The Local February 12, 2024

February 12, 2024 Issue 299 Welcome!

The Local - The Heart of the Highlands

2 About Us

www.tlnews.com.au

Front cover: Daylesford has been awarded fourth Most Welcoming City on Earth - and you can see why with the friendly smiles of, left to right, Roger McLean from Herbal Lore Liqueurs, Neil Jordan from the Daylesford Bowling Club, Pasha Brel from Daylesford Meat Co. and Emma Johns from Springs Medical. Read more about it opposite.

February 12, 2024 Issue 299 Welcome!

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

The next edition is out on Monday, February 26, 2024. or online on Sunday, February 25 at www.tlnews.com.au Space bookings: Wednesday, February 21 Copy deadline: Thursday, February 22 Editorial deadline: Thursday, February 22 General manager: Kyle Barnes on 0416 104 283 or kyle@tlnews.com.au

Image: Kyle Barnes

Editor: Donna Kelly on 0418 576 513 or news@tlnews.com.au The Local - The Heart of the Highlands

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

The Local is a registered trademark of The Local Publishing Group Pty Ltd. The Local is a member of the Victorian Country Press Association, with editor Donna Kelly, a former director.

Want to support local, quality journalism? Donate by scanning the QR code.

The content expressed within this publication does not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of The Local Publishing Group Pty Ltd. The Local Publishing Group's editorial guidelines and complaints-handling process can be found at www.tlnews.com.au We welcome all feedback.

Writers: Eve Lamb, Kevin Childs, Tony Sawrey, Simone Kaplan & Donna Kelly Photographers: Kyle Barnes & Eve Lamb Graphic designer: Dianne Caithness Contributors: Glen Heyne (gardening), Darren Lowe (music), Sarah Lang & Richard Cornish (recipes), Clive Hartley (wine) & Bill Wootton (poetry) Accounts | Julie Hanson

Delivery | Tony Sawrey

Welcome to Daylesford, top four in the world

Daylesford has come fourth in the top 10 Most Welcoming Cities on Earth.

Booking.com has revealed this year’s Most Welcoming Cities and the Traveller Review Awards 2024 recipients.

The Most Welcoming Cities on Earth are 1. Arraial d’Ajuda, Brazil; 2. Ermoupoli, Greece; 3. Viana do Castelo, Portugal; 4. Daylesford, Australia; 5. Grindelwald, Switzerland; 6. Moab, United States; 7. Uzès, France; 8. Mazatlán, Mexico; 9.

Jaisalmer, India; and 10. Fujikawaguchiko, Japan.

As well, more than 22,000 Australian travel partners were recognised for their hospitality with a Traveller Review Award.

The awards are based on more than 309 million verified customer reviews with 1.48 million accommodation providers, 449 rental car companies and 129 taxi providers receiving an award, including 22,000 in Australia.

Hepburn Shire Mayor Cr Brian Hood said it was an incredible result for Daylesford.

"Daylesford is a uniquely beautiful town, known for its striking landscapes no matter the season, award winning eateries and world-famous mineral springs and spa resorts.

“With a distinct village feel, visitors are spoilt for choice with retail outlets, galleries and markets to explore. Daylesford also has an abundance of local festivals throughout the year that showcase its charm and many colours, including ChillOut, Australia’s largest regional LGBTIQA+ pride festival held annually in March.”

Booking.com Oceania regional manager Todd Lacey said Booking.com believed that the best traveller experiences shouldn’t be kept a secret.

"We want to take the time to recognise our Australian partners who deliver the very best experiences in the eyes of customers. Behind each score or certificate is a whole year filled with real travellers, real experiences and real reviews, which is a core differentiator for providers to attract their next customers.

“The Traveller Review Awards are our way of thanking and publicly acknowledging the top notch service our Australian partners provide to travellers and the critical role they play in our mission of making it easier for everyone to experience the world.

"This year, we’re proud to see Daylesford, Victoria featured on our global list as one of the Most Welcoming Cities on Earth.”

Words: Donna Kelly | Image: Kyle Barnes

21 - 24 MARCH

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Our people 5

Mind Your Pet closes its doors on an era After 18 years Rob Hands and Annie Reeve have stepped away from their Mind Your Pet business in Daylesford.

It was a hard decision to make – because of the customers, or as they know them after so many years, friends.

Farewell tea

The Porcupine Ridge couple hosted a farewell afternoon tea a couple of weeks back and were overwhelmed with how many people turned up, some even bearing gifts and cards.

“There have been a lot of tears,” says Annie.

“And that was the hardest part, our customers.

Because they are not just customers, they are our friends. But we exchanged a lot of phone numbers and have been invited for many cups of tea.

“And some came back after that just to say how much they had enjoyed the afternoon. It was pretty wonderful and we have just loved getting to know them all – and their pets.”

Time to move on

Rob said they were offered a three-year lease but after 18 years, and with pretty much most of Covid working with just Sundays off, decided it was time to move on.

“It’s a lot of heavy lifting with the stock and we just thought we couldn’t do it for another three years. It was time and now we are enjoying having a break – and cleaning out everything that came home from the shop!”

Keen cyclists

Both keen cyclists, the couple met while working on a bike race in South Australia.

Annie was on the Ballarat team, working as a massage therapist, but someone took her place and she found herself on the same team as Rob. They travelled in the same vehicle to get to the next stop ahead of the team, and well, what happens on the bus stays on the bus. That was 31 years ago.

Rob had a former life as a sparky also working at Home Hardware in Daylesford and Hepburn Bathhouse while Annie managed Women’s Health Grampians, worked in hydrotherapy at St John of God and also at the Bathhouse.

Why a pet shop?

The move to owning Mind Your Pet came as they shopped for feed in Ballarat for their sheep and cats – they have two feline friends, one 18 “going on two and ruling the roost” and one 13.

The couple realised there was nothing available close to home, saw the opportunity and opened up their own store, specialising in premium brands.

There was never any issue about working together although some people have asked how they will fare being at home together now. “We just say we have already been together every day,” Annie laughed.

Physical exuberance, sonic resonance, and collective exhilaration explode onto stage in a kaleidoscopic fusion of dance, music, and visual art.

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Staying put

The couple has no plans to leave their Porky Ridge home, where they are both active long-term members of the Porcupine Ridge CFA – Rob was captain some years back.

“We have had a wonderful time with our store and really want to emphasise how much we have enjoyed it and how much our customers mean to us. Those friendships have just been terrific,” Rob said.

Words: Donna Kelly | Image: Kyle Barnes

Photo: Amber Haines

THE WHAT DAY IS IT BIT

Victoria’s bathing experiences are a short trip from home, but light years from the real world. Don’t be alarmed by that strange feeling – that’s just your stress melting away.

