Cosmopolitan Hotel, Trentham
Jesse Lawrance and Pete Fidler – Saturday, July 19, 3pm-5pm
Deborah Conway & Willy Zygier – Saturday, July 19, 8pm
Pete Daly – Saturday, July 26, 3pm-5pm

Odessa at Leaver’s Hotel, Creswick
Stiff Gins – Sunday, July 20, 2pm-4pm
Zoj – Friday, July 25, 7pm-9pm
Dave Favours and the Road Side Ashes – Saturday, July 26
Meg Washington – Sunday, July 27, 1.30pm-4pm

Daylesford Hotel, Daylesford
Blow Ins Comedy – Friday, July 18, 9pm-11pm
Live Piano with Valient von Thule – Friday, July 25, 7pm-10pm
Dolly’s Disco Bingo – Thursday, July 31, 5pm-10pm

Ballarat’s Choral Festival
The festival has been encouraging established and emerging choirs to embrace the joys of choral music. This year 12 choirs are participating, each demonstrating their love of singing and finally coming together in one big combined celebratory finale.
The chosen pieces range from traditional folk songs, a well-known song by Lennon and McCartney, Schubert, ABBA, Rutter, ancient and modern – something for everyone – and a firm favourite: The Tongan Children’s Choir.
The festival is at St Patrick’s Cathedral, Dawson Street South on Sunday, July 27 at 1.30pm.

Got a gig happening? Email news@tlnews.com.au

All gigs correct at time of publication, check with venues!

Hepburn Shire Council launched the Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan last Friday, July 11 at the Hepburn Pavilion.
The plan has been developed in collaboration with Djaara and Djaara Timbers, a Dja Dja Wurrung specialty and cultural timbers project.
The event was part of NAIDOC Week celebrations and marked a significant step in the council’s commitment to truth-telling, respect and meaningful change for First Nations’ people of the region.
The RAP plan outlines practical actions that will drive the council’s contribution to reconciliation both internally and in the wider community over the coming years.
The afternoon began with a Welcome to Country and Smoking Ceremony delivered by respected Elders Uncle Rick Nelson and Jason Kerr, followed by a celebration of the newly signed Memorandum of Understanding with Djaara Timbers, reflecting shared goals in cultural and economic development.
The agreement will permit the collection of material from the shire’s day-to-day tree works including roadsides, development, hazardous tree work and storm damage.
This will be taken to Djarra Timber and used to produce high-value timber products for cultural use that give back to country including artistic installations and musical instruments. Djaara Timber will also have the opportunity to supply park signage and shelters to reserves and parks in the shire.
“Not for profit, but for preservation practice,” explained Partnerships, Policy, and Cultural Heritage manager at Djaara Harley Douglas. “It is really important to separate that. This new partnership is an example of what reconciliation in action can look like – practical, respectful and in collaboration.”
Another highlight from the day’s event was a live performance by artist Amos Roach, son of the late Aboriginal musical legends Archie Roach and Ruby Hunter, whose music deeply honours Country, culture, and spirit.

Words & images: Tony Sawrey

With a remarkable line-up of local and visiting authors, and supported by a dedicated team of volunteers, tickets for Words in Winter 2025 are now available – and if last year is anything to go by, tickets (many free or low cost) will be snapped up in no time.
This year the treasured event, which started more than 24 years ago, features an eclectic mix of authors, performances, readings and music and showcases the amazing group of residents who devote hours into bringing words, ideas, and stories to life.
Held across two weekends (main festival weekend August 22-24, encore weekend: August 29-31) this year’s event Light in the Dark, celebrates the town’s literary and musical talent, welcomes revered authors from across the country and offers space for courageous discussion, literary discovery, and the importance of celebrating stories, community and creativity.
This year events will be held across a number of venues including Hotel Bellinzona, Radius Art, Daylesford Hotel, Paradise Bookshop, Stony Creek Gallery, Daylesford Library, Yandoit Cultural Centre and Spade to Blade.
The original founders, stalwart David Hall and his late wife Lorelle, had a vision to connect people through words and literature during the winter months. They could never have imagined the evolution of Words in Winter which has gained recognition Australia-wide as a significant event on the literary calendar.
As a fitting tribute, David Hall and Petrus Spronk will be inducted into the inaugural Words in Winter Hall of Fame at the festival launch at Radius Art on Friday, August 22. Local choir the HoneyTones will kick off the festival with winter-inspired harmonies alongside readings from Daylesford Secondary College students.
Performances by well-known locals Toby Sime, Trevor Shard and Petrus Sponk, as well as newer voices including Shele Parker Black and Lu Sexton, will highlight the diverse local talent pool.
Writers from across Australia will join homegrown talent for intimate discussions, poetry pop ups where multilingual readings will take place in unexpected settings, and author workshops that will provide a personal deep dive into storytelling craft.
Family highlights across the festival weekends include local authors Kate Foulds and Claire Clifton and visiting author Julie Murphey for storytime at the Daylesford Library. Craft activities, a comic workshop and the School Writing Awards will all feature across the festival with Daylesford’s own Family Farm Band also in the line-up.
The all-local festival team includes program curators Lu Sexton, Rebecca Lister and Heather Robinson and Hepburn’s Devon Taylor as festival producer. This passionate team, including youth representatives Sasha Taylor-Holmes and Ruby Middleton-West, devotes hundreds of hours year-round to create a festival line-up unique to Words in Winter.
“Having locals shape every aspect – from our school programs to the Conversation Hub – ensures the festival reflects what our region cares about. Even while hosting national stars like Tony Birch and Marieke Hardy, its heart remains firmly local, with volunteers from across our towns creating spaces where stories spark”, Devon said.
Pick up a printed program from Paradise Bookshop or from the festival program pull-out edition of The Local on August 11 (online from August 10 at tlnews.com.au
Tickets on sale now at www.wordsinwinter.com

