The Palais at Hepburn is getting set to step back in time with Get Rhythm, Australia’s leading Johnny Cash and June Carter act.

The show happens Saturday July 8 bringing back numbers such as “Folsom Prison Blues”‘ “Walk the Line” “Ring of Fire” “Man In Black” and famous duets “Jackson” and “Long Legged Guitar Pickin Man”

It’s a chance see one of the most authentic Johnny Cash shows around, from the costumes, vocals and music of the late great Johnny Cash and June Carter, Get Rhythm is a true tribute to country music’s most famous and loved couples Starring Real life married couple Mark and Joanne Caligiuiri with full backing band.

There’s something about the night air and Michael Meeking will be exploring that something as he performs live at The Palais, Hepburn on Friday evening July 21.

A sense of anticipation as the city comes to life. The sky aglow with bright lights. That tingling feeling you get when you know that something exciting is about to happen.

As Springsteen sang, “Show a little faith, there’s magic in the night.”

Welcome to Michael Meeking’s new album, The Night Air.

In the midst of a Melbourne lockdown, Michael started writing the follow-up to his acclaimed 2019 album, November ’72. “I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to write,” he admits. “But I knew that I didn’twant to write songs that were slow and depressing.”

Producer Roger Bergodaz (Raised By Eagles, Lost Ragas, Tex Perkins, Suzannah Espie) was on the same page. When he met Michael to discuss the new record, he said one simple sentence:

“You’ve done the country thing, let’s rock.”

So, Michael tuned up his electric guitars, turned up the amps, and rocked out.

The result is the finest album of his career. As Americana UK noted, Michael Meeking possesses “the rock swagger of The Faces, only more refined and performed better”.

The characters in The Night Air have been beaten down and bruised, but they’re still standing, “dancin’ to the radio”, looking for “one more chance”, knowing that “your sweet lovin’ touch” will “carry us through”.

And – with a nod to the classic American songwriters, such as Springsteen and Tom Petty – Michael has given them a rousing bunch of songs that will make them forget their troubles for a while, where sunshine is wrapped up in a guitar riff that just won’t quit.

And before you know it, The Night Air has become ‘Another Day’. And they’ll get up and do it all over again.

“Not only a gifted songwriter and performer, the hard-working Michael Meeking is one of the genuinely decent people floating around in this thing called the music industry” – Neil Rogers, Triple R

The Creswick Neighbourhood Centre has been named among the recipients of this year’s Victorian Youth Fest grants and will share in over $200,000 total funding to host youth-led events and activities, the local member for Ripon, Martha Haylett says.

Victorian Youth Fest is a month-long celebration in September, which provides grants of up to $2,000 to eligible organisations to host events, led by and for young people aged between 12 and 25. It provides opportunities to showcase talents, grow networks and to connect with peers.

Specifically named, Level-up Creswick will be a face-to-face gaming event – initially target socially isolated young people in an activity they enjoy, with the long-term aim of combating social disconnection by taking something that can be isolating and using it as a point of connection.

Event goers will have access to all the latest generation gaming consoles, Virtual Reality (VR) headset’s, giant projector screens, a dozen TV’s and heaps of retro gaming technology.

Applications supporting regional and rural events, and underrepresented community groups were prioritised through the Youth Fest program.

Member for Ripon Martha Haylett: “We’re so proud to support local young people to lead the design and delivery of events for their community.”

“Level-Up Creswick will provide a space for like-minded people to get together in a safe and engaging space.”

With winter now making itself strongly felt in central Victoria, frosts can damage your water meter and this may freeze the water to your home, or worse – burst your meter, prompting Central Highlands Water Authority to issue some timely advice.

The local water management authority says there are a number of simple ways to protect your water meter: “You can cover your meter with a wooden or foam box, part of a tyre, or simply wrap it in thick cloth like old carpet, a towel, a jumper or a hessian sack.”

CHW also suggests: “If you’re a green thumb, growing small, soft shrubs around your meter is another way to protect it from frost. Just make sure the plants don’t prevent access to the meter.” 
 
If your meter freezes it can take up to three hours to thaw out. To speed up the process you can pour lukewarm water over the meter. Do not use boiling water as this can cause the meter to burst, leaving you without water until our maintenance team can refit the service.
 
