THE Local started on September 2, 2013, due to a combination of happenstance, and has been driven forward into the present with tenacity from the crew, the reckless and rambunctious business acumen and photography skill of yours truly as well as the skill of the editor, keeping a steady hand on the tiller.
This is our 250th edition and I was pontificating about a few stats that would drive home the gravitas of this anniversary and came up with the following.

We produce 5500 copies each edition with an average of 28 pages (some as high as 80 pages and one, in the height of the pandemic, as low as 20). That is around 150,000 kilograms of paper and 2,750,000 staples with a little less for our first “cheaper” print site that had the odd 100 staples per issue missing or poking out the sides from a few papers. And I must not leave out the 14 kilograms of ink we use to print which equals just north of 3.5 tonnes.
We have obtained or taken an average of 30 images per edition (not counting adverts) and the same number of editorial pieces. That is 7500 images and the same editorial stories over the years.
Our delivery run takes around 10 hours to get the paper across our patch which is around 300 kilometres per edition with additional top-ups, which means we have spent 2500 hours in the sun but mostly rain, hail and sleet and racked up 75,000km in our delivery vehicles.
The delivery circuit has laid waste to a SsangYong Musso due to an overheating clutch incident at the ChillOut parade one year, followed by catastrophic brake failure at the Daylesford Sunday Market.
It has also claimed the life a Peugeot 306 but fortunately not its pilot at The Cutting in Hepburn. The car was no match for a four-wheel-drive moving lickety split from the direction of the former Old Heppy and crossed the double lines.
The stats go on to include the website, which is buzzing and receives over 13,000 unique visitations per month because of the four editorial packages including images and YouTube that are uploaded every day, 365 days per year.
So, reflecting on this ambitious undertaking we embarked on almost eight years ago, I think we got it right. We shot for the stars when Fairfax and other print organisations were screaming from the tallest building “print is dead” to save their own print bill. We got a boring country newspaper idea, shot it in the arm with a mixture of great local creatives, hyper-local stories and left the bad news for Facebook.
You’re welcome, rant over…

IT’S not always easy being green or a journalist. (Nod to Kermit there.)
Now and again we get asked to investigate something or someone. Generally we don’t because we don’t have the money or time for lengthy investigations, or it’s just a grudge match and we don’t want to get involved in the argy-bargy.
But generally speaking we more often get asked to “look into things” which is fine but not as simple as you would imagine. Not as simple as the old days anyway.
Back when I was a younger, more enthusiastic journo, you could go straight to the top cop at your local station and get the latest on what the crims were up to. They always had time for a bit of a natter and a cuppa. I even remember being asked along to a marijuana bonfire at one seaside station. I would say it was a memorable event but I don’t remember much except for arriving. I may have even got a lift home in the back of a divvy van. Anyone remember that chant or is my age showing?
Nowadays, like most government departments, it’s all done through media liasion and everyone is pretty much told never to talk to a journalist.
Same with councils. I know, because I have been told by councillors that they are not allowed to talk to journos. Some of them break ranks on that but most stay the course. And then there is the Councillor Code of Conduct which means even if they don’t agree with a council decision, let’s say the selling of The Rex or jettisoning aged care services, they can’t say anything. They have to support that decision – even if they think it’s a load of rubbish. I don’t know about you but many of this latest cohort at Hepburn Shire Council were voted in on transparency and communication. I think if people knew they would stick to what basically amounts to a gag order, they would have struggled to find the numbers.
Then there is the next step up, state government. I called one department recently with a bit of a query only to hear the voice message of the PR staffer. It went like this: “If I don’t know your number I won’t pick up the phone, text me.” And that was it. Nothing polite, just straight to the point. A millenial if ever I heard one, refusing to pick up the phone unless a name showed up as well. No wonder they don’t like landlines – I can’t imagine the inner turmoil of listening to a phone ring and having no idea who is on the other end. What happened to spontenaity? It could be the love of your life or the bloke from Tattslotto calling to say you’ve won the jackpot.
That bloke did call me once when I was working on a paper in the suburbs of Melbourne. I nearly fell off my chair as he said his name and specifically asked for me. Sadly my joy was short-lived. He also freelanced in public relations, so was just calling to let me know a press release was on its way. Oh well.
Talking of press releases, I received one yesterday from the newly formed Grampians Health. It was titled “rules of engagement for media” and firmly stated that the media team worked only on weekdays from 8.30am to 5pm and “all enquiries must be directed to media@gh.org.au – Media are not to contact Grampians Health staff directly; this will not speed up the process.”
Whoa, that’s being told. Bad luck if something happens on the weekend. So, as a journo, your feathers are already a little ruffled but then they ask that at the end of any story about them you add a 38-word footnote about their “united health service”. I did email back asking if it was a joke but apparently not.
Anyway, here’s my footnote. This is our 250th edition and unless that Lotto bloke calls back we’ll be here for edition 251. No, it’s not always easy but I do love being a journo in this community. Just saying’…

