The Christ Church Daylesford (Anglican) will hold a Christmas Eve service at 10am on Sunday, December 24 and a Blue Christmas service at 6pm for people who have lost someone this year.

All are welcome to this all-faith no-faith service of prayer, reflection and hope. The Christ Church Daylesford (Anglican) will also hold a Midnight service at 11pm and a Christmas Day service will be held at 10am.

The Catholic Parishes of Creswick and Daylesford will hold Christmas Masses on: Christmas Eve, Sunday, December 24, 8.30pm at St Peter’s Daylesford and Christmas Day, Monday, December 25, 9am at St Augustine’s Creswick.

The Uniting Church Daylesford will hold: a Sunday service on Christmas Eve at 9.30am and a Christmas Day service at 9am.

Creswick’s Santa House is in full festive season glory once again.

The private residence at 166 Creswick-Ballarat Road features the decorative work of local residents Lawrie and Dot Porter and various family members, all of whom confess to being fans of the celebratory season.

Their passion for Christmas time seems to be catching as locals and passersby pause to appreciate the seasonal splendour of their Yultide handiwork.

Even the award-winning Creswick Brass Band is not immune and members say the band are planning to pay a couple of visist to this unofficial local Christmastime attraction to play a couple of evening gigs on December 23 and 24.

Pictured above is Lawrie photographed outside the eye-catching home a few days ago.

CCTV surveillance equipment to protect Creswick’s public EV charge station is scheduled for installation this week, Hepburn Shire Council CEO Bradley Thomas has confirmed.

The new 50kW Chargefox station, located beside the town’s visitor Information centre, was taken offline after it was vandalised in August just over three months after becoming operational, much to the disgust of the wider community keen to see progress toward achieving zero-net emissions.

Late last week Mr Thomas confirmed that CCTV equipment is set to be installed this week with  Hepburn Wind (partners in Hepburn shire’s charge station roll-out) expected to then carry out the necessary repairs to the station early in the new year.

“It won’t be up and running for Christmas, unfortunately. Disappointing but obviously we want to get the CCTV in so that it doesn’t happen again or acts as a deterrent, or if it does became vandalised again we might have some opportunity to catch the people,” Mr Thomas said.

“I haven’t got a final cost, but talking to the team, the damage ended up being a bit more costly then we expected, so obviously disappointing. It was a bit more damage then we thought.

“Obviously we want to get people to the regions over Christmas and the new year and you want to be able to encourage people to make that move to EVs. Disappointing all round. We’d rather not have to have CCTV.”

 The Hepburn CEO also confirmed that the similar new fast charge station slated for Trentham will be installed at the town’s new mechanics building, and in line with that project is expected to be in place by mid next year.

The public EV charge station earmarked for Clunes is scheduled for installation in the first quarter of 2024.

Words & Image: Eve Lamb

The VOGA Cycle Club will be holding a beginner cyclists class on Thursday, 29 February starting
at 10am at the Creswick Band Rotunda in Albert Street, Creswick.

VOGA (Villages of the Old Goldfields Association) Cycle Club is an incorporated body made up of a passionate group of cycle enthusiasts based in and around Creswick. Members ride road, gravel and dirt, on all kinds of bikes.

The VOGA Cycle Club has been successfully running regular rides for casual adult cyclists for the last five years and currently has twenty-two members, the club’s Ray Martin says.

Over this period, these adult cyclists have become experienced riders, greatly increased their physical fitness and their ability, particularly in the distances that can now be easily ridden.

The Club is now aiming to increase the number of casual adult riders in Hepburn Shire and surrounding districts

The club’s new beginner cyclist class will be free to any casual adult cyclist, or intended cyclist, and after a safety inspection and set-up of the bicycle, a short and supervised ride around Creswick will be conducted.

The VOGA Cycle Club welcomes both conventional and electric bikes and if you currently do not own a bicycle, the club can arrange for a bike, either conventional or electric, to try out on 29 February.

Those intending to attend this class will be required, by law, to have an approved cycling helmet. Inquiries regarding the new upcoming beginner cyclist class can be made to: Ray Martin, phone/text 0409 388 222, or email to stepleigh@outlook.com online.

Creswick’s Calembeen Parkrun crew are inviting everyone to get along and help celebrate the new park run’s first anniversary on site at the town’s Calembeen Park on Saturday, 20 January at 8am.

