April 21, 2025 Issue 340 The Great Trentham Spudfest
The Local - The Heart of the Highlands
Front page: Jenna Bruton carries her family's farming heritage with pride.
As part of a four-generation Trentham spud farm family and an AFLW premiership player for North Melbourne, she understands the power of hard work, resilience and community.
Jenna's family will be selling their spuds at The Great Trentham Spudfest Railway Precinct on Saturday and at the Spud Hub on Sunday.
Read about The Great Trentham Spudfest opposite.
Image: Anna from Wild Little Swallows Photography
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The Local is a fortnightly community publication covering the Central Highlands of Victoria.
The next edition is out on Monday, May 5 2025. or online on Sunday, May 4 at www.tlnews.com.au
Space bookings: Wednesday, April 30
Copy deadline: Thursday, May 1
Editorial deadline: Thursday, May 1
General manager: Kyle Barnes on 0416 104 283 or kyle@tlnews.com.au
Editor: Donna Kelly on 0418 576 513 or news@tlnews.com.au
Editorial: Eve Lamb on 0493 632 843 or editorial@tlnews.com.au
Sub-editors: Nick Bunning, Lindsay Smith & Chester the Cat
Writers: Eve Lamb, Kevin Childs, Tony Sawrey, Kyle Barnes & Donna Kelly
Photographers: Kyle Barnes & Eve Lamb
Graphic designer: Dianne Caithness
Contributors:
Darren Lowe (music), Sarah Lang (recipes), Jeff Glorfeld (life), Bill Wootton (poetry) & John Beetham (gardens).
Accounts | Julie Hanson Delivery | Tony Sawrey
Great Trentham Spudfest
The Local - The Heart of the Highlands
Trentham digs into potato pride at Spudfest
Trentham’s beloved annual festival is back on May 3 and 4, serving up a weekend packed with spud-filled fun.
The Great Trentham Spudfest isn’t just about potatoes (okay, maybe it mostly is) - it’s also a celebration of the vibrant Trentham community spirit and proud potatogrowing heritage.
Once a shy, humble tuber hiding underground, the potato finally gets its moment in the sun, basking in the spotlight with festivities dedicated to its starchy greatness and showcasing the very best this spudtacular region has to offer.
This year, there are two days of fun-filled events, with activities for all ages, held against the backdrop of spectacular autumn colour.
Street Fair - Saturday, May 3, 10am to 4pm
Trentham comes alive with the legendary Street Fair held in the heart of town. Explore four main precincts, packed full of spud food, fresh regional produce, a local makers market, live music, and the Spud Olympics. Grab a bag of famous Trentham potatoes, direct from local growers. Bus tours of the district’s heritage-protected Spud Huts also run throughout the day.
Saturday evening brings the Spudfest Cèilidh, a family-friendly celebration of Celtic music, food, and dancing. Or join local chef Annie Smithers for an exclusive four-course potato feast at her famous Trentham restaurant Du Fermier. But hurry, tickets for both events are almost sold out.
Discovery Day - Sunday, May 4, 10am to 4pm
Slow down and explore all that Trentham and the region has to offer.
Join the ‘Digging Deep: Cooks in Conversation' event at Trentham Mechanics on Sunday morning with an all-star culinary lineup featuring: Alice Zaslavsky –cookbook author and TV host; Tony Tan – cookbook author and cooking-school teacher; and Liam Downes – regional chef from Black Cat Truffle Farm and Restaurant. All moderated by ABC Radio's Jacinta Parsons.
Or drop past the Spud Hub in Trentham Town Square to discover fresh spuds, delicious farm gate foodie trails, or join a local farm tour. Sign up for The Great Spud Scavenger Hunt, take a gnocchi-making class, enjoy the Red Beard Bakery Scotch Oven tour, or spend the day eating spudtastic dishes at venues across the region. Link: www.trenthamspudfest.org.au/
Council 6-year lease
Hepburn Shire Council has leased 24 Vincent Street, Daylesford for six years with an option for a further six years. The building is now the council chambers and offices.
Infrastructure and Delivery director Bruce Lucas said the terms and conditions of a commercial lease are negotiated based on the requirements of the respective parties.
Mr Lucas said even when the renewal works on the Daylesford Town Hall were completed, the chambers and offices would remain at 24 Vincent Street for at least six years.
"Apart from the current renewal works to secure the building, significant additional works would be required to meet accessibility requirements and other business needs prior to council relocating staff back to the town hall.
"The current building works and the essential electrical works are scheduled to be completed by the end the calendar year and we intend for the town hall space and toilets to be available for community use early in 2026.
"The Daylesford Community Facilities project is considering how this beautiful and iconic facility can provide for greater community use in the future and is being informed by the Project Advisory Group."
Mr Lucas said the commercial arrangements of the lease, such as the monthly rent, were not able to be provided.
"Council has invested $275,000 on office improvements across four office sites in Daylesford, including installation of necessary technology in the council chamber at 24 Vincent Street to support council briefings and council meetings."
The Local has been told the cost of the rent could be as much as $12,000 per month - after speaking with a number of people in the industry. As said earlier, the council would not confirm rental charges, despite them being paid by ratepayers.
Words: Donna Kelly
Dr Ashvin
Words: Contributed | Image: Brian Young
Can’t make it on Election Day?
If you can’t vote on Saturday 3 May, you may be eligible to vote early.
All Australian citizens aged 18 years and over are required by law to vote.
So, if you can’t make it to a polling place on election day, you may be eligible to: · vote early at an early voting centre, or · apply for a postal vote.
If you’re travelling, working or will be outside the electorate where you’re enrolled on election day, you can vote early.
To check early voting options and eligibility, visit aec.gov.au/early
Your vote will help shape Australia.
To learn more aec.gov.au/early 13 23 26
Creswick-Long Point pathway calls continue
A determined group of Creswick locals is keen to progress efforts to establish a gravel cycle and pedestrian pathway running along Ascot Road and linking the town to Gillies Road.
Safety is the main motivator behind the proposal that has already garnered support from Hepburn Shire Council, Central Highlands Rural Health, Ripon MP Martha Haylett and Ballarat MP Catherine King.
The group is urging more people to support their efforts to see the proposal through to reality by adding their names to their online petition, making their support known or becoming an active part of their efforts.
“We’ve got unanimous council support and strong community support,” Creswick’s Lisa Rodier says. Lisa says they’d also like to see the 80km section further out reduced to 60km.
“It’s really scary. And when cars get to the edge of town, here, they just take off. We have costed it. There is funding available but most of the funding requires matching funding.
“We want to submit a funding application but first we need a management plan. We’d like to see a commitment from the shire to assist in developing a management plan.
“What we want is a low impact path that blends in with the environment and that would run from Elizabeth Street (where the existing concrete footpath ends) to Long Point Bushland Reserve on Gillies Road.”
