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History

History

Outdoor dining

21-05-2026

Hepburn Shire Council has received several questions and comments regarding outdoor dining and trading permits, specifically around Burke Square in Daylesford.

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New Voice For Aboriginal Children And Young People

09-05-2026

Aboriginal children and young people will have a new advocate in the Commission for Children and Young People.

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$607,000 TO SUPPORT BALLARAT’S HISTORIC TRADES HALL

09-05-2026

The federal government is continuing to deliver for regional communities, with more than $23 million committed to four Victorian projects under the latest round of the $400 million regional Precincts and Partnerships Program.

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Trailblazers Join Aboriginal Honour Roll

08-05-2026

First Nations trailblazers have been recognised for their contributions at the Aboriginal Honour Roll Ceremony.

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Just sayin’…

07-05-2026

This was an interesting edition to write. Lots of stories - somehow seemed to be a bit Daylesford-centric but sometimes it's just how the edition turns out.

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Our region’s history with Natalie Poole

06-05-2026

Johann (John) Konrad Vorbach was born on November 28, 1826 in Nieder-Wiesel, Germany, the illegitimate child of Katharina Lander.

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WWII: A story of death, survival and life…

06-05-2026

Sometime this year, a memorial service for Thomas Burrowes will be held, 83 years after his death. Tom was a wireless operator and air gunner on the Beaufort Bomber A9-211, when it was hit during a bombing mission to Rabaul during World War II on December 14, 1943.

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Mary-Anne Thomas calls it quits for 2026

23-04-2026

Macedon MP Mary-Anne Thomas will quit politics at the forthcoming 2026 state election.

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Lest We Forget – Anzac Day 2026

23-04-2026

Lest We Forget - Anzac Day 2026

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Trentham history walks

22-04-2026

A Trentham Cemetery Walk will be held on Sunday, May 3 at noon and 2pm.

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Meet Lisa Wilkinson

22-04-2026

An Evening with Lisa Wilkinson will be held at the Phee Broadway Theatre in Castlemaine on Friday, May 8 from 7pm.

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Twelve Best Roses

21-04-2026

Twelve Best Roses

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On the job – Old ways, work & chores exhibition

21-04-2026

On the job - Old ways, work & chores is on exhibition at the Daylesford Museum, 100 Vincent Street until Saturday, May 30

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Our history with Natalie Pool

13-04-2026

The settlement of Glenlyon dates back to 1846 when Richard Babington and John Carpenter opened the first drinking establishment on a track between the Loddon River and Kangaroo Creek known as the Glenlyon run.

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Wombat Hill Botanic Gardens

29-03-2026

Entry into the gardens is always part surprise, part inspiration. The towering trees that sit iconically above the town become the canopy of green, cool and magic that are the very unusual legacy of early shire councillors, local philanthropists, a 19th century scientist and any number of local gardeners.

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Head to Blackwood Carnival

28-03-2026

Winner of Moorabool Shire’s Community Event of the Year, the Blackwood Woodchop & Easter Carnival offers an action-packed day out.

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Anzac Services

24-03-2026

An Anzac Day Service will be held at the Bullarto Public Hall on South Bullarto Road on Saturday, April 25 at 2pm. Due to the unpredictable weather the service will be held in the hall adjacent to the flag pole. The order of service is available on the day. Everyone is welcome.

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Arty things

24-03-2026

The Central Goldfields Art Gallery will host a lecture on Maryborough’s Chinese Communities: The gold rushes and beyond delivered by Dr Sophie Couchman, below, on Wednesday, April 22 at 10.30am.

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Our region’s history with Natalie Poole

23-03-2026

Tylden was named after Brigadier-General William Burton Tylden (1790-1854) who died of cholera during the Crimean War. He is buried in St. Mary’s Churchyard, Eastling, England and words on his headstone read: “In memory of his religious and consistent character.” Religious belief was at the forefront of life in Tylden. By the 1860s, four church denominations were - Anglican, Presbyterian, Roman Catholic and Baptist churches are all identified in newspapers of the time. The district’s first school was opened at Tylden South in 1858 by the Wesleyan Church and another in 1861 by the Presbyterian Church. The churches were centres for the community, a place for the most important events of life such as christenings, wedding and funerals. Apart from having a regular Sunday service for the parishioners, they conducted sports days, fairs, bazaars, dances, and concerts.

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Daily Fuel Price Cap Now In Place To Stop Price Gouging

13-03-2026

With petrol prices set to rise, anti-price gouging laws are in effect from today.

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No veteran should come home to homelessness, Vasey RSL Care

11-03-2026

Vasey RSL Care has submitted an Expression of Interest under the Housing Australia Future Fund (HAFF) Round 3 to deliver additional veteran housing across the state and to help combat veteran homelessness.At a time of growing global conflict, we are hearing more discussion about the potential need to deploy our troops to protect democracy and stability.

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Our history with Natalie Poole

In the late 1850s, there was no bridge to cross the ford of the Coliban River until J.B. Enders built a bridge. He charged a toll for the use of his bridge, which did not sit well with some in the district. A Kyneton Guardian newspaper report dated June 26, 1869 reads: "The Hon. Treasurer of the Kyneton Ladies' Benevolent Society desires to acknowledge the receipt of 10s (shillings), being the amount of toll charged by Mr J.B. Enders to Councillor Sinclair for the privilege of crossing his (Mr Enders') private bridge over the Coliban."

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Love locks linger

23-02-2026

Love locks continue to take over the bridge outside the change rooms at Lake Daylesford.

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Creswick Town Hall celebrates 150 years

11-02-2026

Creswick Town Hall is celebrating 150 years since its building began in 1876.

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Tiny Towns Fund grant extended

10-02-2026

Victoria’s smallest towns have an extra month to apply for a Tiny Towns Fund grant.