Since the weekly park run started in January 2023, over 750 people have participated in it with eighty people volunteering their time to make it happen under the guidance and support of local run directors Adam Crutchfield, Michael Parker and Chrissy Austin.

Like other Parkruns nation-wide and beyond, the new local Parkrun is volunteer led and run and free for everyone to participate in.

Chrissy says they’re always looking for more volunteers and also participants to run or walk the course.

The run’s directors are inviting everyone to roll up with their runners at the ready a a Saturday morning at 7.45am to walk or run the 5km course – or offer to help out with one of the many simple tasks such as time-keeping, barcode scanning or marshalling on the course.

Progress on the Creswick Trails project has hit a major milestone with around 30 kilometres of trails completed and the project expected to be completed in December next year, the council says in a prepared statement.

Hepburn Shire mayor Cr Brian Hood says he was pleased to see the project meet such an important milestone, but had a few words of caution to add as well.

“There are no completed trail areas that are currently ready to ride,” Cr Hood said.

“We understand the excitement that surrounds this project and the desire to have parts of it open early, but it’s important to be patient and to stay off the trails until they are officially open,” said Cr Hood.

“We have looked at ways of having a staged opening of trails, but this is not currently possible given the site is a construction zone and we need to ensure public safety. However, we will continue to look at options of how we can possibly open a portion of the trail before the entire trails are complete,” he said.

“Accessing the construction area and the partially completed trails could damage the trails or place you or our construction crews in danger.”

The trailhead for the Creswick Trails, Hammon Park, is open for use.The trailhead is home to three lines of cycling jumps, pump track, learn to ride area, BBQ area, play area, rope climbing tower, parking and toilets, including a shower and Changing Place accessible amenities block.

“In the coming months we will be looking to name some of the trails within the Creswick Trails network. We will reach out to the community with more information on this shortly,” said Cr Hood.

The council has engaged independent experts to oversee parts of the construction process to ensure the trails are built in line with cultural, ecological and heritage controls. The council says it’s been able to minimise impact through careful siting of built trails within the approved trail alignment. Where possible, the edges of new trails are revegetated with soil from the site to take advantage of the seed bank and to replace ground cover. 

The most challenging of the jumps at Hammon Park, the whale tail, remains closed to the public. We understand that it has been closed for some time and that is disappointing, however the closure is to provide time for this very challenging element to be assessed and reviewed for safety. We ask for your continued patience while we work with contractors.

Creswick Brass Band has extra reason to feel festive after being named Band of the Year at the recent Lions Blue Lake Festival in Mount Gambier, South Australia.

Facing plenty of talented competition from around Victoria and interstate the Creswick band came second in the contest street march, won best band in the Christmas parade, best hymn on the day, best stage march (open C Grade), took first place in the Open C Grade competition and ended up being named Band of The Year.

Competition for the November 18 event included bands form Adelaide, Ballarat, Mount Gambier, Warrnambool, and Portland. Tastefully decked out as Christmas trees for at least some of their public appearances, the members of Creswick Brass had particularly impressed as they took to the streets of Mount Gambier for the Christmas parade.

“I think we were all extremely proud,” said band member and cornet player, Sheena Johnson.

“It made all the hard work worthwhile. Our director works magic and all of the musicians in the band are very talented and very loyal.”

Taking the multiple awards is a big coup for the local band whose existence dates all the way back to the 1800s with some leaves of absence, however, due to world wars, global pandemics and the like.

It’s clearly now back with a vengeance and some 60 members whose ages range from about eight to about 80, says Creswick Brass Band president, Rob Ohlsen who plays tuba.

“We play anywhere and everywhere and it’s starting to really get back now,” he said.

“It was very slow over Covid for us and for a lot of bands. We have everything brass from cornet to tuba and also percussion, and a main focus for us now is percussion. We need more percussion.

“We are a happy band and very family oriented and we do lots of different gigs. We practice on a Thursday night at the Senior Cits in Creswick so people who are interested can just roll up.”
Rob says beginners are welcome with a beginners’ practice session at 6pm and the more advanced rehearsal session from 7pm.

“Music is just universal. Everyone loves it and giving enjoyment back to people is great,” Rob says.

Having acclimatised to the festive season vibe during its Mount Gambier coup, the band is now looking to play plenty of live public gigs in the lead up to Christmas, including the community Carols at The Courthouse event being hosted by Creswick Theatre Company this Saturday, December 9.

