March 23rd, 2026Just sayin’… By Donna Kelly

Now and again, I am on the ABC Ballarat with Steve Martin for a segment called Paperchase.
They call up local editors and have a chat about what is making the news in the region. So sometimes Steve calls me.
It’s pretty early, about 7.10am on Fridays, so I am not sure if you have ever listened in. I think it’s a great idea, because who knows more about the local community than the editor of the local paper?
Well, I guess lots of people know more than me, but I know how much I can say publicly without being sued and that’s handy in this game.
Steve is very nice to chat with – today we seemed to be just shooting the breeze which was really nice. In the early days I felt a bit flustered but he was very kind and never shot me down. Which wouldn’t really work because then I wouldn’t talk to him any more.
My only problem is that we don’t have a morning alarm, well we don’t set one. So when I have it set for 6.45am I usually wake up at 5am and think about what I am going to say and try to think of witty things.
This morning my witty thing was about the house fire we were the first to arrive at in December last year. I got a woman and her young child out and Kyle rescued two budgies. The police said I was a hero. I was not, of course, something anyone would do.
But when the police were taking our names I mentioned my middle name was ‘hero’ and Kyle’s was ‘budgie smuggler’. The cops thought that was quite funny although Kyle not so much. So that was going to be my witty bit, but I lost my nerve.
Anyway, instead I talked about all the good news happening around our region. Like Booktown at Clunes, the Blackwood Woodchop and Easter Carnival, CresFest and also the reopening of both Palais Hepburn and The Rex in Daylesford.
I told Steve, we at the The Local really like to become media partners with as many festivals and events as we can – and push them as hard as possible. It’s a win-win situation.
If you have a look on page 12 you will see even more – even going as far as the Ballarat Foto Biennale.
Steve asked what I thought about the fuel crisis, if that is what we are calling it now, and if the price went up to $3 a litre would people still come. I said a resounding yes. People might put off overseas holidays for a while, with the uncertainty of who you are flying over and whether the planes have enough fuel for a return trip, but people will always travel domestically.
And, I said the Central Highlands, and lots of other regional areas are just a one- tank drive away. Not even that, Steve replied.
I added that I thought we had all been locked down too long through Covid and now that everything was pretty much back up and running, people would continue to come to the regions and see all we have to offer.
The festivals, the fun, the artists, the musos, the quirky shops, the restaurants and food venues. I also said the last few weekends in town had been pumping – just the way we like the weekends.
Anyway, I thought I did a good promo role – maybe Daylesford Macedon Ranges or whoever they are could pop me on the payroll.
Only joking, I love this region, love the people and love that we get to spruik all that we have on offer. It’s a great place and while I love travelling, especially during winter, I love calling here home. Just sayin’…