Words: Donna Kelly | Images: Kyle Barnes

I RECKON the road to Castlemaine has probably never seen so much traffic since Megan Evans and Tom Allen took over the Guildford Family Hotel at the end of 2021.
In a story back then, Megan, who is well known to Daylesford locals after working at a number of hospitality venues in the town, said she was excited about running her own pub and “getting the old girl back to life”.
And they have certainly done that.

Open five days a week, it is a huge drawcard for not only locals but also for those making the short trip past Mt Franklin from over Daylesford and surrounds way.
The chef is Lee Littlepage, who also has a following from around the region, and she is doing great things in the kitchen with pub classics and a few surprises.
We headed there last Saturday for lunch and grabbed a table in the bar. There are plenty of dining spots to choose from – check out the dining room, it’s fab, the bar itself where Tom is always up for a chat, or the beer garden, where music is happening again.
Entrees
For entrees I chose the pea, mint and haloumi fritters with a mint yoghurt dipping sauce (4 for $16) while Kyle decided on the battered scallops with cauliflower puree, aioli, crispy bacon and lemon (4 for $22). Both were delicious with the fritters a really lovely texture, beautifully crisp on the outside and moist inside. Loved them. Kyle, who would happily eat seafood for three meals a day, said the combo of the cauliflower, bacon and scallop was a winner, with the scallops perfectly cooked.
Mains
Time for mains and it’s always hard to choose – especially with 15 really good options – something for everyone.
I decided to be boring and went for the chilli and garlic prawn spaghetti with olive oil, butter, cherry tomatoes, spinach and parmesan ($28). Yum! I am never going to call this dish boring again. It is a zinger with loads of flavour, big plump prawns and pops of tomato. A bowl of deliciousness.
Kyle chose the southern fried chicken burger with cheese, slaw, bacon, pineapple, chipotle mayo, onion rings and chips ($28). This is massive and delivers everything it promises. Kyle said nothing about this, he was just busy eating, but I stole an onion ring and it was crisp and fluffy and full of flavour. Maybe they should do a bowl of onion rings as a side?

Oh, we had a friend with us, on the sly, and they went for the chicken parma with a housemade Napoli sauce and cheese blend with chips and buttered vegetables ($28). Did I mention Lee very kindly added a couple of extra sauces – pepper and mushroom. Served oozing with goodness, it was proclaimed “one of the best parmas ever”. And this is someone who has had more parmas than Kyle.
Desserts
We were done but there are three desserts to choose from, all are $14 and they all sound good. Chocolate pudding with chocolate sauce and cream – chocolate coma-inducing perhaps, my favourite, vanilla panna cotta with mixed berries and housemade lemon tart with cream and strawberries.
Kids
It’s a family hotel, so children are happily catered for with parma and chips for just $11, napoli pasta, or nuggets and chips for $12, or fish and chips for $13.
Drinks
This is a pub so there is plenty to choose from. I chose the 2021 Cloud St chardonnay from King Valley which was $12 for a glass, the same price as all the many glasses of wine available. Meanwhile bottles of wine range from $45 to $75 – very nice pricing I think.
Another thing
We have known Megan and Tom many years and they are lovely people who have taken the “old girl” and really breathed life back into her. It’s been lovely to watch the pub get the love it deserves and also give people another option in this region.
There is a Friday night raffle for various charities, which is always fun, and Tom has got music happening again – something the pub was known for in an earlier life.

I really recommend making a booking or calling in to see what many people have already discovered. A lovely old pub with great food, service and atmosphere.
See you at the Guilly!

Words: Donna Kelly | Images: Kyle Barnes and contributed

JON Barrell says he didn’t know what retirement looked like, so a few
years back he took some time off, headed to the outback with wife
Maureen and “sat under a tree” for a bit of thinking time.