The carolling gig and the many other performances that the band has lined up between now and Christmas offer great opportunities to check it out, enjoy its big brassy sound and maybe even think about joining up, Rob says.

There’s other performances coming up in Creswick including evening gigs at Creswick’s ‘Christmas House’ on Creswick-Ballarat Road on December 23 and 24.

The upcoming Carols at The Courthouse event will also feature community carolling led by local singers including members of the Creswick Chorus, local school children and anyone else who wants to get along, flex their own vocal chords and let the seasonal joy rip. Words: Eve Lamb.

Words & Image: Eve Lamb

Those who get along to this Friday’s Creswick Twilight Market can expect to be transported, albeit temporarily, to the Seychelles, Timor and South Africa.

These are just a few of the exotic locations from which the town’s Creswick Chorus community singing group has sourced its repertoire for the pre-Christmas evening market that gets started from 5pm this Friday November 24.

The local group will be performing live at the market from about 6.20pm, adding an extra dash of atmosphere to the annual pre-Christmas dusk shopping experience.

“We’ll be singing for about 20 to 30 minutes and we’re doing songs from Timor to the Seychelles to South Africa and Ghana to local Dja Dja Wurrung country,” choir leader Stella Savy says ahead of the market gig.

Besides offering a prime opportunity to tick off some Christmas shopping with unique hand-made artisan goods and produce, the upcoming twilight market will provide a top opportunity to check out the local Creswick Chorus and consider joining up.

The group rehearses weekly, has about 30 members and is now approaching the end of its second successful year of existence with bookings into the future already including CresFest 2024.

Quite a few of the group’s members will also add their singing talents to the town’s evening Carols at The Courthouse event on Saturday December 9. The free community event is being hosted by Creswick Theatre Company and will feature Creswick Brass Band and a seasonal visit from Santa as well..

“Some of the Chorus members will be coming along to add their voices to the Carols at The Courthouse,” says Creswick Chorus member Jenni Sewell who’s also a committee member with Creswick Theatre Company. Jenni says that in the lead up to Christmas some of the Creswick Chorus singers will also be taking to the streets to sing Christmas carols at various locations in Creswick.

Stella says watching the local singing group grow and thrive in the two years since it started has been rewarding. “Initially I was wondering how many people in Creswick wanted to sing, and I’ve been impressed,” the well known local muso and community choir leader says.

“I’m impressed with the sound of the choir.”

There is still plenty of room, however, for more members to join up, and particularly more male members would be welcome as currently female membership far exceeds male membership, meaning there are far more members singing in the alto and soprano ranges than in tenor or bass registers.

“We’d love to have more men sing with us every week. That would be awesome,” Stella says.

“We have bass parts sitting there waiting to be sung, and the more singers we have in this group, the more supported people feel.

“You don’t need to worry about how your own voice sounds. You just come and add your voice to the community sound.”

Regular additional workshops, public gigs and even the occasional surprise flash mob performance are all on the group’s program.

Weekly rehearsal sessions take place from 5.30 to 7pm every Wednesday during school term at the Creswick Neighbourhood Centre Hall where Stella also leads the local children’s choir from 3.45pm on the same day. Further information about joining the Chorus is available through the Creswick Neighbourhood Centre.

The Hepburn Shire Council is encouraging local business operators to attend a circular economy themed business breakfast on Thursday 30 November at Creswick Neighbourhood Centre.

The event takes place from 8am to 9.30am and is being hosted by Hepburn Shire Council and Creswick Business and Tourism.  

The circular economy is a system where materials never become waste and nature is regenerated. In a circular economy, products and materials are kept in circulation through processes like maintenance, reuse, repair, refurbishment, remanufacture, recycling and composting. 

Mayor, Cr Brian Hood, said that Council is committed to developing and promoting the circular economy to diversify our local economy and support sustainability goals. 

“Given the economic and climate change challenges we face today, expanding circular economy practices is a practical step we can all take to build a healthier, stronger and more resilient economy, community and environment,” said Cr Hood.  

“This work is underpinned by our four-year Council Plan and Sustainable Hepburn Strategy, which was developed in partnership with the community,” he said. 

