Out & About
The Local - The Heart of the Highlands
Front page: It's time to get out & about in our wonderful region. The shows are coming up for Daylesford and Kingston, the Castlemaine Truck Show is happening soon and then there's the Daylesford Highland Gathering. Read all about our great events in the Out & About section of The Local.
Images: Contributed
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The Local is a member of the Victorian Country Press Association, with editor Donna Kelly, a former director.
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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.
The Local is a fortnightly community publication covering the Central Highlands of Victoria.
The next edition is out on Monday, December 1, 2025 or online on Sunday, November 30 at www.tlnews.com.au
Space bookings: Wednesday, November 26
Copy deadline: Thursday, November 27
Editorial deadline: Thursday, November 27
General manager: Kyle Barnes on 0416 104 283 or kyle@tlnews.com.au
Editor: Donna Kelly on 0418 576 513 or news@tlnews.com.au
Sub-editors: Nick Bunning, Lindsay Smith & Chester the Cat
Writers:
Kevin Childs, Tony Sawrey, Kyle Barnes, Natalie Poole & Donna Kelly
Photographers: Tony Sawrey, Kyle Barnes & Donna Kelly
Graphic designer: Dianne Caithness
Contributors:
Darren Lowe (music), Sarah Lang (recipes), Jeff Glorfeld (US life), Bill Wootton (poetry), Dr Marita McGuirk (wildlife) & John Beetham (gardens)
Accounts: Julie Hanson | Delivery: Tony Sawrey
AusNet vs. Farmers: All about staying power
AusNet
AusNet's Western Renewables Link project has committed $55 million to deliver what it calls lasting benefits to regional communities along the proposed 190-kilometre route of the 500kV transmission line, from Bulgana to Sydenham.
The money will recognise the role of communities in enabling Victoria’s transition to renewable energy.
Of this, $15 million has already been made available during the development phase in response to community feedback calling for earlier benefits. The remaining $40 million will be delivered if the project is approved and proceeds to construction.
Of the $55 million commitment, $30 million will fund community partnerships and investments in projects such as renewable energy upgrades, improved mobile phone connectivity and new community infrastructure.
Through this early funding the project has partnered with local groups to identify and plan community-led projects, including a new safe and modern playground at Waubra and funding for solar panels and batteries to be installed at key community sites in western Victoria, improving community energy resilience, reliability and reducing power bills. $4 million has been allocated to a Local Grants Fund to support community-led initiatives.
$25 million will be provided to deliver a co-designed Community Benefit Fund if the project is approved, with decisions as to how the funding is allocated to be made by the community.
Gerard Carew, AusNet General Manager, Major Projects and lead for the Western Renewables Link project, said the funding package followed strong community feedback emphasising the importance of delivering early benefits.
“A reliable energy system is essential for all Victorians and the Western Renewables Link will play a critical role in securing our energy future. The communities that host this vital infrastructure are at the heart of making it possible and will see new investment, funding and job opportunities as part of this once-in-ageneration change.
“The WRL Benefit Sharing Program is designed to support the essential role communities play in delivering this transformative project. It will back local projects, improve public infrastructure and invest in First Nations initiatives, creating meaningful impact and lasting positive legacies.”
The funding is in addition to the Voluntary Hosting Benefit for landowners of $46,000 per hectare of easement hosted on their properties. The hosting benefit recognises the critical role that host landholders play in the energy transition and is in addition to the $8000 per kilometre per year for 25 years (indexed to CPI) transmission line hosting payment announced by the state government in 2023.
These payments are also separate from the legally required compensation for host landowners, which ensures they are fully compensated for any impacts to their properties and farming operations.
There is also a landmark Near Neighbour Benefit Program where neighbouring landowners with a place of residence within one kilometre of the proposed easement may be eligible for a one-off payment of $20,000 or $40,000, depending on proximity to the edge of the easement.
The Western Renewables Link’s Environment Effects Statement and community submissions are currently being examined by an independent public panel.
Farmers
Chatting with Piss Off AusNet Facebook page moderator Will Elsworth is a bit like reliving the much-loved story of The Castle.
But rather than wanting to build a bigger airport, the government wants to pay farmers to have huge powerlines placed on their properties. Like The Castle, they have the money, and probably the law on their side but the vibe is all wrong.
Will says the wrong piece of land was chosen for the project but it was chosen for a reason.
"They just drew a line on the map and they said 'oh, yeah, it's not near Ballarat, there's only a few houses there. Those people, they're a pushover, they will roll over.'
"So they have straight away insulted people. A lot of farmers have been there for five or six generations and their houses are never to be sold.
"They (the homes) have real signifiance to the family. It's not the money, they'll just never sell. And the politicians and AusNet people don't understand that. They think they can just put a figure on it, but there's no figure."
Will said the longer the project took to get off the ground, the more it was becoming "a complete and utter joke".
"It's going to destroy some of the best farmland in southern Australia. It's going to destroy some of the best habitats in southern Australia. If the powerlines go through you can't irrigate those paddocks, so they become worthless in terms of horticulture. And if you rip down trees and disturb them to put up wind and solar and batteries and transmission lines - that's not green."
Will said the farmers were now being told they could be fined if they refused consultations but "nothing's changed". "The gates are still locked. They're not coming in. They can threaten all they like and they can jump up and down like a spoiled brat. But it'll take five years through the courts to get to the front gate and they know it well.
"Then they're going to demand to come into our places. Well, we all know how that unfolds in a socialist economy. The people revolt.
"And people have had enough of this crap. All we want is to be left in peace and not be taken for a ride and the people are getting taken for a ride.
"The reason they haven't got anywhere is because the people, they're not going to be rolled over and bullshitted to. It's got nothing to do with money."
Hepburn Shire Council
CEO Bradley Thomas said since 2021, the council had been in strong opposition to the project due to its route, above-ground configuration and the devastating effect it would have on Hepburn Shire, and farming and wider communities.
"Council had legal representation at recent hearings and has been cross-examining Ausnet’s various expert witnesses. The Minister for Planning has appointed a joint Inquiry and Advisory Committee to advise the Minister on the environmental effects of the proposed Western Renewables Link Project. The Minister will make the final decision on the project, which may be around the middle of 2026. Our submission to the committee will commence on December 8, and will include expert witnesses on the topics of agriculture, tourism, visual impact, and undergrounding."
Words & Piss Off AusNet image: Donna Kelly Above left image: www.ausnetservices.com.au
The Victorian Government is delivering real help, right now with over 90 different savings benefits. Like saving families up to $200 per eligible student with Get Active Kids Vouchers. As well as boosted school camps, sports and excursion payments, with savings of up to $400 per eligible student from January.
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Crime didn’t pay, but hosing and pruning did
Rod Halsted takes 18 seconds to give a rapid-fire rundown of his life of drug dealing, prison, alcoholism and survival. That’s on his website.
