Coming up four years since the shocking 2021 storm ripped through the Wombat State Forest area, devastated landholders are still clearing up the damage.

Many were traumatised to see beautiful and much loved mature trees torn down, and many elderly locals struggled to know how to cope with the physical aftermath.

But thanks to some help from some noteworthy quarters many impacted locals have been able to clean up and get on.

The Daylesford Foundation and the Lions Club of Trentham both have lent a significant helping hand in the shape of a Superaxe wood splitter, chainsaws and a large tandem trailer plus accompanying safety equipment.

These items, together worth about $61,000, were funded through state government Disaster Recovery Program dollars secured by the Hepburn Shire Council with the Daylesford Foundation and Trentham Lions club also contributing some of the dollars.

The arrangement initially saw the Daylesford Foundation take possession of the equipment and oversee its application where needed in the community by those struggling to cope with the storm aftermath.

The Daylesford Foundation’s Jim Foster recalls how their board eventually realised it was time to hand the equipment over to another community organisation better placed to see its ongoing, long-term application in the community as intended.

That organisation was the Trentham Lions Club which accepted the generously donated equipment and now continues to oversee its lending out to community members in need.

“They’ve down a fabulous job,” says Daylesford Foundation secretary Jim Foster, one year on since the equipment hand-over took place.

“It had become clear to us that the Lions Club would do a far better job then us.”

The Lions Club’s John McLaren is at pains to make it clear this is no commercial arrangement.

Instead, he says it’s very much a volunteer “working-bee type” arrangement and The Lions Club volunteers help with transportation and setting up of the equipment where it’s needed out in the community.

John says that even now the equipment is still being used by property owners still striving to fully recover, clean up,  and move on following the devastating storm.

He says that the Lions Club will continue to make sure the equipment is there for use by the community when and if needed.

“It’s about a year since the Daylesford Foundation passed the balance of ownership of the Superaxe wood splitting machine to the Trentham Lions Club,” said John McLaren of Trentham Lions Club

“The machine and trailer were purchased to facilitate the clean up of fallen timber on private land following the Great Storm.

“The Tandem trailer was purpose built in Victoria and is fully galvanised and capable of carrying five cubic metres.

“When in operation, the Superaxe is quite an impressive piece of equipment.”

“In essence the machine addressed the problem of clean up after the great storm.

“We’ve done 100 hrs of work on the machine on about 17 different properties in the area.

“It’s generally been around the Trentham and district area but it’s not confined to that and it’s available for use shire wide.

“But its not a commercial operation. We don’t hire the machine. It’s available on loan. In essence it’s a working-bee based program. At least one of us in the Lions Club would supervise the transport and setting up of the machine and we like to sort of stick around a bit.

“We’ve tried to address the fact that so many property owners in the district are in their senior years and being able to call on volunteers to help them seemed to be a really practical way of addressing the trauma of the storm.

“It is a means of practical help for people faced with the overwhelming difficulties of massive timber fall on their properties.

“It’s ongoing as long as the machine is viable. It will be available as long as there will be volunteers to staff it.”

John says the equipment continues to be available for use by arrangement with the Trentham Lions Club.

Words: Eve Lamb.

Tackling a course of study at tertiary level is generally challenging enough, and difficulty with
finances, travel and other costs is the last thing anyone needs as they go about it.
That’s where The Daylesford Foundation just quietly and efficiently is making a massive difference in
the lives of many young locals.

The Foundation is able to help out by providing unique scholarships especially tailored to meet the
needs of young individuals who are serious about reaching out to achieve further study goals.

The Daylesford Foundation’s Jo Van Son says that it may be help with materials like laptops or
assistance with finding somewhere to live near to uni, or help with meeting the cost of transport,
that can make all the difference.

The Foundation has been able to assist many young locals including former Daylesford Secondary
College students like Alexie Philippou and Hayley Smith to take on new studies, potentially changing
their entire life direction and employment prospects in very positive ways.

For Hayley, 20, the Foundation’s carefully tailored assistance to help cover ancillary study costs like
equipment, has enabled her to successfully complete the two-year diploma in nursing course – which
she has just finished.

Now the Foundation has been able to come to the party yet again to provide additional support to
help Hayley go on further next year and tackle a nursing degree at Federation University.

“The Foundation has been very supportive,” says Hayley whose personal experiences of time spent in
hospital as a child contending with a serious hip condition helped inspire her interest in becoming a
nurse.