Council’s Circular Economy Officer will provide an overview of the circular economy and introduce the Hepburn Shire Circular Economy Business Toolkit, currently in its final stages of development. Attendees will be invited to be amongst the first to trial the toolkit when it is released later this year. 

The toolkit is full of strategies that businesses can deploy to improve their bottom line through designing out waste, keeping materials in circulation and regenerating natural systems. Over time the toolkit will expand to include many more local examples of circular economy businesses and practices.  

Designed for businesses of any size or sector, the toolkit will help businesses understand more about what the circular economy is, learn about circular strategies and how businesses and value chain partners can benefit from becoming more ‘circular’. 

“With the help of state and federal governments, we are designing local systems of production, procurement and service delivery that minimise waste and pollution and build economic, social and ecological resilience,” said Cr Hood. 

Taylor Hay, local entrepreneur, will be demonstrating an Injection Moulding machine which he has designed and has been selling to schools across Australia to turn plastic waste into useful objects. Taylor is working alongside Precious Plastic, a movement which originated in the Netherlands and has inspired innovation across the globe.  

Attendees will hear stories of other local Circular Economy champions and projects and will leave with a better understanding of what a transition to a circular economy might look like in Hepburn Shire.  

This is a free, fully catered event. Registrations are essential and can be made via Circular Economy Business

The council will also be hosting a networking event for business owners, operators and industries from across the Shire to celebrate the achievements of the year and build future connections. It will be held from 5.30pm on Tuesday 28 November.

Words & image: Narelle Groenhout

Tributes continue to pour in from across Hepburn Shire, the state, the country and the world, following the recent untimely passing of Creswick’s Dr Kevin Tolhurst.
Kevin was Australia’s top bushfire scientist and one of the most measured voices that was quietly but unreservedly determined to promote science-based forest fire management.
The week of his funeral, he had been due to be in Queensland to receive the NW Jolly Medal – the highest honour for outstanding service to the forest science profession in Australia. He was instead honoured posthumously by nearly 500 of his peers.
Forestry Australia president Michelle Freeman said “Kevin’s contribution to forest and fire management has been phenomenal – his knowledge and passion were truly awe inspiring. Generations of foresters and forestry scientists were inspired and influenced by Kevin.”
It was standing room only at St Augustine’s Catholic Church in Creswick last Tuesday. Kevin’s son Michael shared stories of his father, paid tribute to the hands-on grandfather he was and for the work he did in his family, community and professional life.
Parishioner and friend David Preston spoke of Kevin’s tireless work in the Creswick community and for the church. On his early life at the Creswick School of Forestry where he met his future wife Rosemary, on his devotion to his faith and his profession. Kevin was part way through cutting a hedge on the church grounds. Testament to his tireless work.
Late last year, Kevin was a key contributor to a landmark body of work released to assist governments and private organisations to tackle Australia’s bushfire concerns, and to save lives, land and property.
At the time of the release of the report, he said: “We have developed this framework to promote greater coordination, collaboration across state and federal governments and are calling for buy-in at all levels.”
It is unlikely that we will ever have anyone with the experience, knowledge and training to do what Kevin has achieved as a forester, and particularly as an internationally renowned expert in forest fire.
Kevin leaves behind his wife Rosemary and children, Michael, Chris, Gen and their families.

Words and Image: Eve Lamb

Garden lovers are in for a treat over the weekend over November 11-12 as Creswick Garden Club again stages the Creswick Garden Lovers’ weekend featuring top gardens in Creswick and surrounds.

This year there’s a choice of seven diverse private gardens to visit and enjoy, including large and small town gardens, quirky and eclectic gardens, sustainable gardens, and real country gardens.

Among them, and opening its gates for others to visit for the first time, is the Secret Garden Home Garden at Mollongghip, not far out of Creswick.

It’s hard to believe that owner residents Lou McLachlan and Deb Clarke only started developing this impressive slice of paradise about nine years ago.

They brought in a large number of advanced trees, laid out paths and carefully designed using hedging to create  a series of garden rooms to delight the eye and the senses.

“It all started with us  wanting to cut down on lawn mowing,” recounts Lou, an experienced horticulturalist and well known in Daylesford as owner-operator of the town’s Secret Garden nursery.

“They call it the ‘slow creep’; once you start you can’t stop,” she laughs.

“As the hedges reach a mature height it’s been exciting to see the garden rooms develop.”

“We’re right on top of the great dividing range here so we sort of have our own weather here and it can turn on a dime,” adds Deb.

