The Spa Quilters Guild of Daylesford are raffling a unique quilt in the lead up to their biennial quilt show happening over the King’s Birthday weekend.

The beautiful keepsake creation featuring colourful blocks of work done by multiple guild members is first prize in the raffle, with three further three attractive prizes also to be won.

The first prize quilt is now on show at the Bendigo Bank, Daylesford, and features scenes of winter, the theme of this year’s show.

The biennial show is the guild’s major fundraiser supporting its charitable works and will be held in St Peter’s Catholic Church in Daylesford’s Duke Street on Saturday June 8 from 10am to 5pm, and Sunday June 9 from 12noon to 4 pm.

 “The church provides a unique and interesting venue to exhibit our patchwork and quilting efforts,” guild president Charlotte Brunt says.

Trading tables will be available and a food van will be on site, with entry to the show by gold coin donation.

The guild is running street stall sales of the raffle tickets and they will also be available to buy at the show, with the draw to take place on Sunday afternoon at the show.

The Hepburn Shire Council this month held a flag raising ceremony to celebrate IDAHOBIT Day amid findings that four of the ‘top 10’ localities for Victorian same-sex households are in Hepburn.

IDAHOBIT Day (May 17) is the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Intersexphobia and Transphobia.  The theme for IDAHOBIT 2024 was “No one left behind: Equality, freedom and justice for all”. 

Mayor, Cr Brian Hood, said that Council is committed to furthering equality for LGBTIQA+ people in our Shire.  

“The diversity of our community is one of the wonderful features of Hepburn Shire. Our Council is committed to ensuring this is a place where all people feel safe and welcome.  We have worked diligently with our community to help end LGBTIQA+ discrimination, and we stand up for the human rights of LGBTIQA+ people,” he said. 

“This is an important time for all people to take a stand and say, “It is not OK to discriminate against our diverse Rainbow community.” 

“As Councillors, we want to ensure that Hepburn Shire remains an inclusive and safe place for everyone. You can help by standing with your LGBTIQA+ friends, family, neighbours and colleagues, and saying ‘no’ to discrimination.” 

“Our goal is to be a leader in LGBTIQA+ inclusion, making our Shire a safe and inclusive place for the rainbow community to work, live and visit,” said Cr Brian Hood. 

Speakers at the event included Ange Barry (former CEO of Joy Media), Ro Allen (Human Rights Commissioner), Danni Karametos (Joy Media), Max Primmer (Senior Award Winner) and Grace Lee (Counsellor). 

The council established an LGBTIQA+ Advisory Committee in 2022 and is currently finalising its inaugural Rainbow Action Plan.

Extremely p…… off barely comes close to what Lyonville’s Suzi Donovan felt when she discovered her beloved silver birch trees had been “butchered” by a contractor acting for Powercor in recent days.

The eight silver birch trees are on Suzi and husband Tony Donovan’s Lyonville property, inside an established hedge where Suzi had lovingly planted them about five years ago as semi-mature saplings that cost $150- $200 at that time.

The local artist says she had been out, and very busy with a new exhibition, on April 10 when she returned home to find the treasured trees had been “butchered” that morning.

It was only after the act that she and Tony learned that a notice had been placed in their mail box at 8.30am the day before, informing them that some “light trimming” would be carried out on the trees due to their proximity to power lines.

“I was out (on April 10) and Tony heard a knock on the door that morning and when he answered the door a young man at the door said ‘can we do a light trim on the trees?’.

Tony had given the OK to the “light trim”.

“Tony went back inside and had a shower and by the time he came out the damage was done,” Suzi said.

“It was not a light trim.”

Following the incident, the Donovans became aware of the notice that had been left in their letter box at 8.30am the previous day.

“But we don’t get mail every day here in the country and we had no idea the notice had been left,” Suzi said.

She says several of the trees were cut in half and she now fears they will never achieve the correct and desired form for their species.

“The trees were not close enough to any powerlines to pose a risk, or to be rated as requiring “urgent” cutting in my opinion,” she said.

However that was how they had been rated according to a box that had been checked on the notice left the prior day.

And this rating, according to the notice, meant that a standard default 14-60 day period from the date of notice being given prior to any work being carried out, had been summarily axed, Suzi said.

