The Local Edition 51 August 3, 2015

August 3, 2015 Issue 51

The amazing life of Andy Greenwood

The Local The Heart of the Highlands’ own community publication

2 About Us

www.tlnews.com.au

The Local is a fortnightly community publication covering the Heart of the Highlands. The next edition is out on Monday, August 17, 2015.

Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/DHSLocal to receive your e-edition early - on Sunday evening!

Advertising deadlines for the next edition of The Local: Space bookings: Wednesday, August 12 Copy provided by: Thursday, August 13 Editorial deadline: Thursday, August 13 Boss: Donna Kelly General manager | Photographer: Kyle Barnes Sub-editors: Nick Bunning and Lindsay Smith Sales: Nick Bunning (Ballarat), Kate Coleman (Kyneton) Contributors: Robin Archer, Dianne Caithness, Brian Nash, Kevin Childs, Dan Lonergan, Anthony Sawrey, Kate Taylor and Glen Heyne Editorial and affordable sales - 5348 7883 | 0416 104 283 donna@tlnews.com.au | kyle@tlnews.com.au e-editions at www.tlnews.com.au See a photo you like? Photos are just $20 each and will be emailed at high resolution. You can print as many copies as you like...

Money, money, money...

Advertisements in The Local are very affordable - unlike traditional print media we don’t charge like wounded bulls!

So here goes with our prices...it’s even less for our loyalty rate.

An eighth of a page - $65 plus GST A quarter page - $125 plus GST A banner - $125 plus GST A half page - $250 plus GST A full page - $500 plus GST (Prices are per edition) But wait, there’s more!

The Local is a registered trademark of Kyle Barnes and Donna Kelly

Front cover: Andy Greenwood just happens to be head of production and technical services at Museum Victoria - and sometimes his job involves 6.3 metre long basking sharks. Read his story by Kevin Childs on page 19.

All adverts in The Local are full colour and we have fantastic graphic designers who can help you with adverts and branding - also at very affordable prices.

So, if you want to get your business or organisation out there in the community, in the best-read publication in the Heart of the Highlands, give us a call or send an email. (See our details left.)

Oh, we also have an average of 14,000 readers - online and in print!

Even more reasons to get in touch today.

Image: Museum Victoria

The Local winner of the Daylesford Rotary Club’s Business of the Year 2015

“I can’t find The Local...”

Really? Mmm. That’s odd. There are a lot around - and you are reading this one...Anyway, where to find your copy of The Local?

Here goes: In no particular order The Local is bulk drop delivered to Daylesford, Hepburn, Trentham, Trentham East, Lyonville, Glenlyon, Newlyn, Kyneton, Malmsbury, Tylden, Creswick and Clunes.

Copies are also dropped at most cafes and hotels in the region.

And of course it’s online at www.tlnews.com.au that’s real home delivery for you.

Just sayin’...

Still looking? Just give us a call on 5348 7883.

The Local is the future of regional publishing!

- as stated by Victorian Senator John Madigan in the Australian Parliament - November 2014 Just sayin’... :)

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News 3

“Human life or statue life. Which one?”

Words: Anthony Sawrey | Photos: Contributed

G

OING on holiday to some of the more exotic places in the world is a great attraction to a traveller. But a package tour to Bali, where your greatest danger is getting ripped off in a currency exchange, is nothing compared to working for the International Red Cross.

Korweinguboora resident Nick Prince has spent many years working on relief operations for the humanitarian organisation in some of the world’s most notorious war zones and disaster areas. In the process, he has visited many locations closed off to the rest of the world including the Hazarajat region of central Afghanistan. This was the home of the immense 6th century Buddha statues destroyed by the Taliban in 2001.

“I was deployed by the International Committee of the Red Cross to Afghanistan at the end of 1997 and worked there for over 14 months,” says Nick.

“My initial position was as a surgical nurse at an ICRC hospital in Kandahar, but after three months I was deployed in Jalalabad in the east. My role there was coordinating the health program within the local hospital but also in the surrounding communities.

“While Jalalabad was my duty station, we travelled around all the major areas of Afghanistan with supplies. By doing so, we were fulfilling an important need in respect to international humanitarian law, set out in the 1949 Geneva conventions, and operated on both sides of the conflict. At the time this comprised moving back and forth across a shifting front that divided the Taliban-controlled south from the territories of the Northern Alliance.”

The country had been beset by widespread civil unrest since 1992 but by 1998 the Taliban controlled over 80 per cent of it, including the Bamiyan Valley where the Buddhist relics were located. It was on one such relief mission to nearby Bamiyan City that Nick and his other operative were able to visit the Buddha statues.

The Bamiyan Valley was part of the historical Silk Road between China and the Mediterranean Sea and was centre of Buddhist religious study from the second century until the first Islamic invasions 500 years later. The two major statues, over 40 metres tall, were carved into the local sandstone cliffs between the years 544 and 644. Their local Taliban hosts were very excited to be able to show the Red Cross workers the figures and invited them to take a walk and see them. Little did they know at the time, they were some of the last westerners to see the relics intact.

“There was a path that wound up around the largest one and went into its head.

Inside there were remnants of tiling and old settings for gems and pieces of wood.

“We were told by our interpreter that there had been many attempts to destroy the statues in the past including by the Soviets, British, Persians and Mughals. But while there had been more recent threats to the statues, we could not have foreseen what was going to happen to them. I guess we should have taken some photos.”

Sadly, like other historical sites in war zones, from Mostar in Bosnia to Nineveh in Syria, the Buddha statues of the Bamiyan Valley got caught up in the shifting politics, allegiances and ideologies of armed conflict.

The Red Cross must operate in this type of atmosphere while focusing on saving human lives. They must work with competing belligerents to achieve their objectives and must not be seen to be taking any side. In so many circumstances, the stakes are higher than the fate of inanimate objects, modern or historical.

As an aid worker, Nick who has seen the best and worst that humanity has to offer, has this to say: “Human life or statue life. Which one?”

When you put it like that there is very little scope for debate.

Above, Nick Prince, right, one of his views in Afghanistan

Welcome to The Farmers Arms

Open 7 days a week for lunch & dinner The Farmers Arms is a fantastic corner pub offering the perfect blend of country charm combined with a sophisticated menu, wine list and professional service.

For more information about the pub and or current menu please visit: thefarmersarms.com.au 1 East Street Daylesford, ph: 03 5348 2091

4 Our artists

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C

ERAMICIST Marina Pribaz moved to Daylesford from Melbourne in 2000.

She remembers waking up feeling cold, looking out the window to a thick layer of snow everywhere and feeling so happy to be here. With an Italian background Maria also loves that the Swiss Italians settled in Daylesford back in the 1800s. She spoke to Donna Kelly.

DK: When did your interest in art begin?

MP: I have been interested in art since I was a small child. I remember watching my big brother paint and I just wanted to paint too. Eventually I enrolled in Fine Arts at RMIT where I completed an honours degree in painting. When I moved to Daylesford I enquired at the University of Ballarat about learning how to make ceramic tiles. I thought I would just make tiles to decorate my home and then return to painting, but somehow ceramics got under my skin and I found a vast, rich culture of making that continues to surprise and engage me and one that I continue to learn from.

DK: What sort of ceramics do you do?

MP: At present I make work which is slipcast or hand-built or both. My work uses mainly southern ice porcelain that is slipcast to create fine, delicate forms that are translucent when held up to the light. To make the prototype mould, I either throw the form on the wheel or hand-build it. I may paddle or alter the form before creating a plaster mould of this form which is then slipcast. I think, because of my background in painting, I see the slipcast form as a 3 dimensional “canvas”. I then carve, paint, scratch, or inlay the surface with designs and imagery.

DK: What does your work mean to you?

MP: Clay is a very primal medium. Hand-building, in particular, is very grounding and connects me to mother earth in a very physical, tangible way. It has been used over the centuries by many cultures to create functional ware as well as ritualistic and decorative art. I like to create work that has meaning for me. Some of my pieces reflect time spent in the Pilbara in Western Australia - a very beautiful, vast and ancient landscape. Other pieces engage my love of gardens and plants on their surfaces, whilst others speak of the innocence and nostalgia of childhood. I mainly make functional ware, sometimes with a sense of whimsy. I like the work to reflect the hand of the maker - I feel there is an energy that connects the artist and the work with the person using the ceramic piece. I like that connection.

DK: What do you hope it means to others?

MP: I hope that everyone can find something in the pieces that “speak” to them.

We live in a world of mass production where so many things are industrially made and don’t have an emotional “heartbeat”. I hope that all handmade pieces, not only my own, can resonate with people and allow them to slow down, touch, feel and have a quiet moment of reflection and contemplation with the work. We don’t need too many things in our lives - just treasured pieces that become part of our lives to enrich us.

DK: Can anyone be a potter?

MP: I really feel the world would be a better place if everyone was a potter! But seriously, everyone has an internal, creative voice that needs to find its expression in one form or another. For me, I find clay quite grounding and expressive, but for others it may be writing, gardening, painting, singing….

DK: Finally, where can your work be seen next?

MP: As part of Australian Ceramics Association’s Open Studios Programme I will be opening my studio at 1 Rings Road, Daylesford to the public on the weekend of August 15 and 16 from 10am to 4pm. I hope if people are free they will pop in and say hello.

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News 5

Pensioner couple providing food for those in need Words: Kevin Childs | Image: Kyle Barnes

H

ow do a husband and wife on a pension manage to run a food bank?

According to Annette Thomas their position is “pretty serious”.

Volunteers who are “reliable and willing to do everything” are needed, she said, as she and husband Alan moved their operation from their rented house in Glenlyon to a room behind the Community Op Shop in Mink Street, Daylesford.

Look wider across the state and there is a huge need: 8.5 million kilos of food are given to the needy each year. But there is not enough, so each month 8500 hungry people miss out, a third of them children.

A further 110,000 are fed monthly, says Foodbank Victoria, which notes an alarming change in the greatest demand moving from the jobless, homeless and those with mental health problems to working families.

The highest use of food relief is in the country.

Foodbanks run by couples are not unusual, says Foodbank Victoria, although some passers-by were bemused by a hand-painted sign in Glenlyon pointing roughly to Food Assistance.

There, a hand-cut timber shed holds neatly stacked food, such as tins of Lavazza coffee, baked beans and canned tomatoes. The Thomases dole the food out or keep it for cooking (Alan, 58, was a chef until he got sick of it). Keeping Daylesford Warm beanies are in a pile and there are heat packs, swapped, they say, for food. Fridges hold yoghurt, sausage rolls and salami.

The orderly nature of these supplies contrasts with the surrounds where a relaxed approach is shown by stuff strewn about, including a decomposing Saab car at the rear. From within came the barking of a chihuahuapoodle cross and a miniature poodle, which share the place with two cats (and often a third).

So why would pensioners such as these two decide to help, even it meant putting in their money? “We found a need,” says 56-year-old Annette. “I’ve always wanted to help people…I’ve needed help in the past, so I thought I’d give it back.”

They started in September last year, after a Daylesford foodbank closed. First they raised cash through sausage sizzles in Vincent St. After jumping through legal hoops they have charity status and say they will begin fund-raising.

Day-old bread is brought from Brumby’s in Ballarat by a son, while other food is from the Bendigo Foodstore, which gets Coles’ discards. “If we don’t get the basics, we buy,” Annette says.

Some of those who need feeding live in motels. Or perhaps families with eight children or those who, when big bills come around, simply can’t afford to buy food.

Annette estimates they feed 30 to 50 people and blames high rents for some of the need. Daylesford Primary School students get a breakfast once a term.

Another source of wholesome hearty meals is the Anglican Church, which has a full house for its weekly Friday lunch. Oddly enough, this is the same day the Thomases open. That and Wednesday from 11am to 3pm.

An earlier food bank collapsed, Annette says, when St Vinnies pulled out. Does it help now? “They (St Vinnies) have helped me personally,” she says, “but won’t help this…we’ve been knocked back twice by the council and now we need help writing applications for grants”. Support has also been sought from a local security firm.

At the Community Health Centre senior welfare officer Annabelle Geddes says she referred six people to the service in six months.

