Agriculture Victoria Livestock and Land Management Extension Officer Neil James said returning stock too early may result in damage or death of deep-rooted perennials such as phalaris, cocksfoot and fescue.
‘The loss of perennial pasture is primarily caused by over grazing, but when combined with extended dry periods, pasture decline can intensify.
‘Perennial ryegrass, however, rarely survives prolonged dry periods, regardless of grazing pressure.
‘Many pastures are already under stress due to the prolonged dry conditions. Late season rainfall will have triggered some green leaf growth.
‘However, repeated grazing of these new shoots can deplete the plants’ root reserves, ultimately leading to plant death.
‘Ideally, livestock should be held in containment until pastures have grown sufficient leaf area to maximise photosynthesis and rebuild their root reserves. This may take 4 – 6 weeks following rain or longer, depending on the starting condition and temperature.
‘Where stock containment is not possible due to the onset of lambing, or excessively wet conditions, farmers might consider containing stock in a paddock corner or using part of a laneway to form a small sacrifice paddock.
‘Keeping the area small minimises paddock damage and reduces energy requirements of stock when compared with searching for feed over larger areas.
‘Resowing perennial pastures is extremely expensive, often exceeding $200/ha, and producers planning to sow new pastures are encouraged to review how those species have performed in environments similar to their own.
‘The Pasture Trial Network developed and hosted by Meat & Livestock Australia, compiles data from independent trial sites assessing a wide range of pasture varieties.
‘It can be used to compare the performance (seasonal and total dry matter production) of tested varieties of legumes and grasses.’
For more information about perennial pastures, visit the Agriculture Victoria website: Getting the most out of your old perennial pastures. Contact Neil James for more information on

New Dementia Australia data has found an increase in Australians living with dementia, their families and carers reaching out for care and support.

It is expected by the end of June, the number of National Dementia Helpline enquiries related to dementia care and support will have increased by nearly 20 per cent compared to the previous financial year.

Dementia Australia CEO Professor Tanya Buchanan said the enquires include people seeking access to programs like respite or peer support, and in some cases, needing more immediate or specialised assistance.

“The increase shows Australians impacted by dementia are more and more in need of critical support and services,” Professor Buchanan said.

“With an estimated 433,300 Australians living with dementia in 2025, and with this number expected to increase to an estimated 812,500 by 2054 without a significant intervention, the need for care and support will continue to grow.

“It is why we are asking Australians to consider making a tax-deductible donation to Dementia Australia during our 2025 Tax Appeal, so that we can continue to keep up with the increasing demand for support.”

Dementia Advocate Jo-Anne has experienced first-hand the need for services and support, after her dad, sister and then her mum were diagnosed with dementia.

“It was like a triple whammy,” Jo-Anne said.

“My sister, Nancy was 61 and so healthy – she exercised, did meditation and actively used her mind every day. She was so aware of looking after herself and didn’t possess any of the risk factors, so it was an immense shock.

“When I really needed to speak to somebody, an experienced dementia counsellor was my lifeline.”

With more Australians than ever turning to Dementia Australia for support, the need for vital services continues to grow. By donating to the 2025 Tax Appeal, you can help ensure that programs like the National Dementia Helpline, counselling and other services for Australians impacted by dementia are able to meet this rising demand and continue to provide crucial support.

Dontate today at donate.dementia.org.au/tax-appeal. All donations over $2 are tax deductable.

