with Eve lamb

From his childhood in rural America, Ryan Kennedy (aka RFK) moved to New York City and worked in the fashion industry including textile design and runway installation. From there he pursued his own creative studio practice in Brooklyn and in 2009 hosted a tour group of Australian art educators, curators and collectors which led to him accepting an Artist in Residency at Melbourne Girls Grammar and a solo show at Forty Five Downstairs. Since his 2014 immigration to Australia RFK’s work in performance, installation and sculpture have won accolades including the 2018 Lorne Sculpture Biennale Land Art Sculpture-scape Award. Currently RFK is deeply ensconced in the Glenlyon landscape, where he resides and where his creativity continues to enrich the wider community and to inspire communal thought ‘outside the square’.

Eve: Hi RFK, Is that an American accent I detect?

RFK: It is. Yeh. I was born in Virginia on the East Coast. It’s known to be for lovers, Virginia. Where I grew up we had the Appalachian in the backdrop.

Eve: So how long have you been here, in Australia?

RFK: In Australia permanently, at least ten years now.

Eve: And what brought you here?

RFK: Work brought me here and love kept me here.

Eve: Did you meet an Aussie?

RFK: I did. Yeh (laughs).

Eve: That’s great.

RFK: Yeh. I initially came over as I’d been living in Brooklyn at the time and I had a tour group of Australians from the art world come through my art studio and the head of art at Melbourne Girls Grammar offered a month long residency.

Eve: So what is your area of work exactly?

RFK: I mostly work in performance, sculpture and installation. I call it PSI and the ratio of those three elements varies with the work itself. I mainly work these days by commissions and I take my time with the works. The last work was about three years in development.

Eve: And the genre?

RFK: I’d say I’m in the avant-garde. I like to really work with relationships whether that’s between ourselves and our history or the landscapes. They’re very site-specific these works. For instance, with the last piece I was asked to do a piece that celebrated the creators of the Great Ocean Road so I went down to the Great Ocean Road, began research….

Eve: Was that part of the Lorne Foreshore Sculpture Show?

RFK: Yes.

Eve: So can I ask you a little bit about what you’d rate as some of your career highlights as an artist?

RFK: The Lorne Sculpture Show was definitely a big one for me. I’ve worked with White Night, in Melbourne, which was a lot of fun and then I’d say my residencies, whether they’re at schools or libraries. I really enjoy engaging with youth as well as the general public.

Eve: What materials are you typically working with?

RFK: I almost always use found materials. I try my best not to buy them. I also came from fashion and was a bit disheartened by the amount of waste that was there. There is something really special about the stories that come with those materials. And no matter what subject matter I’m working with I do try to project a sense of a hopeful future.

Eve: Do you have a particular exhibition or show coming up that you are working towards at the moment?

RFK: Radical Fieldz. It’s an exhibition taking place in Glenlyon for myself and other artists, also involving several community groups. It uses a six-month timeline. It began in October and culminates on March 16 with our end of season harvest event.

Note: You can read more about the Radical Fieldz project that’s unfolding in Glenlyon in a separate article in The Local.

It was a happy occasion in Creswick.

Dean Recreation Reserve president Brian Maher and treasure Rob Turley both rolled up at the Creswick Neighbourhood Centre a bit over a week ago, especially to do one of their favourite things – present a cheque.

This time it was to Anglicare Victoria’s food relief program that runs out of the Creswick Neighbourhood Centre.

The cheque was for a handy $1500 and was the proceeds of money raised through raffles run at this year’s Dean Kite Festival in September, and the Dean and District Sheepdog Trials in October.

The Dean Recreation Reserve committee run both popular events on their attractive little rec reserve and each year donates the proceeds raised to good local causes.

“We like to see the money we make go to the local community and we’d especially like to thank all our supporters who donated items for the raffles,” said Dean Recreation Reserve treasurer Rob Turley.

On the receiving end of the cheque this time round, Anglicare Victoria’s Ballarat-based community development manager, Kim Boyd said demand for the emergency relief program is increasing.

“We’re certainly seeing an increase this year in the demand for food support and extra support around Christmas,” Kim said.

“The demand on us is steadily increasing.”

The swiftly accepted $1500 cheque will be used to purchase food items which will now be distributed to those in need in the local area.

“This is an outreach centre and we work in partnership with the Creswick Neighbourhood House and the local parish and other community groups,” Kim said.