Festival Highlight

Words in Winter Gala, hosted at the glorious Hotel Bellinzona on Saturday, August 23 from 6.30pm-11pm, will feature music by Late Night Radio, On the Couch with Beck Lister with guests novelist and essayist Tony Birch (Women & Children), author and journalist Jenny Valentish (The Introvert’s Guide to Leaving the House), and musician, writer, and disability advocate Eliza Hull (Running Underwater). Tickets are available for dinner and the show, or the show only. Book fast – this is guaranteed to sell out.

Blue-tongue lizards
In the cooler months of the year lizards such as the blue-tongue, often disappear from view.
These lizards don’t actually hibernate but go into a dormant state known as brumation. This allows the lizard to conserve energy. Lizards do not produce their own body heat but rely on heat from their surroundings.
Blue-tongue lizards are territorial, and they will have safe places in their territory.
They are most active in the warmer months of the year during daylight hours and take shelter at night inside holes and burrows.
They are well adapted to suburban areas and will live in the same place for many years. If they are moved or exposed to the weather when they are in brumation it can be lethal to them.
If you accidentally disturb a lizard at this cooler time of year it is kindest to leave it where you find it under that log or rock. If you move a brumating lizard it could become ill and unable to recover, and if you see a lizard outside when the weather is cooler and the sun is not shining, then there is a good chance that the lizard is not well. Lizards are prone to lung sickness (like pneumonia) and require antibiotics to recover.
Lizards love the rocky habitats provided in the Central Highlands. Local gardens will often have resident lizards that have been living there for many years. Problems often occur when new people and pets move into a property with resident lizards.
Many lizards that are brought to the Hepburn Wildlife Shelter to recover have been injured by pets. With persistence it is possible to train our pets to live in harmony with the resident lizards.
It is a kindness to be aware of your resident wildlife when moving to a new location. Another danger to our lizards is all our grass-cutting machinery.
When a lawn mower or whipper snipper is in use near blue-tongue lizards they will not run away but will hide in the longer grass that is about to be cut. The results can be dire and another reason lizards end up in the care of the Hepburn Wildlife Shelter.
Part of the diet of suburban blue-tongue lizards includes snails and slugs, so they are great to have around your garden to protect your plants, but unfortunately they can also be poisoned by eating snails and slugs that have eaten snail bait. It’s good to be aware that if you are using snail bait to kill the snails and slugs you could also be poisoning your local lizards.
Blue-tongues are ovoviviparous, which means that eggs develop and hatch inside the mother lizard; often 10 to 19 young are born. They can live up to 20 years old, so that lizard living in your garden could potentially be older than your teenaged children.