June 2025 Council Meeting wrap
Some of the key items considered and endorsed at the June 2025 Council Meeting included:
Revenue and Rating Plan: Council adopted the Revenue and Rating Plan 2025-2029 – one of Council’s key documents required to be updated after a Council election, every four years.
Council delivers a broad range of services and infrastructure to the community and requires a clear and balanced approach to revenue generation, to maintain service levels and invest in community assets. The Revenue and Rating Plan, informed by feedback from Councillors and the community, outlines how Council intends to raise revenue and apply the rating structure over the next four years to fund services, programs and infrastructure.
Budget 2025-26: Following consideration of recent community feedback on the Draft Budget 2025-26, Council adopted the final Budget 2025-26.
This budget includes revenue of $124.5 million which contributes towards the delivery of $28.4 million of capital expenditure to renew and upgrade Council’s assets. Some of the projects include:
•
$11.5 million on local roads, bridges, footpaths, drainage and associated works, including just over $900,000 on new footpaths aligning with Council’s Shire-wide Footpath Plan
•
$9.2 million on Stage 2 of the Macedon Ranges Regional Sports Precinct
•
$1.17 million on recreation-focused initiatives including designs for a new Kyneton Skatepark, continued renewal works for light towers at Council’s sporting facilities, design for light towers and oval surfacing works at Romsey Oval 2, and pitch lighting for Dixon Field in Gisborne
•
close to $2 million on building renewals, including several community-driven initiatives through earlier consultation such as an access ramp and air conditioning upgrade to Lancefield Courthouse, a water tank for the Bullengarook Community Hall and toilet upgrades for the Woodend Bowling Club.
Council will also continue to facilitate two free green waste vouchers and two ‘free weeks’ for green waste disposal at our resource recovery facilities.
Through earlier consultation in late 2024 and an invitation for the community to submit their own initiatives, 61 submissions were received. In an additional two-week consultation period on a concise version of the Draft Budget 2025-26 in May 2025, 20 public submissions were received and responses to those are detailed in the meeting agenda.
Council will generate $53.56 million from general rates and the municipal charge. The increase from 2024-25 is equal to the 3% maximum rate cap increase permitted by the Victorian Government’s Fair Go Rates system.
Victorian Local Government Child Friendly Cities and Communities Charter: Council endorsed becoming a signatory to this Charter, which is a statement of intent for local governments and organisations to recognise children as valued members of the community.

Further information on this Council Meeting, including minutes and a meeting recording, can be found at mrsc.vic.gov.au/meetings

The state government is seeking feedback on a review of the Professional Engineers Registration Act 2019 to ensure Victorians can benefit from stronger protections, better safety and standards of work.

Minister for Consumer Affairs Nick Staikos said the review will benefit all Victorians by promoting best practice in professional engineering services, and ensuring these services are provided by suitably qualified and experienced engineers.

The Act sets standards in the provision of professional engineering services and provides consumer protections by requiring professional engineers to meet qualification, experience, probity and continuing professional development requirements.

Under Victorian laws, a professional engineering service involves using engineering knowledge to design, build, operate, or maintain something in areas like fire safety, civil, structural, mechanical and electrical engineering.

While many engineering services are professional, not all are. Professional engineering services are a subset of engineering work that require a particularly high level of judgement, knowledge, and skill.

The registration scheme commenced in 2021 as part of broader industry reforms and requires anyone engaging in professional engineering work to be registered with Consumer Affairs Victoria.

The scheme ensures that only qualified and experienced engineers can provide services and requires them to undertake continuing professional development to maintain their registration. This year’s Budget delivered $6.2 million over four years to continue the scheme and maintain the public register of professional engineers.

Consultation will help to ensure that any future changes to the Act represent the interests of those working in the industry, and those engaging the services of professional engineers in Victoria.

The consultation process is open for feedback for six weeks. To have your say, visit Engage Victoria. The final report will be tabled in Parliament in due course.

Victoria’s next generation of skilled workers has outshone the rest of Australia at the nation’s largest trades and skills competition, returning with the highest number of gold medals.

Minister for Skills and TAFE Gayle Tierney has celebrated the 100 young Victorians who put their skills to the test over the weekend, competing against Australia’s top apprentices and trainees the 2025 WorldSkills National Championships and Skills Show.

Over 600 competitors from across the country gathered in Brisbane for three days of intense competition in more than 60 skill categories including plumbing, cyber security, health care, carpentry, web design, hairdressing, floristry and automotive mechanics.

Victoria won 19 gold medals – the most of any other state. The Melbourne East Region was awarded the Evatt Shield for being the best-performing region across Australia.

Lily-Grace Toohill, a jewellery-making student at Melbourne Polytechnic, was recognised as the highest-performing competitor across all categories and took home the event’s top award, the Best of Nation.

Team Victoria was made up of 105 apprentices and trainees and 25 secondary school students plus more than 100 mentors and team leaders from Victoria’s TAFEs, registered training organisations, schools and industry.