Unwind at revitalising places like Alba Thermal Springs & Spa. VISITVICTORIA.COM

Heather Ross (at front left) of Daylesford Dancers' Scottish Country Dance Group with Ballarat Scottish Country Dance Group dancers and (at front right) Creswick's Susan Greenbank and Ballarat Scottish Country Dance Group's Neil Leckie at Ballarat's Lake Wendouree

Staying social with Scottish Country Dances It was in Germany, of all places, that the eyes of Creswick’s Susan Greenbank were first opened to Scottish Country Dancing.

Eight years on it’s clear it was to be an enduring passion as Susan is among the region’s legion of Scottish Country Dancing devotees now keenly anticipating the resumption of the Daylesford Dancers’ Scottish Country Dance Group sessions from March 5.

From that date the Daylesford group will be dancing on the first and third Tuesday of each month at the Masonic Hall in Vincent Street.

The group’s Heather Ross says it’s a very sociable session and Scottish Country Dance is itself a very social activity.

“It’s not Highland Dancing,” Heather says. “It’s more like square dancing and it’s purely for fun.”

Like many of the Daylesford group members both Heather and Susan also dance regularly with the Ballarat Scottish Country Dance Group as well.

Members from both groups recently joined forces to give a demonstration of the time-honoured dance form as part of a multicultural event at Ballarat’s Lake Wendouree.

Chatting with them after catching their engaging kilt-swirling performance it quickly became clear that members of both groups jump at just about any opportunity to dance with others who share their passion for the dance form.

“People come to our Daylesford group from as far as Werribee, Melbourne, Castlemaine and Ballarat,” Heather says.

“The Daylesford group was actually started by (the late) Les Morrow from Castlemaine, for people who love the dance form to come together from across regional areas.

“The group’s been going for at least nine or 10 years now. It’s just kept going and it’s very casual but we’d love new dancers to come along. We’d love to have more Daylesford area people coming to the group.

“When we get new dancers beginning we take it very slowly. We introduce them to it slowly.

“You don’t have to wear tartan. No special clothes are needed. The main thing is just to have soft shoes and a sense of rhythm, and you’ve got to be reasonably fit.”

There must be something fairly addictive about Scottish Country Dancing as many of the region’s members become so engrossed in it that they travel to Melbourne on a weekly basis to participate in social dance sessions there as well.

“I’ve been going (to the Daylesford dances) now since 2016,” Susan says.

“It’s not competitive. It’s all social. The thing I enjoy most about it is the fun and the laughter, especially when you mess up. You laugh your head off.”

Many of the Ballarat group members regularly travel to Daylesford to participate in the sessions at the Masonic Hall in Vincent Street as well as attending their group’s regular dance sessions on offer in Ballarat.

One of their members, Graham Gooding, says the dance form seems to particularly appeal to people with a maths or science background. Perhaps because of the repeating patterns, sequences and symmetry involved.

For these reasons it’s also recognised as being pretty good for the brain as well as the body, dancers say.

Graham is pretty clear about what the main attraction is for him – “the music and the fitness and the fun”.

No partner is necessary to participate and the upcoming Daylesford dance sessions take place between 10am and 2pm with those who attend invited to bring lunch along with them, and drinks provided as part of the $10 session cost.

Heather says all newbies are more than welcome and should give her a call first on 0418 313 060.

Words & Image: Eve Lamb Another group keen on Scottish heritage, the Daylesford Highland Gathering, is keen to attract new members - and perhaps new committee members.

A public meeting to recruit new members will be held at the Mitchell Hall in Daylesford (next to the Uniting Church in Central Springs Road) on Wednesday, February 21 at 7.30pm. The AGM will then be held at the same venue on Wednesday, March 6 at 7.30pm.

Every vehicle has a tale to tell: Clunes, we have a convoy “Besides this show at Clunes there’s another one at Lancefield before it and one When the Historic Vehicle Show happens at Clunes showground next month, at Kyabram after it and people will go from one to the other over the three weeks,” look out for the retired truckies as they catch up with tales tall and true.

Starting the day before, the town’s attractive little showground gradually transforms as it fills to the hilt with retro vehicles, many of them historic commercial trucks as this annual fixture is staged by the Historic Commercial Vehicle Club of Australia, Ballarat branch.

For Strathlea retired career truck driver, Barry Dodson, for example, it’s a time to show off a historic vehicle or two from his own collection, and also for some serious chinwagging as he catches up with others in the scene that has its own staunch following.

“This show is on the circuit,” says Barry who clocked up seven million kilometres (but who’s counting?) during his 52-year pro trucking career that started when he was a mere youngster of 20.

Imagine the stories to come out of clocking up that many ks.

Yes, Barry says, there are a few. But some of them involve witnessing some things on the road that you’d probably rather not recount.

“I’m a worn out, retired truck driver,” he laughs. “I drove for seven years interstate, Adelaide and Brisbane, and then local, bulk grain and fertiliser.”

By “local” he means the state of Victoria and pushing a bit over the NSW border as well. “I drove Internationals and Western Stars. The first semi I ever drove was an International. It was a C Line Butterbox. I’ve always had Internationals and loved ‘em.”

These days Barry loves few things better than to spot some old neglected vintage vehicle and then lovingly restore it to full gleaming glory.

He currently has a collection that features three vintage International trucks including a 1970 International C Line with V8 engine, Tasmanian oak tray and chrome features, that he loves to take along to shows like Clunes’ as a conversation starter.

Suffice to say he’ll be heading along to the upcoming show here on Sunday March 10 to add the beautifully restored 1970s workhorse (named Greenie) to the impressive number on display.

“This is the 13th show here and I came to the first and then joined the club,” Barry says.

Many who get along to the Clunes show also link in with other similar vehicle shows on the state’s calendar.

Barry says. “You do get a lot of retired truck drivers.”

Camping is encouraged at Clunes and many make a weekend of it, says the club’s Jon Paine, a Clunes local who helps make it all happen.

“It’s a get-together for people to chat about old times and who used to work with who,” he says And it’s not just trucks. There’s also all sorts of collectible cars, small engines, caravans and tractors that roll up as well, Jon says.

Vehicles that go on show must be at least 25 years old and Jon says they never quite know what’s going to roll through the showground gates until the day arrives.

In the past, the surprise packets that have shown up have ranged from a vintage agricultural crop header to the musician Chooka Parker.

“Last year there were roughly 80 trucks here on the Saturday night before the show and over the Sunday of the show we had 180 trucks and 200 plus cars,” Barry says.

The admission fee is $10 for adults with kids under 16 free and the HCVA Ballarat branch donates proceeds raised to good local causes and organisations, having given away $200,000 over the past decade, Jon says.

The event is also a significant fundraiser for other local entities as well, including the Clunes and District Agricultural Society and the local primary school which provides onsite food, alongside various food stalls that get along as well.

“It’s a time for everybody to come and enjoy themselves and relax,” Jon says.

The Historic Vehicle Show, presented by HCVCA, Ballarat branch, takes place Sunday, March 10 at Clunes Showgrounds with gates open from 9am to 4pm.

