Words & Images: Eve Lamb

A bit like that cantankerous yet amazing pud itself, Creswick’s Magic Pudding Playground is serving up some fabulous new “slices”.

New colourful character bollards, similar in style to those at Geelong’s popular Eastern Beach waterfront area, are set to be installed at the much-loved local playground in coming months. More on that later.

Establishment of the playground as part of Lindsays Arts Trail, dates back over a decade and celebrates the town’s famous creative Lindsay family, and particularly the iconic Aussie children’s book, The Magic Pudding created by Norman Lindsay.

The Magic Pudding is Norman Lindsay’s best known children’s book. He wrote it in 1917, partly to settle an argument with his friend Bertram Stevens of The Bulletin and Art in Australia, who maintained that children liked to read about fairies, whereas Lindsay said they liked to read about food.

So, Norman Lindsay cooked up a whimsical children’s book that is still loved around the world by both adults and children today.

For more than a century The Magic Pudding amused generations of children and their parents with the fun and harrowing adventures of Bunyip Bluegum, Bill Barnacle, Sam Sawnoff, the Puddin’ thieves, and Albert, the cheeky ‘never-ending’ pudding.

Creswick was the birthplace and home for many members of the famed Lindsay family including Norman who was also a famous artist, wrote 11 comic novels and illustrated 30 other books.

Proud of their Lindsay family heritage, today’s Creswick locals say planned developments of the Magic Pudding Playground had stalled going back quite a few years ago.

However a dedicated small committee of locals recently got back on the case and has been working hard to see new additions and developments.

Among the committee members, Creswick’s Margaret Giles (pictured above) says those efforts are now yielding the kind of results that kids and families can enjoy.

These include the very recent installation of children’s steppers and balancing planks, a picnic setting and seating  along with some fun new pieces of playground equipment.

New signage featuring some text and illustrations from the original book is also soon to go in, with funding for the various developments coming from multiple sources including two sausage sizzles held at Bunnings, a Bendigo Community Bank Creswick and District, Hepburn Shire Council, Creswick Garden Lovers weekend, state Tidy Towns funding and federal funding.

Margaret says the committee’s efforts have also been assisted through contributions of recycled salvaged timber, and also from the area’s Timber Training School.

Now she says they’re eagerly anticipating the addition of some life-sized colourful bollards featuring six favourite characters inspired by The Magic Pudding book.

“The bollards  are interpretations of the characters and they’re being painted by Talbot artist Penny Hetherington,” Margaret says.

“There are six bollards and we’re hoping to see them installed in September or October,” she says.

“We’ve also been donated a small children’s slide and we’re talking to council to get that OK-ed and approved to install as well. It’s very expensive to install  playground equipment and it all has to be approved and ticked-off.

“We’re also taking about getting some decorative mosaics, we want to reinvigorate the (existing timber) hut as well and also put a rudder on the (playground’s existing timber) boat.”

Fellow committee member Chrissy Austin is also manager of the town’s neighbourhood centre which auspices the working group to assist with fundraising and profile-raising for the playground.

She also has a couple of primary school aged sons who are among the many local children who use and appreciate the playground.

“I don’t think there’s a family with young kids in the area here who wouldn’t use and enjoy the playground,” Chrissy says.

“Yes, we’re only a small committee and we’re always keen to welcome new members to the working group. If anyone is interested in contributing and becoming part of the group they can contact me at the neighbourhood centre.”

Margaret says that as the committee looks to continue its work at the much-loved playground it’s also planning to hold another sausage sizzle at Bunnings in the future and would welcome volunteers.

Those keen to help out can contact Margaret on 0419326453.

Cat and art lovers alike will be heading to the Creswick Town Hall this long weekend.
The Cats Come to Creswick Art Show is on from September 29 to October 1 and is the brainchild of Sandy Campbell, board member for the town’s John Curtin Aged Care Centre and event coordinator.
While musing on a good way to raise some money for the centre, Sandy realised that cats were perfect as a central theme for an art show for several reasons.
Firstly, they are ubiquitous creatures in our lives, she says, and secondly, artist Norman Lindsay, one of the town’s most famed historic figures, simply adored the feline species. Alongside human nudes, for which he is particularly known, he painted plenty of them, Sandy says.
“Creswick is very proud of Norman Lindsay and aside from painting nudes he also painted cats. He loved cats. There’s even a book dedicated to Norman Lindsay’s cats. To have them as the theme for an art show seemed like a logical thing to me.
“Wherever you travel in the world you will always find a cat. They are so ubiquitous.”
The art show will feature works by 51 artists, many of them professional, and many from throughout Central Victoria.
Well-known for her printmaking, Loris Button, who previously taught at the Ballarat Art School, says turning her hand to depicting the cat in art has been a bit of a different experience for her as well.
Portraiture, including self-portraiture, is usually more her thing, but Loris took this opportunity to create three prints honouring her own dearly departed, much- loved house moggie. “They depict our late cat sleeping. She was 23,” says Loris.
There’s also a couple of artists from interstate, and even some from very close to home including John Curtin Aged Care’s own CEO, Steve Bruechert, who usually paints entirely different subject matter.
However, Sandy was able to convince him to turn out some feline-themed works for the cause, which is to raise money for a new automatic minibus for the centre so staff can take residents on regular outings.
“We need to get a new bus to take the residents on outings and picnics and it needs to be equipped to take wheelchairs.”
Art will be for sale and is “first in, best dressed”, Sandy says.
“One of the works will be a compilation put together by a number of our residents with some help from a lifestyle team member.
“They’re being very secretive about it and it’s being unveiled at the preview event for artists, sponsors and board members on Thursday night.”
There will also be some attractive raffle prizes up for grabs as part of the show, and a cat-themed sales table including limited edition handmade toy cats and souvenir mugs.
The Ballarat Cat Lovers group, dedicated to finding good responsible homes for real cats, will be present during the show. Entry is $5 with children free.
Words & image: Eve Lamb