The Local June 20, 2022

June 20, 2022 Issue 256 Travel time

The Local - The Heart of the Highlands

2 About Us

www.tlnews.com.au

Front cover: This edition is all about travel and we have called on our writers and friends of The Local to share their travels, recent or long gone. This drawing is by talented Trentham artist and writer Peter Young. Read about his caravanning travels and the grey nomad life on pages 4 and 5.

June 20, 2022 Issue 256 Travel time

The Local is a fortnightly community publication covering the Central Highlands of Victoria.

The next edition is out on Monday, July 4, 2022.

Or online on Sunday, July 3 at www.tlnews.com.au Space bookings: Wednesday, June 29 Copy deadline: Thursday, June 30 Editorial deadline: Thursday, June 30 Editorial: 0418 576 513 | Advertising: 0416 104 283

Image: Peter Young

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

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

The Local is a registered trademark of The Local Publishing Group Pty Ltd.

Writers | Kevin Childs, Tony Sawrey, Jeff Glorfeld, Narelle Groenhout & Donna Kelly

The Local is a member of the Victorian Country Press Association, with editor Donna Kelly, a director.

Photographers | Kyle Barnes, David White & Louise Gay

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The content expressed within this publication does not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of The Local Publishing Group Pty Ltd. The Local Publishing Group's editorial guidelines and complaints-handling process can be found at www.tlnews.com.au We welcome all feedback.

WHEN YOU NEED US , BUT NOT THE SIRENS There’s a new way to contact the police when you don’t need the sirens - the 24/7 Police Assistance Line.

Save 131 444 to your phone for non-emergency situations. Or for online reporting go to police.vic.gov.au

Graphic designer & HLH coordinator | Dianne Caithness Contributors: Glen Heyne (gardening), Darren Lowe (gigs), Matthew Richardson (money), Jennifer Hart (horoscopes) and Jen Clarke (recipes).

Accounts | Julie Hanson

Delivery | Tony Sawrey

www.tlnews.com.au

Planes, trains and automobiles

I

The UK

Turkey

Our favourite holiday destination has to be the UK. Whether it’s the abundant history, verdant countryside, crazy accents that can differ even from suburb to suburb, or the amazing theatre on offer, there is so much to do.

One of the other great pleasures is “spotting a celeb”. In 2019, we were fortunate enough to catch up with Aussie Olympic gold medallist, Matthew Mitcham on the underground rushing below the streets of London.

Without a doubt, my favourite place to visit is Turkey. I guess the main reason is that this exotic, historic country was where my eldest daughter was married in a Crusader castle on the Aegean. She and her fiancé were archaeologists working in Eastern Turkey.

Thirty Australians travelled to Bodrum, and we took all the wedding dresses, the champagne and bouquets with us. The wedding at sundown was glorious, performed by a robed female cleric, and all the local councillors invited themselves, and the Australian consul and his wife also asked to be included.

As the sun sank over the sea, we adjourned to the gardens, where peacocks paraded amongst the ancient statues, and the food was amazing, completed by a huge wedding cake made in the image of the castle…It was a truly magical experience, and one we will never forget.

T'S been a long two and a half years. And while we are still in a pandemic most of us are - Lindsay Smith & Nick Bunning vaccinated, know when to pop on a mask and distance, and are ready to either go full speed ahead into the the world, or just take some baby steps.

So we have dedicated this edition to travel - past and present. Along with our features, we asked friends of The Local to tell us about their favourite travel spots. Glen Heyne, Richard Cornish and Bill Wootton also went international with their columns.

We hope you enjoy this edition and maybe find some ideas for that long-missed travel. We would love to hear about your favourite places as well. Send a few lines and a pic to donna@tlnews.com.au and we'll post them on our website at www.tlnews.com.au Enjoy. Donna

New York

- Loretta Little

Singapore

At the moment, it’s right where I am, NYC in summer. You can pay for the tourist attractions, which are great, but you can also just walk neighbourhoods, and as one local put it to me, ‘see action every 50 feet’. Vibrant, colourful and importantly at this time of year for where we come from, warm!

- Darren Lowe

My favourite place to travel is Singapore. Less than eight hours from home and you enter a whole new world. Be it the food, the people or the culture.

You cannot go wrong with Singapore or the traditional breakfast of kaya toast while taking in the views of the Singapore River. Take me back to Singapore.

Vancouver

High Country

One of my favorite spots, that makes my must-go-to list when I'm in Vancouver, is Granville Island Market. Brimming with local produce to please the most discerning of foodies (guilty), as well as all manner of art and craft for purchase, this place feels like magic. From taking an Aquabus to get there, visiting the art galleries, eating icecream on the waterfront boardwalk to the colourful floral hanging baskets found everywhere, it conjures up only the happiest of memories with each and every visit.

We recently holidayed just up through Mansfield at Merrijig last November; we stayed in a beautiful resort looking up at Mt Bulla. The town of Merrijig is where a lot of The Man from Snowy River was filmed many years ago.

We fished, golfed, visited and tasted wines at the wineries in the King Valley and had some wonderful meals. Local hospitality was amazing, we even joined in at the local pub for a trivia night.

- Jennifer Atchison

Travel 3

- Renea McCarthy

- Julie Hanson

USA I’ve been very lucky to travel to the USA twice now, and absolutely love it.

Each state is so different, and I’ve found where I have travelled really safe and friendly. The highlight for me has to be NYC as it is true, it is the city that never sleeps but it's also the city that you can access anything easily – whether that is a Broadway show, shopping, sporting events, awesome food, even great coffee when I last visited and you can spend hours just watching the people.

- Bradley Thomas

The grey nomad life

M

with Peter Young

The delivery time for a new caravan pre-Covid was three months, that blew out to 12-plus months at the height of restrictions, and the value of second-hand vans went through the roof.

Simultaneously, roads and popular locations were packed and booked out months I was nevertheless surprised when she announced, as her retirement loomed, that ahead.

Sal and I were laughed at when we tried to book Broome with three weeks' she was going to combine a modest family inheritance and her new buckets of leisure notice and were told popular sites had been booked a year in advance. time and buy a caravan.

Ditto Ellis Beach just north of Cairns and just about everywhere else in Far North Becoming a grey nomad, or in my case, bald nomad, wasn’t the last thing on my Queensland. bucket list. It wasn’t even on my bucket list.

Media reports said vans were camping in the streets of Kununurra and Cooktown Fours years, 15,000 kilometres and 127 overnight camping spots later, I’m happy because grey nomads who hadn’t booked ahead found no accommodation available in to report we’re both hooked. local camping grounds and caravan parks.

Now both retired, we use the van as our winter escape from Trentham.

Interstate Covid restrictions were a challenge on our last two treks but judicious Broadly, the plan is to follow the bonnet north to anywhere warm and reasonably amenable and drop anchor, spending July-October in tee-shirts, shorts and flip flops. use of good luck and reasonable management saw us through.

We crossed the Murray into New South Wales 36 hours before it shut its border And our mega anxious dog, Neurotica, has, amazingly in my view, adjusted well in 2020 and trundled into Queensland several weeks later, by fluke, four days before as well. it shut its border, flashing our border passes to a scary looking, black-clad cop who She is fine with her cosy safe-haven corner in the van, as long as my gal Sal is proved mega-friendly. within constant sight.

We’ve kept print-outs of our border passes to show our grandchildren that The 127 places we’ve slept the length and breadth of Australia range from free Australians once effectively needed passports to travel within our own nation. camp sites, usually gravel and/or dirt patches offering no amenities by the side of Last year proved more challenging than the year before, getting locked down the road in the middle of nowhere half way across the Nullarbor up the coast of at Palm Cove because of a local Covid breakout, and then finding our path home WA, down the centre from Darwin to the south coast of our nation, and out west through NSW was blocked when that state locked down. in remote back blocks Queensland to lavish tropical resorts boasting multiple pools, A 2000-km detour from Townsville to the Northern Territory, then down bars, restaurants and games rooms. through Alice to Port Augusta and east to the Murray River at Renmark, where the We’ve been to every state and territory except Tasmania but who knows, that child bride cheered herself hoarse watching the Dees win the AFL flag on the van TV might be on the cards one day as we hear from fellow travellers, including plenty of (local big-screen pub gardens banned dogs) proved to be a diverting detour.

Tasmanians, who visit the mainland as grey nomads, that lots of folk take caravans, We were initially denied entry into the NT at a remote Queensland border campers and mobile homes across the Bass Strait on the ferry. roadblock west of Mt Isa as we arrived 48 hours ahead of our authorised border pass We’ve learned a lot along the way. paperwork details.

Caravanning is way different to the child bride’s childhood days.

A tiny skinny woman who looked like a high school kid in a senior constable’s We have, for instance, nicknamed our relatively modestly sized 19-foot, 2-inch, uniform with a giant pistol on her hip proved firm, insistent but friendly and 2.2-tonne van “The Hyatt on Collins on wheels”. efficient.

Solar power runs the lights, water pump, bedside fan and TV when we roadside She showed us how to stand on one leg on a crushed ant hill and point our camp off grid, and gas keeps the shower water hot - we can carry 180 litres of fresh 3G-connected phones at invisible satellites somewhere up there to apply for and to water - and runs the fridge, oven, cooktop and portable Weber BBQ on those nights our amazement, receive new online passes. as well.

We camped by the road that night and were visited by a horse which stuck There is diesel-fuelled central heating to keep us cosy on nights such as below zero its head in the open door of the van and was nipped for its troubles by a very stopovers in a truckies’ parking bay just east of the Nullarbor roadhouse which we unimpressed Neurotica. share with a hulking semi, or at Uluru overlooking that majestic rock.

We have met all sorts of fellow travellers on the road.

And when connected to 240-volt power, as we are in most caravan parks, the air Couples who sold up, bought huge rigs that are virtual homes on wheels, stuck con is mega-efficient at stopping the van turning into a sweltering tin box. an “adventure before dementia” sticker on the back, and hit the road as a permanent Extensive insulation and double glazing helps on that front too. lifestyle, often taking short-term casual work on the way.

The outside, roll-out awning gives us a sheltered outdoor spot, specially when Couples with little kids doing remote learning lessons as they travel. They almost drop-down privacy screens are attached, for our portable chairs, tables and Baby-Q all say the kids get a better education from the travel than they do from their books.

BBQ which runs off the gas bottles padlocked to the front of the van.

There are people who telecommute. A dude in Port Macquarie was running his Cooking outdoors keeps heat and cooking smells out of the van and lends itself to graphic design business from inside his van while his wife did therapeutic massage social connection with fellow campers. under the awning outside his door.

Go below floor, and under the rugged, double-dipped galvanised chassis lurks a And lots of nice folk like us, wandering open-jawed to see how wonderful bunch of hi-tech help I don’t understand which helps ensure the van tows straight Australia is. and level without swaying and stops fast and straight when you stomp on the brakes And how enjoyable is the roaming gypsy life. when a giant bullock wanders onto the Stuart Highway while you are travelling south As mentioned above, we’ve learned a lot. at 100km/hour with a 30-metre road train roaring south in the only other lane.

