Basically a privileged person is somebody who in fact doesn’t have or doesn’t need community because they can meet all of their needs with money. Because if you have enough money in modern society, you don’t need anybody or anyone or anything. You don’t need the people around you because you can pay somebody else to do whatever they’re doing. You don’t need the ecosystem around you, you don’t need the soil around because you can pay to import food from somewhere else. You’re completely independent of your relationships, except for the one one relationship that matters in modern society to sustain life, which is money, or so it seems, but as the study you cite demonstrates, it’s not actually true that we can meet all of our needs with money. But what money does is it replaces human relationships. So in an Amish community, there’s no such thing — as far as I know — as insurance on your home. Because if your home burns down, the community will get together and build you a new home. That’s your insurance. And your insurance payment is all the times that you helped somebody else build their house. So you don’t need insurance in that community. Well, any society that lives in that way is a ripe target for development, as it’s called, for economic growth, because you can replace that community function with a paid service. And so what’s happened in the modern era is that one after another, human relationships have been replaced with paid services. Everything from growing food to taking care of children to making entertainment. It’s not just the survival needs, it’s also: What does it take to live well? To be fully human? And if you don’t make your own music any more but you download it from Spotify, then that’s another service that’s been converted into money. And also ecological services get converted into something that you purchase. And that strips away what actually makes life rich. So you ask what to do about it, and on the broadest level, it’s to reclaim to restore, to recover, to regenerate the lost relationships to come into relationship again … but to turn that idea [of privilege] on its head and embrace the knowledge of what actually makes life rich, what makes life good, and to say, ok, it’s time to enrich ourselves again. It’s time to reclaim the lost relationships.

Charles Eisenstein, from  an interview on the Regenerative Agriculture podcast, episode 86

Welcome to the August/September 2023 edition of Localising Leanganook e-news. As the sun starts peeking through the clouds and the dazzling bloom of wattles fills the bush with golden yellow colour, we sense with anticipation the coming of spring and the return of warmer weather. This edition includes another fascinating feature article from one of our editors (Keppel) and a rich, soulful array of events and activities from our amazing community to enlighten, inspire and uplift you. We hope you enjoy it.

Keppel, Laurel and Nikki

Contents

Feature article – The Forgotten Third Way: Social Threefolding and its Role in Supporting Social and Ecological Renewal

What’s happening in Central Victoria

1. The arts and culture
2. Building community
3. Ecology and the environment
4. First Nations
5. Food growing, farming and food security
6. Sustainable economic initiatives
7. Sustainable living resources

Letters

Food For Thought

Feature Article

The Forgotten Third Way: Social Threefolding and its Role in Supporting Social and Ecological Renewal

By Keppel Cassidy, Kyneton 

What socio-economic framework will give us the best chance of creating a thriving, ecologically sustainable society? Capitalism, socialism/communism or something else? This question, which was the subject of both a major global power struggle and intense academic debate in the 20^th Century, is surely just as relevant today as it was then, if not more so. The collapse of the Soviet Union and its allies in the late 20^th Century seems to have been largely triggered by the failure of their economic model, and since that time socialism and communism have largely been in retreat, notwithstanding a surge in support in the 2010s in the USA and many countries in Western Europe led by activist politicians such as Bernie Sanders and Jeremy Corbyn. However on current evidence, capitalism is also failing to fulfil its promises. Poverty and inequality are rising across the world, and power is becoming concentrated in fewer and fewer hands through the concentration of ownership in media and business, undermining democratic processes. Meanwhile quality of life continues to decline for many people, forced to work longer and longer hours to make ends meet, with less and less time for all that makes life meaningful. Finally, the Earth’s ecosystems are at crisis point on multiple fronts: biodiversity loss, air and water pollution, soil degradation, resource depletion and climate change are all coming together to generate an existential crisis for the web of life and for humanity.

A Third Way between capitalism and communism
Many attempts have been made to find a ‘Third Way’ that will provide the roadmap to lead us to a healthy, prosperous society that communism and capitalism have failed to achieve. Following the Great Depression of the 1930s, a broad consensus emerged in the non-communist Global North to adopt Keynesian, social democratic economic policies, including protectionist industrial policies, public ownership of key utilities such as transport and infrastructure, publicly funded education and healthcare, and a strong welfare safety net. Following the turn towards neoliberalism in the 1970s and 1980s, left-leaning parties led by politicians such as Tony Blair, Bill Clinton and Gerhard Schroeder sought to combine socially progressive policies with a free market, neoliberal economic platform. This move was politically successful but led to both short- and long-term negative social and economic impacts, some of which are playing out today with the rise of an impoverished, angry class in many countries who are turning towards conservative populism, as demonstrated by the support for politicians such as Marine Le Pen in France, Donald Trump in the USA and Pauline Hanson in Australia.

Social threefolding: the forgotten ‘Third Way’
Yet there are ‘Third Way’ frameworks that are more than just a politically expedient halfway compromise between capitalism and communism. One of the least known, but in my view most profound of these is what has become known as social threefolding, developed in the early 20^th Century by the Austrian philosopher, educationalist and visionary Rudolf Steiner. I believe that social threefolding offers a lens through which we could develop both small- and large-scale policy that could overcome many of the problems that have been created through capitalism and socialism, and also to facilitate the urgent transition to an ecologically sustainable society. Steiner argued that the social threefolding approach wasn’t an intellectually constructed conceptual framework, but instead a reflection of the kind of society humanity is already reaching towards, albeit in a fumbling and stumbling way. He emphasised that, to be successful, social and economic structures needed to be suited to the present evolutionary stage of humanity, being neither regressive (belonging to the past) nor too advanced for our current level of moral and spiritual development. In this way, the functioning of communities and societies can support the individual and collective evolution of humanity rather than hindering it.