The garden now features plenty of herbaceous perennials that have proven they can withstand the area’s unique climatic challenges, and also plenty of garden sculpture particularly including beautiful native bird sculpture by renown local creative Miriam Porter.

“We’re privileged to have  Miriam’s sculpture displayed in the garden and we will also have an array of garden art and ornaments available for sale on the weekend,” Lou says.

While Deb humbly praises Lou as chief on-site gardener, both Lou and Deb clearly love their patch of paradise and are looking forward very much to sharing it with the wider community for the first time.

“It’s the serenity, the insects and the bees, all of the insects,” says Deb when asked what she appreciates most about The Secret Home Garden which is situated at 490 Dean-Mollonghhip Road.

“And it’s great to see the results from all of our hard work. It just kind of sings to us.”

Coincidentally, when The Local dropped in to visit Lou and Deb in their Secret Home Garden last week, they were also getting ready for a visit from ABC’s Gardening Australia team that was going to be filming on site for a future episode of the popular TV gardening program.

“We’ve got Costa coming along with a film crew and a drone,” Lou said.

Further information about this garden and the other wonderful local gardens that will be opening over Creswick Garden Lovers’ weekend may be found at www.creswickgardenclub.com/glw.html.

All profits from the Creswick Garden Lovers’ weekend are used for local community projects while the event itself affords garden lovers a great chance to visit the historic Central Goldfields Region of Victoria and see an array of diverse private gardens, iconic commercial gardens and nurseries, and more.

Creswick ward councillor Don Henderson has received a 15-year service award for his outstanding contribution to Hepburn Shire at the Municipal Association of Victoria Annual Conference Gala Dinner last week.

Cr Don Henderson is the longest serving councillor since Hepburn Shire was formed in 1995.  

“It has been an honour to serve the community in the Creswick ward since being elected in 2008. Apart from my 15 years as a councillor, I have also served two terms as mayor,” Cr Henderson said. 

“I have always regarded myself as a councillor for the whole shire, and also the region. My time on council has been a great opportunity to contribute to and empower our community. I have been made to feel welcome and a part of the extended family of many residents,” he said. 

“Some may say that being a councillor is a thankless job, but I have not experienced that at all, in fact the opposite. I have enjoyed the great diversity of opinion and ideas that I have found in staff, fellow councillors and the community.” 

Mayor Cr Brian Hood said the dedication shown by Cr Don Henderson during his time as an elected councillor was commendable.  

“Being re-elected to a fourth term as the Creswick ward councillor is a testament to his popularity and commitment to the community,” said Cr Hood. 

“Cr Henderson is passionate about helping his community thrive and ensuring his leadership leaves a positive legacy for the shire today and into the future. We sincerely thank him for his service over these 15 years.” 

Words and Image: Eve Lamb

Creswick’s Tony Clark has received the inaugural Kimberley Kitching Human Rights Award at the recent ALP National Conference in Brisbane, using the opportunity to advocate strongly for a cause so dear to his heart.

A passionate advocate for inclusivity of people with disability, the Creswick-Clunes Labor branch member received the award from Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

The citation on the award states: “For demonstrating an outstanding commitment to the advancement of human rights in Australia or globally”.

Deemed legally blind since the age of 20, the Creswick local was accompanied at the national conference podium by his guide dog Timmy and, in perfect timing, worked in a quick quip to assist the PM in ushering him to the lectern to accept the award.

“Take my elbow, Albo,” Clark tactfully advised without missing beat, before going on to deliver an impassioned speech to the 500 or so decision-makers in the room.

A member of the Victorian Labor Party since 2008, the Creswick local has spent much of his adult life challenging organisations, business and the Labor Party itself to be more inclusive and more accessible for people with disability.

“I took the view that I was going to use my blindness as a great strength,” Clark told delegates at the national conference that he attended with his partner Melanie Bellingham who is also a member of the local party branch.

“Those strengths are around tenacity, determination, thinking laterally, thinking outside that square, and persistence in the face of challenge,” he said.

These are all things Clark knows about first-hand.

“I was diagnosed with a degenerative eye condition when I was 19 and declared legally blind at 20. Tough thing for a young man of 19,” he said.

“I remember one of my greatest fears was ‘who the hell’s going to want to marry a blind guy?’

