There will be an element of magic in the air at Creswick this CresFest.

There are many ways to transform a town, and across the greater goldfields region community groups work all year to make their villages and towns the best they can be.

Think ChillOut, when Daylesford goes rainbow, think Booktown, when Clunes turns into a massive book store, and think SpudFest, when Trentham gives itself over to celebration of all things potato.

The town of Creswick is no exception, with award-winning event CresFest taking over the whole town from April 5 to 7. This year, says festival director Judy Turner, there is an extra twist.

“We decided to add the element of surprise,” she says, “and our streets will be full of fun – there’s a mini circus, Big Tops for Tiny Tots, a sword swallower, a sleight of hand expert from Texas, and Australia’s leading female magician and mentalist, Cath Jamison, hailing from Hepburn Springs.”

Jamison is noted as one of Australia’s most bizarre and unusual women entertainers – a wickedly hilarious entertainer who offers a feminine approach to the world of intrigue and is recognised worldwide for her astonishing skills in the fields of magic and mentalism.

“We’ve asked Cath to be a roving magician,” Judy says, “so our crowds are greeted with the unexpected. You might be sitting having a coffee with friends, and all of a sudden, Cath will pop up doing magic tricks for you and your gang.”

More than folk and roots music, CresFest has become renowned for its eclectic approach, presenting a series of Courthouse Conversations across the weekend, with host and former Daylesford identity Cate Kennedy talking up a storm with invited guests.

“There’s so much to see and do all across our town, we want people from right across the region to join us the weekend after Easter, and explore all we have to offer.”

Words: Contributed | Image: Eve Lamb

Daylesford’s Good Grub Club is holding a special Easter Passover lunch at the Uniting Church Hall today, Thursday March 28 from noon to 1.30pm.

Treasurer Liz Bennett said the Good Grub Club committee welcomed everyone. She also wanted to give thanks to the Daylesford District Community Bank for its ongoing support as the major sponsor.

“Without their support this would not be possible. The bank is keeping us going as we are not sure if we will have to move when the church is sold.

“Also thanks to the Daylesford Meat Co which is contributing lamb for the lunch. In addition to ongoing meat discounts the Meat Co supports us when we run these special lunches. Last year they gave us turkey for Christmas.”

Ms Bennett said Reverend Jenny Hayes, after many years of dedicated service, had just stepped down as president of the club, and will be giving an Easter blessing just before the lunch.

She said the club expects up to 50 people to gather for the lunch, which is quickly becoming a friendship networking group along with feeding those keen for a three-course midweek meal.

“People are now coming along and exchanging numbers and catching up outside of the club which is fantastic. Just last week it was one of our regular’s birthday and the chefs, who come from Blackwood, made her a cake and we all sang Happy Birthday.”

Ms Bennett said donations from people and organisations were always welcome but even more so as the club faces the uncertainty of a new location. “Local support will be critical as we navigate this challenge to ensure we can continue our vital service to the community. which would be a real shame.

Bendigo Crime Investigation Unit detectives have arrested four males following a series of alleged burglaries and thefts of and from motor vehicles being in the Bendigo area between February and March.

It’s alleged there were multiple incidents of aggravated burglaries and the thefts of vehicles in suburbs of Bendigo including Epsom, Strathfieldsaye and surrounding areas over the past two months.

Detectives from Bendigo Crime Investigation Unit and the Central Victoria Response Unit executed a search warrant at a Derwent Drive, Long Gully address last Wednesday, March 20, in relation to ongoing enquiries.

The search located a number items believed to have been stolen throughout the Bendigo area.

Two 17-year-old males, a 14-year-old male and a 19-year-old male were arrested at the address.

The 14-year-old was charged with multiple counts of theft from motor vehicle and handle stolen goods and was bailed to appear at the children’s court at a later date.

A 17-year-old was charged with burglary, attempted aggravated burglary and theft of motor vehicle and has been remanded to appear at a Childrens Court at a later date.

A second 17-year-old was found to be in breach of bail conditions and had his bail revoked.

A 19-year-old man was charged with offences relating to five aggravated burglaries and theft of motor vehicles which were committed across multiple eastern suburbs of Melbourne.

He had been remanded to appear at the Bendigo Magistrates’ Court last Thursday.

Police have arrested and charged three teenagers after a stolen car crashed and rolled in Strathfieldsaye, Bendigo, on Sunday, March 17.

It is alleged a stolen Ford Fiesta and a stolen Renault were seen at a petrol station in Kangaroo Flat about 1.40am.

Investigators have been told the occupants of the vehicles filled up their fuel tanks and drove off without paying.

