A STUNNING new exhibition in Mt Franklin, now set for Spring, has struck just the right note.

Nick Carpenter is a luthier – he has been making stringed instruments for more than 30 years and it’s his passion – he runs weekend courses for people to come and make their own guitars.

“I was 17 when I finished my first one,” he said. “I run weekend courses – we have guitar kits and we put them together, 13 different models of electric guitars, and no-one else in Australia is doing electric guitar weekend courses.

“The other course is the one-day build, it’s an acoustic cigar box guitar.”

Now, Nick is showing the artwork that he’s been creating over the past couple of years using another form of exquisite artwork – instruments.

“Building instruments is an art form, but it’s very restrictive – you have to build instruments in a very particular way, so they function properly, and I wanted to do something a little bit more creative so I moved into the art side of things where there are no boundaries.

“All the art involves musical instruments in one way or another, some are re-purposed old instruments that are no longer working, I’m turning them into sculptures and I also rebuild from scratch very unusual instruments, and also mixed media artworks which either involve string, wind or percussion instruments in some way.”

Last year, Nick entered a Piano Transformation Challenge in Melbourne – and won.

“A lot of pianos are going to landfill, about 2000 a year, so they started a competition seeing what people could turn pianos into to re-use them, recycle them, and give them a new life. That was right up my alley.

“I turned it into a few items – the first one was a very large horse, which stood about 1.8m high, which was made from the frame of the piano and the other was a very large piano guitar, we used the soundboard out of the piano for the guitar, and those two entries won their categories.

“That was the first exhibition I’ve ever entered.”

Trojan and Piano Guitar will be among the 40 works of art at Nick’s Spring exhibition, each telling their own story about these wonderful machines of music and our relationship with them.

“It will be open to anybody who wants to come and have a look.”

Keep reading The Local for more information on dates and times.

Words: Kate Taylor | Image: Kyle Barnes

Pictured: Nick Carpenter in his workshop

GLENLYON resident Jill Teschendorff and Wombat Forestcare have produced a new book, Grow Wild: Gardening to Sustain Wildlife in the Hepburn Shire.

Jill, who wrote the book, which was published by Wombat Forestcare, said she was inspired by the beauty of the region and its abundance of bushland and wildlife. But she was also aware of the environment being under threat by increasing urbanisation.

“At the time, there was a real concern about the lack of interest in Hepburn Shire council in terms of the environment, with no biodiversity officer, and no books being specific to our region.

“So there was that sense of depression and helplessness that so many people feel these days when they see the natural environment shrinking and wondering what we can do about it, how we can make a difference.

“So I thought, well, get off your dot Jill, get up and do something. We’ve worked on our patch here (at Glenlyon) and we have pretty much restored the riparian zone of the Loddon River – our property goes down to the river.

“I’ve got a large exotic garden but also a pretty large indigenous garden – when we came here it was the usual scene of blackberries and gorse as high as your head. You couldn’t even see the river.

“And now we have a large, vibrant garden that just teems with wildlife, birds and kangaroos that come and eat on the front lawn, and echidnas that wander in. It’s been totally altered.”

Jill said she talked to Gayle Osborne at Wombat Forestcare many years ago and they decided to create the book and provide information for people to create their own vibrant gardens.

“It’s taken a long time with a few stops and starts along the way but it has morphed from just a book into something that is very accessible and which should appeal to everyone, not just people familiar with gardens or who are interested in the environment. We are hoping that accessibility will mean that people will buy it and give them the groundwork on how to go about establishing a garden that will create habitat.”

Jill said she and her husband John Cable moved to Glenlyon in 2000 because John had a life-long dream of keeping bees and wanted a country property.

“John was my first boyfriend when I was 14 and he was 16. We met up again 32 years later and he said I was the first girl interested in moving to the country.

“When John retired he looked around for ages but couldn’t find a property that appealed. One day he went up to Castlemaine and saw a property in the window of Arie Eyles’ real estate business. It was a public holiday and the door was shut but John saw movement inside and hammered on the window.

“Arie came to the door and told him the property was in the ‘Toorak of the country’ and John said ‘well, I can’t afford it’ but we came and had a look and it was just perfect. It was on top of the big hill overlooking the river.”

