The Victorian state government is inviting parents and carers to help shape services for children and their families into the future by participating in a survey.

The Member for Macedon, Mary-Anne Thomas during the week announced that a new survey is open encouraging parents and carers of children 12 and under to offer their insights as part of efforts to improve Government services.

The survey includes questions about how Victorians find parenting information, what services they use, which services are most useful, what barriers exist to accessing services, and how services may be further improved.

Member for Macedon, Mary-Anne Thomas: “Parents and carers know best what works for their children. By taking part in this survey,  you can help make sure that local services are designed with your family’s needs in mind. Let’s work together to create the best possible future for our children.”

The survey complements a series of roundtables taking place across Victoria designed to make it easier to access services for children.

Roundtable discussions, as well as feedback from the survey, will help inform policies, programs and initiatives that impact children up to 12 years of age.

The series of 18 roundtables began in May and finish this month while the survey is open until Sunday December 15 at: engage.vic.gov.au/project/Children-in-Victoria-Survey.   

Minister for Children Lizzie Blandthorn:   “Our survey is the perfect opportunity for mums, dads and carers to give us their unique  experience with the services we provide across Victoria – and improve them for every child going forward.”   

The state government says it is boosting funding for Victoria’s wildlife rescue volunteers who dedicate their time and expertise to care for sick, injured and orphaned wildlife.

Minister for Environment Steve Dimopoulos recently opened applications for the Wildlife Rehabilitator Grants with up to $3,000 in funding available as part of a $300,000 investment to support wildlife rescue volunteers provide native animals in need of rehabilitation.

Wildlife shelter operators and foster carers can apply for funding to cover a range of expenses, including equipment, vet fees, training, feed and medication. Wildlife shelter operators can up apply for up to $3,000. Foster carers can apply for up $2,000.

Member for Macedon, Mary-Anne Thomas: “These grants will help our dedicated volunteers who feed, house and care for our precious wildlife when they need it most.”

Applications opened on Wednesday 27 November 2024 and close on Wednesday 5 February 2025.

For more information visit on Wildlife Rehabilitator Grants and to submit an application
visit, wildlife.vic.gov.au/grants/wildlife-rehabilitator-grants/

Wombat Forestcare convenor Gayle Osborne says the community is angered by the failure of the State Government to introduce the bill to create the new Wombat-Lerderderg National Park as promised.

Ms Osborne, pictured below, said members and supporters of Wombat Forestcare had been assured in letters from the Environment Minister Steve Dimopoulos and Macedon MP Mary-Anne Thomas that the bill to create the Wombat-Lerderderg and Mount Buangor National Parks would be introduced to the Victorian Parliament this year.

“However, Thursday was the last sitting day for the year and the government failed to present the bill. We are devastated that the parks have not been legislated as promised,” she said.

The promised national park would have conserved 24,000 hectares of the Wombat Forest for its amazing animals, plants and fungi and for future generations to enjoy.

“National Parks are the cornerstone of species conservation in Australia and are greatly enjoyed by the general public as places to visit and engage with nature.

“The Wombat Forest provides habitat for so many wonderful creatures including the magnificent greater glider.

“The forest is also home to the critically endangered wombat leafless bossiaea. There are only five known plants in the wild and they are all in the Wombat Forest. “Powerful owls, listed as vulnerable, successfully breed in the Wombat Forest.

“This is a great indicator of forest health as the owls need a steady supply of food such as ringtail possums to sustain themselves and their chicks. It is incumbent on the state government to ensure that these and other threatened species are not reduced in numbers in our region.”

Ms Osborne said it was over five years since the Victorian Environmental Assessment Council released its Central West Investigation report and more than three since the government promised to create three new national parks. The delay in protecting these environmentally important forests is inexplicable, she said.

A state government spokesperson said legislation to create the first two national parks, Wombat-Lerderderg National Park and Mount Buangor National Park, was expected to be introduced to Parliament in early 2025.

“Existing recreational activities will be able to continue in the new national parks – including hunting, camping, walking dogs, hiking, bush walking, four-wheel driving, BMX and more.

“We want as many Victorians as possible to enjoy the great outdoors with access to a wide range of recreational opportunities, while also making sure we protect what we all love about the bush.”

Words: Donna Kelly | Images: Sandy Scheltema

As we come into summer and what we know will be a challenging fire season, the CFA is urging all Victorians to have a fire plan and know where to get emergency information from.

Two significant fires have already taken place in the Wimmera and Otways this Spring and the summer seasonal outlook shows there is an increased fire risk for most of the west, southwest, northeast, Greater Melbourne and southwestern parts of Gippsland including the Mornington Peninsula.  

In the west and southwest of Victoria there has been limited rainfall for the last 18 months that has resulted in a substantial amount of dead and dry plant material within forests, making it easier for fires to start and spread. 