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

Trentham Words in Winter is celebrating its 21st year in 2025.
The very first event of the festival was a book launch at Reverie Books – now Trentham General, and originally home to the old National Bank. Next door, the Trentham Hotel hosted a concert of Irish and Australian music in the Back Room, a venue well known to local music lovers.
Over the road Trentham Café and Crafts hosted Bush Poetry Old and New, an event organised by the Trentham Historical Society. The Old Bakehouse down the laneway – now Red Beard Bakery – served up pizza along with blues/roots music that was the passion of the owner, Adrian Kosky.
The Trentham Neighbourhood Centre – still a venue nearly two decades later, was the place for a Village Glee Club and also a Scrabble Fest which was an event imported from Daylesford and run by Daylesford local Clive Rutherford.
Trentham local, Peter Fernon, was already on his feet in a performance poetry item at the Fir Tree Bistro – the old Commercial Hotel – alongside the famous Ken Buddha Trio.
Food and entertainment was in full swing at both Wilding’s, a restaurant in the Cosmopolitan Hotel, and The Chimney, a European-style café where Kuki now stands. A book workshop ran at the Trentham Railway Station while Trentham’s combined churches hosted Melbourne Football Club’s chaplain for some Sporting Words at St Andrew’s Uniting Church.
Spokesperson Sylvia Johnson said a few years ago the committee decided to include staged and musical events, with some well-known authors also making appearances. The addition of the Mechanics also made a huge difference.
Just a few of the events this year include:

• Melbourne-based writer Madeleine Cleary shares the story behind her salacious first novel, The Butterfly Women. She describes the life of her great-great grandmother, a prominent brothel owner in colonial Melbourne’s notorious Little Lonsdale Street.
  Madeleine pens a daring novel of danger and intrigue in the once disgusting and dark lanes around the many houses of ill-repute. Madeleine now balances writing, podcasting, and life in the Dandenong Ranges.
• Experience two exhilarating hours with the acclaimed poet, performer, and creative powerhouse Joel McKerrow. Whether a seasoned writer, an emerging author, a secret scribbler, or simply someone who loves the music of language, this workshop is an invitation to dive deep into the heart of storytelling and poetic expression.
• Enjoy a cosy afternoon of bush poetry featuring the works of local bush poets and heroes of the past. The rafters of this historic and fitting venue will ring with tales of the Aussie bushland. Submit an original unpublished work or compete to be the most compelling performer of your favourite classic.
• From famous authors and memorable characters to plot twists and literary quotes, challenge your wits and immerse yourself in the world of words to raise money for the Trentham Play Group and Trentham Kindergarten. Suitable for all ages, with children’s literature included.
• At Those in Our Midst: ‘I Have a Story to Tell’ you will hear from people in Trentham with fascinating life stories, professions, and interests including: Professor John Long, palaeontologist at Flinders University, author of 30 books, documentary maker, a master scientist and storyteller; Simon Rickard, specialist in historical bassoons, a leading exponent of bizarre renaissance woodwind instruments, and horticulturist; Simon Phillips, multi-award winning director of plays, musicals and operas, including Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, Love Never Dies, and Muriel’s Wedding; and Sylvia Johnson, award-winning restaurant owner, inaugural producer and director of the Melbourne Food & Wine Festival, and seasoned civil celebrant.
  Along with the events Sylvia said there were lots of cash prizes on offer for contemporary poetry, bush poetry, short story competitions and more.
  “I hope the people of Trentham and beyond come along and make the most of this fabulous festival of words. There really is something for everyone to get involved in.”
  Trentham Words in Winter is held over the five weekends of August.

For tickets and information head to www.trenthamwordsinwinter.org
Advertorial

Four years ago, the Victorian Government accepted VEAC’s recommendations to create new national parks in Wombat-Lerderderg, Mount Buangor, and the Pyrenees. Yet we are still waiting.
These forests contain threatened species, vital water catchments, and immense carbon stores. They should be a cornerstone of our biodiversity and climate strategy – not left vulnerable to logging under government inaction.
I call on our local representatives and the premier to introduce the promised legislation this year – without more vague promises and shifting deadlines.
Forests don’t have the luxury of waiting.

