March 18, 2016 Edition 23 Focus on farmers
2 • BACCHUS MARSH SCOOP, March 18, 2016
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A festival for foodies and families
BACCHUS MARSH SCOOP, March 18, 2016 • 3
FROM little kids to big kids, foodies to music lovers. There’s something for everyone at the Ballan Autumn Festival on Sunday.
For more than 40 years the Ballan Autumn Festival has celebrated the local culture, creativity and community of Ballan. Festival committee member Matthew Grindrod said there would be more than 100 stalls including local producers Hanging Rock Winery, Twins Pantry, Harmony Garlic, Hillberries, Mount Cam Winery & Vineyard, St Anne’s Winery, Naturally Berry and more. “You can meet former MKR contestants Josh and Rose (pictured right), sample their winning dishes and hear about their MKR journey in the all new food, Wine, beer and cider tasting trail. Cooking demonstrations will be held at 10am and 2pm, with a Q&A session at 1.30pm,” he said. He said little kids would also be thoroughly entertained with activities including Chris Humfrey’s Wild Action Zoo, Toby the T-Rex, a circus, arts and craft activities and a jumping castle, ponies and petting zoo. “Bigger kids can challenge your friends and family to a match of sumo soccer or test your strength on the Bungee run and see if you can go the distance.” He said one of the highlights of the festival would be the Red Cross Signature Quilt exhibition at Millrose Quilting Gallery on the main street. “The grand parade and float competition at 11am is always a highlight. The grand parade celebrates the local community groups, schools and Bacchus Marsh Scoop is a fortnightly publication serving Bacchus Marsh and surrounding districts. ABN: 39 790 396 099 For all your editorial or advertising needs, contact: Publisher/editor: Renee Robinson, 03 5368 2870 / 0459 022 364 Contributors: Kate Sharkey, Rose De la cruz, Ros O’Sullivan, Renee Robinson Photographers: Kris Reichl, Renee Robinson. Images in this edition are available for purchase for $30. An unmarked digital file will be emailed to you for personal use only. Go to www.krisreichlphotography.com.au Email: bacchusmarshscoop@gmail.com Web editions: issuu.com/bacchusmarshscoop Facebook: facebook.com/bacchusmarshscoop Front cover: Paul Jensz, owner of Monovale
farm in Parwan, was one of several operational farmers who opened their gates to tourists at the Bacchus Marsh Harvest Festival on March 13. The bus tour was an initiative of Farming Moorabool. More photos pages 10 & 11. Photo: Kris Reichl Printed by Fairfax Media Limited
organisations that make up our community. The local schools never disappoint the crowds and actively contribute to each year’s theme. The smile on the children’s faces while sitting and waving on the back of a ute or trailer is really something special.” There will also be a hot rod and vintage car display outside Springfield’s garage, along with a vintage machinery display on Fisken Street, while those with a competitive spirit can enjoy the annual woodchop competition at Hudson’s Hotel. The Ballan Autumn Festival is on this Sunday, March 20 from 9am to 3pm. Visit www.ballanautumnfestival.org for more details.
