The Local June 21, 2021, issue 230

June 21, 2021 Issue 230 After the storm

The Local - The Heart of the Highlands

2 About Us

www.tlnews.com.au

Front cover: Koweinguboora resident Ross Redwin was one of many people impacted by the June 9/10 storm.

Read his story by Donna Kelly on page 5.

Storm coverage on pages 4, 5, 24 and 25.

More images at www.tlnews.com.au

Space bookings: Wednesday, June 30 Copy deadline: Thursday, July 1 Editorial deadline: Thursday, July 1 Editorial: 0418 576 513 | Advertising: 0416 104 283

Listen to Ross and other storm stories by scanning the QR code here.

Image: David White

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

The next edition is out on Monday, July 5, 2021.

Or online on Sunday, July 4 at www.tlnews.com.au

June 21, 2021 Issue 230 After the storm

news@tlnews.com.au | sales@tlnews.com.au Managing editor | Donna Kelly General manager | Kyle Barnes Sub-editors | Nick Bunning and Lindsay Smith

The Local - The Heart of the Highlands

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

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.

Graphic designer & HLH coordinator | Dianne Caithness Contributors: Glen Heyne (gardening), Indre Kisonas (design), Glenn Robinson (cartoons), Darren Lowe (gigs) Matthew Richardson (money) & Neil Counahan (cars) Accounts | Julie Hanson

Delivery | Tony Sawrey

Local Lines On the blink I’ll just, I think, pull in here and get some petrol, must have a Coles docket somewhere.

I’m soo ooo ooh tired, sings John Lennon, my mind is on the blink.

Switch off the car, the Beatles.

Go to click the petrol cap, not the cap, the bit of car body covering the petrol cap.

Hesitate.

Pop. The bonnet jumps.

Get out. Clunk it back down.

Reach around under the steering wheel.

Pop. Bonnet again.

Bright sunshine all round.

I’ve had the Sooby eight years.

Bought it new.

I wonder should I call you But I know what you would do You'd say I'm putting you on But it's no joke, is it John.

Bloke ahead has pulled out now.

I reach down, start the car, follow him out.

Back home in the carport, I push the door to get out, drop the keys.

Look down between the seat and the door.

Keys on the petrol catch release jigger.

Bill Wootton Bill is a local poet who hopes to know his way around his own car some time soon.

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

Pets@Work There are always plenty of Pets@Work at Sacred Heart College in Kyneton.

Animal Studies teacher Marika Payne said the school offered years 10 and 11 students, like Marissa, left, and Macy, the chance to study VET Certificate II in Animal Studies - a general qualification for entry into sectors of the animal care and management industry where workers provide care for animals in workplaces such as animal shelters, kennels, catteries, sanctuaries, veterinary clinics and zoos.

Currently the school has guinea pigs, rabbits, seahorses, green tree frogs, a shingleback lizard, Indian and spiny leaf stick insects. Students are responsible for caring for the animals, carrying out health checks, feeding, cleaning and maintenance of enclosures.

Do you have a Pet@Work?

Email donna@tlnews.com.au

Read our storm coverage on pages 4, 5 & 19.

More images on pages 24 & 25 and at www.tlnews.com.au

4 After the storm

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Trentham event to thank tireless workers

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RENTHAM is brushing itself off and is planning a major event to thank the countless volunteers, emergency services, Hepburn Shire workers and local traders who rose to the occasion after the 160kph June 9 storm smashed the region.

Resident and psychologist Karen McCrea has organised what she calls The Big Trentham Thank You Event group. She noted a local yearning to say "thank you", a scattered series of earnest "thank you" project ideas and organised "The Big Thank You" group to harness all the separate good ideas and energy into one major event.

Details are a work in progress but a big and growing collective of locals is planning to stage an event on July 25.

Meanwhile, Hepburn Shire councillor and deputy mayor Brian Hood said poststorm council priorities included continuing to work with Telstra to improve crisis communications support.

All communications went down for several days, including the 000 service.

Police resorted to driving around town in a car with the window wound down to shout warnings, such as to not drink tap water.

"We were lucky that to the best of our knowledge, nobody was seriously hurt," Cr Hood said. "But if this had been a major bushfire, the complete lack of local communications for days could have been a disaster".

Other council priorities include working to see if federal and state emergency relief funding can be shaken loose, and post-storm clean up.

"Trees are down everywhere and could be a summer bushfire fuel risk - and constantly seeing the damage everywhere also risks triggering post-crisis trauma for locals." Cr Hood believed it was likely Australian Defence Personnel could help with the clean up.

Storm chasers Jane and Clyve Herbert, who split their time between Trentham and Kansas in the USA, thought winds between Daylesford and Tylden - a low altitude meteorological jet - could have gusted to 160 kph.

The combination of high winds, rain-softened soil and the weight of water on foliage helped uproot trees en masse. Local "tree fella" Ciaran Chignell has warned the region to beware of the risk of trees continuing to fall in coming weeks.

Residents should beware of trees with new leans, soft, swelling, bouncy or cracked ground around tree trunks, and newly exposed roots.

Karen McCrea noted that "goodness in people rises" in a crisis. Volunteers, emergency services people and local traders work bravely and selflessly for days on end. Some workers went out into gale force winds despite trees falling around them for days.

Random but typical examples of goodness rising included traders such as the IGA Supermarket, Annie Smithers and Dele Catering putting on meals for volunteers and giving away food, the Cosmo putting on beers for crisis workers, and the Trentham Pharmacy opening during unscheduled operating hours to operate what it called a "candle-lit" dispensary.

The countless examples of neighbours looking out for neighbours include a group of dads, dubbed "the Dad bods", helping distressed residents clear fallen trees and foliage at their homes. David Laquerre and John Dorsett, two of "the Dad bods", said maybe half a dozen or so blokes came up with the idea.

In a lighter Trentham tornado moment, the Albert Street Clem Mooney family were amused to see ABC TV vision of a huge gum that fell and missed Clem's bedroom by centimetres appear for three consecutive nights on ABC TV storm damage reports. The tree was captioned "Dandenong trees down" on night three of the TV coverage. Fortunately, the unusual angle of attack of the storm, which hit town from the south-east, took the tree at an angle away from instead of into Clem's bedroom. Clem, who has lived in Albert Street for 30 years, said he'd never experienced such strong winds before.

Words & image: Peter Young More images on pages 24 & 25 and at www.tlnews.com.au

GET TESTED IF YOU’VE GOT THESE SYMPTOMS If you have any of these symptoms, however mild, get tested and stay home

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Cough

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Getting tested means you keep yourself, your friends, family, workplace and your community safe.

Payments are available to help you stay home.

For testing locations visit CORONAVIRUS.vic.gov.au Authorised by the Victorian Government, 1 Treasury Place, Melbourne

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After the storm 5

Communities rally together after the storm

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HE great storm of June 9/10 will go down in history as one of the most devastating events in the Central Highlands.

Thousands of trees came down, crashing onto homes, cars, sheds, fences and powerlines. More continue to fall as people deal with the aftermath and the clean-up.

Luckily no-one was killed or injured but many people have harrowing stories to tell. In most regions though, there are also tales of community support and strength, and looking to rebuild as soon as possible.

Korweinguboora's Ross Redwin lost his home but says he is intent on looking forward and returning to his beloved community as soon as possible. Meanwhile, Daylesford Spa Country Railway has been struck a blow with possibly 1000 trees down on its line. But president Stuart Smithwick says it will take more than a storm to stop its volunteers from getting up and running again. Meanwhile Hepburn Shire Mayor Lesley Hewitt says the council is doing what it can to help with the clean up.

Mr Redwin, Mr Smithwick and Cr Hewitt spoke with Donna Kelly.

Individuals ROSS Redwin was asleep in his Korweinguboora home on Thursday morning when he was woken by “a thunderous crash” and got up to investigate.

He was just about to step outside when his 14-year-old daughter Sam rang to say she was trapped in her bedroom. A tree had crashed onto the house, bringing down part of the roof. The teenager had woken to broken plaster and branches above her.

Ross helped her make her way out and then went and woke 16-year-old son Herbert.