Creswick Neighbourhood Centre manger Chrissy Austin said they’ve also noticed the increased demand from people seeking help through the emergency food relief program.

“We see people in need daily here. We’re so grateful to Anglicare,” she said.

“This is a very important program to us. We have a steady stream of people. There’s just so much need in the community.”

Words and Image: Eve Lamb

Using a motorbike to “paint” with doesn’t just produce a fairly unique work of art in the landscape.

It also produces a pretty decent physical workout. Just ask local artist Tony Sawrey (also known in his other guise as a writer for The Local).

Tony is among a group of several artists currently planning or creating work as part of the six-month-long arts project that is Radical Fieldz.

It’s the brainchild of Glenlyon artist Ryan Kennedy (aka RFK).

The project started in October and involves a series of arts events taking place every month at Glenlyon through to March 16 when they culminate in a day-long outdoor event.

This will take place on a yet-to-be publicly disclosed private estate and will feature a range of unique works including installation and performance pieces.

Tony’s motorbike “painting” will be among them and he was happily working on his creation when The Local caught up with him on site recently.

“I do a lot of artwork, painting and installations, in outdoor environments but it’s the first time I’ve used a motorbike,” he said.

“In this case we’ve laid out a roughly 90 by 80 meter wide design. We’re thinking come April we might put in rye grass (in the soil cut up by the bike’s tyre tread) which will strike pretty quick.

“And we’re hoping that will be growing by the time the final event happens – the final harvest,” Tony said.

“I’ve got to do ongoing work with this, just running the pattern until we can turn up some of the dirt.

“I’ve wanted to do something like this for years, but it really takes that collaboration with someone like Ryan which is why the Radical Fieldz program is so interesting and different.

“There’s a lot of collaboration involved. It’s transforming something which has a prosaic use and creates something else out of it.”

Ryan, or RFK as he is also known, will also have site-specific work included as part of the final culminating event on March 16 as will not only other artists, but also a few less likely suspects.

These include a local ornithology group and a local fitness group who are getting involved in various interesting ways.

“I’m working with several community groups to reframe how they work in the community through the lens of art,” RFK says.

“We’ve got Daylesford CrossFit joining us and we’re literally doing a tractor pull. We’ll be working in teams. It will be a choreographed piece, basically an exercise to drag the tractor across the field.

“We’re also working with FLOCK which is the Friendly Little Ornithology Club, and Castlemaine Zen will be doing a meditative walk to really set the tone of awareness and intention for the day of the event.”

In the lead up to the day-long March harvest event, there’s an ongoing series of events featuring artists attending the monthly Glenlyon market that happens each third Saturday of the month.

This is followed in the afternoon, after the market, with a different co-creative arts event at the Glenlyon community dam.

“We are doing a community sound composition at our next event on December 16,” RFK says.

“We’ve got a sax quartet, a cellist, an eastern European band, some friends with fascinating horns and engines to rev and we’re going to be exploring sound.

“We’ve also been given a grant and we’re going to do some work on a big painting event on Saturday, January 20 from 2-6pm with the Glenlyon Progress Association.

“We’re going to be working on a mural out the front of the Glenlyon Shire Hall.

“It will be like an abstract map of the town highlighting what the town’s about, referencing landmarks around the town.

“I just felt like there was room for a constant and creative space within the community and that’s something I wanted Radical Fieldz to offer.

“I feel like the more we empower the community to be creative the more interest they have in our own work as artists.”

With the location of the March 16 culminating harvest event to be revealed closer to the occasion, RFK can divulge a bit more of what may be expected on the day.

“Expect something you probably haven’t seen before,” he says.

“We’re on Facebook and Instagram and I am encouraging local artists and community groups that want to get creative to get in touch with us. “The program is unique and we’ve got a lot of creative individuals around there.”

Words and Image: Eve Lamb

The lovely little hand-made nativity scene in Central Highlands Rural Health’s Clunes campus has been winning fans and influencing busy and preoccupied people to take a moment and reflect on the meaning of Christmas.

The textile piece was created by Clunes resident Betty Ingram, who has since passed away, and is now on display in the clinic waiting room, providing something festive for patients to think about as they wait to see a doctor.

“We just think it’s beautiful. It’s gorgeous. It’s different,” said Clunes resident Marlene Pitman who was in the clinic recently.

The little handmade textile scene is part of the Clunes health campus’s overall effort at celebrating the season with no shortage of tinsel, glossy baubles and the obligatory tree also on display in the clinic’s waiting room.

