CLUNES local Lauren Goodrham has always had a passion for the media. Working part time as a 15-year-old camera assistant at the then Ballarat television station BTV-6 to now owning one of Australia’s leading audio agencies based in Ballarat, Lauren was instrumental in paving the way for female camera operators at a time when women were generally in front of the camera.
From working ridiculous hours on live TV to recently launching a new interactive QR code medium, Lauren, pictured with Mike Pritchard, says she has always been fascinated by all realms of the media.
“My bestie school friend Lisa and I were lucky to get weekend work at the station as kids and I was fascinated by the process and I especially had a passion for camera work,” she said. “After my HSC I worked full-time at BTV-6 and in those days, everything was done manually and we loaded carts the size of a house brick onto a huge machine that held at least 40 commercials.
“The experience of telly in those days was fantastic but I wanted to be a camera person so after some convincing, the director of news agreed to let me join the ENG (electronic news-gathering) team and go on the road where I eventually shot and edited for the nightly news.”

Lauren made the move to the city where she worked at Channel 10 editing news stories for the one-hour nightly news bulletin and then ended up on the Bert Newton program as the production editor.
“It was fantastic…the best time I had working in telly. The team was phenomenal – to produce 12 and a half hours of TV per week, and with some of that live to air was huge.”
The ultimate professional, when asked to share any behind the scenes info about Bert, Lauren said he was the ultimate gentleman and a pleasure to work for. While Bert’s show attracted local and international entertainers, it was meeting an Aussie icon that Lauren recalls as her one of greatest memories working on the show.
“John Farnham…yes it’s true. I was introduced to him and I just squealed. That’s true too. Then another time I opened the production booth door and Eddie Van Halen was standing there. That time I screamed. I’m not usually one to scream but I did it again when I shared the lift with Sammy Hagar (front man for Van Halen) after his appearance on Bert’s show.”
But the backroom stories continue to be shared in the small township of Clunes given a number of former camera people (cameraman 3 on Bert’s show now owns the fruit shop), producers, writers, TV set designers (Blue Heelers and Prisoner) and directors all call Clunes home.
“I don’t know what it is that has attracted a number of former telly people. But being part of live television or part of the Melbourne media and entertainment scene is such thrill so it’s great to catch up with others to talk about those days.”
For women who were part of the broadcast industry long before international movements were the norm, most would recall horror stories. In Lauren’s case, she remembers having to navigate her roles in an often all-male team.
“There weren’t many women in production, they were all in front of the camera but there was certainly pressure on them like body image expectations and social expectations. It was a difficult time for many in the industry particularly for the on-screen female talent.”
Lauren moved back to the area 10 years ago, settling in Clunes after freelancing as a production editor and working for DubSat – Australia’s first commercial digital delivery service – “it was phenomenal ground-breaking technology” – then moving into print media where she was a sales rep for now defunct Advocate newspaper in Daylesford. She then accepted a position with Hardy Audio in Ballarat and when the opportunity arose, she bought the company.
“Hardy Audio was created by Paul Hardy in 1998. Paul was the one of the original voices of the Harvey Norman ads and he had the most amazing reach. He would voice literally thousands of ads a month and was truly an extraordinary man with an amazing voice. When I bought the company, I wanted to keep the name going in honour of his legacy to the entertainment industry and for his family.”
In 1998, the Hardy Audio studio had two booths and three mixing suites. Today the studio produces high-end digital content and in-stream marketing via podcasts and music streaming services, as well as script writing, foreign language translations and audio design.
And not one for keeping the status quo, Lauren has recently launched a new arm of her studio – QRush Media. “I’m a bit of a thinker and I’m always planning so when I saw the audio tours at the Ballarat Bergonia Festival where people were engaged with technology out in the gardens listening to the story of a begonia or a tree in front of them, I could see the potential in the QR technology,” she said.
“I then engaged some seriously clever people and we launched QRush Media earlier this month. We have been part of art exhibitions at the Ballarat Post Office Gallery and will be part of the Daylesford Art Show where local artworks displayed in shops will be featured in audio and Auslan (Australian Sign Language) tours simply by using a QR code in the shop window. It’s really exciting to be a part of it.”

Words: Narelle Groenhout | Image: Kyle Barnes

The Local asked people to tell us who is helping them through this tough time, and our readers responded. Some were quite specific and others just sent us the names of their legends. Send us more and we will print them in the next edition. Email: donna@tlnews.com.au

To the fabulous Carmel, who organises Ageing (Dis)gracefully. It is getting better and better in spite of the harsh conditions imposed by governments. So important everyone to socialise, share with the heart and go out of the home. You are doing a very important job, bringing us all together. Thank you for your efforts, vision and trust in all of us as individuals.