Steiner described the threefold society as being an ‘organism’, and this picture can help us to grasp it as a living reality rather than an abstract system. The foundation of this society is that it is built on three interconnecting spheres: the cultural sphere, the rights sphere, and the economic sphere. Whilst these three spheres are interdependent and interact with each other, they each have their own distinct identity and needs, and must be allowed to operate autonomously according to these. I will describe each of the spheres in turn below.

Cultural sphere
The cultural sphere governs all of those activities connected with learning and growth for the individual and society. This includes all levels of education, the arts and all forms of spiritual practice. Here, we find and develop new ideas and practices that will benefit society as a whole. It is also where we engage in work to remedy existing problems for the benefit of society – thus it includes all kinds of health care, social work and welfare. The key concept that must guide the cultural sphere is freedom: people must be free to think for themselves, try new approaches and debate the best way forward for us to gain the full benefit of their knowledge. Steiner emphasised the importance of educators having autonomy over what and how they teach for this reason, and likely would have extended the same expectation to health care professionals. A social threefolding approach also requires freedom of speech to be strongly protected, because only when there is the ability to discuss theories and practices freely can the best knowledge emerge.

Rights sphere
The rights sphere governs those institutions that determine the rules by which we live together, so that the dignity and worth of each person are honoured. This includes the political system, the legal system, and institutions that are involved in upholding and enforcing laws, including the police and a variety of government agencies (for example in Australia, the Fair Work Commission, state and local government planning officers and state environmental protection agencies). The key concept that must guide the rights sphere is equality. This reflects a belief in the sacredness of life, and the dignity of all people regardless of characteristics such as race, culture, gender, sexuality, ability or belief. Thus laws should apply equally to all people and not be differentiated based on power, privilege or personal characteristics.

Upholding human dignity also requires that individuals be treated fairly and with respect by others: hence acts that oppress or harm another person are prohibited, such as intimidation, theft, all kinds of abuse and homicide. In the workplace, the rights sphere should ensure that workers are paid fairly for their work: Steiner’s simple yet profound prescription was that each worker, no matter how grand or humble their profession, should receive sufficient payment for the product of their labours such that they and their dependents could meet all of their needs for living well until the next product should be completed. In this statement, he predated concepts such as fair trade and a living wage by several decades.

Economic sphere
The economic sphere governs all activities that are concerned with meeting our material needs for surviving and thriving in the world. At their most basic, these include shelter, food and drink, clothing and all kinds of tools and equipment for facilitating access to these. Thus this sphere governs all of those who are involved in the production, distribution and consumption of goods. The key concept that must guide the economic sphere is brotherhood/sisterhood, meaning that we engage economically with others with the goal of benefiting both ourselves and them, based on a feeling of kinship with them. Another, more contemporary term for this consciousness is solidarity. Put simply, our focus becomes co-operation rather than competition.

You will likely notice that it is in this sphere that we see the greatest departure from orthodox economic approaches. Neoliberal capitalist theory proposes that people’s primary economic motivation is self-interest, and that being free to pursue personal wants, whatever these may be is the ‘engine’ that will drive the economic activity needed to generate prosperity for the good of society. The social threefolding approach recognises that people need to be able to act autonomously to meet their economic needs, but argues that action driven by purely egotistical desires will frequently lead to destructive impacts on others, as both socialist theorists and indigenous societies have long recognised: the oppression of the weak, harm to community cohesion and the destruction of nature to name a few.

On the other hand, the motivation of free co-operation borne out of a sense of solidarity acknowledges and takes advantage of the primacy of the impulse towards survival and material wellbeing in humans, the motivation of Ananke or necessity. Yet it encourages us to bring the light of awareness to this impulse, so that we perceive that we will survive and be happiest when all of those with whom we interact economically also survive and thrive. And it recognises that, freely chosen, co-operative action is actually the most efficient and powerful way of meeting needs: indeed Steiner often pointed out that the material comforts we enjoy today are entirely dependent on our co-operation with others through the economic sphere: the farmers who grow the food that we eat, the manufacturers who produce the clothes we wear, the builders who built the house in which we live, and many others. All the social threefolding approach does is make these relationships conscious, and call on us to infuse them with a sense of solidarity, which can also be understood from the perspective of the rights sphere as respecting the rights and dignity of others.

How can social threefolding help to create a healthier, more just and sustainable society?
I have been contemplating this question over the last week, and have a few initial thoughts came to mind, though these are likely not exhaustive. Firstly, I think one of the most important things social threefolding does is to separate out the three spheres and their three different human impulses, while emphasising that each is equally important: the impulse to learn and grow, the impulse to live harmoniously and respectfully together, and the impulse to meet our needs for physical survival and health. These can be roughly mapped onto Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, and like Maslow’s work provides an antidote against the human tendency to obsessively focus on one thing at the expense of others. For economists often concentrate their attention solely on material prosperity, which meets the needs of the economic sphere, but ignores our need for a supportive community and opportunities to grow and express our unique potential. On the other hand, those who concentrate exclusively on freedom of self-expression or creating a just society without considering how we are going to sustain ourselves are also not going to meet the community’s needs.

Secondly, a unique insight of social threefolding is that the work of each sphere is right for that sphere only, and they should not be muddled up. To give an example of this, we can consider those who subscribe to a libertarian philosophy, which demands freedom in all areas of life. In relation to the speech, thinking, creativity and indeed the need to ‘follow one’s own star’ – in short, the cultural sphere – this demand is a vital and justified one. But my freedom in the rights sphere must clearly be curtailed where it impacts on the rights of others, otherwise society will become either a lawless ‘Wild West’ or a place where the strong and powerful oppress the weak. In the economic sphere, freedom might seem a justifiable goal, and indeed it has a place there. But Steiner made it very clear that humanity needs to transcend egotism in the economic life, so that we each employ our individual gifts primarily for the benefit of the community, rather than for personal gain. It is not hard to see that we have a lot of work to do in this area at this point in human evolution!

