Front page: Newspapers usually see plenty of giant pumpkins, but Glenlyon's Ralph Stewart has grown a giant apple. And oddly enough it’s called a Monty's Surprise Dwarf Apple. Now it’s been picked and weighed in at almost a kilo, it will be turned into an apple pie for Ralph, wife Sue and the grandkids. Yum! And it’s surely got to keep the doctor away…Mind you, Ralph says "it's just an apple".
Image: Kyle Barnes
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The Local is a fortnightly community publication covering the Central Highlands of Victoria.
The next edition is out on Monday, March 24, 2025. or online on Sunday, March 23 at www.tlnews.com.au
Space bookings: Wednesday, March 19
Copy deadline: Thursday, March 20
Editorial deadline: Thursday, March 20
General manager: Kyle Barnes on 0416 104 283 or kyle@tlnews.com.au
Editor: Donna Kelly on 0418 576 513 or news@tlnews.com.au
Editorial: Eve Lamb on 0493 632 843 or editorial@tlnews.com.au
Sub-editors: Nick Bunning, Lindsay Smith & Chester the Cat
Writers: Eve Lamb, Kevin Childs, Tony Sawrey, Kyle Barnes & Donna Kelly
Photographers: Kyle Barnes & Eve Lamb
Graphic designer: Dianne Caithness
Contributors: Glen Heyne (gardening), Darren Lowe (music), Sarah Lang (recipes), Jeff Glorfeld (life) & Bill Wootton (poetry)
Accounts | Julie Hanson Delivery | Tony Sawrey
International Women's Day
Heather Mutimer Honour Roll
skin cancer clinic
Dr Bronwyn
Dr Loshna
Dr Ashvin
Hepburn Shire Council marked International Women’s Day on March 5 with a free community event celebrating the remarkable achievements of local women and marking the 20th anniversary of the Heather Mutimer Honour Roll.
The Honour Roll, which celebrates the exceptional contributions of women in our community, inducted five new members this year: Mary Harvey, Jessie Leggatt (posthumous), Donna Kelly, Mary-Faeth Chenery and Lynda Poke. These women have made significant impacts in their respective fields and have become role models for future generations.
Mayor Cr Don Henderson said the program honoured local women whose achievements are paving the way for future generations, recognising their vital roles in shaping our community.
“Tonight was a special occasion to reflect on the incredible accomplishments of local women and to honour those who have demonstrated unwavering resilience, courage, and dedication. We look forward to continuing to support women’s empowerment in our community and beyond,” Cr Henderson said.
This year’s event featured a powerful keynote address from Australian Paralympian, Shae Graham. Once an avid sportsperson, Shae’s life took an unexpected turn at age 18 when a motor vehicle accident left her with a severe spinal cord injury, leaving her unable to walk.
Defying all odds, Shae went on to become the first female to represent Australia in wheelchair rugby at the 2021 Paralympics. Her resilience and passion for breaking down barriers in male-dominated sports have made her an inspiration to many.
Former Hepburn Shire councillor Heather Mutimer made a speech at the event, which also showcased presentations from the next generation of changemakers at Daylesford College, offering a glimpse into the future of women’s leadership and empowerment.
The Local will run stories about the inductees in future editions.
Words & image: Hepburn Shire Council
*More at Just sayin'...
From left, Cr Brian Hood, Mayor Cr Don Henderson, Heather Mutimer, Kate Butler (on behalf of Lynda Poke), Mary-Faeth Chenery, Mary Harvey (seated), Rachel Hewitt (on behalf of Jessie Leggatt), Donna Kelly (kneeling), Ballarat MP Catherine King, Cr Lesley Hewitt, Cr Tim Drylie and Cr Pat Hockey
YOU CAN TEACH IN REGIONAL VICTORIA
The future is calling, and we need your help to educate the next generation. With secondary teaching scholarships, employment-based degrees, and a range of supports to help get you into the classroom, there’s never been a better time to become a teacher in Victoria.
Go ahead for subdivision
A new eight-lot housing subdivision proposed for Hepburn Springs has received the green light to proceed subject to multiple conditions following a Hepburn Shire Council vote late last month.
The proposal, relating to a 7327 m2 site at 12-14 Vanina Street, within a residential zoning area, had attracted 12 objections.
Increased traffic flow, impacts on native flora and fauna, the proposal was not in keeping with the existing neighbourhood character, and the density was too high were among objections.
The application had originally proposed an 11-lot subdivision but several planning amendments that had later been lodged by the applicant had reduced the number of proposed lots to eight, creating stronger protection of existing native vegetation on the site.
A report to the council noted that: “Whilst the development will result in the future loss of some surrounding native vegetation in order to create defendable space, the applicant has accepted council officer advice to ensure an acceptable balance between vegetation loss and fire protection has been reached through the implementation of carefully considered building envelopes which will control the location of future dwellings on the proposed new lots.”
The matter went before councillors for a decision at the council’s February 25 meeting, with the planning officer recommendation supporting approval of the application subject to numerous conditions.
These included bushfire protection measures, traffic management, stormwater management, landscaping, screening and vegetation planting requirements, as well as building height controls among others.
But not all councillors were in support of the officer’s recommendation to grant approval, with Cr Brian Hood opposing it, naming concerns about emergency access provisions and design factors among his reasons for doing so. It was passed six to one.
Safety on Public Land Act 2004
NOTIFICATION OF PUBLIC SAFETY ZONE
DECLARATION
I, Jason Hellyer, Deputy Chief Fire Officer, Grampians Region, as delegate of the Secretary to the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action, give notice pursuant to section 7(1A) of the Safety on Public Land Act 2004, that I have made a public safety zone declaration published in the Victoria Government Gazette (Special Gazette Number S58) dated 21/02/2025.
The declaration made on 21/02/2025 takes effect from 24/02/2025 to 30/06/2025 inclusive specifies areas of State Forest which have been declared public safety zones for the purpose of the maintenance of public safety and the safe management of storm debris removal activities.
The declaration specifies the period for which the areas have been declared public safety zones; the times or periods during which access is restricted or prohibited; restrictions or conditions (if any) applying to the public safety zones; and persons or classes of persons exempt from their operation.
A copy of the declaration, and maps showing the location of the public safety zones, may be inspected at:
1. Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action offices at Ballarat and 8 Nicholson Street, East Melbourne, Victoria 3002
2. Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action web site: www.ffm.vic.gov.au/permits-and-regulations/closures-of-parks-and-forests
JASON HELLYER
Deputy Chief Fire Officer, Grampians Region as delegate of the Secretary to the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action www.deeca.vic.gov.au Customer Service Centre 136 186
Marcia and Birdys
VIC STATE ROOFING
Metal Roof Specialist
ChillOut favourite Marcia Hines shared her sound check time with Sunbury and Cobaw Community Health’s Country LGBTIQA+ Inclusion Program's Birds of a Feather members at Victoria Park's Big Top on Friday, March 7.
