The Victorian government is launching the nation’s first Pet Census to help shape the future of animal welfare and ensure pet owners have the support and services they need.

Minister for Agriculture Gayle Tierney was at the Australian Animal Protection Society in Keysborough recently to announce the Victorian Pet Census and encouraged all pet owners to get involved.

Opened at the start of the month, the Pet Census asks Victorians a variety of questions to gather crucial information on pet ownership and the attitudes and experiences of owners.

Pet ownership rates in Australian households have risen from 61% to 69% since the pandemic – making it more important than ever for the Government to establish a better knowledge of pets, their owners and the important community organisations that support them.

Data received through the Pet Census will form a clearer picture of pet companionship of all kinds across Victoria, so the government can continue supporting pet owners and improving pet welfare.

The Victorian Pet Census will take 15 minutes to complete, and can be done online by visiting the website  animalwelfare.vic.gov.au.

The government says that the welfare of the state’s animals and wildlife remains a priority it, and that $18.5 million was directed to the state’s animals in the Victorian budget 2023/24.

This includes $7 million towards the Animal Welfare Fund grants program, recognising the role companion animals play in the lives of Victorians.

Steve Balbi has just announced a run of tour dates to promote his new track – We Were Lost – following the successful Noiseworks’ reformation and recent NZ Tour with 1980s new-wavers Mi-Sex. The Palais at Hepburn Springs is among them – on Saturday July 29.

Balbi’s new tour promises a reimagination of the creative chameleon’s diverse catalogue of songs ‘n’ stories – from Noiseworks, Electric Hippies, Mi-Sex, his recent solo LP ‘I Think I Know For Sure’, and more… in eclectic, three-piece [GRID] mode – featuring Balbi (Noiseworks, Electric Hippies, Mi-Sex) on vocals and guitars, Colin Coorie (Richard Clapton) on the synth, piano, organ and keys, and Pete Drummond [Dragon] playing a live-looping launchpad, BVs, cymbals & snares.

Transcending rock and pop while coalescing sentimentality and soul, Balbi bespeaks Bowie and Dylan in melody and verse, exploring the heterogeneity, refinement, and dirty rotten groove of Radiohead. Be enlightened. Be inspired.

The new track – We Were Lost – is out now on Triplespeak/Metropolitan Groove Merchants (MGM). A sensuous, impossibly romantic journey, this latest song by the artist, composer, and producer Steve Balbi casts new light upon the way, following the recent reformation of Noiseworks. It also forms part of a 5-track EP to emerge throughout the first half of 2023. Recorded and produced in his Sydney studio, Balbi plays all instruments on the track, with Pete Drummond on drums. Mixed in collaboration with Tony Wall, ‘We Were Lost’ was mastered by fellow electric hippy Justin Stanley.

From his Sydney studio, which he affectionately calls his happy place, Balbi reflects upon his latest release. ‘It started out as a totally different song,” he says. “I’d written the melody in an awkward key for me, so I changed the melody, I changed the lyrics, I changed the chords, and I kept throwing stuff at it, so it became a different song.

“What’s the song about? Well, it’s a metaphoric journey through childhood. Driving down a road, creating this masterpiece, being young and invincible. To be honest, I think we needed a miracle to make it through, and we did. But I found myself lost for many, many years.

“I guess that, in a nutshell, is what the song’s about. It’s not the happiest song you’ll ever hear but it’s sung through the lens of victory and survival. In this sense, I guess ultimately, it is a happy song. I wasn’t sure that I was going to release it, but I really feel something for this song, so I hope that you do too.”

Veteran road warrior Bret Mosley plays the Palais, Hepburn on Friday August 4.

Mosley is a singular artist who blends Americana, blues, and soulful folk into a uniquely potent sound that is introspective, raw, and emotional. Mosley’s stirring vocals, intricate lap slide guitar work, and stomping groove deliver deeply personal and poetic songwriting that explores the complexities of love, longing, and the human condition.