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4 • BACCHUS MARSH SCOOP, March 18, 2016
MEET THE GROWER
Hard work yields sweet life BY Renee Robinson ST ANNE’S Winery is strong on flavours and big on family. Owner Allan McLean bought the 220 acre north-sloping property in Myrniong in 1971 from the then Country Roads Board. He began planting vines in 1972 and in 1975 built a cellar door out of recycled bluestone pavers from Ballarat roads and gutters to sell his wine. As the business expanded, Allan built a second, larger port cellar out of recycled bluestone from the William Angliss abattoirs and, after planting an 18-hole golf course, a complementary function centre from bluestone ripped up from old Caulfield roundabouts. Allan believes that “vertigal integration” - or diversifying the business with complementary retail and trade practices – has been the key to St Anne’s success. He established the Echuca Chocolate Company, Echuca Coffee Roasters and Echuca Farmhouse Cheeses. “Each one of these shops has a range of wines to go with the products. They’re all premium products. The coffee sourced from Java is matched with our premium fortified wines, the chocolate is matched with our liqueurs and the cheese is matched with our sparkling wines,” he said. He also owns a cooperage (barrel making business), which uses premium French oak sourced from European oak, to store his wines and ports, and has cellar doors in Myrniong, Lorne, Echuca and Moama. “We purchased and planted out 2000 acres in Echuca and Moama in the 1990s and started exporting in a small way to the United States. That was hard going. They weren’t ready for wine, they still loved their spirits, and many of them didn’t really know where Australia was. “Then we met a Vietnamese/Chinese guy who bought our wine and we ended up supplying the large Chinese Christian community.” Allan said in the late 1990s his children Angus, Anne and Richard returned home and became involved in the business. Angus is in charge of exporting up to five containers of wine a week to China, Richard is St Anne’s winemaker and Anne takes care of the accounts. “My daughter-in-law is a chocolatier and runs the Echuca Chocolate Company arm of the business. St Anne’s make a range of luscious chocolate infused ports for this outlet. “We do it all ourselves. If I fall off the perch tomorrow, I know it’s in good hands. I’ve had a succession plan in place for 20 years.” Allan and his wife Shirley returned to Myrniong last year after spending 22 years growing vineyards at Echuca because Allan said St Anne’s Winery needed a facelift. He has developed new partnerships with owner-chef Mark Mills from The Plough, Myrniong, to run events at his function centre and with Tabcorp Park to provide his visitors with accommodation options. St Anne’s Winery produces Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc, Shiraz and San Gervasi to name a few, as well as a large range of premium ports blended by Allan himself.
Allan McLean at St Anne’s Winery. Photo: Renee Robinson
“We produce four million litres of wine a year and crush between 5000 and 6000 tonnes of grapes. Our yields are about three to four tonnes an acre and we build in losses, particularly in the dryland area at Echuca and Moama, by planting more vineyards.” Allan said while the industry has hit some hard times, St Anne’s Winery’s strong reputation, vertically integrated business model and succession planning had kept it successful. Proof of this came last year when St Anne’s Winery won the inaugural Ballan District Chamber of Commerce business of the year award. “I was pretty chuffed and totally humbled,” Allan said. St Anne’s Winery cellar door is open 9am to 5pm seven days a week at 64 Garrards Lane, Myrniong. For more information or to book a function visit www.stanneswinery.com.au or phone 5368 7209.
BACCHUS MARSH SCOOP, March 18, 2016 • 5
Field of dreams MADDISON Field has become the first Bacchus Marsh Youth Girls footballer to be elevated to the Western Jets.
The 15-year-old took to the field for the Jets on March 5 against Sandringham Dragons and, while the dragons were the victors, Maddy said it was a great learning experience. “It’s an extremely high level. You have to work for it. I was glad I did all that rookie training in the pre-season,” she said. Maddy joined the Bacchus Marsh Youth Girls football team four years ago and is now the team captain. “I wasn’t interested in any other sport, but I was really interested in footy. I’ve been following it all my life because my dad and pop play football. It’s a massive confidence builder.” She joined hundreds of girls in tryouts last October and November and was named one of five rookies from the western suburbs. At the beginning of February she was elevated into the Western Jets playing group and presented with her jumper. The Western Jets play against other academy teams in Victoria and is part of the draft pool for AFL sides. Maddy said in football “nothing beats a good attitude”. Bacchus Marsh Youth Girls team coordinator Sandy Amos said there were currently 16 girls in the youth girls team and 30 women in the Lady Cobras team. “It’s the fastest growing female sport in Australia at the moment,” Sandy said. “It gives girls a sport that is totally different. These girls are at the forefront of a new sport in Australia for women. They have to be very brave and very confident.” She said every year the club was getting a steady flow of girls coming in and wanting to play. “It’s about learning teamwork and building self-confidence.” To find out more about the Bacchus Marsh Youth Girls, or to try out, email Sandy at smamos@live.com.au
Maddison Field (above) and the Bacchus Marsh Youth Girls football team (above left). Photos: Renee Robinson
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6 • BACCHUS MARSH SCOOP, March 18, 2016
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BACCHUS MARSH SCOOP, March 18, 2016 • 7
New roles at RSL THERE’S been a changing of the guard at the Bacchus Marsh RSL Sub Branch.
