My Father’s Suitcase is described as a gripping tale of resilience and survival that offers hope to others who have experienced family violence and suffered at the hands of a sibling.

The book is a memoir which explores not only the troubled relationship between author Mary Garden and her younger sister, Anna, who died in 2023, but is also a big slice of social history of New Zealand in the 50s and 60s.

And while Mary may have started with anger about her sister, that changed as she wrote and her anger moved towards those around her who enabled the sibling violence to continue.

“I knew I had a focus on my sister’s treatment of me and this whole nothing of sibling abuse, it’s a huge missing part of family violence, but it is also about the dysfunctional family unit it exists within,” the Castlemaine resident and prolific feature writer, said.

“As I was writing I became less and less angry with her and by the end I felt quite compassionate, she had such a shit life. I mean, my mother used to say in front of Anna, ‘isn’t Mary pretty’, or ‘if only Anna was more like Mary’.

“And then I felt enraged about all those people who enabled it, the bystanders, all those people who knew about my sister’s violence and didn’t protect me.

“People say writing can be cathartic but I had already done a lot of therapy and work on my sister, so for me it provided more clarity and insight.”

My Father’s Suitcase grew out of her second memoir, Sundowner of the Skies, a biography of her aviator father, Oscar Garden, which was short-listed for the NSW Premier’s History Award 2020 for a book of international significance.

Her first book, The Serpent Rising, a memoir of her years entangled with various gurus in India in the 1970s, won the High Country Indie Book Award 2021.)

“In 2005 I did my first article on my father, who died in 1997 and had been a famous aviator. I did a feature article but when it was published it just exploded and I got emails from everywhere asking if I could write a book.

“I thought there was no way I could write a book but people pounded me for years and I started a book on my father and got a research grant, and I just hit a brick wall.

“I had a lot of self doubts, and of course I hated what my father had put my mother through, but I eventually went back to uni and did an editing course.

“Unfortunately I got a high distinction so I ended up doing a diploma and then a wretched PhD on journalism and the use of blogs and Twitter. And I thought if I can do this 80,000-word PhD I can do this book on my father, so I whipped it out really quickly and put a whole personal thread through it.”

Sadly, Mary’s publisher was not keen on the final three personal chapters, asking Mary to concentrate on aviation, and left much on the stone, so to speak.

Happily what was left became the start of her new book, My Father’s Suitcase, although some people told her that with Covid happening, no one wanted to hear about trauma.

“But I talked to many people and people do, so my book is not really my book, it is their story too, things that resonate with many people.

“And I just sat down and wrote it, it literally just poured out. So much so I had to see a hand therapist. And it turned out not to be just my difficult relationship with my sister but it includes the social and cultural history of the time in New Zealand.”

My Father’s Suitcase is available at all bookstores with signed copies at Paradise Books in Daylesford.

Words: Donna Kelly | Images: Contributed

The consultation period on Hepburn Shire Council’s draft Township Structure Plans and Rural Hepburn strategy has been extended to June 26.

The draft documents were released on May 1 with the original consultation period ending on June 12.
Mayor Cr Brian Hood thanked everyone who had already lodged their submissions.

“We know there is a lot of detail and so we’ve decided to extend the consultation period so we can gain more insights from the community.

“Though the deadline is extended by a fortnight, it will still give us time to fully consider that feedback and work to adopt the strategy in early September.

“I encourage every resident to access the information via council’s ‘Participate Hepburn’ page. This is a
once-in-a-generation planning strategy that will guide development for many years to come.”

Cr Hood said all the submissions would be considered by councillors and he assured the community
that all feedback was being taken into account “and (we) will continue to do so before we consider possible adoption”.

A council media release said the Rural Hepburn strategy provided a comprehensive planning and action framework for the use and development of private rural land.

“It will provide a safeguard for rural land. Initial community feedback reaffirms that agricultural land is
highly valued, contributes significant economic benefits, that conservation and biodiversity are important, and that rural tourism is a significant growth contributor,” the release said.

“The strategy proposes to introduce contemporary and clearer planning provisions, so getting feedback from community on these options is important.”

CEO Bradley Thomas said community engagement had been integral in providing further local knowledge.

“The small, but highly skilled strategic planning team have gathered great insights from the community and submissions to date, which they will review and provide recommendations to councillors.”

The council has held face-to-face meetings in each of its townships, which attracted many interested
individuals. Online there have been thousands of visits to the Participate Hepburn site, and almost 500 people have completed the survey.

“We have all these farms around us, a form of food security for the town, and that should never
be taken for granted. We have really good soil, really good water, and can just throw seeds on the
ground and food will grow for us. To destroy that is ludicrous.”

These are the words of Vasko Drogriski, one of the “very active” members of grassroots community group Pastures not Pavements.

The Daylesford and Hepburn Springs group’s aims are threefold. To stop plans to rezone land in East Street from farmland to residential, to stop extensions to Daylesford’s town boundary and also stop the rezoning of another parcel of farmland to industrial.

“The hopes of the group are that the extension of the town boundary gets dropped and the council also puts aside the rezoning of farmland to residential. There is not sufficient evidence for it to be warranted and these are very big modifications to the town.

“We are just saying if there is no urgent need for it, why do it now? Why not just step back, look at it again in 10 or 15 years’ time and if there is any such need, reassess then and have another discussion with the town.”

Mr Drogriski, a builder, said councillors were listening and understood it was an important issue for
the community but “we don’t know which way they are going to vote”.