“Most know about it,” she said.

Meanwhile, Hepburn Shire Mayor Kate Redwood says she was not aware of the service seeking council help but notes that the Anglican Church feeds more than 60 each week and provided food security and a social link.

“This is a municipality with quite a low average income. A lot of people depend on social support and a lot have serious health problems.”

Above, Alan and Annette Thomas used to run a regular breakfast out of the Daylesford Neighbourhood Centre

“A lot of people depend on social support and a lot have serious health problems.”

- Mayor Kate Redwood

Central Highlands Pain & Well-being Centre Dr Shelley L Beer Chinese Medicine Community Open Group Acupuncture $30 ea Tuesday 2pm - 5pm / Thursday 9.30 - 11.30 am - Drop in or by appointment Friday 9.30 - 11.30am BY APPOINTMENT only Private consultations still by appointment Tues – Sat. Daylesford - 12 Albert St., Castlemaine (Wednesday)- Healing Well, 147 Mostyn St. Phone 0417 036 153 - www.tcmconsultancy.com

C

Cobaw Community Health committed to marriage equality

OBAW Community Health has welcomed the US Supreme Court decision in ruling same-sex marriage legal in all 50 states of America.

This ruling sees equal recognition of same-sex relationships in the United States, ending marriage laws that fail to grant equal recognition for all.

Marriage equality in Australia would be a key step towards recognising equal standing of same-sex relationships, and the right of all people to have equal recognition in the eyes of the law.

“The current laws in Australia that deny same-sex attracted people the right to marry their partner, continue to affect the wellbeing of many members of our community,” Cobaw chief executive officer Margaret McDonald said.

“Social exclusion is one of the most significant determinants of health outcomes.

Due to ongoing prejudice and discrimination, same sex attracted and gender diverse people have significantly lower health outcomes than the broader population”.

Cobaw Community Health services the Macedon Ranges and is a Rainbow Tick accredited organisation, committed to inclusive service delivery and practice.

Rainbow Tick is an accreditation process that assesses organisations against Australian standards to endorse services that are welcoming, responsive and understanding of the health needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex members of our community.

Cobaw also provides the WayOut program, a state-wide suicide prevention program established in 2002 that works with same sex attracted, bisexual and transgender young people in rural Victoria.

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Homes 7

There’s no place like (this) home...

T

HERE are some houses you walk into and they just have a good feeling.

And that’s how artists Roberta Donnelly and Brian Nash came to live in Daylesford and start their bed and breakfast, Impressions of Daylesford.

That was despite the house having little aesthetic appeal – with concrete walls, no kitchen to speak of – just a sink, no floorboards in the upstairs bathrooms and blocked up fireplaces.

But the couple, when they first saw the home in January 2000, just thought “we can do something here”.

The pair had been living in Aspendale Gardens and running a gallery in Parkdale, but with the gallery building sold, they decided to look further afield.

“We went for a drive to Talbot thinking it might be a nice place to live and open a little gallery but it didn’t feel right,” Roberta said.

“We were coming back through Daylesford and it was a hot day so we stopped at the milkbar which used to be in the main street where Benjamin Bandicoot is now, and got a cold drink.

“We wandered down to Paul Johnson’s real estate on the corner and saw this for sale. We walked up and liked it from the outside so the next day we came back up and had a look at it.

“We put a deposit on it and Brian’s nephew, a builder by trade, came and had a look and said it was quite stable so we bought it.”

Roberta and Brian moved in that June and spent the next seven months renovating everything from floors to doors, windows to walls.

They found out their now lounge was once a stable and the building, which was erected in the 1860s, pre-electricity, had once also housed a maid.

And for many that renovation would be enough.

But one night, when everything was settled, Brian said “I think I’ll do a painting” and started drawing on the former stable wall in charcoal.

“And it just grew and kept growing and growing,” Roberta said.

His work included a nod to his favourite artist painter, Edgar Degas, who is well known for his ballerinas – one of Brian’s dancers looks very similar to Roberta’s daughter, and just kept going. Upstairs in the guests’ bathrooms are magnificent but tasteful nudes – which get plenty of comments.

And while Roberta says there is always more to do the couple love their home – with some of the best views in Daylesford from their balcony.

“We love it and even though one day it will be too big for just Brian and me, we don’t want to move.”

Words: Donna Kelly | Images: Kyle Barnes

KYNETON DRYCLEANERS FAMILY OWNED AND OPERATED

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Your Drycleaning Angels

AGENCIES AT TYLDEN | WOODEND | ROMSEY | LANCEFIELD | MALMSBURY | CASTLEMAINE | GLENLYON | DAYLESFORD | TRENTHAM

8 Opinion

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Just sayin’...

With Donna Kelly

I

ADMIT it. I am a Facebook addict.

Well, sort of. I don’t have a smartphone or an iPad so if I am not at my desktop computer I am not switched in. But when I am at my computer I can’t help but popping into Facebook for a look now and again.

And when I do, I often wonder why I bother. There are a lot of photos of children and pets, which is OK, but I have no children and I would rather look at my own pet.

Then there are the inane comments like “in Bunnings, looking at outdoor furniture” which really just says to me you have told the whole world you are not at home and don’t really have a lot going on anyway.

Then there are the “done to provoke sympathy” comments like the simple “just so sad” which elicits replies like “what’s wrong lovely” or “things will get better, do you want me to come over” but you never see anything back from the original Facebooker. Mmm. But I guess there are some I do quite like. Like when someone posts “peeps (people) the sheriffs are in town, watch out”. And then the string begins. Usually someone else then says “why are they here” and someone else writes “their (sic) getting unregistered cars - be careful” and then someone else writes “why not just register your car and carry on” and someone else writes “not all of us can afford registered or roadworthy cars”.

And then someone else writes “peeps the sheriffs are in town, why are they here?”

Good grief - but it can be quite amusing. And sad. One string was all about a kitten someone found badly injured on the road. It went for about two days from memory - people were ready to set up a trust fund for the poor thing but at the end of the day it couldn’t be saved because its injuries were too severe. The last comment was, oddly, “f..king vets”. Really?

I guess the thing I like most about Facebook is that you can keep in touch with people who have appeared in your past life. After living in Japan and England, and travelling a fair bit in Australia, it’s fun to see what people are up to years later. Not sure why I need to catch up with a girl I once climbed Uluru with when I was in my early 20s. (I know, you shouldn’t climb the rock but it was the old days and very much encouraged...) But somehow it all keeps us connected. There’ll be a reunion one day.

I joined my mother up to Facebook and she now loves it despite some initial protestations.

All her friends believed it was an evil trap to steal everyone’s identity. Now my mother is great but would you really want to steal the identity of an 82-year-old? Just sayin’...

Pick me, pick me

H

i, my name is Rosie and I am a five-year old kelpie cross.

I’m a well behaved, special girl who will make a wonderful companion. I have previously lived with other dogs and with cats, and have been around other animals. I used to go to work with my owner. But I need a new forever home so please pick me!

MC# 956000004378959

Castlemaine RSPCA is at 24 Langslow Street, Castlemaine.

Open: Monday to Thursday from 10am to 5pm. Friday and Saturday from 10am to 3pm. Phone: 5472 5277.

(Pick me, pick me - is run in memory of Curly. We picked him.)

The Local - Connecting the Community 

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THE Local believes in giving back. So welcome to The Local’s “Connecting the Community” project. Each edition The Local has two free advert spaces to give away to notfor-profit organisations. Just because we can.

So if your group needs a helping hand just email donna@tlnews.com.au If we receive more than two we will use the tried and true “put them in a hat” system but also work a little bit on timing.

                                              



Heathcote Film Festival THE 5th Heathcote Film Festival, with a program of Australian and International Short Films, will be held on August 29.

The festival includes a Q&A session with film-maker Guy Rathjen, a pre-screening party with canapes

by Willow Room and a Monsieur Pierre supper after the main event.

Bookings are essential.

Link: trybooking.com/142136

www.tlnews.com.au

News 9

Ruby’s passion pays off

D

AYLESFORD Primary School student Ruby Hurst has come up with a novel way to get Fresh Fruit Friday back to the school.

Ruby’s mum Natalie Hardy said the school had a junior school council which allowed a student from each grade to get together once a week under the guidance of vice principle David Garner.

Ms Hardy said Ruby, a grade 4 student, was passionate to reinstate Fresh Fruit Friday where every prep to grade two student received a piece of fresh fruit every Friday to promote healthy eating. Government funding stopped two years ago.

“Ruby gave a presentation to David with the idea of a local business sponsoring the program for a month each and the importance of the program in spreading the healthy eating message to students.”

Thanks to Ruby the program will relaunched this Friday, August 7.

Mr Garner said the junior school council empowered children to do what they valued inside and outside the school.

“It is fantastic to see that Ruby has inspired other children. She was really passionate about this issue.”

Any businesses willing to supply fruit or make donations of any size can contact Daylesford Primary School on 5348 2480.

Art finalists

T

RENTHAM artist Rose Wilson is a finalist in the prestigious Black Swan national prize for portraiture.

Her portrait is of local artist Tim Jones – whose work is held by major institutions such as the National Gallery of Victoria.

Rose has been a finalist in the Archibald and Doug Moran portrait prizes and is a previous Black Swan finalist.

Meanwhile Kyneton artist Daniel Butterworth is also a Black Swan finalist.

Daniel’s works are among those currently on exhibition at Trentham’s Little Gallery on High as part of the White Rabbit Winter Show.

Water bores

L

ANDHOLDERS and bore drillers can apply online for a water bore licence through a new service on the Victorian Water Register.

The Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning and rural water corporations have developed the initiative which will make it easier, faster and cheaper to apply for licences to build water bores for domestic and stock use, investigation and observation.

Licensing, Groundwater and Unregulated Systems manager Patrick O’Halloran said the innovation was designed to cut red tape and costs.

Applications will be automatically processed and in most cases licences will be issued on the spot. Fees for one online application will be around 50 per cent less than for a paper application. The new service is integrated with mapping technology to make it easy to locate the property where a bore is to be drilled.

Link: mywater.waterregister.vic.gov.au

Networking

L

OCAL businesses have the opportunity to be inspired by guest speakers at the region’s very first Regional Networking Evening hosted by the Macedon Ranges Shire Council.

The event will be held at the Royal George Hotel in Kyneton on Tuesday, August 4 from 6.30pm to 10.30pm and include facilitated networking activities and an inspiring presentation from local business owner Kay Jackson from Simplex Insurance.

Mayor Jennifer Anderson said networking and building relationships could often be the key to success and it was an important strategy as part of a business plan.

“The aim of council’s economic development strategy is to support business growth and development.”

Cost is $35 and includes finger food.

Details: 5421 9616 or ecodevadmin@mrsc.vic.gov.au

10 News

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We accept and BULK BILL vouchers from public hospital dental clinic (VEDS & VGDS) and the Medicare childhood dental benefits schedule (CDBS & DVA).

If you are with HCF health fund “More for Teeth program’’, you may get Exams, X-rays, Cleans done twice a year without any gap** • • •

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* (conditions apply) call our friendly staff for more details. ** Some members may not receive the Maximum Benefit depending on their level of cover and/or their available entitlements.

We accept and BULK BILL vouchers from public hospital clinic FORdental BOOKINGS PHONE: 03 5348 2939 (VEDS and the Medicare 16 Albert & St -VGDS) Daylesford | www.springsfamilydental.com.au | info@springsfamilydental.com.au childhood dental benefits schedule (CDBS).

www.tlnews.com.au

Who’s who in The Local’s crew - Donna

I

ALWAYS wanted to be a journalist.

I have a photo album, you know the ones with the sticky film that eventually fades all your photos, and it has captions.

I wrote it when I was about 10 after a trip to Queensland. A long car trip with mum and dad in the front and four kids in the back. I remember quite clearly my father saying very often over the three days up and three days back “if you kids don’t shut up I will pull this car over…”

Ahh, fun times. But anyway, the captions despite being something along the lines of “A big dolphin leaping for food” (obviously Seaworld) are the giveaway of a young journo ready to meet the world.

I was always reading, writing to authors, and then I found school magazines and newspapers. I was often the editor but I liked any role from taking photos to chatting to people.