The trio then moved to the lounge/kitchen area where they sat as more trees fell onto the house, ripping off fascia boards and gutters and destroying the front verandah. It was then Ross made the decision to leave the house for safety, something he says, in hindsight, was probably the wrong thing to do.

“We couldn’t get down the driveway because of the trees so we had a quick conversation and decided we were going to walk to friends of ours who live about 2km down the road. I didn’t think there were many options but it was scary as hell.

“It was the middle of the night and we had to climb over seven or eight trees just to get out of the forested area around our house, and we could hear even more trees crashing down around us but we didn’t know where they were because our torches didn’t go that far.

“My daughter kept having panic attacks and I had to stop every five minutes to soothe her down and then another tree would crash down. It was really, really scary.”

Ross, Sam and Herbert finally arrived at their neighbour's home at 3am and were greeted with warm drinks, food and a bed. “Greg and Donna were just wonderful.

We chose their place because there are no trees around their house and thought it would be reasonably safe but they were just so good to us, it was unbelievable.

“In hindsight, we probably would have been better staying in the house that night. We took an enormous risk walking through that part of the forest but I was worried that the house would not be left standing and we would be killed.”

Ross said Moorabool Shire Council got in touch with him on Friday, after phone issues, and put a notice to vacate on the house, while his insurance company had provided emergency accommodation.

“The council was terrific. I was really impressed with how quickly they got onto us and the range of things they could offer us.”

Ross said while he had had a few sleepless nights the trio were looking forward to getting back into his home as soon as possible. “You can’t keep looking backwards, you have to make a decision to look forward. You can ask, ‘why us?’ but it doesn’t matter why, what matters is what we do tomorrow, not what happened yesterday.

“And I love this community. On Friday (June 11) we couldn’t get out because of all the trees down. But people just got together and there were about 20 blokes out there with chainsaws and tractors and they just cleared the roads themselves. A real act of community spirit. I bought in Lyonville in 1989 and have lived around here ever since. I moved to Korweingi in 2013. I love the area, I love the people. It is a wonderful place to live and I feel so lucky to be a part of this community.”

Organisations IT’S already been a tough 18 months for the historic Daylesford Spa Country Railway with Covid restrictions and lockdowns affecting its main fundraiser, the Sunday Market.

But the June 9/10 storm has wreaked unbelievable devastation with between 400 and 1000 trees down on the track between Musk and Bullarto – and even more alongside waiting to fall in the next gust of wind.

President Stuart Smithwick said the state of the track was “overwhelming”.

“I have walked through the corridor a couple of times, if you call it walking, it’s pretty challenging, and there is no obvious damage to the track but you can’t actually see the sleepers in some places, they are covered with trees.”

Mr Smithwick said the track between Daylesford and the relatively new station at Musk had not been so heavily impacted and the trains should be running again within a few weeks. The rest of the track, to Bullarto, could take months, he said.

“We are currently in discussion with VicTrack, our landlord, a state government agency, and hopefully they come to the party and give us some support, whether that is working with other government agencies or Hepburn Shire. It is beyond the capacity of our volunteers. We are going to need heavy equipment and people who know how to do forestry to get in there and clean up the mess.

“The other thing is finding somewhere for all that timber to go. It would not make any sense to leave it laying on the ground, it would be a massive fire risk along the corridor.”

Mr Smithwick said while the storm damage was disappointing for volunteers, the railway would survive. “Generally, when we have had a crisis we always come back bigger and better, it makes us more resilient and other opportunities often arrive in the process. We also have great local support, most people have been on the train at least once in their lifetime or come to the Sunday Market for their fresh produce.

“We’ve been doing it over 40 years, so I think there is going to have to be a worldwide catastrophe to close this place down. Bigger than a pandemic and certainly bigger than a storm.”

And from the shires HEPBURN Shire Council Mayor Cr Lesley Hewitt said council was now at the stage of recovering and were working out exactly what the damage was, how much it was going to cost and how to deal with it.

“Council staff are meeting with various agencies around the state to get an understanding of what help is available to residents and property owners and we will make that information available as soon as we know what that is and how to help people apply for it. Council staff have also been cleaning up the roads and are working with organisations to see how the public can safely access the wood.”

Cr Hewitt said an extension to the current June 27 cutoff for free green waste disposal at all transfer stations was under consideration.

Link: www.hepburn.vic.gov.au/storm-update/

MOORABOOL Shire Council CEO Derek Madden, in an emailed response to calls to The Local from Korweinguboora and neighbouring community members expressing anger at the shire's lack of response, said there was impact across most of the shire "so as fast as contractors and works crews could clean up, more trees were falling".

"Some dangerous trees were taking five hours to remove with two crews and contractors. Springbank Road had so many trees down and had cars crushed – this road took up most of one day. Greenhills Road had 30 trees over most it. Moorabool West Road in Gordon on Thursday and Friday had eight trees down and when access was cleared and crews and contractors tried to leave, another six trees came down.

"Council staff made phone calls to 58 residents in Korweinguboora on Saturday, some calls lasting 30-40 minutes each. This was in addition to meetings in Blackwood where power and communications remained unresolved in some instances until Monday evening. Due to Covid-19 restrictions, a physical relief centre is the last option. Hepburn Shire opened a relief centre for Trentham because they were cut off completely with no access in or out of the township.

"We will take learnings from this event and have a look at how we can improve our services and procedures. We are committed to supporting all communities across the shire."

If you are struggling with personal issues support is available at: Central Highlands Rural Health's social worker at Trentham - 5321 6550 The Victorian Council of Churches Emergencies Ministry - www.vccem.org.au/ services/personal-support/ or 9654 1736 Beyond Blue - www.beyondblue.org.au or 1300 224 636 More storm coverage: Central Highlands Rural Health rallies p18 Images: p24 & 25 & www.tlnews.com.au And listen to the podcast by scanning the QR code

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Just briefly 7

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Grants

Mount Players

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HE May production for The Mount Players enjoyed a successful but short season as the final weekend had to be cancelled, president Karen Hunt said.

"We are hoping to have a pop-up weekend this month to complete Too Many Crooks, so keep an eye on our website for announcements.

"Looking ahead, our next production Love Song has been cast and is now in rehearsal. Talented Melbourne director Travis Handcock will bring this play to life on our stage in August. The story revolves around Beane, an exile from life, an oddball. His well-meaning sister, Joan and brother-in-law try to make time for him in their busy lives, but no-one can get through.

"Following a burglary on his apartment, Joan is baffled to find her brother blissfully happy, and tries to unravel the story behind Beane’s mysterious new love Molly. Funny, enchanting and wonderfully touching, John Kolvenbach’s offbeat comedy is a rhapsody to the power of love in all its forms."

The play opens on August 20.

Link: www.themountplayers.com or call 5426 1892.

Council gong

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EPBURN Shire Council has received a highly commended award for its film series Peaks, Wetlands and Rivers at the HART Awards (Helping Achieve Reconciliation Together) in the Local Government category.

F

IVE groups have received funding from Hepburn Shire Council under its fourth and final round of Community Grants for 2020/2021.

Mayor Cr Lesley Hewitt said the community grants could make a big difference for local groups and organisations to deliver projects that benefit the region.

Council has awarded $65,000 through the community grants program in 2020/2021.

The successful projects and organisations for this round are: Creswick Amateur Theatre Group for its Creswick Swingalong Ukestra - $2029, Trentham Sustainability Group's website - $2350, St John Ambulance Australia (Victoria) for essential small equipment for the Daylesford Division - $2425, Pavilion Arts & Sustainability for small equipment purchases - $1703 and Kingston Friends of the Avenue for a public address system - $416.

The three films take viewers on a journey of truth telling across the landscape with Djaara Elder Uncle Rick Nelson and Professor Barry Golding.

The project was an initiative of the council’s Reconciliation Action Plan Advisory Committee.

Mayor Cr Lesley Hewitt said the council was very pleased to receive the award.

“These films tell important local stories and are just one of the ways we are working hard towards reconciliation in our shire,” she said.

“Throughout Reconciliation Week in May and June we shared many actions that council and our community are taking towards reconciliation.

