The Victorian state government says it is backing men’s health and wellbeing with new grants to
strengthen and expand men’s sheds across the state.

Member for Macedon, Mary-Anne Thomas this week announced that applications have opened for
the 2025–26 Men’s Shed Funding Program, and she encouraged applications from Men’s Sheds in her state electorate of Macedon.

More than $860,000 is available to build new sheds, upgrade or extend existing facilities, and
purchase machinery and equipment to help sheds grow and thrive.

The program prioritises projects that tackle social isolation and deliver real value for local communities – especially in areas with limited spaces for people to come together.

With more than 360 men’s sheds across Victoria, these spaces continue to provide connection, inclusion and support for men who might otherwise be at risk of isolation.

The state government Men’s Shed Funding Program has provided more than 500 grants to support sheds and support the Victorian Men’s Shed Association.

For more information or to apply, visit: providers.dffh.vic.gov.au/mens-shed-program

Member for Macedon, Mary-Anne Thomas: “I encourage our local Men’s Sheds to apply. These grants will help men’s sheds grow and welcome new members, providing a place for people across our community to connect and supporting their wellbeing.”

Minister for Carers and Volunteers Ros Spence: “Men’s sheds are so much more than just buildings – they’re places where friendships are formed, skills are shared and people look out for one another.”

“We’re proud to support the incredible work Men’s Sheds do in local communities across Victoria – helping men stay connected, healthy and supported.”

April 2025 marked one year since 5,600 food and garden organic (organics) kerbside bins were delivered to township households across the Hepburn Shire.

The organics bins appear to have been well received, allowing residents to separate their food scraps, leftovers and garden clippings into their lime green-lidded bin, diverting the materials from landfill and saving them space in their red-lidded general rubbish/landfill bins (general rubbish). 

Since the rollout, 1,264 tonnes of organic material have been collected from the kerbside organics bins and are being turned into compost at the Creswick Transfer Station. 

Mayor, Cr Don Henderson said that the one-year anniversary of organics collections is an important reminder to keep correctly sorting waste. 

“We have seen a lot of positive change since the introduction of the food and garden organic kerbside collection service, and we are encouraging residents to continue to make the most of their recycling streams,” said Cr Henderson. 

Now that township residents have had one year of the service, we are inviting the community to complete a resource recovery survey as part of our 12-month review of the service. The survey gives residents the opportunity to give feedback on the organic kerbside service as well as other resource recovery services in the Shire.  

“We are interested to hear about the community’s experiences with the new kerbside service. We are also preparing to adopt further standards being mandated by the State Government and are seeking input from the community as to how we may best approach these changes to ensure a smooth transition,” said Cr Henderson.  

In 2021, before the rollout of the kerbside organics service, the Shire’s landfill diversion rate was 16.5 per cent. Thanks to the hard work of residents, as of March 2025 the shire now have a landfill diversion rate of 61.5 per cent.

This means that the shire’s residents are recycling materials more than ever before and reducing their collective impact on the environment. Removing organics from the general rubbish bin has resulted in a reduction of 2063.9 tonnes of CO2 emissions (equivalent).   

The weekly kerbside organic rollout was coupled with a change to the general rubbish collections. Residents moved to a fortnightly collection cycle for their general rubbish bins which has seen a 24 per cent reduction in landfill disposal over the last 12 months. 

There are two surveys available, one for township residents and one for rural residents, have your say on the Participate Hepburn website. Hard copy surveys are available on request at Council hubs, transfer stations and libraries.   

Surveys will close Monday 19 May

Police are appealing for witnesses following the fatal two-car collision in Eganstown on Monday afternoon.

It’s believed two cars collided on Midland Highway just before midday on Monday (May 12).

The two occupants of one vehicle died at the scene, police said in a report issued on Monday.

The sole occupant of the other vehicle had been airlifted to hospital with serious injuries, police had reported.

The investigation into the cause of the collision remained ongoing.

