The Local November 20, 2023

November 20, 2023 Issue 293 Daylesford Highland Gathering

The Local - The Heart of the Highlands

2 About Us

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Front cover: The Daylesford Highland Gathering will be held on Saturday, December 2 starting with a Street March in Vincent Street at 9am.

For details and tickets head to www.daylesfordhighland.com

November 20, 2023 Issue 293 Daylesford Highland Gathering

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

The next edition is out on Monday, December 4, 2023. or online on Sunday, December 3 at www.tlnews.com.au Space bookings: Wednesday, November 29 Copy deadline: Thursday, November 30 Editorial deadline: Thursday, November 30

Image: Kyle Barnes

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 The Local - The Heart of the Highlands

Editorial assistant: Eve Lamb on 0493 632 843 or editorial@tlnews.com.au Sub-editors: Nick Bunning, Lindsay Smith & Chester the Cat

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

Writers: Eve Lamb, Kevin Childs, Tony Sawrey, Jeff Glorfeld, Narelle Groenhout, Simone Kaplan & Donna Kelly

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

Photographers: Kyle Barnes & Eve Lamb

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Graphic designer: Dianne Caithness Contributors: Glen Heyne (gardening), Darren Lowe (music), Sarah Lang & Jen Clarke (recipes), Clive Hartley (wine) & Bill Wootton (poetry) Accounts | Julie Hanson

Delivery | Tony Sawrey

Bullarto Primary School Celebrates 150 years of Education We cordially invite Past & Present Staff, Students, Families Bullarto Primary School and Community Bullarto Primary School Members To celebrate with us Celebrates 150 years of Education Celebrates 150 of 26th Education on years Sunday November We cordially invite Between am to 3pm We cordially inviteStaff,10 Past & Present Students, Families and Community Members

Past & Present Staff, Students, Families and Community Members To celebrate with us on celebrate with us on and opening of the Time OfficialToCeremony

Sunday 26th November Capsule at 11:00 am Sunday 26thcommencing November

Between 10 am to 3pm Between 10 am toand 3pm Official Ceremony opening of the Time Capsule commencing at 11:00 am Official Ceremony and opening of the Time Capsule commencing at 11:00 am Further Details and RSVP Further Detailsbullarto.ps@education.vic.gov.au and RSVP 03 53485559 bullarto.ps@education.vic.gov.au 03 53485559 Further Details

and RSVP bullarto.ps@education.vic.gov.au 03 5348 5559

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Our community 3

Connected by grief but united by love Narelle Groenhout, a journalist of many years, including with The Local, was enjoying a drink at the Daylesford Hotel on Sunday, November 5 when her life changed. She and her husband Pat, like many, raced to help those involved in the horrific accident in which five people died - Melbourne lawyer Pratibha Sharma, 44, and partner Jatin Chugh, 30, Pratibha’s nine-year-old daughter Anvi, family friend Vivek Bhatia, 38, and his 11-year-old son Vihaan.

Bhatia’s 36-year-old wife Ruchi and other son, Abeer, aged six, were injured and both remain in a serious but stable condition in hospital.

Narelle, who comforted Abeer, told me a few days later, after an hour of just talking, that she would like to write something, not sure what, but something about love. And about reaching out for help. It would be hard but also, as a writer, help her heal, she said. This piece is about her memories and thoughts.

On the following two pages are interviews with others involved, from Central Highlands Rural Health's Shane Richardson and Victoria Police's Senior Sergeant Simon Brand, to Hepburn Shire Mayor Cr Brian Hood and Anglican minister Father Neil Fitzgerald. We have also listed a range of phone numbers which anyone can call if they feel they need to talk or have counselling.

I realise that for some, it might be too soon to read this, and perhaps triggering. For others, they have moved forward. Each person has their own journey or reality. Editor Donna Kelly A sunny afternoon in Daylesford, rocked by a tragedy so devastating, so incomprehensible, it’s hard to conceive how we can even try to recover. For those of us who were there, lives have been altered in ways that can’t be fixed.

My husband and I weren’t even meant to be there – a last-minute cancelled trip to Gippsland, some friends rang and said we’re coming through, do you want to catch up for a drink? Long weekend. Beautiful day. Why not?

We are now all broken by what we saw. Tormented by our own reactions to trauma. Doubts, what ifs and grief. Lives lost and torn apart in an instant and lives left behind. The sadness is palpable. The grief is so deep it hurts. Our town is hurting.

We are a community collectively in mourning.

I’ve been a journalist and communications professional for more than 30 years, working in regional and city areas, in radio and print media. My 15 years as a beat reporter saw me cover stories of hope and joy, sadness and despair, tragedy and loss.

Stories that became part of my life. Part of my own story. Amongst all the work I have ever done, this story is the hardest one I will ever write. But if there is a chance that one person reaches out for help, if one person who is struggling to deal with their grief and sadness reaches out for support, then there will be purpose in these words.

The team from Central Highlands Rural Health had garnered trauma counsellors within hours, reaching out to as many of the witnesses as possible to begin the healing process. I know I personally have a long way to go. Some days I’m paralysed by sadness. But the support locally is extraordinary. They can help us all heal – in time.

We just need to all know that healing through support is a phone call away.

For my husband and me, a quick catch up with friends saw us end up at the Daylesford Hotel. Our office is between the Royal Hotel and the tyre shop. They are our work neighbours. Our community. But turning the corner from Howe Street we gravitated to the spare table outside the Daylesford Hotel remembering that one of us remarked this isn’t our usual pub. But there we were. In full view of our office, the tables either side of us and the joy being had on the beautiful lawns in the heart of town.

Within minutes everything had changed.

I know the word chaos has been used to describe the scene. Someone mentioned that not even the emergency services are trained for what unfolded that evening. But through the confusion, shock, trauma and disbelief, strangers came together.

I remember the gentle way people were being held, talked to, comforted and loved. Love is a powerful thing and easy to say. But that evening, among the mayhem and chaos, those victims were surrounded by the love of this community. It was tangible.

Every single person played a role that night. Some shielding families, some praying, some stopping traffic and many locals and visitors running to the victims.

Staff and the owners of the pub reacting in such a way I find it hard to find the words that describe their actions. Calm, caring and measured, despite their own shock and grief.

At one stage I was with a woman comforting a little boy who was injured. So small. So scared. So brave. Kissing his forehead in that moment, my entire life was wrapped up in this little boy’s survival.

When an ambulance driver appeared and we knew this beautiful little soul was going to be cared for, my husband appeared. A young family witness to the event were recovering in the pub. In shock. For Pat and I, it was a moment of purpose. The act of comforting a young family, feeling a desperate sense to offer love and support was a godsend for us. Somehow going into mum mode, singing Wiggles songs away from the sadness and holding the hands of innocent children was a moment embedded in my heart. Our lives are now entwined. There are many stories of those on the night connecting. Strangers brought together through trauma now friends.

A special young woman from Melbourne who witnessed the event from the pub’s balcony. Consoling and comforting each other hours later in the pub, it was this woman who had the strength to come back to the site days later, who gave me the strength to stand by her side in that moment.

For those who lost their lives, for those left behind, for witnesses, first responders and for everyone who has reached out to others with love and kindness, hope and prayers, we will all somehow be connected by grief but united by love.

4 Our community

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Central Highlands Rural Health Sometimes the universe puts the right people in the right places – and on the day of the accident, more than a dozen off-duty healthcare professionals from across the state were in the vicinity.

They all stepped up and without hesitation the emergency medical response was underway. Many of the healthcare professionals are employed by Central Highlands Rural Health.

Speaking with Community Health & Wellbeing operations manager Shane Richardson, it is obvious he is emotional about the past couple of weeks, when expressing how proud and inspired he is by those who provided the immediate care for the victims and witnesses to this tragic event.

Funded by the state Department of Health, CHRH is the lead agency for delivering the psychosocial health response, and working together with Hepburn Shire Council, CHRH had established a drop-in mental health support space in Raglan Street within 24 hours of the event.

Over the first week, a team of seven counsellors helped 64 people either with face-to-face or over the phone counselling. There had been a move to close at the end of the working week but the decision was made to continue over the weekend to be available to support community attending Remembrance Day services and mourners visiting the scene from Melbourne’s Indian and Sikh communities.

“Our counsellors were present and available every day for the whole week. We saw people as they needed help, there was no barrier to seeking support. Many people who came in opened up with ‘I need to talk to someone’.”

Mr Richardson said more than 120 hours of direct care and follow up, was provided during this time, with people able to return multiple times. “We had a combination of counsellors available; mental health accredited social workers, drug and alcohol counsellors and trauma-informed practitioners. We were also very fortunate and appreciative that we had current and former staff make themselves available to ensure that we had the best fit for the nature of the event. All have strong trauma-informed experience.”

Mr Richardson said other community agencies also supported his organisation and staff with Uniting, and Ballarat Community Health providing additional key workers. “The community health organisations just came together and worked seamlessly, and everyone was looking out for each other, ready to respond.”

A number of trauma debriefings have been held taking in healthcare-based first responders and staff from directly impacted hospitality businesses. There is a calendar of future debriefing/support gatherings planned in consultation with those most affected. “We will be there when people are ready – whether that is this week, next week, next month or next year. We have a commitment from Uniting to continue providing key worker support from now until whenever it is no longer needed.”

Along with his staff and other healthcare workers, Mr Richardson has high praise for emergency services including Ambulance Victoria, Victoria Police, the various local CFA crews who turned out, Springs Medical and Hepburn Shire Council.

Mr Richardson said the Council of Churches and Red Cross support workers had also done a wonderful job reaching out to people for a week.

“Further, VicPol has been amazing, continuing to have an active police presence focused on supporting the community recovery. And the community has been amazing as well – witnesses who just stepped in to help any way they could that night. People like our healthcare workers, who were out enjoying a Sunday night.

“This event has had a profound impact on many people – it is the most traumatic community event I have been involved in – and we have faced some pretty challenging times over the years. Being such a public location, with hospitality workers and visitors from many countries present at the time, the impact has been felt so widely. We have fielded calls seeking support from across the country. And of course, with the Indian and Sikh communities – it is sadly worldwide. The incident's scale and reach are phenomenal.