Words & image: Eve Lamb Above, Clunes’ Jon Paine (left) and Strathlea’s Barry Dodson with “Greenie” the 1970 C Line International truck

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Homes & gardens 9

Give them a shady deal There are many beautiful flowering and ornamental perennials and shrubs that need a shady spot to perform at their best, in climes warmer than their place of origin.

Shade lovers are at their best and most attractive, where shade exists naturally.

Whether it be under a heavy spreading tree, on steep slopes, the south or south-east side of your house or garage, providing the atmosphere is cool and humid, many plants will be suitable.

There are numerous plants which require only partial shade for best growth. These prefer the natural, filtered light provided by large trees. By planting spreading shadegiving trees or erecting a shade screen you will be able to provide the right atmosphere for these plants and as a bonus, this will also modify the harshness of the hot sun close to your house.

Heavier shade, such as that provided by buildings or closely planted, thickfoliaged trees requires a careful selection of hardier plants. As well combating their larger, stronger network of roots for a foothold, the smaller newcomers need to get a fair share of moisture and nourishment.

Plants suitable for shaded planting include many ferns, azaleas, begonias, camellias, fuchsias, hydrangeas (especially the new miniature variety) and many tropical foliage plants.

Many of these, particularly the azaleas and camellias, require very good drainage.

Most of them prefer acidic soil that is well drained and of a crumbly, friable texture.

This can be provided by working in peat moss and mulching with well-rotted cow manure.

Whilst it may be delightful to have a cool shady area close to the house during the hot months, care must be taken to ensure that it does not cut off light and warmth from the house or terrace in winter.

Where half-hardy plants are used it is advisable to shade them, either with deciduous trees to allow whatever winter sunlight there may be through to the house, or for a permanent structure, you can’t do better than woven shade cloth . This provides excellent shade and whilst drastically reducing the temperature of its shaded area, the reduction of light is quite low, this means the plants remain healthy and do not become lanky and drawn out.

Some of the useful and attractive plants for growing under filtered light include: Aucuba Japonica - the “gold dust plant”, with large green holly-shaped leaves thickly blotched with gold; and Aralia elegantissima - a rather elegant slender, upright plant with long, thin, serrated, digitate foliage. The leaves are bronze and the stems dark green, mottled with brown, with a truly “shady past”. Read on...

Back in the mid 60’s, during my stint as PR officer/sales manager for South Australia’s leading nursery group, it was at the height of early hash fever, when we were raided by a team from S.A. Police Department's Drug Squad.

The first we knew of this was when a rather large uniformed gentleman burst into my office, threw a small potted plant on my desk and told me that we were in deep strife on a charge of wholesale distribution and sale of a forbidden narcotic plant.

It took some considerable effort to get a word in, then convince him and his cohort that the plant in question was no way related to any narcotics.

A few quiet apologies and words of gratitude for the "samples" we gave them and peace returned to the potting shed.

And the plants in question? The first aralia elegantissima to be seen in Adelaide, duly repotted and readied for sale.

Above, an ideal spot for some light shade lovers along the eastern wall of our house and under a centuries-old rhododendron.

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Council news MESSAGE FROM THE MAYOR Well, what a brilliant start to 2024. For Daylesford to be named the fourth most welcoming community in Booking.com’s global awards is a wonderful and most welcome accolade. It has always been well known that we have superb natural attractions and a myriad of festivals and events to cater for a wide range of interests. But this acknowledgment pays tribute to the warm welcome extended by community members, traders and accommodation providers to our visitors. This recognition will only serve to make Daylesford and other parts of the Shire a destination of choice.

While on the subject of congratulating great people, I extend my thanks on behalf of Council to Neville Cartledge and Pat Tacey (joint Citizens of the Year), Alice Newitt (Young Citizen of the Year) and ChillOut (Event of the Year) and to all award nominees for their valuable contributions to our community. Well done to all.

2024 will prove to be an exceptionally busy and important year for Council and for councillors in particular. As this is the fourth year of our term we are heading to elections in late October, as are all Victorian councils. Our final Council meeting will be held on 17 September after which we go into caretaker mode. Councillors are therefore determined to advance a number of critically important pieces of work by the end of our term. In that regard community members should watch out for draft town structure plans being released in coming weeks for further consultation. We are aiming to finalise these plans by the end of the term and then forwarding them to the state government for formal adoption.

Arrangements for the October election are yet to be released by the state government. Their announcement will clarify the ward structure for Hepburn Shire, following last year’s electoral review.

Ahead of the election we expect there will be legislative change aimed to strengthen oversight of councils by the state government, improve dispute resolution mechanisms, reforms to strengthen Council leadership and performance and greater controls over councillor conduct.

Another major deliverable to be completed by September is the preparation of a long term (10 year) financial plan. This work has the key objective of ensuring Council’s financial sustainability and will necessitate a strategic review of Council’s service offering. Like most councils we face serious challenges in order to balance the books and at the same time meet community needs. The comparatively small size of Hepburn Shire, and other factors, will mean that some challenging strategic decisions must be taken if we are to meet our obligation to ensure longer term financial sustainability. The community will undoubtedly hear more on that subject as the year progresses.

Mayor, Cr Brian Hood

COUNCIL PLAN FOCUS AREAS

DAYLESFORD CBD IMPROVEMENTS Council officers have been working with the Department of Transport and Planning (DTP) on a proposal for a new 40 kilometre per hour speed zone in the central business district of Daylesford. A formal application has previously been submitted to DTP, who have worked with us in considering the proposal. It will now be submitted to the relevant minister for approval in the coming weeks.

The proposed zone is envisaged to encompass the Daylesford Primary School, Daylesford Preschool, outdoor swimming pool, bowling club, Coles, police station and the Howe/Vincent Street shopping precincts. Officers work with DTP on speed zone changes across the Shire on an ongoing basis.

SUSTAINABLE HEPBURN DAY Save the date - Join us for Sustainable Hepburn Day, a celebration of all the action in our community and a fun day out for the whole family. It will be held Saturday 16 March between 10am and 3pm at Victoria Park in Daylesford. Live music, games, food and drink will feature alongside workshops and interactive displays. More information at www.hepburn.vic.gov.au/SHDay

STRUCTURE PLAN PROGRESSING One of the major components of our strategic planning project, Future Hepburn, is the development of structure plans for Trentham, Clunes, Creswick, Daylesford/Hepburn and Glenlyon. These structure plans will guide the future development in each township to 2050.

In October and November of last year we brought together five groups of community members in each of the key townships to begin working on drafting the structure plans. Each Community Panel worked together to develop a shared vision and the key objectives across six themes - housing, business and economy, environment and heritage, urban design, movement and access, community and cultural infrastructure.

We are now working through the strategies and actions to bring those visions to life. We look forward to sharing the draft structure plans with the community in the coming months. Visit https:// participate.hepburn.vic.gov.au/future-hepburn

MULCH AVAILABLE Council has mulch available at its Daylesford, Trentham and Creswick transfer stations... and it’s free if you hand load it.