Add about an hour to that and a fair slice of his amazing existence appears. He’s put all this into a well-received book called Take My Advice, I’m Not Using It!. Now he’s touring Goldfields libraries to tell his story.
It begins in Gunnedah, outback NSW, where his stock and station agent father had him working in saleyards for the then generous amount of a pound a day. That was 70 years ago when he was four. A stark memory is of cranky drovers and mad sheep.
An even sharper memory is his father telling him when he was 10 that it was time to work with cattle. He was told to yard a steer by yelling at it. “It came at me like a Spanish bull. I put one foot on the rail and yelled, but in a kid’s voice. It turned and went into the pen.”
That day, he says, he learned to trust his judgement, but always have a Plan B.
After leaving school Rod hitchhiked to WA to work in the mines “with a lot of lunatics. People went there to escape”.
Sydney was his next stop in his early 20s, working in a wine bar. He met dodgy types, such as a marijuana dealer who wanted to go to Mexico, so Rod took over from him. “It was exhilarating, derring-do, as much as for the money.” On the first deal he went by bus. Within a fortnight he had a car.
He flew to Melbourne with a suitcase taller than his hip packed with tens of thousands of marijuana sticks worth $2 million in today’s value. There were no airport sniffer dogs in those days so his suitcase made it to the carousel while he went to make a phone call. This took longer than expected. He returned to find uniformed Commonwealth Police in large numbers and his suitcase circling.
Ever inventive, Rod adopted a limp and got one of the officers to help him with the suitcase.
His high life in Sydney included loud parties in a house across the harbour from the Prime Minister’s residence, Kirribilli House. One party was shut down by police because, says Rod, the PM complained that he couldn’t be heard.
As for drug-dealing, Rod says he only did “grass” drawing the line at powder or any mind-altering chemical drugs.
With these limitations he returned to his hometown of Albury, where he was arrested for dealing, spending six weeks in Silverwater Prison, west of Sydney, then a harrowing week in Goulburn Gaol, where he learned survival by adopting the “thousand-yard stare” to frighten those around him.
“I came out an angry, cold man. I had a couple of kids, but gaol had changed me. I tried to get my head square but failed totally.” His marriage broke up.
Booze took over his life until he found his way to Alcoholics Anonymous. Rod says when he stopped drinking he was $120,000 in debt and 30kg heavier than he is now.
He told one AA session about his life. Also attending was Barry Humphries, who told Rod he should write his life story.
Rod thought of using a ghost writer and about 10 years ago he talked with newspaper reporter Andrew Rule, who told him: “If you can write the way you tell a story, you can do it yourself.” Their 10-minute chat turned into two hours.
But the makings of the book vanished when his car with his laptop on the back seat was stolen in Albury. He appealed for help on ABC Radio’s Sunday morning “Macca” show. A listener spotted the car, but no laptop. Police later found it on the back seat of a suspicious car, along with stolen phones. “I’ve been blessed all the way.”
His next step in the long road from Gunnedah came when the award-winning journalist Chris Masters introduced Rod to his publisher.
At a recent book festival Rod met actor Bryan Brown who has two books out. Rod was canny enough to keep the film and TV rights to his book, so this could be yet another opening.
In Albury Rod set up a business cleaning driveways and roofs with high pressure hoses. Starting with $5000, he sold this business for a tidy profit, moving on to pruning roses, then mowing lawns. Eight years later he sold this business for a sixfigure sum.
Now he’s on a big author’s tour of eastern Australia. Unlike many such tours, this one is dry. “I’m still an alky,” says Rod “so I don’t go near the stuff.”
There is still a drug dealer he's fearful of publicy naming, showing the long shadow of his wild days.
Rod Halsted will talk with the highly regarded journalist Nicole Chvastek at the Wedderburn Library at 10am on December 10, Bendigo Library at 2.30pm on December 10, Gisborne Library at 2pm on December 11 and Castlemaine Library at 5.30pm on December 11.
Words: Kevin Childs | Image: Supplied
MASSIVE GARAGE CLEARANCE SALE
SAT 22 & SUN 23 NOVEMBER 27 CENTRAL SPRINGS ROAD, DAYLESFORD 9am start both days!
Household items:
Crockery, cutlery, glassware, pots and pans, serving platters, napery, tablecloths, bedding and blankets, Christmas lights and decorations, framed prints, DVDs, CDs, cookbooks.
Garden items:
Shovels, rakes, axes, hoses, wheelbarrow, portable gas barbeque, lawn mower, hedge trimmer, leaf blower, hand tools, garden tables and chairs, garden pots, flowering small pots.
Furniture:
Single iron bed, lounge suite, assorted lamps, pine study desk, assorted chairs, Bordeaux wine racks.
Tin Kettling
The folk custom of ‘tin kettling’ welcomed many newly married couples into rural communities during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
It usually happened after the bride and groom had retired to the place they were going to spend their first night of wedded bliss.
Local history with Natalie Poole
After allowing them enough time to settle down and be comfortable in their marital home, the rowdier youths and younger men and women of the area gathered near the home equipped with kerosene tins, pots, pans, maybe a concertina or anything else that made a lot of noise and serenaded them with one heck of a welcome home.
At that moment in time, they would be beating on their tins and pans, catcalling and often throwing stones onto the roof of the marital residence. This would invariably set the neighbourhood dogs into a barking or howling frenzy which was met with mixed reactions from the wedded couple and their neighbours.
Sometimes, the additional honour by the rowdy revellers during the winter months was having a bag placed over the chimney to smoke the newlyweds out of their home. They would either be happy and see the fun of it all or unhappy because they wanted peace after the nuptials and wedding reception.
A Trentham local recalls tin kettling for Bill and Effie Gillis and how it was cut short unexpectedly.
The younger folk from Coliban and Little Hampton went to the Gillises' place on the evening of their wedding to give them a welcome home to remember. Bill came out and told them to get going, or he would deal with them.
About a week later, Bill sheepishly requested them to please call again. It was deemed an honour to be given a tin kettling and it also welcomed the newly married couple into the community and signified the community's acceptance of them as a married couple.
The Horsham Times, October 2, 1942
Tin Kettling - Who originated it? E. H. Webb gives an insight into this time-old tradition that has fallen into obscurity. Even in these trying times the good old habit of tin kettling is still kept up in the country.
"I have never heard of this custom in the city, but the country sticks to it unfailingly. Of course, the tin kettling is only a prelude. The ritual is that when sufficient noise has been made the happy couple invites the serenaders inside for a party!
Then the night is spent in singing and dancing or playing cards among the more stoic tin kettlers. Refreshments are handed round, and in the end, everybody wishes bride and groom long life and happiness. I don't know when or where the custom originated, but it is certainly as old as.