Group members say the road is extremely dangerous for pedestrians and cyclists to navigate, yet it is heavily used by young families, children and older residents getting some exercise or dog-walking.
“There is no walking or cycle path until you reach Elizabeth Road, and cyclists and pedestrians are forced onto the road, competing with trucks and tip traffic often going over 60km per hour,” group member Sophie Ellis says
“It’s very dangerous. There are heaps of blind corners,” says Creswick Neighbourhood Centre manager Chrissy Austin.
“The other issue is the kids who use this road to get to the bus stop along here. The traffic is fast and it is unsafe.”
While safety is the primary motivator, those pushing for the path say it would also be great for encouraging people to exercise and enjoy a more environmentally friendly means of getting about.
Lisa says that ultimately they’d like to develop the project in several stages, extending it to provide a loop connecting to the Creswick Creek and including creekside beautification plantings as well.
Details and petition: https://chng.it/2rLPFgFnfj
Words & image: Eve Lamb
From left, Cal Austin, Sam Austin, Chrissy Austin and Lisa Rodier beside the Creswick-Ascot Road
BLOCK Watch
Exclusive!
The Local's editor Donna Kelly chatted with The Block judges - from left, Darren Palmer, Shaynna Blaze and Marty Fox on a recent Sunday - about all things building, judging, contestants and Daylesford.
Donna: Do you ever come across contestants who have no design idea at all?
Shaynna: Constantly. We give them advice, but it just depends whether they listen to it. Because it is quite incredible, you do get people who have no idea but think they do. And that's quite dangerous. Some people come on for the wrong reasons of not wanting to renovate, not wanting to learn. Some people come on because they want the exposure. But that's not many. I feel at the moment everyone has come for all the right reasons and the fact is that they're really doing incredible work so far.
Donna: The five houses are all the same. Does that make it more difficult to judge?
Marty: It makes it more difficult for the contestants because they've got to figure out what they're doing with the space. But because they've got all the same parameters, it's great for us judges. We've enjoyed this so much because you get to see people really testing their thinking on where things should go. I think it's easier to judge and harder for them. They've got direct comparisons between who makes better decisions based on the location of a wall or a doorway or things that they can control. And when we're not comparing apples to apples, it makes our job harder. But they get to have more personality in their spaces and have exactly the same opportunities as everybody else. So if someone does it better, it's because they've made better design decisions. It's a real level playing field.
Donna: Do you have a Daylesford aesthetic that you're trying to help them understand? The housing here is very mixed.
Darren: I would say Daylesford has personality. There's an art-centric element to it. There is dark and colour. There's a farmhouse element. There is a reclaimed element. There's an amalgamation of all these different influences. Then there's also a more modern Daylesford aesthetic as well. But if they don't have personality, if they don't have something that feels like it belongs in a country environment…if they go for a homogenised approach to design here, I think they're going to miss the market. Personality is the key.
Donna: When you start judging rooms, do you have an idea of who is going to win and who is not going to really make it?
Shaynna: Whether they've come in here as never renovating a home or if they've come in and they've renovated seven, it kind of means really nothing at the end of the day because the pressure of the week and how much work's done within that week and all the different things that are within their control and out of their control; people crack under pressure. And that's why it's so interesting. It's the pressure, it's the time limits, and in this case, this season, how much they can change the room depending on what they're given. You just can’t pick it.
I think it's also you do get couples that come in and you can tell they have an incredible eye and they're doing incredible things. But then you have the people that have no idea, but who are listening. And then they start rising because if you come out really strong in those first two weeks, you've got nowhere to go. You've got to maintain that stunning sort of execution and personality.
Marty: And then the behind people come up and then all of a sudden it becomes a level playing field. It’s not until you hit about middle you know where they're going to go. Because if someone's a sponge and they're learning, they're learning from us and the other contestants. And we've seen that more often than not, that they just rise. But next week, we're halfway. And by halfway, as judges, I do feel that we tend to have our opinions of who's in that sort of two-horse race. There are a couple of favourites in the mix.
Donna: And finally, how are you finding the town?
Shaynna: I have a place at Kyneton so I know Daylesford really well, and also I've had friends that have got married here, friends that have had houses. I feel the energy coming back because Daylesford got really quiet and a lot of things closed, and it was hard during Covid. But I am just feeling the Daylesford energy, and I feel like what The Block's giving back is the fact that everyone's eating here, they're buying from here. So there is this co-connection between The Block and Daylesford at the moment, I think it's beautiful energy.
One of the The Block's three judges, Marty Fox, met Daylesford Bowling Club manager Neil Jordan earlier this month when the show turned up for a pickleball challenge. The word is the cast and crew loved the catering - thanks to the club!
Image: Contributed
Working alone is a contributing factor in the majority of farm workplace deaths.
No matter if it is a perfect day, or a storm is coming and you only have a short window to get the job done. Whatever it is, take a minute to think through what you’re doing. For strategies to stay safe while working alone, visit worksafe.vic.gov.au/working-alone-farms
It’s never you, until it is.
Book launch for Clunes
Murder, beauty, guilt, blame, rumours and… footy. All get a look-in within the pages of the new anthology launched by the Clunes Writers’ Group.
Launched with readings from the writers - or their stand-ins - at the Esmond Gallery in The Warehouse, Boundless is the third anthology of collected short stories and poetry by members of this group.
Convenor Sandra Nichols said the new anthology was “a treasure trove of thoughts, dreams and experiences”.
“We currently have close to 20 members and they are not only people who live in Clunes but also come from surrounding areas including Newlyn, Newstead, Talbot, Maryborough and Scarsdale,” Sandra said.
Among the 17 contributors to the book, group member Deb James read one of her own pieces entitled Grandpa’s Bookcase, telling the launch audience: “This is a story about the beginnings of a love of books and reading.”
The group meets every second Monday of the month from 1-3pm at Attitude Clunes and members can read out their work and receive feedback - if they wish.
“Each month we have a new theme to write to and that’s great because people will all interpret that in very different ways,” says member Julie Moran.
“The thing we’ve found this year is that people’s writing has really developed.”
Boundless is available for purchase at Boom Clunes, the Clunes Greengrocer or online at harmony4books@gmail.com
Words & image: Eve Lamb
Clunes Writers’ Group members, from left, Sandra Nichols, Patsy Skinner, Deb James, Julie Moran and Judi Palmer with copies of the group’s new anthology, Boundless
Hepburn Wildlife News with Marita
When you are driving along a country road and you see birds by the roadside, it is always advisable to slow down. If the birds take flight, there is a good chance that they will fly into your car.
This is what happened to the two gang-gang cockatoos currently recovering at the Hepburn Wildlife Shelter. These birds flew into a passing car and have concussion and bruising. Luckily, the car was going slowly, or the outcome would have been much worse for the birds.
Gang-gang cockatoos are now listed as an endangered species. A large portion of their habitat was destroyed in the Black Summer bushfires of 2019-20 and habitat is being lost daily as land clearing and native-forest logging continues.