“They are certainly hearing this is a serious thing for the town and people are quite unanimous about it. That message is getting through.”

If the plans do make it through council, despite opposition, Mr Drogriski said the group would continue to fight.

“The next stage would be the planning scheme amendment and we have been collecting evidence and
if we have to, we will take that to the minister.

There is evidence of improper consultation, flaws in the plans themselves and insufficient evidence for some of the changes they are proposing.

“The community, including our group have done a lot work in terms of fleshing out and exploring options and we think we have some very good viable options we want the council to look at and consider seriously.

“We have a lot of expertise and experience and some of us have been here 20, 30 or 40 years. I am a building designer myself so I have some insight into where housing is possible and it doesn’t need to go on a farm which is sitting on top of a spring that flows into one of our main tourist attractions, the Lake.

“There is a lot of space for housing within the town boundary and there are viable alternatives which will keep the town as it is and how people and tourists like it.”

Mr Drogriski said the shire’s councillors needed to leave a legacy of “retaining the beauty and structure of this town – why any councillor would want to leave a legacy of destroying a big heritage beats me. If you want to leave a legacy, leave a good one.”

He said farmer Ned Powell, whose East Street property is in the firing line for rezoning, was “probably
partly overwhelmed but also actively engaged in the fight”.

“It is not just Ned, it is his uncles and his aunty who own the property together, who have been dragged into something they don’t want. But Ned is in there batting for his whole family because he sees his future in farming, and he wants to be that next generation with his kids who want to farm that property.

“I think he is also inspired by the support he is getting from the community. It has been a fantastic community effort, and it shows me for the first time in the 20 years I have been here how supportive the community is of our farmers and the farmland around own town.

“I have seen how much people value the farmland, the open spaces, the rural edge. And that has been fantastic.”

Words: Donna Kelly | Image: Wayne Hammond

Coomoora’s Patrice O’Shea recently received an Order of Australia Medal in the General Division for services to the environment and secondary education in the King’s Birthday Honours list.

Patrice has been secretary of the Friends of Wombat Hill Botanic Gardens since 2010 and was a teacher at Ballarat Grammar from 1982 to 2009.

Patrice said the award was “affirming” but was keen to add that many people were just as worthy. “But it is a lovely thing that people have gone to considerable effort to make it happen and it is pretty affirming to know that.”

“I think the vast majority of people in education work bloody hard and why do you single out one person, but having said that it was a profession that I certainly enjoyed enormously.

“I enjoyed where I worked, the kids I taught, the stuff I taught. It is hard work, there is no doubt about that, but the vast majority of people who do it are worthy of recognition.”

Patrice said she entered teaching because she enjoyed being a student. “I enjoyed stuff, understanding things, working things out, finding out about things, so it was something I enjoyed personally and seemed an OK thing to do as a career.

“But also, given the age, there was a tendency on the part of girls to either go into nursing or teaching.”

Patrice, who attended Catholic schools, said she had good teachers who made a difference in her life.

“All of my education was with nuns, and there is sort of the luck of the draw at any school, but I had remarkable women teaching me.

“You would hope good teachers make a difference – that’s the plan, what’s supposed to happen and you would hope if you were in the (teaching) game you would be one of them, you would give it your best shot anyway.”

Patrice said she had retired some years ago so the full implications of the digital age in teaching were not something she had experienced but she believed personal engagement was the critical element for teachers.

“During Covid teachers did work from home and my observations are that it near killed them. Really it is one of the jobs where you just have to be there. A bit like a GP.

“Telehealth is a wonderful thing but in the end you really have to be in the room with the person in my view.”

Patrice and her family lived in Daylesford, just below Wombat Hill Botanic Gardens, from 1976 to 1990, and they were “sort of like a big backyard”.

“Like many people I do enjoy gardens, trees in particular, plants and people so the Friends of the Gardens is really a terrific focus for all of those interests. That is what made the Friends such a good thing for me and for others too. It is a community organisation but also a community in itself.”

Patrice said she believed people were increasingly realising the importance of the gardens and how precious they are to the region.

“They are so wild and romantic in so many ways and so pleasant to be in, in so many other ways. Even when the weather is terrible there are pleasures to be had up there, as long as you are appropriately clothed.”

Patrice said the Friends of the Gardens were holding a first, a community Winter in the Gardens Festival, with the intriguing subtitle of “mists, magic and mystery”.

“It’s the first weekend of August, all orchestrated by one of the Friends, Frank Page, and we are having a series of talks, a dinner on the Saturday night to which people are cordially invited, tours of the gardens, the Daylesford Museum is putting on an exhibition and there’s even a winter flower show in the conservatory.

“It’s a wonderful community event with the Friends of the Gardens, the Daylesford Horticultural Society, the Agricultural Society, the Historical Society and U3A involved.

“It’s all free, except for the dinner, and we will be enjoying the gardens at a time of the year which is not what you see in the glossy magazines. It is a fantastic thing.”

Words: Donna Kelly | Image: Eve Lamb

By Donna Kelly

OK. By now we all know the Hepburn Shire Council is in a bit of a state financially.

But how did it all go so wrong? The Rex perhaps? Nah. Couldn’t be. Hang on, I think I know what’s happened. The numbers don’t add up. I realised that after I read the following words in the draft budget: “Even after the $4.50 million borrowings and $1.5m operational savings council will still need to identify $4.00 of permanent additional revenue or expenditure reductions in 2025/2026.”

Even the embattled councillors must have got a little laugh out of that. Maybe not.

