Macedon MP Mary-Anne Thomas is Victoria’s new Minister for Health and Minister for Ambulance Services.
She was formerly Minister for Agriculture and Regional Development. Ms Thomas takes over from Martin Foley, who recently resigned after leading the health sector through the pandemic.

Big Rainbow

An article in a recent issue of The Local (Edition 255) is about the vote regarding the Big Rainbow, and is really testing our tolerance.
The link they send to us for voting purposes is very discriminating. There is no section where we can vote against any or all of the nominated sites.
So as to not have the rainbow in our particular town we have to penalise some other country town by voting for them.
The long-term locals have no say in the matter. And if you think of it, as one person suggested to me, if we can’t vote to not have this rainbow, and we vote for another location listed, that town might just be doing the same to us because they don’t want to spoil the uniqueness of their town.
I’m sure they wouldn’t appreciate us doing it to them, as we wouldn’t appreciate them doing it to us.
Of course there has to be change but not a complete takeover of all that made this area somewhere special for everyone to visit, especially families.
I have no hang-ups about people being accepted as being different. I’m a different kind of different myself being 80 per cent (plus) ancient celt with all the abilities that come with having that distinction.
We are in a minority nowadays. I wasn’t asked if I wanted to have the symbol prominently placed that would discriminate against those who want to maintain the uniqueness of being country.
Those growing up in the confusing time of change, when we immigrants from the 1980s came to the area, are caught between two worlds and their history will be obliterated if it isn’t recorded and made significant now.
It’s all very well to be acknowledged as being tolerate of all types of people, and also progressing into a different type of town, but to lose our identity because of the majority is like comparing what our ancestors did to the First Nations people when we first colonised this country.
They are fighting back and succeeding. We shouldn’t have to struggle to have our local history maintained as there is room enough for all.
As for the rainbow there is already one in a town not that far away so we don’t have to be a copy-cat.

• Yvonne Fix, Musk

Ed’s note: Voting for the Big Rainbow ended on June 30. At the time of going to print it was not known which town – Daylesford, Katherine, Hay or Broome – was the winner.

Letters to the editor are always welcome. Please head to www.tlnews.com.au, register and upload your letter.

ACROSS the country, a medical crisis seems to have erupted. Some rural hospitals have become so short of staff the military has been called in. In the cities, reports abound of lines of ambulances and crowded waiting rooms.
Planning experts highlight the absence of health care when new suburbs are on the drawing board, but away from the cities the system seems little better.
This comes when the state government talks of “ensuring people living in rural and regional areas have access to the world-class care they deserve close to home…” announcing $300 million over four years to upgrade vital health infrastructure.
Described as the largest health grants program in Victoria’s history, this plan aims to provide resources needed for upgrading. But will it be enough and in time?
Health workers, who tell of a crisis now, decided to talk anonymously to The Local. From their accounts these case histories have been compiled. They combine to throw a disturbing light on the system.
The Local put these case histories to the new Victorian Health Department for comment and followed up with a further request but after a week there was no response. The information was then sent to new state Health and Ambulance Services Minister, and Macedon MP, Mary-Anne Thomas’ parliamentary staff but no response was received by press time.
Here are the accounts from the frontline of health care:

A 34-year-old man had medical imaging and other investigations for chest problems. By coincidence, a couple of tumours were discovered in his left lung. He is a non-smoker. An urgent referral was sent to the regional cancer centre for further investigation, including a tissue biopsy (requiring general anaesthetic) to try to find the nature of the tumours and how aggressive they were.
But a fortnight after the referral was sent, he had heard nothing from the hospital. When he called, the hospital was so inundated with a backlog of emergencies, it registered getting the referral but was still unable to provide an appointment for his urgent procedure. Anyone with experience of a possible cancer diagnosis will appreciate the insomnia and anxiety caused by such a wait.

A patient needs a (public) hip replacement. The earliest that could be found was two years for an initial consultation followed by another 18 months to two years for surgery. Another major facility said it wouldn’t be inside five years.

A GP must refer a patient for assessment of adult autism. After lengthy investigations across the state, the average waiting period for an appropriately trained psychiatrist is found to be two years.

A woman with a complex medical history and symptoms is told she will need to pay about $235 for an echocardiogram because she had one within the last 24 months. Medicare now only rebates one echocardiogram per patient every 24 months, unless it is referred by a cardiologist. The patient cannot afford the test and the GP must review the line of investigations. The best solution is to send her to a cardiologist in order to avoid the fee. The patient is worried about the cost of the cardiologist and how long she must await an appointment.

After waiting for three hours, a patient with top-level private health insurance goes by ambulance to a private hospital near the city’s public hospital. As her ambulance pulls up to admit her, she counts nine ambulances in a queue waiting to admit patients into the public hospital.

