A total of 84 regional show winners displayed their winning pavilion entries from the regional shows of 2023 at the Daylesford Bulldogs Pavilion at Victoria Park Showgrounds on Friday, March 22.

Over 80 guests representing Ballarat, Beaufort, Castlemaine, Clunes, Daylesford, Kingston and Maldon shows gathered with their winning entries from last year, or copies in most of the cooking sections, to compete at inter-show level.

There were only four entrants in the Rural Ambassadors and Junior Show Ambassadors this year, and no Daylesford entrant, but Caitlin Grieve, Matilda Smith, Haileigh Buttigieg and Sienna Grant representing Ballarat and Beaufort show societies impressed the audience with their ability to present themselves in public and speak favourably about the benefits of agricultural shows in country communities.

Special thanks to judges Tim Bach and Margaret Hodge for their help and expertise on the afternoon and evening.

We were very pleased to have three Daylesford winners at this level – Ruth Little in Knitting, Trish Barron in Embroidery and Pam Sheean in Photography – and these exhibits have qualified to be shown and compete at the Melbourne Royal Show in September.

At Midlands Group level, but not going on, we had one winner, Susie Wyatt for her best five Plain Scones, with second places to Janet MacDonald in Photography, Jeff Stewart in the Men’s Chocolate Cake and Zac Olifant in the Decorated Cup Cakes 10-16 age group.

Although Daylesford was not represented in the Fleece sections this year there were a total of 10 Merino fleeces shown and special thanks go to Zoetis, who provided the generous prizes in these sections and the Ram and Ewe of the Year winners.

As well as the Junior Ambassadors those present were able to hear an excellent presentation from our own Daylesford Committee member Janet MacDonald of Fairburn Stud in Porcupine Ridge on the 150-year history of the Daylesford and District Agricultural Society as it prepares to present the 150th Annual Daylesford and District Agricultural Show on Saturday, November 23 this year.

Daylesford president Don Harvey spoke very briefly on the joys of competing at agricultural shows while Group president, Peter Clarke of Clunes, thanked everybody for their attendance and for bringing their winning entries to the Group Level to compete again. Master of Ceremonies on the evening was another Daylesford committee member, Donna O’Mara of Glenlyon.

Mr Harvey said he would like to thank everybody who worked so long and hard to make the evening a success.

“Every member of the committee put many hours of work into making the evening a great success. There were a number of sponsors on the evening who gave generous assistance, but we must acknowledge the generous contribution of Gary Thomas of Spade To Blade whose food gained universal acclaim.”

Words & image: Contributed

Police have charged a man following an alleged theft and stabbing in Maryborough on Sunday, 21 April.

It is understood the man approached a woman in Tuaggra Street about 6.30pm.

Officers were told the man allegedly made a demand for the woman’s car before slashing her with a box cutter.

The 39-year-old woman was transported to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

A short time later the man approached a second woman in High Street about 7pm.

The 46-year-old woman attempted to deposit cash into an ATM before the man allegedly took the cash from the machine and fled the area.

The man fled the scene in a taxi, before officers located him on the Pyrenees Highway.

The 29-year-old St Albans man, with no apparent links to Maryborough, was arrested and transported to hospital for assessment under police guard.

He has been charged with aggravating carjacking with an offensive weapon, assault with intent to rob, intentionally cause injury, theft, deal with property suspected of being proceeds of crime, and weapon offences.

He has been remanded to appear at the Bendigo Magistrates’ Court on 30 May.

Police believe this is an isolated incident, however local units will be conducting reassurance patrols in the area to ensure community safety.

Michael Gilchrist and his extended family have lived in Broomfield since relocating from Melbourne in 1978.

Michael has taught in secondary schools and lectured in teacher education at Aquinas College, Ballarat. His previous writings have included books on politics, religion and history.

With his latest book, A Century of Big Bands, Michael turns his literary attention to one of his major enthusiasms, besides AFL footy and the Richmond Tigers, namely the big jazz bands.

His book provides an overview of the bands and short biographies of 50 of the most notable bandleaders of the past century. Older readers may be familiar with names like Glenn Miller, Cab Calloway, Duke Ellington and Benny Goodman.

Since he was a teenager in the 1950s, Michael has been collecting big band albums and now has a huge collection in his man cave. Recently, he was persuaded to distil his lifetime’s musical experiences into print.

Once upon a time, says Michael, big bands were the world’s popular music, during the 1930s-1940s swing era. Since then, singers, small groups and rock bands have taken over, although big bands have by no means gone away, even if they no longer figure in top of the pops and face economic challenges to survive.

In his opinion, most of today’s younger generations would be unaware of the big bands’ existence or significance. Yet, with their instrumental variety, creative arrangements, and inventive solos, they provide a far richer listening experience than many of today’s endless guitar-based offerings.