The raw intensity and emotional depth of Mosley’s live performances have a way of connecting with audiences that is at once intimate and transcendent, drawing listeners in with his authenticity and emotional resonance. His shows are known for being cathartic experiences, leaving audiences feeling both balmed and inspired. From intimate coffeehouses & clubs to concert halls & major festivals such as SXSW, Mountain Jam, and Blues at Bridgetown, Mosley has earned a reputation as a true original…and as a must-see act for fans of real, honest music that speaks to the heart.

Seven years in the making, Mosley’s new album, “Through the Fire”—out July 28— is a deeply moving journey chronicling his transformative first few years in Australia—from the depths of devastating abuse and alienation to finding true love. The album delivers a powerful message of resilience and triumph over adversity with a mix of tender ballads and rocking Americana.

The Woodend Customer Service Centre for Macedon Ranges Shire Council will remain open, but with altered hours, following a decision at the council’s recent scheduled June meeting.

The council actioned several noteworth items at its recent June Scheduled Council Meeting, including a decision to keep Woodend Customer Service Centre open following a review.

However this will be with reduced operating hours due to low levels of foot traffic. From 1 August 2023,
the centre will operate from 12pm to 5pm, two days per week providing access for people preferring to undertake their council business ‘over the counter’.

Also following earlier community consultation, councillors endorsed a new Affordable Housing Policy for Macedon Ranges Shire.

It will now be used to guide the council’s decisions relating to affordable housing in the shire and sets out how the council will facilitate the provision of affordable housing through its role as advocate, decision-maker, facilitator, and investor.

The council also endorsed its newly revised shire-wide Footpath Plan which replaces the originally endorsed shire-wide Footpath Plan (2018-2027), reflecting current priorities across the shire, and setting design parameters and material selection criteria to complement the neighbourhood character.

Contemporary Folk trio, ‘Little Tree’ is preparing to branch out and present a show of original songs at the Palais, Hepburn Springs on Friday July 28.

This is the culmination of a three-year musical collaboration of Lee and Tim, and more lately, Yenni. Recent months spent in the studio refining the band’s first EP has produced songs of delicate human experience. These songs draw inspiration from the band member’s personal experiences and observations.

Little Tree is a local, contemporary folk trio which formed in 2022.

Tim and Lee have played together for several years as multi-instrumentalists, singers, and songwriters. Both musicians share an interest in exploring both modern and traditional folk styles as well as finding novel ways of using the sounds and colour of guitar, mandolin, ukulele, and harmonica.

Lee’s background is predominantly percussion of which he plays various styles and instruments. Yenni is from Finland, predominantly a vocalist exploring her song writing and instrumental skills. The band has produced both English and Finnish songs and are about to release their first EP, recorded entirely in Daylesford which was engineered and produced by Tim.

The Macedon Ranges Shire Council has adopted a new set of Small Project Grants program guidelines in recent days, in a move that could potentially double the dollars for community projects.
The updated guidelines, adopted at the council’s recent scheduled June meeting, include an increase in the funding cap from $1,500 to $3,000 per grant. There’s also a change to processing timelines, and a weighted assessment criteria to determine funding eligibility.
The program provides financial assistance to projects and initiatives that support local needs, are
unlikely to be funded by other council funding programs and align with the Council Plan priorities.
Those keen to view the updated guidelines can check them out online by visiting mrsc.vic.gov.au/grants

Local councillors with the Macedon Ranges Shire Council have pitched their support behind a new disability action plan.

At their recently held June scheduled meeting the councillors formally endorsed a draft Disability Action Plan 2023-2024, which is expected to ultimately guide the council’s activities so as “to cultivate an inclusive community where people with disability feel valued, safe, and connected”.
The draft plan will be released for public consultation for four weeks from 10 July, and those particularly eager to get more information about it can do so online at mrsc.vic.gov.au/your-say

Businesses in Hepburn Shire will need to comply with a new Outdoor Dining and Trading Policy, which guides what furniture can be placed along local council-owned and managed footpaths, roads and land.

The policy, which came into effect from 1 July, guides the use of elements such as tables, chairs, barrier screens, umbrellas, A-frame signage, display stands and planter boxes.

“Throughout the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, Council allowed cafes and restaurants to offer more options for outdoor dining. With these arrangements expiring, we wanted to continue to support our businesses and communities by developing a framework for businesses to operate outdoors,” said Mayor of Hepburn Shire, Cr Brian Hood.