Anyone who witnessed the crash or with dashcam footage or information was urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report online at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au.

For the current provisional lives lost tally please see – https://www.police.vic.gov.au/road-safety

Victoria Police has arrested more than 30 people as part of an investigation into a series of concerning attacks on men linked to the use of dating apps and social media.

Police allege several groups of offenders – primarily young males aged between 13 and 20 – have been posing as legitimate users of the platforms to lure men into meeting them.

The victims are then allegedly assaulted, robbed, threatened and subjected to homophobic comments.

Some incidents have involved victims being filmed with the videos posted on social media accounts.

Police have seen incidents occur across the state, particularly in local government areas taking in Manningham, Casey, Hume, Moorabbin and Knox.

The more than 30 arrests have been made since October last year.

The arrests include:

• A 16-year-old boy for intentionally causing injury, recklessly causing injury and possessing a prohibited weapon without lawful excuse. The boy has been charged.
• A 17-year-old boy for intentionally causing injury, recklessly causing injury and possessing a drug of dependence. The boy has been charged.
• Two 16-year-old boys and a 15-year-old boy for recklessly causing injury. All three boys were charged.
• A 13-year-old boy, a 14-year-old boy and a 15-year-old boy for kidnapping and armed robbery. Two of the boys were charged and bailed to face court. The other boy was released pending further enquiries.
• Seven 17-year-old boys for armed robbery, violent disorder and false imprisonment. Two of the boys were charged and bailed at court. The remaining five have been charged on summons to appear at court at a later date.
• Four 19-year-old males from Bayswater, Lyndhurst and Cranbourne East for armed robbery. Three of the males were charged and bailed to face court. The other male was released pending further enquiries.

The investigation remains ongoing.

Victoria Police treats incidents of this nature with the utmost seriousness and urges victims to come forward so police can investigate.

This is crucial so a criminal investigation can commence to hold offenders to account. Reporting to a dating app does not mean the matter is then automatically reported to police.

Police can request information from dating apps to assist in solving investigations and conduct a criminal investigation even where one party has blocked or deleted someone from the app.

Police are continuing to work with selected dating apps as part of the investigation, including to publish proactive safety messaging on the platforms with reporting options and support services.

Victoria Police urged anyone who has experienced this sort of behaviour, or knows someone who has experienced this behaviour after using a dating app or other social media platform to make a report to police.

Polise also warned people to always remain vigilant by protecting their identity and location and verifying the other person’s identity before meeting up.

Priority and Safer Communities Division Acting Superintendent Carolyn Deer: “There is absolutely no place for this type of concerning behaviour in our society. It will not be tolerated.

“Everyone has a right to go about their lives, meet new people and start a relationship in safety.

“We know this has been a distressing situation for the victims involved – and these arrests show just how serious we are in holding offenders to account.

“As when using any app or social media platform, please always remain vigilant by protecting your identity and location and verifying the other person’s identity before meeting up.

“Victoria Police is committed to the safety and wellbeing of LGBTIQA+ communities and we take any report of this behaviour extremely seriously and investigate.”

Ballarat’s flagship creative sector development program Craft Lab is returning, showcasing the work of the some of the region’s most talented makers, artisans and artists.

Now entering its fifth year, Craft Lab identifies 18 talented creatives who work with traditional skills while developing contemporary applications of their craft.

The practitioners receive intensive career advice, portfolio reviews, professional photography, and brokerage support.  

These artisans then showcase their work at the historic Mining Exchange during the award-winning Ballarat Heritage Festival. 

Craft Lab is a major driver of cultural tourism to Ballarat, with attendance growing each year including more than 6,000 visitors over four days in 2024. 

Supported by the city’s status as a UNESCO Creative City of Craft and Folk Arts, Ballarat is transforming its creative sector into a powerful economic engine that contributed $658.4 million to the local economy in 2022/23.  