These birds nest in the hollows that form in trees and most eucalypts (gum, box and stringybark), will be over 80 years old before decent nest-bearing hollows have formed, which makes nesting places few and far between. This is why it is so important to retain and protect any large old trees, even if they are dead, as they will still be home to many animals.
Gang-gang cockatoos will often be seen in pairs because they are monogamous and mate for life. They mostly eat seeds from eucalyptus and wattles and will also eat flower buds and insects.
In late spring they may be seen in the Hepburn State Forest enjoying the seeds from the local wattle trees. They are not as raucous as other cockatoos, and you may not know they are above you until you hear dislodged seeds falling to the ground.
In recent times they have developed a taste for exotic species, namely hawthorn berries. These berries are a favourite food for the gang-gangs recovering at the shelter.
Marita McGuirk is a field ecologist and environmental scientist, and a volunteer at the Hepburn Wildlife Shelter. Marita will write monthly columns about the shelter and the animals it cares for. If you would like to donate or volunteer, or just to find out more information, head to www.hepburnwildlifeshelter.org
McGuirk
Council news
Council
Draft Council Plan consultation open
Council is inviting community members to have their say on the priorities for the draft Council Plan 2025–2029.
The Plan is being shaped with input from a variety of sources, including a Deliberative Engagement Panel made up of residents from across the Shire. Now, Council wants to hear from the broader community to ensure the final Plan reflects what matters most to you—whether it’s services, facilities, or long-term planning for our region.
To complete the survey visit: https://participate.hepburn.vic.gov.au/hepburn-together-2025-2029
For those of you who prefer paper-based engagement, hard copy surveys are available upon request at Council libraries and hubs.
Listening post events - Have your say
Listening Posts provide an opportunity for residents to share their ideas, provide feedback on services, and discuss matters that are important to them with senior Council Officers and Councillors.
Listening Posts scheduled are:
• Saturday 17 May - Trentham Market, 10 am - 12 pm
• Saturday 21 June - Glenlyon Town Hall, 10 am - 12 pm
Details of other Listening Post events, including dates and locations, will be made available on our website, www.hepburn.vic.gov.au/listening-posts
Daylesford 40 km/h speed zone
As we indicated some time ago, a new speed zone of 40 km/h will be introduced in the central business district of Daylesford to enhance safety for road users and pedestrians.
Council has listened to the numerous calls for reduced speeds in Daylesford and has been collaborating with the Department of Transport and Planning to establish a safer speed zone. The new speed zone in Daylesford covers the central business district and areas with high pedestrian activity, including both local and state-controlled roads.
You may have noticed that our works crew have started installing the 40 km/h signs. We will continue to look at speed limits across the Shire.
We appreciate your patience and cooperation during this period.
Is your pet registered?
By registering your pet you’re doing all you can to be quickly reunited with your furry friend if they go missing.
Pet owners will have received their renewal notices, and you’ll have a little longer to pay this year with a due date of Saturday 10 May.
The first year of registration is free for desexed and microchipped dogs and cats, and we also offer discounts for the registration of older pets and working animals.
Find out more on our website www.hepburn.vic.gov.au/pet-registrations
Draft Council Plan 2025-29
We are asking community members to have a say on the draft Council Plan priorities for our services and amenities.
The Council Plan will play an important role in guiding and informing the priorities of Council into the future.
Hard copy surveys are available upon request at Council's libraries and hubs.
There will be other opportunities for you to get involved. Have your say
www.participate.hepburn.vic.gov.au
Just briefly... Coming soon...
Coles Daylesford is being renovated and will add a fifth bakery to the town.
A spokesperson said the move would see a bigger and better offering for the community - with no job losses or redundancies as part of the redevelopment. "As part of the renovation, customers can get excited about an expanded fresh offering – including an in-store bakery and a refreshed deli." The store will remain open throughout the renovation.
Several Central Highland schools are among 101 schools across the state that will receive a grant as part of the Animal-assisted Wellbeing and Engagement Program.
Schools set to benefit include: Kyneton High School ($3536) for a school support animal and/or equipment and professional development in animal-assisted programs; Macedon Primary School ($19,900) and Trentham Primary School ($52,180) to work with an external organisation to provide animal-assisted activities. Most of the programs support students through activities involving dogs and horses.
The Daylesford Royal Hotel is among the state’s newly announced Regional Tourism Investment Fund recipients.
The hotel has received funding for its Accommodation Uplift Project that will see nine guestrooms refurbished at the adjoining guest house.
A new speed zone of 40 km/h has been introduced in the central business district of Daylesford to enhance safety for road users and pedestrians.
Hepburn Shire Council said it had listened to the numerous calls for reduced speeds in Daylesford and had been collaborating with the Department of Transport and Planning to establish a safer speed zone. New signs have been installed.
Hepburn Shire Council is inviting community members to help shape the future of the region by having their say on the draft priorities for the Council Plan 2025–2029.
The plan is being developed with input from a range of sources, including a Deliberative Engagement Panel made up of residents from across the shire. The council is now seeking feedback from the wider community to ensure the plan truly reflects local priorities for services, facilities, and future planning. Link: www.participate.hepburn.vic.gov.au/hepburn-together-2025-2029
The Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action is asking all landowners to take the necessary steps to protect paddock trees when burning stubble on their properties.
Landowners have several options when it comes to managing crop stubble. If landowners are managing particular issues in a paddock, burning may be the chosen option when fire restrictions lift in the coming weeks. Native trees are protected by law and there are ways to avoid damaging them. This includes establishing an adequate fire break around native trees and ensuring there are enough people to monitor, contain and extinguish the burn safely and effectively with adequate water and fire-extinguishing equipment accessible.
A new pop-up art and collectors market is open for the Easter and Anzac Day long weekends.
The Vintage & Artists Market, at 3 Howe Street, Daylesford, will feature vintage and designer fashion, and carefully curated collectables. The walls will be adorned with paintings, photography and prints by awardwinning and local artists. Artists include Bep Gouw, Jennifer England, Kristeena Saville, Pam Gleeson, Anthony Scibelli, Ali Kayaya, Kate McRae, Sally-Ann Charnock, Lydia Kirk, pictured, and Anthony Tartaglia. The market will be open on Monday, April 21 and from April 24 to April 28 from 11am to 5pm.
Biggest Morning Tea
An Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea will once again be hosted by Carol Collins and friends at the Daylesford Bowling Club on Monday, May 12 from 10.30am.
The cost to join in is $20 with plenty of raffle and door prizes and lots of great morning tea temptations – created by Carol and her friends. Every dollar raised through Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea helps fund Cancer Council’s life-saving research, prevention, support programs and information.