“The policy aims to ensure these activities are done safely in our shared public spaces, while balancing the needs and expectations of local businesses, the community and visitors,” said Cr Hood.

Approval of applications for outdoor dining and trading will continue to be subject to an assessment of a range of considerations including accessibility, safety, pedestrian and traffic movements, parking utilisation, impact on other traders, aesthetics, maintenance implications, and cleanliness and littering.  

An important change is that the use of parking bays for dining (parklets) will not be allowed under the new policy.

The policy and guidelines were informed by feedback received through a community survey completed by more than 270 traders, residents and tourists.

Businesses that currently have a permit relating to outdoor trading or dining have four weeks from 1 July to reapply to the council for a permit. The permit application and policy are available on the council’s website at https://www.hepburn.vic.gov.au/Business-permits. 

The council says it will review the impact of the new policy and guidelines next year.

The Macedon Ranges Council has adopted its new 2023-24 budget featuring a few noteworthy responses to public feedback it had received.

At its recent scheduled June council meeting the council adopted the new budget of around $112.7 million with some changes as a result of public feedback or officer recommendations including:
 Macedon Tennis Clubs fencing replacement ($120k, including non-Council contributions)
 Kyneton Cricket Club training nets upgrade ($20k)
 South Gisborne Tennis Club lighting ($15k)
 Goldfields Library Corporation Gisborne Library ($30k)
 Lancefield Park Recreation Reserve Master Plan ($50k)
 Kyneton Tennis Club footpath works ($50k)
 Construction of the Romsey Skate Park ($570k including non-Council contributions)
The council has committed $10.3 million to roads, including upgrades, major repairs, and continuing
maintenance, along with repair works following the storms. A further $1.2 million is earmarked for
footpath and cycleway improvements.
The Council Plan 2021–2031 (Year Three Actions 2023-24) was also adopted with actions including,
the development of an updated Reconciliation Action Plan, a Climate Emergency Response Plan
(Cool-ER Changes) and a new Waste Education Action Plan.
The new Budget and supporting information will be made available in the coming weeks at mrsc.vic.gov.au/budget

Dwarf hydrangeas
Our 2008 move across town, from The Coach House to our present house, gave us the opportunity to
restore a tired and drought-ridden, multi-level hillside property.
The clusters of elderly eucalypts, rhododendrons, camellias and photinias, and random stone walled
terracing, told us it had once been a beautiful garden. It also gave us the drive to bring it back again – and take it a few steps further in planting many other shrubs that would have been popular back when.
Unfortunately, we have never been able to find a suitable spot or space for the one shrub Peta desires, a hydrangea. And that is although hydrangea, or to call them by their botanical name – hortensia – are among the easiest of the flowering plants.
But they grow into enormous shrubs, almost small trees, and in their early years need shelter from direct sun away from hot winds and almost constantly-moist soil.
Their young growths and leaves are soft and sappy. If in their early years they are subjected to hot, drying winds and/or summer sunlight, they will collapse and wilt no matter how many times they’re watered.
It isn’t as though our garden beds are lacking in shady spots. It’s just that they’re either open to the north winds, or just not large enough to accommodate a huge shrub, and we are located on a clay-bound ridge of non-porous soil commonly known, I believe, as Lizard Country. Thus leading to working over it with lots of mulch and composted loam.
But we do have several narrow east-facing beds along the front wall suitable for small shrubs. And just by chance when visiting the Ballarat Botanical Gardens with friends, we spotted a display of plants for sale at the entrance of the Begonia House.
They were from the adjacent nursery and included a range of several varieties of dwarf hydrangeas.
Needless to say, a subsequent trip to the gardens, and of course the nursery, resulted in a sizeable collection of dwarf hydrangeas now gracing our garden, one of which, named pistachio, has already flowered. (Pictured.)
There are now dwarf versions available of most hydrangea varieties, mostly with similarly large flower clusters as their bigger cousins. The only difference is the smaller foliage and a maximum height of about one metre. Also, like the large varieties, the flowers can be either blue or pink, depending on the acidity of the soil.
Fans of the oakleaf hydrangea, H.quercifolia, will be pleased to hear that there is also a dwarf version entitled Pee Wee, which also grows to a mere metre in height with all of the characteristics of the standard sized variety.
Ballarat Botanical Gardens Nursery
Just like at our own Wombat Hill Botanic Gardens, a dedicated band of volunteer Garden Friends cherish and maintain the Ballarat Botanical Gardens, raising funds by propagating and selling the progeny of the many, often rarely-seen plants, growing around them. The nursery is open 1-4pm on Tuesdays and every second Sunday.
I was delighted to find on a previous trip an unknown (at least, to me) white flowering variety of the orange flowering plant, leonotis leonurus, or Lion’s Tail. I have always had a rather sentimental attachment to this plant. As a child of about seven, helping my grandfather with the cuttings, I learned and memorised my first ever botanical plant name.
I’ve never forgotten that name because it was the key to my life-long interest, not only of plant life but the derivation of the words we use to identify them. I’ve had a leonurus in every garden since – and now there are two.
Got a gardening query? Email glenzgarden@gmail.com

