Wastelands Cup
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Front page: The Wastelands Cup, a chance to enjoy mutated cars, zooming around a sand quarry track, and nights of music and fun is over for another year. Read about it on page 29.
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Higher rates but less services for the shire
Hepburn Shire Council's application for a 7 per cent rate cap variation has been approved by the Essential Services Commission.
The council says the increase reflects an uplift adjustment in rates, resulting in a total rate rise of 10 per cent for the 2025/26 period, which includes the 3 per cent set by the Victorian Government. Council intends to increase rates in line with the government's rate cap in future financial years.
The council says on average, the one-off 7 per cent rate increase equates to $2.20 per property per week for ratepayers.
Mayor Cr Don Henderson, pictured above left, said that this decision would enable the council to generate an additional $1.36 million in revenue, which would be invested directly into necessary services and infrastructure.
"Combined with $2.53 million in operational savings identified through council’s work on the 2025/26 draft budget, this revenue will support the delivery of core services for our community. Without this approval, additional service cuts would have been required," Cr Henderson said.
"Maintaining financial sustainability is challenging for most councils, especially rural councils like ours. Our current financial position has been impacted by a range of factors including very limited alternative revenue streams to rates, a relatively small and dispersed population, and responding to natural disasters.
"We are a low rates council compared to Victorian averages and have sustained a rate cap well below cost increases and CPI. We understand that no one likes paying rates or taxes, however this outcome supports our commitment to maintaining the services and infrastructure our community needs, while ensuring our financial sustainability.”
"The application to the Essential Services Commission was not made lightly, and council has carefully considered all financial levers available, including operational efficiencies, asset rationalisation and revenue diversification," Cr Henderson said.
The council will now double the current additional Hepburn Shire rebate on rate charges for pensioners who qualify under the state government’s Pensioner Rate Remission Scheme. This will increase the rebate from $21 to $42.
The draft budget, Council Plan and other strategic documents were considered for community consultation at a Special Council Meeting on Tuesday, May 13.
The new rates will be reflected in the 2025/26 budget and rates notices issued for the upcoming financial year, due for release in July.
In a media release the Essential Services Commission said: "Hepburn’s application made it clear it had considered alternative ways of generating additional revenue, but that service levels would ultimately fall below a level that was acceptable to its community if it did not get approval for a higher cap – a decision that was informed by engagement with its community.
"Hepburn also outlined how it has considered affordability issues and its intention to take a proactive approach to supporting vulnerable ratepayers, including by doubling its current pensioner rebate.
"By developing its Financial Vision ahead of the planning cycle currently underway, Hepburn has been transparent with its community about its financial situation and been able to have important conversations to ensure the next tranche of plans is principally concerned with financial sustainability, and focuses on the services that are most important to the community."
Hepburn Shire Council was one of just two councils to apply for a rate cap variation. Indigo Shire Council has applied for a rate cap increase of 7.54 per cent. Words: Donna Kelly
Ratepayers are being asked to accept a 10 per cent rate rise while receiving 12.5 per cent less service, says Cr Brian Hood.
Cr Hood, pictured right, was the only councillor who did not support the 2025 draft budget. He gave a prepared speech to the council meeting but was stopped by Mayor Cr Don Henderson after five minutes.
Cr Hood sent his piece, focusing on micro, macro and consultation issues, to The Local in order to explain his position. The constraints of the Local Goverment Act now require him to stand by the majority decision to release the draft documents. His speech has been edited for space but is available in full on his Facebook page. The council is due to adopt the budget and plans on June 24, with consultation closing on June 5.
"Micro level: The 25/26 budget has been prepared under the cloud of a projected $4m pa cash shortfall. An adjusted underlying deficit of $6.8m will be incurred in 24/25 with a cash neutral result due entirely to the injection of cash from a new $5.5m loan.
"As elected representatives we must acknowledge that ratepayers are enduring challenging financial times with many under mortgage stress and cashflow hardship. This is evidenced by 2420 ratepayers (approximately 30 per cent of all residential ratepayers) falling into arrears with rate instalment payments.
"Property tax rates calculated on property CIVs do not necessarily reflect a ratepayer’s capacity to pay (and) in a shire such as Hepburn many of our ratepayers reside in high value properties. Their capacity to pay is another matter entirely.
"The draft 25/26 budget allocates $31m to cash operating expenses plus $13m to capital works. The amount of cash required to complete capital works carried over from 24/25 into 25/26 won’t be known until after year-end financial statements are completed. Dependent on a wide range of assumptions the 25/26 year is forecast to essentially break even on the income statement but cash holdings are projected to fall by a further $1.6m.
"To achieve that outcome rates will be increased by 10 per cent effective July 1 2025 and operating costs incurred to provide services will be cut by $2.5m. Costs have already been cut by $1.5m in the current financial year. The budget document discloses the cost savings that will be secured across a range of service areas should the changes be fully implemented as planned. Of the $31m allocated to fund services only 2.4 per cent will go to customer services, 1.6 per cent to early and middle years programs, 1.6 per cent to libraries and 0.6 per cent to youth services – all core functions aimed at supporting families.
"An amount of $375,000 is allocated to further planning and design works for the second stage of the Daylesford Town Hall redevelopment (a $15-20m project). While I appreciate the need for long term project planning the timing of incurring such a substantial cost may be premature when the grant funding is not yet on the horizon and the critical social license for the project is yet to be widely established.
"Consultation: As it currently stands the budget raises more questions than it answers. The lack of detail makes it near impossible to describe what many of the scaled-down service areas would look like should the budget be adopted. The potential release of a much-awaited budget and four-year plan will, quite rightly, attract higher than usual interest and scrutiny – especially with the confirmed inclusion of a 10 per cent rate increase. Ratepayers are being asked to accept a 10 per cent price rise while receiving 12.5 per cent less service.
"Macro level: The need for a 10 per cent rate increase plus a further decrease of $2.5m in operating costs once again highlights that HSC’s ability to meet its legislated obligations to provide services in response to community needs is seriously compromised.
"In their report the ESC noted that: 'Even with the higher cap, Hepburn will still need to do further work to reach and maintain a financially sustainable position that will enable it to achieve sustainable outcomes in the delivery of services and critical infrastructure in the long-term interests of their communities.'
"I am not hearing or reading anything on further stages.
"(With) service reductions and the 10 per cent rate increase council would still face having no surplus cash to make co-contributions to government grants until years later; will have no cash to fund emergencies (such as floods, storms and fires – a net cash drain of $3m in recent years); and no cash to invest into the construction of new assets. There would be no surplus cash to cope with any other emerging or contingent liabilities – for example multi-million dollar remediation works on transfer station or landfill sites. With only 12,000 ratepayers and multiple service centres across the shire, Hepburn’s financial sustainability must be seriously questioned."
Cr Hood will present his views at a meeting of the Trentham Community Action on May 21 at the Trentham sportsground.
Mayor Cr Don Henderson
Cr Brian Hood
Working alone is a contributing factor in the majority of farm workplace deaths.
No matter if it is a perfect day, or a storm is coming and you only have a short window to get the job done. Whatever it is, take a minute to think through what you’re doing. For strategies to stay safe while working alone, visit worksafe.vic.gov.au/working-alone-farms
It’s never you, until it is.
Kristy: Beating the odds – one day at a time
In 2014, Kirsty Plews was living in Melbourne. She was married, pregnant with her second child, completing her psychology degree and raising a toddler. At 36 she was busy but had her life mapped out.
The day she went into hospital to have her second child, her world fell apart. Kirsty suffered several inexplicable seizures prior to giving birth and two days later she woke from an induced coma with no memory, a newborn baby and the news she had brain cancer.
Nothing could have prepared her for the life-shattering news that forced her on a path of determination and survival.
“The diagnosis was a devastating shock and I knew it was life limiting. I had just finished a degree in psychology and understood how statistics work so I told myself I’m going to be an outlier…the one that the stats don’t apply to,” she said.
Sharing Kirsty’s story has been years in the making. We first met in 2020 while swimming in Lake Daylesford with our kids. We often spoke about sharing her story in The Local as a way to raise awareness and for Kirsty to thank the loyal friends, school communities and charities, including the Good Grub Club and The Daylesford Foundation. Kirsty especially wanted to thank those involved in fundraising that helped her and her children to visit Scotland and see her family. Importantly, Kirsty wanted to share her story this month to help raise awareness about brain cancer through the global campaign Go Grey in May.