In the early hours of the morning a dog walker meets another in a public park. He has just completed an exhausting overnight shift as an ambulance officer, but before he leaves to go home, he is asked if it’s possible for him to keep working (back-to-back shifts) because of overwhelming demand.

An elderly patient needs a VicRoads driving assessment because his licence is due to expire in four months. A referral is sent by post to the nearest occupational therapist registered as a VicRoads driving assessor. When there is no response, the patient’s carer calls and, despite leaving contact details on message bank, the calls are not returned. Another letter is sent, with a reminder of the expiry date of the licence. Another month passes.
Eventually, the medical centre involved calls the occupational therapist and leaves several messages over a number of days asking for a return call. There is no response. The medical centre calls reception and is asked to be put through directly.
Finally, after three letters and many phone calls by the patient, the patient’s carer and the medical centre, the advice is to apply for an extension to the license expiry because the assessment will not be completed within the four month deadline.

Patients wanting to see their regular GP are now having to wait an average three to four weeks, often longer. There are very few GP clinics within the regions of Ballarat, Bendigo, Castlemaine and surrounds able to take new patients.
And yet the population is expanding at a rate of knots. It is hard to keep up with the increased density of traffic and the availability of other service industries now needed in the community.
On many days pathology services have been unavailable in some medical centres because of staff shortages due to Covid.
Almost all medical services have a recorded message when telephoned, saying: “We are experiencing a high number of calls at this time, your call is important to us, please hold the line” because staff are on sick leave with Covid.
Waiting times are extended. This clogs the system down the line. Staff shortages mean that some pathology laboratories are taking three times longer than usual to diagnose skin biopsy samples, some of which may be cancerous.
From these front-line anecdotes and other reports it is hard to think anything other than that our health system is sick and needs urgent attention

Words: Kevin Childs

ORGANIC waste generated from the cafe trade is very large. Although people may not realise it as they sip on their morning latte or fresh juice, the average cafe can easily generate over 80 kilos of organic waste a week.
So, in hospitality towns, like Daylesford with more than 30 cafes and restaurants operating, that can translate to over 125 tonnes off to local landfill every year.
In the capital cities there are businesses that have emerged to collect and forward the material to community gardens and farmers. It was only a matter of time before such a service became available in our region.
In order to “save the planet one cup of coffee at a time”, Eliza Whitburn-Weber, director of fledgling business GroundUp Coffee Recyclers, offers the hospitality industry something simple and sustainable.
A means to reuse their coffee grounds and kitchen scraps by collecting and forwarding them on to local small scale and regenerative producers to consolidate food miles and reduce the cycle from coffee cup to farm and back again.
Eliza said the initiative came about when she owned a cafe in Melbourne and worked with a company that did the same thing.
“They used to take all the coffee grounds to community gardens and we always thought it was a great business model. When we moved to Ballarat two years ago we saw there was a huge gap in the market doing the same thing here.
“Since launching in July 2021 we have diverted over 40,000 kilos of used coffee grounds and kitchen scraps from landfill thanks to our wonderful resource partners. These resources have gone to our resource recipients to be composted and used on their farms.”
At the present time GroundUp has 13 partners and are about to team up with Stockland Shopping Centre in Wendouree. But GroundUp also wants to extend their service into the Daylesford area, visiting once a week to collect organic cafe waste, distributing it to nearby growers.
The important thing at this time is to make potential partners and recipients aware that this service is going to be available. As part of GroundUp’s philosophy regarding the reduction of food miles, the goal is to distribute the material within the same area.
“I have had a couple of people reach out from Daylesford and with Ballarat now up and running there is no reason why we couldn’t do our collections in Daylesford as well. There are also a few local producers who have indicated that they’d really like to be a part of this program, receiving what is collected.”
Coffee grounds are high in potassium and nitrogen and while fresh ground coffee is quite acidic, used grounds, especially if washed, will not adversely lower PH levels – the lower the PH the more acidic your soil is.
When mixed with other organic matter including sawdust, manure or garden waste it can also encourage beneficial micro-organisms and attract worms. In other words coffee waste can help create a fantastic compost mix for large and small growing operations: something which the Central Highlands has in abundance.
“It is exciting to see how much we have diverted so far and it is just the tip of the iceberg,”says Eliza. “We are in this unique position in a regional area where the community can benefit from the program we offer. We are just closing the loop basically.”

Words: Tony Sawrey | Image: Melissa Brennan

Enjoy a magical Christmas shopping experience on Melbourne Cup weekend, at our Hanging Rock Market, on Saturday, October 29.