Mari

I would like to nominate Chantel Leaver as she provides everyone with Covid updates and has done through the whole pandemic.
She offers clear, honest and factual information and is always there for
support too. She is not working for the Covid contact team. One amazing woman, all while home schooling a tribe of children.

Shelley

Mark is the owner of the Mill Markets here and in Geelong and Ballarat. Whenever there’s been a lockdown he doesn’t charge any rent for the stallholders at the Mill. He has gone out of his way to be kind to people in the community too. I believe he has been handing out coffee vouchers and food vouchers to visitors and locals. I think Mark is an amazing community person.

Elaine

It happened last year but I don’t think you can go past the generosity of Roger and Sue at Herbal Lore. They provided free sanitiser when you couldn’t find it for love nor money. True legend and their kind idea will not be forgotten.

Dianne

I want to thank The Local’s Glen Heyne for his gardening and home page. I read it religiously and it has kept me sane on many dark days. Don’t know the bloke personally but what a legend.John I’d like to thank Nicola Stephens for helping out every student in my class (Daylesford Primary) while homeschooling, and having two kids at home at the same time doing all the housework.

Bella

Lisa in the chicken shop in Daylesford is a legend. Always has a kind word and time for a quick chat, even when she is busy. And great comfort food!

Kurt

The guys at the Clunes Newsagency have been wonderful to everyone and just a breath of fresh air. Always time for a chat. And great service.

Mia

I want to do a shout-out to everyone who is doing the right thing with masks and sanitiser and checking in with the QR codes. I reckon 95 per cent of people are doing it well. Which is about the same amount of people who will get the vaccine. I reckon most of us are legends.

Jason

I have been for four Covid tests so far, at Daylesford and Kyneton, and every time I have been treated with great respect and care by the nurses. I always thank them for the work they do. The health professionals, wrapped in their PPE gear, are the real legends around here.

Kerri

Adele and Todd at Dele Catering are amazing. They really care about their customers and provide nourishing real food when you just can’t be bothered – like so many of us at the moment. And they also give back!

Andrew

I am still loving the erlicheer plants which the Wombat Nursery people started last year hoping we would be done and dusted by last spring. They are popping up again and make me smile when I see them. Legendary effort.

Louise

Eight of the state government’s promised mental health pop-up clinics have opened with one for the Central Highland still to appear.
Sites which opened on September 30 are in Melton, Kensington, Sunshine, Ringwood, Ballarat, Frankston, Mildura and St Kilda. Appointments can be booked at the Partners in Wellbeing website partnersinwellbeing.org.au or on 1300 375 330. The services will deliver a mix of in-person appointments, telehealth and limited walk-in sessions for those who need support in their communities.

Queers on the Catwalk is back, celebrating rural and regional pride with a focus on queer identity expression through clothing and style.
In the lead-up to the November 19 event, LGBTIQA+ community members are invited to a Kyneton workshop hosted by Sunbury and Cobaw Community Health’s WayOut and CLIP teams alongside TGD Clothing Swap and The Story Costumer. Contact healthpromotion@scchc.org.au or 5421 1666 to register your interest. The catwalk event will be held at the Mount Players Theatre in Macedon.

Hepburn Shire Council is working with project partners, Mount Alexander Shire Council, North Central Catchment Management Authority and Dja Dja Wurrung Clans Aboriginal Corporation on the proposed renaming of Jim Crow Creek to Larni Barramal Yaluk.
Larni Barramal Yaluk means home or habitat of the Emu Creek. The renaming of Jim Crow Creek is being proposed in recognition of Aboriginal heritage and the reinstatement of Dja Dja Wurrung language into the landscape, and the removal of a name that is offensive and derogatory. The engagement phase of the project will be until November 12. Link: www.participate.hepburn.vic.gov.au

Macedon Ranges Shire Council is offering residents free mulch at all council transfer stations until December 31.
Residents are encouraged to head to their local transfer station and claim up to one cubic metre of self-loaded mulch. Residents should bring their own shovel, containers or trailer, and protective clothing.

THE Hepburn Burras Football and Netball Club and Hepburn Cricket Club now have more room to grow, with the completion of a new, female-friendly pavilion at the Laurie Sullivan Reserve.