“Travel light, travel bright - and save fuel and tow safer.”

All in all, a far cry from the rugged outback camping of my youth when going to If you are doing the famous “lap” around Australia travel anti-clockwise, there are the dunny involved taking a shovel and digging your own hole! less fuel-burning headwinds on average.

The freedom to roam largely as you will, the fascination of seeing so much of Importantly, while I’m yet to become a competent reverser of the van, we’ve our vast, largely flat, dry and empty country and meeting its usually proud and learned to get backwards into tight spaces in a clumsy fashion without getting welcoming locals, has made the grey nomad life amazingly popular, and has brought divorced while simultaneously providing amusement for fellow campers. lucrative tourism dollars to many small remote and otherwise economically-blighted And I’ve learned that emptying and cleaning the removable 20-litre toilet canister communities. is a job reserved exclusively for blokes!

It has also made the caravan industry into big business, with more than 100 locally-made caravan, camper van and camper trailer brands being lugged around the Images: Peter Young nation.

Covid has driven an enormous boom as Aussies who were unable to travel overseas decided to take the opportunity to see their own country from ground level.

Y wife Sally, aka “my gal Sal” has often reminisced sentimentally about happy childhood holidays on the Murray and at Eildon in her family’s tiny plywood teardrop caravan.

In the air

A

with Jeff Glorfeld

The second time we hired a car in Santa Barbara and did the full tourist ride.

We took an easy two-hour drive to Paso Robles, a quaint little town, home to more than 300 wineries. We stayed in the Paso Robles Inn - legend has it that John Wayne In northern California, meanwhile, August is high summer - long, hot days spent stayed there too while shooting a movie in the area.

From there we drove to Monterey, the beautiful coastal city that’s home to the swimming in the lakes and rivers, and warm evenings sipping cool drinks on the amazing Monterey Bay Aquarium. verandah.

After Monterey we battled heavy traffic through the San Francisco Bay area, With that in mind, in the early 2000s I decided that every August I would flee picked up Aussie mates Anne and Kathleen at the Golden Gate Bridge visitor centre, the forest and visit my family in northern California.

In 2004, my wife Carol, in her guise as the Amazing Travel Agent, made a game- stopped off at the beach in Fort Bragg and hiked in the redwoods at Prairie Creek State Park on the northern California coast. changing discovery: the folks at Air New Zealand had launched a new ticket class Anne and Kathleen eventually took off on their own adventures and Carol and I called Premium Economy. It cost more than cattle class but to my way of thinking it’s went south and home. worth every penny.

Here’s one tip about LAX: it is possible to walk from the domestic to the There was room for maybe 50 passengers - with big, comfortable seats and generous amounts of legroom. The attendant brought us real glass glasses of good NZ international terminal. Once, my United connecting flight was so late, I had to run from domestic to international, and I’m not built for running. sparkling wine. We were off to a grand start.

The route took me through long, empty corridors, through strange shopping I love the way Air New Zealand broke up the trip. Our flight left Melbourne areas, down stairways and up escalators, and eventually into a departure area disguised and landed in Auckland less than four hours later, where, after a customs check, we as a vast shopping mall. were able to stretch our legs walking around the airport, maybe stock up on reading The best part about this mode of going is that because you never leave the materials, and find a comfy seat in the bar and quaff a few Kiwi ales. It helped us terminal interior, you don’t need to go through customs screening. I would’ve loved prepare for the nearly 14 hours of air time ahead to reach Los Angeles.

Back into the comfort of our Premium Economy seats, it was more NZ sparkles, to explore this grand monument to commerce but I’d arrived at the Air NZ gate just followed by satisfying meals, with big cloth napkins and metal cutlery. Accompanying as they were calling my name and preparing to shut the doors on the plane - I was the last person to board. the food were glasses of excellent NZ wine, and the attendants were happy to keep The glass of good NZ sparkles tasted sensational. those glasses full for as long as we cared to drain them.

It’s a good idea not to go too hard on singing syrup, however, because eventually you’ll arrive in Los Angeles airport - LAX - and you need your wits about you to navigate through that madhouse.

After many happy years living in Victoria and working at The Age, former At LAX our plans took on different shapes, over the years, but most often they Wheatsheaf resident Jeff Glorfeld, and his wife Carol, went back to involved struggling from the international to the domestic terminal and finding the California, the land of his birth, where in the past four years he has survived departure gate for the flight to either San Francisco or Sacramento. bushfires, snowstorms and drought. And Trump. And Covid. The cicadas and Air New Zealand’s domestic US partner is United, which seemingly has adopted locusts didn’t arrive. Well, not yet. as its slogan “Better late than never”. No matter what it says on your ticket, there’s no way of knowing what time your United flight is going to leave.

Opposite, clockwise, from top right, Sacramento River running through the Twice we were picked up at LAX by friends and driven 150 kilometres to their drought-stricken canyon that should be Lake Shasta, afternoon sky during home in Santa Barbara, a lovely town on the southern California coast.

2021 bushfires, Southern Oregon coast, Jeff swimming in Clear Creek just The first time, after a few days hanging out with our friends, we boarded an outside French Gulch Amtrack train to Redding, in northern California. Distance-wise it’s about 725 kilometres but the trip takes about 15 hours. It’s not quick, but there is some lovely scenery and we enjoy travelling by train.

UGUST in the Wombat State Forest means you’ve probably been burning wood in the stove 24/7 for at least three months and are suffering from a lack of sunlight.

River life

O

with Kyle Barnes

It is great for a visit and only about a five minute walk from the caravan park for any meal in the day. Some folks I recognised didn’t seem to have left between meals, choosing the dark serenity and noise of the pokies to the blue skies and serene whistle of the steamboats that ply up and down the river under our balcony. But if that's your scene, it is there for you in abundance.

A visit to the twin cities wouldn’t be complete without a ride on an old steamer such as the Canberra or Emmylou, with the latter coming back into commission On a recent trip to the sister cities of Echuca and Moama we decided to stay in a later this year. An hour trip on the former is about $30. The Emmylou does longer caravan park. The sort of spot that we normally shun, not because we are snobby, it’s just caravan parks by and large consist of sunset drinks, early dinners, early to bed and overnight trips of two to six nights which, for that sort of diehard riverbank steering the racket of caravanners and children packing up at six in the morning to get on the and wildlife watching, I would think you would be better off grabbing a few friends, a couple of tonnes of booze and food, and head off on a houseboat with a spa pool road.

However, I spotted these almost cantilevered cabins from the bridge that connects bubbling away on the top deck.

Certainly to get a taste of the river cruising (no pun intended) the dinner and the two towns, and swung back for a look at the Moama Riverside Holiday Park and lunch cruises on offer looked fabulous. Unfortunately we were a bit time poor and immediately booked into cabin 22. A two-bedroom cabin on the edge of the park for besides already had the best seat in the house back at the cabin which came complete $220 a night with a steamer funnel height view up and down the main river. with a BBQ. I couldn’t resist borrowing the words from Darryl Kerrigan: “How’s the I am not taking it for granted as we wander our great southern land again. It serenity?”

Images: Kyle Barnes was only months ago that I saw a young man sat on the edge of the road crying on the Victorian side of the Murray as police swamped him and ushered him back to NSW. He, probably like all of us, just wanted to see his family and was denied access.

Bloody lockdowns.

The Echuca side of the river ticks a lot of the boxes for me. It is steeped in maritime history although I am not much of a fan of the bearded man who goes around and around the block picking up tourists to experience a ride in his horse and cart or other naff tourist attractions like that. But drill down a layer, walk under the side show of the historic village and you find yourself in a world under the wharves, where you appreciate the height and engineering intricacies of the inland wharf necessary for the land of flood and drought.

The walks around the Murray are as long or short as you like. If you want to see another engineering marvel, I suggest a 30-minute car ride to Torrumbarry Weir, where there is a working lock and a lot more interpretive information to get your head around how big and navigable the water system is.

Whether you’re a car buff or not, a visit to the National Holden Motor Museum back in Echuca is great for a nostalgic jaunt down memory lane, however back on the Moama part of the divided megalopolitan area is the Moama Bowls club, a huge sprawling NSW-style club.

RIGINALLY known as Hopwood’s Ferry, Echuca was founded by one of the most enterprising characters of the early colonial days, an ex-convict named Henry Hopwood. In 1850 he bought a small punt to transport people and goods across the mighty Murray. Hopwood died in 1869 leaving a thriving town where nothing had existed 16 years earlier, when he built his first slab wood inn.

The pub with no wine

I

with Donna Kelly

It was really popular with actors apparently but some of them realised it was a scam - after 12 years and being branded with the leaders' initials. Yep, branded. They kept asking why intelligent people would allow themselves to be branded. Who called them intelligent. Actors not rocket scientists. Not Elon Musk.

And then, when the podcasts get boring, or stop downloading because you have no signal, each country town has its own unique radio broadcasting. We listened to Of course, Kyle and I don’t quite do it like that but we did have a great trip recently. We drove past the original pub with no beer and went into the pub with no one for a while until we realised it was a preachy thing. Nothing wrong with that but it wasn’t even a Sunday. Another one, out of Rockhampton, had the female of the wine. But more about that later. broadcasting pair screaming as she gave out ferry trips. People must love those ferries.

The main gist, the boring bit, is that we drove off, spent six days on the road One of the best things on the road is talking to locals. We popped into the Royal via Sydney to the Gold Coast, stopped there to put The Local, House.Land.Home.

Hotel at Mt Larcom just out of Gladstone and chatted with a woman working at the Premium and The Little Local together, and then travelled on another six days to bar.

She was a long time local and said she thought of the lyrics of Glen Campbell’s Cairns, sort of along the coast.

Rhinestone Cowboy when she cleaned the pub.

The drive to the Gold Coast is pretty easy. Going through Sydney used to be a I've been walkin' these streets so long nightmare but now there is a tunnel and you just go in and pop up out the other side.

Singin' the same old song Lots of trucks, not sure why they don't use rail, but mostly good drivers.

I know every crack in these dirty sidewalks of Broadway At the Gold Coast we stayed at Burleigh/Miami - sort of inbetween - in a high “I know every crack in every tile in this pub,” she said. Nice woman, lots of tatts. rise apartment where we were the only ones still wearing masks in the lifts. But that Then there was Carlon’s Hotel in Sarina, up from Rockhampton. We had a is OK. If you put a mask on it often stops others getting in. They look a bit scared, like you might have Covid, and then if you just let out a little cough or say sotto voce sandwich at a bakery, and decided to pop into the pub next door. The bar was round something like "The RAT test was negative but I'm sure I'm positive" that works well and inside was a huge steel vat thing, with the taps running off it and fridges inside.