Grasslands in the areas with a heightened risk have superficial green on top that conceals underlying dryness, meaning grassland curing is likely to start earlier than normal.

In the other parts of Victoria, including central Victoria and the Hepburn Shire area, the fire risk is expected to be normal but the state’s fire services are committed to continuing to monitor these areas to identify any significant changes to fire risk.  

The CFA says it’s ready to protect communities and has been working with other Victorian emergency service partners to prepare for fire season.  

Fire safety is a shared responsibility between fire services and the community with the CFA asking all Victorians in high-risk areas to take simple actions to prepare their family and property as the weather begins to warm.   

On hot, dry, windy days, fires can start and spread quickly. If the Fire Danger Rating is Extreme or Catastrophic, leaving early before a fire has started is the safest option.  

The CFA is advising to never wait for an official warning before you leave, as you may not get one. Fires can  start quickly and threaten homes and lives within minutes.

The CFA is advising people to make sure they have a plan. If you wait and decide to leave after a fire has started, you risk driving through  thick smoke, fallen trees and power lines, and face the danger of collisions, being trapped by fire, serious injury or death. 

Stay informed by downloading the VicEmergency app to stay across incidents and fire danger ratings in your area. 

This story based on a CFA report

Champion to read of Campion … and Rich

I just wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed reading the articles about Richard ‘Tommy’ Campion and Richard Herr, aka Ritchie Rich, that you recently published in the November 18 edition. 

Their stories were both inspiring and thought-provoking, and I truly appreciate the opportunity to learn more about the incredible members of our community. Another reason why I love The Local. 

From Leonie Keynes, Daylesford 

I always wondered

I picked up a copy of The Local yesterday and just wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed your column (Kyle’s Rant) and the paper in general.

I always wondered what happened to cruise ships during Covid and now I know.

Thanks again. I’ll look out for the next edition.

From David Hewitt, Bendigo

Ceramics by Musk Vale’s Minna Graham and Clunes’s Chandra Paul are part of a new group exhibition featuring new work by five Central Victorian artists.

The Unfathomable exhibition opening tomorrow at Lot 19 Art Gallery in Castlemaine aims to take that which is hard to explain and transform it into quality works of art.

Represented artists include Minna Graham from Musk Vale, Jackie Gorring from Allendale, Ella Hughes from Guildford, Chandra Paul from Clunes and Dannielle Wilkinson from Castlemaine.

The exhibition opens tomorrow, Saturday, December 7 at 2pm then opens Saturdays and Sundays up to December 22 from 10am to 4pm.

Telstra is currently upgrading its Glenlyon mobile base station to bring 5G coverage to the area.

Mobile services in the area are expected to be temporarily affected while the upgrade works are carried out.

The site was scheduled to be switched off from Monday, December 2 until today, Friday, December 6, with some disruptions also scheduled for Monday, December 9 and Tuesday, December 10 as call testing and integration of the network is tested.

There are not expected to be any disruptions during the weekend.

The 150th Daylesford and District Agricultural Show at the Daylesford Showgrounds in Victoria Park on November 23 proved to be the most successful for some years.

Advertising, sponsorships from local businesses, a very hardworking committee, a small army of teal clad volunteers and near perfect weather combined to make a great day for the big crowd of over 3250 who came through the gate.

The newly named David Yoxall Poultry Pavilion, the main pavilion, the Tom Ford Pavilion and the Rijk Zwaan Hall of Flowers were all buzzing with visitors and exhibitors on Saturday.

There was something for everyone with hours of horse events on the oval, the usual rides and carnival stalls and 27 local stalls, selling an impressive range, including local foods and beverages.

The shade sail area was used as a music venue for local singing and music groups under the direction of show society secretary Rosemary McLean.

The Hall of Flowers held the biggest flower show in Daylesford for 25 years with magnificent displays from Spring Park Nursery, The Friends of Wombat Hill Botanical Gardens and the Daylesford Horticultural Society.

On the main arena there were seven different horse rings operating along with showjumping. The premier showjumping award, the Catherine King Trophy, was won by Stuart Walker of Bacchus Marsh.

RDA also had its biggest turnout in many years. This show, the 150th held in 160 years, was one of the best and a tribute to all of the volunteers, helpers, competitors and officials taking part this year, along with everyone who has helped with the show over past years.

Words: Don Harvey | Images: Richard ‘Tommy’ Campion

Mel Gibson is “to blame” for inciting a teenage Langley Rowbottom to play the bagpipes.

Fast forward a few years on from those teenage days and today Langley is pipe major with Daylesford and District Highland band.