Macedon MP Mary Anne-Thomas joined members of the Burras to officially open the new pavilion, made possible by a $100,000 boost from the Victorian Government’s Country Football and Netball Program.
Membership at both the Hepburn Football and Netball Club and Hepburn Cricket Club has grown to almost 300 in recent years, however, the previous facilities failed to meet modern standards and expectations.
The new pavilion modernises the club’s facilities and includes female-friendly change rooms, umpire facilities, accessible toilets, storage and a community space. The extra space will allow more players and community members to play, train, compete, develop and celebrate.
Pictured above, from left, Cr Jen Bray, Hepburn Shire Council CEO Bradley Thomas, Mayor Lesley Hewitt, Hepburn Football and Netball Club president Jason Dooley, Mary-Anne Thomas and Hepburn Cricket Club president Lindsay Olver Image: Contributed

HEPBURN Shire has been left off the preference list for the state government’s four-year $5.3 billion Big Housing Build which calls on developers and landowners in regional Victoria to put forward any developments or vacant land that could be turned into social or affordable housing.
A media release said all Victorian regional areas would be considered but the preference was for Geelong, Latrobe, Moorabool, Golden Plains, Greater Shepparton, Baw Baw, Mildura, Wellington, East and South Gippsland, Macedon Ranges, Bass Coast, Surf Coast, Mount Alexander, Horsham, Swan Hill, Alpine and Mansfield local government areas.
A Homes Victoria spokesperson said the government was building new social and affordable homes right across the state for those who needed it most – including through the Big Housing Build, which will deliver more than 12,000 new homes across the state and boost the social housing supply by 10 per cent.
“Regional areas, including Hepburn, are sharing in the economic and social benefits of this program. At least $1.25 billion – almost 25 per cent – of the program’s funding is being spent in regional local government areas across the state, providing safe and affordable housing for those who need it and creating thousands of jobs. Homes Victoria is continuing to work right across regional Victoria to identify projects for the Big Housing Build.
“Four new homes are already planned for Daylesford that are being built as part of the Government’s Building New Homes to Fight Homelessness program.”
The spokesperson said the preferred local government areas were chosen based on having the highest level of demand for social and affordable housing.
“This round of funding will focus on purchasing new homes, house and land packages and developable land that is zoned for residential use. Strict guidelines for proposals will need to be addressed including proximity to retail, schools and transport.”

Words: Donna Kelly

THE $100,000 needed for a masterplan for the Daylesford Hospital has been raised 10 weeks ahead of schedule.
The committee had hoped to reach its target by Christmas but was overwhelmed with the support, passion and generosity of the Daylesford community.
The donations will fund the development of a master plan for the proposed upgrade to the facilities at Daylesford Health. This planning phase is expected to be completed in approximately four months and will outline a roadmap for future developments.

Committee chair, and Hepburn Shire Mayor, Cr Lesley Hewitt offered “a huge thanks to all the generous people who donated to reach this target of $100,000 in just over eight weeks”.
“The demonstration of such strong support shows how important the hospital is to Daylesford residents.”
Members of the committee will meet with Macedon MP Mary-Anne Thomas in the near future to discuss the need for funding and support for the upgrade.
Meanwhile, Central Highlands Rural Health has secured $7.1 million from the state government for Creswick Aged Care and Daylesford Hospital in the latest rounds of funding allocations.
Funding of $2.6 million has been allocated to complete stage 3 of the redevelopments at Creswick Aged Care. The new funding will upgrade six remaining bedrooms, extend residents’ common areas, install overhead tracking and upgrade heating and cooling systems. In Daylesford, $4.5 million has been allocated to upgrade and enhance theatre facilities.
Central Highlands Rural Health’s CEO Maree Cuddihy said the much needed funds would strengthen services and facilities in Creswick and Daylesford.
“In Daylesford, the $4.5 million grant will help upgrade theatres and sterilising areas. There is a lot to be done in Daylesford and this funding is a positive first step in our long-term goal to ensure Daylesford Hospital delivers contemporary, safe, high quality and sustainable health care for its local community.”

Words: Donna Kelly

SANDY Scheltema’s Stories of the Storm series is supported by Hepburn Shire Council, Trentham & Districts Community Bank and the Trentham Lions Club. The series aims to showcase stories of courage, tenacity, bravery and resilience within the community from people who experienced the terrifying storm of June 10, 2021.

The third of the series features Paul Ulrik, well known in the community for the plants and delicious berries he sells to restaurants, cafes and at the farmers’ markets. He is also a volunteer at the CFA. Fern Road in Little Hampton where he lives was described as “the epicentre of the localised destruction in the Hepburn Shire”.