I remember if my family were attending a wedding, we would save our tin cans, pierce holes in them and string them all together and tie them to the tow ball of the car. The newlyweds would drive away to a rousing performance of the cans as they went down the road and all to the delight of the onlookers. Add to that the endless toilet rolls used to cover the car. My darling brother did both of these to me on my wedding day!"
Image: Tin kettling on Robyn Annear's blog
From Natalie: On a personal note, I eloped with my current husband. Relatives and friends unaware; no tin kettling for us.
(Ed's note: My parents were married in Frankston in 1956 and my mother said they were given a very noisy tin kettling.)
Annual General Meeting
2024-25
Central Highlands Rural Health Board of Management invites our community to its 2024-25 Annual General Meeting.
Date: Thursday 4 December 2025
Time: 3 00pm
Location: Hotel Bellinzona, 77 Main Road, Hepburn Springs
We are delighted to have Professor Hal Swerissen as guest speaker. Hal will review what artificial intelligence can and can’t do and discuss the risks and opportunities that are on the horizon.
Agenda items:
1. Release of the 2024/25 Annual Report
2. Any other business in accordance with the By Laws of Central Highlands Rural Health (of which 7 days prior notice has been given to the undersigned).
3. Guest Speaker: Professor Hal Swerissen
Please RSVP by 27 November 2025 to events@chrh.org.au or (03) 5422 9920.
Kind regards,
Maree Cuddihy Chief Executive Officer ceo@chrh.org.au
Clunes • Creswick • Daylesford • Kyneton • Trentham
Board Director opportunities at Central Highlands Rural Health
The Minister for Health, the Hon Mary-Anne Thomas MP, is pleased to invite applications for part time board director positions at Central Highlands Rural Health. The positions start on 1 July 2026, for up to three years
These positions provide an exciting opportunity for persons with an interest in making a difference in the health sector and have the knowledge and skills for ensuring health care is delivered safely and effectively, with public money used to the benefit of all Victorians.
As a director you will be doing more than just contributing your time or knowledge. Being appointed to a hospital board places you in a position of trust. You will play an important role in providing leadership, accountability and integrity in the delivery of healthcare across Victoria
Applicants are selected for their capabilities, including personal and professional experience, knowledge, and skills that contribute to the strategic leadership and oversight of healthcare for the Victorian community.
While Victorian public health boards are based on capabilities, boards are more effective when these capabilities also represent the richness of the diverse voices of Victorian communities. We encourage First Nations people, people living with a disability, people from culturally diverse backgrounds, people who identify as LGBTIQA+, gender equality, and upholding human rights.
Applications close at midnight Sunday 23 November 2025
Further information about Victorian health service boards and how to apply, please go to the following website: www.health.vic.gov.au/board-applications
Hepburn Shire Council asked to lift game
The 2024/25 Local Government Performance Reporting data, published last week, has Hepburn Shire Council again looking for ways to improve its services - especially in planning and workforce turnover.
Council’s audited data was published in its 2024/25 Annual Report, which was adopted by the council at the September council meeting.
The ‘Know Your Council’ dashboard that was released allows the community to compare council service areas.
The tool compiles data collected from Victorian councils and shows whether a council has met its own targets and how this compares to other councils across the state. It can be accessed via the Local Government Victoria website.
Council CEO Bradley Thomas said the council was disappointed with some of the results but had the people, resources and systems in place to improve.
Mr Thomas said the results reflected some challenges that the council, and the broader local government sector, were facing, particularly in the areas of planning and workforce turnover.
Service areas listed for improvement were: 102 days taken to decide planning applications, above the state average of 72.5 days (down from the previous year of 180 days); 26.5 per cent of planning applications were decided within required timeframes (up from 17.9 per cent last year and way off the state average of 69.7 per cent); and a 22.4 per cent workforce turnover (above the state average of 15.1 per cent).
On the Know Your Council dashboard the council stated a turnover of staff in key roles over the past 18 months, coupled with a number of ongoing complex planning, enforcement and VCAT matters, had resulted in a challenging backlog of planning applications.
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“However, the percentage of applications decided within 60 statutory days, is steadily improving, in response to vacancies being filled and the continuing implementation of targeted process improvements.”
The council stated, in relation to the unplanned employee turnover rate of 15.73 - where staff move to a new workplace - when the overall turnover was adjusted to include planned turnover, (redundancies, terminations and retirements) the total annual turnover was 22.4 per cent, a reduction of one per cent on 2023/24.
“The overall employee turnover rate is higher than would be preferred. Council’s turnover rate remains consistent with the industry average for a small rural shire and reflects the challenges of small rural councils in recruiting and retaining suitably qualified individuals.”
Mr Thomas said the community deserved high-quality, transparent and reliable service delivery.
“And while in most circumstances we deliver that, we believe we can and will continue to get better, and we are making the necessary changes to achieve that. It’s important for us to look closely at the data, but we also have to keep the bigger picture in mind.
“While we know our planning application timeframes aren’t where we’d like them to be, our planning team has been working hard on major projects like the Dan Murphy’s appeal, the campaign against the Western Renewables Link, and shaping the Future Hepburn township structure plans. We appreciate the community’s understanding as we balance these significant initiatives.”
Mr Thomas said the council had already implemented a range of initiatives to address some of the issues identified including:
Recruitment of planners and streamlining planning processes; continued investment in staff development and engagement to build a stronger, more stable workforce; improved technology and systems; and enhancement of transparency and accountability through regular reporting.
The council also came under fire for missed bins (11.6 per 10,000 households, above the state average of 6.3 per 10,000).
Words: Donna Kelly
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Just briefly...
The Country Fire Authority has announced that the Fire Danger Period starts on November 24 in Hepburn Shire.
Hepburn Shire Council officers will inspect properties across the shire to identify long grass, overgrown vegetation, and other potential fire hazards. The council encourages all residents and landowners to act early by mowing grass, clearing debris, trimming overhanging branches and ensuring access for emergency vehicles. Free green waste disposal is available at the Creswick, Daylesford and Trentham transfer stations throughout November.
International Men's Day, held on Wednesday, November 19, is a global awareness day celebrating the positive value men bring to the world and raising awareness of men’s wellbeing.
If you need help, you can access professional support by contacting your doctor or local health service, or connecting with a mental health professional by calling Beyond Blue on 1300 224 636. Free telephone and online counselling is available for men at MensLine Australia on 1300 78 99 78. For immediate crisis support, call Lifeline on 13 11 14.
The Good Grub Club will install a new kitchen at Daylesford Neighbourhood Centre and then move into its permanent home there.
The club will continue business as usual over the next few months until the transition is complete.
Cafs (Child and Family Services Ballarat) is hosting a community event on Wednesday, November 19 to raise awareness of gambling harm and inspire organisations to take action.