• Vanessa Brown, East Trentham

Re: Just Sayin’ – Town Hall Hub Development (Edition 335)
As members of the Daylesford Town Hall Project Advisory Group, we write to clarify recent commentary and reinforce why investment in the Town Hall is critical for our community.
Despite speculation, no construction will commence unless council commits and external grant funding is secured. That said, strategic planning and minor improvements if desired – such as access upgrades – could begin immediately to return the hall to optimal use while grant applications are underway.
Daylesford accounts for nearly 43 per cent of Hepburn Shire’s population yet remains underserved in community facilities. Other towns in the shire enjoy purpose-built hubs and modern libraries; Daylesford has been left behind due to failed management of The Rex. We cannot afford to let this happen again.
The Town Hall redevelopment is more than a refurbishment – it’s an investment in the social fabric, cultural vitality, and future resilience of our town. Enhancing accessibility with a lift, improving lighting, and upgrading facilities would not only preserve the hall’s heritage but also support a broader range of performances, meetings, and cultural events. This matters deeply to our population, with many struggling with current access and set-up demands.
Combining a new library and community space within the Town Hall precinct is smart, inclusive, and efficient. The current library is outdated, undersized, difficult for staff and does not provide an optimal space for all those that could use it. New plans meet modern library standards and offer a welcoming, safe, climate-resilient space – vital in times of extreme heat or cold. Importantly, this would provide a free public gathering point in a town where many meeting spaces require commercial spending.
The PAG has worked constructively, consulting widely and balancing diverse needs. We fully support the proposed design, and the current budget allocation – drawn from the sale of The Rex – allows for either a comprehensive plan or a first stage that unlocks grant eligibility. Council holds the decision-making power.
Creswick, Clunes and Trentham are already well-equipped. It’s time Daylesford received its fair share. A revitalised Town Hall with preserved heritage will serve locals, attract visitors, and breathe life back into a landmark that should be a proud community hub – not a missed opportunity.

• Louise Johnson, Matt Johnson, Sarah Bibby and Adam Fawcett

The Local’s Block Watch is having a break this edition but there’s a party happening soon – and we have been invited.
So look out for the July 28 edition with all the latest on the contestants, houses and, of course, Shelley Craft and Scott Cam, pictured above.
Meanwhile, the first episode of The Block will hit the small screen on Sunday, July 27 on Channel 9 and 9Now.

Hepburn Shire Council recently approved a dynamic Arts and Culture Strategy. Why did we spend this money for a consultant? It was full of wonderful hopes for our community.
However council has allocated zero to an Arts and Culture budget and the officer has gone – more valuable knowledge lost to our community.
Quotes from the strategy: “The Council Plan recognises arts as an important part of Hepburn Shire’s social and economic fabric. While less tangible benefits to wellbeing and community cohesion are reason enough to support a healthy local arts and culture environment, the sector also contributes significantly to economic activity in the shire and more broadly in the region.
“Arts and culture is a key drawcard for visitors to the region, with Hepburn Shire attracting 1.4M visitors annually (Tourism Research Australia 2023) with these visitors spending more than $335M in 2023.
“Arts and cultural experiences improve the visitor experience and increase the length of stay in-region as well as encouraging return visitation. The 2023 REMPLAN data indicates that tourism is the largest employer in the shire, accounting for 949 jobs in the Shire which is one in six of total jobs.
“Arts and culture also generate direct income and employ people at numerous levels for artists and in the production and delivery of cultural services.”
Wouldn’t it be wiser to drop the $300k plus on yet another feasibility plan for the town hall dream that is so out of reach? Council should divert that budget and invest in our youth, our arts and culture and libraries.

• Gary Lawrence, Daylesford

Ray was an intensely private man and lived his life on his terms. He saw a lot of changes in the country and in the world during this time.
Although we know he led a long and interesting life, and there are snippets of that we can share, we don’t have huge amounts of detail to go on when telling his story.
Our friendship and memories with Ray spanned only 12 years, yet we learned so much from him in this short space of time, and appreciate and thank him for the special opportunity to know him.
Ray Robinson was an enigmatic, astute human being. A finely educated man, a character with a wicked sense of humour. Having studied the classics in his early adulthood, it was this knowledge that naturally flowed freely into his deep understanding of the horticultural environment.
His honed intelligence covered much ground. His horticultural expertise started from his early childhood where his grandfather was a significant influence. This was developed and nurtured over time through wide experiences and projects in Australia and overseas.
His travels broadened his deeply felt connection to the natural world. The wisdom gathered was readily passed on and shared with others through educated discussion and practical endeavours.
His life was full and nothing excited him more than seeing the results of his labours with those who shared and benefitted from his teachings and supervision. Ray also delighted in the success of others who likewise enjoyed the pleasure of their own gardens.
Ray’s professional career saw him work in and design numerous notable gardens large and small in Australia and overseas, and many around Daylesford and the Macedon Ranges.
He worked tirelessly at Wombat Hill Botanic Gardens and led a dedicated group of volunteers to support and actively advance the potential of the gardens.
Ray possessed the ability to bring people together, never missing an opportunity to encourage, advise, educate and share his knowledge in a generous and enthusiastic manner, with a hands-on inclusive approach.
Ray showed genuine interest in the culture of other countries, fascinated by the stories, cuisine, art and history. He travelled widely and never lost interest in adventure. We were fortunate to join Ray overseas on a number of occasions.
Tim was Ray’s dog, a loyal companion of many years who was loved dearly.
During Ray’s final years at Deborah Cheetham Retirement Village, Ocean Grove, he continued to be inspirational, working with residents, giving advice about their gardens, establishing a small propagating group and advising the village gardeners who also benefitted from his wisdom.
Ray will leave a huge legacy in so many places for so many people along his life journey and with much respect.
We will miss him. Doug Wright and Annie Saunders

