Cafs (Child and Family Services, Ballarat) is seeing an increase in demand for support from across the region.

Families are already feeling the pinch and now they face the additional pressure of trying to equip children with all the necessities required for the school year.

Cafs’ focus for the start of 2024 is firmly on giving the gift of education to local children
and families experiencing hardship.

Cafs are now calling for financial donations, or the donation of gift vouchers of any denomination, which would enable families to purchase school necessities including basic uniform items, shoes, stationery, back- packs and lunch boxes. Visit www.cafs.org.au or call 1800 692 237

Booking.com have announced the recipients of its 12th annual Traveller Review Awards, with Daylesford featured in its top 10 ‘Most Welcoming Cities on Earth’ list of award winners.

Booking.com’s Traveller Reviews Awards are based on more than 309 million verified customer reviews with 1.48 million accommodations, 449 rental car companies and 129 taxi providers receiving an award, including over 22,000 in Australia.

This year’s list of the Most Welcoming Places on Earth showcases a vast range of destinations from across the globe.

From enchanting coastal towns to alpine retreats and rustic desert gems, all of the featured locations are likely to ignite a sense of wanderlust in many for the year ahead.

The results in order are:

1. Arraial d’Ajuda, Brazil

2. Ermoupoli, Greece

3. Viana do Castelo, Portugal

4. Daylesford, Australia

5. Grindelwald, Switzerland

6. Moab, United States

7. Uzès, France

8. Mazatlán, Mexico

9. Jaisalmer, India

10. Fujikawaguchiko, Japan

Booking.com Regional Manager for Oceania Todd Lacey: “The Traveller Review Awards are our way of thanking and publicly acknowledging the top notch service our Australian partners provide to travellers and the critical role they play in our mission of making it easier for everyone to experience the world.

“This year, we’re proud to see Daylesford, Victoria featured on our global list as one of the Most Welcoming Cities on Earth.” 

Large boulders have recently been installed in Daylesford’s Bourke Square.

The move by Hepburn Shire Council, in collaboration with the Royal Daylesford Hotel, comes after five people died following an incident at the site involving a car on November 5 last year.

The case is now before the courts. A council spokesperson said the interim measure would be in place while the council cooperated with authorities and awaited the conclusion of investigations that will determine whether other works are required at the Bourke Square site.

Police have in recent days arrested a man believed to be responsible for directing a series of suspicious fires across Melbourne last year connected to the current illicit tobacco dispute.

A 25-year-old Epping man was arrested by detectives from the Lunar and VIPER Taskforces in Bundoora just after 3pm on Tuesday, 30 January.

Police had earlier reported that he was to be interviewed. Detectives believe the man was responsible for commissioning a number of arson attacks on businesses last year, including:

• A fire at a smash repair business in Williamstown North on 5 October;

• A fire at a tobacco store in Glenroy on 9 October;

• Two fires at the same Docklands restaurant on 18 and 20 November;

• A fire at a reception centre in Tullamarine on 8 December; and

• A fire at a separate Docklands restaurant on 8 December.

He will also be interviewed in relation to a threat against a tobacco store owner in Glenroy on 24 September.

Taskforce Lunar as at Tuesday January 30 had 31 active arson investigations, which include tobacco stores, vehicles, gyms, restaurants and private addresses.

Since October, the VIPER Taskforce has executed almost 70 warrants at tobacco stores across the state believed to be involved in the sale of illicit tobacco, resulting in the seizure of the following:

• 108,722 e cigarettes (vapes) with a street valuation of $3.2M;

• 3,205,298 cigarettes with duty excise evaded totalling $3.9M;

• Over one of tonne loose-leaf tobacco with duty excise totalling evaded $1.9M;

• At least 2 kg of cannabis;

• At least 1kg of cocaine;

• Almost $100K proceeds of crime;

• Multiple weapons including ASP Batons and swords; and

• Industrial tobacco manufacturing equipment.

A significant investigation into the series was underway with Taskforce Lunar drawing on a range of specialised resources from the Gang Crime Squad, Arson and Explosives Squad, Echo Taskforce, VIPER Taskforce, Criminal Proceeds Squad and Financial Crime Squad.

The taskforce was also working closely with regional police, as well as a range of external agencies such as the ABF, Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC), AFP and ATO.

Taskforce Lunar investigators believed the current situation was as a result of criminal syndicates in conflict due to competition for profit derived from the illicit tobacco market.

The current conflict includes both the physical placement of illicit tobacco into stores, as well as demands for stores to sell the syndicate’s illicit product and to pay a ‘tax’ per week to operate.

