybe electric vehicle charger points, maybe money for the CFA …”
David Lawrance of Farm Gate Renewables was among those who attended and spoke at this month’s community meeting.
Mr Lawrance says communities, including landholders, are doing “the heavy lifting” in the clean energy transition and need to be fairly compensated. But he says that if communities like Clunes don’t pro-actively stand together then they risk missing out on getting fair compensation.
“You have a voice in this. You shouldn’t be a silent victim,” Mr Lawrance says.
Farm Gate Renewables operates on a commercial basis, providing consultancy and advocacy to negotiate better ongoing deals for impacted farmers and landholders.
But it also works on a pro bono basis to help communities that are impacted by developments to get the best outcomes they can in terms of fair compensation.
Mr Lawrance says providing legal advice on possible different structures that an effective community advocacy group may be able to adopt is one way that Farm Gate Renewables can assist communities like Clunes.
From here, Mr Hull and fellow co-convenors like Dr Tess Brady, say locals who are interested in being part of the proposed community advocacy group should attend the regular Sunday evening community drinks gatherings that take place at Attitude Clunes.
“If people have got skills, legal skills for example, or any other skills or ideas, we’d be more than happy to hear from them,” Mr Hull said.
Dr Brady says the ongoing Sunday evening community drinks gatherings at Attitude Clunes happen from 5pm (daylight saving hours) with all welcome to attend.
“We are looking closely at other cases, other communities and the kinds of compensation they’ve had,” Dr Brady says.
“It’s pro community and how can we turn this thing into something positive for us. The main aim is to avoid contention and find consensus.
“The big picture here is a redistribution of wealth into the regions. If you add up the amount of compensation around, it’s big dollars.”
Words: Eve Lamb | Image: File
Block Watch
Nine in Six Builders owner Aidan O'Shannessy, working on his 16th season with The Block, says the region is already benefitting economically from the show.
"We've just left Phillip Island where we were very large frequenters of the local restaurants and cafes, largely hospitality-style venues. But we do also like to visit any and all businesses around town - we like to shop as local and be as local as we can."
Aidan said the builders onsite had rented about 14 properties, with most short term B&B rentals. "We are very conscious of trying not to take away from affordable long-term rental properties around town, to leave those properties for people who really need them."
Aidan also said all of his staff and Channel 9 staff received living away from home allowances, along with their wages, so they had money to spend while in town.
"If you are working a 10, 11 or 12-hour day you don't want to worry about having to have a full pantry and cook for yourself all the time, so people have the extra means to be able to go and buy their lunch or dinner or breakfast."
Aidan said currently there were 20 to 40 builders working on the Raglan Street site but once filming started that would swell up to about 200 people.
"We're also very conscious of not bringing everybody we need to do our project in from outside and supporting local trade businesses from the area as much as we can.
"We have already engaged a local plumber from between Ballarat and here. And we're looking at a local roofing contractor and a local painting contractor.
"There's a lot of people that we need to bring with us with the nature of what we do and how we do it but as much as we can we really try to support the local town and local trades and businesses."
Aidan said the builders were getting a great reception from Daylesford.
"We are just getting more and more as we as we get into it. We had one person going to buy shoes coming back saying how lovely the person in there was.
"We we had had great feedback so far and that's pretty common. Often the negative people have the loudest voices but are actually the fewest in number."
said people who watched The Block would have seen him from time to time "normally being grumpy having to fix a problem - but that's life".
"I've been doing this now, working with The Block for about 16 seasons, it's a massive part of our business and a massive part of my family's life for a very long time now."
Cedar & Sage Daylesford co-owner Jilly Howard said the visitors The Block would bring to Daylesford and the wider region could only be a positive thing.
"An increased spend after a tough year or two has to be a good thing, not just for retail but also for hospitality and accommodation," she said.
"If businesses are prospering, they are in a better position to have that flow-on effect to sporting clubs, local community projects and organisations. More money floating around has got to be a positive thing for our town."
Jilly also said, after talking with those involved in former Block programs, the real impact would be when the program goes to air later in the year.
"That is when the visitation will really start and it will also be highlighting our town and region, showing the natural beauty we have, to the wider community of Australia. From a business owner’s point of view, this can only have a positive impact."
Belle Real Estate principal director Will Walton agrees the block is great for the region and especially Daylesford. "The Block is giving us exposure that we have never had before. And we're not paying for it. It's free publicity.
"And once filming starts - it's the highest rated television program in Australia and is syndicated through 125 countries - so we are taking Daylesford to the world.
"And there is a huge, invested fan base and the reality is those people get in a car and come and explore the location of The Block. It is really about to ramp up."
Mr Walton said his sales team was "extremely optimistic regarding the future economic outlook for our region".
"As our Belle Property team is the largest sales team in the Hepburn Shire, meeting more buyers than any other agency, we expect to experience lots of positive impacts from potential buyers curiosity once The Block is aired on television in addition to the exceptionally large Block fan base that will no doubt be keen to explore everything Daylesford and the wider region has to offer."
Words & images: Donna Kelly
Aidan
Who ya gonna call to save the ghost fish?
A farm dam in Central Victoria is playing a leading role in the restoration of a critically endangered fish considered a canary in the climate change coal mine.
The flat-head galaxias is a small-bodied silver fish that was once prevalent across the southern Murray Darling Basin.
Climate change and river regulation has decimated their population over the past 50 years, to the point experts have begun calling them ghost fish.
“Ghost fish rely on connected billabongs and slow-flowing creeks and rivers to get where they need to go. Climate change means hotter and drier conditions and more intense rainfall events, the total opposite to that,” North Central Catchment Management Authority project manager Peter Rose, pictured, said.
“Ghost fish were declared extinct in New South Wales and South Australia, and up until recently we weren’t sure whether or not they were extinct in Victoria.
“The Arthur Rylah Institute surveyed 60 sites in 2022 and found four populations in north-east Victoria and since then have been working with a range of partners to bring them back.
“We put about 50 adults into a dam near Castlemaine in March, and we have been monitoring them ever since.”
Dr Rose said ghost fish have struggled to breed in captivity, so he wasn’t sure how successful the Faraday site would be.
“We went back in November and were very excited with what we found,” he said.
“We managed to capture about 50 juvenile fish, which means they have been breeding successfully.
“This is great news, because we can now start harvesting them with a goal of repopulating natural wetlands and breeding them up in other dams.”