The team was packed with outstanding new talent, including the first two women to compete in welding at a National Championships.

Eligible national medallists now have the chance to join a skills squad and earn a coveted spot on Team Australia – also known as the Skillaroos and represent Australia at the 2026 international WorldSkills competition in Shanghai.

WorldSkills is an international trade and skills competition staged every two years that gives young apprentices, trainees and vocational students the chance to showcase their technical talents and compete on a global stage.

Training for many of the skills being demonstrated at WorldSkills is available free from tuition fees through Victoria’s Free TAFE program, making training and secure jobs even more accessible.

Free TAFE has been a gamechanger for Victorians, with more than 206,000 students, saving on average $3,000 per course – getting the skills they need for good, stable jobs while putting money back in their pocket.

Victorians remember the carnage caused when the Liberals sacked more than 2,000 TAFE teachers, shut 22 TAFE campuses and ripped $1 billion from TAFEs across Victoria when they were last in Government.

To find out more about WorldSkills visit www.worldskills.org.au.

The state government is backing Victorians farmers with $69 million of drought support packages as they battle through some of the driest conditions in living memory.

Minister for Agriculture Ros Spence has announced the opening of the On-Farm Drought Infrastructure Grants program statewide, with updated guidelines based on farmer feedback and expanded eligible activities.

The program, managed by Rural Finance, makes available co-contribution grants of $5,000 for all primary producers across the state, with $10,000 available for eligible farmers in south west Victoria and parts of West Wimmera to help those who have been in drought longer.

Eligible activities under the grant program now include pasture re-establishment and water carting – reflecting the wide-ranging pressures farmers are facing and ensuring support reaches where it’s needed most.

Agriculture Victoria’s technical decision-making services are also now live and farmers across the state can access a free one-on-one consultation with a farm advisor to help make the difficult decisions they are facing, particularly due to fodder and water shortages.

Agriculture Victoria has engaged 60 consultancy businesses in Victoria, including more than 90 individual farm advisors, who will assist farmers to take action to develop a drought action management plan.

The Look Over The Farm Gate farmer mental health and wellbeing program is also now open, bringing communities together and supporting farmers and farm families under stress.

The program,  managed by the National Centre for Farmer Health on behalf of the Government, will provide grants of up to $5,000 for community-led events that promote social connection and mental health awareness.

Other supports are also available including the Farm Household Allowance, and Regional Investment Corporation loans.

The Rural Financial Counselling Service offers free, confidential and independent financial information, options, decision-making support and referral services to farmers and small rural businesses who are in, or at risk of, financial hardship.

For more information about available drought support, visit agriculture.vic.gov.au/dryseasons or call 136 186.

The H7 avian influenza response in Victoria has come to an end. The outbreak, which began in February, affected four commercial poultry properties.

There have been no new cases of H7N8 high pathogenicity bird flu since 24 February 2025. 

Disease eradication activities have been successful, allowing Agriculture Victoria to remove quarantine from the infected properties and lift the Control Area that has been in place around Euroa for more than four months.

As result, there are no longer movement restrictions around the four properties.

This progress is a significant step towards re-establishing Australia’s claim to freedom from high pathogenicity avian influenza.

Victoria’s Acting Chief Veterinary Officer Dr Sally Salmon said the disease was eradicated thanks to the hard work of the poultry industry, local bird owners and the wider community.

“Early reporting from the first affected business meant we could act quickly, and their ongoing co-operation with all elements of the response has been a major factor in achieving eradication,” Dr Salmon said.

Once the affected birds had been removed from the properties, more than 100 people were deployed to clean and disinfect each site.

Dr Salmon also thanked bird owners across the region for their support during the response.

“Thanks to local residents, we visited 350 properties, took 20,600 samples and completed 21,500 tests for the virus,” Dr Salmon said.

“Surveillance is key to gathering the evidence to show that the disease hasn’t spread. We couldn’t have done this without the help of bird and poultry owners.”

Local businesses also played an important role by supporting response staff. Food and fuel, accommodation, cleaning and security services, equipment hire and repair and maintenance supplies were provided to keep the response moving. 