CHW says that if a number of properties experience meter freezes, there may be a wait before it can assist. “The best thing to do is to keep your water meter snug over the winter months to eliminate freezing.”
 
But those who do need to report a fault or outage, can call CHW’s free call 24-hour service on 1800 061 514.

Created in the Macedon Ranges, Whalebone, the show, looks at the importance of stories in a new era where Artificial Intelligence substitutes human decisions.

It happens Friday June 30 at Kyneton Town Hall as part of the Macedon Ranges Shire’s wider lineup of children’s school holiday fun.

Whalebone offers to take its audience on “a journey full of spectacular video animations, tinkered machines, digital gadgets and holograms. A.I. for kids and adults looking for a fun way to be educated to what’s could be heading our way in the future.

The show explores the importance and future of our stories in a new era where Artificial Intelligence starts to substitute human decisions.

It is a visual family show that inquires our dealing with memories in a world where we are flooded by digital data.

With the magical premise of a space where all human stories are safe guarded, the audiences are taken on a journey full of surprises and magical stage wonders, where stories fly through the air (for real!) and old telephones transform into desert- shower appliances (also for real!). A place full of spectacular and interactive video animations, tinkered machines, digital gadgets and holograms.

The council is hosting a range of entertaining events and activities throughout the June-July school holidays including live shows, workshops and exhibitions.

The state government is supporting young people in Central Goldfields with funding for youth-led events for the 2023 Victorian Youth Fest, the local member for Ripon Martha Haylett says.

Local member for Ripon Martha Haylett said the Central Goldfields Shire is a recipient of 2023 Victorian Youth Fest grants, who will share in over $200,000 total funding to host youth-led events and activities.

Victorian Youth Fest is a month-long celebration in September, which provides grants of up to $2,000 to eligible organisations to host events, led by and for young people aged between 12 and 25. It provides opportunities to showcase talents, grow networks and to connect with peers.

Youth Fest 2023 – Central Goldfields will recognise the contributions that young people make to their community.

The Central Goldfields Youth Services team and Youth Advisory Council will invite local employers, community groups, schools, sporting clubs and individuals to nominate a young person for recognition of their achievements and contribution.

During September 2023, each nominated young person will be highlighted in local media and on shire social media accounts recognising their contribution.

Nominees will celebrate their success at a September Festival that will include local bands, food vans and an official recognition ceremony hosted by the Mayor and Youth Mayor.

Applications supporting regional and rural events, and underrepresented community groups were prioritised through the Youth Fest program.

Member for Ripon Martha Haylett: “We’re so proud to support local young people to lead the design and delivery of events for their community. I can’t wait to see all their amazing ideas, and to see more young people in Central Goldfields celebrated and recognised.”

Central Goldfields Shire Mayor Cr Grace La Vella: “Recognising and celebrating our local young people is really important and so we thank the Victorian Government for the funding to make this possible.”

“There are so many young people making a wonderful, positive contribution to our community – I look forward to seeing them profiled and given the recognition they deserve and to celebrating together at a special event in September.”