“The fundamental thing for me is that everyone has worked collaboratively, at the top of their game, and made sure they are listening to the needs of the community.

The community wanted a vigil and a vigil was organised, they wanted a church service and we had one. The council and every agency involved is listening, sharing and collaborating to best respond to what the community is indicating they need.”

Mr Richardson said while it was “a terrible, terrible incident”, to watch people stepping forward to help in any way was the most rewarding thing he had seen in a 25-year career in healthcare. “Our community has just been amazing.”

Emergency Services

“Absolutely no-one goes to the (police) academy and trains for something like that.”

They are the words of Golden Plains Hepburn operations manager Senior Sergeant Simon Brand almost two weeks after the accident which rocked the Daylesford community.

But the two Daylesford police officers who were the first police to arrive on the scene are doing OK, he said.

“The two members were at the station, which is so close you probably could have heard it (the accident) and they were aware of people running down the street to the station. They knew it was going to be pretty bad. They took off up the street and were confronted with the scene about six minutes after it happened.

“And while there is only so much two police officers can do there were off-duty paramedics and off-duty nurses and then people out of the Royal Hotel and the Daylesford Hotel, passersby, who just did everything they could, people with no medical training who had never been exposed to any sort of trauma, doing whatever they could.

“It was a fantastic community response and became a real team effort. It was impressive and the support this community has given those police since is just fantastic.

“I guess the other thing is that this was a busy Sunday afternoon in Daylesford, so it wasn’t just this community that was impacted, people from all walks of life then went to their homes in other parts of Victoria, and Australia and even internationally.

The impact is widespread.”

Sen Sgt Brand said the Major Collision Investigation Unit had interviewed around 100 witnesses but if anyone had not yet talked to the police and felt they had something to share, they should contact Daylesford Police who would then pass that information on.

“You can never say you have interviewed every witness. All of a sudden someone can come forward at a later date with a critical piece of information.”

Sen Sgt Brand said the two first responder police officers were linked into police welfare services, who along with a police psychologist, arrived on the Sunday night.

“It is a small team here, a sergeant and six members, and they are all pretty close, but the surrounding stations of Trentham, Creswick and Clunes have also been very supportive.

“And they know they have many avenues to seek help if they need it, with the support of Central Highlands Rural Health and they also have very supportive and close families. So they are going OK at this time but we know that can change and will continue to provide support as it is needed.”

Sen Sgt Brand, whose role takes in 12 police stations from Hepburn, Golden Plains and Moorabool shires, said most of his work had come after the accident in supporting the police members, the emergency service departments and community mental health.

“From a Victoria Police point of view, we understand that it is a very traumatic experience for the community, very impactful, and we understand we need to provide support ongoing and that is going to be for months.

“And we really want to say how grateful we are for the support of Central Highlands Rural Health, Daylesford Hospital and the general community.”

If you need to talk...

Central Highlands Rural Health - (03) 5321 6551 Uniting Mental Health & Wellbeing Hub - (03) 9192 8100 Sunbury and Cobaw Community Health - (03) 5422 2161 Ballarat Community Health - (03) 5338 4500 Springs Medical (Daylesford) - (03) 5348 2227 Head to Health - 1800 595 212 Beyond Blue - 1300 224 636 Kids Helpline - 1800 551 800 headspace - 1800 650 890 13YARN - 13 92 76 Lifeline - 13 11 14

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The faith community

Three days after the accident, the churches of Daylesford came together to hold a Community Memorial Service. “All Faith - No Faith Everyone is Welcome.”

About 220 people attended Christ Church for the combined service of the Anglican Parish of Daylesford, St Peter's Catholic Church Daylesford, the Daylesford Uniting Church and the Daylesford-Hepburn Springs Baptist Church.

Anglican minister Father Neil Fitzgerald said the service started with an Acknowledgement of Country and then each minister played a role.

“We all came together for the last part, a hymm and then sang Over the Rainbow and it really felt like a big hug. It was lovely and the reaction from the congregation was terrific.”

Fr Neil said he had been thinking on the Monday how a faith community could let people know they were there for them.

“I rang Father Justin at the Catholic Church with the idea of the service and he said ‘yep’, and Lorelle at the Uniting Church was in. And then when I was doing a shift for the community chaplains, I met the Baptist pastor Ross’s wife and they were in.

“Alicia from Verey’s (Funeral) rang and said she was going to bring up a sound system because the church was going to be full and she was right. It was standing room only.”

Fr Neil said there was just one hymn “because we didn’t want to over-church people, it was more about faith and the community and that is what people appreciated. We weren’t passing a collection plate around or asking for donations or saying come to church next Sunday. Afterwards people gathered out the front and said it was what they needed at the right time.”

Fr Neil said since the service many people had visited the church to chat about the accident, or what was happening in their lives or how they were trying to cope with numerous traumatic events. Others just wanted to sit in the silence of the church and meditate.

And just this year Fr Neil had trained to be part of the Victorian Council of Churches' emergency ministry team, so found himself doing four 4-hour shifts in the main street as a community chaplain.

“So my first call out was on the doorstep and I had two hats on, a community chaplain and the local vicar because people recognised me. We spoke to lots of businesses, just to make sure they were OK, and many said they appreciated the tourists being around and not staying away. And the tourists we spoke to said they were not sure if they should be here but we told them they were appreciated.

“A lot of people stopped us to say thanks for being here, or ask if they could talk to us, or just gave us a hug and burst into tears.

“I was a bit fortunate because I was on the special assistance team for Qantas for 20 years so that came in handy knowing how to approach things. Still, it was pretty confronting here on your own doorstep.”

Fr Neil said many in the community also said they felt they had a duty of care for those involved in the accident.

“They had come here to spend their money, enjoy a long weekend and people felt, not that they had let them down, but that they had a connection with them. They were a part of our family for that afternoon. A lot of people are still pretty raw about that.”

Fr Neil said he felt many people were slowly moving forward but the first responders were going to need a lot of counselling support – which is available for as long as it is needed.

“I think my way of coping was organising the service. I had something to do. And the enthusiasm for it was just amazing. And a woman I met at the accident site was part of the Melbourne Sikh community and I asked her if it would appropriate for us to read a Sikh prayer in a church and she said absolutely and sent me one.

“It was great to be able to share something different and I have had a lot of people ask for a copy of that prayer.”

Fr Neil said more combined services were being planned for Christmas including a Blue Service on Christmas Eve for those who had lost someone or had gone through trauma.

Our community 5

Hepburn Shire Council

Daylesford and Hepburn Shire are definitely open for business and open for visitors, Hepburn Shire Mayor Cr Brian Hood says.

Cr Hood said in the aftermath of the accident many traders were left wondering if they should close, remain closed or be open for visitors and the vital tourism trade.

“They were looking for guidance, because they didn’t want to be disrespectful, but straight away senior police and other experts said ‘no, you plough on and start to build a sense of normality’ and that gave traders the peace of mind to do that. We are hardly ever confronted with anything like this and there is no script to follow. But the message is we are open.”

Cr Hood said the community was moving on but “slowly as you would expect”.

“The council’s primary concern at the time of the incident, and given our role, was one of the welfare of the community, our staff, volunteers and other organisations. Along with Central Highlands Rural Health we got counselling in place very quickly and the take-up rate was very strong.

“We are now continuing with the counselling but also doing operational things in the background and being very mindful of moving at the right sort of pace and taking on board the right sort of advice. We want to avoid any immediate kneejerk reactions.”

Cr Hood said with the reopening of the Royal Hotel, the outdoor tables had been moved slightly, and council was now looking at other outdoor dining areas across the shire.

“We are breaking it down into immediate actions we can and should take, and what the longer-term actions are. So, we are not only looking at this particular site, but we are taking into account outdoor dining areas across the shire. No-one would have expected this sort of thing to happen at this site and outdoor dining is very popular throughout the shire. We, like many councils, and in line with state government guidelines, encouraged outdoor dining during and after Covid as part of economic recovery and also to give people some normality.

“Yes, it is council-owned land, but a valid permit was in place, and those tables had been there long before Covid and they stayed during and after Covid. They are the facts.”

Cr Hood said while the police and the Coroner’s Office investigations would take some time, the council would not wait to take any actions it believed were needed to improve safety throughout the shire.

“Obviously we will very much take on board whatever comes out of those two investigations, but in the meantime, we are talking about what we can do now.”

Cr Hood said while some media reports had said locals had long been calling for safety improvements on Albert Street, calling it a “dangerous stretch of road”, in his three years with council he had never been made aware of any issues.

“You wouldn’t consider Albert Street a dangerous street. Unless they are mixing it up with Howe Street? But sometimes freak accidents do happen.”

Cr Hood said the idea of a memorial for the site had been raised but would need careful consultation with the community. Cultural issues also had to be taken into account.

“The last thing we want to do is something wrong or inappropriate or that annoys a section of the community. The Dja Dja Wurrung have also said they could hold a smoking/cleansing ceremony but we haven’t made any decisions yet. We just need to move at a careful pace.”

Cr Hood also praised the first responders including Victoria Police, Ambulance Victoria, the CFA and the SES, along with community members who “sprang into action”.

“To have four helicopters taking people to Melbourne and others on the road to Ballarat in 45 minutes, that was just brilliant. And we are mindful that the CFA and SES are staffed by locals and volunteers, and with the members of the community, they just all did as much as they possibly could with no hesitation.

“Fortunately, we are a tight-knit, small community and when something like this happens, people get strength from each other.”

Words: Donna Kelly

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Chorus tunes up for twilight market in Creswick

There is still plenty of room, however, for more members to join up, and Those who get along to this Friday’s Creswick Twilight Market can expect to be transported, albeit temporarily, to the Seychelles, Timor and South Africa. particularly more male members would be welcome as currently female membership These are just a few of the exotic locations from which the town’s Creswick Chorus community singing group has sourced its repertoire for the pre-Christmas evening market that gets started from 5pm this Friday, November 24.

The group will be performing live at the market from about 6.20pm, adding an extra dash of atmosphere to the annual pre-Christmas dusk shopping experience.