Now that the emergency response has concluded, poultry and bird owners across Victoria are reminded to continue to follow good biosecurity practices. This includes:

• keeping sheds, yards, aviaries and equipment clean
• limiting contact between poultry and wild birds
• cleaning footwear and washing hands before and after handling birds or eggs
• quarantining new birds before mixing them with others.

Every producer should have a biosecurity plan and know the signs of disease.

If you see unexplained bird deaths, report them to the 24-hour Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888 or contact your local vet.

A tech giant joins the magazine resurgence.

By Sarah Grevy Gotfredsen

Print magazines weren’t expected to survive the digital age, yet they’re still holding on, if not always thriving. In 2024, several news stories highlighted a small but notable resurgence. Publications like Vice, Nylon, and Playboy, which had previously abandoned their print editions, began reviving them, albeit in limited runs.
Print shifted from the default medium to a luxury item – a premium add-on for those willing to pay extra. And now, as Axios reported recently, even corporate storytelling is going analogue, including among companies driving the digital revolution.

Last week, Microsoft launched Signal, a 120-page magazine targeting business leaders. The first issue includes an essay by Bill Gates; a Q&A with Satya Nadella, the CEO; and a lifestyle section at the back.
Steve Clayton, the vice president of Microsoft’s communications strategy, told me that he was inspired to launch Signal after reading an October 2024 New York Times story about the success of Costco Connection, a magazine that the retail chain launched in 1987 and is now the third-largest magazine in the country, with a circulation of over fifteen million copies each month.
Signal doesn’t have quite the same ambitions in terms of reach, Clayton said, but it encouraged him to experiment with the print format. “We’re in this world where everything seems so ephemeral,” he said this week, while showing me the magazine on a Zoom call. “It was time to do something that was almost the opposite of that.” The magazine’s name is a nod to cutting through the noise.

The comeback of print – both in traditional media and corporate storytelling – seems driven partly by nostalgia and a craving for the tangible.
In the words of Belle Cushing, who wrote about the resurgence of high school newspapers for CJR last year, print is “cool again”, one student said that newspapers have a throwback appeal, kind of like Polaroid cameras.

Others said that they offer a break from the constant online news cycle and all-consuming apps like TikTok. (In an interview for [an] edition of this newsletter, Kelsey Russell, an influencer who talks about the news on TikTok, described getting a print subscription to The Times as a revelation. “Our algorithms are aggregated to show us things that will make us pay attention, and many times those things are negative,” Russell told Yona TR Golding. “I realized when I read print, I would actually process what I was reading.”)

Older people are feeling the pull toward print as well. Clayton said he deliberately chose not to publish Signal’s content online, as people tend to skim long PDF files. “We want this to be something people sit with, read, and cherish,” he said. If the first issue of Signal proves popular, the magazine will be published quarterly going forward.

Signal’s articles are written by a mix of in-house staff, which includes former journalists, and contributors from Delayed Gratification, a UK-based magazine that operates under the slogan “last to breaking news.”
Indeed, faced with newsroom layoffs, journalists are increasingly pivoting to careers in corporate storytelling. The Times’ article about Costco Connection described how a cartoonist from the Oakland Tribune joined the magazine after relocating to Washington State (home to Costco HQ).

Other migration destinations have included the Red Bulletin, a lifestyle magazine published by Red Bull Media House, which has a monthly print run of 1.4 million copies. Even Hinge, the dating app, paired with literary writers to produce No Ordinary Love, an anthology of dating stories meant to connect with a Gen Z audience.
Of course, the number of print magazines making a comeback remains limited. Airline magazines, for example, have mostly gone digital – a shift exacerbated by the growing availability of onboard Wi-Fi. The final edition of Hemispheres, United Airlines’ in-flight magazine, was published in September of last year.

As Lucy Schiller wrote for Columbia Journalism Review at the time, it marked the end of an era. But, while the evolution of print may have branched off in a slimmer, less traditional, and at times more corporate direction, it continues to move forward nonetheless.