Every cuppa makes a difference. Just $150 provides two people recently diagnosed with cancer with one on-one support, connecting them to a trained Cancer Connect volunteer, $500 helps provide training to leaders of cancer support groups where people can meet and share their experiences in an emotionally supportive environment and $1000 pays for an analysis of two gene samples for a research project. RSVPs not needed, just pop along to the Bowlo.
Our golden past
The Alchemy of Gold is a new three-day forum happening in Castlemaine, and the name is a bit of a giveaway.
Happening on May 16 to 18, the event features three days of lectures, workshops and field trips all led by Gold Rush experts and celebrating the rich history of Victoria’s Central Goldfields.
Organising committee chair, Castlemaine’s Alice Matthiesson says the main aim is to increase public awareness, education and appreciation around the area’s rich Goldfields heritage.
“People need to understand what a historic landscape is and why it’s so precious,” Alice says.
The extensive list of guest speakers, many of them high profile, cover a wide range of specialist areas of interest from Chinese on the Goldfields to early Goldfields mining methods, political and social upheavals to bushrangers and women on the goldfields.
“We were losing historical fabric and once it’s gone, it’s gone. Towns like Castlemaine are at risk of over-development and thoughtless development. If you understand what you’ve got you perhaps look after it a bit better. We want to draw attention to local places that are important to our gold-mining history.”
The event is part of the wider Australian Heritage Festival.
Link: www.thealchemyofgold.com.au
Image: William Strutt illustration, Arrival of the gold escort in Melbourne
Anzac Day - Friday, April 25
Creswick-Smeaton RSL Sub-Branch
Creswick 5.40am – Dawn Service - assemble at the Cenotaph (cnr Albert and Raglan streets) for a 5.50am start followed by the Gunfire Breakfast in the Senior Citizens Centre. 9.30am - Service at the Soldiers Graves at the Creswick Cemetery, 141 Clunes Road. 10am - Service at the Memorial Stones, RSL Hall, 60 Albert Street. 10.15am - Anyone wishing to take part in the March to assemble at the Splash Park. 10.30am - March commences.
Following the March is an Anzac Day Service at the Creswick Cenotaph which incorporates the 60th Anniversary of the Creswick-Smeaton RSL Field of Crosses. 12.30pm – Two-up at the front of the RSL Hall.
Kingston
Kingston Friends of the Avenue Anzac Day service and wreath laying at the Cenotaph at 9am at the corner of Victoria and Kingston roads, Kingston.
Daylesford
Dawn service at 6.30am. March to the Cenotaph, Burke Square, at 10.30am for a service at 10.45am.
Hepburn Service at 10th Street at 8am.
Eganstown Service at the War Memorial at Old Main Road at 9am.
EAT | DRINK | ENJOY
Ellen's & Maldon's little shop of lollies
It’s just on one year since Ellen Gladman took over Maldon’s much-loved Lolly Shop. April 24, 2024 to be precise. So she’s made it through the chocolate rush of her first Easter.
Ellen had been in retail before, was looking for her own business and a bit of flexibility for her work/life balance. And she has always loved Maldon.
“The Lolly Shop was available and ticked all the boxes along with a lot of potential in areas that I have skills for. It was already running very well and people loved it, but I knew I could make a few little changes.”
They included turning a unit out the back into a lovely B&B – using her background in interior design, and decorating the shop by “leaning into the enchanted nature of the business”.
The community
“I've done it all quietly and slowly. The community was a little worried when I bought the business, just because they love it, but they are happy with the changes I have made. I’m getting good feedback – and have ticked all the things off my list that I wanted to get done in the first year, and then some.”
And while many of her customers are locals, they also come from all over Australia including one-off visitors and people travelling through on business making a little detour for their favourite lolly.
Goldfields
“I also get people from as far away as Darwin – one little boy was in recently and said the shop was stacked – and there was nothing like this at home, and we even get international visitors because people love the Goldfields.”
Ellen said she loves the nostalgic memories her lollies evoke from customers who remember lollies from when they were kids.
Nostalgia
“That's the bit I love. I love working with the customers and the people. And lollies are a real trigger for nostalgia. You can literally see people finding memories they haven’t had for ages while they talk about their local milkbars or buying lollipops at the pool.
“I even had one woman come in and tell me her family owned a milkbar and she used to run it when she was just 13. It’s lovely to hear all the stories.”
Asked to name her three favourite lollies, Ellen pauses for a moment. Perhaps it’s like naming your favourite child.
Favourites
“It changes all the time,” she says. “I find one and I get into it for a little while and then I'll change. But at the moment it’s butterscotch that's made in Ballarat and I can’t get enough of that.
“We also have a maker in Maldon who does our fudges, so second is rocky road fudge with all the biscotti flavours.
“Hmmm. Chocolates would be the dark raspberry bullets, I just tasted them again, and it was, yep, that works well.”
Ellen said unlike many kids she never imagined she would own a lolly shop.
Living her best life
“But it’s really lovely watching people, especially kids, come in and their eyes light up. And just this morning I was walking back down to the shop after getting a coffee, and it was quiet and warm and the swallows were diving everywhere and you could hear the rosellas…and I thought ‘I chose well’. This is a lovely place to spend my days.”
Words: Donna Kelly
“At the moment it’s butterscotch that's made in Ballarat and I can’t get enough of that.
Scan the QR code to join Ellen on a quick tour around her Maldon Lolly Shop.
Video: Kyle Barnes
“We also have a maker in Maldon who does our fudges, so second is rocky road fudge with all the biscotti flavours. “Hmmm. Chocolates would be the dark raspberry bullets, I just tasted them again, and it was, yep, that works well.”
Above, Ellen Gladman in The Lolly Shop, left, assistant Jemma Mew, and lots of lollies!
Images: Kyle Barnes
Artists of the Central Highlands with Eve Lamb
The intricate beauty of the landscape that surrounds her is a major source of inspiration for established Daylesford artist Loïque Allain. Working predominantly with linocut printmaking and weaving, her work has seen Loïque awarded both national and state art prizes and is held in private collections around the world.
Eve: Your works are beautiful and intricate. They look rather time consuming.
Loïque: Yes they are. People ask me that a lot. When I’m working I can carve a large 1.5 metre by 1 metre piece in about seven working days. That is if I work constantly.
Eve: Do you particularly enjoy working large format?
Loïque: Yes. I feel it gives a sense of freedom, an expansiveness. It correlates to being in the land as well because it is all encompassing and I guess working in large format gives you the opportunity to express that.
Eve: You graduated with honours in printmaking, have a Bachelor of Visual Art and Design and had artist residencies in Italy and France. What initially drew you to art?
Loïque: I guess my parents have been pretty inspirational. They work in the arts and always encouraged me. My dad managed some Indigenous arts centres at Aurukun and in the Tiwi Islands north of Darwin. And my mum would run a lot of workshops with the women, painting and weaving. I spent some time with my mum and dad in those communities and I guess I was really inspired by the work coming out of there, particularly the large format work. I thought going to art school was a really good opportunity. Also, when I was younger my parents worked in the scenic art area of film and theatre. I’ve always been around art and art from different cultures.