Police were called and patrolled the area but were unable to locate the vehicles.

A short time later police received reports of two vehicles driving erratically in Strathfieldsaye.

Units again attended and two patrol cars were stopped on Swanson Boulevard with their lights activated when the Ford and Renault appeared and mounted the footpath in an attempt to get past.

The Renault was successful, but the Ford crashed into a fence and rolled.

Police arrested a 15-year-old boy from Reservoir, a 16-year-old boy from California Gully and a 17-year-old boy from Ascot.

The 15-year-old driver was charged with 18 offences including careless driving, reckless conduct endanger life and theft of a motor vehicle and remanded to appear at a children’s court at a later date.

The 17-year-old was charged with reckless conduct endanger life and bailed to appear at a children’s court at a later date.

The 16-year-old received a caution for reckless conduct endanger life.

The leading Aussie tribute act to Pearl Jam head to The Palais, Hepburn to deliver a high-energy performance of the legendary Seattle outfit’s greatest hits on Saturday evening, April 13.

Off the back of their successful International tour celebrating 30 years of VS, The Pearl Jam Experience are traveling to regional centres, with special guests, to deliver a show that promises to be a thrilling and unforgettable experience for Pearl Jam fans, both old and new.

The Pearl Jam Experience pay tribute to one of the most prominent, and influential bands of the 90’s with further details available through the venue’s website.

Scientists from Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO, have led an international team to a clean energy breakthrough by setting a new efficiency record for fully roll-to-roll printed solar cells. 

Printed onto thin plastic films, the lightweight and flexible solar technology will help meet the growing demand for renewable energy by expanding the boundaries of where solar cells can be used. 

Where silicon solar panels are rigid and heavy, the printed solar cells are highly flexible and portable, meaning they can be deployed in previously unimaginable ways across urban construction, mining operations, emergency management, disaster relief, space, defence and personal electronics.  

CSIRO’s Renewable Energy Systems Group Leader, Dr Anthony Chesman, said the achievement was the result of more than a decade’s research and development.  

“CSIRO’s thin and light-weight solar cells are now on the cusp of emerging from the lab to create clean energy in the real world,” Dr Chesman said. 

“We’ve solved several engineering problems to achieve record results across a large surface area of interconnected modules.

“Roll-to-roll printing allows for the solar cells to be manufactured on very long, continuous rolls of plastic, which can dramatically increase the rate of production.  

“As these methods are already widely used in the printing industry, this makes their production more accessible for Australian manufacturers.   

“The successful commercialisation of printed flexible solar cells has the potential to create significant economic and environmental benefits for Australia and the world.”

The results were achieved in collaboration with researchers from the University of Cambridge, Monash University, the University of Sydney and the University of New South Wales, and have been published in the leading journal Nature Communications.

CSIRO Principal Research Scientist Dr Doojin Vak said that an automated system produced a comprehensive dataset that will pave the way to use machine learning in future research. 

“We developed a system for rapidly producing and testing over ten thousand solar cells a day – something that would have been impossible to do manually,” Dr Vak said.  

“This allowed us to identify the optimal settings for the various parameters in the roll-to-roll process and quickly pinpoint the conditions that deliver the best results,” he said.

Incorporating an advanced material called perovskite, CSIRO’s printed solar is different from the silicon solar panels found on Australian roofs.

“Perovskites are a class of emerging solar cell material. They’re remarkable because they can be formulated into inks and used in industrial printers,” Dr Vak said.

“We’ve also alleviated the need to use expensive metals, such as gold, in their production by using specialised carbon inks, which further reduces production costs.”

Acknowledging that perovskite solar cells currently trail silicon solar panels in efficiency and lifetime when produced at scale, Dr Chesman sees the application of flexible panels to be very different.

“As these perovskite solar cells are printed onto plastic films, they are very lightweight, highly flexible and portable,” he said.

“The rigidity and weight of conventional silicon solar panels can make moving them difficult. Our thin, lightweight solar can be easily transported anywhere there is sun.

The CSIRO is actively seeking industry partners to further develop and commercialise the technology.

Words: CSIRO

Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO, has this month announced Dr Debbie Eagles’ appointment as Director of the Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness (ACDP), after an extensive international search and recruitment process. 

Dr Eagles will lead CSIRO’s high-containment facility in Geelong, Victoria, which helps protect Australia’s multi-billion-dollar livestock and aquaculture industries as well as our community from emerging infectious disease threats.  

Prior to this, Dr Eagles was ACDP’s Deputy Director, and played a pivotal role in CSIRO’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Executive Director, Future Industries, Ms Kirsten Rose, said Dr Eagles has held science leadership roles in CSIRO for many years, and has already helped guide and shape the future direction of ACDP.  