Above, Kyle Barnes reads a copy of The Local in the Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese pub in Fleet Street, London, under a painting of someone reading – proving print stands the test of time

Ed’s note: The Black Cab driver who dropped us off there some years back, said “young Charley Dickens” used to be a regular.

Republished with permission of Tow Center for Digital Journalism’s Publishing and Events director Hana Joy, Columbia University, US
Originally published May 22, 2025 – www.towcenter.columbia.edu

The state government’s appointment of a new independent Chair and members to support economic growth across Victoria’s regions will unite voices from every part of the state to drive lasting benefits for local communities.  

Minister for Regional Development Jaclyn Symes announced the appointment of Margaret O’Rourke OAM as Chair for the Regional Development Advisory Committee (RDAC) alongside the appointment of members represented by the Chairs of Victoria’s nine Regional Partnerships.

Ms O’Rourke brings strong leadership and business experience from current and former roles in regional Victoria.

Currently Head of La Trobe University’s Bendigo Campus and former Chair of Bendigo Kangan Institute, she also sits on the V/Line Advisory Board, with previous roles as Mayor and Councillor at the City of Greater Bendigo, Chair of Regional Cities Victoria and former senior positions with Telstra and Bendigo Telco.

RDAC was established in 2002 alongside the state’s lead agency for regional economic development – Regional Development Victoria (RDV) – to provide independent advice to government on cross-regional matters.

The committee consists of an independent chair and the chairs of the nine Regional Partnerships as committee members. Together, they provide a coordinated, state-wide voice to Government on the issues and opportunities impacting Victoria’s regions.

The committee also plays a vital role in identifying emerging issues that may impact regional development across multiple regions and advocates for policy and investment opportunities championed by the Regional Partnerships.

RDV’s nine Regional Partnerships bring together local leaders with strong connections to local community, industry and business groups who work together to set priorities, make the case for investment, and ensure regional voices shape Government decision-making. 

For more information visit rdv.vic.gov.au

The state government has introduced a way to build career in the family violence support sector, with a new, fully funded training pathway that removes barriers to education and strengthens cultural safety.

Minister for Prevention of Family Violence Natalie Hutchins announced a $1 million investment to deliver a new, adapted Graduate Certificate of Social and Community Services program with 68 fully funded places available in 2026 and 2027.

The new qualification will give workers better access to training, helping attract and retain a diverse and highly skilled family violence workforce that reflects communities across Victoria.

Delivered by Federation University, the adapted Graduate Certificate of Social and Community Services will be developed in close partnership with Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations and the family violence sector.

Minimum qualifications for specialist family violence roles were introduced following a recommendation of the Royal Commission into Family Violence, helping ensure high-quality support for victim survivors.

An evaluation of these reforms highlighted the need for more flexible, culturally appropriate training pathways – especially for Aboriginal workers and those living outside metropolitan Melbourne. Applications for 2026 placements in the adapted graduate certificate will open later this year.

Friday night had some good moments

too fast for his own legs
had more time than he knew
trips over his shadow

been carrying something all week
knew the contact was coming
the mental side of coming back from a knee

feeds the forwards
a kick to space
ends up over the line

somehow finds some space
floats up an inverted torp-looking thing
that’s home if it’s got the wheels

• Bill Wootton

Bill follows the Pies and Fridays often find him in front of the tele when a trip to the G is a bridge too far.

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

The Celebration of Saori Exhibition has returned to Clunes, showcasing more than 100 original woven works by over 35 artists from across Australia.
The biggest saori weaving exhibition in Australia, it launched at the Clunes Warehouse on Saturday, June 7 and continues through to Sunday, June 22.
A visual explosion of colour and texture, it’s a great chance to revel in the unique saori method with some special opportunities to learn more about this niche meditative weaving technique.
Co-ordinated and curated by accredited saori teacher, Clunes’ Prue Simmons of Dyeing To Weave studio, the exhibition brings together students from across Australia who are supported through Prue’s studio weaving programs.
Prue says the exhibition was extremely well received when it was held last year, attracting visitors from all around Australia, and is expected to become a biennial event.
“This is still such a burgeoning craft here in Australia and my passion is to share what saori weaving is and the powerful creative potential it has,” Prue says.
Among those with work represented, Evansford’s Jayne Newgreen’s background is in photography and marketing.
Jayne, pictured left with Prue, says she became hooked on the saori weaving technique while attending one of Prue’s retreats.
“The freedom that saori allows is something I couldn’t quite capture with my photography,” Jayne says.
Works in the exhibition are accompanied by artist bios including concise stories behind each piece.
Saori is a freestyle weaving style which originated in Japan during the 1960s. A modern take on traditional weaving, it celebrates self-expression, mindfulness, and innovation over rules or repetition.
The exhibition is open daily, except Tuesdays, from 10am to 4pm.