Thirdly, I think that Steiner’s understanding of the economic sphere brings an important theoretical ballast to our emerging sense that the desire for material gain is the wrong driver for the economic life, yet it also answers the criticisms of big state socialism – that it is inefficient and hampers individual initiative – and provides another way to approach the challenges of this area. He emphasised that the state’s role should be confined to the rights sphere, for example setting and enforcing laws regarding fair dealings between employers and workers, and between sellers and consumers. But he called for the formation of ‘associations’ that brought together the producers, distributors and consumers in any given area to collectively guide economic policy in their domain so that the needs of each group are met. This is a radical idea that, as far as I’m aware, hasn’t been applied on a large scale in any society. But we can see in some movements and initiatives the first stirring of the kind of social consciousness that is required to do this:

• In the fair trade, food sovereignty and consumer supported agriculture (CSA) movements, where consumers and distributors choose prices that are sufficient to meet the needs of the producer;
• In various forms of ethical and social impact investing, notably the Triodos Bank, where borrowers and lenders sit down at a yearly meeting to work out an interest rate that will balance the needs of each group
• In the co-operative movement, especially those co-operatives that are set up at a community level to meet an identified community need, and also in community businesses that are operated for the same reason, such as the Bendigo Bank community banks

Finally, because social threefolding shifts the focus of the economic life to co-operatively meeting needs, it is highly compatible with the need to transition to an ecologically sustainable way of life that is confronting humanity in this time, as has been articulated in the environmental, degrowth and transition towns movements. Steiner’s emphasis on cultivating a reverence for life infuses all his teachings, and echoes those who call for us to reawaken our deep connection with nature, what Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh called our sense of ‘interbeing’, our sense of wonder before its sacred mystery, and our responsibility to protect it, as indigenous cultures the world over recognise. At the same time, social threefolding offers a practical pathway to a new economic and social life that does not require us to become egoless, perfect beings, nor machines, but real human beings learning, loving, striving and growing together towards the better world our hearts know is possible. And the beauty of it is that we can begin to implement this awareness at any level: individual, family, workplace or community – it doesn’t have to begin on a whole of society level.

I hope that this introduction to social threefolding has given you a glimpse into this profound social model and its potential for transforming our future. There is much more to it than I have articulated here, so please explore the references below if you would like to go deeper. Note that the Wikipedia entry on social threefolding is an excellent, accessible place to start.

References:

Goetheanum Section for Social Sciences (nd.). Threefolding 100 years 1919 – 2019. Accessed on 25/08/2023 from https://socialnew.goetheanum.org/threefolding/

Large. M. (2016). Rudolf Steiner’s Vision for our Social Future: Openings for Social Threefolding. New View, 81, 3 – 9.

Steiner, R. (2000). Towards Social Renewal: Rethinking the Basis of Society. Translated by Matthew Barton. Hudson NY: Anthroposophic Press. (Note: an online translation is also available at http://www.threefolding.org/archiv/800.html.  

Wikipedia (nd.) Social Threefolding. Accessed on 25/08/2023 from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_threefolding

What’s Happening in Central Victoria

1. The Arts and Culture

Arts and Photography Prize

The revamped Kyneton Daffodil and Arts Festival Art and Photography Prizes are now open for entries. The Photography and Art Prize will be on display the 31st – 11th of September 2023 at The Old Auction House Gallery in Kyneton. Prize pool of $1,700:  the overall winning piece with a daffodil $700, and open themes in the mediums of Oil, Acrylic, Watercolour and Sculpture each taking a $200 prize. Entries are $10 a piece, apply via link, and applications close Sunday 20 August at 5pm.
https://daffodils.goodhands.link/artandphotographyprizeentry/

Castlemaine Free University – Towards Eudaemonia

WHERE — Northern Arts Hotel, 359 Barker Street, Castlemaine
WHEN — 6.30 pm for 7 pm, Monday 4 September 2023
FREE — the event is free, and drinks can be purchased at the bar

Towards Eudæmonia-  ‘Expect a rich mélange of words, images, sounds and conversation. All in opposition to modernity’s disenchantment of our world…’

Circus Mania

When: 27 Sept – 1 Oct 2023

Where: Western Reserve Castlemaine

A 5-day and night circus festival in beautiful Castlemaine, showcasing the world-class talent that is in and in fact all-around Victoria.

Featuring an extraordinary contemporary Circus, saucy Cabaret and family-friendly Entertainment, this festival has something for everyone, all taking place inside ‘The May Wirth’, a stunning 350-seater traditional circus tent.

The Day the School Went Under

A hilarious comedy show presented by Daylesford Youth Theatre as part of the Words in Winter Festival.

When: Saturday 26 August

Where Daylesford Town Hall, Vincent St

Tickets $15/$10

Bookings: https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing/1088886

Documentary Filmmaking Masterclass

A 3-hour masterclass with three of the documentary world’s most experienced practitioners.

Tony Jackson, Bergen O’Brien and Sam Dinning share tips and tricks to help you create a compelling short documentary.

When: 9 September, 2 – 5 pm

Where: Northern Arts Hotel

Cost: $50/$40

Bookings: https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing/1099262

Maldon Landscape Prize: Essence of Place

The inaugural Landscape Prize 2023 Essence of Place is presented by Maldon Artist Network (MANet) and EDGE Galleries. Entries close 8 September 2023. First prize $10,000 and People’s Choice Award $1000 for the online exhibition winner. For more information go to the MANET website.

Mapatazi: Girlz Guitar Onslaught

Sunday, 27 August 2023, 11 am – 3 pm

Goods Shed Arts

$35 Full / $25 Concession

Calling all women/girls/non-binary electric guitarists & bass players from beginners to advanced to make some noise in this electrifying workshop without pressure to perform in public. Feel what it’s like to be part of the Mapatazi (pronounced Map o’ Tassie!) en masse onslaught of guitars.

