Palais-Hepburn, Hepburn Springs

SupperClub Friday presents Hannah Acfield – Friday, June 10
Club 54 Solid Gold Disco Show – Saturday, June 11
SupperClub Friday presents Kimberly – Friday, June 17
Brooke Taylor & Jess Parker’s Prairie Dogs – Saturday, June 18
SupperClub Friday presents Gretta Ziller – Friday, June 24
Reece Mastin – Saturday, June 25

SupperClub Friday presents Skiffle Party – Friday, July 1
LENNOX: Legend In My Living Room – Saturday, July 2
SupperClub Friday presents Matt Katsis – Friday, July 8
Miss Friby presents Absolute Riot – Saturday, July 9
SupperClub Friday presents Ernest Aines – Friday, July 15
Beautiful Dark – The Music of Twin Peaks – Saturday, July 16
SupperClub Friday presents D’eux – Friday, July 29

Got a gig to promote? Email news@tlnews.com.au

CURRY Punk and Jelly Brain. Sound like punk rockers? They’re mushrooms.
The first is a native Australian that grows on dead eucalypts and is pretty widely spread through the region. Up close it smells curry-like or of fenugreek.

Jelly Brain, a stunningly beautiful jelly fungus grows on old logs, appears in many different forms and shapes but usually in lovely overlapping lobes and looks amazing with light filtering through it.

These insights are from Alison Pouliot, a natural historian and environmental photographer, who moves between Central Victoria and Switzerland teaching about mushrooms.
To her, fungi provide architecture in soil, recycle organic matter, mediate energy cycles, filter water, transmit nutrients and connect ecosystems.
“They do a lot of stuff,” she explains. “They’re not just lying around in the bush. Without fungi, organic matter wouldn’t be recycled, plants couldn’t access nutrients and water as efficiently, ecosystems would essentially flounder.
“What’s challenging for people is that most of these vital processes happen out of sight, within the subterrain, so they’re often unaware of them. But this is changing. The groundswell of interest in and understanding of fungi in just the last few years has been both astonishing and encouraging.”
From early childhood she thought they were stunningly beautiful and bizarre organisms. She wanted to know what they were doing. “So that took me down the path of science to try and understand them.”
This meant a “life-long pursuit of time in the bush noticing, observing, trying to work them, documenting them. It’s all a pretty good excuse really to spend as much time as possible in incredible places with amazing organisms”.
She says that as an ecologist she is interested in connections, relationships and trying to understand how ecosystems work. “I’m a freshwater scientist by training, but as an ecologist, you can never look at anything in isolation. I’ve always been interested in ‘edges’ and ‘margins’ and ‘interface environments’, such as riparian habitats, intertidal zones and the soil-subsoil interface.
“These are the most dynamic parts of habitats, where the really interesting stuff is happening.”
Intriguingly, fungi occupy these marginal environments but also the margins of our thinking. “My work bridges both aquatic and terrestrial environments but certainly researching, photographing, writing and teaching about fungi have been a pretty big focus in the last couple of decades.”
Perhaps the most satisfying aspect of her work is the sense of discovery, the privilege of being in diverse and inspiring places, and seeing the shift in people’s thinking from long histories of misunderstanding about fungi to recognising them as vitally important organisms. Part of this change in thinking comes from her books, the third of which is about to be published.
She first went to Switzerland to photograph alpacas and returns because it is advanced in knowledge of fungi.
On the flip side is her distaste for what is happening here. “I’ve got no idea what the (Hepburn) Shire is doing, but the endless ecocide (destruction of the natural environment) within the shire’s boundaries continues, as we’ve seen with VicForests’ relentless and criminal destruction of the Wombat Forest.
“I’ve worked with many governments over the years but I’ve also seen systemic failure at all levels of government to protect and conserve Australia’s natural environments.”
Now most of her focus is on private land, where she sees the best examples of genuine habitat protection.
Australia and the US are among 18 nations with most of the Earth’s fungi species. How many? She doesn’t know.
“I doubt anyone knows, they’re all essentially modelled estimates. But rather than counting what species we’ve still got, focusing on habitat protection and slowing the rate of species loss is probably more urgent.”

