History Archives - The Local

Making tracks: the timeless history of our trees

04-05-2022

WHO would guess that to some people big storms and bushfires are almost welcome? The measured pleasure they get is because these disasters may laying bare secrets tucked away in the bush, such as century old timber-getting tramways in the Wombat state forest.

The local who killed off Neighbours’ Madge

25-04-2022

FOR many of us who grew up watching iconic Australian television series Neighbours, news of its axing after nearly 38 years on our small screens is unthinkable.

Turn on, tune in, drop out with Jeff Glorfeld

15-04-2022

THERE'S a joke told on baby boomers that goes: “If you remember the 1960s, you weren’t there.” The funniest part about that old witticism is that no one remembers for certain who said it first.

The Sew Good Company - Slow Fashion

14-04-2022

Anzac Day services for April 25

From convict to land holder

13-04-2022

ON THE river flats along Creswick Creek in the area known today as the township of Clunes, European settlement emerged to take advantage of the land for the growing of livestock.

Bullarto Tractor Pull great success at Trentham

11-04-2022

THE Bullarto Public Hall Committee reports that the 2022 Tractor Pull and Classic Car Show at Trentham was a great success, with over 700 people attending.

ChillOut side

Upgrade for Lauriston Hall

07-04-2022

The 90-year-old Lauristone Hall in Lauriston has been transformed from a much-loved community hub into a more accessible space to be better equipped to host more events.

Listening to veterans

05-04-2022

Minister for Veterans Shaun Leane has asked the Victorian Veterans Council to commission the third Veterans Sector Study, an assessment of the needs and priorities of veterans and their families, as well as the ex-service and community organisations that support them.

Blackwood Woodchop & Easter Carnival

02-04-2022

THE Blackwood Woodchop & Easter Carnival will be held on Saturday, April 16.

Biggins Scott

Romeo and Juliet

30-03-2022

OZACT is presenting Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, at Hepburn Mineral Springs Reserve next month.

‘Mortar-fied’: no council cash for old gun

29-03-2022

WORLD War I lasted four years. Paul Dwyer has spent that much time trying unsuccessfully to restore an historic weapon from that conflict that is rusting away in Wombat Hill Botanic Gardens.

Rethink The Rex

29-03-2022

A public meeting to Rethink The Rex will be held at the Daylesford Town Hall on Tuesday, April 5 from 6pm.

Operation Cookies

28-03-2022

MANY of us have watched in horror and disbelief as Russia has rolled over Ukraine, killing soldiers and civilians, and wondered what we can do to help.

Daylesford…not just a place but a community

28-03-2022

Sarah Flemming 31, and Marlie Regis 30, met in England six years ago.They left their IT and marketing careers to see the world and have been in Australia for four years and are now influencers and bloggers, highlighting the sights and people they come across on their journey. Their recent return to Daylesford, a community that supported them during lockdown, homeless and alone, has seen them spread the joy of ChillOut with their Instagram, Facebook posts and videos - so far reaching more than 200,000 keen followers. This is their story.

Public meeting to Rethink The Rex

27-03-2022

The sudden decision by Council in November 2021 to sell the Rex, against the recommendation of council officers, prompted the formation of the ‘Rethink the Rex’ community group aimed at halting the sale pending a proper community consultation.

Boosters for winter

24-03-2022

Victoria’s priority postcodes are at the heart of an autumn push to increase COVID-19 third dose vaccination rates in the lead up to winter.

Supporting the arts and recovery

23-03-2022

The federal government continues to support the recovery of the arts and entertainment sector in Ballarat with $85,000 awarded to Regent Cinema Central Ballarat under the $20 million Supporting Cinemas’ Retention Endurance and Enhancement of Neighbourhoods (SCREEN) Fund.

Blooming good news for Daylesford

21-03-2022

Daylesford locals and visitors will soon have another reason to visit the iconic Wombat Hill Botanic Gardens, with new upgrades well underway thanks to an investment from the state government.