Jill, a former nurse and academic, said she had always been a gardener with the love instilled by her mother who took her children on bush walks, telling them about the relationship between plants and wildlife.

“It just whets your appetite and you see things people who are not familiar with bushland don’t actually notice.”

Meanwhile Jill says Hepburn Shire Council is getting back on track with the environment with the employment of a biodiversity officer a great step.

“There is just a lack of awareness in many people, it’s not that they don’t care, they don’t know. For instance, if you remove the insects from your garden, you also remove the birds. It is so important to understand the whole food chain.”

Words: Donna Kelly | Image: Contributed

PICTURED: Grow Wild: Gardening to Sustain Wildlife in the Hepburn Shire is $15 per copy and available from Jill at jt.bee@bigpond.com or Wombat Forestcare through Gayle at info@wombatforestcare.org.au

Hepburn and Macedon Ranges councils close services.

MACEDON Ranges Shire Council is taking steps to ensure supermarkets are able to receive much-needed supplies during the current coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Chief executive officer Margot Stork said the council had advised the Victorian Government it would waive delivery restrictions and allow trucks to deliver to supermarkets as required.

“We know stocks are running low in many of our local supermarkets, so we want to ensure we are doing what we can to help local businesses get that stock in for local residents, especially for the elderly and most vulnerable,” Ms Stork said.

Council is following state and federal government advice and is:

• minimising large public gatherings;

• dispensing with non-essential meetings and events;

• promoting good hygiene practices; and

• encouraging and practising social distancing.

For daily updates on service changes and closures, visit mrsc.vic.gov.au/coronavirus

Transfer stations currently remain open, however please note cash will not be accepted by attendants. The tip shop in Kyneton has been closed.

Council is encouraging residents and visitors to avoid visiting the Mount Macedon area during autumn.

Council will no longer be running free buses from Macedon Railway Station to Honour Avenue and further up to Mount Macedon, and the visitor information booth at Centennial Park will not operate. It is understood most if not all of the open gardens in Mount Macedon will remain closed during the Autumn period.

Traffic management arrangements will continue in order to ensure amenity for residents should there still be visitation to the area during this period.

Council is encouraging groups operating in council-owned or managed facilities or on council-owned land to conduct risk assessments and modify/cancel activities as required.

Among the facilities closed are libraries, customer service centres, pools, gyms and leisure centres.

Residents with memberships and enrolments at leisure facilities are being contacted regarding future arrangements. Memberships and enrolments will be suspended or reimbursements and refunds will be offered. All current facility closures will be in place until mid-April, after which they will be reviewed.

For more information: mrsc.vic.gov.au/coronavirus, www.health.gov.au/ or   www.dhhs.vic.gov.au/

HEPBURN Shire Council has moved to Stage 4 of its Pandemic Plan and is putting preventative measures in place to slow the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19), including closing its Duke Street Customer Service Centre, hubs and libraries to the public.

As of March 18, the council closed:

• Face to face customer service at the Duke Street Office (Daylesford), Creswick Hub and The Warehouse – Clunes;

• Daylesford, Creswick, Trentham and Clunes libraries; and

• Visitor Information Centres in Daylesford, Creswick, Clunes and Trentham.

While customers will not be able to attend customer service centres/hubs in person, they will still be able to contact the Customer Experience Team to log any service requests, queries or payments, etc. via:

• Phone – 5348 2306;

• Email – shire@hepburn.vic.gov.au; and

• Website – www.hepburn.vic.gov.au

Customers requiring urgent face-to-face communication (including payments), can phone 5348 2306 and a staff member will discuss whether an appointment should made. It is important to note that face-to-face customer service will not be provided unless the matter is urgent and an appointment has been made.

The Duke Street Customer Service Centre in Daylesford will still be able to provide the usual VicRoads Services in person by prior appointment only. These include learner permit testing and issuing of work diaries.

Payments for council-issued accounts can be paid over the phone via a credit card (MasterCard or Visa). Alternatively, most accounts can be paid via BPAY or AusPost banking.

Closures will remain in place until further notice, as the council continues to monitor the situation and work closely with State Government departments.

The following services will remain operational, but will be reviewed as the situation changes: Maternal Child Health; Immunisations; Meals on Wheels; Home and Community Care; Waste Collection; and Transfer Stations.