Words: Kevin Childs | Fungi images: Alison Pouliot
Main image: Kyle Barnes

CLUNES Writers’ Group has published Unmasked: An Anthology.
Convenor Patsy Skinner said the book was started two years ago, with the idea that masks and restrictions would be a thing of the past within a year.
“Unfortunately, that became two years, and the book took two years to publish. The title has a double meaning, it is about coming out of restrictions but also about writers coming out because a lot of them were there for their first time in having something published.”
Patsy said the group, which has been in existence in different forms for about 20 years, had a theme or topic at each monthly meeting to prompt writers.
“So some of the stories or poems might be on a similar theme but the book has a series of different themes from prompts over those two years that we used to inspire people.
“We also find that even when we have a topic it is interesting how many people have a different take on it, a completely different perspective. Recently we had the word ‘luck’ and the ways people wrote about luck was really interesting.”
Patsy joined the group about five years ago after moving from Tasmania and at the time members mostly met in houses. They then moved to the Clunes RSL and when that became too small they moved again, this time to the Clunes Neighbourhood House. They are now in the Attitude building which offers disabled access and a more central location.

“That has really contributed to the group growing quite a lot in the past 12 months to two years. We have about 15 people, locals and also from Maryborough, Ballarat and Newstead, and have had some recent interest from the publishing of the anthology.”
Patsy said the group was a mixture of writers – some with experience, some just starting on the journey. A couple have self published, others have written for magazines, and some have completed biographies.
The group can be called on to offer gentle critique if asked, but generally does not do too much with feedback. “New writers in particular don’t want to be bombarded with suggestions so we only do it if people want feedback. And we give each person a chance to take the meeting so they can contribute with their own knowledge and genre. A poet might take a session on poems and poetry, someone else might talk about dialogue and others might be more experienced with short stories. The writing is very varied and it is important to give people a chance to express themselves.”
Patsy said the group very much came into its own during Covid, not only with support but keeping up good mental health and motivation.
“Some of our writers live on their own so it was great for them to be able to come along and share their writing. I have also seen more men come into the group which is fantastic. During breaks for a cuppa, they all seem to gather together and have a good chat.”
Patsy said a recent launch, pictured above, of the anthology had gone well with thanks to the Bendigo Bank, Hepburn Shire Council and Clunes Neighbourhood House. The book was printed by Ron Emerson in Maryborough and edited and typeset by one of the members, Judy Palmer, who runs a publishing group Harmony for Books.
And Patsy said a lot of time went into thinking about what should go on the back of the group’s first publication. “We all chatted and thought about it, and then one woman, who is in her 80s and can’t write anymore just said ‘what about this?’
“As wide as our landscape, as varied as our experiences, as rich as our delights, so here are our contributions for your enjoyment.”
“And we all said we would go with that.”
Unmasked: An Anthology is available from BOOM, the Clunes Neighbourhood House retail hub and Clunes’ Longview Meats. It is $25.
For information on the group contact Patsy Skinner on 0407 377 610.
Words: Donna Kelly | Image: Contributed

People requiring aged and disability support in Hepburn Shire will receive home care from one of two providers from July 1, Benetas or mecwacare.
A Hepburn Shire Council media release said all clients would have an uninterrupted and seamless transition of care to their new provider.
Benetas is a leading not-for-profit aged care provider with a mission to provide older Victorians, their families, and carers with a full range of quality community-based services such as home care, and in-home nursing; respite services; residential care and retirement living communities across Melbourne and regional Victoria.
mecwacare, a not-for-profit, non-denominational charitable organisation provides residential, community and in-home nursing care and support services for more than 20,000 Victorians who are aged or living with disability.
The move follows the council’s decision to transition out of aged and disability services in March 2022.
Council’s CEO Bradley Thomas said the council and staff would continue to advocate for vulnerable residents.
“We will work closely with our Disability Advisory Committee and continue to support disability access and inclusion in the shire.”
Meanwhile, the council has developed a draft Positive Ageing Strategy, which is open for community feedback until June 15.

When Tanya Bull won a competition for a $150 voucher for Sault Restaurant, to take her mum, Lorna Thompson, out for her 80th birthday, she had no idea it would be another two years before the event would take place.
The Local, in conjunction with Sault, ran the competition back in May 2020 – just before the world closed down pretty much for two years. Entrants were asked to describe in a few words why they hoped to win the voucher.
Tanya, who works at Springs Medical Centre, wrote to say she had not been able to visit her parents because of lockdowns and wanted to take her mum out for a birthday treat.
Late last month, Tanya was finally able to take Lorna to Sault, and celebrate her 82nd birthday instead.
“Thank you to Sault for your incredible service and helping my mum celebrate her birthday – you went above and beyond to make her day super special,” Tanya said.
“To The Local, thank you for the voucher which we won back in 2020 on Mother’s Day, it was lovely to finally use it.”
The Local editor Donna Kelly said she was really pleased the visit to Sault had finally happened.
“We just want to wish Lorna a very happy birthday from us. For her 80th, 81st and now 82nd!”

