We never got it delivered ourselves
but after school I mounted my Malvern Star
and did a Herald run.
On his lounge chair after work Dad would snap
open The Herald and run his eyes over Garth
and Mandrake the Magician.
He’d know before Mum, in the kitchen,
who’d been picked for the Tiges that week,
then let the rest of news settle on his face.
Things only happened twice a day then.
After morning, evening had its chance
to announce fresh events.
Having caught up with the news
you would put the paper down, refold it
in the wrong spots and later, take the papers out.
Now things just go on happening.
News is one perpetual herald
practically writing itself into copy.

From: Bill Wootton
Note: Bill cops all his news from his iPad & phone now – and of course, The Local!

Some like it cool
La Niña! I can scarcely say the name without bringing to mind the devastation and despair it brought to so many these past months. But for the rest of us the cooler introduction to summer, not to mention the soaking rains has meant that many cool climate plants will not only survive, but will thrive for another year.

One beautiful, but extremely heat-sensitive plant group, is the spectacular hydrangea. These are sappy-wooded shrubs that should never be allowed to dry out when in flower.
Given the right conditions they will thrive with little need for attention – cool and shady with protection from direct sunlight, especially on hot afternoons. First hot sunny day with or without loads of water and you’ll have a mass of floppy wilting leaves, and bleached flower heads. Rich, loamy soil, with an addition of well-rotted compost and good drainage will ensure healthy plants and loads of flowers.
The natural colours of hydrangeas range from white, pink and red when grown in alkaline soils, but if planted into naturally acid soils, such as those of volcanic soil, the flowers will be turned to shades of blue. Their natural colour will determine whether they will be pale lavender or deep purple. If you have alkaline soil you can alter the shades with alum powder or copper filings sprinkled next to the roots.
Sometime in the 1850s my great-grandfather Ernst Heyne planted a pink hydrangea in a sunken copper in the old family home garden. It was still there in the 1950s, a massive multi-coloured shrub ranging from dark pink at the centre through various shades of mauve and blue then back to pinks, dependant on the roots’ proximity to the copper.
This would more than likely explain the cause the variance of colours of the blooms on the massive hydrangea pictured right. It would indicate that the mass of roots have discovered several sources of different minerals in the soil. Not too surprising considering the plant was growing alongside a very old building in Ballarat.
Hydrangea flowers are great for cutting for indoors. They last quite well providing they’re treated first. The stem ends should be crushed or scalded and the flowers left to stand in a deep bucket of water for several hours before placing in a vase.
A teaspoonful of alum or a patent flower-keeping powder placed in the water will ensure long-lasting blooms.
Cool, clear water
Experts tell us that the population of the world will be ultimately limited not by land mass and other demands of civilisation, but by the amount of water available for food production.
We use water in our homes, gardens and industries, and there are many ways in which we strive to cut down consumption in these fields. But the problem is that the amount of water used in these ways is almost negligible compared with the water used by plants and animals in the production of food.
Although it may take 500 litres of water a day for industrial and domestic purposes per person it takes up to 50 times that amount for the foodstuffs in the daily diet of each person each day.
For a start, a normal loaf of bread requires more than 2000 litres of water for the plants that produced the grain.
For a single egg some 800 litres are needed, starting with the production of the poultry food and the needs of the hen up until the egg is laid…and so on.
We may not have to worry about the problem of not enough water to produce our food but our grandchildren certainly might. Time to plan ahead!
Got a gardening query? Email glenzgarden@gmail.com

G’day. I’m Max. I’m a good bloke in need of a new home with a choice companion or two.

While I wait at the shelter they describe me as: “Max is a male, desexed, three-and-a-half-year-old, brindle greyhound. Max is a very sweet boy who loves being around people and having attention. He has bursts of energy and runs around like a mad man but settles down quickly. He is dog-friendly but is not good with cats. He would love a home where he can have lots of attention and exercise.”
So, if you’re in need of a new best mate, you know what to do. Contact the Mount Alexander Animal Welfare shelter in Castlemaine 5472 5277 and we can meet up.
Microchip no. 956000006796416.
Link: www.maaw.org.au

Five sustainability and resilience workshops will be held at the Trentham
Neighbourhood Centre between February 2 and 23.

Run in conjunction with the council’s Storm Recovery team, the workshops aim to build resilience and sustainability in the community.