“It’s a huge upset. A hack job by someone who was not a qualified arborist.

“If they’d just given us the chance to respond to the notification we could have told them we have a gardener booked in to carefully trim the trees later this month.

“I understand that you have to have trees away from powerlines but these were nowhere near the lines. There was no danger to the power lines.

Suzi says her subsequent calls to Powercor have not been answered or returned and, after contacting their local councillor, they are now considering contacting the Ombudsman’s office to file a formal complaint.

“There are eight to nine trees and some have been cut in half vertically and three have been cut in half horizontally. This was not a light trim as the letter stated and the diagram, accompanying it, indicated.

“This was major destruction. I think we’ve been treated very badly and I am told this kind of thing is all too common. I think Powercor should be held accountable. I feel as though I’ve been physically attacked.

A Powercor spokesman contacted for comment said: “vegetation cutting is an important part of how we keep our power network safe and reliable”.

“We inspect 100% of our network each year and we cut back trees and branches from around 50,000 powerlines spans annually,” he said.

“In this case, our team visited the address the day before, provided notification of works and spoke with a resident, who approved cutting to take place.

“This location is in a Hazardous Bushfire Risk Area, so all precautions were taken to ensure compliance of at least two meters, plus allowing for at least two years’ growth.

“We’ll continue to work with our contractors and cutting teams to ensure they remain sensitive to aesthetics and neighbourhood character wherever they can, while ensuring that we remain compliant with regulations.”

The spokesman also provided background information stating the following:

“Our trained cutting teams can enter private property to cut trees back from power lines, and also work on public land across our network.

“Our teams need to meet clearance requirements that are regulated by Victoria’s energy safety regulator, Energy Safe Victoria (ESV).

“Larger clearance areas are required in areas of higher bushfire risk. For private property, our teams notify customers of cutting required at their address, complete the required pruning work then return to remove debris.

“When urgent cutting is identified, we aren’t always able to provide advance notice.”

But Suzi says the incident has served to highlight a widespread need for landholders to be better informed, and more proactively advised, about the guidelines around how close they can safely plant new trees to power lines.

“I think all landholders, for example when they buy a property, need to be provided with basic information about how close they can plant to powerlines.”

Words & Image: Eve Lamb

In January 2024, author Roy Maloy became the most prolific true crime author in Australian history (Herald Sun & ABC Radio National) with the publication of his 15th true crime biography.

As a best-selling author he has made a highly successful career specialising in a previously untapped area of true crime research that he terms Criminal Outsiders.

After publishing the 2020 title, Squizzy – The Forensics, The Man, The Vendetta, he was able to follow it up again and again by focusing on the key characters in the wider narrative who had been left out in the 1920s when the story was originally recorded by white, heterosexual male journalists.

In addition to his many published works, Mr Maloy accompanies his writing career with a highly successful live performance called Criminal Outsider, where he presents a witty, fast-paced, live show that walks the audience through some of the weapons, the biographies and the incredible circumstances of the country’s criminal outsiders’ past.

Awarded Best Talk or Workshop at the 2024 Adelaide Fringe, the performance includes ballistic gel and weapons demonstrations live on stage, as it unpacks some unbelievable details that are often overlooked by historians.

Criminal Outsider will be performed at the Palais-Hepburn on July 27 with tickets strictly limited and available online.

The Local has a double pass for general admission to give away. Email your name, number and town to news@tlnews.com.au by May 29 for your chance to win.

Link: www.palais-hepburn.com

Mooted boundary changes are sad

It is sad to hear of boundary changes that are being proposed in this historic town.

To turn productive food producing land, some of the best in Victoria, into housing and industry.

From: John Ravell, a 60+ year Daylesford resident & returned service person

Daylesford resident Natasha Morgan is sharing a Go Fund Me page for her friend Claire Spencer, who has been diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer.

“Claire is a mum at my kid’s tiny school and the breadwinner in her family. She’s a member of my community and an incredible human,” Natasha said.

“In 2019 Claire was diagnosed with cervical cancer and managed to overcome it, that’s until very recently when amidst a host of health complications she found out the cancer is back – this time though it’s metastasised and it’s Stage 4 with masses in her stomach.