“I was listening to the news that night. There was a severe wind warning and around 11pm you could hear the wind and the twigs and leaves hitting the bedroom window. At 12.30am I heard the glasshouse about 30 metres away explode. That glasshouse was 15m by 8m. It was heated and it took me five years to build. That was the reality check that things were really bad.
“At that point I rang my neighbour John, who was still asleep, and his wife conveyed the message that I sounded a little distressed. I came to the conclusion that my days of orchid growing had come to an end.
“I slept fitfully till about 4.30am when I got up and did an inspection. On the north side of the bungalow was a sulphur-crested cockatoo sheltering out of the wind. Even though I was close to him, he didn’t move. I looked at him and said: ‘You’re safe here mate, you’ll be right.’ He looked at me and said: ‘Thank you very much, but I’m not moving.’
“I scurried back inside because it was quite dangerous and tried to go back to sleep. At 6.30am a tree landed on my bedroom window – it shook the whole house after crashing through my blueberry igloo and my berry patch. I thought: ‘Oh well, I didn’t want to pick any berries this year anyway.’
“The trees continued to fall until 1pm, some 50 metres high and up to 1.5 metres in diameter. The vast majority of the 150 trees that came down on the property were eucalyptus obliqua (messmates); the rest were long-leaf peppermints, blackwoods and eucalyptus viminalis (manna gums).

“There’s a mob of gang-gangs here – there’s usually 15, now it’s down to three or four – and they looked genuinely concerned about where all the trees have gone. Only recently they were feeding in the amphitheatre of messmates.
“The overriding emotion looking at this is sadness over the loss of habitat. It’s not the loss of income from my berries and plants (which were my principal source of income), it’s not the destruction of all the hard work I put into building the structures, but the time taken for generations, perhaps, to replace what was destroyed.
“For the past number of years, I’ve had a men’s night amongst the gum trees – about three to eight blokes. We all appreciate the beauty of these wonderful old trees. We often say: ‘If this isn’t heaven, what is?’ And now it’s all gone.
“After the storm my focus was to rescue as many orchids as I could. I had to dismantle the smashed glasshouse but I failed completely because I was beaten by the first frost which killed thousands of my orchids.
“From the first day after the storm it’s been a challenge, to say the least, to prioritise which work has to be done and which can be left. And as time goes on, we’re now almost three months, that situation has become even more difficult because I’m 69 with a heart condition and I’m unable to do as much physically as I want to.
“I’ve got a Trust for Nature covenant on this property, which makes me responsible for the conservation of it for perpetuity. I feel obliged to look after it.”
Paul talked about what could help people deal with emergencies like the storm.
“A community fireguard-type set-up for your neighbours is equally valid for events like this storm. It’s a group that is set up with 10 to 12 close household groups connected by either phone or physical contact to safeguard the wellbeing of those people. Out here you can’t rely on emergency services. That’s why the fireguard is important. The CFA were cutting their way the five kilometres or so from Trentham to our street. It took two weeks to clear the road to Daylesford.
“At 9am on the morning of the storm, while it was still raging, before our driveways were clear, the neighbours over the road were concerned about the welfare of another neighbour who was later found to be trapped in her bedroom and needed to be dragged out a broken window. My neighbour John managed to find his way to my place over 60 trees. He helped me get my generator going and saved my berries.
“Neighbours in this position, of which there are many, cannot rely on emergency services to assist. The whole community lost both landline and mobile coverage. The exchange had battery back-up in place for power outages, but the batteries went flat, and we lost coverage for three days. Clearly this matter needs to be addressed, it was a major problem. When I finally got into the emergency relief centre in Trentham, I was told of all these services to help but the staff couldn’t contact anyone.
“The storm lasted 18 hours of wind blowing from the south. It was not a cyclone, tornado or hurricane, so what was it? I’d like to think this was a one-off, but I think we’ll get more extreme weather events based on the scientific projections.”
When Sandy was photographing Paul, the regional director of Bushfire Recovery Victoria, Paul Rogers, arrived. “I’m here today to coordinate the scope for the residential clean-up program for one of the most heavily impacted sites in the Central Highlands. Fern Road in particular is the epicentre of the localised destruction in the Hepburn Shire. Paul just needs some help. I can help him by coordinating the resources he needs to get him back on his feet. He needed a bit of hope. We can’t do everything; we can’t get them back to how they were before, but we can help support them in their recovery journey.”