Birds of a Feather gatherings are held every three months at venues across the Macedon Ranges and Central Victoria. The events, usually held over lunchtime, offer an opportunity for adults who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or intersex to come together in a safe and affirming space, hear from a range of interesting guests and feel a sense of belonging.
Friday's event also included a round of applause for Daylesford's Danny Moynihan who was introduced as "one of ChillOut's most fabulous volunteers".
Danny had a copy of one of Marcia's albums he was hoping she would sign, gifted to him by his late, great, wife Roz. (Which Marcia signed...)
Anyone keen to attend a Birds of a Feather event should call Mez on 5421 1666 or email mez.lanigan@scchc.org.au
Check out the video here: www.tlnews.com.au/marcia-hines-chillout-sound-check/
Words: Donna Kelly | Images: Kyle Barnes
Just briefly... Coming soon...
St Patrick's Day celebrations are taking place at Trentham East on Sunday, March 16.
The day begins at 11am at the Sacred Heart Church to hear stories from local Irish people before the crowd, led by the bagpipes, marches to the Pig and Whistle Hotel, a pub with Irish history dating back to 1887. There the celebrations kick off with a traditional Irish menu, plenty of Guinness on tap and live Irish music.
Daylesford Health has received another generous gift of $250,000 from the Maddicks Estate in January 2025, bringing the total donated since 1999 to an incredible $778,000.
To recognise the family’s legacy, Central Highlands Rural Health has renamed the surgical ward the "Maddicks Theatre" for a minimum of 10 years. The funds will be used to improve facilities, upgrade medical equipment and resources for patients, residents and clients across Daylesford Health services which include acute, theatre, community nursing and community health.
Social media went a little viral recently with people wondering if Daylesford's Victoria Park was an off-leash area for dogs. After queries from The Local, the Hepburn Shire Council has reported the park is an on-leash dog park - and has been for many years.
Development and Community director Ron Torres said there were two designated off-leash dog areas in Hepburn Shire, one at Trentham and one at Clunes. "Council works with dog owners through raising awareness and education on responsible dog ownership," he said.
Through the 2025 Victorian Landcare Grants, $3.55 million is available for Landcare and other environmental volunteer groups and networks that are working to protect and restore land and the environment.
Applications opened on Thursday, March 6 and close on Wednesday, April 16.
Works have begun to breathe new life into Castlemaine’s Forest Creek thanks to funding support from the Australian and Victorian governments.
Revitalising Forest Creek has long been a community ambition, to support local plants, birds, and animals and improve the health of the creek for locals to enjoy. DJANDAK, the enterprise arm of the Dja Dja Wurrung Clans Aboriginal Corporation, has received a Victorian Government Integrated Water Management grant for the works, which will link into an additional project downstream to Campbells Creek and upstream through Happy Valley later in the year. Got some news? Email news@tlnews.com.au
CREDITORS, next of kin and others having claims against the estate of any of the undermentioned deceased persons are required to send particulars of their claims to STATE TRUSTEES LIMITED ABN 68 064 593 148, of 1 McNab Avenue, Footscray, Victoria 3011, the personal representative, on or before 1 May 2025, after which date State Trustees Limited may convey or distribute the assets, having regard only to the claims of which State Trustees Limited then has notice.
McNIFF, Lesley Thomas, late of 13 Morrison Cres, SUNSHINE WEST, VIC 3020 and owner of 115 Belltopper Rd, DRUMMOND NORTH, VIC 3446, deceased, who died on 10 October 2022.
Leonards Hill
Leonards Hill residents have been busy - with plenty of events happening to raise money for their hall, which celebrated its 140th anniversary in December.
The 49th Annual Leonards Hill Baby Show fundraiser will be held on Saturday, March 22, followed by an Easter Market on Saturday, April 19 and then the Royal Winter Market on the King's Birthday weekend on Saturday, June 7.
Hall secretary Melanie Thurstun said the committee was also working with Hepburn Energy to get its school program up and running after it was grounded by Covid.
"The hall facilities will play host as they welcome the first group of school kidlets to the wind towers/follow-up activities at the hall in late March. East Loddon P-12 is the first school off the bat, and then others such as Daylesford College and Keilor Downs College, and hopefully more as their program expands to its full original vision. Such great work."
Wombat Forest exhibition
Framings of Wombat Forest: An Audio Visual Exhibition is being hosted by the Daylesford and District Historical Museum.
Situated in Victoria's Central Highlands is Wombat Forest, where Dja Dja Wurrung, Wada Wurrung, and Wurundjeri lands meet. This 70,000-hectares of bushland harbours the headwaters of seven rivers and hosts over 550 species of native flora and fauna – some of them which occur nowhere else.
The landscape has been mined, logged, grazed, burned, and battered by storms, yet it still grows, and is loved and lived amongst by many.
Daylesford Museum will open daily for this event until March 21 between 10am and 2pm. BYO headphones. Only the main exhibition room will be accessible. The museum as a whole will be open on Saturdays as usual.
BLOCK Watch
Hepburn Shire Mayor Cr Don Henderson has welcomed "Australia’s muchloved renovation competition reality TV series, The Block".
Filming started at the Raglan Street, Daylesford site last week.
Cr Henderson said Daylesford was known for its charming streets, culinary delights, mineral springs and spa resorts, and was set to benefit from the anticipated influx of visitors.
"The cast, crew and travelling fans, will be able to indulge in Daylesford and all of our shire’s hospitality and shopping at our artisanal businesses and the local craftsmanship.
“Hosting The Block is an excellent opportunity for our shire. It will deliver noticeable economic benefits and showcase our beautiful landscape, rich history and vibrant community to millions of viewers across the country.
“As filming takes place over the next few months, we look forward to the business The Block will bring to our accommodation providers, cafes, restaurants, local trades and suppliers.”
“The shire stands to gain far more than architecturally beautiful homes, the exposure will boost tourism beyond the show’s broadcast, reinforcing Hepburn Shire as a must-visit destination for local and international travellers. Council and our communities look forward to The Block shining a national spotlight on our shire’s charm, heritage and businesses.”
Meanwhile, The Block contestants took part in their first challenge creating floats for the ChillOut parade last Sunday. The show will air later this year.