“And I did have a moment. It was with the Commonwealth Employment Service, the old CES. I’d just finished telling them I was looking for work. I had an honours degree in science in immunology.

“The response was ‘most people like you weave baskets’. I kid you not. And I have to be honest, people might not say it in those words anymore, but that’s still there. That’s absolutely still there.

“Attitude is the big thing and we all have some responsibility to think about how we can change,” said Clark who, besides his honours degree in science, also has a masters in communication, is a qualified company director, and chairs a board.

“I can tell you first hand of the passive discrimination and barriers that are out there that prevent good quality people getting jobs,” he said.

“We have higher unemployment. Higher poverty. These things have not moved for decades.”

Driven by his strong desire to see these things change, Clark has stood for Parliament three times including for the federal seat of Deakin in 2016 when he ran with the catchy slogan “No Sight, Great Vision.”

Believing that leaders should reflect the people they seek to represent, he ran for the seat, hoping to be a voice for the one in five Australians who are living with a disability. “When I got to 38, I thought: You know what? I don’t respect people who sit on the side and throw mud. I believe you’ve got to get in there… and government is what changes our community,” he said.

“It sets regulation, it sets job policies, it sets legislation. Everything comes from government and that’s where change can be made.” Although Clark didn’t win the seat of Deakin, the campaign trail nevertheless provided an opportunity for him to generously engage with the voters, the media, the ALP and the Parliament to get a fairer deal for people experiencing disability.

His decades of advocacy have resulted in the founding and formalisation of Labor Enabled Victoria, where, alongside Annie Payne, he has successfully argued the need for a Disability Action Plan for the party – a national first.

The Creswick local continues to advocate across the broader community to achieve greater access for people with disability to education, employment, economic opportunity, and healthcare.

Giving the example of the ALP’s quota system for gender equity, he is particularly keen to see quotas similarly introduced to ensure fair representation for people with disability in Parliament at state and national level.

“Twenty percent of people in Australia – one in five – experience some kind of disability. Yet we’ve only had eleven people with a disability in federal Parliament since Federation. Since 1901. It’s appalling,” he said.

Removing barriers to employment opportunities is also particularly high on his agenda for positive change.

“We are spending billions on billions of dollars supporting people with a disability and yet we are not taking advantage and grasping the value that they bring with their lived experience,” he told the recent national conference.

“I think the biggest barrier we face is perception and giving people an opportunity for a job.”

Clark said receiving the inaugural Kimberley Kitching award was “very humbling”.

“I’m incredibly humbled. It’s just Wow.”

Within his hometown the Creswick local is currently also advocating for a new scout hall.

“The current scout hall is in a flood zone and has been flooded several times,” he said.

“We want a new hall that’s fully accessible and can be used for the First Creswick Scout group and many other community groups as well. We want it to be built at a site near the train station and we’ve applied for $500,000 through the federal regional grant fund. We’re also seeking $400,000 through the state and working with our local member Martha Haylett.”

Words and images: Eve Lamb

Mention the word “clogging” and many will immediately visualise heavy Dutch clogs and maybe pitch in a mental windmill and a few tulips as well. Wrong.
Turns out clogging is all about rhythm and not about wearing wooden clogs at all, as The Local discovered after catching up with experienced local clogging instructors Cheryl Holland and Nev Flegg (pictured above).
Cheryl, from Sulky just out of Creswick, and Creswickian Nev started the Creswick Cloggers just over two months ago. While they’d been quietly confident of a reasonable turnout, even they admit they’ve been surprised at the enthusiastic uptake among locals who are keen to clog.
The weekly sessions happen Tuesdays 6.30-8.30pm at the Creswick scout hall and have been been pretty well packed each time.
At this point Nev and Cheryl are considering starting a new beginners’ class either before Christmas or early in the new year depending on demand, and they’ve already registered the Creswick Cloggers to perform at next year’s CresFest.
“We’ve now got 22 cloggers – 14 beginners who have turned up and eight ex-cloggers,” Nev says.
Besides teaching clogging at Creswick Nev teaches the niche dance form in Footscray and also teaches line dancing as well, while Cheryl also runs weekly clogging classes in Cheltenham.
“Soon as you say clogging people think wooden Dutch shoes,” Nev laughs.
“We’ve actually got (moveable metallic) plates on our shoes and clogging taps rattle as opposed to tap dancer plates. Tap dancers have a solid piece of alloy bolted to their shoes.”
By way of demonstration, Cheryl and Nev pull on their nifty white dancing shoes, which look fairly flexible, and turn up the soles to display the metallic moveable plates attached beneath.
The plates mean the clogging steps they perform will make an infectious percussive sound that everyone within earshot will hear and find hard to resist, as Cheryl and Nev deftly demonstrate.
Coincidentally, both Cheryl and Nev took up clogging in 1988 while living in entirely different parts of Australia. Even more coincidentally, they both started teaching the dance form in 1992. Clogging has taken them both all over Australia and overseas to perform, often to high acclaim.
The new Creswick Cloggers group is affiliated with the Australian Clogging Association. In fact they’re just back from participating in the annual National Clogging Convention in Gosford, NSW, where they had a ball performing their chosen showcase dance, Cheryl says.
“The National Clogging Convention takes place in a different state each year. Next year it’s in Western Australia and we are hoping to hold it in Ballarat in 2025,” Nev says.
Beginners start out simply by learning to bend and straighten their legs in time with the music – “learning the down beat,” Cheryl says. They go on to master eight basic movements. “And the steps are cued so you don’t have to remember a whole routine,” Cheryl says. “You just remember the steps.”