But as administration staffer Janet Hineman explained it’s also part of friendly Central Highlands Rural Health inter-campus rivalry to see which health campus takes out the annual Christmas Decoration Competition.

Clunes has form on this front having won the competition in both 2019 and 2020 and Janet said they’ll find out if they’ve won again this year at about the same time that The Local hits news stands and online reading.

Meantime, Janet said the little nativity scene has been receiving plenty of admiration and positive comments from those consigned to spend some minutes in the waiting room. “One lady said it made her day.”

The future of much-loved Hepburn Wildlife Shelter hangs in the balance with DEECA threatening to enforce the removal of all wildlife in its care from early in the new year.

The departmental threats come after the shelter, that’s been operating for more than two decades, refused to reapply to renew its authorisation (or licence) due to the imposition of conditions which the shelter’s operators say are “unrealistic, unreasonable and absurd”.

Highly experienced local wildlife carers Jon Rowdon BSc and Gayle Chappell BSc have been running the shelter just out of Daylesford for 22 years, rehabilitating hundreds of orphaned and injured wildlife annually, and say it’s the first time the department has ever attempted to enforce such conditions.

“We can’t reapply for our authorisation because we can’t operate under those conditions,” Ms Chappell says.

Their current authorisation to function as a wildlife shelter is due to expire on December 31 with tensions building for the past year and coming to a head this week.

On Wednesday amid the threats, Ms Chappell and Mr Rowdon had been expecting DEECA officers to visit and inspect the shelter that currently has some 100 animals, including some threatened species, in its care.

Anticipating the visit, on Wednesday Mr Rowdon, Ms Chappell, fellow wildlife carers, shelter operators and rescuers from across the region, and Animal Justice Party representatives, gathered at the shelter in a show of support.

But at the eleventh hour the DEECA representatives themselves cancelled their visit and failed to show.

“We’re a good shelter. They need to extend our authorisation to at least allow us to keep the animals currently in our care to the end of their rehabilitation, and essentially they need to engage with us properly,” Ms Chappell said.

She says they and a concerning number of other shelter operators have been subject to “bullying” from the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA).

A letter, dated December 18, to the Hepburn Wildlife Shelter from Ash Burns, Regulatory Program Manger with the department reads:

“Please be aware that from 1 January 2024, any wildlife acquired under your authorisation must either be released or transferred to another authorised shelter or foster carer with the appropriate skills and experience to continue their care.”

Among the most experienced wildlife carers in Australia, Ms Chappell and Mr Rowdon say that forcing the relocation of animals currently in their care to other shelters would be extremely stressful for the animals and potentially risk causing some to die.

They and other shelter operators like Manfred Zabinskas OAM of the East Trentham Wildlife Shelter say there’s a critical need for wildlife shelter operators, carers and rescuers to be enabled meaningful input into the regulation of the sector which is entirely volunteer-run and unfunded yet provides a crucial service.

The brewing crisis at the Hepburn shelter highlights the far wider need for the work of the state’s wildlife carers, rehabilitators, rescuers and shelter operators to be properly valued and funded accordingly, they say.

“Wildlife rescues and calls to Wildlife Victoria have been dramatically increasing over the last couple of years, says Greendale based wildlife rescuer and foster carer Trevor Crawford.

“We’re all volunteers and we get no funding support at all,” says Mount Alexander region wildlife rescuer Glynn Jarrett, also on site on Wednesday.

“We do it because we love it and we rely on people like Gayle and Jon. If we lose this shelter we’re really going to struggle.

“We feel the department is working against us not with us.”

The Hepburn Wildlife Shelter is understood to be the largest such shelter in the state and Ms Chappell said the Animal Justice Party is now making ministerial representations on its behalf.

 A Conservation Regulator spokesperson with the department has since confirmed that the Conservation Regulator had “received further communication from the authorisation holder indicating they would like to continue operating beyond the expiry date”. 

 “This request will be assessed with consideration of the minimum legal requirements for shelters and carers to operate under the Wildlife Act 1975 and relevant Code of Practice.” she told The Local. 

She also said: “The Conservation Regulator cancelled a planned inspection at Hepburn Wildlife Shelter on 20 December 2023 due to the prioritisation of other operational matters”.

Words: Eve Lamb

They’re a lively and character-packed lot, the dogs of Trentham, and not least among them is Trooper the kelpie.