A MUSICAL tribute to the wombat is the feature of a Daylesford benefit concert for the planned Central Victoria Wildlife Hospital.
Many animals have had musical tributes, from Vaughan Williams’ The Lark Ascending to Saint-Saens’ Carnival of the Animals. Now the wombat, the iconic Australian marsupial that is often overshadowed by its closest cousin, the koala, is celebrated in a new piece by young South Australian composer, Rachel Bruerville.
The Song of the Wombat for solo bassoon was commissioned as part of the fund appeal for the Central Victoria Wildlife Hospital and will be premiered at a benefit concert to be held at Daylesford’s Convent Gallery on Friday, November 12 from 6pm to 7.30pm.

Dedicated to Tiamo (aka Momo), a recent resident at the Hepburn Wildlife Shelter, The Song of the Wombat depicts the charming, playful personality of a young wombat and will be performed by Jack Schiller, the principal bassoonist of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra.
Tiamo was rescued as an orphaned joey and raised at the Hepburn Wildlife Shelter and appeared on the front page of The Local with Hepburn Wildlife Shelter’s Jon Rowdon in March last year.
The program of the benefit concert will also feature the Zephyr String Ensemble, a group of young professional musicians from Melbourne. Emma Jade Hunt (violin), Katie Yap (viola) and Anna Pokorny (cello), along with Jack Schiller (bassoon), will perform works from a range of composers including Mozart, Hildegard of Bingen, a lovely quartet for bassoon and strings by Francois Devienne, some Martinu madrigals for violin and viola and a folk set or two.
Tickets are $25 and bookings can be made online at: https://www.trybooking.com/BTGNA. Details: 0478 622 428.

BEAUTIFUL Sadie is a purpose-bred golden retriever born with a hereditary genetic condition issue known as ectopic ureter(s).
Sadly, her breeder took Sadie to be euthanised at just three weeks old when she started to leak urine, a sign of the condition.

But the veterinarian had her relinquished and Canuck Rescue was contacted to help give this little girl the best chance at getting the help she deserves.
Ectopic ureter(s) are where one or both ureters bypass the bladder and attach to an inappropriate structure, often the urethra.
This causes Sadie to leak urine throughout her everyday life and leaves her with urine-soaked fur, urine scalding due to continued urine in contact with delicate skin, a very smelly puppy and increased risks of lifelong urinary tract infections. Sadie is bathed every other day and a barrier cream is applied to help reduce many of these side effects.
Sadie has already had preliminary veterinary procedures completed and has now been referred to SouthPaws where the specialised surgical veterinary team will perform a CT scan to understand her exact anatomical structure and to have the complicated surgery performed.
The cost is $5500 but Canuck Rescue is asking for a further $1000 as a safety net in case any complications arise or long-term medications are needed. All money donated goes to Sadie and once she has recovered from her surgery she will be available for adoption.
For more information see the Canuck Rescue Facebook page.

Bank account details for Sadie: Canuck Rescue SADIE BSB: 193-879 Account: 496 131 038

NEWLYN resident, fundraiser and musician Judy Turner was coming to the end of a contract with Sovereign Hill, when an epiphany occurred – what better thing to do in retirement than to start a new festival, right here in beautiful Creswick?
Having played at most folk festivals across Australia and New Zealand, Judy felt that bringing the music home would be something she could do for the town, for the wide community of musicians she is part of and, frankly, for herself. Turner said her husband and musical partner, songwriter Neil Adam, quickly came on board.
“Retirement per se didn’t appeal to us and we had been in the district for 10 years and had often observed that Creswick seemed to be waiting for something,” Judy said.

Judy described the wait for the new supermarket (now the fabulous IGA), the wait for something to happen at Pascoe’s (HG & Sons), and the wait for the British Hotel to take on a new identity (still to come).
“People are amazingly patient but we realised that in a decade of living here we had only been to the lovely old town hall once, to see an Anzac Day concert. We were impatient to see it open and filled with music and dancing again.”
And it struck her that Creswick could also be a town waiting for a festival.
She looked around at all the wonderful old buildings, each one treasured in its own way by a club or society or community group, and each one underused.
“We had never seen the town thronging with people and as musicians we thought, what better way to bring in a crowd than to program a whole weekend of music.”
Having run concerts out of their house for four years, Judy, pictured below, and Neil were aware of the great interest locally in live music.