Prelude

The avenues of poplar go
But leave their reflection

The avenues of poplar go
but leave us the wind

The shrouded wind lies
full length beneath the sky

But it’s left its echoes
floating on rivers

The world of fireflies
has invaded my memories

And a tiny, tiny heart
is growing from my fingers

Federico Garcia Lorca

Victorians who failed to vote in last year’s council elections will start receiving penalty-reminder notices, which carry a fee of $29.20 in addition to the original $99 fine.
Electoral Commissioner Sven Bluemmel said anyone who received a penalty reminder notice in the mail had three options: pay the fine, request an internal review, or elect to go to court. “Once we hand it over to Fines Victoria for enforcement action, we are unable to further assist.”

Victoria Park’s soccer field has received $269,780 for the installation of lighting infrastructure to provide 100-lux lighting for the 2026 season.
The project is supported by the state government and includes contributions from Council and the Daylesford & Hepburn United Soccer Club.

Trentham Rail and Tramway Association has received $2429 from the state government to help capture, preserve and share the unique stories and histories of Victoria.
TRATA will use its funding towards educating community and visitors as to the history of the old rolling stock and what the 1880s buildings were used for. The project will deliver three interpretive panels about the history of the Trentham Railway Precinct.

Results from the 2025 Satisfaction Survey for Hepburn Shire have been released. And in the words of Mick Jagger, the community still can’t get no satisfaction.
The council’s overall rating dropped three points from last year’s rating of 49 and now sits at 46. There is an eight-point difference between the council and the average for small rural councils across the state.
The council also rates lower than the average for small rural shires in every category, 17 in total.
It is lower than the council’s 2024 rankings in 13 categories, equal in one and higher in three.
Despite this, a council media release says: “Compared to 2024, overall satisfaction with most council services remains the same.”

The rankings are:
Hepburn 2025 | Hepburn 2024 | Small Rural Shire 2025 | State-wide average 2025
Overall performance 46, 49, 54, 53
Value for money: 39, 42, 47, 47
Overall council direction: 38, 44, 46, 46
Customer service: 64, 64, 65, 66
Appearance of public areas: 63, 64, 70, 68
Tourism development: 63, 61, 62, 60
Recreational facilities: 60, 61, 66, 67
Waste management: 58, 65, 66, 65
Environmental sustainability: 56, 57, 58, 59
Enforcement of local laws: 55, 56, 58, 59
Business & community development: 53, 56, 55, 54
Consultation & engagement: 47, 52, 51, 50
Lobbying: 45, 48, 51, 49
Slashing & weed control: 44, 42, 49, 47
Community decisions: 42, 46, 50, 49
Sealed local roads: 33, 29, 44, 45
Planning & building permits: 33, 35, 43, 43

Mayor, Cr Don Henderson, said that while the council’s overall performance score was disappointing, it reflected how the community currently feels “and urges us to do better”.

“Our focus for the next year and beyond will be on continued transparency, maintaining sealed roads and refining our processes in the planning and building department,” he said.
“It is vital that we respond to the community’s concerns and continue to work towards a better future for all.
“Positively, we have improved in the areas of Appearance of public areas, Tourism development and Recreational facilities, maintaining a higher satisfaction level.
“Similarly, customer service continues to be one of council’s best-performing areas and is at par with the small rural council average and just below the state average.
“We recognise that we do not always get things right, but we are striving to build a financially sustainable, transparent and community-focused organisation.”
In its findings, the Victorian Community Satisfaction Survey noted that Hepburn Shire Council’s overall performance saw a (not significant) three-point decline in 2025.
“Ratings in the majority of individual service areas evaluated are on par with the previous year’s results. Significant declines in perceptions of performance are evident in waste management, consultation and engagement, and community decisions.
“On a positive note, council achieved a significant improvement in the maintenance of sealed local roads, reversing three consecutive years of significant declines since 2022.
“Community decisions, community consultation and engagement, and the related area of lobbying are among council’s lower performing service areas, with the two former areas experiencing significant declines in the past 12 months.
“Due to their strong influence on overall perceptions of council, these areas should be prioritised for improvement. Further, the condition of sealed local roads, and planning and building permits should also be a focus, as these areas also have a moderate to strong influence on overall perceptions.
“On the core measures of overall performance and value for money, council performs significantly lower than the Small Rural group and the State-wide average for councils.
“Council also performs significantly lower than both averages in 10 of the 13 service areas evaluated. Council is rated in-line with the Small Rural group averages in the remaining service areas.
“In the area of tourism development, council performance is rated significantly higher than the State-wide average. Recreational facilities and the appearance of public areas are among council’s strongest performing service areas. However, these areas have experienced minor (not significant) declines this year.
“Given these service areas have a positive influence on overall performance perceptions, maintaining a strong performance here is warranted to prevent further declines. These are tangible areas where enhancements are more readily noticed.
“Consistent with previous evaluations of the trade-off between rates and council services, 50 per cent of residents ‘definitely’ or ‘probably’ prefer service cuts to maintain current council rates, far more than prefer rate rises to improve local services (23 per cent).”
The Victorian Community Satisfaction Survey creates a vital interface between the council and their community. Held annually, the CSS asks the opinions of local people about the place they live, work and play and provides confidence for councils’ in their efforts and abilities. Participation is voluntary.
The full results are at www.hepburn.vic.gov.au – search satisfaction survey.