“We’ll be singing for about 20 to 30 minutes and we’re doing songs from Timor to the Seychelles to South Africa and Ghana to local Dja Dja Wurrung country,” choir leader Stella Savy says.

Besides offering a prime opportunity to tick off some Christmas shopping with unique handmade artisan goods and produce, the market will provide a top opportunity to check out the Creswick Chorus and consider joining up.

The group rehearses weekly, has about 30 members and is now approaching the end of its second successful year of existence with bookings into the future.

Quite a few of the group’s members will also be adding their singing talents to the town’s evening Carols at The Courthouse event on Saturday December 9.

The free event is being hosted by Creswick Theatre Company and will feature Creswick Brass Band and a visit from Santa as well.

Chorus member Jenni Sewell, who’s also a committee member with Creswick Theatre Company, says in the lead-up to Christmas some of the Creswick Chorus singers will also be taking to the streets to sing Christmas carols at various locations in Creswick.

Stella says watching the local singing group grow and thrive in the two years since it started has been rewarding.

“Initially I was wondering how many people in Creswick wanted to sing, and I’ve been impressed,” she says.

far exceeds male membership, meaning there are far more members singing in the alto and soprano ranges than in tenor or bass registers.

“We’d love to have more men sing with us every week. That would be awesome,” Stella says. “We have bass parts sitting there waiting to be sung, and the more singers we have in this group, the more supported people feel.

“You don’t need to worry about how your own voice sounds. You just come and add your voice to the community sound.”

Regular additional workshops, public gigs and even the occasional surprise flash mob performance are all on the group’s program.

Weekly rehearsal sessions take place from 5.30 to 7pm every Wednesday during school term at the Creswick Neighbourhood Centre Hall where Stella also leads the local children’s choir from 3.45pm on the same day.

Further information about joining the Chorus is available through the Creswick Neighbourhood Centre.

Above, back row, from left, Eva Mitchell, Liz Hocking, Marg Phillips, Jenni Sewell, Ann Healey, Di Oram, Shane Ellerby, Julie Moten, Rosemary Carter, Barb Watts, Goldie Kirkwood, Giselle L’Estrange, Fiona Watson and Glenda Bryant, front row, from left, Chrissy Austin, Robyn Jones, Nora Spitzer, Terry Francis, Fiona Cooper, Sophie Ellis and Stella Savy Words & image: Eve Lamb

8 News

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Boots & Bling for ChillOut Festival 2024 ChillOut Festival, Australia's premier regional LGBTIQ+ arts and cultural festival, is back in 2024.

From Thursday, March 7 to Monday, March 11, 2024, Daylesford and Hepburn Springs will once again turn into a rainbow wonderland for the "Boots & Bling" themed weekend.

Courtney Act will headline the festival with multiple performances and appearances across the weekend.

"I'm absolutely thrilled to finally set foot in Daylesford for ChillOut 2024.

After hearing countless fabulous stories about this gem of a town and its vibrant community, I'm ready to sprinkle a little Courtney Act sparkle on the festivities.”

Festival favourites such as the fabulously camp Bush Dance (Saturday night) and Street Parade (Sunday) will return, along with new events such as 100% Dance, which will get the party started at Daylesford Town Hall on the Friday night. Poof Doof is returning once again to host the official ChillOut after party (Sunday night).

Featuring over 50 events, ChillOut Festival is Australia's premier and longestrunning regional queer festival, attracting nearly 30,000 visitors who fill the accommodations and restaurants in the region.

Macedon MP Mary-Anne Thomas said 2024’s ChillOut would be a fantastic event that benefits locals and visitors alike.

“Daylesford is well known as the queer capital of regional Australia, and every year the local community embraces the transformation into a vibrant celebration of diversity for four unforgettable days.

“ChillOut Festival is where country pride meets great music, performances, and non-stop fun.“ Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events Steve Dimopoulos said: “The Victorian Government is a proud supporter of ChillOut Festival – a fantastic regional event that celebrates the diversity of every individual in attendance. ChillOut Festival brings people together from all over the country, which fosters a sense of inclusion while also providing a boost to local businesses and jobs.”

Festival Programming committee member, Jacqui Walter said now was the time to secure tickets to the events, which sell out quickly.

Link: www.chilloutfestival.com.au

Image: Mitch Fong

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Our authors 9

Deva launch at Royal Yacht Club of Victoria Former Glenlyon resident Jill de Vos has written a cat book.

But this is not about any ordinary cat, nor an ordinary life. Deva the Bengal Boat Cat is about sailing around Europe, being caught in ports through Covid lockdowns, with Deva, originally from Spain, finally ending up an Australian moggy.

Jill left Hepburn Shire in 2017 with her partner Shelley Beer and headed off to France to pick up their twin-engine catamaran the following year.

Jill said Deva was adopted after two years on the ocean, the longest she had ever gone without an animal. “I wanted a cat and usually in Spain or Greece or Turkey there are a million running around the streets. But of course, with Covid and lockdowns, there were none to be found.

“So, the only one I could find was a Bengal from Spain. There was a Burmese in Hungary, but we couldn’t cross the border. But Bengals are, I found after much research, good boat cats and very pretty, so we got Deva.”

Jill, Shelley and Deva, had to leave Spain when that country’s lockdown ended, their time in Schengen having run out and not wanting to pay a huge tax to remain they decided to sail 2200 nautical miles to Turkey, one of the few countries where you can get a resident visa without going back to your home country. Two years later they were still there.

“There were numerous lockdowns and we got all our vaccinations there. In fact, the person who worked on the Pfizer vaccine is from Turkey. We were living in Finike, an agricultural town on the south coast, that is renowned for its citrus – and it is exported all over Europe. Finike’s symbol is the orange of which they are rightly proud. We had a wonderful community at the marina and we have made lifelong friends from around the world.”

Eventually it was time to return to Australia which involved selling the boat to an American couple “for pretty much what we paid for it” and then the complicated and expensive quarantine procedures for Deva, and another puss, Albert the Turkish stray.

Jill said she would head back in a heartbeat despite in the early days at times being “absolutely paralysed with fear” before leaving the marina.

“It is all about planning. The weather is what you watch constantly, occasionally you will be caught out and hopefully you will always have a plan b or c. Friends have offered to have me onboard on passages heading back to Australia and I may even consider joining one. It is difficult settling back into life at home but there could always be another adventure around the corner.”

Deva the Bengal Boat Cat, with illustrations by Mel Corrigan, is being launched at the Royal Yacht Club of Victoria at Williamstown on Saturday, December 2 from 11am to 1pm. Tickets are free but reservations are needed via Eventbrite.

A launch will also be held at the Glenlyon General Store on Wednesday, December 6 at 2pm in the courtyard.

But the best days of all were when the dolphins came by.

They swam and they jumped and looked me right in the eye.

I said hello but they didn't talk back.

They only spoke dolphin and couldn't speak cat.

Words: Donna Kelly

Under The Mop Top Tree The poems in this book are divided into the sections Vanessa I. R. Craven is a poet, author, artist and singer-songwriter who lives in Daylesford having of facts, fantasy and foibles.

Poet Ross Gillett says in his foreword: "There made a treechange from Melbourne where she worked as a health sciences librarian. She has built is a whole life being lived in the pages of this book.

Relationships - between family member and friends, and an eco-friendly house and enjoys living in this between lovers - are at its core, as too is the natural world beautiful area. of sky and trees and birds and the realms of experience Vanessa hales from Mussoorie, a hill-station in Northern India in the Himalaya Mountains, where she which memory and loss open up for all of us.

"Grief at the passing of parents, as well as profound was born and lived for 25 years. attachment to a loved pet, are registered alongside a Music, art/painting, photography and writing are joyous and often humorous sense of day-to-day living. her loves. Her father was Welsh and her mother North "A deeply felt concern for the victims of war and Indian, and both were teachers. She owes much to them for fostering a love of literature, art, music, photography injustice is another thread woven through the poetry in Under the Mop Top Tree, the entirety of which is and writing. characterised by an open-hearted embrace of what it As a writer a recent highlight is her first selfpublished book, Birds in My Tree: The Magic of Birds and means to be alive in this complex and multi-horizoned age. Vanessa Craven has produced a collection of poems the Joy of Singing. As a poet, Under the Mop Top Tree is her second self-published book. Some of the poetry has that will relate to the lives of a wide range of readers."

Under the Mop Top Tree is available from Paradise been turned into songs and some remain as poems.

The title of this book comes from the Mop Top Tree Books and the Daylesford Trading Co in Daylesford or in the front garden. Its shady boughs in summer and the from Vanessa at www.acousticsessions.com.au/bookbare branches in winter provide ideal conditions for the shop/ inspiration of poetry and song-writing.

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Remember the days of the old school yard: Bullarto Primary celebrates 150 years

From left, students, Aly Dear, Dante Hallett-Martinez, Will Dear and Maya Hallett-Martinez with former student Graeme Orr and principal Jo Pegg Jo says the school’s oldest living former student, Daylesford resident Rita Lynch is now 92, and planning to play a special part in Sunday’s anniversary celebration.

“We will have Rita and the youngest current student cutting our big birthday The former pupil at the tiny bush school is a well-known local farmer and today cake,” Jo says. he’s aged 86. He’s also among past students being invited back to attend the little Graeme Orr says he also expects to get along for the big occasion, and to school’s big 150th anniversary celebration on Sunday, November 26. reminisce on his former days at the little bush school that was also attended by his Current day principal Jo Pegg says past and current students, staff and the wider father and grandfather. community are all invited to the big celebration from 10am to 3pm.

Going back even further than that, Graeme’s great-grandfather had attended the It will feature the opening of a time capsule which was buried on site at the school almost exactly 50 years ago to the day when the school, in 1973, celebrated its local night school – “which was just up the road,” Graeme says.

And, yes, the 1800s children attended “night school” because back then they had 100th anniversary. to work during the day.

“The school will be open for tours which some of our students are preparing to “I started in1942 in grade one when there was just the one building and just do, and we will have a display of historic photos, a band playing in the afternoon and one teacher,” Graeme says. “There were about 10 kids when I was here but when my a massive cake,” Jo says. grandfather attended there used to be about one hundred students.