Community-spirited yet professional in the outcome. Mapatazi’s original music hints at ambient washes, heavy metal riffs and anything in-between. In the workshop, we’ll try out some new ideas composed especially for an onslaught of guitars. This may include rock riffs ambient washes, and anything in between. You don’t need to read music. All the pieces are designed for players of different skill levels.
All ages are welcome. BYO instrument, amplifier, leads & lunch.

Melbourne Chamber Orchestra: A Feast of Music 2023

When: 9 – 10 September 2023

Where: Hotel Bellinzona – Daylesford and Hepburn Springs

MCO’s “A Feast of Music” chamber music festival lights up Daylesford and Hepburn Springs this September 9 & 10. Magnificent chamber music, an orchestral concert & a musical dinner. Directed by MCO Artistic Director Sophie Rowell, and with special guests acclaimed pianist Kristian Chong and French horn virtuoso Peter Luff. Packages and single tickets are now on sale.

To book tickets: https://mco.org.au/event/a-feast-of-music-2023/

Newstead Arts Hub

NerdROM Node 1: Sound and Music 

Sat 2 Sept, 7pm onwards. Free  
Come along for this inaugural event exploring sound and music using live electronics. Experience the creativity of four performers from Newstead and Castlemaine: Barfield, Nicky System, Paul Britton and Aimee Chapman. Live projection art will accompany the performances. Free entry. Drinks available

Finding a voice: Spring Series of artists’ talks’ 

Three talks: Thursdays 7 Sept, 12 Oct, 9 Nov – at 5.30pm

Join us for our Spring Series of artist talks. Hear three local, accomplished artists speak about finding and sustaining their own artistic voice. These talks will be of interest to anyone working in creative fields, as well as art loving members of the public.

• Melinda Harper, Thurs 7 Sept 5.30pm – BOOK HERE
• David Frazer, Thurs 12 October 5.30pm – BOOK HERE
• Kynan Sutherland, Thurs 9 November 5.30pm – BOOK HERE

These talks are free, but please book to help with catering

While We Live: an exhibition 

Weekends: Sat 9 Sept – Sun 2 Oct, 10am-4pm
Opening event Sat 9 Sept 2pm
Experience this new body of work by James Healey and Hugh Wayland. Their photographs explore links between analogue and digital, contrasting the urban and remote environments in which we live and move. It includes images captured spontaneously while travelling by car, walking or meeting people, as they went about their daily lives

Exhibition spaces at the Hub
Get out of the studio and into the Hub where our great exhibition spaces await your work. We’ve got some gaps in our calendar and a great team to help you hang and promote your work. Bookings now open for 2024!  Email us at info@newsteadartshub.org or submit a short proposal at https://newsteadartshub.org/venue-hire/.

Northern Arts Hotel program

Music, film discussions and more each week.

Here’s the link to the latest calendar of events at the Coolroom: https://northernartshotel.com.au/the-coolroom/

Project Ludwig – A Family Concert at The Daylesford Convent

Date: Friday, September 22, 2023
Time: 7:00pm
Venue: The Convent, 7 Daly Street, Daylesford
Tickets: Adults: $30, Children: $10, Family: $60
Bookings: https://asq.com.au/artfuel/tickets/430/sale

The Artamidae Quartet will hold a family-friendly, interactive concert featuring Beethoven’s Opus 18 string quartets, where you decide the program!

This special choose-your-own-adventure style event will allow concertgoers to learn about music of Ludwig van Beethoven’s famous Opus 18 string quartets and to speak personally with the musicians about their favourite music before choosing what they would most like to hear.  The audience decides the program! Experience your very own, unique, Beethoven string quartet. A different program every time!

For more information: https://thewombatpost.com.au/2023/08/25/project-ludwig-a-family-concert-at-the-convent/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_term=Fri+25+Aug+2023&utm_campaign=Local+News+for+Daylesford+and+Hepburn+Springs

The Taproom – Shedshaker Brewing

Upcoming gigs:

Aug 26 – Yes23 Art Auction Fundraiser

Sep 8 – Tribute – Rolling Stones

Sep 10 – Tango Mood

Words in Winter

A weekend of writers, story-tellers,  poets, artists and more. This years theme is ‘Out of the Shadows’.

When: August 25, 26 and 27th

Where: Assorted venues around Daylesford and other locations in central Victoria

For program: https://wordsinwinter.com/

Words in Winter- Open Mic at Yandoit Cultural

Stories, song, poetry and local history.

The theme for this year’s Open Mic session is “around the hearth”- that place where we gather in the winter. All welcome.

When: Sunday August 27th, 2pm

Where: Yandoit Cultural– the old  church in the bush, Uniting Church Rd,  (off High St) Yandoit

2. Building Community

Goldfields Libraries StoryWalks

For more information: https://www.ncgrl.vic.gov.au/storywalk

Hepburn Life – Council Newsletter Out Now

This month’s edition includes information on an upcoming agricultural forum for farmers, seniors week activities and subsidised compost bins for shire residents. Follow the link below to read the newsletter:

Hepburn Life

Saturday Philosophy in the Library

On the first Saturday of each month, the library has hosted philosophical discussions. Meet up with like-minded people to enjoy a session of thought provoking ideas run by the Central Goldfields School of Philosophy. There is a new subject each month – come to one, some, or all!

Saturday 2 September 10-11:30
Saturday 7 October 10-11:30
Saturday 4 November 10-11:30

More information at practicalphilosophyvic.org.au

Seniors Week Community Lunches and Mini Expos

Castlemaine Community House is hosting the Seniors’ Week Festival again for Mount Alexander Shire. The theme for the statewide festival is Love, Live and Learn.