At Daylesford we have a front loader machine, so if you would like assistance with loading your mulch there will be a small charge of $12 per load. This mulch has been created from the contributions during the free green waste disposal period in November. Thanks to everyone who contributed. We encourage you to pop into one of our transfer stations soon to grab some mulch while supplies last.

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

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

Individual Care for You

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Bulk Billing available for concession card holders and under 15s

Talk to us about registering for MyMedicare

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If you have an urgent, non-threatening health concern after hours, call the After Hours GP Helpline 1800 022 222 In an emergency always call 000

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Nightingale Home Care provides tailored, personable and highly qualified in-home nursing, aged care, and disability support to those in Daylesford and the surrounding region. Would you or a loved one benefit from the daily care of a professional in the comfort of your own home? Our nurses and support staff are here to help.

03 5223 1909 info@nightingalehomecare.com.au www.nightingalehomecare.com.au

EAT | DRINK | ENJOY

Out & About in the Central Highlands

14 Out & About

Chamber concerts

Christ Church’s 2024 Chamber Concert series offers exciting chamber music in the lovely settings of Christ Church and Stanbridge Hall, Daylesford.

Saturday, February 24: Duo Zefira, Roberta Diamond and soprano Hannah Lane, baroque harp, with traditional melodies from the Sephardic diaspora intertwined with theatre music from the Spanish Golden Age. Saturday, April 13: Jakob Lindberg, lute and theorbo, one of the world’s foremost and prolific lutenists, explores the great works of the French and Italian Baroque.

Saturday, May 25: Patrick Savage, violin and Konrad Olszewski, piano, will perform lost gems from the Golden Age of Hollywood.

Saturday, June 29: Lizzy Welsh, baroque violin and Joy Lee, harpsichord, are long-time collaborators and early/contemporary music specialists who will play works from across several centuries.

Saturday, July 27: Gryphon Baryton Trio, Laura Vaughan, baryton, Katie Yap, viola and Josie Vains, cello, will perform joyful music by Joseph Haydn.

Saturday, August 24: The Artamidae Quartet, Donica Tran, violin, Fiona Qiu, violin, Harry Swainston, viola, and Nadia Barrow, cello, will weave musical stories of dance, friendship and passion playing Beethoven, Tchaikovsky and Purcell.

Saturday, September 21: Consortium, Laura Vaughan, Laura Moore, Reidun Turner, Ruth Wilkinson and Victoria Watts will perform music of the 16th and 17th centuries. Prepare to be swept away by the magic of the Viola da Gamba consort.

Saturday, October 26: Hepburn Players, Shane Lestideau, guest director and violin, Tim Drylie, tenor and Andrew Welsh, harpsichord, will present Splendours of the Baroque, a program of favourite concertos and arias from the late Baroque and early Classical periods.

Saturday, November 30: Daylesford Community Brass Band, Mark Lyall, music director, will present Fire-Water-Wood, drawing on original works show how the environment of the Hepburn Shire can be a site of knowledge and inspiration.

Tickets are $30 with students $15. A full series ticket is $190 - (saving $80).

All concerts start at 2.30pm and will be held in Christ Church, except Jakob Lindberg on April 13, which will be held in Stanbridge Hall.

Bookings: www.trybooking.com/eventlist/christchurchconcerts

DUO ZEFIRA Roberta Diamond, soprano Hannah Lane, baroque harp

Saturday 24 February 2.30pm

ESPERAR SENTIR MORIR to hope, to feel, to die.

Esperar, sentir, morir (to hope, to feel, to die) explores Baroque and Renaissance music of the Iberian peninsular and its influence throughout Europe. Traditional melodies from the Sephardic diaspora are intertwined with theatre music from the Spanish Golden Age and popular compositions that traveled around the world.

Bookings: QR code or link https://www.trybooking.com/eventlist/ christchurchconcerts Venue: Christ Church, 54 Central Springs Road, Daylesford Tickets: Adult $30 Students $15 Full Series Ticket (9 Concerts) $190 (saving $80) Proudly supported by CommunityBank Daylesford District, Biggin Scott, Baxter & Stubbs and The Magic Pudding

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Gig Guide

with Darren Lowe

Free community concert Sunset in the Springs Friday’s opening event was a huge success, a pleasant evening with a variety of acts, a great initiative. Don’t miss this week's event, details below. A nice mix of local acts and some high profile acts, including Leah Senior, pictured, who will be a featured support act for US legends Wilco, touring next month.

Hepburn Shire Council is hosting the free events as an opportunity for the community to come together and enjoy performances by local and regional artists in a relaxed setting at the Sound Shell at Hepburn Mineral Springs Reserve.

“Bring a picnic with friends and family and join us at this concert to support young local performers,” said Hepburn Shire Mayor Cr Brian Hood.

“Free activities and entertainment will be on hand for children and young people.

We would love to see people of all ages come along and enjoy this free evening of entertainment.”

Food will also be available for purchase on the evening.

Sunset in the Springs' final gig will be held on Friday, February 16 from 5pm until dark featuring Leah Senior, Coda Chroma, Pyrex and Stevie Rigby.

Got a gig happening? Pop it online at www.tlnews.com.au

News 15

Just briefly...

Kyneton's Grace Larson is one of four trailblazing Victorian women in the running for the 2024 Agrifutures Rural Women’s Award.

Ms Larson formed The Sisterhood Project to mitigate the barriers of distance and affordability for parents and carers in rural areas. The project aims to deliver free access to essential paediatric first aid training for vulnerable groups, to help curb higher child mortality rates in rural Australia. The Victorian winner will be announced in April and receive $15,000. They will also go on to the National Award in September.

The Trentham Fashion Swap team is hosting its first of four clothing swaps for 2024 on Sunday, February 18 at the Trentham Neighbourhood Centre.

Trentham Fashion Swap, from 1pm to 3pm, is a seasonal event hosted by a team of passionate local volunteers. The idea gained momentum when it was supported by Trentham Sustainability Group’s Great Ideas for Sustainability in Trentham contest in 2023 and is expanding in 2024 thanks to a Hepburn Shire Council community funding grant.

Trentham & District Historical Society is holding an open day on Saturday, February 18 from 11am to 1pm.

There will be guest speakers, guided tours, games and giveaways, a sausage sizzle and delicious treats. Head to 3-5 Camp Street, Trentham.

Link: www.trenthamhistoricalsociety.org.au

Radical Fieldz meets every third Saturday from October to March with artists sharing their skills and ideas - with two free creative community events coming up.

On Saturday, February 17 there will be a ‘Meet the Artist’ with local painter/ sculptor Bern Barry at the Glenlyon Market in the former Shire Hall from 9am to 1pm.

And join local artist/photographer Kim Percy as she guides people on a photographic journey exploring local landscapes from noon to 3pm at the Glenlyon Community Dam. BYO camera and/or phone.