The ghost fish project is part of the CMA’s Native Fish Recovery Program, a key plank in the organisation’s work to protect communities, economies, and native plants and animals from the impacts of climate change.
The Faraday work is funded by the state government’s Nature Fund, established to support high impact projects that deliver on the goals of Biodiversity 2037. Words & image: Contributed
Library hours change
As part of Hepburn Shire Council's budget savings measures, Trentham and Clunes libraries will no longer open to the public on Saturday mornings from March.
Acting Council CEO Bruce Lucas said that the decision to not open the two libraries on Saturday mornings was made after careful consideration of usage and borrowing rates, and aimed to minimise disruption to the community.
"As we worked on developing our Financial Vision, we carefully examined each Council service to identify potential efficiencies. As we move forward with this effort, we expect to make ongoing adjustments to our services to ensure they are more efficient and cost-effective for our community.
"The adjustments we’re making to our library operations will allow us to operate more efficiently and offer services in a cost-effective manner, focusing on peak demand times. Saturday mornings are our least busy times at our Trentham and Clunes sites.”
Council will continue to have two libraries open to the public on Saturday mornings at Daylesford and Creswick.
Meanwhile, the council has received a grant to expand community access to its four libraries beyond opening hours through the Open Access Libraries initiative, which allows library members to upgrade their membership to access library buildings beyond regular opening hours in the absence of onsite staff.
“This initiative supports our community to utilise their local library at a time that suits them most. It aims to increase their opportunities to learn and share knowledge,” Mr Lucas said.
“The extended hours will suit families to come and enjoy their love of reading, students to study, and our community to access knowledge and learning outside our regular library hours.”
Council will roll out Open Access Libraries from March starting with the Trentham library, and then introduce the program at Clunes, Creswick and Daylesford.
Library members will be invited to participate in a comprehensive induction program to upgrade their library membership. This will grant them exclusive access to facilities during non-operational hours, from 8am to 8pm, seven days per week, including public holidays.
PUBLIC NOTICE
Notice is hereby given that the dates for the Ordinary Meetings of Council scheduled for April and July 2025, have been amended and will now be held on:
• Tuesday 29 April 2025 commencing at 6:00pm
• Tuesday 29 July 2025 commencing at 6:00pm
These meetings will be held in the Council Chamber, 24 Vincent Street Daylesford, and the public are able to attend in person and or virtually via the live stream on Council’s YouTube site.
This amendment to the Ordinary Meetings of Council schedule has been advertised pursuant to Council’s Governance Rules 2022.
Enquiries: Manager Governance and Risk –03 5321 6434.
Region’s farmer hopes pinned on autumn rain
The region’s farmers are hoping for a good autumn break with decent rainfall following a year of well below-average rain.
An analysis of 2024 rainfall data from almost 200 Bureau of Meteorology weather stations right across Australia shows that Ballarat was Victoria’s driest centre for the past year, having received 442mm - or equivalent to just 64 per cent of its annual average rainfall.
The BOM’s data analysis shows that the next driest centre for the past year was Stawell (339mm or 72 per cent of its annual average) and then Horsham (266 or 73 per cent of its annual average).
Farmers like John Drife, whose family has been farming for many generations at Glendaruel, just south west of Clunes, says last year’s lower than average rainfall significantly impacted the amount of hay that was cut and baled on his property.
However, it was a mixed bag with some good outcomes for his grain crops of canola and wheat - both of which served to compensate John, and quite a few of the region’s farmers, for the lower-than-average hay yield.
“We were short on rainfall right through spring so our hay paddocks produced about a quarter to a third of what they should produce - about two rolls to the acre when it should have been about six to the acre,” John says.
With his below-average hay yield now shedded, John’s been busy in recent days getting the last of his large round straw bales, made from the past season’s wheat stalks (remaining after the wheat grain has been harvested from them), out of the paddocks.
“It’s been a pretty evaporative summer so far,” he says.
“We’re feeding stock at the moment every day and we don’t normally start until February. We are looking for a good autumn break (with rainfall) in early April.”
Clunes farmer Malcolm Hull says the availability of on-farm water is now becoming a real issue especially for local farmers who rely solely on dams.
“The dams are very low now. Water is the issue.”
Malcolm says his barley crop of 2024 was saved “by the skin of the teeth” by rainfall that arrived in late October-early November.
“I’ve kept some grain back still sitting in the silo knowing we will more than likely need this before the autumn break,” he says.
“The stock are nibbling their way through hay very quickly and I suspect we will have to buy some in. We didn’t have such a great spring and now with this hot dry summer the stock are cleaning the paddocks out.”
A little to the east, Ullina farmer Tim Barry is planning to start drysowing up to 900 acres of grain crops once again, from April.
“There is no real subsoil moisture at the moment so we will need good autumn rain to get up and growing,” Tim says.
“We will dry sow starting about April 14 with canola, and then we’ll sow wheat in early May. We’ll also be looking at sowing some oats as well which are milled locally at UniGrain at Smeaton.
“Last year the last rain was the difference between a terrible year and a reasonable one. Our cereal hay was still quite good but grass hay was nearly non-existent.”
Words and image: Eve Lamb
Fifth generation Glendaruel farmer, John Drife, with the last of his straw bales to be brought in from the paddocks - local farmers are now hoping for a good autumn break following a drier than average year during 2024
“The stock are nibbling their way through hay very quickly and I suspect we will have to buy some in. We didn’t have such a great spring and now with this hot dry summer the stock are cleaning the paddocks out.”
- Farmer Malcolm Hull
Just briefly...
Agriculture Victoria is inviting farm business owners and managers to take part in a free online business program.
The program supports farmers to build on their knowledge and skills to strengthen their farm business and be better equipped to manage the risks associated with a variable climate. It runs for six weeks from February. Contact Sarah Clack on 0417 316 345 or at sarah.clack@agriculture.vic.gov.au
Central Highlands Water has options available to help customers manage their water bills and has doubled the amount of financial assistance available to customers to $2.5 million.
Customer and Business Services general manager Philippa O’Sullivan said people across the Central Highlands region were facing difficulties covering their bills, some for the first time. “Our Customer Assistance team provide our customers with confidential, caring and individualised support, helping them to develop a straightforward approach to managing their bills.”
CresFest has received $17,600 for The Rhythms of Africa – An Extravaganza which will form an integral part of the festival’s Saturday afternoon program.