Redress for women

Victorian women who had their children taken from them under heartbreaking historic forced adoption practices will receive redress, counselling and formal apologies from the Victorian Government.

Celebrating 150 years of education

15-03-2022

This year, 2022 marks the 150th anniversary of the Victoria’s world-class public education system. Victoria was the first state in Australia – and one of the first in the world – to make education free, secular and compulsory to all children aged 6-15. Around 600 schools opened across the state in the five years following the passing of the Education Act.

Rallies to Stop AusNet

14-03-2022

TRACTORS rumbled through Melbourne last Tuesday, March 8, as hundreds gathered to protest at Parliament House against 85-metre high towers planned to cross valuable farmland and destroy pristine vistas in Hepburn Shire and beyond.

Principal inducted onto shire honour roll

14-03-2022

INSPIRATIONAL Bullarto Primary School principal Joanne Pegg has been inducted onto Hepburn Shire’s Heather Mutimer Honour Roll.

Our Time To Shine

13-03-2022

ChillOut was back with a bang with the Sunday Street Parade.

Macedon Ranges Autumn Festival

12-03-2022

Macedon Ranges Shire Council is committed to fostering respect, understanding and trust between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and all Macedon Ranges communities.

Celebrating our schools

12-03-2022

While the state government is getting on with building the schools of the future, 2022 marks a massive milestone – the 150th anniversary of the Victoria’s world-class public education system.

Supporting stolen generations to heal

10-03-2022

The state government has unveiled its landmark Stolen Generations Reparations Package, recognising the lasting suffering caused by the forced removal of Aboriginal children from their families.

Vaccinating the vulnerable

06-03-2022

More than 10,000 Victorians have now been vaccinated against COVID-19 through a dedicated liaison program that helps those living with disability or with special needs get protected against coronavirus in their local area.

Lyonville Hall – the township’s heartbeat

05-03-2022

WHEN Lyonville’s Anne Bremner was approached to be featured in a story given her devotion to the local area, her commitment to the preservation of the original mill town and its history, she agreed on the proviso the little country hall was part of the story.

Regional sales supercharged by Covid

04-03-2022

REIV president Adam Docking says Covid-19 has just “supercharged” the move for many to the regions. “Over the past few years (pre-Covid) we were seeing more of a focus on people moving to the regions because of the internet, infrastructure and technology, and realising they don’t have to work in a concrete jungle.

New show for Daylesford

02-03-2022

DAYLESFORD and District Agricultural Society president Don Harvey, pictured, says the last two years of Covid cancellations have hit "terribly hard".

Curtain goes down at Trentham

02-03-2022

THE historic curtain at the Trentham Mechanics Hall has been taken down for refurbishment.

Helping Basin communities

23-02-2022

The Australian Government has announced more successful grant recipients under the $20 million Murray–Darling Healthy Rivers Program, which is helping Basin communities to get out on the ground and restore their rivers and wetlands.

End of pine plantation at Miners Rest

20-02-2022

IT CAN be hard taking down a Christmas tree at the end of December… but imagine taking down over 100 pine trees at the end of an era.

Avenue may be overshadowed by AusNet

15-02-2022

IN AUSTRALIA , Avenues of Honour are a ubiquitous feature of the landscape. Planted to commemorate those who fought and died in theatres of war, particularly WWI, there are 547 known Avenues of Honour in the country with over half of them in Victoria.

Blooming good work during Covid crisis

08-02-2022

STAFF working in clinics and hospitals have received plenty of well-earned praise, but those trying to offer both vaccines, medication and advice, pharmacies, are also in the firing line.

Food on its way

30-01-2022

The Victorian Government is ensuring those who are doing it tough during the pandemic can continue putting a meal on the table, with funding to deliver food to Victorians who need it most.

27-01-2022

Local Lines

27-01-2022

Why I voted "No" to selling The Rex - Cr Jen Bray. At the November council meeting the 4-3 decision to halt the Hepburn Hub at The Rex project, and sell the building, has sent shockwaves through the Hepburn community.