Above, Daylesford's first Bunnings Warehouse, on The Block site
Words & images: Donna Kelly
Primary students clean up...Daylesford
Daylesford Primary School students got into the swing of Clean-Up Australia Day with the 5/6s heading to Lake Daylesford while the 3/4s hit the schoolgrounds.
The 3/4s will soon be sorting, weighing and graphing their finds as part of a learning unit.
Teacher Jon Halliwell said the 3/4s were the drivers of the day's work.
More photos online - just head to www.tlnews.com.au
Covid five years on - and oh, the memories
Springs Medical Centre
GP Brad
Wyer
When I reflect on our journey over the past five years with Covid, you need to remember the different stages and what we knew at the time.
As medical professionals, early 2020 we were watching a virus cut through Europe, in particular Italy, where young, healthy people and pregnant women were suddenly dying, not to mention those with health concerns and over 70. It was rumoured Italy did not have enough health resources and would not ventilate a patient with Covid if they were over 60 due to the level of disease.
So, when Covid came knocking on Australia’s door there was a lot of fear about what was to come. Primary care centres, it must be said, at the start were left out in the cold by the government. We could not procure personal protective equipment, we were not included in health policies on how to protect certain locations, it was all hospital and aged care based.
For the first few months we had to fend for ourselves. I remember vividly my wife asking me on Tuesday night, March 10, 2020 as I stared vacantly at the ceiling: "Was I ok? "No I was not".
If we had a staff member with Covid, it meant all those in contact isolating for two weeks, which meant we had no staff to care for the public or help the hospital. Amongst all that fear, came a moment the people of the Central Highlands should recognise, what great people you have working at Springs.
It was then we divided into work teams, three groups who would never work together and were asked not to mingle together after work even outside lockdowns. This to operate Kyneton (a clinic we had only just opened at the time), Trentham and Daylesford. This they did for many months, and it meant no matter what, we always had a team available to care for the community. Over the year, we did get great support from Central Highlands Rural Health in staffing clinics to test for Covid, (the nurses were amazing) and Western Victorian Primary Health Network worked diligently to get us PPE to protect our staff. We rolled out vaccination clinics when the time came to vaccinate over 10,000 people.
There were many difficulties along the way and new learnings. Protective shields at the front desk, the ever-changing isolation criteria, and questions our staff had to ask such as if people had been holidaying overseas to having contacts with Covid, which meant a telephone consult first.
Consulting at times in face masks, shields and gloves made the interaction alien and difficult. The number of times I was speaking loudly to have patients hear me, combined with the fact the face shield acted like an echo chamber, making it louder for me.
I remember at one of our first 'flu vaccination clinics, a woman attended amazingly well dressed. I had to ask where she was going as we were in lockdown at the time. She replied: "Brad, I haven’t been out for six weeks so I wanted to make an effort." These are the beautiful memories I keep.
Now five years later, I try to look at the good that has come from it. I sympathise with those who have lost loved ones to this virus, or those who suffered consequences of the vaccination program. But within that, there is no doubt the program has saved lives and health costs.
The introduction of telehealth was brought on by Covid-19. The ability for patients to have Medicare rebates to get health advice over the phone has been something we have wanted for years. I also believe we all now have insights into when we are unwell, not wanting to spread an illness. Gone are the days where one of the easiest places to get sick was the doctors' office, where people would sit in the waiting room with fevers, and coughing and spreading the illness they had. Now we have the safety of the isopod where we can safely see ill patients to protect ourselves, staff and others. Previously I would get sick from patients two to three times a year.
Finally, my biggest take home, working at Springs Medical. Watching these wonderous staff support people who were scared and frightened, helping them through the worst, and also dividing into teams so as to mean we always had a workforce available. This they did while looking after their own family. You could not ask for a better bunch of people.
The Local journalist and delivery driver Tony Sawrey
Empty roads. Diary of a delivery driver in the times of Covid.
I like driving open roads. I find the activity good for thought. And when the plague came in 2020 I had plenty of time to enjoy those empty expanses of bitumen.
When you work for a regional newspaper, the fences separating different roles tend to fall over. When I started at The Local several years before, I was pecking out stories, maybe doing a little photography when needed and eventually I started sharing delivery duties. Soon it became a regular gig, was better than loading Christmas trees and was a nice opportunity to tour the shire.
Anyway, I was doing the fortnightly pick-up and deliveries when everything went unusual. Not that much changed in my area of the forest though. Things were actually quite idyllic, what with the drop in traffic volumes and a total absence of anyone in the bush. Happy days.
But gradually The Local turned into a vital means of public communication, especially since many of the other regional newspapers decided to quit or move online. And suddenly I had become an essential worker and was working harder than I had ever cared to before or since. The mag had gone weekly, I had to produce more stories and of course the delivery work doubled.
Out on the freeway heading off to pick up our consignment from the (now closed) print plant in Ballarat the only vehicles on the road were trucks travelling in convoy and me. No impatient BMW M3 drivers, lumbering caravans or commuting tradies bunching up and weaving about. It was a form of bliss especially to someone like me who likes to drive. It was like the 1970s all over again, me a kid in the back seat staring at the empty tarmac ahead while counting the passing big rigs.
Every week I would go out, an essential worker as I was, distributing important material for the good of the community. What an unusual position to be in. From Daylesford to Trentham, from Clunes to Creswick I would drive, dropping off bundles at empty supermarkets and general stores. Everything else was shut. No cafés, no tourist info centres, no hotels or eateries.
And you know what? People were actually glad to see me. How is that? I shifted from a ghost with a hand trolley, a nothing people stepped around getting their morning coffee to a form of good news walking.
“Good morning. Is that the paper?” a bemasked elderly person would say. “It is so nice to have a paper to read.”
“It is great you are still delivering,” says another. “That other mob gave up.”
These were typical responses. In times when nothing was particularly normal, all people could do was wait for things to get better. The regular appearance of a bundle of nice fresh crinkly Locals in the supermarket basket became more than just a paper. The Local became almost like..like a beacon of light, a hope for better days ahead and I, the delivery guy was the messenger.
Above, Tony Sawrey and Logic
Toilet paper wars
Sanitiser
Foxxy's Cellarbrations Daylesford
owner Matt France
Along with being apprehensive, nervous and not knowing what the future held, it was a challenging time as far as staff goes. We obviously had staff contract Covid and that caused its own issues. And then we had to close for a couple of days, a number of times because someone with Covid was in the store and so forth.
But apart from that, people tended to want to treat themselves on more premium brands and there wasn't a lot else to do when we were in lockdown. So, people managed to spend a little bit more and treat themselves with a nice bottle of something special. I think, if anything, we were a bit of a beacon.