Big bands, Michael says, combine the best qualities of classical music and small group jazz improvisations. They are well worth discovering or rediscovering.

Michael (pictured above) hopes his new book will open more eyes and ears to the glories of big band music, past and present.

A Century of Big Bands can be ordered from www.connorcourtpublishing.com.au

Words: Contributed

In the second half of the 19th century Trentham was a major hub for timber production, much of which went underground supporting the tunnels excavated at mines in nearby Daylesford.

And so when a railway was constructed between Carlsruhe and Daylesford branching off the main line to Bendigo, Trentham was one of the stops.

The first section to Trentham opened on February 16, 1880. To service freight and passengers a handsome weatherboard station house and 80m platform was installed complete with extra rail sidings and goods sheds. Sadly by the 1970s the old line was being used less and less as its bridges, tracks and rolling stock fell into poor repair, and in June 1978 the line was closed for good.

For many years the old station and railway yards were neglected until around 25 years ago when a group came together to try and save it. The preservation group has been known by several names over the years but in July 2023 it became the Trentham Rail and Tramway Association and the new committee has some new plans in place to utilise the precinct.

“Our association maintains and preserves the entire precinct allowing the community to use the facilities for events in the town including the Tractor Pull, Spudfest, classic car shows, and any other events deemed suitable,” says TRATA president Leigh Sutcliffe

“We realised we could actually utilise this space a lot better,” says committee member Rob Urquhart. “It could be a centre for the whole town and hopefully draw more people from outside the district to discover what we have here. We have always been told it is one of the best preserved stations around and we are pretty proud of that.”

Work on the area has certainly taken on some newfound momentum with financial and material assistance coming from a range of sources. And in February they were fortunate to receive small project funding from VicTrack which they put towards landscaping.

The group has also received grants from a number of local businesses and Hepburn Shire Council. This has allowed them to put in picnic tables built by the men’s shed and rebuild the front gates as per original. Committee member Lea Davis has also been doing a lot of work on rejuvenating the whole garden precinct.

“We are trying really hard to give it a feel of an English garden,” says Lea. “It is early days yet but we have planted rhododendrons, dogwoods, foxglove and magnolias all the way down along the station.”

In previous years the precinct was the site of the Trentham market and the tourist information centre. However Covid lockdowns put an end to the market and the information centre is to be relocated to the new Trentham Hub currently under construction. But there are plans to bring the market back after winter.

Leigh says the the old station needs to be re-stumped so they will be looking for additional support to start that project in the near future.

Words & image: Tony Sawrey

Volunteer hiking and biking group, the Great Dividing Trail Association, has launched an innovative, environmentally friendly interpretive signage project along the length of the 87km Lerderderg Track from Daylesford to Bacchus Marsh.

Signage has been reduced to small placards on top of existing directional posts marking the way. Each of the placards includes a QR code that links to more extensive information and images on the Great Dividing Trail Association (GDTA) website (gdt.org.au).

“This approach has minimised the environmental ‘footprint’ of our interpretive signage,” said Gib Wettenhall, who manages publications for the GDTA.

Over 40 people gathered at the Garden of St Erth in Blackwood to celebrate the launch of the GDTA’s Lerderderg Track Interpretive Signage project.

The signage tells the stories of the people who lived along the track and gives insights into the geology, the flora and fauna and the place names that track users encounter along the way.

Guests including GDTA Patron Steve Moneghetti and Mountain Bike Ambassador Lisa Jacobs praised the project for bringing the history of the track to life and making it easily accessible to track users.

Sponsors were represented by Moorabool Shire Mayor Cr Ally Munari and representatives of three Bendigo Community Banks – Trentham, Bacchus Marsh and Daylesford.

Cr Munari talked about the importance of the project. “Projects like this make it more attractive for people to get out into our beautiful natural surrounds and keep active and healthy.”

The GDTA team who planned, researched and wrote the signage text and web stories for the 17 signage sites were Tim Bach, Arie Baelde, Ed Butler, pictured above, and Gib Wettenhall.

The interpretive signage project is the second stage of the GDTA’s work to refurbish the Lerderderg Track. The Track was built by the GDTA as the final stage in the 310km Great Dividing Trail Network, which includes the Goldfields Track from Ballarat to Bendigo.

In recent years, the Lerderderg Track had fallen into disrepair. The GDTA obtained a substantial grant from the former Victorian Department of the Environment (currently DEECA) in 2018 to renew posts, signage and other infrastructure along the track. This first stage of the refurbishment was completed in 2020. Link: gdt.org.au/tracks/lerderderg-track/lerderderg-track-interpretive-signage

Daylesford Bowling Club has celebrated its 125th anniversary in style with an afternoon tea party held at the Camp Street club rooms recently.

