November 3rd, 2025Judy honoured for making a difference

Creswick identity and CresFest founder Judy Turner has been honoured at Government House, among a group of older volunteers who are making a difference in their communities.

Judy, 72, says she has been a musician, music educator and community activist all her adult life, and was delighted that at these awards music was recognised for its importance in community wellbeing.
“It was fabulous to be among such a dedicated bunch of older Victorians and to learn about the fantastic projects they are all implementing with the support of many thousands more volunteers,” Judy said.
“It was all the more rewarding to know that music was a crucial part of two out of 10 of this year’s awards, acknowledging its importance in bringing communities together and promoting positive ageing for all.”
CresFest started when Judy and a group of musical friends found time hanging heavily on their hands during Covid, and decided to try and start something lively and joyful to involve the people and the businesses of Creswick and the district.
“When a bunch of retirees get together around a table with a cup of tea and a plate of biscuits, magic can happen,” she said.
Paying tribute to the hundreds of people who volunteer each year at the festival, not just across the weekend but right throughout the year, Judy said that giving people the chance to do what they are best at is what she loves most.
“We have vollies building our website, managing our database, organising volunteering, creating online marketing campaigns, writing grant applications and much more besides. Team CresFest is a thriving group and it’s been a pleasure to lead them for the first five years of the festival.”
Council on the Ageing Victoria and Seniors Rights Victoria CEO Ben Rogers said it was incredible to see these seniors uplifting their communities, inspiring those within them, and bettering their surrounds.
“We know that social connection is crucial to mental and physical health outcomes, and each of today’s 10 recipients work tirelessly within their own communities to accomplish demonstrable results, draw people together, and help them to thrive.”
Judy said work was well underway with CresFest 2026.
She said festival goers should be on the lookout for the New Orleans Second Line Parade on Saturday afternoon.
“It’s going to be really fun. Each year we have what we call an extravaganza, which is when we get people dancing in the streets. And each year it’s been a differently themed one. The first year it was Brass and Bollywood and we had Bollywood dancers up from Melbourne and they worked with the Creswick Brass Band.
“There’s just this fabulous mashup. Last year it was African drumming and dancing. We’re also bringing back the parade which we had for the first two years.
“It’ll be our fifth year and after four years we know much better how to do things and everything will be a bit more streamlined, a bit more audience focused. More things for kids to do and a whole lot of free activities in the street as always.”
Judy said she fell in love with music as a child.
“I was lucky. My mum was a good piano player and she encouraged all of us. We used to sing a lot around the piano. She was a school music teacher for a while and she used to run school musicals and there were always things for us to do. And then she got lessons for all of us in whatever we wanted to play.
“I got lessons on the recorder first and then I played with a lot of kids’ bands. Canberra, where I grew up, was a great place for kids’ music. My high school had a fantastic music program and you could get whatever instrument of the orchestra you wanted, for free. ”
Judy said while she could not choose a favourite instrument, she loved playing both the viola in classical music and the fiddle in folk music.
“I love playing the viola in classical music because you get to sit in the middle of the orchestra which is in the middle of the sound. You’re completely surrounded and you get to really understand what the composer was trying to achieve.
“Playing the fiddle in folk music is wonderful because, well a bit like in an orchestra, you get that massed fiddle sound which I really love. It’s horses for courses, you know. They both feed me in a way that I never would want to be without.”
Judy said the difference between attending a live festival and listening to a digital platform like Spotify was huge. “At a festival you see the people doing it in real time. There’s no digital interference whatsoever. If you come to a festival like ours and you get to see the real music up close and personal. The musicians are playing everywhere so you get to see them and hear them in their true acoustic setting. You see the energy and the skill, it is really inspiring.”
Words: Donna Kelly | Image: Contributed