Certainly the premium brand space grew a lot and people were interested in trying new things and particularly the home cocktails, that went nuts. People couldn't go out and order cocktails so they'd have a crack and be creative. And I think that happened in the food space as well. People learnt how to cook again.
And I guess it was a bit of an outing, coming to a retail store that was actually open, apart from the supermarkets. The mask thing was certainly a challenge because you couldn't see people's smiles, but most people were in a reasonably good mood.
Everyone was frustrated at the time, but when they'd come and see us, we'd try and put a positive spin on things.
Logistics were really hard. There were some weeks where we didn't get a delivery and we were extremely busy as well. That was mostly because the wholesaler or the warehouses or the suppliers had their own problems with staffing around Covid. And there were a lot of different protocols. Transport wasn’t the issue but it was having pickers to pick the deliveries. But most of the roads were pretty quiet so you’d get your deliveries reasonably on time when you could get them, if they could pick them in time.
We certainly ramped up home delivery and we were pretty green in that department. But we made it known through adverts like in The Local and then a lot of word of mouth. That did ramp up a lot because people obviously either had Covid or just didn't want to go out or couldn't go out.
Really, we all dug deep and worked pretty hard at the time. And we also got in touch with local wineries and distilleries – because they couldn’t open – and made sure we really focused on their products, just to do what we could.
In a way, we felt a bit guilty because we were allowed to trade. But we just hoped people could enjoy coming into the store, having a quick chat and find a nice beverage. Everyone knows liquor stores did OK during Covid but I know I never want to see a Covid-20 arrive.
Shire Council CEO Bradley Thomas
The Covid-19 pandemic had a significant impact on local councils, highlighting both challenges and opportunities for adaptation.
Council had to completely reshape our operations and the way we delivered services to our communities. Initially, we faced disruptions to our ability to provide essential services, such as waste management, community support, and public health, due to restrictions and social distancing measures. We were also forced to quickly adapt to remote work, shifting our workforce to digital platforms to ensure continuity of services.
We collaborated with state and federal governments to help mitigate the impacts of the pandemic on our residents. There was an increased demand by the community for information on services, including mental health support and emergency relief. We played a critical role in reinforcing official health messaging and ensuring the community had access to information.
The pandemic also accelerated digital transformation. We improved online services for residents and found innovative ways to continue engaging with our communities despite physical distancing requirements. The pandemic also led to an increased expectation from the community and stakeholders for quicker response times to correspondence and solutions. This is something we all need to be mindful of, and we should strive to be kind to each other as we navigate these demands.
Overall, while the pandemic created significant challenges for councils, it also provided an opportunity for innovation and a re-evaluation of how local governments can effectively support their communities in times of crisis.
Clunes Neighbourhood House manager Lana de Kort
I believe the experience for Clunes was probably very similar for other regional communities and neighbourhood houses. We were fortunate that for many people through Covid it was about connectivity and building relationships.
We strengthened our grassroots connections and our connections with local GPs and health practitioners and those relationships have extended so yes, there have been some positives.
It highlighted to us how many vulnerable people there are in our community, how many people there are living alone and isolated or with chronic health conditions.
It did force us to think differently about how to work together. It really highlighted to us our vulnerabilities, what people can cope with and what people can’t cope with and we’re still unpacking that today.
It did demonstrate that we could rally together but hasn’t necessarily been an easy bounce back. I do have very fond memories of walks along the Ron Hateley Walk.
Creswick Neighbourhood Centre current manager Chrissy Austin
During Covid-19, the Creswick Neighbourhood Centre observed that people faced significant challenges across all areas of life, particularly in maintaining social connections and finding opportunities to come together.
Many of our participants struggled with online engagement, leading to increased isolation and loneliness.
What is most memorable for me is how the community really pulled together to support frontline workers and their families.
It was a tough time, but that sense of care and resilience stood out.
Things have moved on, but some of the safety measures taken during that time continue to protect us and the community.
Most importantly it has helped us implement initiatives to improve patient care such as VVED (Victorian Virtual Emergency Department) and other alternative pathways which have become such great programs for regional communities.
Volunteering also changed dramatically as a direct result of the pandemic, and services like ours are still in the process of recovering and re-engaging volunteers, who remain the backbone of our organisation.
What began as a crisis driven by Covid-19 has since evolved into a broader costof-living crisis, with a growing number of people seeking food assistance.
What was once a small component of our organisation has expanded significantly, and demand continues to rise as we strive to meet the needs of our community.
Hepburn
Ambulance Victoria Grampians 1 area manager (Clunes, Creswick, Trentham and Daylesford) Aliesha Robertson
Food frenzy
Queues
Masks
Pivoting
Empty shelves
Cooperation
Legends of Lockdown
Letter to the editor
During this time of the virus we continue to go to the supermarket, local butcher or fruiterer and handle packaged goods and unpackaged fruit that may have been picked up, examined and put back onto the shelf by others.
I used the self-checkout used by hundreds if not thousands of people. I drive my car home, having filled it with diesel.
I was at the Daylesford recycling yard/tip yesterday. I went to buy a couple of old wooden chairs I had my eyes on. They had been there for weeks. The guys there are good. Their management and procedures are stupid beyond comprehension.
“Where’s all the furniture gone?” I asked. “Coronavirus,” came the reply.
“What?” “We were told to get rid of everything. To protect the public from catching coronavirus.” “Are you serious?”
“Even if we had something here – you couldn’t get it – because we don’t want you to be infected. That’s what we have been told to say.”
If we followed the policies of some middle-order (or lower level) manager – no food would exchange, no fuel would be sold, no mail delivered, no coffee or wine sold. Nothing from the hardware or chemist.
In March 2020 The Local put a call out for nominations for Legends of Lockdown. People helping others stay safe, get supplies, drop off their newspaper, and just generally look after their community.
One of our first nominations was Roger McLean - whose story ran in April 6, 2020. He was a very worthy Legend of Lockdown. Also on this page are a few other stories and reflections from that edition.
Herbal Lore Liqueurs founder Roger McLean is handing out a potential life saver, offering the gift of free sanitiser to the community.
The Daylesford distillery has for the past two weeks been making 80 per cent proof sanitiser to World Health Organisation standards and started distribution on the weekend.
Roger said with no bottles available in Australia, he was starting with offering the sanitiser in bulk to those who brought their own bottles to be filled “as a gift”.
“It means there will be no people home with young kids, or the elderly, or anyone that really needs a sanitiser and just can’t get it or can’t afford it.”
Roger said Herbal Lore and Terra Australis Distillery had a foundation, Medicines of the Earth, which was all about humanity and this was one of its projects.