We’re not talking the full Miranda – just a beautiful day out in one of Central Victoria’s most iconic – and mysterious – locations or make a weekend of it staying at one of the many beautiful accommodation offerings this picturesque region has to offer.
We promise you’ll have a fabulous time, admiring and buying from some of Victoria’s best makers, creators, growers and producers. This market is usually a little different, with stallholders you may not have met yet.
Many come from Central Victoria to wow us with their creative and beautiful designs, drawing inspiration from the environment, using natural fibres and materials in their pieces.
All are Australian-made or designed, handmade and home grown – and they can’t wait to see you!
Stock up on unique Christmas gifts or spoil yourself with something new for the upcoming season.
Once the market wraps up, retrace the steps of those famous schoolgirls with your own trek up Hanging Rock – the scenery is impressive, and at the peak, the view is well worth the walk.
We’ll see you on Cup Weekend, Saturday, October 29 from 9am to 2pm at the famous Hanging Rock Reserve, South Rock Road, Woodend.
Bring cash and please note, reception at Hanging Rock can be limited. Standard entry fees apply.
We’ll be back – so here are some more dates to add to your diary – December 10 and March 18.
New stallholders welcome to apply – https://www.craftmarkets.com.au/apply

Advertorial

CLUNES is a place of firsts. First gold town. First Book Town and now the first country town to tackle the issue of ageing well in the community by bringing the conversation right to its own door.
On Friday, October 28, the Clunes community will host a one-day conference featuring some of the country’s leading experts in positive ageing. Globally the 60+ generation has been actively questioning what it means to age well, and what role community life can play to ensure that people live full and active lives.

“This one-day conversation is designed to address those questions head on,” Clunes Neighbourhood House manager Lana de Kort said. The neighbourhood house is helping the community run the conference.
“The conference includes a powerful line-up of speakers, designed to make sure that Australia’s vital ageing well conversation gets louder and has attitude. The issues impacting on ageing well will be articulated, unpacked and reinvented so that together, we can work out what is possible to help people age well in their own community.
“Clunes has a way of tackling issues head on. So it’s no surprise that our community has swiftly made this conversation a priority.”
The conference is being run by a group, some pictured, of more than 60 locals who during the pandemic responded to the closure of the Clunes Senior Citizens Club by forming a new group focused on ageing well. Since 2019 Attitude has held more than 420 different activities, all led by the community and supported by Clunes Neighbourhood House.
“Attitude have taken a blue sky approach to ageing well. They’ve developed an approach that doesn’t get bogged down with administration, but at the same time reflects the key attributes identified in the Commissioner of Seniors Gerard Mansour’s report: Ageing Well in a Changing World.
“It’s a great model that could be replicated in many communities and is a perfect example of what the Commissioner Gerard Mansour will be speaking about when he talks at the conference.
“The conference is ideal for those shaping policy and working in the ageing industry or for individuals keen to make sure they are on top of the issues that will make ageing well a reality for each of us in our own communities.”
To book earlybird tickets for the Talking Ageing with Attitude Conference visit www.talkingageingwithattitude.org

FINALLY, after two cancellations due to, ahem, unforeseen circumstances, Winter Sounds is set to nourish the souls of music lovers of the shire and beyond.
Winter Sounds takes place at various venues from Friday, July 15 to Sunday, July 17 with the event a weekend of intimate performances taking place across Daylesford and the surrounding areas.
The all-new winter music event takes over some of the region’s heritage venues with shows featuring C.W. Stoneking, Emma Donovan & The Putbacks, Cash Savage & The Last Drinks, Blake Scott, Freya Josephine Hollick and The Luke Sinclair Set.

Produced by the team behind the Riverboats Music Festival in Echuca, Winter Sounds kicks off on Friday with soul band Emma Donovan & The Putbacks and support from Fenn Wilson at the Daylesford Uniting Church.
Festival director David Frazer says that each of the five performance spaces – a charming mix of old churches and Gold Rush-era halls – will offer audiences a chance to be transported to a different time and place for a set of intimate and extraordinary musical experiences.
“Visiting Daylesford during winter is one of the great Australian pilgrimages, and it really is the best time of the year to enjoy this magical part of regional Victoria.
“Winter Sounds will bring some of Australia’s best-loved performers to Daylesford and surrounding hills while drawing attention to some of the region’s most beautiful and sometimes forgotten heritage buildings. With this unique combination of talent and atmosphere, we’re hoping to deliver a really special set of experiences for our audiences.”
On Saturday, rockers Cash Savage & The Last Drinks will play a matinee performance at the 100-year-old Bullarto Village Hall with support from The Peep Tempel’s Blake Scott while Saturday evening will see bluesman C.W. Stoneking take to the Daylesford Town Hall stage supported by Harmony Byrne.
On Sunday, Melbourne alt-country band with ex-Raised By Eagles frontman in The Luke Sinclair Set will perform at the Glenlyon Town Hall with Freya Josephine Hollick. The series will culminate with an afternoon performance by high energy seven-piece soul-jazz ensemble Jazz Party at The Palais-Hepburn.
Winter Sounds – a welcome addition to the music calendar.
Words: Darren Lowe | Images: Contributed

“Nostalgia is a file that removes the rough edges from the good old days.”

