Coming up May 16-18, the The Alchemy of Gold is a new three-day forum happening in Castlemaine, and the name is a bit of a give-away.

A brand new feature event, it features three days of lectures, workshops and field trips all led by gold rush experts and celebrating the rich history of Victoria’s central goldfields.

Chairing the organising committee, Castlemaine’s Alice Matthiesson says a main aim is to increase public awareness, education and appreciation around the area’s rich goldfields heritage.

“People need to understand what a historic landscape is and why it’s so precious,” Alice says, explaining the motivation behind the new event and how it brings together multiple local heritage organisations.

The extensive list of guest speakers, many of them high profile, cover a wide range of specialist areas of interest from Chinese on the Goldfields to early goldfields mining methods, political and social upheavals to bushrangers and women on the goldfields.

“The idea is to bring the gold rush experts together for a big education forum,” Alice says.

“We were losing historical fabric and once it’s gone it’s gone. Towns like Castlemaine are at risk of over-development and thoughtless development.  

“If you understand what you’ve got you perhaps look after it a bit better. We want to draw attention to local places that are important to our gold-mining history.

“We have over 40 guest speakers who are all experts in their area. The idea is we are leaving a legacy that could be repeated in two years time either here in Castlemaine or in other shires which have goldfields heritage whether they’re here or in places like Beechworth, and they could pick it up and run it.”

The new three-day long event is happening as part of the wider Australian Heritage Festival and Alice says it’s expected to increase demand for accommodation in Daylesford and surrounds as well.

More details including the full list of speakers and ticket sales can by found at www.thealchemyofgold.com.au

Alice says ticket pricing has been set low so as to be cost neutral, and it’s best not to leave it too long to book.

“For catering planning purposes we will be closing off ticket sales about a week before the event,” she advises.

Words: Eve Lamb. Images: Supplied

An Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea will once again be hosted by Carol Collins and friends at the Daylesford Bowling Club on Monday, May 12  from 10.30am.  

The cost to join in is $20 with plenty of raffle and door prizes and lots of great  morning tea temptations – created by Carol and her friends.

Every dollar raised  through Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea helps fund Cancer Council’s life-saving  research, prevention, support programs and information.  

Every cuppa makes a difference.

Just $150 provides two people recently diagnosed  with cancer with one on-one support, connecting them to a trained Cancer Connect volunteer, $500 helps provide training to leaders of cancer support groups where people can meet and share their experiences in an emotionally supportive environment and $1000 pays for an analysis of two gene samples for a research project.

RSVPs not needed, just pop along to the Bowlo.  

Kate Foulds’ debut children’s book, Grumps and the green fishing rod, will be published next month. The picture book carries the stories of four generations through simple, traditional narration and stunning photographs taken in a beautiful bush setting. 

Kate is a Central Victorian short fiction/memoir writer who grew up on the family farm in Musk before becoming a regional newspaper journalist. 

Kate’s short fiction, Grandma’s Gift, was published in the anthology, Mother – Memories, Moments & Stories. Her Flash Fiction, Acorn, was shortlisted for the inaugural Minds Shine Bright Writing Confidence Competition 2022. 

Kate completed a Bachelor of Arts Degree at Deakin University with majors in English Literature and Sociology and had poetry published in the student publication, Indigo Explosion. 

In 1994 Kate gained a graduate cadetship at Kyneton’s Midland Express office and was a journalist at The Bendigo Advertiser between 1997 and 1999.

As a police and court reporter at the Advertiser, Kate wrote a news story judged a first-place winner at the 2000 Crime Stoppers International Conference in Canada – topping nominations from around the globe including London, New York, Miami and Vancouver. 

Kate has also worked in a range of public relations, marketing and media officer roles. She has a son and twin daughters and lives in Daylesford. 

Grumps and the green fishing rod will be available from Paradise Books in Daylesford.

with Eve Lamb

The intricate beauty of the landscape that surrounds her is a major source of inspiration for established Daylesford artist Loïque Allain. Working predominantly with linocut printmaking and weaving, her work has seen Loique awarded both national and state art prizes while her work is held in private collections around the world.

Eve: Loique your works are very beautiful and intricate. They look as though they’d be rather time consuming to create. Are they?