Words: Donna Kelly

Australia is suffering a crisis in aged care and Hepburn Shire is not exempt. Here are just a few of the people and their lives. Below are the responses and perhaps some good news.

The ugly

Somewhere in Daylesford a 92-year-old woman is bed-ridden. She has been end-of-life for some time and her choice is to die at home.
One of her daughters, retired, has moved in to be her full-time carer. Her other daughter lives and works in Melbourne but comes every week to help out.
The elderly woman is under the care of Central Highlands Rural Health. She receives four hours of respite care a week, three bed baths, incontinence products and some hospital sustenance.
It is just not enough. The two daughters are at breaking point, and don’t know if they can fulfil their mother’s wish to die at home. As one says, it’s a disaster.
“I cannot fault the workers on the ground, the girls that come and visit mum, they’re fantastic. There’s just not enough of them.”
She says when her mother was assessed as needing a higher class of care, the amount of money they received actually dropped, due to higher fees. She had been receiving 16 hours’ respite, along with shopping and housework.
At one stage they had to place her into Hepburn House for two weeks to save money to get her income up again. “There’s a monthly amount and when it’s gone, it’s gone.”
The daughter said on occasion her sister also helped with bathing her mother because sometimes only one carer arrived while two were needed to perform that task.
“It makes me worried for those people in Daylesford and district who are elderly and have high needs and their advanced care directive says they want to die at home.
“What if they don’t have family to assist them? What’s happening to those people? I’m pretty sure we’re not the only people in Daylesford who have had this problem. “I guess the only thing you can hope for is a terminal disease and you can hope for euthanasia. That is how bad it is.
“Our mother’s wish is that home is where she wants to be. Absolutely, but it’s coming to the point of can we do this, and for how much longer?”

The bad

An 86-year-old in Daylesford reflects ruefully on his experience with Benetas. “As I watch Benetas’s slick TV advertising I cannot but wonder how it can, in conscience, spend money on this sort of promotion when it says it does not have any for a basic service.
“The service I mention is a rail to help with steep steps. An occupational therapist came from Ballarat and during a longish appointment agreed the railing was needed, and even seemed concerned. Nothing happened until we received a call to say the rail was outside the Benetas budget.”
Oddly, he says, the next call was from another occupational therapist seeking an appointment for the same reason. She seemed confused when told her colleague had already been.
Benetas, which was founded by the Anglican Diocese of Melbourne in 1948, provided a sizeable glossy document that says that for over 70 years it had been “providing exceptional quality care and support” to older Victorians.
Within, a card with a picture of a jolly older fellow slicing an avocado, watched by a badge-wearing younger bloke using a grater, carries the message: “Home care your way, tailored support to help you stay at home longer.”
Elsewhere, it says: “Benetas Home Care puts you in control, providing the support you need to safely stay at home, remain connected to your community and live your best life as you age.” The in-home services, it says “will relieve some of the stresses of everyday life, giving you more time and peace of mind to enjoy living at home longer”.
Spotting that garden maintenance was on the list, this would-be client thought he might get help with his large, steep block. So began phone calls, including some to interstate.
“There’s 1000 people on the waiting list,” he was repeatedly told by one of the “caring consultants”. One interstate adviser regaled him with her joy for beach walking, while telling him he had dipped out.
Worn by weeks of failure, the applicant and his wife decided to plough on together, although he did get some help: podiatry every nine weeks.
In Creswick, a woman suffering from crippling pain due to fibromyalgia has spent months trying to get home help.
On a pension, and only 67, the woman has just spent a week in bed. Today is her first day up. That took half an hour but she is determined to get her exercise in – walking up and down the hall.
Living alone, she is qualified for aged care packages but has been told numerous times everything is “booked out”. “I was hoping to get some house cleaning – just the floors and bathroom done – and home maintenance – I really need a rail for my steps because I fall – but nothing’s available anywhere. I have tried everyone – Central Highlands Rural Health, Benetas…”
The woman, who also suffers from bi-polar, said because she could not guarantee when she would be home, thanks to numerous medical appointments, even meals were not available. “I asked if they could leave it on the porch but they won’t do that.
“The system’s broken. I will have to pay for a handyman to come and put a safety rail in for my stairs but I am on a pension.”
The woman said for some years she had a home carer from Hepburn Shire Council before the organisation stepped away. “She was fabulous but then it changed. I got used to being really good friends with my carer. Sometimes she would sit with me for 15 minutes after she finished and we would just have a cuppa.
“I know you don’t have answers but I just wanted to share my story. I’m not asking for a lot.”