DAYLESFORD Cider Company has won Australia Award’s 2021 Regional Development Victoria Business Achievement Award.
Daylesford Cider Company was bought by Jon and Clare Mackie in 2015 as a small-scale cider producer.
Jon aka Mackie is self-taught and has refined their cider styles while also developing new innovative styles to distinguish their brand. He’s obviously doing something right because they keep winning awards at the Australian Cider Awards.

Clare, who has proudly just become an Australian citizen, runs the on-site cellar door and restaurant with help from cellar door and events manager Andrew Rumble.
Both Clare and Andrew made us feel very welcome when we popped in for lunch on Friday with a couple of friends. There is plenty of seating either alfresco or indoors and lots of room to wander around an immaculately kept lawn area. Did I mention dogs are very welcome too.
Our friends chose wine while Kyle had a beer, brewed for the cidery, and I opted to try the cider tasting paddle. The paddle is a really great idea for people who either like cider and want to try more styles, or are not sure if they like cider, and just want to give them a go. They are all great but I found the dry vintage was my favourite, followed by the watermelon, perfect for a summer’s day.
Food. Woodfired pizzas are the go-to here, after starting with a really great share plate. We ordered three between the four of us, ham, a veggie dreamin’ and pepperoni. Plenty of toppings, great flavours and a nice thin crust. I thought we might have over ordered but by the time we finished up they were all gone.
The meal done, our friends headed off and Andrew took Kyle and me over to the cidery to say g’day to Mackie. He is hard at work at the moment, juicing up apples before they are put into barrels to ferment. The barrel time depends on how complex he wants the cider to be. Australians, he says, are moving from sweeter ciders to a more dry finish (I am obviously ahead of the pack here) but they are also not into too much complexity. I guess the majority of us are like Goldilocks and want it “just right”. Making cider here is a non-waste production with all of the leftover crushed apple going off to local pig farms.
If, like us, you have been spending too much time at home, head to the Daylesford Cider, and enjoy an award winning drop and a great pizza. Say hi to Clare, Mackie and Andrew.

Words: Donna Kelly

breakthrough

One year, before the harlequin bugs
found and filleted our mini-orchard,
we had a bumper crop of pears.
I took bags of them to school.

The staff lapped them up but still
there were more, all yellow green
and luscious, so I hefted them into my
final class for the day, feral Year 9s,

risked handing out
a couple of sharp knives
and some mis-matched
bread and butter plates.

You’re told as a teacher that you need
a plan, that you should know
what you want them to know
and know how you know they know.

But often it’s the kids in the know.
They know when they are ready
and when to put obstacles your way.
Food fudges the contest.

And it is a finely balanced contest. They
have the numbers. You have the authority.
Something needs to happen
for the combat urge to peel away.

What did happen was more than hunger
abatement. Patterns broke. Participation
trumped docility, sharing won out
over hostility. And my guard dropped too.

It became a Friday institution. Students
brought apples, nectarines, figs, grapes, berries,
from their yards or homes and we slurped away
on nothing pedagogical for a good ten minutes.

Then we negotiated. Last period Friday
is legendarily unteachable – kids smell
the weekend – but from this time on,
the urge to bite back was gone.

Bill Wootton

Bill has retired from teaching but still loves his fruit.