At a March committee meeting Irish Kummerlowe was elected president, Bruce Lawton treasurer and Barbara Arnup retained her position as secretary. Irish is no stranger to being head of the sub branch. He Above: From left, Bruce Lawton, Barbara Arnup and Irish Kummerlowe. was president for three years before standing down last Above left: Bacchus Marsh RSL welfare officers Cherrison and Bruce Lawton. Photos: Renee Robinson year due to illness. The Vietnam veteran said he’s back and “fighting fit”. “I enjoy being active and keeping the gray cells going. The BACCHUS MARSH best thing about this RSL is the company here. We’ve got a great working team and our members are very supportive of each other.” RTO 5064 Irish said the new committee was already busy planning for this year’s centenary ANZAC celebrations. 2016 ACCREDITED COURSES “Our members will be out selling tokens from April 14, Basic English and Numeracy our ANZAC march (which starts at the hospital and ends This course is designed for people needing assistance * HORTICULTURE—Starts soon * to increase their reading, writing and basic math skills at the RSL Hall in Main Street) will be held on April 17 AHC20410 Certificate II in Horticulture for everyday use. It includes basic money handling starting at 2pm, and our dawn service kicks off at 5.45am Commences : Friday, 15th April, 2016 skills, reading and understanding of basic documents and writing skills to complete forms and other In this practical, down-to-earth course, you’ll get your on April 25. Everyone is invited. documents. hands dirty as you learn to propagate and care for “The support we get from the community is always excellent plants, identify different plant species, assist with Our trainer is experienced in working with people who and we really appreciate it when they buy our tokens or come landscape and retainer wall construction, paving skills have dyslexia and other learning barriers and much more to our services. This year we’re expecting a large crowd.” *Government funding available for eligible learners BEGINNERS COMPUTERS— Level 2 Irish said he had an open door policy and welcomed all ex Introduction to Digital Literacy—’Next step’ includes Excel, multimedia and branding (developing servicemen and service women to come down to the RSL, Expressions of interest now being taken for personalised documentation and emails) even if they weren’t members. “You’re not obliged to join, the following qualifications: Wednesdays x 4 sessions, 9am-3pm Starts: 16th March 2016 but you have access to all of our facilities and services, *TAE40110 Certificate IV in Training and Assessment Cost: $50 Starts: 15th June 2016 especially our veteran’s welfare services.” *CHC33015 Certificate III in Individual Support SHORT COURSES Irish said during his term as president he’d be looking for Starts: 8th June 2016 (Supersedes Aged Care & HACC) Start your own business grant opportunities to provide funding to improve the RSL’s Basic office & Administration skills -12th May *CHC30113 Certificate III Early Childhood Education & Care facilities and welfare services, the committee would be con Career planning/Resume—9th May Starts: May/June 2016 tact schools to arrange educational visits, and he hoped to see iPad Basics—12th May *CHC22015 Certificate II Community Services iPad—Beyond Basics—19th May the RSL grow in numbers and community involvement. Starts: Semester 2, 2016 Beginners Computers - 11th May “This year will be about making improvements, increasing Excel—Beginners, Intermediate & Advanced levels *22236VIC Certificate I in General Education for Adults our numbers, educating and working with the community First Aid & CPR—16th & 23rd May Anaphylaxis Management on projects, and expanding our welfare services.” Contact the office for further information MYOB, Bookkeeping Treasurer and welfare officer Bruce Lawton said the RSL’s Email: info@thelaurels.org.au Food Hygiene -21st March Phone: 5367 1061 welfare service was a whole range of things including de Food Safety Supervisor Acknowledgements: Nationally Recognised Training at the Bacchus Marsh Community veloping social opportunities and helping veterans tap into RSA College is delivered with funding made available by the Victorian health and wellbeing services that were available to them. & Commonwealth Governments. Bruce and his wife Cherrison Lawton became the welfare For information on these and other courses or to enrol, please call 53671061 officers in August last year and are available at the RSL each or visit our website: www.thelaurels.org.au Tuesday from 9am to 12pm, or home visits could be arranged by appointment.The Bacchus Marsh RSL is open Monday to *People with disabilities are encouraged to apply. Friday, 9am to 12pm, at the RSL Hall in Main Street.
