Applications are now open for Round 3 of the Victorian Government’s Live Music Festivals Fund, providing grants of up to $50,000 to support the delivery of contemporary live music festivals across Victoria in 2026–27.

Delivered by Music Victoria on behalf of the Victorian Government through the Community Support Fund and Creative Victoria, the Live Music Festivals Fund supports experienced festival organisers to continue presenting ticketed live music events that create employment opportunities for artists and live music workers, strengthen local economies and connect communities across metropolitan and regional Victoria.

Round 3 will support eligible Victorian contemporary live music festivals with a capacity of 1,000 or more attendees, delivered between 1 July 2026 and 30 June 2027.

Music Victoria CEO Fiona Duncan said the program continues to play an important role in supporting the sustainability of Victoria’s festival sector.

“Live music festivals are a vital part of Victoria’s contemporary music ecosystem. They provide opportunities for artists to perform, generate employment across the live music supply chain and contribute to the cultural and economic life of communities across the state. This fund is designed to support experienced festival organisers to continue delivering events that contribute to the strength, diversity and long-term sustainability of Victoria’s live music sector.”

Funding of up to $50,000 is available per successful application to support costs associated with festival planning and delivery, including artist fees, production, marketing, operations, travel and accessibility initiatives.

Eligible applicants must be experienced organisers of ticketed contemporary live music festivals that:

• are delivered in Victoria
• have a capacity of at least 1,000 in-person attendees
• feature live, original contemporary music as the primary focus
• are intended for public audiences
• are supported by a sound revenue-generating model

Festivals delivered between 1 July 2026 and 30 June 2027 are eligible to apply.

Festival organisers are strongly encouraged to review the Program Guidelines and Frequently Asked Questions prior to submitting an application.

More information on the Live Music Festival Fund can be found here.

Music Victoria will host an online information session for prospective applicants at 2:00pm, Monday 16 March 2026.

Young people in Victoria are facing overwhelming issues like anxiety, depression, loneliness, isolation, lack of confidence and lack of hope. 
Some of them are struggling in silence and some are trying to navigate these issues on their own.
Without the life skills and experience to steer them safely through the early teen years, the consequences can be serious.
Most adolescent suicides occur between the ages of 15 and 17, so early intervention is critical.
In fact the Minderoo Foundation’s ‘Cost of Late Intervention Report’ highlighted the urgent need for early intervention services, with Nicola Forrest AO saying “Early intervention not only reduces long-term costs but
also improves life outcomes for hundreds of thousands of children and young people. By failing to intervene early, we miss the chance to achieve better outcomes.”

Help
Raise provides that early intervention at the time when it is needed most, providing professionally trained, community volunteers and a robustly developed and evaluated program to support young people aged 13-
16.
The Raise program works to support and address the individual’s needs, with each young person having one-toto-one support from a safety checked and professionally trained volunteer mentor. They meet each week for
one hour over two school terms.
The mentors also have a one hour support session with their Program Counsellor and other mentors and have access to the Program Counsellor at all times, during and between the sessions.
So that’s just 2 hours a week for two terms.

There are young people in schools in Armstrong Creek, Broadford, Broadmeadows, Diamond Creek, Epping, Kew, Viewbank, Wallan and elsewhere who desperately need a volunteer mentor.
Every year, evaluation shows that Mentors develop skills which they use to improve their own lives, connections and relationships. So each mentor changes two lives each year. A young person’s and their
own.
Mentors benefit from:
Meaningful Connections – Strong relationships with young individuals seeking guidance and support.
Positive Impact – Make a lasting difference in the lives of young people, helping them overcome
challenges and achieve their goals.
Training and Resources – Receive industry-leading mentor training and resources to support you to be an
effective and impactful mentor.
Personal Growth – Enhance your communication, leadership, and mentoring skills while contributing to the
development of the next generation.
Networking – Connect with a diverse community of mentors and professionals who share your passion for
empowering young people..
Raise media release
Mentoring is a great way to meet like-minded people and build new connections. In 2025:
99% of mentors felt a sense of contribution to their community
97% felt an increased sense of purpose
95% improved their listening and communication skills
91% felt more connected to their community
85% have more skills to help them in the workforce
82% have improved their parenting skills
74% have increased social networks
73% have improved their leadership skills
To learn more about becoming a volunteer mentor with Raise and apply, please visit www.raise.org.au

Macedon Ranges Council is aware that a number of third-instalment direct debits for rates were incorrectly processed overnight on Monday, March 2.