The first workshop, on February 4, will teach participants how to create a wicking bed. The following classes will cover composting and worm farms, Hepburn Seed Savers, food dehydrating and
preserving, and bee keeping. Bookings: www.trenthamnc.org.au/classes

I AM never too sure when to stop saying Happy New Year. Is it after the first day of
the New Year or do we wait about a week or so?
I watched the TV with interest as the year drew to a close, we were all encouraged to cook up heaving
tables of food for the big day. We were meant to waddle around visiting people, imbibing ourselves
to the point of alcoholic poisoning. And then wake up on New Year’s Day to find the message had
dramatically shifted, to the reality of the diet, exercise and home gym equipment advertisements.
Hot cross buns miraculously take the place of the chocolate Santa sacks and although the wrapper has changed to a bunny, the chocolate rabbit looks suspiciously like a reindeer when denuded from its casing.
So, it’s onwards and upwards into the great unknown of 2023.

Will Covid finally settle down into a garden variety common cold? And are we able now, after three
years, to get on with our lives and hug strangers, travel and not lurch away when
children get too close?
When I celebrated 2019/2020 New Year’s Eve, myself, the wife and a couple
of mates welcomed the New Year watching fireworks from the safety of a highrise
apartment in Melbourne. Right on the chime of midnight we kissed, hugged, laughed
and cheered.

A big difference to the latest celebrations as a bunch of neighbours sat
around the balcony at TL HQ and one remarked “oh, it’s five past midnight, we
should go home” – an anticlimax of a midnight celebration if ever I have seen one.
But maybe that’s the key. 2023 was not so much back slapping and celebration,
more a “by the way“ comment.

We kind of slipped into the year gently without huge expectations and less pressure on the resolutions or maybe it’s just my age.
Our Christmas break was a lot of fun as Donna and I winged our way to see our
whanau (family) across the ditch. It was great to finally catch up with everyone.
My niece Melissa, pictured, is a single mother, a demure woman who has a pighunting
dog and a 303 bolt action shotgun. As well as long walks down the beach,
photography and sunsets, this pocket rocket likes to kill her own lunch up in the
mountains behind Kaikoura. She sometimes gets a bit lazy and instead of hiking the
40 kilometres into the bush, she and her girlfriend get a lift on a helicopter to a bush
hut where they kill wild deer and boars. (A sort of a chip off the old block, really.)

The name Kaikoura means literally to eat crayfish, so not keen on venison, I
asked Melissa if she wouldn’t mind grabbing me one and like that I found three large
crustaceans flapping away in my sink the next morning without a note.
However, I am the son of a cray fisherman so I know a thing or two about
cooking crays (not). So, after 10 minutes Googling the subject, I drowned them in
freshwater, chopped them in half, cooked them on the barbeque and gorged down on
two and a quarter, leaving three quarters for my traveling companion. Yumbo.
So that was my memorable end to the year and I hope we are off to a better 2023
and the sadness of the last three years is now behind us.
Happy New Year rant over…
(Ed’s note: Hmmm. The only thing Kyle kills for lunch is when he barbeques the life
out of sausages and chops.)

One of the state’s most misspelt acronyms has changed.

The Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) is now the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA)… as of January 1, 2023.

On January 1, 2023, planning functions were transferred to the Department of Transport and
Planning and DELWP was renamed DEECA – “supporting thriving, productive and
sustainable communities, environments and industries”.

World-first technology, developed in Denmark, is being used to assess the
condition of the Victoria’s flood-ravaged roads.

The Australian Road Research Board’s Intelligent Pavement Assessment Vehicle
will assess the condition of more than 8400 kilometres of roads.

The iPAVe assesses both the structural and functional condition of the road, using laser technology to look at roughness, surface texture and rutting.

Cracking and other surface data is assessed using an automated 3D monitoring system, while cameras will give road maintenance experts a first-hand look at the state’s road network.

In May 2022, I wrote to The Local – Edition 256 – detailing the many issues relating to short stay accommodation within the Hepburn Shire.