Talking of typos, I remember quite a few years back hearing of a national newspaper being produced by a laissez faire sub-editor who filled in the front page headline space with big 60 point letters.

Keep in mind the most you should ever write in a headline space is Headline Goes Here – just in case you forget to change it.

But this guy was a joker and wrote WORLD IS… and then he put an F and then a U and then a K and then a T.

You can see how I would be thinking about that as I wade through Hepburn Shire Council’s draft budget and draft town structure plans.

The really funny thing, not for the sub because he got the sack, is that a few copies managed to get printed and delivered before someone called the wonderful “Stop the presses”. I would love a copy if you happen to have one.

Anyway, things are not going well for the council and you could say the ratepayers are revolting. I am sure the council is saying that. It really does feel like a bit of a revolution and then you wonder who will be at the helm when the next elections are held in November.

Will the current mob want another four years or is it time for them to bow out?

Or is it time for the state government to step in and take over? And what does that mean for everything on the table now?

Or will the council look for a merger – but what council would want to take on a cash-strapped neighbour. Ballarat? Moorabool? Maybe more likely Melton because we are going to start looking like that once we turn our farm land into subdivisions of ticky tacky houses.

The swathes going through Middleton Field are already pretty mind blowing and then they go and cut down an historic and important cedar tree. Yes it was on private land, and yes, it made way for access to the estate, but at what cost.

That reminds me of another time when the state government worked to move the fire station at Glenlyon to the other side of Barkly Street, mostly commonly known as the avenue of honour although I have been told it is an avenue of federation.

Anyway, to create access for the fire trucks we were told they needed to remove five of the oaks and elms.

Kyle, myself and a neighbour protested. And many people told us we were against the fire station and even called us tree huggers. Gasp!

Finally, the developer agreed that the trucks could enter from the back of the block and no trees needed to be removed. Problem solved. Although we did have one more stand to make.

A Powercor bloke came to drill under the avenue to connect power. Kyle asked him to hold off while we called his manager. He told Kyle: “They’re just f…king trees, mate.”

I then called the manager who assured me all their staff were highly trained professionals and I had to beg to differ.

Long story a little shorter, they put the power in from the back of the block and the trees are there to continue their journeys today.

I dunno, it’s all a bit crazy right now, and the public consultations for both the budget and the town structure plans are coming quickly. If you have something to say, now is the time.

And for the councillors, I don’t envy your jobs but as I have said before please concentrate on getting it right, rather than just getting it done.

The future looks a little bleak and we really are in your hands. Just sayin’..

More than 150 people attended a community consultation at the Daylesford Town Hall last Saturday, June 1, over the proposed Hepburn Shire Town Structure Plans.

Among them was farmer Ned Powell, pictured above talking with Hepburn Shire Council Development executive director Ron Torres, who is concerned about the potential rezoning of his East Street, Daylesford farm land to residential.

Mr Powell said it was a shock for his family to discover the move on the draft plan for Daylesford and Hepburn Springs. Mr Powell said his family bought the farm in 1921 and had continuously farmed the property. And he says, despite the potential for profit, they were completely opposed to the idea of rezoning.

Mr Powell is concerned his rates could go up if the land was rezoned and it could also be subject to the state government’s windfall gains tax, introduced last year.

Many people have raised other concerns with The Local including that the plans are rushed, with a deadline of June 12 for community input.

Mayor Cr Brian Hood has said “getting it right is more important than timing”. However the proposed plans are pencilled in to be passed at the August council meeting.

The plans are part of Future Hepburn, which since its start four years ago has cost about $1.3 million. Community sessions on the town structure plans have been held throughout the shire.

Meanwhile, a community-led grass roots movement, Pastures NOT Pavements, has formed with farmers, residents, business owners and “the wider community of people that are concerned about the Daylesford and Hepburn Springs Draft Structure Plan”.

The group says it wants “to preserve active farmland that is essential to maintaining the rural character of our townships and not succumb to unnecessary ‘greenfield development’, because once it’s gone, it’s gone”.

The group wants to stop the rezoning of the East Street farmland, preserve productive agricultural land, protect the Smith’s Creek and farmland water catchment, remove Central Springs Road as a freight spine, support incremental and distributed housing growth within the town boundaries and prevent the business centre and traffic being drawn eastwards.

Link: www.participate.hepburn.vic.gov.au/future-hepburn

Words & image: Donna Kelly

Hepburn Shire Council is in such dire financial straits that Mayor Cr Brian Hood and two other councillors voted to defer the release of its draft budget until September.

At a special meeting of council on May 28, Cr Lesley Hewitt moved a motion which acknowledged the challenging financial environment that is confronting councils across Victoria and requested the CEO and Mayor write to the Local Government Minister to seek an extension of time to the September 2024 council meeting to adopt the budget, to allow the council to undertake further work including extensive community consultation.

The motion also requested that the CEO work with councillors to undertake additional councillor workshops, engage with the community during July and prepare an updated Financial Plan (10 years) for consideration at the September 2024 council meeting that addresses the long-term financial sustainability of the council.

It was voted for by Cr Hewitt, Cr Don Henderson and Cr Hood. Those against were Cr Jen Bray, Cr Juliet Simpson, Cr Tessa Halliday and Cr Tim Drylie. After alternative motions, the draft budget was moved to be released for public discussion.

Cr Hood, speaking on why the draft budget release should be delayed said it was “absolutely unacceptable and unsustainable to budget for deficits”.