“IT’S not about the time on earth – it’s what you do with that time.”
That’s the affirmation 77-year-old Clunes local Philip Oyston lives by and each day this ‘oldest roadie in Melbourne’ lends his heart and time to those around him.
Philip is the son of Australian television and stage actress Sheila Florance, best known for her portrayal of Lizzie Birdsworth, the elderly alcoholic convict in the television series Prisoner.

He has suffered sadness and loss in his life. His sister died when he was a child. His second wife, a local Melbourne singer, died with cancer, with Philip by her side the entire time. “You could say I was the oldest roadie in Melbourne while Jan was singing. I was by her side as her roadie and greatest fan and cared for her in her final years. I simply can’t describe the pain of losing her.”
While Philip has always been behind the scenes in the entertainment industry, it is only now he feels the freedom and confidence to be the one on centre stage.
“Reflection is extraordinary. I’ve always admired theatre and television actors but discovered I can be spontaneous on stage, whether it is changing the lyrics to a song or reciting poetry. At the recent Booktown in Clunes someone suggested I get up at the poetry readings one night. There was a lovely woman Kodie who had lost her father – a wonderful local Bob McKinnon – and she recited one of his poems. It was moving and an incredible tribute to Bob. I wondered what I could possibly recite and it was all very spontaneous. I remembered a song from the folk era of Melbourne in the 60’s, I gave my love a cherry and there is an incredible moment when you are on stage and hear yourself,” he said.
For Philip, he describes his upbringing as quite dysfunctional but educational and loving the same time. “There were a lot of parties. A lot of booze and cigarettes and when Mum would come home late from a stage show, Dad would be having a session with his muso friends. The word eccentric wasn’t commonly used back then but that’s a word to describe my childhood.”
Philip recalls the day his family discovered his sister had died. “My mother aged instantly. There are no words to describe what it would be like to lose a child. I’ve lost loved ones but my mother was never the same. My sister and work friends had gone to work and before work she and her friends would go up onto the roof. We will never really know what happened but it changed our lives changed forever,” he said. Philip was nine years old.
His mother, Sheila, was born in Melbourne and began her stage career at 15 and at 17 she married in Melbourne and then sailed to England with her husband Roger. It’s believed she continued her career on the stages of London during the war. In 1944 her husband died in action. She returned to Australia where she continued working in theatre and became involved in television when it came to Australia in 1956.
“Actors of her generation transitioned to television because it was here. Early television used theatre actresses and crews. My mother even worked in the ABC as a floor manager in 1959.”
Florence died in 1991 from cancer. Only three days before she died Sheila was awarded an Australian Film Industry Award for best actress in the Paul Cox-directed A Woman’s Tale. Philip received the award at the AFI awards night at the Opera House and the next day went straight from the airport to the Cabrini Hospital where she was and gave her the award. Three days later she died. “She went out at the top,” Philip said.
While his mother’s involvement in the entertainment industry had an influence on him from an early age, Philip left school at 16 and became an apprentice hairdresser at an upmarket salon. He then got a job in photography learning the skills of developing photos (his love of photography continues to this day) and from there he got a job sorting mail in the original Mail Exchange Post Office.
He married his first wife at 21 and after a number of attempts working in television, he had various truck driving jobs. He then got a job at Channel 7 driving for a year and then got into the staging department.
“There were a lot of new productions but half of the shows collapsed so they put half of us off. I heard about a job going with Crawford Productions and ended up driving a 28-foot caravan plus was assistant grip on Division 4. “My last 12 years at the ABC I was a grip working on mainly drama programs.” In 1987 Philip took a redundancy package and 10 years later completed a carers course and worked at the Alfred Hospital until he was 73. It was this role that cemented his need to give back.
During this time he was also a carer for his partner Jan and during times of respite would find comfort travelling to Clunes, Maldon and Trentham. He made Clunes his home following Jan’s death.
Philip, like his late mother Sheila, is a wonderful raconteur, with a talent for telling stories that inspire and move you. Now he has found his voice and love of performing at 77, and is living out the next chapter of his colourful and incredible life. But his love of giving back and helping others is his purpose in life.
“If anyone needs a hand, I’ll be there. We all have a story and all have times of need. It doesn’t matter what the need is, it is so important to me to be there for others.”