Just sayin’…

27-01-2022

THIS edition is all about looking back so I thought I would take a stroll down memory lane, to my "born and bred" town of Frankston.

Australia Day protest

26-01-2022

A number of people gathered outside the Daylesford Town Hall on Wednesday, January 26 to protest against Australia Day.

New citizens and community awards

26-01-2022

HEPBURN Shire Council hosted its annual Australia Day Eve to welcome new citizens and announce community award winners.

VicEmergency website improvements

20-01-2022

A series of improvements will be made to the VicEmergency website, app and social media channels from this week, in line with a national approach to emergency information and warnings.

Child friendly vaccinations

08-01-2022

State-run vaccination sites across Victoria are being transformed into an Australian-themed ‘forest of protection’ creating a friendly environment for children aged 5 to 11 years to receive their vaccination.

Shire Hall returns to former Glory

25-12-2021

The eight month restoration of the historic Kyneton Shire Hall, funded jointly by the Federal Government’s Local Roads and Community Infrastructure program and Macedon Ranges Shire Council is set to be completed in December.

09-12-2021

Film-going captured me at the age of seven. The thrill of sharing in The Adventures of Robin Hood starring Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland, Claude Rains and Basil Rathbone in 1938 are with me still.

Megan and Tom excited to take on The Guilly

22-11-2021

THERE is a real vibe happening at Guildford. And driving around you get the feeling it’s about to boom.

20-11-2021

THE shopfronts of Daylesford and surrounds came alive over the weekend with 120 beautiful floral installations designed to celebrate spring.

Women recognised

16-11-2021

Women leading their communities through disaster, helping address cybercrime and lifting-up vulnerable communities are some of the 23 remarkable inductees to the Victorian Honour Roll of Women this year.

Help for veterans

09-11-2021

Veterans making the transition from the Australian Defence Force to civilian life are being helped into the workforce through multiple state government wage subsidy and employment programs.

Boost for Victorian health system

05-11-2021

Victoria’s health system will be boosted further with a range of measures to free up capacity in public hospitals, as we head toward an expected surge in COVID patients.

Summer re-opening for Melbourne

04-11-2021

Melbourne’s top public galleries, museums and performance venues are gearing up for a big summer as they re-open their doors to the public.

25-10-2021

Victoria’s prospects of unearthing more precious metal are brighter with a major mineral exploration tender given the green light as the state enjoys a modern-day gold rush.

New jobs for aviation

25-10-2021

Victoria’s aviation industry will benefit from an influx of new jobs as the sector begins to recover from the effects of the pandemic and looks to the future of flying.

Volunteer nominations open

25-10-2021

Nominations are now open for the 2021 Volunteering Awards, which celebrate the extraordinary efforts of Victoria’s hard-working volunteers.

The Last Word: The history of Vaughan Springs

25-10-2021

VAUGHAN was once a bustling town known as The Junction and the name itself conjures up images from the wild west, gunslinging bushrangers and miners duking it out on the muddy streets.

25-10-2021

Just briefly

Movie extras needed

25-10-2021

A FEATURE film, In God’s Care, is being shot in Hepburn Shire in November and December - and they need extras! Harvest Pictures Group co-CEO Tony Coombs said the film was inspired by tragic and true events which happened in the mid-90s but the story line was being kept under wraps for the time being.

Daylesford to come alive with ‘Art on Vincent’

25-10-2021

DAYLESFORD'S town centre will come alive with colour when ‘Art on Vincent’ kicks off this Friday. As part of the 2021 Daylesford Art Show, hosted by Rotary, the exciting new concept will bring artwork to the community and truly highlight our region's remarkable talent.

Stories of the Storm

25-10-2021

SANDY Scheltema's Stories of the Storm series is supported by Hepburn Shire Council, Trentham & Districts Community Bank and the Trentham Lions Club. The series showcases stories of courage, tenacity, bravery and resilience within the community from people who experienced the terrifying storm of June 10, 2021.