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Palais Theatre back to life

10-02-2026

The people behind Hotel Trentham and Heatherton's Arcobar have taken on the project of bringing the Palais Theatre in Hepburn Springs back to life.

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Your Say…

09-02-2026

Your say on Australia Day...

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Our region’s history with Natalie Poole

29-01-2026

The early days of the Cosmopolitan Hotel, Trentham.

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Honour the timber which fell from the Guildford Big Tree

30-12-2025

Djaara, the Dja Dja Wurrung Clans Aboriginal Corporation, is planning an exhibition at the Castlemaine Arts Museum in July next year to honour the timber which fell from the Guildford Big Tree in February 2024.

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Exploring Omeo

24-12-2025

The state government is making exploring Omeo’s historic gold mining legacy, epic mountain bike trails and scenic surroundings easier, safer and more enjoyable revitalising the main street for locals and visitors.

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Dry Diggings historic property tree change

17-12-2025

Three years ago Samantha and Ned Palay made a tree change, from Mornington on the Mornington Peninsula, to Central Victoria, buying historic Frog Hollow Estate.

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CFA Dean donation

16-12-2025

Dean Recreation Reserve committee president Brian Maher last week presented a cheque for $1500 to the Dean/Newlyn CFA – funds raised at the Old Sniff Sheepdog Trials in October and the Dean Kite Festival on Father’s Day.

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Victoria’s first regional Coles Local at Daylesford

15-12-2025

Daylesford welcomed Victoria's first regional Coles Local last Thursday, December 11, as the supermarket reopened with a modern new look and expanded specialty range to serve not only the local community, but also the thousands of visitors who flock to the region each year.

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Lerderderg Track guidebook launched

15-12-2025

The 84km-long Lerderderg Track between Daylesford and Bacchus Marsh now has its own guidebook, thanks to the Great Dividing Trail Association.

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Australia’s first treaty

13-12-2025

The commencement of Australia’s first Treaty has been marked with a ceremonial signing and event at John Cain Arena.

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West Gate Tunnel

13-12-2025

With preparations to open the West Gate Tunnel tomorrow Victoria’s newest road network control centre is ready to keep traffic moving safely from day one.

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Formal apology to First Peoples

09-12-2025

Victoria has taken another important step towards building a shared understanding of our history and addressing past injustices, with a formal apology to First Peoples in the Victorian Parliament.

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World Mountain Day

04-12-2025

The United Nations International Mountain Day is celebrated each year on December 11. Its goal is to raise awareness about the role that mountains play in the lives of people and their importance to the planet.

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Women of the Goldfields exhibition

03-12-2025

Linda Gallus's Calico Ceilings – Women of the Goldfields exhibition is on display now until February 8 at the Central Goldfields Art Gallery, Maryborough.

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Rea-Lands Park safe

02-12-2025

Daylesford's Rea-Lands Park will remain a public park.

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Mo money for cinema

02-12-2025

Hepburn Shire Council has voted against helping out the new Phoenix@TheRex Cinema, deciding a grant of $50,000 is not warranted.

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Magic Pudding fun

01-12-2025

Creswick's Magic Pudding Playground came alive last Friday with new artworks admired by officials, school kids from Creswick, Creswick North, Newlyn and St Augustine's primary schools and their families, and even The Buninyong Bard Players.

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Local History with Natalie Pool

01-12-2025

The Kingston Grandstand - and tales of travel The Smeaton, Springhill and Bullarook Agricultural Society had its origins at Smeaton, having formed in April 1859.

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Review of My Aged Care exposes significant flaws and inadequacies

28-11-2025

The Inspector-General of Aged Care’s final report of its Review of My Aged Care has exposed significant flaws and inadequacies with the platform designed to be the single-entry point to the aged care system.

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Developing Victoria’s critical minerals sector

27-11-2025

The state government is backing jobs in Victoria’s developing critical minerals sector – with the approval of exploration works at one of the state’s most significant gold and antimony deposits.

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Redevelopment of Bendigo Art Gallery starts this summer

26-11-2025

The redevelopment of Bendigo Art Gallery starts this summer following the appointment of a head contractor on the $45 million project.

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Raising awareness of high cholesterol and atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases

26-11-2025

Leading heart charities across Australia are uniting to raise awareness of high cholesterol and atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases (ASCVD), while educating Australians about the different types of cholesterol. High cholesterol is a condition that affects approximately 2.1 million Australians.

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Magic day at Daylesford Show

20-11-2025

This year’s Daylesford Show really does promise something for everyone - from magic, to bubbles, mini golf to music.

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Blue trees around Hepburn Shire

19-11-2025

Blue Trees, a symbol to break the silence and the stigma surrounding mental health and suicide, are popping up around Hepburn Shire.

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Local history with Natalie Poole

18-11-2025

The folk custom of ‘tin kettling’ welcomed many newly married couples into rural communities during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

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Cafs stands with Ballarat to end Gender-Based Violence during 16 Days of Activism

17-11-2025

Child and Family Services Ballarat (Cafs) is proud to stand with communities across Ballarat, Victoria and the world for the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, running from 25 November to 10 December.

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Women’s pain is real

10-11-2025

The launching of the landmark Inquiry into Women’s Pain was an acknowledgement of what Victorian women already know: their pain is real, and the system needs to do better.

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Connecting to the world’s global communications network

10-11-2025

Victoria will soon be directly connected to the world’s global communications network for the first time.

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Calling all competitors

06-11-2025

Who doesn’t love a competition? Well, the Daylesford Show, on Saturday, November 22, has hundreds of them.

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AI thinks it’s above the law

05-11-2025

Country Press Australia is calling for urgent action to stop illegal scraping of local news.