When I finished school I opted for a Bachelor of Education just in case I did a three-year degree in journalism and didn’t like it.

But while I worked part-time at Myer I was also hounding the local Frankston Standard for any volunteer work I could muster. I even wrote two sentence reports for my AUSSI swimming club – the first time they had anything published.

At the end of uni a job came up at the Frankston Standard but nepotism was rife and a journo’s daughter got it. But I found myself down the road at the Southern Peninsula Gazette in Rosebud.

I had a tough boss who probably, these days, would be accused of work place bullying, but I didn’t care, I was in the game.

A few papers later and Japan came out of left field. A job teaching English at junior high school for the Japanese Department of Education.

So at the ripe old age of 22 I headed to Tokyo – my first time away from home.

And I loved it. I remember being dropped off at my apartment, after being picked up at Narita Airport by four men with very little English, and thinking “made it!”.

But it was a learning curve. Squat toilets to manoeuvre (especially hard on bullet trains racing along at 300km an hour), trying to eat a whole squid with chopsticks, getting to various country schools on my 50cc scooter and just finding my way around with no Japanese skills.

I think my first phrase was “beeru ippon kudasai” (one beer please) and after a few of those “o’terai wa dochira desu ka?” (where’s the toilet).

But gradually I learned the language and when I finally left three years later I burst into tears on the plane – I didn’t want to leave but I knew Australia was my real home.

Back home it didn’t take long to start using my Japanese skills as a tourist guide.

That took me to Cairns, and later Brisbane, Surfers Paradise, a stint in England and Europe, and then Hamilton Island.

And that’s where I met Kyle. It really was serendipity. He had just arrived at Airlie Beach from New Zealand looking for work. I had just been out on a trip with a skipper who was busy almost fondling the Japanese girls. He even threw one in the boom net – and she couldn’t swim. By the time she crawled out she had blood dripping from her fingernails.

So I put in the complaint, Kyle heard there was a vacancy, and that was that.

We stayed just three months, narrowly avoiding Next Boat Out scenarios when we did stupid things like seeing how many people we could stack up on a golf buggy. I think it was 15.

Then it was off to Brisbane, Cairns, Alice Springs, Caulfield, Frankston, Mordialloc, Glenlyon, Hervey Bay, Ballarat, Glenlyon, Karratha, Logan City, Frankston and back to Glenlyon. No wonder I am tired.

But it was a great way to see the real Australia, to be immersed in all those cultures, and let’s be frank, sometimes no culture at all. I’m talking about you Karratha!

Somewhere along the way I got back into journalism and managed to work on a host of publications from daily and weekly newspapers to magazines and even spots on radio here and there.

It’s been a lot of fun and I won’t ever look back and wonder. It’s been pretty much unplanned but somehow things have worked out and now we have The Local – which combines lots of our skills except for Kyle’s skippering and my Japanese.

But we do head out for rides on big boats when we can – I do like a 50-foot boat where possible – and have headed back to Japan for numerous cherry blossom outings.

Where we sit on tatami mats, eat sashimi and watch the blossoms fall gently to the ground. And when we head to the drinks stall we both say “beeru ippon kudasai”.

News 11

12 Reflections

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A Sparkling Life A COLUMN by Marian Sidwell and her recollection of living in Daylesford.

Due to space, the final column for The Local will run in the August 31 edition. But the remaining chapters are available from msidwell@bigpond.net.au Drawing by Daylesford artist Brian Nash art@briannash.com.au

B

ack at home dad was digging his pit for the septic tank we’d heard so much about. A huge rectangular hole appeared in the backyard and dad seemed to disappear further down it as each day of his digging progressed.

He kept going into great lengthy explanations of the wondrous mechanics of it all. The various chambers, the inlets, the outlets, the gobbling insects that were to be put in and the clear water that was to run from it down the West Street gutter.

I would stand at the edge of the pit listening to him as he dug and think to myself how lucky he was that I hadn’t thrown up all over his head.

With the family’s chain pulling future now on the home straight this meant, of course, a further construction challenge for dad; the building of the new toilet and laundry. This work progressed neck and neck with the tank and, fortunately, the talk of timber, nails and plumb lines proved quite agreeable to my stomach.

Once the laundry was proudly puffing its Monday smoke from the new chimney and the toilet chain sending out its melodious airs, dad turned his hand to reducing the cost of our hot water supply. He somehow snaked iron piping through the sides and back of the cooking stove’s fire box, connected inlets and outlets with taps and valves outside and up into the ceiling to the hot water tank. The idea, and it worked, was to offset the power taken to boost the temperature of the water. I don’t think the little kitchenette ever did get a supply of hot water, I can’t really remember, but I always held dad’s ingenious pipe works on a parallel with the pins and ropes of Joan’s concert curtains.

Joan unfortunately that first year at Daylesford developed another bout of rheumatic fever. Not as severe as her first but serious enough to lob her in hospital for several weeks. This time, however, she was to have family and friends trooping in and out to see her on a daily and nightly basis. Not like the year she spent in the 1940s where visiting at the Royal Children’s Hospital was only allowed once a month on a Sunday afternoon.

The Daylesford hospital was a strategic double-storied red brick building set on the side of a hill just north of Raglan Street and to get to it without a car was stamina testing. We had a choice of the long slow drag up Howe Street or the shorter route via Hospital Street which was so steep the local council had erected a handrail beside the footpath to haul pedestrians up. I think a knotted rope over the hospital wall would have worked just as well.

Joan was always happy to see her puffing visitors and although she was obviously in pain and unable to walk I found at times her gentle acceptance a little hard to take. Since her earlier sickness we had always been in the same classes at school but not necessarily in the same rooms. She was a bright scholar, brighter than me and at primary school she was always top or second top of her class. I hovered in the top 10 which wasn’t too bad I suppose considering class loads in those days numbered around 48 pupils.

Joan’s best friend proved to be truly that. She re-wrote most of her own daily lesson notes for her and delivered them post haste to the hospital where Joan was able to keep pace with most of her work and did not have to repeat Form One.

Here is the solution to last week’s crossword. This week’s crossword is on page 22.

All the answers are somewhere in The Local. Good luck!

Geelong Businessman, Mark Ward has ownership of the Mill Markets group and brings years of expertise to this amazing concept. The Mill Markets operate three massive venues located in Ballarat, Daylesford and Geelong. With a total of over 12,000 square metres of undercover floor space, (3 acres), treasure hunters have the opportunity to spend many hours browsing and meandering through the eclectic mix of products. There is a fantastic variety of home decor, furniture, records, vintage clothing, books, fine china, glassware, industrial items, jewellery, antiques as well as Australian pottery, homewares, memorabilia, retro fashions and collectables. We also have many stalls selling new products and have gift vouchers for those people who have everything!

All goods are from the 1850’s right through to present day. Mill Markets lease space to hundreds of dealers, which allows small business operators and collectors who otherwise could not afford the overheads of their own shops, to showcase their goods. This equates to a wide and diverse range of products, available and open to the public, seven days a week. Enjoy a wonderful trip down memory lane through hundreds and thousands of items available for purchase at all three locations. With over 500 stall holders over three venues, there is always something for everyone. Travel The Amazing Mill Markets ‘Golden Triangle’ and enjoy quality food and coffee at each. All venues open 7 days 10.00am-6.00pm (excluding Christmas Day).

14 Happy & Healthy

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Happy & Healthy 15

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16 Happy & Healthy

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Out & About 17

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Hepburn House offering top quality care

I

F THERE’S one thing Kevin Connor loves, it’s caring for the elderly.

Having worked in the aged-care industry for more than two decades, the Hepburn House lifestyle co-ordinator makes the happiness of his residents his number one priority.

It is for this reason that Kevin decided it was a good idea to organise monthly Morning Melody sessions, engaging the Hepburn House residents with the wider community through the sound of music.

“To further enhance our lifestyle program and engage our residents with the community, we decided to open our doors monthly to visitors from the community and other aged-care facilities to attend monthly Morning Melodies. I understand how difficult it can be for people to move into residential care and I understand how many feel isolated and alone.”

Kevin is just one of the staff members at Hepburn House whose primary focus is the health and happiness of the facility’s residents.

Hepburn House facility manager Dianne Jones said all the lifestyle staff loved to sit down with residents and engage with them on a deeply personal level. She said the facility also had an onsite bus with wheelchair access, ensuring residents could engage with the local community on a regular basis.

“The innovative leisure and lifestyle program ensures participation with variety and spontaneity. Activities include but are not limited to card games, cooking classes, arts and crafts, walking groups and library visits. We also have a volunteer program where visitors from the community are encouraged to interact with our residents either one-on-one or in a social setting.”

Hepburn House is a 60-bed government-funded facility nestled amongst the hills and built like a country homestead.

With Kevin having moved to Daylesford at the start of this year, he said he hoped to inject Hepburn House with the same community feel as his newly-adopted town.

“During my time here, I’ve developed an understanding of what a close community Daylesford is and I want our residents to continue to feel a part of that community even though they live in residential care.”

The first Morning Melodies session will be held on Wednesday, August 19 at 10.30am. Tea, coffee and scones will be provided with transport to and from Hepburn House available for those living in Daylesford or Hepburn. Tickets to the session cost $7.

For more information, visit www.hepburnhouse.com.au or call 5348 8100.

Hepburn House is located at 1 Hepburn Road, Daylesford.

Staff members Bella Neville and Kevin Connor outside Hepburn House

Advertorial

18 News

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Ageing Well In Hepburn Shire Talk Series In August, the talk series turns specifically to the end of life. The subject of dying, and dying as well as possible, according to our own wishes, is certainly a front and LIKE to think that I will be able to live in the house I live in now until I centre topic in the media today.

As Oliver Sacks, a noted neurologist now dying of cancer, wrote in the New York die – and I’d like to die here at home, passing away in my sleep as easily as possible. But the future might hold a number of other possibilities and Times recently:

Words: Mary-Faeth Chenery

I

I’ve seen enough of the difficulties that others are going through to realise that I should plan ahead for a range of things that could happen.

“A few weeks ago, in the country, far from the lights of the city, I saw the entire sky ‘powdered with stars’ (in Milton’s words)…It was this celestial splendour that suddenly The Ageing Well in Hepburn Shire Talk Series is addressing some of these issues: made me realise how little time, how little life, I had left. My sense of the heavens’ beauty, the July talk covered ways to think about how and where we live – and the services of eternity, was inseparably mixed for me with a sense of transience — and death. available to help with that.

“I told my friends Kate and Allen ‘I would like to see such a sky again when I am The August 20 talk will look at the end of life – how and where we die, you might dying’. ‘We’ll wheel you outside,’ they said.” say. There’s a lot to be said for making your wishes known in advance to family and caregivers so that you get what you want.

The session will look at community palliative care for the aged person, with Hepburn Health Service Integrated Aged Care manager Gabrielle Kirby and speakers from Ballarat Hospice Care, which serves Hepburn Shire, with speakers Hepburn Shire Aged and Disability Services manager Melanie Perks led a spirited hospice nurse Melanie Mattinson and welfare officer Liz Dawson. discussion at the July talk on the options for care and support as we age.

They will talk about a range of end of life issues, including caring for a dying Thinking about what we want in the way of environment, personal and social factors, people voiced concerns about “getting rid of wood fires – I can’t keep lugging person at home, advance care planning and grief and bereavement support.

The August talk in the Ageing Well in Hepburn Shire Talk Series will be held wood into the house”, “I need a level block”, “what about someone to help me when on Thursday, August 20 from 3pm to 4.30pm in the Senior Citizens Rooms in the I am frail”, “I don’t want to die alone”,“I want wherever I am to be sustainable and Daylesford Town Hall. green friendly”, “it needs to be nearby to shops, the library and things to do” and “what about transport”.

Hepburn Health Service and Hepburn Shire Council offers services in our community and it’s helpful to know what these are and how to access them – and the timing for getting such access.