Adele Drago-Stevens, Director Corporate Adele Drago-Stevens said this may have resulted in duplicate debits to approximately 1040 ratepayers’ bank accounts.
“We understand this may cause concern or financial stress, particularly while household budgets are tight, and we apologise for the worry and inconvenience caused.
“We are quickly investigating the cause of this issue and working closely with our banking providers to reverse the duplicated transactions and return the additional amount to all affected ratepayers as promptly as possible.
“No immediate action is required if you notice a duplicate debit; refunds will be processed automatically once the reversal is completed, and affected ratepayers will be notified.

“Council will work directly with affected ratepayers and provide assistance where there may be fees, charges, or financial difficulties because of this issue. We appreciate the community’s patience while we urgently resolve this matter.”

Anyone with immediate concerns should contact rates@mrsc.vic.gov.au

The 2026 Livestock Biosecurity Fund Grants Program is making it easier for Victorian farmers to protect their livestock from pests and diseases and keep their farms productive. 

Minister Ros Spence recently launched the program, which funds initiatives that help prevent, monitor and control diseases in animals, including cattle, sheep, goats, swine and honeybees.

This support will make it more affordable for farmers, reducing the financial burden of managing pests and diseases while easing the day-to-day costs of keeping animals healthy.

Last year, $15 million in grants supported 22 projects equipping farmers with the tools and support to prevent disease and protect their livestock.

The Victorian Farmers Federation used grants over $1,660,000 to extend their Stock Sense Program to peri-urban areas and ensure owners and hobby farmers know how to keep their animals healthy.

Stock Sense works with local communities to raise awareness of biosecurity issues and preventative measures through educational workshops, webinars and resources.

Agriculture Victoria, together with the state’s livestock advisory committees, developed the Livestock Biosecurity Fund Grants Program to give farmers practical support against pests and diseases.

Grant program applications close on April 14.

For eligibility and how to apply, visit agriculture.vic.gov.au/livestockbiosecurityfunds.

As we scratch up an existence, grinding away for each dollar, collecting tax for a government that doesn’t appear to be doing much about things, we are entitled to ask questions.
And the first question is WTF is going on with AUKUS? Embarrassingly and unresearched when it first hit the headlines, I thought it was spelt orcas, like the killer whale. In my mind it kind of stands to reason to name a war submarine designed after an amazing pack-hunting animal with the intelligence of two Australians, or four Kiwis. (Jokes.)
I am now up to speed with the understanding it’s not a type of submarine, it’s a pact with the USA, UK and of course Oz, and the first part of it is to help us get our hands on some nuclear subs as well as helping us to learn how to maintain them.
While the submarine initiative has dominated the headlines, the AUKUS partnership carries much wider significance in that it will see Oz, the UK and the USA expand their cooperation across a wide range of defence capability and critical technology areas. And that’s where all the money is being dropped like a piss-pot in a pub losing pineapples out of his pockets while reaching for his wallet.
The first couple of down-payments on our submarines, that we may not even get if the USA decides they haven’t got enough in their own fleet, was 1.6 billion. And in terms of tech, we are buying the HQ Holden of the submarines because the Virginia-class attack submarines cost around $4 billion per unit, and we are buying five with delivery expected sometime early in the 2030 decade.
Meanwhile, the new fandangled Columbia-class ballistic missile submarines are projected to cost about $9.15 billion each – but we can’t afford those. To draw an analogy, it is like when I was growing up and my dad fished my first bike out of the dump, gave it a fresh coat of paint and fitted it with chopper handlebars and a banana seat. Meanwhile my mates had brand new Raleigh choppers with the shifter on the bar for gears – Virginia class meet Columbia class.
We also recently dropped a further $30 billion into an Adelaide shipyard, or at least a promissory note, there goes that drunken bar fly again. And I know that this agreement will outlive the current dickhead dictator who works out of the White House but it doesn’t make it any easier to swallow the jagged little pill of shelling out so much of our hard earned to keep us safe. All while I can’t safely drive from Glenlyon to Woodend because the road is so rooted.
Speaking of jagged pills, it is important to keep your first aid training current as I found out recently with my poor crippled wife, Donna, who was running low on a drug that we both use to keep us alive. I take double the dose of Donna, so I offered to cut mine in half to keep her going. Donna swallowed the pill and after a couple of seconds she was letting out noises resembling a blocked drain in need of a fix. She was red in the face and clearly in need of some first aid. Now, most people have heard about the Heimlich Manoeuvre, a lifesaving first-aid technique used to clear a blocked airway by applying upward pressure under the diaphragm to expel foreign objects, but it is not used anymore.
Luckily, I have been doing first aid courses for the past 41 years (every year since I was 17) so I knew this had fallen out of favour. I applied one firm upward thrust between the shoulder blades and out popped the culprit, effectively saving my wife’s life. Keep your training up kids rant over…