“Examples include promoting the beautiful new mural at Daylesford Primary School by Aboriginal artist Natasha Carter, sharing ideas to raise the profile of issues facing First Nations peoples, and encouraging an Acknowledgement of Country at public or community events.

“We also profiled the cultural training that councillors recently undertook, along with the flag raising ceremony that was held in Creswick in recognition of Sorry Day.” The series can be seen on YouTube at www.hepburn. vic.gov.au/reconciliation-hart-award/

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Our winners 9

Master brewer wins gold for independent ale “Thirstily he set it to his lips, and as its cool refreshment began to soothe his throat, he thanked Heaven that in a world of much evil there was still so good a thing as ale.”

- Rafael Sabatini, Fortune's Fool.

A

S I savour the last of six cans of beer from an award-winning Hepburn brewer, I can but reflect on the truth of Sabatini’s words. Not, I quickly add, that they were consumed in a single session.

Over a week I lingered over a pilsner, a delicious cream ale, described as a classic American pre-prohibition with "pale malt sweetness and a smooth mouthfeel". Moving on, I cracked a brown ale, said to have hints of caramel, chocolate and toasted nut.

Now for hefe, or hefeweizen to be formal, a cloudy wheat beer with the yeast profile of Bavaria…soft spiciness, a floral and herbal aroma.

That gargled, it’s time for an amber ale from specialty malts that give it a spicy, floral and fruity aroma.

Whoa! Time for no. 6, a pale ale, described as a medium-bodied American drop, with citrus and floral flavours, food friendly but also enjoyable alone. As instructed on the can, I pour it into a glass, fortunately one tall enough to hold a spectacular frothy head. A few more sips and my somewhat less than rigorous testing will be over.

It’s a golden colour and full of flavour.

Cut to the winding Forest Avenue in Hepburn where Nick Galik of Hepburn Springs Brewing Co conjures up bountiful mouthfuls (sip, sip). Can there be any doubt that the spirit of his Hungarian ancestors is echoed in what comes from here?

As it turns out, the five and a half I’ve knocked off are only part of his 13 styles of beer, soon to be 16.

“It started about five years ago,” says Nick, who runs a holiday retreat with his wife, Helen.

After working in the import-export business he moved here in 1992 and built a place the next year. The Galiks raised two girls and a boy, all now settled in Melbourne. “They come back for the beer,” says Nick, as naturally as possible.

The Galiks’ place was a day spa and has mineral water. This water, he says, is too salty to make beer.

Nick did a master brewers’ course and started to focus on the beer, initially offering it to guests. His approach to brewing is refreshingly simple: he compares it to cake making. He has a recipe.

He explored varieties of barrel-aged beers. “We did keep to the original style, a smooth but not ‘busy’ beer.” The result was guests who said they didn’t like beer, had a taste and left with a box of it. “It’s about giving the consumer a choice.

“There is a vast array of beers…it’s not about competition but choice…”

As big brewers like Foster’s, now owned by the Japanese Asahi brand, snapped up boutique brands such as Little Creatures, Nick found confidence in customers’ praise.

So much so that he entered the 2020 Independent Brewers Association national competition with his pale ale pilsner. The pandemic meant that the usual panel of celebrity judges was replaced in November by hard-nosed industry types.

Judging was online. The whole family was together for the first time since lockdown and up came a national gold medal for Nick’s lager. “We were like stunned rabbits.”

First online question: “Where’s Hepburn?” And: “Is it cold there?” Emails flowed in from across the country.

Malt from Germany goes into the lager, which takes three to four weeks to produce, as against 10 days for pale ale. Some beer includes the renowned local Des O’Toole’s orange blossom honey.

By now I’m down to the last mouthful of the requisite tasting drop and can report that, while it may not make writing and typing easier, it does offer a pleasant back “drop” to celebrating the Galiks’ triumph.

Words: Kevin Childs | Image: Louise Gay

Community News MESSAGE FROM THE MAYOR

It has been a tough couple of weeks for the Shire – first with the additional COVID restrictions that came with the so-called fourth lockdown, and then with the massive storm that occurred last week. There has been considerable damage to our beautiful natural environment and a huge impact on many of our residents, particularly in the Coliban, Holcombe and Birch wards. I want to acknowledge the work done by all our emergency services, including the SES, CFA and police and other organisations. Thank you to all of these people and to all our residents who have helped and supported each other. Our Council staff have also stepped up, works teams out and about clearing roads and ensuring people’s safety, our community care team who set up the Relief Centre in Trentham and our Communications team who have worked hard to get information out to people. You can get up-to-date information on the Hepburn Shire website. There is a dedicated storm update page.

COVID restrictions mean that Melburnians are now able to travel to regional Victoria, and our businesses, who are dependent on tourism will welcome that change. Businesses have been hit with a double whammy – COVID restrictions and the storm. Business recovery will also be a focus of Council officers over the coming months, and along with Cr Hood and Council staff, I welcomed our local member Minister Mary-Anne Thomas and members of Regional Development Victoria to Trentham on Thursday to see and understand firsthand what has happened. The Shire has, to date, received great support from the Minister and from RDV and Local Government Victoria.

There were a couple of highlights at the June Council meeting. Council voted to establish an LGBTIQA+ Committee along with funding to support that initiative. Council also appointed three new members to the Disability Advisory Committee (Lainey Curr, Fiona Porter and Peter Waters) and I thank all of them for putting up their hand to join with the ongoing members to advocate for the needs of people with disability across the Shire. Grants worth $23,999 were awarded to community groups for biodiversity projects, along with the final instalment of the Community Grants program for this financial year. You can read the specific details on the Shire website. Councillors were happy to support all these projects, recognising the great value for money that community groups provide.

Planning has been of major concern to the community and Councillors were pleased to give approval to a strategic planning work plan to address some of the problems and concerns that have arisen because this work has not been undertaken to date. Council will continue to look for opportunities for resources in this area.

Council received a report for noting on the Hepburn Hub at The Rex. Details of this report can be found in the Council Agenda papers.

Councillors share the concern of officers and the community about the lack of progress at The Rex and we will provide more details as soon as we are able to.

Cr Lesley Hewitt MAYOR

CONTACTS 

General enquiries

5348 2306



@

Mail Email Website



Aged & disability services enquiries - 5345 8399

PO Box 21, Daylesford 3460 shire@hepburn.vic.gov.au hepburn.vic.gov.au

STORM RECOVERY We are now in the recovery phase from the severe weather event in June. There is significant damage across the region and many residents and families affected. If you’re concerned about vulnerable trees on Council land please call us on 5348 2306 or lodge an online request via our website. If you’re worried about dangerous trees on public or private land contact the SES on 132 500 or a private arborist.

We ask you to please be patient if you are contacting Council and lodging a request – our resources are being stretched by this emergency. We are working through requests based on the extent of damage, and therefore priority.

Remember, our Shire parks and reserves are still closed pending further tree assessments. Stay safe on our roads and in public as there are still vulnerable trees at risk of falling.

Community members who need support are encouraged to visit the Community Relief Centre situated at the Trentham Neighbourhood Centre.

INVESTMENT IN FUTURE PLANNING At last week’s meeting, Council resolved to support a comprehensive strategic planning work plan for the next 3 to 5 years. This is an exciting decision of Council to invest in future planning for the community.

Some of the work supported by Council in the plan included: • Township structure plans • Indigenous heritage strategy • Distinctive areas and landscapes • Environmental contamination work • Biodiversity strategy • Agricultural land and rural settlement strategy.

We are looking forward to commencing this work shortly and working with the community in this space.

ANIMAL MANAGEMENT PLAN

We will soon be asking the community for their feedback on the management of cats and dogs as we develop a draft Domestic Animal Management Plan.

Keep an eye out for updates on our Facebook page – www.facebook. com/hepburncouncil – and Participate Hepburn webpage https:// participate.hepburn.vic.gov.au.

We’ll open a community survey and give people the opportunity to have a say to inform the draft plan.