Imagined and developed by musician Stella Savy and master drummer Kofi Kunkpe, the presentation will take over the buildings and main rotunda in Creswick in April with drummers, dancers and audience members joining in. Catherine King MP said CresFest’s amazing blend of local, national and international acts had led it to achieve a stellar reputation in its short history.
The Trentham Easter Art and Craft Show is back for 2025 and will be held at The Mechanics Trentham from April 17 to 21.
Entries are now open for art: oil, acrylic, watercolour, pencil, charcoal, pastel, ink, photography and digital design; and craft: knitting, crochet, macrame, embroidery, textile, patchwork, cross stitch, tapestry, weaving, lace/tatting, glasswork, leatherwork, metalwork, ceramics, basketry, jewellery and sculpture. Link: www.teacs.org.au
The Lyonville Woodchop will take place Saturday, February 1 from 10.30am at the Lyonville Hall.
The event will provide a showcase for the prowess of local and visiting axewielders and the hammer-hefting ladies at the nail drive competition. Proceeds go towards the hall's maintenance. Entry is $5 per adult, children free.
Details: Vicki on 0438 178 150.
Council news
Council
COMMUNITY AWARD WINNERS
Council is proud to announce the recipients of the 2025 Community Awards, recognising individuals and community organisations that have made outstanding contributions to the local community.
The winners were announced at a civic event at The Mechanics Trentham on Friday, 24 January.
• Citizen of the Year - Steve Ellis, for his exceptional community service and volunteer efforts in various local initiatives.
• Event of the Year - 160th Anniversary Clunes Show, for its significant impact in celebrating and promoting the region’s heritage and community spirit.
• Hepburn Together - Daylesford and Hepburn United Soccer Club, for fostering inclusivity, team spirit, and youth development in the region through soccer
The civic event also included an Australian citizenship ceremony, with six people becoming citizens. The new citizens hailed from Germany, Philippines, Vietnam, New Zealand and Ireland.
LISTENING POST EVENTS
We will be hosting a series of Listening Post events throughout 2025, aimed at strengthening communication and engagement with the community. The events will be held in major townships as well as smaller communities, with the opportunity for residents to share their ideas, provide feedback on services, and discuss matters that are important to them.
As part of the initiative, senior Council staff and Councillors will be attending local community spaces throughout the year.
The first three Listening Posts scheduled are:
• Saturday 15 February - Creswick IGA, 10am to 12pm
• Thursday 27 March - Daylesford Coles, 4pm to 6pm
• Saturday 3 May - Trentham Spudfest, 10am to 12pm
Details of other Listening Post events, including dates and locations, will be made available on our website – www.hepburn.vic.gov.au/listening-posts
GRANT OPPORTUNITIES
Council’s Community Grants Program supporting community-based projects and initiatives will close on 31 January. These grants enhance the social, environmental and economic life of Hepburn Shire
Meanwhile, Council’s Biodiversity Grants and Sustainable Hepburn Grants open for applications on 3 February.
The Sustainable Hepburn Grants Program supports community-based projects and initiatives that aim to reduce future impacts of climate change and promote or establish circular economy focused programs, while Biodiversity Grants support community driven biodiversity initiatives. Applications close on 16 March and announcements will be made about successful recipients in April.
For more information regarding Council’s grants program visit www.hepburn.vic.gov.au/grants. To discuss a project idea contact grants@hepburn.vic.gov.au
EAT | DRINK | ENJOY
Out & About in the Central Highlands
Creswick community meets to tackle crime
‘Standing room only’ is the way a meeting held in Creswick this month to discuss local concerns about crime - and try to find solutions - has been described.
An estimated 130 to 150 local residents gathered at the town's senior citizens rooms and met with police after a perceived rise in crime in the town has left many residents deeply concerned and fed up.
Social media posts had triggered a community discussion about crime, with residents sharing phone and CCTV footage of individuals in the act of casing parked cars after dark and hooning around the town.
Police say the stats show the area’s crime rate has actually decreased since 2016-17, many locals say they’re extremely fed up with what they’re seeing.
Theft of private and public property - ranging from cars to copper piping and even water meters - property damage, and burglary of local businesses are among the many recent complaints from the wider Creswick-Clunes area.
In an effort to help tackle the issue, Hepburn shire mayor and Creswick local Cr Don Henderson convened this month’s public meeting, with local police and Member for Ripon Martha Haylett attending.
Cr Henderson says the meeting was constructive, allowing locals a chance to voice their concerns and experiences. He says the formation of a taskforce bringing together police, local government and support services, is now a priority.
“It was positive. It highlighted to police and to Martha that we want something done,” Cr Henderson said.
“A taskforce needs to be set up and people want it to happen reasonably quickly.
“We need to tackle it as a community. There are a lot of families that are very financially stressed, a lot of desperation, a lot of drug issues and a lot of mental health issues.
“We want to provide a safety net for people who genuinely need help. The idea of a taskforce is not just to catch the crooks but also to provide some answers to the social problems.”
Cr Henderson also believes the meeting resulted in residents gaining useful insights into how policing in Creswick and across the wider region operates, increasing community confidence around reporting crime, and about their ability to obtain police attendance if required, at any hour.
Creswick’s Acting Sergeant Marley Mookhoek, who attended, also rates the meeting as positive.
He said that while the town’s station operates on 16-hour shift rosters, the community does have police coverage 24 hours a day.
“A main concern of the community was that we are not a 24-hour station but we do have 24-hour coverage in this area. We have units from Ballarat and Bacchus Marsh patrolling this area.
“Right now we’ve got six members (stationed at Creswick) which I believe is the most this station has ever had - and another one is gazetted.
“I think that the meeting was great for the community to have a talk about what they want to have addressed - a bigger emphasis on hoon behaviour and a bigger emphasis on opportunistic crime.”
Acting Inspector Mookhoek said a weekend State Highway Patrol road blitz in the area had immediately followed the meeting and recorded strong results.
“As a result of the operation two motorists were caught driving under the influence of drugs, one drink driver was charged, three lost their licences due to excess speed, and we also impounded a car in Creswick yesterday (last Wednesday, January 22).
“That vehicle was unregistered and was being driven by a 17-year-old driver who was unlicenced. And that State Highway Patrol operation is ongoing.”
Acting Sergeant Mookhoek said much of the crime that has been occurring locally is opportunistic, involving properties or cars that have been left unlocked. He urged locals to ensure they lock their houses, garages and cars.
“Most of the offences that are getting reported to us are opportunistic thefts. Seven out of 10 burglaries in Creswick involve houses being unlocked.