Loique: Yes they are. People ask me that a lot. When I’m working I can carve a large 1.5 metre by 1 metre piece in about seven working days. That is if I work constantly.

Eve: Do you particularly enjoy working large format?

Loique: Yes. I feel it gives a sense of freedom, an expansiveness. It correlates to being in the land as well because it is all encompassing and I guess working in large format gives you the opportunity to express that.

Eve: Well I’ve done a bit of research and discovered that you graduated with Honours in Printmaking from the Uni of Tasmania and completed a Bachelor of Visual Art and Design at Adelaide College of the Arts and also that you have had artist residencies in Italy at the Venice Printmaking Studio in Venice, and at Atelier Contrepoint in Paris. They sound like wonderful experiences and I’d like to know what initially drew you to art?

Loique: I guess my parents have been pretty inspirational. They work in the arts and always encouraged me. My dad managed some Indigenous arts centres at Aurukun and in the Tiwi Islands north of Darwin.

And my mum would run a lot of workshops with the women, painting and weaving. I spent some time with my mum and dad in those communities and I guess I was really inspired by the work coming out of those communities, particularly the large format work.

I thought going to art school was a really good opportunity. Also, when I was younger my parents worked in the scenic art department of film and theatre. I’ve always been around art and art from different cultures.

Eve: Have you ever worked in any other sectors?

Loique: Yes. My husband, Chris Dilworth, and I have our own wine business as well. My husband is a winemaker. We moved here because we’ve always loved the wine from this region. Chris was a winemaker with Owen Latta at Eastern Peake.

We started making wine there in 2017 and ‘21 was our last vintage. Now we’re running our own wine business. We’ve made a winery at Leonards Hill at the old Dwyers Mill. We moved there in November last year.

Eve: Well wine and art go together very nicely. What inspires you most in creating your art works Loique?

Loique: For the last couple of years I’ve been focusing on Cornish Hill in Daylesford, also Jubliee Lake, Lake Daylesford and Wombat Hill. I’ve been inspired by the local landscape that I visit on a daily basis.

Eve: Do you have any special events or exhibitions on the horizon?

Loique: Yes. My friend, Clare O’Flynn and I share a studio space at 5 Howe Street in Daylesford. It’s the Wombat Hill Print Studio.

We’ve been here for just over a year and we’ve wanted to have an exhibition here for a while.  I’ve made a body of work over the last couple of years and the exhibition will open from 5.30pm-8pm on Friday, May 16. David Frazer from Castlemaine  will open it and then it will run for that weekend through to Sunday.

Eve: And you also run monthly workshops don’t you?

Loique: Yes it’s an introduction to hand printing linocuts. We start with an A5 size lino and we handprint onto Japanese paper. It’s beautiful. It’s made of mulberry wood. It’s quite strong. But it’s fine enough to handprint onto. Quite ethereal looking.

Photo & Video: Kyle Barnes

It’s just on one year since Ellen Gladman took over Maldon’s much-loved Lolly Shop. April 24, 2024 to be precise. So she’s made it through the chocolate rush of her first Easter. 

Ellen had been in retail before, was looking for her own business and a bit of flexibility for her work/life balance. And she has always loved Maldon. 

“The Lolly Shop was available and ticked all the boxes along with a lot of potential in areas that I have skills for. It was already running very well and people loved it, but I knew I could make a few little changes.” 

They included turning a unit out the back into a lovely B&B – using her background in interior design, and decorating the shop by “leaning into the enchanted nature of the business”. 

The community “I’ve done it all quietly and slowly. The community was a little worried when I bought the business, just because they love it, but they are happy with the changes I have made. I’m getting good feedback – and have ticked all the things off my list that I wanted to get done in the first year, and then some.” 

And while many of her customers are locals, they also come from all over Australia including one-off visitors and people travelling through on business making a little detour for their favourite lolly. 

Goldfields 

“I also get people from as far away as Darwin – one little boy was in recently and said the shop was stacked – and there was nothing like this at home, and we even get international visitors because people love the Goldfields.” 

Ellen said she loves the nostalgic memories her lollies evoke from customers who remember lollies from when they were kids. 

Nostalgia 

“That’s the bit I love. I love working with the customers and the people. And lollies are a real trigger for nostalgia. You can literally see people finding memories they haven’t had for ages while they talk about their local milkbars or buying lollipops at the pool. 