Owned by a resident, Trooper is famous – or infamous some might say – as quite the lad about town and, most recently, also as the front cover pin-up boy on the new calendar produced by Dogs of Trentham.

DOT is the enthusiastic group of local dog lovers and owners who have been working with Hepburn Shire Council to establish a permanent off-leash dog park.

In December 2022 group members were delighted that the council upgraded the reserve in Trentham’s Market Street, erecting fencing and gates to provide the community with two trial off-leash dog areas.

The trial has proven very successful with increasing numbers of locals and visitorsusing the facility, and last year DOT supported its efforts by releasing a fundraising Dogs of Trentham calendar.

Following hot on the success of last year, they’ve now released a new calendar for 2024 featuring a whole new line-up of photographic pooches.

Trentham photographer James Walshe is a DOT committee member and dedicated dog owner who has taken the photographic images that feature in the new calendar.

Trooper was an obvious choice for the front as he is such a local identity, due to his frequent solo sojourns about town, DOT committee members say.

Among them, Trentham’s Cynthia Goudie has attached an air tag to Trooper’s collar so that he can be tracked down using a phone-based app, and safely collected when out and about on one of his community strolls.

“He’s a bit like Red Dog. He’s a real Houdini,” says Cynthia who’s even created a social media narrative featuring Trooper and his frequently humorous tales and adventures. Suffice to say these have gained a significant fan following.

“The whole community knows him and he’s become a community dog,” Cynthia says.

“He’s a bit of an icon in town and he tends to take himself into town for a wander,” James says.

Proceeds from sales of the new calendars will help DOT continue its work toward realising the dream of a larger, permanent space for dogs, and also go to further enhancing the current Market Street dog park.

James and Cynthia say proceeds will also be directed to other good dog-related deeds like training up a “reading dog” to help local school students who may need an extra hand to get ahead with their studies.

“The dog park is about much more than just a space to toss a ball around for the dogs,” says James. “It’s also very much about a space for humans to interact and has certain mental health benefits as well.”

The $20 calendar may be obtained via DOT’s Facebook page or by picking up a copy at the Trentham Post Office or the Community Bank Trentham & Districts.

Words & images: Eve Lamb

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Words & Image: Eve Lamb

Planning is well advanced for Daylesford’s ChillOut ’24 with a “cornucopia of queer talent” in store for the annual March long weekend attraction.

Five major key events have been launched with a considerable number of umbrella events also locked in, along with the 2024 theme – Boots and Bling.

Friday night, March 8, is opening night at the town hall and it’s shaping as one colossal dance party.

“Friday night we have 100% Dance at the town hall so we can get some more life into the main street,” says festival programmer Jacqui Walter.

“That’s with the 100% Kylie Tribute Show and we have Kween Kong and her dancers, and we also have the amazing soulful voice of Shauna Jensen. She’s coming down from Sydney with lots of great dance hits.

“It’s basically designed to have people up and dancing from start to finish with DJ Du Jour closing the night out. It should be fantastic.

“Saturday night we have Funk Soul Sista at the Town Hall. That is a queer women event. Queer women and their chosen family and friends are welcome, celebrating queer women’s music and that’s emceed by the amazing singing sensation Denise Hanlon from Sydney.”

Bluehouse will also be making a rare appearance with their drummer, Julia Day, and Sydney’s Bek Jensen will have festival-goers up and dancing with her funk soul band while the services of DJ Eddie have been secured to close out the night.

It’s a case of being spoilt for choice, with ChillOut’s inimitable Bush Dance also poised to return on the Saturday night at Victoria Park where it will be co-hosted by Sexy Galexy and Nate Byrne from the ABC, with some potentially startling appearances by Spankie Jackzon, winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under in 2022.

“We’ll also have Brenda Bressed singing with country band The Cartwheels and we’ll have The String Band back. It will be a massive night,” Jacqui says.

Sunday, March 10 features the festival’s iconic street parade down Daylesford’s main drag and Carnivale at Victoria Park.

“It’s anticipated that special guest Courtney Act will be popping up at any one of the events over the weekend,” says Jacquie.

Jacquie also says Courtney will be shouldering co-hosting duties at Carnivale, a day of community, laughter, and joy co-hosted by Nate Byrne, and Narelda Jacobs.

Carnival will also feature Kween Kong, Katie Underwood, Sexy Galexy, DJ Du Jour, DJ Eddie, Shauna Jensen, The Lost Girls, Bek Jensen duo, Dolly Diamond and more, with a closing performance by Courtney Act.