Thinking through these matters before you need them is a great help, as so often the situation that puts us in need of care is quite unexpected – the fall that results in a broken hip, the illness of a partner…

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News 19

When Andy met Barry: the one that didn’t get away Words: Kevin Childs | Top image: Museum Victoria

W

HEN the world was learning that a gigantic fish that looked like it came from the age of dinosaurs had been pulled from the sea, Daylesford’s Andy Greenwood brimmed over with excitement as he sprung into action.

The Portland trawler men who accidentally caught the rare 6.3 metre basking shark smartly put a call from their boat to Museum Victoria, where Andy has the catch-all title of Head of Production and Technical Services. Barry, Andy’s personal nickname for the fish, was dead, so the call meant that processes could be started to acquire the specimen for the museum collection and capture significant data about it for scientists and museums throughout the world.

Exceeded in length only by whale sharks, a fish like Barry can reach twice his size and are known for their gentle nature and that they can dive to 1000 metres and stay there for months. When he was taken off Portland, Barry was the first of his species found there in 80 years.

All this meant a flurry of activity at Museum Victoria, with wide international interest and an opportunity to use new technology to scan and map Barry as a 3D image.

“We are extremely lucky,” says Andy. “They could have sold it or thrown it overboard.” Valued for their large fins, used to make shark fin soup, these fish are protected in many places but still hunted illegally. They are named from their habit of basking near the surface.

For Andy Greenwood the path from his early life in Britain’s Royal Air Force to helping produce a 3D image of this magnificent fish is as intriguing as Barry’s story.

He signed up as a 17-year-old radar technician, majoring in avionics. This took him to North Wales where, during the first Gulf War, his duties included searching vehicles for weapons and explosives.

A high security alert in the UK had Andy searching under his car, which is why his neighbour Helen, now his wife, thought that he had most unreliable set of wheels in Wales.

Performing military duties and repairing aircraft radar systems Andy learned to be both self-sufficient and to work well in a team. These are qualities that he says proved invaluable.

With the ending of the Cold War, military options were narrowing so at 24 he bought his way out of the Air Force for 1500 pounds. He had signed up for 12 years and had to give 18 months’ notice.

Andy decided that his future lay in Australia and emigrated with Helen in 1992. Surprisingly, his military experience and electronics skills took him down an unexpected new path and he quickly found himself in the theatre working on lighting and stage automation.

Shows such as Phantom of the Opera and Beauty and the Beast were part of his 13 years in this world. Working internationally meant being on call to fly to Hong Kong, Paris, Japan or just about anywhere at a moment’s notice to fix problems local crews could not handle.

“It kept me on my toes and helped me to develop an approach of anticipation and preparation in my work.” The success of his attitude is shown by the fact that the Sydney Opera House still draws on processes he developed.

Ten years ago he switched to a major technical operations job at the museum, where his responsibilities included lighting and the restoration of steam engines at Scienceworks.

They have grown to a boggling array: multi-media, carpentry, workshops, taxidermy and preparation, photography, media production, live exhibits, technical events and special projects.

After recently finishing a project to renew the Melbourne Planetarium, he presented a paper to an international audience in Beijing on his model for renewal.

Then there is the pongy business of whales. When a dead one is washed ashore the museum’s experts assess it and if it would make a valuable addition to the collection the carcass may be buried for up to 18 months to allow, as he puts it, nature to take its course. Then the “smelly and arduous” job of reclaiming the skeleton is undertaken by cleaning the rotting flesh from the bones.

To say that Andy Greenwood is passionate and articulate is like saying Daylesford is pleasant. “I’ve got the best job in the world,” he says. To add to the interest, the museum runs its neighbour, the Royal Exhibition Building, a World Heritage-listed wonder.

Below the surface of the museum is an iceberg, he says, with masses of researchers, a huge, world-class education section and a staggering 18 million objects, of which fewer than one per cent are shown at one time. And, of course, a lot will go on-line.

Above, Barry, below, Andy with his wife Helen at Uluru this year

Which brings us back to Barry, whose head, the size of a small car, and fins were brought to the museum to be moulded and digitised. By digitising the head a high quality 3D model can be produced.

“This will help researchers around the world and allow us to create models of the shark without damaging the specimen.”

When strung up in the museum’s loading bay, Barry’s head disgorged a lot of fish, such as skate and flathead. For now, 600kgs of this fish are in a tank of formalin measuring two metres by a metre and a metre.

Daylesford is where Andy spends his time away from this all-consuming work.

“I can separate from it here and also work happily up here. I consider myself to be extremely lucky.”

One of his joys is finding that you “don’t have to be a local to be part of this community - having lived and worked all around the world I have never known a place to be so welcoming”.

20 Markets

www.tlnews.com.au

Walnuts a superfood

B

OONDEROO Walnuts have about 6000 walnut trees on their orchard in Redesdale, Victoria which they have converted from a sheep farm. They have another 4000 trees on their orchard in the Murray Valley.

When they began this journey, the majority of walnuts eaten in Australia were imported from overseas, leaving a niche waiting to be filled by a quality Australian product.

Boonderoo Walnuts offer walnuts in several different ways: inshell, kernel, walnut and date roulade or dry roasted with spices, herbed parmesan or sesame glazed with maple syrup. They also produce specialty walnut oil – one of only three producers in Australia.

Hilary Jankelson said walnuts were one of the original superfoods “and we want Australians to be eating 10 a day”.

Boonderoo Walnuts will be with other nutty producers at the Maldon Market.

Check out when it’s on opposite and below.

Country Market Leonard’s Hill Hall Saturday, August 15 10am - 2pm

Second Sunday o f

e v e r y

m o n t h

Fountain Street, Maldon, Central Victoria

historic goldfields region www.maldonnc.org.au

Locally grown produce, Plants, Sausage Sizzle, Jewellery, Devonshire Teas, Wines, Preserves, Crafts, Collectables & much more STALLS AVAILABLE (No Take Away Food Stalls) Enq/bookings phone 5348 3351 or 5348 6569

www.tlnews.com.au

Markets 21

To market, to market, to buy some lovely fresh produce

Y

OU can find everything you need at weekend markets, from fresh fruit and veg, to handmade jewellery and wares, throughout the Central Highlands and surrounds. Here are just a few.

Daylesford Railway Market – every Sunday Wesley Hill Market - every Saturday Daylesford Farmers’ Market – first Saturday Golden Plains Farmers’ Market – first Saturday Trentham Neighbourhood Centre Market - first Saturday Castlemaine Artists Market – first Sunday Kyneton Farmers’ Market - second Saturday Ballan Farmers’ Market - second Saturday (Pictured right) Maldon Market – second Sunday Clunes Farmers’ Market - second Sunday Trentham Farmers’ Market and Makers’ Market – third Saturday Glenlyon Farmers Market – third Saturday Creswick Market – third Saturday Leonards Hill Market - third Saturday Talbot Farmers’ Market – third Sunday Woodend Lions Market - third Sunday Buninyong Village Market – fourth Sunday

The Trentham Farmers Market has joined with Trentham Makers Market

Third Saturday, 9am - 1pm

Trentham Station Sunday Market - fourth Sunday Want to publicise your market? It’s free! Just email news@tlnews.com.au

TRENTHAM PETROL & STUFF

1 Market St PH 5424 1611 Mon - Sat 8am - 6pm Sun 9am - 6pm

Petrol, oils, swap & go gas, firewood permits, farm produce / produce store, ice, milk, soft drinks, take-away pies, coffee, confectionery, local honey etc. rusty junk, secondhand books, old wares

TRENTHAM STATION SUNDAY MARKET Victoria Street, Trentham On the fourth Sunday of each month 8.30am - 2.30pm Enquiries/Bookings – Kaye / Leigh 54241466 or Ross 54241509 A great variety of stalls in and around the beautiful Trentham Station **Permanent carriage stalls open every weekend** Including - Craft in the Carriage, Kaye’s Soaps and Candles, Leigh’s Homemade Preserves, Snax on the Trax & Trentham Olde Worlde Lolly Shoppe Trentham - Always relaxed and refreshing!

22 Crossword

www.tlnews.com.au

Retreat | Relax | Return

Phone: 03 5348 1255 www.cottagedirectory.com.au Mobile 0438 662 201 stay@cottagedirectory.com.au 41 Albert Street, Daylesford

www.tlnews.com.au

News 23

From Central Highlands to the Solomons

A

UTHOR Claire Varley grew up in Geelong but spent a lot of time in the Central Highlands.

Standing up for the Hepburn Community

P: (03) 5338 8123 F: (03) 5333 7710

Her aunt and uncle, at one stage, even managed Bellinzona at Hepburn Springs for a while – long before it burned down though.

“My family are all from the western district so I spend a lot of time around here – it’s one of my favourite places in Victoria.

“I have lovely childhood memories of family gatherings, of getting water at Tipperary Springs – and being terrified of the geese at Lake Daylesford.”

And while she now lives in Melbourne, Claire gets back as often as she can, although she has been busy writing her first book, The Bit In Between.

Claire works in the community development sector, mostly around family violence, and was sent to the Solomon Islands as part of that work. There she found herself living remotely with no television, no internet and no newspapers – the perfect time to write.

The book, also set in the Solomon Islands, is the story of Alison and Oliver, who meet in an airport lounge and fall in love. Oliver is writing his second novel while Alison starts helping local women with simple things from resumes to setting up a women’s community centre. But just as you think this is an idyllic life things start to go awry as Oliver gets deeper into the manuscript and Alison moves further away from him. It’s not quite happily ever after.

Claire said books had always been an important part of her life with her mother, a teacher, always reading to the children.

And the Tooth Fairy left books, not money. She said she sent her draft to every publisher she could find and Pan McMillan took up the offer, even giving her a two-book deal.

“They decided to go with it and I was just very lucky. That was my journey. For the first few weeks I thought they might change their minds.”

The Local has a copy of The Bit In Between to give away. For your chance to win just email news@tlnews. com.au with your name and contact number by August 16. Good luck!

Your chance to own a much loved daYlesford gem

24 News

noy

l e g a l CONVEYANCING BUSINESS SALES and LEASING WILLS and ESTATES COMMERCIAL AGREEMENTS

Vendor is retiring, all offers considered

An amazing product range including gifts, jewellery, cards, clothing, toys, books and more, in one of the prime positions in Daylesford.

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It is your chance to own a much desired retail business in the heart of a thriving holiday and retreat destination and 18mths leasehold with a further option of 3 years remaining.

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Established business for 30 years Well supported by locals and visitors Sale includes all fixture and fittings Stock to be sold separately Plenty of space for growth or expansion Increase sales with internet listing WI-WO with training provided Ideal going concern with lifestyle options

BENJAMIN BANDICOOT 31 Vincent Street, Daylesford Vic. 3460 Inspection by appointment only Biggins & Scott Daylesford (03) 5348 2328

www.daylesfordcinema.org.au Tuesday 4 August 10am Love & Mercy (M) 6pm Love & Mercy (M)

Tuesday 11 August 10am Madame Bovary (M) 6pm Madame Bovary (M)

Friday 7 August 5pm That Sugar Film (PG) 8pm Madame Bovary (M)

Friday 14 August 5:30pm Madame Bovary (M) 8pm Woman He’s Undressed (PG)

Saturday 8 August 12pm Minions (PG) 2:30pm Terminator Genisys (M) 5:30pm That Sugar Film (PG) 8pm Madame Bovary (M)

Saturday 15 August 12:30pm Minions (PG) 3pm Madame Bovary (M) 5:30pm That Sugar Film (PG) 8pm Woman He’s Undressed (PG)

Sunday 9 August 10:30am Minions (PG) 1pm That Sugar Film (PG) 3:30pm Madame Bovary (M) 6pm Terminator Genisys (M)

Sunday 16 August 10:30am Minions (PG) 1pm That Sugar Film (PG) 3:30pm Woman He’s Undressed (PG) 6pm Madame Bovary (M)

www.tlnews.com.au

Glenlyon Gun Club

T

HE Glenlyon Gun Club is in its 30th year with members getting together for a shoot on the first Saturday of the month. Kyle Barnes headed out for a look.

Clockwise from top, Jody Wallace, Squizzy Taylor, a few rounds of bullets, a clay pigeon thrower, Angela Marriss and Jack Johns.

See Angela in action on the back page of The Local.