Words & main image: Narelle Groenhout

BALLARAT Federal MP Catherine King has been sworn in as the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government.
Ms King said as a regional person herself, she understood how much the portfolio meant to the lives of Australians across the country.
“Good infrastructure investment creates jobs, builds opportunity and unlocks economic growth and productivity. Resilient and reliable transport is the backbone of the nation.
“And local government is the closest level of government to the community, delivering the services that Australians rely on.
“From the city to the country, I am determined to see this key economic portfolio play its role in helping to build a better future for all Australians.
“I look forward to working collaboratively with my colleagues in the states, territories and across local government to deliver the projects and the reforms that will make a real different to the lives of all Australians.
“Now, the hard work starts.”
Ms King was first elected to the House of Representatives for Ballarat in 2001. She was re-elected in 2004, 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019 and 2022.
Before entering Parliament, Ms King was a social worker at the Children’s Homes and Family Services (now CAFS) in Ballarat from 1988 to 1992.
She then worked as a research officer to the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Health in 1993 and as an industry policy officer for the Australia New Zealand Food Authority from 1993 to 1994.
Ms King then became an assistant director of Population Health Division at the Department of Health and Aged Care from 1997 to 1998 and was the director of Injury Prevention in the Population Health Division at the Department of Health and Aged Care from 1998 to 1999. She then spent two years as a senior manager at KPMG Consulting from 1999 to 2001. Ms King was awarded Victorian Young Achiever of the Year for Community Service in 1991.

STATE Health Minister Martin Foley visited Daylesford Hospital last week to announce the $4.548 million upgrade of its operating theatres will start late this year.
The project includes upgrades to the operating theatre, an additional operating theatre, waiting area, sterile stock storage area, recovery and admission areas and changerooms. The project will also replace ageing patient monitoring medical equipment, along with equipment in the Central Sterile Supply Department and refurbish that area. The upgrade is due to be completed in the second half of 2023.
Mr Foley said he had been speaking with members of the Daylesford Hospital Board about ongoing funding. “We are looking toward the next stage of the detailed planning and working through what that means; not just this campus but the whole Central Highlands.”
Mr Foley said the population of the region was growing but Castlemaine and Ballarat remained the focus for maternal and early childhood health. Daylesford Hospital has not been available for maternal services for many years.
“We have been working closely with Central Highlands Rural Health about the best model for this region and obviously maternal health and early childhood are a key part of that,” he said.
“Seeing those services delivered safely and appropriately especially as the population grows is at the heart of what CHRH do. But as we have seen, right across the country in fact, access to maternal services, particularly midwives, is really tough and making the best of those skills in the most appropriate locations safely drives what all health services do.
“That’s why Castlemaine and Ballarat will continue to be the focus. We look forward to how CHRH can work into that system.”
Mr Foley also visited Ballarat Base Hospital and unveiled a first look at its new support services building and central energy plant which forms part of the second stage of its $541.6 million redevelopment.
The Drummond Street building will house a state-of-the-art pharmacy, pathology services along with an Education and Learning Centre.
The $80 million project integrates a new central energy plant in the redevelopment, as part of the Guaranteeing Energy Supply initiative ensuring hospitals can power themselves.
Construction of the first stage of the redevelopment is nearly complete with new and modern reception areas, reflection spaces, prayer rooms and consulting suites.
The demolition of old facilities is currently under way, with construction of the hospital’s new central energy plant and support services building to start this year.
The project will be completed over multiple stages and once open will have the capacity to treat at least 18,000 more emergency patients and an extra 14,500 inpatients per year.
The redevelopment includes a multi-level tower with a new emergency department, a women and children’s hub, state-of-the-art theatre suite and an extra 100 inpatient and short-stay beds. Construction of the final stage is due in 2026.

Above, from left, CHRH CEO Maree Cuddihy, Minister Foley, Daylesford Hospital Board chair Professor Peter Matthews and deputy chair Kate Redwood
Words: Tony Sawrey & Donna Kelly | Image: Tony Sawrey

