Just briefly...

The Hepburn Mineral Springs Reserve has Hepburn Shire’s third electric vehicle charging station thanks to a collaboration led by Chargefox with partners Hepburn Energy, the Hepburn Shire Council and Central Highlands Water.

Stations have already been installed in Creswick and Daylesford with two more planned for Trentham and Clunes.

More than 90 Victorian schools, councils and not-for-profit organisations across the state will receive a funding boost to deliver programs that reduce road trauma and save lives.

A key funding recipient is RoadSafe Central Highlands who will roll out the following programs: Bike Ed Instructor Training; Looking After Our Mates; Safer Drivers and Passengers Innovation (Road Safety Behaviours); and Safer Drivers and Passengers Innovation (Distraction Fatigue and Older Drivers).

Lions Hearing assistance dogs, also known as "furry ears", are provided to people with deafness and hearing difficulty free of charge.

The program was founded in 1980 and since than Australian Lions Hearing Dogs has delivered more than 650 Australians a professionally trained Hearing Assistance Dog. Recently, the Lions Club of Castlemaine provided Gumhaven Just Jagger aka Buster to Helen Williams. For more information contact Gita Khatri from the Lions Club of Trentham on trenthamlion@gmail.com or ALHD at www.lionshearingdogs.com.au

Thousands of cycling fans are set to head to Ballarat when the AusCycling Road National Championships return next year from January 4 to 7.

The event will see some of Australia’s best elite and junior cyclists and para cyclists battle it out for the coveted green and gold national jerseys on the roads of Ballarat and Buninyong. This year's event saw more than 10,000 spectators attending.

Ripon MP Martha Haylett has handed out a petition to Clunes businesses and community groups encouraging locals and road users to show their support for speed reduction and safety improvements on the Bailey Street bridge.

The petition seeks to reduce the speed limit from 60kmh to 40kmh over the Clunes bridge. The petition is at the Clunes Pharmacy, Widow Twankeys, Clunes Newsagents, Clunes IGA, @Fifty Two, Valley of Gold Service Station, Clunes Neighbourhood House, BOOM Clunes and O’Hara’s Café Bakery. Or sign online at www.marthahaylett.com.au.

Hepburn Shire Council is disappointed with the decision by the Victorian Government to cancel the 2026 Commonwealth Games.

The Creswick Trails were to be the venue for the mountain biking events for the Games. "As host of the mountain biking events, the council was looking forward to the economic benefits that the games would bring through visitation and tourism. This cancellation does not impact the delivery of the Creswick Trails and completion of the project is expected in late 2024."

Woodend has taken out bronze in the Top Small Tourism Town category at the 2023 TAC Victorian Top Tourism Town Awards.

The Top Small Tourism Town category celebrates townships with a population from 1500 to 5000 that demonstrate a strong commitment to tourism, offer an excellent visitor experience, and show strong collaboration with tourism operators, local businesses and the community. Winners were revealed on July 26 with Sorrento winning gold and Heathcote taking silver. The award comes a year after Mount Macedon won gold in the Victorian Top Tiny Tourism Town category for 2022, followed by bronze at the national awards.

Got some news to share? Email news@tlnews.com.au

DAYLESFORD | HEPBURN | SURROUNDS

Saturday

- August 26

Women to the Front panel

Frangos - 82 Vincent St Daylesford 26.8.23

10am-12pm | $60/ $50 Includes Breakfast

Discussion ‘Out of the Shadows’ as a female in this modern climate hosted by Rebecca Lister with Alicia Sometimes, Marieke Hardy, and Shalini Kunahalan.

Saturday - August 26

Poetry Readings with Anne Gleeson

Paradise Bookshop - 46 Vincent St

1pm-2pm | FREE - 26.8.23

Poems to make you Laugh Cry and Wonder

Join Anne as she reads poetry during an interactive reading. Most of Annes poems stem from her passionate life - the things she cares deeply about. Others stem from her love life, her work life and the life of others.

25 - 27 August 2023 Out of the Shadows

Friday - August 25

U3A-Schools Morning Tea Readings

Radius - 76 Main Rd Hepburn - 25.8.23

10am-11.30am | FREE

U3A and Schools Morning Tea readings and award presentations. Meeting of old and new writers. A multigenerational gathering with special guest Georgie Rose Puppetry doing an excerpt from The Little Prince.