THE Probus Club of Daylesford held its annual general meeting on Tuesday, March 17 which saw the election of the following office bearers and committee members: President – Stephen Walker; Senior Vice President – Garth Marks; Junior Vice President – Keith Pyers; Secretary – Susan Priest; Treasurer – Bev Ryan; Immediate Past President – Anne Bremner; and committee members Dot Bull, Margaret Coffey and Lois Voterakis.

Probus is an association for active members of the community and those no longer working full time to join together for a new lease of life. Its basic purpose is to advance intellectual and cultural interest amongst adult persons; to provide regular opportunities to progress healthy minds and active bodies, through social interaction and activities and to enjoy the fellowship of new friends.

The Probus Club of Daylesford normally meets on the third Tuesday of each month commencing at 10am at the Daylesford Bowling Club, Camp Street. However due to the current coronavirus situation all Probus operations have been suspended until July, at this point.

New members will be made very welcome once the situation returns to normal with enquiries directed to Susan Priest on 5348 7674.

Pictured from left, Dot Bull, Anne Bremner, Stephen Walker, Margaret Coffey, Keith Pyers, Susan Priest, Lois Voterakis and Garth Marks

THE sight of celebrities plunging into an ice bath at the footy as a fund-raiser is enough to give anyone the shivers. Imagine, then, plunging naked up to your neck in freezing water for your health’s sake.

The plunge is one of a number of techniques to be introduced in the Highlands by a follower of Netherland’s renowned “ice man” and astonishing record breaker, Wim Hof. He once held a world record by swimming 57.5 metres under ice, set another record for the fastest barefoot half-marathon on ice and snow (2 hours, 16 minutes and 34 seconds), 16 times set world records for the longest time in direct full-body contact with ice (around 45 minutes), climbed to 7200 metres on Mount Everest in just shorts and shoes and ran a full marathon in Namibia’s Namib Desert without water.

In his videos Hof is the opposite of a dour Dutchman, being exuberant about his method and seemingly bursting with energy. In this he’s mirrored by Mark Kluwer, a 54-year-old former builder who is setting up a space to share in the bush at Hepburn.

There, a visitor confronts a towering 10-metre by 12-metre corrugated iron shed with great sliding doors made from an old basketball court. Giant spanners are the door handles. Glancing down, the words “LET GO” in the cement grab the eye.

Behind the shed on a deck stands a handsome wood-fired hot tub which doubles as an ice tub, a half-built stone sweat lodge and, nearby, some chin-up bars. A large wine barrel is being readied to be an ice bath. A curve of five four-metre slim wooden poles set in concrete and sharpened like pencils helps create the area.

Cold exposure and conscious breathing require patience and dedication, but Hof argues that with focus and determination one can explore and eventually master body and mind. Mark explains that the therapy has three main principles: cold therapy, breathing and meditation. Hof says that an ice bath can change the way in which fluids like blood and lymph flow through the body, with vessels constricting, then opening when the body warms after the bath. This is said to help flush out metabolic waste, while getting oxygen and nutrients to muscles.

Regular ice baths are believed to help weight loss, reduce inflammation and make people more resilient to stress. This, in turn, leads to learning how to breathe and focus during stress.

Breathing techniques are also said to bring benefits such as increased energy, reduced stress and an augmented immune response that swiftly deals with pathogens, infectious agents that can cause disease.

The benefits of meditation are well known.

This was the world that Mark plunged into four years ago when he got a last-minute ticket to a five-day Hof retreat with 60 others. Mark’s life changed, he says, while stressing that Hof is not a guru. “It’s a matter of belief,” says the burly former Collingwood under-19s player, who was into extreme sport and completed two solo full distance Murray Marathons.

Mark also studied at the Rites of Passage Institute with Dr Arne Rubinstein, an expert on adolescent development who was nominated for Australian of the Year for his ground-breaking work with youth.

From all of this Mark has developed a passion for sharing what he has learnt about social structure and the importance of community.

“I’m sympathetic to the community,” he says, “and not here to tell people what to do or be a fixer-upper. I just want to share.

“I was uninspired with life and this lit a fire deep within me. As Hof said, ‘Strength, happiness and health’.