The event will feature Reverend Tim Costello AO, Chief Advocate for the Alliance for Gambling Reform, and Dan Irwin, a resident who shares his lived experience of gambling addiction and recovery. Ballarat residents lose $1.2 million per week on poker machines. Free registration and details: http://bit.ly/3Wa0bLL
Hepburn Shire Council will soon start on its annual gravel road resheet program which will see $650,000 used to resheet around 15km of gravel roads.
The work is expected to take six weeks. Roads scheduled for resheeting include: Fords Road and Russells Road, Porcupine Ridge; Telegraph Road, Sailors Falls; Powells Lane, Mt Franklin; Jubilee Road, Sulky; McClennans Road and Caters Street, Clunes; Spittle Road, Creswick; and Mains Road, Drummond.
Hepburn Shire Council has installed 10 baskets, as a trial, on public bins that encourage people to place their container deposit scheme (CDS) containers, those marked with a 10c refund logo, into these.
The baskets aim to increase recycling in the shire and reduce damage to bin surrounds. Anyone can collect containers from these baskets to claim the 10c refund at their local CDS collection site.
Blue Trees, a symbol to break the silence and the stigma surrounding mental health and suicide, are popping up around Hepburn Shire.
Hepburn Shire Council has partnered with the Call Your Mates group to install Blue Trees at several locations including on council-owned land outside The Daylesford Royal Hotel and the Band Rotunda in Creswick. CEO Bradley Thomas said a number of sites were considered in Daylesford where the tree was visible, would support community conversations and assist in removing barriers to support services. "Council has received many messages of support and appreciation for supporting the initiative."
Speed, drink-driving
Statement by Macedon Ranges Shire Mayor Dom Bonanno
I need to tell the community that I have let myself, my family, the council and my community down for a major lapse in judgement, which I take full responsibility for.
On the evening of Friday 31 October 2025, I was caught speeding on McGeorge Road in Gisborne South, but worse, with a blood alcohol level over the legal limit, whilst driving the Mayoral vehicle. I will be disqualified from driving for six months from the end of November.
I appreciate that my family, fellow councillors, council staff and the community put their trust in me, which I have breached, of which I sincerely apologise.
I can’t turn the clock back, but I will work each day to re-build this trust in me over the months and years ahead.
I am very disappointed in myself, and I have given my all to be a good councillor and mayor, and always listen and strongly represent our residents and broader community.
I have returned the mayoral car, which was neither impounded or damaged during the incident.
I have taken personal leave and will return on Tuesday 25 November at 11am, which is the annual Council Meeting to elect the Mayor. I will not be standing for re-election to this position.
As I work through what is a difficult and challenging time for me and my family, I ask for your forgiveness and to please respect our privacy.
Thank you.
Community environmental projects funding
Landcare and community groups will share in almost $340,000 of Victorian Landcare grants.
Managed by the North Central Catchment Management Authority and funded by the state government, the grants provide funding for environmental projects across the catchment, as well as administrative support.
North Central CMA Regional Landcare coordinator Belinda Pritchard said the 19 project grants and 50 support grants would enable community-driven initiatives to continue to protect the landscapes and waterways they love.
“These grants deliver lasting benefits to communities and help groups support their volunteers,” she said. “We are excited with the range of successful projects this year and that we were able to support groups right across the catchment.
“The support grants are also really important for our Landcare groups. They help with everything from recruitment of volunteers to covering insurance and can make a big difference for hard working groups.”
More than $300,000 will be spent on projects such as: Revegetating the Lake Buloke lunettes; Fencing, revegetation, and rabbit control at Wychitella; Revegetation on the Moolort Plains; Removing weeds on Axe Creek; Building squirrel glider nest boxes in the northern Grampians; and Flora and fauna monitoring in Woodend’s Five Mile Creek
Black gum (eucalypus aggregata) is endangered at a state level and is listed in the Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1989. In 2015 it was also recommended for listing as ‘Vulnerable’ on the EPBC Act. In Victoria, the species only occurs in a 4 km radius of Woodend. Its limited geographic range makes it highly vulnerable further loss and the protection of the black gums is a major goal for Woodend Landcare.
Pictured, Woodend Landcare Group’s Nicole Middleton (president) and Peter Yates (vice president), above, the gums
Hepburn House's Memory Lane Unit
Hepburn House's Memory Lane, a 15-bed unit built specifically to assist residents with dementia, is now open!
Hepburn House is at 1 Hepburn Rd, Daylesford. Book a tour of the new unit or the existing accommodation and living areas.
Council news
Have your say on the draft DAMP
Have your say on our draft Domestic Animal Management Plan (DAMP). Council has developed a new DAMP to help guide how we care for and manage cats and dogs in our community over the next four years. The draft was informed by valuable community feedback.
The draft DAMP is on public exhibition and open for community feedback. We want to hear from pet owners, animal lovers, and all community members.
Have your say by:
• Completing a survey (open until Friday 12 December)
• Attending one of our community drop-in sessions
We want to create a safer, more pet-friendly community for everyone.
More information at https://participate.hepburn.vic.gov.au/damp
16 Days of Activism
We all deserve to be safe, equal and respected. More than 1 in 3 women have experienced violence from men. Safety for women is not a given in any community - and neither is respect. It doesn’t have to be this way.
The 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence is a global campaign led annually by UN Women. It runs every year from 25 November (the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women) to 10 December (Human Rights Day).
Join us on Tuesday 25 November for the Walk Against Violence around Lake Daylesford. Meet at Walters_3460 café at 10 am. Violence against women is preventable if we can change the culture that allows it to happen.
Find out more at www.respectvictoria.vic.gov.au
Fire hazard inspections commence
Council has started its fire hazard inspection program this month to help the community prepare for the upcoming fire danger period.
The Country Fire Authority has announced that the Fire Danger Period starts on 24 November in Hepburn Shire.
Council officers will inspect properties across the Shire to identify long grass, overgrown vegetation, and other potential fire hazards. These inspections form part of Council’s responsibility under the Country Fire Authority Act 1958 to help reduce the risk of fires.
We encourage all residents and landowners to act early by mowing grass, clearing debris, trimming overhanging branches and ensuring access for emergency vehicles.
Don’t forget that free green waste disposal is available at the Creswick, Daylesford and Trentham transfer stations throughout November to assist with property preparation.
Free green waste disposal this November
Throughout November, it’s free to dispose of your green waste at any of our three transfer stations.
Things to remember:
• Bring proof of residency (e.g., rates notice, driver licence)
• Separate your load - green material should be separated from other items being brought in
• Noxious weeds should not be transported or brought to the transfer stations
• Excludes commercial quantities of waste
Why can’t I bring in noxious weeds?
It’s illegal to transport noxious weeds in Victoria and for our transfer stations to accept them. These regulations aim to reduce the spread of noxious weeds.
What can I do with my noxious weeds?
Dispose of noxious weed material onsite via composting or burning (check with the CFA for regulations).
Green waste is mulched and is available for self-loading for free or can be loaded for you for $12 per cubic metre.