“The club was formed on April 17, 1899 and has been at this site ever since,” said club general manager Neil Jordan, speaking during the special anniversary celebration that took place a couple of weeks ago, on Wednesday afternoon, April 17.

Today the longstanding club has some 500 general members and about 60 bowling members, while many others in the community also enjoy using its greens for social, school, barefoot and all-abilities bowling as well.

“The club was originally a tennis club as well as a bowls club but the tennis club moved later on down the track and we then had both greens,” Neil said.

Many of the club’s members gathered to celebrate the 125th milestone and Neil foreshadowed some further anniversary festivities are likely later this year as well.

Photos Clockwise, from top left: Club members Linda and Ken Gillies, and Carol Collins checked out the 1950s bowling attire on display as the club celebrated its 125th anniversary.

Keen custodian of the club’s history and club life member, Dot Bull, had assembled a display of club memorabilia including photos dating back to 1900, uniforms from the 1940s to the present, and retro bowls kits, for the club’s 125th birthday celebration.

Chair of the board of the Daylesford Bowling Club, Rod Poxon checked out the tempting array of refreshments on offer as part of last Wednesday’s 125th birthday celebration at the club.

Maureen Tate (left), Jan Hendy and Halcyon Bell, all members of the Daylesford Bowling Club, were enjoying catching up at the 125th birthday afternoon tea event.

Winston Silbereisen and Gary Lawrence kicked back and enjoyed the anniversary celebration, reflecting on the bowling club’s 125 year history.

Daylesford Bowling Club life member Mike Tate enjoys a brew at the club’s 125th birthday afternoon tea celebration held at the club this month, while club member, Ron Barron (in background) did likewise.

Words & images: Eve Lamb

Sunday, April 21 was the final service held by the Daylesford Uniting Church – as it is now prepared for sale by Uniting Vic. Tas.

Former ministers who have served the church community and former church members attended the service which was also open to members of the community.

Current and former members then celebrated with an invitation-only lunch at the Daylesford Bowling Club.

Spokesperson Lorelle Thompson Pope said the church buildings had a long history from their beginnings as a Wesleyan Methodist Church.

“In 1861, the first Wesleyan Methodist church was built on the site – this is the older building on the site – now known as the Sunday School. Architects Crouch and Wilson built this structure in early English Gothic style.

“On June 12, 1865 members laid the foundation stone for the newer church; the first service in this building was held on December 10, 1865.

“The organ in the church was installed in 1888, it was built by Mr William Anderson and boasts an impressive 724 pipes, many of which are decorated with Christian symbols. This organ is a rare example of Anderson’s work and is his only instrument in Western Victoria. It has been classified by the National Trust of Australia (Victoria) as being of state significance.”

Lorelle said by the late 1880s the decline in mining led to an examination by the congregation of ways to reduce debt. Rent was received from pew hire as well as organ concerts and annual fairs – these all helped to raise funds to reduce the debt.

“By the end of the 19th century the church had settled into a pattern of steady parish life. The 1950s and 1960s were really the glory days when there was an active Sunday School, tennis clubs and vibrant social activity as well as many worshippers at Sunday services.

“In 1960 the church purchased a caravan to provide temporary crisis accommodation (an early indication of the current changes). There was great demand for this service but by 1990 the caravan was sold and not replaced. However, a Crisis House was loaned to the church from the Ministry of Housing and continued to be used for about four years.”

Lorelle said the congregation of the Daylesford Uniting Church was sad to be moving away from the site but would continue to meet regularly in another venue.

“As we move from the buildings that have housed the church for so many years we are grateful for all that this space has offered – friendships, belonging, community support. We are also grateful for the service of so many ministers over this time – too many to list here and many have passed on, but they each offered so much to the church and the community.

“We also remember the lives that have been changed because of this place – baptisms, marriages, funerals and the many, many church services. All live in the memories of those who shared them.”

Words & Image: Contributed

Victoria Police is warning the state’s most dangerous family violence perpetrators that there’s nowhere to hide as a crackdown leads to a record number of offenders being arrested and brought before the courts each day.

Frontline police and specialised teams – including Family Violence Investigation Units and the Family Violence Command Taskforce – are proactively targeting and apprehending offenders for family violence crimes to ensure the safety of victim-survivors.

Crime Statistics Agency figures show 29,233 family violence offenders were either arrested or summonsed to court last year. It equates to an average of 80 arrests or summons to court each day.

The figures are up slightly on the prior year when an average 79 arrests or summons were made each day.

That’s one person arrested or brought before the courts for family violence offending every 18 minutes.