“I just want the community to know that we are here and very enthusiastic about doing the best we can in helping the community.”
Ripon MP Martha Haylett, who attended the meeting, says she has raised the issue with Police Minister Anthony Carbines.
“A lot of great ideas were shared about how we can better address crime locally,” Ms Haylett said in a social media post following the meeting.
“I have invited the Police Minister to visit and talk through options, and will keep the community updated on next steps.
“Any victim of crime is one too many and our community deserves to feel safe.”
Words & image: Eve Lamb
Creswick-based Victoria Police members, from left, Acting Sergeant Marley Mookhoek, Senior Constable Josh Courtney, Senior Constable Joshua Crawford, LSC Trevor Stephenson and Clunes-based LSC Simon Barker
Artists of the Central Highlands with Eve Lamb
Clunes’ Christine Lethlean is renowned for her beautiful textile work and well known through her role as a textiles art tutor and regional co-ordinator for the biennial Textile Palette exhibition held at Clunes’ Warehouse. But this talented 3D conceptual artist is equally at home working with media spanning print, sculpture, paint and lead to create works that constantly push her own creative boundaries in a quest to elicit in others a desire to look more closely.
Eve: Hi Christine, what are you working on there?
Christine: This sculpture is a 3D depiction of my own hands. I’m using papiermache and I will paint it and then add a rust treatment so that it looks metallic.
Eve: Once it’s completed will it be able to be displayed outdoors?
Christine: Yes. It will be suitable for display outdoors. Right now I’m doing the undercoat. I’m aiming to capture all the imperfections of my own hands, things like wrinkles and sunspots.
Over the past 22 months I have been creating work focusing on the ageing woman, body shape, and the concept of letting go of what was and moving into what is. Work I have produced as part of this project was exhibited in several different exhibitions last year including at the fortyfivedownstairs gallery in Melbourne and at Oxygen College in Ballarat, and I’m continuing with this project.
Eve: What sort of work has this ongoing project included so far?
Christine: It has included making a full-scale cast of my own body, working predominantly in papier-mache using layers and layers of tissue paper, but also using electrical duct tape and plaster cast. It’s my first ever full-scale life-sized sculpture. It’s called How Did I Get Here? and it’s concerned with the issue of homelessness that’s impacting more and more middle-aged and older women in our community.
My daughters, who are both creative, have helped me with this project by taking photos of me because the work is based on my body. The girls take the photos of me and then I work it up.
But I’m also working with textiles, painting - I prefer acrylics, printing, graphite and charcoal for drawing. All of what I use in my work is recycled.
Eve: Do you have any special events or exhibitions coming up?
Christine: Yes. I will have work in a show called Threaded that will be running for three weeks at Caelene Nee Glen Gallery in Brighton opening February 20. It runs to March 9. I will probably have six or seven pieces in that, predominantly textiles. It will involve four textile artists. Three of us are from regional Victoria and one is from Melbourne.
Eve: Do you have any preferred subject matter?
Christine: Portraiture, landscape, even abstract. But I also do a lot of still-life. Still-life but really moody…
Eve: Have you ever worked in any other field?
Christine: Yes. In a former life I was a health professional, a registered nurse. I was brought up on a farm in Western Australia’s eastern wheatbelt. We learned how to make something out of nothing. I’ve always had an eye for aesthetics. I’m very privileged now but I’ve had a difficult and challenging life.
Eve: What area of nursing have you worked in?
Christine: Aboriginal health, mental health, drugs and alcohol. I’ve learnt to walk with people.
Eve: And you teach art as well don’t you?
Christine: Yes I teach people how to create a masterful art piece using textiles and scraps. I have my studio here in Clunes where I teach on Mondays and Wednesdays, and I also really like to regularly invite guest artists in for special workshops as well. Every January I do printing classes - woodcut, linocut, monotype printing.
But I also teach all over the place. This year I’ll be teaching in Melbourne, Ballan, Broken Hill, Adelaide, Mildura, probably Geelong…
I do like to teach. I think curiosity is a quality that is so underrated. When something is giving you the shits you’ve got to get to a space where if something hasn’t worked you just ask ‘well, what happens if I do that instead?’.
I’m always working on projects that stress the shit out of me. But you’ve got to make mistakes because it pushes you into new parameters.
Glen's Garden
We live in a house of many guises - beginning as two goldmine offices in Doctors Gully, Hepburn Springs before being hauled onto logs by a team of horses to become the basis of a family cottage, after the closure of the mine sometime in the early 1900s.
Those early pioneers must have been avid gardeners judging by the selection of beautiful century-old trees and shrubs and traces of rock walls they left for us to build upon.
We thank them, almost daily, as we are greeted by an ever-increasing variety of insect-eating and nectarsipping feathered friends, who daily visit our bird bath and seed feeders unknowingly helping us in our garden by pollinating our fruit and feasting on many of the insect and grub invaders.
Among the regular feathered visitors are a couple of king parrots and a pair of gang-gang cockatoos, who stop over on their yearly pilgrimage to feed on our ash trees. One particular king parrot pair now have the cheek to land on our balcony and herald their arrival.
Last year the male left the others, came up and fed from my hand, while the female wavered in the distance. So I’m hoping she will have the courage to accompany him all the way this year.
Your garden questions answered!
Simply email your enquiry to: Garden queries c/o glenzgarden@gmail.com
You should see your answer in the next edition of The Local
Q: A struggling liquidambar
I shall be grateful for your advice on a suitable replacement for a variegated liquidambar we planted in our north-facing lawn last spring. It seems to be suffering from wind burn as the leaves are turning black at the edges.
We plan to shift it to a more sheltered spot at an appropriate time and replace it with a more sturdy one once it has shed its leaves in winter. Perhaps the blackened leaves could be caused by overhead watering and strong winds. Sarah, Creswick
A: You have answered your own question when you say “perhaps it had too much water!” Especially if it’s mostly on the foliage. With your young liquidamber surrounded by lawn and, more than likely, nearby tree roots it would be unlikely to get its fair share.
I would suggest that you should leave things as they are until late autumn when deciduous trees are bare and the soil super moist. You can then carefully lift your liquidambar and replant it in a new shady non-north facing plot.
As for a replacement I would suggest you would do very well with the bronze leaf “smoke bush” (cotinus coggygria) which is a large shrub/small tree with large olive green leaves which turn bronze to purple in autumn.