There was a young woman behind the bar, and two blokes in front. One with too. a cane looking a bit old wizardy and one with your typical orange work shirt. They Anyway, we mostly worked there but also took time out to see the latest Top Gun all looked as we walked in, in a surprised way, and I walked to the bar and asked: movie. Being still a tad paranoid, we chose a really quiet time, middle of the day, “Would you have a chardonnay?” And the woman said: “I don’t think so.” She then and Gold Class. Of course, when we arrived at the cinema, Gold Class was having a asked the cane-wielding bloke if they had any chardonnay and he said: “Might be a business function and it was heaving. And in the cinema itself there were about 10 bottle in the back fridge.” But as the woman got there he added: “Nah, we don’t have people coughing around us. Oh well, the jets were worth the watch. Spoiler alert, don't read the next sentence if you are yet to see the movie. Kyle thinks the jets could any.”

And we all laughed. Not so much ha ha, more WTF? I said: “Must be a beer have gone out the same way they went in and avoided the surface to air missiles. After pub.”

She said, “I have only sold four glasses since I started three months ago.” some deliberation, I concur.

And he said: “It’s a beer and spirits pub, you’ll need to review your drinking.” Then Kyle must have also looked very friendly, I walked out of a shop one day to find pointed us in the direction of the hotel next door. They did have wine and I told my him holding a dog lead. The owner had to buy needle and thread. WTF? story to the woman behind that bar. “How funny,” she said, ‘You’d think they’d keep On the road again and there are lots of roadworks happening above say one bottle, but I guess it would go off after a bit.” Very understanding.

Gladstone, so you need to factor that in, time wise. As Kyle says in his rant, they We also pulled into Marlborough and had a look through the local museum. The are really keen on roadworks that stretch for kilometres. Nothing like the patch-up woman there was really friendly and I ended up buying a pendant and ring made jobs down our way. I'm thinking about you, piece of road just before the Woodend from chrysophrase, also known as Australian jade. And then I bought two jars of railway stop.

Mind you, Siri, who I now have talking in a gentle female Irish accent, was pretty preserves. Janet, who made them, apparently took home every award in the last show.

Finally, a little diversion to Clairview where we found the most idyllic seaside good at making roads on the phone orange or red and letting us know the speed village ever, complete with a combined op shop and tearoom. We shared a scone limit. There are also a few cars on the side of the road where you know people have topped with jam we chose from the preserves for sale, and a cup of coffee and tea. had a really bad day. And jackknifed caravans. Keeps your mind from wandering.

My tea was a shop-bought lemon and ginger dropped in hot water, but the woman Not many kangas but quite a few signs with big and little cows, calves I guess, and then you realise they are live, grazing next to the road with no fences, and you are doing the scones, called on another woman to help “with the tea”. A group effort and a great break. doing 110km an hour. Bloody hell.

Oh, another nice bit was when Kyle "blew" his thong just as he walked into a pub At the start of the trip you do wonder how you are going to pass the time, in Gladstone.

He showed the broken footwear to the young barman and said, joking, especially if you have been together as long as us and have run out of things to say, "don't have a spare pair of thongs, do you?". To his surprise the bloke disappeared but there are some great podcasts happening now. and returned with a pair of size 11, yellow Bundaberg Rum-themed thongs. Free. The We listened to Yeah Na, strange things that have happened on the ABC - like bloke said Kyle would just have to start drinking rum instead of beer. Fair enough. this couple who were both struck by lightning and survived to tell the tale. Their There are also lots of “big things” on the road which aren’t really that big. Big main beef was that they were publishers and of all the interviews they did, no-one watermelon, above, big crab, big hamburger, big mango. But, you know, bigger than mentioned that. So no publicity for their books. Bummer. the real thing, so it's all relative.

Oh, back to podcasts and there's also the Armchair Expert podcast with Anyway, we are in Cairns now and working out our trip home. It was all about comedian/actor Dax Sheppard. Elon Musk was one guest and really interesting although he is quite nutty, and there was also a NZ expert talking about an American the road trip, but it is a long way, so the ute gets popped on a truck and we fly home.

Four hours tops. See you soon. cult called NXIVM.

T MAY be a long way to Tipperary but it’s also a long way from Glenlyon to Cairns. About 4000km. You can apparently do it in four days if you really push yourself but what’s the fun in that. Road trips are about taking it easy, taking in the scenery and chatting to locals. Connecting, breathing, dropping back to a slower pace.

Resorts

with Narelle Groenhout

I

T’S no secret that Aussies love a resort holiday. Thousands of us flock to tropical destinations like Fiji and Bali for family-friendly, cheap and cheerful holidays. Well, before Covid anyway. But as life and international borders start looking like pre-Covid days we start dreaming and planning our escapes.

As a family we’ve done the Bali adventure and it was great. But the crowds and the commercial touristy feel pushed us to look somewhere else for the tropical feel without the hype.

A few years ago we were encouraged by a travel agent to consider New Caledonia for our next family trip. Surprisingly it’s only a four-hour flight from Melbourne, on French Polynesia’s own Aircalin, so no jetlag or sleepless, uncomfortable red-eye experience either. In fact, the capital, Nouméa is closer to Brisbane than Melbourne is.

One bite and we were hooked. Nouméa is the capital of the South Pacific archipelago and overseas French territory, New Caledonia. Situated on the main island, Grand Terre, it's known for beaches and its blend of French and native Kanak influences. It naturally weaves the breathtaking beauty of the South Pacific with the elegance of Europe. And with a tropical savanna climate, the weather is glorious yearround.

While thousands get a glimpse of its culture when cruise ships dock for the day, it certainly isn’t enough to comprehend the region’s exquisite beauty and Kanak heritage.

When we’ve been able to escape to Nouméa we’ve stayed at Le Meridien Resort, one of a number located directly on Anse Vata Bay. It’s a short walk into the township of Anse Vata and a short bus trip into the city centre of Nouméa itself, where the island’s Melanesian and colonial influences are on full display alongside a decidedly Paris chic.

The rooms at Le Meredien are huge, with adjoining rooms for kids so there’s space to move around. But if you decide to move one of the signature egg chairs into the kids’ room – don’t. A broken toe on the first day is no fun at all.

New Caledonia is the place the French go for their summer escape. Despite Nouméa’s relatively large population (about twice the size of Ballarat), there’s no crowds, no jostling for a beach bed or a poolside spot. Even at its busiest, there’s a sense of calm - and no Bintang singlets in sight.

With the beach and the beachside pool at the secluded resort, it’s hard to prise the kids away from swimming, snorkelling, paddle-boarding and kayaking. However, a six kilometre walk along the beachfront, with maybe a stop at the local aquarium, brings you to Baie des Citrons.

This pretty little beachside suburb is nestled on the stunning bay and hosts a wide array of eateries which really showcase New Caledonia’s fascinating ethnic diversity, from French-style bistros serving flammekueche to terrific Vietnamese cuisine.

And you can finish it up with a stroll along the promenade and melt in the mouth, tropical-style frozen yoghurt.

Parents become pretty savvy when it comes to food. And you need to be in Nouméa. Most of the food is imported from France and eating there is certainly a bit more expensive than in Australia. But if you plan ahead and stash a jar of Vegemite away and a few non-perishable items then it eases the pain.

Or head to one of the local French-style grocery stores and pick up some baguettes, ham, cheese and tomatoes (and perhaps some Tim Tams, because they are one of the few non-French delicacies available) and do a picnic on the beach.

Then it’s just a matter of choosing one of the many fabulous restaurants when you do decide to eat out, or maybe you can opt for a beach-side cocktail at Le Meridien’s own bars and restaurants.

It’s a beautiful part of the world to visit and to appreciate the French-Melanesian hybrid lifestyle, right in our own little corner of the South Pacific. It’s perfect for a tropical island holiday with a touch of European elan.

Closer to home It’s been at least 20 years since I last visited Port Fairy but an overnight trip there recently reminded me how beautifully preserved this small coastal town is. The drive from Daylesford transports you through a beautiful, ever-changing landscape, from farmland, to forests, beach scenes and small townships dotted throughout the trip.

The drive itself was effortless. For a small town, Port Fairy has a great choice of food options, a surprisingly large number of clothes shops catering for the tourism market and some fabulous op shops open on the weekend. It’s a short drive to Warrnambool where the Maritime Museum is a must for adults and kids alike.

In 2022: Realise The Possible at C-Doc

I

N 2022, the Castlemaine Documentary Festival again celebrates the connection between filmmakers, films and audiences and the lure of documentary storytelling with a weekend of moving documentaries and post-screening dialogues for film love and those curious about the world and the people in it.

Festival director Claire Jager said over the past two years our lives turned inward. "At C-Doc, we lifted our game, and expanded our way to reach you by combining online and in-cinema options. As we emerge from isolation documentary helps to satisfy our deep need to connect, to belong, to share our feelings and celebrate our differences," she said.

"With a renewed sense of purpose we will make the Theatre Royal sing with true stories and bring them to audiences across Australia. Having sharpened our online skills to create wonderful conversations, we are able to share our absorbing panel discussions and Q&As following the screenings.

"We went on an intense, wonderful hunt for films which turn the lens of human experience on to the themes and issues at the heart of what we do and why we do it.

We were determined to make each program offering distinct in order to create a broad gathering together of creative and invigorating storytelling - and finally bring to fruition the additional screen-based surprises we’ve been planning."

Claire said many of this year's films tackled the big, hefty ideas that consume us and are told through the distinctive and intimate lens of each film-maker's vision. "True stories about people who create change, who are driven to rebel. They help us to see what is possible, telling us real stories with all the drama and complexity that humans face. We are calling this 2022 edition of the Castlemaine Documentary Festival, Realise The Possible.

"On opening night, we’re launching our inaugural LOCALS session, taking advantage of what our region has on offer - an abundance of local regional talent showcasing imaginative, short creations. It’s a great night to dip in and discover some of the things that inspire and energize our regional locals. We hope everyone will be as surprised by the range as we were! And we hope everyone will come. This is a night for all of us."

Claire said bridging the past and present were two superb and absorbing films, Television Event and Letters from Baghdad. "Using never-seen-before archive footage, they take us to times and places that feel distant and yet, both eerily prescient in their concerns, confront this very moment. Writing with Fire, Rebellion and I Am Samuel speak to humanity’s acts of steadfast defiance as their characters challenge and redefine traditional notions of power, love, freedom and the fulfilment of self, from our domestic lives to our biggest issues. They may be loud, wild and excessive or quiet and meditative – but all reflect our own emotions and struggle to connect.

"Saturday night’s musical experience, Rumba Kings, is a powerful tale of music’s entanglement with politics, and the freedom of nations. And its proof that the Congo’s real treasure doesn’t lie underground. There’s no better way to take us into dancing with the rhythms of live band, La Rumba, after the screening.