To achieve the necessary and immediate implementation of local laws/regulations/codes of conduct governing short stay accommodation, residents of the Hepburn Shire who are affected by or potentially affected by neighbouring short stay accommodation properties need to collectively challenge the Hepburn Shire Council.
Recently, over the Christmas/New Year holiday period I had to formally contact the short stay accommodation property management organisation regarding several immediate and ongoing issues I have with a neighbouring short stay accommodation property.
Consistently, these management organisations do not want to hear complaints, or any problems associated with their short stay accommodation properties. More so the owners of the properties – they never contact me to discuss these issues, live outside the shire and rarely visit – they simply snub their nose at any challenge or authority. They do not care.
We, as residents are expected to accept this situation – with no avenue of recourse or support. Council empowers these property owners by allowing this uncontrolled and unregulated situation to continue.
Council has no immediate plans to implement laws/regulations/codes of conduct to protect neighbourhoods from anti-social behaviours and amenity loss issues. The short stay property owners are not legally bound or obligated to do anything, but they collect exorbitant and lucrative holiday rental incomes. There is no accountability.
The Yarra Ranges and the Mornington Peninsula shires have implemented strict local laws, regulations and codes of conduct to administer the short stay accommodation properties within their respective shires. Their precise intention is to protect neighbourhoods and residents from anti-social behaviours and amenity loss issues caused by short stay accommodation properties.
The state government has a role to play. The Hepburn Shire has not introduced any laws, regulations, codes of conduct primarily because the state government has not legislated or directed accordingly.
If there is enough community pressure, the Hepburn Shire must act. Planning laws and regulations relating to the approval and establishment of short stay accommodation properties, also need to be amended.
In order to gain some momentum to force the necessary change and to further understand the depth of the current situation with short stay accommodation within the Hepburn Shire, I would like to hear from those community residents that have been, are currently and are potentially affected by neighbouring short stay accommodation properties. Planning laws and regulations relating to the establishment of short stay accommodation properties also need to be amended.
With the growing volume of short stay accommodation properties in the Hepburn Shir, all these many issues will be ongoing. To empower all the affected community residents by implementing strict controls over short stay accommodation properties, their respective owners and management organisations will go a long way to restoring our lost amenity.
There is absolutely no possibility that these or similar short stay accommodation properties would be made available on the permanent rental market. It is simply far too lucrative.
Availability of permanent housing rental properties within the Hepburn Shire will continue to decline and be unaffordable. This short stay accommodation issue is extremely serious – it has and is damaging the shire. The growing and lucrative short stay accommodation industry in the Hepburn Shire places enormous pressure on this sector.

If any community residents have any relevant issues or specific opinions relating to short stay accommodation within the Hepburn Shire, please email me at davemclachlan53@fermigiohousegmail-com

From: Dave McLachlan, Hepburn Springs

The Big Rainbow’s final location remains a mystery.

Daylesford was chosen Tinder project last year with Hepburn Shire Council then asking people to choose
a location, by November, from Lake Daylesford, the Community Park, the Lost Children’s Reserve or Victoria Park.

Last Thursday a council spokesperson said the council was liaising with stakeholders and considering
community feedback with an announcement soon.

LOL
One of my favourite things to do is read The Local and today I grabbed a copy of the first issue for 2023.
When I turned to page 14 to read Kyle’s Rant, I laughed so much.

ved what Kyle wrote but honestly thought the Ed’s comment (thanks Donna), was the best.
Great way to start the year with a laugh. Thanks to The Local for all that you do. It is so important to have a community newspaper to keep us connected, living in country Victoria.

From: Leonie, Daylesford

I heard whispers of a trail, in a reserve, on the outskirts of Riddells Creek that I was yet to walk.
It’s an hour-long loop full of undulations and changing scenery.
I have walked it many times since, and came to discover that a change in light, time, or season transforms the place, and it becomes almost new again. Changing along with it, was my idea of what a place can offer to those that know it well.

On my most recent walk along the trail, the new season and high rainfall offered an abundance of changes in the landscape. Below are my observations.
I am sunk down in the understorey, a leafy canopy of peppermint gums (eucalyptus dives) above me. At my feet, between short tufts of poa grass (poa labillardieri), chocolate lilies (arthropodium strictum) reign in their rich purple dress, spear-like and stretching for the sky.
Tree roots bulge throughout the rocky path as I move further inwards and dodge the many anthills that have recently sprung up, which host small and precious civilisations. The path lengthens, before taking a sharp right and heading uphill.
I admire the small and reserved beauty of the bluebells (wahlenbergia stricta) which line the path and bashfully nod their heads at me as I pass.