“We thought about it a few weeks ago and realised there were no bottles and no glycerine and lots of obstacles, but decided if we worked with refills we could really crank up our still and get the most beautiful alcohol to make a really crackingly good sanitiser. I have driven 5000km in the past three weeks to get what we needed, some from the back blocks of Queensland.”
Roger said people were welcome to come to Lot 2 Railway Crescent and take up the offer between 10am and 5pm. “We will have a filling station set up with proper queuing and if they love me, they might bring a coffee. I don’t know if we will get queues, or a constant dribble or no-one at all. But I think it’s just great that if they turn up they are going to get sanitiser.”
Roger said he believed the pandemic was this generation’s World War II. “I have never in my time seen anything like this. I have seen stock markets collapse but that doesn’t hurt everybody. But there is a rule book for it all. It’s called morality and decency. Trouble is some people have thrown that book away.”
Daylesford College’s 500 students went online as the coronavirus forced a close-down.
And if, as seems likely, the pandemic continues, e-learning will be the rule next term. “We went from zero to 100 in five days,” says principal Steve MacPhail.
Mr MacPhail, who has a maths and IT background before teaching, said students and staff were “phenomenal”. “My IT guys probably didn’t sleep for a few days.
“Kids are adaptable with technology and we’re modifying as we go. We’re probably a fair bit more advanced than many other high schools.”
All teachers worked from home for the last two days of the term. Other aspects of the school such as the youth worker, well-being team, Headspace clinician and youth worker also went online.
And while the students had the pandemic explained to them, learning remained the focus. Even woodwork, which would seem a hands-on course was taught online as students learnt about designing a product from scratch. Tuesdays were set aside as health and well-being days, with no teaching.
Mr MacPhail said struggling students who may be isolated, were contacted.
The truth is – the management of the recycling yard found the tip-shop to be inconvenient, and in doing so trashed valuable assets.
Only in Daylesford. Dumb-ass.
- Name withheld, just beacuse it's five years on...
Across the world people are Zooming like crazy. And the Central Highlands is no exception. Zoom, the world’s new favourite video-conferencing tool, has 20 times more users than four months ago and is feeling the strain.
Spa Country Events found it handy for its annual general meeting, while a record 15 Trentham Tuesday Sketchers, plus a guest granddaughter from Melbourne, used it to pursue their art. Each member came up with a take on the theme of framed views.
The sketchers were more successful than Britain’s Prime Minister, who inadvertently shared the ID number for a cabinet meeting held via Zoom, opening the door to anyone seeking to log on.
And a manager at an American progressive advocacy group accidentally ran a meeting as a potato, which would have gone down well in Trentham.
Among the many uses for Zoom was a fortnightly get-together of a local writers’ group, where a member temporarily in Germany was able to join writers round the Central Highlands and beyond.
A video hook-up was used for a virtual book launch in Woodend, where local author Dee Smith saw her gripping story of a child’s escape from Nazis in Paris, Beyond Belief, successfully celebrated.
Meanwhile, stories accumulate about adaptation to the pandemic. Passing Clouds winery chef Christian Reuther is picking grapes, others are on the home stretch in self-isolation after returning home from overseas, while corona refugees are being housed in a quarantined caravan.
Hepburn’s popular Surly Goat morphed into the Socially Isolated Goat with a daily takeaway service, serving dishes the writer can recommend, such as roast duck. Wednesdays is veggie day and on other days there’s even pig’s ear and a tripe course.
Also learning to do things differently are the folk at Woodend’s Fox in the Chamber. They’ve turned their café kitchen into a soup kitchen, offering take-home soups and stews. Part of this is offering pay-for-meal care packages to some of the more vulnerable people in the community who may be in isolation.
- Kevin Childs
Zoom, zoom, zoom
We
We know and love your community as much as you do
Hepburn House's Memory Lane Unit
Hepburn House's Memory Lane, a 15-bed unit built specifically to assist residents with dementia, is now open!
Hepburn House is at 1 Hepburn Rd, Daylesford. Book a tour of the new unit or the existing accommodation and living areas.
For everything Hepburn House has on offer head to www.hepburnhouse.com.au or call 5348 8100.
EAT | DRINK | ENJOY
Walks of the Central Highlands with Eve Lamb
Three Lost Children Walk, Daylesford, 15 km (total) Part B
Today is the day we shoulder our packs once again to finally complete the remaining half of Daylesford’s famed Three Lost Children Walk.
We start where we left off last time, in Hogans Lane at Musk Vale surrounded by comfortable homes on acreage, and it’s a couple of kms of hiking on gravel, across the Ballan-Daylesford Road blacktop, and onwards, following unsealed Hogans Lane right to its end. Then it’s right into Foxs Lane, then left into Manna Gum Track.
Here, finally, we begin to leave the lifestyle acres, goats and alpacas behind, and things start to get a bit bushy. For a start there’s a large male kangaroo eyeing us off and making me feel just a tad nervous, recalling tales of how these fellas, who have every right to feel miffed at people invading their ancestral home, have been known to eviscerate folk with a well-placed claw hook.
Thankfully the big roo merely stares peaceably. And we walk on.
We’re equipped with a well thumbed copy of the Three Lost Children Walk brochure, readily available from the Daylesford Regional Visitor Information Centre, and my copy of Walks, Tracks & Trails of Victoria by Derrick Stone.
The bush is dry. The day is hot. We reach the point where the trail descriptions indicate we should swing left into Paddock Track. But a brief moment of confusion arises. There’s a marker post facing us but its face is bare, displaying no signage of any kind.
My walking accomplice, Paddy H, ever observant, takes a look and discovers that the about-facing side of the post does display the now familiar stylised Three Lost Children trail marker, confirming that this is, indeed, where we turn left. And we’re on the right track.
“That’s why I bring you along,” I tell Paddy H who accepts this as his due. As we gain a bit of elevation there are fallen eucalypts on the forest floor, relics of the famous June 2021 storm. We’re on a rough-hewn dirt vehicle track, surrounded by the forest now. After a while, we hear the engine of a vehicle drawing closer.
A ute appears, trawling slowly behind us.
Glancing behind me, peering back at it, I see the occupants are a friendlylooking couple.
Paddy H stops to say g'day to the bloke behind the wheel, beside whom the female passenger grins back at me. Or is that a look of empathy?
I wait beside the track while Paddy H and the bloke behind the wheel converse. And wait. And then wait a bit more.
Finally they’re done.
“Nice bloke,” surmises Paddy H as we start moving again. “He’s concerned about climate change and the impact it’s having on the forest.”
Pretty soon it becomes apparent that our printed walk guide has failed to mention just how gnarly and flinty this walk is. Let’s just say there are some undulations here that could bring delight to hardcore theme park enthusiasts if you ran a light rail over them.