For after hours emergencies please call:  Animal Control - 0419 587 955  Other Council Emergency - 0419 583 573 hepburncouncil

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Markets

Daylesford Sunday Market – every Sunday Trentham Neighbourhood Centre Makers Market - first Saturday Woodend Farmers Market - first Saturday Creswick Market - first Saturday Castlemaine Artists Market – first Sunday Trentham Community Group Market - second Saturday Kyneton Farmers Market - second Saturday Ballan Farmers Market - second Saturday Kyneton Rotary Community Market – second Saturday Maldon Market – second Sunday Clunes Farmers Market - second Sunday Trentham Farmers Market and Makers Market - third Saturday Glenlyon Farmers Market – third Saturday Leonards Hill Market - third Saturday Creswick Market - third Saturday Malmsbury Farmers Market - third Sunday Talbot Farmers Market – third Sunday Woodend Lions Market - third Sunday (Closed June-August) Daylesford Rotary Farmers Market - fourth Saturday Trentham Station Sunday Market - fourth Sunday Buninyong Village Market - fourth Sunday

Out & About 11

Gigs with Darren Lowe

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EFF Lang has built a reputation for making startling and influential music that is accomplished, intricate, gutsy, melodic and loaded with soul.

Alone In Bad Company, Jeff’s latest album, is filled with beautifully constructed stories and melodies, featuring acoustic fingerpicking, slide guitar, electric lead, banjos and mandolins.

Though Jeff plays and writes nearly everything on the album, steadfast cohorts Danny McKenna and Alison Ferrier deliver on cue and master writer Don Walker shares songwriting on two songs.

Hard to pigeonhole, Jeff has worked with the likes Bob Brozman, American blues-rocker Chris Whitley and India’s desert-dwellers Maru Tarang. His work with the latter won the 2010 ARIA (Australia’s Grammy) for Best World Music Album, while he and Brozman took one home for Best Blues and Roots Music Album in 2002. Jeff received that same award on his own in 2012.

Jeff has shared stages with Bob Dylan, Dr John, Richard Thompson, Bonnie Raitt, Ani Di Franco, Chris Whitley, Albert Collins, Loudon Wainwright III, Greg Brown, John Butler, AR Rahman and Bob Geldof.

Jeff will feature material from this latest album and his back catalogue in his upcoming concert. He has also written a memoir, Some Memories Never Die, which will feature as inspiration, narration and context for a vast array of material. As a preamble to this beautiful, honest and well-written suggestion for a winter/lockdown read, no-one says it better than veteran music writer Stuart Coupe.

“Jeff Lang writes like he plays guitar and sings – with great skill and passion, whilst making it all seem so easy. This is an inspired, frequently extremely amusing, insightful and oh so on the money (musical) memoir. You can’t write these sorts of tales unless you’ve lived them. This book is soaked in road miles, gigs (both big and small) and the myriad chance encounters that happen on the road. It also oozes a beautiful and honest humanity.”

Jeff Lang will play at the Palais-Hepburn on Saturday, June 26.

Image: Chris Franklin

Costumes telling the story

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“The costumes and accessories I create are fabric stories. If someone came to me and said I want to dress as a warrior, I’m going to find out what their version is. I would work with them to create a unique expression of their self-identity and what they want to tell the world. If someone brought me a picture and said 'can you do this?' I would say: ‘I can but how about we do our own version of it? We will twist Caroline's career background is in psychology with little formal training in theatre the rules a little bit and find some individual expression’. ” As well as what can be seen and commissioned through her shop, Caroline will or couture as one might expect of her when first encountering her elaborate costume be holding her third exhibition at the Old Auction House in Kyneton from August creations.

19 to 29 called Fairytales and Forest Trails. But as time goes on she will be looking at But in 2018 after 35 years working in the community sector her entry into this collaborations with other artists and exhibitions at the old Trentham Post Office. world of make-believe and dress-up came via a simple desire to slow down and make “I’ve got conversations going on with half a dozen other businesses regarding how life work differently. we might work together in the space.” Caroline adds: “It is a business I’m trying to “It is still very early in the scheme of things but I did have a studio before over make work for me but I hope it works for the town as well.” at the Old Auction House in Kyneton where The Story Costumer was born. But I decided I was going to be bold and try to make it work as a business, not just a Words: Tony Sawrey | Images: Louise Gay studio. Last year when the post office became available I thought what a perfect spot for what I want to do. So I decided to return to Trentham and give it a go.”

Caroline had previously lived in Trentham around 20 years ago and had her first child there. And after many years working Caroline wanted to set up a lifestyle and new business that better suited her family needs.

The old post office, like many buildings in Trentham is imbued with memory and initially Caroline found that some people were worried about the building being repurposed. They were concerned that they were going to lose it and its connection to generations of locals.

But those worries have dissipated as Caroline develops what she likes to call her magical dress-up shop. The atmosphere is playful but there is also a sense of familiarity. The sturdy old counter is still there, the post office boxes remain and Caroline has hung photos of local identities on the walls to retain a sense of history and story.

And while The Story Costumer has only been open since May, there has been a lot of interest in what is now going on at the old weatherboard building.

“People are starting to come because they have been following what I’ve posted on social media and through word of mouth. I had a man arrive at the post office the other day who said, ‘I have been watching your Instagram feed and I would like a Listen to Caroline magical jacket please’. I’m making that for him at the moment. Another person came chat with Tony at and wanted a Joseph’s technicolor dreamcoat and I’m making it in autumnal colours.”

Country Life podcast.

Unlike your usual costume shop where outfits are often mass-produced and repetitive, The Story Costumer creations tend not to be just off the rack, nearly every Just scan the QR code work has come about through a dialogue between the artist and her clients. or head to

AST year the Trentham Post Office moved its operations to a new building further along High Street. That left the old building, built in 1928, empty and awaiting a new chapter in its long history. That has now come about with the opening of The Story Costumer by artist and maker Caroline Sarah.

“The costumes and accessories I create are fabric stories. If someone came to me and said I want to dress as a warrior, I’m going to find out what their version is...what they want to tell the world.”

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14 News

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Reaching zero-net

Catherine

H

KING MP

EPBURN Z-NET has launched a new publication, a comprehensive guide for the Hepburn Shire to reach zero-net emissions in the agriculture sector.

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

Standing up for our Community!

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

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.

In the Hepburn Shire, agricultural emissions are a critical piece of the zero-net puzzle, representing 41 per cent of the shire's total emissions. Over the past few months the Z-NET Roundtable has been working with farmers and experts to produce a guide to draw these emissions down.

Cutting emissions from agriculture is often seen as challenging in comparison to other sectors but the Z-NET Roundtable says this doesn't have to be the case. Their new strategy makes it clear that there is a large opportunity for farms to reduce their emissions and build carbon sinks with some significant but simple changes.

Z-NET Roundtable member and local farmer Tammi Jonas stated: “Farmers everywhere - nowhere more so than here in the Central Highlands of Victoria - are working to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and ag inputs, and to manage livestock in ethical and ecologically-sound ways that draw down carbon. The more we work together to share our strategies for zero emissions and sequestration, the quicker the transition will be.”

Hepburn Shire Council Mayor Cr Lesley Hewitt said the shire had a productive agricultural sector. "Cutting emission in this sector of our economy is an important part of achieving our emission reduction targets. Council, through its support for Z-NET, will be working with farmers to support them in reducing emissions and becoming a more sustainable industry."

The guide offers detailed information on reducing emissions from fossil fuels, livestock, land use, soil carbon and agricultural inputs. There is also supporting information about the actions already underway in the shire and how farmers can be involved.

To launch the guide a webinar will be held on Thursday, June 24 at noon hosted

by Farmers for Climate Action.

Register at www.farmersforclimateaction.org.au/portfolio/hepburn-z-net/.

To access the guide How Hepburn Shire Farms can Reach Z-NET, go to www.hepburnznet.org.au/action/farm/

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Advertorial 15

Businesses and homes saved by generators

I

F THE storm showed us anything, it’s that a back-up generator is never going to go astray. And those people who bought one a couple of years back during a sales drive from Fells Electrical were able to get through the event, in terms of power, relatively unscathed.

Fells Electrical owner Jamie Grant, who has just made it through one of his busiest weeks, is extending the offer to help people through any future events, be it storms or bushfires.