More information at www.hepburn.vic.gov.au/transfer-stations
Are you prepared for summer?
It’s expected to be another challenging fire season and it’s more important than ever to know your fire risk and prepare.
Whether your property is occupied, vacant or leased, you’re responsible for:
• removing excess vegetation, rubbish and flammable materials
• keeping grass, weeds and undergrowth at a safe height (under 100 mm)
• reducing fuel loads around buildings, fences, and property boundaries
• maintaining clear access for emergency vehicles
Make sure you have the VicEmergency app installed to stay informed on fire danger days.
For more information on how to prepare your property during the fire danger period and stay safe visit www.cfa.vic.gov.au
Health authorities are warning Australians to take the dangers of extreme heat seriously. Heatwaves are silent and deadly killers and claim more lives in Australia than all other natural disasters.
To help you stay safe, Council has partnered with the Grampians Public Health Unit, Central Highlands Rural Health and 14 other agencies to pilot the Heatwave H.E.L.P. project in our region.
More information at www.hepburn.vic.gov.au/HELP
Shirley Cornish
EAT | DRINK | ENJOY
Out & About in the Central Highlands
Kingston Agricultural Show in December
The 156th Kingston Agricultural Show, Saturday 6 and Sunday 7 December, will once again showcase country life.
Visitors can expect a true country show experience where this much-loved local event blends simple traditions with hands-on-fun that children (and their grown-ups) will remember for years. It’s the kind of day where kids can wander wide-eyed from the animal pens to the gumboot throw, discovering something new at every turn.
Saturday is all about free family fun, from circus and woodcraft workshops, face painting and the cardboard box tractor competition to exploring a pavilion filled with creativity. Families can relax and enjoy live music in the marquee as local performers fill the day with tunes. Watch the harness and heavy horses, enter your pony or pat a chook.
The Best Ute Show also held on Saturday brings fresh energy to the arena and is a modern nod to the rural lifestyle that sits beautifully alongside the show’s timehonoured traditions.
On Sunday, the focus turns to day two of high-quality equestrian events and the second day of top class working yard dog competitions. With free admission it’s an easy, family-friendly Sunday activity.
What makes the Kingston Show special is its authentic country spirit – a show that’s gentle on the land, celebrates local breeders and talents and welcomes every generation to take part. With more than 20 competitions for juniors, there are plenty of ways for young exhibitors to get involved and shine.
So, pack a picnic, or buy delicious food from the canteen, grab a coffee and settle under the old oak tree and enjoy a country show experience where the laughter is genuine, the community is strong and the memories last long after the final ribbons are handed out.
Visit the show program with full details via the QR code.
Image: Kate Perkins
Image:Nerissa McDonald
74th Daylesford Highland Gathering
The 74th Daylesford Highland Gathering will take place on Saturday, December 6 at Victoria Park. This event invites locals and visitors alike to don their kilts and immerse themselves in a vibrant celebration of Scottish heritage, music, dance, and athletic prowess.
The gathering was founded in 1952 and is not only a much-loved community event but also a highlight on the Victorian Scottish cultural calendar.
Established as an opportunity to celebrate Scottish heritage and culture, the Daylesford Highland Gathering has now grown into an event which hosts the Victorian Highland Dance Championships, Daylesford's own Pipe Band Competition and the recent return of the Highland Games.
With hammer throw and caber tossing as highlights it's easy to understand that the games are quite a crowd pleaser. On the day there will be something for everyone, from enjoying a haggis burger and Irn-Bru, watching the Highland breed dogs put on a show, taking a photo with a Highland cow or wandering through the Scottish Market to topping up on on tartan scarves and enjoying some sweet Scottish tablet.
This year’s gathering kicks off with the Pipe Band Street March through the heart of Daylesford, setting the town abuzz with the stirring sounds of the pipes and drums.
Attendees can look forward to the prestigious Victorian Highland Dance Championships, a spectacular showcase of skill and tradition, alongside the fiercely contested Pipe Band Competition.
The highlight of the day remains the thrilling Highland Games, featuring crowd favourites like the hammer throw and caber toss, guaranteed to draw cheers from all ages.
Bring the whole family for a day of culture, community, and camaraderie.
Whether you’re a seasoned gathering attendee or a first-time visitor, the 74th Daylesford Highland Gathering promises something special for everyone. Mark your calendars for December 6.
Details: www.daylesfordhighland.com and socials. Words: Contributed
Images: Tommy Campion
Remembrance Day: Lest We Forget
In Flanders fields, the poppies blow Between the crosses, row on row, That mark our place; and in the sky The larks, still bravely singing, fly Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, Loved and were loved, and now we lie, In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe: To you from failing hands we throw The torch; be yours to hold it high. If ye break faith with us who die We shall not sleep, though poppies grow In Flanders fields.
- Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae
Above images at Daylesford | Frank Page
Above image at Creswick | Phil Greenbank
Daylesford Primary School celebrates 150 years
DPS 2025 Staff Members
Got ourselves a convoy
The Shamick's Castlemaine Rotary Truck Show 2025, held over the weekend of Saturday, November 29 and Sunday, November 30, is the 37th consecutive year that the trucking industry will gather at the Campbells Creek Recreation Reserve.
Ranked as one of the top three regional shows Australia-wide, Castlemaine’s high quality was confirmed earlier this year with its 2024 Truck of the Show taking out the Champion of Champions trophy in Brisbane.
Wandering among over 250 gleaming, chromed big rigs is only part of the fun. Spectators travel from far and wide for the country music program and to enjoy an affordable day out with the family.
As part of this family-friendly event, children under 16 are admitted free and all of the kids' rides and music entertainment are also free.
A new attraction for the kids will be The Fun Factory, plus long-time favourites such as face painting and miniature train and pony rides, and the Steering for the Future educational truck.
R&R McClure Excavations are once again sponsoring the live music offering, this year headed up by well-known media personality and Coodabeen Champion, Greg Champion OAM and award-winning country singer-songwriter Sandee Facy. Sandee and her band will definitely have everyone’s toes tapping.
A record number of trade stalls will be on the ground with something for everyone – including some Christmas shopping opportunities - plus 17 sponsor displays for those in the industry. Test drives of a Volvo electric truck is something new being offered this year.
The Cycling Without Age trishaw will also be available for the foot-weary to take a leisurely turn around the grounds to check out the sights.
And when the exploring is finished, there is undercover seating to rest and partake in a range of food and refreshment options, including a licenced bar on site.
Before leaving, cast a vote for the favourite truck in the People’s Choice Award at the Castlemaine Toyota stand.
Gates open at noon on Saturday and at 10am on Sunday with a crowd favourite the traditional 9am Sunday morning convoy through Castlemaine to the Campbells Creek Recreation Reserve where the event will be held. All proceeds raised go to support Castlemaine Rotary’s community projects and youth scholarships. Link: www.castlemainetruckshow.com
Veterans' funding
Minister for Veterans Natalie Suleyman and Macedon MP Mary-Anne Thomas have announced the recipients of this year’s Anzac Day Proceeds Fund and Victoria Remembers programs.