The vast majority of offenders were arrested for serious family violence crimes, as well as actively avoiding police detection, outstanding warrants or unserved family violence intervention orders (IVO), stalking and making threats.

Only recently, the tireless work of the Family Violence Command Taskforce resulted in the arrest of a 33-year-old man for family violence offending against multiple victims. Some of the offences included stalking, distributing intimate images, threats to kill and persistently contravening an IVO.

The man had been actively avoiding police apprehension and breached his IVO daily before being caught and taken to court. He was sentenced in December 2023 to two years behind bars.

Another effort by a Family Violence Investigation Unit resulted in a 40-year-old man being sentenced in December 2023 to nine months in prison for family violence offending, with a 15-month community corrections order upon release and 200 hours of unpaid community work.

The man committed serious acts of violence towards several victims before being arrested by police, including physical assault, intentionally and recklessly causing serious injury, threats to kill and stalking.

Family Violence Command Assistant Commissioner Lauren Callaway said these figures highlight Victoria Police’s continual efforts in tracking down family violence offenders, some of the worst in the state.

“Family violence is completely unacceptable and there is never an excuse or justification for the crime.

“We have thousands of police officers across Victoria working tirelessly to apprehend family violence perpetrators and bring them before the courts to ensure the safety of victim-survivors.

“We need family violence perpetrators to stop and really think of the damage they are doing to their partners and children.

“Some go to great lengths to avoid apprehension – including blackmailing victim-survivors or using friends to keep them in hiding – but they’re always in the sights of police.

“Our message to family violence perpetrators is clear: closed doors will not protect you from being tracked down and held to account.”

A number of arrests in the past year have been supported by Victoria Police’s specialised units including the Public Order Response Team, VIPER Taskforce and Intelligence and Covert Support Command Proactive Targeting Teams.

Maldon Events is holding a collectibles fair at the Bendigo Showgrounds on May 4 and 5.

Held inside the enormous 6000 square metre Regional Events Centre there will be room for more than 120 stalls with everything on offer from traditional collectables such as trios, textiles, tobacco tins, chinaware, militaria, motoring memorabilia and the much-loved bric-a-brac.

There will also be vintage vinyl, rock & roll memorabilia, trading cards including Pokémon and football cards, and pop culture collectibles such as Pop Vinyl figurines, Marvel, and DC action figures.

And don’t forget cosplay paraphernalia alongside collectable and antique books – including rare editions, and magazines, stunning prints of old maps, movie posters, old advertising prints, some framed, some ready to be framed.

There will even be suits of armour and chain mail, medieval tunics and costumes, and organisers say that it’s also worth nting that the site has free parking.

Maldon Events is always on the lookout for more stall holders for its many events and those interested can call or text Mark on 0414 244 842.

Five individuals have been arrested across Australia, and 32 overseas, following an international police takedown of a cybercrime platform used by cybercriminals to steal personal credentials from victims around the world, including more than 94,000 people in Australia.

Australian offenders are allegedly among 10,000 cybercriminals globally who have used the platform, known as LabHost, to trick victims into providing their personal information, such as online banking logins, credit card details and passwords, through persistent phishing attacks sent via texts and emails.

As a result of the Australian arm of the investigation, led by the AFP’s Joint Policing Cybercrime Coordination Centre (JCP3), more than 200 officers from the AFP and state and territory police were yesterday (17 April, 2024) involved in executing 22 search warrants across five states. This included 14 in Victoria, two in Queensland, three in NSW, one in South Australia and two in Western Australia.

A Melbourne man and an Adelaide man, who police will allege were LabHost users, were arrested during the warrants and charged with cybercrime-related offences. Three Melbourne men were also arrested by Victoria Police and charged with drug-related offences.

In addition to the takedown of the LabHost’s domain, the JPC3 took down 207 criminal servers. These servers were used to host fraudulent phishing websites created by LabHost, established with the sole intention of facilitating criminal offences against ordinary, hardworking Australians.

Phishing is a technique used by criminals to trick victims into providing personal information, such as their banking logins, credit card details and passwords, often through fraudulent links sent to them via texts and emails, in order to commit criminal offences or steal their money.

The AFP alleges LabHost was marketed as a ‘one-stop-shop’ for phishing, enabling cybercriminals to replicate more than 170 fraudulent websites of reputable banks, government entities and other major organisations, to trick unsuspecting victims into believing they were the legitimate websites.

Once cybercriminals had replicated a website, they would use LabHost to send texts and emails to victims, prompting them to login to their accounts via the fraudulent link.

When victims followed the link, cybercriminals could obtain a range of sensitive information, such as one-time pins, usernames and passwords, security questions and passphrases.

Cybercriminals could then use victims’ personal information to access legitimate enterprises, such as financial institutions, where they could steal funds from victims’ bank accounts.