When she lived in Melbourne, Kirsty loved visiting Daylesford but never expected to make it her home. Then again, she had always planned to return home to Scotland following a trip around the world 21 years ago. Although she had a strong support network in Melbourne, family connections, a stable medical routine and an active life, Kirsty and her family made the move.
“We would occasionally drive to Daylesford for mini-breaks and in 2016 after seeing a house by chance, we put in an offer and made the move early in 2017.”
Looking back, that first year turned out to be one of the toughest and saddest times of Kirsty’s life. Two friends died of brain cancer, her step-mum died days before her brother’s wedding in Scotland, her marriage broke down and by October she was a single mum living in a new town with no family support.
“It was supposed to be a fresh start. It wasn’t. I felt isolated and had to start my journey all over again. New doctors, new friends and a new town. It wasn’t the fresh start I’d imagined.”
Some days, Kirsty said she just made it through minute by minute, hour by hour. With incredible support from friends she made in Daylesford, and online through a brain cancer Facebook page she set up when she was first diagnosed, she was able to keep moving forward. But accepting help was hard.
“I was raised in a family that made sure others were okay so it was difficult for me to drop my guard and ask for help. Thanks to medical support from my wonderful Professor Kate Drummond through to occupational therapists, the local community and the most amazing friends I have made, I was able to navigate my way through.”
Anyone who knows Kirsty knows that, along with her razor-sharp wit delivered with her distinctive Scottish brogue, she possesses an astounding determination and will to be that outlier and beat the odds.
“Brain cancer wasn’t really highlighted in the media and I knew little about it. In 2015 when (TV and radio personality) Carrie Bickmore wore a beanie at the Logie Awards in memory of her late husband and to raise awareness, I was relieved that brain cancer would be better understood and supported. But all the while I knew I had to beat the odds, even if I didn’t know what those odds were.”
Initially, Kirsty was told that she would have to undergo the first surgery one month after her diagnosis and a possible second surgery in the future. When she did have the second surgery she was diagnosed with PTSD.
“When I was told I had an acquired brain injury, I didn’t know who I was anymore.
“I was trying to put on a brave face but was internally falling apart. My nerves were on high alert and I had to learn basic skills again like cooking and interacting with people,” she said.
Her bi-annual magnetic resonance imaging scans and numerous appointments are taxing and she knows a third brain operation is possible. But as time has progressed, new medical opportunities have opened up, improving the odds just a little bit more each time.
“There is new gene targeted therapy and my surgeon said I’m a suitable candidate for the therapy. It’s all about hope and belief.” And while she continues her medical fight, Kirsty isn’t wasting a single moment, still focused on giving back to the community that has supported her through her battle.
Kirsty coaches the local Under 9’s soccer team, something she never imagined doing but that has helped her reintegrate into the community and allowed the kids to continue to play.
She will soon complete her Certificate 3 in crisis counselling and continues to raise awareness for brain cancer that affects thousands around the world with little media focus compared to other life-threatening diseases.
Among all her astounding achievements, Kirsty said her greatest honour was receiving the Dave Endacott Medal awarded by the Daylesford and Hepburn United Soccer Club. A small but fitting recognition for someone who has already given so much to our community and continues to inspire through her goodness and strength.
And despite her tiredness and health restrictions, Kirsty has never once given up on life and lives daily with courage and the strength that inspires those in her life. She uses humour to get through the tough times and her love of her children, family and community is nothing short of inspirational.
“It was a difficult beginning here in Daylesford but I can’t imagine being anywhere else.”
Donate
Go Grey in May is an international brain cancer awareness campaign raising funds for vital research and to support those living with brain cancer. Kirsty is highlighting the cause through her social media presence by completing a cycling challenge and hopes people support the campaign. For Kirsty, that means we could be a little closer to finding a cure. Scan the QR Code to find out more or donate.
Peace of Mind is the only organisation of its kind in Australia to help brain cancer patients with one-on-one personal, financial and practical support. The foundation has been there for Kirsty through her brain cancer journey.
To donate go to challengebraincancer.gofundraise.com.au/page/TourdeForce Words & image: Narelle Groenhout
The Block crew helps out historic Bathhouse
Hepburn Bathhouse and Spa has teamed up with The Block to mark its 130th anniversary with the unveiling of newly refurbished private bathing rooms, a refreshed treatment menu and a new look throughout the property.
Hepburn Shire Council owns the property and leases it to Belgravia Leisure. A council spokesperson said the cost of the lease was not available to the public.
The Block co-presenter Shelley Craft, on YouTube, said the Bathhouse and Spa was a great place to hold a challenge but viewers would have to wait until the series aired later this year. "Suffice to say, the contestants are loose on the ground and probably creating havoc, but also some magic as well," she said.
A media release from the Bathhouse said The Block's cast members "recently called 'tools down' on a renovation onsite.
"The results of their hard work will be revealed in the highly anticipated series of episodes airing later this year, with the project resulting in one of the teams winning the biggest challenge prize in The Block history.
"Whilst the Bathhouse Sanctuary bathing remains closed until July for restoration works, guests are still invited to immerse themselves in the many other indulgences on offer, including soaking in serene seclusion in the private baths, the all-new treatment menu, the luxe accommodation, the historic Pavilion café and the gorgeous bushwalks surrounding the property."
The Block contestants have also been helping out with works on the Phoenix@ TheRex community cinema project.
A spokesperson for The Block said there were no real guidelines "with what we do with the community projects but with both projects we wanted to showcase something that is iconic for the community that will be seen around Australia and potentially the world".
"The Hepburn Spa is such a great facility and we loved working with them.
"As for the Rex cinema, we saw there was so much community support for the reopening of the cinema, including lots of volunteers working to raise money, this was an amazing project to work on for The Block too.
"Now they are done, we hope all the community can enjoy the projects when they open and also enjoy seeing it come together on air later in the year.
"We have also enjoyed filming at local tourist attractions every Monday night which the cast and crew have loved, exploring the beautiful Daylesford and surrounds - along with weekly challenges for the contestants which will showcase so many amazing tourist attractions.
Above The Block presenters Scott Cam and Shelley Croft, with Frankie Cam Words: Donna Kelly | Image: Hepburn Bathhouse
BLOCK Watch
Trentham mourning loss of two
Trentham, and the wider region, are in mourning after community stalwarts Kathleen Brown and her son Craig Brown died in a car accident on the Midland Highway in Eganstown on May 12.
Both Kathleen and Craig were dedicated members of the Trentham Fire Brigade, which posted on social media "with profound sadness".
"Kathleen served our brigade and community with unwavering dedication for 34 years as our beloved communications officer. Her calm voice and steady guidance were a cornerstone of our operations, and her legacy of service, strength, and kindness will never be forgotten.
"Craig, a committed member for 35 years, a long serving lieutenant, brought courage, loyalty, and a quiet determination to every task.
"He was a steady presence both on the fireground and within our brigade family, always ready to lend a hand and stand by his mates.
"Together, Kathleen and Craig gave over five decades of selfless service to our community. Their absence leaves a deep void in our hearts and within the fabric of our brigade.
"Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with Bill, the extended Brown family, friends, and all who were privileged to know and serve alongside them.
"We will honour their memory with every call, every training night, and every moment of service that lies ahead."
Kathleen's grandson Ethan Brown, also a firefighter, told Channel 7 he had lost his "rock and best friend" and that his nan and uncle were "the spirit of what country communities are".
Just briefly...
Suitably qualified or experienced community members are needed to join the Heather Mutimer International Women’s Day Advisory Committee. They should have an interest, knowledge and understanding of relevant practices that advance women’s rights; direct links to local community groups and/ or organisations; and experience and/or understanding of the role of an advisory committee. Details: Lucie Curry Cheenne at lcurrycheenne@hepburn.vic.gov.au or phone 0439 481 306.
More water is being stolen from the water network, says Central Highlands Water.
Increased monitoring and compliance activities have resulted in several incidents of alleged water theft being detected that are under investigation. As these matters are the subject of an open investigation CHW can not comment on any specific details.
Woodend CFA has received a new medium tanker and rehabilitation unit.