“I would love to work in orthopaedics. I’ve always wanted to help people,” Hayley says.

For Alexei, 19, the Foundation has this year been able to assist with travel expenses enabling him to
get to Federation University in Ballarat and complete a bridging course so that he can now go on to
begin a Bachelor of Arts degree, majoring in sociology, next year.

Specifically, the Foundation’s unique scholarship support has now provided Alexei with the top-up
funding needed to enable him to purchase a reliable car to get to and from uni as needed.

“It’s a massive help,” says Alexei. “And Jo was very open about what I could use the money on.”
Alexei says he was able to make the all important purchase by pooling the Foundation’s financial
contribution together with the government’s Unsafe to Safe vehicle upgrade grant, and with his own
carefully accumulated savings to purchase the car.

In the lives of young locals like Alexei and Hayley, the scholarship assistance provided by The
Daylesford Foundation has made a lynchpin difference between making a dream to study and pursue
a career in a particular area come true.

Jo says now is the time for any young people who think they may similarly benefit from some well
placed financial help and support to apply for a scholarship.

She says the Foundation takes the time to personally meet with applicants and find out exactly what
their circumstances and study goals are, and what type of assistance may help make all the difference
toward achieving them.

Providing support is sometimes not just about granting strategically useful financial assistance,
although this is often a key.

“Often the people we help may be the first person in their family to study at tertiary level,” says Jo.
In such situations the background support of The Foundation is also about simply having someone to
talk to, someone who can provide useful insights and guidance as to what to expect at uni and how to
contend with challenges that may arise.

Those who think a Daylesford Foundation scholarship may just make all the difference for them, or
for someone special that they know, to pursue a study dream need to get cracking now, though.
“As soon as possible because we’re looking at the applications constantly and the next round officially
closes on January 5,” Jo says.

Words Eve Lamb. Image: Supplied.

Words: Eve Lamb. Image Kyle Barnes

BACKED by a scholarship from the Daylesford Foundation, Hepburn resident 19-year-old
Lucinda Lowe had the stress removed from her travel equation as she tackled a double
diploma course last year.
Lucinda had to travel multiple times during the week to complete her Diploma of Sport/Diploma of Leadership and Management through the Swinburne University of Technology and the Richmond
Football Club.
“I won the Daylesford Foundation scholarship last year and it covered all my Myki transportation costs,” Lucinda said.
“They even offered me more but I didn’t need it. It was amazing. It just took
such a load off my mind. It saved me about $40 to $50 each week which, for a uni
student, is huge.
“Doing the course was a full-on transition from year 12,” said Lucinda who had
completed her year 12 schooling at Daylesford Secondary College in 2021.
The keen local netballer and cricketer who plays for Hepburn not only completed
her double diploma, she was one of only four students who took out the program’s
excellence award as well.
“Doing the course has honestly been the best thing I ever could have done.”
Lucinda is also a keen swimmer, gym-goer and devoted Richmond Football Club
supporter.
Now, having completed her studies in style, she’s tackling some casual
employment opportunities while waiting to pounce when just the right position
comes up.
“I definitely want to do something in sport and now I’m just taking my time
to think about what direction to take next and earn a bit of money and explore my
calling. Leadership is also something I’m passionate about.”
Lucinda was very grateful for the assistance she received from the Daylesford Foundation.
“The Daylesford Foundation scholarship was so helpful, to not have to stress
about travel,” she said. “I would encourage others to take up the Daylesford
Foundation’s offer of help.”
Foundation Youth Scholarships coordinator Jo Van Son says the focus is very
much on helping young people fulfil their potential and helping young locals succeed
in pursuing further education.
“The idea of the scholarships is to support people to transition well from school
to further study,” Jo said.
“Last year we provided five scholarships and this year we’re providing seven.”
Jo says the Foundation’s scholarships are individually tailored to assist local young
people who have the desire to pursue studies.
“It might be with the cost of laptops or other study materials or with travel costs
or mentoring and accessing other supports that are out there and available to them
but which they otherwise may not know how to access,” she says.
“There is an application process and we meet with the young person. They need
to have an offer (of further study) or the desire for further study.”
The Foundation’s scope of support is varied and may also include essential foods, household goods, household maintenance, emergency vehicle repairs, medical appliances and computer hardware and software.
Assistance to cover the cost of school fees, school camps, excursions, apprenticeships, and other education-related activities is also available.