“We are also going to lay another time capsule as well and we are fundraising so “When I was here it was war time and we were very patriotic. We used to salute people can buy a named brick which will be put on the new time capsule along with the flag and we had tuck shops to raise funds for the war effort. It was scary when the a plaque so that in another 50 years time it can be found. war was on.”

“We will also have a sausage sizzle, scones with jam and cream, and cakes and Graeme says many children back then would leave school at age 12, but he slices and the kids will have a stall selling items based around their sustainability and went on after six years of primary schooling to do further studies at the Daylesford nature studies.”

The little school beside the Wombat State Forest has a particularly strong focus on Technical School.

Another big difference back in the day was the use of corporal punishment that nature-based learning and for many, like school council president and parent Robin was quite frequently deployed to maintain classroom control. Graeme says he was no Hallett-Martinez it’s a big reason why his kids attend.

“It offers a unique space for kids to learn and focus on nature-based and outdoor stranger to its deployment. Obviously, times have changed.

“A lot of students left at age 12 back then but by the time they left they were all learning,” says Robin, whose eight-year-old son Dante and daughter Maya both very good at mental arithmetic and they all had beautiful handwriting,” Graeme says. attend.

These days, along with all the usual education essentials for 21st century survival, Jo has been principal at the leafy little school for the past seven years. She says another big extra focus at the school is music. one of the sweetest aspects of the big birthday celebration will be the fact that not Students like eight-year-old twins Will and Aly Dear, who are completing year long ago the student enrolment had shrunk to just four and permanent closure was a two, are quick to tell you what they love most about their school. distinct possibility.

“I like that we spend a lot of time outdoors and there’s a lot of space and heaps of “For me the key celebration is that in 2017 it was potentially closing but instead animals and music,” says Will. “And I like how it’s beautiful,” adds Aly. it’s gone from just four students to 22 students today and we’re still here,” Jo says.

Words & image: Eve Lamb It’s a positive trend that now looks set to continue. “Next year we’re looking at 23 students so far, and we’re still doing enrolments.”

Things were way different back in the 1940s when Graeme Orr attended Bullarto Primary School.

12 Happy & Healthy

LGBTIQA+ QHub Ballarat’s QHub service for LGBTIQA+ young people is now operational and accepting referrals.

An experienced team of professionals including a youth and family specialist, community engagement practitioner and peer support workers are available to support young LGBTIQA+ people, their families and carers.

The City of Ballarat Inclusion Plan indicates that 11,000 people in Ballarat identify as LGBTIQA+. This figure is approximately 10 per cent of the Ballarat population and almost double the Victorian average of 5.7 per cent highlighting the importance and need for specialised welcoming and inclusive support close to home.

Cafs (Child & Family Services, Ballarat) CEO Wendy Sturgess said: “Cafs is a strong ally with the LGBTIQA+ community across the Central Highlands region and we welcome this opportunity to continue to provide services in a safe space dedicated to young LGBTIQA+ people.”

QHub manager Jack Khouri, pictured, said: “The Ballarat QHub team has been working diligently alongside community to ensure that the programs available are fulfilling the needs of prospective clients.

“We’re also looking at a range of special events and activities during school holidays that will offer young people opportunities to connect socially in a safe, supported environment.”

Anyone looking to access support through the Ballarat QHub is encouraged to email qhub@ds.org.au or phone intake on (03) 9663 6733.

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Mini minder - the spotted pardalote

Having been previously rudely dumped from their nesting place in under the corrugated iron roof of our house by larger, rowdy striated pardalotes, our beloved ‘spotties’ have returned for the breeding season.

This time it's to a more traditional pardalote nursery - at the end of the newly dug, metre-long tunnel between the rocks of our garden wall.

So, we will soon be delighted by the sight and sounds of two beautiful avian families feeding on the insect pests of our eucalypts and other native plants.

Facelift for a centuries-old favourite

Since medieval times lavender plants have been grown for their aroma and supposed medical benefits. Lavender certainly featured in their perfumes. Dried flower heads are still being sewn into muslin sachets and placed in drawers to protect clothing from moths etc.

Nothing had changed much until recent years when clever botanists began to hybridise lavenders of every form to produce bigger, better flowers and add a rainbow of colours to the drab grey/violet palette of the three main garden varieties. So now each variety comes in a colour range from white to deep purple. These are:

English lavender (lavandula angustifolia) Actually native to the Mediterranean, its small flowers attract bees and butterflies. It’s commercially grown for its high-quality lavender oil and grows to 90cm with narrow grey-green foliage and flowers available in blue, purple, white and pink. It flowers from early to mid-summer.

French lavender (lavandula dentata) Also called fringed lavender, it is actually native to Spain. It is not as fragrant as other lavenders but its leaves do have a rich lavender-rosemary scent. Flowering from early summer through to autumn. In the garden, plant it as low, formal hedging in the same way you use box or as sculptural mounds on a bank. It's great in coastal areas.

Spanish lavender (lavandula stoechas) This grows up to 60cm tall with deep purple, deep pink or white flowers, topped with upright tassels. It flowers from mid-spring to late summer.

As natives of the Mediterranean, lavenders are well suited to our growing conditions, and like their summers hot and dry, and winters cool. Only English lavender dislikes humidity, but other lavenders will happily grow in areas of mild humidity. They thrive best in well-drained, organically rich soil. So before planting, enrich the soil with compost, manure or organic fertiliser.

Lavenders are drought-hardy plants, so once established they only need the occasional deep soak during dry spells, to help them through the warmer months.

Just don’t overwater – they don’t like wet feet.

Lavenders will thrive in a container as long as these conditions are met. The pot must have a good drainage hole and the soil needs to be well draining. The plant needs to receive as much sunlight as possible. You should water the plant thoroughly once or twice a week - depending on the weather.

Feed them regularly through the flowering season with a liquid fertiliser. After flowering, feed them with a general purpose, slow-release fertiliser.

Remove spent flowers and trim lightly after flowering. Once plants are established and the flowers spent, trim them back by up to one-third. This will rejuvenate the plants to encourage new growth.

Lavenders will make perfect low, compact hedges to border paths, lawns etc, their compact foliage and growth being enhanced at times of flowering, and the perfume enhancing the outdoors for much of the year.

Because of the variance in growth habit and height between the various forms it would be best to keep to a single variety in each stretch of the hedge.

Got a gardening query? Email glenzgarden@gmail.com

14 News

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Just briefly...

There will be a working bee at Tylden Cemetery on Sunday, November 26 from 9am.

Lest We Forget

Bring a rake, shovel, wheelbarrow, whipper snipper and/or mower. Morning tea and refreshments provided. Queries to Kath on 5424 1583.

Hepburn Regional Community Cheer was established in 2012 to raise money to support families at Christmas time.

The ability to give lies within the tireless contribution of volunteers, the community and community partners. Toys and gift vouchers are distributed on the Day of Giving, December 19 at the Daylesford Town Hall. Anyone with a Health Care card and living in the postcodes 3460 or 3461 can register with CHRH on 5321 6550 or visit them in Hospital Street until December 8.

Donations via Bendigo Bank (BSB 633 000, account 162 925 689) or email: info@hepburnregionalcommunitycheer.com.au

Daylesford Primary School has won Outstanding Provision for High-Ability Students (Primary) at the 2023 Victorian Education Excellence Awards.

The awards support the continued professional development of staff with professional learning grants of up to $25,000 for the winner in each category.

Macedon MP Mary-Anne Thomas said teachers, leaders and school staff in Macedon do tremendous work in setting local students up to thrive in their education and life. "These awards recognise and praise these educators for their outstanding contributions."

From December, planning permits will not be required to build a small second home on a property.

As part of the state government’s recent Housing Statement, small second homes under 60 square metres, also known as granny flats, will no longer require a planning permit on properties 300 square metres or larger where there are no flooding or environmental overlays. There will be no restrictions on how a small second home can be used – whether it’s keeping family members closer, providing temporary housing or being rented out for additional income. Small second homes will still require a building permit, will need to meet ResCode (residential design code) setback and siting requirements and cannot be subdivided or separately sold off from the main home.

There are lots of things happenening at the Old Kyneton Primary School next month.

On December 2 there will be a celebratory cardmaking workshop from 11am to 1pm followed by a live On the Couch with Beck Lister chatting with Tonia Todman, Terry Jaensch and Macedon MP Mary-Anne Thomas. On December 18, from 11am to 2pm, there will be an End Of Year Cheer concert with three local choirs hosting a singalong and live music for young and old. Bring a chair.

Regional families living with terminally ill children often feel isolated and alone. This is where Very Special Kids House comes in, the only children’s hospice in Victoria.

Although a paediatric palliative care facility, the state-of-the-art new centre is designed as a bright ‘home away from home’ featuring spaces for music and art therapy, a wheelchair-accessible playground, a hydrotherapy pool, and a resident therapy dog called Jaffa. The newly rebuilt Very Special Kids House will have its grand opening on November 21. On November 21, for 24 hours only, all donations to Very Special Kids will be doubled. Donate via the Very Special Kids website.

Remembrance Day 2024 - Daylesford More images at www.tlnews.com.au Image: Donna Kelly

d ay l e s f o r d b o w l i n g c l u b

EXPRESSION OF INTEREST

KITCHEN – BISTRO LEASE Our club is seeking expressions of interest from any individual, team, or current business looking to expand, to take over this thriving business.

Our club has been a part of Daylesford since 1899, and we pride ourselves on good old-fashioned service with a smile and welcome, great food, and a lovely location and atmosphere.

Whilst we acknowledge our history, we embrace the future and are excited by the opportunities ahead. This is an exciting opportunity for someone to join us.

Generous terms will be negotiable, and you will be working in partnership with a most supportive and experienced Management and Board. We are open minded to any genuine approach with respect to our food offer.

The Fire Danger Period came into effect from 1am today, Monday, November 20, for teh CFA's District 15 which includes Hepburn Shire.

Lighting fires in the open without a permit can bring a penalty of more than $21,800 and/or 12 months imprisonment. The CFA is advising landholders that the El Nino weather pattern means Victorians can expect a hotter and drier summer than recent years, and that by now community mmebers should have prepared their properties and created a Bushfire Survival Plan.