Bromeliad is a familial name encompassing a somewhat endless plethora of colourful, mostly bullet-proof, house plants – all with their own specific botanical names.
Bromeliads come from North and South America, growing in a great variety of climatic conditions, and each requiring their own special conditions to succeed, whether they belong to the many terrestrial (ground growers) or ephytes (air plants).
Fortunately our climate seems to agree with all but those from the steaming Amazon jungle. But even these are able to deal with our winters if grown in hot house conditions.
Most come from high in the Andes and others from the deserts, meaning their home of choice could be a glasshouse, sunroom, verandah, shady rockery or even full sun. Whatever the requirements, there’s bound to be plenty for your needs. The one pictured above is an example of one of the many of the terrestrial species, aechmea gamosepala.
Early explorers of the New World found they had a ready market with botanical gardens and private collectors, for these and other unusual plants – not to mention those fabulous orchids. This helped with their expenses, so a trained botanist was always a very important member of any expedition. Columbus is credited with taking the pineapple back to Spain after his voyage of discovery.
It was only a matter of fate that the Spanish, orchid-seeking expedition my great grandfather, E.B. Heyne was about to lead, was foiled by a shipboard bout of bubonic plague so he ended up instead, aboard the good ship Godefroi, bound for Melbourne and a role in the establishment of its fledgling botanic gardens. The rest, as they say, is history. A copy of his original plan of the Government House and Royal Botanic Gardens hangs proudly on my study wall.
The aechmeas and similar hard-leafed varieties will do well out of doors in our climate, although the variegated leafed forms will need a little protection from the midday sun, due to minimal chlorophyll in the coloured stripes.
These can be gradually hardened to take outdoor conditions, if given some protection from a shrub or small tree. Like many other similar forms they are also ideal for interior decoration if placed in a well-lit space.
Terrestrial bromeliads do best if left to grow in a compost suitable for orchids with a 1/3 sharp sand added in a well-crocked pot for good drainage. More plants are lost through over-potting, over-feeding and over-watering during cold weather than for any other reason.
The other branch of the bromeliad dynasty are the tillandsioideae. These are perfect ephytes (air plants), which extract moisture through their foliage and use their roots mainly for anchorage on trees. To grow them in containers, use the smallest pot possible to contain the roots and pack them into place with tree fern chunks or peat moss fibre. They need a bush house or glasshouse protection, but will thrive on a
windowsill with indirect sunlight.
In case you hadn’t heard…
Basil was thought to be responsible for breeding scorpions so was avoided to prevent body infestations.
And, if you are ever caught out in a thunderstorm don’t take heed of the 17th century advice that you would never be struck by lightning if you’re standing under a bay tree – highly unlikely anyway in this bay tree-less country.
Finally, if you wish to obtain the favour of great persons, then you should anoint your body with chicory juice. This is so because of the magic associated with this plant, or so it was thought back in 1559.
Got a gardening query? Email glenzgarden@gmail.com

Hepburn Palais and I Love it Live are getting set to present a special Double Shot of Blues event, featuring two of Melbourne’s leading blues acts coming up at the local venue on Friday July 7.

Kaliopi and The Blues Messengers officially launched at the Glenmaggie Blues & Roots Festival early in 2022, for a vibrant debut. Since then, the band have gone on to support and perform alongside local blues icons Geoff Achison, Ian Collard, and Jimi Hocking as the host band for Double Trouble Blues Sessions as well as regularly performing the blues circuit around Melbourne.

Drawing from the great Delta blues tradition of powerful blueswomen, Kaliopi & The Blues Messengers have developed a unique textural sound backing Kaliopi’s powerful, soulful vocal – using the fretless bass like a sousaphone, with flavours of early Dixieland piano, weaving clarinet blues licks and Delta Blues guitar over swinging groove shuffles.

Completing this special blues double bill is multi -award winning Matt Dwyer – a singer/ guitarist/ songwriter who takes all the elements of blues, jazz, swing, rockabilly , ska and surf music to make a unique style of good time house rockin’ party music that is entirely his own.

Joined by his regular band, The Magnatones, Matt never fails to deliver some fine roots music.

This double dose of quality blues music gets going at the Palais from 6.30pm, Friday July 7.

Would-be election managers keen to work at the 2024 local government elections can apply now to join the Victorian Electoral Commission’s pool of senior election officials.
Senior election officials are responsible for coordinating elections for entire council areas and will work for almost four months during the local council election period leading into and following October 2024. Applications are open until July 14 with further informaton available via Link: www.vec.vic.gov.au/jobs

Applications have now opened for Australia Post’s 2023 Community Grants program.

The program funds community-led, local projects that connect individuals and communities to improve mental health and mental wellbeing.

Eligible not-for-profit groups across Australia can apply for grants of up to $10,000 to support projects which have the primary purpose of improving mental health and wellbeing in local communities.

Applications close on July 2 with further information available via Link: www.auspost.com.au/grants

In response to the 2022 floods, the Central Goldfields Shie Council received funding from the Victorian Government to employ a Community Recovery Officer to support our residents in their recovery.

This includes working with all our communities to assist with their specific recovery needs, and to consult with flood affected residents to develop initiatives that strengthen and build capacity in response to the potential for future disaster.

Those seeking support after the 2022 floods within the shire’s boundaries are being advised to “please call our Community Recovery Officer Emilie Byrne on 0456 732 578”.