Words & image: Eve Lamb

The saying “the best thing since sliced bread” originates from the invention of the bread-slicing machine in 1928.
It was made popular by the Chillicothe Baking Company in Missouri and their slogan “the greatest forward step in the baking industry since bread was wrapped”. This slogan was used to advertise their pre-sliced bread, which was a major convenience at the time.
I know this because I asked Google, but unlike the Google of 2024 we now have an AI overview. This means AI is answering the question based on information all over the web and summarising that into an answer.

When did an AI summary happen? You can’t get away from it and it seems it is a very recent invention. As The Local’s resident cruciverbalist (crossword producer) I am always Googling to get ideas for clues. God help me if the police get into my search history should an experimental dish involving mushrooms goes south. So, I know the look and feel of Google well and have just noticed this latest iteration of the animal. It is as if it happened overnight, and a quick Google about Google reveals the following:
“AI summaries, specifically in the context of search engines, began to emerge in May 2024. Google introduced AI Overviews, a generative AI-powered feature that provides summaries at the top of search results, initially in the US and later expanding to more countries, including Australia.”
But surely the answers are “best guess”. I am satisfied the gargantuan acumen of the beast is combing a lot more material than I could ever get my hands on to come up with the answers. However, does it just work on a numbers game, if there is enough digital information saying that the balance of answers points to answer A. And a little bit of conjectured information pointing to answer B, surely answer A will win, without the input of human moderators.
And let’s take the case where you get AI to flood the interweb with misinformation. For example, “the USA has just invaded Canada”. And when I say flood the interweb, take what you think is flooding and then multiply it by a zillion fake websites all reporting the same thing. With fake images, videos and fake AI generated reports, I generated the video in the QR code below in two minutes using a free online tool. The guy doesn’t exist, I just asked for a red head with uncle overtones in his voice throwing his arms up in the air. I overlayed my voice at the end to create a mumble under his breath.
There is an article published by Forbes back in 2017 saying Facebook shut down an artificial intelligence engine after developers discovered that the AI had created its own unique language that humans couldn’t understand. Researchers at the Facebook AI Research Lab found that the chatbots had deviated from the script and were communicating in a new language developed without human input. It is as concerning as it is amazing – simultaneously a glimpse of both the awesome and horrifying potential of AI.
But here is a quick tip if you don’t want the AI bit to answer your Google question. Just add the F-word to your questions. No more AI summary.
Keep reading your local newspaper and stop scrolling rant over…