“Claire desperately needs help and I’m hoping you might be able to spare some change as part of a Go Fund Me page that’s been set up for her. Any amount whether it’s $2 or $20 will make a difference and will be so appreciated.”

On her page, Claire wrote on May 15 that she had been released me from hospital and “got my first night’s sleep in my own bed in over a week – Heaven!”.

“I’ve got about 10 days before treatment starts, and I’m just focusing on rest. Today the palliative care team called me. They discuss things like chronic pain management, financial support and physical aids.

“Looks like I’ll be getting some kind of walker to help me plod along further than three metres at a time. Being a creative at heart, I’m trying to work out whether to yarn bomb the shit out of it, or bedazzle it. It cannot look like an old person’s zimmerframe. Nope. No. Not today or ever.

“Each hour I’m humbled by your generosity, and just know it’s allowing me to rest without panic or fear. I’m so thankful. Each day is truly a miracle. Big love.”

Link: https://gofund.me/4c292095

Reconsider the East Street rezoning plan

The HSC proposal for potential rezoning of prime agricultural land along East Street must be reconsidered and removed from the Draft Structure Plan.

On page 10 of the draft plan under the heading 3.3 Strategic and Statutory Context – State Policy, Plan Melbourne states that “development in peri-urban areas must be in keeping with local character, attractiveness and amenity.

Growth boundaries should be established for each town to avoid urban sprawl and protect agricultural land and environmental assets”.

In the draft plan there is no mention or mapping of the natural spring that starts on that farm and becomes Smith Creek, which runs through the old trout hatchery and eventually into Lake Daylesford.

It’s like the councillors and planners haven’t even read their own document.

It should also be noted that the current owners of ‘Mayfield’, the farmland intended for rezoning, were not consulted and have no intention of selling, but may be forced to if this current proposal is adopted. We must not let that happen. Pastures not pavements!

From: Martin Hinck, David Triscott, Daylesford

Planning

I write in concern about the proposal Hepburn Shire Council has to rezone prime farming land on the outskirts of East Street in Daylesford.

I have lived opposite this beautiful farming land for near on 30 years this September. Our home was purchased with the understanding that we were purchasing unique and peaceful quiet land out of the township to enjoy a very rural lifestyle while still having the opportunity of a very close-by community with all the facilities to raise our family.

We were always of the understanding that the land opposite was rich, valuable, farming land and would always remain this as per the zoning of it.

In all my time of living in my family home this amazing piece of land has been farmed by generations of families whom continue to honour the rich soil that it sits on.

It has always been cropped, grazed or rested as per old school farming practices. Often on a hot summer night I listen to the tractor frantically raking or bailing hay to beat the oncoming rain.

Many a day and night I listen to the sound of baby lambs as they are delivered onto this sacred farming land. Not a year goes by when this land is not honoured for the use it has been set aside for.

The council must reconsider this proposal, it will destroy a beneficial farm that supply’s our farming sector with much needed product. I have attached a photo (above) of said land for your viewing pleasure to enjoy its beauty.

From: Ann Maree Mackley, Daylesford

Bendigo police have charged a man and woman after alleged damage was caused at multiple locations around Bendigo this month.

Police will allege the duo caused damage to multiple sites on 5 May, including:

• multiple statues and paintings at a museum on Bridge Street

• a cemetery on Holdsworth Road

• a cathedral on Short Street

• a temple on Sandhurst Town Road

• an RSL soldier memorial on Pall Mall,

• and Botanical Gardens on Napier Street.

A 43-year-old man and a 44-year-old woman from Seabrook have each been charged with (x7) criminal damage and were bailed to appear before Bendigo Magistrates’ Court on 23 August.

In early March the Guildford General Store closed its doors and is now up for sale.

In response, concerned community members began asking for expressions of interest to raise funds to buy the building and turn the business into a community-owned and run co-operative.

At this early stage there have been nearly 70 expressions of interest.

“It is a treasured asset in our community, our hub, our connection and communication with everyone, such an important building,” says committee member Liz Monty.

“We decided really the only way forward was to make sure that we bought the building and set up a community co-op to run the store.”