Police believe the syndicates are comprised of personnel from Middle Eastern Organised Crime groups and Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs, who are then engaging local networked youth, street gangs and other low-level criminal to carry out the offending.

Investigators continue to appeal to anyone, especially store owners and staff, who has information about these incidents and who is responsible to come forward.

Anyone with information about these incidents or with further information about illicit tobacco is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential crime report via the Crime Stoppers website.

Detective Inspector Graham Banks, Lunar Taskforce: “We’ve previously made it clear that it’s not just about arresting those who are being tasked to light fires, it’s crucial we make inroads into those higher up in the syndicates who are actively directing this criminality.

“By targeting those people we hope to cause as much disruption to these organised crime syndicates as possible and prevent further fires from occurring.

“Again, this is reckless behaviour that shows how little regard these people have for the lives and property of others. It puts innocent people at immense risk and it is behaviour we are doing everything we can to bring to a stop.”

with Clive Hartley

A case of love or loathe

Sauvignon blanc can separate a room of drinkers. It is a grape that you either love or loathe. It is disliked, partially, because of the deluge (or savalanche) of wines from New Zealand where it makes up 63 per cent of total plantings and 85 per cent of all exports.

I’m a fan of the grape. It has its place as a vibrant aromatic refreshing drink, especially in summer. But there are also other expressions of the grape to explore such as barrel-fermented styles. In cool climates, like New Zealand, sauvignon blanc commonly displays herbaceous green capsicum, gooseberry, or even (at its worst) asparagus aromas.

A young tank-fermented sauvignon blanc should leap out of the glass with flavour. Light, dry and crisp on the palate. Alternatively, we have the ‘fume blanc’ style that sees maturity in oak and these styles are more intriguing and subtle with toned down aromatics. Another way of diluting these strong flavours is to blend the grape with semillon.

Whilst the French regions of Sancerre and Pouilly Fumé, both located in the Loire Valley, were for many years the leading international homes of sauvignon blanc, Marlborough in New Zealand took the world by storm in the late 1970s.

Australian sauvignon blanc is not usually as pungent as New Zealand examples. Aromas associated with local wines include herbaceous, grassy, gooseberry or tropical fruit. Adelaide Hills began as a specialist area but other regions have caught up to them. In our locality, look at wines from the Pyrenees.

Recommended examples come from 2023 Mount Avoca which was nicely aromatically driven with fresh grassy and gooseberry aromas. Or as an alternative the 2022 Mitchell Harris Sauvignon Blanc
Fumé which is driven by struck-match aromas and minerally acidity. In the Macedon Ranges, Hanging Rock consistently produce an attractive, partially barrel fermented wine with their Jim Jim label.

One last word of caution, beware of bottle age with styles that were made to drink early. If you leave these wines in the cellar they can develop an unappealing ‘tinned (canned) pea’ bouquet which is one good reason to drink them within the first few years.

Clive Hartley is an award-winning wine writer, educator and consultant. His Australian Wine Guide (7th ed) is available for purchase from Paradise Books in Daylesford or via his website – www.australianwineguide.com.au

Police from Melbourne West are investigating after a number of people on a boat were sprayed with milk in the CBD in recent days.

Officers have been told the victims were cruising along the Yarra River on a small boat when the milk was poured and sprayed on them as they approached the King Street bridge, on Saturday 27 January, about 12.45pm.

The group of women were doused in the liquid which damaged their clothes and spoiled food and other items contained in the boat.

Police are appealing for anyone who witnessed the incident or with information to please come forward.

It is believed people in other vessels may have been subject to the same or similar behaviour.

Anyone who witnessed the incident or with information about the person or persons involved is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or via the Crime Stoppers website.

By Donna Kelly

It’s been a long time since I wore a mask but I did recently. It was on a little New Year break on a shortish flight to Queensland.

Covid was riding another wave and I thought “why risk it?” and donned my mask at Tullamarine. I thought I could just wear it on the plane and then when everyone had settled down, take it off and sip a chardonnay.

Wrong. I felt like I was on the Covid Express. From every corner of the plane came a cough or a sneeze or a snuffle. It was like an Emergency Room Orchestra, a splutter here, an ah-choo there.

If someone had started farting it would have made the trifecta. So I kept my N95 mask on for the two hours and decided to forego the beverage. If you know me, not an easy choice…

But it got me thinking about the pandemic. Not that I would ever want to go back there – and does it feel like a bad dream now to anyone else? – but some things were OK.