16 Out & About

www.tlnews.com.au

House.Land.Home.Premium is out in print on

Monday, February 26 and online on

Sunday, February 25 Don't miss out!

(It's also the bumper ChillOut editon and 300th edition of The Local. Just sayin'...)

Rare opera revival Daylesford is soon to experience a rare operatic experience when Lyster Opera presents the first professional revival of Friedrich von Flotow’s Martha in many years.

From the mid-nineteenth century until the outbreak of WWI, Martha was amongst the most performed musical works in the world. Its unique blend of comedy and romantic drama, coupled with a rich and beautiful score, endeared it to audiences worldwide, and it was said to be Queen Victoria’s favourite opera. It was a direct influence on many composers, including Sir Arthur Sullivan, who conducted it many times.

For director, and Lyster Opera founder, Jamie Moffat, its neglect in recent years is inexplicable. “The score is amongst the most ravishing I have ever heard,” he says.

“Apart from some instantly recognisable pieces, such as The Last Rose of Summer which is woven throughout, it is in turn funny and at times unbearably moving.

Finding a cast to do it justice is a challenge, and we are so lucky to have singers who can bring it to life.”

Martha tells the story of two Irish noblewomen who, bored with life at the Queen’s Court, decide to disguise themselves as servants and visit the local fair at Richmond. There they are hired by two farmers to attend to their housework – when comedy turns to romance and a bad case of mistaken identity.

The cast is made up of experienced singers who have performed regularly at Melbourne Opera and Victorian Opera, as well as newcomers. Paul Biencourt and Michael Lampard play the brothers Lionel and Plunkett who hire Lady Harriett (Jesse Linke) and Nancy (Maria Woolford) without knowing their true identities.

Newcomer Nicholas Sheppard plays the Richmond Sheriff, who ensures that the laws of the Shire are adhered to, and Troy Castle brings slapstick comedy to the role of Lord Mickelford.

This is Lyster Opera’s first visit to Daylesford Town Hall and is on a larger scale than previous productions, and features new costumes and sets. Musical direction is by Pamela Christie, who has been an audience favourite at previous Lyster performances. There is one performance only on February 24 at 2pm.

Tickets: lysteropera.com.au (concessions available)

Let’s support our community and shop local!

“Locals supporting Locals”

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

Remember we offer free delivery, T&Cs apply.

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

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

Give the Foxxy team a call on 5348 3577.

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Wine notes

with Clive Hartley

Grenache offering a fresh approach

To market, to market

Apply within! There is a vacancy in Australian red wine styles at present. Shiraz has lost its Midas touch but there are plenty to choose from and one of them applying You can find everything you need at weekend markets, from fresh fruit and is grenache. It is ideally suited to the hotter regions around the country, being a late veg to handmade jewellery and wares, throughout the Central Highlands and ripening variety and having the ability to withstand drought and heat.

Globally, grenache is a widely planted grape variety, found principally in southern surrounds. Here are just a few.

France and Spain. It had its origins in Spain and is often blended with tempranillo to produce Rioja and Navarra (Navarre) wines. In France it goes into Châteauneuf-duDaylesford Sunday Market – every Sunday Pape and Côte-du-Rhône wines, as well as contributing to the production of Tavel Rosé. It is found throughout Southern France, so any of our Mediterranean climate Daylesford Farmers Market – first Saturday regions are likely to produces some good wines.

Trentham Neighbourhood Centre Makers Market - first Saturday McLaren Vale springs to mind and I was recently there and talking to Yangarra Woodend Farmers Market - first Saturday Estate winemaker Peter Fraser. Yangarra specialises in varietals grown in southern France such as roussanne, piquepoul, cinsault, mourvèdre, carignan and counoise.

Trentham Community Group Market - second Saturday In fact they grow 15 different grape varieties spread over 87 hectares of sandy, sunKyneton Farmers Market - second Saturday drenched soils. Yangarra Estate is located in the Blewitt Springs subregion. Chester Ballan Farmers Market - second Saturday Osborn, winemaker at d’Arenberg, first alerted me to this subregion as a good Kyneton Rotary Community Market – second Saturday breeding ground for grenache. “The sand and clay soil works well. When they haven’t Maldon Market – second Sunday been fertilised the sands give very good aromatics and when the yields are kept right Clunes Farmers Market - second Sunday back they get very solid vibrant tannins.”

To add to his use of some lesser-known grape varieties Peter Fraser has heavily Trentham Farmers Market and Makers Market - third Saturday invested in the use of 675-litre ceramic eggs for fermentation and maturation. These Glenlyon Farmers Market – third Saturday are used for his Ovitelli Grenache that sees over 130 days on skins. No oak is used Leonards Hill Market - third Saturday and tasting its elegant and textured fine tannin structure you don’t miss it at all.

Creswick Market - third Saturday Whilst single varietal grenache can be attractive, it is when the grape is used in Talbot Farmers Market – third Sunday blends that it really hits the spot as an alternative wine style and brings out the best in Woodend Lions Market - third Sunday the grape variety. Normally we see grenache used in a GSM blend, but what Yangarra Estate is doing differently is to reduce to a minimum the often-dominant shiraz and Trentham Station Sunday Market - fourth Sunday mourvèdre. They replace it with carignan, cinsault and counoise to make a fragrant, Castlemaine Artists Market - fourth Sunday floral, light but textured, red fruit-driven wine with a tannin finish. At the $30 mark the wine is a modern McLaren Vale wine that offers a wine drinker a fresh approach.

Clive Hartley is an award-winning wine writer, educator and consultant.

His Australian Wine Guide (7th ed) is available for purchase from Paradise Books in Daylesford or via his website – www.australianwineguide.com.au

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Out & About 19

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$50k to get back to racin' at the Basin The Daylesford Speedway Drivers Association, administrators of the Daylesford Speedway track in the Basin Reserve, have set up a GoFundMe page to raise $50,000 for a new concrete safety wall for the historic circuit.

While already part of the club’s six year infrastructure improvement plan, the fundraising efforts have been given greater urgency by the track's temporary closure after the death of competitor Stephen Douglas at a meeting in February last year.

“Everything's been on hold since the accident,” says club president Aaron Meakins, pictured.

“Our land is managed by Hepburn Regional Council who have been very supportive. But DEECA, (Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action) who own the reserve, have said we are not to run any more meetings until the report from the Coroner is released and any recommendations are carried out.”

The Daylesford Speedway is the oldest speedway in Victoria and has been in operation for over 60 years after being built in the late 1950s by two returned servicemen, Kim Walker and Keith Cole.

A community-orientated track, its meetings have always had an air of nostalgia about them recalling the rough and ready fender-bending action from the sport’s earliest days.

While the club has struggled with adversity from bushfires to flooding in the past, the current situation has been difficult. There has been no racing now for 12 months and it is a sad experience to visit the site, see fixtures rusting and weeds spreading across the banked corners of the old ring.