Meanwhile, Malmsbury CFA's female will soon have protective boots and gloves available to them that have been designed specifically for women. The tailored gear, along with feminine hygiene packs which include tampons, sanitary pads and wipes will be available in all CFA trucks and vehicles. Of the brigade’s 27 volunteers, 10 are women.
Hepburn Shire Council has launched the Domestic Violence Safe Phone Program, an initiative that provides safe mobile phones to domestic violence victim-survivors.
Community members and businesses can drop off unwanted mobile phones at council offices and transfer stations and Daylesford Library and The Mechanics Trentham. DV Safe Phone ensures that phones are erased but people follow instructions on their website to prepare their phone for donating. Donated phones that cannot be used in the program will be forwarded to Mobile Muster where they will be recycled.
Those regularly driving in the Creswick area will have noticed the recent road closure while works have been completed on Gillies Road.
Turns out the works are a bit more interesting than the usual run-of-the mill repairs, as they have seen the City of Ballarat successfully complete what they describe as “a groundbreaking trial” using a nanotechnology stabilising agent. The agent called Terra 3000 is “delivering a more durable road surface and significantly reducing construction costs”, according to a report. The trial involved using the clay-based soil on site, mixed with the liquid stabilisation agent that permanently transforms the soil, strengthening the material at a molecular level.
April marked one year since 5600 food and garden organic (organics) kerbside bins were delivered to township households across Hepburn Shire.
Since the rollout, 1264 tonnes of organic material have been collected from the kerbside organics bins and are being turned into compost at the Creswick Transfer Station. The council is now asking the community to complete a resource recovery survey as part of their 12-month review of the service. There are two surveys available, one for township residents and one for rural residents.
About $5000 was raised for the Phoenix @TheRex Cinema at a movie trivia night of enormous fun and generosity.
More than 120 keen competitors got into the action at the Daylesford Bowling Club, with film knowledge songs, sayings and stars’ identities being put to the test. The range of prizes also showed widespread backing with vouchers from Daylesford Gourmet, the Hepburn Golf Club, Walters Café, Picnic Lake, Byzantine Tiles, Melbourne and Blooms Chemist. The Bowling Club donated the $250 cash first prize, the Barefoot Bowling Club gave $150 and bottles of wine worth $50. A further step for the Phoenix@ TheRex Cinema now involves intense work on sponsorships.
A number of firefighters across regional Victoria have walked off the job after the state government passed its new emergency services levy last Friday morning.
The levy comes into effect on July 1 and will hit farmers hard, with them paying 150 per cent more than under the previous fire services levy. Other CFAs have said while they support the action, they will remain ready for their communities.
DATE: Tuesday 29 April & 27 May
TIME: 11am - 1pm
VENUE: Daylesford Neighbourhood Centre
RSVP: sales@central-spark.com
• Service & Maintenance
The Local's Education Feature
Building Strong Foundations for Thriving Learners
Research consistently shows that the primary school years are the most critical time to establish strong foundations in literacy, numeracy, and equally important social and emotional skills.
According to the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER), early investment in these areas has a profound impact on long-term academic success, personal wellbeing, and active citizenship.
At Daylesford Dharma School, our educational approach is designed to nurture the whole child, ensuring that every student is set up to thrive.
A Holistic Lens on Educational Excellence
Our established academic program ensures that all students engage deeply with the Australian Curriculum, to meet and exceed national standards in literacy and numeracy.
We complement this with targeted tutoring programs that provide essential support for students who need it and enrichment opportunities for those who are ready to go further. This dual focus ensures no child is left behind, while fostering a love of learning that is personal and meaningful.
Learning Beyond the Classroom: Nature and Community as Teachers
Educational research highlights the benefits of experiential learning, particularly in natural settings.
Our Bush School curriculum, inspired by evidence from outdoor education studies, provides students with hands-on experiences that enhance creativity, problem-solving, and emotional regulation.
Similarly, our Compassionate Citizens service-learning program develops empathy and social responsibility—skills increasingly valued in both education and life.
We’re also excited to extend these opportunities through our new Bike Hub, offering workshops in bike repair, safety, and the Bike Ed Schools program. This initiative promotes physical activity, environmental awareness, and community engagement, while giving students real-world skills and confidence.
Enriching Education through Specialist Programs
A well-rounded education includes opportunities for creativity, collaboration, and cultural understanding.
Within a small class size setting, our students enjoy a rich array of specialist programs, including STEM, Performing Arts, Studio Arts, Violin Ensemble, Drum Beats, Chinese language through immersive play, and a Kitchen Garden and Cooking program.
Research affirms that such creative and diverse offerings enhance cognitive development and foster student engagement, supporting both academic and personal growth.
Wellbeing as a Core Educational Pillar
It is well-documented that wellbeing must be embedded - not added on - to create lasting impact. Studies from Beyond Blue and the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) stress that schools play a vital role in fostering environments where students feel safe, supported, and ready to learn.
At Daylesford Dharma School, wellbeing is not an afterthought but a central thread woven through every aspect of school life.
Accessible, Independent Education for All
We believe that quality independent education should be within reach for all families. Through our scholarship program, free bus service, and commitment to affordability, we ensure that an exemplary education grounded in values of compassion, mindfulness, and academic rigour remains accessible to our broader community.
At Daylesford Dharma School, we are proud to offer an education that truly supports the development of thriving, capable, and compassionate young peopletoday and for the future.
Daylesford Dharma School 90 Daylesford-Trentham Road, Daylesford 5348 3112 | info@dharmaschool.com.au www.dharmaschool.com.au
BULLARTO PRIMARY SCHOOL
Where the forest meets the school, and the children greet the future. Our School Values the Importance of Nature in our Students’ Education
2026 ENROLMENTS NOW OPEN
Bullarto Primary School offers:
• Nature-based learning in a family atmosphere supported by the strong and vibrant school community
• Student engagement and learning through hands-on activities in our picturesque bush setting.
• Children build resilience as well as physical, emotional, and intellectual confidence through nature-based learning, caring for animals and tending to our garden program.
• We enhance student learning and wellbeing through small teacher to student ratios.
• Our curriculum offers specialist classes in Music, Art, Spanish and STEM.
Do you have a child starting school next year? Find out what Bullarto Primary School can offer your child. Join our PREParation program!
Open to all students starting primary school in 2026. We offer your child an opportunity to start the transition to primary school, focusing on their social and emotional wellbeing.
Bullarto Primary School: A Hidden Gem
As parents, we all want to find a school where our children are not only educated but truly seen, supported, and celebrated. Bullarto Primary School is exactly thata nurturing space set amidst beautiful bushland, just minutes from Trentham and Daylesford.
I remember the first time I visited Bullarto, wondering if such a small rural school could offer my children the richness and depth of education they deserved. What I discovered was something far greater - a community where every child is valued, teachers who wholeheartedly invest in their students, and an environment where learning happens naturally, joyfully, and at each child’s own pace.
From just four students in 2017 to 33 in 2025, Bullarto has grown because families, like mine, believe in its student-centred approach. Small class sizes allow children to receive individual attention, while the school’s Bush School values foster inclusivity, neurodivergence acceptance, and student-led learning.
What sets Bullarto apart is how deeply it understands children. Whether through structured programs like Lego Club or Rhythm to Recovery - Music, or the gentle guidance of teachers who build positive, respectful relationships, the focus is always on helping children flourishmentally, emotionally and socially.
This is not just a mainstream school with the charm of an alternative approach; this is a school where children feel safe, encouraged, and truly at home. Sensory tools like noisecancelling headphones, wobble chairs, and quiet spaces ensure every child’s unique needs are met.
As child psychologist Maggie Dent reminds us: “Children do not have to roam wild and free to ensure they get the hands-on concrete experiences that are so important for them developmentally.” Bullarto embodies this philosophy, offering a nature-based learning experience that builds both confidence and resilience.
For our family, choosing Bullarto Primary School was one of the best decisions we’ve made. If you’re looking for a school where your child will thrive, I encourage you to visit. See the magic for yourself - you won’t regret it.
Written by an eternally grateful parent
Creating Connection through Cultural Immersion
The Cultural Immersion Program, offered by Sacred Heart College Kyneton, provides students with the opportunity to encounter the rich heritage and living culture of First Nations Peoples.
The Program has been an important part of college life since 2006, when a relationship was formed between the College and Nyikina Mangala School located in Jarlmadangah Burru (250 kms east of Broome).