Right now he’s among the many looking forward to being in the thick of the Celtic atmosphere at this Saturday’s Highland Gathering, Dec 7. Check out https://youtu.be/RqDF9vafwtA to soak up a bit of the Gathering vibe.

Quizzed as to what prompted him to take up the pipes, Langley recounts how, as a teenager, he switched from playing clarinet to the pipes after catching Mel in Braveheart.

Clearly something clicked. It may have been that certain percentage of Celts blood coursing through the veins.

“They’re a commanding instrument,” Langley chuckles.

This Saturday (December 7) the Daylesford and District Pipes and Drums will be part of the 9.20am morning parade involving some 250 bagpipes and drums marching down Vincent Street. 

The focus then switches to Victoria Park where this year’s Gathering will feature the much anticipated return of the Highland Heavy Games after an absence of almost three decades.

Once at Vic Park, the bands competition gets going from 11 am, and Langley says Daylesford and District Pipes and Drums will play as part of the official opening ceremony at 1pm.

“The street march down the main street in the morning is fantastic,” he says.

“And then at Victoria Park we’ll be playing with other bands at 1pm as part of the opening ceremony.”

“I’m just looking forward to having a great day. It’s a really good community thing, catching up with other people who you might not have seen since the last event.

“We will also be playing as part of the massed bands performance in the closing ceremony.”

Highland dogs, Highland cattle, state championship Highland dance, clan tartan and kilts, foods and bevvies and plenty of Celtic heritage stalls and vendors promise to make the day an atmosphere-soaked way to reconnect with both personal and regional links to Scots heritage.

“We really want people to come up to Victoria Park and see all the action there as well as just watching the street march,” committee president Chris Sinclair says.

“For the first time in nearly 30 years we are so excited to announce the return of the Highland Heavy Games.”

After the two-year Covid hiatus, Chris says the committee today remains extremely keen to maintain the momentum to reinvigorate the Daylesford Gathering that dates back to 1952.

This Saturday’s  notable return of the Highland Heavy Games competition including caber tossing, hammer throw, weight-over-bar and stone puts, is part of that push.

In fact, it will feature one of the biggest lineups of Heavy Games athletes ever fielded by Vic Highland Heavy Events, including open men’s and open women’s division events peppered with some very impressive world record holders.

And it won’t all just be about the kilts, cabers and haggis pie – although apparently they’ll be on offer too. There’ll also be some very lovely lassies milling about as Hi Paws Dog Training of Pipers Creek will be bringing a group of beautiful rough collie dogs (as in Lassie Come Home) and border terrier friends to go on show at 11.30am and 2pm.

Suffice it to say, the Gathering is dog friendly (on lead only) with the committee encouraging guests to bring along their Scottish breed pooches …

“We’ve had some cuties attend in the past, dressed in kilts and tartan, so don’t hold back.

“I’ve been going to the Gathering since 1975 when I was a teenager and played bagpipes in a band and the numbers back then were probably around the 3000 mark,” Chris says.

The aim is to see those sorts of numbers through the gate once more, and with widespread appreciation of Celts heritage enjoying a strong resurgence that goal is looking more than a wee dram achievable.

Entry on the gate is $15 for adults and free for kids under 16.

Link: www.daylesfordhighland.com

Words: Eve Lamb

Restoration works at the historic Daylesford Town Hall are set to begin in the coming weeks.

In a statement the Hepburn Shire Council said that since the building’s closure in September, significant preparation work has been underway.

Electrical systems were isolated to ensure safety, allowing specialist roof cleaners to remove years of accumulated debris and dust from the roof cavity.

This essential clean-up has provided safe access for the builder and tradespeople to prepare for the next stage of the project. 

To ensure the safety of builders and pedestrians, scaffolding will be erected along 76 Vincent Street and around the stage tower at the rear of the site. This stage of works is expected to be completed by July 2025. 

When police were called to conduct a welfare check on a woman acting “hiss-terically” on the side of the road on Saturday morning (November 30) they had “absolutely no idea what they were about to get their fangs stuck in to,” Victoria Police would later report.

Officers had been called to reports of a barefoot woman on the side of the Monash Freeway, near the Toorak Road exit, attempting to flag down passing vehicles about 10.40am.

When police arrived at the scene they were prepared for anything – except what came next.

The woman explained that she had been travelling at 80km/h on the freeway when she felt something on her foot and looked down to find a deadly tiger snake slithering up her leg.

Remarkably, she was able to fend the snake off her and weave through traffic before pulling over and leaping out of her car to safety.

Still in a state of shock and needing to ensure she wasn’t bitten; the driver was assessed by paramedics while police pondered on how to deal with the snake.

Needless to say, slapping the cuffs on this offender wasn’t an option so officers called in specialist forces.

Tim from Melbourne Snake Control was contacted, quickly identified the tiger snake (the fourth most venomous snake in the world) and volunteered his services.