There is no clear indication when the Coroner's report will be released and the situation has obviously been frustrating for the DSDA’s dedicated members.

But ever optimistic, they are using this downtime to coordinate fundraising initiatives so as to be on the front foot once permission is given to hold meetings there once again.

“We are expecting some form of directive from the Coroner regarding safety upgrades,” says Aaron.

“Ultimately, putting a concrete wall in at a speedway is a natural progression that we as a club have to take. It was already in our six-year plan prior to the incident but of course, with losing 95 per cent of our income that we could normally generate in a season, it has put a hold on everything.

“We have had to resort to other avenues to try and get funding to get the place reopened.”

Besides the GoFundMe page which has received $2000 in pledges so far, they have created a legislative council petition for State Government assistance and begun the process of applying for state and federal grants.

Other support is coming from the various competitors and sponsors across the entire dirt track speedway fraternity who have fond memories of the Daylesford circuit which they would like to see continue.

“I’m very optimistic that we will have the work started within the next six months and everything ready for the 2025 season.

“Every club needs to fight to keep their tracks open and Daylesford is the oldest speedway in Victoria. To lose a piece of history like that would be a massive loss.”

Link: www.gofundme.com/f/help-daylesford-speedway-build-a-wall Words & image: Tony Sawrey

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20 Our people

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A wonderful journey of food & friendship Sometimes there are people who wander into our lives and our communities with an unexpected gift of compassion and connectedness. It is often hard to articulate the extent of their reach. Raman Richards is one such example.

Moving to Daylesford around four months ago, it’s incredible how this man with a passion for honouring his mum’s Indian cooking and a love of connecting people through food has had a much-needed positive impact on our little community.

It all started with Raman making a simple request on a local Facebook page asking where to purchase local produce and has now had an unexpected and beautiful impact on the lives of many.

“It has been overwhelming. The people I have met in such a short time; the friends I have made; the food producers and the local butchers and fruit shop owners I have connected with has been humbling. I’m so grateful for the love I have been shown in such a brief time,” he said.

“I have met people from all walks of life. From people living in small units to large properties, I have connected with people through my mum’s recipes and my love of sharing and connecting through food.”

When Raman received so many responses to his first request on Facebook, he responded with a thank you and a photo of the recipes he had made. Then people started asking for his recipes, and many then shared their attempts. The messages continued. People sharing their photos with Raman, asking where to buy certain spices.

For Raman, it was a natural progression to have a cook up and share his recipes. He wasn’t expecting the response he received when he asked publicly if anyone would be keen to taste test.

“It was never planned. It all happened so organically.

There was such a genuine passion for my recipes and food that sharing it was a natural progression. My passion is connecting people with local produce and sharing recipes and food with people.”

So, after a mammoth 18 hours of cooking, Raman drove around the countryside - literally - delivering Indian food or as one Facebook message read: “His little gift of love.”

“I was humbled to receive produce from those I had visited, beautiful handmade gifts and most importantly the connections I made. I delivered a meal to a lovely lady in Hepburn who said it was hard for her to afford takeaway.

“She said she had invited her neighbour in to share the meal I had delivered. She recently told me they are now sharing a meal weekly. That’s what food does. It brings people together. It provides companionship.”

What's also remarkable is that all of the private and public messages have been positive. Raman said initially he was warned that some messages might be negative, he has only had messages of support and kindness.

For Raman, sharing his food is his way of paying tribute to his mother. A strong woman, he says, who has taught him the importance of respecting others, connecting with others through the sharing of food and most importantly through kindness.

“My mother grew up in a little Indian village. After she moved to Australia, she opened several restaurants and still raised a family and imparted a love of sharing food on all of us. All of my knowledge of food, my love of food and sharing of food is all because of my mother. To be able to pass that on is so humbling,” he said.

For now, Raman continues to work in his corporate IT role, volunteers with Beyond Blue and has connected with local groups including the 5000 Club and the Good Grub Club and cooked up a feast for a local wildlife fundraiser - to help share his passion of food and his mum’s ideal that food connects us all.

His plan is to have a little patch of land where he can grow his own produce, have five kelpies running around and continue to share his mother’s legacy. But for now, he is preparing his next cooking adventure following a recent trip back to India with his mum.

And for the hundreds of us who have been part of Raman’s story to date, we are all looking forward to seeing his journey of food and friendship unfold.

Words & image: Narelle Groenhout

“I have met people from all walks of life.

From people living in small units to large properties, I have connected with people through my mum’s recipes and my love of sharing and connecting through food.”

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Promotion 21

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Active contributors to the Solar Victoria industry advisory body and signatory to the NETCC industry code of conduct, Central Spark is invested in the long-term viability of renewable energy and supports the Victorian Government target of 0 net emissions by 2040.

Spokesperson Paul, who lives in Guildford and travels regularly throughout the region delivering customised quotes on a range of solar systems, said he worked with customers to provide the most suitable energy solution for their requirements.

“We have extensive experience in various installation challenges and are in constant internal contact with our employed in-house team of A-grade electricians and solar/battery accredited designers, in order to be able to offer the most accurate and realistic installation advice, even if that means not installing anything!”

Paul, pictured right, said one of the main focuses of Central Spark as a locally owned business – owner Matthew Wilson grew up in Maldon - was offering transparency in the solar field.

“We are very much a ‘nuts and bolts’ solar business and there is no smoke or mirrors. We offer sensible, realistic options and then work on providing the best system for each customer’s needs.”

Paul said solar systems were always popular and now more reliable than they had ever been with the solar panels themselves also cheaper and better than any time in history.

Despite that, there was still a lot of chat about solar happening in backyard barbeques that just wasn’t quite right. Such as our winter is too cloudy for a solar system to work.

“It is obviously very cold in some parts of country Victoria, and I don’t think anyone will object when I say that each time I visit Trentham it seems a bit colder than the last time.

“But if you look at the Bureau of Meteorology data, you notice that Trentham has only 4 per cent less sunshine, what we call irradiance, than Castlemaine.

“So, it feels cold but as far as weather bands across Victoria, they sit nice and comfortably in this band that is less sunny than Castlemaine but with more ‘sunniness’ than Melbourne by 3 per cent on average.

That means yearly solar output in Trentham surpasses Melbourne.”

But Paul says even with that reassurance, Central Spark will carry out a customised quote for each potential new customer as part of their transparency.

“If solar is going to work 20 per cent less than ideal, we will let our customers know, and the option is theirs. Whether it is worthwhile for them becomes an informed consumer choice, not just blind faith.”

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Selling back to the grid is also easy, especially with an oversized system which copes better in winter and then generates plenty of excess energy in summer for credit.

Paul said it was important that people got real information about solar and did not end up “wallowing around in the solar internet doom space”.