In small rural villages the general store serves as a crossroads for the entire community. But over the years many places have seen their local shop close down as trade is taken up by supermarkets in nearby larger towns.

It is a process that has been repeated over and over again across country Victoria. And today with so few in operation, a functioning, if not thriving, local store is an anomaly and something to be proud of.

Until recently the Guildford General Store,in operation since 1916, was one of those businesses bucking the trend.

Located on the Midland Highway, 11 kilometres south of Castlemaine, the building, originally the Commercial Hotel dating back to 1865, has taken on an almost iconic status, a living relic of bygone years, featured in car ads and photographed by every passing tourist.

But now there is no telling what may become of the historic building and so several community meetings were held leading to the formation of an interim committee aimed at conducting groundwork to establish a co-operative.

Still, while Guildford has a growing population and the idea has widespread support, the co-op proposal will require a great deal of commitment to bring it to reality.

“We are in phase one which is finding out if we have really got the people behind us to give us the financial backing we need,” says Liz.

“We are putting out expressions of interest via the Guildford Co-operative website and need a minimum buy-in of $5000 which equates to a single share and membership of the co-op. That’s a lot of money we are asking for from our community.”

The proposed Guildford Co-operative will be a legally formed and registered distributing co-operative with an elected board who will oversee management of the business.

If sufficient interest is shown within the next two months the next steps will be to purchase the premises with a view to reopening the store.

While it is early days yet, the initiative is fuelled by a dream to see the store returned to what was considered its halcyon days when it was managed by the Zepnick family.

“When the Zepnicks ran it, everything was made on site including pies, pasties and meals. That was wonderful and we would love that kind of model back.

“But the opportunities are endless, there are so many nooks and crannies in that store including the stable tavern out the back which used to have a liquor licence. Time will tell.”

Guildford is a small place but has shown it has the spirit to overcome the trials and setbacks that beset so many rural villages throughout Australia. The last few years has seen the town succeed in reopening its primary school and attracting new families to the area.

And while the dream of a Guildford Co-operative may be a big ask in these tight economic times it just might be an idea whose time has arrived.

Link: www.guildfordcoop.com.au

Words & image: Tony Sawrey

Plenty of people headed out to see the amazing aurora australis earlier this month including John Kent (above) who was snapped by Cathy Jacobs from Spring Hill Nursery at Tylden.

Qualified textile conservator Larry Edwards knows how to bring beautiful but time-worn vintage garments back to life and make them “talk”.

But when you’re talking a wedding dress made in the 1800s and stored for many decades, this is no easy process. One must really know their stuff as one false step could set the whole process back
– potentially irretrievably.

Right now this local expert in restoring and conserving valuable vintage textiles is midway through resurrecting a significant historic wedding dress held in the Daylesford & District Museum collection, ahead of its public exhibition later this year.

Museum curator Gary Lawrence says the beautiful historic dress was offered to the museum by the region’s Trewhella family.

The linen, cotton and silk tulle lace number was worn by Sarah Trewhella (nee Hosking) upon her marriage to Ben Trewhella on January 7, 1885 at her parent’s home in Simmons Reef.

For so many decades it had sat in a box, its considerable beauty fading with each passing year, but now, assisted by some funding through the Rosalind Pyers Memorial conservation support fund, the museum has been able to draw on Larry’s expertise to bring the glorious garment back to be publicly admired.

Larry has an extensive background in costume construction and had been working in the costume department with the Cirque du Soleil when Covid hit shutting down the circus’ big touring plans.

But Larry made good use of lockdown, using the disruption to the circus’ touring plans to take on masters studies in conservation of cultural materials, specialising in textiles, through Grimwade Conservation Services at University of Melbourne.

“As part of this I needed to complete a thesis so I asked to do one based around a significant assessment of the textile collection held with the Daylesford Museum,” says Larry who is also a volunteer with the local museum.

“(Fellow museum volunteer) Judy Files and myself both worked for over a year. We went through every box and categorized, catalogued and photographed every item… 1011 textile items. It was a wonderful project, an incredible collection.”