Ed’s note. Hmmm, when Kyle says he cut the tablet in half, it was more of a break by hand into a very jagged pill. And I must say it took quite a long few seconds for him to even look up from his phone…

I got a letter the other day. A real letter. From the post office. Most of mine are emails these days so it felt quite special. Until I saw who it was from. It was from Medicare.
Anyway, surprisingly, inside was a cheque. A real cheque. I thought cheques had been abandoned, pretty much along with cash and coins.
But no, there it was, a cheque. But not for me. For Lake Imaging.
Lake Imaging. The x-ray people. Well, they do a lot of other stuff as well and I seem to be there more than I like these days. Everything needs a follow up.
So what had happened was I paid my Lake Imaging bill, for being in the theatre doing something when my ankle was being pieced together.
And I got some money off from Medicare. But then that money had to go from Medicare to Lake Imaging. And instead of just posting it to Lake Imaging, they posted it to me, to take to Lake Imaging.
Any of their branches are fine, except Daylesford, I guess because they don’t have an office. Just very nice people. But, and this is where it gets tricky, I have a broken ankle in a big boot and I cannot walk. I could take the boot off and drive to Ballarat but when I got there I could not leave the car. I guess I could call them and ask them to come to the car but that sounds a bit odd.
I could, I guess, ask Kyle to drive to Ballarat but he is already doing a lot for me and saying the F word so many times a day I think the idea could send him over the edge – and I do really need him a bit longer.
So the cheque sits in the envelope in the car waiting for a trip to Ballarat which will happen Wednesday week when I see the surgeon for what I hope is the last time.
(I know Medicare used to work like this with doctors but I honestly thought that they had fixed the system. Oh well.)
Still on medical things. A trend seems to be happening here…anyway, in 2024, about August, I was heading off to New Zealand for my father-in-law’s 80th birthday celebrations.
I felt a little under the weather, did all the Covid and flu tests and then popped into the doctor’s on the way through to the airport. It does not matter which doctor.
I explained I was feeling a bit chesty, maybe a bit tight in the chest and wondered if I needed antibiotics. Rather than get any worse overseas.
The doctor said my breathing was fine but then became more interested in the tightness in my chest. They said they would let me travel but if I felt any issues I would need to go straight to emergency. They also gave me a referral to a cardiologist in Ballarat. Good grief.
So I had my holiday and all was well. No breathing issues and no heart attack. But then came the cardiologist visit. All was well but I was booked in for a stress test. But nothing was available that year. Factoring in a few weeks away on more holidays, the test did not take place until November last year. And the cardiologist was busy until the end of March this year. So a long time coming.
I rang just this week to see if I could get an earlier booking but he is booked out now until November. I was also told I needed a new referral. FFS.
So I made a telebooking for another doctor and explained the situation. They were really good and listened intently and after a brief pause they asked “why are you going back?”
Turns out they had the results of the stress test and all was normal. No issues, no real reason to head back to a heart specialist. Of course they said it was my choice but one, it will save me a couple of hundred dollars, and two, maybe someone who really needs to be there can take my spot. Just sayin’…

Well here I am again penning another article for you, the reader, to enjoy…
This time I thought I’d share some thoughts on creating (or working with existing) microclimates in your garden.
First up, let’s get our heads around what exactly a microclimate is – well, try this on for size – localised climatic conditions that exist due to shade, topography and solid structures all give rise to microclimates.