LabHost originated in Canada in 2021, targeting North America, and expanded to the United Kingdom (UK) and Ireland, before going global. Australian criminals are believed to be among its top three user countries.

At the time of the global police takedown, LabHost had more than 40,000 phishing domains and more than 10,000 global active cybercriminals using its technology to exploit victims.

Cybercriminals could sign up to LabHost for as little as $270 per month. In exchange, cybercriminals were provided with complete ‘phishing kits’, including the infrastructure to host phishing websites, email and text content generation and campaign overview services, enabling them to effectively exploit their victims.

The Australian arm of the investigation, codenamed Operation Nebulae, has allegedly identified more than 100 suspects in Australia who use LabHost to target Australian victims.

Globally, the Europol-coordinated investigation resulted in 70 simultaneous search warrants executed in multiple countries, to take down the platform’s alleged administrators, users and infrastructure. This included the arrest of 37 offenders, including four individuals based in the UK linked to the running of the site, including the original developer of the platform.

Global activity will continue over the coming weeks and further arrests and website domain takedowns are anticipated in Australia and overseas.

A number of devices were seized during the warrants in Australia and will undergo forensic examination.

AFP Acting Assistant Commissioner Cyber Command Chris Goldsmid said phishing had become a serious threat, with Scamwatch last year receiving more than 108,000 reports of phishing attacks, totaling nearly $26 million in losses.

“LabHost alone had the potential to cause $28 million in harm to the Australians through the sale of stolen Australian credentials,” Acting Assistant Commissioner Goldsmid.

“In addition to financial losses, victims of phishing attacks are subject to ongoing security risks and criminal offending, including identity takeovers, extortion and blackmail.

“LabHost is yet another example of the borderless nature of cybercrime and the takedown reinforces the powerful outcomes that can be achieved through a united, global law enforcement front.

“Australians who have used LabHost to steal data should not expect to remain anonymous. Authorities have obtained a vast amount of evidence during this investigation and we are working to identify anyone who has used this platform to target innocent victims.”

A popular poetry event returns to Woodend next month.

Hosted by local poet Myron Lysenko, Chamber Poets is one of Victoria’s best-loved open mic poetry events, regularly attended by guests from Melbourne, Bendigo and further afield, as well as from around the Macedon Ranges.

They come to read their poems, whether they are acclaimed and awarded “real poets” or just local people who have something creative to say.

Chamber Poets is approaching its 100th session in June, so it’s time to remind everyone of what’s on offer at this regular Woodend event.

Chamber Poets is held on the second Saturday of every month, sometimes with a particular theme. In February (around Valentine’s Day) “love poetry” gave us good, bad or just plain crazy.

In April, to celebrate International Haiku Day, a group of passionate haiku poets came up from the city to share their stunningly clever and often witty miniature poems with us.

A couple came along to an event last year with their three small children and appeared to be ignoring what was happening behind the microphone until a feisty young poet from Melbourne gave us one of her poems peppered with mild but interesting swear words.

“She said a rude word!” exclaimed the eight-year-old boy. He continued to repeat this phrase every time the rude words appeared, to the delight of both the audience and the poet. Be warned: some dark and dangerous things can happen in poetry.

Entertainment is also provided by local band Black Forest Smoke, who have been playing their home-made songs – often poems set to music – since Chamber Poets first started on February 16, 2013.

Eccentric, playful and often very moving, their songs are very popular with the poetry crowd.

The next Chamber Poets session will be held at 1pm on Saturday, May 11 at the Woodend RSL in Anslow Street. Entry is $10 (or $5 concession) – we’re a bit old fashioned and only take cash. The bar will be open, and hot drinks and delicious soups, cakes and snacks are available.

After the always-popular Open Mic section, our featured reader will be Kyneton poet Anne Gleeson, whose gentle and often humorous poems have been widely awarded and admired.

Come along and see what all the fuss is about.

Words: Jenny Zimmerman | Image: Contributed

with Eve Lamb

Andersons Tramway Walk … plus. Mollongghip

Today we’re tackling the Andersons Tramway Walk at Mollongghip just east of Newlyn. This 8km (16km return) bushwalk is a bit of a surprise packet. Who could have guessed there would be a “tramway” running through the bush here?

When I say “tramway” what we’re talking about is the remnants of a cleared pathway through the bush where work horses, and later steam engines, once used to cart out heavy felled timber that was destined for the crazy ol’ gold fields of the day.

This walk basically follows that cleared haulage route that remains, over-grown yes, but still clearly visible as it makes its way to where the township of Wombat once existed back in those roaring days.