COMMUNITY COLLEGE
8 • BACCHUS MARSH SCOOP, March 18, 2016
CATHOLIC EDUCATION WEEK, MARCH 13 - 20, 2016
Catholic Regional College Melton Valuing God • Nurturing the Individual • Excelling in Education
Tours of the College will be held on: • • • • •
Tuesday 19th April 9am Thursday 19th May 2pm Wednesday 1st June 9am Wednesday 20th July 9am Tuesday 16th August 9am
• • • •
Tuesday 6th September 2pm Tuesday 25th October 9am Wednesday 26th October 2pm Monday 7th November 9am
An Enrolment Meeting for Year 7, 2018, will be held on Wednesday 9th November 2016 at 7.00pm in the Performing Arts Centre. To book a tour visit www.crcmelton.com.au or contact the College on
8099 6000 109 - 141 Bulmans Rd, Melton West
Aisling Love, Brosnan Love and Nellie Le Huray celebrate St Bernard’s 125th anniversary in 2015
St. Bernard’s Parish Primary School Corner of Lerderderg Street and Gisborne Road, BACCHUS MARSH 3340
Phone: 5366 5800
A caring, faith-filled community where parents are valued partners.
SCHOOL INFORMATION NIGHT - TUESDAY, APRIL 12, 2016, 7pm Enrolments open Monday, April 11 and close Friday, September 16, 2016. Tours and information kits available on request Visit our website: www.sbbacchusmarsh.catholic.edu.au Email: info@sbbacchusmarsh.catholic.edu.au
BACCHUS MARSH SCOOP, March 18, 2016 • 9
Photo courtesy Peter Donnelly
Blackwood Easter Carnival and Woodchop On Easter Saturday, Blackwood will once again ring to the sound of axes and carnival mayhem!
The Blackwood Easter Carnival and Woodchop will be held on Saturday, March 26 from 11am to 4.30pm. Blackwood is only 25 minutes drive from Bacchus Marsh. The carnival is a family-friendly, country fair style event that has been going for over 100 years. The carnival commences with the annual parade led by much-loved ‘Hetty the Hen’. The parade departs at 11am from the corner of Whalebone Road and Martin Street. There are prizes for the ‘Best Decorated Trailer’, ‘Most Humorous Float’, ‘Best Dressed Pedestrian’, ‘Best Dressed Bike’ and ‘Most Imaginative Entry.’ Come along on foot, float, horse or bicycle and join in the fun of the parade. All are welcome to take part. The parade slowly wends its way down to the picturesque Blackwood Recreation Reserve where the Carnival is officially opened. Activities include Woodchop events, pet show ($3 entry), treasure hunt, running and
novelty races, an art and craft stall, jumping castle, face painting, Mannie the Clown, children’s games, the ever popular gumboot throw, gold panning demonstrations and live music. For the more adventurous, there is a mechanical bucking bull, adult and junior sumo wrestling suits and a variety of tug of war events. This year the Woodchop includes a prestigious Victorian Title and Championship event. Axe men and women, and enthusiastic young up and comers from around Australia will compete. Expect flying woodchips, displays of strength and determination, and exciting finishes. There will be a licensed bar, food and drink for sale, and 40 plus market stalls. Many community organizations will also be represented including our local wildlife refuge, CFA and CERT (Community Emergency Response Team). Entry to the reserve is: $5 adult, $1 child. Stall enquiries Rachel: rachpalmer2000@hotmail.com General enquiries phone Judith: 53686697
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10 • BACCHUS MARSH SCOOP, March 18, 2016
HARVEST FESTIVAL 2016
Clockwise: Carter 6 & Oscar 7 in the strawberry forest, Zoey 8 & Maddison 11 from PAHQ, Arin 4 at Parwan Mushrooms, and Harjeet Kaur at Parwan Mushrooms. Photos by Kris Reichl
HARVEST FESTIVAL 2016
BACCHUS MARSH SCOOP, March 18, 2016 • 11
Clockwise: Sampling Tabletop Vegetable Company produce, Amelia 4 & Tasmin 4 in the strawberry forest, Kris Pigott speaks to visitors at his farm, Irtaza 7 has a pony ride. Photos by Kris Reichl
12 • BACCHUS MARSH SCOOP, March 18, 2016
‘MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS’
Trisha’s Child Care Family Day Care Bacchus Marsh & Darley Monday to Thursday 7.30am to 5.30pm (Vacancies for 2016 only)
Ph: (03) 4367 7871
Darley Fish & Chips 12 Albert St, Darley Ph: 5367 1950
Bacchus Marsh Caravan Park managers Mark and Janet Mitchelson