Passing motorists were left in bewilderment as the massive snake was safely removed from the vehicle.

And so ended one of the more bizarre welfare checks you’ll ever hear about.

If we’ve said it once, we’ve said it a thousand times… no two days are the same at Victoria Police.

This story based on a Victoria Police report

Hepburn Shire Council has officially opened the 60-kilometre mountain bike trail network, Djuwang Baring (Creswick Trails) with a special event at the Hammon Park trailhead in Creswick held on Saturday.

Mayor Cr Don Henderson said the event was a festive culmination of years of hard work from multiple stakeholders, and years of advocacy by the community and the council.

“We know that the community was very much looking forward to this and we are proud of what we have been able to achieve with a diverse range of stakeholders,” Cr Henderson said.

Despite the rainy weather on the day, there was an impressive turn out at the opening on Saturday November 30, many who made the trek from Melbourne and beyond.

The trail network was designed for a wide range of abilities and skill levels and works to build a healthy, connected community, Cr Henderson said.

The 60-kilometre trail network is designed for a wide range of abilities and skill levels and works to build a healthy, connected community,” said Cr Henderson.

The project is being hailed as instrumental in strengthening the relationship between the Hepburn Shire Council and DJAARA. The branding and signage suite has been designed by Dja Dja Wurrung enterprise DJANDAK and features art by Nukara Nicholls-Moore, a Dja Dja Wurrung artist.

The trail network is expected to generate positive tourism outcomes, including increased visitation, providing a strong return to local and regional businesses and tourism destinations.

Cr Henderson said that since the partial opening of the trails in August, the trails have been extremely popular, and well-used by local and visiting mountain bikers and biking groups.

“We are noticing our local mountain bikers taking advantage of this trail network that weaves its way through Creswick’s iconic landscape,” he said.

“Village of the Old Goldfields Association (VOGA) and Ride Creswick are two local groups that have been putting the trails to the test, and we have heard from our business community who are seeing an increase in customers,” he said.

“The trails are extremely popular, so we understand that they will need to be monitored, along with any impacts on nearby residents,” said Cr Henderson.

The council has committed resources to the ongoing auditing and maintaining of the trails. 

The Whale Tail, a black or extremely difficult jump line, was also re-opened after being closed for a full safety audit. Some minor changes have been made to improve the approach to the jump.

The $9.4 million project included funding from the State Government’s Regional Tourism Infrastructure Fund ($2.56 million), with additional funding coming from State Government ($2.1 million) and the Creswick Community Bank ($250,000) to supplement Council’s contribution to the Hammon Park redevelopments.

I think that I shall never see a poem lovely as a tree. So wrote the poet (Alfred) Joyce Kilmer. Last Thursday, just a few days out from international World AIDS Day, a special tree beside Lake Daylesford – an autumn blaze acer to be exact – came in for a bit of extra media attention.

The young AIDS Memorial Tree that’s been re-planted at Chatfield Reserve on the banks of Lake Daylesford was officially recognised with the unveiling of a  plaque marking its significance.

The unveiling was timed especially to coincide closely with World AIDS Day, which has been designated December 1 each year since 1988.

A little leafy history

The young acer tree that formed the focus of last Thursday’s gathering had previously been temporarily removed from its location during landscape works on Chatfield Reserve in 2023 to ensure its protection, but has now been returned.

A bronze plaque affixed to a rock at the base of the tree was unveiled at last Thursday’s special event attended by Hepburn Shire Council CEO Bradley Thomas and mayor Cr Don Henderson alongside leaders and representatives of the LGBTIQA + community.

“In the ‘80s at the time of the pandemic there were people including children dying all over the world and there was so much stigma attached which now fortunately has gone,” Cr Henderson recalled.

The ChillOut Festival committee also held a Daylesford community walk to commemorate World AIDS Day on December 1, setting out from the Grove of Gratitude at the south end of Lake Daylesford.

Sunday’s late afternoon walk ended at the AIDS Memorial Tree site at Chatfield Reserve, and ChillOut Festival committee treasurer Meredith Johnson says that since its inauguration last year, the walk has now become an annual fixture.

Words: Eve Lamb

The Castlemaine Jazz Jam is a great way to meet with friends, make new friends, and listen to a variety of jazz styles.

It happens from 2 to 5 pm on the first Sunday of the month at the Maurocco Bar in the Midland Hotel, opposite Castlemaine station.

The next upcoming jam is scheduled for this Sunday December 8 and promises an impressive line-up of talented musicians in a unique venue.

For musicians, it’s a great chance to get your sound out there with the venue’s own stated goal being to provide a space where musicians can try out their music, meet other musicians, and possibly form new bands.

The last hour is an open jam.