JUST DOWN THE ROAD

JUST DOWN THE ROAD: Girgarre

Girgarre is the place to be

Girgarre was fortunate to be one of six communities awarded a Regional Arts Victoria project grant to engage in the small towns transformation initiative, an ambitious adventure that puts artistic practice at the centre of community life.

Coined ‘The Girgarre Revival’, this project lifted the town’s spirit and created a lasting identity for the community and its residents.

People from across the district and state explored common ground and connection to place through sound, while also developing new skills and fostering talents in sound expression.

Victoria’s most inclusive music festival

From three local musos performing on a bale of hay at Girgarre’s earliest farmers’ market for 12 people, the now iconic Girgarre Moosic Muster attracts more than 1500 music lovers and skilled players from city and country, stamping it as a major fixture on Victoria’s acoustic festival circuit.

For more than a decade, this unique muster has encouraged and taught thousands of beginners how to play music and provided a platform and exposure for many established and emerging musicians, songwriters and bands.

The festival, held every January, has promoted the personal joys of making your own music, whether your bent is country, folk, blues, traditional Aussie bush songs, bluegrass, Celtic, pop, gospel or more contemporary styles.

From the muster has sprung monthly jamming and teaching sessions coined Jigarre Jammin’, which attract up to 70 musicians every month to the township.

The burgeoning Girgarre music scene has also given birth to several new bands who now ‘give back’ by performing within their own communities in northern and central Victoria.

Through it all, the muster has kept its true heart, its community base. It’s still the most friendly and affordable acoustic music event in Victoria.

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Jigarre Jammin’ is a musical phenomenon

Jigarre Jammin’ started when a small bunch of players found the annual Moosic Muster was not enough — they needed music sessions to keep them going month to month.

Now up to 70 musically-minded folk meet in Girgarre every month for up to five hours of playing, singing and sharing knowledge, with musos from all over Victoria making the pilgrimage to join in the grooves.

Gagarro Botanic Garden

Gargarro Botanic Garden is the jewel in the crown of the Campaspe region.

The planned project is to create a bold, beautiful and best practice garden, celebrating Indigenous history in a parkland that stimulates the senses.

Gargarro will be an exemplar regional botanic garden. Its design reflects the dry landscapes of the Campaspe region, presents an interplay between geometric water features and indigenous flora, and houses all these elements in a native garden setting.

The site also features a large soundshell amphitheatre for the staging of musical and creative events. Girgarre Farmers’ Produce and Craft Market

Held on the second Sunday of each month in the Progress Park Reserve, this market is a great family friendly day out.

With up to 120 stalls, the market provides visitors and locals with the chance to sample the finest produce from the Goulburn Valley region alongside a range of artisan goods, arts and crafts.

Relax and listen to live music while you enjoy an egg and bacon roll, free tea or coffee or sample from the many and varied food stalls. Girgarre’s famous fresh orange juice, pressed onsite, is a must-try.

JUST DOWN THE ROAD: Stanhope

Come check out what Stanhope has to offer.

The town’s main attraction is Fonterra, the big cheese factory that has a mural made up of 11,000 photos.

But there is also an interesting shop called Shaque-A-Taque and Steven the cockatoo who sits on the rubbish bin outside the cafe. The Men’s Shed is also open on Wednesdays.

Fonterra Legendairy Mural

At the Fonterra Cheese Factory on the Midland Hwy, this impressive mural is made up of 11,000 individual photos from the community.

Sir John McEwen Statue

Located at McEwen Place, this commemorates former Australian Prime Minster, Sir John McEwen. Sir John was a Stanhope farmer before entering federal politics and serving briefly as PM in 1967–68, after Prime Minister Harold Holt died in office.

Town history mural

On the Stanhope Business Centre Building, retelling the timeline and iconic moments from the town’s past.

Rail Trail development

A rail trail from neighbouring town Girgarre to Stanhope is currently being developed. This will form a future art projects for the region — so watch this space!

Community Art Space

Located in Station Park, there’s always an interesting exhibition to view.

Stanhope Monster Garage Sale Market and Car Boot Sale

Snag a bargain or say goodbye to some well-loved household items at this monster sale held on the second Sunday of the month.

“We are adding to the variety of stalls with the car boot sale where people can sell from their car boot and minimise handling of the goods and books, etc involved,” Stanhope and District Development Committee member Christine Dicketts said.

The committee launched the Monster Garage Sale more than 10 years ago and the proximity to the highway has seen a diverse range of people drop in.

“We started it years ago to promote Stanhope, and I think we have. We do get quite a crowd come through each month,” Christine said.

Any excess funds generated from the market go straight to the emergency fund set up to

support members of the community who have undergone trauma and need help.

The emergency fund has been running for as long as the market, and according to Christine has helped quite a few families in that time.

The market runs every month, rain or shine, with shop verandahs providing cover and shade, and gazebos on hand if the weather turns.

There is live music each month, which creates a lovely ambience while you wander around and look at the variety of stalls.

There is a barbecue and a local cafe with takeaway food, roast meals and coffee. The supermarket is open too, as is a great favourite, the op shop.

Shaque-A-Taque has unique handcrafted woodwork and Australiana decor, which features some good old Aussie humour and locally handmade gifts and novelties.

Many Makers Gallery

An expertly curated gallery and gift shop featuring local and renowned artists is the perfect place to view and purchase work by Australian creatives.

Established by mosaic artist Deb Dodd, the majority of art on the walls is from around regional Victoria.

“Some are from the Campaspe Shire and others are from around the Benalla, Euroa and Shepparton areas,” Deb said.