And once again I find myself thinking of those poor three lost little tackers whose tragic 1867 meandering this walk memorialises. This is no leisurely pleasure promenade. I marvel especially, for the hundredth time or so, at how their smallchild legs could ever have carried them so far.
Sweating as we tackle the dusty undulations beneath the blazing February sun we reach the almost-evaporated and rather sad-looking Specimen Hill Dam. More of a bog hole today really. History records that it was near this spot that a young man called John Quinn had encountered the lost children and (unsuccessfully) attempted to turn the three doomed souls back toward home.
“Good advice,” I reflect aloud.
“Reminds me of the bullock driver in Joseph Furphy’s Such Is Life,” muses my walking companion, cryptically.
“I’ll have to read it.” We still have a fair way to go and I need to conserve energy.
The walk description is proving fairly straightforward to follow though, and the trail well-marked. We reach and cross Specimen Hill Road that wends its lonely way on through the Wombat State Forest bushland as far as the eye can see from this juncture.
And from here we trudge on along the dusty and evocatively named Cockatoo Track for about 3km to finally reach the Wombat Creek Dam.
The walk officially ends here at the Wombat Creek Picnic Area. The “dam” water storage reservoir is a decent little body of water. On a hot day like today just reaching it is a very welcome reward.
Note: The first part of this walk review appeared in the January 13, 2025 edition of The Local.
CRESWICK TOWN HALL
26 April at 2pm
70 Albert Street, Creswick
Glen's Garden
Raise their stakes this winter
Recently planted and staked trees and shrubs can suffer during autumn and early winter, from rain and high winds. The rain often softens the ground, and the gusty winds loosen stakes which were thought secure, bringing the young tree and shrub into danger of root-rot.
lt only takes a few minutes to examine any such plants that you have, and time taken now to ensure that stakes and ties are secured will avoid any possible later damage.
At the same time, it will be worthwhile to check the ties on any strong growing species. lf these were put on in the early spring they may well need loosening and retying to prevent constriction of their soft stems.
Questions from readers
Q. Hi Glen, l have a small greenhouse which serves very well for most of the year, but during the really hot weather l always lose some of my plants. They seem to burn off, even though the pots haven’t dried out. l shaded the glass with hessian to no avail. ls there anything else l can do to save them? - Browned off, Creswick
A. Well, for a start, it is always difficult to keep the temperature within bounds in a small greenhouse, especially if it is located in the full sun, because the air naturally heats up rapidly, and the plants have little clearance from the hot glass. They would benefit from having a canopy of Sarlon cloth suspended over them and the glass painted with whitewash, to cut down the glare. You didn’t mention what sort of floor it had, but a 1-2cm layer of coarse sawdust or tan bark spread over it and frequently watered would help to maintain the moisture level and go a long way to replicate their steamy jungle home.
Q. Glen. Help please. My passionfruit has cropped well up until now, but the last fruiting season, the few miserable fruits have been woody and inedible. l keep it well watered and have been using blood and bone manure as often, and as much as recommended but now the vine looks most unhealthy. Should l remove it and try again? - Norma C. Castlemaine
A. Yes it would be advisable to dig out and burn your plant because it has probably become infected with a virus and replace it with a new healthy plant. Fortunately a well-grown passionfruit vine soon comes into bearing, so a new plant is the answer. Do not plant in the same spot or even too near the existing one. Burn the old vine as soon as it is dry enough.
Your garden questions answered! Simply email your enquiry to: Garden queries c/o glenzgarden@gmail.com You should see your answer in the next edition of The Local
Opera for everyone
Lyster Opera is returning to the Creswick Town Hall this April with a rousing new production of Mozart's pacy comedy, The Abduction from the Seraglio.
Featuring a vibrant cast and all-new sets and costumes, this is a fast-paced romp with some of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's most demanding and exciting music.
Part of a wider tour of regional Victoria that also takes in towns like Charlton, Milawa, Castlemaine and Drysdale, Creswick’s Saturday afternoon matinee performance will take place April 26 at 2pm.
Written by Mozart in 1782, The Abduction from the Seraglio tells the story of Belmonte, a man who tries to rescue his beloved Constanze from the harem of Pasha Selim, with help from his servant Pedrillo.
Director and founder of Lyster Opera, Jamie Moffat says he chose this opera because his experience indicates regional audiences are very receptive to hearing less well-known operas.
Lyster’s 2024 tour of Flotow’s Martha was very warmly embraced by regional audiences including Creswick’s.
“I started on this journey of reproducing the original Lyster Company’s model of touring small country towns and staging grand operas, because I fervently believe that opera is for everyone,” Jamie says.
“The aim of our company is to make opera accessible for everybody, at an affordable price. Appreciation of good music should not be dictated by a postcode.”
Lyster Opera, which has been staging operas since 2016, derives its name from William Saurin Lyster (1828-1880), an Irish-born entrepreneur who made it his mission to provide opera to the growing population of Australia.
Under Lyster’s auspices, Australians were given their first taste of operatic composers as diverse as Mozart, Donizetti, Auber, Meyerbeer and Wagner.
Local stars such as Marie Carandini and Fanny Simonsen brought these works to a new public of the era.
Lyster’s extraordinary life and career were documented by Harold Love in his book The Golden Age of Australian Opera and the Melbourne suburb of Lysterfield is named in his honour.
Tickets through TryBooking online and more details available through the Lyster Opera website.
Above, Jamie Moffat playing Osmin with Alastair Cooper-Golec playing Pedrillo
Words: Eve Lamb | Image: Phil Thomson
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Creswick’s Folk & Roots Music Festival
EvEryonE’s favouritE rEgional fEstival
Will sEll out - only 2000 tickEts!
16 intimatE vEnuEs small toWn vibE school holiday family fun dancing in thE strEEts
acts from australia and around thE World including:
JoE gEia thE maEs nEil murray
apollinE grassy strings (india) gracE barbE afro-krEol (sEychEllEs) and so much morE
f ull d E tails at cr Esf Est.com.au
day tickEts, WEEkEnd passEs & camping on salE noW!
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.
CRUMBED LAMB CUTLETS NORMALLY $59.95/KG NOW $41.99/KG
Done all the hard work for you - just heat and eat! Perfect for a quick weeknight dinner
TOMAHAWK STEAK
$49.95/KG
The weekend showstopper you’ve been waiting for (Pop in and we’ll share our cooking tips)
MARINATED LAMB RIBS
$24.99/KG
Ready to cook - we’ve added all the flavour with a honey, mint and rosemary glaze. Just pop them in the oven or on the BBQ.