“The draft budget does not meet the requirements of the overarching governance principles set out which relate to ensuring the ongoing financial viability of council.

“(It) does not prudently manage financial risk (and) in its current form it also does not meet the requirement to provide stability and predictability for the community. The limited mention of rates does just the opposite – it creates uncertainty.”

Cr Hood said in its current form the draft budget posed unacceptable risks and was outside the council’s stipulated risk appetite and policy in that it “recklessly projects a scenario of having no unrestricted cash available to buffer against unforeseen emergencies (such as the storm and flood events experienced in recent years).”

Cr Hood said the draft budget disclosed unfunded cash shortfalls in the order of $4m in each of years 2, 3 and 4 – a gap equivalent to 20 per cent of the council’s rates base or 12.5 per cent of its cash operating expenses.

“In reality the budget quantifies massive problems to the community with no solutions. It is simply unfair and unrealistic to present a budget with massive deficits and cash shortfalls for a review by the community in less than three weeks. Nothing constructive could be achieved in that period.

“While there has been limited discussion/debate today on the budget’s contents there has been absolutely no discussion on what the next three weeks’ consultation looks like.

“When informing the community of further deficits, no cash buffer, no major capex projects, possible service cuts and rate hikes what do we expect them to do with that info in three weeks and what do we expect their reaction to be?”

In a media briefing the day before the draft budget was released, Cr Hood, speaking on behalf of the council as mayor, said financial issues had arisen from the cumulative effect of sub-CPI rate capping ($5.8m over the past three years), high inflation in construction and other costs, cost-shifting from other levels of government, mostly state, and waste charge changes effective from 25/26.

Cr Hood also said Hepburn Shire had a small population, a low rate base and an overly ambitious service offering from the council.

The council is looking at asking the state government for a rates variation from the current government cap, cuts of operating costs of $1.5 million, new borrowings of $5.5 million for capital expenditure and the Daylesford Town Hall, the completion of only ongoing and renewal works, and slashing full-time staff from 190 to 174.

Public consultation is open until June 13, with its adoption set for June 25. Link: www.participate.hepburn.vic.gov.au/draft-budget

Words: Donna Kelly

By Donna Kelly

It will be interesting. So many people against the idea to turn productive farmland into residential land in East Street, Daylesford, but can they change the Hepburn Shire Council’s mind?

I hope so. It seems crazy that you would talk about the importance of farmland – including what AusNet hopes to get hold of – and then go and carve it up for houses that are not yet needed.

And the poor bloody farmer and his family. We are taught from a young age to try and make a living for ourselves and our families, give back to the community and look after ourselves if possible.

Yes, there are safety nets there for people if needed, and I have been on the dole a couple of times in my younger days, but I reckon I have more than paid back my fair share of tax.

But the farmer and his family are going to be hit with higher rates and the added boot up the backside of the state government’s windfall gains tax. As Graham Kennedy said so well, apparently imitating a crow…”Farrrkkkk”.

So even if the farmer and his family want to keep farming, which they do, they may not be able to afford to stay on their own land. Their land. Maybe someone from The Castle can help them out.

And then Hepburn Shire Council’s Development executive director Ron Torres, who seems like a nice enough bloke, says planning is not allowed to take into account any monetary issues. They may not but the farmer has no choice. Life is all about monetary issues.

(Quick aside. Why do organisations like all levels of government twist their titles around? Mr Torres’ real title is Executive Director Development. I always change them back. Just for fun. Obviously I need more in my life.)

Anyway, we will see if the council will listen. Mayor Brian Hood, who I do like, says the council is hoping Future Hepburn will be a legacy for the current crop of councillors but they only have until September before they go into caretaker mode for the next election.

Cr Hood says getting it right is more important than the timing so we will see.

And legacy projects are not always all they are cracked up to be. The Rex, anyone? I also wonder why the council is not looking at residential land at the end of Jamieson Street. Lovely rolling hills, nice views, no farmland to chop up. Apparently there are concerns over the steepness of the land and potential bushfires. Hmmm.

I also wondered about the cost so far for all the planning consultants and experts. I am sure they have worked hard but we must have paid them pretty well – and that means ratepayers. (The council says $1.3 million to date.)

And some of the statistics are a little mind blowing. For example, Glenlyon’s documents say the town had a 2021 population nearing 450 which is expected to grow by 60 people by 2041. The same document says research expects demand for 54 new homes over the next 15 years. So this is 2024 and by 2039 we will need 54 new homes for 60 people. Are we just planning for divorcees?

The document then says housing capacity, including both infill and greenfield development, is only 47 dwellings, and “due to over-riding environmental and servicing factors” some of this demand could be accommodated in nearby Daylesford. Maybe in East Street? WTAF?

I guess it’s another watch this space but I hope the council goes for getting it right over getting it done. Just sayin’..

The potential rezoning of farm land to residential in East Street, Daylesford, as part of the Future Hepburn draft plans, has raised the ire of many residents in the region, along with the farming family who owns 14 hectares of the land.

Farmer Ned Powell said it was a shock for his family to discover the move on the draft plan for Daylesford and Hepburn Springs. Mr Powell said his family bought the farm in 1921 and had continuously farmed the property. And he says, despite the potential for profit, they were completely opposed to the idea of rezoning.

Mr Powell, whose social media post is reprinted with permission, right, also has concerns that his rates could go up if the land was rezoned and it could also be subject to the state government’s windfall gains tax, introduced last year.