Sport 25

26 News

MCO concert a triumph

HOME DECOR & MORE IMPORTS

V

IOLINIST William Hennessy has been at the forefront of the excellent chamber music culture within Australia.

His leadership of the Melbourne Chamber Orchestra is well known. He brought his great musicianship and intelligent programming to his solo concert at the Daylesford Anglican Church on Saturday, July 25, performing two significant works of Mozart and Brahms.

Pianist Louisa Breen, in more than an accompanying role, made an important contribution considering the limitations of the small upright piano at the venue.

The sonata K454 is a rich and complex work, written by the mature Mozart. The performance blended the restrained elegance of the classical style with the theatrical drama always present in Mozart’s compositions.

The final movement was outstanding. The piano has a key role to play in all of Mozart’s violin sonatas, as part of the dialogue and supporting character. The balance of violin and piano was perfectly maintained, allowing both musicians to clearly make a statement.

The final Brahms violin sonata Op.108, also the work of a mature composer, maintained the Viennese connection. The romantic language was delivered with great depth yet the link to the formal elegance of Mozart was evident.

The limitations of the piano were more evident in this work but the balance was well sorted beforehand to produce a satisfying result.

The ensemble playing was of the highest order with a suitably powerful and dramatic opening movement and a beautifully realised cantabile in the slow movement. Massenet’s popular “Meditation” from his opera “Thais” was a much appreciated encore.

Review: Bronislaw Sozanski Read more about the concert and masterclass on page 28

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Unit 1/99 High Street Melton, VIC 3337 Trading Hours: Tues - Fri 9-5, Sat 9-4 Sun 10-4 | Phone: 8746 2376

www.homedecoreandmore.com.au WALL ART | BUDDHAS | GARDEN DECOR WATER FEATURES | FURNITURE | MIRRORS

Finishing Touch Decor & Design We would love to meet more locals, so come in during August, mention this ad and we will gladly offer you a

15% discount on your purchases*

Shop 1 /9 Howe St. Ph: 03 5348 3667

*conditions apply

The Jeep Grand Cherokee has achieved a 5 star ANCAP safety rating across all V6 variants and features advanced safety assist technologies.

Visit your local Jeep Dealer forgood a test Visit www.psm.net.au fortoday deals too to drive print. today.

PETER STEVENS MOTORWORLD 615 Creswick Rd, Ballarat p - 03 5336 8777

28 News

www.tlnews.com.au

MCO masterclass for secondary students

T

HE Melbourne Chamber Orchestra concert at the Anglican Church on Saturday, July 25 saw more than 120 audience members enjoying sonatas from Brahms and Mozart.

The performers William Hennessy - artistic director of the MCO playing violin and Louisa Breen on piano also conducted a masterclass with six students from Daylesford Secondary College earlier in the afternoon.

The students Antoinette Portello, Mia Williams, Enna Eguchi, Holly McNamara, Alex Savvinos and Isabell Fitzgerald spent two hours with William and Louisa getting some helpful pointers on their technique.

MCO chair and local resident JoAnne Stephenson said “it was terrific this year to have the opportunity to work with the Daylesford Secondary College to develop the masterclass for the students with the assistance of two of our terrific supporters the Hepburn Wind Community Fund and the Bendigo Bank Community Development Fund”.

“We hope to further develop this program over the coming years.”

JoAnne also noted the support of Biggin and Scott and the local organising committee.

The July concert was a prelude to the main program of activities for the MCO in Daylesford on Sunday, September 13 with a concert at 2.30pm in the Daylesford Town Hall and an intimate chamber Above, from left, back row, Isabell Fitzgerald, Alex Savvinos, Louisa Breen, William music dinner at The Argus restaurant from 6pm.

Hennessy, from left, front row, Holly McNamara, Antoinette Portello, Enna Eguchi and Mia Tickets are available from www.mco.org.au or eCasa in Vincent Williams. Photo: Contributed Street, Daylesford.

Read Bronislaw Sozanski’s review on page 26

A Feast of Music Daylesford 2015 Sunday 13th September, 2015 The Australian Octet

Daylesford Town Hall

2.30pm

Paul Stanhope Octet for Strings Bruch Concerto for Octet Tchaikovsky String Sextet in D Minor Op 70 Souvenir de Florence

$45/$35/$25

Chamber Music Dinner 6.00pm The Argus Dining Room, Peppers, Hepburn Springs

$119

Town Hall Concert and Dinner package

$149

Tickets available: www.mco.org.au/event/a-feast-of-music-2015/

eCasa Daylesford

CRAZY CUSHION CLEARANCE 50% OFF SELECTED CUSHIONS 25% OFF ALL CUSHIONS TWO WEEKS ONLY ENDS SUNDAY 9TH AUGUST – SO DON’T MISS OUT! 89 Vincent Street Daylesford Phone 5348 1802

30 News

www.tlnews.com.au

Food waste to heat hub

F

OOD waste from Daylesford’s cafes and restaurants could be used as fuel to heat the future Hepburn Hub.

In a case study presented in March to the Central Victorian Greenhouse Alliance by Hepburn Shire Council sustainability officer John van Rooden the food waste was described as “an ideal feedstock, producing valuable methane gas that can then used as fuel for the hub heating system - in the event that an anaerobic digestion system is considered as the most appropriate technology”.

“This is a sustainable way to manage food waste, reduce organic waste going to landfill and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, while at the same time, beneficially engaging with the local community, providing education by example and showcasing a position of industry leadership.”

Mr van Rooden said one of the key strategic activities of the 2013-2017 Hepburn Shire Council Plan was to develop and implement the Waste Management Strategy with the focus on converting waste to opportunity through education, technology and innovation. A key action was to implement a waste to energy pilot project.

“Council had commissioned and funded a bio-energy from Waste Feasibility Study tabled on October 2013. This study focused on the availability of suitable organic bio-energy feedstock and assessed the energy demand amongst larger energy users within the shire.

“The study indicated through high-level business cases the possible viability of a bio-energy district heating system, subject to funding support.”

Mr van Rooden said council work on waste-to-energy feasibility “dovetails neatly with extensive work being undertaken to develop the proposed Hepburn Hub”.

“A detail (sic) business case feasibility study, partially funded by Sustainability Victoria will demonstrate the feasibility of implementing a small-scale waste to energy system to provide base load energy requirements for the hub and as a focus for a district heating system for other potential users in the vicinity.

“The project will demonstrate the capability of localised energy generation, which could be readily replicated elsewhere. Completion of the project will identify a financially viable bio-energy technology solution over the lifetime of the Hepburn Hub.”

Mr van Rooden said if the project decided to go for a direct combustion system as the most appropriate bio-energy technology “woody green waste at council transfer stations or from other local sources would be a potential feed stock, once again reducing waste to land fill and greenhouse gas emissions”.

“The Hepburn Hub has been designed using environmentally sustainable development design principles. It will be naturally ventilated to provide appropriate cooling in the short summer period. The waste to energy systems will be designed and sized to provide base load heating and possibly power, with the possible addition of latent heat from the adjacent public swimming pool.

“Peak heating loads will be supplemented by existing natural gas supplies already available to the site. However, it is envisaged that a substantial reduction in the use of fossil fuels is expected by the conversion of low emission local waste streams, turning waste into a valuable resource rather than being sent to land fill.”

Economic Development manager Adam McSwain said the development of the waste to energy feasibility study was underway with the project scheduled to be complete by the end of this calendar year.

The Little Local - spring edition!

Is your business tourist-based?

Need to get the word out in an affordable pocket-sized guide?

Well, The Little Local is for you.

It’s full of stories about local events, local dining and music venues, local markets and locals - so tourists can see we’re not a bad mob!

The next edition is due out September 1.

A half page is just $150 plus GST. That’s just $11.60 plus GST a week - and the best advertising bang for your buck around.

Call or email now to book your space in this vibrant and exciting publication 5348 7883 or news@tlnews.com.au Don’t miss out!

www.tlnews.com.au

Wine notes 31

A white and two reds for winter warming

T

HE fires are lit, the heating bills racking up, wind burning and snow falling. It’s our favourite time of year for drinking wines that really give us a hug in our glass. Something that envelopes us and makes us forget about the cool air outside. This month these are the wines we’ll be drinking. Tip your glass if you will too.

2013 Cobaw Ridge Chardonnay, Macedon What a stunning chardonnay that competes on the world stage and right in our own backyard. Alan and Nelly Cooper, along with their son Josh, excel at producing biodynamic wines that express purity of place. And this new vintage of chardonnay is no different. A wine with such beautiful balance and keenly interesting in the glass, it will keep you going back for more. Enjoy closer to room temperature, not too chilled. $55.

2012 Amherst Chinese Gardens Cabernet Sauvignon, Pyrenees The epitome of cool climate cabernet, this wine looks just stunning in the glass.

Modestly priced for the value of the wine this is a medium-bodied cabernet with great tannins that allow for a full-bodied mouth feel without being grippy. Hand-picked, basket pressed, wild yeast fermented and 15 months in French oak. It’s this type of unique attention to winemaking that makes Amherst wines hit their mark. $30.

2013 Mount Langhi Ghiran Mast Shiraz, Grampians Each year a special parcel of fruit has been placed aside to create the Mast Shiraz as a special nod to the late Trevor Mast who many say pioneered some of the great Australian cool climate reds. Bigger in both perfume and spice in comparison to the previous vintage release, the whole bunches used in making this wine add another level of tannin and power. While easy to drink now, this wine will only benefit from extra time. $60.

During August, each of these wines will be available for purchase by the glass or bottle at WINE AND THE COUNTRY. 1/97 Vincent Street, Daylesford. *Reviews by Jenny Latta

Sales representative The Local needs a part-time sales representative to cover the Ballarat region.

The successful person will need a sales background and be comfortable with cold calling businesses.

The position is home-based.

The Local is offering a retainer along with commission based on sales.

The Local is a vibrant publication for the Central Highlands and prides itself on offering a great read and affordable advertising so even small businesses can advertise big.

If you think this position might suit you please email your resume and cover letter to kyle@tlnews.com.au Any queries to Kyle on 5348 7883.

HOW DOES YOUR GARDEN GROW?

32 Out & About

www.tlnews.com.au

HAVE A TASTE OF HISTORY

Celebrating Bastille

The hisToric

Blackwood hoTel

le nda Gre tham Tren

Martin

N

Street

Est.1868

Blackwood Hotel d

ad

o st R Fore

Golden Po int Ro a

CFA

Enjoy the relaxed local atmosphere, Music & Entertainment or just a quiet cool one anytime.

New owners, new chef and new menu. l Open 7 days/nights - Lunch and Dinner. l Quality Wines/ Fresh Seafood. l Accommodation l Functions (and friendly Kookaburras) l Now with private function room!

Blackwood Hotel 1 Golden Point Road Blackwood 3458.

Phone 03 5368 6501

Visit ‘JINDARUP’ Blackwood’s newest destination for gifts, art, craft antiques, books & more (opposite the pub).

THE GIG GUIDE

Speciatsl Gues

U

3A French Circle has celebrated France’s national day.

More than 100 people braved the cold and celebrated Bastille Day on July 14 in the Daylesford Town Hall with a self-catered French themed dinner.

The Daylesford Brass Band played a resounding La Marseillaise followed by excerpts from Les Miserables.

Danny Spooner and fellow singers regaled with a selection of French songs and chanties while many joined in a vigorous version of Le Can-Can. Money raised goes to the band to buy new instruments.

Photo: Contributed

JULY THURS 30th July 8pm, eyes down DRAG BINGO AUG SAT 1st Aug. 7.30 - 10pm JARROD SHAW & SARAH WILKINSON SAT 15th Aug. 7.30 - Late, 80’s NIGHT - KARAOKE & FANCY DRESS SUN 16TH Aug. 3 - 6pm, BLACKWOOD ACADEMY - Feat. LIAM RATTEN SAT 29th Aug. 7.30 - Late, 2 BANDS - FINGERBONE & SWAMPLAND

The Pie is back!

We are now well and truly into the prettiest season of the year, Autumn.

And to warm up our bellies, our most popular dish is back on the menu.

House made pies, served on a bed of mash with peas and jus.