“There’s a whole lot of umbrella events being launched at the moment as we speak, and our usual suspects like the tennis tournament, the social walking, there’s an art experience, wine tours and we’ll have our shuttle bus working as well,” Jacqui says.

“It’s just a feast. We’ve got all the great local drag queens coming up from Melbourne and Ballarat. We’ve got the Youth Muster, which is a free event, happening on Saturday at Vic Park, drag story telling…

“And Lavandaze of course, out at Lavandula on Sunday into Sunday night. That’ll be a big afternoon and it’s incredibly popular too. It’s a beautiful setting.

“There are more announcements to come. We’re still a good two months off yet. We’re working on some more exciting events. We’re looking to celebrate a real cornucopia of queer talent.”

Words: Eve Lamb | Images: Michelle Donnelly

with Eve Lamb

Today we’re tackling a short sharp little gem of a walk known as The Cork Oaks Track.

Traversing the northern east-west flank of Mount Beckworth Scenic Reserve just out of Clunes this under-acknowledged little beauty is noteworthy for several reasons, the most obvious being its namesake – the cork oaks (Quercus suber). More on them when we reach them…

As mentioned, this is a short walk, only 6.5 kms the round trip, but don’t be fooled. By the time you’re finished with it you’ll feel like you’ve had a decent little workout as it does pack a couple of pulse-raising small punches of elevation.

The first challenge is getting to the starting point. We enter the Mount Beckworth Scenic Reserve at its north-eastern end, by vehicle, having driven from Clunes and taken the Maryborough Road, followed by Cemetery, Golf Course, Pickford’s and Kierces roads to reach The Dam located within in the Reserve.

There’s one or two points where extra careful driving may be called for, particularly depending on recent rainfall activity and the degree of gravel road maintenance that’s occurred since.

The Dam. This is our starting point, on the north eastern flank of Mount Beckworth. It’s a top little picnicking spot with tall native water grasses making a sweet habitat for various birds. Above us a black kite shoots the breeze and from here we first start out on the Dam Track skirting around the northern edge of The Dam itself before we encounter the first short sharp little climb.

By this stage we’ve already enjoyed plenty of native flora, eucalypts full of blossom and the drowsy afternoon drone of working bees, and some native casuarina as we climb the Beckworth lower flank with its rocky granite ridgelines.

The Oval. We reach The Oval. It’s a small flat grassy plateau offering excellent views back to the east over the volcanic plains with their ‘mammeloid’ hills rollicking away to far shimmering horizons. At this time of year, late spring, The Oval itself is a tangle of native, and some not-so-native grasses interlaced with intricate indigenous wildflowers.

From here there’s a very gentle climb, gaining great views to the west, across agricultural land and the distant Waubra wind farm towers. Leaving The Oval, we join the Yellow Box Track for a short while, and the trail weaves through splendid examples of the namesake yellow box gums and some remarkable
rocky outcrops and large boulders festooned with rugged lichens. The track is pretty well signposted and soon we find the turnoff to the Cork Oaks clearly marked ahead.

Snakes We’ve reached mid-walk, the sun’s beating down, late afternoon and, camera in hand, I’m admiring yellow native paper daisies in full brilliance and magnificent swirls of bark on old growth gums, when I almost step on a brown snake.

Fortunately it’s about as happy to see me as I am it and when I see it, all of a school ruler’s length from my boot. It’s already sliding away from me about as fast as its belly muscles can carry it. At this point, my trusty walking companion for this expedition – Paddy H – declares a lunchbreak.

Refuelled, we head on toward the Cork Oaks through an undulating and visually interesting section of trail. The woodland all around is dry but with all of those rocky boulder features and views, it’s also imposing with a grandeur all its own, not to mention generous wafts of that classic hot Aussie bushland scent that you can only get by doing exactly this.

Lucky. Having almost stepped on a highly venomous brown snake I’m pretty vigilant at this point in our trek and we count ourselves lucky to have had such a peaceable warning encounter as the track now descends toward a dry watercourse; dry yet, in late November, still green enough along its immediate riparian zone to suggest the sort of small life forms that attract plenty of hungry reptiles.

The Cork Oaks After crossing the dry creek bed there’s only a few hundred metres left to walk before we finally reach the Cork Oaks. They’re nothing if not a surprise packet out here on the western flank of the Mount Beckworth Scenic Reserve.