Festival Launch. Wear it Purple Day

Radius - 76 Main Rd Hepburn - 25.8.23

4pm-8pm | Entry by Donation

Wear it purple for safe, empowering and inclusive environments for LGBT youth.

4pm Special guest Erin Riley (they/them) speaks about gender identity and writing.

5pm Welcome to Country and introduction by Mayor. Daylesford College readings, music performances, special guest poet ‘Alicia Sometimes’.

6pm Babble Open Mic One piece under three minutes Put your name in the hat & find out if ‘you have been chosen’ with DJ Hot Wheels

Celebrating 20 years

7.30pm Maia & Petrus team up to give you an insight into the creative life of the well loved local artist Petrus Spronk

Saturday - August 26

Words in Winter Festival Gala

Guest Speaker Jon Faine

Palais-Hepburn

111 Main Rd Hepburn Springs - 26.8.23

6pm-10pm - $25 / $30 (dinner available)

Come support your community event with Marieke Hardy in conversation with Jon Faine. Music by Jarrah Olive, The Bedridden - David M Lewis, Alex Miller & Emma Rassmusen: the world’s only muppet punk trio! Poet Sean M Whelan

Gala Tickets: palais-hepburn.com

Puppetry Workshop - Georgie Rose

Radius - 76 Main Rd Hepburn - 26.8.22

10.30am-12.30pm | FREE - Family Event

Sharing a short shadow puppet performance inspired by The Little Prince. This interactive workshop explores the diverse artform of storytelling though puppetry.

Oscar Wilde / Dorian Grey Daylesford Hotel - 2 Burke Square 26.8.23

11am-12pm | FREE

Toby Sime, local poet laureate, discusses the good the bad and the beautiful. A potboiler, a good read, a masterpiece? A horror story, a crime novel, a metaphor for closeted homosexuality? Dorian Gray is all of the above, and more.

Fireside Funeral Chat hosted by Beverly Risstrom

Daylesford Hotel - 2 Burke Square 26.8.23

12pm-2pm | $25/ $20 concession

Usually stunned, grief-stricken, in shock or exhausted, the friends or family of the dearly departed (i.e., YOU) find they now must make 101 unfamiliar decisions fast. Don’t be that guy! Join Beverly for a conversation around planning a funeral in a relaxed and informal atmosphere.

Stephanie Powell Radius - 76 Main Rd Hepburn - 26.8.23 1.30pm-2.30pm | FREE

Winner of the 2022 Melbourne Poets Union Poetry Prize and published widely in Australia and UK. Gentle Creatures is her second full-length collection. Audience is invited to interact, to ask any questions about the collection & the process of poem making.

Grief Pilgrimage, in the Shadows too Long with Di Percy

Paradise Bookshop - 46 Vincent St 26.8.23 2pm-3pm | Entry by Donation

Grief can do strange things. I went on a pilgrimage, that was nothing like the quiet nature walk I had in mind, nor what I imagined doing along the way, due to the role of a dice—but it was just the inner and outer pilgrimage needed.

The Art of Co-writing

Daylesford Hotel - 2 Burke Square 26.8.23 2pm-3.30pm | $20/ $15 concession

Words in Winter acknowledge the Dja Dja Wurrung, the Traditional Owners of Country and custodians of the land. In recognition of their continued connection to land, water and the culture, we pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging.

Saturday - August 26

Australian Outback Noir

Radius - 76 Main Rd Hepburn - 26.8.23

2.45pm-3.45pm | $20 / $15

Gabriel Bergmoser, Melbourne based award winning author & playwright, discusses the current popularity of Australian crime thrillers and what it is that makes them so compelling. He draws on recent hits like The Dry, Scrublands, The Hunted, The Inheritance and his own novel The Hitchhiker.

Dead Poets Society

Cliffy’s - 30 Raglan St Daylesford - 26.8.23

4-5pm | $30 incl. glass of wine & antipasto

Hosted by Sean M Whelan Melbourne Performance Poet. Each person encouraged to bring a poem by a favourite Dead Poet as we take turns in reading them together in honour of the poets lost but not forgotten.