Hepburn Shire Council Development executive director Ron Torres acknowledged Mr Powell had monetary concerns but said no calculations had been carried out on any possible increased rates or state taxes.

“The reason is because whatever strategic planning we do across the shire, and there will be potential monetary impacts, those factors are not considerations under the planning framework. I know that sounds shocking but the planning framework expressly requires planners not to factor in changes to land value and rates.”

Mr Torres said housing growth was going to occur in Daylesford and while most people would prefer it within the existing township boundaries, there was also a need for new, more diverse houses for the next 30 years “and that is what East Street is doing”.

Mayor Cr Brian Hood said the council was aware many in the community believed the deadline for input into the town structure plans, June 12, and to be passed at the August council meeting, was too soon for such important planning framework.

“I think through all of the publicity people knew this was coming and we have been saying for ages we are working on these high level plans to set the direction for planning and growth controls,” Cr Hood said.

“But there are 70 pages for each town, plus the rural strategy and there is a lot of technical detail here and it is bloody important stuff, long term planning for 25 to 30 years. So I don’t blame (people) if they are wondering ‘what does this do to my property?’ or ‘what does it mean my neighbour can do?’. We are working through this six-week (consultation) period and will see where we get to.

“We always aimed at getting it through this term, and it is pencilled in for August, then we meet in September (before doing into caretaker mode) and then we are done.

“But we have to get this right and getting it right is more important than timing. It is pleasing and encouraging the amount of engagement across the shire and great that people are raising their concerns and questions and we are genuinely there to listen and what people’s concerns are, so we can get this right.”

Mr Torres said there was also a push from the state government on councils to see every council “carry its weight in future growth” with potential housing targets on the horizon. “It is imperative to have our plan locked in, our own community vision.”

Mr Torres said another area, the end of Jamieson Street, was also looked at for more housing but was not considered because it was considered too steep and exposed to heightened bushfire risk from the north.

Since its start four years ago, Future Hepburn has cost about $1.3 million. Community sessions will be held at Newlyn on May 22, Trentham on May 24, Hepburn Springs and Glenlyon on May 25, and Clunes and Daylesford on June 1.

Community feedback closes on June 12. Link: www.participate.hepburn.vic.gov.au/future-hepburn

Words: Donna Kelly

By Donna Kelly

I have been wondering how this year’s council elections will go with no ward boundaries.

The decision to remove them was made this year by the Victorian Electoral Commission, with input from councils and ratepayers.

Thirty councils will change to a single-member ward structure and four councils will change to a multi-member ward structure – Buloke Shire Council, Northern Grampians Shire Council, Surf Coast Shire Council and Yarriambiack Shire Council.

The final five councils will change to an unsubdivided structure – Campaspe Shire Council, Gannawarra Shire Council, Moorabool Shire Council, Strathbogie Shire Council – and Hepburn Shire Council.

So we keep the same number of councillors but we all vote for anyone from any ward. Well, the wards don’t exist after this election, so we vote for anyone from any town, hamlet, farm…

But I just don’t know how that will work. For example, in our little town of Glenlyon, which used to be in Holcombe Ward, we voted for people we knew cared about the region – hopefully because they lived there.

And because all the Holcombe Ward people were voting for someone in Holcombe Ward, someone in Holcombe Ward ended up on the council – hopefully pushing for the rights of our little ward.

But now there is no requirement for a certain amount of councillors to be voted for any area. So, for example, with the majority of the Hepburn Shire ratepayers living in Daylesford and Creswick, I would imagine the majority of those elected will be from Daylesford and Creswick, that just makes sense.

But who will put their hand up to help with a battle in Glenlyon, or Little Hampton, or Hepburn? I know, the councillors will be asked to represent all of their constituents but human nature being what it is, wouldn’t you help your neighbour first?

And surely this no-ward structure means the only people being voted in are those with the highest profile already – like Mayor Cr Brian Hood who is oft quoted in media reports.

Not sure who else – but you know, Alla Wolf-Tasker, who I am sure would never want the role, would have a good chance, or one of the local former AFL footballers could be in like Flynn.

Sadly old John Smith, who lives down the road at nowhere’s-ville, despite being a great bloke, really keen on transparency, knows all about due diligence and finance and has plenty of time on his hands to make a communnity contribution, doesn’t have a snow flake’s chance in hell.

Money is the other thing that could come into play. If you are watching free-to-air television at the moment, you would have seen myriad commercials about some convention Clive Palmer is holding throughout Australia – with some American guy coming out because our two countries are so similar with the same great values. Hmmm. Yeah, nah.

Anyway, love him, or like me, loathe him, Palmer has money – although his Queensland workers were left wondering where it was – and has tried before to buy an election with campaign dough.

So, if a local resident wanted hard enough to get voted onto the Hepburn Shire Council, they could up their profile if they had enough cash to spend a bit on advertising themselves. And that just seems a bit unfair to me.

Cash may be king, but we should be living in a republic by now. Please note, under commerical law, The Local must accept advertising from anyone. We can start your campaign any time you are ready…

Anyway, it will be an interesting election and I am keen to see who is going to put their hand up. I did once you know. Way back in 2016 I guess. Not sure what I was thinking but I failed miserably.

It was the day of the election and the counting was under way. I was still a bit hopeful and a bit “oh no, what have I done” when a woman wearing a hat covered in fake birds stopped me outside Coles in Daylesford.

“You came last in the count,” she announced, quite loudly. I laughed. Thought she was joking and replied: “Oh, no, they are just doing the count now…” “Yes, I was there,” she said. “You polled last.”