Having identified local groups interested in collaborating (Creswick Theatre Company and Creswick Folk Club) and secured the support of Creswick Neighbourhood Centre, Judy and the committee agreed upon the name CresFest, the dates, April 1-3 2022 and they were away.
The committee hopes a hybrid ticketing model will bring the crowds from out of town and encourage locals to take volunteer roles.
And the aim is to fill every venue including the town hall, the courthouse, Leavers Hotel, The American, the Masonic Lodge and the Neighbourhood Centre.
Headline acts include Emma Donovan, Eric Bogle and Fools and there are plenty of ways for locals to get involved too with a busking competition, talent quest and showcase. There’s also a children’s choir and a roving Creswick Brass Band.
Link: www.cresfest.com.au/get-involved

Above, Creswick Kids Choir leader Stella Savy of Ballarat

Words & image: Contributed

LAST week I hired a post hole digger from the blokes at Kyneton Hire. The reason for the post hole digger procurement was as an easy way to plant a few plants that have grown too big for their pots. The cost was $90 for a 24-hour hire and when you are looking down the barrel of a dozen or so big tree holes, a bargain by anyone’s calculation.
I picked the hole-maker up around 4.30pm the night before the post hole preparations and had planned to crack on to the job at “sparrow’s fart” – that’s old-man speak for early. The next morning, as is common in this lockdown enthusiasm- void world, I found myself dragging my feet. But I did have my lawnmower man Dave giving me a socially-distanced hand on this drab Central Highlands spring morning and the whole thing was only to take a few hours.

So, Dave cranked up this machine around 11am after patiently burning off time on his ride-on mower. Suddenly there was petrol everywhere. The fuel primer had burst and was spewing out fuel faster than a Middle Eastern pipeline.
So off I went back to Kyneton where they had me fixed and back in the ute within 10 minutes and back to the job 25 minutes later. We stopped for lunch on my return as it had been a bit of a stressful day thus far. Then Dave cranked up the driller once again. It ran for five minutes and bang, fuel started leaking from the same spot.
By this time we had given up on the job. Dave had got back on his mower and I was off to find a shovel and return this pile of junk.
Now, I realise that a rental place that rents out a lot of gear can’t be across the condition of every pick, shovel and post hole driller. But I was a little perplexed with the refund calculations after a day of disappointment. And not a single plant, planted.
Kyneton Hire Bloke: “So, how do you want to do this?”
Me: “Just on card.” (As in my refund.)
KHB: “No, how much of a refund?”
Me: “Huh?”
KHB: “What do you reckon – we split it down the guts?”
Perplexed me: “Sure, no problems. Hiring Dave for three hours ($120), two return trips to Kyneton fuel, wear and tear, mileage of 75 cents a kilometre ($102), my own time driving back and forth ($150) and then of course, the actual hire ($90). So the total cost is $462. Down the guts, great, just $231 thanks.” (Sadly, this is all in my head.)
Me: “I don’t think so mate. I got two half-holes drilled, a bloke at home on the clock and my running backward and forward.”
KHB: “Ahh, OK, I’ll process a full refund for you.”
Refund rant over…

Several new COVID exposure sites have been listed for Ballarat, stemming from one new household, which currently includes two positive cases of unknown acquisition, and one positive case who travelled to Ballarat from metropolitan Melbourne for permitted reasons. 

The Ballarat community knows the drill, and it is essential that everyone does the right thing. 

Please check the Department of Health’s website frequently and if you have been to one of the sites listed – at the date and time of exposure – you must immediately get tested and isolate, and then follow the instructions for that site.   

• Tier 1: Test and isolate for 14 days, regardless of the result  
• Tier 2: Test and isolate until you receive a negative result  

Please visit here for testing sites https://www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/where-get-tested-covid-19 

Do not wait to be contacted – you may not receive a text message – instead be proactive and help keep the community safe. 

These two new positive COVID cases, Sunday 26 September, bring the total number of active cases in the city to 21.   

There are currently no COVID positive patients at Ballarat Base Hospital, but the health service continues to monitor patients in the community remotely through BHS at Home.  

“COVID can be very mild. It is possible that you could have had COVID without realising. If you have had symptoms recently but think your symptoms are gone now please still get tested to make sure it was not COVID. Please do not delay – COVID might be mild in you but could have a severe impact on someone close to you,” Grampians Public Health Unit, Medical Director, Associate Professor Rosemary Aldrich.  

There have been changes to some of the testing sites in Ballarat for this long weekend. Please visit Ballarat Health Services’ website for location and times. 