The Anzac Day Proceeds Fund delivers more than $1.1 million to support 20 organisations delivering welfare and wellbeing initiatives for veterans, with grants of up to $150,000 for statewide programs and up to $50,000 for local projects.
Among this year’s local recipients for the Anzac Proceeds Fund are: Path of the Horse in Trentham - $50,000 for Path to Recovery, an Equine Mental Health program for Veterans and families; Macedon Ranges Group of Bendigo Legacy$7470 for well-being events for aging Legacy Widows; and Gisborne RSL Sub Branch - $30,000 for members welfare activities and functions.
The local recipient for the Victoria Remembers Program is Mt Macedon Anzac Day Dawn Service - $29,726 for the 2026 Mt Macedon Anzac Day Dawn Service.
The Ballarat Veterans Assistance Centre will use its funding to showcase the experiences and personal stories of veterans from across the Goldfields region.
The “Meet Your Veterans” photo exhibition will celebrate the diversity of the veteran community and encourage open conversation between veterans and the public.
Christmas is coming...
And yes, agreed, it's too early to talk about Christmas.
But, you know it is going to sneak up on you.
So why not get in early and book a Christmas greeting for your customers?
Just a nice and breezy 'thanks for your support'.
At the same time, for no extra dosh, you can support your local paper and independent journalism. Just sayin'...
If you are keen, get in touch with Kyle or Donna. Super affordable prices.
Kyle on 0416 104 283 or Donna on 0418 576 513.
And yes, this is a commercial plug, but if Christmas is not commercial, then what is it about? Jokes, sort of.
Fa, la, la, la, laaaaa.
Magic day at Daylesford Show
This year’s Daylesford Show really does promise something for everyonefrom magic, to bubbles, mini golf to music.
Cath Jamison
She has been described as a “wickedly funny entertainer (who) takes a feminine approach” to the world of magic.
Dawn French raved about her. “Love her, she’s fantastic, I want more.” Tim Burton called her “simply extraordinary”.
Cath, pictured right, will spend her time at the show as a roving magician, engaging with groups and individuals and will also run a magic workshop for juniors.
“We very much look forward to adding this new attraction to our free entertainment program” said John Nicholls, Daylesford & District Agricultural Society president and show secretary.
The bubble fairy
A very popular addition to the entertainment in 2024 was the bubble fairy, Fern, who creates giant bubbles for kids to jump up and pop.
Don’t be fooled by the tiny wings you see in the photos, the real ethereal wings are cosmic in size, shining bright with all the colours of the rainbow.
Mini golf
In 2025 the show will also welcome a mini golf course, courtesy of the Great Trentham SpudFest.
And it is hoped the petting zoo will be back after it was cancelled last year because of hot weather.
There will also be pony rides, the Puppet Man, rescue ferrets and a face painter. All free of charge.
Kids will be kept busy with plenty of activities in and around the Tom Ford Pavilion, including a children’s art table. It will also house the junior competitions and the school displays.
Music
There will be a music program under the shade sail featuring local choirs Sweet Justice and the Honeytones, the Cool Country Ukes, the Gordon Gypsies, Barbed Wire Canoe, a music group from Daylesford College and the Daylesford Community Brass Band.
Local music act Lake Mist will again perform in the Hall of Flowers. See you at the show on Saturday, November 22. The gates, at Victoria Park, will be open from 9am to 3pm. Link: www.daylesfordshow.com
Image: Tommy Campion
Remember we offer free delivery, T&Cs apply. Delivery times are Monday to Saturday between 10am and 4pm. We accept credit cards over the phone or we have an on-board eftpos machine. You will need to be at home for the delivery with proof of age if asked by the driver. Give the Foxxy team a call on 5348 3577. Keep safe, everyone. 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.
CHRISTMAS MEATS
CHRISTMAS HAMS & PoRk
Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without our famous smoked legs of ham! This year, we have again teamed up with award-winning German Fleischmeister Ralf Fink from Oakwood Smallgoods in Castlemaine. Celebrate Christmas this year with a taste of Australia’s finest ham—one that is not just a dish; it’s a tradition steeped in rich flavours and meticulous craftsmanship. A ham that will please all, glazes perfectly and is very easy to carve.
FULL AND HALF LEGS oN THE BoNE
BoNELESS HAMS PoRCHETTA
PoRk RoASTS
DEUTSCHERS TURkEY
These are truly exceptional birds and considered by many to be the best turkeys in the nation with strictly limited numbers. Pre-Orders only.
WHoLE TURkEYS
CRoWN BUFFE RoASTS RoLLED BREAST
BUNDARRA CHICkENS
Deeply flavoured and darker meat than traditional freerange chickens. Pre-Orders only.
oTHER CHRISTMAS MEATS
Our full range of Greenhills Beef and Lamb, Hazeldene Free-Range chicken, along with our full range of meats, smallgoods and a range of gourmet produce in-store.
To order, pop in to visit us in-store, give us a call or jump online. All Christmas orders will be ready to collect or deliver to your home from Monday 15th December.
For a full range of festive recipes, visit daylesfordmeatco.com.au
Kyle's Rant
I shake my head in the general direction of the TV as an advert comes on promoting skincare for the three-plus year-old crowd.
Rini is a new product from some Instagram mummy group trying to get rich off frightening other Insta-mummies into putting facemasks on their children. FFS. It's called youth and it will take care of itself. God provided youthful skin, fearless behaviour and a positive view of the world just for babies. But it seems to be sacrilege to gather wrinkles and the rigours of time on one’s face as you age.
As a kid I lived in a rural fishing village in the top of the north island in New Zealand where Dad had leased a barn on a farm which abutted a harbour.
One memory that sticks out was at the age of four, one of my many “complimentary aunties” calling out from the long drop for some toilet paper. Now, at the time I was dragging an old case around the farm pretending I was a train and what better job for the train than to load it with a toilet roll and deliver it to my toilet captive. After about half an hour I finally arrived at my destination after a few stops en route, and with my auntie by then quite desperate for me to arrive.
My two sisters and I shared a caravan awning as a bedroom - we watched the six-inch black and white TV with one channel and a picture that always rolled, from Mum and Dad’s bed in the caravan as there was no lounge. We played in and around sheep dips, cattle yards, wharves and crawled around the hulls of rusty old boats and barges. Our money came from selling pipis, eels and rubbish salvaged from the local dump to drunk fisherman and cockies who would pass our gate from the pub 50 metres up the road. Our shower was a quick fill of hot water from the jug mixed into a watering can - pull on the rope and get third degree burns or hypothermia.
The only skin routine mum used on us was butter on burns and dad cutting a small incision into your foot when you picked up one of his fishhooks in your foot.