So a nice comedown, from a woman in a hat covered in birds, although I did get enough votes to get my registration money back. And to be truthful, while I was a bit miffed, I did think later I had dodged a bullet.

Mind you it was before Covid so there were plenty of long drives to council meetings in Clunes and Creswick, in the dead of winter, through sleet and snow. Now, it’s all on Zoom out of the Daylesford Town Hall.

If you decide to run, I would love to hear from you. You know, just for the scoop. And do I have a campaign package just right for you. Just sayin’…

In October last year The Local received a leaked document, via a USB drive, regarding the report by the Local Government Inspectorate into Hepburn Shire Council and dealings with The Rex. And a few other things.

The document arrived a week after The Local had emailed the Inspectorate to ask why the report had not been released and received an email back saying the Inspectorate was unable to share any information at that time.

The Local also contacted Hepburn Shire Council at the time with CEO Bradley Thomas saying the council had been in regular contact with the Local Government Inspectorate regarding the release of the report and “we have been calling for the release for some time – we can’t speculate on the reasons for the delay, but encourage you to contact the LGI directly”.

After a column by Donna Kelly on the receipt of the leaked document, The Local was asked to deliver the drive and any associated paperwork to the Inspectorate.

Last Wednesday, May 1, after receiving a media release … stating the state government has introduced new legislation to improve council governance and integrity standards, The Local wrote again to the Local Government Inspectorate asking when the report would be released.

It also wrote the same day to the media advisor of Local Government Department Minister Melissa Horne, who sent out the release, asking how the new legislation would help the people of Hepburn Shire uncover what had happened with their ratepayer dollars.

No reply was received from either department before press time.

The Local Government Inspectorate’s charter is “Encouraging higher standards of integrity, accountability and transparency in local government”.

And the state government continues to release media releases about legislation which will “elevate governance and integrity standards in Victoria’s 79 councils” and that “since the last council elections in 2020, 56 councillors have resigned and 11 councils have had municipal monitors appointed as a result of governance issues”.

That is all fine and dandy for those councils, but every Hepburn Shire ratepayer has the right to know what happened to their rates – and how long it will impact the delivery of services to the region. Until then, where is the integrity? And most of all, where did our rates go?

Words: Donna Kelly

Your thoughts? Email news@tlnews.com.au

By Donna Kelly

What an extraordinary thing Ros Pyers has done. Generously donated to not just one but four organisations.

And that is after a lifetime of already donating her time as a volunteer to even more groups – and working as an educator, surely one of the most important roles in our community.

So it is no wonder the beneficiaries of her generosity are Hepburn Primary School and Daylesford Primary School along with the Daylesford Community Brass Band (pictured above) – her love of music shining through, and Daylesford and District Historical Society – another love, history.

As Hepburn Shire Mayor Cr Brian Hood, who attended a small celebration of the donations last week said, the impact of Ros’s generosity and compassion will be felt for many years to come.

“This is such a wonderful gesture and one that will make an incredible difference to our children and the wider community.”

Now I don’t know the Pyers couple very well – although in recent times I have spent a bit of time, in his role with the Daylesford Highland Gathering, with Ros’s husband of 67 years Keith.

I also know Keith as the go-to Justice of the Peace, who during those dark days of Covid, continued to offer his services with a desk and a couple of chairs on the verandah of the couple’s home. That is commitment and kindness, which is what Keith and Ros seem to be all about.

Keith was also a teacher and involved as a volunteer in many organisations – and has spent a lot of time and effort ensuring Ros’s donations came to fruition.

Congratulations to you both, and thank you from myself and your community. It would be wonderful if your actions encourage others to do something similar. It certainly has me thinking. Oh, and a very happy 90th to you both!

I would also like to thank our journo Narelle Groenhout for writing the story, on page 3 if you skipped past, with such love and kindness. I would have loved to have gone along myself but was away – and just knew this had Narelle’s name all over it.

You might remember Narelle writing about the terrible accident in Daylesford last year – she was there when it happened and felt compelled to share her feelings, again, all about love and compassion. And just between us, she and her husband Pat, did amazing, although they would never tell you that.

Finally, I really have enjoyed putting this edition together. Sometimes, to be honest, it’s work but this time it was just fantastic to see so many stories, and advertising, coming through. Like we are really back.

We started off with 28 pages and then more stories arrived, so I bumped it up to 32 pages and then more stories arrived so I made the decision on Friday to go up to 36 pages. Hopefully it will stay there, because I am running out of steam now.

But it’s a great edition and nice to get back into after our break in Japan. We had a great time, and our grand-nephew loved it too. He really “got” Japan which not every one does.

And here is a final Japan pic I just had to share. We found ourselves in a bar, strange that, and as I chatted to the manager in Japanese, he said he had a surprise for us. He disappeared and returned with a geisha. True story.

But Kyle was just a little too enamoured. Just sayin’…

By Donna Kelly

A long, long time ago, just after the dinosaurs disappeared and the wheel was invented, I lived in Japan.

It was a very different world. There was no internet, well there probably was but I didn’t know about it, no Facebook, no Snapchat, no email, no Instagram.

We communicated by writing aerogrammes, filling every tiny piece of the very light, and light blue, paper to make sure we got our money’s worth. You could also make a phone call but they were incredibly expensive so you wrote everything down you were going to say so there were no blank bits or ummms and ahhhs.