The first move was to sell his share of Springs Medical Centre – that happened in
2021. And then in February this year he hung up his stethoscope after 36 years in
general practice – in Daylesford, Trentham and surrounds.
Many long-term patients, some belonging to generations he has cared for, have
wished him well saying they knew the day would come along eventually. They are
pleased for him, but sorry for themselves to lose a much loved doctor. Others, Jon
says with a wry smile, “are probably happy to see grumpy Jon go”.
Jon says he wasa sickly infant and child, which ultimately led to his medical
career, but not in the way you would think.
“I was going to be a maths teacher but with my parents in grave fear for my
health, I was home-schooled by Mum and did three years in two. That meant I
was young in year 12, just 16. I thought I would go wandering but Dad said: ‘No,
university’.
“I thought I might do marine science and get a job in Townsville, as far away
from home as possible, but I got my results and thought ‘I could be a doctor’. I wasn’t
really keen to do medicine, but I thought if I didn’t like it I could change to science.”
He did like it, and already thinking about becoming a country GP, Jon graduated
in 1980 and headed to Dandenong to do a two-year internship. “I thought a
suburban hospital would be better grounding than a tertiary centre in the city. I did
obstetrics, anaesthetics, intensive care and emergency and then went to England to do
obstetrics because there was a lot more hands-on experience.”
Jon returned to Dandenong for another year in anaesthetics – all the skill sets he
believed he needed to be a GP in the country.
With their first child Michael on the way, to be followed five years later by
Stephanie, Jon and Maureen chose Daylesford for their next chapter and moved on
Australia Day 1986 and started work with Dr Fred Eggleston and Dr Brian Coles – at
the business that would eventually morph into Springs Medical – the next Monday.
Jon says the work of a GP changed enormously over his career. “People live longer
so they have more chronic disease, and the level of intervention has significantly
increased. The treatment once for heart attack was lie in bed and wait until you
got better, now there are stents and angioplasty…the number of vaccines has vastly
increased.
“When I went to medical school there was no HIV or Hepatitis C, and of course,
Covid had never been noted. I presumed if you read the textbook you would learn all
the things you needed to know. Being a GP today is vastly more complex and detailed
but I still love the work.”
Jon said he chose to move to the country to be involved in the community. He is
a stalwart at the Hepburn Springs Golf Club where he is “indebted to the friendship
and support network for both myself and Maureen” and also did a four-year stint as a
councillor with the Hepburn Shire Council. He re-nominated, failed to get the votes,
“was sorry for about a day” and then got on with life. Maureen has banned him from
standing again.
Being a part of the community means there are also a few “tricky questions”
out of hours but on the whole people are respectful of boundaries, he says. “During
Covid and all those phone consultations, no-one ever rang me inappropriately. And
doctors aren’t special. Electricians, carpenters, all manner of people in the service
industries do the same thing. People have emergency needs and I say it is not a
bother, it is part of living in the country.”
Patients Googling symptoms before they see him doesn’t both Jon either. “People
have always done that. When I was a child, families would save up for a set of World
Book encyclopaedias to look up things, or Ma Evans’ herbal textbook. My job is to
nut things out and give advice. What’s going on here, what are the serious red flags,
what is the most appropriate path – and then arrive at a diagnosis.”
Like everyone, but perhaps more than the general public, Jon has been navigating
Covid for the past three years and says it has “been horrible”. “For the nation, for
the people, for the health professionals, for every other industry, it has been horrible.
There are just so many different components, the fear of getting Covid, vaccine issues,
the mandate issues, hand hygiene and PPE. The logistics of going into a healthcare
facility – everything takes longer.
“Working in full PPE is awful. It has changed general practice remarkably but full
credit to the government of the day and to general practices and the health industry, I
think we were all surprised at how nimble the government and general practices were
to find different ways to do things like iso pods and telephone consultations.