Hepburn Shire Council will host an expo for members of the community aged 55+ to create connections and expand their knowledge of positive ageing.  

Mayor, Cr Brian Hood, said the expo will be a great way for people over 55, community groups and service providers to connect with each other. 

“The theme of the expo is ‘Getting to know each other’.  Along with building connections, attendees will learn about positive ageing through engaging guest speakers, information displays, networking and demonstrations,” said Cr Hood. 

“We know that building networks is important at every age, but particularly as we get older. At the expo there will be presentations on available health and support services, dementia and even Tai Chi,” he said. 

“I encourage you to reach out to your friends and carpool with a group to attend this informative and fun event.”  

The first 50 people to register will enter a draw to win prizes, including a helicopter tour, llama trek and a Daylesford PickNick Box. 

Event details 

What: Positive Ageing Expo 
When: Thursday 27 July from 12pm to 3pm 
Where: Trentham Sportsground Reserve Pavilion, 25 Falls Road, Trentham 
Cost: Free. Lunch is provided.  
Register: www.hepburn.vic.gov.au/ageing-expo or phone Council on (03) 5348 2306. 

There are more than 7,500 people living in Hepburn Shire aged over 55, which is 46 percent of our population. This is well above the state population average of 28 percent.  

Council will sign the Age-friendly Declaration at the expo, demonstrating its commitment to building the age-friendly capacity of Hepburn Shire in partnership with the Victorian Government and the Municipal Association of Victoria. 

The expo aligns with the Council Plan commitments of a healthy, supported and empowered community, along with the objectives of the Municipal Public Health and Wellbeing Plan and the No Barrier Positive Ageing Strategy. Council intends to hold positive ageing expos on a regular basis. 

Hey! We’re Augustus (Microchip no 956000016568467) and Fergus (956000016559949) and we’re pretty cute. We’re German Sheppard-Maremma cross brothers and we’re both just over 12 weeks old.

We’re actually part of a bigger litter of pups, including boys and girls, so all up there’ll be eight of us looking for good permanent, caring homes.

When we grow up we’ll be big, hairy, and intelligent so we’ll need consistent training, nice warm accommodation and good secure yarding. You can arrange to meet us by contacting the Mount Alexander Animal Welfare Shelter in Castlemaine on 5472 5277.

Ernie
i
Ernie Hug was a back pocket
for The Pies in ‘65
but up front were his hands
With 28 centimetre spans
those hands enclosed the ball
when he clocked his marks
Ernie also handled prize bulls
drove a Rolls Royce to training
and represented Victoria
ii
I had him for years
rubber-banded with
other Scanlens mates
Avuncular Ernie clutching
a Ross Faulkner, gooby grin
like Andy Griffith
And somehow, like legends
EJ, Polly and Blue Barassi
Ernie got to be die cut,
his image poppable
by pressing on the flat card
with my tiny thumbs
iii
Post-footy, a tree pressed
on poor Ernie’s tractor
and he was dead at 34

by Bill Wootton
Bill barracks for Collingwood and collected Scanlens footy cards from 1964- He sold them to a collector for a small fortune ten years ago but still misses flicking through them occasionally.
Local Lines features poetry by locals about locals and any other matters. Please submit poems to Bill Wootton at cottlesbreedge@gmail.com