Now there’s nothing left to indicate the fact that a township ever existed here other than a cleared flat section that used to be the town’s railway siding. Adjoining this is the clear remains of where the old Ballarat to Daylesford railway line once ran.

The railway tracks have long since been taken up but the rail-line today forms part of what, for bushwalkers, has become the Wombat Station Walk – a 19km long hike from the old Wombat town site to Daylesford via Sailors Falls.

My walking accomplice Paddy H and I decide we will also do just a little bit of this walk as well as our main focus, the Andersons Tramline Walk, so as to check out the significant rail cutting that remains with walls that reach up to 20 metres high according to the literature.

This section, with the impressively high walls, immediately joins the end of our Andersons Tramway walk. It will add about two kilometres (four km the round trip) but is well worth it. Fortunately, when we set out we are fueled with the recent spoils of Easter and could use a good trek.

So to the start : The eight km Andersons Tramway Walk starts off from the Slater Road, Mollongghip, and follows the route of the old tramway through the Wombat State Forest along the top of the divide at 700metres.

According to my pre-walk research*, the Anderson brothers arrived from Scotland to try their luck on the goldfields in 1851. Instead of digging they cut and supplied timber to the ever-hungry mining industry.

Having cut their way through most of the timber at Dean they then built a horse-drawn (and later steam) tramway into the Wombat Forest. This tramway was no temporary construction as cuttings were dug, bridges and embankments built and iron rails laid for over 23 km of track. However, before long they cut themselves out of a job.

Starting again in another venture the unstoppable Andersons concentrated their attention on flour milling by constructing the massive bluestone mill in Smeaton in 1862. The imposing multi-story mill at Smeaton remains today as a monument to Victoria’s pioneers.

Reflecting on the spirit of those driven yesteryear sorts, Paddy H and I navigate our way successfully to the start of the tramway walk, parking near the intersection of McPhans, Gleesons and Slaters roads. We set out carrying maps and lunch. And it quickly turns out to be a beautiful bushland walk, the remnants of the old tramway, readily identifiable along the way.

About three kilometres in we meet a small walking party of three women, heading in the opposite direction to us, and all equipped with walking poles and determined expressions. We stop for a track-

side chat and they tell us they are Melbournians and are on a bigger, ongoing mission to complete the entire Goldfields Track, of which this walk is but a section.

“We’re doing it over multiple visits, one section at a time, all the way through from Bendigo to Mount Buninyong,” one of them tells us.

“And we always make sure that when we come back to do a new section we park the car at the exact spot where we ended the previous section so we don’t cheat,” another adds.

They obviously got started a fair bit earlier than we did today as they also tell us that they set out from Sailors Falls near Daylesford today.

“Did you see any other points of interest along the way?” I ask them.

“There’s the dam,” enthuses one of the three trekkers.

We bid them farewell and a bit further on stop track-side for lunch, accompanied by the mysterious musical calls of choughs, before making our way on to the dam. Mullens Dam which, my research informs, was built to supply water for the old gold sluicing works.

Today the Easter holiday break is still in full swing and Mullens Dam turns out to be hosting a couple of campers, very snugly set up with all the comforts. One man dozes in the afternoon sunshine. Anther looks very like he’s about to do the same. A wine glass rests languidly on the arm of a comfortable camp chair.

“Happy Easter,” says Paddy H who appears slightly affected by the season.

“Thanks,” says the man with one of the elaborate camp setups.

The late flush of Indian summer sun beats down. The bush-land all around hums with unseen life. The dam water is still and green, framed by eucalyptus leaves.

“Your Easter eggs might melt,” Paddy H helpfully advises the man.

“Nah Mate. They’ll be right. I’ve got a fridge,” he says.

“Camping aint what it used to be,” observes my walking accomplice as we move out of earshot.

From here we gain a little more elevation as we head on toward where the township of Wombat apparently once existed. Today there’s no trace, but the spot where this little gold town once stood may still be identified by a picnic rotunda that’s also accessible by vehicle off the Rocklyn Road at this point.

Reaching it now means we have now covered eight kilometres and completed the Andersons Tramway Walk. We stop for a coffee refuel, and then take a short 2.5km ramble along the Rocklyn Roadway toward where a yoga ashram now operates. We do this in order to photograph the skeletal remains of a timber railway bridge that formed part of the old Ballarat to Daylesford railway line which, the literature informs, opened in 1887 and closed in 1953.

Achieving this goal successfully we then return to the Wombat station site again and rally our energies to tackle a further couple of ks on the adjoining Wombat-Daylesford walk section, just so as to check out the railway cutting section with the high walls.

Almost immediately after embarking on this section of track, headed toward Daylesford, the anticipated cutting walls appear, rising up on either side of the trail, creating a small microclimate in which Paddy H and I notice three different types of thriving ferns including tree ferns.