“I even had one woman come in and tell me her family owned a milkbar and she used to run it when she was just 13. It’s lovely to hear all the stories.” 

Asked to name her three favourite lollies, Ellen pauses for a moment. Perhaps it’s like naming your favourite child.

Favourites 

“It changes all the time,” she says. “I find one and I get into it for a little while and then I’ll change. But at the moment it’s butterscotch that’s made in Ballarat and I can’t get enough of that. 

“We also have a maker in Maldon who does our fudges, so second is rocky road fudge with all the biscotti flavours. 

“Hmmm. Chocolates would be the dark raspberry bullets, I just tasted them again, and it was, yep, that works well.” 

Ellen said unlike many kids she never imagined she would own a lolly shop. Living her best .

“But it’s really lovely watching people, especially kids, come in and their eyes light up. And just this morning I was walking back down to the shop after getting a coffee, and it was quiet and warm and the swallows were diving everywhere and you could hear the rosellas…and I thought ‘I chose well’. This is a lovely place to spend my days.” 

Words: Donna Kelly

The Local’s editor Donna Kelly chatted with The Block judges – from left, Darren Palmer, Shaynna Blaze and Marty Fox on a recent Sunday – about all things building, judging, contestants and Daylesford. 

Donna: Do you ever come across contestants who have no design idea at all? 

Shaynna: Constantly. We give them advice, but it just depends whether they listen to it. Because it is quite incredible, you do get people who have no idea but think they do. And that’s quite dangerous.

Some people come on for the wrong reasons of not wanting to renovate, not wanting to learn. Some people come on because they want the exposure. But that’s not many. I feel at the moment everyone has come for all the right reasons and the fact is that they’re really doing incredible work so far. 

Donna: The five houses are all the same. Does that make it more difficult to judge? 

Marty: It makes it more difficult for the contestants because they’ve got to figure out what they’re doing with the space. But because they’ve got all the same parameters, it’s great for us judges. We’ve enjoyed this so much because you get to see people really testing their thinking on where things should go. I think it’s easier to judge and harder for them.

They’ve got direct comparisons between who makes better decisions based on the location of a wall or a doorway or things that they can control. And when we’re not comparing apples to apples, it makes our job harder.

But they get to have more personality in their spaces and have exactly the same opportunities as everybody else. So if someone does it better, it’s because they’ve made better design decisions. It’s a real level playing field. 

Donna: Do you have a Daylesford aesthetic that you’re trying to help them understand? The housing here is very mixed. 

Darren: I would say Daylesford has personality. There’s an art-centric element to it. There is dark and colour. There’s a farmhouse element. There is a reclaimed element. There’s an amalgamation of all these different influences. Then there’s also a more modern Daylesford aesthetic as well.

But if they don’t have personality, if they don’t have something that feels like it belongs in a country environment…if they go for a homogenised approach to design here, I think they’re going to miss the market. Personality is the key. 

Donna: When you start judging rooms, do you have an idea of who is going to win and who is not going to really make it? 

Shaynna: Whether they’ve come in here as never renovating a home or if they’ve come in and they’ve renovated seven, it kind of means really nothing at the end of the day because the pressure of the week and how much work’s done within that week and all the different things that are within their control and out of their control; people crack under pressure.

And that’s why it’s so interesting. It’s the pressure, it’s the time limits, and in this case, this season, how much they can change the room depending on what they’re given. You just can’t pick it. I think it’s also you do get couples that come in and you can tell they have an incredible eye and they’re doing incredible things.

But then you have the people that have no idea, but who are listening. And then they start rising because if you come out really strong in those first two weeks, you’ve got nowhere to go. You’ve got to maintain that stunning sort of execution and personality. 

Marty: And then the behind people come up and then all of a sudden it becomes a level playing field. It’s not until you hit about middle you know where they’re going to go. Because if someone’s a sponge and they’re learning, they’re learning from us and the other contestants.

And we’ve seen that more often than not, that they just rise. But next week, we’re halfway. And by halfway, as judges, I do feel that we tend to have our opinions of who’s in that sort of two-horse race. There are a couple of favourites in the mix. 

Donna: And finally, how are you finding the town? 

Shaynna: I have a place at Kyneton so I know Daylesford really well, and also I’ve had friends that have got married here, friends that have had houses. I feel the energy coming back because Daylesford got really quiet and a lot of things closed, and it was hard during Covid.