Fresh wave of myxomatosis concern for domestic pets

25-10-2021

RABBITS came to Australia with the First Fleet in 1788 and were bred and maintained as food animals with more introduced in later years for recreational huntin

Strong position to reopen state

19-10-2021

The Victorian Government’s work to bolster the economy, support workers and protect businesses against the devastating effects of the coronavirus has put Victoria in a strong position to rebuild as the state reopens.

Mental health tools for students

20-10-2021

Schools will be able to pick the mental health tools that best match the needs of their students, with the Victorian Government’s Schools Mental Health Fund providing a suite of options to give students tailored support.

20-10-2021

Schools, ex-service organisations and community groups across Australia will soon receive resources to help them plan Remembrance Day commemorative services and activities.

Free access for childrens’ mental health

18-10-2021

Victorian parents and carers now have free access to dedicated online programs to support children experiencing anxiety, as part of the Victorian Government’s latest mental health funding boost.

Recruiting healthcare workers

18-10-2021

The Victorian Government will recruit up to a thousand healthcare workers currently living overseas, including Australian healthcare workers wanting to return home, as part of a package designed to help ease the pressure on hard-working staff in the state’s hospital system.

Funding for business events

11-10-2021

The Victorian Government has expanded the National Business Events Program in further support for the business events sector in Melbourne and regional Victoria.

11-10-2021

Macedon Ranges Shire Council is continuing community recovery sessions to help local residents and landholders directly affected by storm damage.

Storm help ending

11-10-2021

Macedon Ranges Shire Council encourages residents who were impacted by the June storm, and whose property is eligible for the Bushfire Recovery Victoria (BRV) Residential Storm and Flood Clean-up, to make sure they register by 31 October.

News from Ballarat Health

14-10-2021

As part of the state-wide response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Ballarat Base Hospital is now a designated streaming hospital for adult COVID-19 patients, as required. Ballarat Health Services will continue to provide the best possible care for our community and broader Victoria.

A gratitude page to our Local Legends!

11-10-2021

The Local asked people to tell us who is helping them through this tough time, and our readers responded. Some were quite specific and others just sent us the names of their legends. Send us more and we will print them in the next edition. Email: donna@tlnews.com.au

11-10-2021

Eight of the state government's promised mental health pop-up clinics have opened with one for the Central Highland still to appear.

New sporting facilities

11-10-2021

THE Hepburn Burras Football and Netball Club and Hepburn Cricket Club now have more room to grow, with the completion of a new, female-friendly pavilion at the Laurie Sullivan Reserve.

Affordable housing snub

11-10-2021

HEPBURN Shire has been left off the preference list for the state government's four-year $5.3 billion Big Housing Build which calls on developers and landowners in regional Victoria to put forward any developments or vacant land that could be turned into social or affordable housing.

Hospital appeal done

THE $100,000 needed for a masterplan for the Daylesford Hospital has been raised 10 weeks ahead of schedule. The committee had hoped to reach its target by Christmas but was overwhelmed with the support, passion and generosity of the Daylesford community.

Stories of the Storm

11-10-2021

SANDY Scheltema's Stories of the Storm series is supported by Hepburn Shire Council, Trentham & Districts Community Bank and the Trentham Lions Club. The series aims to showcase stories of courage, tenacity, bravery and resilience within the community from people who experienced the terrifying storm of June 10, 2021.

Proposed renaming of Jim Crow Creek

Hepburn Shire Council is working with project partners, Mount Alexander Shire Council, North Central Catchment Management Authority and Dja Dja Wurrung Clans Aboriginal Corporation trading as DJAARA, on the proposed renaming of Jim Crow Creek to Larni Barramal Yaluk.

The Last Word: Daylesford Lawn Tennis Club

26-09-2021

HELEN Jenkin joined the Daylesford Lawn Tennis Club as a player in 1967, before becoming secretary the following year, holding the position until 1970. She was also president for two years from 1987 and started running the juniors for 10 years from 1997.