Anyway, I had been to uni and got a BA or Bachelor of Arts, which my Dad also called Bugger All. I like to think he was joking and it was the days when the government paid for the degree. But still not sure. He was an engineer after all.

And then I found work at a newspaper as a cadet journalist in Rosebud on the Mornington Peninsula. My career was going well and over the next two years I moved to Frankston and then to the Mornington Leader where I was the editor.

Yep, at the grand old age of 22 I was chatting with MP Peter Reith as part of my role.

And then Mum found a newspaper advertisement. The Ministry of Education, or Mombusho, in Japan were looking for teachers of English. You needed a degree but no Japanese. I applied and missed out.

But about a month later I had a call from the Ministry saying a position had come up, about an hour out of Tokyo, and would I like it?

The next minute, or so it seemed, I had said farewell to a boyfriend of six years, told Mum to come and visit and I was on a plane to Narita Airport.

I was picked up after a nine-hour flight by four, very stern looking, Japanese men, none of whom spoke English, and we spent the next couple of hours sitting awkwardly in a limo before I was dropped off at my apartment in the smallish town of Ome.

They told me, in a sort of mime, they would pick me up the next morning at 7.30am and take me to the Board of Education, and promptly left.

I think I was pretty much in a state of shock. I had never lived away from home, spoke no Japanese and had left a fun journo job for the unknown of Japan.

I looked out the balcony at the snow covered mountain over the road, turned on the television, watched as Arnie sold some products in halting Japanese, turned it off, and looked around the two rooms which were my new home.

My new employees had already pulled out a futon mattress from the cupboard, and popped sheets and a duvet on top, and I think they left me a loaf of bread, being a foreigner and all, for a breakfast of toast.

Luckily I had a Western-style toilet and there was a lovely deep bath.

The next morning I got up early and was ready and waiting for my ride. We went straight to the office, no sight-seeing going on, and I met all the managers and took part in my first all Japanese meeting. It only went for three hours.

If you think Australian office meetings can be dull, try it in a language you don’t understand.

I also asked for the bathroom and nearly cried when I saw the Asian-style squat toilets. I decided to hold on until something better turned up but after a few days realised I could do some internal damage if I only peed at home.

The next day I started at my first junior high school where the students spoke no English and neither did the English teachers. It was a bit of a struggle at times, especially when the students asked if I was a virgin.

“Yes or no,” the English teacher prompted. Hmmm. I said “no” but I am from Franganistan, where a woman in her 30s is generally the grandmother. Only Frankston people can make these jokes.

What’s a woman in a white tracksuit? The bride. But I digress.

Japan turned out to be the biggest, most fun adventure of my life. I stayed for three years, made loads of friends, learnt the language and ended up being a tour guide back home in Cairns and on the Gold Coast.

I have so many fantastic memories and until Covid hit pretty much found my way back there almost every year, dragging Kyle along after we met in the 90s. And he loves it just as much as me, although you do need to visit to really “get” the place.

It’s all odd and fun and exciting at the same time. And sometimes scary. I was followed home a few times by strange men, had a few others on trains doing things under newspapers that are quite illegal, and worked for a friend in a “hostess” bar where I thought I was just serving drinks but some of the patrons had other ideas.

Mum loved it too. Kept turning up every few months to outstay her welcome – she didn’t care. The last time we went together was when she turned 80.

She had been really crook, almost gone, and then pretty miraculously recovered. We went during cherry blossom season, rented a tatami mat and sat on the ground drinking Asahi beers.

Mum laid down on her back and sighed. I asked if she was OK and she said she was just enjoying the sky and the trees.

I am in Japan this week and missing her so much. She would have loved one more visit. Love you Mum. Just sayin’…

Japan must be one of the most popular destinations for Australians, if the newspaper and magazine advertising is anything to go by. And for good reason.

It’s affordable, the people are lovely and there are myriad different spots to head to whether you love the hustle of the big cities like Tokyo and Osaka, the culture of Kyoto, the temples everywhere or the most remote areas like Shikoku or Hokkaido.

You can stick to the main tourist thoroughfares or head to places off the beaten track where the locals will be happy to say hello or practice their English.

It’s just important to remember the temples are real places of worship, not just tourist attractions, and no one likes a loud tourist.

Cherry blossom season is happening now and while people do flock to take photos of the flowers, it’s also an important time of the year for new employees to start work and students to head back to school. A time of renewal.

If you do find yourself in Japan during cherry blossom or ohanami – which translates as watching the flowers – find a local vendor for a tatami mat, grab a spot to sit and also pick up some food and drink.

There’s plenty of bento boxes or food on sticks to choose from, and there’s sake and beer everywhere on offer. If you don’t drink, the Japanese respect that too – they are a healthy bunch.

And if you want to try and few different foods, head to the department stores under most train stations. They often have food samples and are only to happy to give the foreigners a chance to try something different

At the moment, the yen is pretty much 100 to the Australian dollar, so really easy to work out as you shop.

Oh, accommodation. There are plenty of hotels you book online or perhaps try a couple of nights at a old style inn. You might find yourself on a futon on the floor, and with an Asian style squat toilet, but it’s all part of the experience – and you will definitely find old fashioned hospitality.

Transport is pretty easy. The trains run on time and the shinkansens are fantastic for their speed and convenience. Not to mention the lovely wait staff wandering along their aisles offering food and drink.

If you do step off at a station to grab a bento box make sure you watch the clock, the bullet trains wait for no one.

O tanoshimi kudasai! Please enjoy!