But I am just feeling the Daylesford energy, and I feel like what The Block’s giving back is the fact that everyone’s eating here, they’re buying from here. So there is this co-connection between The Block and Daylesford at the moment, I think it’s beautiful energy. 

Discovery Day at Trentham’s Spudfest is Sunday, May 4, 10am to 4pm.

It’s a prime time to slow down and explore all that Trentham and the region has to offer, festival organisers say.

Those who get along to the upcoming annual feature festival will have the chance to catch the ‘Digging Deep: Cooks in Conversation’ event at Trentham Mechanicson Sunday morning with an all-star culinary lineup featuring: Alice Zaslavsky – cookbook author and TV host; Tony Tan – cookbook author and cooking-school teacher; and Liam Downes – regional chef from Black Cat Truffle Farm and Restaurant.

It’s allll moderated by ABC Radio’s Jacinta Parsons.

There’ll also be the chance to drop past the Spud Hub in Trentham Town Square to discover fresh spuds,
delicious farm gate foodie trails, or join a local farm tour.

Festival-goers can also sign up for The Great Spud Scavenger Hunt, take a gnocchi-making class, enjoy the Red Beard Bakery Scotch Oven tour, or spend the day eating spudtastic dishes at venues across the region.

Link: www.trenthamspudfest.org.au/

Trentham comes alive with the legendary Street Fair held in the heart of town on Saturday, May 3, 10am to 4pm during the town’s annual Spudfest.

It’s a great time to explore four main precincts, packed full of spud food, fresh regional produce, a local
makers market, live music, and the Spud Olympics.

Grab a bag of famous Trentham potatoes, direct from local growers. Bus tours of the district’s heritage-protected Spud Huts also run throughout the day.

Saturday evening brings the Spudfest Cèilidh, a family-friendly celebration of Celtic music, food, and dancing.

Or famished festival-goers can join local chef Annie Smithers for an exclusive four-course potato feast at her famous Trentham restaurant Du Fermier. Tickets tend to get snapped up fast.

Murder, beauty, guilt, blame, rumours and … footy. All get a look-in within the pages of the new anthology launched by the Clunes Writers’ group at last month’s Booktown festival.

Launched with readings from the writers, or their stand-ins, at the Esmond Gallery in The Warehouse, Boundless is the third anthology of collected short story and poetry by members of this lively local group.

Convenor of the group, Sandra Nichols, said the new anthology is “a treasure trove of thoughts, dreams and experiences”.

“We currently have close to 20 members and they are not only people who live in Clunes but also come from surrounding areas including Newlyn, Newstead, Talbot, Maryborough and  Scarsdale,” Sandra said.

Among the 17 contributors to the new book, group member Deb James read one of her own pieces entitled Grandpa’s Bookcase,’  telling the launch audience: “This is a story about the beginnings of a love of books and reading”.

Members say the welcoming group meets every second Monday of the month from 1-3pm at Attitude Clunes and have the opportunity to read out their work and receive feedback – if they wish.

“Each month we have a new theme to write to and that’s great because people will all interpret that in very different ways,” says group member Julie Moran.

“The thing we’ve found this year is that people’s writing has really developed.”

The group has stood the test of time. It’s been running for 20 years now, and current members say it’s great for socialising.

“Oh God I love it,” says member Judi Palmer.

“It gets me out of the house and stimulates my mind  to have to keep coming up  with something each month. The camaraderie is great and the mental and physical health benefits are a huge advantage of belonging to a group like this.”

Boundless retails for $32 and members say it is currently available for purchase at Boom Clunes, the local green grocer’s shop and online, with a small fee for added postage,  at harmony4books@gmail.com .

Words: Eve Lamb

Jenna Bruton carries her family’s farming heritage with pride. As part of a four-generation Trentham spud farm family and an AFLW premiership player for North Melbourne, she understands the power of hard work, resilience and community.

Jenna’s family will be selling their spuds at The Great Trentham Spudfest Railway Precinct on Saturday and at the Spud Hub on Sunday.

Trentham’s beloved annual festival is back on May 3 and 4, serving up a weekend packed with spud-filled fun. 