Q:. I have a lot of red gum seeds that have fallen off the tree and still remain in the pod. Some are open but most are still closed. How can I get them out without damaging them? Ray, Woodend
A: The best way of opening the pods would be to place them in a dry box with a layer of dry sand on the bottom and leave them in the sun. They should soon dry out and open of their own accord.
Ageing DisGracefully members, including Max Primmer, get together at the Daylesford Mill Markets cafe on Thursdays at 11am. All welcome. For information email ageingdis3461@gmail.com, call 0427 131 249 or head to the Ageing DisGracefully Facebook page.
Ageing DisGracefully is an initiative of Hepburn House.
9pm
Rump Steak with rocket, parmesan and vincotta
BY SARAH LANG
This is a really simple recipe that takes no time to prepare or cook and is absolutely wonderful way to showcase our Greenhills Natural Rump. One steak is usually more than enough for 2 people, but you can increase the quantities to feed more. The simple bed of rocket leaves makes it a great dish to share on hot summer evenings or a weekend lunch with friends.
Rump steak, about 4-5cm thick
3 Garlic cloves, smashed 5-6 sprigs fresh thyme
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Butter – about 3 cubes/2tbsp
Fresh rocket leaves (wild rocket leaves have a lovely peppery zing)
Large piece of Parmigiano Reggiano Vincotto
Allow the rump steak to sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes this allows the meat to cook more evenly as it is no longer cold in parts, then pat dry with a paper towel before seasoning. Rub olive oil into the meat and season the well with good quality salt flakes and freshly ground pepper.
Heat a heavy-bottom fry pan until smoking point. Sear the steak for 2-3 minutes on one side. Then, as you turn the steak over, add the butter, smashed garlic and thyme. As you are cooking the second side, use a spoon to baste the butter over the steak.
Render any fat on the side of the steak for around 1 minute by holding the steak on its side to cook down the fat on the edge of the piece of rump steak.
Remove the steak from the heat and rest for 5-10 minutes on a warmed plate or wooden board, loosely covered in foil. This allows the delicious juice to stay inside the steak and create a moist, decadent mouthful.
Arrange the rocket on a serving dish and season with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Cut the steak into thick slices, about 2 cm, and place them on the rocket bed. Use a peeler to shave Parmigiano onto the meat. Drizzle with vincotta.
For more recipes, head to daylesfordmeatco.com.au
THIS WEEKS SPECIALS - FROM OUR FARM TO YOUR TABLE
GREENHILLS LAMB LOIN CHOPS
$28.99 KG
These chops are cut nice and thick. The same cut as a T-Bone, they contain the loin and fillet either side of the central bone with a layer of fat running down one side. From our own farm in nearby Malmsbury, you’ll be hard pressed to find a better lamb chop.
GREENHILLS NATURAL WHOLE 4KG RUMP
$99
Rump is a hardworking muscle, but this means that it has bangs of flavour. From quick stir-fry’s to slow cooked goulash, Vietnamese pho, Brazilian picanha, or just a great steak on the bbq, there is no better value than to buy the whole rump - we will even cut it into steaks at the thickness of your choosing! Amazing value for premium grass-fed beef. Visit daylesfordmeatco.com.au/rump for great recipes!
GREAT AUSSIE MATES LAMB BOX
2kg butterflied leg of lamb
12 lamb herb & garlic sausages
12 lamb rosemary & mint sausages
12 lamb burgers
$249
1 kg lamb kofta
1 bottle Passing Clouds Shiraz
1 bottle Passing Clouds Pinot Noir
WE WILL BE CLOSED ON MONDAY 27 JANUARY TO OBSERVE THE AUSTRALIA DAY PUBLIC HOLIDAY. OPEN SAT 7AM-1PM & SUN 10AM-3PM AS NORMAL.
How Clochemerle came to Daylesford
Who are the people behind the redevelopment of Phoenix Cinema at The Rex?
For Jules McDonald this all began when she was a small child. She saw Bambi with her parents in their hometown, Meeniyan, near Fish Creek in South Gippsland.
“It was very exciting going to see a movie,” she remembers. “There was a huge screen and the kids sat down the front. As I was quite little, I had to have a sleep in the afternoon before going.”
Then there was boarding school where films were the Saturday night entertainment, everyone looked forward to. Classics such as The Importance of Being Earnest, helped form her enthusiasm which was furthered by frequenting Carlton’s storied 'Bughouse' cinema and the Australian Film Festival at the Longford cinema in South Yarra. Since moving to Daylesford 35 years ago, Jules looks forward to trips to Melbourne which usually include a movie at Westgarth or Nova cinemas.
More for young people
While working as a social worker with Child and Family Services Daylesford she became aware of the lack of social and cultural opportunities for young people in town. Then as a youth development officer with the Hepburn Shire Council around 2003, Jules gathered some young people together and they spent a weekend imagining what they would like Daylesford to be for young people.
“The young people wanted to transform The Rex from being a bargain basement shop back to being a cinema with associated activities. They envisaged a bowling alley, shops and a restaurant that would also offer hospitality training. There were also to be spaces available to lease as shops.
“The owner of the building was interested and wanted to make a sizeable donation.” During school holidays 10 students went to see cinemas around Victoria and New South Wales, returning inspired.
New designs
Student Michael Huggard drew up a plan for the cinema building, bowling alley, hospitality hub and shops. Richard Spence, a local businessman, helped the group develop a business plan.
Council support was needed for the plan as funding was to be sought for the education and training opportunities envisaged. But the council did not provide this support, which was a devastating blow to the group and the plans could not go ahead. The skatepark that was envisaged and designed by young people went ahead together with several successful “Small Day Out” youth festivals.
The cinema development plan came to life again in 2015 when Loretta Little, a local community activist, decided to get a group together and raise money to kick it off. Linda Carroll became the first president of the community-run cinema and later Gina Lyons took over.
Gina, described by Jules as a “powerhouse,” did a fantastic job of running the cinema helped by a wonderful committee and great group of volunteers, from 2015 to 2018. While paying a commercial rent the cinema was able to make a respectable profit.
Down the drain
All went well until the fateful council decision to buy the property for its offices and a public lavatory (readers may know of Clochemerle, the satirical French novel about the furore when a mayor wants to put a public urinal in the middle of town, next to the church). In Daylesford 1000 people signed a petition calling for the return of the cinema.
The council realised its mistake and committed to building a new cinema upstairs in The Rex. The council demolished the old cinema and built the shell of a new cinema upstairs. But this work stopped when costs blew out and the council then decided to sell the building.