FEAR and dissatisfaction continue to affect Creswick residents five months after the January 6 storm.
Despite assurances from Hepburn Shire Council, major work remains to be done to protect the town from increasingly common flooding events. Forty-four residents remain displaced.
This is all due to damage inflicted by the supercell storm dumping over 160 millimetres of rain and hail on the area within two and a half hours.
In lower areas off Albert Street the drainage system quickly reached capacity. Flood waters spilled out into the adjoining street leaving houses, cars, sheds and caravans under more than 60cm of fast moving water. It was the fourth significant flood in the town since 2010.
“I was home when the water started building up,” says property owner Ron Head. “I got the wife out of the house first because we have been flooded a couple of times before. I then went back and tried to save what I could including my caravan but unfortunately it got too much water in it and I lost it as well.”
In the aftermath, their insurance provider put them up in a hotel in Ballarat. And then they were lucky enough to secure a rental back in Creswick while the necessary repairs were being done on their home.
“I feel reasonably lucky to be able to rent a house,” he says. “There are others a lot worse off than us, living in caravans and having all sorts of trouble and delays with rebuilding.”
Brian and Margaret Morris live in the north of town right near the Creswick Creek channel. They escaped the flood waters with only the clothes they were wearing. “We had no time, the water began oozing up under the carpet and boards and then it came under the front door. Firemen had to carry my wife out. I could only just walk in it, the current was that fierce,” Brian, pictured, said.
They spent their first night after the storm at the Doug Lindsay Reserve with the Salvation Army supplying bedding, food and drink. By the following Monday they had secured a place at the Creswick Holiday Park and have been there ever since.
Their home, which suffered considerable damage, is now being worked on. However Brian remains fearful that the next big deluge will wreck it all again because fundamental problems with Creswick’s waterways are not being addressed.
“The pipe under the verge outside our place was blocked with gravel even before this flood. We have another pipe that comes through my easement into the Cushing Street drain and it was blocked so we copped the water from that as well.”
Brian said other waterways such as the one beneath nearby Cambridge Street are unable to disperse into Creswick Creek, which also holds many years worth of gravel and vegetation making another flood event highly likely unless something is done.
“We are still waiting for the waterways to be fixed. That is the big issue. We only have to have another downpour like we had for the same thing to happen again. I even sent a message to the council a month ago to come and talk to me about drainage but I have received no response.”
Council, in a May 24 media release, said it would carry out a significant flood study of the area to assess longer-term impacts with input from residents.
Just such a report was completed in 2012 after the 2010/2011 flood events with $1.4 million allocated for flood mitigation works including creek deepening and widening between Water Street and Nuggetty Gully. Levee systems were added to protect low-lying areas between Water Street and Nuggetty Gully, Semmens Village, North Parade and Creswick Primary School, an additional two culverts under the Clunes Road and Castlemaine Road Bridges and the installation of one way valves on major drains.
While these works have been completed, home owners such as Brian feel that until the Creswick Creek channel is properly cleared, flooding will continue.
Council CEO Bradley Thomas said the council had invested $4 million of government funding (of an estimated $9-10 million required to complete works) in the clean-up and recovery from the January storm event. “Our immediate attention was to support the relief and recovery stages of the emergency and this is progressing well despite the significant amount of damage.”
Mr Thomas said in addition to repairs to infrastructure and necessary upgrade improvements, council had increased drainage capacity with road upgrade project in Pearman Street to respond to community feedback, held multiple community feedback sessions and visited sites with residents to hear concerns, mapped impacted areas reported by the community, inspected and recorded specific details where public infrastructure needed greater attention and advocated to state and federal governments and the insurance peak body.
It had also submitted a funding application for a second stage flood study ($240k), worked with the SES and CMA to update the Municipal Flood Emergency Plan with mitigation measures to better protect the Semmens Court units for the short term and plans to establish a Community Recovery Committee.
“We acknowledge that there are still around 44 people displaced and not able to return to their homes due to the damage, and we appreciate the level of stress this will be placing on families. We are committed to ongoing support and works over the coming months.” Words & main image: Tony Sawrey | Inset: Contributed

FOLLOWING a successful exhibition on the Australia Day long weekend, the Daylesford Art Collective is planning a new pop-up exhibition for the Queen’s Birthday long weekend from June 11 to 13.
Glenlyon artist Pam Gleeson, pictured, said Daylesford had no community art space and the pop-up exhibitions of the collective went a small way to addressing the issue.
“It gives artists in the community a chance to exhibit and sell their works without having to pay large commissions to commercial galleries,” she said.
“The idea of the collective was driven by a need for local creatives to have visibility and recognition of their work.
“At present, the collective is using the small council building at 94 Vincent Street, between the Daylesford Post Office and the Daylesford Visitor Information Centre which the Hepburn Shire Council has kindly allowed the collective to use.”
Pam said it was hoped a permanent home, which would provide ample space for exhibitions, workshops and workspaces for all disciplines of fine art, would be found in the near future.
The Queen’s Birthday exhibition features nine artists with works including paintings, ceramics, sculpture and woodturning.
At the previous exhibition Silverhair, a local band, performed outside the pop-up space, and will again be performing on Saturday from 1pm to 3pm.
Pam said she hoped people would come and appreciate the talent of some of the local artists. All works are for sale.
Opening hours are 10am to 4pm all weekend.