The Great Trentham Spudfest isn’t just about potatoes (okay, maybe it mostly is) – it’s also a celebration of the vibrant Trentham community spirit and proud potato- growing heritage. 

Once a shy, humble tuber hiding underground, the potato finally gets its moment in the sun, basking in the spotlight with festivities dedicated to its starchy greatness and showcasing the very best this spudtacular region has to offer. 

This year, there are two days of fun-filled events, with activities for all ages, held against the backdrop of spectacular autumn colour. 

The Hepburn Shire Council has leased 24 Vincent Street, Daylesford for six years with an option for a further six years.

The building is now the council chambers and offices. Infrastructure and Delivery director Bruce Lucas said the terms and conditions of a commercial lease are negotiated based on the requirements of the respective parties. 

Mr Lucas said even when the renewal works on the Daylesford Town Hall were completed, the chambers and offices would remain at 24 Vincent Street for at least six years. 

“Apart from the current renewal works to secure the building, significant additional works would be required to meet accessibility requirements and other business needs prior to council relocating staff back to the town hall. 

“The current building works and the essential electrical works are scheduled to be completed by the end the calendar year and we intend for the town hall space and toilets to be available for community use early in 2026. 

“The Daylesford Community Facilities project is considering how this beautiful and iconic facility can provide for greater community use in the future and is being informed by the Project Advisory Group.” 

Mr Lucas said the commercial arrangements of the lease, such as the monthly rent, were not able to be provided. 

“Council has invested $275,000 on office improvements across four office sites in Daylesford, including installation of necessary technology in the council chamber at 24 Vincent Street to support council briefings and council meetings.” 

The Local has been told the cost of the rent could be as much as $12,000 per month – after speaking with a number of people in the industry. As said earlier, the council would not confirm rental charges, despite them being paid by ratepayers. 

Words: Donna Kelly  

On Friday April 4^th Agricultural Show Prize winners from across the region met at Clunes for the annual Midland Group of Victorian Agricultural Societies Inc. dinner with inter show presentations and judging. Some of the committee and exhibitors enjoyed the night out.

Nine Daylesford Winners presented their winning entries from last year’s Show in 11 of the 28 possible categories being judged at Clunes. Of the 28 classes being judged on the night 13 offered winners entry to display and show at this years Melbourne Royal in September.

For the first time since 2017 Daylesford had an entrant, Charlotte Cain, in the Rural Ambassador competition and it was great to see she finished runner up to the Group winner Darcy Gervasoni representing Clunes. Charlotte’s speech on “The Importance of Biosecurity in Agriculture” was well received.

Gracie Hetherington and Rebeka Walker won first places in the junior and open section Photography and later in the year will represent the Midland Group at the Melbourne Show. Trish Barron was runner up with her fine Embroidery.

In the Midland Group awards Daylesford had 2 winners, Suzie Wyatt of Trentham who took out the handmade Christmas Greeting Card and Christopher Hargreaves who took out the hotly contested “Blokes Chocolate Cake”.

While Daylesford might seem to have fewer winners going on to Melbourne this year the standard at Group level seems to be getting higher in this our third year of recovery after the Covid break.

Daylesford Show Society President John Nicholls was really pleased that so many of our winners were prepared to go on and take up the challenge at a higher level and says that everybody who went on should be very proud of their efforts and can now say proudly that they have represented Daylesford.

The Daylesford and District Agricultural Society Committee and their Schedule sub committee are already meeting and reviewing our competition sections and classes for the 151^st Annual Daylesford Show on Saturday November 22^nd this year. Pavilion entries increased by over 35% last year and John Nicholls would like to see another big increase in 2025.

A determined group of Creswick locals is keen to progress efforts to establish a gravel cycle and pedestrian pathway running along Ascot Road and linking the town to Gillies Road.

Safety is the main motivator behind the proposal that has already garnered support from Hepburn Shire Council, Central Highlands Rural Health, state MP for Ripon Martha Haylett, and federal MP for Ballarat Catherine King.

The group is now urging more people to support their efforts to see the proposal through to reality by adding their names to their online petition, making their support known or becoming an active part of their efforts.

“We’ve got unanimous council support and strong community support,” Creswick’s Lisa Rodier says.

“What we want is a low impact path that blends in with the environment and that would run from Elizabeth Street (where the existing concrete footpath ends) to Long Point Bushland Reserve on Gillies Road.