I have to resist the urge to pick the flowers along the way, as I know they serve a greater purpose here, and are more useful than they would be in a vase upon my desk.
When I climb a small crest that perches me above the creek, the sounds of running water and birdsong wash together and over me. I pass a tree stump that has rotted down into a dark, rich mulch which mycelial threads run through like lightning strikes against a black sky. The nutrients in this organic matter smells as strongly as a perfume, it smells of life and function.
Hardenbergia (hardenbergia violacea) creeps nearby through the understorey, almost anonymous at this time of year without its vibrant flowers. It’s most likely strengthening itself on the plentiful soil that the rotting tree stump has made.
A few yam daisies (microseris sp.) remain, though inconspicuously, with their dandelion-like appearance. Passing them, I contemplate the survival of their species against the forces of grazing livestock with heavy, blundering hooves. This thought makes me tread carefully, an ally of these plants.
I round a corner, and know that I am approaching the end of the track as I start to glimpse a dirt road between the trees. A spray of golden sticky everlastings (xerochrysum viscosum) farewells me as I reach my car.
I drive home reflecting on the walking trail, about how I’ve come to know it so well, and yet, I don’t know it at all. It is a shapeshifter, I decide, and an endless source of wonder because of it.

From: Jojo Beard, Macedon Ranges (& image)

The 50th Lyonville Woodchop will be held on Saturday, February 25 from 10.30am at the Lyonville Hall.
Federal Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Catherine King MP will present the $1300 woodchop championship prize to the winning axeman.

Ms King will also supervise the ladies’ nail drive competition and award the prize to the fastest hammer wielder.
Spokesperson Vicki Jackson said woodchop events had been a feature of rural life for many years to celebrate the strength and speed of the local axemen.
“Lyonville was a timber town for many years and our woodchop is a great way to commemorate this part of our history. All proceeds from the Lyonville Woodchop go towards the upkeep and development of the historic Lyonville Mechanics Institute (the hall).”
Ms Jackson said all the usual attractions will also be available at the woodchop – a bar, BBQ, barista coffee, cakes and light lunch stall along with a raffle and spinning wheel with lots of great prizes to be won.
Entry cost is $5 for adults with children free.

On Saturday 5th November at the Commercial @ Kingston Hotel, Dr Robert Webster OAM, Victorian RSL State President, opened the ‘Kingston Remembers’ Resource Centre. Kingston was the chosen site of the Creswick Shire Avenue of Honour, planted over 100 years ago.

Fifty invited guests listened to several speakers including Montanah McMillan and Campbell Spittle, both in their twenties, whose relatives are commemorated in the Avenue. Guests also viewed a short film called ‘Kingston Remembers’ produced by Terry Hope.
Kingston Friends of the Avenue Inc. were successful under the State Government and Victorian Veteran’s Council Victoria Remembers Minor Grant Program which funds projects that honour and commemorate veterans’ service and educate Victorians about veterans’ contributions.
Dr Robert Webster OAM thanked the Victorian State Government and the Victorian Veterans Council for their support of the project. He continued “the Resource Centre honours the World War I service of men and women commemorated in the former Shire of Creswick Avenue of Honour”.
The Resource Centre will preserve and share the stories and history of the Avenue. It consists of film, interviews, resource books and memorabilia. Photographs and certificates are displayed in a beautifully crafted diorama installed on the wall of the Commercial @ Kingston.
Multimedia equipment will show the recorded interviews, short films about the Avenue, and Peter Rickard’s Sentinels of Service – Volunteers of the Kingston Avenue of Honour in eBook format.
It is a place where visitors can stop, reflect and learn more about the people commemorated in the Avenue. Visitors can also drive along Kingston Road, through the Avenue of 286 magnificent heritage-listed trees.
The Friends are indebted to Trace Williams for her creativity and for project managing the team that made the diorama and to Sue Gunn for providing the space to display it and other pieces.
We are grateful to the many local people who assisted in the creation of this Resource Centre, and to all those who loaned or donated memorabilia for display, and those who provided interviews or photographs for the project.
Julie Baulch, president of the Kingston Friends of the Avenue, thanked all those who contributed to this project by sharing their skills and resources.
The committee of the Friends of the Avenue awarded Julie an honorary life membership for her persistence, vision, and dedication to the Kingston Avenue of Honour. This certificate was presented by Dr Robert Webster OAM.
The Resource Centre can be visited during The Commercial @ Kingston’s opening hours, from 12pm Friday, Saturday or Sunday, or by appointment. The Commercial @ Kingston is located at 410 Kingston Road, Kingston, Victoria, 3364. For more information, call 0408 007 464 or 5345 6576 or visit http://kingstonavenueofhonour.org.au or the Kingston Avenue of Honour Facebook page. Kingston Friends of the Avenue can be contacted at kingstonfoa@gmail.com

At last, a return to live music over this traditional, albeit slightly early Australia Day long weekend from Friday, January 20 to Monday, January 23.