THE New York Times recently published a graph illustrating the number of “mass shootings”, defined as “public shootings in which four or more people were killed”, in “developed countries”, from 1998 to 2019.
The United States of America tops the list, with 101 causing deaths. Second is France, with eight. Australia is in a group near the bottom of the list, with one.
According to the US National Public Radio, there have been 213 (deaths and injuries) “mass shootings” here in 2022, although the phrase “mass shootings” is too clinical, divorced from the visceral emotional impact of what are, in truth, mass murders. In the most recent of these, in a grocery store in Buffalo, New York, and in a primary school in Uvalde, Texas, 31 men, women and children were killed by two separate teenagers armed with high-powered firearms.
At this point it needs to be made clear that I do not own any guns. I have no need of guns. I don’t hunt or belong to a shooters club. I don’t farm and am content to share my six hectares of land with pests such as burrowing ground squirrels and odoriferous skunks. I salute Australia’s wise and brave actions to control the spread of guns, and fervently hope the US can find the courage to follow Australia’s lead.
I grew up with guns. My father kept a .45-calibre pistol in the bottom drawer of his dresser, under some shirts, a souvenir from his years in the US Army. It was always stored unloaded but there was also a couple boxes of ammunition in the same drawer. Us children – me and my younger sister and brother – knew it was there, knew it was our father’s gun, and knew it wasn’t to be touched.
Later, in my early teens, I went out with my dad and we fired his .45 at some cardboard boxes. He explained that the gun’s design made it a poor target-shooting pistol because the bullet began to tumble, soon after leaving the barrel, making it inaccurate at anything but short range. He pointed out how the bullet made a small hole upon entering the box target, but that the exit hole was much larger, It was a gun made for killing things (people) at relatively close range.
My grandfather – the man who built the house in which I now live with my wife, Carol – liked to hunt and had guns in his house. He had a shotgun, a .22 rifle, and a classic Winchester rifle like the ones in the cowboy movies. He kept them hanging on hooks on the backside of a beam in his basement – the same room in which I now sit, only it’s been converted into a guestroom/office.
When I was a child – probably not more than five, I was staying here with my grandfather. I remember being upstairs and Grandpa was outside; I could see him through the open front door, down on the driveway, about 15 metres away, saying goodbye to some friends in their car. I don’t know why, but he’d left one of his rifles laying on a table.
I picked it up and, as if it was a toy, stood in the doorway and pointed it in my grandfather’s direction, and, laughing, shouted “bang bang”. I guess it wasn’t loaded, or maybe I didn’t pull the trigger, but he looked up at me, quickly concluded his conversation, and strode back to the house. He took the rifle from my hands, and gave me a solid spanking followed by a stern lecture about pointing guns at people.
Yes, he was at fault for leaving his rifle out when there was an unsupervised child in the room, but in what educators call a teachable moment, he taught me a lesson in gun safety.
Unfortunately, I don’t expect the US to learn a lesson about gun safety any time soon. A recent article published by The Conversation website, headlined “How the NRA evolved from backing a 1934 ban on machine guns to blocking nearly all firearm restrictions today”, by Professor Robert Spitzer, does an excellent job of explaining the political forces being brought to bear to ensure that no meaningful action is taken to control gun-related violence in the US.
The problem is not only political, however. The cultural divisions in this country are deep and wide. Our local TV channel is owned and operated by the Sinclair Broadcast Group, a conservative media company. Soon after the slaughter of children and adults in Buffalo, New York, the network published an online report of the event. Here are a few of the comments – unedited – the story attracted:

• “My heart breaks for the kids and family, I am pro 2a and without it we would have no rights, that being said why do we not protect our schools like our banks and federal buildings? Do deep background checks and rehire vets to guard them, I’m sure there would be many willing.”
• “If they treated the kids like they treat the banks and money,no one would need to worry anyways. Also there are many schools in texas that have armed teachers,that helps prevent stuff like this as well.
  *“When you plaster a giant gun free zone sign everywhere,that makes you a target,but when you see signs that say “teachers and staff are armed” or “this is not a gun free zone “you don’t generally have people thinking it’s a good idea to shoot up anything. I am sickened by the loss of all of theses innocent babies and I wish the school would have had someone there to stop this from happening. My heart goes out to their families,and may God be with them.”
• “This is very sad. I wonder if this would have happened if the teachers were armed.”
• “We need to bring God back in Schools, and America itself.”
  The solution to this problem, then, according to many Americans, is more guns, turn schools into fortified compounds, and pray. The commentator who self-describes as “pro 2a” is referring to the 2nd Amendment to the US Constitution, which guarantees an American’s right to own firearms. The author adds: “without it we would have no rights”. This is one of the most powerful false narratives that keep people here fearfully clutching their deadly weapons and refusing to accept any form of gun control.