"Sunday, July 3 coincides with NAIDOC Week and we are proud to have The Lake Of Scars, a ground-breaking Australian documentary dealing with the challenges of reconciliation. As special festival guests, we have Uncle Jack Charles and Ngarra Murray, together with the film’s director Bill Code.

"Lastly, immerse yourselves in the closing night film, River, an audacious work of mind-bending beauty by Jennifer Peedom, the director of Mountain and Sherpa.

"In 2021, we were the festival to go to when you couldn’t go anywhere else. We said: 'If you can’t come to us, let us come to you'. This year. Realise The Possible. Come to us."

Links: In-cinema viewing tickets and digital viewing-at-home packages: Head to www.cdocff.com.au Tickets: www.eventbrite.com/cc/castlemainedocumentary-festival-2022-399969 Festival trailer Vimeo (viewable, downloadable and anyone with the link) https://vimeo.com/708902939/8e43ec61a5

1—3 JULY Theatre Royal

cdocff.com.au

2022

Above, Rumba Kings, Kings, below, the magic of the festival

14 Opinion

www.tlnews.com.au

Your Say - Letters I read with great interest, the article published in The Local (Issue 254, May 23, 2022) regarding the significant problems associated with guests staying at short term accommodation sites in the Hepburn Shire.

I have a situation in Hepburn Springs where on each of my neighbouring boundaries are short-term holiday accommodation sites. I am literally surrounded.

Approximately 50 per cent of the dwellings in the once quiet street, are short term accommodation holiday rental sites.

Over a period of many years, I have had all the issues short-term holiday accommodation brings - noise, abuse, trespass, rubbish, illegal and unruly behaviours, blatant disrespect, straying animals, compromised privacy from overlooking and loss of amenity. Consistently, more people are staying at these sites than is allowed, which creates congestion and parking issues within the neighbourhood street. Irresponsible guests and their careless actions during the fire season pose a significant risk.

Every time I contact the booking agencies to represent my concerns – I am met with total disregard.

Hepburn Shire Council should absolutely mandate a policy similar to those of the Yarra Ranges and the Mornington Peninsula councils to control and apportion accountability for loss of amenity to the local neighbourhood, and to also penalise these irresponsible and ignorant accommodation property owners.

Hepburn Shire Council has granted planning permission for these dwellings to be constructed, with no declared consideration for the preservation of the local neighbourhood amenity. Applicants for these planning permits should declare to the council their immediate intention for the proposed purpose of the dwellings – a private residence or holiday accommodation – before any planning permit is issued.

At the moment there are no such council controls. Local neighborhood residents have no combative power or recourse to these council decisions. No-one listens, noone cares – residents are completely ignored.

The owners of both these short-term holiday accommodation sites adjacent to my property are out of town Melbourne people – so no direct financial gain is felt by the town. The accommodation property owners and booking agencies just take the money. Any issues represented and preventative measures recommended to be taken are simply ignored.

Immediate and strong actions are now required by the council, accommodation property owners and booking agencies to restore lost amenity and to strictly control guest behaviours at short-term holiday accommodation sites throughout the Hepburn Shire.

- Dave McLachlan, Hepburn Springs

Rethink the Rex

M

EMBERS from the Rethink the Rex community group will launch Hepburn Matters, a newly incorporated association designed to advocate for community assets, when they offer a free performance of theatre production A Prudent Man at the Daylesford Town Hall on Wednesday, June 22 from 6pm.

A Prudent Man is a one-man tour de force drawing inspiration from historical and contemporary figures to explore how leaders use power. Dubbed political satire at its sharpest, it won the coveted Audience Choice Award from over 400 productions at the 2016 Melbourne Fringe Festival and has since been performed over 100 times across Australia and New Zealand.

The work will be performed by Hepburn Springs resident Lyall Brooks, an awardwinning actor and director.

Hepburn Matters president Jules McDonald said that with a decision on the future of The Rex building in Daylesford imminent, the organisation was thrilled to offer a high-quality event the group hopes will highlight the potential a space like the Rex could offer the community.

“From a cinema and performing arts space to a hub for local artisans and food producers, we have so much creative talent on our doorstep, but no central place to nurture and support them,” she said.

Ms McDonald said the newly-formed group was not advocating for one solution above any other. Instead, the group has identified four essential elements it believes the community cannot afford to lose, whatever happens to the iconic 95-year-old building.

“The return of our cinema, provision of public toilets, community space for locals and maintaining heritage protections are absolutely vital to the future redesign or sale of The Rex,” Ms McDonald said.

“Whatever the outcome, we’re asking council to explore alternative options in close consultation with the community, so that we can work together to deliver the kind of long-term, intergenerational benefits that will ensure we continue thriving as a local community into the future.”

Running at 50 minutes and recommended for audiences 16+, the performance of A Prudent Man will be followed by a brief introduction to Hepburn Matters, including a call to attend the upcoming council meetings on June 28 and July 19, where a decision on the future of The Rex is expected to be made.

Entry is free, with donations welcome. Enquiries to Jules McDonald at julesmcd11@gmail.com or sign up to the newsletter at www.facebook.com/ hepburnmatters

Letters to the editor are always welcome. Email donna@tlnews.com.au

Storm works Kids backpacks Trentham Hub

One year on from the devastating storm that impacted Hepburn Shire on June 9, Bushfire Recovery Victoria have announced additional funding to assist with work on community assets and public land. This will include works on key public assets like heritage railways, tourist walking trails, fire access tracks and recreation reserves.

Creswick's St Andrew’s Uniting Church women have, for the last 15 years, been providing school backpacks filled with supplies including pencils, textas, scissors and glue, According to BRV, the eligible works include those to school children in Fiji, required to clean up community asset/facilities or land to Tonga, Solomon Islands and Kiribati. its pre-disaster function in preparation for any rebuilding works, including the assessment and management of hazardous trees.

Community assets selected in Hepburn Shire are the Daylesford Spa Country Railway, Domino Trail, Wombat Trail, Stony Creek Reserve and Lyonville to Bullarto Reserve.

Railway vice president Steven Fiume said volunteers were elated by the news that works would soon begin to clear the section of railway between Musk and Bullarto.

“The magnitude of the destruction is overwhelming, it’s not until you actually see it for yourself do you understand the scale, that’s its far beyond the capacity of a volunteer non-profit organisation to deal with.”

Demolition of sections of the Trentham Mechanics Institute has commenced, as the building is transformed into a $6 million Trentham Community Hub.

Tree removal, sewer realignment and removal of asbestos is now complete.

Hepburn Shire Mayor Cr Tim Drylie said the building would include a library, council customer service centre, large community hall, commercial Coordinator Ann Connan from Frankston picks up kitchen, visitor information services, playgroup area, the filled backpacks in November and they are sent out onsite parking and landscaped surrounds.

Regional Development Victoria has provided $3.5 in large shipping containers in the New Year.

Sometimes Creswick community members have also million through the Regional Infrastructure Fund, with filled school bags which has swelled the numbers of bags $1.1M from the federal government’s Local Roads and Community Infrastructure grant. being sent.

Cr Drylie said the building would have a five-star If anyone would like to help by filling a backpack Green Star rating. phone Joan on 0417 976 352. She will provide a bag It will also have a back-up generator to serve the and an itemised list to purchase to fill it. Ann says it is community in times of power outage and ensure the important for every child to receive exactly the same building can remain operating. items so everyone is treated equally.

Construction is expected to be completed by the end Donations can also be made to UCA Creswick of June next year.

Clunes Parish, BSB: 633 000, Acc: 175041706 - just mention backpacks in the description.

www.tlnews.com.au

Out & About 15

Chris to perform tribute to Annie Lennox Chris Burgess grew up in Naarm, Melbourne and from an early age aspired to be in musicals as his mum took him to every show that came through.

He even has a closet full of programs and ticket stubs to prove it. Chris said early influences were his school teachers, namely a Ms Gore who encouraged him to audition for his first musical, Children of Eden by Stephen Schwartz (Wicked, Pippin, Godspell). Chris chatted with Donna Kelly.

Donna: When did you get into being an entertainer?

Chris: When I graduated school, I studied music theatre at Showfit in 2016 and then went on to further my training at the VCA where I studied a Bachelor of Fine Arts in music theatre. I loved training as my peers really became my family, but a family of people who were all uniquely obsessed with music theatre - which can be intense at times. Beyond the training, I was always someone who enjoyed making people laugh and entertaining.

This is not a typical tribute show as Annie is not a typical rock star. I share personal reflections of the last few years, some poetry and dive into some fanciful characters, each haunted by ghosts of the society we live in. In this show, I aim to subvert expectations and suspend disbelief through an intimate explosion of Lennox’s music…you gotta see it to believe it

Donna: How did you cope over lockdowns?

Chris: Coping in the contemporary Australian arts industry is certainly an uphill battle, which is reflected in the deeply concerning mental health of the sector. This was exacerbated over the last few years, and I feel we have a lot of healing to do as artists coming out the other side. Having said that, it is inspiring to see the industry come alive again recently and I’m hopeful looking to the Donna: You have a show LENNOX: Legend In My Living Room coming up...

Chris: Over the past few years, I started listening to Annie Lennox’s music more future. A silver lining for me is that it gave me time to reflect on what kind of career I than ever. The lyrics painted such a beautiful world to escape into from the realities of want to have as an artist which is something I wouldn’t have had if I had gone straight lockdown and the songs are so anthemic that they dropped me down into my body into shows. in such a visceral way. They really helped me through what was a challenging few Donna: This is our travel edition, so give our region a plug if you don't mind. years of uncertainty…. also she’s just an epic singer and someone who really lives by Chris: I recently visited the area for my brother’s wedding, which was held at my a strong set of values and isn’t afraid to speak up and rebel. Her music makes great now sister-in-law’s family wine estate – Red Hare. It’s such a gorgeous little pocket sense in a theatrical setting too as her music videos have such iconic costumes that I of Victoria, particularly for the beautiful nature around here. I also love that it’s the couldn’t resist trying to replicate them on stage. official LGBTI capital of regional Victoria. It certainly has it all.

Donna: What can audiences expect from your show at The Palais on July 2?

Donna: What’s next on the agenda?

Chris: A queer, dystopian solo cabaret featuring the music of Lennox and her Chris: I’m planning on touring LENNOX on the interstate festival circuit so keep iconic costumes. I play a host of characters from her maid to her erotic lover and wear your eyes peeled for that. I’m also in the process of writing a new show and forming a bunch of iconic costumes from her video clips to live gigs. The show also features an a theatre company so lots happening. Stay up to date on my Instagram, but if you’re epic two-piece band with Imogen Cygler on keys, synth and violin and Ash Griffin really committed, I also teach yoga for anyone who is physically or spiritually inclined! on guitar.