Got a brief story to share? Email news@tlnews.com.au

Enquiries in the first instance can be made by calling Neil at the club – (03) 5348 2130 or email: info@daylesfordbowlingclub.com.au All enquiries will be handled confidentially.

8 Camp St - Daylesford | 03 5348 2130 | www.daylesfordbowlingclub.com.au

www.tlnews.com.au

Our people 15

How Tony takes the plunge, again and again

Lawyers methodically work through the claims. “The preference is to do it all by mediation, leading to a good result, eliminating conflicts and building strength,” he says.

If Tony Kelly didn’t exist, someone possibly would invent him.

Some matters, however, can be drawn out. The claim by the Eastern Maar people From being a park ranger in the Northern Territory, he has worked with of Warrnambool, for instance, took 10 years to settle and includes the coastline of the young people at risk (including at the notorious Malmsbury centre), Great Ocean Road up to Ararat. retrained as a lawyer, and is a CEO, writer and author.

Sometimes many groups are involved in arguments over boundaries. In the All this sounds remarkable, but considering his background it may have been Eastern Maar case most were resolved by agreement, with only one going to trial, almost expected. He is the grandson of opera singer Count Ercole Tonti Filippini.

Born in Argentina in 1885 to Italian parents, Filippini was signed to the renowned La with a judge to make a call next year.

Out all of this, millions of dollars flow to the successful claimants to set up a Scala opera house in Milan but when theatres shut in Europe during WWI he joined corporation.

For example, the Dja Dja Wurrung Clans Aboriginal Corporation an opera company to tour India, China and the Philippines, and then for 14 months employs 200 people and, Tony says, is one of the biggest forces in the Bendigo in Australia and New Zealand. economy.

The money received is mainly spent on land management, economic Filippini stayed in Australia, opening a school of opera in Sydney in 1918. One of development and language and cultural recovery. his students was a young music graduate, Anne McParland (later known as Nancy).

After 13 years involved in native title work, he has just signed on for another They married. He performed on stage while she produced and directed, becoming Australia’s first female conductor of symphony orchestras. Ercole Filippini died at the three years.

Curiously enough, it was swimming that brought him to writing. He began age of 48 in 1934, while Nancy went on singing, broadcasting, and leading choirs with articles on swimming for The Big Issue magazine, focusing on how it keeps you and orchestras, until her death in 1987 at 91. healthy.

His writing took on another focus when he and Rebecca moved to Mt Isa Little wonder, then, as Tony says, there has been a lot of talk regarding a film for two years to care for Rebecca’s witty, crossword-loving 92-year-old mother. Out about his grandparents. The musical tradition is being carried on by his brother, of this came Growing Pineapples in the Outback, Tony and Rebecca’s book reflecting, Australian rock singer/songwriter and guitarist Paul Kelly. from two perspectives, on the town’s isolation and heat, and the richness of caring for Tony was in his mid-40s when he decided to study law. His father, who died someone at life’s end. when Tony was young, was a lawyer, so when Tony saw that he could do a two-year Next he (perhaps again with Rebecca) plans to write an anthology on swimming, degree at Melbourne University he and his wife Rebecca Lister moved to the city with researching it by plunging in at different places across the country and chatting their two daughters. to locals about why they swim. One chapter will be on the “ice mile”, which “I had been involved with the Greens and came to realise the importance of international rules say must be done in 5 degrees Celsius or less, wearing a standard law in all aspects of society and how change can be effected through law.” Once in costume, googles and one cap (“You have to be alive half an hour later to qualify,” Melbourne they stayed for 15 years, returning to Daylesford when Covid hit. quips 62-year-old Tony).

Now his focus is on native title as head of the First Nations Legal and Research Services. To an outsider, native title seems complex, and Tony does say Image: Kyle Barnes that identifying the right people for country is difficult, but once that has been established, it is easy to bring on a claim.

By Journalist Kevin Childs

Council news MAYOR AND DEPUTY ELECTED

Congratulations to Cr Brian Hood and Cr Juliet Simpson who were elected as Mayor and Deputy Mayor at the Special Meeting of Council this month. This is Cr Hood’s second term as Mayor, and Cr Simpson’s first term as Deputy Mayor. Cr Hood recognised the contribution, professionalism and dedication of former Deputy Mayor Cr Lesley Hewitt. He also reiterated his committment to work closely with Councillors and staff for the final year of the Council term. The next Council meeting is Tuesday 21 November at 5.30pm.

It will be held at the Daylesford Town Hall and livestreamed via Council’s Facebook page.

ROADS UPDATE

We have completed our annual gravel road resheet program, with 10km of gravel roads upgraded across nine roads in the Shire. Thank you for your patience while these works were undertaken. Our road crews are now focusing on gravel road maintenance in and around Porcupine Ridge, Glenlyon and Clunes and will progress to other areas of the Shire over the next few months. Our sealed roadside slashing program began in early November and we aim to complete it by Christmas. To report an issue with Council-managed roads or infrastructure visit https://www.hepburn.vic.gov.au/request or phone (03) 5348 2306.

POOL SEASON

Our aquatics season will kick off on Saturday 2 December. We will update our website daily with updates on hours of operation at www.hepburn.vic.gov.au/pools. Remember, under our weather policy the pool will be closed on cooler days. Pool entry is free to all.

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES

FIRE DANGER PERIOD

The Country Fire Authority (CFA) has advised that the Fire Danger Period for Hepburn Shire will begin at 1am on Monday 20 November. Make sure you know what you can and can’t do during the Fire Danger Period. Visit www.cfa.vic.gov.au/can

BE FIRE READY

Information for preparing yourself and your property for summer is available on the CFA website at www.cfa.vic.gov.au/plan-prepare Be sure to prepare an emergency plan so you know what you will do well in advance.

GREEN WASTE DISPOSAL

Drop off green waste for free at our transfer stations at Trentham, Daylesford and Creswick throughout November. It’s a great time to clean up your property in preparation for the upcoming fire season.

Bring along proof of residency and please separate your load. For more details visit www.hepburn.vic.gov.au/transfer-stations

COUNSELLING SUPPORT

Central Highlands Rural Health is continuing to provide counselling support to the community following the recent tragic event in Daylesford. Support is available via Central Highlands Rural Health on (03) 5321 6551.

Other options for support include Uniting Mental Health & Wellbeing Hub – 03 9192 8100; Head to Health – 1800 595212; Beyond Blue – 1300 224636; Kids Helpline 1800 551 800; headspace – 1800 650 890 and 13YARN – 13 92 76.

COUNCIL PLAN FOCUS AREAS

Networking event – Business owners, operators and industries from across the Shire are invited to celebrate the achievements of the year and build future connections. The event will be held from 5.30pm on Tuesday 28 November. Please register via www.hepburn.vic.gov.au/Business-networking Circular economy event – Business operators are invited to attend a free inspirational morning of food and food-for-thought as we explore what the Circular Economy means for our Shire and your business. It will be held from 8am on Thursday 30 November.

Register at www.hepburn.vic.gov.au/circular-economy-breakfast

HAVE YOUR SAY

Early years survey – Parents and carers of children under six years are invited to complete a survey about what early services you use and need. The survey closes on Thursday 30 November and is online at https://participate.hepburn.vic.gov.au/early-years-survey Council land – We are reviewing our Disposal and Acquisition of Land Policy, which provides a framework to guide decision-making about the sale and acquisition of all Council-owned land. Submit your feedback on the draft policy by Friday 1 December via https://participate.hepburn.vic.gov.au Trentham recovery plan - The Trentham Community-led Resilience Plan has been finalised and is now open for community feedback.

Follow links to a survey via https://participate.hepburn.vic.gov.au/ or collect a survey from the Trentham Library. Have your say by Thursday 30 November.

FREE COVID TESTS You can collected a box of rapid antigen tests (RATs) for free from Council libraries and hubs. Please drop in when you’re feeling well.

The tests are offered by Council and the Victorian Government.

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

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

EAT | DRINK | ENJOY

Out & About in the Central Highlands

Image: Donna Kelly

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149th Daylesford Show - November 25 The first Daylesford Show was held in 1865 and, apart from interruptions for world wars and Covid in 2020 and 2021, has been held annually since then.

In order for our show to be sustainable into the future we need local input in the form of attendance at the show and entries in our many competitions. We aim to be a traditional agricultural show, with horse, sheep, poultry and dog competitions. There are also homecraft competitions including garden produce and flowers, cookery, arts and crafts as well as photography.

We also have the traditional sideshow alley with games, showbags and carnival food, plus some local vendors of wine, cider and food.

Thanks to our generous local sponsors and supporters in 2023 we are able to offer a range of special prizes and awards for both adults and juniors. There are no entry fees for juniors in the homecrafts and photography sections. There will be a sash and a special prize for the best junior exhibit; and there are a range of special awards and prizes in almost all sections of competitions.

We have engaged some special attractions for children (and adults) in the form of the petting zoo, Professor Wallace’s puppet show and the rescue ferrets group.

There will be a number of special activities for children in and around the Tom Ford Pavilion, including a Show Quiz Wiz and various games and activities as well as novelty races. There will also be acoustic youth singers.

New in 2023 will be a face painter and pony rides for children (from 1pm-3pm) - all free activities. We will also have the Newport Bush Orchestra organising some called dances.

Our “Hall of Flowers”, the Table Tennis Pavilion, will again be organised by Daylesford Horticultural Society and the Friends of the Wombat Gardens and will include Spring Park Nursery and Vanessa Craven’s Lake Mist. Rijk Zwaan will have a colouring competition for children.

There will be a local spinner demonstrating her craft and the Sew Crazy quilting and sewing stall. A number of local organisations such as Seed Savers and Wombat Forestcare will be represented as well.

The grand raffle, with prizes gifted by local businesses, will be drawn at 2pm.

Daylesford & District Agricultural Society president Don Harvey asks people to please remember that the Daylesford Agricultural Show is an entirely voluntary effort, staffed only by local volunteers.