This year a further opportunity for immersion was introduced involving a visit to Culpra Milli Station near Robinvale and Lake Mungo world heritage area. The experience was held from 5 May - 10 May, facilitated by Red Earth, a social enterprise that partners with First Nations Traditional Owners, families and communities.
Students in Year 8 -11 were invited to apply to join this immersion experience which aimed to:
• foster a deeper understanding and appreciation of First Nations culture, history, and connection to Country,
• promote respect, empathy, and reconciliation,
• and encourage personal growth, resilience, and a sense of connection to people and place.
A group of 17 students and two staff enjoyed the experience where they listened, talked, connected with and learnt from First Nations people. They fished, made clap sticks, explored the environment, but mostly walked alongside the Traditional Owners, absorbing stories and traditions. The final student entry in their immersion blog shares a little of the impact of this trip: “After the sun had disappeared beneath the horizon we sat there reflecting on this enlightening, eye opening and immersive journey. Listening to each other’s words showed how much this past week has meant to us. We encourage students and staff ask us about this reflection, the huge milestone we have overcome, and the education we have received from this experience. We would like to thank the traditional owners for warmth, hospitality and open arms and for sharing their knowledge so willingly.”
We encourage all those in our local community interested in learning more about the educational offerings of Sacred Heart College, to attend one of our regular college tours. General enrolment enquiries can be directed to our College Registrar, Rowena Rokesky-Alder, email registrar@shckyneton.catholic.edu.au or call 54211 200.
Learn
. Care.
Discover the Sacred Heart difference.
Enrolments for Year 7, 2027 close on 25 July, 2025 (students currently in Grade 5).
The College’s contemporary learning and teaching philosophy provides every student with opportunities to be both challenged and supported. To learn more about the SHC difference, visit the College website or join a tour - bookings essential. Enrolment enquiries can be made via the Registrar.
HPS: Nurturing educational environment
Hepburn Primary School delivers a nurturing educational environment where our staff engage with and support every student in our small school setting.
Wellbeing strategies are explicitly taught, modelled, and reinforced utilising School Wide Positive Behaviour Supports across the curriculum, equipping students with lifelong positive social behaviours.
Our school is set within a mixture of natural and purpose-built grounds that inspire our students to play and explore.
We offer an open and responsive team for all and pride ourselves on our school community connectivity.
• A small school with a culture of strong family and community connections
• Targeted teaching approach to individual student point of need
• Specialist learning areas of Visual Art, Drama, Music, Science, Auslan, Health & Physical Education, Rights, Resilience & Respectful Relationships and Cooking
• Passionate staff
• Modern facilities
• Spacious grounds
• Access to after school care
The school community is incredibly kind, thoughtful, and always willing. Together, our partnership ensures every student has the greatest opportunities every day. We continue to have strong connections with other small schools in the area to build and strengthen friendships and maximise student experiences resulting in a high level of student engagement.
Yandoit Primary School
Hepburn Wildlife News with Marita McGuirk
As the weather becomes cooler and fire bans are lifted, we start to notice a faint smell of smoke in the air as people begin to burn off leaf litter and branches that they may have had in piles for many months. They may also be carrying out fuel reduction burns of roadsides, gullies and paddocks.
An important fact to keep in mind when planning your burn, is that animals often make their home in piles of leaves and branches. Birds such as pardalotes will build nests amongst the branches. Lizards will readily live in the thermally protected piles of leaves, not to mention all the insects that will be living in these leaf and branch stacks.
Echidnas are one of the animals that will make a home for themselves and their young (called puggles) in piles of leaves and branches. So, if your stack has been in place for a few months, it is a very good idea to move it before you set it on fire. This will give all the animals that have made it their home a chance to avoid being burnt.
The echidna which is recovering at the Hepburn Wildlife Shelter was found in a private garden beside a block that had been burnt to reduce the fuel load. The echidna has burns to its back and side and was thin and dehydrated when found. Gayle Chappell is optimistic about its chances of recovering.
Gayle tells me that there is a myth that echidnas can bury themselves and avoid being burnt in a fire. When echidnas are frightened, they will bury themselves in leaves and softer soil around trees.
The problem is that the leaves and organic matter in the soil will burn and the quills (spines) on the echidna will also burn. Echidna quills are hollow and when they are exposed to fire, they become super-heated. The heat travels down the quill and into the muscle tissue causing severe damage.
Unless the echidna can bury itself under many centimetres of soil and the soil does not contain any organic matter that will burn and the fire is not very intense, it will be burnt in a fire.
If the echidna can take shelter totally underground, it can survive a fire. But this is not the case for echidnas that are caught above ground when people burn off.
Gayle and Jon at the Hepburn Wildlife Shelter have treated many animals that have been burnt by fire. Please take care and consider the animals when conducting your fuel reduction burns and burn-offs around your property.
Above, left, a healthy echidna, right, the echidna at the wildlife shelter, with damaged quills and burns from a fire.
Dr Marita McGuirk is a field ecologist and environmental scientist, and a volunteer at the Hepburn Wildlife Shelter. Marita will write monthly columns about the shelter and the animals it cares for. If you would like to donate or volunteer, or just to find out more information, head to www.hepburnwildlifeshelter.org
Article sponsored by The Local Publishing Group
Council News
Council
Rate cap variation approved
Council has received confirmation from the Essential Services Commission (ESC) that its application for a 7 per cent rate cap variation has been approved.
The increase reflects an uplift in rates, resulting in a total rate rise of 10 per cent for the 2025/26 period, which includes the 3 per cent set by the Victorian Government. On average, the 7 per cent rate increase equates to $2.20 per property per week for ratepayers. Future year rate increases will be in line with the state government cap.
The application to the ESC was not made lightly, and Council has carefully considered all financial levers available, including operational efficiencies of $4 million, asset rationalisation, and revenue diversification.
The ESC stated in its decision:
“Hepburn’s decision to apply for a higher cap of 10 per cent for the 2025–26 financial year is consistent with its long-term planning outlined in its Financial Vision.
By developing its Financial Vision ahead of the planning cycle currently underway, Hepburn has been transparent with its community about its financial situation and been able to have important conversations to ensure the next tranche of plans is principally concerned with financial sustainability, and focuses on the services that are most important to the community.”
For more information visit www.hepburn.vic.gov.au
Food and garden organics survey
It has been a year since we introduced organics collection for our townships, with around 5,600 households using the service. Since the rollout:
• 1,264 tonnes of organic material have been collected
• our landfill diversion rate has risen to 61.5 per cent
• we have been able to reduce CO2 emissions by 2063.9 tonnes (equivalent)
• there has been a 24 per cent reduction in landfill disposal. We are keen to hear about your experience with the service as well as other resource recovery services in the Shire. Submit your feedback via the survey on Participate Hepburn at: https://participate.hepburn.vic.gov.au/resource-recovery-services Hard copy surveys are available upon request at Council hubs, transfer stations and libraries.
Listening posts
Council has been hosting Listening Post events across the Shire, aimed at strengthening communication and engagement with the community. It is an opportunity for residents to share their ideas, provide feedback on services, and discuss matters that are important to them.
The next Listening Post will be held:
• Glenlyon Hall on Saturday 21 June 2025 between 10 am and 12 pm
More info at www.hepburn.vic.gov.au/listening-posts
EAT | DRINK | ENJOY
Artists of the Central Highlands with Eve Lamb
Jodie Fergusson-Batte is a Daylesford-based artist with a passion for painting using oil on board. Her engaging figurative works frequently feature women whose captivating ‘female gaze’ wins her plenty of fans. While Jodie’s background spans nursing, corporate sales and successful start-up business ventures, her innate creativity means art is always a faithful companion and a personal release throughout life’s journey.
Eve: Your paintings featuring women are quite striking. What's your inspiration?
Jodie: It’s probably my alter-ego, my own moods. Eye contact is a way to connect with people. Women go through so many stages and incarnations. Painting the women is very cathartic. I think they represent my own various incarnations.
Eve: Your background is pretty diverse and includes co-founding the successful tea company making She Tea. Are you still involved in that?