Items in the museum’s textile collection chart the decades and fashion eras from early European settlement of the area and the 1800s. They range from miners’ boots, which still had dirt from the gold rush era embedded in them, to beautiful silk wedding shoes, and from rare yesteryear men’s uniforms to a notable assemblage of Victorian ladies’ parasols.

All have a tale to tell, says Gary who is keen to see many of those stories shared
and made known.

Now Larry has not only completed his masters degree but the museum has a beautifully catalogued textile collection of remarkable historic clothing and textile accessories that can now be readily sourced for any exhibition they may relate to in the future, Gary says.

As the museum eagerly anticipates this June for the conclusion of a protracted major upgrade works project, it is planning three exhibitions beginning with a Daylesford Ceramics Collection exhibition over the June long weekend, Gary says.

Beyond that, the museum is looking to stage an exhibition celebrating winter in the gardens with Friends of The Wombat Hill Botanic Gardens.

Finally, an exhibition focussing on the collection of special occasion garments is envisioned for September with the painstakingly restored Trewhella wedding dress a highlight.

Larry says that already at least 50 hours have gone into the restoration of the vintage garment with the process to date focussed on assessment and cleaning, an arduous process involving pH analysis and washing separate parts of the garment with different treatments according to the fabric they’re made from.

The treatments that Larry has used to bring the gorgeous garment back to life are now set to be among those detailed at the Textile Conservation symposium at the National Gallery of Victoria on June 27.

“This dress was very thirsty. It had been in a box and folded into three. It had to be humidified first just to get it sitting straight,” Larry says.

The dress’ skirt is linen, its bows and accessories silk, its top cotton, and it features silk tulle lacework.

The garment also features a bustle which required specific analysis to restore to its former glory, while missing lace from elsewhere in the garment had to be carefully matched and replaced using lace imported from a company in the UK that still produces lace and trim made using original machines of the 1800s.

“My challenge now are the sleeves,” says Larry who’s anticipating “at least” a further 50 hours of very detailed work ahead to bring the dress up to a point where it’s ready to go on public display.

The fact that Larry is a man who loves what he does is revealed in the way he refers to the item he is working on.

“She has had five baths,” he says, admitting that the dress has revealed “herself” to have a character all her own and a story to match.

“This is a Victorian era dress, Queen Victoria’s era. I can tell she has been made by someone on a very early treadle machine. She was not made in a couture fashion house. The lace would have been imported.”

As the restoration progresses, Gary and the Daylesford and District Historic Society’s dedicated team of volunteers that run the not-for-profit museum are keen to share the story right through to “the big reveal”. So watch this space…

Words: Eve Lamb

A motorcyclist has died following a collision in Ballarat East last Friday, 17 May.

Officers were told a van collided with a motorcycle at the intersection of Victoria and Queen streets about 6.05pm.

The motorcyclist, a 50-year-old Delacombe man, died at the scene.

The driver of the van, a 25-year-old Prahran man, was uninjured.

He was arrested at the scene and is currently assisting police with their enquiries.

An investigation into the collision is ongoing.

Anyone who witnessed the collision, with dash cam/CCTV footage or information was urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report online via the Crime Stoppers website.

Proposed re-zoning a shock

I’m part of the family who owns the farm on East Street, Daylesford (called Mayfield) which is being proposed to be rezoned, and I’m currently living on that farm.

It was bought by my great-grandfather in 1921 and has been farmed continuously and productively since then (as well as before my family bought the land). My family are proud of having farmed it all this time, and wish to continue doing so.

It was a shock to all of us to discover when the draft plan was released that 14 hectares of our farm (one third of the entire farm) was being proposed to be rezoned into residential. Despite the potential for profit, all of the family are opposed to the proposed rezoning, and have had no part in that proposal.

Although there seems to be a number of inconsistencies and problems in the draft structure plan, I commend the council on the plan overall. It’s been a huge effort by many people to put together, and I think it’s important for the shire to have such a structure plan.

I understand there is pressure from the state government on council to allocate
new housing for growth in the town. However, Daylesford is not an ideal location
for much growth with its geographic constraints, forest to the west, farmland to the
east. Perhaps council needs to push back on the state government’s required growth
obligations for the town?