Prior to doing this walk I’ve done a bit of research and discovered that these 40 odd mature exotic trees were planted here back in 1965 as a then Forests Commission Victoria trial. The goal was to determine the viability of growing cork oaks (Quercus suber) for domestic commercial uses and came about following some fairly intense lobbying by a persistent and well-connected captain of industry of the day.

My research also informs that cork oaks occur naturally around the western Mediterranean and that cork from cork oaks has been used since ancient times as bottle stoppers, footwear, insulation and floats for fishing.

Since the 17th century the production and export of cork had been an important industry in Portugal and Spain, the bark first harvested when the trees were about 25 years old and thereafter at nine to 12 year intervals.

Unfortunately, it appears nothing much beyond an interesting diversion for the more horticulturally-minded boffins in the Forests Commission ever really came of the trial. Beyond the living legacy that endures of course.

Today the western edge Mount Beckworth cork oaks are one of the very few traces remaining of a handful of early cork oak trials conducted by the Forests Commission Victoria last century. This little remnant trial plot features some truly beautiful trees with their corrugated trunks and wizened leaves offering welcome shade in a frequently parched land.

We arrive and fling down our backpacks for a while to lie back in the oaks’ silvery shadows and appreciate these imposing specimens and their novel place in history, along with a well earned coffee or two.

Time slips away easily here, but don’t leave it too long to start heading back if you’ve taken on this walk toward dusk as the return leg may seem longer than you’d think, particularly the last descent from The Oval back to The Dam which can be super slippery, particularly when it’s really dry.

This is a top shelf little walk for its views and unique points of interest. If you’re sampling it in the warm part of the year, just watch out for the snakes.

Images: Eve Lamb

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

with Eve Lamb

The considerable artistry of Kyneton sculptor Anne Anderson has seen her work recognised with multiple high profile arts awards including the most recent Toorak Village Sculpture Prize. For this busy professional creative the schedule ahead includes exhibiting at McClelland Sculpture Park in Narre Warren in January and at the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show in March. Anne chatted with Eve Lamb.

Eve: Hi Anne. Where do you do most of your art work?

Anne: I have a studio space that is just a short bike ride from my home in Kyneton. I share this work space with my husband Chris, who is a proficient blacksmith and welder. His talent facilitates much of my work in the form of armature, structural design and individual bases.

Eve: How did you come to art?

Anne: Though I come from a family of academics and sportsmen, I always felt called to the performing and visual arts. I never sought to be an artist, yet somehow art and artistic ventures always found their way to me. I feel that overseas travel has allowed me to have a broadened artistic education.

Eve: How should we best describe your artistic style? Does it fit a genre?

Anne: I think that my artistic style would be best described as unpredictable. I have an obsession of sculpting human faces. My pieces are mostly figurative, be they realistic, surreal or contemporary. My initial inspiration often sees many incarnations. Once I learnt that there really are no rules in art, I found a greater freedom to explore where I want to go with my work.

Eve: How did you nurture your innate arts talent?

Anne: In my personal experience, I have found that when it comes to art, the greatest way to learn is through doing. I have sought to learn a range of techniques that have allowed me to build a foundational skillset, but it is actually when we play and allow ourselves to create from the heart that the real magic happens.

Eve: Which artists have influenced your work?

Anne: I think for most artists, we are not only influenced by the work of widely recognised artists, but also the work of those we have had the opportunity to work alongside. My work has been influenced by artists you may know, like the Swiss sculptor, Alberto Giacometti, Australia’s Norman Lindsay and Americans, Frederick Hart and Richard MacDonald, and then some artists you may come to know, like Helena (Midge) Johansen and Klaus and Ingrid Dusselberg.

Eve: What is your media of choice?

Anne: It is difficult to compare other media to bronze if you are looking at preserving a sculpture for any amount of time, and let’s face it, after many tens, if not hundreds of hours of work, a sculptor often wants to see their piece preserved and appreciated for as long as possible. That said, my heart will always rejoice in getting my hands dirty in clay. I revel in the earthy feel, malleability and (mostly) predictable response I receive from clay.

Eve: Have you ever worked in any other areas besides working as an artist?

Anne: For nearly 20 years, my husband and I ran a theatrical agency. I also performed as a professional singer. Both of these professions saw me surrounded by creative individuals who always reminded me that there are many ways of looking at different situations in life.

Eve: When you work in the studio do you like to play music?

Anne: I always play music whilst I work. I find it allows me to truly relax into the moment and get lost in the creating. Quite often my soundtrack will be classical, but I also enjoy contemporary classics, jazz and music theatre.