The walls, are cut through clays and bedrock, and peering up at them we reckon the literature is not exaggerating when it says they reach up to 20 metres. We briefly wonder at what it is that motivates humanity through times past and present to tackle such undertakings.

After about two kilometres we reach the point where the Great Dividing Trail (GDT) was officially launched in October 1992. Signage marks the spot.

The GDT here also follows the remnants of the dismantled Ballarat-Daylesford Railway. At this point Paddy H and I have now covered a bit over 12 kms all up when you count our small addendum ramblings, and it’s well time to head on back.

Promises of a hearty dinner and a glass of wine provide useful motivation to help combat our increasing bone weariness as we retrace our steps through the bushland’s lengthening shadows.

As we once again pass Mullens Dam, headed back, the man with the fridge is flat out, blissfully asleep in his commodious camp chair.#

Words and Images: Eve Lamb

*Walks, Tracks & Trails of Victoria. Derrick Stone. CSIRO Publishing 2009

Garden lovers are in for an Anzac Day weekend treat with the chance to visit two extraordinary private historic properties opening in the Macedon Ranges, with Open Gardens Victoria both today and tomorrow, April 27 and 28.

Resting at the base of the picturesque Macedon Ranges, Bolobek is a unique working farm with glorious gardens and a rich social and agricultural history.

Since 2006, current owners Brigid and Hugh Robertson have invested extraordinary passion and energy into the continuing renovation and rejuvenation of this magnificent property.

Bolobek was established over a century ago by Oswald Syme, the youngest son of David Syme, founder of The Age newspaper. Mildred, Oswald’s wife, directed the creation of the original garden, and many of the trees and shrubs remain from that time, including rows of lindens, mature poplars, and oaks that provide the garden’s backdrop.

In 1969, Robert and Joan Law-Smith purchased Bolobek. Lady Law-Smith was a talented gardener, botanical artist, and writer, and the garden rose to prominence under her direction, welcoming royalty and other dignitaries.

It was one of the first gardens to be opened under the auspices of the Open Gardens Australia scheme in 1983.

Today, the property is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register as having “aesthetic, architectural, historic, and horticultural importance to the State of Victoria.”

“We arrived at Bolobek in 2006 in the middle of a severe drought,” says Brigid.

“So the first couple of years were spent maintaining and observing the garden. It was obvious that one of the most important requirements was a new watering system.

“There was also a significant amount of tree remediation and replanting that was needed.”

Bolobek is at 370 Macedon Road, Macedon. Rafaels Coffee will be providing hot drinks with Hesket Estate wine sales and plant sales from Autumn Joy Nursery and White House Nursery.

Located in one of the oldest settled areas in the Macedon Ranges, Cadella Park is a private family home and working farm with a rich pioneering past.

Open Gardens Victoria will open the historical property to the public for the first time today, April 27 and tomorrow April 28, to celebrate the inaugural Cadella Park Open Garden & Fair.

Cadella Park’s extensive park-like gardens, original circa 1845 stone homestead, and historic collection of farm buildings are set across eight acres with a backdrop of rolling pastures and views to Mount Macedon and Hanging Rock.

The property is regarded as a significant nineteenth-century farm complex, with roots dating back to pastoral lease maps in 1839.

Known previously as ‘Oatlands’, the original 650-acre property cropped oats and was the scene of a damaging fire in 1911 when 50 tons of harvested oat and wheat straw were destroyed.

In the 1930s, Cadella Park housed prestigious horse racing stables (home to 1933 Melbourne Cup winner Hall Mark) and later an internationally acclaimed Murray Grey cattle stud in the 1960s.

The main home, the original stone homestead and a restored barn are among the historic outbuildings that Cadella Park owner Jo Ann Beck says will be utilised for the opening.

Cadella Park is at 109 James Road, Cadello and is open from 10am to 4.30pm.

Garden architect Simon Rickard will lead a garden tour and talk at 11am on both days – with stalls, food and drink by Prunella – a pop-up store, plant stalls, garden equipment and more.

Both gardens are open on the weekend from 10am to 4.30pm. Tickets for each garden are adults $15, tertiary students $10 (with ID), under 18s free. TryBooking

Words & images: Contributed by Open Gardens Victoria

Newly formed local group, Transition Clunes, is preparing to hold its very first public event this
month – a women’s clothing swap.

Taking place from 1pm-3pm at the Clunes Neighbourhood House on Sunday April 28, the upcoming
clothing swap is in keeping with the ethos underpinning this new group that’s aligned with the wider
international Transition Town movement.

The group’s co-founder, Clunes local Sandra Nichols says the Transition Town movement aims to
foster more resilient communities with minimising waste, decreasing carbon emissions, achieving a
circular economy and enhancing environmental health outcomes all main aims.