YOU will find it hard to believe but I get annoyed at times. Yep, kind, placid me. If you really want proof, just ask Kyle. Maybe don’t.
But I am annoyed at the moment. I received a media release from Victoria’s Mental Health Minister James Merlino on September 14. It read: “As the serious Delta outbreak continues across the state, the Victorian Government is making sure more Victorians struggling during this difficult period have access to the mental health and wellbeing support they need. An investment of $13.3 million will deliver 20 pop-up community mental health services – with around 90 dedicated clinicians providing 93,000 additional hours of wellbeing checks and counselling to many thousands of Victorians needing support. The pop-up centres…will open progressively from the end of September across Melbourne and regional Victoria, with a dedicated triage and referral hotline and website to be established in coming days so people can start booking appointments.”

Now, like many, I have been struggling a little lately. With mental health. And I don’t mind putting that out there. I view mental health like physical health. Fractured ankle, get it sorted asap. Fractured mind, same thing. Simples.
So a couple of weeks back I visited a doctor and mentioned things like depression and anxiety. They asked, as they wrote a script for something else, “suicidal thoughts?”. “Nah,” I replied. One time a doctor asked that and I replied with “no more than the next person” and they looked at me a bit funny so I don’t say that anymore. Who knew?
Anyway, the doctor gave me a referral for the Daylesford Community Health Centre. I forgot about it, sort of, and then saw the media release and jumped on the phone. Hmmm. A very nice person answered and said I would need to drop the forms in and they could put it on the “agenda for the following Thursday meeting”. WTF? How many people are going to be looking at my referral? No shame but some privacy thanks.
Anyway, I was about to say to leave it when the nice person mentioned there would be a wait. “About two to three months.” WTF? Sorry for swearing again, but if I had a fractured ankle and someone said leave it for three months things are not going to end well. I said it was a little more urgent than that and asked if there were any other options. “Ballarat, if you can get there,” was the answer. Nothing about the wonderful pop-up centres being opened “progressively from the end of September”.
Look, I will be OK. I have a good hubby, good friends, have the Headspace mindfulness app, and did you know Cellarbrations (Foxxy’s at Daylesford) delivers. So I will get through.
Who I do really worry about are the people out there, hit by the pandemic, home schooling, stressed kids, stressed partners, people who have lost their jobs and incomes, who were already on the edge, or perhaps the June storm threw them over. But they don’t know how to get help, or push through bureaucracy or maybe contact the government department sending out bullshit media releases about all the help available. (I did send a personal email to Minister Merlino. Crickets…)
But the average person would find it really hard to get mental health help at the moment. And if we ever needed it, it is right now, not two or three months down the track. It’s a hard time right now and we need help right now. So if someone wants to let me know when those pop-up clinics are happening I would be very happy to publish their locations and contact details.
And I really will be fine. So don’t feel you need to get in touch. In fact, if one more person says “it is what it is”, that might just be the trigger. Just sayin’…
Oh, totally apropos of nothing, but how much does the below, from the Victorian Equal Opportunity & Human Rights Commission, strike fear into every business around the region? I have shortened it a little.
“Case study: Business refuses entry to a customer with a medical exception
“Peter visited his local garden centre and was not wearing a mask as he had a medical exception. He was approached by the business owner. Peter told the business owner he had a medical exception. The business owner asked him for a copy of a medical report, but Peter responded that he did not have to provide a copy as it was confidential. The business owner told him to leave the premises.
“Peter contacted the Commission to make a complaint of disability discrimination.The Commission’s conciliator explained to the owner that there appeared to be no requirement for businesses to require proof of a person’s medical exception or reasonably refuse entry to a premises. They also explained that the business may be in breach of discrimination law.
“Once the business owner understood more about her obligations under Victorian discrimination law, she agreed to provide an apology to Peter. The business owner also implemented new store policies for staff to follow and welcomed Peter back to the business.” One final WTF?

HELEN Jenkin joined the Daylesford Lawn Tennis Club as a player in 1967, before becoming secretary the following year, holding the position until 1970. She was also president for two years from 1987 and started running the juniors for 10 years from 1997.
Apart from her committee roles, Helen was always a keen tennis player and won the club championships in 1992-1993 season and was runner-up many times. She also got current coach Brian Carr started in 1985 – and he is still going strong in 2021.
With the club keen to ensure that its history and heritage is protected and archived, Helen chatted with club historian Dianne Van Baalen about her connection over the years.
“I was born in 1944 and grew up in Kooroocheang, a tiny farming town. Kooroocheang had two asphalt courts, a primary school, a post office and a church. My mother was a good tennis player, and I grew up with tennis. Mum played with the Newstead Tennis Association, and I went along when I was little. I think Kooroocheang had two teams.
“I think mum played in Castlemaine. After going to high school, I would get off the school bus at Kooroocheang Primary School and coach the younger ones at the two courts next door to the school. I was 11 or 12. I guess by today’s terms I was an unofficial hotshots coach.
“I played and was coached in the Mt Prospect Tennis Association and played A grade at 16 in Lawrence near Smeaton with my first cousin.