Communities rally together after the storm

19-06-2021

THE great storm of June 9/10 will go down in history as one of the most devastating events in the Central Highlands. Thousands of trees came down, crashing onto homes, cars, sheds, fences and powerlines. More continue to fall as people deal with the aftermath and the clean-up.

Storm damage and relief in sight for Trentham

10-06-2021

Just a few photos of some of the damage around the region

Kevin Tolhurst – a life devoted to forests and fires

01-06-2021

KEVIN Tolhurst is one of many leading Australian foresters whose career commenced with training at the Creswick School of Forestry.

Hepburn Hub at The Rex project in doubt

24-05-2021

The current Hepburn Hub at The Rex project may be cancelled.

Ford: Councillor, horticulturalist, artist

15-05-2021

THE Clunes Town Hall and Courthouse is a striking municipal building designed by Percy Oakden. Built in 1872, the distinctive building reflected the prosperity of a gold mining town in its heyday. But this is not a story about the Clunes Town Hall as such, though it is worth mentioning that the grand building has recently had a substantial makeover, returning it to its original glory.

Concern over transmission lines

15-05-2021

HEPBURN Shire Council says it continues to advocate on behalf of community groups concerned about the construction of 190km of overhead transmission lines, proposed as part of the Western Victoria Transmission Network Project.

26-04-2021

Numbers were down at some Anzac Day services around the region, again thanks to Covid concerns.

Creating BOOM in Clunes to avoid a bust

12-04-2021

THERE is something truly special about living in a smaller community. The sense of connectedness, caring and support, in good times and in bad, continues to live on in smaller communities across Australia, and it’s seen every day across the Macedon Ranges and Hepburn shires.

Celebrating 40 years of the Daylesford Sunday Market

12-04-2021

DAYLESFORD Sunday Market, at Daylesford Railway Station, celebrates its 40th anniversary on Sunday, April 18 - with plenty of fun for everyone.

A century on, a dinkum digger’s medals glisten

12-04-2021

ALF Morrison of Yandoit was two months short of his 21st birthday when a bullet cut him down. Now, 104 years later, his nephew, 89-year-old Don Morrison, plans to wear replicas of Alf’s medals at the Anzac Day service in Daylesford. The two medals shine brilliantly on Don’s chest as he talks in his Yandoit home, with its glorious views of the countryside, including Mt Franklin.

It’s a grave job but Alan never lost the plot

12-04-2021

ALAN Graham, gravedigger at Daylesford Cemetery, is tall and weather tanned, with the demeanour of a solitary man who has worked with his hands for a long time.

COVID vaccine roll-out in Hepburn Shire

29-03-2021

Trentham Aged Care Facility was bustling with activity and there was an air of excitement when the Grampians' mobile vaccination team from Ballarat Health Services arrived with the AstraZeneca vaccine last week to begin vaccinating aged care residents.

The life and times of our Swiss Italian settlers

15-03-2021

Corruption, intrigue and damn delays and danger

Kyneton frontline workers get COVID jab

15-03-2021

FRONTLINE workers at Central Highlands Rural Health's Kyneton campus received the Pfizer vaccine against COVID-19 last week.

The Last Word: Another shot in the arm

01-03-2021

Vaccination Part II

Dr Monica Nolan at the COVID front line

08-02-2021

FRANKLINFORD’S Dr Monica Nolan is among those leading the way in developing and implementing an innovative program monitoring wastewater across Victoria state for traces of the COVID pathogen as an early detection tool.

Uncovering the history of the Convent Gallery

15-02-2021

THE Presentation Sisters, officially the Sisters of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, are a religious institute of Roman Catholic women founded in Cork, Ireland, by a pioneer of Catholic education Nano Nagle in 1775. Historically, the Sisters have focused their energies on creating and staffing schools to educate young women.