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Our history at Trentham

04-11-2025

In the last edition of The Local, historian Natalie Poole wrote about the upcoming 150th anniversary of the Trentham Primary School.

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Block Watch

04-11-2025

While The Block was a fun ride for Daylesford and the region, the auction on Saturday, October 25 was pretty cringeworthy to watch.

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Tree of the Year at Kingston

04-11-2025

The Algerian oak (quercus canariensis) in Kingston has been named the 2025 Victorian Tree of the Year, securing more than 40 per cent of the vote.

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Light After Dark illuminates The Rex

29-10-2025

A rare chance has arisen to acquire a painting by the much sought-after artist David Bromley.

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Kyle’s Rant

24-10-2025

I have read a lot recently in The Local about Daylesford's Rex and the Phoenix@The Rex community theatre within it.

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The show must go on with Natalie Poole

23-10-2025

Regional agricultural shows in Hepburn and Macedon Ranges shires date back to 1865 when the Glenlyon, Franklin and Daylesford Agricultural Society began having an annual show.

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Clunes Spring Show

21-10-2025

The annual Clunes Spring Show is always a family favourite and this year will be no exception. Mark the calendar for Saturday, November 15.

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Tree of the Year at Kingston

21-10-2025

Online voting in the National Trust 2025 Victorian Tree of the Year closes at midnight on Thursday, October 23.

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Celebrating United Nations International Mountain Day

20-10-2025

United Nations International Mountain Day is celebrated on December 11.

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Glenlyon Pavilion refurb

20-10-2025

The Glenlyon Recreation Reserve Pavilion will be renovated instead of being knocked down for a new build.

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Betty Togni celebrates her 100th by Narelle Groenhout

20-10-2025

Family. Home. Church. Three things Daylesford’s Betty Togni has devoted her life to. A life that has spanned a full century.

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Changes to Victoria’s local government legislation

16-10-2025

A report tabled by the Victorian Electoral Commission (VEC) on the conduct of Victoria’s 2024 local council elections has called for changes to Victoria’s local government legislation.

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Free pad and tampon vending machines

12-10-2025

The rollout of free pad and tampon vending machines is helping remove barriers to work, education and community life.

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Heavy lifting at Daylesford Highland Games

11-10-2025

Fran Fitzpatrick is the president of the Highland Games Heavy Events which are traditional feats of strength including the caber toss, hammer throw, stone put and weight for distance. She is looking forward to this year’s Daylesford Highland Gathering on November 6 with about 20 athletes taking part in those events, including some from interstate. Fran, pictured above, talked with Kyle Barnes.

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Rea-Lands motion lost

07-10-2025

An attempt to try to stop Hepburn Shire Council from selling the bequeathed Rea-Lands Park in Daylesford, or changing its use, was lost at last month's council meeting.

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New owners for Bellinzona

07-10-2025

Travel + Leisure Co., a leading leisure travel company, are the new owners of the historic Hotel Bellinzona in Hepburn Springs.

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So, nobody beats Dan Murphy’s? Daylesford does. Twice!

06-10-2025

Daylesford is celebrating, again, after winning a two-year long battle to stop the Endeavour Group from putting a Dan Murphy’s in the town.

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Hatch – Match – Despatch: new exhibition

06-10-2025

Hatch – Match - Despatch is a new exhibition by the Daylesford Historical Society to be held at the Daylesford Museum on Saturday, October 11 from 11am to 3pm.

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Right to work from home

04-10-2025

Victorians want and need their right to work from home protected according to a record-smashing survey undertaken by state government.

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New local government women’s award

02-10-2025

Nominations have opened for a new award that will recognise women's vital contributions to the local government sector in Victoria.

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Celebration of heritage, food and music

29-09-2025

The Swiss Italian Festa returns this October, filling Hepburn and Daylesford with colour, flavour and community spirit.

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Trentham’s earliest footballers

28-09-2025

With Trentham Saints seniors breaking their 31-year grand final drought, it seems fitting to run a story about some of their earliest players.

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Classic cars picnic

24-09-2025

The annual Marong Picnic, held by the Federation of Veteran, Vintage and Classic Vehicle Clubs of Victoria, was held late last month.

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Saints’s president Nick Shearer – a few big days

24-09-2025

Last Monday, two days after the Trentham Football Club’s fantastic Grand Final win, president Nick Shearer was still celebrating in the Trentham Hotel – with many other supporters. He chatted to Donna Kelly.

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31-year grand final drought over for Saints

23-09-2025

The Trentham Saints broke their 31-year grand final drought when they won the 2025 Maryborough Castlemaine District Football Netball League premiership cup against the Carisbrook Redbacks at the Carisbrook Recreation Reserve.

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The Local shortlisted for awards

23-09-2025

The Local has been shortlisted for two awards in the 2025 Victorian Country Press Awards.

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Funding for women in councils

14-09-2025

New funding has been given to the Australian Local Government Women’s Association Victoria to deliver programs that will help women councillors grow the professional skills and networks they need to thrive in the local government sector.

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Phoenix on The Block

08-09-2025

Daylesford is about to be lit up as it gets national exposure for its new civic heartbeat.

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A rather statuesque fellow 

01-09-2025

Trentham’s Stanley James Hammond was born on August 1, 1913 at Blue Mountain, near Trentham to Andrew Edwin Hammond and Mary Ellen Plant. He was the first of six children. 

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Hepburn Festa on its way

30-08-2025

The Hepburn Swiss Italian Festa is a community festival which celebrates the enduring contribution of Swiss Italian migrants who came to the Hepburn Springs/Daylesford region during the 1850s gold rush.