Freeze your berries

If you are fortunate enough to share in this year’s crop of berries, or have managed to bulk buy at the right price, make the most of them by freezing the surplus fruits and enjoy the results for the rest of the year.
This method is mainly for strawberries, mulberries, gooseberries, blackberries and their other relatives – boysenberries, loganberries and youngberries – but other fruits such as cherries, oranges, and pineapples can be frozen in the same way.
Simply slice or cube the fruit and place the portions in a sealable plastic container, sprinkling each layer as you go with a thin coating of sugar. Then seal the container and place it in the freezer. The fruit will keep for months unopened in a freezer, or for up to six to eight weeks in the freezer compartment of your refrigerator.
To use the fruit, simply thaw it unopened – allowing about half an hour at room temperature. Don’t attempt to refreeze any leftovers. To avoid wastage, use smaller, individual containers.
Another freezing technique with the soft and pulpy berries is to put them through a blender with honey to taste and then pour into a sealable container and freeze.
For later use, the fruit can be taken out and put through a blender whilst still frozen, before use either as a topping for ice cream, or as a syrup for fruit salad.

If you normally use a small number of berries at any given time, you could loose freeze them in a compartmented ice cube tray, then store them in a freezer bag or sealed container. Then the required number can be thawed and used as you need them.

Beat the price rise – grow your own vegies

The world has gone mad! Thanks to bloody Putin and his mob suddenly the price of everything has gone right through the roof.
There’s little we can do to stem the rising cost of just living but we can make a big difference in our food bills by growing our own vegetables and we don’t need to turn our back yards into a market garden to do it.
Admittedly, such crops as cabbages, beans, tomatoes and other seasonal crops take time, effort and lots of space. But there are plenty of nutritional meals to be had from a wide range of the fast growing greens and root vegetables.
Better still, they are quick growing and mostly repetitive in what they give. In most cases, especially radishes, so there’s no real need to turn over much of your garden space. Many of them can be grown in large pots or along borders of ornamental garden beds, especially in the case of chives, onions and leafy beets, and particularly the attractive multicoloured Swiss chards.
There’s really nothing mystical or difficult about growing vegetables, especially the “salad group” of leafy annuals. Their main requirements are a warm, well-lit position in a well-drained, open, loamy soil with regular watering and nitrogen-rich fertiliser.
The root group – radishes, carrots, onions, etc – grow best on deeply cultivated, well-mulched, even sandy soil, with regular feeds of slow-releasing organic manures. Also lettuce, cabbage and cauliflower because these are dug up whole when harvested, and are best grown directly in an actual garden bed.
Most other leaf crops which can be regularly harvested such as silverbeet, chard rhubarb, etc, can usually thrive for several years if harvested regularly and not allowed to flower and go to seed and die off. They will grow successfully in a small bed, even alongside the herbs.

Got a gardening question: Email glenzgarden@gmail.com

TRENTHAM’S Little Gallery is celebrating its first anniversary as the bigger Little Gallery in its spacious, light-filled new premises by showcasing two new guest artists.
Covid’s restrictions have meant the bigger Little Gallery has been unable to stage official openings over the past 10 months but those shackles come off at 4pm on Saturday, April 2 with a public opening of new works by local sculptor Peter Butterworth, pictured above, and painter Linda Wheeler, below.

Artist Rose Wilson said the artist-run gallery had always operated with an ethos of supporting local art and artists and has exhibited works by more than 500 local artists over the last nine years.
The Butterworth and Wheeler works will be on show for three months alongside the constantly changing display of pieces by permanent artists Rose Wilson, Helen Cottle, Ri Van Veen, Kim Haughie, Larissa Gray and Llael McDonald.
The work of local consignment artists Ruby Wilson-Peirce, Sam Bloomfield, Dianne Longley, Fran Harkin, Liz Archer and Anneke Hoekstra will also be on display.
Outgoing guest artist Kathy Holowko’s amazing hovering bats and Steph Goss’ beautiful botanical pieces have been at the gallery for the past three months and have been well received by locals and visitors alike.
“Please join us at the opening by welcoming our two new guest artists in residency Peter and Linda, plus new works by the collective on Saturday, April 2 from 4pm to 6pm,” Rose said.
For any inquires contact Rose on 0439 984 314.
Link: www.trenthamlittlegallery.com