Words & images: Donna Kelly

by Donna Kelly

I love a cautionary tale. But not as much as I love a deserved refund. And I have two down and one to go. So feeling pretty happy.

The first one is from a furniture retailer. A big one. OK, Early Settler. I love this franchise. Really nice, interesting stuff. Great staff. But not so good at refunds.

A while back I bought some big, gold, clunky lights. I thought they would look great in the school. They cost a bit but I don’t spend much so, you know, why not?

Anyway, I got them home and then a few weeks went by and a sparky came to install them. But he just looked and told me I would need to reinforce the roof. Now that was a step too far, so I called the store and said I would return them. That was fine but because it was a big item I would lose 20 per cent and also could only have a voucher not a refund.

I must have been off my game because I agreed but recently I started thinking about them and if they were actually fit for purpose. So I called, and called and called. No answer. Then I emailed, and emailed and emailed. And finally someone called back. I told them the lights were not fit for purpose because under the pub test no one would buy lights thinking they needed to reinforce their roof.

They agreed, sort of, but said because they were big items they couldn’t do anything about the 20 per cent loss. (This is a furniture retailer, it’s all pretty much big stuff.) Then they said because I had taken too long I couldn’t get a refund, just the voucher. I finally cut and pasted something from the ACCC about the customer being able to choose a repair, replacement or a refund.

Suddenly the emails started coming thick and fast with the title “ACCC action pending”, which is not what I wrote, and I got the full refund within days. Noice.

The second was with the Bendigo Bank. Not the local branch, more operations. We asked for a credit card to be cancelled, I think it was misplaced, and instead they cancelled a totally different card which we never use. Something to do with the trading account.

Anyway, it meant we stopped earning Frequent Flyer points, which was annoying, but it also meant we got hit with a biggish subscription from a company for a service which we no longer wanted, and were not using, but had not got around to cancelling because we thought the card was cancelled.

So we called the Daylesford branch and the manager assured us all would be rectified but after a lot of argy bargy we only got the points back and were told by operations the bill was our problem, not theirs.

I even got an email saying, very oddly, “unfortunately we do not have a valid chargeback right to be able to dispute this transaction on your behalf as you have not provided any supporting documentation to validate your claim that you will be receiving a refund from the merchant”.

The whole point was that we were NOT receiving a refund. I wrote back with that and finally the money came through.

Last one is with Myer. Again, great store. Working there got me through high school and university. Anyway, I bought some very funky black cutlery, and because it was so nice, I also bought it in gold.

Only thing is that the colour wears off. So instead of lasting a few yearss, my colourful purchase is already a pretty boring grey.

Myer was a bit better but wrote “once the return reaches our store, our returns team will inspect it for any faults, and if needed, the product will undergo a repair process. If it cannot be repaired, we will proceed with your preference of a refund or replacement”.

I wrote back “my choice is a refund – check with the ACCC”.

The refund is on its way. Just sayin’…

Daylesford teacher Natalie Kirby, and a host of volunteers, are again collecting donations for The Royal Children’s Hospital’s Good Friday Appeal – and they hope to best last year’s total of just over $21,000.

Natalie, who teaches physical education and health at Daylesford College, said this year monies raised would be shared with regional paediatric health services – including Grampians Health.

It’s the first time in the appeal’s history that funding will help take the RCH excellence into the regions to support training, scholarships and state-of-the-art equipment.

“I was really pleased to hear that because spreading the money is really great and gives children in rural and remote areas access to excellent health care. Sometimes it can be tricky to get to Melbourne and if you can get care closer to home that is fantastic.”

Natalie said last year’s Good Friday weather conditions had been “horrific, almost monsoonal rain all day” with people reacting by being very generous.

“I think they felt sorry for us and we raised over $21,000. Of course, the competitive part of me always wants to do better each year, and with Covid meaning people don’t carry cash anymore, we are also inventing lots of ways people can donate electronically.”

That includes the online fundraising page and there will also be EFTPOS machines at the raffle table in the Daylesford Coles breezeway most days from now until Good Friday, and outside the Daylesford Town Hall on the big day.

Natalie said every little donation and raffle ticket purchase helped the cause, which she is passionate about for many reasons.

“I spent a fair bit of time in and out of the Children’s as a kid, a lot as an outpatient, and I have lots of friends whose children or brothers and sisters have been there. Also, as a teacher I believe very strongly in the power of children, they are our future, and if we can nurture them, and support them and keep them healthy, we should.”

For more information head to the group’s Facebook or Instagram pages and to donate go to www.fundraise.goodfridayappeal.com.au/fundraisers/Daylesford

How the appeal started

In 1931, the Children’s Hospital was at risk of closure due to soaring costs, overcrowding and under resourcing. On hearing this, a team of journalists from The Sporting Globe, part of the Herald and Weekly Times, decided to hold a sports carnival to raise money for sick children.

On September 3, 1931, a crowd of 20,000 spectators enjoyed a sports carnival which began with a football match involving competing jockeys from Flemington and Caulfield, followed by a game with WWI veterans representing the north and the south of the Yarra. A total of £427 was raised to support the appeal.

In 1942, journalist and carnival organiser Jim Blake suggested to the Herald and Weekly Times managing director, Sir Keith Murdoch, that the appeal join forces with HWT radio station, 3DB and run an appeal on Good Friday.

Sir Keith agreed, and the partnership enabled the first all-day broadcast held on Good Friday, raising £8310 for the Children’s Hospital.

Words: Donna Kelly