Eve: Have you ever worked in any other sectors?
Loïque: Yes. My husband, Chris Dilworth, and I have our own wine business as well. My husband is a winemaker. We moved here because we’ve always loved the wine from this region. Chris was a winemaker with Owen Latta at Eastern Peake. We started making wine there in 2017 and 2021 was our last vintage. Now we’re running our own wine business. We’ve made a winery at Leonards Hill at the old Dwyer's Mill. We moved there in November last year.
Eve: What inspires you most in creating your art works?
Loïque: For the last couple of years I’ve been focusing on Cornish Hill in Daylesford, also Jubliee Lake, Lake Daylesford and Wombat Hill. I’ve been inspired by the local landscape that I visit on a daily basis.
Eve: Do you have any special events or exhibitions on the horizon?
Loïque: Yes. My friend, Clare O’Flynn and I share a studio space at 5 Howe Street in Daylesford. It’s the Wombat Hill Print Studio. We’ve been here for just over a year and we’ve wanted to have an exhibition here for a while. I’ve made a body of work over the last couple of years and the exhibition will open from 5.30pm-8pm on Friday, May 16. David Frazer from Castlemaine will open it and then it will run for that weekend through to Sunday.
Eve: And you also run monthly workshops don’t you?
Loïque: Yes it’s an introduction to hand printing linocuts. We start with an A5 size lino and we handprint onto Japanese paper. It’s beautiful. It’s made of mulberry wood. It’s quite strong. But it’s fine enough to handprint onto. Quite ethereal looking.
Image: Kyle Barnes (Scan the QR code above for a short interview.)
Children's book set in Bullarto Reservoir
Kate Foulds’ debut children’s book, Grumps and the green fishing rod, will be published next month.
The picture book carries the stories of four generations through simple, traditional narration and stunning photographs taken in a beautiful bush setting.
Kate is a Central Victorian short fiction/memoir writer who grew up on the family farm in Musk before becoming a regional newspaper journalist.
Kate’s short fiction, Grandma’s Gift, was published in the anthology, Mother – Memories, Moments & Stories. Her Flash Fiction, Acorn, was shortlisted for the inaugural Minds Shine Bright Writing Confidence Competition 2022.
Kate completed a Bachelor of Arts Degree at Deakin University with majors in English Literature and Sociology and had poetry published in the student publication, Indigo Explosion
In 1994 Kate gained a graduate cadetship at Kyneton’s Midland Express office and was a journalist at The Bendigo Advertiser between 1997 and 1999. As a police and court reporter at the Advertiser, Kate wrote a news story judged a first-place winner at the 2000 Crime Stoppers International Conference in Canada – topping nominations from around the globe including London, New York, Miami and Vancouver.
Kate has also worked in a range of public relations, marketing and media officer roles. She has a Kate has a son and twin daughters and lives in Daylesford. Grumps and the green fishing rod will be available from Paradise Books in Daylesford.
Grumps and the green
Words: Donna Kelly Image: Kyle Barnes
The Local will run an interview with Kate in May
Gigs
Daylesford Hotel
with Darren Lowe
Dolly's Disco Bingo – Thursday, April 24
The Martini Set – Saturday, April 26
Creswick Town Hall
Mozart is coming to Creswick - thanks to Lyster Opera and its production of Abduction from the Seraglio. Lyster Opera will be at the Creswick Town Hall on Saturday, April 26 April at 2pm.
Having been lucky enough to see Lyster Opera's production of Martha last year, I feel sure you will be delighted with this one.
There are only limited tickets left. Contact Lyster Opera on 0419 890 388.
Glenlyon Hall
Michael Waugh is a revered songwriter, a compelling live performer and an extraordinary storyteller.
He has been the recipient of many awards including Folk and Roots album of the Year (Music Victoria Awards), Songs of Peace and Tolerance award (Port Fairy Folk Festival) and Heritage Song of the Year (Golden Guitar Awards).
Michael's new album Beauty & Truth paints vivid, joyous, funny and loving pictures of growing up queer in rural Australia. In 2024 it won the prestigious Folk Alliance Contemporary Folk Album of the Year award and received five nominations in the 2025 Golden Guitar Awards.
Michael Waugh will perform at the Glenlyon Hall on Saturday, May 10. Doors open at 6pm and the music starts at 7pm. Ticket are $35 with profits going to enhancing the hall experience.
so we’ll have extra copies of The Local available. So make sure you get the word out about your business... Cheers, Charlie
Kate Foulds fishingrod
Kate with her father Neil Rodda, aka Grumps, at Bullarto Reservoir
Local show winners to represent Daylesford
Agricultural Show prize winners from across the region met at Clunes on April 4 for the annual Midland Group of Victorian Agricultural Societies' dinner with intershow presentations and judging.
Nine Daylesford winners presented their winning entries from last year’s show in 11 of the 28 categories being judged at Clunes. Of the 28 classes being judged on the night 13 offered winners the opportunity to display and show at this year's Melbourne Show.
For the first time since 2017 Daylesford had an entrant, Charlotte Cain, in the Rural Ambassador competition and she finished runner-up to the Group winner Darcy Gervasoni representing Clunes. Charlotte spoke on the importance of biosecurity in agriculture.
Public Notice
Gracie Hetherington and Rebeka Walker won first places in the junior and open section photography and later in the year will represent the Midland Group at the Melbourne Show in September. Trish Barron was runner-up with her embroidery.
In the Midland Group awards Daylesford had two winners, Suzie Wyatt of Trentham who took out the handmade Christmas Greeting Card, and Christopher Hargreaves who took out the hotly contested Blokes' Chocolate Cake.
Daylesford Show Society president John Nicholls said he was pleased that so many winners were prepared to go on and take up the challenge at a higher level and represent Daylesford at the Melbourne Show. Images: wwwtlnews.com.au
Special Meeting of Council - Tuesday 13 May 2025
Notice is hereby given that a Special Meeting of Council will be held on Tuesday 13 May 2025 commencing at 6:00 pm. The proposed business to be transacted at this meeting will be for Council to consider the following for public exhibition:
• Council Plan 2025-2029, including the Municipal Public Health and Wellbeing Plan
• Long Term Financial Plan
• Draft Budget 2025/2026
• Asset Plan
• Revenue and Rating Plan.
This meeting will be held in the Council Chamber, 24 Vincent Street Daylesford, and the public are able to attend in person and or virtually via the livestream on Council’s YouTube channel.
Only the business as detailed above will be transacted at the Special Meeting of Council.
This Special Meeting of Council is called pursuant to Council’s Governance Rules 2022.
There will be no Public Participation Time conducted at this meeting. Enquiries: Manager Governance and Risk – 03 5321 6434.
Readership
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Reach
The Local now reaches 15,000 people from Newlyn in the east to Kyneton in the west, from Blackwood in the south to Guildford in the north and everywhere in between.
