October 27th, 2023Diverse landscapes, myriad towns & history

Words: Donna Kelly | Image: Narelle Groenhout

Daylesford artist Brian Nash has produced a coffee table book, The Golden Shire – Locations and
Surroundings of the Hepburn Shire.
Brian, whose large landscapes are regular winners in
art shows, said when he first moved to the region from
Melbourne 23 years ago, he was impressed with “the
various and diverse landscapes, the myriad towns and their histories”.
“You don’t often see as many small towns close
together, part of the gold rush, so that was fascinating for
me. And I wanted to leave a legacy. Some of the things I
have painted for the book have already gone. If you don’t
record these things, they can disappear.”
Brian said he had always dreamed of creating a book
and started painting and collecting his work about 12
years ago. “I have this theory that every artist should
paint where they are, the area they are in. I like painters who do that.”
The book, at 224 pages, is big, and has more than
200 paintings of more than 26 towns from the larger
ones like Daylesford and Creswick, to the tiny and often
now almost forgotten hamlets of Smokeytown and
Lawrence. Brian has also included snippets of history
which have tickled his fancy.
In the 1800s, it was decided to move the smallest
pub in Australia from Smokeytown to Allendale. But to
keep the licence, it had to remain open during the move.
Using Australian ingenuity, the pub was hoisted onto a
tray and pulled by oxen for the short move, with punters
still inside drinking their beers.
Then there is the bridge at Lawrence, built in 1900
by Sir John Monash, an engineer before he became
Australia’s most famous army general. It is the oldest
concrete bridge in Victoria, with plans afoot for restoration.
“There are a lot of incredible stories and so many
quirky places, like Radio Springs at Lyonville – the
Centre of the Universe. And people can read the book
and then go and see the places for themselves. And some
have already changed.”
Brian also thanked his book designer Emma Paine
and former Daylesford Rotary president Terri Oprean
“for doing all the technical things I can’t.”
The book is for sale at Shire information centres,
Paradise Books in Daylesford, Daylesford Trading and
directly from www.briannash.com.au It will also be for
sale at the Daylesford Art Show. Cost is $69.95.