“I got married in 1967 to Jeff Jenkin and we lived on a property in Musk, and I continued playing with my cousin as my tennis partner. But because of the travelling I was getting home too late, so I started to play at Daylesford. My husband Jeff was busy playing golf.
“I was on the committee of the Ballarat Tennis Association. It covered a big area. Country Week was run at Swan Hill, Albury, Wodonga and Shepparton. Our team had its own windcheaters and played lots of tournaments. Daylesford LTC ran its own huge tournament on the Labour Day long weekend for many years. Teams came from all around but mainly from Melbourne. We had A, B and C divisions and junior events. The ladies catered with sandwiches and cakes, and it was always very hot, so we had a drinks kiosk in the current old mower shed under the existing club house. We served drinks and also had an old ice bath – there were lots of beers consumed from the bar under the tennis club.
“Daylesford Lawn Tennis Club was originally at the Daylesford Bowling Club but then it moved to its current location in West Street. Draft horses with leather shoes levelled the original upper courts and later we built 10 grass courts below, which are all in use today. We added four hard courts later on, on council land which was land-locked and rented from council on a 99-year lease.
“We ran clinics for schools including Daylesford, Hepburn and Bullarto. I ran these and my Saturdays were dedicated to tennis. I left home at 8.30am on Saturdays and got home at 7pm. I would run the juniors from 9am to noon and then my daughters and I would play for the afternoon competition.
“I used to pick children up on my way into the club but then people started seeing it as a baby-sitting service. As years went on, we started to get too many little ones, just six years old and hard to teach. The courts were so full we decided only children in grade 6 could start.”
Ms Van Baalen said the club was keen to find lost history with the Daylesford and District Historical Society also on board.
“If any community members have information, memorabilia, photos etc that may be of interest to the club or Daylesford and District Historical Society then we would love to hear from them. The society will archive the material and it will be returned to its owners,” she said.
“We are a welcoming and inclusive not-for-profit club that wants to increase active living and social inclusion within our community. We hope this history project will engage past, present and hopefully future members.”

Daylesford Lawn Tennis Club has 10 grass courts and will start this year’s tennis season with a Welcome Week from October 21 to 27. The activities are open to everyone, and it is free.
Details: daylesfordtennis.com or Daylesford Lawn Tennis Club Facebook page.
(All activities are subject to Covid restrictions.)

Details: daylesfordtennis.com or DLTC Facebook page.

A MAJOR pothole on the Ballan-Daylesford Road near Victoria Park in Daylesford has caused thousands of dollars in damage to residents’ and visitors’ vehicles.
The pothole opened up with heavy rains around August 4 and despite the pothole being repaired, recent rain has already compromised that work.
According to the Department of Transport’s acting regional director (Grampians), Angela Daraxoglou, long term repairs will take place.
“We are aware of the issue on the Daylesford-Ballan Road, and our maintenance team has been carrying out additional inspections at the site and conducting repairs as needed,” she said.
“Once warmer weather produces conditions more suitable for roadbuilding, our crews will return to carry out long-term repairs.”
Despite the current lockdown, Daylesford Tyre and Windscreen Service has remained open as an essential service and was inundated with customers needing tyre repairs. Owner Jamie Adams, pictured, said it was lucky no-one was seriously injured.

“It was lucky it was in a 60km zone as I can’t imagine if it was in a 100km zone. I had 11 tyres come in on a single day and the repairs ranged from $100-$400,” he said.
“I’m just glad no-one was seriously injured which is surprising given the damage to some of the tyres and even wheel rims.”
While some residents say they will attempt to seek compensation, the process can be quite lengthy. Regional Roads Victoria states:
“Regional Roads Victoria is not liable for damage caused on the road, whether from hazardous objects or otherwise if it has fulfilled and complied with its obligations under the Road Management Plan.”
It’s all in the name
A quick Google internet search of the history of the pothole reveals that according to folklore dating back 3,000 years, the famous road builders of the Roman Empire were hampered by potters who dug up chunks of clay from the smooth highways of that time. The clay became pots, and hence the name. Three thousand years on and we are still being hampered by the pothole.
A deeper search tells of a Manchester graffiti artist so infuriated with local potholes he spray painted images of penises around potholes, which resulted in them being repaired within 48 hours.

Words & image: Narelle Groenhout