Remembrance & Tradition: An Anzac Day Feast with Rosemary
In the early hours of April 25th, as dawn breaks over Daylesford and the Last Post echoes through our streets, sprigs of rosemary will be pinned to lapels across town. This humble herb, which grew wild on the slopes of Gallipoli, has become our symbol of remembrance.
Grilled Rosemary Lamb Cutlets with Roasted Cherry Tomato Sauce
For the lamb:
8-12 frenched lamb cutlets
4 sprigs fresh rosemary
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons olive oil
Coarse black pepper
Sea salt
For the sauce:
500g cherry tomatoes, stems removed
1 karge brown onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
handful fresh basil leaves
3-4 sprigs fresh thyme leaves
Salt and pepper to taste
Roast tomatoes with a coating of oil and generous amount of flake salt at 200ºC for about 20-25 minutes until they have burst and starting to shrivel.
To a heavy-bottomed saucepan, add a generous glug of olive oil and saute onions and garlic until soft. Add tomatoes and pan juices along with herbs. Simmer on low for about 45 minutes. Cool for 10-15 minutes and then blend to your desired consistency.
Store in airtight container in fridge for a week or freeze for up to 3 months.
Strip leaves from 2 rosemary sprigs and finely chop. Mix chopped rosemary with crushed garlic, olive oil, and generous amount of coarse black pepper.
Coat lamb cutlets with the mixture, ensuring they are completely coated but wipe the bone clean. Marinate in fridge for at least an hour, even overnight.
Heat your BBQ or griddle pan to medium-high.
Season cutlets with sea salt just before cooking. Cook for 3-4 minutes each side for medium-rare.
Rest for 5 minutes before arranging on a serving plate and garnished with remaining rosemary sprigs.
Pick up a bottle of Passing Clouds Shiraz or Pinot from Musk Winery (or grab one from our store)their rich, complex flavors perfectly complement the lamb.
Flavour Tip: Don’t trim all the fat from the cutlets - that golden, crispy edge adds incredible flavor to the finished dish.
For more recipes, or to order online and have delivered to your door, visit daylesfordmeatco.com.au
Remembering Together This Anzac Day
To honour those who served and those who continue to serve, we’re offering this small gesture to our community.
Visit us before Friday April 25th and mention this post to receive a complimentary sprig of fresh rosemarya symbol of remembrance for Anzac Day and a perfect accompaniment to your favourite cut of lamb.
“At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember them.”
Lest We Forget.
We will be closed on Friday 25 April to honour Anzac Day.
supporting Locals”
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.
That’s not an axe…this is an axe, a Superaxe
Coming up to four years since the shocking 2021 storm ripped through the Wombat State Forest area, devastated landholders are still clearing up the damage.
Many were traumatised to see beautiful and much-loved mature trees torn down, and many people struggled to know how to cope with the physical aftermath.
But thanks to some help from a few noteworthy quarters many of those impacted have been able to clean up and get on.
The Daylesford Foundation and the Lions Club of Trentham have both lent a significant helping hand in the shape of a Superaxe wood splitter, chainsaws and a large tandem trailer plus accompanying safety equipment.
These items, together worth about $61,000, were funded through state government's Disaster Recovery Program dollars secured by the Hepburn Shire Council working together with the Daylesford Foundation, which also pitched in with some dollars.
The arrangement initially saw the Daylesford Foundation take possession of the equipment and oversee its application where needed in the community.
The Foundation’s secretary Jim Foster recalls how the board eventually realised it was time to hand the equipment over to another community organisation better placed to see its ongoing, long-term application in the community as intended.
That organisation was the Trentham Lions Club which accepted the donated equipment and now continues to oversee its lending out to community members in need.
“They’ve done a fabulous job,” says Jim, one year on since the equipment handover took place. “It had become clear to us that the Lions Club would do a far better job than us.”
The Lions Club’s John McLaren is at pains to make it clear this is no commercial arrangement.
Instead, he says it’s very much a volunteer “working-bee type” arrangement and club volunteers help with transportation and setting up of the equipment.
John says the equipment is still being used by property owners striving to fully recover, clean up and move on from the storm.
“The tandem trailer was purpose built in Victoria and is fully galvanised and capable of carrying five cubic metres. When in operation, the Superaxe is quite an impressive piece of equipment. We’ve done 100 hours of work on the machine on about 17 different properties in the area.
“It’s generally been around the Trentham and district area but it’s not confined to that and it’s available for use shire-wide. But it's not a commercial operation. We don’t hire the machine. It is a means of practical help for people faced with the overwhelming difficulties of massive timber-fall on their properties. It’s ongoing as long as the machine is viable. It will be available as long as there are volunteers to staff it.”
From left, Little Hampton resident Paul Ulrik and Trentham Lions Club members Michael Shade and John McLaren Words & image: Eve Lamb
Is saving desperate people really 'frivolous'?
As always, for all manner of reasons, the shadow of the United States of America looms over the culture of the world. That's a big statement I know and we can argue about it over dinner sometime.
Despite all predictions of its imminent demise, from our shitty social media feeds to the movies we critique, the online series we binge on, and the politics we follow, the idea of America is omnipresent. In a post-globalised world, within the 24-hour news cycle and the sodden floating morass of opinion and perspective that passes for actual information, you will find multiple aspects of the perplexing, infuriating, compelling, impenetrable, amorphous concept of America.
No other country on earth filters through via so many lenses and I suppose that is why everyone, whether they have been there or not, have so many strident opinions on the place and I have probably been the worst offender. So that’s why I decided, worn out slaving for The Local, that my next journey would be to that country. I did not expect to traipse the halls of power, feel its hot breath, nor oscillate around the world of the elite and famous. I simply wanted to see the USA at ground level through my own personal lens and form an opinion of this land via actual experience. I hope that what I have put down is worth reading. - Tony Sawrey
United States president Donald Trump intends to sanction the country’s law firms who he considers to be filing ‘frivolous’ lawsuits. The memo issued March 30 is yet another step by his administration to punish those he considers to be trying to impede his government’s agenda.
As one of the numerous directives, memos and announcements coming out of his White House office, it is difficult to determine what specific effects this will have in the coming months. But one thing is certain, after barely three months, Trump’s second term is generating a climate of anxiety and unease everywhere.
In the state of Arizona in the southwest of the country, this unease is particularly acute. Southern Arizona, much of it harsh desert, shares a 600km border with Mexico and is literally the front line where the movements of illegal immigrants, asylum seekers and undocumented workers rub up against a United States retreating into isolationism and xenophobia.
Thus a government threatening to go after lawyers and their ‘frivolous’ applications (such as advocating the rights of deportees or impeding the separation of immigrant families) may have real consequences there, as Maurice Goldman, a Tucson-based immigration lawyer explains:
“The question becomes, how are they going to define frivolous? Is everything in the eyes of this administration fraud or frivolous? These are words that can just get thrown around with no real true basis to it and it’s a way to chisel away at our system of justice and the rule of law.”