“We’re empowering people and their health,” adds Mark, punching his chest.

Having trained with Hof in 2017, Mark recently spent a month towing a little pink and blue caravan labelled Chill Seekers to Adelaide, then up to Queensland and across to the east coast of Australia, averaging up to 30 ice-seekers at each stop.

“My aim is to share and connect with people who wish to see change in themselves and light the fire within.”

To him, the ice bath is the easy part. “It’s intense, but it’s life. Young and older people are searching, taking time out to focus deep within.

“Looking after body and mind. Breathing consciously, having good food, moving your body and plenty of rest, this is what we all need. We all have a beautiful house, we just need to find the keys.”

Words: Kevin Childs | Image: Contributed

THE Australian Wildlife Society has donated $5000 to the development of the Central Victoria Wildlife Hospital.

After the bushfires devastated the landscape, thousands of native animals such as kangaroos, koalas, wombats and echidnas received severe burn injuries. Local Victorian wildlife rehabilitators were inundated with bushfire-affected wildlife in distress and requiring assistance.

Australian Wildlife Society president Suzanne Medway said the organisation was keen to support local wildlife rehabilitators to save and rescue injured native wildlife, especially those animals so badly affected by the recent bushfires. 

“Our members raised funds specifically to help the rehabilitators cope with these injured animals. We are pleased to be able to support the Central Victoria Wildlife Hospital founders Gayle Chappell and Jon Rowdon to expand their wildlife rescue work to save these animals.”

The Local, in its last edition,ran a story on Gayle and Jon and their decision to establish the hospital, which will build on and significantly expand the wildlife rehabilitation work of Hepburn Wildlife Shelter.

Ms Medway said funding from the Australian Wildlife Society would help Gayle and Jon to continue their important work to save Australia’s precious native wildlife for the next generation of young Australians.

The Australian Wildlife Society, formed in 1909, is a national not-for-profit conservation organisation. Its mission is to conserve Australia’s wildlife (flora and fauna) through national environmental education, political lobbying, advocacy and involvement of the community. 

A STUNNING new exhibition in Mt Franklin, now set for Spring, has struck just the right note.

Nick Carpenter is a luthier – he has been making stringed instruments for more than 30 years and it’s his passion – he runs weekend courses for people to come and make their own guitars.

“I was 17 when I finished my first one,” he said. “I run weekend courses – we have guitar kits and we put them together, 13 different models of electric guitars, and no-one else in Australia is doing electric guitar weekend courses.

“The other course is the one-day build, it’s an acoustic cigar box guitar.”

Now, Nick is showing the artwork that he’s been creating over the past couple of years using another form of exquisite artwork – instruments.

“Building instruments is an art form, but it’s very restrictive – you have to build instruments in a very particular way, so they function properly, and I wanted to do something a little bit more creative so I moved into the art side of things where there are no boundaries.

“All the art involves musical instruments in one way or another, some are re-purposed old instruments that are no longer working, I’m turning them into sculptures and I also rebuild from scratch very unusual instruments, and also mixed media artworks which either involve string, wind or percussion instruments in some way.”

Last year, Nick entered a Piano Transformation Challenge in Melbourne – and won.

“A lot of pianos are going to landfill, about 2000 a year, so they started a competition seeing what people could turn pianos into to re-use them, recycle them, and give them a new life. That was right up my alley.

“I turned it into a few items – the first one was a very large horse, which stood about 1.8m high, which was made from the frame of the piano and the other was a very large piano guitar, we used the soundboard out of the piano for the guitar, and those two entries won their categories.

“That was the first exhibition I’ve ever entered.”

Trojan and Piano Guitar will be among the 40 works of art at Nick’s Spring exhibition, each telling their own story about these wonderful machines of music and our relationship with them.

“It will be open to anybody who wants to come and have a look.”

Keep reading The Local for more information on dates and times.

Words: Kate Taylor | Image: Kyle Barnes

Pictured: Nick Carpenter in his workshop

Naturally, the prospect of long-term solitary confinement for however long it takes for the accursed COVID-19 to leave our shores, or when they discover a miracle cure, is certainly daunting. Especially if the looming school holidays and grumpy, bored kids are added to the mix. I’m not too sure how many days or hours it takes for even the digital screens to lose their charm.