Wearing masks while shopping, for example. If you wore a decent mask, and in mid-winter, and let’s face it, mid-summer, a beanie, you were pretty much unrecognisable.

So you could do the whole supermarket run without a chat in sight. Bliss. Sometimes…you know what I mean.

Masks also meant you could have a glass of wine with lunch and still visit the doctor without the risk of being asked about your alcohol intake.

Of course that is no more than two standard drinks a day, with two days off each week. Of course.

And then there were the lockdowns. Boring yes but Kyle did manage to perfect two dishes, seafood linguine (thanks Claire) and a lovely ramen, he created on his own.

He only got it wrong once when he used a vegan chicken stock. Makes you feel better but just not the same.

I did not do the sourdough thing, too hard to keep feeding the stupid starter, but I did learn how to cook perfect baguettes. And I only burnt myself once.

We have a stock standard oven so I put a bowl of water in the bottom to create steam. Of course
I forgot when I opened the oven and out it blew. If you are interested, in the recipe not the steam burns, Google Chef John and baguettes.

We kept working so we didn’t get to clean out the pantry but we did learn that while you couldn’t buy chicken to save yourself, no-one wanted duck.

So that was a nice change from the tins of tomatoes and bags of rice I had stocked up on. I don’t
know why. Herd mentality perhaps.

There was also some time out which was OK. We got to know the characteristics of every magpie that landed in the garden – and even named them.

I think it was about then we started realising we were going downhill with our mental health. Sort
of kidding, sort of not. I mean, when Kyle calls out “hello, Uncle Bulgaria”, life has taken a turn for the worse.

Anyway, it’s coming up for our next vaccine, number five or six I think. I know a lot of people are not worrying anymore but what’s another vaccine in the scheme of things. It doesn’t harm anyone else so I just go along and get it done. And if I think I need to wear a mask I don’t mind popping one on.

I think on the plane about 10 per cent of the passengers were wearing them, which is about the same number of people who have not had Covid. Number crunching – anyone?

I just wish the people wearing the masks were also the people on the plane coughing and spluttering.

Yes it might be a summer cold but I don’t want one of them either. Just sayin’…

What a rip-off this summer has been – and in the wake of the Bureau of Meteorology declaring an El Niño event underway on September 19 last year, which should have meant a hot dry summer.

Our weather bureau was a few months behind with their declaration from the other bureaus in the world, so a considered declaration I suppose. But none of it makes sense, with a lot of rain, jumpers and jeans on every other week and sometimes a “feels like” temperature of 12 degrees.

And who invented a “feels like” temperature anyway, it either is or it isn’t. I wish
I could say “Sorry Constable, it only felt like I was doing 60” when I was actually
doing 80 according to his speed camera.

Or follow a recipe that calls for a low cooking temp of 120 degrees and I burn the dish because the oven temperature “felt cold” but was 200.

But back to the weather. As I write this Cyclone Kirrily is getting set to flood the hell out of Far North Queensland and hopefully this time the mainstream media won’t make the same mistake as they did with Cyclone Jasper.

The problem with Jasper was that they got all the news presenters to wade out into the storm and report live on TV on, let’s face it, initially a bit of a fizzer of a cyclone.

The networks then flew them all back home and missed the big show, the terrible flooding. And by then the airport was washed out and roads closed, so it was local media only and the thousands of hours of amateur footage to go through from the flood victims was all they could go on.

By the time we go to press it will be interesting to see what happened in terms of reporting from Kirrily. There has already been a lot of speculation about whether it will form a cyclone or just be a bad weather system.

So, an interesting fact. A cyclone doesn’t just form, it becomes a low-pressure system which rotates clockwise and when it reaches the magic number of around 960 millibars it is then recategorised into a cyclone – thanks Wikipedia.

But I digress. Back to home. Those of us who have lived around the district before 2019 know the weather of the Central Highlands can deliver a beautiful, long summer worthy of having a pool installed, and used for at least a few months – unless you have something really heated or room for one inside. I do know of one house in Glenlyon with an indoor pool. Not sharing names though.

But since December 2019 the summers here have been diabolical with “bite through you” south-easterlies being a common thing where the southern side of the Ranges stop and give way to the historically dryer northern side, as in Lyonville to Glenlyon.

Traditionally the weather is like chalk and cheese, especially during south- easterlies even though as the crow flies it’s only around 10 kilometres, but these days we seem to get more water-laden winds from that direction. And, of course, there is no truth to climate change, said tongue firmly in cheek.