As the cinema had no home in the foreseeable future, the committee sold equipment that was likely to be outdated and kept what could be safely stored at no cost. The seats were sold because storage would have been expensive. Because many seats had been bought by community members their name plaques have been retained so that they can go on new seats when the cinema reopens. Money from sale of property went to the cinema bank account.
The future
That was then. Now, heading the Daylesford Cinema Group, Jules is energetically leading the campaign to bring back the much-loved cinema in The Rex. A public meeting led to community consultation and the formation of a new committee to restore cinema to Daylesford.
The committee explored potential sites for the cinema but concluded that the only appropriate site and the natural home for the cinema is The Rex. The Comelli and Bromley families, as new owners of the building, are open to a cinema development using the cinema shell built upstairs by the council. The committee encouraged several commercial cinema developers to submit expressions of interest, but the size of the population meant that this was not commercially viable.
Chris Jones, a Ballarat cinema enthusiast who has developed several commercial cinemas, encouraged the committee to pursue the project on a community-run basis and has provided generous help and support.
Following a successful negotiation with the new owners of the building, a campaign began, seeking volunteers and funding. “There has been a great response from a wide range of highly skilled people, with different teams now hard at it.”
This is the first in a contributed series on people behind the campaign to bring back The Rex.
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.
Hepburn Wildlife News with Marita McGuirk
On a hot day in January, a bushwalker was enjoying a walk along one of the Hepburn Shire tracks when he saw a koala sitting at the base of a tree. It was mid-afternoon, an unusual time to see a koala on the ground, as they are nocturnal and usually stay in their tree and sleep throughout the day.
So, he went over to see if the koala was hurt. It was a large animal, panting rapidly and clearly unwell. A healthy koala would quickly try to get away from an approaching human by climbing the nearest tree, but this koala remained sitting.
As the bushwalker was concerned for the koala’s safety he phoned the Hepburn Wildlife Shelter.
Trevor, a wildlife rescuer, was contacted to go and pick up the koala. This meant walking for an hour to the site where the koala was located, and then carefully picking up the koala and carrying it for an hour back along the track.
This was no small effort as it was a large male. Rescuing a koala is a specialised task as they have very strong sharp claws, and a frightened animal can bite.
Trevor is very experienced and was able to pick up the large koala and carry him for an hour back to his car and then on to the shelter.
At the shelter Jon Rowdon had to clear out an enclosure for the koala, meanwhile Gayle Chappell conducted a health assessment and concluded that the koala was very dehydrated and possibly blind in one eye.
Gayle put the koala into the ICU and gave him rehydration fluids. The koala spent the night in the ICU, where his condition was closely monitored, and the following day he was moved to his enclosure to recuperate.
Gayle is hoping to get an animal eye specialist to come and assess the koala’s damaged eye and, in the meantime, it is in safe hands.
Marita McGuirk is a field ecologist and environmental scientist, and a volunteer at the Hepburn Wildlife Shelter. Marita will write monthly columns about the shelter and the animals it cares for. If you would like to donate or volunteer, or just for more information, head to www.hepburnwildlifeshelter.org
Gig Guide with Darren Lowe Festivals & more...
Theatre Royal, Castlemaine
Trophy Eyes: Summer in Slow Motion with special guests Bloom - Thursday, January 30
Pierce Brothers: The Night Tree 10-Year Anniversary Tour with special guest Flynn Gurry - Friday, January 31
Adam Harvey: Let The Song Take You Home with special guest Denvah - Friday, February 7
10 years of Tom: Tom Waits, pictured, tribute night with special guests Dave Graney, Lachlan Bryan, Brooke Taylor, Delsinki and Maggie Alley - Saturday, February 8
Reputation: The Ultimate Taylor Swift Show - Sunday, February 9
Kim Churchill: It's Lovely To Have You Here - Friday, February 14
Bic Runga (NZ) - Saturday, February 15
Daylesford Hotel, Daylesford
Family Farm - Saturday, January 25, 2pm - 4pm, free event (pictured below)
Late Night Radio - Saturday, February 1, 2pm - 4pm, free event
The Martini Set - Saturday, February 8, 2pm - 4pm, free event
Vida Jazz Trio - Saturday, February 15, 2pm - 4pm, free Event
Dolly's Disco Bingo - Thursday, February 20, 6.30pm-8,30pm, free event
Emily Grant - Saturday, February 22, 2pm - 4pm , free event
Festival of Small Halls has announced the 44th edition of its touring project will feature Lucy Farrell and Hat Fitz and Cara on the Autumn Tour 2025: Port Fairy Folk Festival to Regional Victoria.
Presented by veteran festival producers Woodfordia, the tour will return to halls and visit new communities across Victoria, including a quick dip over into New South Wales.
These stalwarts of community life have been drawn from across the rich and diverse landscapes of the state. Halls of all shapes and sizes will throw open their doors, from the Victorian Alps to the natural mineral springs of the Central Highlands, down to coastal Gippsland, taking in the greatness of the state as it goes.
Famous for their larger-than-life folk festivals over the last two decades, Woodfordia presents a program for their core base and new fans alike with longtime audience favourites Hat Fitz and Cara, pictured, and UK-come-Canada songwriter Lucy Farrell.
“I am so excited to return to Small Halls Australia, to explore more of the country through these beautiful halls and the communities behind them,” Lucy said.
Hat Fitz and Cara are also gearing up for a great month, saying “we are rapt, chuffed and tickled to be welcomed back into your communities and to share our new songs and stories beneath the roofs of your beautiful Small Halls”.
Festival of Small Halls Autumn Tour 2025 starts at the Ballan Neighbourhood Centre on March 5 before heading to 16 other communities across Victoria including Bullarto Hall on March 26 and Newham Mechanics on March 27.
Tickets: www.festivalofsmallhalls.com
Sunset in the Springs is being presented by Hepburn Shire on Friday, February 14 and Friday, February 21.
The concerts are family friendly, free and will be held at the Hepburn Springs Mineral Reserve from 5pm to 7.30pm.
There will be food from the Cooked van and the pavilion will be open with ice creams and milkshakes, tea and coffee. There's also face painting and games.
Bring a picnic or just come down to eat, relax and enjoy with music from incredible bands and local musicians.
The line up for February 14 is Sasha, Dayfever, pictured above, and The Stamps, pictured below, and for February 21 it's Stevie and Arlo, Milk Punch and Pyrex Duo.