In the colder months, our opening hours have changed. We are still open for dinner seven nights a week. Lunch is now served Friday - Monday only except for school holidays when we will remain open seven days a week.

Open for Dinner 7 Days from 5pm.

Lunch Friday-Monday from noon

FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT OUR WEBSITE OR CALL US ON 03 5348 2335

DAYLESFORDHOTEL.COM.AU

26 - 28 Albert Street Daylesford 5348 3711

www.tlnews.com.au

Wining & Dining 33

Meal deals for locals...and tourists too!

E

VERYONE loves a locals’ deal. Especially a meal deal! So here are the dining establishments to head to for great value and meals.

Monday Mercato, Daylesford – main dish & a glass of local wine - $30 The Grande Hotel, Hepburn Springs – two courses and a glass of house wine, beer or bubbles - $38 Old Hepburn Hotel, Hepburn – Parma Night - $17.50

Tuesday Cosy Corner, Hepburn Springs – Curry & Hot Pot Night - $18 Blackwood Hotel, Blackwood - Parma Night - $15 + glass of house wine or pot Old Hepburn Hotel - Cheap Eats - Nothing over $20

Wednesday Perfect Drop - five courses with a glass of bubbles or beer - $50 Daylesford Hotel, Daylesford – Pot and Parma - $20 Old Hepburn Hotel, Hepburn – Roast - $17.50 Sault, Sailors Falls – a la carte menu with glass of wine

Thursday

Friday

Cosmopolitan Hotel, Trentham – two courses - $25 Cosy Corner, Hepburn Springs – Fish Night - $26.50 with a glass of wine Blackwood Merchant, Blackwood - house-made pizza - $16-22 (Takeaway too) Bellinzona, Hepburn - Two courses and a glass of wine - $35

Sunday Moor Please, Hepburn - pizza + a glass of MP wine or 961 Lebanese beer - $20

Happy Hours Daylesford Bowling Club has Happy Hour ‘n’ a half, from Monday to Thursday, from 4.30pm to 6pm.

Perfect Drop, Daylesford, also has a Happy Hour, every day, from 4pm to 6pm with $10 cocktails and $1 oysters.

The Blackwood Merchant has Happy Hour on Fridays with local house wines for $4 from 6pm to 7pm.

Raffles Fundraising raffles for local organisations are held on Friday evenings at The Farmers Arms Hotel, Daylesford, Cosmopolitan Hotel, Trentham and the Old Hepburn Hotel, Hepburn.

Want to share a locals’ deal? Email news@tlnews.com.au

Daylesford Hotel, Daylesford – Steak Night - $20 The Plough, Trentham – two courses - $25, three courses - $30 Radio Springs Hotel, Lyonville – Thai night Blackwood Hotel, Blackwood - Chicken burritos - $10 Source Dining, Kyneton - main course and glass of wine - $35

Show this ad in store and receive

20% off 4 or more bottles of wine One per customer per day.

Conditions apply - see staff for details Offer ends 16/08/15 Cellarbrations @ foxxy’s our region’s largest local and boutique wine specialists Open every day until late 55 Vincent Street Daylesford Tel: 03 5348 3577

34 Gigs

www.tlnews.com.au

Gig Guide Old Hepburn Hotel, Hepburn

Shane Nicholson - Thursday, August 6, 8pm-9.30pm Michelle Parsons - Saturday, August 8, 9pm-11.30pm The Stetson Family (True North album launch) - Sunday, August 16, 5pm-7pm

Perfect Drop, Daylesford

SIN Service Industry Night - DJ EZC (Cam) – Monday, August 3 Words in Winter - Local songs by local songwriters Showcase – Friday, August 7 Tania Petrini - Vida jazz – Saturday, August 8 SIN Service Industry Night - DJ Kaizen – Monday, August 10 Family Farm - Alt-country, Southern Soul & Blues – Friday, August 14 Bianco Berto , Blues and roots, classic rock – Saturday, August 15

Blackwood Hotel, Blackwood

Back to the eighties - Saturday, August 15, 7pm-11pm Fingerbone Swamplands - Saturday, August 29, 7.30pm

The Tavern @ Daylesford Cidery, Musk

Family Farm - Saturday, August 15, 12.30pm

The Grande Hotel, Hepburn

Supergirly - Friday, August 7, 8pm Words in Winter (Tree of Life) - Saturday, August 8 Diamonds and Dishwater - Friday, August 14, 8pm

All gigs subject to change.

Check with the venue.

Got a gig coming up? Email donna@tlnews.com.au It’s free...

The Cosmopolitan, Trentham

Phil and Trudy Edgeley - Sunday, August 16, 1pm-4pm

g n i n i D and ge

s r e h s a

ra e v e B

Saturday 15th August live @ 12:30

M

Seafood Bouillabaisse

a sumptuous selection of fresh grilled seafood with a coconut bouillabaisse

* seasonal menu * mulled cider * *

* cellar door & tastings * * open-log fire *

Fontanella Chapter One Pinot Grigio crisp with citrus aroma

The Tavern

@Daylesford Cider

.Growers, makers & producers of traditional craft cider .

table reservations; 0468 468 955 enquiries@daylesfordcidr.com.au

@DAYLESFORDCIDER

or

Mount Macedon Pale Ale by Holgate Brewhouse

delicate caramel flavour

65 Gingell St Castlemaine VIC 3450 Phone 5472 1250 www.railwayhotelcastlemaine.com.au railwayhotelcastlemaine

Open for dinner daily and weekends for lunch

www.tlnews.com.au

Dining 35

The Perfect Drop Restaurant & Wine Bar

Locals Night - Wednesdays $50 - 5 courses inc bubbles

Monday to Thursday - 4pm until late Friday to Sunday - 12pm until late

Happy Hours 4pm - 6pm Daily $10 Cocktail & $1 Oysters

Live Music in the bar on weekends.

Mondays Service Industry Night 8.30pm until late

www.theperfectdrop.com 5 Howe Street, Daylesford 5348 1100

Sunday (Funday) $3.50 Pots all day

BEER GARDEN

THURSDAY Locals Menu

$15 Mains

PUB OF THE

YEAR 2014

2 courses $25 / 3 courses $30 Open Thursday to Saturday 12 noon - late, Sunday 12 noon - 4pm 31 High Street, Trentham (03) 5424 1144

with each a-la-carte main course

theplough.com.au

S PA C E N T R E M E A T S S uppli e rs of Ge nui ne loc al prod uce

FRIDAY FREE Glass of Wine

k shoulder Cider braised por ds and couscous. with prunes, almon Ingredients

Our prime lamb & aged beef is produced on the family farm ‘Green Hills Natural’ near Malmsbury & the beef dry aged on our premises in Daylesford.

We make an excellent range of gourmet sausages, including the famous Swiss Italian ‘Bull Boar’, Malaysian chicken, Greek lamb and more.

Pork Shoulder is a versatile prime cut of pork. Delicious roasted with skin on, braised, stewed or used in Asian dishes.

3cm diced 2kg pork shoulder ar cider 500ml apple or pe ck 1 litre chicken sto ced 2 brown onions di d 4 cloves garlic dice yme th d pe 4 sprigs chop

4 bay leaves es 200g pitted prun ds on 100g flaked alm ples 2 granny smith ap parsley Handful of picked 1 packet couscous

er to deglaze pan. d set aside. Add cid an er ld nt. ou sh rk po n rlic until transluce In a large pan brow eat onions and ga sw t, po d se ba ya heav On a low heat, in s into pot. yme and bay leave th , er mer for two hours.

Add pork, cid to very low to sim rn tu d an il bo e reduce sauce.

Bring pot up to th minutes on high to 30 er rth fu a r fo cook Add prunes and er. with salt and pepp almond and g in on Adjust seas th julienned apple, wi e rv Se et. ck pa cording to Cook couscous ac parsley salad.

Serves six. dly supplied by This recipe was kin ct Drop’ ad chef at ‘The Perfe Hugh Maxwell, he .com www.theperfectdrop 00 11 48 53 . rd sfo yle 5 Howe Street, Da Thanks Hugh.

E M E AT S S PA C E N T R rd.

Daylesfo 37 Vincent Street. d us on Facebook Fin .

94 20 48 53 e on Ph

36 Dining

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Meatballs

Fried chicken

F

M

RIED chicken has undergone a renaissance.

EATBALLS make the perfect dish for a Monday night supper, a Saturday night dinner party or a Sunday feast.

It’s been reinvented for a new generation. It’s restaurant-level impressive and a sure-fire way to keep a crowd happy.

In fact, it’s the duck’s nuts.

Fried Chicken and Friends is a collection of down-home Americaninspired recipes, including the ultimate buttermilk fried chicken, as well as aperol sours, oyster po’ boys, waffles with bacon and maple syrup, and all the other delicious things that go with it.

The Local has a copy of Fried Chicken and Friends to give away. For your chance to win email your name and contact number to donna@tlnews.com.au by August 16. Good luck!

And here are meatballs like you’ve never seen them before. There are meatball recipes for lamb, goat, rabbit, chicken, fish, lobster, venison—even vegetarian (meat) balls.

Almost as important as the meatball itself (and there are 60 meatball recipes) is what the meatball sits on.

The Local has a copy of Meatballs The Ultimate Guide to give away. For your chance to win just email your name and contact number to donna@tlnews.com.au

by August 16. Good luck!

SAME OWNERS | SAME CHEF | SAME GREAT FOOD

SOURCE DINING (FORMERLY ANNIE SMITHERS’ BISTROT) REOPENS ON THURSDAY 25TH JUNE 2015

www.daylesfordbowlingclub.com.au

After two years of ownership, Tim and Michelle have decided it was time for a new name.

The source and provenance of a product, and genuine commitment to ensure the enjoyment of our guests, a connection to our region and its’ culture and people drives the excellence that is Source Dining.

10am - 11pm Sunday - Thursday 10am - midnight Friday - Saturday

Join us for lunch or dinner and celebrate the reopening of our business.

8 Camp Street Daylesford

LUNCH THU TO SUN FROM 12PM DINNER THU TO SAT FROM 6PM

Ph: 5348 2130

The Age Good Food Guide, 2015 One Hat Australia’s Wine List of the Year Awards, 2014 Two Glass rating

72 Piper Street,Kyneton, VIC 3444 03 5422 2039 Info@sourcedining.com.au www.sourcedining.com.au

THE OLD HEPBURN HOTEL

An authentic country pub with a focus on food, family and entertainment.

MENU

Modern Australian with pub classics - Midweek specials.

We can design a menu for all occasions.

MUSIC

Host to local musicians and some of Australiaʼs premier artists.

THE PUB

Amber Dooley

236 Main Rd, Hepburn

7 nights dinner - Lunch Fri/Sat/Sun. Courtesy bus.

Group bookings (up to 100 guests).

Beer garden. drink@oldhepburnhotel.com.au

www.oldhepburnhotel.com.au

ph:03 53482207

www.tlnews.com.au

Nom nom nom 37

Taj taste sensations sure to please all palates Words: Nick Bunning | Images: Lindsay Smith

O

RIGINALLY built as a family home, the cream brick building on the corner of Raglan and Jamieson streets in Daylesford was later adapted for use as a medical practice. More recently however, it was completely refurbished and transformed into an Indian restaurant.

Renaming it Taj Mahal, the current owners took over the reins just under a year ago, and are offering excellent North Indian cuisine at reasonable prices. On a recent chilly Tuesday evening, feeling frozen to the core after a visit to windy Ballarat, the centrally heated and tastefully decorated premises proved to be the perfect spot to unwind, while sampling the delicious menu.

Taj Mahal was bustling with takeaway and delivery orders when we arrived, and we settled on a cosy spot in one of the private rooms (open-plan dining area also available). Manager Soni and her staff here are great – friendly and very knowledgeable about all aspects of their menu.

Water and complimentary pappadums with two dipping sauces were quickly brought to the table, for us to enjoy while contemplating the menu. Oh, you need to BYO alcohol here, as Taj Mahal sells drink of the ‘soft’ kind only. And they don’t charge corkage.