This festival has been running for over 20 years, originating in Chewton. It is best described as a folk-roots festival, where a range of diverse international and national artists perform in live music venues, concert spaces, workshops, impromptu sessions, spoken word performances and open-mic sessions over three days and nights.
There are plenty of local venues including The Troubadour Live Music Venue based on Andrew Pattison’s acoustic music venue in Melbourne in the late 70s and early 80s. The venue honours the tradition of this venue, where acts reflect Andrew’s artistic vision. The Newstead Community Centre has the festival reception based in the foyer and the main hall is the prime concert venue of the festival.
For the rest of the year Lilliput is the town’s kindergarten. It features children’s shows in the mornings, and is a popular spot for more intimate performances in the afternoons. Shedshaker Stage & Bar bring its portable bar to Newstead Park, next to The Men’s Shed, largely a blackboard concert venue. Meanwhile, the Anglican church is where you can immerse yourself in the acoustic sound in this tiny country church while the Enviroshop is the refurbished workshop of an old service station, where you will find music workshops. Finally, Live ‘n’ Local stage is a free stage showcasing local artists of all ages from around the region.
Some of the many 2023 performers include We Mavericks, Kate Wilson, Enda Kenny, Kerryn Fields Rich Davies & the Low Road, Michael Waugh, pictured above, Ado Barker, Alana Wilkinson, Anna Smyrk, Apolline, Bruce Watson, Cat Canteri, Dan Duggan, Dingo’s Breakfast, Ernest Aines, Evan and Mischa, Gee Whiz Kidz, Great Aunt, Ian Bland, Joshua Batten, Justin Bernasconi, Kathyrn Clements, Liz Frencham, Lloyd Dodsworth, Loz Irwin-Ray, Mandy Connell, Mariah McCarthy, Mast Gully Fellers, Matt Glass, Peter Anderson, Red Raven, Rhiz and the Sugarplums, Sarah & Silas, Skiffle Party, The Blenders, The Ugly Uncles and Tuck Shop Ladies.
Playing times and artist bios are available on the festival website. Punters can buy a range of day passes or full weekend tickets.
Words: Darren Lowe | Image: Contributed

Hepburn Shire Council has awarded 18 Small-Scale Artisan Agriculture Grants worth more than $34,000 to farmers and producers in the Central Highlands.

Grant recipients came from a range of businesses including wineries, flower farms, organic growers and berry farms.
The grants aim to support product growth and efficiency in the artisan agriculture sector through development activities, training, marketing and equipment purchases. It is part of the council’s Artisan Agriculture Pilot Project, which is predominately funded by Agriculture Victoria.
“We have a strong and diverse group of farmers and artisan agriculture producers across the region. We’re very pleased to be able to offer this support through our grants program,” said Mayor, Cr Brian Hood.
Artisan agriculture accounts for one quarter of the value of Australia’s total production of food and fibre commodities.
“The grants program aims to help create an environment that will support the small-scale agricultural industry to innovate, evolve and thrive,” Cr Hood said.
“One of our strategies in our four-year council plan is to strengthen and protect existing agriculture to support the availability, sustainability and accessibility of local food sources.
“All farmers and producers play an important role in our shire – from small boutique operators to large-scale producers. We have a highly productive agricultural sector which is incredibly important to our community and local economy.”
Grants ranged from $936 to $2200 with recipients Pennyweight Farm, The Cottage Herbalist, Fleurs de Lyonville, Capell Farm, Passing Clouds, The Happy Winemaker, Black & Ginger, Two Good Acres, Truffle Treasures, Essential Alignment, Morningswood Farm, Mafic Winery, Springmount Fine Foods, Cloud Croft Farm, Guildford Vineyard & Cellar, Audrey’s Flowers, Tumpinyeri Growers and Mt Franklin Organics.