“We had our first get-together in January and I’d canvassed the idea last year with a few people,
says Sandra, now one of five core group members.

“Two of us are both on the Sustainable Hepburn Advisory Committee and we’d noticed that Clunes
is one of the few towns in the Hepburn shire that didn’t have a sustainability group as such, so I thought it was time we jumped on board,” she says.

“Transition Clunes is based on the transition town movement that started quite a few years ago by a
noted permaculturalist in Ireland.

“Totnes in Devon is the world headquarters of Transition Towns. There’s a ten minute YouTube
video of what the movement has achieved over 20 or so years and it’s worth watching,” Sandra says.

With the dumping of huge volumes of serviceable clothing, and wastage rife in the fashion industry
a far-reaching societal problem, this first clothing swap event is an apt one for this new group.

“It looks towards a better future where everyone works towards less waste,” says Sandra who is
originally from Sydney where she personally trained with one of founders of the Transition Towns
Movement in Australia, Janet Millington.

Sandra has solid experience on which to draw as she also co-founded a successful Transition Town
group in her former home Sydney suburb of North Epping.

“We did things like build a community garden in a shopping centre car park,” she says.

“We established a herb garden that is still going.”

Ahead of Transition Clunes’ inaugural community event, Sandra says local women or girls who have
items of clothing or fashion accessories that they’d like to swap are invited to bring along up to eight
different items which they can then swap for tokens.

They can then use the tokens to exchange for any of the items that catch their eye that others have
chosen to bring along and swap.

“So if you bring along four items, for example, you can then use the tokens to choose four items
yourself,” Sandra says.

“And if you haven’t brought along anything to swap you can pay $1 per item instead.

“We will also be having a free raffle of beauty products from the Body Shop.”

Those who wish to participate can bring along clean clothing or accessories – such as costume
jewellery, hats or bags – to swap. The items can be any size or style. They just need to be clean and in
good repair.

The new Transition Clunes group is already planning a second event for later this year as well.
Sandra says members are currently meeting on a monthly basis, with anyone interested in finding
out more about the group welcome to phone her on 0438415715.

Words: Eve Lamb

For one weekend every autumn, Trentham is all about the humble potato.

The Great Trentham Spudfest is a community festival that brings together potato growers, artisans, music, food vendors and history to showcase the region’s finest offerings and products. The festival is on Saturday, May 4 and Sunday, May 5.

“Spudfest 2024 promises to be bigger and brighter than ever before, celebrating our region’s potato culture and history, but most of all, our community,” says festival coordinator Kye Theobald.

“Spudfest is still a free event (but) we are also introducing some specially curated events that will require a ticket. Celebrating our great potato region across two days is a great opportunity for visitors to stay and plan a full weekend of discovery with friends and family.”

On Saturday, May 4, Trentham comes alive with Spudfest’s traditional carnival day, with four main precincts in town packed full of spud food, fresh regional produce, artisan makers, live music, horse and cart rides, and loads of activities for kids and adults alike.

Visitors can also join a Trentham & District Historical Society led bus tour of the old heritage-protected Spud Huts.

Local farmer and fourth generation spud grower Luke Wicker, right, will be at the Railway Precinct on Saturday selling his Kennebec, Nicola, Dutch Cream, Pontiac, Sebago and Kipfler potatoes.

“There has been a Wicker growing potatoes in the red volcanic soils around Trentham for over 100 years,” says Luke.

Saturday evening will see the inaugural Spudfest Cèilidh, a celebration of Celtic music, food, and dancing, at The Factory on Market Street, with catering by Emma James Catering. Tickets for this event can be purchased via the Spudfest website.

Sunday is dedicated to the discovery of food, produce, and region. Kicking off at 10am is Spudfeast, with spudtastic dishes on offer in a progressive dinner style at venues throughout the region including The Cosmo, Trentham General, Trentham Food & Wine Co., Daylesford Cider, Aterics, Blackwood Hotel and many more.

Four local farms will be conducting tours all day Sunday, inviting visitors behind the farm gate. It’s a chance to meet and hear from growers at Fleurs de Lyonville (organic flower farm), Walden Park (humanscale, regenerative, and agroecological beef), Mountain ViewGarlic (a small family-run garlic and fresh produce farm), and Little Hampton Farm, where you can discover organic cherries, berries, veggies, and heritage apples.

You can also make your own way along the self-guided Farm Gate Trail to unearth growers’ fresh produce and hidden foodie secrets or take part in The Great Spud Scavenger Hunt, join a Historical Society tour of the Trentham Cemetery or head to the RedBeard Bakery and its 133-year-old Scotch oven.

Link: www.trenthamspudfest.org.au