Cultural tourism spending, like that generated by Craft Lab, has surged, with domestic overnight visitors spending $140 million on arts, heritage, and cultural activities in 2023/24 – a 52 per cent increase from $92 million in 2021/22.

Cultural tourism visitor nights have increased 1.5 times from 380,000 to 559,000, demonstrating the significant economic impact of the cultural industries on the region.   

These increases have, in part, been driven by increases in the numbers of creative practitioners within the City of Ballarat, which have increased 2.5-fold since 2018. This places the municipality halfway toward the City of Ballarat’s ambitious goal of quintupling its creative workforce by 2030.  

City of Ballarat Mayor, Cr Tracey Hargreaves said the growth in Ballarat’s arts and cultural industries demonstrated how cultural heritage could drive economic prosperity. 

“With more than 2,500 people now employed in creative sectors across our region, we’re witnessing firsthand how investing in our unique cultural identity generates both economic opportunities and strengthens community wellbeing,” Cr Hargreaves said.  

“Our UNESCO designation has enabled us to showcase Ballarat’s creativity on a global stage while supporting local practitioners to develop sustainable careers right here in regional Victoria.  

“Craft Lab is a great example of the work being done to cultivate Ballarat’s creative community and transform our city’s creative city into an economic powerhouse.”  

Commerce Ballarat CEO Jodie Gillet said the economic ripple effects from Ballarat’s arts and cultural industries had been substantial for our broader business community.  

“We’re seeing increased foot traffic, longer visitor stays, and stronger spending patterns across retail, hospitality, and accommodation sectors,” she said.  

“The UNESCO designation has effectively diversified our economic base — building community resilience.” 

Craft Lab will take place at the Ballarat Mining Exchange from 17-25 May, 10am to 5pm, as part of the annual Ballarat Heritage Festival.  

Visit the Creative City website for more information about Craft Lab.

Ballarat’s young people are more equipped with mental health knowledge as the award-winning Live4Life program embarks on another year in Ballarat.

Returning for its third year, the program will involve at least 11 schools and approximately 2000 students in 2025, as they partake in crucial evidence-based teen mental health education.

Live4Life is the only evidence-based mental health education and youth suicide prevention model designed specifically for rural and regional communities.

Live4Life Ballarat was established in 2023 in response to a reported increase from schools and agencies in young people experiencing depression, anxiety, cyber bullying and self-harm which has led to the need for a coordinated response to address our young people’s mental health.

On Thursday May 1 the 2025 Live4Life Ballarat Crew group were officially inducted and recognised as mental health ambassadors for the year ahead.

The Crew is made up of current Year 9 and 10 students from local secondary schools who have chosen to become mental health leaders and advocates after undertaking Teen Mental Health First Aid training as Year 8 students in 2023 and/or 2024.

City of Ballarat Mayor, Cr Tracey Hargreaves said the program had already made an overwhelmingly positive impact on the health and wellbeing of Ballarat’s young people and that she looked forward to seeing it evolve.

“By the end of 2025, it is anticipated that 5,000 young people will have received Teen Mental Health First Aid training in Ballarat in the three years that Live4Life has been running, that is quite incredible,” she said.

“The young people that have stepped up to become Live4Life Crew members are taking on a truly worthy cause and I congratulate them for their commitment towards improving mental health among their peers.”

Ballarat City Council formally adopted the City of Ballarat Youth Profile 2024 earlier this year, which shows that mental health remains the number one chronic health condition for young people across Ballarat.

A Future Forward Youth Forum was also held at Ballarat Town Hall in March, in which mental health emerged as one of the key themes. 

The City of Ballarat has successfully completed a groundbreaking trial using a nanotechnology stabilising agent in road reconstruction – delivering a more durable road surface and significantly reducing construction costs.

The innovative trial, recently used as part of a 1.6-kilometre road reconstruction of Gillies Road between Jubilee Road and Millers Road, involved using the clay-based soil on-site mixed with the liquid stabilisation agent that permanently transforms the soil, strengthening the material at a molecular level.