The Little Gallery in Trentham is no stranger to fundraising as over the past 11 years of its existence it has donated proceeds from its many exhibitions to local charities and interstate communities in need.
Rose Wilson, one of the founding artists says: “Fundraising is the core of the Little Gallery’s philosophy and partly its success as a small regional gallery by way of giving back to an ever-supportive community.”
The proceeds from this year’s annual Winter Show will be donated to Trentham’s Neighbourhood Centre, the central hub of Trentham’s community. The centre is vital for a small rural community as a place for connection and offers a variety of programs and facilities for all age groups.
Along with the fundraising element, the Winter Show offers 16 invited artists a platform to exhibit locally. It is a much anticipated event that gallery patrons, locals and art collectors look forward to every year and attracts many visitors to the gallery and the town during the colder months. The exhibition comprises emerging and high profile prominent regional artists and offers a diversity of works.
Alongside Little Gallery resident artists Rose Wilson, Helen Cottle, Ri Van Veen, Kim Haughie and Larissa Gray, this year’s show will feature artworks from Mike Portley, Freya Maclaren, Gayle Cykner, Louise Otten, Julie Coyle, Lawrence Finn, Garth Henderson, Jimmy Rix, Emma Jimson, Maria Coyle, Trefor Prest, Jordan
Koster, Ahmet Kandemir, Janae Paquin-Bowden, Helen McRae and Deanne Gilson.
The Winter Show will also offer an art raffle with full proceeds going to the charity. The Winter Show raffle has become a popular chance to win artwork donated by the Little Gallery collective and other prizes donated by the community.
The generous donation of an historical Joseph Banks framed print, donated by Curtis and the late Jim Sinatra will also be on offer. Jim Sinatra was a widely respected designer, author and educator and a great supporter of the Little Gallery who sadly passed in May. The Winter Show 2023 will be held in honour of Jim’s generosity and contribution in support of the arts. Multi-award-winning, locally-based director of
theatre, musicals and opera, Simon Phillips will officially open the show.
The opening night is Friday, July 14 from 5.30pm to 7.30pm, with the show running until July 31.
Link: www.trenthamlittlegallery.com

Pepper in Shiraz
A cool climate is not the growing conditions you imagine suiting a grape like shiraz. It is more at home in hot regions like the Barossa or Hunter Valley. Classic Australian wines are full bodied, rich, alcoholic with ripe jammy, dark black fruit aromas. However, when it is grown in chilly regions it develops more of a savoury medium bodied palate with distinctive pepper aromas. Ask winemaker Llew Knight from Granite Hills about pepper – he’s an expert.

Llew has clocked up over 50 vintages and there are not many cooler places to grow shiraz in Australia than the Macedon Ranges. He has been studying the influence of rotundone, the compound responsible for the pepper aroma in shiraz. You might think that the smell of pepper comes from underripe grapes, but research has shown that rotundone increases as the grape ripens. Underripe grapes just smell of green stalks or green capsicum and winemakers try to avoid them at all costs.
Rotundone is a strong compound and extremely low concentrations (such as 16 ng/l) can be detected by the olfactory region of the brain, but only by some people. Research has found that roughly 20 per cent of the population are anosmic to the smell. It is also found in other varieties including gamay and grüner veltliner.
Wine companies are pretty liberal in using pepper in the descriptions of their wines. Probably this is because they want to associate their wine with the French ones from the northern Rhone Valley where you find the aroma occurring more often. They will often choose to call their wine syrah and not shiraz if they think it is more of a French style. The Grampians region is another area that extols the virtues of pepper in its reds and Mount Langi Ghiran has been at the centre of research with the Australian Wine Research Institute.
Coming back to Granite Hills. The vineyard is on granite-strewn pasture at 550 metres. The first vintage of shiraz was in 1978 and the current vintage for sale is the 2018. The wine is a classic with plenty of white pepper. You can also purchase a magnum of 2001 vintage to see how the wine ages.

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