EXTINCTION The Ballad of Pirt Koorrook A First Nations’ Adaptation Original Play by Hannie Rayson Adapted by Georgia MacGuire Director - Tim Drylie First Nations Co-Director - Corey Saylor-Brunskill

Old hedge maze and Country Carnival Garden

JUNE 26

& JULY 1,2,3

Creswick Courthouse Theatre 2 Raglan Street, Creswick

Tickets: creswicktheatre.com.au/current-show

Open every day in the winter school holidays from 25 June to 10 July.

Book your session https://mazehouse.com.au/bookings/ 3155 Midland Hwy Newlyn North (just 10 mins from Daylesford)

16 Horoscopes

Horoscopes

www.tlnews.com.au

with Jennifer Hart June 20-July 4

Aries: Fair Venus is entering the area of your chart that deals with communication, your thought processes and ideas. I think this can be called the “Barry White Effect”, upping your charm and dare I say, sexiness. You might be more inclined to wax poetic and others will be pulled in by your wiles.

Libra: Do you enjoy your career and what you spend so much of your energy doing or working towards? This is a time to be clear about what direction you see yourself heading towards, if you don’t know where you’re going, how will you realise when you’ve arrived?

Taurus: You might have some extra cash to splash in the next few weeks, and who doesn’t love that? Opportunities to earn more money or increase assets are more abundant. If you aren’t keen to part with your dollars, even giving your place a good spruce with just some elbow grease can be most satisfying.

Gemini: A four-month window has opened that’s giving you the opportunity to scrutinise your major loans, taxes and even get your will in order. Make the appropriate upgrade or amendments, it could pay out in dividends. Getting a better deal in these areas will be a little easier with Venus helping you out.

Scorpio: An ideal time to review aspects of your life such as investments, insurance policies, estate planning and getting your books ready for tax time. If you’re in need of re-financing or any type of approval from a lending institution, you might be viewed more favourably at this time.

Sagittarius: Passion projects might lead you to interesting places or to fascinating people. If you’re looking for love, Venus has entered the part of the Zodiac that speaks to relationships, passion projects indeed. If you’re currently committed, this is a joyful time to connect, deepen the bonds within your relationship.

Capricorn: Health and wellness are highlighted for you, the opportunity to investigate new ways to take care of yourself are ripe. What new technology, apps or Cancer: Indulge in some alone time and reflect on how you’re travelling. It can be tracking systems can you implement to get focused on your goals? most satisfying to take stock, see how far you’ve come, give yourself some credit and show yourself a little love. It’s time to do some home beautification, you deserve it.

Aquarius: A new routine around diet and exercise can help you feel like you’re kicking goals. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy, you’ll want to play just as Leo: It's time for a personal retreat Leo, especially if you’re feeling uninspired, hard as you work. Creative projects, time spent playing with children will help lift tired, and burnt out. If you can get away to places that bring you happiness, to the spirits, get curious and use your grey matter. beach, the woods, the movies, absolutely go. Get out of Dodge, schedule some alone time or Netflix and chill.

Pisces: You might be more inclined to spend the rest of the winter season rugged up, enjoying the comforts of home, reading a good book. This can be a great time Virgo: Embrace social gatherings and time spent with your friends over the to tidy up and de-clutter your pad, invite others over for lovely gatherings and next few weeks, networking for work purposes can be lucrative at this time too. scintillating conversation.

Reassessment of your daily routine could also be helpful in reaching these goals, to ensure that you’re spending your time wisely and not wasting this precious Until next time, Jennifer Hart commodity.

For your full horoscope reading head to www.jhartastro.com or www.tlnews.com.au

Winter Warmer Buy one 700ml bottle of Sweet Jennifer Gin & receive another 700ml Sweet Jennifer Gin HALF PRICE!

Offer ends 31st July or until sold out. (RRP $85 each)

Join us for tastings and sales. Cellar door open every day 10am-5pm.

www.herballoreliqueurs.com 2 Railway Crescent, Daylesford (03) 5348 1920

Silent films at Radio When silent films first made an appearance, they were almost always accompanied by live music, starting with a pianist at the first movie projections by the Lumière Brothers in Paris in 1895.

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.

The music for silent films was often improvised, and by around 1915, large city theatres began featuring organists or ensembles of musicians. Over 100 years later, members of the collective Small Space Music come together to improvise contemporary soundtracks to classic silent films.

Small Space Music connects curious listeners with music that is taking place in the nooks and crannies of the Victorian scene. Renowned drummer Ronny Ferella and Trentham guitarist Robbie Melville have been curating a season of six performances at the Radio Springs Hotel.

Two performances, a matinee and evening show, will take place in the 35-seat Henry Langlois Screening Room at Radio Springs Hotel on the last Sunday of each month until September. The films will be selected from former career projectionist and Radio Springs proprietor Ken Parfrey’s private collection.

Magic Lantern Session Three features the 1929 German drama Pandora's Box, following the life of Lulu, a seductive, thoughtless young woman whose raw sexuality and uninhibited nature bring ruin to herself and those who love her.

The musicians have worked with a variety of top Australian and international acts such as Guy Sebastian, the Australian Pops Orchestra, Michelle Nicolle, Shane Howard, Krystle Warren, Stephen Magnusson, Julien Wilson and Nat Bartsch.

The screening of this unsung German classic paired with live music from some of Australia’s leading improvisors promises to be an experience like no other.

Tickets are $20/$15 and can be bought at trybooking.com

Pictured, Ken Parfrey at the Radio Springs Hotel | Image: Kyle Barnes

MAKE POWER OUTAGES A THING OF THE PAST Fully Installed *

BEFORE THE NEXT BLACKOUT A Gas Fired Backup Generator automatically delivers power to your home’s electrical system in the event of a grid outage

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Picanha with Chimichurri

BY RICHARD CORNISH

In the BBQ houses of Brazil, one of the most popular cuts is Picanha (pronounced peek–an–ya). The name comes from the pole used by the ranchers to tend their herds and in this delicious dish, it refers to the skewer on which the steaks are secured. It is generally made with the top of the rump steak with a protective layer of fat also known as the rump cap. You can use the whole rump and break these into smaller pieces. The grilled steaks are topped with fresh and tangy chimichurri sauce. Enjoy with friends with a good bottle of shiraz.

Serves 4.

• • • • •

1kg rump cap or rump steaks olive oil, salt and pepper ½ bunch flat-leaf parsley, chopped handful oregano leaves, chopped 1 shallot, chopped

Preheat the BBQ grill. Cover the rump cap with olive oil and season with plenty of salt and pepper.

Score the fat using a sharp knife into a diamond pattern. Slice into 3 or 4 pieces. Place on a long metal skewer in a half moon shape. Season the expose sides.

Place on a medium grill for five minutes, turn, cook for a further five minutes, turn, cook for three minutes, turn, cook for a further 3 minutes.

Test for doneness. Remove and allow to rest.

WE

• • • • •

5 green stems spring onion 1 small chilli, finely diced 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped 125ml red wine vinegar 175ml extra virgin olive oil

While the steaks are cooking, make the sauce by slicing the spring onions finely. Placing them and the remaining ingredients into a food processor and blend until smooth. Slice the meat and serve with the sauce.

For more recipes visit daylesfordmeatco.com.au

Richard Cornish, award winning journo, food writer and author, is writing a series of recipes for his favourite local butcher, The Daylesford Meat Co.

OUR LOCALS

We are proud to offer you Green Hills Natural Beef and Lamb from our very own farm. It’s as local as you are. In store today.

THIS WEEKS SPECIALS

RUMP STEAK 2 KG FOR $39.99 Our premium Green Hills Natural Rump will give you an enormous array of dishes to cook.

Normally $70 for 2kg!

SPANISH CHICKEN $9.95 EACH These small roasting free-range chickens have been butterflied and marinated making them the perfect choice for quick, tasty and easy mid-week meals.

FREE DELIVERY FOR ORDERS OVER $100 TO DAYLESFORD, HEPBURN, TRENTHAM & SURROUNDS. USE CODE: LOCALFREE ON CHECKOUT OR PLACE ORDER VIA THE PHONE.

37 VINCENT ST DAYLESFORD

CALL 03 5348 2094

OPEN 7 DAYS

DAYLESFORDMEATCO.COM.AU

Out & About 19

Inaugural kettleball

D

Need help getting your P’s?

AYLESFORD hosted its inaugural Kettlebell Sport competition, attracting competitors from four states, along with dozens of spectators, on June 4.

Log your minimum 120 hours of driving experience with the help of a volunteer supervising driver.

The TAC L2P program helps young learner drivers with no access to a supervising driver or vehicle get experience on the road.

The TAC L2P matches learners aged 16-21 with a fully licensed volunteer and practice vehicle to help them reach their minimum 120 hours required to apply for a probationary licence.

The program is free to join, with more than 1000 volunteers across Victoria ready to supervise you!

Get in touch Ballarat Foundation TAC L2P Program T: 03 5331 5555 M: 0422 809 587 E: l2p@ballaratfoundation.org.au

*To become a volunteer mentor, please get in touch.

Under the auspices of the Girevoy Sport Australia Association, the event was the first of its kind held in the region.

Event facilitator and participant Beth Whiting, owner of local business Integrate Fitness, said kettlebell sport was the ultimate full body workout – targeting strength, aerobic capacity and mobility.

"Events can be either 5, 10, 30 or 60 minutes in duration, with the most common event being 10 minutes. It draws on Olympic-style strength lifts as well as challenging the body’s aerobic systems."

Competitors ranged in age from 15 through to 54 and included several Australian record holders and state champions. (Pictured is Daylesford's Melissa Ryan.)

"The kettlebell community is very friendly and supportive of each other. There are a variety of different lifts and time durations so there is an event for everyone, regardless of age, ability or where you are in your fitness journey," Beth said.

"At Integrate Fitness we start out on lighter kettlebells for shorter durations and focus on technique. As confidence and skills build, we safely increase weight and time under load. The other great thing about kettlebells is our community spirit and friendship. We are there supporting each other in training and competition."

SUPPORTING COMMUNITY SPORT

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

www.tlnews.com.au Bendigo Bank

Community Bank Daylesford & District 5348 4186

COVID-19 Vaccination Update

COVID-19 Vaccination and Testing Clinics

COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic @ Kyneton Health The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) Open Tuesday (21 June) and Friday (24 June), has approved a winter dose of COVID-19 vaccine for eligible from 12 noon - 5pm priority groups.

- For 5 years and over Those eligible are: adults aged 65 years and older - Walk-ins accepted - no booking required!

WINTER BOOSTERS

residents of aged care or disability care facilities people aged 16 years and older who are severely immunocompromised Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 50 years and older.

On 25 May 2022, ATAGI recommended that people aged 16 to 64 will also be eligible for a winter dose if they have: a medical condition that increases the risk of severe COVID-19 illness, or disabilities with significant, complex or multiple health issues, which increase the risk of poor outcomes from COVID-19 infection.