For whatever growth is necessary, I would argue it should be contained within the existing urban growth boundary, including vacant blocks, in three-storey buildings in parts of the centre of town, on some of the more difficult hilly terrain and in some of the bush-fire prone areas when built to the appropriate bushfire attack level, before developing prime agricultural land.

Our farm is on amongst the best farmland in the entire country, with its rich volcanic soil and good rainfall. It has the potential to feed a good portion of the town if farmed intensively, and offers future food resilience to the community, especially with it being located right beside the town. The whole reason we have farmland zoning is to protect the best farmland.

My principal objection to the proposal is on these grounds. Farmland should be valued more highly in the structure plan assessments and should be amongst our highest priorities to protect.

The council goes on about how important it is to them to protect our farmland, yet this just seems like rhetoric when I see such a proposal in the draft plan. This is our chance to stand up for our farmland! I would urge all the councillors to uphold their purported values, to put their rhetoric into action, and
vote to remove this proposed rezoning of prime agricultural land from the plan.

Of course not everyone will agree on all aspects of the plan, but I believe there is widespread opposition, both in the neighbourhood and the wider community, to the proposed rezoning on East St.

As others have mentioned, it would be good to see the alternative options for growth to the East St rezoning, and perhaps community could vote on the options, or provide their feedback. Considering the alternatives seems especially prudent given that my family do not wish for the land to be developed, and without increased rates pressure forcing our hand, do not intend to sell the land.

A slide from the meeting’s presentation claims that our rates will not increase if our land is rezoned to residential so long as it continues being farmed, but I am quite sceptical of this.

It is contrary to my own prior understanding and to what I’ve heard from several other people, including a former Hepburn Shire mayor.

Surely such a rezoning would increase the property’s valuation and thereby incur higher rates, not to mention land tax and windfall gains tax. What assurance would we have that our rates would not increase with this proposed rezoning?

This is of great concern to my family, as the future of our farm would hinge on it.

From: Farmer Ned Powell, East Street, Daylesford.

One in five drink drivers fined in Victoria was caught during daylight hours, newly released Victoria Police analysis shows.

The analysis also reveals half of detections were on a weekday, prompting a warning that police are out anywhere, any time to make sure motorists aren’t over the limit.

It comes amid a danger month on Victoria’s roads with 29 people killed in May last year with alcohol a contributor in multiple deaths.

So far this May at least 12 people have died and figures show about 1200 of the near 4900 drivers caught drink driving in the last financial year were nabbed between 6am and 6pm.

More than 400 were caught between 6am and noon alone.

Victoria Police has been scheduling special daytime and early-morning operations to keep drink drivers on their toes and remind all drivers police are out testing for alcohol anywhere, any time.

The force conducts 3 million breath tests every year and not only do police deploy their booze bus fleet statewide but every police car also has breath testing capability.

The night, 6pm to midnight, remains the most prolific time for drink drivers on the road with 1900 detected followed by midnight to 6am when almost 1800 were caught.

Saturday accounts has the most detections of any day with 1200 ahead of Sunday, Friday and Thursday.

About 400 drink drivers were caught on a Monday and 350 on a Tuesday.

Most drink drivers fined – more than 40 per cent – recorded a blood alcohol content between 0.07 and 0.10.

About a third blew between 0.05 and 0.07.

Anyone caught drink driving faces heavy fines and a loss of licence.

First-time drink drivers alone face a $577 fine and being disqualified from driving for three months even for low-level readings.

Figures analysed – covering 1 July 2022 to 30 June 2023 – included only drink drivers who received a fine, which applied for readings up to 0.15.

Those with higher readings must go to court where a magistrate imposes a fine and driving disqualification period.

About a quarter of all fatal crashes involve a driver or rider over the legal blood alcohol limit of 0.05.

Assistant Commissioner Glenn Weir, Road Policing Command: “People might think drink driving is something that only occurs after dark but this data shows there’s a lot of offending in the day.

“That’s why police are out breath testing motorists around-the-clock.

“If you think you can run the gauntlet, be it day or night, think again.

“The penalties for drink driving are severe.

“The consequences of a being involved in a crash are even more serious and last a lifetime.

“Drinking and driving simply isn’t worth the risk.”