Shade can be the undoing of many sun- loving plants or the saviour to shade-loving species such as hellebores (see image top) and woodland bulbs.
So choosing trees – particularly deciduous, think maples and oaks – to plant to create this necessary shade is crucial for long-term success.
The site’s topography can also create microclimates as can be seen by slopes that allow cold air to flow down and swales that can give rise to damp conditions ideally suited for ferns such as asplenium oblongifolium (see image middle and other thirsty plants such as astilbes, gunneras and hostas.

Now, most gardens will have solid structures such as brick walls and fences that produce reflected ambient heat, ideal for ripening figs, some citrus and hibiscus (see image lower).

Covered pergolas that create artificial dappled shade are great for pot plants such as gardenias, hydrangeas and luculias.

One more thing, I think it’s also worth mentioning introduced irrigation as another factor in nurturing an environment where water is paramount for the plants to flourish.
A classic example is building an irrigated shadehouse to show off your delicate ferns, fuchsias and orchids or planting a fernery – just imagine a forest of tree ferns – in a secluded, shady spot that can be irrigated from below and above.
So that’s it in a nutshell. Microclimates are everywhere in gardens and knowing how to create new ones or utilising what conditions you already have really does increase your choice of plant selections that you may well have avoided because of their specific needs.

Cheers John Beetham (trading as Trees in Australia)

Next time: the world’s biggest trees – like this manna gum below…

Theatre Royal, Castlemaine

Willie Watson – Thursday, March 5, 7pm

Following on from the release of his first true collection of original songs Willie Watson, the celebrated folk singer returns to Australia this March for a run around the country sharing and celebrating music in the American folk tradition.
Co-founder of Old Crow Medicine Show and Gillian Welch and David Rawlings collaborator, Willie is back with an album of new songs, produced alongside members of Punch Brothers and Milk Carton Kids, that deal with ‘heartbreak, memory, sobriety and hope’.
Love Police proudly presents Willie Watson as he returns to Australia for the tenth or so time. Supporting Willie Watson is Melbourne-based guitar slinger A.C. Saunders.

Willie Watson image: Hayden Shiebler

Redd Kross/The Hard-Ons featuring Tim Rogers – Friday, March 13

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

All gigs correct at time of publication. Please check with the venue.

Internationally renowned author and modern witch Fiona Horne announces the release of her new book, Coven – Where Witches Gather, alongside its 36-card companion deck, Coven Oracle, published by Rockpool Publishing.
Coven – Where Witches Gather is Fiona Horne’s seventeenth book, and the Coven Oracle is her fifth oracle deck, marking a new chapter in a publishing career that spans nearly three decades.
The book explores the sacred art of witches and ‘witch-curious’ working together – community, boundaries, leadership, ritual, healing, and the power of collective intention – offering guidance for a generation seeking connection and belonging.
The accompanying Coven Oracle is designed for both solitary practice and group work, supporting intuitive development, shared ritual, and ethical modern witchcraft. Together, the book and deck reflect Fiona’s lived experience as both a practitioner and a guide.
Fiona will take in Daylesford and Bendigo as part of her Australian tour. She will be in Daylesford on Friday, March 27 at Euphemia Blackthorne, 119 Vincent Street, from 1.30pm-1.45pm for a book signing and in the Bendigo Library that evening from 5.30pm-6.30pm for In-Conversation and Q&A.
RRP: Coven $39.99 | Coven Oracle $34.99
Image: Larnce Gold

Naome McDougall has worked for Coles her entire career. She started with Bi-Lo in Swan Hill in 1999, and at 43 is in her 27th year with Coles.

Many of those years were spent in Melbourne but she jumped at the chance to return to the country when the position of manager at Daylesford came up last year.
Her first day was May 26 and as Naome describes it herself: “I got dropped into a half-constructed store – a full knockdown rebuild while we were still trading.”
“But it just wasn’t the right thing for our local community to close the store so we worked through the disruption and the concrete dust and everything else that was going on.”
Naome said, after the official launch of the store on February 12, main image above, that all was going to plan.
“I think the extension, adding four grocery aisles, the extended dairy range, the entertaining range is all fantastic. And we put the deli back in, something we have not done in any other Coles Local, on the back of customer feedback.