Spent some birthday time on the Gold Coast and talked to the locals, as you do. Their memory of Covid is so different from those of us who spent it in Victoria.
And they feel sorry for us – although they are probably over all the Mexicans who have moved up over the past few years.
I reckon, like those who moved from Melbourne to the country, some have returned. Queensland is not a life for everyone. For me, summer is way too humid. I don’t mind the heat but the humidity leaves me dripping.
I think it must be an age thing. Kyle and I lived in Cairns many years ago, in our young days, and we didn’t have aircon in the house or the car. We never thought about it.
We also spent time in Brisbane and Main Beach on the Gold Coast – and once again, not a thought was given to the heat. You just put up with it.
And the country is not for everyone either. As people came up in their droves, often to homes bought online, I thought of the surprise they would get when they tried to call Uber Eats or Door Dash.
Or realised they had to get wood for those lovely fires – and that wood is expensive unless you want to cut it yourself and then it is a lot of hard work. Even carrying wood inside has its perils. Hello, fairly large huntsman or angry European wasp hibernating from the cold.
But back to Covid. In Queensland it was more of an inconvenience and getting vaccinated was pretty much the same. When I told locals I was up to number seven or eight, they nearly had a fit. (Although I must admit it was running rife up there the past couple of weeks, along with the flu. So maybe a few more arms came up for the jab.)
I remember making a run north in 2021. The previous year had been an absolute nightmare, with not only Covid but also losing my mum. And then in 2021 that terrible storm ripped through the region. I think it was on a Wednesday and on the Saturday Kyle came home from the gym and asked “why is the bin inside?”.
I told him we were driving to Queensland that day. Split decision – just go. And so we did. We made it to the NSW border that night and did a big fist pump as we entered Albury.
A few days later Victoria was in lockdown again but we had made it out. I remember staying in Liverpool the next night at some club and a few people were coughing. As we drove away we heard about a little lockdown for Liverpool but we just kept going. Our bad.
But all of that is behind us now, as our mental health slowly heals, well for me anyway, and it’s time for all our festivals to roll back onto the calendar. Love that!
After a few years of cancellations or scaled-back events, it seems like we are back on track and The Local is very proud to be media partners with lots of organisations. We’re talking ChillOut, Foto Biennale, Spudfest, Swiss Italian Festa, Words in Winter, CresFest, Daylesford Art Show…just to name a few.
I hope everyone gets out and supports these events because funding is hard to find, and without bums on seats, it’s easy for them to lose their way. And that is something we don’t want to happen.
Our community, as much as the keyboard warriors would have you think otherwise at times, is a wonderful place to work and live and just be. And we have great people and fantastic events which should always be celebrated.
If Covid taught us anything, and sometimes I wonder, it is that life is to be lived. And if that’s looking at art, talking about books, celebrating cultures, and even enjoying a simple spud, let’s do it. Just sayin’…

Well here I am penning another article for you, the reader, to enjoy…
This time I’ll be recommending some important jobs to be done in the home garden during winter…although not exhaustive it will give you an insight into keeping busy at this cold time of year.

First up my priority would be to ensure all your garden tools are shipshape after thorough cleaning, sharpening and oiling. With winter pruning high on the agenda secateurs, lopper and saw will certainly be on call.

1. Pruning of deciduous trees and shrubs is ideal as their sap flow is at a minimum and so reduces “bleeding” of pruning cuts. There are a plethora of books dedicated to plant pruning so a visit to a bookstore is advised or you could adopt the online approach. Either way there is no real rule of thumb with winter pruning so being sure of what you’re doing is vital.
2. Soil preparation and improvement can be done now to ensure the best conditions for old and new plantings while they wait for the warmer weather to arrive. So adding (organic) compost that can be enriched with animal manure (I find sheep is the best) will add structure to the soil and as it breaks down it slowly releases nutrients…and don’t forget Aussie natives hate phosphorous.
3. It’s also time to start pruning back of perennials and sub-shrubs such as perovskia atriplicifolia (Russian sage), asters, salvias (sages), achilleas (yarrows), ornamental grasses and penstemons. This involves cutting off spent flowers and foliage (often to the ground) and here’s a tip – I like to leave some basal stalks that help protect the plant from being trodden on.
4. Planting in winter can be restricted due to the increasing cold but there are still plenty of options open. Consider planting asparagus crowns, garlic bulbs and allium seedlings (chives, garlic chives & spring onions) and with soil prep completed you can plant new perennials and, after division, old ones from your garden. This is also the best time to plant deciduous trees and shrubs that are often sold bare-rooted at a nursery although containerised stock is also offered but is usually more expensive and you’ve got to dig a bigger hole.
5. Finally, look out for winter-flowering plants at the nursery and any other gardens you come across. These may include camellias, daphnes, hellebores, magnolias (late), rhododendrons and wattles. And here’s a short list of not so common species: chimonanthus praecox (wintersweet), cornus mas (cornelian cherry – see image), hamamelis (witch-hazel – see image), mahonias, prunus mume (flowering apricot), sarcococca spp. (sweet box) and viburnum farreri (fragrant viburnum – see image).

Cheers John Beetham (Trees in Australia)
Next time: Garden design & construction during winter
Scan the QR code to go to JB’s Instagram