And of course it is not just legal organisations affected by this climate of uncertainty. It also has implications for non-government activist groups such as Humane Borders. Those who chose the risky crossing of desert regions into the United States are vulnerable to its extreme heat and since the turn of the 21st century over 4000 people have died making the journey.
Humane Borders’ mission is to ‘save desperate people from death by dehydration and exposure while working to create a more just and humane border’. They do one simple thing, that is to maintain a series of permitted water stations in the desert along trails used by migrants. The stations consist of blue plastic barrels filled with fresh water placed in a shaded area with a flag attached that can be seen from a distance.
The work of Humane Borders and other NGO’s like them has attracted the ire of authorities in the past. Volunteers have been threatened with prison and fines due to their efforts to place life-saving food and water and they have been accused of encouraging people smuggling and organised crime.
There is no doubt that ultimately it is these types of groups and their supporters that the current administration wants to impede. By going after the lawyers that assist them, they can easily isolate, criminalise and restrict their activism.
But here in Arizona it's not just the authorities Humane Borders has to be wary of. Guillermo Jones is a volunteer with the group and goes out on regular runs into the desert to check and refill water stations.
“We sometimes find barrels where the spigot had been removed by border patrol officers, draining the water. Often the barrels get shot at too. On a recent trip we encountered someone impersonating a migrant in distress and asking for a ride. He was trying to entrap us, as transporting people without documents is a crime.”
The wall straddling the line between Mexico and the United States is the President's vision of an isolated and locked-down country-made manifest. The eight-metre high structure, festooned with razor wire, towers over the desert town of Nogales.
Border patrol pick-ups drive along the base and helicopters and drones with infrared scanners cruise the skies. But within the local population, predominantly Hispanic and indigenous, there is a sympathy, or at least some understanding, of why those who brave the desert do what they have to do.
“People are scared right now,” says Guillermo, “Even those who have the right to enter the United States are afraid to cross over the border in case they get picked up in a sweep,” referring to recent arrests and deportations by Immigration Customs and Enforcement officials.
“But ultimately undocumented immigrant traffic will continue, and we will help them survive no matter how hard they try to stamp out our efforts in Washington DC.”
Words & images of Maurice Goldman, top left, and the wall: Tony Sawrey Images: Guillermo Jones, top right, and cross: Supplied by Guillermo Jones
Beetham's Botanicals
Hello, my name is John Beetham (JB) and welcome to my first gardening column, Beetham's Botanicals, for The Local.
I have lived in Hepburn for just on 30 years and have been involved with creating some very special landscapes around the shire.
My life of horticulture, landscaping, garden design and specialised maintenance stretches back over 45 years, from my nearly 10 years at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne, to the present where I am now regarded as a heritage tree expert acting as a consultant to other botanic and private gardens.
As we approach the end of April here in the Central Highlands, the region is ablaze with autumnal colouring from many common exotic trees and shrubs such as ash (Fraxinus spp.), elms (Ulmus spp.), maples (Acer spp.), oaks (Quercus spp.) and ornamental pears (Pyrus spp.).
It is worth mentioning that despite the weather conditions we have been enduring since last November including good rainfall surrounded by long bouts of dryness and topsy-turvy temperatures, both hot and cold, the intensity of the foliage colouring has not suffered.
And here are some tree and shrub species that are less common but would be a valuable addition to the home garden:
Lindera obtusiloba (Japanese spice bush) - Bhutan, China, India, Japan, Korea and Nepal
Nothofagus alessandrii (Ruil)Central Chile
Nyssa sylvatica (Black tupelo)Eastern Canada, Eastern & SouthCentral USA and Mexico
Metasequoia glyptostroboides (Dawn redwood) - China
Pseudolarix amabilis (Golden larch) - China
The last two above are both deciduous conifers with the dawn redwood showing off bronze autumnal foliage and the bright yellow golden larch and the ruil, a Southern American beech, can be seen growing in the Wombat Hill Botanic Gardens in Daylesford close to the tower car park.
And so, as the last of the leaves fall in preparation for the coming winter, there's a lot of sweeping up to be done and hopefully these will be recycled as composted mulch, ready for spreading back over the garden.
And when applying any mulch be sure to keep the area directly around the base of the plant clear, or at least not as thick as elsewhere.
Cheers JB (Trading as Trees in Australia)
Pictured in order of appearance, Metasequoia glyptostroboides/Dawn redwood, Nothofagus alessandrii/Ruil and Nyssa sylvatica/Black tupelo
Kyle’s Rant
As I glide into the last third of my life, my thoughts and priorities change, and I seem to be getting less tolerant with no stomach for fools.
Don’t get me wrong, I love to be foolish, used to be quite a hellraiser in my younger days, and am liberal with the dad jokes. (Husband says to wife, 'is this cup half full or half empty? Wife says 'please just take my bra off'. Boom boom.)
But when it comes to the ludicrous behaviour of others, with a particular focus on the youth, I have no patience.
My theory is that this has been going on for an age, as every generation reaches a time of stability and looks back on the ones coming through and complains bitterly. However, this time things seem to be different - youth crime is up and the elderly are not respected, just targets. The only way an older woman gets helped across the road is during a carjacking when she is tossed into the gutter sans handbag.
Accountability for one’s actions doesn’t seem to be much of a priority anymore for many young people, but I have decided to hit back. There was a road-rage incident I was tangled up in the other day which involved a truck so close behind me that the collision alarm sounded on the 80kph stretch of road out to Glenlyon.
These tailgating events and general dangerous situations are so common in the country, particularly involving P-platers or large trucks. I don’t know what a truck driver would do if an animal did hop out onto the road or I felt like I wanted to tap the brakes for a bunch of birds who were gnawing on some roadkill.
So, I waited until I got to the roundabout in Daylesford and I kept going around the roundabout until I was following the truck. The driver pulled up erratically outside the Daylesford Railway Station and quickly hopped out - perhaps to have a go. But he didn’t realise I was simply after some details from his door which, once obtained, was followed by a quick phone call to his company and my job was done.
My point is that although there seems to be no accountability, there are still pressure points you can push. We shouldn’t let bad and dangerous behaviour go unpunished. We are so used to ignoring unruly behaviour on the streets because of the threat of violence and self-preservation. But we need to fight back and pot these dickheads anyway we can. Threaten their livelihoods by potting them into their workplaces or the police.
It is hard enough just driving and trying to stay alive on the roads with the potholes, animals, fog, ice and distracted drivers let alone idiots who are in a hurry.
Speaking of potholes, there is a stretch of perfectly good, sealed road just beyond Blampied on the way to Newlyn. Recently this approximately 1000 metres of road was redone, which took a few weeks and a fair bit of traffic delay.