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Betty’s final wishes: For the park to remain

26-08-2025

When the late Betty Rea, a former shire president and councillor, bequeathed a parcel of land in Raglan Street, Daylesford, her wording was that “it be bequeathed to the mayor, councillors and citizens of the Shire of Daylesford for the use and benefit of the citizens of Daylesford and for it to be named Rea-Lands Park”.

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The Allure of Gold by Kenneth Park

24-08-2025

As the name Central Goldfields so proudly proclaims gold has played a key part in our history and its impact is still felt today.

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Magical evening for The Rex

14-08-2025

Some people said that it would be magic if Daylesford got its cinema back. Now magic is being used to conjure up that vision.

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History with historian Natalie Poole

12-08-2025

The Victoria Government Gazette of May 25, 1900 paved the way for a rifle club to be set up in Trentham. "The Lieutenant-Governor in Council, has by orders made on May 21, 1900, been pleased to approve the formation of a detachment of a rifle club in Trentham."

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Textile history talk

11-08-2025

Panel speakers, Amanda Jean, Jackie Gorring and Helen Kaptein, will talk about Maryborough's rich textile history at the Central Goldfields Art Gallery, Maryborough on Wednesday, August 20 from 10.30am to noon.

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Bathhouse reopens after refurb

11-08-2025

After 130 years of welcoming guests to its mineral-rich waters, Australia’s oldest, longest running and most iconic bathhouse has officially reopened following a stunning $1.7 million refurbishment.

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Nominations open for the 2026 Heather Mutimer Honour Roll

05-08-2025

Nominations are now open for the 2026 Heather Mutimer Honour Roll, celebrating International Women’s Day (IWD) in Hepburn Shire.

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Hook, Line and Misadventure: Cliff Barnes

31-07-2025

Fishing was part of Cliff Barnes’ life from the beginning. He muses that he must have used up eight of his nine lives along New Zealand's Northland coast but, on a recount, concedes he has used up the lot. "I must have been crazy," is a thought that often occurs to the father of The Local's Kyle Barnes, as he reflects on life at the grand age of 80.

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Home care queries but changes afoot

28-07-2025

After last edition's Home Care articles in The Local, a number of people have been in touch with further accounts of incidents involving a range of care providers.

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Talkin’ ’bout my g-g-generation…

28-07-2025

One year ago my mother sold her home and moved into an "assisted living" facility. But that's not where this story starts.

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Our region’s history with Natalie Pool

28-07-2025

James Lane Railway Station opened on February 16, 1880 on the Carlsruhe to Trentham Line. Its name was changed to Fern Hill Railway Station on April 15, 1880. Why, may you ask? The discovery of ferns in the area could be a possible reason or there simply may be no explanation for the name change.

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Final tools down

28-07-2025

The filming of television show The Block had its final hurrah on Friday, July 18 with a gathering of hosts Scott Cam and Shelley Craft, the contestants and a host of media showing up at the Raglan Street, Daylesford site.

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2026 Anzac Day services

26-07-2025

Macedon Ranges Shire Council has long supported ANZAC Day services across the shire through assistance with funding for traffic management and in-kind support, including Malmsbury and Kyneton as well as Woodend, Gisborne, and Romsey-Lancefield.

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Vale Ray Robinson

15-07-2025

Ray was an intensely private man and lived his life on his terms. He saw a lot of changes in the country and in the world during this time.

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Trentham history book launched – and sold out

13-07-2025

The Mechanics Trentham was filled with more than 150 people late last month to celebrate the launch of the new history book, Trentham: an incomplete history.

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Print Is Dead. Just Don’t Tell Microsoft.

23-06-2025

Print magazines weren’t expected to survive the digital age, yet they’re still holding on, if not always thriving. In 2024, several news stories highlighted a small but notable resurgence. Publications like Vice, Nylon, and Playboy, which had previously abandoned their print editions, began reviving them, albeit in limited runs.

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Motoring memorabilia

19-06-2025

Motoring memorabilia and rare farm equipment, including stationary engines, are among 450 lots assembled over three paddocks at two properties at Yandoit and Muckleford, all to be auctioned online on Sunday, June 22.

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Our region’s history with historian Natalie Poole

16-06-2025

Albert Julius ‘Carl’ Schulz migrated to Australia from Germany in 1884. Carl, as he preferred to be known, went to Milawa, Victoria and pursued the occupation of bricklaying. He was hard working and money conscious and within a short time, in the early 1890s, was able to purchase the Moyhu Hotel.

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Our region’s history

09-06-2025

Kath eventually became matron of the hospital and was the sole nurse for the six-bed hospital...

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Walks of the Central Highlands

07-06-2025

There’s some beautiful country up around Sutton Grange and Mount Alexander (Leanganyuk) and today we’re going to sample a handsome piece of it.

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A bit about Noel’s Great Uncle Thomas…

07-06-2025

Reading a story in The Local back in April, Blackwood resident Noel Ewer’s attention was quietly captured as he realised it was about his own Great Uncle Thomas.

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Local mechanics institutes secure grants

01-06-2025

Mechanics institutes in Maldon, Talbot and Ballarat are among a number across the state to benefit from state grants that were announced in Melbourne during the week.

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Creswick Brass playing in Ballarat this Sunday for Heritage Fest

20-05-2025

The Creswick Brass band is bringing the sound of history back to Ballarat once again this Sunday as part of the Ballarat Heritage Festival.

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Community invited to help shape Ballarat’s heritage conservation

20-05-2025

Community members are being invited to contribute to the development of a new framework for the conservation and management of Ballarat’s rich heritage. 

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Ballarat poetess takes to soapbox for heritage fest

19-05-2025

The Ballarat Heritage festival offers a rare chance to be inspired by literature over lunchtime on Lydiard Street with The Ballarat Poetess.