POTATO GRATIN NORMALLY $9.50 SPECIAL PRICE $6!
Our fabulous Di, has prepared her favourite potato dish - local potatoes sliced, with cream, cheese and a hint of garlic. Absolutely delicious! But be quick. At this very special price, they won’t last long.
FROM THE MAYOR
The World Heritage bid to have the Victorian Goldfields listed will be discussed at Creswick on 19 March at the Creswick Town Hall from 5 pm to 7 pm. There will also be an opportunity on 15 April in Daylesford. These meetings will be open to the public and there will be plenty of time to hear from those involved in developing the bid.
Gold has played a big part in the history of our Shire, both from a wealth and cultural perspective. There was a huge impact upon the land which was literally turned upside down because of the tens of thousands who came here from over 100 countries to seek their fortunes. We have a great deal of valuable tourist activity from prospectors and people wanting to see and feel the reality of one of the most intact mining landscapes in the world. Rumours of locking prospectors out are just that, as responsible gold seekers will be welcomed. The listing will concentrate on sites that are on Crown land. One big concern is the impact of huge transmission towers.
Decent early Autumn rain is certainly most needed and as I have been travelling around the roads looking at their condition I have noted the lack of feed and just how low the dams and waterways are.
Do turn out to our many festivals and events throughout the Shire as these are so important to the prosperity, and in some cases sadly, the survival of our business community.
Council is setting out on some critical work before the end of the financial year as important things such as the 4 year Council Plan and the ten year plans are developed that will be crucial to the longterm financial sustainability of the Shire. Added to that is the very daunting task of setting the budget for this coming year. Council will be forced to do more with less as we find ways to do things more efficiently with less resources. We are forced to do what we need to do and not what we would like to do. I suspect that there will also be less opportunity for funding from federal and state governments into the future. Because of the requirement to match funding, we may not be in a position to apply for grants other than those for essential works and services. Value for money will be to the forefront of our minds.
Cr Don Henderson, Mayor
BLOOMIN’ BEGONIAS
Do not miss out on seeing our beautiful begonia display at the Wombat Hill Botanic Gardens. They are on full display at the glasshouse tucked away behind the Wombat Hill House café. Our Head Gardener (Mel) is especially pleased with how fabulous they look given how temperamental they can be.
We had a wonderful time celebrating International Women’s Day on Wednesday 5 March with a free community event.
It was all about honouring the amazing achievements of local women and marking the 20th anniversary of the Heather Mutimer Honour Roll.
This year, we welcomed five incredible new members to the Heather Mutimer Honour Roll: Mary Harvey, Jessie Leggatt (Posthumous), Donna Kelly, Mary-Faeth Chenery and Lynda Poke. Congratulations to these extraordinary women for their amazing contributions in their fields. You are all such inspiring role models for the next generation.
LISTENING POSTS
Come along to our next Listening Post event in Daylesford on Thursday 27 March to discuss matters that are important to you. Councillors and senior Council staff will be in attendance to listen to your feedback and answer questions.
The next two Listening Posts scheduled are:
• Thursday 27 March – Daylesford Coles, 4 pm to 6 pm
• Saturday 3 May – Trentham Spudfest, 10 am to 12 pm
Details of other Listening Post events, including dates and locations, will be made available at www.hepburn.vic.gov.au/listening-posts
GEAR UP FOR SUCCESS WORKSHOP
Djuwang Baring has already seen a tremendous amount of success and is attracting more and more visitors to the region. Sign up for this free interactive workshop designed to help local businesses cater to mountain bikers and their families. Learn how to create appealing packages for mountain bike enthusiasts and collaborate with local businesses.
Monday 24 March, 5:30-7:30 pm at Doug Lindsay Recreation Reserve in Creswick.
Cr Don Henderson Cr Lesley Hewitt Cr Brian Hood Cr Tony Clark Cr Tim Drylie Cr Pat Hockey Cr Shirley Cornish
MESSAGE
Gig Guide
with Darren Lowe
Square Wave Bounce launch single
Daylesford musical outfit, Square Wave Bounce, play a collection of dreamy beats, synths, grooves and rhythms.
A three-piece outfit that produces electro-pop, synthwave and dreambeat songs using analogue equipment, such as Roland Juno synthesizers, Roland drum machines and Korg samplers and effects.
Ivan Carter provides the drums, rhythms and leads, Fe Porter is on vocals and glockenspiel and Cameron Saunders is on bass. Other guests have included Martin Steinöcker, Michael Groth, Ruby Carter and Harriet Carter.
Square Wave Bounce will launch its first single in two years, Jayne Goes, at Radius Gallery in Hepburn Springs on Saturday, April 5. Details on the Radius Gallery website. Jayne Goes can be listened to via https://ditto.fm/jayne-goes From left, Ivan Carter, Fe Porter and Cameron Saunders
Daylesford Hotel, Daylesford
Little Tree – Saturday, March 15
Spa Country Band – Saturday, March 22
Back Alley Sally – Saturday, March 29
Glenlyon Hall, Glenlyon
Kristina Olsen - Sunday, March 16, 6pm. Tickets from Humanitix
All gigs correct at time of publication but feel free to check with venues.
Got a gig? Email news@tlnews.com.au
bowling club & Bistro Your Community Club
Happy ChillOut Parade!
Public Notice
CLUNES BOOKTOWN FESTIVAL - ROAD CLOSURES
The Clunes Booktown Festival is on 22-23 March 2025.
To facilitate the safe conduct of this event, the following road closures will be in place.
Friday 21 March 6 am - Sunday 23 March 11 pm.
Fraser Street from Service Street to Templeton Street will be closed to all traffic.
Fraser Street from Service Street to Bailey Street will be closed, local access only.
Friday 21 March 6 am - Sunday 23 March 6 pm.
Bailey Street from Service Street to Templeton Street will be closed to all traffic.
View the program at www.clunesbooktown.org.au
We hope to see you there.
Daylesford Primary students dressed up for ChillOut on Friday - with gold coin donations for ChillOut's Grove of Gratitude. Also taking part in the photo was Victorian Commissioner for LGBTIQA+ Communities' Joe Ball.
Kyle’s Rant
I must admit I am a bit shaky right now, hives have broken out and a nervous tick has developed in my right eye.
I think the reason for these new nuisances is trolling through the Covid photos.
In 2020 there was a lot going on, we had pivoted our publication to a weekly newspaper size and paper quality, which we only printed twice and then swiftly turned back to the magazine format, but we remained a free weekly publication for the next year.
This tumultuous time, which included Donna’s mother passing away, not because of Covid but because of the disruption the virus had caused in hospitals, staffing situations and sheer making it up as you go along scenarios.