The good

A Daylesford woman said her father was lucky; as a returned serviceman he had a Gold Card and help through Vasey RSL.
“They were absolutely fantastic. The care and support we got from different agencies was so good. They would have a carer come in twice a week for two hours and we’d (she and her husband had moved into her father’s Mornington Peninsula house) go for a bike ride while they were there. Can I put in a thank-you to Mary, Raylene and Michelle from Vasey?
“We also had a psychologist who would come in and see Dad and just check that everything was going OK – he had full-blown dementia. And Dad had a guardian as well, who was a retired lawyer and with the Office of the Public Advocate and he was fantastic, with Dad’s best interests at heart.”
“We also had the support of local doctors and allied health – so he would go to the gym twice a week with personal trainers.”
Louise and her husband looked after her father for two years before finding an aged-care home as his dementia worsened. There, still being active, he appointed himself as carer for all those needing help for visits back and forth to the toilets.
“He was a wonderful man and it was a real privilege to look after him.”
And then on one of his carer details, he fell and broke his hip. “That was pretty much the end, but he had a good life.”

The responses, and can community help?

Central Highlands Rural Health

The Local spoke with CHRH@Home Manager Jo Cocks with queries about the 92-year-old woman having less services despite being on a high package.
“With the cost of services it is frustrating for families because people have an expectation about how far their money will go and sometimes it doesn’t align with what their funding is.”
Ms Cocks said a percentage of fees were taken out so “it would look like more money is coming out (of her funding) because she’s got more money in her package”.
Ms Cocks also said service fees for the carers had also risen on July 1 in line with the CPI and CHRH had also asked for another 2.8 per cent on top of that.
Ms Cocks said staffing was sometimes difficult especially in rural areas and being winter. “It’s the same challenges that all services have. But all our services, the personal care is done in house, we provide it all and don’t contract out our personal or home care.”
But despite those assurances Ms Cocks agreed that the amount of home care the woman was now receiving would continue into the future. “That’s what they can afford. There’s only so much money.
“The aim of support at home and home care packages is to keep everybody at home for as long as they’re safe and, well, we say independent. But obviously they’ve got people around to help them stay at home past that independent stage. There’s a set amount of money and that’s what they’ve got to pay for services to keep them at home longer.”
Because of privacy legislation she could not explain why when the woman was assessed for a higher level of care, she received less services.
“That said, I’m more than happy to clarify any general queries or correct any misunderstandings about the care we provide. I’m also open to discussing matters directly with the client and/or their nominated representative.”
A schedule of fees sent shows that on a Level 3 package, of the $41,847.25 from government, $8190.60 went to care management fees, $6142.95 went to package management fees with $27,513.70 left for the client. On a Level 4 package, of the $63,440.65 from government, $12,413.65 went to care management, $9311.15 went to package management and $41,715.85 was left for the client.
Ms Cocks said feedback was always welcome and regular surveys were carried out. Information sessions for those on the packages were also on the way.
“We take it really seriously. Feedback is important. I collect all of that and attend meetings with sector development and other groups more globally, and then it goes up through that channel.”