“But sitting in your spare bedroom at home with your feet in the cupboard,
facing the wall with your laptop and mobile phone and wobbly internet and wifi
connections, and wondering how you are going to print and scan and post – the
novelty wore off after about two days.
“Thankfully I think we are on the far side of things but the notion that health
professionals will wear a mask for the rest of our days is challenging to me. Let’s hope
that doesn’t happen.”
So, after those days under the trees, what does retirement look like after 36 years?
It turns out Jon has not quite given up the stethoscope.
Jon says he will get some travelling in, mostly around Australia this year, but also
take on some locum work as both a GP and in emergency medicine. He already has
his first post lined up at Alexandra and will be back at Springs for Good Friday.
“I still feel like I have another 10 years of work in me and finally I will get to
choose when and where. I think after 36 years I have earned that right.”
And also after 36 years of a “sometimes difficult and very demanding life”, Jon
thanks Maureen, Michael and Stephanie for their support.
“I could not have done what I have done without their support. The life of
a country GP can be very demanding on the family. Maureen was a mothercraft
nurse before we married, she has always loved children, and it was her choice to be a
stay-at-home mum at our place at Coomoora. And we know we were very fortunate
to be able to do that. Horses were always her interest and she has passed that on to
Stephanie. And Michael always played golf with me. It’s been a wonderful life.”

DAYLESFORD’S Victoria Park has been chosen as the site of Tinder’s Big Rainbow with the aim
to have installation completed by the ChillOut Festival in March.
Daylesford was selected from a shortlist of four locations around Australia, including Broome in WA, Hay in NSW and Katherine in the NT, and announced as the winner in October last year.

Hepburn Shire Council then invited feedback from the community on where the Big Rainbow should be located with four potential options in Daylesford – Victoria Park, the Lost Children’s Reserve, the Community Skate Park and Lake Daylesford.
The landmark is six metres high by 12 metres wide and painted in the colours of the 2018 Progress Pride Flag. It is made from marine-grade plywood.
Mayor Cr Brian Hood said Victoria Park was the standout position from both a community and council view. Cr Hood said each of the other three sites had concerns which played against them being a viable option. The Lost Children’s Reserve was not the place for a “secondary feature” for historical reasons, the skate park did not have the room and Lake Daylesford was seen to be a natural environment. Victoria Park also had the connection with ChillOut and the LGBTIQA+ community, along with staging other events, plenty of parking and easy accessibility for people wanting to visit the Big Rainbow and have their photo taken.
“It just seemed like the logical choice of the four – and it certainly had the strongest vote from the public of the four sites.”
Cr Hood said things like lighting and signage were still under consideration with the issue of vandalism also being monitored closely once the installation was complete. Most “big” installations in Australia are privately owned and closed at night.
Tinder will pay for the installation and maintenance for three years after which
“the council of the day” will make a decision on its future.
Cr Hood said accepting the donation of the Big Rainbow from a dating app was carefully considered but at the end of the day, the symbolism of acceptance, understanding and diversity won out.
“Tinder was a topic of conversation, and we are mindful that dating apps have
their problems, but on balance overall we thought the positives were pretty strong
and it was compatible with council’s policies and that swayed us.”
Cr Hood said extra visitors, keen to be photographed with Australia’s latest “big thing” would also bring an economic benefit to the region.
Asked if people might try to climb the structure for the ultimate selfie, Cr Hood
said, with a height of six metres, that would be “fraught with danger”.
“I hope that people would just want their photo taken from the ground but you
can’t rule out that people might be tempted to try and climb it.”
Tessa Halliday, the council representative on the shire’s LGBTIQA+ Advisory Committee said the need for a symbol of pride was still relevant.
“We have come a long way but until we can say that every member of the LGBTIQA+ community is safe, accepted and included we still have work to do.
“We are lucky to live in a very supportive community, however this doesn’t mean that there aren’t people in our community that are struggling with their identity or sexuality. “The symbol of pride lets them know that they are important to the community and that they are safe to be themselves. The Big Rainbow says ‘you are safe here’.
Daylesford is also a haven for visitors, a place where they feel safe to be themselves as
they may not be able to at home.”
Cr Halliday said it was easy to look at the positives in the community, “from amazing accepting parents to supportive health providers, however not everyone has this experience”.
“Mental health and suicide rates are still the highest in the LGBTIQA+
community compared to the wider community. It is important that we remember
that the rainbow is a symbol for the LGBTIQA+ community, not a symbol for a
dating site. The dating site will not have any signage on the Big Rainbow.”
In answer to a few other questions from The Local, a council spokesperson said
the Big Rainbow would be a public structure with time-controlled lighting to be
installed to illuminate it.
The spokesperson said the council was still planning signage options and would
ensure the Big Rainbow was well signposted.
In relation to people climbing the structure, this will be discouraged by plantings
around the base.
The Big Rainbow was designed in collaboration with members of the LGBTIQA+
community and the First Nations community.
As part of the promotion, Tinder is also donating $100,000 in grants to a number
of community groups around Australia.
Tinder did not get back to The Local after emails asking which groups would be
in the running for the grants.
Words: Donna Kelly | Images: Contributed