Words: Mary Harvey, Daylesford & District Agricultural Society

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Jacinta r e i m e r P ian

tter t e l n e p o n A

Allan

Premier. protected intment to o p p a create new y t n to e t c n re e r m u it o toria b comm tions on y 21 public east of Vic 0 e 2 th s rsity and Congratula t’ in n e g loggin atural dive overnm t n s G re le n a ib fo ri d e to v re c to end nati knowledged the in ted the Vic We celebra lauded the decision t ac n e m rn e p v ap r go f the west. areas. We ing so you ndscape o o la d d In re . a 4 le 2 c 20 ese areas. ented and rush-tailed 1 January the fragm rtance of th rful Owl, B in e o p s w o re im P l ta e c ra e u th h e cult er 60,000 animals lik s to log ov lants and n p la t, p a s it a t. b c h a n h sts is d exti forests an Yet VicFore ue to log th k becoming locally g wildlife, ies contin s c in ri ts n iv s a e g rv le re a il u s r v fo u e Gre th ese If yo protecting nd Mt Cole ral life in th y a tu tl a le n a n e g f n o a o c s b rm e pe Pha complex w ership by . strate lead me to look after the ly: n o statewide m e d me to st logging ediate . It’s ti a re m ri fo im to e v ic to ti It’s now ti V u a o n rn e call on y e and end s of weste al parks. ark. woodland ral heritag ave left. W ees nation h tu n a e re n w y r t P u a National P o d h o f n w a o ig r d n re o n o g e to ti n s B c a r Bu estru and re the Greate rg, Mount ther r-funded d clude it in ark, and o in t-Lerderde P a e taxpaye d b n n th o a m lt ti t o a s a W H re rv d e o s e F n • is o rd m C fo w te the pro g in Wells -rich Coba • Legisla firewood harvestin the nature r fo d e ll is a rom • Cease tections p rves. ns and: formal pro t ation rese c a rv n generatio e E s n re o c • tu d fu n r a s fo ark d legacy regional p plants. a profoun te a re c nimals and to a y d it e n n u te rt a on. re re oppo rare and th stored carb f 0 . o 7 s s 3 e rk r n a e This is a ra n p v o to w ne itat for . millions of ement of e vital hab d tourism. mmunities y trapping int manag b jo n s o n ti • Provid o p ti ature-base ty for farms and co ru a n is N d d t n s a te ir a n F o m rt li ati ater securi pacts of c • Suppo rough visit to create w duce the im ional livelihoods th ts re s lp re e fo H e s • the jobs. d reg g rt rural an t flow from ls to nature-positive o a p p th t protectin u rs S te a • only abou ir skil headw 't e n r th e is . v r s g ri d fe in t s o c g n o g lih ers to tra • Prote ve forest lo ople's live restry work uctive nati able climate and pe tr s e d t u o • Help fo t these ing a live ally protec s and phas nd water, rk a rm a ir fo p a l a to n n a u o le o y ew nati about c ns, call on Creating n eautiful places. It’s of Victoria ds. s n d n la a d b s o u d o o n and w ds of th ts s wildlife a re d re n fo u h e v g ati ntin Group ging our n d, represe vironment roup to halt log ndersigne oorabool En ly u M te e s Nature G ia ee th d , en e e yr W act imm ria) Cole and P d to n nt ic a ou (V s M a ia al re tr a natural a ent Victori al Trust Aus

alia Environm The Nation stice Austr work nmental Ju District t ro go ra vi di la En al en B care Group Nature Net B y of unit District Land alists Club dation d ur un an at ACF Comm N Fo m a d ri ha el on to Fi New of Vic the Forest Conservati alists Club Friends of Australian l Society Field Natur Newlands ts Society t, The Roya an a Pl en or n id yo ia es al oo Pr ce K , an M of Austr lli A s A l el nd ld us G ie fie Fr Rob sts En arsh Platyp Native Fore Bacchus M ation and Friends of of Victoria ra Forest e Rehabilit lif ife in ild V W h t ya ra N ek Landcare of Balla s nd ie Fr Riddells Cre rest on Creek le up ee ro St G Conservati rathbogie Fo s of t St Friends Save our Bark Forest Environmen re Network l n el ca ro -I ch nd it ox La B M t e en th BEAM hern Otway ges ut Friends of t Environm ic an So R tr is e Group D y an d lit the Brisb stainabi Bendigo an Friends of Trentham Su ce h an rt lli Ea A il e th rest Counc b Friends of Victorian Fo ate Alliance amping Clu pstick of the Whi Mountain Tr Bendigo Clim b ng Forest s lu on Lo an nd C ti ri d ie e ia to Fr an ur ic oc at V ge ss mily N al Parks A erribee Gor Bendigo Fa rian Nation iends of W ists Club to al Fr ic ur V at k N d or el roup ways Netw Bendigo Fi Group Mallee Landcare G The Water stainability Friends and Riddell st re of g Fo Bendigo Su in rd en fo Gre Wells tion ance Inc ind iver Associa t Branch Biolinks Alli up Hepburn W Werribee R aine Distric rvation Gro em se tl up on as ro ts C C G in b ay re BirdLife uralists Clu tern Highw on Landca ghter Footpr at Li es ed N W ac d el M Fi nt dcare d Mou lub s Australia Castlemaine t Farm/Lan Macedon an aturalists C White Gum (Victoria) and Distric ges Field N an ss Society R up ne er itat Clarkefield on ro er ay G ed ild m y ac W lit en e M bi nd Th na Li tion of Hab ai id ec st av Su ers for Prot t Australia ar Professor D on Ranges C en ed e nm lif ac ro re M ild vi ca W r the En District Land restcare Doctors fo Malmsbury Wombat Fo kers Club al ical Society og hw ol us m B to alia En Melbourne WWF Austr n MP ya R ue iq Mon bility ley Sustaina Moonee Val

Add your name

Authorised by M. Ruchel, Victorian National Parks Association • vnpa.org.au 60 Leicester St, Carlton VIC 3053

Call for parks and an end to logging

More than 50 regional, state and national environment groups have signed an open letter to Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan, calling for an immediate end to logging in the west of Victoria and the legislation of three promised national parks.

In June 2021, the Victorian government agreed to create three new national parks in Victoria’s central west; the Wombat-Lerderderg National Park, Mount Buangor National Park and Pyrenees National Park.

Gayle Osborne, convenor of Wombat Forestcare said: “These areas of public land provide critical habitat for over 370 rare and threatened flora and fauna including greater gliders and powerful owls.

“Recently it was discovered that there is a large population of endangered mountain skinks in the Wombat Forest, much further west than they were previously known to exist. If we want these creatures to continue to exist in our landscape, we need to halt the timber harvesting and ensure that they are protected forever.”

The Victorian Government announcement to end native forest logging by January 1, 2024 unfortunately did not include the west of Victoria where there are approximately 60,000 hectares of public land listed for some form of timber harvesting.

This is being carried out in a fragmented and greatly cleared landscape.

“Not only are we likely to see some threatened species become locally extinct, but forestry in the west of Victoria is heavily subsidised by the taxpayer. It does not make sense to continue to fund the destruction of the habitat of rare flora, fungi and fauna,” Ms Osborne said.

Last week, Wombat Forestcare members visited Mount Wilson, the scene of intense logging 21 years ago. Although the forest on the peak is largely intact, there is little left of the magnificent vegetation and tall tree ferns that once filled the lush gullies and hillsides surrounding the mount.

The Wombat Forest provides critical water supply for many Victorians, with six major rivers rising in the forest: the Loddon, Campaspe and Coliban flowing north and the Lerderderg, Werribee and Moorabool to the south. With a changing climate it is important to protect the headwaters of these rivers from the destructive salvage logging operations being carried out by VicForests.

“A Wombat-Lerderderg National Park will help provide a safe haven for all the species in the forest, both threatened and common and we look forward to the Allan government speedily legislating all the promised national parks and creating a legacy for future generations,” Ms Osborne said.

Above, Wombat Forestcare members at Mount Wilson Image: Anthony Scibelli

W E L COME TO

VICTORIA'S BEST COUNTRY PUB.

Since 1887, the Pig & Whistle Hotel has nestled on a quiet corner in Trentham East, a living remain of the town’s early history.

Truly a hidden gem, you’ll be transported back in time, with our newly-opened beer garden boasting uninterrupted views of Mount Macedon.

The Pig serves up a modern-Australian menu with honest hearty pub classics (we do a bloody good parma), along with seasonal global dishes. We take great care in delivering food of the highest quality, sourced from sustainable local produce, coupled with our praised friendly service.

The hotel is truly a local pub but a destination for all.

@pigandwhistlehotel pigandwhistlehotel.com.au 705 James Lane, Trentham East, Victoria

22 Out & About

Wine notes

A u s t r a l i a ’ s S i n g i n g C o o k M i c h e l l e P e a r s o n

with Clive Hartley

Glenhope Vineyard is both an old and new vineyard. It was planted in 1995 by

Tom Lazar from Virgin Hills, so it is coming up to 30 years old and in its prime. It is the largest vineyard in the region, with 94 acres under vine, but probably you haven’t heard of it - it has had owners from outside the region for most of its life.

But in recent times it has finally fallen into the hands of people who care about the land and vines. Firstly, the vigneron Scott Harrington who has been caring for the vines since 2018. Secondly, the land has new custodians, Melbourne entrepreneurs James and Marlin Gevergizian bought the property in 2021.

The vineyard is on a number of different soils including decomposed granite and sandy, iron-rich loams. It is located in the Baynton area on the Burke and Wills Track, heading towards the Heathcote region in the slightly warmer northern part of the Macedon Ranges. These factors allow the vineyard to grow a range of grape varieties including reds such as cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, merlot, malbec and shiraz as well as the traditional chardonnay, riesling and pinot noir you would expect.

With such a large vineyard most of their grape production is sold to other local winemakers including the likes of Matt Harrop, Owen Latta and Michael Dhillon.

But for the first time they have released a collection of wines made by Scott, and they have had instant success in being awarded the trophy for the Best Red Variety (other than pinot) and the Best Winery at the recent Macedon Ranges Wine Exhibition.