“Nostalgia: A device that removes the ruts and potholes from memory lane.”

In a way, the internet was made for people like Doug Larson, a journalist in the United States, writing for much of the 20th century for relatively obscure newspapers in Wisconsin, in the northern midwest.
As a columnist, he had a fine talent for coming up with snappy one-liners such as the ones above, which earned him a strong regional following. Today, of course, much of Larson’s handiwork is revealed to the world with just a few screen taps.
In a few weeks my father, Bill, will be having his 94th birthday, and I think that’s making me feel nostalgic.
We’re not planning to do anything special (I’m blaming Covid), it’ll just be the immediate family, we’ll pop the corks on a few bottles of sparkling wine, probably have a barbeque. But it does seem that once you’ve managed that many years, every day should be cause for celebration.
There is just something about those big full-decade events – when my dad turned 90 we booked a hall to hold the party. Relatives I hadn’t met in 50 years travelled more than 3000 kilometres to join in the celebration. Old friends and former workmates were there.

One of the most moving moments was when Paul, my dad’s best mate, arrived; he had advanced dementia and scarcely knew his own children by then, but when his wife opened the car door for him, Paul stepped out, went to my dad, grabbed him by the hand and said with a huge grin, “Hello, Billy!”
Speaking of nostalgia, I miss the good old days when the Coodabeens were on the ABC. It’s still the same blokes doing the same bits, but somehow it doesn’t feel right having them on a radio station that features soulless old pop music. But I do like the way they still call the Herald-Sun “the little paper”, which, as dedicated Victorians know, refers to a time when The Age was a massive broadsheet newspaper and ‘the Hun’ was the little tabloid.
In 1990, young Warwick Fairfax’s ill-advised, junk-bond funded takeover of the family business led to the collapse of one of Australia’s most venerable media companies, of which The Age and Sydney Morning Herald were the prize assets. I was working for an offshoot of The Age called Australian Financial Press, which was sold off and moved to Sydney, leaving me unemployed.
This came at the same time as Paul Keating’s “recession we had to have”, and my wife Carol, a highly skilled bookkeeper, also found herself out of a job. We had been living abroad since 1983 so thought maybe it was time to polish up the American accents and head back to the US of A.
It was a fine homecoming. We quickly found a house to live in, Carol landed a good job paying a mediocre wage – but fair for this perpetually depressed area – and I returned to school, aiming to become a school teacher.
So now we jump ahead almost three years, to mid-1993. It’s been good being able to hang out with our families and a few of our old friends but the years in Australia have changed us. Returning to California turns out not to be a homecoming at all.
Meanwhile, my decision to become a teacher is nearing completion; I’ve finished my training and started looking for a job. This next bit might sound like a made-up story but I promise it’s all true.
Carol and I had been to my graduation ceremony, in which I’d been handed my credential, my licence to teach school in California. We’d come through the front door, I was loosening my necktie, Carol was in the bedroom changing out of her formal dress, when the telephone rang. Our house had a funny little nook where the telephone sat.

I answered the phone. It was Rob, one of my good mates in Melbourne and one of the best journalists I’d ever worked with. He explained the reason for the call. Print media was making a comeback, he’d been working for a publishing startup that was doing very well, and there was a good job in it for me, if I wanted it.
“Who is it?” Carol said from the bedroom.
“It’s Rob, in Melbourne,” I answered, “wants to know if we want to come back, he has a job for me.”
I was about to tell Rob that I’d need to think about it, that I’d call him back, when Carol said, “I’ll start packing.”
We’d settled back in this dreary, conservative little town because it was where my parents lived – in the house in which we now reside – because we figured Mom and Dad needed us in their old age.
How do we tell them we’re leaving again? I phoned my sister and told her we were moving back to Melbourne, and that I was concerned about how they’d take it.
“Mom and Dad say they don’t know why you’re here in the first place,” she told me. “They know you’re not happy here.”
It came to me today that back then, when I was concerned for my ageing father, that in 1993 he was younger than I am now. The thing he needed from me the most was to make up a foursome for golf.
Happy birthday, Dad – I’ll load your clubs into the car.

Images: Bill making a shot with Mount Shasta in the background, wearing GWS Giants clobber because his baseball team is the San Francisco Giants, who play in similar colours; hoeing into a burger, his favourite food: in his chair with his cat Betty from a few years ago – Betty is all grown up now

After many happy years living in Victoria and working at The Age, former Wheatsheaf resident Jeff Glorfeld, and his wife Carol, went back to California, the land of his birth, where in the past four years he has survived bushfires, snowstorms and drought. And Trump. And Covid. The cicadas and locusts didn’t arrive. Well, not yet.