Early indications of the trial show the outcome is a more resilient road surface for rural roads that can better withstand increased traffic loads and harsh weather conditions.

City of Ballarat Mayor, Cr Tracey Hargreaves said the trial could change the way local governments construct roads, delivering sustainable and cost-effective roads infrastructure.

“Ballarat is proud to be leading the way in adopting new technology that delivers real value for our community,” she said.

“This nanotechnology will extend the lifespan of our roads and help us use resources more efficiently, reduce maintenance costs and also lower our environmental impact.”

City of Ballarat Director Infrastructure and Environment Bridget Wetherall said the nanotechnology product more than halves the cost of constructing rural roads.

“This nanotechnology reduces the pavement depth required from between 250 and 350mm – less than half the depth of a conventional 700mm road,” she said.

“It also delivers a road with a bearing capacity between 5 and 10 times’ stronger than that of a conventional road.”

The nanotechnology delivers a flexible pavement that can withstand cracking and provides a waterproof pavement that can resist flooding conditions, reducing ongoing maintenance.

It is also non-toxic and environmentally sustainable – using the soil on-site.

The trial section of road has passed several stages, including a proof roll, a test for bearing capacity via the use of a pavement deflector meter and compaction testing.

The City of Ballarat will now explore broader use of the technology in future roadworks and infrastructure upgrades across the municipality.

Terra 3000 has been used for more than 30 years in cold and wet climates throughout Europe.  

The product is now progressing through certification requirements for use on Australian roads.

The City of Ballarat has trialled the product in small sections of unsealed and sealed roads over the past seven years, with the 1.6-kilometre road reconstruction of Gillies Road between Jubilee Road and Millers Road the biggest to date. 

The City of Ballarat says it’s thrilled to welcome the Spilt Milk music festival back to Ballarat later this year.

Event organisers have announced the festival will return to the regional city’s Victoria Park on Saturday 6 December, in what will be the fourth edition of the festival in Ballarat.  

Spilt Milk was first held in Ballarat in 2019, before being interrupted by the pandemic in 2020 and 2021. It returned in 2022 and 2023, before a hiatus in 2024.

More than 40,000 people are expected to flock to Victoria Park for the one-day festival, which is one of the biggest economic drivers on the city’s calendar. Approximately 80 per cent of the audience will be visitors to Ballarat.

In 2023, event organisers report an estimated $13.8 million was injected into the Ballarat economy, with similar results forecast in 2025.

Figures also show the Saturday expenditure in Ballarat on the day of Spilt Milk 2023 was almost triple the average spend for Saturdays in December. This occurred despite December already being the period of highest spending for the year.

Now, the festival is back and promises to put on a blockbuster show in Ballarat, alongside three other shows throughout Australia in Perth, Canberra and Gold Coast. and Perth.

The Ballarat show will be the first one held in 2025, followed by Perth on 7 December, Canberra on 13 December and Gold Coast on 14 December.

The lineup has not yet been announced.

City of Ballarat Mayor, Cr Tracey Hargreaves welcomed the announcement.

“We are delighted to be able to share the news that Spilt Milk is coming back to Ballarat this year,” she said.

“Spilt Milk is a crucial event for our city that not only highlights Ballarat as a major events destination but also generates an extraordinary amount of money for our local economy.

“Ballarat absolutely comes to life when Spilt Milk is in town and this year, we expect it to be better than ever.”

The City of Ballarat supports the event through the provision of Victoria Park and venues preparation, event concierge and administrative support, marketing and promotion, and logistical support.  

The City of Ballarat will communicate more information about the event in the coming months. 

The state’s Minister for Skills and TAFE Gayle Tierney visited Melbourne Polytechnic’s Heidelberg Campus last week to congratulate some of the state’s 40,000 newly qualified tradies on receiving Trade Paper.