COVID-19 Testing Clinics - Kyneton Health: open 7 days - Daylesford Health: open Monday 20 June, Wednesday 22 June and Friday 24 June

People who are now recommended to receive a fourth dose include people with: immunocompromising conditions cancers specific chronic inflammatory conditions chronic lung disease chronic liver disease severe chronic kidney disease chronic neurological disease diabetes requiring medication chronic cardiac disease disability with significant, complex, or multiple health issues, which increase the risk of poor outcomes from COVID-19 severe obesity severe underweight We are looking for new Volunteer Meals on Wheels drivers to join Eligible people can receive their winter dose 4 months after our team at Daylesford Health! Can you help? receiving their third dose, or from 3 months after having COVID-19 WHAT’S INVOLVED: if infection has occurred since the person’s third dose.

- Delivering meals to clients located in Daylesford and surrounds Pfizer and Moderna are the preferred vaccines for winter doses.

WHAT WE PROVIDE: AstraZeneca can be used if an mRNA vaccine (such as Pfizer or - Orientation Moderna) is contraindicated. Novavax can be used if no other - Vehicle vaccine is considered suitable for that person.

- Insurance Book a vaccination appointment at a Victorian vaccination centre - Police Records Check Clearance using the online booking system, or by calling the Coronavirus WHAT YOU NEED TO PROVIDE: Hotline on 1800 675 398 between 8am and 8pm, 7 days a week. - Drivers License You can also book an appointment at your local GP or pharmacy. - COVID-19 and influenza vaccination certificates Please keep checking our Facebook page (@CHRHorgAU) for For further information or to register your interest, please contact: current Kyneton COVID-19 vaccination clinic hours.

J Cawton, Volunteer Engagement Manager via: j.cawton@chrh.org.au For more information about COVID-19 vaccines, please visit: To find out more about volunteering with us, visit: www.chrh.org.au/covid-19-vaccines/ www.chrh.org.au/volunteer Source: www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/who-can-get-vaccinated - 16 June 2022 Clunes I Creswick I Daylesford I Kyneton I Trentham 5321 6500 www.chrh.org.au www.facebook.com/CHRHorgAU

Community News MESSAGE FROM THE MAYOR

Coming from a community member perspective, I sometimes think that it can be difficult to understand what Council is doing on an issue, when on the face of it time may seem to be standing still. Partly, we are still getting better at letting you know more regularly about our activities and plans, and celebrating the wins, big or small. We’re also acknowledging the challenges that we encounter that may cause delay or have us stray from our intended path.

To stay more up to date, you may wish to subscribe to our monthly online newsletter Hepburn Life or keep an eye out for our bulletins in your local newsletters. You can also watch our monthly Council meetings online or keep an eye on your Ward Councillor’s Facebook page or make time to have a chat with them one-on-one. We will also be introducing some other new face-to-face opportunities soon and make sure to check out our fabulous new Hepburn Shire website.

If you notice something that needs attention, or something that is not quite right, make sure you put in a service request via one of our community hubs, or online. Your request will be logged and tracked by our staff so that you can be confident of a response in a timely manner. The same goes for any complaints that you may have about any of your dealings with Council. All complaints are treated seriously and will be processed according to our complaints handling policy with the aim of a resolution within 30 working days. We are serious about hearing your concerns and acting on them where we can.

As Councillors, we spend about a day each week in confidential briefing sessions discussing reports prepared from our Council officers, hearing from a range of expert advisors, and talking with other local government stakeholders and community groups. Often, we can’t speak in detail in the community about these meetings due to the confidential matters being discussed, but it is important that you know what actions and discussions we are undertaking in the community interest.

For instance, we have had briefings recently where Vic Forests has attended to discuss the actions being taken in the Wombat Forest and councillors were able to share community concerns about their logging and forest management practices. We have also discussed matters directly with AusNet on the significant problems and stress the Western Victoria Transmission Network Project is presenting for members in the community and farmers. Last week, some Councillors attended inter-agency committee meetings to get updates on the Storm Recovery progress in the Trentham and Creswick areas, and to mark the twelve-month anniversary of the June storm event. We have also been reading community submissions and discussing the upcoming proposed sale of The Rex building.

Cr Tim Drylie MAYOR

COUNCIL PLAN FOCUS AREAS

SUSTAINABLE HEPBURN

Caring for our natural environment by reconnecting with nature, reducing impacts associated with our lifestyles and regenerating disturbed landscapes is fundamental to the health and wellbeing of our community, the natural systems that sustain us, a thriving local economy and resilience in the face of future challenges. Sustainable Hepburn is Council’s updated commitment for environmental sustainability. Have your say on the draft by 8 July 2022. Visit https://participate.hepburn.vic.gov.au/sustainablehepburn

NEW WEBSITE

We are excited to announce that we will be launching our new website this week (21 June). After 7 years, our website needed a refresh to make it easier for the community to find information and access online forms. Some of the features of our new website are our enhanced search function, easy navigation and updated forms which can be completed online.

After such a massive project, we do expect a few teething issues, so please be patient with us as we tweak the site over the coming months.

Visit www.hepburn.vic.gov.au to check out the new site.

We also want to hear your feedback. Let us know what you think at shire@hepburn.vic.gov.au.

RECONCILIATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Council is calling for expressions of interest from community representatives to serve on our Reconciliation Advisory Committee (RAC).

The RAC provides a forum for Hepburn Shire to consult key stakeholders and seek advice regarding the process, development, and implementation of the next Reconciliation Action Plan. Applications close 10 July 2022.

To apply visit https://forms.office.com/r/4s5VKh5qqP. For more information contact Annette at amillar@hepburn.vic.gov.au or on 0477979828/53216409.

DRAFT BUDGET

Council will consider the 2022/23 Draft Budget for adoption at the June Council Meeting at 5.30pm on Tuesday 28 June. The meeting will be livestreamed via our Facebook page.

Find out about the planned investment across the Shire and read the budget and summary at https://participate.hepburn.vic.gov.au/

STORM RECOVERY SESSIONS

Register for the free community recovery sessions via www.hepburn.vic. gov.au/storm-and-flood-recovery or call the Storm Recovery Team on (03) 4373 7373. The event will be held from 6pm to 8.30pm on Wednesday 22 June at Doug Lindsay Recreation Reserve in Creswick and from 6pm to 8.30pm on Thursday 23 June at the Lyonville Hall.

GENDER EQUITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Council is calling for applications for new members of the Gender Equity Advisory Committee. Gender equity entails the provision of fairness and justice in the distribution of benefits and responsibilities on the basis of gender. Applications close on Friday 8 July.

Find out more at https://participate.hepburn.vic.gov.au/gender-equityadvisory-committee 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.

 5348 2306  shire@hepburn.vic.gov.au  www.hepburn.vic.gov.au www.facebook.com/hepburncouncil

THANK YOU

& Farewell Doctor Beth Quin It is with mixed emotions that Dr Beth Quin is announcing her retirement from routine general practice from 30 June, 2022.

Dr Quin has been in general practice in Daylesford for 33 years. She is retiring to take a well-earned break from regular clinical practice and pursue other interests.

We wish Dr Quin a wonderful retirement, she has been an invaluable part of the GP team and was a director for many years and helped form Springs Medical. “ I would sincerely like to thank all of the clients that I have seen over all of these years. It has been such an incredible privilege to play a part in your primary health care. You have shared with me the highs and lows, the simple and the complex aspects of your incredible personal stories and I thank you for your trust. I have endeavoured to collaborate with you and treat you all with utmost respect and I know that the incredible team at Springs Medical will continue to do this.” - Dr Beth Quin

www.springsmedical.com.au Daylesford Kyneton Trentham 10 Hospital St 89 Piper Street 22 Victoria St tel: (03) 5348 2227 tel: (03) 5422 1298 tel: (03) 5424 1602 Follow us

https://www.facebook.com/springsmedical

SUE’S PLACE

Dr. Susanne M. Heringslake Chiropractor Moments To Ponder a little gift from me to you

Love a simple, 4 letter word So many different meanings, different expressions, different experiences.

Do you ever notice what you think, feel, or do?

Or is it just habit?

When I pause and reflect on ‘love’, everything changes in that moment.

It’s no longer ‘habit’.

It simply is.

For all enquiries and to book appointments, please contact: Dr Susanne M Heringslake Chiropractor Mobile: 0407 301 352

URGENT CARE WALK-IN CLINIC OPEN EVERY DAY

24 hours a day, 7 days a week

BEST CARE:

for every person, every time In a life-threatening emergency, please call 000

Your local Urgent Care Centre in Daylesford is a first stop for unplanned medical attention for adults or children.

Here, you will access local care that is the most appropriate for your circumstances. We triage (assess), treat or transfer patients depending on the nature of the visit and assessment of the illness or injury.

Professional care is provided by our highly skilled nurses, many of whom are Rural and Isolated Practice Endorsed Registered Nurses (known as RIPERNs).

Local GPs also collaborate with our nurses, and are available on-call for telephone consultation or visit.

After hours, our nursing staff can also access specialist services via Telehealth, including My Emergency Doctor, a service that connects us to specialist emergency doctors via phone or iPad.

What is an urgent medical condition?

Allergic reactions Asthma Breathing difficulties Burns (minor) Chest infections Concussion/loss of consciousness Constipation Dehydration

Dental or mouth pain/infection Diarrhoea Dressings Eye conditions (eg foreign body) Falls General injuries Laceration

Mental health/anxiety Nose bleed (epistaxis) Pain and pain management Sore throat or cough Sprains and strains Traumatic injuries (minor) Urinary problems

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Phone: (03) 5321 6500

www.chrh.org.au In person: go to the door to the left of the main hospital entrance and press the buzzer for attention. www.facebook.com/CHRHorgAU

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Celebrations 23

Congratulations to Father Jeff and Terry On Sunday morning, June 5, (Pentecost Sunday), Father Jeff O’Hare, left, and Terry Langevin were married by the Anglican Bishop of Ontario, the Right Reverend Michael Oulton, in front of Father Jeff’s congregation of Christ Church Belleville.

Fr Jeff, who was formerly with Christ Church, Daylesford, said there were 140 parishioners, members of the wider community, friends, family and the Mayor of Belleville "at this wonderful celebration and historic event".

"Same sex marriage in the Anglican diocese of Ontario has been approved of since 2019, and this is the first taken by the bishop of one of his own clergy." Terry's two sons, Shae and Sammy, and Fr Jeff’s brother, Shane, all played 'best men' at the ceremony. Also in attendance was 14-year-old pooch Atticus, who made the move from Daylesford to Canada with Fr Jeff.

"It was a wonderful day," Fr Jeff said.

Bonsai Society celebrations Goldfields Bonsai Society will celebrate its 20th anniversary with an exhibition at the Daylesford Town Hall on Saturday, June 25 and Sunday, June 26 from 10am to 4pm.