Benatas

The Local contacted Benatas and asked questions about the gentleman’s concerns regarding the lack of help available.
A Benetas spokesperson, re funding for a hand rail, said: “There are two funding streams. 1. Under the Home Care Packages Program, the Department assesses and allocates funding to clients taking into account their health needs and requirements. 2. Under the Commonwealth Home Support Program (CHSP), the Department provides a funding allocation to the Hepburn region to deliver specific services to approved clients.
“The current requests for home modification services in the Hepburn (Shire)area are exceeding the federal funding that has been allocated to the area under the Commonwealth Home Support Program.
“As a provider, we are only able to take on clients into these services when others leave or move on to differently funded programs. Providers do not determine the amount of funding allocated to a region and operate within the constraints of the funding that has been allocated by the government.
“As current funding for the region for this type of service under the CHSP Program has been exhausted, we recommend clients who are not able to remain living independently without this service, contact the government’s My Aged Care phone line to be reassessed for a funded Home Care Package.”
The Local asked if there were 1000 people on the wait list for gardening help?
“As the funding allocation has been exhausted, in line with the guidance from the Department we are no longer able to accept referrals to the current list.
“In line with the broader aged care industry, we have been calling on the government to focus on addressing funding and waitlist challenges to enable older Victorians to receive appropriate support to remain at home for longer.
“It’s essential that the funding for a region reflects the current need for services in that region.”
The Local asked what programs were available to people who wanted to stay in their own homes.
“The Department would be best placed to provide some guidance about the range of services offered and its rationale regarding how it allocates funding per region. https://www.myagedcare.gov.au/help-at-home”

The Local sent questions to the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing.
A spokesperson said: “To access the Home Care Packages program an older person undergoes an aged care assessment to ascertain what level of care they need. There are 4 levels of packages, at July 1, 2025, Home Care Package funding ranges from $10,931.75 (level 1) to $63,440.65 (level 4) annually. Depending on the level of package a person receives, they can get assistance with a range of different services.
“Together with their Home Care Package provider, the older person will work out if a care or service they need: is directly linked to their identified care needs and goals; will improve their health and wellbeing; is necessary for them to remain living safely and independently in their home; can be delivered within their Home Care Package budget; and would be considered an acceptable use of government funds.
The Home Care Packages program is currently operating at record levels. Package wait times fluctuate and are dependent on a number of factors such as the number of packages available, the number of people in the National Priority System and package take-up rates. Older people who are assessed as having a high priority need for in-home aged care services are being assigned a package within one month.
“There are other options available to people who are waiting to be assigned a Home Care Package. Older people can call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 for support in accessing CHSP.
” Older people are encouraged to research and compare providers by calling My Aged Care or using the ‘Find a Provider’ tool at www.myagedcare.gov.au/find-a-provider. The Government also funds the Older Persons Advocacy Network (OPAN) to deliver the National Aged Care Advocacy Program.

From the inside

The Local talked to a former health worker for both Hepburn Shire Council and Benetas asking her perspective.
“Overall, whether it’s CHSP funding or home care package funding, there’s not enough money in the story. There never will be. And that is what a lot of people don’t understand.
“I thought when I was with the shire and it had the CHSP funding, what they were doing was pretty f#@ked. But now I can see we did a pretty good job.
“What I would like explained is the workings of the admin fees coming out of a home care package. They equate to about 25 per cent to 30 per cent. Level 4 is $63,400, so 30 per cent is $19,032, that’s a whole bucket of money.
“I know that if you have a really full on package, your case manager will do a lot of work. You’d be looking well over $100 an hour for them and you’ll be charged travel.
“Your support worker might be $75 an hour. And you have to pay for travel. And then if you have to send out a personal care worker on a weekend, that’s double time.
“A nurse might be $250. I know of a woman in Hepburn who was sent an occupational therapist from Ballarat, for an hour, and that was $500.
“And when the money’s gone, it’s gone. I can’t believe that some case managers let their people run out of money.”
The woman also said people should watch their invoices.
“They shouldn’t have to. But they need someone, even if it’s not family, someone who they trust to go through those invoices. And if they’re not right, you question.
“What makes me more angry than anything is that it is the elderly who are so vulnerable. They don’t have a voice and the system rips them blind.”
The woman said volunteers for respite care were available from Ballarat Hospice and Shannon’s Bridge in Creswick but she said it might be time for the community to step in and help its elderly.
“When my husband was dying, and he wanted to die at home, the community gathered around me but for years after I didn’t have the energy, but now it is my time to give back. I am sure there will be good that comes from this, even if it starts with just a group of us. Let’s try and help these people in our community.
“Everyone has the right to die at home.”

Words: Donna Kelly | donna@tlnews.com.au | Opinion p23