Seniors are invited to come and enjoy community lunch for free, and chat with mini-expo vendors

3 October: Castlemaine (Town Hall)

4 October: Maldon

6 October: Harcourt

3. Ecology and the Environment

Ballarat Tailings Dam Concerning Local Residents

An article was published this week in the Guardian online about a new tailings dam for the Ballarat Goldmine that was recently approved by the City of Ballarat, a decision that is being challenged at VCAT by a concerned local residents group.

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/aug/23/new-tailings-dam-at-ballarat-goldmine-will-not-increase-risk-to-residents-operators-say

Biolinks Alliance Newsletter

On-the-ground works start at Spring Plains
Local students bringing life back to Snipes Creek
Restoring and reconnecting glider habitat
Fundraising for Biolinks Alliance on a journey of a lifetime
Rewilding Central Victoria – expert panel event
Large Old ‘Hero’ Trees and their life-sustaining hollows webinar
Volunteer opportunities
Meet the team – Ellie McKenna, Biolinks Alliance Relations Manager
Donate to support our work

For more information about the Biolinks Alliance: https://biolinksalliance.org.au/

To subscribe to the Biolinks Alliance newsletter: https://biolinksalliance.org.au/sign-up

Climate Changers Documentary

Follow renowned Australian environmental scientist Tim Flannery as he searches for leadership in tackling climate change in this documentary. Where are the leaders who will drive change, and how might they succeed where others have failed?

When: 17 September at 5.30pm

Where: Theatre Royal

Cost: $25/$22

Bookings: https://theatreroyalcastlemaine.oztix.com.au/outlet/event/

Community Carbon – Landowners Wanted for Revegatation Pilot Project

The Northern Central Catchment Management Authority (NCCMA) are looking for interested landowners for the Community Carbon project, which aims to support revegetation efforts restoring critical habitats, connecting fragmented landscapes and addressing biodiversity loss.

For more information and how to apply, please visit https://connectingcountry.org.au/community-carbon-growing-to-net-zero-in-central-victoria/

Free Environmental Video Program- Stories to Action

Where: Greater Bendigo region

Seeking young people (12-25) interested in using creativity to help inspire a more sustainable world! The Stories to Action program will support you in creating your own videos about the environment and sustainability, and use them to inspire positive change in the broader community. You can be involved as a co-designer and/or participant. Applications are assessed as they come in. Closing at latest by Mon Sept 11th.

For more information and to apply: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf08rvD2kZXRmr73WJuzrnxm_qxmIgoFFflaXSmazFf6WirWg/viewform

Native Wildlife and Rodent Poisons Alert

Planet Local Summit- Re-framing the Climate Debate

When: September 29- October 1st, 2023

Where: livestream (plus in situ in Bristol UK)

The Planet Local Summit is shaping up to be one of the biggest gatherings focused on localization/decentralization in history. Among those joining us are powerful voices reframing the climate debate:

• Charles Eisenstein, author of ‘Climate: A New Story’.
• Camila Moreno, the world’s preeminent analyst of the COP climate negotiations.
• Jack Harries, youth leader for climate education and documentary filmmaker.

“Even if we cut carbon emissions to zero, if we don’t also reverse ongoing ecocide on the local level everywhere, the climate will still die a death of a million cuts. The most important global policies would be those that create conditions where we can restore and protect millions of local ecosystems.”– Charles Eisenstein Newstead blog

4. First Nations

Concert for the Yes! Vote

When: 7pm, Thursday 14 September 2023

Where: Theatre Royal Castlemaine

A collaboration of fourteen-plus outstanding Indigenous leaders, musicians, storytellers, writers and artists to raise money and spirits in support of the YES in the forthcoming Australian referendum on the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Voice and recognition in the Constitution and to celebrate Indigenous culture in central Victoria. A night with a substantial Welcome to Country, songs in the Dja Dja Wurrung and Wadawurrung languages, mighty anthems from great Australian songwriters, powerful words from renowned writers, music that unites cultures, a soundscape of this continent and a big sing-along.

All proceeds go to the local YES23 campaign.

For more information and tickets: https://theatreroyalcastlemaine.oztix.com.au/outlet/event/3c7b2f5a-6d5e-456b-b24e-dab686e35e75?Event=17429

5. Food Growing, Farming and Food Security

Castlemaine Seed Library Working Bee

Come and join Castlemaine Seed Library volunteers to help pack seeds for the seed library program

When: 7 September at 11am

Where: Castlemaine Library Foyer

Eating Democracy: The True Cost of the Food We Eat – Crowdfunding Campaign

The Australian Food Sovereignty Alliance (AFSA) has launched a crowdfunding campaign to raise $30,000 to publish its new book, Eating Democracy: The True Cost of the Food We Eat, and they need your help to reach their target!  Through the stories of everyday people from different cultures, Eating Democracy explores the true cost of the food we eat, and the benefits to health, community and the planet from making ethical food choices.

To support the campaign, you can make a donation at: https://www.pozible.com/project/eating-democracy

If you’d like to spread the word about the campaign, please share the Eating Democracy Promotion Pack among your networks.

The campaign closes on 19th September, so please share widely to support this important work from AFSA.

Harcourt Organic Farming Co-op (HOFC) dairy is back at the market

Tess from HOFC is pleased to announce that the milk drought has broken, and she will be selling milk and yoghurt again at the weekly Castlemaine Farmers’ Market

Read the full article here

6. Sustainable Economic Initiatives

Unleashing Local Economies in a Global Game – webinar

Economist Michael Shuman and Kai Lofgren from Regen Melbourne in conversation exploring how innovative, place-based approaches to economic investment can help to build stronger, more resilient communities.

Organised by: Castlemaine Institute in partnership with Regen Melbourne and Small Giants Academy.

A free event.

When: 31 August from 8-9am (yes, am!)