Group members say the road is extremely dangerous for pedestrians and cyclists to navigate, yet it is heavily used by young families, children and older residents getting some exercise or dog-walking.

 “There is no walking or cycle path until you reach Elizabeth Road, and cyclists and pedestrians are forced onto the road, competing with trucks and tip traffic often going over 60km per hour,” group member Sophie Ellis says

Lisa says they’d also like to see the 80km section further out reduced to 60km.

“It’s very dangerous. There are heaps of blind corners,” says Creswick Neighbourhood Centre manager Chrissy Austin, among those eager to see a safer means to stroll or cycle into town along the road, a popular residential area for families with young children.

“The other issue is the kids who use this road to get to the bus stop along here. The traffic is fast and It is unsafe.”

“It’s really scary,” Lisa says.

“And when cars get to the edge of town, here, they just take off.

“We have costed it. There is funding available but most of the funding requires matching funding.

“We  want to submit a funding application but  first we need a management plan. We’d like to see a commitment from the shire to assist in developing a management plan.”

While safety is the primary motivator, those pushing for the path say it would also be great for encouraging locals to exercise and enjoy a more environmentally friendly means of getting about.

Lisa says that ultimately they’d like to develop the project in several stages, extending it to provide a loop connecting to the Creswick Creek and including creek-side beautification plantings as well.

Those keen to find out more about the pathway proposal and sign the online petition can go to https://chng.it/2rLPFgFnfj

Words & Image: Eve Lamb

With a rich, warm, expressive voice and playful spirit, singer Barb Kerr enters the Australian jazz scene with strong musical backing from two of Central Victoria’s finest jazz musicians Simon Wigney (guitar) and Denis Toner (bass).

This well-tuned trio is headed to Bar Bamford at The Daylesford Hotel for an evening gig set for Saturday May 10.

An experienced instrumentalist herself, Barb’s love for singing jazz shines through in every song.

Barb draws from the Great American and Latin Songbooks. Influenced by Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan and Frank Sinatra and legendary instrumentalists Duke Ellington, Oscar Peterson and Dexter Gordon.

Entry: Free

Location: Bar Bamford at The Daylesford Hotel.

Time: Saturday, May 10 from 7.30pm.

Jazz lovers are in for a treat as Creswick venue Odessa at Leavers Hotel hosts Ilaria Crociani with Mirko Guerrini and Aussie jazz legend Paul Grabowski in performance this Saturday evening April 26.

Currently touring in Australia with the support of Creative Australia to present her latest work for the ABC JAZZ, Ilaria Crociani is an award winning lyricist and composer who migrated to Australia in 2013.

In her first appearance at Odessa At Leaver’s Hotel, Ilaria will perform pieces from her latest recording “Connecting The Dots”, a concept album of original vocal jazz songs inspired by significant women of Australian history and beyond.

“Connecting The Dots” is not just a simple collection of songs. It is also an inspirational anthology of nine stories, all with a unique female character at their centre.

The album weaves together narratives of hardship, vulnerability, resoluteness and redemption to paint an uplifting picture of resilience and hope.

With all lyrics by Ilaria Crociani, this intensely coloured repertoire derives from the juxtaposition of Ilaria’s compositional style to the pens of her longtime collaborators Mirko Guerrini (sax, duduk) and Niko Schäuble (drums) and the inimitable and sophisticated voice of legendary pianist Paul Grabowsky – all of whom will be with her on stage.

Ilaria has worked with artists such as Tony Gould A.M, John Griffith A.O, Geoff Hughes, Ben Robertson and managed her jazz quintet Radiosuccessi.

Since 2018, she has been the soloist singer of Exstasy Morricone, a septet showcasing a monographic collection of psychedelic compositions authored in the ‘70s by Ennio Morricone.

A semi-finalist with her original compositions in the 2020 and 2023 International Songwriting Competition (USA), Ilaria is a recipient of the “2021 ABC Classic and Jazz Composer Commissioning Fund and a 2021 Arts Grant from the City of Melbourne.

In 2022 on commission by the ABC Kids Listen she produced “Evergreen” a small collection of children’s songs with bilingual lyrics in Italian and English.

More details can be found on the venues website or at https://events.humanitix.com/ilaria-crociani-4lfa9737.