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Walks of the Central Highlands

11-05-2025

There are 3.5 hours generously allocated to cover this 10.5 loop that meanders through the forest and takes in three mine sites: the Red, White and Blue Mine, Frenchmans Reef, and Dunns Reef.

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A Trewhella woman ahead of her time

07-05-2025

Over a long life, she was a trend-setter, taking on female roles if necessary but determined to break with  tradition and relishing in the male roles.  

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High-flying heritage festival ahead for Ballarat

07-05-2025

The 10-day festival will be held from Friday 16 May to Sunday 25 May 2025, celebrating Ballarat’s rich heritage, unique stories and vibrant creative community.

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Alchemy of Gold: new event to unearth our golden past

26-04-2025

Coming up May 16-18, the The Alchemy of Gold is a new three-day forum happening in Castlemaine, and the name is a bit of a give-away.

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Upgrade grants pay homage to Victorian veterans

20-04-2025

The heritage-listed Malmsbury War Memorial Gates will be restored with a grant to conserve the memorial built in 1922...

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Ambulance museum open day

09-04-2025

The state's Ambulance Victoria Museum opened its doors on Sunday, giving visitors a unique opportunity to explore the history of Victoria’s ambulance service and how emergency care has evolved.

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New Avenue of Honour tree for Private Thomas Chaplain

05-04-2025

A new tree planted in the historic Daylesford Avenue of Honour remembers the life of Daylesford's Private Thomas Alfred Chaplain who made the ultimate sacrifice in World War I.

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Florence Thomson Tour headed this way

28-03-2025

The Florence Thomson Tour is heading to Ballarat, and the Daylesford  Amazing Mill Markets, this weekend.  

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Kyle’s Rant  

17-03-2025

I must admit I am a bit shaky right now, hives have broken out and a nervous tick has developed in my right eye.

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Recalling Covid … five years on

16-03-2025

Empty roads. Diary of a delivery driver in the times of Covid.  I like driving open roads. I find the activity good for thought. And when the  plague came in 2020 I had plenty of time to enjoy those empty expanses of bitumen.

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Walks of the Central Highlands

15-03-2025

Today is the day we shoulder our packs once again to complete the final remaining half of Daylesford’s famed Three Lost Children Walk.

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Covid five years on – and oh, the memories

15-03-2025

As medical professionals, early 2020 we were watching a virus cut through Europe, in particular Italy, where young, healthy people and pregnant women were suddenly dying, not to mention those with health concerns and over 70.

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Local history buffs in shortlist spotlight

09-03-2025

The work of Victorian community historians is being highlighted with a shortlist of contenders in the 2024 Victorian Community History Awards revealed last week.

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Students get chance to walk in the footsteps of the Anzacs

07-03-2025

Twelve Victorian students are getting the opportunity to embark on a fully funded 11-day study tour to Gallipoli, Türkiye, where they will retrace the footsteps of the ANZACs.

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Walks of the Central Highlands

15-02-2025

Since launching a couple of months ago, Trentham’s new self-guided walk honouring the life of Dr Gweneth Wisewould has been proving a real winner - much like the good doctor herself. 

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Queens Park fountain in need of repair

14-02-2025

With structural cracks clearly visible and many of its exquisite little features broken and decayed, the historic fountain in Queens Park, Clunes, is clearly in need of some significant TLC.

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Signs of change underway

13-02-2025

It has been the saddest of years for the family and friends of Samantha Murphy. An unfathomable loss of a wife, mother and a friend. We continue to hold them close in our thoughts and to support them...

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Honouring Australia’s first women’s cricket legend

08-02-2025

Bendigo local, women’s cricket trailblazer and primary school teacher, Barbara Rae, is set to be immortalised in bronze, as part of the state’s Victorian Women’s Public Art Program.

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Victorian Goldfields gets green light to seek World Heritage status

06-02-2025

The Australian Government has officially given the green light to the Victorian Goldfields' bid for World Heritage Listing.

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Green light for Australia’s first Vietnamese museum

27-01-2025

Australia’s first ever Vietnamese cultural centre and museum in Sunshine is another step closer, with the project’s planning permit given the green light to move forward.

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Ballarat’s Lake Wendouree hosts Survival Day dawn ceremony

25-01-2025

Coming up tomorrow, Sunday January 26, Ballarat's Lake Wendouree shoreline will once again be the venue for Ballarat’s Survival Day dawn ceremony.

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Reviving treasured heritage sites damaged by disasters

22-01-2025

Victoria's Minister for Planning Sonya Kilkenny has this month announced the recipients of the first round of Disaster Recovery Heritage Grants for heritage sites damaged by floods, storms and bushfires.

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Walks of the Central Highlands

19-01-2025

The first day of 2025 dawns sunny and mild, temperature in the mid-20s with a promise to reach no more than 28 degrees. Ideal bushwalking. Too good to pass up.

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Going to the Gatherin’ at the ‘borough

28-12-2024

The Maryborough Highland Gathering is readying to return for its 162nd instalment this upcoming New Years Day.

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Walks of the Central Highlands

10-12-2024

This is one of my fav Clunes walks. It’s a slight adaptation of a loop walk that appears in a newly released brochure detailing several choice walks and saunters in and around the Clunes township. More on that later.

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Plenty of heavy lifting for this gathering

05-12-2024

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

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Daylesford town hall restoration works starting soon

05-12-2024

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

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AIDS Memorial Tree plaque unveiled

04-12-2024

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.

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Walks of the Central Highlands

09-11-2024

We’re “guinea pigs” today, joining the Great Dividing Trail Association on a walk led by Professor Barry Golding. It’s a kind of test run for a walk forming part of a fairly spesh little public tour series that Prof Golding  will lead in early December. More on that later.