THE Victorian Disability Worker Commission has launched a new campaign encouraging people to make contact if there are concerns about a disability worker’s behaviour or quality of work.
People with disability, their families and carers might feel nervous about raising a concern however the commission has a skilled and friendly team to assist callers. The service is free, confidential and available to everyone.
Victorian Disability Worker commissioner Dan Stubbs said that no matter how big or small a concern was, if something didn’t feel right about a disability worker, the commission’s team could listen to the concerns and act if required.
“As we hear the stories being told at the Royal Commission into abuse and neglect of people with disability, we are reminded how critical it is to protect vulnerable people from harm and neglect by stopping people who pose a serious risk of harm from providing disability services.
“I know most disability workers are highly committed and provide excellent care to people with disability. However, we know there are times when people will have concerns and even when people with disability can be harmed. So if you have any concerns about a disability worker, our team is here to listen, help and guide you as we understand it can be difficult to take the step of contacting us.
“It’s important that people with disability feel safe with their disability worker and sharing a concern or making a complaint can help improve the standard of disability workers and quality of care for everyone.”
The Commission’s team can deal with complaints about any disability worker in Victoria, regardless of how they are funded or how the disability worker is employed.
All Victorian disability workers are required to comply with the Commission’s Code of Conduct and registered workers must meet set standards for safety, skills and professionalism.
The commission team can be contacted on 1800 497 132 between 9.30am and 4.30pm, week days, face-to-face or mail to Level 20, 570 Bourke Street, Melbourne 3000, via the website vdwc.vic.gov.au/complaints, through in-language interpreters and via the National Relay Service 1300 555 727 or SMS 0423 677 767.
Link: www.vdwc.vic.gov.au

The Palais-Hepburn, Hepburn Springs

SupperClub Friday presents Jeff Duff’s Spinning Wheel – Friday, April 1, 6pm
Beautiful Dark – The Music of Twin Peaks – Saturday, April 2, 6.30pm
Renee Geyer – Friday, April 8, 6.30pm
Mike Elrington – Saturday, April 9, 6.30pm
Ousmane Sonko & Kairo Family Band – Friday, April 15, 6.30 pm

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

You can find everything you need at weekend markets, from fresh fruit and veg to handmade jewellery and wares, throughout the Central Highlands and surrounds. Here are just a few.

Daylesford Railway Market – every Sunday

Golden Plains Farmers Market – first Saturday
Trentham Neighbourhood Centre Makers’ Market – first Saturday
Castlemaine Artists Market – first Sunday

Kyneton Farmers Market – second Saturday
Ballan Farmers Market – second Saturday
Kyneton Rotary Community Market – second Saturday
Maldon Market – second Sunday
Clunes Farmers Market – second Sunday

Trentham Farmers and Makers markets – third Saturday
Glenlyon Farmers Market – third Saturday
Creswick Market – third Saturday
Leonards Hill Market – third Saturday
Talbot Farmers Market – third Sunday
Woodend Lions Market – third Sunday
Malmsbury Farmers Market – third Sunday

Daylesford Farmers Market – fourth Saturday

Trentham Station Sunday Market – fourth Sunday

Want to advertise your market? It’s free. Just email news@tlnews.com.au

Locals and visitors are invited to attend three community events hosted by the Woodend Neighbourhood House this weekend.
The Woodend Community Showcase, Repair Café and Whole Town Garage Sale will coincide with the Woodend Farmer’s Market and the Woodend Lifestyle Carers Group Car Book Sale on Saturday, April 2.
The Woodend Community Showcase will run between 9am and 1pm and feature more than a dozen local community groups eager to chat with locals.
The Woodend Neighbourhood House’s monthly Repair Café, which has seen a resurgence in popularity following months of closure, will also be happening.
And if that’s not enough, the day will feature Woodend’s Whole Town Garage Sale. More than 35 locals have registered to be listed on the Whole Town Garage Sale map, which will go on sale from the front of the Woodend Neighbourhood House (47 Forest Street, Woodend) at 8am on Saturday morning. The map costs $5 each and shows the addresses, opening times and brief details of each of the garage sales.
For information head to www.woodendnh.org.au or call the Woodend Neighbourhood House between 9am – 3pm Monday to Friday on 5427 1845.

Award-winning indie folk darlings Charm of Finches and prolific singer-songwriter Jack Carty have hit the road for the Festival of Small Halls Autumn Tour 2022.
The Festival of Small Halls Autumn Tour 2022 started on March 11 at the Port Fairy Folk Festival and will visit 21 local halls.
Festival of Small Halls producer Eleanor Rigden said the tour marked the first time many of these community spaces would host live music, or indeed any event, since the start of the pandemic.
“It feels quite monumental to be touring across the state again – 2019 was the last time we visited a lot of these halls.”