A home away from home BACCHUS Marsh Caravan Park is a friendly and centrally located oasis for tired travellers arriving in Bacchus Marsh. Owner Peter Crotty said all of the visitors to the caravan park comment about the friendly, warm greeting they receive from park manager Janet Mitchelson at reception. “Most travellers comment on how well kept the park is, how clean the amenities are and also the quietness of the park,” he said. “We pride ourselves on going the extra mile to make people feel at home and welcome so that they are happy to recommend the park to fellow travellers and to return another day.” Peter and Christine Crotty have owned the park for 18 years and are big contributors to the Bacchus Marsh community. Peter said often caravan parks were flat, expansive areas that lacked character, however Bacchus Marsh Caravan Park was located on undulating land with winding pathways through manicured gardens. “The park winds around the hillside creating different levels and areas for caravaners and campers alike. At the heart of the park, adjacent to the laundry is a large grassed area fringed by trees. Here you often see travellers enjoying the sunshine ready for a chat while hanging out their washing and soaking up the warm and homely atmosphere,” he said. Bacchus Marsh Caravan Park has an array of powered and non-powered sites suitable for larger and smaller caravans and camper vans. There are grassed sites, and gravel sites with mats, totalling 30 powered sites with several unpowered sites and a camping area. The park offers free WiFi so travellers are able to keep in touch with relatives and friends. There are two free gas barbecues for travellers and a very well set up laundry. There is a basketball court and play equipment area for the children to keep them entertained and, for those travelling with a treasured family pet, the park has pet friendly powered and unpowered sites. Peter said the thing he loved most about owning a caravan park was meeting people from all walks of life. “We have met wonderful people, some travelling through and some regularly returning. Hearing their stories can be both interesting and inspiring.” Bacchus Marsh Caravan Park is located at 26 Main Street, Bacchus Marsh. The park office is open from 8am to 7pm daily every day of the year except for Xmas day. Ph: (03) 5367 2775.
B CCHUS MARSH caravan park
Ph: 03 5367 2775 www.bacchusmarshcp.com.au www.bacchusmarshcp.com.au 26 Main Street, Bacchus Marsh 3340 Hosts:
Christine & Peter Crotty
PMS 383
PMS 300
‘MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS’
BACCHUS MARSH SCOOP, March 18, 2016 • 13
Tanya Stojanovski
Ph: (03) 5367 7327 M: 0412 078 058 E: tanya@busykidsonline.com.au W: busykidsonline.com.au Shop 14, 168 Main St, Bacchus Marsh VIC 3340
Addicted to deco DENISE Robinson can see the potential of an old piece of furniture and bring it back to life. “I like to take off those layers of paint and the many years of use and bring it back to life,” Denise said. “I have always had a passion for restoring antique furniture and finally started a business six years ago in my shed at home. I soon outgrew the shed and four years ago Lovedeco emerged.” Lovedeco has a range of preloved, restored and unrestored, industrial, retro antique, art deco furniture and old wares. “Lovedeco is the only business in Bacchus Marsh that offers preloved furniture and old wares at reasonable prices,” Denise said. “I sell pieces all over Australia through Facebook and ebay.” She said customers always commented about how Lovedeco took them back to their childhood and a bygone era when they saw peieces throughout the shop. Denise said it took a lot of skill and love to restore a piece to its former glory. One of her biggest successes was restoring a drop front desk from the 1700s which was in a terrible state. “It took me months to restore but underneath all those layers of paint was beautiful flame mahogany.” Lovedeco specialises in antique, art deco bedside drawers (shown in the photo above) but Denise said she liked to have a variety of different pieces. She said she could also restore sentimental and heirloom pieces for people who had furniture that has seen better days. Lovedeco is situated at 23 Osborne St, Bacchus Marsh and is open Thursday to Tuesday, 10am - 4pm. Laybys are welcome and “no reasonable offer is refused”. Look for lovedeco1 on Facebook. Phone 0408 122 532.