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Jean’s Kitchen opens with high tea at Korweinguboora

08-11-2024

Long-standing Korweinguboora resident Jean Howard has had the local  reserve's kitchen named after her - as part of a revival of the reserve's complex.  

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Book launch of Naku Dharuk (message on bark)

08-11-2024

My husband Malcolm Bray and I, Ruth Bray, were recently fortunate to  attend the launch of Professor Clare Wright’s book Naku Dharuk, The Bark Petitions. How the people of Yirrkala changed the course of Australian  Democracy.

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Sneak peek at Six Peaks Speak

08-11-2024

Gurutjanga (Mount Kooroocheang), Nyaninuk (Mount Beckworth), Mount Greenock, Dharrang Gauwa (Mount Tarrengower), Liyanganyuk banyul (Mount Alexander) and Lalgambuk (Mount Franklin). If these ancient peaks of southern Dja Dja Wurrung country could speak they’d no doubt tell remarkable stories like those to be found in the significant new book by Professor Barry Golding.

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Surprise $250k donation for Daylesford Health

26-10-2024

A surprise phone call to Daylesford Health will change lives in rural Victoria  thanks to Harry and Peggy Maddicks.

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Clunes booktown on Sunday returns

18-10-2024

Coming up November 10, Clunes' Booktown on Sunday series will feature Ross McMullin, author of “Life So Full of Promise: Further Biographies of Australia’s Lost Generation”.

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Family pilgrimage

12-10-2024

In every community around the country there are a multitude of stories to be told. So many of those tales are ones of diaspora, of individuals and families from all backgrounds fleeing poverty, war and social upheaval and creating a new life.

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Something old, something new: the tale of a wedding dress

11-10-2024

The story of a lavish 1880s wedding dress and its painstaking restoration is about to be shared as the historic Trewhella gown goes on display later this month at Daylesford & District Museum.

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Future taking shape for Daylesford Town Hall

22-09-2024

The Daylesford Community Facilities project team has been given the green light to develop designs to locate the library and community multipurpose facilities at the Daylesford Town Hall site, ahead of proposed community engagement.

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Township structure plans adopted

12-09-2024

The Hepburn Shire Council has unanimously adopted Township Structure Plans for Clunes, Creswick, Daylesford and Hepburn Springs, Glenlyon, and Trentham, and also a Rural Hepburn Strategy at a Special Council Meeting held last week.  

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Events program to celebrate 170 years since the Stockade

11-09-2024

Ballarat's Eureka Centre will join with the wider local community to mark the 170th anniversary of the Eureka Stockade, unveiling a program of events across November and December. 

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The Rex – No Report

02-09-2024

The Local Government Inspectorate has issued a media release about the Hepburn Shire Council and The Rex Theatre Development.

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A tree to honour Clarence at Kingston Ave

29-08-2024

Just in time to catch the first stirrings of spring, a very special tree planting  took place in the famed Avenue of Honour at Kingston on Saturday, August  10.

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Gardens historic ‘day basin’ transformation soon to start

23-08-2024

Work is soon to begin to renovate the historic day basin at Daylesford’s Wombat Hill Botanic Gardens.

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Walks of the Central Highlands

18-08-2024

It’s curious how long you can live with an iconic slab of national mythology sitting on your doorstop and never actually go check it out.

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The Castle actor digs another link to Bullarto

15-08-2024

Forever famed for his role as Dale Kerrigan in 1997 Aussie Move classic The Castle, actor Stephen Curry has quite a special connection to Bullarto it seems.

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Chance to name a place in Victoria

12-08-2024

The state's Department of Transport and Planning is inviting all Victorians to nominate someone who has made a significant contribution to be considered for a new place name.

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Good news for Daylesford’s historic Stanbridge Hall

10-08-2024

Work to rennovate Daylesford's historic Stanbridge Hall is expected to start within days after funding was secured from the Anglican Diocese of Bendigo from the sale of church properties.

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Baroque masterpiece performed in Ballarat concert

09-08-2024

CLASSICAL vocal group Vox is preparing to perform the third part of one of the most celebrated choral works of the Baroque era with a concert in Ballarat tomorrow afternoon.

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Heritage application for Wombat Hill gardens proposal

04-08-2024

A number of early morning walkers in Daylesford will have seen the sign advertising an application to Heritage Victoria on behalf of Friends of Wombat Hill Botanic Gardens.

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Don is good, but out, and the show goes on

01-08-2024

Don Harvey sharply remembers the jargon of a local council officer when he was getting involved with the Daylesford Show.

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Garage girls coming to Kyneton

23-07-2024

Alice Anderson and her All Girl Garage are coming to town.

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Bushwalks of the Central Highlands

21-07-2024

“This would have to be the classic Daylesford walk,” enthuses Paddy H as we head off beneath an ominous sky to sample the Two Lakes 8km loop. 

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Town criers all about history and tradition

04-07-2024

It’s the sense of tradition, history and occasion that Creswick’s Philip Greenbank most loves about his role as town crier.

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Newstead station readies for very big birthday

03-07-2024

The community of Newstead is getting set to celebrate a big birthday milestone for its historic railway station with a free public event planned.

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Melbourne Cup coming to Trentham

25-06-2024

The Melbourne Cup is coming to Trentham as part of the 2024 Lexus Melbourne Cup Tour.

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Regent closes its doors

25-06-2024

Ballarat’s Regent Cinema has suddenly closed its doors – just a week out from the winter school holidays.

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How Alan ‘took’ his dad to Gallipoli

24-06-2024

The desire to go to Gallipoli for the Dawn Service burnt strongly in Daylesford’s Alan Eaton. Major heart surgery and three operations firstly stopped him, but even when he did go it was with an undiagnosed broken leg.