“Our ACDP facility is an integral part of Australia’s biosecurity infrastructure and is vital in ensuring we can continue to protect and prepare Australia from biothreats and emerging infectious and zoonotic diseases,” Ms Rose said. 

“Dr Eagles has an impressive track record and is well placed to continue to lead the work required to elevate ACDP further and keep us supporting Australia well into the future.” 

Dr Eagles is a veterinary epidemiologist with a background in vector-borne diseases and brings a wealth of experience in animal health and biosecurity preparedness in Australia and the Asia Pacific region.

She is internationally renowned as a World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) Reference Laboratory Expert on Bluetongue Virus, and is a WOAH and Australian Qualified Expert on the UN Secretary-General Mechanism’s Roster for investigations of Alleged Use of Chemical, Biological or Toxin Weapons. 

Today, almost 25 percent of Australians are digitally excluded. This means they miss out on the social, educational and economic benefits that online connectivity enables.

In the face of this ongoing “digital divide”, countries are now talking about a future of inclusive artificial intelligence (AI).

However, if we don’t learn from current problems with digital exclusion, it will likely spill over into people’s future experiences with AI. That’s the conclusion from new research published in the journal AI and Ethics.

Reserchers say decades of research has provided a rich understanding of who is most at risk. In Australia, older people, those living in remote areas, people on lower incomes and First Nations peoples are most likely to find themselves digitally excluded.

Zooming out, they say show that one-third of the world’s population – representing the poorest countries – remains offline. Globally, the digital gender divide also still exists: women, particularly in low and middle-income countries, face substantially more barriers to digital connectivity.

During the COVID pandemic, the impacts of digital inequity became much more obvious. As large swathes of the world’s population had to “shelter in place”– unable to go outside, visit shops, or seek face-to-face contact – anyone without digital access was severely at risk.

Consequences ranged from social isolation to reduced employment opportunities, as well as a lack of access to vital health information. 

The UN Secretary-General stated in 2020 that “the digital divide is now a matter of life and death”.

Words & Image: CSIRO

Melbourne based singer songwriter John Taratsas captivates his audiences with big choruses, and memorable hooks wrapped in rhythmic guitar, punching horns and moving strings.

Taratsas is headed to Hepburn next month to play the Palias on Friday evening, April 5.

With roots in Britpop, Folk and Indie Rock, he has started 2024 strongly, performing at The Thornbury Local, Coburg RSL and the Penny Black.

He released his most well received single ‘Wings’ in 2022 which has garnered over 12,000 plays on Spotify. He then released “Don’t Go Away Now” which eclipsed that statistic.

More details about his upcoming Hepburn gig can be fund on the Palais website.

The Strategem Bendigo Winemakers Festival returns to Rosalind Park on Saturday April 13.

The festival is a celebration of the region’s exceptional wines, the people who make them and another successful vintage.

In addition to 100 plus wines available for tasting, there is delicious food, fun entertainment, competitions and live music.

It’s a chance to discover the region’s white, red, rosé and sparkling wine styles, feast from the many food vans or pack a picnic.

There’s also the opportunity to join the grape stomp challenge, enter various competitions, or simply kick back in the cool park shade with your favourite people and a glassful of something good.

Details: Saturday 13 April, 2023, 11am to 4pm

Location: Rosalind Park, Central Bendigo.

The innovative Live4Life youth mental health and suicide prevention program has launched in Hepburn Shire in recent days.

Live4Life brings together rural and regional communities to deliver accredited youth mental health first aid training and lead conversations to reduce stigma around mental health, and promote young leaders as Mental Health Ambassadors.

Live4Life is an award-winning prevention model centred on young people themselves and aims to protect young lives before a crisis occurs.

In Hepburn, the Daylesford College is shouldering the role of lead agency in implementing the peer-led, evidence-based model that spans both suicide prevention and mental health education and is the only program of its kind designed specifically for rural and regional areas.

“Today marks an exciting chapter at Daylesford College as we launch the Live4Life program in Hepburn Shire,” Daylesford College principal Steve MacPhail said.

“Our approach to student wellbeing is already cutting edge and Live4Life takes us to another level.”

“Our goal is to wipe out the stigma around mental health, teach our young people to recognise when they are struggling, or when a peer is not doing well, smash the barriers that keep them from seeking help, and turn our schools, homes, and communities into havens of mental health wisdom.

“Let’s build a future where our youth not only survive but thrive, and where mental health is not just a conversation but a way of life.”