The Glenlyon Progress Association presents the first of its Music at the Hall with UK duo Dan Webster and Emily Lawler on Saturday, February 8.
Dan and Emily bring to the stage a unique blend of country/Americana fused with folk and roots from both sides of the Atlantic – 'Anglicana', it has been called.
With a combination of distinctive warm and powerful vocals and guitar interlaced with a dexterous meld of celtic- and country-style fiddling and beautiful harmonies, their last two Australian tours captivated folkies and country fans alike through upbeat energising tunes and introspective ballads – they cannot wait to be back again.
Doors open at 6pm with music from the Glenlyon Ukelele Group starting at 7pm.
Tickets are $30 plus a booking fee. Food and drink available for purchase with complimentary tea and coffee.
All profits go towards "enahancing the hall experience".
Details: Bronwyn at bronwynjr@icloud.com or 0409 400 281. There are limited seats available so pre-booking is recommended.
Got some music news to share? Email donna@tlnews.com.au
Kyle’s Rant
Mostly I charge my Tesla at home with a normal 10-amp plug, which means I wake up in the morning with a full tank. That way I am ready to traverse the plethora of potholes we refer to as roads around the Hepburn Shire.
But I got caught short a little the other day and found myself at the Daylesford Town Hall’s charger. I guess I should have picked up on the clue, which was the spider webs around the handle of the charger, meaning no one had been there for a while. It clearly wasn’t working and on further investigation it had been dead the whole time, well before Christmas right through to mid-January.
While parked in the non-operational charging bay I noticed that out from under the barrier around the Town Hall renovations white liquid with paint flakes was pouring all over the footpath and flowing into the drains. It was clearly coming from the works behind the screen and my guess was they were water blasting the paint off.
And although on mere battery fumes I thought it my civic duty to report it to the council. To council's credit the fix was almost immediate, in the form of a guy with a hose blasting away the evidence into the drains. WTF…
Now the only other charger in the immediate area is at the Hepburn Mineral Springs Reserve, which has two charging stalls but only one fitting suitable for a Tesla. So I limped along, by this time on four per cent battery capacity. Luckily, a fellow who had just plugged in and was about to enjoy a two-hour treatment at the Bathhouse, gave me his spot. Thank you kind sir.
I bought the Tesla before Elon turned into even a bigger wanker than he was by joining Trump and making a Nazi salute at the president's inauguration last Monday. But I do think there is noticeably a lot more electric and hybrid cars on the road. In fact, over 120,000 EVs or non-ICE (internal combustion engine) cars were purchased by Australians last year.
Surely it’s time to do a bit better around the Hepburn Shire, where even in terms of tourists trying to come for a holiday, range anxiety is a huge issue.
We have the land and I am sure there are a lot of grants around; besides tourism is a huge economic driver and our local economy is flailing. For those in the world of EVs, charging is everything, destination charges such as the 50 amp at the bathhouse or the one in the main street of Daylesford (which doesn’t even rate a mention on the Plugshare app) are okay if you are having a bit of lunch and you plan to be at a place for two to three hours.
But we need a bank of serious superchargers somewhere in the Hepburn Shire, ones that deliver 250–500 watts for a full charge in 20 minutes.
We need this infrastructure not only so we can embrace the change to electric and give locals choice as to what cars they have. We also need this infrastructure to literally drive tourists up here. I feel like all the amazing work that has been done by local businesses and various tourist affiliations over the years to create our village destinations will go to waste if we don’t keep up. EV rant over…
Local Lines
the dead
all that proximity once so available now so fled
the dead don’t so much shift to some other plateau as ghost our steps, blunder into our dreams you never know
turning a corner of thought when they might tap us on the shoulder or toy with our heads
- Bill Wootton
Bill gets tapped on the shoulder increasingly often these days.
Local Lines features poetry by locals about local and any other matters. Please submit poems to Bill Wootton at cottlesbreedge@gmail.com
Want to contribute to quality journalism or see more cute dogs?
Hey! I’m Vinnie and I’m the sweetest pooch, friendly and extremely affectionate. I’m a seven-year-old black and tan Dobermann. I behave well inside the home and walk very well on harness. I have an increasing grasp of commands.
I need a home with sturdy fencing and am best suited to a home with a person present for at least part of each day. I’m an only pet, oh and no kids please. Microchip No: 982000405949860 I am being fostered so call MAAWS on 5472 5277 to make a time to meet me!
(Pick me, pick me is run in memory of Rosie & Curly - we picked them. And proudly supported by Daylesford's petstock - where pets are family.)
Just sayin’...
By Donna Kelly
Like many, our first Radio Springs experience was during their first week. Ken and Jackie had opened during Easter and it was a disaster.
Service was crap, food was late, no one seemed to know what was happening... But still, it felt like our kind of place.
So we gave it another try. And then another try. And then finally it was our place. We were Radio Springers.
What caught our eye was the fun, the eclectic experience, the bar where anything could, and would, happen.
Ken was the maestro, Jackie was the perfect host, people like Simon, Julian and then Graeme, were the perfect bar people. Great with bar banter and great with whatever drop you preferred.
The kitchen was always pumping. Chips from local spuds, my favourite of all time, the scallop salad reigned supreme, and Kyle found his best scotch fillet with multiple gravy and jus combinations. And plenty more.
The late, great, David Wellings called it the Centre of the Universe, and it was. We filmed a fun little piece, I don't know why now, with some Daylesford locals chanting: "Time travel, when do we want it? It doesn't matter." I kid you not.
Strange things happen at that pub. Magic perhaps.
Thanks to Radio Springs you are still reading The Local. It was early days and the cost of our print bill was killing us.
We sat at the bar and wondered how we would continue. Then I looked down the bar and slowly said: "You're not Tony, are you?" And the guy said: "Donna?"
And we realised we had worked together on the Frankston Standard, before Leader days, in the 1980s. And we told Tony about our printer issues and he told us about an affordable printer and we were away again. The magic of Radio Springs.
Another time we were sitting there and Kyle said to some bloke: "You're not Grubby (from radio) are you? and he said:"That's my brother." And it turned out to be my late uncle's best friend whose daughter had just bought in Glenlyon.
Talk about the six degrees of seperation.
And so much more.
Kyle spent many days over many months working with the late Don Breen, another great bloke. They worked on the generator and Don shared plenty of knowledge with Kyle. Slowly changing him from his usual "rip, shit, bust" to a more methodical way of working.
He also taught Kyle to worry less. Kyle called Don his "Daylesford Dad". Sweet.