Jodie: I sold the tea company around 2017 and then worked in the health area again and also did a Masters in Human Rights, and then started my own company providing remote digital monitoring, for aged care, enabling people to remain in their own homes longer. But I stepped down from that role about a year ago. I started an Airbnb, Piccolo Lane, here at the back of the house and did that for about six months. That was like a sabbatical from corporate life. Got that up and running and now Discover Daylesford are running it which means I’m now able to concentrate more on painting. I’m also doing a bit of work with TEDx. I haven’t decided if I want to go back into the corporate world again yet.
Eve: How does art fit into all of this?
Jodie: I’ve been painting since I was about 15. I’ve always just loved it. It’s always been a big part of my life and sort of ebbs and flows. It’s a good form of expression for whatever you’re going through. I’ve always painted, no matter what.
Eve: Did you study art as well?
Jodie: I studied nursing when I left school. I studied art at school. I was one of those people who used to just stay inside at lunchtime and just paint and draw. I had a very encouraging art teacher. My art teacher bought the first painting I ever sold.
Eve: And each canister of She Tea featured one of your original oil paintings.
Jodie : Yes. We wanted to make them stand out and be more gift-oriented, using my paintings. Not everyone can afford an original oil painting but they can afford a canister of tea with a painting printed on the label. It was fun.
Eve: So what are you focusing on now with your artistic endeavours?
Jodie: Actually I’ve been changing my style a little and started doing more semiabstracted floral work. I’m enjoying exploring the floral world. It’s a bit more for everyone, a bit less intense. And I have just now starting talking about having an exhibition again - looking to 2026.
Very edgy veg awards
Fook Shing in Kyneton has won the Macedon Ranges Shire's Edgy Veg Award for Restaurant, pub and bar category while Shedshaker Brewery in Castlemaine has won the same category for Mount Alexander Shire.
Fook Shing won for its Taste of Sri Lanka vegan curry plate, which included a coconut cream cashew nut curry, sweet & sour pineapple curry, and a jackfruit curry served with a coconut sambal. Shedshaker won for its gnocchi alla Romana.
The awards, run by Veg Action of the Macedon Ranges Sustainability Group, started four years ago in Macedon Ranges Shire and have expanded to Mount Alexander Shire, with 46 incredible, inventive venues on board. This event is the longest-running trail in Australia that celebrates food made 100 per cent from plants with 46 venues vying for the titles this year.
Coming a close second to Fook Shing was the Woodend Wine Bar with its tomato tartare. The Railway Hotel, also in Castlemaine, came second to Shedshaker Brewery.
In the Macedon Ranges cafe category the winner was Macedon Ranges Wholefoods in Gisborne for its mushroom jaffle, with a second to the Social Foundry in Kyneton, followed by Harvest & Soul in Macedon.
In the Mount Alexander café category Five Flags Merchants has won with Toby’s chocolate cake with seasonal fruit compote. Togs Café came a close second.
Mount Alexander also introduced a new category of bakeries this year, with Maldon Bakery taking the award for its curried lentil and vegetable pie.
Above, from left, Fook Shing's Robert Mariotti, Veg Action Group's Claire Rowland and Macedon Ranges Wholefoods' Kat Buttigieg Image: Tiffany Warner
Gigs with Darren Lowe
Daylesford RSL, Daylesford Archer - Friday, May 23, 5.30pm-7.30pm Helping bring music back to our community, bush prophet, philosophiser and direct link to the genius of Hank Williams and Tex Morton, Archer, pictured, will bring his wisdom to the village. Don't miss it.
Cosmopolitan Hotel, Trentham
Dead Beat Daddios - Free show - Saturday, May 24, 3pm – 5pm
Charm of Finches - Sunday, May 25, 2.30 pm Jeremy Beggs - Free show - Saturday, May 31, 3pm – 5pm
Daylesford Hotel, Daylesford
Crumpled Gypsies - Bar Bamford - Saturday, May 24, 8.30pm Midnight Coffee - Saturday, May 31, 8.30pm - 10.15pm
The Bridge Hotel, Castlemaine Skyscraper Stan & The Commission Flats – Friday, May 23, 9pm – 11.30pm Marina Allen (USA) – Free Show – Sunday, May 25, 3pm – 5pm Mel Parsons – Friday, June 13, 9pm – 11pm
Bullarto Hall, Bullarto Bushdance to raise fund for the Musk CFA - Saturday, May 24, 5.30pm
Creswick Brass Band
Playing at the Ballarat Train Station this Sunday, May 25 from noon to 1pm as part of the Ballarat Heritage Festival
Vandemonian Lags
Vandemonian Lags is a theatrical piece that presents an extraordinary musical journey based on dramatic true stories from Tasmania’s convict past.
It stars Mick Thomas, Tim Rogers, Brian Nankervis, Jeff Lang, Ben Salter, Darren Hanlon, Shelley Short, Van Walker, Claire Anne Taylor and Sal Kimber, backed by an all-star band featuring Weddings Parties Anything’s Jen Anderson, Mark Wallace and Michael Barclay with Craig Pilkington.
It was a centrepiece of the inaugural Dark Mofo festival in Hobart in 2013, last played at Port Fairy Folk Festival in 2019 and was the subject of a 2013 concert album and feature film.
The discovery of gold in Victoria in 1851 gave rise to an amazing exodus from Van Diemen’s Land.
Convicts and ex-convicts crossed Bass Strait in their thousands. Many of the ‘Vandemonians’ fell to crime and quickly they became hated and feared on the goldfields.
In 1852 the Victorian Government passed the Convicts Prevention Act with the express aim of preventing any further introduction of the prison population to the booming colony. Needless to say, the act was a complete failure.
Vandemonian Lags will be performed at Her Majesty's Theatre Ballarat on Saturday, May 24.
Link: www.hermaj.com/events/vandemonian-lags
Delivery times are Monday to Saturday between 10am and 4pm.
We accept credit cards over the phone or we have an on-board eftpos machine. You will need to be at home for the delivery with proof of age if asked by the driver. Give the Foxxy team a call on 5348 3577. Keep safe, everyone.
Invitations have gone out to artists far and wide for the 2025 Rotary Castlemaine Art Show.
The show runs across the King's Birthday weekend in June and entries close on May 21.
Artists who are new to the show can receive an entry form by emailing artshowrcc@gmail.com
Pictured, last year's overall winner Campbells Creek artist Brendan Nicholl-Caddell
Wastelands Cup done
The Wastelands Cup, a chance to enjoy mutated cars, zooming around a sand quarry track, and nights of music and fun is over for another year.
Taking place on May 3-4 on private land somewhere in NSW, it attracted a small but enthusiastic array of people trying to win the coveted cup, awarded to the most outrageous team in dress, mechanical acumen and flamboyance.
This year, Space Mex, headed by Tony Whitehead of Wheatsheaf and pictured below left, took the prize home. "We have finally done it - thanks to our fantastic crew," he said.
Space Mex will be caretakers of the Cup before passing it over to the future winners at next year's event. Words: Tony Sawrey | Images: Contributed Scan the QR code for a quick video
Meat prices almost always rise towards the end of Autumn, start of Winter as demand increases but supply is reduced due to the time of year. Stock up your freezer with these great prices! Strictly limited stock so get in quick. VISIT
Hepburn Together
Have your say on the draft:
Council Plan 2025-2029 (including the Municipal Health and Wellbeing Plan)
Budget 2025/26
Financial Plan 2025-2035
Revenue and Rating Plan 2025-2029
Asset Plan 2025-2035
These strategic documents will be considered for adoption at the June Council Meeting.
H a v e y o u r s a y
Visit www.participate.hepburn.vic.gov.au, scan the QR code or complete a hard copy survey at any Council hub or library.
Feedback open until Thursday 5 June 2025.
Volunteer
May 19 to 25
RDA: Developing abilities, enriching lives
Lauren Eagle joined Riding for the Disabled in January 2021 after seeing an article in The Local. It was just after Covid and as with many organisations, a lot of volunteers had left during that period.
“Several of us responded to that article and we're still there today, so that's how I got involved. And I wanted to reconnect with horses and the horse environment because I'd had horses when I was young but not much as an adult rider.
“It was a fantastic way of working with people with disability volunteering as well as getting my fix on the horses.
“And I love it, it’s my happy place and I think I'm probably speaking for the volunteers that are there too, because we've been there all that long.
“For me, it's the interaction with horses again. But it's also about seeing how the riders improve each term. Sometimes you can see it weekly but mostly you can sort of see it term by term.