A Trade Paper is a certificate awarded to those who successfully complete a recognised apprenticeship in Victoria, along with relevant formal training through a TAFE, trade school or registered training organisation. 

Trade papers are issued for 121 different qualifications, with carpenters, electricians and plumbers topping the list and making up almost half of all tradies who have received their papers. 

In a media statement the state government said free TAFE has been a gamechanger for Victorians, with more than 200,000 students saving on average $3,000 per course – getting the skills they need for good, stable jobs or to get back into the workforce. 

Skilled workers are in high demand in Victoria and according to latest figures from the National Centre for Vocational Education Research, almost 95 per cent of people who completed training for a trade occupation in 2024 were employed after qualifying. 

The state and federal governments have announced they are investing a combined $50 million to establish the Future of Housing Construction Centre of Excellence at Melbourne Polytechnic’s Heidelberg Campus – the first training facility in Australia focused exclusively on Modern Methods of Construction courses and Industry 4.0 techniques.

For more information about Trade Papers, visit vrqa.vic.gov.au. 

Minister for Skills and TAFE Gayle Tierney: “We are building a strong pipeline of skilled workers in Victoria to deliver the houses, hosptials, schools, road and rail that Victorians need.”

“We will always stand up for tradies and their families – we’ve made it easier for them to find a good, stable job with trades papers and Free TAFE, and Victoria now has 40,000 more workers at the ready.”

The Victorian state government is encouraging all Victorians to recognise the valuable contributions of older members of the community by nominating them for the 2025 Victorian Senior of the Year Awards.

Minister for Ageing Ingrid Stitt last week announced that nominations are now open for this year’s awards, which celebrate older Victorians who generously share their time, skills and experience to benefit their communities.

For more than three decades, the awards have highlighted the important role older Victorians play in strengthening our state – from supporting local communities to leading organisations that drive statewide change.

Last year, Professor Manjula Datta O’Connor was named Victorian Senior of the Year for her work supporting women facing family violence. Other recipients were recognised for fostering inclusion, promoting health and wellbeing, honouring veterans, and empowering fellow older Victorians.

There are six categories of awards in 2025, including:

1. The Premier’s Award for Victorian Senior of the Year for outstanding and lasting contribution to their community and Victoria
2. The Council on the Ageing (COTA) Victoria Senior Achiever Award for significant contribution to local communities 
3. The Emerging Impact Award recognising new volunteers that are already making an impact in their community
4. The Positive Ageing Award for promoting wellbeing and active ageing
5. The Promotion of Multiculturalism Award for advancing cultural diversity 
6. The Veteran Community Award for service to the veteran community.

The awards will be presented in October, at a ceremony as part of the annual Victorian Seniors Festival. All eligible nominees will receive a certificate of recognition for their contributions.

Nominations are open online until Sunday 1 June and nominees must be aged 60 years or older, or 50 years or older for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Victorians.

To nominate a deserving older Victorian, visit seniorsonline.vic.gov.au/awards.

Minister for Ageing Ingrid Stitt: “The Victorian Senior of the Year Awards are about shining a light on the incredible efforts of seniors who make a difference every day.”

“I encourage Victorians to take a moment to nominate an older person in their life that is making a meaningful contribution in their local community.”

The state government has partnered with the Salvation Army to open a new health clinic in the city to help Victorians facing homelessness and chronic addiction.

Premier Jacinta Allan and Minister for Mental Health Ingrid Stitt late last week joined Commanding Officer of the Salvation Army, Major Brendan Nottle, to officially open the new service at the Salvation Army’s Bourke Street location.

Operated by the Salvation Army, in partnership with cohealth and Alfred Health, the $2.9 million clinic will reduce drug harms and give more people the medical and mental healthcare they need.

For more than 100 years, the Salvation Army has supported some of the most vulnerable people in the CBD from their Bourke Street site – and this new clinic continues that legacy with a modern, integrated model of care.