The menu is extensive and includes two banquet options (four-person minimum) for those occasions when making a choice is too damn hard. And as befits the tradition of this cuisine, vegetarians are particularly well catered for, with numerous options in both entree and main categories.

Entrees are divided into vegetable or tandoori categories, with some of the tandoori entrees also available as mains. Main course categories include chicken, lamb, beef, vegetable, seafood, rice and bread, with numerous choices in each.

Sharing is always a good idea with Indian food, and we decided to start with Vegetable Samosa (2 piece, $8) and Seekh Kebab (4 piece, $14). Humming along to the Indian pop music playing softly in the background, it was no time at all before our entrees arrived. Served with a fresh side-salad and dipping sauces, the samosas were full of spicy potatoes and peas, encased in light homemade pastry. These delicious, plump bundles were soon wolfed down and we turned our attention to the kebabs. Cooked in the tandoor, these consisted of minced lamb spiced with ginger, garlic, and fresh coriander - a tender and tasty treat, again accompanied by a side-salad.

Soon it was time to move onto mains, and large heated plates were sensibly brought out just ahead of the food. Offered mild, medium or hot curries, we opted for the middle ground and the level of heat was just right for our palates. We had asked Soni to recommend a popular vegetarian option, and she came up with a real winner. The Chana Masala ($16) comprises chickpeas cooked with tomato, onion and capsicum in the chef ’s own blend of spices. A great taste combination with a spicy kick, we soon understood why this is so popular with regular diners.

Our other main was Chicken Spinach ($19.50). Having enjoyed the Lamb Spinach ($19.50) on previous visits, we knew this dish would be a winner – and it was.

Brimful of large tender chicken chunks in a fresh spinach and onion sauce…mmm, delish.

To ensure none of the delicious sauces went to waste, we had ordered a plain Naan ($3.50, cooked in the tandoor and served cut into four slices) as well as some Saffron Rice ($6 for a generous serve), and these proved ideal accompaniments to our mains.

Although well satisfied at this stage, we opted to share a serve of Mango Ice Cream ($6) from the dessert menu - which is shortly to be added to. Smooth and tangy, this was served in three scoops and proved to be a perfect note to wind down on after the delicious, spicy flavours of our main meals.

All in all, Taj Mahal is a great place to dine on a cold winter’s night.

38 Dining

6:00

www.tlnews.com.au

What’s Happening at the Kyneton Bowling Club Morning Melodies 4th

Monday of Month 10.30am.

Free Entry. Tea and Coffee provided

Muso Club 3rd Sunday of Every Month Free Entry 2pm-5pm Bingo Every Tuesday 7-9pm and Sunday 2-4pm

Kyneton Bowling Club (03) 5422 1902 Bistro reservations (03)54221744 www.kynetonbc.com.au manager@kynetonbc.com.au tonysplacerb@kynetonbc.com.au 61-79 Mollison Street Kyneton

Big Bucks Jackpots starting at $30,000 plus inhouse jackpots.

www.tlnews.com.au

Dining 39

Giving back to society a passion for Rizwana

D

ENVER resident Rizwana Karim has a passion. And is changing the lives of children, and soon young adults and adults in Bangladesh.

Rizwana owns the Rahela Salahuddin Welfare Centre in Dhamra - named in memory of her late parents, Hajiani Rahela Khatun and Haji Muhammad Salahuddin, who owned the property.

It offers educational services to the community with primary school-aged children receiving free tutoring and classes in addition to their regular schooling.

The centre started on a verandah with just 10 children but now there are 90 in a multipurpose classroom.

“It is a very low income area and the main aim is to teach the children. After school they come to our centre, around three o’clock in winter and four o’clock in summer, and they stay for two hours.

“We have three teachers who help them with their homework or reading books or learning some English. There are also other activities like drawing and playing.”

Rizwana said each year she and her husband Mahmududul Karim spent up to $7000, sometimes more if a big project came up.

“This year I went back and built a dam, which is nearly filled, and we make more room for them to play. The future plan is to build a shed at the back and then I can run some vocational training for adults and young adults – those who are not interested in study anymore. So they can choose their path with more training.”

Rizwana said she started the centre to “give something back to society”.

“We were brought up and educated there and we have plenty of time now our kids have grown up. I feel that I am fortunate to be able to give back. And I have more courage and time.”

To help raise money for the centre Rizwana holds Bangladeshi cooking classes, lunches and dinners around the region. The next one will be held at the parish hall of The Parish of Our Lady of the Rosary, Hutton Street, Kyneton on Saturday, August 15 from 10.30am to 3pm. The cost is $50 for a class, tea and biscuits and three-course lunch.

Bookings on 0438 177 583, 5423 9272 or rizwana.karim.56@gmail.com “I like cooking and Bangladeshi food is very nice. It’s very different from Indian, the idea is not to overpower the taste of the main food with spices, the spices are there to give you the flavour. And everything is 100 per cent Bangladeshi.”

Link: rswelfare.org

Lunch - Friday to Sunday - 12 noon until 3 pm Dinner - Thursday to Tuesday - 6 pm until late Locals’Night - Monday Night

MERCATO @ daylesford

32 Raglan Street Daylesford 03 5348 4488 www.mercatorestaurant.com.au

40 Giveaway

The mighty Hawks

T

HE rare feat of winning back-to-back flags in 2013 and 2014 cemented coach Alastair Clarkson’s men as a truly great team and Hawthorn FC as a great club.

At the end of the 2004 season Hawthorn was an unholy mess, with no coach, no chief executive and no captain. Enter Clarkson, who established a club culture based on endurance, courage, mateship and sacrifice and in 2008, won the first of his three premierships. It was an unlikely win since Geelong was clearly the best team of the year.

All premierships are different, and if the 2013 flag was about redemption – following the 2012 loss to the Sydney Swans – the 2014 flag was about resilience.

After a season where injuries, illness and the absence of Lance Franklin dominated the headlines, the Hawks shook off their arch rival Sydney in a stunning victory against the odds. Under Clarkson, there is always a way to win.

From Jeff Kennett’s reign to the defection of Franklin; from Sam Mitchell standing down as captain to make way for Luke Hodge to the key roles of Jarryd Roughead and Cyril Rioli, this is the story of the team that Alastair Clarkson built, in a decade of success.

The Local has a copy of Mighty Fighting Hawks to give away. For your chance to win just email your name and contact number to donna@tlnews.com. au by August 16.

Don’t forget Father’s Day is just around the corner!

Do you wake with back ache?

If you said yes then your mattress may be the problem. Waking with aches and pains that disappear once you have a shower often is an indication that your mattress may be past its use by date or simply no longer suitable. In fact the quality lifespan of a mattress is approximately 7 years. Mattresses are designed for comfort, back care and rejuvenating sleep. So now you are thinking maybe you need a new mattress and have some questions about purchasing the ideal mattress for you.

Purchasing a new mattress, your questions answered...

Jenny from thebedshop Ballarat answering your most frequently asked questions about purchasing a new mattress.

Q, How often should I buy a new mattress?

A. The quality lifespan of a mattress is approx. 7 years, therefore we recommend replacing your mattress every 7 years.

This is because mattresses are designed for your comfort, back care and quality of sleep, thus every 7 years our bodies will have changed our needs have changed and the mattress will be is wearing.

Q. The mattress has 10 year guarantee so why will it only last 7 years?

A. Your mattress will last longer than 7 years it of course will not be as good as it was, however if you are still comfortable and sleeping well, 7 years is a guide.

Q. What does the guarantee cover then?

A A product warranty/ guarantee will cover any manufacturing fault. eg: stitching coming apart. A spring breaking.

Q. My partner is a lot heavier than me, how can we get a mattress to suit us both?

A. This is not really a problem with todays modern mattresses, the springs systems used are designed for differing weights.

The individual pocketed spring system will also minimise disturbance caused from your partner moving.

Q. I wake up with a lower back ache and then I have a shower and it goes away is this my mattress?

A. It is most likely your mattress, this means that your mattress may have worn, or is simply is no longer suitable Q. So how do I know if my new mattress will stop this from happening?

A. On your new mattress you will be lying very straight, you will be comfortable and sleeping well. You will have tested the mattress in the store and have discussed this with your sales assistant and you will feel very confident in your decision.

Q. Should my mattress have indentation?

A. Yes. It definitely should, all luxury, comfortable and good quality mattress will indent, they have been designed to do this. It is the indentation or the contouring that is giving you support and comfort.

Q. How much should I spend on my new mattress?

A. The most expensive mattress in the store is not necessarilry the most suited to you and your partner.

We all have different needs and budgets, I would recommend if you have a budget in mind to let the sales assistant know so you can choose the best mattress for you and be within your budget. thebedshop Ballarat pricing guide. Queen mattress starts around $400.00 and can go up to $4000.

Q. What size is a queen mattress?

A. A queen mattress is 1500 X 2030, a king mattress is 1800 X 2030 a double mattress is 1350 X 1880.

Chiro Latex sprung mattress. $1199.00 - (Mattress & Base - Queen) A gently firm mattress with a (bonel Spring system) strong gauge wire spring, producing a firm feel bed. The Chiro features a pillow top (cushion of comfort layers). These layers are of latex & wool. Completing this mattress is a soft stretch knit covering. The chiro latex ensemble is featured in thebedshop Ballarat showroom.

Q. Is latex mattress hot to sleep on.

A. A full latex mattress can be quite warm to sleep on. Latex retains the body heat, A full latex mattress would not suit someone who is a normaly a warm sleeper.

(A latex layer in a sprung mattress is generally more suitable) Q. Do I need to purchase a new base?

A, Yes. Your old base may be in good condition,however it is as old as the mattress you want to replace . You will spend a lot of money on your new mattress, it is not recommended to put it on an old base. By doing so it could void part of your warranty.

Q. I have an odd size antique bed frame, how will I get a mattress to fit?

A. thebedshop Ballarat stocks only Australian made mattresses therefor we are able to have mattresses custom made to any size or shape that you need.

Spinal Contour mattress $1799.00 - (Mattress & Base - Queen) Is available in 3 comfort levels, firm medium and plush.

The spinal posture features a pocket spring system which contours to your body shape, also features a latex and wool pillow top. The hi tek “tencel� fabric covering is a natural fibre that feels soft also draws heat way from your body giving you a comfortable nights sleep. The Spinal contour ensemble is featured in thebedshop Ballarat showroom.

thesofastore

thebedshop Ballarat is a bedding specialist store and is in its 17th year of successful trading. thebedshop Ballarat recently moved into larger premises and joined forces with thesofastore they are both situate at 65 Mair street east, Ballarat (for those of you who know us already we have moved next door to our original site)we have updated our image and are now ready for the next seventeen years. thebedshop Ballarat offers an extensive range of mattresses and bedroom suites featuring in todays local is the spinal contour advance & chiro latex ensembles We invite you into the store and also welcome enqiry or any questions you may have via email thebedshopballarat@gmail.com Web site is currently being updated to reflect our new logos and our partnership with thesofastore, the old site is still available at www.thebedshop.com.au however the new website will be much easier to navigate as soon as it up and running I will let you all know.

thebedshop

Thebedshop (no more sleepless nights) invites you to their modern showroom.

Ground level 65 Mair Street East, Ballarat P. 03 5333 2226 | F. 03 5333 3221 E. thebedshopballarat@gmail.com

www.thebedshop.com.au (the web site currently being updated)

Ballarat Tiles The Tile People Winner 2008/2009/2010 Vic. Tile Council BEST Regional Showroom

www.ballarattiles.com.au

Your Local Tile expert.

• Ceramic Tiles • Porcelain Tiles • Mosaic Tiles • Glass Tiles • Decor/Listellos

• Tessellated • Outdoor Tiles • Natural Stone • Facade Tiles • Fireplace Tiles

• Kitchen Tiles • Bathroom Tiles • Swimming Pool Tiles • Tools & Accessories • Timber & Laminate Flooring

The Tile People Members will provide you with the best in service, advice, quality and value for money.