“It builds a lot of confidence and trust between the rider and the horse and the volunteer and that's why consistency is important. Volunteers really need to be there most Fridays so that that relationship can be built up, and the trust and the comfort level can be built up, particularly from the riders, but also horses.”
Lauren said horses were very empathetic and could quickly pick up what a rider was like, as well as volunteers.
“One of the riders says that he can almost feel what the horse is thinking so that is very symbiotic. The horse always picks up on the rider, their ability, their weight distribution, and they just seem to adapt accordingly. They're amazing. Equine therapy is fantastic.”
Lauren said experience with horses was helpful but not essential. Some volunteers lead the horses while other are sidewalkers and interact more with the rider.
“They walk beside the horse and rider so they're more rider-focused and the more physically disabled the person is, the more sidewalkers are required.”
The commitment for volunteers is every Friday during terms 1, 2 and 4, from 1pm to 5.30pm at Boomerang Ranch in Daylesford. That allows for three one-hour sessions and then a cuppa afterwards for a debrief. Generally, the same volunteer works with the same rider and horse to build up familiarity. There’s also taking part in the Daylesford Show and the occasional trail ride.
Lauren said the highlight of volunteering was seeing the riders improve and build their confidence and self-esteem and that its rewarding to get feedabck from parents and carers telling of the positive changes that have happened for their riders.
The activities are tailored to the ability of the rider. “The kids love doing the games and trying to catch the volunteers, while others are getting ready for different competitions. And riders range in age from primary school students to seniors in theiir eighties."
“Some have physical disabilities and others have cognitive or sensory disabilities. We have to adapt to each rider differently because each rider is different.”
Lauren said it was the overall camaraderie, and working with volunteers from teenagers to those in their seventies that she really loved.
“It’s also important for people thinking about volunteering that safety for everybody involved is paramount. The horses used in the program undergo an assesment and are all RDA approved. And volunteers are offered training and support".
For more details email rdadaylesford@gmail.com
Volunteer Lauren and horse Panda
Rider Lexie and horse Lucy
Rider Annette and horse Jewell
Volunteer Sally and horse Tiggy
Connecting our community through food and love
The 5000 Club
On just about every Friday for the past 14 years, Hepburn Shire locals have shared delicious home-cooked meals and companionship, located for the past six years at Daylesford’s Victoria Park Pavilion.
Of course, it is only possible thanks to the volunteers of the Daylesford 5000 Club and generous donations from local businesses, as well as grants from the Community Bank Daylesford District, the Rotary Club of Daylesford and Hepburn Shire Council.
Each week our volunteers, some of whom have been with the 5000 Club since it started all those years ago, work tirelessly to create a thoughtful, tasty and nutritious three-course meal for up to 50 people. The lunches are prepared with love, including the special touches that make all the difference – colourful tablecloths, background music, beautiful floral arrangements (thank you Kristy from Wombat Hill Florist) and, most importantly, a warm smile and welcome to make everyone who walks through the doors each Friday feel cared for.
I initially volunteered to help out as the affectionately coined ‘dish pig’, filling in for a friend and tasked with washing the dishes and being a general kitchen hand. I loved it so much that I stayed on. The banter in the kitchen is joyous, as is the laughter and chatter coming from a full house of locals sharing friendship and a delicious meal.
The volunteers in the dining room operate like a well-oiled machine – serving soup, mains and dessert with the care they would show to their own families at home. They even make sure that those who arrive a little late always have a meal. It’s non-stop in the kitchen but everyone pitches in to make sure that it is left spotless for the next community group to use.
The 5000 Club was founded by local Loretta Little and the Daylesford Uniting Church, to help support those experiencing financial hardship or social isolation, which is still very much the focus. But importantly, everyone is welcome, and the weekly luncheon has grown into a fabulous community gathering where people from all walks of life, all ages and backgrounds come together to share a meal and each other’s company.
Locals including Raman and Pat treat the guests to Indian and paella
Our local greengrocers Tonna’s, generous community members and businesses, and local farmers all help to keep the club going with donations.
And it wouldn’t happen without Sandy Breen working tirelessly each week guiding the ship and bringing it all together as the president.
Of course, like any of the incredible community initiatives we have in our region, the dedicated volunteers make it happen week after week. If you can spare a few hours on a Friday or even a few hours a month, the 5000 Club would love to welcome you. Every set of hands helps and you will be volunteering in an environment that connects people over food and love. Call Sandy on 0419 880 220 for further information.
- Volunteer Narelle Groenhout
It’s become a meeting place for the local Men’s Shed fellas, the table tennis crew who play locally each Friday, and local faces that have really become the heart and soul of the 5000 Club.
feasts.
L2P: Celebrating and elevating young people
It’s not often there’s good news reported about youth. Recent crime statistics in the Hepburn Shire show a concerning uptick in youth-related offences with a 12 percent increase in criminal incidents compared to the previous year. The Hepburn Shire Council has developed their ACE Youth Strategy partly in response to the increased crime rates, but also to celebrate and elevate young people.
One initiative that is both elevating and setting young adults on the right path is the Traffic Accident Commission’s L2P program. This learner driver mentoring program is a state-wide program that breaks down barriers for young people to gain their driver’s licence. In rural areas like the Hepburn Shire, a driver’s licence isn’t just a convenience - it’s often essential for accessing education, employment, and community resources.
Many young people in the region face significant barriers to obtaining their driver’s licence because they do not have access to a car or do not have a suitable supervising driver to help obtain their required 120 hours as a learner driver.
Through the L2P program, participants are paired with volunteer mentors who help them build their driving skills behind the wheel of a provided vehicle. This program is particularly valuable in rural areas, where access to public transport is limited, and having a car can mean the difference between securing a job or continuing with education. Josephine, a recent L2P graduate from Daylesford said: “I felt so grateful to Jordan, my mentor, and the L2P program because I was able to finish Year 12 with a good ATAR and my licence. This gives me a great start to my new life as an independent adult.”
Recent research undertaken by the Ballarat Foundation, who runs the program in the Hepburn Shire, found that 88 per cent of past participants in the program had secured employment or further education as a direct result of gaining their probationary licence. Importantly for mental health outcomes for rural youth, 97 per cent of past participants felt less socially isolated. A staggering 100 percent of learners said their volunteer driving mentor had a positive impact on their life and the way they made decisions.
For young people in the Hepburn Shire, the L2P program offers a path forward, making driving lessons accessible and affordable. If you’re a young person in Hepburn Shire looking to take control of your future, the L2P program can help you get started on the road to success. Reach out to the Ballarat Foundation to find out more about how you can get involved.
Volunteers bringing Cornish Hill back to life
Cornish Hill, named after its miners, was almost lost in 1994, when the then Victorian Department of Conservation and Natural Resources proposed selling the 47.5-hectare parcel of Crown Land for housing development.
Friends of Cornish Hill
Luckily a group of concerned residents formed an action plan in order to save it as a historic precinct and for the establishment of flora and fauna of the Central Highlands.
Today, the management of Cornish Hill, bordered by Grenville, Patterson and Orford streets with Smiths Creek fed by the East Street Spring, is looked after by the Friends of Cornish Hill.
Volunteers work hard to search for relevant grants to fund works on the Hill for anything from tube stock and tree guards to weed contractors.
Grant applications take quite a lot of work to put together and sometimes FoCH is successful, sometimes not.
The Friends’ volunteer engagement officer Kath Anderson joined the group three years ago after moving to the area from Sydney.
“I didn't know a single person in Daylesford or anywhere near so I joined because it gives you an opportunity to be with people without the pressure of social engagement. You’re out doing something really positive, you're in nature, and get a shared activity that everyone's quite keen on.”
Kath said the group was always looking for more volunteers to take part in monthly Sunday working bees, on the second Sunday, which only last two hours, and are followed by a decent morning tea.
“At the moment, volunteer numbers are pretty good, but not really consistent. But we still get things done and during winter we try to find a sunny spot to work and enjoy a hot cuppa afterwards. But with more people it’s more fun and more ideas, and just more energy in the group.
And that doesn’t have to necessarily mean physical energy. We do quite a bit of physical work, but we also do planting, we do planning, we do have little walk-throughs and just figure out things and enjoy the reserve.