“Unfortunately, a lot of people suffered damage and were without power for several days but the people who took up the offer we made a couple of years ago to have a back-up generator installed at their places have given us a lot of positive feedback.

“I guess now we know the power system just can’t be relied on anymore. But those people with generators all managed to keep their water pumps going, along with split systems for heat, and lights.

“Some of the commercial customers with our generators installed had up to $30,000 worth of stock in their coolrooms so they managed to alleviate having to otherwise throw it out or give it away. They were pretty happy with their investment.

“Even with a domestic fridge, it can easily hold up to $1000 worth of meat, which you don’t realise until you either have to throw it out or feed it to the dogs.”

Jamie also said with Covid many more people were working from home, and they had also given him plenty of good feedback with their generators meaning they could keep their businesses operating with plenty of power for computers, hard drives and even Skype or Zoom meetings.

“And we also heard from people who have wood heaters but without electricity there is no fan going so they are not nearly as efficient. Once their generator was up and running they could heat their homes. And as we all know we have some really, really cold nights in winter.”

“As well, some of our customers have chosen solar systems with back-up batteries which meant when the power failed, they could run their homes off those batteries.”

Fells Electrical is offering a basic back-up generator for just $2700 plus GST which will keep lights, heaters, water pumps and fridges running. And if you want to keep your entire house ticking away, as if it is still connected to the power grid, that’s $4000 plus GST. Generators for commercial customers are individually costed according to the needs of the business and Jamie and his team visit each customer, commercial and domestic, to ensure they are choosing the right generator for their needs.

“Technology has improved immensely in the past five years with generators much more affordable for most people now. We have resource partnerships with world-class generator manufacturers including Honda, Hyundai and Yamaha along with the Australian-made Gentech. They are really cost-effective.”

Fells Electrical also hires out generators which kept Jamie busy on the Thursday after the storm. “We spent the entire day hooking up hire generators, until we had none left, and also checking on customers to make sure their generators were up and running to get them through their time of need.”

Jamie and Colin’s day ended at 9pm that night and as you would expect, with generators installed in their respective homes, they went back to warmth, plenty of water, a hot dinner and the football on the TV. “As workers it was nice to sit down and relax for a few hours.”

Fells Electrical is at 2 Knox Street, Daylesford. Phone 5348 2492.

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A rose by any other name No flowering plant species has been more universally known or respected than the rose. Long before the birth of culture in Greece, roses were being cultivated throughout Egypt and the Holy Land. But not for their scraggy insignificant blooms.

Their rampant and ferocious thorn-laden brambles would more than likely have been grown as a fail-safe protective barrier. The only horticultural benefit then would have been from their rosehips, or berries. (Still a valuable source of source of vitamin C, and distilled as rosewater).

Through the ages successive civilizations cultivated, modified and adopted the rose as a symbol of love and elegance.

Although there were times in history when roses became a symbol of power and hatred, notably medieval England’s infamous Wars of the Roses - a series of 15th century civil wars, lasting between 1455 and 1487 and fought over control of the throne of England.

They were between supporters of two rival branches of the House of Plantagenet; the House of Lancaster, represented by a red rose and the House of York, represented by a white rose. Ultimately it ended with the House of Lancaster being the ultimate victors. Hence a red rose remains to this day as one of the royal symbols.

A much happier rose story borne out of war is that of a beautiful new rose bred by the Meilland family in 1940. With the German forces almost on their doorstep they prepared three small parcels of the tiny plants to send to rose enthusiast friends in Italy, Germany and the third miraculously left on the last clipper to America.

Now the story becomes remarkable. The Meilland family had dedicated their beautiful new creation to their mother - Madame A. Meilland.

The German grower, having tried it out in his own garden, loved it so much he dared to call it Gloria Dei. In Italy it was given the happiest of names - Gioia! - Joy! The American Rose Society, who received the precious plants, sent them to members throughout America to delight with the strength and beauty of this remarkable botanical refugee. So much so, that they decided to organise a name giving ceremony for it at the Pacific Rose Society’s Exhibition at Pasadena on Sunday, April 29, 1945 - a date decided upon many months in advance.

On that sunny day, before a great gathering of rose-lovers from across America, two white doves were set free as the rose was solemnly given its lovely American name Peace. Ironically by singular coincidence, on that day Berlin fell.

The complete story of the Peace rose and the famed Meilland family is beautifully told in Antonia Ridge’s For Love of a Rose, first published in 1965. It is now probably out of print but I’m sure, like my copy, some are still gracing the shelves of an op shop somewhere near you.

Today, in all its forms and varieties, the rose is still the most-grown flower in the world. Although there are many species and varieties they are broadly divided into two main types: bush and climbing. The most popular are the bush or hybrid tea, old fashioned, floribundas and for special situations, miniatures, either in bush or spreading (carpet) form.

Old fashioned roses - the collective name given to many original species and early hybrid roses - made a great comeback with the resurgence of the romantic cottagestyle garden and continue to be at the top of many garden lists. Like the hybrid tea or bush roses they generally grow 1-2 metres high depending on the variety. Their large blooms are borne singly or in small clusters. Although rose breeders seem to be concentrating more on colour and size of bloom, most hybrid teas, like the old fashioneds, are fragrant.

Right above, the Peace rose, below, roses don’t have to be large and cabbagelike to be beautiful…as per this lovely, climbing Independence Day rose Got a gardening question? Ask Glen. Email glenzgarden@gmail.com

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After the storm 19

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Community and health staff rally to help

A

“They initially took the travellers to a local resident’s home for safety but when S RESIDENTS sheltered in their homes during last week’s storm, staff the CFA checked in on them the next day, they realised they would benefit from at Central Highlands Rural Health were faced with the challenge of some medical assistance. We were able to offer them the medical support they needed keeping their residents, patients and clients safe.

Trentham Aged Care was the worst hit of Central Highlands Rural Health’s five campuses - the facility remaining on Code Yellow (Internal Emergency) for more than 72 hours.

Nurse Unit Manager Jacqui Tisdale arrived on site in the early hours of Thursday morning. “The storm was bad - we had staff at work who couldn’t travel home and others who couldn’t get in. It was all pretty scary, really,” Ms Tisdale said.

Because roads in and out of Trentham were blocked, staff at Trentham Aged Care knew they were in for the long haul. “We quickly realised that there was no way our staff living outside of Trentham would make it in for their shift. But with the roads blocked, there was only so much that could be done. The real kicker came when the phone lines and internet went down and the tap water was declared unfit to drink.”

Ms Tisdale was on site for more than 24 hours to ensure the ongoing care of the residents and staff. “We all just did what we had to. Everyone was keen to help and our staff were fantastic, working longer shifts to make things work. We were also really grateful for the support we received from the local community - so many people stepped up to offer help.”

Trentham resident Kathryn Clark is a member of the Hotel Services team at Trentham Aged Care and was one of the first to arrive Thursday morning.

“As soon as I realised the other kitchen staff wouldn’t be able to make it in, I called my daughter Chelsea and asked her to help out. Danielle Hardy, a nurse at Trentham Aged Care, also called her daughters Mia and Bella and between us we made sure the residents had warm soup, sandwiches and as many cups of tea as they needed,” Ms Clark said.

David Clark, Ms Clark’s husband, kept the facility’s generator topped up with diesel to ensure power stayed on until the emergency response team could access the site. Staff also helped care for a number of people who were travelling through the region when the storm hit. “Late on Wednesday night, the local CFA and CERT teams rescued six people travelling in three cars, who were stuck in the area due to falling trees,” said Kim Moiler, CHRH finance officer.

as well as food and drink, and a warm, comfortable space to rest until the roads were clear enough for them to travel,” Ms Moiler said.

CHRH CEO Maree Cuddihy said the past 15 months had been tough for everyone in the community. “The last thing our region needed was a significant weather event. But once again, our staff rose to the challenge and did everything they could to support one another. There are examples across every campus of staff turning up to pitch in and I couldn’t be more proud of what was achieved.”

Since the storm hit, CHRH’s kitchen in Creswick has delivered more than 150 hot meals a day to the Trentham Relief Centre in conjunction with Hepburn Shire Council. From Friday, June 18, the health service has also provided social work support from the Trentham Relief Centre for local residents.