Fortunately, there is always something needing doing in the garden, even if it’s only getting round to the vegie garden, or rescuing the overgrown ornamentals from their pot-bound state. 

But never fear, I have also compiled a collection of great little holiday plant-oriented projects, activities and experiments to feature in the next edition of The Local…and all using items usually found about the house. As a clue, save up such things as egg cartons, large plastic bottles and large screwtop jars.

If your garden is anything like mine, there will be weeks’ worth of tasks crying out for completion. And, I’m pretty sure, enough activities to keep the little minds gainfully occupied. Even though it’s Autumn, traditionally the time of year when everything (well, almost) is shutting down for the cold months, there are still lots of things that can be done around the garden. Apart from re-activating the vegetable patch for your  Winter/early Spring crops, there’s still planting time for Spring flowering bulbs, and tidying up of the perennial flowering beds.

I’m sure you, like me, have a special project or two that’ve been on your mind for ages, but have had no time to undertake. Well, guess what? Now you’ll have plenty of time on your hands. For the past few years I’ve been meaning to do something about a boringly blank corner at our entrance, where we had randomly placed a collection of potted plants as a “short term” solution. There was also a pile of vintage terracotta edging tiles gathering dust and cobwebs in another garden corner.

We have just, finally, combined all the elements into a neat little garden feature, (pictured below centre) waiting only for the wall-hugging Virginia creeper at the rear to start covering the blandness of the wall. I might add that this new bed solved the problem of where to prominently display a pair of 150 year-old advertising tiles from my great-grandfather’s Adelaide garden shop.

I’m sure you can find at least a few overgrown potted plants just dying to be released into a garden bed, or given a new lease of life like the un-named carpet rose I rescued from languishing in a barren corner of the garden to become a star attraction in one of local artist’s Stefan Nechwatel’s early works, pictured below left.

The Autumn rains bring with them the beginnings of bounteous crops of weeds, so there is plenty to keep you busy at this time pulling or hoeing them out before they get a hold and the weather turns too cold and wet for you to want to be out of doors. While you are at it, any low spots in the beds that would tend to pool after soaking rains, would benefit from having a little lift from extra topsoil or compost.

Your perennial beds are probably looking worse for wear right now, especially if they have been left undisturbed for several years. Fortunately this is the time of year to lift and divide – selecting as many of the newly established clumps to replant and break up the rest for compost.

The same applies to spring flowering bulbs, although unless the parent bulb is looking worn-out, you could just harvest any young bulblets for planting elsewhere. You might care to keep a few aside, they could come in handy for children’s activities.

My story about worm towers in the last edition of The Local has attracted quite some interest, and due to my verbosity lacked space for my photo, pictured below right in answer to your requests.

AS COVID-19 continues an infectious journey around the globe, the Victorian real estate sector surges on.

Any loud cough or sneeze in public is enough to put people on edge, as surgical masks are becoming more and more popular.

Real Estate Institute of Victoria CEO Gil King said the Victorian real estate industry was not immune to this global crisis and is strictly following the recommended guidelines to ensure that open house inspections and auctions can continue safely.

“Hand sanitiser, anti-bacterial wipes, rubber gloves and spray disinfectants will be on hand at all upcoming home inspections and auctions across the state.

“Being able to see a home in person is an exciting and vital process in purchasing a property, you need to be able to look through all the cupboards freely, go through all the rooms, and be doubly sure that a property is the right one for you.

“Each agency is running under their own set of guidelines, with some having elected to enforce a no handshake policy while others are limiting inspections to one family at a time.”

Mr King said the Victorian real estate sector is a flexible, innovative, and resourceful industry capable of dealing with any problem.

“We have had a solid year for auctions in Victoria, and they continue to go ahead with high interest.

“Anybody interested in an auction that’s feeling unwell should contact the selling agent and make arrangements to stay home and bid over the phone. 

“With many international buyers grounded overseas, thousands of business and real estate transactions have taken place over the phone, email or by video call.”

Mr King said the Victorian auction market had demonstrated its resilience with auction clearance rates holding firm at 72 per cent.

“869 auctions were held over the weekend, with 625 selling and 244 being passed in, 112 of those on a vendor bid.