The winner was the Glenhope Vineyard Granitic Shiraz 2022. It’s a cool climate example displaying raspberry, nutmeg and a host of cake spice aromas. Some cool climate white pepper also develops with hints of graphite. On the palate there is a bag of sweet, black, brambly stewed fruits, with hints of spice to accompany the dry, powdery, tannic finish. Scott only uses old oak, he wants the fruit to do the talking.

Other recommended wines out of their range include a smooth, plummy merlot, a floral cabernet franc (which received a gold medal at the show), a cabernet sauvignon, merlot, shiraz blend, and a wine for summer, the 2022 rosé. This old vineyard is one to watch with wines available soon through their website.

“This is one dinner party invitation you shouldn’t turn down.”

The Advertiser “It’s part cabaret, part cooking lesson, part feast, and all party!”

The Sunday Mail

FRIDAY 8 DECEMBER | 6:30 for 7pm Dinner & Show PALAIS HEPBURN An evening of award-winning live music + comedy cabaret with delicious food cooked before your eyes!

Tickets: Palais-Hepburn.com

Clive Hartley is an award-winning wine writer, educator and consultant. Want to learn more about wine? Try his Australian Wine Guide (7th ed) now available for purchase from Paradise Books, Daylesford, Stoneman's Bookroom, Castlemaine or via his website – www.australianwineguide.com.au

GUILDFORD FAMILY HOTEL Let’s support our community and shop local!

“Locals supporting Locals”

Restaurants, Bakers, Butchers, Cafe’s, Local vineyards, Distillers, Brewers and of course each other.

Remember we offer free delivery, T&Cs apply.

Delivery times are Monday to Saturday between 10am and 4pm.

We accept credit cards over the phone or we have an on-board eftpos machine. You will need to be at home for the delivery with proof of age if asked by the driver.

Give the Foxxy team a call on 5348 3577.

Keep safe, everyone.

THE REGION’S BEST KEPT SECRET

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Middle Eastern Lamb Shoulder with Couscous Salad.

SPONSORED BY THE DAYLESFORD MEAT COMPANY

BY RICHARD CORNISH

The flavours of the Middle East resonate with the Australian summer. Mint, figs, pomegranate, cumin, and thyme. This dish is packed with flavour and can be easily cooked in a BBQ with a lid.

Just remember to cook it fast to get the golden-brown crust and then low and slow to make the meat inside lip-smackingly tender. This will feed a big family get-together, and you can stretch out the numbers by making more couscous salad.

Scan here for full recipe. For more recipes, visit daylesfordmeatco.com.au

THIS WEEKS SPECIALS

CORNED BEEF - GIRELLO

$12.99 KG

Our beautiful beyond free-range Green Hills Natural beef is expertly brined.

Also known as silverside - we make our corned beef using topside so it is leaner but requires long slow cooking.

CHRISTMAS PRE-ORDERS NOW OPEN

Our beautiful deeply smoked Christmas Hams are back and we are now taking pre-orders. Our free-range pork has been brined in a special mix of salt, sugar and rich spices then hot smoked over local river red gum for heat and German beechwood for that rich smokiness and extra tang. They are then slowly cooked in a water bath for12 hours to create the most delicious, sweet, juicy and tender ham.

We are also stocking all your favourite festive meats including whole turkeys, duck, porchetta, chicken, and smoked salmon.

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

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OPEN 7 DAYS

DAYLESFORDMEATCO.COM.AU

24 Out & About

Gigs with Darren Lowe Palais-Hepburn, Hepburn Xylouris White – Saturday, November 25 After recent appearances at the Tomorrow Festival in Shenzhen, China and Big Ears in Knoxville, USA, Melbourneborn duo Xylouris White tackle Australia next with a debut appearance at the Queenscliff Music Festival and a run of east coast dates. The dynamic duo, lute player George Xylouris and drummer Jim White, will include Hepburn Springs, with a gig at Palais-Hepburn.

The tour comes off the back of 2023’s release The Forest in Me, an instrumental album drawn from multiple sessions spawned across two continents; Jim in New York City and George in Crete.

William McInnes chat An Evening with William McInnes will be held at the Phee Broadway Theatre, Castlemaine on Tuesday, November 21 from 7pm to 9pm.

Master storyteller, iconic Australian actor and lover of language and conversation, William McInnes will join Derek Guille for a drink and a chat at the theatre. Yeah, Nah! which he describes as part memoir and part manifesto.

For a chance to win William's latest book, Yeah, Nah! email donna@tlnews.com.au by November 30 with your name and contact.

Link: www.northernbooks.com.au/events

We enjoy life even more when we appreciate beauty and the magic of Nature expressed through quality, simplicity, purity.

Our range of products offer this and much more, blending pure spirit with the power of herbs and botanicals.

Visit us today for tastings and sales.

Experience our unique, award winning herbal liqueurs, gin and vodka, tawny.

www.herballoreliqueurs.com

Cellar door open every day 10am-5pm.

2 Railway Crescent, Daylesford (03) 5348 1920

www.tlnews.com.au

Our markets 25

To market, to market...foray into a Clunes fav Daniel Whitehead with customers Alison Barker and Peaches the dachshund

One fun feature of the monthly Clunes Farmers & Makers Market is the number of folk and their four-legged buddies who can reliably be seen roving about, soaking up the vibe.

It’s a colourfully assorted and sociable spectacle that means young local entrepreneur, 12-year-old Daniel Whitehead is one busy lad on market days.

A while ago Daniel started up his own natural baked dog treat businesses, accordingly named Daniel's Doggy Delights. With a little help from his mum Del Whitehead, the enterprising young local has quickly built up a legion of loyal followers who eagerly sniff out the stall every market day.

Daniel says the product range is thoroughly taste-tested by his family’s dogs including his dog Spot.

“I think Spot will probably eat everything except the tuna treats and the banana, blueberry and peanut butter bones,” Daniel says.

“I just wanted to make my own business and Mum thought it was a good idea.

The first market I did I sold absolutely everything so I thought I might just continue it.”

Daniel says that besides the handy boost to his personal finances, he especially enjoys the social aspect of the Clunes Farmers & Makers Market that happens on the second Sunday of the month.

“Mostly I enjoy meeting the new people and chatting with other stallholders,” says Daniel. “I also like to ask my repeat customers if they have any ideas for new products.”

Market media spokeswoman Daniela Palumbo, has lived in Clunes for 12 years, is also a regular stallholder along with her mother Yolanda. Together, mother and daughter operate their stall, selling tempting traditional Italian treats that they bake.

“The market’s growing. We used to average 18 to 20 stalls and we’re now averaging 30 plus,” Daniela says.

“I think the word has gotten out that we’ve got a pretty good market and in the past 10 months or so we’ve been really getting the story out on social media.

“In the earlier days mostly we were getting local people but now we’re reaching out to Melbourne, Ballarat, Bendigo and Geelong and the market’s been growing a little bit bigger every spring to summer.”

Live music is part and parcel of the market that transforms the little town’s main shopping strip with the evocative historic facades that have long made it a favourite among filmmakers.

“Four or five months ago Daniel told us he was interested in having a stall and we said ‘Yes. Absolutely’,” says Daniela, whose dog Bobbin numbers among the Daniel's Doggy Delights fans.

Market chairman, Clunes local Graeme Grigson says Daniel’s stall is one of several new additions to join the market over recent months.

John Wright and his upcycled timber pallets A professional beekeeper who also has a honey and bee product stall at the market, Graeme is encouraging more local residents to get along and enjoy the monthly attraction, including next month’s pre-Christmas market that’s all set for Sunday, December 10.

Walking their dog Louie, Clunes’ Sue and Doug Jeffreys are among the market regulars who routinely stroll along to just about every monthly market to snap up some quality produce.

“We love the fresh veggies,” says Sue. “The garlic is fabulous.”

The range of regular stalls is diverse and products include all manner of desirables like herb and vegetable seedlings, live poultry and eggs, boutique chocolates, wines and gins, and hot food and coffee stalls.

Another interesting new addition is the stall of Bowenvale resident John Wright who’s been doing some pretty amazing things with old timber pallets.

John upcycles the otherwise discarded pallets, turning them into unique items of folksy furniture, each creatively adorned with assorted recycled metal objects.

“I’m not into it to make money. It’s about reusing and recycling – and the creative aspect,” John says.

Graeme says the market has now been running since April 2015 and those who make it happen each month are feeling pretty pleased with the direction it’s heading as they look ahead to it entering its 10th year of operation.

Words & images: Eve Lamb

26 Opinion

www.tlnews.com.au

Kyle’s Rant

The trouble with getting to the upper end of middle-age is tolerance and the words “that’d be right” seem to come out with every other sentence.

I also feel a little battle-weary and hardened in terms of emotion. I don’t intend to labour on the point of the accident outside the Royal Hotel the other week, as every man, woman and their dogs wandering around with a microphone and a TV camera have all had their say about that.

My small experience with one of the news crews was early on the Monday morning when we went to pay our respects and a small-statured young woman fast approached us.

I knew she wasn’t local because it was a quasipublic holiday and most locals can be seen in the usual spring attire that looks a bit like the winter get-up with less layers. A sort of a tracky dak onesie slip-on arrangement that gets slipped off at night onto the floordrobe and returns as a cover-all in the morning.

But she wasn’t sporting that look. This young thing was clipping down the road in our direction, fully made-up in a hot-pink suit. I must say I didn’t mind the sight, except for me it was a little inappropriate for the tone of the day, and she quickly moved on after discovering we were journalists and the news well was dry.

But back to my lack of tolerance. The last time I used a public phone was when I was in my late teens and we used to do a thing called tapping the phone to get free calls. For instance, if the number was 534, and in our little Northland, New Zealand district, we only had three numbers, you would tap the numbers 576 (take the initial number from 10) onto the phone hook and that would inevitably get you through.

I do remember the phones smelling like urine, smokes and beer though - and these days I am not sure if anyone would use a public phone or if they would be vandalised to the point of not functioning.

And to put on my snob's hat, you would have to be desperate or down on your luck to go to one of these things and announce your business into the street. Because they don’t even have a booth arrangement, they are by and large open-air with a hood over the top. I imagine Superman trying to go about his business in one of these.