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22 Opinion

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Kyle’s Rant

I don’t need all the mod cons in my car. I have a little noise which comes from the passenger seat if I am about to run into danger, it normally squeaks “chout” an abbreviated “watch-out”.

Recently we have been looking at upgrading our ute and this is not a decision I take lightly as since the age of when I could afford it I have only procured new cars.

I never buy top of the range as I don’t see the value of something that I am going to flog to death once I drive it out of the showroom. And I only ever swap my cars after 10 plus years to get the most out of them. So now you can understand why it is such an important decision.

Since I was last in the market and settled on my Mitsubishi Triton, lots of things have changed in terms of cars' technology and their shapes.

The market is teaming with SUVs which are a great invention for those of us who grunt when we get out of a low sedan, they ride well, don’t have the bounciness of a ute and we do like a good road trip. The issue is that although they now come with air conditioning in the seats, (yes what an invention, no longer pulling your trousers out of your backside after a couple of hours on the road), they also come with all the other whizzbangery. There are lane wandering warnings, entertainment system controls that would have a professional film editor scratching their heads, and handling controls that change from sport to rough for those on the road that have the time to think about the road surface or even give a crap. The roads around here would have you spinning that dial, hardening up the suspension to get through the potholes and back to sports mode for the odd bit of tarmac that hasn’t suffered the rigours of the road trains.

But the one thing all the SUVs that I have looked at have in common are pretty homogenised bodies. My first car was a Morris 1100, it was a flat-looking thing that did its job. In fact it was so flat the bigger 1800 version was nicknamed the “Land Crab”. Back in the eighties I would never have considered a new car, I always had the arse hanging out of my pants. Besides, as a young seaman I spent a lot of my time on the water part of the earth, so a big investment didn’t make sense.

But back in those days we were spoilt for choice with the most vibrant cars to choose from including the American models, Australian Holdens and Fords and English cars like the Triumph and MG brands.

At one point in my life, once every week for around six months, I would go to the Auckland car auctions on a Wednesday night where my uncle and father divulged a few tricks and tips to buy the cars for a bargain. Like crossing the spark plug leads to make the car run rough and putting off the other buyers. Or pouring a small spoonful of oil over the manifold so about the time the vehicle was presented for auction the manifold had heated up and smoke billowed from under the bonnet.

I would buy these cars for a bargain, quickly repair their newly discovered faults, drive the 200 kilometres to my hometown of Whangarei and make money at the Friday auctions. A history I am not necessarily proud of, but it was colourful, and it was not like I was stealing things, it was just a way to get a bit more of a bargain. Yes, on reflection it was bad behaviour.

Because of the boringness of the new car designs I have decided to hang on to my old ute, after all it runs nicely, has always been well maintained and I don’t need “whizzbangery” I have a Donna. Without her observations and remarks, I would be running red lights, crashing into buildings and taking out the elderly.

New car rant over…

(Ed's note: Hmmm. Who has been in a car accident, or two? Kyle or me?)

Catherine

KING MP

Federal Member for Ballarat 03 5338 8123 Catherine.King.MP@aph.gov.au CatherineKingMP @CatherineKingMP

Standing up for our Community!

www.catherineking.com.au Authorised by Catherine King, Australian Labor Party, 5/9 Sydney Avenue Barton ACT.

Local Lines

Let’s take a little alphabet letter by letter but let’s not start with a

let’s have a gander at g a good enough place to start g can be genuine, generous or globular, gullible, a grunter, an active participle ender going with his ‘in’ running mates but g is no a-lister too often grubby, gaping or gelled up, affecting genius and expecting jilted cousin j to genuflect if it’s a smarter consonant you seek look no further than c like g can be soft or hard but look what else you cop conservative, classy, central, circular crisp cheddar cheeses notice its checks and balances wherever it crops up dance the can-can yes we cannot be convinced that c can collapse from its all-conquering perch but what of the vowels you ask well don’t let’s get started on eddy everywhere e sentencers and scrabblers reach and seek him too often a’s are anyones u’s are unlovely q buddies o’s offer more, round out options but can obstruct orifices obliterate one’s onions no, o should dip his lid to international, inky i from private i to public iteration i is interesting immoral, immeasurable, ideal, ironic, isolating and can do e if you like, right, Ian?

s is sassy, sanguine, a scene-stealing siren, always up for a plural d, a doe, a downer, developing from drivel f fails and falls frightfully, freighted with farts z’s zeal fizzles h hums and haws vapid v no victor t’s tops in trees, triumphs in thistles but totally terrible at tinkering with tomorrow p’s a prince or a poor pencil privatised, a pneumatic phantom r romps, roves, rails, a raspberry risker and randy ratbag but it’s double-clunking w that wins the all-wound award why w, you wise and whiskery wonder, wrapping wine and whisky whenever you want, warping warrants, westering winds, wiping windows what a way to wind down a wonderland of waffle

- Bill Wootton Bill marshals letters into words to compose his poems like everyone else.

Local Lines features poetry by locals about local and any other matters. Please submit poems to Bill Wootton at cottlesbreedge@gmail.com

Opinion 23

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Pick me, pick me!

Hey! I’m Grizzly. I’ve been here at the Mount Alexander Animal Welfare shelter in Castlemaine since last October, waiting and hoping to find someone to love and care for me permanently.

Just sayin’...

By Donna Kelly Wow. Daylesford is the fourth most welcoming place on earth. Who knew.

Well the good folk at Booking.com and they are busy spreading the word.

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I know, it is easy to be cynical. A few people are saying things like: "Have they had a look at Grapevine?" or "Have they ever been in the Coles carpark on a Friday afternoon?"

I get it, not everyone is welcoming all the time. But I reckon that Daylesford and actually the Central Highlands is a pretty awesome place.

When we moved up here 19 years ago we loved the friendly nature of the people on the streets and in the shops and in the pubs. We chatted to strangers, made new friends and enjoyed wandering around the region, finding things to do and places to see.

And I will say one thing, it was a big change from Frankston, or Franganistan, as we born and bred people are allowed to call the city. I would take a pub in the Central Highlands over a pub in Frankston any day of the week. Sorry Franga.

When I saw the accolade for Daylesford I did stop and wonder if people were still as welcoming and I reckon they are. For our front cover photo we gathered a few people up.

Neil from the Bowlo always offers a big welcome whenever we are there and I get a hug and a kiss now Covid has wandered away, and Roger from Herbal Lore always has a smile. (Roger even made and gave away free sanitiser during Covid. Talk about above and beyond.)

Emma from Springs Medical always has time for a chat and young Pasha from Daylesford Meat Co. stopped after the photo shoot to talk us through the best way to cook a steak.

Then I just had a quick look through this edition.

There's Raman who's only been here a short while but spends his time creating food and friendships. Check out page 20. And read page 5 about Rob and Annie from Mind Your Pet who for 19 years have provided welcome advice to pet owners. I used to work next door at the old Advocate office and we shared hundreds of greetings and smiles and coffees - with Theo and the late Geof. Good times.