Eve: To date, what have been your career highlights as an artist?

Anne: I have been lucky to have won first prize in the Margaret Gunnersen William Hoggan Thomas Award for the Annual Association of Sculptors of Victoria on two occasions. Also, winning the last Toorak Village Sculpture Prize was very exciting. Having my work displayed permanently in the City of Greater Geelong is also thrilling.

Eve: Do you have any exhibitions or special events coming up that you’d like to let others know about?

Anne: As a member of the Association of Sculptors of Victoria, I’m pleased to say that I will be exhibiting with this group at McClelland Sculpture Park in Narre Warren in January, 2024, as well as at Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show in March, 2024. My work can also be viewed and purchased via my website and can often be found at exhibitions throughout Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland. I regularly have work for sale at Art On Piper in Kyneton, which is a popular artist collective representing work by local artists.

Eve: What would you rate as the biggest challenges in being a professional working artist today?

Anne: There are many costs associated with acquiring and utilizing quality materials, as well as a large number of man hours that go into hand crafting high quality, unique pieces. I think the greatest challenge for any professional artist is not only finding the confidence to charge prices that are reflective of these factors and fairly

compensate our time and efforts, but then to also put in the legwork to get your work in front of eyes that appreciate art enough to invest in it.

Eve: And, for you personally, the greatest rewards?

Anne: There is no greater reward for an artist than the honour of someone feeling a connection to something that you have created. Art is meant to move people. When you are lucky enough to witness that magical moment for someone it is one of the most humbling and fulfilling experiences.

Words and Image: Eve Lamb

One fun feature of the monthly Clunes Farmers & Makers Market is the number of folk and their four-legged buddies who can reliably be seen roving about, soaking up the vibe.

It’s a colourfully assorted and sociable spectacle that means young local entrepreneur, 12-year-old Daniel Whitehead is one busy lad on market days.

A while ago Daniel started up his own natural baked dog treat businesses, accordingly named Daniels Doggy Delights. With a little help from his mum Del Whitehead, the enterprising young local has quickly built up a legion of loyal followers who eagerly sniff out the Daniels Doggy Delights stall every market day.

Daniel says the product range is thoroughly taste-tested by his family’s dogs including his dog Spot.

“I think Spot will probably eat everything except the tuna treats and the banana, blueberry and peanut butter bones,” Daniel says.

“I just wanted to make my own business and my Mum thought it was a good idea. The first market I did I sold absolutely everything so I thought I might just continue it.”

Daniel says that besides the handy boost to his personal finances, he especially enjoys the social aspect of the Clunes Farmers & Makers Market that happens on the second Sunday of the month.

“Mostly I enjoy meeting the new people and chatting with other stallholders,” says Daniel, not one to pass up a useful opportunity for a little market research.

“I’d just like to ask my repeat customers if they have any ideas for any new products.”

Market media spokeswoman Daniela Palumbo has lived in Clunes for 12 years and is also a regular stallholder along with her mother Yolanda. Together, mother and daughter operate their stall selling tempting traditional Italian treats that they bake.

“The market’s growing. We used to average 18 to 20 stalls and we’re now averaging 30 plus,” Daniela says.

“I think the word has gotten out that we’ve got a pretty good market and in the last 10 months or so we’ve been really getting the word out on social media.

“In the earlier days mostly we were getting local people but now we’re reaching out to Melbourne, Ballarat, Bendigo and Geelong and the market’s been growing a little bit bigger every Spring to Summer.”

Live music is part and parcel of the market that transforms the little town’s main shopping strip with the evocative historic facades that have long made it a favourite among filmmakers.

“Four or five months ago Daniel told us he was interested in having a stall and we said ‘Yes. Absolutely’,” says Daniela whose dog Bobbin numbers among the Daniels Doggy Delights fans.

“I have to hide them from Bobbin,” Daniela says. “There’s been a couple of months where he’s been totally sold out.”

Market chairman, Clunes local Graeme Grigson says Daniel’s stall is one of several new additions to join the market over recent months.

A professional beekeeper who also has a honey and bee product stall at the market, Graeme is encouraging more local residents to get along and enjoy the monthly attraction, including next month’s pre-Christmas market that’s all set for Sunday December 10.

Walking their dog Louie, Clunes’ Sue and Doug Jeffreys are among the market regulars who routinely stroll along to just about every monthly market to snap up some quality produce.