But our good friends at Telstra are so cheap they have decided to send all the kids off to one of these streetside hangouts, to line up with God only knows who, to make a quick call to Santa on #46 46 46.

They will then be discussing out loud on the street subjects including what they want for Christmas and what their addresses are so as the bloke can drop the pressies down the chimney.

Can anyone else see the irony in this, or is it just me? What was going on in the boardroom of Telstra when the geniuses dreamt up this idea?

Probably a long, red wine-fuelled lunch, which conjured up the idea to march our young ones out to the payphones, the very places that creeps, muggers, punks, swindlers and heisters hang out.

That’d be right, rant over…

Catherine

KING MP

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.

Local Lines

Got Back 23

Na na na nana-nana, nana-nana, hey Jude, fifty-thousand voices, repeat, repeat, repeat.

Hers rises, quivers, awash with tears.

Sheer exhilaration of being here, this point in her young life, this time in his long life.

Opening riff, catch of breath, muscle memory.

Novice fingertips twitch, in time with expert strumming.

Moves her lips, sways her hips, soundtrack of her short life.

Scarcely believes she’s here, floating on a sea of collective joy.

Final ovation, final encore, he is gone.

Stadium hums electric.

Pa’s eyes shine.

Slow moving, head-shaking crowd.

Sleepy shuffle, concourse brightness, ears ringing, emerging at last into crisp, wet-night air.

Beyond exit, misty rain slicks bootlaces.

Pa smiles, Thanks, ‘night.

Black-jacket-High-Viz nods mutual respect, holds them: scaling, sizing her.

Yer too young to have heard any Wings.

Good-natured challenge, tinged with envy.

She lifts, snaps a smile, You mean like, Let Me Roll It? Dips out, into the drizzle.

Pa chuckles, catches up.

Renewed, inspired, by the presence of greatness, and the calm intelligence of musical youth.

- Julie Moran

Local Lines features poetry by locals about local and any other matters.

Please submit poems to Bill Wootton at cottlesbreedge@gmail.com

Opinion 27

www.tlnews.com.au

Pick me, pick me!

G’day. I’m Flash. I’m a sevenmonth-old, black and white Australian cattle dog/staffy mix.

Just sayin’...

By Donna Kelly The past couple of weeks have been horrendous for many people. First and foremost for the friends and family of those people who died in the Daylesford accident.

I’m a happy boy and I really love to play and spend time with people. I’m doing well with learning how to walk on a lead and other basic commands but I will require ongoing training.

I get along great with other dogs too but I’m not suited to a home with horses due to my herding behaviour. Microchip no. 956000015850364.

You can make a time to meet me by contacting the Mount Alexander Animal Welfare shelter in Castlemaine on 5472 5277.

Link: www.maaw.org.au (Pick me, pick me is run in memory of Rosie & Curly - we picked them.)

And proudly supported by Daylesford's

PALMER STEVENS & RENNICK Barristers & Solicitors Property and Conveyancing Criminal Law Family Law Wills and Estates Commercial Law Employment Law Appearing in all Courts PLEASE CONTACT US

(03) 5422 6500 SINCE 1852

8 Jennings Street, Kyneton Email - psr@psr.net.au | Website - psr.net.au

But also for the many first responders - which includes members of the public who just happened to be there and those working at the two hotels, The Royal and The Daylesford.

Like many we had been out, for lunch on a lovely spring day, and been home a few hours when the phone started to share texts. The TV went on and we watched in horror and disbelief as the events unfolded. We listened as the Glenlyon CFA headed into town.

The next morning, early, we went to the site. I don't really know why. I guess we are media, so that is our role, but I think we were just operating on auto-pilot.

We didn't stay long, talking briefly to a Melbourne journalist who was in a lovely pink suit, obviously not well thought out, but how do you prepare for something like this, and also to a shopkeeper who didn't know whether to open or not. I think they did in the end just so people could have somewhere to go and talk.

Someone else asked how we were coping and said they wished Daylesford could just go back to being a sleepy rural town where nothing happened. Another person added "how much more can we take?"

Then the flowers and teddy bears started to be placed at the statue and counsellors could be seen at the site and up and down the street all day, mixed with metro journalists and camera operators. Everyone I know had texts and calls asking if they were OK. And I guess that was one of the hardest things to comprehend, that it could have been anyone, just sitting there, in the sun, on a long weekend, taking in the scenery and just relaxing in a quiet country town.

And as the news continued in its 24/7 cycle we just kept out of it. Perhaps that seems strange. I know a lot of people were looking at our website to find information, and maybe it was the wrong call, but I made the decision to wait.

We can't compete with that sort of timing and we don't want to. It's too close and too raw. As you would have read on page 3 one of our journalists Narelle was there at the Daylesford Hotel, just enjoying a drink with friends. Too close.

Narelle helped at the scene in a major way, as she would. She went straight to comfort a young child, as she would. I have always thought of her as the kindest person I have ever met.

Anyway, this week I decided we would have to run something, but how do you make something positive, which is mostly our way, out of something so awful? I followed Narelle's lead, who has written about connections and love.

And the four people I spoke with, all still clearly emotional, have pretty much done the same in their own ways. Love for their community, their teams, their people, their emergency responders. It was a hard week but I hope people realise we have reported with compassion and care.

And if you do need help, please reach out. I know from experience that counselling does work and keeping it all bottled in, doesn't. Well, it has worked for me in the past.

And there is no timeline. Just sayin'...

Chook Run Chooks /pullets for sale Delivery on November 30 to Daylesford (new stop!) and to Ballan on December 2.

Hyline brown Pre-order

Ballarat Chooks Kelvin on 0400 559 559

28 Crossword

www.tlnews.com.au

W RD

CROSS

Here is the crossword solution for Edition 292.

How did you go?

All words in the crossword appear somewhere in the same edition of The Local.

www.tlnews.com.au

Our advertisers 29

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Artists of the Central Highlands

with Eve Lamb

The considerable artistry of Kyneton sculptor Anne Anderson has seen her work recognised with multiple high-profile arts awards including the most recent Toorak Village Sculpture Prize. For this busy professional creative the schedule ahead includes exhibiting at McClelland Sculpture Park and Gallery in Langwarrin in January and at the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show in March.

Anne chatted with Eve Lamb.

Eve: Where do you do most of your art work?

Anne: I have a studio space that is just a short bike ride from my home in Kyneton. I share this work space with my husband Chris, who is a proficient blacksmith and welder. His talent facilitates much of my work in the form of armature, structural design and individual bases.

Eve: How did you come to art?

Anne: Though I come from a family of academics and sportspeople, I always felt called to the performing and visual arts. I never sought to be an artist, yet somehow art and artistic ventures always found their way to me. I feel that overseas travel has allowed me to have a broadened artistic education.

Eve: How should we best describe your artistic style? Does it fit a genre?

Anne: I think that my artistic style would be best described as unpredictable. I have an obsession with sculpting human faces. My pieces are mostly figurative, be they realistic, surreal or contemporary. My initial inspiration often sees many incarnations. Once I learnt that there really are no rules in art, I found a greater freedom to explore where I want to go with my work.

Eve: How did you nurture your innate arts talent?

Anne: In my personal experience, I have found that when it comes to art, the greatest way to learn is through doing. I have sought to learn a range of techniques that have allowed me to build a foundational skillset, but it is actually when we play and allow ourselves to create from the heart that the real magic happens.

Eve: To date, what have been your career highlights as an artist?

Anne: I have been lucky to have won first prize in the Margaret Gunnersen William Hoggan Thomas Award for the annual Association of Sculptors of Victoria on two occasions. Also, winning the last Toorak Village Sculpture Prize was very Eve: Which artists have influenced your work?

Anne: I think for most artists, we are not only influenced by the work of widely exciting. Having my work displayed permanently in the City of Greater Geelong is recognised artists, but also the work of those we have had the opportunity to work also thrilling. alongside. My work has been influenced by artists you may know, like the Swiss Eve: Do you have any exhibitions or special events coming up? sculptor, Alberto Giacometti, Australia’s Norman Lindsay and Americans, Frederick Anne: As a member of the Association of Sculptors of Victoria, I’m pleased Hart and Richard MacDonald, and then some artists you may come to know, like to say that I will be exhibiting with this group at McClelland Sculpture Park in Helena 'Midge' Johansen and Klaus and Ingrid Dusselberg.

Langwarrin in January, as well as at Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show in March. My work can also be viewed and purchased via my website and Eve: What is your media of choice? can often be found at exhibitions throughout Victoria, New South Wales and Anne: It is difficult to compare other media to bronze if you are looking at Queensland. I regularly have work for sale at Art On Piper in Kyneton, which is a preserving a sculpture for any amount of time, and let’s face it, after many tens, if popular artist collective representing work by local artists. not hundreds of hours of work, a sculptor often wants to see their piece preserved and appreciated for as long as possible. That said, my heart will always rejoice in Eve: What are the challenges and rewards in being a professional working artist? getting my hands dirty in clay. I revel in the earthy feel, malleability and (mostly) Anne: There are many costs associated with acquiring and utilising quality predictable response I receive from clay. materials, as well as a large number of man hours that go into hand crafting high quality, unique pieces. I think the greatest challenge for any professional artist is Eve: Have you ever worked in any other areas besides working as an artist? not only finding the confidence to charge prices that are reflective of these factors Anne: For nearly 20 years, my husband and I ran a theatrical agency. I also performed as a professional singer. Both of these professions saw me surrounded by and fairly compensate our time and efforts, but then to also put in the legwork to get your work in front of eyes that appreciate art enough to invest in it. creative individuals who always reminded me that there are many ways of looking (And) there is no greater reward for an artist than the honour of someone at different situations in life. feeling a connection to something that you have created. Art is meant to move people. When you are lucky enough to witness that magical moment for someone Eve: When you work in the studio do you like to play music? it is one of the most humbling and fulfilling experiences.

Anne: I always play music whilst I work. I find it allows me to truly relax into the moment and get lost in the creating. Quite often my soundtrack will be Image: Contributed classical, but I also enjoy contemporary classics, jazz and music theatre.