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.

BODY image is a strange thing, these days it is a subject of taboo due to woke principles and body shaming culture, but did you see the BPAY advert on TV with that big fat guy in the bath?
You can look at the advert via the QR code opposite before reading on.
Anyway, it got me thinking about breasts, as he has a rather fleshy set of man boobs. If we as a society have his large udders thrust into our living room, why then is the nipple of a woman, something personally I would rather look at, pixelated?

Speaking of body shape, back in the old days before we had the fast-food chains when the vast majority of people were in a labour-intensive workforce, such as down a mine or breaking rocks to form roads, before the robots took over, if you had a bit of weight on folks were jealous.
Images of fellows bursting out of their dinner jackets while sipping on another pint of Guinness were something to behold. In the words from the show Oliver: “Food, glorious food, hot sausage and mustard, while we’re in the mood, cold jelly and custard, peas, pudding and saveloys, what next is the question, rich gentlemen have it boys, indigestion!”
And back then women were shapely and voluptuous and, for that matter, so were the farm animals until we bred them into submission for maximum production – the animals not the women that is.
My point that I am slowly getting to is that as the world begins to run out of food and the population continues to swell (think Mad Max), eventually a bit of a tummy out the front will be a thing to show off with pride. Instead of swimwear competitions we will be entering in man boob and back fat competitions. And that’s what I am holding out for as the gravity and post-pandemic lack of motivation to move gradually starts to grab hold. I think eventually I won’t be able to get out of the bed in the morning should the motivation wane further.
Speaking of beds, on a recent road trip with the missus I was shocked to find all the double beds in motels and hotels were two singles pushed together. I am talking about five different establishments of various star ratings.
When I booked, I didn’t ask for two singles pushed together and disguised as a queen bed, I asked for a queen. Some of the places we stayed at made a sort of an attempt to cover the gap with a topper pad and others with just a sheet and under blanket. What is with that?
Surely most people on the road are travelling as couples and don’t want to risk life and limb falling into the abyss as the two single beds separate. Even single travellers must like a bigger bed. And surely it makes better economic sense to buy one queen bed rather than two singles set aside for the odd tightwad who might stumble in off the track looking to share a room.
First world problems I know, rant over…

All signs:

Mercury is going to start moving in a forward direction, meaning it’s finally time to upgrade your mobile phone if you’ve been holding off during this retrograde cycle. Cognitive ruling Mercury also moves into its domicile Gemini and gives us all a boost where communication, idea generation, and our curiosity is concerned.

The lovely Venus will be conjoining Uranus in the sign of Taurus on June 11^th, signalling relationship breakthroughs, sudden attractions, and maybe a rebirth of friendships. But by the 18^th our electric love vibes will be put on notice when Venus makes a difficult square aspect to Saturn. A dose of reality might rush in or the harshness of our obligations could arise and remove our rose-coloured glasses.

Aries:

This is a great time to make business deals, look to unique and interesting ways to not only earn but grow your income. Partnerships are highlighted and can be helpful even if they aren’t well received in the court of public opinion. This can signal a time when you are able to master a new skill or refine one that you already possess. You have the gift of the gab for the latter part of June and will be readily able to communicate your ideas with others.

Taurus:

Financial matters and material possessions are in the spotlight in the second half of June, possibly sparking curiosity on your part as to how you can master your monetary goals. A good time to research crypto currencies or other electronic financial applications and gain as much knowledge as you can to help you. Work might hinder your desire to make some changes to your appearance, you might be keen for freedom of expression, just remember that casual Fridays still require you to wear pants.

Gemini:

The number one topic on your lips this month is you, dear Gemini! What you want, where you want to be, how you can improve your life and move into something new. Conversing with close friends and talking through things might really help you figure out the answers. You might be keen to try a new introspection technique but held back by an existing belief system.

Cancer:

Your monkey-mind is going to be in overdrive at the end of this month, madly typing away and maybe keeping you up at night. If you can pour your thoughts out and onto a page, you might be able to empty out enough to turn the volume down on your inner chatter. A friendship might turn into a romantic encounter but most likely more of a fling than a lasting situation. Nothing wrong with being flung from time to time.

Leo:

Old friendships might be playing on your mind, or you might be contemplating your role in your community with a desire to get more involved. Even though Mercury is no longer retrograde, friends from the past might be making an appearance. You might be the one to reach out to those whom you haven’t spoken to in a while. This time might also see a tension between work and close relationships, how much of yourself do you have to share at the end of the workday.