The new clinic will make it easier for Victorians including those with complex needs to access services including primary care, pharmacotherapy and addiction medicine, social services navigation, and mental health care, referrals, psychiatric assessment and support.

Operating five days a week, the clinic offers walk-in appointments, as well as referrals from outreach teams, other CBD support services and through engagement with people using other Salvation Army services.

The clinic is one of several key initiatives to tackle drug harm in Melbourne’s CBD as part of the Labor Government’s $95 million Statewide Action Plan – including delivering a new Community Health Hub at 244 Flinders Street.

Other initiatives include expanded outreach in the city, Footscray and St Kilda and a new program providing intensive case management for the most vulnerable CBD drug users.

The Statewide Action Plan is already making an impact since its announcement last year – including appointing Victoria’s first Chief Addiction Medicine Adviser, the development of Victoria’s first statewide drug harm reduction strategy and expansion of the Take Home Naloxone program.

Premier Jacinta Allan: “Victorians struggling with addiction deserve care and support – not judgement and stigma, and our new Bourke Street health clinic will deliver exactly that.” 

On a recent road trip, a couple of weird things happened that made me shake my head at the universe.

Now if you think this yarn is going down into the potholes and dickhead drivers  subject I am normally red hot on, you are wrong.

This is a tale on the path of embarrassment, horror and fear.  

The first part of the journey was a night in a hotel up the road a bit, in Albury, which is where the embarrassment came into play. I am not one for public speaking and try to avoid the spotlight as much as possible. In fact, Donna does all the ABC  Radio Paper Chase segments, not because it is some ungodly hour of the morning, but  because I simply don’t like the sound of my own voice.

At funerals, weddings and any time that I am required to offer a quivering-voiced piece of advice I start by saying  “I’ll keep this short and sweet”.  

Anyway, I found myself in a line to sign in and get my keys for the night at the hotel when a rather rattled elderly man jumped the queue to ask the staff for assistance. He explained to the reception team an older woman had fallen down some stairs.

The reception team didn’t seem to be worried and kept processing the guests so this is where I fired into action and followed the guy saying to him “I can help, I  have a first aid certificate”.

I imagined the woman was lying on some steps in a dark stairwell needing my 40 years of back-to-back first aid certification I have been doing  since I was 17. At last, my skills and training would pay off.  

The man, with me hot on his tail, busted through a set of double doors leading into an auditorium with around 200 people seated, all looking my way. He yelled “I  have the medico, I have the medico”. Hello, stage fright.  

I made my way to the stage where I helped the poor old girl to her feet, which resulted in applause from the audience, and then it was literally exit stage left. Like a  scene from Thank God You’re Here.  

The next milestone moment of the road trip was in Maitland, NSW. Donna had chosen this place to stay for the night. I had glimpsed at the photos she showed me and it looked fabulous.

But we then rolled up to this rather ominous-looking building, in fact gargoyles perching on the rooftop wouldn’t have been out of place.  After checking in I went down to get a couple of things from the car and said  to the receptionist “please don’t tell me this place was an old hospital?”.

“No,”she  replied, “this place used to be a Catholic orphanage”.

I asked if there were any ghosts but “only if you believe” she replied.  So I self-medicated with wine to get to sleep, as I am a little sensitive to these things, and as I nodded off, Donna asked what was wrong with my breathing?.  

I told her I felt like there was something heavy on my chest and then slipped into an alcoholic-induced slumber until about 2.30am when I was woken by the pitter patter of little feet running up and down the hallway. I was awake for hours after that,  hearing all sorts of things that went bump in the night.  

As the morning light started to come into the room I managed to get a bit more  sleep and when we finally woke around seven, I told Donna my tales of terror and showed her some rather deep scratch marks on my stomach.

She is not a believer but  she had also heard the constant running up and down the hallway.  A quick Google of the place in question revealed it was not uncommon to hear such tales, in fact there is a whole web page devoted to it which include a groom-to be feeling someone pressing on his chest and yelling “get out, get out”.  