Benetas is your provider for Commonwealth Home Support Program (CHSP) services

Secreatary Kristy Dodder said the society was established in 2001 by a small group of enthusiasts who wanted to enjoy and share the experience of this extraordinary living art form with others.

"What is bonsai? The word bon-sai is a Japanese term. Bon is a dish or thin bowl.

Sai is a tree or other growing plant which is planted – planted as would be a halberd or spear or pike stuck into the ground.

“Bonsai thus means or denotes 'a tree which is planted in a shallow container'."

Kristy said the art form of bonsai was originally developed as an ancient Chinese horticultural practice. Under the influence of Japanese Zen Buddhism, it was redeveloped. Bonsai has been around for well over a thousand years.

"The underlying art of Bonsai is the creation of a miniaturised but realistic representation of nature in the form of a tree. One of the challenges is to complete this process without displaying the human intervention too clearly.

"Myth buster - bonsai are not genetically dwarfed plants, in fact, any tree species can be used to grow one. Bonsai can challenge gardening skills, artistic aesthetics and design capabilities."

The society, some members pictured below, meets on the third Sunday of the month in Castlemaine. Contact Trevor on 5476 2286 for information.

Commencing services in Hepburn Shire Council from 1 July 2022.

We are a leading, values driven, notfor-profit aged and community care provider in Victoria providing a range of Home Care, Respite, Community Health, Retirement Living and Residential Aged Care services across Victoria.

We have a long history of providing quality services in the rural north west of Victoria and we are very excited and privileged to be selected to deliver services to you.

Hepburn Shire Council will cease CHSP services as of 30 June 2022 and as required by the Commonwealth Government, Benetas will now provide these services from 1 July 2022.

If you would like more information or to discuss how else Benetas can support you with home care services, you can contact us

T: 03 8371 2130 E: hepburn@benetas.com.au Benetas Home Care 2A Duke Street, Daylesford

benetas.com.au Health Care | Home Care | Residential Aged Care | Retirement Living

24 News

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Gardens 25

Reach for the sky

In keeping with this edition's theme of travel, here's my take on Singapore’s breathtakingly spectacular Gardens by the Bay, a 101-hectare botanical, national icon.

Of all the magnificent public and botanical gardens I’ve ever visited and admired, and these include London’s famed Kew Gardens, Rome’s semi-forgotten Orto Botanico historic garden and, of course, Holland’s famed and massive springtime tulip garden extravaganza - Keukenhof, Singapore looms largest in my fond memories and takes the most spectacular prize.

It was conceived as a national monument and a celebration of the nations that contributed to all that is Singapore - a theme that is carried through both, within its structures and outdoor gardens.

Situated in the vicinity of the Marina Reservoir in the central region of Singapore, the immense nature park consists of three waterfront gardens and two enormous structures.

The 1.2-hectare Flower Dome - displaying exotic plants and flowers from the five continents and listed in 2015 by the Guinness Book of World Records as the largest greenhouse in the world - and the breathtaking Cloud Forest. This is smaller.

0.8-hectares, but much taller, to accommodate a small mountain, complete with its very own waterfall, and of course, also decorated with tropical plants.

But the most striking and impossible not to see first is the enormous Supertree Grove of 18 gigantic, 25-50-metre high man-made “trees”. In truth, you can’t really miss them.

The Supertree Grove gives you aerial views of the gardens and surrounds via the Skyway which connects two of the highest trees, providing a 128-metre walk from the height of about 22 metres above the ground.

In the true manner of all botanical gardens, Gardens by the Bay conducts an education program through two types of themed gardens - Heritage which highlight the four cultural groups in Singapore - Indian, Chinese, Malay and colonial, and World Gardens - showcasing the biodiversity of plant life on the planet.

Gardens by the Bay has become one of the most visited gardens in the world.

While the New York Botanical Gardens and Kew Gardens receive an estimated 1-2 million annual visitors, Gardens by the Bay received over 6.4 million visitors in 2014 - just three years since officially opening.

To hell with rising food prices...lettuce grow our own

The current high cost of living we are seemingly going to be experiencing for some time, has turned the weekly shopping into a daunting nightmare, trying to balance nutrition against cost. It seems that all the highly favoured are now also the ridiculously high-priced. So it's time for Operation Green Thumb.

With all of the main northern states' fruit and veg providers devastated and unlikely to even return to their properties - let alone produce crops for quite some time, it’s painfully obvious that we will have make do for ourselves...and grow our own. I‘ll show you just how easily...next issue.

Got a gardening question: Email glenzgarden@gmail.com Images: below, Glen Heyne, above right, Gardens by the Bay

26 Opinion

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Kyle’s Rant

O

N THE road again. This is the first long road trip in years, weighing in at a whopping 4000 kilometre drive with an average 400km under the tyres per day, and things have changed in the 27 years since we last made the trip.

In December of 1995, the good wife got the call from the editor of The Cairns Post asking her to join the crew of hard smoking, drinking and cynical journalists that walked the hallowed halls of The Post. And within a few days we had packed up and hit the road in our Mazda 626. It was a car with relatively low miles on the clock, think one little old lady owner, and, of great importance, no air conditioning.

We were fresh faced 20-something-year-olds and fairly new together so still had a lot to talk about - aspirations, dreams, the sort of things you chat about before life gives you a kick in the guts, your face becomes weathered, teeth tarnished and your belly becomes another limb rather than a place to put food. (Ed's note - speak for yourself Kyle!)

I do remember during the trip having to pour water over our heads, and because of the hot wind we had to keep the windows up and jam towels in the windows to keep the sun off our fresh, white skin. What a time to move to Cairns, December.

What bright spark thought up that idea? We put in 10-hour days on the potholeridden roads and ate large breakfasts, lunch and dinners washed down with cask wine and beer to keep our strength up.

Fast forward to the present as we climb into our climate-controlled 4WD and decide that an average of 400 kilometres a day is a comfortable pace. I also have been skipping breakfast trying to reduce the size of my overhang, which in all honesty, keeps me sharp. Not eating that is, not the belly. The road to the Gold Coast is pretty much freeway all the way once you get across to the Hume via Three Chain Road in Carlsruhe except for the bottle neck around Newcastle and a couple of roadwork patches. It is pretty much 110km all the way. Even the trip through Sydney is a breeze but a quick stop is advised around 100km south of the city because there is no place to stop until you're well on the other side.

The trip north of the Gold Coast is freeway until just before Gympie and then you're on the A1 where the potholes are well marked. Quite honestly, the Queenslanders wouldn’t know a rough surface if it jumped out at them. Being a Central Highlands resident prepares you for any potholes that you come across, which are babies by comparison to the ones that you have to change down gears to get out of around here. However I must admit, one nearly got the better of me.

I thought I could dodge around the left of it, but it turns out it was larger than I anticipated and nearly threw us down a sharp embankment at a speed which had me rattled for the rest of the day.

There is a vast difference in the roadworks in Queensland from here. Number one is they are actually doing them not just a bloke spreading bitumen from a shovel so the next truck coming along can spit it all out onto the following car.

The biggest difference, particularly as you head north of Rockhampton, is the large swathes of road they are upgrading. At home you will go through a roadwork section for five kilometres at the most, up there you can be on a single roadwork site for 30km and there are lots of them.

My final road trip tips are to make sure that you have topped the Esky up with ice, wine and beer at least two hours before you end the drive and if you feel the irresistible yearn to drive to Cairns, do it one way. It is actually a lot cheaper to go back on a jet and get your vehicle freighted back when you take into account accommodation and fuel. Road trip rant over…

Catherine

KING MP

Federal Member for Ballarat

Local Lines

Travel You can never get there too soon.

Unless you are confined to bed life is being in one place and then another constantly.

Stay on the speed limit or even creep a little over but aim to be in place. Transit is nowhere at all.

Travelling requires remaining still. And the further you go the longer you will be required to sit bunched up in a car a bus a plane.

Only when you get there when you are far from home do you get to move as normal – walk run skippedy-do.

- Bill Wootton Bill lives in Hepburn Springs and like everyone else, has travelled less than he would have liked in the last couple of years.

Local Lines comes mainly from a group of local poets but other submissions are always welcome. To have a poem considered for publication contact Bill Wootton at cottlesbreedge@gmail.com

Mary-Anne Thomas MP

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Ciao!

Opinion 27

Just sayin’...

I'm Mara Ripani and I love being with community, talking and discussing all that is important to us. Problem solving and diving deep into conversations about everything and anything, no matter how difficult, no matter how light.

By Donna Kelly

I

GUESS, being the travel edition and all, I should talk about the joys of hitting the road, but it's not all beer and skittles. Whatever that means.

I started a cooking and permaculture school called Village Dreaming because I love kitchens and people in kitchens! Kitchens are hubs of incredible comfort to me.

A kitchen full of fragrant cooking, pots and steam, women and men at chopping boards, slicing, grating, tasting, talking, always talking. Sometimes silence. In the kitchen music from all over the world is playing, compelling us to break out into dance. We place knives down and use the bench tops to lift our legs in the air in splendid kitchen dancing. Swirling around chairs and tables pretending for a moment to be performing cabaret…until the saucepan lid falls off with a clang and our kitchen dancing spell is broken.

At Village Dreaming we run classes on food preserving using the hot water bath method, we teach fermenting skills and make krauts, kimchis, yogurt and berry ferments. Home-made pasta classes using edible flowers such as rose petals and calendula. Naturally leavened bread baking, cheese making, sausage and salami making gatherings, wild fungi foraging walks. We invite artists to share their skills in weaving, natural plant dyeing and felting.

I am eager to learn and eager to share life’s incredible platter of rich experiences.

I am hungry for seasonal patterns and for sharing the seasons with others. It is feijoa season now, it was chestnut season just a few months ago and on my table a bowl of persimmons from Maggie!

In July we are making sausages and walking through paddocks to see pigs on pasture, to talk about regenerative farming and to feast in the warmth of a freshly made sausage. Join me if you can. Arrivederci cari amici.

Learn to Make Sausages with Beautiful Free Range Pork on Sunday, July 17 from 9.30am-2pm at Village Dreaming, Blampied. For tickets and details please visit villagedreaming.com.au (Advertorial)

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We have seen a lot of Australia but I never tire of being on the road, looking at huge vistas whether that's swathes of cane fields or red dirt and scraggly gums, or massive waterways but it's the nights that can see you undone.

Not with loneliness - as you can imagine, Kyle always has a story to tell or a theory to share...no, it's the accommodation. You'd think by our ages we would do it well by now. But it's still hit and miss.

When we were younger, poorer and had Rosie and Curly we stayed in some shocking places. Apparently dogs ruin nice hotel/motel rooms so they are best kept away and only allowed to stay in run-down camp grounds with freezing cabins.

I remember one place out the back of Queensland which was so cold Curly, who you can tell by his name was pretty furry, was on his mat on the floor shivering. We had used up all the wood provided for the fire and I started to have a good think about the wooden furniture. But Curly warmed up in bed with us and Rosie and the two chairs I had my eye on survived. Just.