THIS year marks the 10th anniversary of the Little Gallery, which was originally established as an artist collective in 2010.
One of the founding artists, Rose Wilson, who has been with the gallery for the duration says the gallery has grown from strength to strength and housed the works of well over 200 regional artists since it was established.
“The Little Gallery is a privately run artist space but it also supports other local creatives, by hosting group exhibitions and showcasing numerous consignment artists and guest artists to exhibit throughout the year.
“The Winter Group show and Christmas shows are all about bringing the art community together and sharing it with the region.”
Trentham’s Little Gallery 2022 Winter Show opens Friday, July 15 and has become a popular event, highly anticipated by locals, art lovers and collectors.
“The majority of the guest artists in the Winter Show have not exhibited at Little Gallery before so patrons of the gallery will see something completely different from previous shows and will be very impressed with the diversity of art exhibiting.
“The artists in this year’s show have a plethora of awards and accolades due to their high standard of excellence in their chosen medium, so this is a perfect opportunity to buy an investment piece or just own a beautiful piece of original art.”
The show will feature prominent local names including Julie Chandler, Philip Edwards, Sylvia Hollis, George Lianos, Jo Linsdell, Gabrielle Martin, Akiko Nagino, Alison Parkinson, Marina Pribaz, Mike Rutherford, Taka Sugawara, Kirsty Williams and Peter Young. The show will also include works by the Little Gallery collective – Helen Cottle, Larissa Gray, Kim Haughie, Ri Van Veen and Rose Wilson.
On the back of every exhibition the Little Gallery has, over the years, always donated to various charities as its way of giving back to a community that has been a massive support over the past 10 years. Apart from The Little Gallery donating the commission on all sold works, the gallery collective artists will each donate a piece of artwork alongside donations from local businesses for an art raffle.
This year proceeds will go to the Trentham Primary School with previous recipients including The Path of the Horse and the Quarry Street Reserve.
The 2022 Winter Show officially opens on Friday, July 15 at 5.30pm to celebrate the 10th anniversary and everyone is welcome. The exhibition will run until August 8. Gallery hours are 10am to 4pm from Thursday to Monday.
Link: www.trenthamlittlegallery.com

HEPBURN Matters, a community advocacy group, was launched at the Daylesford Town Hall on June 22 in front of more than 100 people.
The evening started with a performance by Lyall Brooks of A Prudent Man, a production by local theatre production company, Lab Kelpie, under the leadership of Adam Fawcett.

Community stalwart Warren Maloney, pictured, then told the crowd that on hearing the completion of The Rex, a Daylesford-based Hepburn Shire Council hub had been voted against by councillors, “we felt more than lost – we felt hopeless in the face of silent bureaucracy and distant politics”.
“A few of us started to meet and more joined and we began to identify the need to encourage the bureaucracy and the politicians to Rethink the Rex – to realise that closure was not the only outcome, and well may be the least desirable outcome for the future of our community.
Mr Maloney said from those meetings, the need for a new community advocacy group was realised.
“We identified five essential elements that must not be lost in either the re-design or the sale of The Rex Theatre:
“Heritage. We cannot lose the external and internal heritage architectural elements of this 95-year-old iconic building in our main street;
“Cinema. We cannot lose our community cinema – an outstandingly successful and rewarding community asset;
“Community spaces. We cannot accept the loss of the planned and promised spaces that would have allowed showcasing of our art and products, and underpinned community meetings and performances;
“Public toilets. Our community, our visitors, our families, and particularly our aged depended heavily on The Rex public toilets. We were promised their priority in returning; and
“Our library. Neglected for over 25 years, we need to have our library’s future as a prime target of our community assets and community vision and community priorities.”

Words & main image: Donna Kelly

WHEN well-known and much-loved local John Hungerford started sharing Facebook posts about his beautiful wife ‘Dear Fay’, he never expected the outpouring of emotions from friends and strangers alike.
John and Fay were well known in the Newlyn and wider district with Newlyn Antiques and Nursery and their shared love of people.

When Fay was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease more than 15 years ago John knew she would fight with grace and gusto and she didn’t let him down. A move to Campbell’s Creek enabled them to embrace a new community but Fay’s eventual move into Ellery House in Castlemaine was a time of great sadness for John.
But it didn’t stop him writing a journal every day about the time they spent together, the new memories being made and the hardship of life during Covid when visits were rare. His journal became his comfort and when he decided to share it with family, friends and strangers on social media, he inadvertently touched the lives of so many.
Recounting an outing during a break in lockdown restrictions John remembered the joy Fay felt when visiting her favourite shop in the world and the café where in John’s words she was ‘once again the leading lady’. She relished the love. John relished the joy of her happiness.
One post talks about a visit home to their cottage where Fay was quite concerned whether the bath mat had indeed been hung up. It had. Or the beautiful goodbyes that were part of their life together. John would say ‘toodaloo’ and Fay would reply with ‘yodelayheehoo’.
“I knew when she might have been a bit upset with me because on those occasions there was no yodelling. When I would leave Ellery House we would always end with our song to each other,” he said.
Fay sadly passed away in May this year, and through tears and tea, an afternoon spent with John was nothing short of a privilege. I was one of the strangers who took great comfort in reading John’s posts. In the beginning I thought I was intruding on his space thinking he meant the posts for family and friends. But he has embraced social media from its inception and was hoping his posts would be read by those near and far, highlighting his love and devotion to Fay and determined to shine a light on Fay, her gift of giving (literally…’she would give everything away if she could have’) her singing and acting talents and her life devoted to others.