Ph: 5367 4884 Fax: 5367 4639 www.conveyancingquarters.com.au 154 Main Street Bacchus Marsh
189 Main Street Bacchus Marsh Ph: 5367 6874 2/28 Aitken Street, Gisborne Ph: 5428 2581
wendyq3@bigpond.com
14 • BACCHUS MARSH SCOOP, March 18, 2016
Your community page proudly sponsored by The Scoop Community diary March 19: St Andrew’s Fete Stalls, paper plane flying, decorated Easter Egg competitions, display of classic Holden cars, flower show. St Andrew’s Uniting Church, Bacchus Marsh, 9am - 2pm. March 20: Ballan Autumn Festival Street parade, stalls, pet show, quilt exhibition, vintage cars, children’s activities, inaugural IGA tasting trail. 9am - 3pm.
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The Blackwood Easter Festival on March 26 will feature children’s activities and a parade. Photo: Peter Donnelly
St Andrew’s Uniting Church Bacchus Marsh Easter Services Maundy Thursday (March 24th) 6:00pm Passover-style dinner and worship service (includes foot washing) Good Friday (March 25th) 9:30am Worship service 11:00am Ecumenical Stations of the Cross – beginning at Foodworks car park Easter Day (March 27th) 7:00am Dawn service @ Pentland Hills Uniting Church, Myrniong 9:30am Worship service (please bring fresh flowers to transform the cross!)
March 25 (Good Friday): Bacchus Marsh Easterfest Easter bonnet parade, egg hunts, Easter Bunny appearance, children’s activities, market and food. 9am4pm, Maddingley Park, Station St, Bacchus Marsh.
March 26 (Easter Saturday): Blackwood Easter Festival Features Victorian Woodchop championship, mechanical bull, children’s activities, parade. 11am - 4.30pm. Adults $5, children (5-12) $1, under 5 free. March 27: Easter Sunday 7am dawn service Pentland Hills Uniting Church, Myrniong. 9.30am service St Andrew’s Uniting Church, Bacchus Marsh April 3: Friends of Werribee River (Bacchus Marsh) working bee Peelmans Lane, 9.30am - 12.30pm. All ages, skill and fitness levels welcome. Morning tea provided.
BACCHUS MARSH SCOOP, March 18, 2016 • 15
Garden to Plate By Ros O’Sullivan
Apple O’Clock Apples are one of the most widely grown and used fruits worldwide. Did you know there are more than 7500 varieties? Or that the apple tree is a member of the rose family? And that it is possibly the earliest tree to be cultivated for food? While the apple trees growing in our suburban yards are most likely to have been propagated by grafting, trees are easily grown from seed. No doubt this accounts for the many trees growing wild along country roads, the seeds transferred from one place to another by birds. Most varieties of apple are ready to harvest in March and April. If you don’t have a tree in your own place, or a friendly neighbour with a crop to share, look for nature’s bounty along the road. When you’re rounded up supplies, here are two old-fashioned desserts using the simple combination of apples and bread.
She’ll be apples. Photo by Ros O’Sullivan
APPLE BROWN BETTY
VEILED APPLE
Ingredients: 1 kg cooking apples 5-6 slices of stale bread (thin slices preferably) 4 tablespoons golden syrup
Ingredients: 1 kg cooking apples 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs 4 tablespoons sugar 125g butter
15cm diameter soufflé dish Method: 1. Thickly butter the bread, remove the crusts and cut each slice into quarters. 2. Peel and core the apples. Slice thinly. 3. Place a layer of bread in the soufflé dish, cover with half the apple slices and 1 tablespoon of syrup. Cover with a second layer of bread, add the remaining apple slices and another tablespoon of syrup. Arrange the rest of the bread over the apple, with the squares overlapping, so the fruit is completely covered. Trickle the remaining syrup over the bread. 4. Cook for 40-50 minutes in a moderate (180 degree) oven until golden brown and crisp. Serve warm with custard or cream.