Where: online

Bookings: https://events.humanitix.com/conversation-local-investment-in-a-global-game-with-michael-shuman

7. Sustainable Living Resources

Hepburn @ Home

A 6-session series of free online workshops on sustainable living, put together by the team from the Good Hood, full of practical information on composting, low waste cooking, electric vehicles and much more

When: starting 16th August

Where: Online

Cost: free

To register, go to: tinyurl.com/hepburnathome

Kinship Natural Building Festival

A two day, hands-on workshop in methods of building with natural materials, including cob, mudbrick, natural renders and earthen floors. Sleep overnight in the solar-passive ecologically designed and fire-resilient Earthship ‘Kinship’ featured in lead articles, radio shows and news stories across local, state and national media.

When: 25 – 26 August, starting 10am

Where: 19 Ward St, Kinglake

For all enquiries and bookings, contact Daryl Taylor by phone on 0497097047 or email kinship.kinglake@gmail.com

Letters

Camp Reserve Destruction

By Trevor Scott, Castlemaine

Already many of you have written to this newspaper about the redevelopment of the Camp Reserve in Forest Street, Castlemaine. In his recent letter, Ian Braybrook says “those who know the history and continuously use the Camp [Reserve] are content with the council plan” but how well do they know the history and, is he aware that in a recent survey carried out by MASC, 51% of those surveyed, voted against the plan. If you stand at the south end near the entrance and look westwards to the top of the highest point on Gingell Street, you will see the mature, native species trees that have to be removed. You will also realise that the flat area needed for basketball courts and a grandstand with change facilities, has to be cut out of this hill, irretrievably changing the look and appearance of the reserve.

As an architect and long time resident of the town, I am concerned that the proposed plan will change the landscape drastically, and I really wonder if the extra cost of tree and earth removal, site drainage and retaining walls, all to be borne by ratepayers, is justified when the grandstand and proposed facilities could more easily and definitely more cheaply, be built on the flatter part of the site at the northern end.

The history of this area goes back more than 150 years, to a time when everywhere you looked you would see miners panning for gold. History tells us that their tents and shanties were perched on the hill that they now want to remove. Surely history is not just a list of events in a book; it is also very much about the places where these events occurred. I think that unless we move forward with respect for our history, we make these proposed changes to the Camp Reserve at our peril.

Food for Thought

1. Conversation between Dr Iain McGilchrist  and Charles Eisenstein

An inspiring, thought provoking discussion between two of our favourite writers: Charles Eisenstein, author of Sacred Economics and The More Beautiful World Our Hearts Know is Possible and neuroscience researcher Dr Iain McGilchrist, author of The Master and His Emissary and The Matter With Things.

https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/54a759a8-9f3d-4d61-af54-33a2de6adcfc?j=eyJ1IjoiMXIwOGJoIn0.G02aCM2Cp7ysJHksn1gXNVa3sOmvog4DCk9a9mTztOA

2. Animals in the Room – Why We Can and Should Listen to Other Species, by Melanie Challenger in Emergence Magazine

Anyone who develops deep knowledge of other species by living alongside them for years realizes something both obvious and essential: we are not the only lives that matter…

https://emergencemagazine.org/essay/animals-in-the-room/?utm_source=Emergence+Magazine&utm_campaign=112aaedacd-MelanieChallenger%E2%80%9420230813&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_73186f6259-112aaedacd-356493622

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“My blood”, writes Stan Grant, who has both Irish and Wiradjuri forebears, in ‘Talking to My Country’, “the blood of Moyne and Belabula. White and black: two worlds that even within me, bend to each other but still can’t quite touch”. / And is that not us too? – two worlds, bending, but never touching? / Who is Australia? Why Australia? Where is Australia? It is the great question to which we must all make an answer later this year, and that is the question of whether or not we support the voice. / The Uluru Statement from the Heart was an invitation to finally meet, to finally touch. / Whether I wish to be or not, I am a child of this country. In seeking to understand it I have come to see that we must make a new start, a better start if our imaginings are to go further, if we are to create dreams that might liberate, stories we might live better by.

Richard Flanagan: ‘Our inauthentic heart – What the voice to parliament means for the stories we tell’ (The Monthly , July 2023, ps 36-38)

Welcome to the July/August 2023 edition of Localising Leanganook e-news. There are some changes afoot and here’s what you will find:

Changes to Localising Leanganook e-news

Feature Article- A Thrutopian Mindset

What’s Happening in Central Victoria?

1. Bendigo Share and Repair Shed launched
2. Repair Cafes are Expanding
3. Smoking Ceremony for Renamed Creek
4. Guildford Folk Club
5. Yes to Voice to Parliament
6. Yandoit Milking Cooperative
7. Wararack- Community Climate Transition Plan
8. Wararack and MASG Networking Drinks
9. Ballarat Zero Emissions Alliance Workshops
10. Mt Alexander Sustainability Group (MASG) Programs
11. Venie Holmgren Environmental Poetry Prize
12. Loddon Mallee Climate Change and Health Framework
13. Castlemaine Library Event- The Emotional World of Primary School Kids
14. Wild at Art- Threatened Species Art Competition
15. Connecting Country- Bird of the Month
16. Stories of Transition- on line event- Transition Australia
17. New Economy Network of Australia- Conference Proposals
18. Northern Arts Hotel
19. Saltgrass Podcasts and Interviews
20. Wombat Forest Care
21. Don’t Undermine Daylesford
22. Contra Guitar Duo
23. Calling All Artists- Newstead Arts Hub
24. Coiled basketry – a workshop with Jodie Goldring
25. Hub Writers Group: Monthly ‘Let’s Shut Up & Write’
26. Words in Winter- Daylesford
27. Words in Winter- Open Mic at Yandoit Cultural
28. Harcourt Organic Farming Cooperative- Orchard
29. Castlemaine Weekly Farmers Market
30. Mt Alexander Shire’s Climate Change Strategy
31. Hepburn’s Sustainability Advisory Group
32. Future Hepburn – Join our Community Engagement Pool
33. National Tree Day
34. Central Victorian Biolinks Alliance
35. Alliance for Responsible Mining Regulation
36. Newstead 2021 Project- Community Meeting
37. Diamond Firetail – A Vulnerable Local Species
38. Hepburn Shire’s Age-friendly Declaration Expo
39. North Central Catchment Management Info
40. Revegetation Success in a Changing Climate event
41. Sustainable Hepburn News and Sustainable Hepburn Advisory Committee
42. Walking Together
43. Mt Alexander Shire News
44. Castlemaine Free University
    