Her childhood friend Yvonne, who died a year before Fay, was the one who encouraged and inspired her to sing and act. Fay was shy. But somehow the stage became her refuge and John even recalls a time when Fay was asked to tour England following years of theatre productions.
“She was exceptionally talented and was the most beautiful singer. But if she had toured, I would have never met her.”
John and Fay had both been married previously and when they got together their lives began with four children between them. But while you’d expect this true love story to begin with love at first sight it didn’t happen that way.
“I was at a conference staying with my sister. I’m not sure if she was bored with my company but she suggested she invite her friend over for dinner,” he said.
“Fay and I got on well but the next day she told me off for not walking her the one block home. As friends we spoke every day and then a few months after during a phone conversation Fay inadvertently proposed to me. We married within a year and not one day has gone by where I haven’t been by her side or spoken to her on the phone.
“Her calmness was inspirational. She would often say ‘keep calm, John’ and in our entire relationship I had only ever see her angry once. She had fallen in the kitchen. A dear friend and neighbour was there and I believe she saved Fay’s life before the ambulance arrived.
“Two lovely ambulance drivers arrived and Fay was not happy to be going to hospital. And she made it very clear how she felt. It was the only time I have ever seen her truly angry.”
The couple were both social workers in Melbourne and when John resigned he took up furniture restoration. There was a little antique store they would visit and one day he saw an ad in the paper for an antique store for sale. It turned out to be the same store and they bought it.
“Fay always wanted to move to the country so when the opportunity arose to move to Newlyn we jumped at it. We eventually established a nursery in Newlyn and the staff we employed part-time became lifelong friends.”
Despite years devoted to each other and years of memories made, there is one that John remembers every day.
“We were invited to my sister’s for Christmas lunch a few years back and I wasn’t sure how Fay would cope. Her body was tired. When the younger generation gathered around her, interested in her singing and acting, none of us were prepared for what happened next. Fay amazingly started singing Over the Rainbow. With her exhausted mind and body, she found the strength to sing Vera Lynn’s We’ll Meet Again. It was moving. This was her last performance and to she chose those songs.”
Fay would be delighted to know John is remembering to hang up the bath mat and not having too many ‘visitors’ which was Fay’s code for female callers! And while John has a lifetime of his own stories and adventures he is writing about and the life he shared with Fay, he will continue to share posts in honour of Fay and their love.
For now, he is planning a solo trip to Queensland to visit family. He is happy to drive alone knowing his beloved ‘Dear Fay’ is by his side and the opportunity to be at one with his thoughts and memories that will inspire him to go on writing his Dear Fay posts and his own life stories. I arrived at John’s cottage as a stranger connected by heartfelt posts that inspired and moved me – I left his home a friend.
Words: Narelle Groenhout | Image: Contributed

All signs:

We are finally on the right side of winter here, past the longest night of the year and looking forward to the Sun rising a little earlier each morning. This fortnight I’ll be looking to Mars moving into the sign of Taurus, as well as the trickster Mercury moving into the sign of Cancer, both happening on July 5^th.

Mars in Taurus can be like driving with the hand-break on, not conducive to getting where you want to go quickly, but perhaps when you slow down, you can have a look out the window instead of being hyper focused on the road.

Mercury in Cancer can be a little overwhelmed by the water, making it a time when expressing yourself can be important. Mercury in Cancer is asking us to really listen instead of waiting for our turn to talk. This is a good placement for indulging in a little nostalgia or exploring your family ancestry. It can be a little melancholic, try to get your vitamin D dosage in and take your giggles where you can get them. Read on to see how you might harness the power of the planets. If you know your rising sign, start there first.

Aries:
This is a lovely time to kick off some financial plans, you have the drive and the energy to get something going this month. Traditionally Mars wants to go full speed ahead and can be a bit of a flash in the pan kind of situation but moving into your money sector in the sign of Taurus might offer you some longer-term prospects. Where you call home is also in the spotlight right now, a great time to buy or sell property or even sign contracts for any home renovations that you have been wanting to do. A balance between home, family and your work, career is on the cards. Where do you need to make adjustments in order to find that harmonious balance? Don’t be afraid to speak up at home and voice your opinion on these matters.