Another joint had two rottweilers living next door, as in less than a metre away, separated by a very dodgy open wire fence, from the door. We carried the dogs inside that cabin and when Rosie took a leak on the carpet we assured her she had value added to the place.

This latest trip to Cairns was going to be better, we thought. Sadly still no dogs, just can't go there even after six years, but, you know, enough money to get somewhere somewhat decent.

Hmmm. Among our stops have been a place with a couch so dirty with built-in grease that we used the top sheet off the bed to sit on - that was $275 a night. We did mention it to the people at the front desk and they said we were welcome to leave a review. We didn't bother.

At another, the young woman checking us in told us that our keycards were "our best friends" and that under no circumstances could we lose them. She then said she was leaving "right on six" so if we wanted anything we better get to our rooms quickly otherwise there would be "no-one to help you". That's someone who needs to get out of the hospitality industry.

At another place, the spiral staircase to the second level had a big sign hung across the lower rails saying "no entry" and then some wooden boards kind of stretched across and blocking the top couple of stairs, I guess in case you can't read. We looked up and saw open shutters and what looked like black mould on the walls. I asked the bloke at the desk if there could be mould and he looked at me like I was speaking another language. Then he almost exploded that it couldn't be mould because it was "pretty airy" up there. Yes, because of the open shutters - which can also allow any spider, ant or cockroach to enter. FFS. Anyway, the road is great, just don't stop anywhere. Head up to Queensland, veer left, and left and left, and you'll be back home. Not that we are doing anything that ambitious. There is a still a pandemic on, so baby steps for us. Just sayin'...

The Local will always be a free read but if you want to support local, quality journalism you can donate by scanning the QR code.

Ageing DisGracefully members, including Max Primmer, will get together at the Daylesford Mill Markets on Thursday, June 23 at 11am.

All welcome.

For information email ageingdis3461@gmail. com or head to the Ageing DisGracefully facebook page.

Ageing DisGracefully is an initiative of Hepburn House.

28 Crossword

www.tlnews.com.au

W RD

CROSS

Here is the solution to crossword for edition 255.

Each edition, all the words appear in that edition somewhere.

How did you go?

News 29

For the love of cats

R

EGIONAL Community Vet Clinic, a Mt Alexander Shire based non-profit organisation, was generously gifted an anonymous donation from cat lovers in the community to host the clinic's first de-sexing day at the end of May.

Throughout the day RCVC neutered 31 cats from independent rescuers and farmsteads across the Loddon Mallee region.

The goal of the clinic is to support people who are experiencing dire financial situations to care for their companion animals, to run neutering programs and to support and promote the value of companion animals in the community.

RCVC recently secured state government funding to turn their goal into a reality.

“We are just in the very early stages. One of the first stages of our plan is to raise funds to set up a non-profit veterinary clinic on land associated with Campbells Creek Community Centre,” said founding member James Mark from Castlemaine.

"A clinic at this site will be an opportunity to assist people experiencing financial hardship to access preventative veterinary care.

“This care could be a game changer for many people who have a tight bond with their animals but just cannot afford the veterinary care required by their animals. For some people, their animals are their lifeline and not to be able to afford care for their loved one can be devastating.”

As well as providing non-profit community vet care, RCVC will also be a place for the community to come together to support neutering programs. Neutering programs are proactive interventions that work to curb cat colonies while maintaining healthy environments for both the cats and the community, in an attempt to reduce disease and unwanted kittens.

Every female cat has the potential to birth 6-10 kittens a year and by six months each of these kittens can start reproducing their own litters of kittens. The population growth is exponential and cat colonies can get out of control.

Founding member Dr. Yvette Berkeley from McKenzie Hill said the clinic's goals include providing access to preventative health veterinary services, running neutering programs and also supporting companion pet care in people's homes.

“We believe in the power of pets to help people maintain their independence, wellbeing, and general health. Promoting the well-being of pets directly affects the health and well-being of people”.

RCVC have three key activities planned for the next 12 months: fundraising activity to raise the additional $200,000 needed to complete the build; seeking expressions of interest from practicing veterinarians who are interested in contributing their time to procedures at the clinic when open; and hosting community events and information sessions both to support the clinic, but also to educate about responsible pet ownership across the region.

In the meantime RCVC invites anyone who is interested in contributing, or would like to know more about the organisation and its mission to write to them at info@rcvc.org.au, call 0493 447 394 or visit www.rcvc.org.au and sign up for the newsletter or visit https://rcvc.org.au/donate/ to donate to the cause.

Contributed

Classifieds Basketball clinics Being held at the ARC Stadium in Smith Street, Daylesford every Tuesday.

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Contact: Sam Camilleri on 0417 000 736.

(Advertising supported by The Local Publishing Group)

Just briefly...

The Doxa Youth Foundation in Malmsbury and PGL Adventure Camps in Tylden will be delivering free camps during 2022 targeting students who wouldn’t normally have the chance to attend a camp.

Positive Start in 2022 will help get students back out and about around the state, and support their physical and emotional health and wellbeing.

The $84.3 million program will focus on students from government and low-fee non-government schools who have been most affected by Covid-19 school closures – as well as students and schools that might otherwise be unable to participate in an outdoor education or camp program.

Central Highlands Water has announced the appointment of new managing director Jeff Haydon, who starts on July 11.

Mr Haydon has been a member of the local community over the past 15 years and is presently CHW’s Infrastructure Planning & Operations general manager.

Prior to moving to Ballarat with his family, Mr Haydon, a qualified civil engineer who also holds a Master of Business Administration, worked for an international engineering consulting firm, as well as a Melbourne retail water business.

Bee Friendly Farming’s popular tree grants are now open with farmers being supported to join the pledge to plant 100,000 trees for bees.

Grants of up to $10,000 are available to farmers and land managers to plant pollinatorfriendly trees that are indigenous to their farms, with Bee Friendly Farming providing farmers and land managers with $1 for every tree planted, thanks to grant partners One Tree Planted and Flow Hive.

The program is administered by Wheen Bee Foundation, and CEO Fiona Chambers said the tree grants supported pollinators while also benefitting farmers.

To receive a tree grant, farms must be certified with Bee Friendly Farming. The tree grants, which start at $1,000, more than cover certification costs, making it both good for the environment and a sound business investment.

State Minister for Local Government Shaun Leane has introduced legislation to support property owners by ensuring councils implement fairer financial hardship policies.

Councils will no longer be able to use debt collectors or pursue legal action which can result in homes being sold to pay back debts to council - unless ratepayers refuse to engage and all other options have been exhausted.

An Ombudsman's report found that people who were struggling to pay their rates were often met with debt collectors, high penalty interest and in some cases costly litigation, creating stress and fear.

Macedon Ranges Shire has been crowned a ‘Champion Community’ for its work and commitment to improving mental health.

Mental Health First Aid has recognised the shire for its commitment to improving the mental health of young people and the adults who support them.

The status is an acknowledgment of their sustained effort to successfully embed Mental Health First Aid training, via the Live4Life model, into local education providers, secondary schools, and the wider Macedon Ranges Shire community.

New weather stations are being rolled out across Victoria to help fire agencies better respond to bushfires and support safer, more effective planned burns.

The CFA has received 10 new portable and remote automated weather stations to improve Victoria’s weather observations to allow firefighters to generate more accurate predictions of where a fire might spread, and use more precise local data for community warnings.

There are seven portable automated weather stations and three static remote automated weather stations permanently situated at Ballan, East Trentham and Glenburn.

Local businesses support their communities!

ACE FAB

Ph:0434 357 882

WELDING & Steel Fabrication text or call 0425 856 445

www.acefab.com.au

Consulting in Administration & Management Book-keeping Administration Payroll Temp service Supplier monthly reconciliation Qualified to manage a small team of office workers

PLASTERER DAYLESFORD FIBROUS PLASTER WORKS (MACKLEY’S)

Christ Jules Services Julie Hanson 0459 619 701 julphil.hanson@gmail.com www.christjulesservices.com.au

• NEW HOMES • RENOVATIONS • CEILING ROSES • ORNAMENTAL CORNICE Daylesford

Peter Mackley 5348 3085 or 0418 571 331 Gary Mackley 5348 1108

REMOVALISTS

LET US HELP YOU MOVE TO YOUR HOME WITH OUR CARING FRIENDLY TEAM

DELIVERING THE REGION’S BEST FREIGHT FOR OVER 25 YEARS. BULK DRY FREIGHT PRODUCE CARTAGE BULK REFRIGERATED FREIGHT PARCELS AND PALLETS

No matter if you are moving to our region for the first time, moving to the big smoke or just moving down the road - we will take care of you and your prized possessions like it’s our own home we are moving.

FURNITURE REMOVALS FURNITURE DELIVERY ART AND SCULPTURE MELBOURNE DEPOT LARGE & SMALL TRUCKS

Peace of Mind.

Reliable Friendly Service.

Locally owned and operated.

Peace of Mind.

Reliable Friendly Service.

Locally owned and operated.

Call 03 5348 6611 www.oztrans.com.au

Call 03 5348 6611 www.oztrans.com.au

F R E I G H T · T R A N S P O RT · R E M OVA L S

F R E I G H T · T R A N S P O RT · R E M OVA L S

DAYLESFO RD A ND CENTRA L HIGH LA ND S

DAYLES FORD AND CENTRAL HIGH LANDS

REGULAR RUNS TO MELBOURNE GEELONG BALLARAT AND BENDIGO

REGULAR RUNS TO MELBOURNE GEELONG BALLARAT AND BENDIGO

Want to be noticed?

Advertise here for $22 per week.

Support local businesses!

Clement F Mooney

Email: c.mooney@bigpond.net.au Available to assist with all general accounting services and preparation/electronic lodgment of Tax Returns and BAS for Individuals, Sole Traders, Partnerships, Trusts and Companies.

A.B.N. 37 961 487 978

Certified Practising Accountant Registered Tax Agent B.Com, C.P.A., M.B.A.

Tel: 03 5424 1441 Mobile: 0412 584 555 Office: 19 Albert Street, Trentham 3458

Garden Maintenance

For the best looking garden in the street...

Call our new franchisee James Lindsay today for a free quote on 131 546

Your local Jim’s team can help

DAYLESFORD APPLIANCE SERVICE

das3460@bigpond.com

electrical appliance repair service washer, dryer, fridge, dishwasher, oven, cook top etc.

Call Kiyo on

0419 267 685

trenthamselfstorage@outlook.com das3460@bigpond.com

Malone Tree Services Liam Malone . Limited Access . Fully Insured .Specialists Qualified . Mulching Available

0423 945 436

Servicing commercial refrigeration domestic and commercial air conditioning

Sales-Service-Maintenance-Installation -Mobile coolroom hire Garry Rodoni: 0417 734 206 Chris Milham: 0436 402 730 Are you a painter?

Advertise here.