My accountant Matt Richardson from Cooke and Foley in Ballarat had just had a newborn child which was adding to his stress levels. But he was on the other end of the phone helping me keep the air in the tyres of the business 24/7.
Matt said something that stuck with me. “If a pig had flown past the window at that point I would have simply acknowledged it, things were that crazy.”
For me, if I had to pull my worst moment from the whole experience it would have to be when former NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian asked at a press briefing for companies which could re-tool to make respirators and lots of them. Bloody hell....
But through the haze and the noise I must have had the presence of mind to ask for and store our communities’ images. Unfortunately, I have no idea who actually contributed those images, but please take the time to reflect on them, and thank-you to the good folks who sent them in.
While a lot of people were stuck at home under the doona or cleaning out their pantries, we dug in hard here at TL HQ. The first hard job was to let everyone go and snap back to the original team, just Donna and I. As we made the calls through tears and frustration, all of our crew said they would work for free for as long as it takes, which caused a lot more tears.
For obvious reasons, advertisers rang in thick and fast cancelling their adverts with the exception of a few, who although their businesses were in hibernation, wanted to make sure our community kept its newspaper. The historical newspaper for Hepburn Shire, The Advocate, quickly closed its doors after a hundred years or so profiting off the community. But you know what they say when the going gets tough, the tough get going.
So, we pivoted and worked hard. The paper would go to the printer on Sunday, we would allow ourselves a Monday morning sleep in and start the next one on the Monday afternoon. I would shoot people photos in my studio which was the Glenlyon Reserve, it had everything I needed - lots of fresh air, social distancing, light and shelter under the trees from the weather. And here we are five years later and all I can say is thank F@#K that’s over. Covid anniversary rant over…
Local Lines
autumn haiku
the fallen rise up and do their wind dance leaf blower
daylesford bowling club diners roll in and sit
winding creek in doctors gully her smile
curled tendrils the dead creeper still attached
light twinkles though gaps in the blind wind-whipped leaves
newlyn roadworks by the stop sign a butterfly
-
Bill Wootton
Bill likes autumn but will like it even better when it rains.
Local Lines features poetry by locals about local and any other matters. Please submit poems to Bill Wootton at cottlesbreedge@gmail.com
Hi. My name is Slushy. I’m a three-month-old,
girl who wants a quiet home where I will be showered with love and attention.
I can be a little shy at first but once I feel comfortable I’m a massive love bug. I love to play and I really enjoy climbing and my outdoor
I
or
Microchip
956000015983889
Come and meet me at MAAWs in Castlemaine. Phone: 5472 5277.
(Pick me, pick me is run in memory of Rosie & Curly - we picked them. Pick me, pick me is also proudly supported by Daylesford's petstock - where pets are family.)
Just sayin’...
By Donna Kelly
Congratulations to the five women inducted onto the Heather Mutimer International Women's Day Honour Roll. They are Mary Harvey, Jessie Leggatt (posthumous), Mary-Faeth Chenery, Lynda Poke and moi.
It was an absolute honour to be included among these women - and many more who have gone before them - on this prestigious roll. I hope to follow up with stories about each of the new inductees in later editions.
I must admit to having a bit of impostor syndrome but when I heard my citation I thought "wow, she's done a bit". I also listened to a very inspiring speech by guest speaker Shae Graham, a wheelchair rugby Paralympian and world champion. Apart from making me wonder what the hell I had been doing with my life compared to hers, Shae also said sharing stories was very important. So that was a nice justification.
I reckon if you read this column, even now and again, you have heard enough about me so I will use this as a thank-you opportunity, as I did with my speech last Wednesday night.
First up, thanks to former Hepburn Shire councillor Heather Mutimer. Heather spent many years as the only woman on the council and handled her role with aplomb, strength and kindness. I saw her in action a lot and she was impressive. So thanks for paving the way for many more women councillors and also for starting the honour roll.
Secondly thanks to Hepburn Shire Council for running the annual event, and to the IWD committee for their hard work throughout the year. Thanks also to Mayor Cr Don Henderson. I did not realise it but when the continuation of the roll was looking a bit dodgy Don stepped in to keep it running.
Fun fact. On the night, Don reminded me of a letter to the editor, anti all the parks etc named after men, I ran in The Advocate - in my former life there. He called to ask if I would run a letter from him and I apparently had a go at him over the phone. The letter duly arrived, and I ran it, despite Don writing that people could be assured, that if another tip was ever opened it would be named after a woman, the Donna Kelly Tip, for my services to journalism. Very funny really.
Also thanks to Cr Lesley Hewitt for her wonderful MC-ing of the event. Even though I was a little disppointed that when I ended my speech - and I was last upwith "I am sure, like everyone here, you are looking forward to a glass of wine so let's finish up and enjoy the refreshments" and Lesley leaned over and whispered "I don't think there's any wine".
And thanks to Cr Brian Hood for saying I should end my speech with a Just sayin'... which I did. Oh, also thank you to Aunty Sandra for a great, and her first, Welcome to Country - great job and really interesting speech. Don't you love wombats. And thanks to Ballarat MP Catherine King for coming along. Catherine certainly attends events when she can.
Finally thanks to the young people from Daylesford College for their music and speeches on feminism and what it means to them. Jamie Martin-Lukoszek performed Anything by Adrianne Lenker while Zara Drogriski performed Teenage Dream by Olivia Rodrigo, accompanied by Arlo Schwarz-Deakin.
Hayley Smith and Stevie Rigby talked about this year's IWD theme which calls for action that can unlock equal rights, power and opportunities for all and a feminist future where no one is left behind.
If they are representative of our young people, the future is bright. Just sayin'...
Damn, I just read this to Kyle and he reminded me to thank him, as I did on
From left, Hayley, Stevie, Zara, Jaimie, Arlo with Catherine King MP
W RD CROSS
Here is the crossword solution for Edition 326.
How did you go?
All words in the crossword appear somewhere in the same edition of The Local.
Markets
Every Sunday - Daylesford Sunday Market
First Saturday - Trentham Neighbourhood Centre Makers Market, Woodend Farmers Market
Second Saturday - Trentham Community Group Market, Kyneton Farmers Market, Kyneton Rotary Community Market
Second Sunday - Maldon Market, Clunes Farmers Market
Third Saturday - Trentham Farmers Market and Makers Market, Glenlyon Farmers Market, Leonards Hill Market, Creswick Market
Third Sunday - Talbot Farmers Market, Woodend Lions Market
Fourth Sunday - Daylesford Farmers Market, Trentham Station Sunday Market
Handy Person
Business Directory - Buy Local
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