Three quarters of people with mental ill health have their first episode during adolescence. Suicide is the leading cause of death in 15-24-year-olds in Australia and the suicide rate is 40% higher in rural and regional communities.

Hepburn joins nine other Victorian communities implementing the Live4Life model, where it has proven its effectiveness in growing mental health awareness and a help-seeking culture.

Other Live4Life communities include: Ballarat, Bass Coast/South Gippsland, Baw Baw, Benalla, Central Goldfields, Glenelg, Moira, Southern Grampians and foundation community Macedon Ranges — as well as the first interstate Live4Life community in Break O’Day, Tasmania.

There is currently a waitlist of over 20 rural and regional communities throughout Australia.

Hepburn Shire Council Mayor, Cr Brian Hood said that the Live4Life program is expected to bring real benefits to the region.

“Council is pleased to be working with Daylesford College and Central Highlands Rural Health to bring this important program to young people in our Shire,” Cr Hood said.

“Providing a safe place for them to create connections and foster resilience is key to tackling issues such as suicide and mental health.”

Bernard Galbally, Live4Life CEO: “It is really exciting to be expanding the Live4Life model into Hepburn.

“Live4Life is led by young people and involves the whole community. The Live4Life model has been proven to create more highly-networked communities, which enhance resilience during hard times and help to support young people living in regional and rural areas.

“Youth Live4Life is grateful to Gandel Foundation for philanthropic support to expand this life-changing program to Daylesford College and the Hepburn Shire community.”

Gandel Foundation’s CEO Vedran Drakulic OAM: “Gandel Foundation is committed to creating a positive and lasting difference and to building the spirit and resilience of communities, especially in rural and regional Victoria.

“Empowering young people to develop help-seeking strategies and reduce the stigma about mental ill-health is one of the key ways in helping forge this resilience”.

Youth Live4Life will partner with Daylesford College, Hepburn Shire Council and  Central Highlands Rural Health to deliver the award-winning program.

Anyone interested in further information on how to support the mental health and wellbeing of young people in Hepburn, can contact Bridget Franc at Daylesford College on bridget.franc@education.vic.gov.au.

After six and a half good years, the Reverend Neil Fitzgerald, Vicar of Daylesford’s Christ Church is preparing to leave his current position with the Anglican Parish of Daylesford to take up the position of Priest-in-Charge of the Parish of Woodend and Trentham.

Father Fitzgerald’s last service as Vicar of Christ Church at Daylesford will be on Easter Day.

“The Parish of Daylesford, the town, the congregation and the people will always have a special place in my heart and I give thanks to all who have been on this journey with me and I wish you every blessing for your next chapter,” Father Fitzgerald said.

“I leave grateful for being part of congregational led initiatives such as Sunday School for Grown Ups, The Christ Church Concert series and the upgrade of the WE Stanbridge Hall which will see an exciting future for the people under the care of a new Priest.

Father Fitzgerald expressed his appreciation for the support he and his partner Stephen had enjoyed from the congregation and the local community, particularly as it was his first appointment as a priest.

The status of a replacement for Father Neil at Christ Church, Daylesford now rests with the Bishop of Bendigo. Applicants will meet with a parish selection panel as part of the selection process.

It’s time to hoik up your leg-warmers, beef up your best big hair, slip on a sliver of spandex and make your way down to the Palais, Hepburn this Easter Saturday evening March 30.

The reason: Rewind 80’s Mixtape Tour is coming to Palais-Hepburn for an Easter Weekend extravaganza

The siren call of the 1980’s – spandex and all – is beckoning crowds in all areas of Australia. Rewind 80’s promises to pull out all the stops from the decade of big hair and even bigger tunes.

The multi-piece live show is set to bring out two live party sets, asking guests to prepare to be immersed in a huge celebration of nostalgia.

Tracks from David Bowie, Madonna, Cyndi Lauper, Kim Wilde, Guns N’ Roses and more are on the mixtape setlist on the night.

Ticket sales have opened with more information through the venue’s website.

The City of Ballarat is developing a new master plan for its botanical gardens, to guide how it shapes the living attraction into the future. 

The new plan will focus on the main part of the gardens and the North and South Reserves. 

The Master Plan is the community’s chance to take a big picture look at the Ballarat Botanical Gardens – what’s working, what’s not working and what residents want them to look like in 20 years’ time. 

The City of Ballarat has appointed a consultant to undertake this work, and to assist is now inviting all residents, visitors and people with an interest in the gardens to join the conversation. 

Landscape architect Andrea Proctor will lead the process of developing the new Master Plan and has recently been involved in similar processes for the Royal Botanic Gardens in Melbourne, the Albury Botanic Gardens and the Colac Botanic Gardens. 