“And we partner with local growers and seed collectors, and try to replant the indigenous bushland plants. A lot of our work over the past two years has been weed control and trying to mitigate fire risk. It’s been a great project to be involved in and it's fun, satisfying and the more people the merrier so please feel free to join in."
Connection and bush regeneration
In the heart of Daylesford there is a large, interesting Crown Reserve – Cornish Hill. It was saved from development in the 1990s when Hepburn Shire almost sold it off in those days before people power got really loud!
Locals stood up and the Shire listened. Cornish Hill was turned into an area for recreation, community connection, bush regeneration and learning.
Over the years there have been many ebbs and flows of volunteer numbers and therefore obvious results in planting for biodiversity and in weed management.
We invite you to be part of the ongoing story of Cornish Hill.
Come join the working bees, generally 2nd Sunday of every month for just 2 hours. No commitment is necessary except to get out in nature and enjoy.
Every volunteer hour counts toward an in-kind contribution for all kinds of grant funding which helps to keep the work going.
You can make a difference to protect this precious reserve.
Contact: friendsofcornishhill@gmail.com www.cornishhilldaylesford.com.au or use the QR code link, below, to our map to discover the reserve's Friends
Friends of Cornish Hill
for the Daylesford Community Op Shop
People love the Daylesford Community Op Shop and for good reason. It has great bargains, friendly volunteers and all its profits go back into the Daylesford community and those in need.
And those are just a few things that secretary Roux Aradia, pictured right, also loves about volunteering there – so much so she is now the secretary.
Roux spent 12 years with Christmas Cheer, volunteering alongside Michelle Clifford, and then moved over to the op shop six months ago, where her mum Rebecca was already a volunteer.
“I love the community work we do here. If someone is in need of something, and they don’t have the money for it, we can help out and get it for them. It is just really fulfilling to be able to help with that.
“At the moment, with the cost of living crisis, we do get quite a few people coming in looking for help. They might be regulars and they get to know us and sometimes they will reach out to us privately or someone might ask on their behalf.
“Everyone is struggling at the moment and there is no shame in asking for help but we always do it very delicately and behind the scenes. We have great empathy for people – many of us have been in that same situation of needing a helping hand.”
Roux might have a committee role but she is still selling and sorting goods and gets a great vibe from customers.
“We constantly have customers coming in, telling us how comfortable they feel here and how this is their happy place and things like that. I like that.”
Michelle said the volunteers were a fantastic crew and were always up for a laugh and bit of fun.
“I would have to say the best part of being here is the camaraderie and the fun we have together, and how relaxed it is. We have people of all ages and genders – we really are a bit of a mix. And we welcome anyone – you don’t need any experience.”
Back to fun and Roux says the strangest thing that has been donated so far is an old chamber pot inside a built-in toilet box which she thinks was “pretty cool”.
There’s also a tendency for things to come in, not in threes, but many more, like a stack of walking canes, or the same knick-knacks. “We just get waves of random things.”
Roux said with Volunteer Week upon us, the board wanted to thank all the op shop's volunteers.
“They've been putting in 100 per cent and we just want to thank all of them because they're fantastic.”
The op shop is always keen to hear from people wanting to volunteer, especially on weekends at the moment, so pop in and grab a form soon.
Daylesford Community Op Shop is at 6 Mink Street, Daylesford
Open hours:
Monday - Closed
Tuesday - Closed
Wednesday - 10am - 4pm
Thursday - 10am - 4pm
Friday - 10am - 4pm
Saturday - 11am - 2pm Sunday - 11am – 2pm
https://www.facebook.com/ DaylesfordCommunityOpShop/
Beetham's Botanicals
Well here I am penning another article for you to inwardly digest and hopefully gather some (extra) knowledge about plants.
This time, and not for the last, I’m concentrating on conifers. These ancient relics from our botanical past conjure up mixed feelings amongst gardeners with some not liking them at all, while others will always try and find a place to plant one in their garden.
My focus is on significant conifers that have been registered with both the National Trust Australia (Victoria) and Trust Trees Australia, with many different species being added to their listings over 40 years.
And so we come to my feature tree of the week - pinus coulteri (coulter or bigcone pine) native to California and Mexico - that could be seen growing in the Wombat Hill Botanic Gardens up until January 2019 when it was removed because of splitting and safety issues.
Prior to its removal the (registered) tree had grown to around 38m high with a spread of 23m and girth of 4.8m, a “champion tree” in anybody’s language.
Currently the Friends of Wombat Hill Botanic Gardens have procured a potted specimen that will be planted close to the original tree’s location. It has no known wild provenance, which is ideal, but will be a most valuable addition to the remarkable collection of conifers in these gardens.
With long-term climate change inevitable, the coulter pine should adjust to the weather conditions predicted for the Central Highlands which will mirror the current conditions found in its native habitat.
So the crux of this article is to make you, the reader, aware of the importance of maintaining collections in botanic gardens and arboreta. The coulter pine is one of many conifers that can be seen growing at places such as the botanic gardens closer to us in Ballarat, Bendigo, Castlemaine, Kyneton and Malmsbury.
If you’re travelling past any of these gardens make a point to pop in and be inspired.
- Cheers JB (Trees in Australia)
Next edition: Ornamental shrubs for the home garden. Scan the QR code to head to John's instagram page. Now $250 per week
Kyle’s Rant
The year was 1975, I was a freshfaced little boy minding my own business in a classroom of the Hora Hora Primary School in the small city of Whangarei in Northland, New Zealand.
In fact, to get you into the nostalgia, I encourage you to scan the QR code where I have prepared a musical track to take you back.
Over the school speaker the (ding, ding, dong) chimes sounded followed by the crackling voice of the secretary: “Kyle Barnes, please come to the dental clinic, I repeat, could Kyle Barnes please come to the dental clinic."
I dragged myself from class and slowly made my way over the bitumen hopscotch court and down through the muddy playground where fonder memories of innocence and play evaporated as I turned the corner and faced the “Murder House”.
I was immediately ushered into the chair and introduced to a student dental nurse. As the music of Seasons in the Sun, a song by Terry Jacks, came over the radio, she began her assault.
Hitting every piece of gum and lip on her way to my molar, and without much of an inspection to start, she rammed the needle in and got to work with the drill. Don’t get me wrong, I was quite comfortable in the afternoon sun, listening to the radio with her rather large boob resting on my forehead, and sometimes making its way into my eye.
Forward an hour or so and I left the clinic with a huge lip and both cheeks swollen up like a chipmunk from the misplaced needle at the shaky hands of the trainee and a large filling in my molar.
This happened a couple of times on each side of my mouth, my brand-new adult teeth gouged out and filled with half a tonne of amalgam. It seems like that is what the Murder House did in the seventies. You had a ready stream of lab rats to practise on, they just needed to be plucked from the classroom. I even saw a young cohort come out of there with a shiny new silver filling on her front tooth. Her parents were livid.
I have been lucky enough to sport a good set of chompers and have never since had a filling, so I am pretty sure my attendance to the cavity creator was simply to practise on. However now the amalgam on both molars has started to subside and the teeth crack, and that costs. It seems I must get it all scraped out and get the two munchers capped.
And although I have paid over $100 per week since I was 30, all those tight bludgers at the health fund will pay for is $500 on the first $1900 cap. And because they work on calendar years, I have to wait until next year to get the second one done if I want to claim.
It seems cruel that the practice of the day was to bugger up someone’s smile in the name of knowledge and make them pay dearly when they get into their 50s.
Hora Hora Murder House rant over…
(Ed's note: I had a great fear of dentists as a kid, so much so one of them put me completely under for a filling, aged seven. No anaesthetist needed. Hmmm.)
Local Lines
senryu
dancing like there’s no tomorrow 50th birthday
imposter syndrome ordering my weak decaf latte with oat milk
mountain highway the flattened sign says drive carefully
coastal hamlet the shacks of my childhood replaced by McMansions
cricket final the batsman shoos a duck from the crease
- Louise Hopewell
Louise writes poems, plays, stories and songs. She's a regular reader at Chamber Poets in Woodend.
Local Lines features poetry by locals about local and any other matters. Please submit poems to Bill Wootton at cottlesbreedge@gmail.com
Pick me, pick me!