By Donna Kelly

IT’S the start of a new year, well just past the start, but there are a few things which seem to linger longer – and I have been thinking about them.
First up is the Daylesford Hospital. We all know the building is dated and not
designed for the number of people moving to the region. There is also a lack of
doctors after hours – and let’s face it, no-one likes to Zoom.

During last year’s state government election I asked Minister for Health and
Macedon MP Mary-Anne Thomas a number of times if she was going to provide
the money needed for the hospital’s redevelopment. She’s a good pollie because she
avoided answering the question every time.
So here’s a public query – is the state government going to give us the money for
this vital community service? Or are the politicians waiting for the hospital to fall into
such disrepair, or worse, something going pear-shaped with a patient, that they just
close it down? That would be a disaster but I could see it happening.
Next up, where is the report from the Local Government Inspectorate
investigation into the Hepburn Shire Council and the purchase of The Rex? It started
in June 2019 so that is coming up to four years, and that’s a long time by anyone’s
standards. As far as I know everyone involved has long been interviewed so why the
wait? Meanwhile, the council starts another search for staff accommodation.
Related to The Rex is the provision of public toilets. The Rex was bought after a
former council CEO went for a chat in 2016 with the building’s owners about why
they had closed the public toilets inside the building. The building is now in private
hands and may, or may not, eventually offer public toilets.
But for now, and a long time, there have been no public toilets near the lower
roundabout in Vincent Street, and none even near the shops/businesses in Howe
Street. We have all been asked by visitors – generally pregnant women, people with
young kids in tow or the elderly – where the nearest toilet is. As a tourist town, where
we hope people will spend some of their money eating and drinking it’s embarrassing
to point people up the hill with a “good luck!”.
Finally…hold on, I realise this is pretty Daylesford-centric so feel free to turn back
the pages to the Clunes textile exhibition, or the French House at Trentham, or films
at Lyonville, or even the EV charging station at Creswick…or read on.
So finally, what happened to the Big Rainbow? Lots of voting went on with the
first part of the Tinder promotion and then Hepburn Shire residents got to vote on
where in Daylesford they wanted the Big Rainbow to end up, voting finished, and
then…nothing. I have asked the council and even Tinder’s PR people where the next
“big” thing will go and zilch, zip, nada.
The choices were Victoria Park, the Lost Children’s Memorial, the Daylesford
Community Skate Park or Lake Daylesford. I suspect it will be announced as part of
the ChillOut Festival in March and they will unveil it at Carnivale Day at Vic Park.
Hmmm. Personally, I think that would be a mistake.
Vic Park is nice but apart from a few events, the football and netball, and the dog
walkers, it’s pretty empty. It would also be open to vandalism. And really, if we have a
“big” thing we need somewhere with parking, amenities, lighting and people. I’d go
for the Lake. But I guess it’s a case of “watch this space” for all of the above.
Anyway, I hope your 2023 has started off well and if it hasn’t, I hope it gets
better. My New Year resolution is to get a life and think less about all of the above,
especially at 4am. As you can see, it’s not working so far. Just sayin’…

Words: Donna Kelly | Images: Kyle Barnes

THE Savoia Hotel in Hepburn Springs has been a fixture of the region for 150 years in some form, or name, or another.