Performed in time with other dancers and with those little moveable metallic plates attached to your soles, the steps create a very satisfying percussive impact. Cheryl and Nev say that while clogging used to be done pretty much entirely to country music, these days you can expect plenty of current contemporary pop in the mix.
“The actual word – ‘clogging’ means ‘time’ in Welsh so it’s actually a time dance,” Cheryl says.
I ask Cheryl and Nev what they love most about clogging, what drew them to it in the first place.
“The friendship and the fun,” Cheryl says. “And it takes us to a different state in Australia each year and to New Zealand.”
Nev – whose prior clogging fun traverses Seattle, San Francisco, Santiago, Los Angeles and Chicago, to name just a bit of where it’s taken him – says it’s tops for stress relief as well. Time out from life’s little, or not-so-little worries.
“I tried giving up once and I couldn’t do it. I really like teaching and so does Cheryl,” he says. The national association website informs that clogging – or “Appalachian Mountain Folk Dance” – is actually an American folk dance with origins in the Southern Appalachian Mountains of the US.
While it has strong ties to the step dances of the British Isles brought to the region by white settlers, clogging is also influenced by the traditional dance of Native Americans, and the traditional solo dances of African Americans.
Clogging is a misnomer, since it is not performed in clogs, although some of the original step dances from Europe were.
Nevertheless, the name persists, although in Appalachia, this form of percussive dance is often known as buck dancing or flatfooting. In recent times the dance form has spread to all parts of the world including Japan, England, Canada, New Zealand and Australia, as well as many European countries.
In Creswick, Cheryl and Nev say anyone interested can roll up and check out the class in action on a Tuesday evening, or you can email creswickcloggers@gmail.com if you’re interested in pulling on a pair of clogging shoes and joining in.

Creswick Woollen Mills is set to be the backdrop for a unique medley of musical styles, ranging from classical chamber music and opera arias to jazz improvisations and atmospheric soundscapes, as a selection of the region’s most esteemed musicians converge for the Musical Threads: Performers for Patients Concert.
With an aim to support the Creswick Health Upgrade Appeal, this concert speaks volumes for the town’s commitment to community health and wellbeing.
On Sunday, October 15, from 2.30pm to 4.30pm, listeners will embark on a transformative sonic journey, with pieces like a Mozart opera aria and a Schubert lied, jazz rhythms, and evocative cello loops, all underpinning Central Highlands Rural Health’s commitment to see better Creswick Hospital and Aged Care facilities.
Artists include violinist Susan Pierotti, Creswick’s versatile tenor Tim Drylie, harpsichordist Andrew Welsh, musical duo Judy Turner and Neil Adam, father-son jazz duet Adrian Deakin and Arlo Schwarz-
Deakin and cellist Conrad Hamill, pictured above.
Bob Orr, chair of the Creswick Health Upgrade Appeal Committee, said: “Musical Threads weaves together Creswick’s rich heritage, musical genius, and an undying spirit of community solidarity.”
Bookings: www.trybooking.com/CLRWK. For more detail: www.facebook.com/CHRHorgAU or get in touch at communications@chrh.org.au