Community Health and Wellbeing operations manager Shane Richardson said the organisation was proud to be working alongside Hepburn Shire Council to provide the community with the health and support services they need.

“Our experience from responding to past local significant events is that it’s likely to be a few weeks before individuals are ready to reach out for support. We want to encourage anyone who needs help managing the emotional and physical toll of the storm to get in touch with our services.

“It’s really important that everyone takes care during the clean-up process, whether they’re travelling on roads alongside works crews, operating power equipment or lifting heavy objects. We’re encouraging everyone to think before taking any unnecessary risks that are best left to professional and emergency services.”

The Community Health and Wellbeing team will have a social worker in Trentham every Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 10am until noon. Any Hepburn Shire resident can access this service through the Trentham Recovery Centre or by calling CHRH Community Health & Wellbeing on 5321 6550.

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The group is suitable for women with any kind of addictive behaviour including problematic drinking, drug-taking, gambling, over-eating or shopping, and people can attend as they feel the need to.

The meetings take place on Thursdays at 1.30pm at 1 Caroline Chisholm Drive, Kyneton. Contact Julie Sutcliffe on 5421 1666 or julie.sutcliffe@scchc.org.au

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Our performers 21

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Love is in the air - literally - for Jess & Adam

F

ATE and a broken leg brought talented Hepburn couple Jessica and Adam Davis together when they were teenagers attending the National Institute of Circus Arts.

Jess was planning to attend the institute following school but a broken leg meant she deferred for a year.

When she did return, she met Adam, a fellow performer and artist and as students they were both honing their trapeze, circus and performance skills at the Melbournebased college.

Jess was keen to pursue clowning at the same time, learning acrobatics and trapeze work. “I loved performing, dancing and clowning. I just loved making people feel good. Originally my plan was to become a midwife and follow in my grandmother’s footsteps. One day I came across the NICA website. It was one of those moments in life that provided so much clarity. I applied but that’s when I broke my leg and had to defer,” she said. “When I finally started at NICA I met Adam and we have been together for 16 years.”

For Adam, attending NICA was a natural progression from his childhood passion of becoming a stuntman. “I knew when I was a kid, I just didn’t want a boring job but being colour blind stopped me from taking on what I thought were adventurers’ roles including being a pilot or joining the army,” he said.

“I always dreamed of becoming a stunt professional and did gymnastics when I was a kid. I knew as a stunt artist I’d have to work on my core strength so I trained as an aerialist and a pole artist and NICA taught me the skills I needed.”

It’s no surprise that the world of stunt artistry is fraught with danger which is why Adam is constantly learning new skills and gaining licenses (he recently acquired a truck driving license and he’s even a qualified rescue diver) to ensure he continues to gain work in the cut-throat world of film.

“I have worked on productions across Australia and am currently working on an American mini-series, La Brea, being filmed in various locations across the state including the Macedon Ranges. Despite Covid, the filming has been able to continue due to the strict protocols in place,” he said.

Adam is also a qualified rigger (responsible for special effects on film including ropes, booms, lifts and hoists) which often sees him carrying out a number of roles on a TV or movie set.

The pair have travelled the world, performing in world-class shows to literally thousands of people. From open-air events, to cruise ship performances, and even when their son Asa was born, the little family travelled around Europe.

Adam was a lead in a travelling circus act and Jess, with Asa in tow, continued to hone her craft using the circus equipment. But this was a time that was one of the hardest in Jess’s career.

“At times it was very isolating being in Europe with a baby. There were other mums on the tour who were incredibly supportive and although I could practice regularly, I missed performing,” she said.

The couple, who prior to parenthood relocated every two years and spent their life travelling the world performing, settled back into life in Melbourne but when it was time to decide on a school for Asa, it was the Bullarto Primary School that drew them to the area.

“We knew we needed to be relatively close to the airport and when we started researching schools we came across Bullarto Primary School,” Adam said.

“So, we relocated to the area and made Hepburn our home. The school is amazing as it teaches kids to be resilient, to take risks and they do so much learning outdoors.”

For Adam and Jess, who run their own company, Adica Arts, Covid struck the couple hard, like it did for millions of performers across the globe. With the support of JobKeeper, the couple honed in on their creative sides and sought grant funding from the Hepburn Shire.

While the couple was navigating online schooling for Asa, the lockdown period enabled them to create short online videos featuring the adventures of two genies, Pip and Tom. The videos follow Pip and Tom as they embark on a magical circus adventure testing their courage and perseverance. Hours of filming, editing and producing - Asa even voiced the adventures - resulted in clever and heartfelt videos that have captured the imaginations of kids and parents alike.

A career highlight for the couple was when they travelled the world on a cruise ship as guest entertainers. Their collective dream is to perfect their new acts and become the headline act on cruise ships when it’s safe to do so. The couple also performed together at Gasworks in Melbourne which they rate as another defining career moment.

“It was our first foray into a deeper, darker performance and we combined dance with trapeze work. So many artistic pieces are borne out of suffering and challenges and this piece allowed us to share something really moving and special,” Jess said.

And while the couple are keen to get back into pre-Covid performance mode, they keep active with other roles. Adam has taught gymnastics and circus skills across the shire while Jess is a trained pilates instructor also taking classes across the regions.

Given there’s no live performances in the near future for this talented duo, they plan to build on their new work, keep sharing the adventures of Pip and Tom and delighting those who happen to walk by their home with some amazing aerial and trapeze manoeuvres they perfect in their front garden.

US series boosting tourism & economy

La Brea is an action-packed US mini series set in Los Angeles, separating part of a family in an unexplained primeval world, alongside a group of strangers. For a number of months now the cast and crew have been filming across a number of Victorian sites including the Macedon Ranges.

Premièring in the US next year and produced by NBC, it's believed more than $60 million will be spent on the Victorian leg of the film…making it the most expensive TV production in Victoria since Steven Spielberg’s series The Pacific completed in 2009.

While the area is no stranger to film crews, given the number of films and TV shows filmed regularly in the area, Macedon Ranges Shire Council Planning and Environment director Angela Hughes, said it was always exciting to host film crews.

“As well as the immediate contribution to the local economy, film projects have the ability to drive tourism, inspiring locals and international visitors (when Covid is over) to explore our shire,” she said.

“It’s exciting that the Macedon Ranges continues to be recognised as an area with unique locations for local and international film and television. Filming for this project has been underway in the Macedon Ranges since late March and is scheduled to continue on/off until September and is being undertaken at a private property, east of the Calder Freeway.”

To watch Pip and Tom in action go to Adicaarts.com/pipandtom Words: Narelle Groenhout | Image: Contributed

Listen to Jessica and Adam chatting with Narelle at Country Life podcast. Just scan the QR code or head to www.tlnews.com.au

22 Crossword

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W RD

CROSS

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Here's the solution for Crossword 229.

How did you go?

Netball and Football ladders Central Highlands Netball League

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A Grade Ladder

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Clunes

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24

Bungaree 8

Carngham Linton

0

“ I NEVER THOUGHT I’D BE HOMELESS.” More people are now facing homelessness than ever before.

Visit salvationarmy.org.au or scan the QR code

After the storm The aftermath from Trentham, Bullarto, Daylesford and Glenlyon.

Images: Tony Sawrey, Sandy Scheltema, Daylesford Spa Country Railway, Jo Pegg, Narelle Groenhout & Peter Young More images at www.tlnews.com.au and on Facebook.

And read the story here by scanning the QR code

26 Opinion

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Just sayin’...

Your say

By Donna Kelly

Great but not the greatest

W

ELL, that's been a trying few days! And still continuing for some people.

As if, on top of the train wreck that is Covid, we needed a weather event of that magnitude. And like a bushfire, just random.

Out at Glenlyon we fared fine. Maybe four trees down on our property but nothing too serious and certainly nothing damaged. Over the road a huge tree down on a fence, up the road, sheds destroyed.

And then there are up to 1000 trees on the rail run by Daylesford Spa Country Railway. It looks like a giant has decided to just stomp their way from Musk to Bullarto and will take months to clear.

Over at Trentham, things were much worse. Powerlines down, houses squashed, people unable to drink the town water. Other villages were the same Blackwood, Korweinguboora...