“With interest in Victorian property remaining high, real estate agents will be doing their best to meet the needs of their customers’ safely.”

Every client likes to get what they asked for. Whether they know what they asked for is a different story because often a good designer or architect can interpret your wishes and give you more than you thought you wanted.

This week I would like to show you Margret’s new build. Margret got what she asked for and since she and her architect had a good rapport and understanding, he knew what she was after.

Margret was downsizing her property and moving closer into the heart of Glenlyon. Her brief to Brad Hooper, her architect and then-neighbourhood local, was for a new house that was quiet. It had to be sustainable, low maintenance and fire rated of course. She wanted double glazing and polished concrete floors. The wood heater heats the house efficiently and Margret noticed that the double glazing and insulation that effectively keeps the heat in, has halved her wood consumption over winter and cooling bills over summer.

 During their many discussions Margret would have mentioned a reflection on the area’s past, so a nod to the look of miners’ cottages was added into the house design.

The house is situated on the block with its back to the busy road. The living side of the house sits facing the trees, the Loddon river and the morning sun. Surrounded by garden and trees that Margret had the foresight to plant early on in the build, her morning coffee is sheltered, sunny and peaceful. Her dogs have plenty of room to roam and when they come in muddy, the concrete floors and minimal surfaces only need a wipe down.

Given our area’s changeable weather where frosts precede heatwaves and vice versa, my home vegetable plots have taken a beating this past growing season and as yet, have not produced any ripe tomatoes, corn or capsicum. Quite unusual compared to previous seasons, however, the greenhouse that is attached to Margret’s house has been producing fruit and vegetables for many months. Access from the house to the greenhouse, garage and workshop is all under cover, convenient and has me a little envious. I am wondering how soon I can add a greenhouse to my place. It won’t be part of the building structure unfortunately, like at Margret’s. Only an afterthought for me.

This house has achieved two things. Not only has it satisfied its brief, but it has also become a successful reflection of Margret. It is practical, no nonsense, a hard worker and does not complain. It looks after its occupants without fuss and gives so much natural beauty in its every day. For these reasons I can imagine Margret being very happy and content in its space. May it feel like a home and a legacy to a very hard working and giving Glenlyon local.

Indre Kisonas – owner and principal designer of iok design

indre@iokdesign.com.au www.indre@iokdesign.com.au

Back in the day when they had toilet paper:

counting the squares of toilet paper

remembering that time

in Eganstown

at Aunty Irene’s

when spiders had parties in her

outdoor loo

I’d never seen a redback

til Seth left me

a sheep’s skull

still green

like a siren

I dropped the bag

ran round the kitchen

thirteen times

for luck

sprayed a whole can

of Knockdown

threw it in the bin

I hid behind

Aunty Irene

when I saw a great big hairy

that time

me and she jumped up n down

on her bed

Edna

not Aunty Edna

but Edna who was seeing Young Jack

whilst he was in prison

or embezzlement

came in and thwacked it

spider guts look like

a Pro Hart painting

only better

she muttered in Hush Puppies

me and Aunty Irene

still jumped up n down

at 3 am

we liked that game

at twelve

I knew nothing

at eighty-three

her laugh told me

everything

– Mary Stone

Mary Stone is a poet, singer and spoken word performer who has featured in many poetry venues throughout Melbourne and Central Victoria. She has won several awards for her work and published widely – including her most recent book, Hail Mary full of disgrace. She loves singing Mills & Boon, acapella, making NQR risotto and tripping over her own feet.

Poems for Local Lines come predominantly from a group of poets. However, other locals who would like a poem considered for publication can contact Bill Wootton – cottlesbreedge@gmail.com

THE unofficial history of …… series starts in April featuring the Daylesford Town Hall.

In collaboration with The Local, Alice’s Journeys Walking Tours will take you on a virtual unofficial history tour of the Daylesford Town Hall.

To do this we need your help. If you’re cooped up at home during the COVID-19 crisis, when would be a better time to share some of your local memories with the community?