Taurus:

The speed demon Mars is giving you a big nudge this month, and we all know that you don’t like to be rushed! This is a nice energy boost that can give you some extra motivation, help you kick some goals or at least set some. This revving of the engines can be helpful if you are looking to do some exercise and blow off a little steam. If you’ve been considering education on any level, this is can be a window to help you find that right program, teacher, or institution to get you where you want to go. You have the capacity to take your time digging deep into philosophies and ideas as well as having conversations of substance and depth.

Gemini:

The month of July can be an illuminating one for you on an internal level. This can be a revealing and helpful time if you’re ready to face your fears, scrutinize what’s holding you back and decide what you really want from your life. Confronting your foibles can be heavy stuff, I know. Look for signs, serendipity, déjà vu, messages in dreams to point you to a path if you are feeling lost. In the more material matters of life, your financial picture is looking rosier. Business opportunities, new ventures or ideas might worm their way into your purview. Seek out some independence from others if you can or adjust partnership contracts. Your eyes are adept at sifting through the fine print at this time where money and assets are concerned.

Cancer:

Opportunities to take on leadership roles within groups you are associated with may present themselves to you this month. This is also an excellent time to initiate a long-term project that you might previously have viewed as being too much, but your full of courage and motivation now. Mind that you aren’t too pushy with your point of view, being a team player could be a struggle. While you are typically someone that is more about looking after and nurturing others, you might be more inclined to take some time out for yourself, to do things just for you. Grand plans and ideas might be free flowing, ways in which you can best get where you want to be. Make any adjustments necessary to your relationships so that you can shine your brightest.

Leo:

You’ve got some energy coming in to help you with your career path, to give some motivation and strategies. It might be that you are more passionate about what you’re doing or more inclined to take action. On the more personal side, your mind is being turned inward to reflect and refresh before the Leo birthday season rolls around. Behind the scenes, you might find that you’re trying to help your head and your heart reconnect. This is also a time when you could make some adjustments to achieve goals around your health, wellness, and daily routines. If you aren’t feeling very successful, this is a time to look at where you would like to be and how you can get on the right pathway.

Virgo:

If you have been working on a project to do with publishing, marketing, broadcasting, tertiary education, international business, or travel Mars is going to give you that boost to help you get across the finish line. You might have more persistence and motivation, even to begin a project in one or more of these areas. You might also find that this month you are keen to start sharing your ideas with friends, groups, and organizations within your community. I know that being out in the public eye isn’t your happy place, but you have so much to offer others with your knack for discernment, ability to analyse, and zero in on what is of quality. Now is the time to share your insights with the world.

Libra:

The month of July can see that you are able to collaborate with others in order to create more stable resources for yourself. Perhaps some grant money or even inheritance turns up to help you out but it likely won’t come without some friction or arguments over the terms and conditions. Be mindful of the horse that you hitch your wagon to, you don’t want to wind up giving your power away to someone else. In terms of your career path, you are more likely to make some solid decisions, have great ideas, be more open to conversations with others and take feelings into account. Your intuition might be able to lead you down a path that is helpful, not all decisions made with the heart are reckless.

Scorpio:

Changes around relationships might be on the way, not just marriage/romantic relationships but also business partnerships. You might find that this month sees you more passionate within this scenario, if you aren’t attached to someone then you might feel more motivated on your quest for love. The caution is that you might be so passionate that you could be argumentative, like it’s my way or the highway kind of attitude. There might be an interest in continued learning of some kind, keep an open mind, be flexible, it might also be that you are thinking about an overseas trip. This can be a good time to look at the fine print around either of these topics, a good time to sign on the dotted line.

Sagittarius:

Your motivation around health routines, daily practices and your wellness gets a boost this month. Look to what you might need to cut out, shift or even a practitioner that you are ready to let go of that is no longer giving you the value that you are looking for long-term. Also highlighted for you is the topic of money, yours and maybe your partner’s income or earning potential. This is a time to adjust how you make or create money, as well as what you do with it. It might be that you finally take out that loan you have been considering or might be on the receiving end of a grant or funding of some sort.  

Capricorn:

If you can take the time to play hard and pursue your passion or pleasure projects, now is the time to grab hold with both hands. Look to the conception of a creative project that you want to have a long-lasting impact. Or if you have already started on this type of project, you might take a new tact with it and spin it on its head. There is also a focus on relationships and the conversations that you have with your better half. It might be a time when emotions are running high and either you aren’t feeling heard by your partner or it could be that you are the one not listening intently enough. Finding a way to set emotions to the side and keep an open mind can be key to smoothing any relationship wrinkles.