As a school-aged child, I endured playgrounds that had hard dirt under the monkey bars to encourage you not to fall, metal slides that in the summer would require an egg slice to release you from the bottom. I withstood skateboards made from salvaged and sometimes illegally procured parts that would throw you 20 metres after pulling up on a small rock. And then there was many a bicycle accident caused by loose chains and the wobbles. Not to mention the jumps.
As a young teenager I took on a paper round, and then a milk round which was more profitable. Sometimes the two would coincide so I dumped the newspapers down the creek. There was a lot of milk-money being stolen in those days and the only guy who wasn’t suspected of the theft was the milkman. Yours truly would come up to a bunch of bottles in the dark and take the money for myself, rendering the resident milk-less. This is not something I am totally proud of, but when there is no food in the cupboard at home it was about survival.
As I grew older and more civilised, I survived the 80s where a deckchair could go off like a beartrap plus the continous inhalation of second-hand cigarette smoke. Then there were the heated-up seatbelts which provided a nasty burn from the buckle on a hot day, not to mention the vinyl seats which stuck to the back of your legs.
I didn’t get to a nightclub until I was well into my 20s, a drunken dance at the local hall was our scene. Trying to avoid cigarettes being put out on your face, not through an exercise in torture, just your mates wielding the things while dancing. At one dance I picked up a bottle to guzzle down some beer but unfortunately it had become the designated ashtray and I ended up with a mouth full of cigarette butts.
Now I'm not saying you should put your children through all this, but I think a lot of Gen Xers would agree with me that the parent pendulum has swung too far the other way. Wrinkled rant over…
Local Lines
cocktail party
the evening drips on and on. champagne bubbles too brightly for a decision that is really rather flat. some old fool with old fool’s teeth prattles about verisimilitude in a dry manner of seeming that rarely rises to a drone above white noise. another of no known antiquity is speaking (i think) across me at an oblique angle; such thoughts as punctuate time with reality are an eternal tomorrow. my eye sleepsearches across a smoke haze of possibility and catches a star winking at me through a window. i smile inconsequentially, writing my slow epitaph. i walk to the window and talk to the star.
- Rory Hudson
Rory Hudson lives in Point Cook and writes various kinds of poetry as and when the mood seizes him, some of which he reads at Chamber Poets, Woodend. His poems have been published in different Australian magazines.
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!
Hi, I am Indi - a two-year-old female, white and tan bull arab x
I have boundless energy and intelligence and love the company of other dogs. I need a home with high, secure fencing and lots of mental stimulation. I am very affectionate and playful once I warm up to new people and I am very eager to learn and please.
If you want a loyal friend, come and meet me at MAAWs in Castlemaine or call 5472 5277.
Microchip no. 97810108732207
Pick me, pick me is run in memory of Rosie the Kelpie & Curly the Cocker Spaniel - we picked them from the Peninsula RSPCA. This photo is a very young Rosie, and a very young Kyle...despite the slightly distressed look, no dogs were harmed in the making of this image.
(Pick me, pick me is also proudly supported by Daylesford's petstock - where pets are family.)
Just sayin’...
By Donna Kelly
That was an interesting Friday.
First we did a bit of work, nothing unusual, and then we headed to the gym. But as we do sometimes, we decided at least we had 'been' to the gym and left without any exercise. Best efforts and all that. And we had been a few times this week and to Pilates.
So then we headed to the Daylesford Community Op Shop. Love this place and needed to buy a veggie steamer. Got that sorted - oh, keep the oppy in mind for Christmas shopping - and bumped in Danny Moynihan, as you do.
Danny was picking up a cupboard for Dianne and delivering it to her Daylesford home. It's just the sort of thing Danny does. But the cupboard looked heavy so we got a little involved and headed to Dianne's place to help unload it.
As Danny says, you just help when you can. No biggie. I also found out Dianne is a seamstress so that is invaluable information. She is flat out at the moment, no wonder, there are always hems to take up.
And that was our good deed for the day. Simples.
So then we headed to Coles in Daylesford which is undergoing a huge transformation while still being a working, open store. It's quite funny watching shoppers wander around aimlessly looking for that one particular item that has ended up in the wrong aisle.
Full marks to the staff there who are still smiling through it all. I am sure they are getting lots of queries and comments but they take it in their stride and keep on keeping on. Well done you guys!
Anyway, we bought our few things and headed back to the ute which was parked opposite the two Click & Collect parks. And in that innocuous place was where the road rage took place.
A bloke was parked in one spot, in a ute, looking very unhappy. And at that moment another bloke headed to the car in the other spot, clearly not clicking or collecting. Poorly done but whatever.
But the first bloke took umbrage and started mouthing off about the spot being only for clicking and collecting, and the other bloke said something about already having collected. Probably not true but you have to give it a go.
This just enraged the first bloke even further and next thing, as the guy tried to leave, he was in his face and then banging on the side of the car. Seriously. First world and all that.
Eventually the driver made his escape but the first bloke was not finished and looked over at us, watching the event unfold. He called out: "You OK?" to which Kyle replied: "Not necessary, mate." And over he came, ranting. (Obviously he did not realise he was up against the greatest ranter of all time.)
Kyle locked the doors, closed the window and indicated for the bloke to leave. With a friendly gesture. And he did, once he realised we were in a ute weighing about 2000kg, that was already running.
I know it's annoying when people park in the wrong spots. Unauthorised people in disabled zones drive me nuts and I do say something but I would never rage on. And now we have a Tesla, ICE (internal combustion engine) cars parked in electric charging spots also annoy me. Finally, if we are delivering The Local and cars with no signage are parked in loading zones, it's also pretty on the nose.
But, you know, we are not living in Gaza, or Ukraine, or even the US for that matter. We mostly have pretty good lives and it always feels better to help than hinder. It also makes you happier, just sayin'...
Beetham's Botanicals
Well here I am penning another column for you, the reader, to enjoy...
This time I'll be giving you an insight into special needs for special plants - trees and shrubs - a broad topic I know but the plant selections have been based on my experience of growing them and/or observing them in gardens all around the world.
Let's start with some drought-tolerant plants that would fit nicely into a modern contemporary landscape style that has become important to lessen the overuse of watering those other thirsty species such as hydrangeas.
For example (in alphabetic order): albizia julibrissin (Persian silk tree), carpenteria californica (bush anemone), hakea francisiana (emu tree), leucospermum high gold (pincushion plant), melaleuca thymifolia (thyme honey myrtle), pinus patula (mexican weeping pine) and quercus suber (cork oak). And a special note here, all plants need some initial watering to get their roots established.
And now from the sublime to the ridiculous, plants for damp soils for long periods of time: betula nigra (water birch), metasequoia glyptostroboides (dawn redwood), nyssa sylvatica (tupelo) and taxodium distichum (swamp cypress). These four trees look great next to water features such as lakes and large ponds - they're all deciduous and give a splendid autumnal show.