Two upcoming flood recovery events scheduled in the shire include:

Sassy Songstresses – hosted by Dunolly Gilbert & Sullivan Society for the flood affected women of Dunolly and surrounds: Saturday 24 June, 12noon to 3pm at St John’s Hall, Dunolly. Contact: Rachel Buckley – 0427 275 006

Mindfulness as Painting’ – hosted by Zonta Club of the Central Goldfields Inc. and open to all flood affected women of the Central Goldfields: Saturday 1 July, 4 to 7pm (Emilie to be there at 4pm). A teenage women session will also be held from 1 to 4pm.  Contact Joy Stephens-Jones – 0417 769 139

The Hepburn Shire Council and Youth Gurus are running accredited Youth Mental Health First Aid training for local community members, so they can better support young people who might be experiencing mental health challenges.

A session is taking place at Creswick, alongside online learning, with the shire’s mayor, Cr Brian Hood, encouraging local residents who have contact with youth to participate.

“This training is ideal for parents, teachers, sports coaches, community leaders, and anyone who has contact with young people,” Cr Hood said.

“The free training is for people aged 18+. Places are limited. It includes four hours of online training and a face-to-face session, which will be held on Sunday 30 July from 9:30am to 5:30pm at Creswick Neighbourhood Centre.”

Those interested can find out more and register at www.hepburn.vic.gov.au/Young-people

The Hepburn shire Council says it’s receiving “quite a few calls” to report issues with roads and appreciates the feedback.

But in a recent news release the council also pointed out that “many of the reports relate to roads which are under the management of Regional Roads Victoria and we’re not able to do any work on them’.

These roads include:

• Midland Highway
• Daylesford Trentham Road
• Daylesford Malmsbury Road
• Ballan Daylesford Road
• Creswick Newstead Road (to Campbelltown)
• Clunes Creswick Road
• Melbourne Road, Creswick
• Ballarat Daylesford Road
• Vincent St North/Main Road, Hepburn Springs 
• King Street, Daylesford
• Main Road, Hepburn Springs
• Daylesford Newstead Road (from Franklinford)
• Ballarat Maryborough Road
• Trentham Kyneton Road
• Myrniong Trentham Road (Blackwood Road)
• Daylesford Malmsbury Road
• Daylesford Ballarat Road (Dean Road from Newlyn)
• Clunes Talbot Road
• Bungaree Creswick Road.
• Hepburn Newstead Road

In it’s media statement the council suggests: “if you want to report an issue on these roads visit https://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/traffic-and-road-use/report-a-road-issue or phone 13 11 71″.

Those wishing to report an issue with a council-managed road were directed to visit https://www.hepburn.vic.gov.au/request “or call us on (03) 5348 2306”.

Whiskey a Go Go June 1966…. The Doors hit the stage with energy, and electricity bringing the room to a fever pitch. Jim Morrison announces the show … Is everybody in? The ceremony is about to begin…

Coming up Saturday, July 1 at The Palais, Hepburn, the Australian Doors Tribute is aiming to recreate this heat in their uncensored celebration of music and poetry of The Doors.

George Douglas is hauntingly Jim Morrison with his unique vocal style. Deep, mysterious, dangerous, and so precise and exact. His spellbinding performance is uncanny. The band’s authentic 1969 sound performance takes you there …into the Whiskey a Go Go to the fire of the Doors live.

Australian Doors Tribute – an impeccable line-up – made up of some of Melbourne’s best and well-loved musicians with a long history of performing around Australia. and internationally.

Thanks to the performances like the ones by Australian Doors Tribute, it is still possible to experience the thrill of Morrison and The Doors. Douglas and his fellow bandmates bring to life songs such as Riders on the Storm, Light my Fire, and Roadhouse Blues conjuring a portal for us to travel back in time and immerse ourselves in authentic renditions of these legendary songs.

G’day. I’m Otis and I am a super handsome liver and white German Shorthaired Pointer. I am just eight months old so my whole life awaits and I could use someone good to share it with.

The folk here at the Mount Alexander Animal Welfare shelter in Castlemaine reckon I am “a beautiful natured puppy that requires ongoing training”.

They also say that I am “full of energy and would suit an owner that has an active lifestyle”.

I’d be a great walking or jogging companion. I am a really sweet, smart chap so come on over to the MAAW shelter and meet me if you could use a fine pooch in your life. Microchip No 956000015783925