Sunday - August 27

Good Storytelling: Write Under Your Nose – with Mark Dickenson

Radius - 76 Main Rd Hepburn - 27.8.22

10am-12pm | $15/ $10 concession

Have a story stuck in your head? Mark Dickenson discusses ways of getting it out, with tips on structure, character, archetypes and other crafty tools for aspiring and emerging writers. Writing a good story requires more than just your brilliant ideathese tips and insights will help make your story truly soar. Mark Dickenson (Swinburne B/A Lit/Media. RMIT Dip Screen Writing).

Social Justice workshop with Jade

Rosina McCutcheon

Radius - 76 Main Rd Hepburn - 27.8.23

12.30pm-2pm | FREE

This workshop is all about writing for Social Justice. How do we articulate our concerns around fairness and equitable treatment in our community through the Form of Poetry.

Stories & Music Around the Hearth

Yandoit Cultural Centre (Old Church)27.8.23 - Family Event

2pm-3.30pm | Entry by Donation

A Words in Winter Open Mic event- with stories, song, poetry and music around the theme of ‘Hearth’. Yandoit Cultural is at the old church in the bush, Uniting Church Rd (off High St) Yandoit.

The Spirit of the Books

Radius (Side Show / Media Room)

76 Main Rd Hepburn - 26th & 27th

All weekend | FREE

This installation is a larger than life piece formed by 3 books. A sturdy artwork at the height of people’s eyes, this piece will disclose to the viewers the soul of each book. Exhibiton by Jean-Marc Dupré.

Daylesford Writers - Live & Reading

Radius - 76 Main Rd Hepburn - 27.8.23

2pm-3pm | FREE

Let Anna Irwin-Schutze, Shelley Sandow & Mark Dickenson & guests take you on a journey through the worlds of their imaginations. May contain tales.

Information & bookings: www.wordsinwinter.com

Sunday - August 27

On the couch with Beck Lister

Radius - 76 Main Rd Hepburn - 28.8.23

3.30pm-5pm | $25 / $20

Anvil Productions presents the inaugural show of ‘On the couch with Beck Lister –part chat show, part therapy!’ Join Beck as she chats with Harmony Byrne, Adam Fawcett and Alexandra Collier about their work, inspirations, motivations and doubts. And introducing ‘On the couch’ resident musician Douglas Lee Robertson.

Venie Holmgren Environmental

Poetry Prize announcement & closing drinks

Radius - 76 Main Rd Hepburn - 27.8.23 5pm | FREE www.holmgren.com.au

Winning poem announced and read. Come share a drink, a story and relax as the festival comes to a close. Join us for a de-brief.

Information & bookings: www.wordsinwinter.com

In 2020 Tony Kelly and Rebecca Lister launched their co-written book ‘Growing Pineapples in the Outback.’ The reoccurring question from readers and friends was ‘What’s it like to co-write a book? Did you argue, fight, agree on everything/nothing?’ Join Kelly and Lister as they chat with poet Terence Jaensch about their book and the trials and tribulations of co-writing.

Across the Weekend

Bird songs & Stories / Kids Event

Local Hepburn Shire Libraries

Fri: Creswick 11am & Clunes 2pm

Sat: Daylesford 10am Trentham 12pm FREE ENTRY (45 mins per session)

Vanessa I.R. Craven performs from her book “Birds In My Tree”. Perfect for children aged 4-8. The book is a tool to encourage appreciation of local birds via song. Vanessa sings, plays guitar & teaches songs. She also explores the process of self-publishing.

Shadow Puppetry Performances

Local Hepburn Shire Libraries

Fri: 1pm Daylesford and 3pm Trentham FREE ENTRY - ALL AGES

Georgie Rose is a puppeteer & storyteller. She shares a shadow puppet performance inspired by the classic and much loved story of ‘Le Petit Prince’ by Antoine de SaintExupéry, followed by an interactive workshop about storytelling through puppetry.

Poetry Pop-Ups

Paradise Bookshop 46 Vincent St Fri + Sat

Midday til 3pm

Poetry pop-ups from writers involved in this years festival drop in for a meet and greet.

Ordinary Objects, Extraordinary

Stories @ Creswick Courthouse

4A Raglan St, Creswick

Times & Info: creswicktheatre.com.au

Share a story behind your cherished object; a worn-out teddy bear, a treasured piece of jewellery, a tattered book, or a garden fork, every object has a story to tell.