Aquarius:

Energetic Mars is indicating a change of direction, possible in a very literal sense and pointing towards moving house. It might be that you are thinking about remodelling or renovations where you are currently living. A hive of activity in some capacity around your home environment and family life is bound to take place this month. Mars is also a planet associated with conflict and arguments; it might point to a time when family issues get an airing out. The other highlight for you right now is around health and wellness, either your own, your parents or maybe even your pet. Trust your gut, if something doesn’t feel right, be sure to have it checked out.

Pisces:

You might be inclined to be more upfront and assertive with your communication style this month, not the best time for diplomacy but a great time for expressing what you want. Deals and negotiations are on the table, especially if you are looking to buy or sell vehicles or property. This can be a great time when you are more direct and less likely to be a push over. New ideas might formulate relating to having some fun, plans come together easily to have a good time and enjoy yourself. Be sure to work your mind, puzzles, arts and crafts or books can give you the sort of stimulation that makes you happy and passes the time in a leisurely way.

Until next time, Jennifer Hart

Link: www.jhartastro.com

Grassroots creative organisations are being supported to deliver creative content to more Victorian audiences, providing stable funding and new opportunities.
Powering up micro creative organisations and collectives while driving creative innovation across the state, the Creative Ventures Program offers a stable two-year funding base to support the generation of new work, creative content and career opportunities.
Eligible entities can apply for up to $200,000. Focused on organisations with 10 or fewer full-time staff, the program is open to those working in creative industries including visual art and craft, theatre and performance, literature, music, screen, digital games, design and fashion.
Funding can be used both within and outside creative industries to build sustainable professional practices, develop new markets, increase audience engagement, collaborate with others and to create and present new work.
The Creative Ventures Program aims to support and strengthen the diversity of Victoria’s creative industries and will prioritise applications from entities led by or focused on First Peoples creatives, creatives who are deaf or disabled, culturally and linguistically diverse or regionally based, and other under-represented groups.

Approximately 400 new trees will be planted on nature strips in Riddells Creek in the coming months as part of Macedon Ranges Shire Council’s annual tree-planting program.
The 2022 street-tree planting program will run between June and September, the optimal time to give the trees the best chance of survival.
“The Macedon Ranges is renowned for its tree-lined streets and avenues which form an integral part of the shire’s appeal. We’re fortunate to have a variety of microclimates across the shire, with varying rainfall and temperature, which allow for a diverse range of trees to be grown,” said Colin Marshall, Acting Director Assets and Operations.
“The benefits of street trees include shade for pedestrians, increased property values, noise and pollution absorption, improved mental health and reduced rainfall runoff,” he said.
Residents of Riddells Creek in the areas where street-tree planting is to take place will be notified of works via a letter.
Street-tree planting has also previously taken place in Lancefield, Tylden, Malmsbury, Darraweit Guim, and New Gisborne. Council has a shire-wide strategy for planting, however by focusing planting locations each year cost efficiencies can be achieved.
“Trees are purchased from local nurseries and Council staff ensure the new plantings are well looked after, watering regularly during the warmer months for the first two years to ensure they mature into healthy and structurally sound trees. Most trees are then self-sufficient after two years,” said Mr Marshall.
The stakes used in the planting program were up-cycled from the trees felled by the June 2021 storm.
Council selects trees under our “Right tree, right place” guiding principle. That is, species are selected based on what is most suited to the location. To view a list of Council’s preferred tree species visit mrsc.vic.gov.au/Tree-Management-Policy
To see a list of trees that will be planted and their locations visit mrsc.vic.gov.au/RCtrees
For information about Council’s upcycling of storm-felled trees into stakes visit mrsc.vic.gov.au/upcycled-stakes

Macedon Ranges Shire Council is holding a free information session in Gisborne on 5 July for older people, their families and carers about Commonwealth Home Support Programme and Village Connect services.
Most people want to stay socially connected and participate fully in community life for as long as possible as they get older. The Commonwealth Home Support Programme and Village Connect can provide the extra support you might need to stay connected to your community.
Support available includes:
 Social support: support to attend appointments, shopping, banking, community activities, group excursions, assistance with technology (purchasing & using devices), regular phone calls, etc.
 Respite care: someone to care for you while your carer takes a break.  Connecting to activities: information about activities in the community that support good mental and physical health, and bringing older people together online.
The information session will explain more about local services and supports, who can benefit, how supports can be accessed and approximate costs.
Council’s Director Community, Maria Weiss said Commonwealth Home Support Programme and Village Connect services play a pivotal role in helping the shire’s older population to remain active members of the local community.
“We encourage older residents and their families to come along to this information session to find out what support is available in the shire to help them stay socially connected,” she said.
The information session will run from 1.30 to 3.30 pm on Tuesday 5 July at the Gisborne Mechanics Hall, 8 Hamilton Street Gisborne.
COVID-safety measures will be in place and free transport can be arranged for those who do not have access to transport.
To register contact Stephanie Harper on 5422 0258 or email sharper@mrsc.vic.gov.au