In your own words, tell us about an interesting story or memory you have of an event you experienced at the Daylesford Town Hall. Events might include a debutante ball, ChillOut ball, civic ceremonies, football/netball presentation nights, comedy nights, school presentations, concerts, festivals, etc. Tell us the year, how old you were and what this experience meant to you. We’ll publish selected stories in TL and at www.alicesjourneys.com

At a cost of £4500, the Daylesford Town Hall, completed in 1886, is architectural gold. As such it was classified by Heritage Victoria in 1984. It’s one of the most stunning buildings in Daylesford, designed in the Victorian era style by English architect, George Johnson, who also designed the town halls of Fitzroy, Collingwood, Northcote, North Melbourne and Maryborough.

Take a close look and you’ll see some similarities. It’s a bold and striking building and, after 134 years remains in use for its original purpose, being council chambers at the front and an assembly hall in the rear. Prior to its completion council meetings were conducted in the local pubs.

The assembly hall was originally built to accommodate 1000 people – 700 people downstairs and 300 in the balcony. Did you know the town hall is built on the site of the town baths and water well? The town hall has survived bushfires, world wars, economic depressions and still stands tall and proud. If only the walls could talk.

Each month we’ll feature a new historical and socially significant site in the Central Highlands and ask you to share your stories. As we know you will have much to share, some will be selected for publication. So, email us your unofficial history stories of the Daylesford Town Hall along with any photos or copies of memorabilia to info@alicesjourneys.com or give us a call on 0455 519 111.                                                             

Words: Lynda Poke

FOR most people, the sound and image of the harp ring with associations to angels, celtic ballads, New Age music or symphony orchestras.

For Central Highlands harpist Mary Doumany, the harp is a source of sonic discovery and untapped possibilities. She uses it to perform jazz, experimental music, soundscapes, rock and everything in between.

Born into a musical family, Mary began lessons on the piano at seven. “Love of music brought my parents together. They were both singers, with different musical interests, intersecting at opera,” says Mary. “Dad loved traditional music so the house was often filled with the sounds of flamenco, Greek, Russian and Arabic music.” Her paternal grandfather was an oud player whilst her maternal grandfather played for the silent movies at Sydney’s Princess Theatre during the 1930s.

It all went into the sonic melting pot for the budding musician who finally started harp lessons at the age of 12, going on to graduate from the Queensland Conservatorium and then on to studies in London.

 “It seemed the most mysterious thing at the time, this contraption standing nearly 185cm tall, with seven pedals and strings hanging in mid air.”

The harp became her passion, taking her all over the world. She moved to Melbourne from Queensland in 1990 and formed a band with bassist Jeremy Alsop called The Lovers. They got noticed by John Farnham and Ross Fraser and were signed to their label, Gotham BMG. For the next 10 years, Mary’s focus was on writing songs and singing with the harp. Nominated for five Aria awards, their recordings featured luminaries Slava Grigoryan, David Jones, David Hirshfelder and Joe Chindamo. During this time, she kept her classical gigs going with the Melbourne Symphony and Australian Pops orchestras as well.

“I guess I have an insatiable appetite for exploration. It led me into jazz and experimental music, and it got me singing with the harp as well,” she explains. On tour to Japan with James Hullick’s sonic art group, The Bolte Ensemble in 2014, Mary fell in love twice: once with her current  partner, Michael and once with Tokyo and its vibrant music scene. Since 2014, she has been spending time between the Central Highlands and Tokyo – playing, teaching harp, voice and piano and composing.

Teaching is another of her passions, helping others find their unique voices through music.

On Sunday, March 10 from 3pm at the Kyneton Mechanics Institute, Mary will introduce her newest love to the world: the Delta electric harp.

Made of graphite, it operates like an electric guitar and it can be held across the body or put on a stand. “This changes everything,” she says. “I’m only at the very beginning of my exploration into the possibilities of an electric harp – new sounds and increased volume. I’ll be playing rock, world and experimental music at the concert.” She will be joined by Trentham East guitarist Robbie Melville.

“I’m only at the very beginning of my exploration into the possibilities of an electric harp – new sounds and increased volume.”

Link: www.trybooking.com/BATDC

Words & image: Contributed

COLES Woodend has created 68 new local jobs and an enhanced shopping experience with its market‐style supermarket which opened last November.

An additional 89 team members transferred from the former Woodend store.

Store manager Ben Ebell said he had been thrilled to bring a state-of-the-art Coles supermarket to regional Victoria and create so many new jobs in Woodend.