So, as we say hello to the last month of the summer I say what a bloody scam. I bought a few new pairs of shorts in readiness and some banger uber-cool shirts from the Mill Markets and have only had a couple of times to trot them out.

Cruel Summer rant over…

It’s almost time to dust off the boots and flannel shirts for the most fun you can have with your clothes on.

Bush Dance has become an iconic ChillOut mainstay outdoor event at Daylesford’s Victoria Park and it’s now poised to return on Saturday, March 9.

Opening the night are two DJ highflyers, Sugar Plump Fairy and Butch Le Butch to get you in the mood

Hosted by the sexiest weatherman in the business, Nate Byrne along with famous drag artist Sexy Galexy, the night promises non-stop country dancing with the Devil Goat String Band back to deliver country fun with dance caller Bruce. Courtney Act will also be calling the moves.

Country stars The Cartwheels will grace the stage once again with special guest drag queen Brenda Bressed singing country favourites.

Close out the night with the DJs keeping everyone on the dancefloor until 1am. Favourite outdoor venue, Victoria Park, will close out ChillOut with Poof Doof following Carnival on Sunday night, March 10.

This after party is hugely popular and will sell out as the Poof Doof crew bring the famous Horse Meat Disco to town with international DJs and drag queens. The theme for Poof Doof this year is Denim & Diamonds, so get ready to sparkle.

The 2024 contest to see who will be the next president of the United States, between incumbent Democrat Joe Biden and Republican Donald Trump, is being called the most important in the country’s history, by many professional political observers.

Adding to the dramatic tension is that if one word can be used to describe the political situation in the US today it is “divided”. Between the progressive liberal Democrats and conservative Republicans there is no apparent common ground, no space for negotiation, no mutual respect.

Democrats want to win in 2024 so they can continue trying to find solutions to the myriad problems facing the country. Republicans want power and they want to obliterate their Democratic opponents in the process.

In early 2016 I was greeted by a friend in the Coles parking lot in downtown Daylesford. He had a question for me. “He can’t win, can he?” was the fearful query “he” being Donald Trump, and my friend was asking me, as an American, if I believed Trump had a chance to win in the upcoming US presidential election. “Yes, he absolutely can win,” was my reply.

It turned out I was wrong, but right. Trump lost to Hillary Clinton in the 2016 election by almost 3 million votes, but through the peculiar institution called the Electoral College, he won the presidency.

Four years of a Trump presidency convinced enough Americans that he was unfit to hold public office – he lost both the popular vote and the Electoral College, and don’t let anyone tell you that the 2020 election was rigged or stolen. It wasn’t.

So now it is 2024 and I can feel the fear of my friend in the Coles parking lot welling up again. Trump can’t win, can he?

As I am writing this, Trump has been declared the winner of a piece of political theatre called the Iowa Caucus, which, in a normal presidential campaign, is a relatively insignificant event used to judge who the voters in the state of Iowa want to see as their party’s nominee in the national election.

In 2016 most political commentators dismissed Trump as a publicity seeking clown, a self-promoting con man and reality-show TV personality.

In 2024, after his so-called “landslide” victory in Iowa, even supposedly legitimate media sources such
as the New York Times are diving for their dictionaries looking for bigger and better adjectives to describe the significance of the event.

But looked at another way, Iowa is one of the most thoroughly conservative states, but only 51 per cent of eligible voters selected Trump, and he was running against inept Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and insignificant Nikki Haley.

In other words, after being embarrassed in 2016, the US media machine is blowing gale-force hot air
into Trump’s sails in 2024.

Previously I described a two-party system in play in the US, but it isn’t that simple.

Poised against the Democrats is a divided Republican Party: traditional Republicans, sometimes nostalgically called the party of Ronald Reagan, who served as president from 1981-89, who supposedly believe in low taxes and minimal government intervention; and a relatively new force, the MAGA Republicans, who have rapidly evolved into an anti-democracy cult with Donald Trump at its head and the Murdoch-owned Fox News as its propaganda wing.

The Biden administration has had to handle wars in Ukraine and in Gaza, steep economic inflation and worsening pressures on the country’s southern border brought on by many thousands of people seeking entry into the US in search of a better life.

China remains a potent adversary, and the Biden government has at least made an effort to address climate change, which should have been at the top of the list, but wasn’t.

Meanwhile, after four years as president, Donald Trump racked up 91 charges across four criminal cases, including 44 federal charges and 47 state charges, all felonies.