Hello there! I’m Zeus. I’m a two-year-old Staffy mix. I’m a sweet dog and I absolutely love to play. I’ve had a rough start to life, so I take a little while to gain trust but then I will be your best mate. I have basic training and I walk nicely on lead. I’d love a kind person who will teach me more things and shower me with love and affection. I’m best suited to a home with no small children. Microchip no. 956000016238473. Come and meet me at MAAWs in Castlemaine. Ph: 5472 5277. (Pick me, pick me is run in memory of Rosie & Curly - we picked them. Pick me, pick me is also proudly supported by Daylesford's petstock - where pets are family.)
Just sayin’...
By Donna Kelly
We have two great features in this edition - Education and Volunteers. The first came about because schools told us this is the best time for them to talk about their schools for parents looking to enrol their children. The second because it is Volunteer Week right now.
Looking at the Education Feature is quite enlightening, schools look like very different places to when I was attending.
I went to Overport Primary School in Frankston - it's still going strong - and I think we had about 1000 students. My first memory was writing my name in cursive and being admonished by the teacher because "we don't do that yet".
I loved the library and used to read a couple of books a week. I even wrote to children's author Ivan Southall once - and he wrote back.
I guess it's where my love of writing came from. When I finished with primary school I headed to Mount Eliza High School. It had just been built and they were looking for students, so we people from the wrong side of the tracks were accepted. Luckily they had a uniform because there is no way I could have kept up with the clothing allowances of the other girls. They mostly lived in big houses (I didn't really know about mortgages then), often with pools (which were nice to share), and very little parental care (which I thought was great).
A friend of mine told me later that she thought my helicopter parents were much better because they were alway asking where I was going and with who. I thought she had hit the jackpot, a bedroom with a door to the outside world which we made great use of to wander at will.
At Mount Eliza I also joined the school magazine's editorial team. The mag was called Ripple and had a wide variety of features, photos, pictures and writings. I remember a couple of Year 8 boys wanted us to publish their drawing - which would have put the karma sutra to shame. We said no so they photocopied about 200 copies and dropped them around the school instead. It was all about the notoriety, I guess.
The schools now, though, are all about building resilience, nurturing individual students, connecting to community and of course, the three Rs. It's a whole new world and one that is really interesting to have an insight into.
Our volunteer feature only just scratches the surface of what happens in this amazing community. But it is indicative of how many people give up their time to help others and create a better world.
Everyone loves the 5000 Club and Kyle and I have had some great meals therethe desserts are the best! And I love that Sandy uses her amazing calligraphy skills to write up the day's menu.
L2P is another great iniative where volunteers help learner drivers get enough hours to gain their licence. It's all very well for kids who have parents who are happy, and have the time, to sit next to them for 120 hours but what do you do if your parents are working, maybe don't have a car, or are looking after other kids?
Friends of Cornish Hill are an amazing bunch. Spending their time to revegetate Crown land, for all to enjoy. And as volunteer Kath Anderson says, there are plenty of different roles for people to take on. Maybe grant writing?
Riding for the Disabled has been going for years and is a heartwarming group of volunteers taking those with a range of disabilities out for a ride on gentle horses. I think anyone who has ridden a horse knows how relaxing and comforting it feels to be gently swaying out in nature. (Except for Kyle, who doesn't like anything bigger than him.
Finally, who does not love Daylesford Community Op Shop? I have been so many times to shop for theme parties and ChillOut parades, or just to grab a new book, new to me anyway.
Hope you enjoy this edition. We did. Love this community. Just sayin'...
Ageing DisGracefully members, including Max Primmer, get together at the Daylesford Mill Markets cafe on Thursdays at 11am. All welcome. For information email ageingdis3461@gmail.com, call 0427 131 249 or head to the Ageing DisGracefully Facebook page. Ageing DisGracefully is an initiative of Hepburn House.
W RD CROSS
Here is the crossword solution for Edition 331.
How did you go?
All words in the crossword appear somewhere in the same edition of The Local.
Markets
Every Sunday - Daylesford Sunday Market
First Saturday - Trentham Neighbourhood Centre Makers Market, Woodend Farmers Market, Woodend Lions Market
Second Saturday - Trentham Community Group Market, Kyneton Farmers Market, Kyneton Rotary Community Market
Second Sunday - Maldon Market, Clunes Farmers Market
Third Saturday - Trentham Farmers Market and Makers Market, Glenlyon Farmers Market, Leonards Hill Market, Creswick Market
Third Sunday - Talbot Farmers Market, Fourth Sunday - Daylesford Farmers Market, Trentham Station Sunday Market
Business Directory - Buy Local
Second term starts for US President Trump
The Local journalist Tony Sawrey continues his US journey. "I simply wanted to see the USA at ground level through my own lens and form an opinion of this land via actual experience. I hope it's worth reading."
As of April 30, American President Donald Trump and his Republican administration completed their first 100 days in office.
The commencement of his second term was one of the most anticipated events in recent memory, and depending on who you talked to, was characterised by trepidation and anxiety, or anticipation and excitement.
For me, wandering around the United States, asking stupid questions, getting people's names wrong and generally testing folks' good-natured tolerance, allowed me to see that views on Trump and his administration were extremely diverse.
While Trump is often called a wannabe dictator it is important to note that most dictators start early so they have decades to really grind the boot in. Perhaps, being nearly 80 he is a little old and could very well die in office and leave us with Vice President Vance.
However his cultivation of an inward-looking America First agenda will be a hardship to reorientate even if his successors tried to attempt it and represents, in the words of historian Jason Steinhauer, The end of the 20th century
Or, the end of a period marked by the (perhaps misguided) belief that post WWII diplomacy, cooperative agreements and open markets, fuelled by United States economic might could allow humanity to find solutions to global challenges.
But Trump has reinstalled the fences characterised by a climate of fear and uncertainty. For Stacy Scheff, an immigration and prisoners rights lawyer in Arizona, the US government’s crosshairs seem firmly targeted on people such as her, her rights advocacy work and the marginalised people her firm supports.
Over the next 18 months she predicts an American diaspora. “Things are now at a crisis point,” she says. “The restraints on the executive branch (the office of the President) are being tested and they are not holding. In such a political climate, leaving the United States may become a real necessity. But of course, not everyone has that option.”
And regarding the international community: “No matter if there was a new leader tomorrow”, says Ted, a retired Tucson community organiser, “the trust that other countries had in the US previously will take years to recover. They cannot trust that the country will respect treaties or look after its friends.”
Meanwhile over on the east coast there is yet another range of opinions on the Trump effect. For retirees Tim and Cathy, they see that anyone with money likes Trump, no matter what steps he takes to avoid judicial oversight or bypass a meek compliant Congress.
But then, if you talk to young couples such as Drew and Elle working several jobs with kids to raise, they say: “Trump’s OK. He’s going to drain the swamp (meaning US federal bureaucracy) and bring jobs back to American soil.”
In Washington DC, the outlook tends to hover between grim or just fine depending on who you talk to. Richard, a teacher at Georgetown University, put it like this: “Washington is a factory town and the industry is government. And in every street around here there are people who have had their employment abruptly terminated, often without access to pensions which they have worked their whole lives towards.”
For Stephan, a Christian revivalist shouldering a cross outside the White House, he hopes Trump can succeed. “If he is truly a religious man which I believe he is, he has an opportunity to take part in the impossible and expose what’s really going on. He came in to drain the swamp but found out it was an ocean."
Nadine, a street busker from the Caribbean working in the Capitol Hill area says: “I believe that we are heading towards fascism. Do you know about Project 2025? It’s already more than two thirds completed.” The Project 2025 plan was published by The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank which now has many of its members in government. And the Trump administration has actioned numerous directives that mirror proposals from the paper.
These include firing federal workers, funding cutbacks and, in keeping with the project’s expressly Christian cultural stance, suppressing diversity and inclusion programs and going after museums and institutions that don’t defer exclusively to ‘western cultural values’ or promote ‘non-traditional gender ideology or propaganda’.
It seems that tariffs may go up and down, international treaties and agreements can always be renegotiated. But if there is anything that Trump has been most keen to push down and exclude in his second term then it is anything that doesn’t adhere to a patriotic family-centric neo-classical meta narrative. Ultimately, the wholesale suppression of dissenting artistic voices may in fact be his most profound legacy for the culture of the United States of America.
From top, dark clouds over the Capitol Building, street busker Nadine, Stephan and his cross to bear at the White House Images: Tony Sawrey