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Bushwalks of the Central Highlands

23-06-2024

Paddy H and I are in luck as Creswick artist and keen bushwalker, Craig Barrett has kindly offered to guide us on one of his favourite local walks.

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Time extension on strategy consultation: a closer look

19-06-2024

The consultation period on Hepburn Shire Council’s draft Township Structure Plans and Rural Hepburn strategy has been extended to June 26.

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TRATA plans for former railway station

29-04-2024

In the second half of the 19th century Trentham was a major hub for timber production, much of which went underground supporting the tunnels excavated at mines in nearby Daylesford.

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Final service held at Daylesford Uniting Church

28-04-2024

Sunday, April 21 was the final service held by the Daylesford Uniting Church - as it is now prepared for sale by Uniting Vic. Tas.

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125 years roll by for Daylesford Bowling Club

28-04-2024

Daylesford Bowling Club has celebrated its 125th anniversary in style with an afternoon tea party held at the Camp Street club rooms recently.

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Walks of the Central Highlands

27-04-2024

Today we’re tackling the Andersons Tramway Walk at Mollongghip just east of Newlyn. This 8km (16km return) bushwalk is a bit of a surprise packet. Who could have guessed there would be a “tramway” running through the bush here?

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Pubs and women’s work in Australia’s history: guest talk in the ‘Rat

15-04-2024

Professor Diane Kirkby is presenting a guest talk on the socio-political history of women running pubs in Australia at Ballarat's Eureka Centre on Thursday May 2.

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Ballarat to host antique fair

15-04-2024

Ballarat is preparing to host its popular annual antique fair next mnth as part of the city's heritage festival.

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Prof Lake to give guest talk at Ballarat Heritage Fest

15-04-2024

One of Australia’s leading historians, Professor Marilyn Lake AO will present a talk on colonial radicalism and democratic equality as part of next month's Ballarat Heritage fetival.

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Good news for Daylesford’s historic guide hall

16-03-2024

It’s been a long wait for the Daylesford Girl Guides but after two years the good news finally came through.

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Those fascinating folk, now at rest…

14-03-2024

Retired Anglican priest, Trentham’s Peta Sherlock admits she’s more than a tad addicted to fossicking out fascinating stories of the past.

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Keep you posted: Mick makes our postal heritage sing

13-03-2024

Former Bushwhacker Mick Slocum has been in Daylesford in recent days to do something he absolutely loves besides making music – working to make the town’s heritage post box sing.

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Ex-prisoners of war memorial clocks up two decades

09-02-2024

This month marks a significant milestone as the Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial in Ballarat commemorates 20 years since its grand opening in February 2004.

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Walks of the Central Highlands

20-01-2024

If you haven’t yet done the Lalgambook (Mount Franklin) crater rim walk, now’s a great time to get cracking.

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New protection guide for Macedon Ranges heritage

24-12-2023

A document aimed at guiding future heritage protection throughout the Macedon Ranges Shire features among several significant items endorsed by the Macedon Ranges Shire Council at its final scheduled meeting for the year.

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Ballarat’s Boer War memorial statue to be replaced

16-12-2023

The Boer War Memorial statue that has stood proudly in Ballarat's Sturt Street for 117 years is slated for replacement.

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Madame Borovansky and 46 West Street, Daylesford

10-12-2023

WHO'S BEEN SLEEPING IN MY HOUSE was the title of an ABC television series which researched the fascinating history of a selection of Australian homes and the people who once inhabited them.

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Trip back to the ’20s: Bullarto station repro

06-12-2023

The reproduction of the beautiful 1920s Bullarto Station building is now complete.

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Days of the old school yard: Bullarto Primary celebrates 150 years

24-11-2023

Things were way different back in the 1940s when Graeme Orr attended the local Bullarto Primary School.

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Brigades of CFA: Kangaroo Flat

22-08-2023

If fire brigades were assigned a number, Kangaroo Flat Fire Brigade would be number 16, reason being, it was the sixteenth brigade to join the Country Fire Brigades Board 150 years ago.

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Keep the legend simmering

17-08-2023

In his day yesteryear Creswick identity Simon (Simmy) McDonald was something of a household name in folk music circles.

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Researching sonic boom times at Werona

02-08-2023

THE world is a strange place. Even after most of the earth has been explored, mapped and explained there is always something weird which can rattle our peace of mind.

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Glen, about the house

21-03-2023

For love of a rose The incredible story of the creation of a magnificent hybrid rose that brought love to its creators, peace and new life to a war-torn world and, ultimately gave inspiration for Antonia Ridge’s heartwarming novel...

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ChillOut 2023

12-03-2023

ChillOut 2023

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Orbs and all: Creswick town hall repairs make pace

10-03-2023

Hepburn Shire Council says repairs to the Creswick Town Hall are progressing well, with recent fine weather providing ideal conditions for masonry and render restoration to the building exterior, along with replacement of roofing and spouting sections.

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Dollars go up for grabs to preserve local history, heritage

29-12-2022

Local history and heritage groups are being encouraged to apply for grants of up to $15,000 to fund projects to preserve and celebrate the region’s rich history.

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Shed shots: style & history

With nice little sheds, you see individual style and history come together.

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The Scotch oven is the heartbeat of the bakery

26-10-2022

COMING from a long line of bakers, it’s no surprise that Rebecca Barnett grabbed at the chance to run her own bakehouse in Maldon, and become the proud new owner of the longest running bakery in Australia: the Maldon Bakery.

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The Big Rainbow comes to Daylesford They swiped right!

05-10-2022

DAYLESFORD has been named the home of The Big Rainbow, Australia’s first “big” landmark dedicated to the celebration of regional LGBTIQA+ pride and inclusion.

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St Augustine’s Church celebrates 150 years

28-08-2022

ST AUGUSTINE'S Church Creswick will celebrate its 150th anniversary on the weekend of September 17 and 18.