Corner
MEET THE NEW MANAGERS!
Method: 1. Cook the apples to a puree. Strain over a bowl to remove excess liquid so the puree is quite dense. 2. Melt the butter in a frypan. Add the breadcrumbs and fry until crisp and golden. 3. Fill the soufflé dish with alternate layers of breadcrumbs and apple puree, starting and finishing with crumbs. 4. Cook for about 30 minutes in a moderate (180 degree) oven until golden brown. Serve warm with custard or cream.
Café
Corner
Café
15cm diameter soufflé dish
BUSINESS & TRADE GUIDE
16 • BACCHUS MARSH SCOOP, March 18, 2016
Domestic Service: Installations, Alterations & Renovations Industrial & Commercial Service Installations, Maintenance, & Repairs FREE QUOTES Terry & Jason Hooper (R.E.C. 13532) P.O. Box 628 Bacchus Marsh 3340
Terry: 0417 390 793 Jason: 0429 099 980 hoopselec@gmail.com
Bacchus Marsh
Flooring Anthony & Lisa Simone
115 Main Street, Bacchus Marsh, VIC 3340 Ph: (03) 5367 8422 Fax: (03) 5367 6944
Tel: 03 5367 0110 Fax: 03 5367 1108 Mob: 0407 828 545 email: info@motorworx.com.au www.motorworx.com.au
CENTRE
214 Main Street Bacchus Marsh 3340
Email: general@bmflooring.com.au Web: bacchusmarshflooring.com.au
CAR WASH
29 HOLTS LANE, DARLEY 6AM TIL 10PM - 7 DAYS
Self serve - auto - truck/boat - dog wash - car care - vacuum Attendant on duty 8:30 - 5:30 - 7 DAYS
Western Screens
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Glenn Pluck
Andrew Clarke Wool Buyer | 0409 511 739
p: (03) 9369 7218 | f: (03) 9369 4147 105 Boundary Rd, Laverton North VIC 3026
Mob: 0413
17 Grant Street, Bacchus Marsh, VIC. 3340 info@westernscreens.com.au
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BUSINESS & TRADE GUIDE
(03) 5367 7442
Maddingley Car Care Servicing & General Repairs All Makes and Models Vehicle Restoration Chris Trotter 0415 270 983 1B Millbank Street, Bacchus Marsh, 3340
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BACCHUS MARSH SCOOP, March 18, 2016 • 17
18 • BACCHUS MARSH SCOOP, March 18, 2016
ENVIRONMENT
Moorabool Environment Group’s Rose De la cruz is abuzz about bees
The buzz about bees BEES are vital for our food supply – not because they produce honey but because they pollinate about 80 per cent of our food crops. We would not have apples, pears, stone fruits, most of our vegetables, nuts, oil seed, clover and other cow food or berries if we had no bees to pollinate these plants.
It has been said that one in every three bites of food we eat depends on bee pollination! This may not be exact but it is true that honey production, that we associate with bees, is not nearly as important to our food security as the wonderful pollination work done by these little creatures. Bees are an ancient species having evolved together with plants in a symbiotic relationship – that is they need each other to reproduce. In Australia there are two main types of bees – native bees and the honey bees. There are over 1500 species of native Australian bees (www.aussiebee.com.au) and they are important for pollinating native plants. They are mostly solitary in that they don’t form hives so don’t store honey. There are 11 species of social/hive forming native bees – mostly in the warmer north. Honey bees originated in Europe and were brought out here in about 1822. Bees forage for nectar and pollen found in flowers to feed their young. This is beautifully mixed with water by the bees to create honey which is stored in the hive. Each flower visited leaves a brush of pollen on the bee’s body, some of which is dusted off on the next flower, allowing pollination to occur. If it’s too cold or windy for bees to work or no bees are around while food plants are in flower, there is no pollination and no crop – ask any fruit grower in Bacchus Marsh! Bee colonies are amazing social systems. The worker bees are all female and do all the work- cleaning, feeding, foraging and they keep the hive at a temperature of 35 degrees Celcius all year round by using their wings to ventilate the hive. They can fly up to 8 kilometres foraging and die of exhaustion after about 30-40 days. The drones are male and have only one job – to find a queen and mate. If they are not needed because a healthy queen exists in the hive, they are killed and discarded by the workers! The queen is a marvel. She will mate at the beginning of her life then lay eggs constantly for several years. What the lava are fed determines what type of bee will develop in the egg cell, for example if a new queen is needed, royal jelly will be fed to the growing baby bee.