She said her primary goal for Many Makers was to bridge the gap between artist and buyer.

“I really want to create a vibrant arts space, almost like a destination for people to come and buy Australian-made arts and crafts.

“I think a lot of people say they would buy Australian-made art but don’t know where to get it from. It’s sometimes pretty hard to deal with individual makers.

“Also, a lot of makers don’t want to sell at markets, so this is another avenue for them.”

Many Makers Gallery can be found at 27 Birdwood Ave, Stanhope and is open Thursday and Friday from 10 am to 3 pm, and Saturday and Sunday from 10 am to 1 pm.

JUST DOWN THE ROAD: Rushworth

Step back in time

There is something spectacular about Rushworth’s main street. It is so wide and so elegant with historic buildings on either side and a huge median strip.

It must be one of the most impressive main streets in rural Victoria. Rushworth retains its original charm and is surrounded by interesting smaller goldrush towns.

Grab a coffee from Gus & Ollies cafe and take a walk along the street, carefully reading the ‘Walk Through Time’ Community Project plaques on many of the buildings.

Rushworth Easter Heritage Festival

This is a huge day in Rushworth. The whole town comes alive with music, entertainment, stalls, food and a grand parade.

As one of the few National Trust-recognised towns in Victoria, the vintage steam tractors in the street parade and the Moora draught horses that visit the festival on Sunday blend right in with the scenery.

Accompanied by about 100 market stalls selling everything from crafts to fresh fruit and vegetables, you could be convinced you had stepped back in time.

Rushworth Community Market

This is a much smaller version of the heritage market, but no less fantastic, and is held on the third Saturday of each month in High St, Rushworth.

It’s a family friendly market with plants, fresh produce, crafts and giftware, food and wine, olive oil, treasures and much more.

Rushworth Speedway

The Goulburn Valley Auto Club welcomes race fans to the Rushworth Speedway Complex on Nine Mile Rd.

Whroo Forest and Balaclava Mines

In the heart of the hilly Rushworth State Forest, take a step back in the past by walking in the surrounding Whroo’s former gold mining township.

There is little evidence of what was once a vibrant mining town as native fauna and flora have taken over this significant historical landmark.

This historical site is marked by many tracks, and it is possible to have a well-deserved bite at its picnic area after a long walk in the Ironbark forest.

JUST DOWN THE ROAD: Tongala

Small town with a big art

You can’t walk a few metres in Tongala without tripping over a mural.

Visitors can make Tongala the base for their stay, following a trail map through the town before expanding their activities to take in water tank and silo art in nearby towns.

You can also visit the outdoor art gallery showcasing seven murals relating to the Goulburn River at the Tongala Town Square painted by Tongala Street Artists’ Murray Ross, Jill Conway and Teena Savage.

These depict horse riding in the High Country, Eildon Dam, trout fi shing in one of the Goulburn’s tributaries, yabbying in the lower reaches of the river, camping and canoeing at Yambuna and a farmer irrigating.

“We hope it becomes a bit of a town square where people can gather and enjoy some art while learning a bit about the Goulburn River,” Murray said.

“It’s all about making a sustainable future for Tongala and the surrounding region.

“We need to get visitors and tourists here. Keeping the shops open is the biggest problem in our town.”

The murals translate local folklore and stories into art, immortalising them for the next generations.

“Some of (the murals) tell the culture of the town and the district,“ Murray said.

“There’s one that tells the funny side of things, how a local smarty came up from Melbourne to the local shearing shed.

“He said ‘I’m the best of everything, I can shear quicker than all you guys’, and the local blokes said ‘oh yeah, probably; tell you what, I’ll bet you 10 bucks’, so he bet him 10 bucks — but the local bloke let him win!

“He said ‘here’s your 10 bucks you won’, so now he says, ‘tell you what, double or nothing. I bet you can’t shear a sheep blindfolded’, and the bloke said, ‘oh yeah, all right, I’ll take that on’.

“So (the local bloke) went into the shed and got the biggest ram he could find, took off his scarf, blindfolded the sheep and shorn him no worries.”

Another amusing Tongala tale from years ago that’s told in the murals is the case of the absentee train carriage.

“On the train line, the school children used to go by diesel motor from here to Echuca for school,” Murray said.

“The boys used to sit in the front carriage and the girls in the back carriage. So out at Koyuga one time while they were stopped picking up people, the boys pulled out the pin and left the girls behind.”

Tongala’s outdoor gallery of murals was named as a finalist in the 2021 Australian Street Art Awards for ‘Best Street Art Trail’, for its more than 50 outstanding murals painted by the community.

The town has been transformed by the local Lions Club into a street art gallery that highlights the history, culture and industries of the town.

“Quite a number of really fantastic little stories about the history of Tongala, what’s happened in the past and specific events and so forth,” awards director Liz Rivers said.

Local volunteer artists invested hundreds of hours over the past two years to produce the street art trail, with many of the works accompanied by interpretive stories.

“Tongala specifically set up their their murals as a visitor attraction,” Liz said.

“And the community itself created the art, so you couldn’t get a bigger, better community engagement than that.”

Fifty murals might not sound like a lot, but for a small town such as Tongala, it’s a huge achievement. There are probably more murals in Tongala than there are public buildings.

“The awards inform travellers about the magnificent array of publicly accessible art that can be found in every corner of the country and the communities that have invested in these attractions because they’re keen to welcome visitors,” Liz said.

“You can walk around Tongala in not a terribly long time, so to fit 50 murals in they’ve done an incredible job.”