Just metres from the end of this smooth new seal that didn’t need fixing and almost outside Maze House, is a real doozy of a bunch of bumps it seems the roadworkers missed (WTF).
I know it is not a local council-maintained road and it is probably maintained by VicRoads but how do people whose duty in life is simply to find the bumps and fix them miss such a dangerous set of holes literally metres from the end of the works.
It’s not as if they finish a full day in surgery and are a bit tired as they climb aboard the steamrollers and they make a little boo-boo missing the actual stuff that should be fixed.
Road rant over…
(Ed's note: To all the young people out there doing the right thing, and the roadworkers just doing their jobs, The Local apologises. It's been a long week for Kyle...)
Local Lines
Left Right
1
Left, right, left right, here we go again.
In the march of political history, one falls, the other reigns.
Left foot forward, take it nice and slow.
Three years should be plenty, then we’ll give the right a go.
Right foot forward. That’s a giant step,
a step that lasts three years, but count the vows they kept.
2
Left, right, left right, Australia takes a stroll, one foot after the other in an easy swinging roll.
Wherever we are going, someone’s there to guide us, some naked emperor maybe, or a bunyip or a Midas.
Whatever they dish up, it’s what we have to eat, and eat we must to be sure of us staying on our feet.
3
Left, right, left right, you never can be certain what governments are up to. There behind their curtain lobbyists and money men bid for hidden stakes in the shadows of democracy. And grab what they can take.
Still, our votes must count because, along the plodding way, we keep on changing feet, come what bloody may.
- James Baillie
James is an old man scribbler.
Pick me, pick me!
G’day, I’m Boof and I am the best boy! I’m a red and tan kelpie aged three-anda-half.
I want nothing more than to be someone's best mate. I’m a happy and playful boy with a very soft and affectionate side.
I’m a real “best mate” type of dog. I need high, secure fencing to prevent me going off on my own adventures. Microchip no. 956000017497928. Come and meet me at MAAWs in Castlemaine.
Phone: 5472 5277.
(Pick me, pick me is run in memory of Rosie & Curly - we picked them. That's Curly, running as fast as a kelpie cross...not bad for a cocker spaniel cross.
Pick me, pick me is also proudly supported by Daylesford's petstockwhere pets are family.)
Just sayin’...
By Donna Kelly
We had a call a couple of weekends ago from friends in Brisbane. Wondering if we were OK.
I asked why we wouldn't be and they said 'the bushfire - everyone is being evacuated'.
We said we were fine and it was not under control, but getting there, and hopefully all would be well. And we are at Glenlyon, so a fair bit of distance between us and Sailors Falls.
I remember getting a call when I lived in Japan during the Tiananmen Square Massacre. A friend was wondering if I was OK. I kid you not. I think the media was saying Asia was firing up - or else my friend was dumber than I would like to think.
The media can be a funny thing. Yes, we are part of it, but I don't like a lot of it. As you would see on our back page we do let facts get in the way of a good story, but some media does not mind the odd beat-up.
Back to the fire, which was a controlled burn, until it was not. A meeting was held with residents to talk about what was happening and the media just happened to be there.
One long-term resident, who knows the bush, wrote to me afterwards.
"I attended a public meeting of the residents of the Ridge Road area who were impacted by the planned burn off. I was interviewed by Channel 9 but didn’t make the cut. I believe Channel 9 deliberately slanted the news to suggest that the residents were angry. That was untrue.
"I spoke up in defence of the CFA and Forest Fire Management and got a round of applause. I was then asked to speak on behalf of the long-term residents. I was interviewed at length by the journalist and afterwards he shook my hand and said ‘well spoken’.
"I just want to make it clear that those of us who knew we had to have a planned burn and were hoping for it weren’t represented at all by Channel 9 news and the only thing I’m angry about is the slant they put on it to suggest that we were angry.
"We all have faith in Forest Fire Management and would rather have a planned burn in autumn than a bushfire in summer."
Then of course it all hit Facebook and those just trying to provide real-time information were slammed so hard they pulled down their helpful comments and left the discourse. I don't blame them. And Channel 9 just returned to their Melbourne studio never to be seen again.
And probably the journo who did the interview presented this person's words and maybe it was too long or just didn't fit the optics of angry residents. Who knows?
But I think that's why local media is so much more accountable. If we write rubbish, we can be held to account in the supermarket, or walking down the street, or in the pub. So we make sure we write as succintly as we can - because I would rather have a pleasant visit to Coles than one with an angry reader. Same with the pub.
I always said to my mum to never talk to the media, well except for me, and I would suggest that to most people. It feels like the right thing at the time but comments can be slanted and I have actually seen them rewritten. Or, as above, just ignored.
My favourite media story is when our house caught fire in Frankston. An ABC journo appeared in the front yard just after the dogs were saved by us and the firies.
I told him to go away. He said he had driven all the way from Southgate. I said that was rubbish because the Triple 0 call had only been made 30 minutes prior. He said our house had a For Sale sign so....I told him 'No, I get the quirk but no'. He said 'you would want to thank the firies...' I said 'No, we will do that ourselves'. He said 'oh well, not to worry, I already got a house fire around the corner' and off he went. Never trust the media. Not even the ABC. Just sayin'...
Ageing DisGracefully members, including Max Primmer, get together at the Daylesford Mill Markets cafe on Thursdays at 11am. All welcome. For information email ageingdis3461@gmail.com, call 0427 131 249 or head to the Ageing DisGracefully Facebook page. Ageing DisGracefully is an initiative of Hepburn House.
W RD CROSS
Here is the crossword solution for Edition 329.
How did you go?
All words in the crossword appear somewhere in the same edition of The Local.
Markets
Every Sunday - Daylesford Sunday Market
First Saturday - Trentham Neighbourhood Centre Makers Market, Woodend Farmers Market
Second Saturday - Trentham Community Group Market, Kyneton Farmers Market, Kyneton Rotary Community Market
Second Sunday - Maldon Market, Clunes Farmers Market
Third Saturday - Trentham Farmers Market and Makers Market, Glenlyon Farmers Market, Leonards Hill Market, Creswick Market
Third Sunday - Talbot Farmers Market, Woodend Lions Market
Fourth Sunday - Daylesford Farmers Market, Trentham Station Sunday Market
Business Directory - Buy
Because that’s what facts do. They get in the way of wild theories, sensational headlines, and stories that are just too good to be true. And that’s the point.
Real journalism isn’t about chasin g clicks or stirring outrage. It’s about accountability. It’s about getting the story right, not just being the first to talk about it.
It’s about knowing your community and knowing what matters most.
Because when the truth matters, shortcuts don’t cut it.
We believe facts make stories stronger, not weaker. That’s why everything we publish is grounded in independence, integrity and an unwavering commitment to accuracy and the community we are part of.
Truth isn’t a single person’s point of view.
It’s a responsibility. And it’s one we take seriously.