Many older gardens, both private and public, have developed areas of shade, from heavy shade to dappled light as a result of enlarging tree canopies or even shadows created by nearby buildings or perhaps your renovations to the existing house or outbuildings.
Here's a smattering of choices: acer palmatum seiryu (upright dissectum Japanese maple), camellia spp. cuttsia viburnea (honey bush), daphne odora f. alba (white flowered winter daphne), dichroa x versicolor (evergreen hydrangea), fatsia japonica (Japanese aralia), fuchsia spp. hydrangea spp., rhododendron spp. and Tasmannia lanceolata (mountain pepper) and, of course, myriad ferns.
The controversial subject of global warming and climate change is very much to the fore and so I thought I'd have a crack at suggesting the following species that should have a high degree of climate resilience.
Arbutus x andrachnoides (hybrid strawberry tree), catalpa bignonioides (Indian bean tree), clethra arborea (lily-of-the-valley tree), elaeocarpus reticulatus Prima Donna (blueberry ash), grevillea robusta (silky oak), liquidambar formosana (formosan sweet gum) and quercus coccifera (kermes oak). A special note also here that a majority of Australian native plants in the botanical family of myrtaceae (e.g. angophora, corymbia and eucalyptus) should, depending on their natural distribution, fit into this category.
So, in summary, it's worth continuing to plant some of your current faves, mindful of the fact that all gardens large or small contain microclimates that have been created by such things as ambient heat from walls, fences etc and frost-free zones as a result of merging tree canopies (mentioned earlier).
I'm afraid there's no time (or space) for perennials but think hosta spp. for damp areas, helleborus spp. for dappled shade and ornamental grasses for drought tolerance.
Cheers John Beetham (Trees in Australia)
Next time: Showcasing summer flowering species
Scan the QR code to see JB's Instagram post
Pictured, from above, albizia julibrissin, pinus patula & quercus suber
Open the government, release the files Praise the lord and pass the whisky, says Jeff Glorfeld
Tach it up, tach it up
Buddy going to shut you down
Shut Down by Brian Wilson and The Beach Boys, 1963
As our fingers are poised over the keyboard, word arrives that the United States Senate has reached "a tentative deal" that will end what is the longest shutdown of the US government in the country's history, or that "Government shutdown may be nearing end". Other sources are less hesitant in reporting that "Lawmakers reach deal to end the government shutdown".
As of this moment, it is possible that the government of the United States of America will resume, um, governing? So, here in little Redding, California, a person we know has a restaurant, and she decided it made good sense to open another restaurant that would target a different clientele, except she was wrong and the new place tanked, she was forced to close the doors, but she says she is going to re-brand, re-decorate and re-open soon.
Kind of like the US government.
Here in the USA we take our worship seriously. For example, whenever a crazed individual brings their high-powered weapons into a public space and slaughters innocent people, our civic leaders' first act is to offer the now mandatory thoughts and prayers.
By prayers they mean appeals or petitions to a proper white Christian God, who hopefully will assuage the suffering of those left behind, because it's too bad about the dead people but no one can do anything about guns in the US - it's the Second Amendment, you know.
Speaking of the Second Amendment, it is one of 27 such changes to the US Constitution, and when we talk about Americans being a worshipful bunch, our fervour for the Founding Fathers - the authors of the Constitution - is surpassed only by our passion for that white Christian god. The Constitution was written in 1787, ratified in 1788, and has been in effect since 1789.
It begins with the words “We The People”, which is meant to signify that the US government's purpose is to serve the folks who live here. The first thing these founding fathers did with their Constitution was to create three sections of government - the legislative, executive, and judicial branches - which would be co-equal.
The founders, having been through a revolution - really the first American civil war - hoped to ensure that this new nation would not come under the influence of another individual with king-like powers. This new government would be slow moving but if anyone wanted to get stuff done, by god they'd need to have their stuff tightly wired.
One of the main jobs of the government is to decide how it is going to do the business of looking after its people, plus a bunch of military and overseas obligations. In fact, no one in the whole world knows how this is done, where the money for the operation comes from, where it goes, and who gets what and why.
But there are a bunch of reasonable-sounding websites with "gov" in their names that use thousands of words trying to make it sound as if someone, somewhere, is fully on top of the situation.
Every year, the head of the executive branch - the president - submits a budget proposal to Congress. It's supposed to be a detailed plan for the administration’s policy goals and spending expectations for every government agency and program.
Congress - the 435 members of the House of Representations, and 100 Senators - receives the president’s wish list and then comes up with its own plan. The various strategies are handed out to committees and departments where all the special interests and back-room deals are negotiated. The ultimate goal is to arrive at an overall spending cap - how much money does the government have to spend - how big is the deficit going to be?
The fundamental differences between progressive Democrats and whatever the Republicans believe are similar to the eternal conflict between Labor and the LNP in Australia.
Democrats believe in government as a force for progress and social benefit; Donald Trump's Republican Party wants to hollow out the federal government, get rid of all government regulation and as many services as possible, leaving a military and an executive branch and not much else.
So here we are in 2025 and the once-revered Constitution is being superseded by a document called Project 2025, which is a manual for replacing the government created in 1787 with a Christian nationalist structure in place of the three co-equal branches, with a chief executive officer who has unchecked power and authority.
The people of the US gave twice-impeached convicted sex offender Trump a second go at being president, and the first thing he did was send to Congress a budget proposal that gives massive tax cuts to the wealthy while taking away healthcare and food assistance for middle and low-income Americans.
Democrats in Congress decided that this was the hill on which they would make a stand against the Trumpists, and used their power to block passage of the budget. When the money allocated for the current year ran out, the government shut down.
Trump and the Republicans thought they could use the shutdown to their political advantage, but even the notoriously dim American public saw through the lies and turned against them.
Oh, wait, there's one more thing: it's called the Epstein files. If you haven't heard of them, consider yourself to be fortunate - it's a revolting, sordid story. At one time, releasing these files to the public was considered mission critical for the political party currently in power in the US; the Republicans, at present in control of all three of the supposedly co-equal branches of government.
But in 2024, after taking power, the Republicans decided that these Epstein files were no longer of interest to anyone, and certainly not to the public. Why? We'd need to ask Trump, and he's not talking. With the government closed for business, the files remain safely hidden away.
California-born Jeff Glorfeld lived in Australia for more than 30 years, working as a print journalist for some of the most respected titles in the country. He and his wife Carol returned to California in 2018 and he decided to share his love of Australian culture through its music. His radio program, The Down Under Hour, Music From Australia, which is available nationwide over the Pacifica Network, has been broadcast since January 2023, hosted by community radio KKRN 88.5FM The program aims to be entertaining, challenging, maybe even a bit educational, but never predictable.
Business Directory - Buy Local