45. Seeds of Renewal Leadership Course
46. Community Battery
47. VNI West Transmission Lines Update
48. Winter Workshop series for Soil Health and Fruit Trees
49. Castlemaine Seed Library
50. Refugee Support in Daylesford

Letters

Food for Thought

Changes to Localising Leanganook e-news

Welcome to the July/August edition of Localising Leanganook e-news. You will notice changes to this and future editions. The call out to establish an editing group has borne fruit and there are now three new locals joining Nikki Marshall to prepare the newsletter (Keppel Cassidy, Laurel Freeland, Samantha Wittenberg ) .  Each edition will begin with a thoughtful quote;  followed by a feature article; an abbreviated  ‘what’s happening in our neighbourhood’  section with links to further information; a letters section; and a ‘food for thought’ section with links to articles, podcasts, books etc.

We welcome your feedback, letters and what’s happening updates. Just click on ’email us’ at  https://leanganook.org/contact/ 

The Localising Leanganook e-news started in 2017, following on from Local Lives Global Matters- a Conference for Future’s Sake–  held in Castlemaine in October 2015. The e-news encourages and provides information about localising initiatives in central Victoria which sustain viable local economies, act on social and ecological justice, reclaim democracy and revitalise spirit.

Feature Article

Cultivating a Thrutopian Mindset to Seed a Viable Future for All-  by Laurel Freeland, Newstead

Many of our current debates about climate change are based on polarised beliefs about either/or, right and wrong, us/them which arise from binary, fragmentary views of the world.  The trajectory of this perspective leads us to further extremes – perpetual wars within and between ourselves, groups and nations that impede our collective ability to take the actions needed to create a viable future for all life.

There are many ways to create the future.  There is a growing awareness that individually and collectively we have agency to contribute to a way of being in the world that engenders greater social, ecological, economic and political equity.  Whatever we are focusing on now is what will create our future.

Some great minds have contributed to a way of being-and-doing in the world that takes us beyond globalisation, corporate interests, economics as the primary measure of success, excessive extraction and an ever-widening gap between rich and poor.  We know this old story well and we know it is not working for the good of all.

Many indigenous cultures considered the impact of their practices on the next seven generations. And many contemporary thinkers have recognised that catastrophising and blaming is not sufficient to motivate the changes needed if we are to survive this precarious time on Earth.

Professor Rupert Read is one of our contemporary thinkers who recognises this and sees that we can cut through the false binaries of dystopian and utopian futures by telling different stories – ones that recognise the precarious place we find ourselves in and which show possibility –   a pathway out.  He calls this Thrutopia.

A Thrutopian Mindset

Cultivating a Thrutopian mindset is one way we can cut through these polarities to generate life enhancing stories that seed a viable future for all life.   In 2017 Professor Read was asking himself, ‘How do we get to a position where we’re able to have a sort of realistic picture for how the future could be?  How do we aim for that future to be as good as possible?’  He recognised the dilemma that, despite the urgent need to take action on climate and other planetary boundaries that humanity has exceeded, the message just wasn’t working.

Concurrently, many of his contemporaries were on a similar path – Rob Hopkins – From What Is to What If; Charles Eisenstein – A New Climate; Paul Hawken – Drawdown; Joanna Macy – The Work that Reconnects; and others were generating possible futures by offering solutions and processes, showing what is working, how to do more of it, how to imagine a viable future,  and acting on what we are called to do.

Even the IPCC in its 2023 summary report began writing in a more accessible way than its previously indecipherable scientific jargon, ‘This report recognises the interdependence of climate, ecosystems and biodiversity and human societies and integrates knowledge more strongly across the natural, ecological, social and economic sciences than earlier IPCC assessments. The assessment of climate change impacts and risks as well as adaptation, is set against concurrently unfolding non climatic global trends, which are biodiversity loss, overall unsustainable consumption of natural resources, land and ecosystem degradation, rapid urbanisation, human demographic shifts, social and economic inequalities and a pandemic.’

A way of writing and communicating that recognises the gravity of our planetary situation and which offers a viable possible future is sorely needed.

Prof. Read wrote a short paper, ‘Thrutopia: Why Neither Dystopias Nor Utopias are Enough to Get Us Through the Climate Crisis and how a Thrutopia could be.’

A Thrutopian mindset is the foundation from which we create a viable future for all beings, one that we would be proud to leave for the next seven generations. It involves examining who and how we are being and a change of mindset individually and collectively.

Professor Read coined the concept and the term Thrutopia that was published in his article of the same name in the Huffington Post in 2017.

Telling stories is powerful.  The ‘right and wrong’ game has been a big story on this planet.  It has generated a lot of collective stupidity.  We need stories that cut through binary perspectives that can generate collective wisdom.

There is a germ of hope if Thrutopia remains present in any vision that we are trying to get behind for the future.  From this mindset we can tell stories that seed possibility and inspire actions.

References:

Huffington Post (https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/rupert-read/thrutopia-why-neither-dys_b_18372090.htm

Manda Scott, Accidental Gods, Episode #122) (https://accidentalgods.life/transformative-connection/

Karen O’Brien, You Matter More Than You Think, Quantum Social Change for a Thriving World.