“It is a smaller deli than what we had previously, but we’ve still got the range for the customers and it also means the product is fresher. And we brought back stras – that was something we didn’t have when we first opened and there was feedback that it was wanted – so that went back in that week.”
Naome said chatter on social media, mostly Daylesford Grapevine, had also alerted her to the need to always have roast chickens ready to go. “Chickens are clearly a big thing and are always in the warmer.”
Naome said she was always listening in person to locals when she was in the store and responding to requests for products when possible. “There’s been quite a few of those conversations, which has been really good.”
The added self check-outs were giving customers quicker access to registers with more team members in that area on hand to help out when needed. And thanks to feedback, both doors were now for entrance and exit.
Coles employs more than 80 people, one of the bigger employers in the region, and while tourists are a big part of the business, Naome says she is all about her local team and the community.
To that end the store has partnered with the Daylesford Football Netball Club, the Good Grub Club and Phoenix@TheRex.
“I grew up in a local footy community so I know exactly what a local club means. I even told them if they need a spare player, I have two arms and a heartbeat…
“And we have a donation station for the Good Grub Club and they can give me a shopping list and we can change the donations they need any time.”
Naome is another local who is keen to see the return of the Daylesford community cinema.
“It’s a really cool thing to lean into and a huge thing for the community. It will be terrific when it gets up and running again. And I think with (David) Bromley heavily involved in that, it works in well with his mural in the store. It ties in nicely with the community.
“I am very proud of the store and our team.”

Words: Donna Kelly | Images: Martin Keep

Hepburn Shire residents can now recycle their polystyrene at the council’s three transfer stations in Creswick, Daylesford and Trentham.
The recycling trial is set to run until June when factors such as uptake, contamination and cost will be considered. Residents can recycle up to half a cubic metre (or two 240-litre kerbside bins) of clean, expanded polystyrene each time they visit a transfer station. Coloured polystyrene, peanut packaging, food trays and flat compacted polystyrene are not accepted in this trial. The collected polystyrene will be taken to Geelong, heat compressed and made into a raw material that can be used to make construction and packaging items.

Victorians are urged to keep an eye out for water hyacinth after an infestation on a rural property in Anakie, north of Geelong.
Water hyacinth (eichhornia crassipes) is a state-prohibited weed declared under the Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994. It’s considered the world’s worst water weed and has infested rivers, dams, lakes, and irrigation channels on every continent except Antarctica. Water hyacinth is a floating water plant that can reproduce by daughter plants or seed. They can be identified by their swollen stems with air filled tissue for buoyancy and large mauve-coloured flowers.

Macedon Ranges Accessible Arts has announced the return of Queerthentic – a vibrant regional exhibition celebrating LGBTQIA+ artists and stories from across Central Victoria and beyond.
The volunteer-led, queer community-based organisation is committed to increasing visibility, accessibility and creative opportunity for LGBTQIA+ artists in regional settings. Queer-identifying artists living in regional and rural areas are invited to apply until April 24. Link: www.mraai.org.au/queerthentic2026

Macedon Ranges Shire Council invites the community to celebrate International Women’s Day 2026, with two inspiring events that highlight the extraordinary achievements and voices of women.
The council will host two events with a powerful theatrical performance by The Deplorables, and an engaging author panel event featuring celebrated writer Kaz Cooke. For tickets and event details, visit: mrsc.vic.gov.au/IWD

Researchers from Deakin University in partnership with community health services and organisations across Victoria are looking for new ways to support families and strengthen wellbeing in rural communities facing both ongoing stress and future environmental challenges.
Families with young children from newborn to 12 years old, living in country communities, are being invited to take part in a research project that aims to look at different ways families can be supported to navigate stress, maintain relationships, and access appropriate care, including during periods of disaster recovery. Interested? Head to www.seed.deakin.edu.au/our-research/project/family-foundations-trial/