Hepburn’s Lyall Brooks has been appointed festival director of the 2028 Castlemaine State Festival – Australia’s longest-running regional multi-arts festival. The award-winning theatre-maker, producer and arts leader brings more than two decades of experience across Australian performing arts, cultural leadership and community engagement. A passionate advocate for new Australian work and regional arts, Lyall’s extensive […]

Central Highlands Rural Health has been named the Premier’s Small Health Service of the Year at the Victorian Public Healthcare Awards. The award is one of Victoria’s highest public healthcare honours, recognising excellence in leadership, governance, innovation and service delivery. After being named a finalist for four consecutive years, CHRH has now secured the prestigious […]

A diverse group of people across Hepburn Shire believes keeping weeds out of the forest, in particular holly, is possible and is acting. Holly Task Force’s Annie Dennis said after a long campaign by many locals who love the forest – its animals, trees, wildflowers and extraordinary fungi, the community was celebrating the declaration of […]

Zak Resuggan has just returned from the WorldSkills International Competition in Shanghai, where he cooked for Australia. The WorldSkills are the world championships for young tradespeople. Zak, who served his apprenticeship at Daylesford’s Bistro Terroir, finished 14th. It was Australia’s largest-ever WorldSkills delegation with 37 Skillaroos competing in Shanghai, supported by 34 experts who have […]

Fire prevention information sessions Emergency Services expo Your Councillors We are hosting a series of free online information sessions to discuss fire-aware property management, responsibilities and helpful advice. We live in a high-risk area, so please join us there. The next session is on Thursday 29 October between 7:30 and 8:30 pm. More at www.hepburn.vic.gov.au/events […]

Most of us of a certain vintage remember the water diviner: the bloke who turned up with two bits of bent fence wire, wandered around the paddock like he’d lost his car keys, and then announced with great confidence: “Dig here.” My father and grandfather had the gift and as it turns out so did […]

Now in its 166th year, Daylesford Health has undergone many changes, but one thing has remained constant: the unwavering support of its community. While fundraising has evolved over the decades, the hospital continues to provide acute, community and aged care services thanks to the generosity of local supporters, donors, bequests and, more recently, Community Bank […]

Jasmine Gruar was The Local’s front-page image for the August 1, 2022 edition. The former Daylesford resident always knew she wanted to be a ballet dancer and her memories of dancing with her sister at home cemented that. Jasmine told The Local at the time: “I remember dancing with my nan and mum at home. […]

With history enthusiast Natalie Poole Robin Hood Hotel, Musk Creek John Harrington was born 1826 in Donegal, Ireland to John and Mary Harrington. He was the fourth child of seven children. He married Mary Guerin in 1861 in Ireland. John and a pregnant Mary embarked on board the ship Henry Fernie on September 9, 1862. […]

Founded in 2010, the Clunes Ceramic Award is a major, national, acquisitive and biennial award presented in Clunes. An initiative of Creative Clunes, the award was established in partnership with the Art Gallery of Ballarat and Castlemaine Art Museum. The major award of $10,000 is provided by the Hugh D.T. Williamson Foundation. As the award […]

SIX DAYS OF FILM, FOOD, MUSIC, HISTORY AND CELEBRATION OCTOBER 20–25, 2026 • DAYLESFORD & HEPBURN SPRINGS More than 170 years ago, Italian-speaking Swiss migrants arrived in the goldfields of Hepburn Springs, bringing with them their traditions, skills, recipes and hopes for a new life.   Their influence helped shape the community we know today, […]

So, the build is coming along nicely now. We still have an April move-in date but it’s well at lock up and this week, as you read this edition, the kitchen will be going in. The one on the right was in the display building we looked at and I thought it was really nice. […]