But it has recently undergone a major transformation and is now under the watch of manager Ross Gregory with well-known chef Lizzy Payne in the kitchen.
Stepping inside, the first thing you notice, and you can’t not, is the bar. It’s an impressive 14 metres and reaches from the bistro to the sports bar areas. And everywhere feels both spacious and welcoming.
Ross has been busy getting his team together, no mean feat at the moment, and also working through offering live local music, getting ready for functions and listening to what the locals want.
But, with the atmosphere ticked off, we are here for the food. And it is hands-down amazing. Lizzy has worked at a number of local venues and knows her stuff. There are the traditional favourites that we all know and love, as well as some very modern offerings. A big thumbs up too to our wait staffer Ashleigh – spot on.
Entrees
Kyle’s starter choice was the kingfish tartare with avocado, pomegranate and
wonton ($22). This ended up being tuna, no kingfish available, but it was just divine
and I reckon the dish of the entire meal. Presentation was delightful and the flavours
were perfect. Felt more like fine dining than a pub.
Now, everyone knows I love all things Asian-y, so I couldn’t go past the sulphur
spring mushroom with buckwheat, nori, wasabi and candied lemon ($19). Again, what
a winner. Umami flavours everywhere and again, that presentation. Delicate and robust
and mouth-watering. Compliments to the chef.
Mains
For mains Kyle had the braised lamb pita with Greek chips, pickled onion and
mustard aioli ($36). A big serve of fall-apart lamb, topped with a Greek-style salad and
with a huge side of the chips. Kyle wrapped the whole lot up, not the chips, in the pita
bread and remained quiet for quite some time.
I chose the calamari, which I often do, but this was done Szechuan-style with
tomato, chickpea, chorizo and rocket ($30). Big, oh-so-tender calamari pieces with an
amazing blend of bold, spicy, sweet and garlicky flavours – topped with a rocket salad
with pickled onions. It is really different to the “normal” calamari and definitely worth
trying. I loved it.
Dessert
Full, but determined to try just one of the many desserts on offer, we choose the
aptly named chocolate nemesis with chocolate soil, raspberries and coffee cream ($18).
OMG. Just try this for the coffee cream and then bite into that delicious chocolate slice
– so rich, so creamy, so yum. The raspberries are the perfect foil, with their tartness, but
then the chocolate soil is too tempting and you are back in chocolate heaven. Or is that
a chocolate coma happening?

Other offerings
We went on a Friday but I highly recommend heading to The Savoia on a Monday
for the Mad Monday’s Locals’ Night Feed Me ($59). It’s a shared banquet-style three-
course meal and includes a schooner of house lager, or a glass of house red/white wine.
Hearing lots of good feedback on this one. Don’t have a big lunch.
There’s also Thirsty Thursday with selected cocktails for $15 from 6pm-8pm. Also
on Thursdays is Parma Night with your choice of parma for $31 which also includes a
schooner of house lager, or a glass of house red/white wine. Can’t do better than that.
Finally, if you love your Sunday roast albeit “a slightly fancier version of your
mum’s/nan’s Sunday roast” with all the trimmings for just $25, you are sorted.
More casual
If you are after something a little more low-key, try the bar menu. Plenty of choices
for everyone, from chicken adobo wings with chilli and coriander ($14) to tempura
mushrooms with lemon aioli ($16). And you can enjoy that amazing bar!
Functions
The Savoia Hotel team prides itself on being able to offer the perfect function at an
affordable price. The menus can be packaged to suit a stand-up/cocktail style function
or a sit-down function. The function room can cater for between 80 and 100 guests
depending on the room arrangement. And really, you will be joining in 150 years of
history in Hepburn Springs. Just imagine the parties and celebrations that have been
held within these walls since the gold rush. Something special there.