Virgo:

Your business acumen is on point for the latter part of June, helping you to make deals and network with the right sorts of people to help push your career in a forward motion. Your daily grind might hamper your aspirations in the realm of higher education, international travel or even a spiritual practice, the proverbial alarm clock to your dreamtime. If you can persevere and broaden your horizons, the mundane reality of daily life can be enriched. Remembering that Rome wasn’t built in a day and so too the architecture of your big-picture goals might take some time.

Libra:

In an attempt to gain independence from one commitment, you may end up handcuffing yourself to another. Be mindful of what is presented to you and that you read all the fine print. It could be a good time to call in your chits and ensure that you are aligning yourself with people that you trust. An unexpected travel opportunity might come up that could be a lot of fun and expansive for you, opening your eyes to a new way of thinking, providing you with an enriching experience of other cultures.

Scorpio:

A great time to scrutinize your current situation with insurance policies, loan contracts and investments. Someone might swoop in and offer you help in some form; it could be financial or even passing on a skillset that you need. Keep in mind that nothing in life is free and some form of repayment will be required. There’s also a major emphasis on love and relationships, redefining, or rekindling romance. There could be a need for freedom, keep in mind that absence makes the heart grown fonder and if you need a little space it doesn’t have to be make or break.

Sagittarius:

You might feel like you are speaking another language in your daily life, that things are lost in translation or just feeling like no one understands what you are trying to get across. You might not get what you ordered. Try to go with the flow and not get too frustrated. That being said, your spouse or partner will hear you with crystal clear clarity and be on the same page. Harmonious times with the person that you are closest to are at hand, offering you the opportunity to listen closely and strengthen your bond.

Capricorn:

Now is the time for making lists, generating spreadsheets, or utilizing the latest apps to help make your daily routines and health practices more efficient. A full audit of your daily routine and life goals might be on the books, with your problem-solving abilities at their peak. There might be some financial restrictions hampering your desire for fun and frivolity. A creative breakthrough achieved through an artistic endeavour can get help to bring you much joy and happiness or at least to escape the drone of daily life.

Aquarius:

Curiosity and variety are the order of the day when it comes to romantic encounters, you might find it the spice of life. If you are looking for that special someone, a dating app or website might be the best place to start your search right now with tech savvy Mercury helping you in the romance department. Things at home might seem a little disrupted but if you can let go of some rigidity and strict rules it might not feel so difficult. If you bend, you are less likely to break.

Pisces:

You might come across a creative new way to make something that you have made a thousand times before, keen to break the old mould and be a little rebellious. There could be a breakthrough in the arena of learning, communication, and big ideas. You might feel insecure about your newfound tactics, not sure if you are thinking too far out of the box. Try not to get in your own way. Happy times on the home front for you, and the energy to organise the house, possibly finding lost object. If you figure out where all the lost socks go, please share with the rest of us.

The Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning is seeking community input into how people use and value Victoria’s mineral springs.
A 10-year strategic master plan is being produced for publicly accessible mineral springs to guide land managers in future planning, investment and promotion.
DELWP Land and Built Environment regional manager Daniel McMahon said naturally occurring mineral springs were a valuable resource and recognised for their historical, cultural, social and economic values.
DELWP has released an online survey seeking feedback from visitors to the mineral springs reserves on: What people value about the mineral springs; Which mineral springs are preferred and why; How people know where the mineral springs are located; and How people consume, collect and store mineral water.
The survey, at www.engage.vic.gov.au/mineral-springs-masterplan, closes on July 10.
The majority of the springs are concentrated within the Central Highlands region around the Daylesford Hepburn areas.

Hepburn Springs Brewing Co has taken home two awards from the 2022 Melbourne Royal Australian International Beer Awards.
The awards are the world’s largest annual beer competition, judging both draught and packaged beer – with 2634 entries from 355 breweries.
Hepburn Springs Brewing Co owner Nick Galik said he was thrilled with the gongs – a gold medal for his Hefeweizen (wheat beer) and a bronze medal for his Pilsner (Bohemian Pilsner).
Nick and his wife Helen started the company about five years ago. Nick did a master brewers’ course and started to focus on the beer. His approach to brewing is refreshingly simple: he compares it to cake making. He has a recipe.
Last year Nick entered the 2020 Independent Brewers Association national competition with his pale ale pilsner with judging online, thanks to Covid.
The whole family was together when up came a national gold medal for Nick’s lager.