Oh, the Scottish Country Dancers on page 7 want more people to get involved and "everyone is welcome" regardless of their ability. Then there's the Historic Vehicle Show coming up at Clunes, which Jon says "is a time for everybody to come and enjoy themselves and relax". Go back to page 8 if you haven't already read the story.

I guess at the end of the day, if we are welcoming and also get some good publicity to increase our visitor numbers, that's a great thing. I know we sometimes grumble about the tourists but we do need them if the region is going to thrive again.

We are also competing against many other one-day from metro Melbourne drives like the Mornington Peninsula and the Dandenong Ranges, and plenty of other overnight destinations including interstate and overseas again.

So if we can be welcoming, and it takes no longer than being taciturn, in fact, I think it's quicker, why not?

I love that people come here and have the chance to enjoy what we probably take for granted too often. Friendly faces, fresh air, great stores, fantastic food and a wonderful free paper. Not many places have their own local newspaper these days.

Just sayin'...or maybe you're welcome.

TRENTHAM QUARRY STREET RESERVE

Notice is given of a PUBLIC MEETING to be held at the Cool Country Men’s Shed, 55 Mulcahys Road, Trentham on Wednesday 28 February commencing at 7pm.

The purpose of the meeting is to nominate no less than three (3) and no more than nine (9) persons as the Committee of Management of Trentham Quarry Street Reserve for a term of three (3) years. The current committee’s term will expire on Sunday 10 April. All positions will be declared open and nominations will be accepted prior to or on the night.

Nominations from women, Aboriginal people, people with disabilities, young people, and people from culturally diverse backgrounds are encouraged.

Further information, nomination forms and nominee declaration forms may be obtained by contacting your local Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action office or at the meeting. For further enquiries please contact the Secretary, Fay Magee on 0417 113 927.

24 Crossword

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W RD

CROSS

Unsee this!

Advertise here.

Here is the crossword solution for Edition 298.

How did you go?

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

www.tlnews.com.au

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28 Our walks

www.tlnews.com.au

Walks of the Central Highlands

with Eve Lamb

Creswick Heritage Walk If there’s just one walk to take visitors on while in the Creswick area, this would have to be it.

The Creswick Heritage Walk is a little beauty, chock full with points of interest and diversity despite its comparative brevity at just 8.5km. It’s supposed to take three hours to complete but, lingering indulgently along the way, it took us about five.

It takes in the University of Melbourne’s historic Creswick Campus grounds, and the rich history of pioneering forester, arborist and conservationist John La Gerche, incorporating the leafy La Gerche Trail with its established trees, including oaks and conifers, that were among the many species La Gerche trialled here in the late 1800s.

We set off one fine Saturday, late summer. A cracker of a day to hit the trail, equipped with the Creswick Heritage Walk map (easily obtained online courtesy of the Great Dividing Trail Network) a picnic lunch, and a sense of adventure.

The walk sets off from the town’s central Visitor Information Centre, crosses the main drag, Albert Street, and follows Victoria Street past the Creswick Water Splash Park on your left and the IGA supermarket on your right, across the Creswick Creek footbridge.

Then there’s a short stroll, to the right along Moore Street, to reach the starting point - the wrought iron gates of the University of Melbourne’s Creswick campus, formerly the School of Forestry, established 1910.

We enter the gates, admiring the park-like setting, and follow yellow-topped Goldfields Track posts heading diagonally through the campus, past the heritagelisted Victorian splendour of Tremearne House near the entrance, and past the imposing white historic façade of the former Creswick hospital, a fetching habitat for ghosts. If they existed.

The campus grounds here host some splendid old significant trees, established as part of an arboretum (grab a pamphlet from the Visitor Centre). Following the markers, we reach a sealed roadway and turn to the left to pick up the trail markers on the opposite side of the road and link with the Landcare trail, now on Parks Victoria land.

For a short stint now the trail features colourful tiles with environmental messages made by school students, and takes us to the start of the 2km long La Gerche Trail winding through a diversity of conifers and the extensive Oak Gully, established more than 135 years ago as a state nursery for rehabilitating the mined moonscape of the era.

This is a superb slice of arboreal heritage, and the great significance of La Gerche and Creswick’s role in the state’s forestry and conservation heritage is detailed on plaques, markers and monuments along the way.

As it’s getting on lunchtime we take a good moment here to soak in the cool ambience and appreciate this special place, its history and its living presence.

The sandwiches and home-baked black forest cake that Paddy H thoughtfully packed go down a treat in the depths of the Oak Gully, but eventually it’s time to move on as we’ve got a walk to finish.

It’s easy to find the right place to turn off and leave the forested La Gerche Trail, as the correct point to do so is well marked with signage boards. Look out for them in the Oak Gully and you can’t miss ’em.

Leaving the leafy La Gerche legacy, we diverge from the Oak Gully (point 5 on the map) forging due south uphill through a re-establishing young radiata pine plantation to the lookout on Brackenbury Hill.

Appreciating the sense of isolation here, we gain elevation following the sandy track uphill, brushing through tall native grasses. Views behind us open up to Spring Hill a few kilometres to the nor' nor' east. Dramatic against the season’s blue sky.

Gaining elevation further, we reach the lookout point (1757 feet) where a stone cairn marker, a historic gift from the yesteryear Creswick Old Boys, helpfully provides a 360 degree pointer to various landmarks unfolded before us in a sun-splashed geographic pastiche.

After pausing to admire it all, we wend our way downhill and onwards toward St Georges Lake.

I’m fairly glad, around about here, that my ever-watchful walking accomplice is tuned in so we don’t actually miss the (unobtrusively marked) right hand veer that comes up quicker than expected, as you begin descending, diverting you quite abruptly to St Georges Lake. Its watery expanse makes for a lush reward on a hot day.

Note to self: Pack swimmers for next time.

Arriving at its glistening edge we first take a quick little turn to the left simply to join the lakeside track that leads Creswick Heritage day walkers to the right, hugging the pine-fringed northern shoreline.

We follow the green Parks Victoria posts leading to the concrete spillway and then to the inviting lawned bbq area, alluringly visible across the water to the south side of the lake.

Today, there are plenty of kayaks, picnickers and swimmers and it’s all pretty scenic. So we opt for a lakeside chocolate and coffee reviver with a good view to the spillway beyond the craggy remains of a disused jetty where kayakers frolic.

Moving on, we next traverse the spillway, reaching that lawned picnic area which today is offering a concise demonstration in what salad days are made of.

We’re now back in civilisation and at the car park’s west end, locate a yellowtopped marker and from here follow the Goldfields Track posts of the Eureka Track back into town, with Creswick Creek a stealthy companion on our right.

We finish this fairly excellent day with a brew at one of the town’s two pubs and a sense of satisfaction at having completed this top little hike. It delivers an insightrich crash course on the area’s unique historic significance, with captivating features around pretty much every turn.