“We love the fresh veggies,” says Sue. “The garlic is fabulous.”

The range of regular stalls is diverse and products include all manner of desirables like herb and vegetable seedlings, live poultry and eggs, boutique chocolates, wines and gins, and hot food and coffee stalls. Another interesting new addition is the stall of Bowenvale resident John Wright who’s been doing some pretty amazing things with old timber pallets.

John upcycles the otherwise discarded pallets, turning them into unique items of folksy furniture, each creatively adorned with assorted recycled metal objects.

“I’m not into it to make money. It’s about reusing and recycling – and the creative aspect,” John says.

Graeme says the market has now been running since April 2015 and those who make it happen each month are feeling pretty pleased with the direction it’s heading as they look ahead to it entering its 10th year of operation.

Words and Image: Eve Lamb

Things were way different back in the 1940s when Graeme Orr attended the local Bullarto Primary School. The former pupil at the tiny bush school is a well known local farmer and today he’s aged 86. He’s also among past students being invited back to attend the little school’s big 150th anniversary celebration this Sunday November 26.

Current day Bullarto Primary School Principal, Jo Pegg says past and current students, staff and the wider community are all invited to the big celebration that gets started from 10am and goes through to 3pm.

It will feature the opening of a time capsule that was buried on site at the school almost exactly 50 years ago to the day when the school, in 1973, celebrated its 100th anniversary.

“The school will be open for tours which some of our students are preparing to do, and we will have a display of historic photos, a band playing in the afternoon and a massive cake,” principal Jo says.

“We are also going to lay a time capsule as well and we are fundraising so people can buy a named brick which will be put on the news time capsule along with a plaque so that in another 50 years time it can be found.

“We will also have a sausage sizzle, scones with jam and cream and cakes and slices and the kids will have a stall selling items based around their sustainability and nature studies.”

The little school beside the Wombat Forest has a particularly strong focus on nature-based learning and for many, like school council president and parent Robin Hallett-Martinez it’s a big reason why his kids attend.

“It offers a unique space for kids to learn and focus on nature-based and outdoor learning,” says Robin whose eight year old son Dante and daughter Maya both attend.

Jo has been principal at the leafy little school for the past seven years now. She says one of the sweetest aspects of the big birthday celebration will be the fact that not long ago the student enrolment had shrunk to just four and permanent closure was a distinct possibility.

“For me the key celebration is that in 2017 it was potentially closing but instead it’s gone from just four students back then to 22 students today and we’re still here,” Jo says.

It’s a positive trend that now looks set to to continue.

“Next year we’re looking at 23 students so far, and we’re still doing enrolments.”

Jo says the school’s oldest former student who is still living today is Daylesford resident Rita Lynch now aged 92 and planning to play a special part in Sunday’s anniversary celebration.

“We will have the oldest living past student, Rita, and the youngest current student cutting our big birthday cake,” Jo says.

Graeme Orr says he also expects to get along for the big occasion, and to reminisce on his former days at the little bush school that was also attended by his father and his grandfather before him.

Going back even further than that, Graeme’s great grandfather had attended the local night school – “which was just up the road,” Graeme says.

And, yes, the 1800s children attended “night school” because back then they had to work during the day, he confirms.

“I started in1942 in grade one when there was just the one building and just one teacher,” the former Bullarto Primary School student recounts.

“There were about ten kids when I was here but when my grandfather attended there use to be about 100 students.

“When I was here it was war time and we were very patriotic. We used to salute the flag and we had tuck shops to raise funds for the war effort. “We used to salute the union jack. It was scary when the war was on.”

Graeme says many children back then would leave school at age 12, but he went on after six years of primary schooling at the little Bullarto school to do further studies at the Daylesford technical school of the time.

Another big difference back in the day was the use of corporal punishment that was quite frequently deployed to maintain classroom control.

Graeme himself says he was no stranger to its deployment. Obviously, times have changed.

“A lot of students left at age 12 back then but by the time they left they were all very good at mental arithmetic and they all had beautiful handwriting,” Graeme says.

These days, along with all the usual education essentials for 21st century survival, another big extra focus at the little school is music.

Students like eight-year-old twins Will and Aly Dear who are completing year two at Bullarto are quick to tell you what they love most about their school.

“I like that we spend a lot of time outdoors and there’s a lot of space and heaps of animals and music,” says Will.

“And I like how it’s beautiful,” adds Aly.

Words & Image: Eve Lamb

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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