The festival will visit the Glenlyon Hall on Wednesday, April 6. The doors open at 6.30pm with the show from 7pm. Opening the show will be local act Glenlyon Ukulele Team.
Link: www.festivalofsmallhalls.com

The Daylesford Bowling Club Division 1 Tuesday Pennant team has won the Ballarat Highlands Bowls Region Grand Final.
The grand final was played at Webbcona on Tuesday, March 22 with Daylesford defeating Beaufort 67 shots to 63.
The rink members and results were:
Gerald Coffey, Lois Voterakis, Anne Bremner and Dot Bull – 17/25;
Ted Goodwin, Margaret Coffey, Rod Poxon and Rose Marshall – 26/21; and
Wendy Goodwin, Liz Wigmore, Steve Stupavski and Maureen Tate – 24/17.

Above, from left, Maureen Tate, Steve Stupavski, Liz Wigmore, Rod Poxon, Ted Goodwin, Margaret Coffey, Rose Marshall (rear), Wendy Goodwin, Anne Bremner, Dot Bull, Gerald Coffey and Lois Voterakis

OZACT is presenting Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, at Hepburn Mineral Springs Reserve next month.
In Shakespeare’s greatest tale of love, two star-crossed lovers chart their own course for the future at a time where hatred and self-interest are tearing the world apart.

In a city of secrets, Romeo and Juliet meet, and a brief love, cut short by death, is born. Shunning the hate of warring factions, in defiance of their families and in secrecy from their closest friends, the young couple risk all they have to be together.
The production is directed by Bruce Widdop and Matt Young. The cast includes OZACT company members Bruce Widdop, Matt Young, Sorcha Breen, Ryan Ireland, Eleanor Ruth, Luke Ingram, Alexis Longley, Michael Davidson and Daniel Pitts.

Romeo and Juliet will be at the Hepburn Sound Shell on April 2 and 3 from 4pm.
Bookings essential: www.ozact.com

In the 10 years since the Community Bank Daylesford District opened its doors on Vincent Street, it has contributed more than $500,000 in community funding.
From sporting clubs, arts and culture clubs, medical and health suppliers to historical groups and local charities, the bank has allowed groups to continue operating over that time and especially in more recent years when Covid completely stopped the ability to fundraise.
Branch manager Melanie Tudball said giving back to the community is the most rewarding part of her role.

“I’ve been a volunteer most of my life and I know how hard it is for local groups to survive financially so it really is the best part of my job seeing how our day-to-day work serving customers allows funds to go straight back into the community.
“We actually get to see where the money goes: whether it’s new facilities at a club, new equipment for emergency services or supporting arts and culture groups like Sprout!, ChillOut, the Museum or Friends of Cornish Hill, we meet the people and see the difference the contributions make.”
While still referred to by many as the Bendigo Bank, the Community Bank Daylesford District is one of a number of branches across the country that grew from the first Bendigo Bank Community branches in the late 1990s.
There are now more than 300 community banks across the country and closer to home there are branches across the Hepburn, Macedon and Goldfields areas. Local branches are franchises of the Bendigo Bank and the branches are owned and operated by local people.
“Because the branches are owned by local shareholders and all decisions made by volunteer board members in those communities, the branches are different from the major banks. It’s the local involvement that allows us to keep giving back to the community,” Melanie said.
Link: www.facebook.com/communitybankdaylesforddistrict

The Probus Club of Daylesford held its AGM on March 21 with an election of office bearers and committee members.

President is Garth Marks, senior vice president is Keith Pyers, junior vice president is Stephen Walker, secretary is Susan Priest and treasurer is Ted Goodwin. The committee members are Dot Bull, Margaret Coffey and Lois Voterakis.
Probus spokesperson Ted Goodwin said the group was an association for active members of the community no longer working full-time to join together for a new lease of life.
The Probus Club of Daylesford meets on the third Monday of each month at 10am at the Daylesford Bowling Club, 8 Camp Street. New members are welcome. All enquires to Susan Priest on 5348 7674.

Above, from left, Margaret Coffey, Ted Goodwin, Dot Bull, Lois Voterakis, Garth Marks, Susan Priest, Keith Pyers and Stephen Walker