Ms Proctor and her team will also work with a range of stakeholder groups, including the Friends of the Ballarat Botanical Gardens, the Ballarat Botanical Gardens Foundation and Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation. 

City of Ballarat Councillor Amy Johnson said the Ballarat Botanical Gardens are much-loved in Ballarat and encouraged the community to get involved and help shape the future of the gardens for generations to come. 

“Everyone has their own special memories of the Ballarat Botanical Gardens and now is the chance to put your ideas forward to inform the preparation of the Master Plan,” she said. 

“The Master Plan will be the long-term plan for the gardens which will maintain and protect the gardens’ important and well-loved features while allowing it to meet visitors’ contemporary needs. 

“The more feedback from our community and visitors, the better informed our plan will be.” 

The Ballarat Botanical Gardens is renowned as one of Australia’s most attractive cool climate gardens. 

The gardens were first reserved for a public garden in 1857. 

Today, the 40 hectares of leafy gardens and avenues located opposite Lake Wendouree feature a fine collection of exotic conifers, deciduous and native trees and historic bedding displays. 

The gardens are a popular and an invaluable heritage and recreational location for residents and visitors, featuring a remarkable plant house and a world-renowned collection of tuberous Begonias. 

The gardens also feature the Robert Clark Conservatory (home to the annual display of Begonias), the Prime Ministers’ Avenue in the Horse Chestnut Avenue, a significant collection of late 19^th Century statues and the recently reconstructed Fernery.  

Feedback from the community will be used to guide the development of the Draft Ballarat Botanical Gardens Master Plan. 

The survey closes 5pm, Sunday 21 April via the council’s MySay online platform.

All feedback will be considered in the development of the final master plan, which will then be presented to the council for consideration. 

There will also be a community pop-up session where you can share your feedback in person on: 

• Sunday 7 April at the Ballarat Botanical Gardens Conservatory from 10am to 2pm. 

Those interested can also pick up a printed copy of the survey at City of Ballarat sites, including the Ballarat Botanical Gardens’ Robert Clark Conservatory, Customer Service and Ballarat Libraries. 

The new master plan will replace the 1995 Ballarat Botanical Gardens Master Plan. 

Bendigo is transforming into the city of love and light for its new activation campaign, Bonjour Bendigo, in celebration of Bendigo Art Gallery’s exclusive exhibition Paris: Impressions of Life 1880-1925.

More than 40 themed experiences and events around the Bendigo region are being planned to coincide with the exhibition, which opened on Saturday March 16 and runs until Sunday July 14.

Mayor Cr Andrea Metcalf says Bendigo was the perfect place to host French-themed experiences and events because of the many similarities between the two cities.

“Even though Paris is on a much bigger scale, Greater Bendigo, and Paris both share a rich love of culture and heritage, elegant buildings and iconic landmarks, culinary and gastronomic delights, picture perfect streetscapes and a thriving cafe culture. 

“With so much in common, Bonjour Bendigo is a wonderful way to capture the joy of Paris this autumn and winter right here in Bendigo.

“Residents and visitors can make the most of a fantastic range of French-inspired events and experiences, together with themed food and drink menus celebrating the city of love and light. 

“It is a red, white, and blue celebration with the tricolours of the French flag adding vibrancy around region. I want to thank Bendigo Tourism members who have jumped on board to be part of this exciting campaign, embracing the theme in many innovative ways. 

“The BENDIGO letters at the piazza have been transformed with the Bonjour Bendigo branding. The conservatory will be lit in the French colours with red and white on the outside and blue on the inside, while one of Bendigo Heritage Attractions’ iconic trams will feature the Bonjour Bendigo branding. Bunting and flower boxes in French colours will also add to the streetscape vibrancy.

“Hargreaves Mall will have a range of Paris-themed and free activations to keep the family entertained including acrobats, jugglers, French-themed music, and painting activities and much more during the exhibition period and the Easter holidays.
  
“This campaign will be a terrific way to encourage visitors to stay longer in our region and we are marketing Bendigo as a must-see destination over the coming months, particularly to Melbourne, regional Victoria, and Sydney.

“Our award-winning public activations, which celebrate blockbuster exhibitions at Bendigo Art Gallery, have become hugely popular over the years with residents and visitors, and they are now eagerly anticipated.”

The City is working closely with Bendigo Tourism members who are celebrating the arrival of the exhibition with themed menus, fashion, accessories, desserts, cocktails, attractions, and experiences. Bendigo accommodation providers have also put together curated deals especially for visitors.