Embarrassment, horror and fear rant over…  (Ed’s note: I am not a believer but I won’t be staying there again. Very strange.)  

Rob and Margaret McDonald recently held their 20th community picking day at their winery at Sailors Falls.  

Rob said the day started in 2005 with a few people from the Daylesford Walking  Group.

“It takes a few years for grapes to get going and we didn’t have that many in the early days. We planted in 1999 and our first crop was picked in 2005.  

“Some of the walkers, for some reason, got wildly excited about picking grapes so we had them around, had hot cross buns for morning team, a barbeque for lunch and then a few drinks at the end of the day.

“One year we had 25 people here. It just  grew and grew – still with mostly walkers, but also a few odds and bods who wanted to join the frivolities.”  

Rob said the free labour, albeit with all the perks, was a great help.

“If you had to bring in pickers it does cost a bit. And I have taken on a new role, I’m in my 81st year, so I hire a guy who does the lifting and pushing, and I do the cooking and catering. Everyone enjoys the day and I give them all a bottle of wine from a real family winery to take home. It combines work with fun.”  

Rob said while some of the earlier pickers were no longer around, there had  been a changing of the guard, with many people from U3A now helping out.  

“We do a few free wine tastings for U3A and they often ask if they can come along when we do the picking day. It’s a reciprocal thing.”  

Rob said the wine business was hard work, especially for local wineries unable to match the economies of scale of the bigger businesses.  

“We need to sell a bottle for about $20 but you can see wine for $5 and if that’s someone’s budget, it’s just what they have to buy. Cellarbrations does a good job for us with sales and a couple of businesses like Sault support us but it is hard going.  

“Any idiot can grow a grape, it’s the marketing and sales.”  

Rob said he and Margaret started Sailors Falls Estate, which offers meals and accommodation along with wine, as a “romantic notion”.

“I was never a big beer drinker and when I lived in Fitzroy I found everyone had wine in their sheds, they were making it themselves, and cooking pizzas in outside  ovens. I thought that was a great idea – to do when we retired.”  

Words: Donna Kelly | Images: Contributed    

As always, for all manner of reasons, the shadow of the United States of  America looms over the culture of the world. That’s a big statement I know  and we can argue about it over dinner sometime.

Despite all predictions of its imminent demise, from our shitty social media feeds to the movies we critique, the online series we binge on, and the politics we follow, the idea  of America is omnipresent.

In a post-globalised world, within the 24-hour news cycle and the sodden floating morass of opinion and perspective that passes for actual information, you will find multiple aspects of the perplexing, infuriating, compelling, impenetrable, amorphous concept of America.  

No other country on earth filters through via so many lenses and I suppose that is why  everyone, whether they have been there or not, have so many strident opinions on the place and I have probably been the worst offender.

So that’s why I decided, worn out slaving for The Local, that my next journey would be to that country. I did not expect to traipse the  halls of power, feel its hot breath, nor oscillate around the world of the elite and famous. I  simply wanted to see the USA at ground level through my own lens and form an opinion  of this land via actual experience. I hope it’s worth reading. – Tony Sawrey  

“Come check out Gladheart Farm,” said Elle. “They are a cult, but they make a killer sourdough and I need to stock up my cafe.”  

I’m in Asheville, North Carolina visiting my niece, we have been spending  the day driving around and seeing the sights, which in this part of the world is  overwhelmingly the flood damage done to the city as a result of Hurricane Helene in  September 2024.  

But there has been enough written about that event, the focus is now on  rebuilding. I didn’t want to come away from this town as just another disaster tourist  and the idea of visiting a religious commune appeals to my persistent interest in weird  counter-cultures.  

Gladheart Farm sits on 19 acres (7.6 hectares) of land around eight kilometres  from the centre of Asheville and is part of the Twelve Tribes, “an emerging spiritual  nation…a confederation made up of self-governing communities…who live together  in homes and on farms”.