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Amy’s connection with Olivia

17-08-2022

WITH the news of the death of Olivia Newton-John last Tuesday, there were many shared tributes and memories.

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Where is the Big Rainbow?

17-08-2022

Six weeks after voting closed, there is still no word if Daylesford will be the home of Tinder’s Big Rainbow, the first big landmark celebrating regional LGBTQIA+ Pride and inclusion.

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Trains almost back to Bullarto

15-08-2022

DAYLESFORD Spa Country Railway trains are not far from heading back to Bullarto after the track was covered by fallen trees and debris in the June 2021 storm.

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Back on track

15-08-2022

The Daylesford Spa Country Railway volunteers have been kept busy since the June storm last year. But they are almost back on track to Bullarto thanks to their hard work and that of Bushfire Recovery Victoria.

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Hepburn Shire still can’t get no satisfaction

14-08-2022

THE 2022 Victorian Community Satisfaction Survey has found that Hepburn Shire Council has shown a decline in 14 of 16 key areas since last year including Overall council direction, Overall performance, Community decisions and Sealed local roads.

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Spotlight on homelessness with Narelle Groenhout

14-08-2022

‘LET’S go far – together.’ There’s an African proverb that resonates across our local towns. “If you want to go quickly, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”

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First stage of Daylesford Museum roof repairs complete

11-08-2022

The Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) provided funding of $337,000 to the Committee of Management for the first stage of the works identified in the museum’s conservation management plan.

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Just sayin’…

01-08-2022

SO, The Rex is for sale to the highest bidder. Not really a big surprise although it did look like a last-minute reprieve might have happened thanks to Councillors Halliday, Bray and Drylie. But it was not to be. No stalling, said the other councillors, it was time to bite the bullet and put up the For Sale sign.

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Community needs to lobby for healthcare

31-07-2022

COMMUNITY stalwart Danny Moynihan, pictured, has been involved in three major community drives to get upgrades for the Daylesford Hospital but says the current campaign as the most important. That's because it's been 20 years since a serious site upgrade.

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Planning permit issued for Dan Murphy’s

31-07-2022

Liquor giant Dan Murphy’s may be coming to Daylesford. And Hepburn Shire Council has already issued a planning permit.

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The Rex now for sale to the highest bidder

31-07-2022

HEPBURN Shire Council will sell The Rex building to the highest bidder despite 66 per cent of survey respondents being against the move.

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Looking back

07-07-2022

BACK in September 2013, Glenlyon Anglican Church held a wonderful Blessing of the Pets service, above. Father Andrew Eaton met with a 20-strong crowd with their beloved pets - all canines on the day.

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Memories are made of this

10-07-2022

In a way, the internet was made for people like Doug Larson, a journalist in the United States, writing for much of the 20th century for relatively obscure newspapers in Wisconsin, in the northern midwest.

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A tribute to Dear Fay

03-07-2022

WHEN well-known and much-loved local John Hungerford started sharing Facebook posts about his beautiful wife ‘Dear Fay’, he never expected the outpouring of emotions from friends and strangers alike. John and Fay were well known in the Newlyn and wider district with Newlyn Antiques and Nursery and their shared love of people.

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Travel time

19-06-2022

IT'S been a long two and a half years. And while we are still in a pandemic most of us are vaccinated, know when to pop on a mask and distance, and are ready to either go full speed ahead into the the world, or just take some baby steps.

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Multiple portfolios for Catherine King

06-06-2022

BALLARAT Federal MP Catherine King has been sworn in as the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government.

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Hospital redevelopment

06-06-2022

STATE Health Minister Martin Foley visited Daylesford Hospital last week to announce the $4.548 million upgrade of its operating theatres will start late this year.

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The Last Word – Gun control, or not

05-06-2022

THE New York Times recently published a graph illustrating the number of “mass shootings”, defined as “public shootings in which four or more people were killed”, in “developed countries”, from 1998 to 2019.

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Big Rainbow for Daylesford?

05-06-2022

Daylesford is one of four finalists for Tinder’s Big Rainbow, the first BIG landmark celebrating regional LGBTQIA+ Pride and inclusion.

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Not so much a Victorian gold rush, a job rush

24-05-2022

THE great Central Victorian gold rush brought thousands of people to the region. Today most people imagine men humping swags and tools ready to scratch away at the earth in a fevered hope of finding something to secure their fortune.

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Celebrating Daylesford Hospital

30-05-2022

Daylesford Hospital was officially opened on 22 May 1862 so this May, it is celebrating 160 years of serving the people of Daylesford and the surrounding districts.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Lest We Forget

14-04-2022

Anzac Day services for April 25

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Blackwood Woodchop & Easter Carnival

02-04-2022

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

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Romeo and Juliet

30-03-2022

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

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‘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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Our Time To Shine

13-03-2022

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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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".

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Curtain goes down at Trentham

02-03-2022

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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Local Lines

27-01-2022

Local Lines

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Your Say

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Your say

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.

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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.

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Sprouting joy

20-11-2021

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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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New gold rush

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Just briefly

25-10-2021

Just briefly

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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

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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.

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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.

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Lest We Forget

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Storm help

11-10-2021

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

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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.

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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. 

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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

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In brief

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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. 

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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.

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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.

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Storm damage and relief in sight for Trentham

10-06-2021

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

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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.

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Hepburn Hub at The Rex project in doubt

24-05-2021

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

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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.

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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.

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Lest We Forget

26-04-2021

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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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The Last Word: Another shot in the arm

01-03-2021

Vaccination Part II

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Daylesford Courthouse recollections

22-06-2020

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

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The unofficial history of…

04-05-2020

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

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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.

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Bringing history alive

20-03-2020

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

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