Bees are suffering a global population crisis for the first time in evolutionary history. Insecticides used in agriculture have killed off bees and global trade has meant bee diseases have spread around the world. You may have heard of the dreaded Verroa Mite and Colony Collapse Syndrome which have raged through Europe and the USA and caused crop failures on a grand scale. Australia is fortunate that these two diseases have not yet arrived thanks to good quarantine inspections and the fact we are an island, but many beekeepers say it is only a matter of time. In the meantime we are exporting hundreds of kilos of healthy bees to the USA to help them pollinate their crops. If you want to help the bee population – get a hive in your garden but be warned – this project involves some work and expense. You will need to learn about bees before you invest. There are many books and YouTube films on beekeeping (eg. Backyard Bees by Doug Purdie) and local bee clubs are a great source of information. You can buy a hive with bees already in it – a “package” including about 10,000 bees or buy an empty hive and catch a swarm in Spring (you will need help from an experienced beekeeper to do this). You will need a protective suit (believe me – after a few stings you know it’s worth the money!), a smoker and a hive tool and you must register the hive with the Department of Agriculture. The hive needs to be “managed” – opened several times a year to check for diseases (there are several nasty ones here in Australia) and you can of course harvest the honey once or twice a year depending on the amount of honey stored, but you must leave enough for the baby bees. Bees (native and honey bees) need our support. It’s great to have a hive or two if you can but we can all at least plant for bees. Bees need food all year round so if you can have something flowering in your garden every month of the year, and water provided, it helps the bees (and birds). Moorabool Catchment Landcare Group is working on creating nectar gardens and all of us can increase the variety of plants to provide more bee food. Autumn is a good time to get planting and reading about bees in preparation for your new hive in spring! The next Moorabool Environment Group meeting is on Thursday, March 31, 7:30 pm – 9pm, at the Commercial Hotel, Inglis Street, Ballan. All welcome.
BACCHUS MARSH SCOOP, March 18, 2016 • 19
The Last Word Did you know it was International Women’s Day on March 8? I only really learnt about this day when I worked at an all female Catholic college for a couple of years. They celebrated it by holding a mother/daughter breakfast with an inspiring female guest speaker including author and former politician Mary Delahunty and former ABC director Kate Torney. Then I went on to work for the Hepburn Advocate and while I was there the Hepburn Shire introduced an Honour Roll where remarkable women who’d lived or were still living in the shire were inducted (sometimes posthumously) onto the Honour Roll every year on International Women’s Day. It was a wonderful initiative and the women on that roll were pioneers for many causes including human rights, marriage equality, ground-breaking medical research and more. Without a doubt the most influential woman in my life was my Nan. She was a woman before her time: divorced and married again in the 1940s, a mother for the first time in her 30s, the first ever female councillor elected to local government in Ararat in 1970, and a tireless campaigner for the elderly (I remember my brother and I always visited the aged care home with her as children and perhaps this was the reason we both became nurses later on?). Most of all I remember that feeling of unconditional love you often get from grandparents that you don’t get from your parents. She was my champion, even when I didn’t deserve it. I was disappointed to read that Moorabool Shire and Hepburn Shire both have the lowest number of female councillors in Victoria. Hmm, perhaps that lack of diversity could explain why a creche was shut down at Belgravia Leisure recently? This year is a good opportunity to redress the balance. It’s a local government election year. If my Nan, then a widow with two teenage sons, could run for council and succeed and break that glass ceiling, then so can you. Go for it girls. SCOOP
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Read Bacchus Marsh Scoop online @ issuu.com/bacchusmarshscoop February 19, 2016 Edition 21 Horses and hounds January 22, 2016 Edition 19 Young Citizen Steven Tandy
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March 4, 2016 Edition 22 For crying out loud, its festival time!
20 • BACCHUS MARSH SCOOP, March 18, 2016
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