“We had a number of young adults starting their first job ever and we were delighted to welcome experienced Coles team members across the store who have been serving locals for decades,” he said.

“The team is passionate about the community and we will continue to support local causes with fundraising initiatives and give back to residents where it matters most.

“With the warmer months upon us, we are donating food and drinks to the local CFA firefighters on total fire ban days throughout summer. We’re also sponsoring the Woodend Hesket Football Netball Club, Rotary Club and Bowling Club, as well as supporting local businesses such as Josh’s Eggs.

“Partnering with local suppliers has always been a focus for Coles, and we proudly stock Josh’s Eggs which are based right here in the Macedon Ranges.’’

The supermarket features an instore bakery with delicious artisan style varieties by Laurent and a flatbread machine to make fresh flatbread daily, a continental deli with a large selection of cheeses and an in-store butcher with a slice on request service.

Customers can also enjoy a self-serve olive bar and an extensive fresh produce area with fruit and vegetables displayed on ice.

The store also offers a Click&Collect service which will offer a new level of convenience for Coles shoppers. Click&Collect allows customers to shop for their groceries online and pick them up from the store where a Coles team member will deliver groceries directly to their car boot.

“The team is passionate about the community and we will continue to support local causes with fundraising initiatives and give back to residents where it matters most.”

– Ben Ebell

Image: Supplied

THE Boomerang Holiday Ranch on the western edge of Daylesford has been around for so long it has practically taken on the status of local cultural treasure. Since 1978 when it was carved from a bush block by Jim Gull, it has played host to countless kids and adults looking to experience horse riding on trails through Hepburn Regional Park.

Back in 1985, Jim Gull’s son Rodney invited Theresa Cook and her husband Noel, who passed away in 2016, to go in partnership with them. While they were keen to be involved with a horse-riding ranch, Theresa and Noel thought they may stick at it for three years.

But by 1992 the Cooks had taken over the running completely, expanding the site and adding more accommodation so they could take groups of up to 80 people. “At the beginning it was set up mainly for city families to come up and enjoy the country life and give their kids a chance to work with horses and learn to ride,” says Theresa.

“But over time larger groups such as schools began to visit. Other things have changed a little bit too, we used to take 30 horses out at a time but that is limited to 15 these days in the Regional Park. We have areas we are permitted to go into and we make sure it is looked after. And we are very lucky to have that beautiful bush out there to ride in.”

Son Brendan now looks after the day-to-day running of the farm and its 65 working horses and ponies. There are also six other staff who come and go depending on how busy things get. And it does get busy – besides weekly school groups, there is Easter which has always been active. Then there are the families who have continued to visit on long weekends for the last 30 years. Or kids who came on camps returning when they have grown up because they remember the good times they had.

And, especially over the last few years, an increase in day visitors just coming to have an hour’s ride before going off to have lunch somewhere. “It’s definitely seven days a week,” says Theresa. “It’s a lifestyle, it’s not just a job, it’s a lifestyle.”

Late last year the ranch marked its 40th anniversary and the word was put out that they would be having an open house celebration. “People came and went all day,” says Theresa. “We even had one family that was at the original opening of the place back in the 70s.

“The atmosphere was like a big reunion and everyone just came, reminisced, had a laugh and caught up with one another. There was nothing special organised, we just said December 9 is our 40th, come along. If they couldn’t make it on the day, people rang us and said we will come and see you later, so the occasion actually stretched out for several more weeks.”

Now that the celebrations are complete, 2019 holds no big plans, The Boomerang Holiday Ranch will simply continue the way they are going and welcome everybody back. That said, was there any concern about the recent Hepburn fires and did they have to go and move all their stock?

“Everything was fine. We actually picked up a couple of horses that were closer to Hepburn and brought them here. Even though we are in the bush we’ve got a lot of firefighting equipment, so we were not worried. I mean I didn’t even know about it for a while, I had people in for dinner and had finished doing things about 7.30pm. I came out of the kitchen, looked down the gully and said to my grandson ‘I think there’s smoke at Hepburn’. Later everyone was ringing up asking if we were OK. Maybe I’m a bit blasé but I’ve lived here for 40 years and I knew we were safe.”

Words & image: Anthony Sawrey