Kyle made it into Daylesford on the Thursday morning, driving very carefully, and said people shopping in Coles were not only masked but quiet. Not a sound, he said. I would imagine many people are shell-shocked and probably will be for some time.

On page 5 I have listed some places you can call for a chat if you feel like you have been affected. Maybe stick that on the fridge - who knows how long shock takes to wear off and for depression/anxiety to sink in. If you feel you need it, please seek help. I speak from experience. Talking helps.

I also see that Hepburn Shire Council is offering free green waste disposal at all their transfer stations - until June 27. That is great but come on guys, there is no way people are going to be able to clean up by then. At least give us until the end of July. Pretty please.

People are also talking about all the trees down and wondering about next summer's fire hazard - and the summer after that - if they remain. I know we need to leave wood for wildlife habitat but not this much.

I don't have the answer but perhaps it could be chopped up into firewood for people struggling with power bills. Or sold off to help offset recovery costs. I am sure people smarter than me will come up with the right solutions.

Back to humans and it has been amazing watching communities come together and people reach out. I even had one person from Ballarat offering to deliver a hot meal to Kyle and me. Someone I haven't seen for at least two years.

But the offer was geniune.

Strange times indeed. Stay safe and connected. We need each other at times like this. Just sayin'...

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PO Box 1040, Daylesford, VIC 3460 koos.hulst@sanae-svcs.com.au (03) 5348 6620 or 0437 747 619

Are you like me, sick and tired of continually being told how great we are, how we live in the best country/state/region? Or don't you hear it any more because it just becomes background noise? Are we, as a society, lacking so much self-esteem or so unsure of our place in the world that our leaders and media outlets have to keep telling us how great we are?

We returned from a European holiday and in the bus on the way to collect our car, the driver asked where we had all returned from. We were the only overseas travellers, a fellow passenger who had flown in from Surfers said at least you've returned to the best country in the world. My only comment was: "You haven't travelled, have you?"

George Negus once said that we live in a great country, as far as greats go, but not the greatest because it simply does not exist. No-one does everything right, all the time.

Yes, we live in a great country but there are other countries with better education systems, better age care systems, more equitable social security and pension systems.

Countries that have better refugee polices and better relations with their native inhabitants. Hell, there are even countries that are one country, not eight little countries all trying to outdo their neighbours. No wonder we're not called United States of Australia, we're more a Confederate than a Commonwealth.

So why are we continually told that we are the best and living in the greatest?

I'm looking forward to the next fire season because only Australians help each other out in a crisis, or so we're told, every time there's a flood, fire, etc. No other country's citizens do this?

I recently read that we live in the best agricultural region in Australia because of the diverse produce grown here. If you tried telling that to someone from Gippsland, the Lockyer Valley, the south east of South Australia or even Tasmania, just to name a few, you'd be laughed out of town, pronto, and rightly so too. Claiming to be the best only sets us up for conflict, both internally and externally.

So why do our leaders, media and others continually lie to us about how great we are? Are we all really that insecure?

Yes, we live in a great country, not the greatest but great all the same.

I live where I do because I know the area, it satisfies all my needs and simply put, I just like it. Not because it's the best place in the world.

Peter Glasson, Glenlyon

Thanks Re the Biggest Morning Tea fundraiser the Cancer Council held at the Daylesford Bowling Club on May 17.

I would like to thank The Local for promoting the event and everyone who attended to support this cause.

I would also like to thank all the people who donated items for the raffles and I especially thank all my great support team. I could not do it without them.

We raised a total of $2234 for the Cancer Council. A great team effort.

- Carol Collins, Daylesford

And storm thanks What was essentially a cyclone ripped through lots of Victoria last week.

The devastation is massive. The picture on the top of page 25 gives you just a small idea. Underneath all those trees is the Daylesford Spa Country Railway line. That's about 15 minutes from where we live. It's like that all over.

But the purpose of this is to say we were totally flummoxed to receive a knock at the door and a couple from the Daylesford Community Church handed over some food parcels. We explained that we were fine, we didn't need anything, there were some seriously deserving cases out there. They said "no, no it's OK please take them", and that they were visiting all the outlying properties in our area.

I still can't believe it. I'm not religiously inclined, I've no idea who or what the Daylesford Community Church is, but whoever they are, they deserve sainthood.

- Scott MacLean, Korweinguboora

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

www.tlnews.com.au

Opinion 27

Kyle’s Rant

I

MUST commend the Hepburn Shire Council for its rapid response to the storm catastrophe.

Lately I have made a point of not grinding my gears, like a lot of folks do on the social media sites about the HSC, as quite frankly when it comes to the geese, The Rex and other assorted bureaucratic bungles, they bore me to tears.

But I am a little perplexed at the moment by a couple of things that directly involve me as a ratepayer. So, for all those out there who have an HSC axe to grind, strap in as I am about to regale you with a couple of tales that will have steam coming out of your ears. For the more rational part of the readership this will make you shake your head and mutter “bloody typical”.

The first of my indignant diatribes is the Post-Covid Business Recovery Team, which I applied for, was at first was declined and then got “Bradbury-ed” in.

Now I thought this was going to help our community come through the pandemic and I thought I had a bit to give with a fairly solid network and being formerly part of the HSC tourism department hierarchy.

But unfortunately, it seems small business and bureaucratic minds rarely find common ground, particularly around the issue of timing. My umbrage begins with the lack of meetings, no minutes provided for the meetings and then the slow petering out of what potentially could have been a spring back for the business community.

The committee was made up of a collection of bright entrepreneurs, social experts and community representatives, all with an abundance of energy and enthusiasm ready to give back to their community but unfortunately it was chaired and run by HSC. The last communication from a council officer was on May 3. It said that the next meeting was to be cancelled due to lack of attendance and concluded with “in addition I will be giving you all a one-on-one call to discuss how we might better understand what works best for future meetings as we acknowledge you are all extremely busy running businesses and with life in general. I look forward to talking to you all sometime this week.” Since then, it has been crickets.

My next saga begins with the road outside my house being converted from a gravel road to a sort of funny sealed road. I am not sure what you call it as the stones are still loose and there is still a plethora of corrugations. But I am not complaining about the road as it was free and beats the old dirt track.

But my point is that there was no prior consultation and if there had have been I would have said not to use a compactor around an 1861 building, but they did.

And, of course, the day the compactor was used cracks started to appear in the building, or at least started to get bigger, and I asked them to stop as I was concerned about structural damage.

I am not saying that my place is now a falling-down ruin, it is just that some of the normal stress line fatigue cracks are slightly bigger and of some concern. I contacted council but have since found that if you believe HSC has done damage to your property, they give you to a third party assessment company, who quote the “wrongs act”.

That is, I have to prove by way of a $3500 structural engineer that they, HSC, have done the wrong thing. That's a lot of money when all I hoped for was a bit of plaster and paint to repair the damage caused by their compactor. Yes, it falls to me to come up with the scratch that is obviously more than the cost of repair.

I think we need to revisit who works for who rant over…

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OZ TRANS - Removals, delivery and now storage

L

IFELONG local Jason Dooley and his company Oz-Trans are well known around the Central Highlands as the removals and delivery team of choice. Jason has owned Oz-Trans for seven years, taking over from his parents who started it 30 years ago in 1991.

Fast track to the present and Jason has started a new arm to the business, offering storage and warehousing solutions for space-strapped businesses in new premises in Mink Street, Daylesford. It was a move that came after he realised how little storage was available for his own business.

"Operating where we were, for as long as we did, we were running out of room for ourselves. There might have been things in transit that weren't quite ready to be delivered that we moved from one truck to another, and then back again.

"So the warehouse was really a need for our business to be able to store items in a clean dry space and then we realised there was a great opportunity here for other businesses to do the same.

"A lot of businesses around the region have been looking for somewhere to store things like pallets of dry goods they weren't ready to use or maybe they had finished goods they weren't going to send out until later. It's been great to be able to get ourselves into a better situation and at the same time help other local businesses with a space solution. It's certainly at a premium at the moment."