Mooltan Guest House

Ev Station For Hepburn Springs

The Hepburn Mineral Springs Reserve is now home to an electric vehicle (EV) charging station, thanks to a collaboration from Chargefox, Hepburn Energy, Hepburn Shire Council and Central Highlands Water. With co-funding from State Government’s Destination Charging Across Victoria Program and installation by local electrician Fells Electrical, this is a true team effort. This program has supported the installation of two EV stations so far, with the Creswick Visitor Information Centre station launched in June.

These stations are helping our region become more sustainable while strengthening shire-wide efforts to reach zero-net emissions by 2030 as part of the Hepburn Z-NET partnership.

Investing In Roads

Council is investing in roads across the Shire, with a $500,000 road patching contract awarded at the last Ordinary Meeting. We also recently partnered with five other Councils to deliver a regional approach to bituminous resealing.

Council has allocated $2.73 million in the 2023/24 budget for reconstruction, resealing and gravel re-sheeting of roads across the Shire, in addition to around $3 million of operational expenditure for other repair works.

This is an investment in making our roads better and safer for our community.

Creek Renaming

Around 50 people came together recently at a special event to celebrate the renaming of Jim Crow Creek to Larni Barramal Yaluk at the picturesque creekbank at Franklinford.

Dja Dja Wurrung community members attended the event along with representatives from Hepburn Shire Council and project partners Mount Alexander Shire Council, North Central Catchment Management Authority and DJAARA, who worked together to campaign for the renaming of the creek over many years. Elder Uncle Rick Nelson performed a smoking ceremony and Jason Kerr played the didgeridoo.

Join Our Team

Are you looking for a career move or a job closer to home? We are recruiting new staff across a number of roles. Along with great teammates, we offer attractive and flexible working arrangements. Stay up-to-date with the latest job opportunities and apply at www.hepburn.vic.gov.au/jobs

TECH-TALK AND TEA

Are you interested in learning some technology basics? Come to your local library space for ‘Tech-talk and Tea’, Hepburn Libraries Digital Literacy Program. Beginning in the first week of August, our weekly sessions run for two hours with a workshop and time for general IT problem-solving. The first week’s workshop teaches some basics of setting up an email account. Bring your device, phone or tablet for tech troubleshooting and meet other digital learners over a cup of tea. Head to Trentham Hub (Tuesday 10-12pm), Daylesford Library (Tuesday 1-3pm), The Warehouse - Clunes (Thursday 1012pm) and Creswick Hub (Thursday 1-3pm).

Join The Iwd Advisory Committee

Council is looking for community members to join the Heather Mutimer International Women’s Day Advisory Committee. The aim of the committee is to provide Council with advice on the Heather Mutimer International Women’s Day Honour Roll.

Council is now calling on applications from suitably qualified and experienced community members. Applications are now open and will close on Monday 21 August 2023 at 5.00pm. Visit our website for more information.

COMMUNITY-LED RECOVERY PROJECT

We are looking forward to starting a Community-led Recovery Project with the communities of Bullarto, Glenlyon, Lyonville and Trentham that were impacted by the 2021/22 storms and floods. Jointly funded by Emergency Recovery Victoria and Council, the Project will be working with each community to support them to become better prepared for, and resilient to, future emergency events.

Linking in with the priorities and projects of existing community planning forums and community groups, the project aims to develop locally based initiatives, resources and activities that align with the character and capacity of each town.

Throughout the project, community members will also have the opportunity to contribute ideas to, and participate in, the development of their resilience plans by sharing their experiences and local knowledge.

Information sessions and activities in each town are currently being planned for August 2023. Visit https://participate.hepburn.vic.gov. au/community-led-recovery-project

Clever Town Challenge

Are you a crossword whiz or want to improve your crossword skills? Head to your local library in Creswick, Trentham or Daylesford (or to Attitude in Clunes) on Saturday 12 August at 10am and flex your grey matter as you work as a team to see who wins the Clever Town Challenge. Competition finishes at 11.30am when answers will be checked and winning town announced. Pop into your local library or hub to find out more.

The Council Plan 2021-2025 describes how Council will strive towards our vision, where to focus efforts, and how to measure progress. Each Focus Area has a series of priority statements, with actions against each item.