December 1st, 2025Magic Pudding fun
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.
Ripon MP Martha Haylett opened the event with The Bard Players performing characters from the story which was first published in 1918.
Author Norman Lindsay is arguably the most famous member of one of Australia’s most important artistic families who were born and raised in Creswick in the late 1800s and early 1900s.
He had a long career as an illustrator, painter and published many books including The Magic Pudding, a classic of Australian children’s literature and still in print today.
The story is set in Australia with humans mixing with anthropomorphic animals. It tells the story of a magic talking pudding named Albert, which, no matter how often it is eaten, continually re-forms to be eaten again.
Albert is owned by three companions who must defend him against pudding thieves who want it for themselves. The book is divided into four “slices” instead of chapters.
The Magic Pudding Playground working group, consisting of Jodie Goldring, Fairlee Lincoln, Margaret Giles and Chrissy Austin, was formed four years ago to raise nearly $40,000 to further develop the playground which is part of the Creswick of the Lindsays Art Trail.
New additions included bollards created by artists Penny Hetherington and Maddie Doe of the Ballarat Women’s Shed and a host of new playground fixtures.
“It goes to show what small communities can do,” Chrissy said.
“This has been from the ground up, being driven by community members who have been seeking funds from grants and fundraising. And now looking at all the kids, the things that have been done, it’s just amazing.”
Supporters included federal and state governments, Regional Arts Victoria, Hepburn Shire Council, Creswick Community Bank, Creswick Garden Club and a host of community contributions through barbeques, raffles and more, along with the donations of time and expertise by many volunteers.
Pictured top, The Buniyong Bard Players, Albert the Pudding (Zoe James), Bill Barnacle ( Tim Harris) and Sam Sawnoff (Hayley Beecham); local school children; and artist Penny Heatherington, co-ordinator Jodie Goldring and Ballarat Women’s Shed’s Maddi Doe
Scan the QR code for a short video from the day
Words & images: Tony Sawrey