Uncovering Lauriston’s history

25-01-2021

THE hamlet of Lauriston, nestled in the Coliban Valley between Drummond and Kyneton, boasts around 235 residents. It is a figure, give or take a dozen people, that has remained unchanged since World War I.

The Last Word – A pandemic reading guide

18-01-2021

IT LOOKED like Victoria had beaten COVID-19 into submission, and then new cases began leaking in from NSW.

One step forward… the Hepburn Hub

21-12-2020

THERE is no doubt, the Hepburn Hub at The Rex in Vincent Street, Daylesford has been an absolute disaster from the outset.

Bland life in Clunes

21-12-2020

THE site of the old Port Phillip Mine in Clunes is nothing but an intriguing pile of dirt and gorse these days. But while every scrap of plant and infrastructure has been long obliterated, the remains still dominate the heart of the town.

Joan looks back on sowing her wild Oates

21-12-2020

THE many friends of Joan Oates remark on her capacity to respond to life with grit and determination. She is seen as a shining example of independence and strength, with a wonderful, sometimes wicked, sense of humour and a sharp, observant mind.

Out of the frying pan…

14-12-2020

IT'S been an 'unprecedented' year and for most Central Highlands residents it's been one of lockdowns but also open spaces for enjoying masked walks. But for some former residents it's been a different year. Some better, some worse. "Out of the frying pan…into ???. In the fourth of our series, former Glenlyon resident Jill de Vos, pictured far right, talks about life in Europe with partner Shelley Beer, right, aboard their boat SV Eucalyptus.

No picnic at Hanging Rock

07-12-2020

WHEN Dr Amy Spiers, artist, writer and researcher, chose Woodend’s Hanging Rock to study as part of her artistic research into a significant Australian landmark, she had no idea where her work would take her.

Out of the frying pan…into???

07-12-2020

IT'S been an 'unprecedented' year and for most Central Highlands residents it's been one of lockdowns but also open spaces for enjoying masked walks.

Keeping up with the Joneses in Clunes

30-11-2020

MOST people are aware of Clunes’ gold mining history. It was home to Victoria's first registered discovery, made by one William Campbell in 1850. Up to the 1890s, gold powered the town’s growth and gave it many fine buildings which survive relatively intact from ornate public halls to austere worker cottages.

Out of the frying pan …into ???

23-11-2020

IT'S been an 'unprecedented' year and for most Central Highlands residents it's been one of lockdowns but also open spaces for enjoying masked walks. But for some former residents it's been a different year. Some better, some worse.

Restoring Park Lake to its former glory

19-10-2020

CRESWICK’S Park Lake Botanical Reserve turns 160 this year, but celebrations are on hold until April 18, 2021.

The Local celebrates its 200th edition

05-10-2020

ONE thing the pandemic has done is bring us to Edition 200 much quicker than we had planned.

Trentham community hub pushes ahead

24-08-2020

AN 1890s painted wall-hanging capturing a sardonic depiction of the Australian coat of arms will be incorporated into Trentham’s new community hub in the town’s revamped Mechanics Institute building.

The Peacocks: Putting first things first…

10-08-2020

THE history of Creswick, indeed the entire geography of the Victorian political and social landscape, would be much different if not for Sir Alexander and Lady Millie Peacock. And they have left a fascinating legacy for anyone who chooses to look.

Our history: The Convent Gallery

29-06-2020

Looking north over the town centre the Convent Gallery has received thousands of visitors since its refurbishment.

Daylesford Courthouse recollections

22-06-2020

And next up are memories of the Daylesford Courthouse, now the Daylesford Neighbourhood Centre.

The unofficial history of…

04-05-2020

THE series continues in May featuring the Daylesford Court House (now the Daylesford Neighbourhood Centre).

The history of the Mountview Theatre

04-05-2020

IN 1972, resident Neville Thurgood gathered together a group of locals to form The Mount Players.

Bringing history alive

20-03-2020

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

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