On their website they describe themselves as “disciples of  the Son of God, whom (they) call by His Hebrew name Yahshua”.  

Founded by Elbert Eugene Spriggs out of Tennessee in 1972, today the group  consists of 32 communities worldwide including the United States, Europe and even a house and deli in Katoomba, NSW.  

We arrived at their farm at lunchtime and had the opportunity to sit down with some of the members. We entered through the kitchen where at least a dozen women of various ages were busy preparing the midday meal consisting of salad, cheesy chicken and kale/banana smoothies.  

Each woman was dressed in either full length dresses or sus pants (a type of shapeless trouser with narrow ankle sleeves) and long hair kept in pigtails, often covered by scarves.  

While they served us lunch, I sat and chatted with some of the men who all  sported beards, and tied back hair. Ben, a former dairy farmer and ex-military who  has been part of the group for two years, was happy to chat about Gladheart.  

“We have several houses for families living here and communal lodging for the single men. This building serves as a meeting area for celebrations, gospel readings  and our weekly pizza and film nights.”  

The Twelve Tribes seeks to recreate the first-century Christian church, a period  after the death of Jesus made up of men and women who knew Jesus personally and/ or witnessed his resurrection.  

Their belief structure is a combination of Christian fundamentalism (also known as Bible Literalism) and Messianic Judaism including the concept of salvation by believing in Jesus or ‘Yahshua’ in Hebrew, the language of early Christendom.  

Furthermore, the group gives each member a Hebrew name that is meant to reflect the personality of the individual.  In more recent years, the use of Hebrew names, often interchangeable between members, has also made it very difficult for outsiders trying to track down family members within scattered Twelve Tribes communities.  

Its commune-based all-things-in-common lifestyle can come across as quaint and bucolic, a throwback to the flower-power age of the 1960s, but the group is nothing  if not industrious, with its various chapters engaged in all forms of businesses from  bakeries and delis to construction and printing.  

“Here, along with our organic produce we have Maté Factor,” explains Ben. “A  facility producing herbal tea blends based on the yerba maté plant imported from  Brazil and sold around the world.”  

Community members young and old work unpaid in these businesses with all  profits going towards sustaining the Twelve Tribes community.

Walking around Gladheart Farm, it is very easy to be seduced by what is on offer  here. To think that in exchange for honest work, growing crops, tending animals and  tilling the land, you can be part of a loving family, something greater than yourself.  No need to worry about money, all your needs taken care of.  

Cult, commune, movement or sect, my niece Elle, with her frequent visits to the community, can best sum up this desire to belong as a natural response to corruption and uncertain times.  

“When individuals no longer trust the government and when they feel powerless  and afraid of what the future holds, groups like the Twelve Tribes are always going to  hold some sort of appeal.”  

Images: Tony Sawrey     

The exhibition Intersections: Art, Music, Words is currently on display at the Daylesford Regional  Visitor Information Centre from May 8 to June 19.  

Vanessa  Craven (daylesfordARTS), pictured, is an artist with many  strings to her bow.  She paints in acrylic, oils and mixed media, ink and pencil, is a nature  photographer and a talented musician who plays with her bands Lunar Dust and Lake Mist as well as solo.  

Vanessa is also a writer and poet. She won the Bendigo Sustainability Festival ‘Poe-Tree’ award 2025, and has two published books, a children’s book, Birds in my Tree: the Magic of Birds and the Joy of Singing and a poetry book, Under the Mop Top Tree.  

She has also published poems and short stories in five anthologies with the Moorabool Writers Craft including in 2023, Mists of Moorabool.  She has produced and recorded three music CDs Filtered Light, Forbidden  Dance and Homebrew.

Her music has won awards with the Australian Songwriting Association.  

Daylesford Regional Visitor Information Centre is open daily from 10am to 4pm  at 98 Vincent Street, Daylesford.

Image: Kyle Barnes