He has been found guilty of sexual abuse and defamation against writer E. Jean Carroll, his companies have been found guilty on multiple charges of criminal fraud and keeping false business records in a long-running scheme to avoid paying taxes.

Trump has been on the campaign trail since he was ousted from office in 2020, and his rallies across the country have taken on the air of holy-roller revivals or rock-star concerts, with his delirious followers (commentator Jeff Tiedrich calls them “worshippers”) decked out in MAGA outfits in red, white and blue.

In these events Trump rages and complains wildly and often incoherently about how badly he has been treated, how innocent he is of all the charges against him, how the 2020 election was stolen from him, and how he will punish all those who failed to support him.

Lately he has taken to paraphrasing the writings of Adolf Hitler, describing his opponents as vermin and accusing migrants of poisoning the pure blood of America. He has quipped about becoming a dictator, if re-elected.

Sadly, these deranged comments have increased Trump’s support in parts of the country. He has tapped into a bitter, hateful, repressed fear among many Americans: fear of migrants, fear of people with some “other” sexual orientation, fear of empowered women.

Trump speaks to these people, encourages their fears and hatreds, tells them liberal progressive ideas are destroying their way of life. And they hear him and believe him. They are willing to give up on American democracy.

Can he win in 2024? Yes, absolutely. But we all better hope not.

After many happy years living in Victoria, former Wheatsheaf resident Jeff Glorfeld, and his wife Carol, went back to California, where he has survived bushfires, snowstorms and drought. And Trump. Once so far. And Covid. The cicadas and locusts didn’t arrive…well, not yet. While he waits for them, Jeff hosts a radio show with 60 minutes of Australian music, the Down Under Hour, on radio KKRN 88.5FM, streaming live at KKRN.org, on Thursdays at 8am. Tune in!

Police have charged a man after he was intercepted on a private e-scooter in St Kilda in recent days.

South Melbourne and St Kilda police had observed a man riding a high-powered e-scooter on Canterbury Road around 4.30pm on Wednesday January 24.

The rider was intercepted, and it was confirmed the scooter had capacity to travel at speeds of up to 110kmh.

The man was searched, and police located what is alleged to be methylamphetamine, heroin, deal bags, scales, a stun gun and cash.

The scooter was impounded.

A search warrant was then executed at the man’s South Melbourne address, where police uncovered an extendable baton, and more drugs including what is alleged to be cannabis and mushrooms.

The 60-year-old was charged with multiple offences including use unregistered vehicle, drug possession, possess prohibited weapon and drug trafficking.

He has been bailed to appear in Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on 12 April.

Dancenorth’s Wayfinder, a spectacle of dance, music and visual art is set to light up Bendigo’s Ulumbarra Theatre.

The internationally acclaimed dance company is collaborating with Grammy- nominated band Hiatus Kaiyote and renowned sound artist Byron J. Scullin and Japanese-Australian visual artist Hiromi Tango for an unforgettable performance.

Bendigo’s Ulumbarra Theatre is set to become a vibrant canvas for a kaleidoscopic fusion of dance, music, and visual art as Dancenorth, a dance company from Townsville, presents Wayfinder.

Taking the stage on March 8 and 9, Dancenorth promises to captivate the audience with a performance that transcends traditional boundaries. The immersive experience is further heightened by an undulating sound sculpture that condenses and expands in harmony with the brilliant score.

Japanese-Australian visual artist Hiromi Tango lends her artistic prowess to the production, contributing joyful and heart-expanding artwork to both the stage design and costumes.

Link: www. gotix.com.au

Everyone is invited to enjoy some top live music with two free family-friendly community concerts taking place over the next two consecutive Friday evenings this month.

The Hepburn Shire Council is hosting the free Sunset in the Springs concerts as an opportunity for the community to come together and enjoy performances by local and regional artists in a relaxed setting at the Sound Shell at Hepburn Mineral Springs Reserve.

“Bring a picnic with friends and family and join us at these concerts to support young local performers,” said Mayor of Hepburn Shire, Cr Brian Hood.

“Free activities and entertainment will be on hand for children and young people. We would love to see people of all ages come along and enjoy these free evenings of entertainment,” said Cr Hood.

Attendees are welcome to bring their own picnic, and food will also be available for purchase on the evening.

Sunset in the Springs will be held:

• Friday 9 February from 5pm until dark – featuring performances by Freya Josephine Hollick, Sunfruits and Sky Scraper Stan.
• Friday 16 February from 5pm until dark – Featuring Leah Senior, Coda Chroma and Pyrex.

