March 16th, 2024Good news for Daylesford’s historic guide hall

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

They have a builder.

Back in 2022 the local guide group secured government funding of $47,000 through Regional Development Victoria’s Living Local Regional Grants Program, for a long awaited revamp of their historic hall – including removal of asbestos.

But guide leader Susan Verbyla says the widespread shortage of tradies meant they had been unable to proceed with the work … until now.

Recently the guides secured the services of local builder Alan Ware of Ware Carpentr, meaning they can also go ahead and bring in the asbestos removal experts to rid the vintage hall of the unwelcome material.

The asbestos is – thankfully – not in the main body of the hall that guides have used all the way back to 1958, Susan says.

“It’s on the outside eaves, and in part of the kitchen and there’s a piece behind the electrical switchboard,” she says.

“The grant will cover removal of all of the asbestos, replacement and repair of walls, ceiling, front steps, electrical work, plumbing, painting, carpet and curtains and some exterior work. It was an exciting grant to receive as the hall is in dire straits. The builder is just starting now.”

Susan was not making any secret of her excitement over the fact that after the long wait work can finally get going which is not just good news for the guides.

It’s also great news for many other local community groups who, once work is complete, will be able to use the hall for their gatherings as well.

Susan says a main aim is ensuring some ongoing income with rent coming in, and a couple of local playgroups already lined up as regular hirers of the beautifully positioned old hall in Duke Street, neighbouring Daylesford’s civic offices.

“It’s just in the ideal spot. This is the original hall in the original spot,” Susan says.

The guides are hopeful the work will be competed by Easter, at which point Susan hopes to hold a public open hall week so current and former users of the hall can get along and admire the upgrades.

“I’d like to have it done by Easter and I think we will,” she says.

“I would love to have an open hall week for the community. I reckon there are women here in the community who were probably part of that original group.”

It would also be a chance for any community groups who are interested to take a peek and see if the hall may just suit their own ongoing meeting needs as well.

“Quite often other groups in the community contact me and ask if they can hire the hall,” Susan says.

The hall’s presence in Daylesford dates back to the late 1950s with a plaque naming the date of 1958, and Susan says it was moved to its current site in Duke Street especially for the guides of the day.

Former guide leader with the group, Glenda Fleischer started with the guides back in the late 60s as an assistant for the rangers (older guides) and remained with them for three decades including a stint as assistant regional leader.

“The hall came from near Glenlyon. It was donated by the Ogden family,” says Glenda who lives at Glenlyon.

“Before the hall, I think they used to meet at the church behind the guide hall. Daylesford was a very early unit.”

The guiding movement in Daylesford has been going for well over 100 years – right back to the early 1900s – and Daylesford’s Marj Green is among those who remembers back to the days before the current hall arrived.

“The hall came from Spring Hill and I’m fairly sure it used to be a church,” Marj says.

Marj started as a brownie (which have since been replaced by junior guides) back in the 1940s when the Daylesford brownies and guides of the day used to gather in the town’s Baptist Hall.

“Back then we belonged to the Clunes District and we used to have lots of fun,” recalls Marj who went on to become a brownie leader (or Brown Owl) in 1977 and stayed on with the movement in Daylesford until 1996.

Back in the day, Marj says the young brownies would learn about many things including how to do the dishes properly, clean their shoes correctly, and set the table properly including correct placement of soup spoon.

Today, the Daylesford unit has about 18 guides whose ages range from six to 14 and they enjoy a wide range of activities. Things like skateboarding, swimming, camping – and yes, a bit of knot-tying. A few of the more traditional things remain, like cookery, craft and community service.

But the movement has changed quite a bit since the 1950s, says Susan who has been with them for at least a decade with her own daughter, Lucinda, having grown up a keen guide.

“Girl guides is very different these days. It’s got to be girl-led,” she says.

Words: Eve Lamb