Jason said, along with floor space, there were also shipping containers available which could be accessed during business hours or by appointment. The containers they currently have are already full but there are more on the way soon - and the team will look at creating more warehouse space if the idea takes off as much as Jason believes.

As he said, the storage business is integral to his removals and delivery business with runs to Melbourne three times a week, runs to Ballarat two to three times a week and heading up the Calder to Kyneton, Castlemaine, Bendigo and Woodend once a week. OzTrans even heads across to Maryborough when required. Three refrigerated vehicles have been added to the fleet to service the requirements of local farmers and regional producers, taking the region's finest to Melbourne and beyond!

There is also a small packing material shop onsite for those needing packing boxes, bubble wrap and tape.

Jason said while things had slowed a little during the start of Covid, he had never been busier since the middle of last year. "We've had to put on more staff to cope with demand and were lucky enough to have had Peter Rodgers come onboard as logistics manager earlier this year. Pete has 30+ years' experience in the industry and has already proven to be an amazing asset to the business and we're all learning new things all the time from each other."

For all your delivery, removals and storage needs, call Jason and his team on 5348 6611 or drop them an email at oztrans01@gmail.com

Classifieds HOURIGAN – Beverley Lucy (nee Dyer) 28.07.1935 – 9.06.2021 Died suddenly at home.

Loved wife of Ronald. Adored mum of David and friend Tracy. Grandmother to Ethan, mother of Belinda.

In God’s care you rest above, In our hearts you rest with love.

The funeral prayers for Beverley Hourigan will be held at St Peter's Catholic Church, 13 Duke Street, Daylesford on Wednesday 23rd June 2021 commencing at 1.30pm.

Following the service we will cortege to the Daylesford Cemetery to lay Bev to rest.

PUBLIC NOTICE Notice is hereby given that a Special Council Meeting of Hepburn Shire Council will be held on Tuesday 29 June 2021 commencing at 6:00pm.

The meeting will be conducted virtually, and members of the community are invited to view the meeting via a live stream to Council’s Facebook page.

The proposed business to be transacted at this meeting will be for Council to consider the adoption of: •

Annual Budget 2021/2022

•

Revenue and Rating Plan

•

Road Management Plan

•

Mayoral and Councillor Allowances

Only the business as detailed above will be transacted at the Special Council Meeting. There will be no Public Participation Time conducted at this meeting.

This Special Council Meeting is called in line with Council’s Governance Rules 2020.

Enquiries: Manager Governance and Risk, phone 5321 6413.

PROPOSED LEASE OF CRESWICK CARAVAN PARK Pursuant to section 190 of the Local Government Act 1989 (Act), Council gives notice of its intention to lease part of the Crown Land Public Park Reserve, Section 49A, Township of Creswick AND Crown Allotments 1-10 inclusive, Section 4, Township of Creswick owned by the Council, situated at 12 Cushing Avenue Creswick 3363, to Belgravia PRO Pty Ltd for a period of 21 years for the purpose of the continued operation and management of the Creswick Caravan Park.

Any person wishing to make a submission on the proposal must do so in writing by 19 July 2021. All submissions will be considered in accordance with section 223 of the Act. Submissions must be addressed to the Chief Executive Officer, Hepburn Shire Council, PO Box 21 Daylesford VIC 3460 or personally delivered to Duke Street Customer Service at 10 Albert Street Daylesford 3460 (if COVID-19 Restrictions allow).

Any person requesting to be heard in support of their submission is entitled to be heard before Council, or represented by a person acting on their behalf, and will be notified of the time and date of the hearing.

Further information regarding the proposal may be obtained from Simon Mennie, Acting Manager Environment and Waste on (03) 5348 2306.

BRADLEY THOMAS CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Yandoit meeting Don't send it in the post, say it here!

The Yandoit Public Park and Recreation Reserve Incorporated Committee will meet on Sunday, June 27 at 2.30pm at the Yandoit Hall.

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The Last Word - A tale of two pandemics

T

ELEVISION personality and stand-up comic Bill Maher, who has long been known as an acerbic, free-thinking, progressive liberal commentator, and one of the most outspoken critics of the administration of former president Donald Trump, on his HBO TV show Real Time, on June 11 told viewers: “Maybe we can stop this silly distancing and masking bullshit.”

There are a few way to interpret this information. One might be to infer that life has less meaning here, that we put a greater value on business than on physical wellbeing.

There is a large contingent of people in this country who have said from the outset that the pandemic was a stunt, or a hoax, and that there was never any need to close businesses or schools. After all we’ve been through, there are politicians in the US federal government who still say Covid-19 is nothing more than a jumpedup flu.

There remain some here who are saying it’s too soon to do the victory dance, but their voices are increasingly dim, drowned out by those proclaiming Covid-19’s demise.

For those of us who remain cautious about calling the pandemic under control here, the vaccines have changed the outlook for the better. But is it over?

He continued: “Look, you’re never going to have a 100 per cent Covid-free atmosphere - viruses always stay. I can’t guarantee everything - we just have to live again.” *As of June 13 the US passed the 600,000 mark of Covid deaths.

Maher was responding to news that California planned to roll back most of the state’s Covid-19 restrictions on June 15.

“It’s over,” Maher said. “Can we just say it’s over? I know it was great fun to Words: Jeff Glorfeld have a pandemic and order Grubhub every night, but…”

The San Francisco Chronicle newspaper on June 11 reported that California governor Gavin Newsom planned to lift “the most stringent pandemic restrictions on public life in California”, although he “will keep in place the underlying state of emergency that has been the foundation for 15 months of coronavirus guidelines”.

The report said Newsom declared that “California will return to near normalcy next week, signing executive orders to end the original statewide stay-at-home order and subsequent tiered blueprint for reopening. Effective June 15, there will be no more reduced capacity for businesses, physical distancing requirements or limitations on out-of-state travellers”.

The Chronicle story quoted Newsom’s statement: “California is turning the page on this pandemic, thanks to swift action by the state and the work of Californians who followed public health guidelines and got vaccinated to protect themselves and their communities.”

So, it’s time to break out the champagne and fireworks, right?

That’s one way of looking at it. On the other hand, here are a few numbers to consider when trying to decide whether California - and indeed the entire United States - is on the right track.

The state of California has a population of more than 39 million. On June 12, 2021, according to its official Covid-19 tracking website covid19.ca.gov/, the state had 1136 new cases reported, and 85 new deaths attributed to the virus. That works out to 1.8 new cases and 0.04 deaths per 100,000 people.

As of June 12 the state had counted a total of 3,694,498 Covid-19 cases, and 62,508 deaths, since March 19, 2020.

Across the entire United States, as of June 13, 2021, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the country had seen 33,272,062 cases of the virus, including 93,067 cases in the past seven days.

The US death toll as of June 13 stood at 596,971, including 359 new deaths.

At a more personal, local level, Shasta County, in the state’s rural north, with a population of about 180,000, reported two deaths on June 12, for a total of 232 coronavirus fatalities since March 2020.

The county estimates it has 127 currently active cases and 17 people hospitalised because of Covid-19.

To put that into perspective, Australia, with a population of about 25 million, has reported 910 deaths. Victoria, population about 6.5 million, reports 68 active cases and 820 deaths.

Although these statistics are horrifying, US health officials are eagerly pointing out that the numbers are trending downwards, that while yes, the country remains in the grip of the coronavirus epidemic, there are fewer new cases and deaths.

It is summer here, of course, and the disease has proved to spread less rapidly in warmer months. Also, more than 142 million Americans have been vaccinated, almost 43 per cent of population, and more than 75 per cent of the population over 65 has been vaccinated.

Therefore, American officials reason, it is time to celebrate! Ding dong the wicked virus is dead! Open everything, remove all the restrictions, it’s back to business as usual, baby, only bigger and better than ever!

Meanwhile, as the state emerges from what the Guardian newspaper called a “14-day circuit-breaker lockdown”, Victoria’s Department of Health and Human Services, as of June12, 2021, counted four new cases of Covid-19, and no new Covid-19-related deaths.

"Therefore, American officials reason, it is time to celebrate! Ding dong the wicked virus is dead!

Open everything, remove all the restrictions, it’s back to business as usual, baby, only bigger and better than ever!"