With Eve Lamb

The artistic oeuvre of Newstead-based Carol de Graauw is impressively diverse. Jeweller, silversmith, ceramicist, sculptor, this mutli-talented local designs and creates jewellery using gold, silver, bronze, cloisonne enameling and resin. She is just as at home, however, working with clay to create functional and decorative pieces. De Graauw has described creativity as  “an escape pad” that “engages the heart, mind, soul and body in the act of making unique pieces”.

Eve: G’day Carol you are clearly a woman of many talents. Can you tell us a bit about the various different  genre and media that are part of your arts practice?

Carol: My main love is silversmithing but I also do painting and ceramics. I also do enamel work and I do work in resin as well – the colours are just gorgeous. Enameling is such an intricate artwork and requires more patience than usual.

Eve: Where is your home studio?

Carol: My home studio is in Newstead, and I’m part of the MANet Art Focus Maldon Artist Network gallery at 27 Main Street in  Maldon. I’ve just had my Balance solo exhibition here but some of my work will stay in the gallery. This little gallery has been here in Maldon for  12 months now and we’ve got a strong following.

Eve: What is it about silversmithing that makes it your main focus?

Carol: I love making wearable art. That’s how I see the jewelry that I make. Oftentimes people will have it as a sentimental keepsake. I was always fascinated by the 3D aspect of it. I love manipulating the metal, and I really like working with stone too, natural gemstones. I think gemstones are so beautiful. That’s a passion. I traveled to Sri Lanka last year and they have beautiful stones over there which I have been able to incorporate in my new collection of silversmithing work.

Eve: How did you come to art?

Carol: I’ve always had an interest in art. Mum was also an artist and there was always a strong emphasis on creativity. It was my favourite thing at school and then I went to art school as an adult for two years in Adelaide and three years in Melbourne. The course I did was with the Chisholm Institute at Frankston at that time. It was a Bachelor of Arts/Crafts and it incorporated ceramics, stained glass, silversmithing, painting and drawing. It was a fantastic course and in my third year I specialised in silversmithing.

Eve: What factors influence or inspire your work Carol?

Carol: I love Egyptian art and most forms of architecture, particularly 1920s art and architecture, art deco. I’ve been fortunate enough to have travelled extensively when I was younger, through Turkey and Europe and Egypt so I got to see so many great architectural works and art and it enriched my life and work.

Eve: Have you been able to make a living through your own creative practice, Carol, or have you had to work in any other areas as well?

Carol: I was a secondary school teacher for 28 years. I taught art and design, ceramics, metalwork and textiles at Castlemaine Secondary College and before that in the Dandenong Ranges where I lived for a lot of my life as well. I’ve been in this area for 20 years now, six years at Newstead, and I built my studio at home about three years ago.

Eve: Do you have any special events or exhibitions coming up?

Carol: Yes. I will be part of the Open Studios in Newstead in March over the long Labour Day weekend and also the following weekend of March 16 and 17. Newstead has its own arts trail. Castlemaine has open studios at the same time. There are about 15 participating studios in Newstead and more artists involved than that. My studio will be open and I will also have two guest artists exhibiting with me. It’s an amazing event.

Eve: What do you enjoy most about your working life as an artist, Carol?

Carol: That I step into my studio and the day seems full of possibility. I just get excited about all the different things I can do. It’s my meditation.

Brimbank Divisional Response Unit have seized 1934 cannabis plants and charged one person following four search warrants over two days in the north west suburbs in recent days.

Officers executed a search warrant at a property in Magnolia Avenue, Kings Park about 9am on 23 January.

168 cannabis plants were seized, and a 27-year-old Preston woman was arrested. She was released pending further enquiries.

About one hour later, police executed a search warrant at a property in Garry Court, Kings Park. Officers located what is alleged to be 24 cannabis plants inside the property.

Later in the day, a man and woman presented themselves to a police station and were placed under arrest.

The 54-year-old Kings Park man was charged with cultivate a narcotic plant, possess a drug of dependence, and theft.

He was bailed to appear at the Sunshine Magistrates’ Court on 24 May. The 39-year-old Kings Park woman was released pending further enquiries.

Officers executed another search warrant at a property in Tucker Place, Caroline Springs about 2pm on 24 January.

Police located 30 cannabis plants inside the property. That same day police executed a search warrant at Webbs Avenue, Taylors Hill about 4.30pm.

Police uncovered 1712 cannabis plants in four bedrooms and seized them from the address. The investigation remains ongoing.

Anyone with information about drug trafficking is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report online via the Crime Stoppers website.