With The Local we have covered so many events from car club gatherings to the longest lashes, from the opening of the Henri Langlois Screening Room to Toga parties. Always wild and wacky.
Of course, not everyone got Radio. You could sit at the bar and watch people come in and they were either in the "I love this" camp or the "how odd" camp. The lovers lingered and came back again and again, the odd ones drank up their wine or beer as quickly as possible and drove off in search of a pub with televisions, perhaps pokies, and maybe not someone behind the bar, looking a little like Tim Finn, wearing a suit with a vest and tie.
But despite all the big memories I think most of all I will miss just heading over on a Thursday or a Sunday arvo, pulling up a chair or a barstool and just shooting the breeze with whoever is behind the bar, whichever local has turned up, or one of the "lovers" who has pulled in on a whim and randomly found the Centre of the Universe. And get it.
Radio Springs is just one of those magical pubs where things happen. And you never know if you will end up friends with the republicans but it has happened. And that is just lovely. Ken and Jackie are now our friends, and we feel very lucky to have them in our lives. Even though they went and closed our favourite pub! Just sayin'...
W RD CROSS
Here is the crossword solution for Edition 322.
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 - Support Local!
and tailored
Since 2018, we have hosted over 4,000 sets of visitors in our own thriving guest cottages in the local area. We are now offering a comprehensive but flexible range of property management services on Airbnb to other owners, and we can also create and operate listings on booking.com and Vrbo/Stayz for you. Contact Andrew on 0479 074518 or visit the co-hosting services page at www.daylesford cottages.com.au
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The reign of King Donald I has begun
In late January 2017 an insignificant US Republican Party dogsbody named Kellyanne Conway earned long-lasting infamy and ridicule when she told television interviewer Chuck Todd on the Meet The Press program that clearly false claims made by newly elected president Donald Trump's press secretary, Sean Spicer, were not lies, or "falsehoods", but "alternative facts".
It's worth remembering that Conway trotted out her logic-defying statement in defense of a lie over a trivial matter. Trump claimed the crowd at his inauguration ceremony in Washington, DC, was the biggest ever seen, which was a demonstrable lie.
Call it an alternative fact, or "untruth", if you want, but The Lie is the hallmark of the Trump era in US politics. In 2021 the fact-checking unit of the Washington Post reported that, "By the end of his term, Trump had accumulated 30,573 untruths during his presidency - averaging about 21 erroneous claims a day."
One of the strategies mastered by Trump and those who serve him is to deny and lie whenever confronted by inconvenient facts, and, if all else fails, profess your devout Christian faith. If you keep the lies coming fast and fantastical, any media watchdogs that might choose to check them will be overwhelmed, and the 24-hour news cycle is such that yesterday's lies will be buried under layers of new lies.
In my 30-plus years living in Australia, it seems to me that political discourse throughout the layers of government was often heated, sometimes rancorous, but generally took place with a policy outcome in sight. Admittedly, some of Paul Keating's withering takedowns of rivals were pure theatre: "The little desiccated coconut's under pressure and he's attacking anything he can get his hands on," he said of Liberal leader and future prime minister John Howard; and for another Libs leader, John Hewson, this: "He is simply a shiver looking for a spine to run up;" and for Howard's treasurer, Peter Costello, "He's all tip and no iceberg."
A lot of Trump's shameless, cruel, thuggish behaviour has found favour among certain types of people in Australia, and not just fools carrying Nazi flags. Still, I cannot imagine an Australian politician showing such complete lack of human decency as he and his trolls have during the recent fires in southern California.
While the fires raged, while firefighters and first-responders were on the ground, risking their lives, while the people of Los Angeles and its surrounding suburbs were in the midst of experiencing devastation and loss and heartbreak, Trump and his stooges were delivering a torrent of lies to gullible and subservient media about who supposedly was at fault for the ongoing disaster. Their completely transparent intent was to score political advantage over Democrats and culture-war opponents in positions of authority.
Even before the fires ignited in Los Angeles, Trump was preparing an assault on California's progressive Democratic political structure. Here's a statement he made in September while still on the campaign trail: “...and the reason you have no water, you have the canals, the reason you have no water is because [California Governor] Gavin ‘Newscum’ [his surname is Newsome] didn’t want to do it. I had it all done ... So you have millions of gallons of water pouring down from the north, with the snow caps in Canada, and it is all pouring down, and they have essentially a very large faucet, and you turn the faucet, and it takes a day to turn it, it takes one day to turn it, it’s massive, it’s as big as the wall of that building right there behind you, and you turn that, and all of the water goes into the - aimlessly into the Pacific, and if they turned it back, all of that water would come right down here and right into Los Angeles ... And you have so much water. And all those fields that are right now barren, the farmers would have all the water they needed.”
It sounds like the mad rambling of someone in the throes of dementia, but it's part of the formula - surround the lies with gibberish and no one knows what to make of any of it. It almost sounds funny, the old fool trash talking about things that clearly don't exist. But then his pet media pals pick it up, clean it up, and suddenly the focus isn't on the victims but on supposed scapegoats: Democratic politicians; the Mayor of Los Angeles, Karen Bass, a black woman; Kristin Crowley, the first openly LGBTIQA+ person to serve as Los Angeles fire chief; and a tiny endangered fish, the smelt.
As Trump and his minions embraced and amplified the lies, officials who could have been working on recovery efforts, instead were forced to spend hours defending themselves from false accusations.
On January 20, as he was taking the oath of office to become US president for a second term, Trump took a moment to further denigrate the people who battled the Los Angeles flames. "From weeks ago, without even a token of defense, they're raging through the houses and communities."
"Without even a token of defense", he said. I wonder how the thousands of firstresponders with boots on the ground, putting their lives on the line, feel about that.
Jeff Glorfeld ponders the meaning of the phrase: "He couldn't lie straight in bed."
After many happy years living in Victoria and working at The Age, journalist and former Wheatsheaf resident Jeff Glorfeld, and his wife Carol, went back to California, the land of his birth, where in the past seven years he has survived bushfires, snowstorms and drought. And Trump. And Covid. And Trump again. The cicadas and locusts didn’t arrive. Well, not yet. Jeff is also the voice behind The Down Under Hour which is broadcast every Wednesday at 1pm, in California, on radio KKRN 88.5FM. The show can be live-streamed at KKRN.org In Victoria that’s 7am Thursday. Several programs have been archived on the website - well worth a look!