Words: Donna Kelly

Twenty-one people took the pledge to become Australian citizens at Hepburn
Shire Council’s civic event last Wednesday, January 25.

The new citizens, pictured above with family members watching on, hailed from Argentina, Britain, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Israel, Italy, France, Germany, New Zealand, Philippines, Romania and United States.
One of those taking the pledge was Denise Connors, pictured (below) with her husband Ian. Denise arrived in Australia from the US 35 years ago and after travelling she eventually met her husband Ian, an Australian, with whom she has run Advanced Trees Trentham for many years, while also working in aged care in Kyneton.

“It was just time,” she said. “It was partially to do with Covid – if I had been in
the US during a lockdown that would have been difficult, but it was really just time. I
had a good friend help me with the paperwork, and apart from that, it was easy.”
Denise said the council ceremony was “very nice” and she also enjoyed watching
the shire’s awards handed out.
Asked if she felt differently after the ceremony, Denise said she was “pleased”. “I
am just proud that I have finally done it, and I am very happy to be an Australian.”

By Donna Kelly
SO, MYER Frankston has closed. The final shopping day was Sunday, January 15 but according to social media, most of the bargains were long gone.

Myer Frankston opened in 1972 when I was just seven years old. Eight years later it became my first workplace. I was in form 5, or today’s year 11, and tired of pocket money being dependent on whether I had been good or bad.
Up until that stage I had been pretty good but in form 5 I swapped from Mt Eliza High to Frankston High and met a whole new group of people and it all pretty much went downhill from there. Grades wise that is. Social life wise, I had the best time of my life, but back to Myer.
I had already failed an interview at Target, just over the carpark from Myer. The feedback was I was “too slow”. Now that’s a bit rude. How you can be too slow in an interview? I think I answered everything but maybe I was too considered. A slow burner. Anyway, I am nothing if not determined, and quickly decided my skill set would be more appreciated at the then, upmarket Myer.
Unlike Target, I passed the interview with flying colours and after a couple of days of training in cash registers, customer service and how to check for stolen credit cards by looking up a huge piece of paper with numbers stuck under the till – this was before computers, kids – I started my first day.
Actually, it was an evening shift, Thursday night, from 5pm to 9pm. I was in the children’s shoe department, a good starting place, and ready to do my best. At 5.05pm the phone rang. Now, we had done the training but no-one mentioned phone calls. Who would be calling? Why were they not shopping in person? Like a deer caught in headlights, I stood still and listened to it ring, and ring, and ring.
I looked up and saw a saleswoman, aged about 20, striding across from children’s clothing. She was very made up, well dressed, high heels. Yay, I thought. My saviour. But sadly no.
“Are you f…king deaf?” she screamed. “No,” I said, clearly a hearing person because I answered her question. “Then answer the f…king phone.” And I did.
It was a mostly good job for five years, helping me pay my way through two years of high school and three at university. I can’t say I really enjoyed fitting school shoes to kids with smelly feet, strange ulcers on their legs and runny noses. But then I moved to ladies’ shoes, ladies not women, and that was great.
Many women just came to grab a seat and have a rest, others were keen for a chat and the saleswomen I worked with there were lovely and encouraging. I remember coming to work one day sans stockings, a bit worried, but was told kindly by one: “It’s OK, you young ones can get away with anything these days”.
I also remember wearing heels every work stint, nothing out of control, but you know, a couple of inches. Those long days, 12 hours, over the school holidays were a real killer. I didn’t dare take my shoes off for any of my breaks in case I couldn’t get them on again. Of course, we also got a shopping discount, and also knew when the shoes were going to be marked down so could hide a pair out the back for that date. Wrong but, you know, there have to be some perks.
I think I was last in Myer Frankston about a year ago and it was looking tired and worn out. Fifty years is a long time for a store to hang in there and while many loyal shoppers will be sad to see it go, I will always feel happy I was a part of it, for a short time anyway. Myer was really my store. Just sayin’…