2020 Dawson (BallaratCentral) Central) DawsonStreet, Street,North North (Ballarat

5333 5336

Open 6 Days 5333 5336 Fax: 5331 8366 Email: sales@ballarattiles.com.au

Open 6 Days Fax: 5331 8366 Email: sales@ballarattiles.com.au

OZ TRANS DAYLESFORD --------------------------------# REMOVALS # PRODUCE # FURNITURE #GENERAL FREIGHT ---------------------------------MELB. & COUNTRY VICTORIA DAILY --------------------------------FREE QUOTES

0407 697 877

Call Jonathan Hurst 0411 216 043

Gardening: • Mowing including ride-on • Hedging, Pruning • & Brushcutting • Maintenance & Establishment of all gardens • Holiday rental Maintenance

Landscaping: • Fencing -Paling -Colourbond -Picket, post & rail • Retaining walls • Raised garden beds • Drive-ways & paths • Paving • Irrigation systems

Owner-operated, Established Local Business Fully Insured Free Quotes s.mountgardens@optusnet.com.au

www.tlnews.com.au

Musos 43

Our musos

T

ANIA Petrini has been singing as long as she can remember. As a child she regularly orchestrated performances for family and friends and often said “when I grow up I want to be a singer on stage”. Editor Donna Kelly caught up for a chat.

DK: When did you get involved in music and why?

TP: Music was always a part of my life in one way or another, however formal training did not come about until later in life. I was very fortunate to be given an opportunity to sing with a jazz band many years ago and the musicians I met and worked with encouraged me to continue. This gave me faith in myself and my voice and inspired me to learn as much as possible and to complete a Diploma in Music.

Since that time I developed my own jazz band called Vida jazz. Vida is my second name and it means live. If there is such a thing as one’s calling then without doubt I believe singing was always mine. Singing for me is truly living. I feel alive whenever I sing. I believe it is the direct expression of one’s true self, one’s soul and is delivered with an energy that can be felt and shared with anyone who is open to it. It can be a profound way of connecting with people as well as a vehicle for raw honest human expression and even healing.

DK: What is your style of music?

TP: I love most styles of music which is handy for teaching because more often than not it will be the latest hit that some younger students wish to learn and then there are others and/or older students who love jazz, reggae, country…you name it.

However jazz, blues and soul is what I typically sing when I perform.

DK: Who do you perform with?

TP: The environments of late where Vida jazz have been performing has suited a duo in which case I am more often than not accompanied by Mr Bruce Millar (a well accomplished musician) on guitar. However when we are employed to entertain for weddings, large venues, wineries and parties Vida jazz is able to present as a trio, quartet, quintet…and are joined by some of the many expert jazz musicians that I have had the privilege of working with over the years.

DK: You teach singing – can anyone learn to sing or is it inherent?

TP: My philosophy is that if you have a voice, if you can speak, then you can sing. How good or bad is judged purely by whoever is listening. Humans are unique, voices are unique and stories are unique. Where there is a desire to sing there is a song. Having said that I also know the importance and benefits of learning vocal technique and an understanding of the biology of singing which will help to develop vocal range, capacity, tone and the many other layers involved in creating a sound.

DK: If a young person was starting out hoping for a musical career – what would you tell them?

TP: If you really want something then go for it. Work and study hard for it and maintain faith in yourself. You can learn from others but don’t compare yourself or try to be them because we are all different and special in our own way. Be dedicated and tenacious. Sing because you love to sing and not as a means to impress others.

I believe it is in this spirit of personal joy that success big or small is achieved.

Understand that it is a gift that you can give to yourself and that you can also generously share. Sing for the love of it. Keep your heart and humility ever present and always forever be open to learning.

DK: And what do you listen to?

TP: I enjoy an eclectic array of musical genres. Teaching helps to keep me in touch with contemporary pop while my personal choices are anything from the jazz standards of the 30s onwards, latin, blues, soul, folk, R&B and funk to name but a few.

DK: Finally, if you could meet three musicians, dead or alive, who would they be?

TP: Janis Joplin would have to be on the list. In my early teens I was taken by her emotionally charged power and songs. She had risen from the ashes and stood firm and strong and believed in equality, freedom and humanity. I would like to have known her. Bill Evans was a genius on the piano. His interpretation of music is intelligent, beautiful, passionate and elegant. He was outstanding so just to witness him play would be a gift. Ella Fitzgerald because wow - what a voice and the way she swings is intoxicating and inspirational.

DK: Thanks so much - where can we see you next?

TP: Our next gig is at The Perfect Drop in Daylesford on Saturday, August 8.

Also hydronic systems for domestic/ light commercial

44 Trades

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Back office administration

Book-keeping Administration Payroll Temp service Supplier monthly reconciliation Qualified to manage a small team of office workers Christ Jules Services Julie Hanson 0459 619 701 julphil.hanson@gmail.com www.christjulesservices.com.au

POOL AND SPA MAINTENANCE SERVICES DAYLESFORD AND SPA COUNTRY Over 25 years’ experience in the Pool and Spa industry.

Cleaning and servicing of pools, hot tubs and jacuzzis.

Water chemistry and water balance Commercial properties Domestic applications Reasonable rates All enquiries welcome Noel 0419 554 319 Declan 0438 212 107

Fine Old Windows Traditional Glazing & Repairs Period Homes & Historic Buildings

Gerhard Emmerichs 0400 162 537 Master Craftsman in Glass Stained Glass—Leadlight— Etched Glass

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Trades 45

J & L Kinghorne Bobcat Tip-truck Phone 5476 4264

Cartage

Drenching

Marking

General Labouring

R.J’s Livestock Services

Contact Russ

0403 500 657

Miles Electrical.Rec15116.

Small Job Specialist All household electrical work guaranteed Daylesford /Hepburn region...

Phone Gary Miles 0458 112 777 106 Albert St, Creswick garymiles5 @gmail.com

Daylesford Newsagency & Tattslotto Newspapers, magazines, Tattslotto, dry-cleaning, stationery, photocopying and lots more...

We stock The Local!

55 Vincent Street, Daylesford 5348 2061

Restumping & Underpinning P.O. Box 424 Romsey, VIC 3434 Ph: (03) 5429 1735 Mob: 0428 322 486

Jamie Liversidge Mini Excavations

1.7 tonne Excavator Landscaping, trenching, post holes, retaining walls Livo 0438 483 432 livo@mmnet.com.au

46 Trades

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Want your customers to see your advert here? You can. From just $25 per week plus GST. Call Kyle on 5348 7883.

Thyme for a lawn...

I

F YOU have a dark, damp spot in the garden where you would love a lawn but know that the usual grasses wouldn’t survive - better still - if you would rather not have the regular maintenance or summer water wastage - consider a thyme lawn.

Reform Projects Landscape Gardening Helping you fall back in love with your garden. www.reformprojects.com.au Tel: 0423 368 924

Paving Turfing Makeovers Planting Fencing Drainage

Rock Walls Irrigation Rural Plumbing Retaining Walls Decking Driveways

The prostrate form of culinary thyme, thymus serpyllum, spaced at 12cm to 15cm apart, will grow rapidly to produce a low, dense carpet with several advantages apart from requiring far less water than a traditional lawn and you will only need to run the mower over once or twice a year to keep it under control.

The other benefits are that it will cover up to the base of your trees and grow successfully on sloping ground, covers itself each year with a mass of fragrant flowers, leaves a fragrant trail when walked on and doesn’t need any edging to keep it in place.

If you plan to grow a thyme lawn in high traffic areas simply lay a path of stepping stones before planting to give the plants a break.

Thymus serpyllum can usually be obtained from any nursery stocking a good range of herbs and are inexpensive, especially if you buy them in tube pots.

When making your choice of the varieties to plant, remember that they all have different coloured flowers and foliage The most suitable prostrate thyme varieties for lawn are:

Thymus serpyllum albus - bright green foliage and white flowers.

T.s. aureus - a very flat grower with yellow foliage with infrequent flowers. Grow it for foliage alone.

T.s. villosa with grey hairy foliage and purple flowers.

Thymus serpyllum the parent variety is an excellent carpeter and has deep green foliage and pale mauve flowers Although thymus thrives in a cool, moist spot they need the soil to be well drained, so keep that in mind when you are preparing the area for planting. Mix in compost or sand to lighten heavy soils.

SCRUBCUTTER services

SEPTIC SYSTEM INSPECTION & MAINTENANCE

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www.sanae-svcs.com.au PO Box 1040, Daylesford, VIC 3460

koos.hulst@sanae-svcs.com.au

Holistic Woody Weed Management Blackberry, Gorse, Broome, Bracken etc Removed & managed with NO chemicals Small block, difficult & awkward areas a specialty Using hand tools and a low impact walk-behind machine Environment and animal friendly Phone Sean for a quote on 0438 029 628 Check out Scrubcutter on Facebook!

www.tlnews.com.au

The Garden with Jackie Airey

F

OR many years of my life, I spent much of my time immersed in literature, so it hasn’t only been reality that has helped to create my sense of all things plant.

While poetry is well known for its evocation of the natural world, prose can be just as powerful and has taken my breath away on many an occasion with striking descriptions that have influenced my relationship with gardens and their inhabitants.

A piece of writing that I have never forgotten is one by D.H. Lawrence from Sons and Lovers: “The tall white lilies were reeling in the moonlight, and the air was charged with perfume, as with a presence.

Mrs Morel gasped slightly in fear. She touched the big, pallid flowers on their petals, then shivered. They seemed to be stretching in the moonlight. She put her hand into one white bin: the gold scarcely showed on her fingers by moonlight. She bent down to look at the binful of yellow pollen; but it only appeared dusky.

Then she drank a deep draught of the scent. It almost made her dizzy”.

In this passage, Mrs Morel has just been locked out in the garden at night by her abusive husband. What strikes me is that she is so distracted by the powerfully sensual presence of the lilies in the moonlight, that for a brief few minutes, she transcends the wretchedness and belittlement her husband intends to impose upon her. It doesn’t matter that she spends the night in the woodshed, she has passed beyond his cruelty.

Reflections 47

Lawrence seemed to be fascinated by white flowers, as he demonstrates in two other passages: “She looked at her roses. They were white, some incurved and holy, others expanded in an ecstasy. The tree was dark as a shadow. She lifted her hand impulsively to the flowers …” and “It was very still. The tree was tall and straggling. It had thrown its briers over a hawthorn bush, and its long streamers trailed thick, right down to the grass, splashing the darkness everywhere with great spilt stars, pure white. In bosses of ivory and in large splashed stars the roses gleamed in the darkness of foliage and stems and grass”.

It is never sweetness or fragility that Lawrence attributes to the natural world of his novels. Rather, he notes qualities of strength, mystery, powerfulness and otherness, that seem to dwarf his human characters. I think the influence of this kind of writing may be why I cannot get past a sense of growing and flourishing life, way beyond my own ken.

Then we come to E.M. Forster, and his wonderful novel, Howard’s End. Leonard, one of the characters, feels the need to walk out of London and along the way, he experiences this: “Ankle deep, he waded through the bluebells. His spirit rose and exalted...as he breathed in the sun-drenched air. The glorious day was in its last decline. Long shadows lay on the sward...and from above the leaves dripped their shimmering drops of gold-green light. Moths and butterflies swarmed in merry hosts...flittering here, glimmering there”. Is there any more to say about blissfulness?

What about trees? You may well ask. What about this: “...the wych-elm that she saw from the window was an English tree. No report had prepared her for its peculiar glory”.

“It was neither warrior, nor lover, nor god; …

It was a comrade, bending over the house, strength and adventure in its roots, but in its utmost fingers tenderness, and the girth, that a dozen men could not have spanned, became in the end evanescent, till pale bud clusters seemed to float in the air.” Again, Howard’s End. So, yes, it’s all very English. Well that’s what I was reading, and it was all part of my slow seduction into the life of a gardener – and see where it’s got me.

“Long shadows lay on the sward...and from above the leaves dripped their shimmering drops of gold-green light.”

- E.M. Forster

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Corner East and Mink Streets, Daylesford 5348 4097 All the best names in the business, call or call in for free quote.

Daylesford Floor Coverings

CENTRAL SPRINGS RD

MINK ST

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GLENLYON Gun Club member Angela Marris takes aim.

The club meets at the Glenlyon Reserve on the first Saturday of every month and is in its 30th year.

For more photos go to page 25.