IPCC Climate Change 2023 Synthesis –  Summary for Policymakers. https://www.ipcc.ch/report/sixth-assessment-report-cycle/

What’s Happening in Central Victoria?

1. Bendigo Share and Repair Shed launched

Where:  120 Garsed Street, Bendigo

It includes a new Tool Library, the Useful Bin, Upcycled Textiles, a Food is Free station and a one-stop recycling space and the Bendigo Repair Cafe. To find out more contact Elsie — elsie@commoners.coop — For more info https://www.mckeanmcgregor.com.au/pages/real-estate/blog/13516/the-bendigo-share-repair-cafe-a-sustainable-haven-for-repair-and-reuse

2. Repair Cafes are Expanding

In addition Bendigo’s Share and Repair shed (see above) , Castlemaine, Daylesford and Ballarat continue to grow in strength. Recently Creswick started  Repair and Share.

Castlemaine: last Sunday of the month, 10am to 1pm at Casltemaine Community House. The July cafe (30/7)will have a focus on apple computers. https://www.facebook.com/groups/castlemainerepaircafe/

Daylesford: Third Sunday of the month, 1-4pm at Victoria Park Pavillion. Regular workshops inlcuding welding,  creative darning and mending, basic plumbing and more.  https://www.facebook.com/daylesfordrepaircafe/

Creswick: Next Repair and Share- Sunday August 6th, 1-4pm, at Creswick Neighbourhood Centre. The August session will include a workshop on how to make recycled denim dog toys. This is an  initiative of  Transition Creswick and includes a community lunch and produce swap.  Foe more information : Tim Drylie 0425 716 544 or facebook:  https://fb.me/e/3JyILUUnx

Ballarat: Every 4th Saturday, 1-4pm at Barkly Square. Subscribe to the newsletter here: https://breaze.us21.list-manage.com/subscribe…

3. Smoking Ceremony for Renamed Creek

Renaming of the old Jim Crow creek to Larni Barrumal Yaluk was celebrated on July 18th with a smoking ceremony at Franklinford.  “Bringing a Dja Dja Wurrung presence back to Country is significant for Dja Dja Wurrung People’s health and wellbeing. We are also pleased to share our language and heritage with the wider community” said Rodney Carter, Djarra CEO .

“Larni Barramal Yaluk means ‘the creek that flows through the home or dreaming place of the emu’.

Elder Uncle Rick Nelson performed a smoking ceremony and Jason Kerr played the digeridoo.

4. Guildford Folk Club

When: 3rd Thursday of each month, 7.30pm

Where:  Northern Arts Hotel, Barkers St, Castlemaine

One of the region’s oldest continuous music gatherings, meeting monthly for over 30 years. The emphasis has always been on participation and the sharing of folk/acoustic songs, music and the spoken word. These enjoyable evenings take a “round-robin” approach with participants taking turns to share a song, tune or poem, with others joining in when appropriate. Contact Jeanette Gillespie if you wish to participate: jfgfolk@gmail.com or 0414 732 667.

5. Yes to Voice to Parliament

Central Victoria has a number of groups and activities to support the indigenous voice to parliament referendum. Kitchen Table Conversations (KTC’s) are being held around the region including at Newstead Arts Hub. Other local communities are invited to hold KTC’s- thoughtful conversations about the referendum, encouraging people to talk together, read and consider a range of information and then make their own decision on how they want to vote.

Several meetings have been held at Castlemaine library to support the Voice, thanks to Vic Say. Next meeting is Saturday July 29th, 12noon.

Bendigo (electorate) for Yes is meeting regularly at Newstead Hotel on Friday evenings. Newstead Arts Hub will be hosting several small round table discussions using the Together Yes resources: please book to come along . Dates are: Wed 9 and 30 August, 5.30-7.00pm (refreshments provided). Or you can book a space at the Hub if you would like to hold your own small group conversation – email info@newsteadartshub.org .For further info contact Dimity – 0475 260 051. .

For more information about Together Yes or to register as a small group discussion host go to https://togetheryes.com.au/

10. Mt Alexander Sustainability Group (MASG) Programs

21. Don’t Undermine Daylesford

A group of concerned locals who have come together in response to  mining exploration projects close to Daylesford, including homes, spring water  and aquifers.

The risks posed by mining operations to our community are too great to ignore.

https://dont-undermine-daylesford.website/

22. Contra Guitar Duo

When: Saturday 29 July, 7pm (concert at 7.30pm)

Where: Newstead Arts Hub, 8a Tivey St, Newstead

Queensland-based Contra Guitar Duo – Hamish Strathdee and Emma-Shay Gallenti-Guilfoyle.

23. Calling All Artists- Newstead Arts Hub

Exhibition spaces at the Hub
Bookings now open for 2024!  Email us at info@newsteadartshub.org or submit a short proposal at https://newsteadartshub.org/venue-hire/.

Experimental Print Prize: entries open now 
Entries are now open for the Experimental Print Prize auspiced by Castlemaine Art Museum.  For all the details go to the CAM website. Entries close 23 July 2023.

Maldon Landscape Prize: Essence of Place
The inaugural Landscape Prize 2023 Essence of Place is presented by Maldon Artist Network (MANet) and EDGE Galleries. Entries close 8 September 2023. First prize $10,000 and People’s Choice Award $1000 for the online exhibition winner. For more information go to the MANET website

24. Coiled basketry – a workshop with Jodie Goldring

Where: Newstead Arts Hub, 8A Tivey St, Newstead

When: Saturday 22 July, 10am-3.30pm

Learn how to use natural plant fibre to coil a functional basket.

Newstead Arts Hub

25. Hub Writers Group: Monthly ‘Let’s Shut Up & Write’ 

When: Last Friday, each month – starts at 1pm.

Where: Newstead Arts Hub, 8A Tivey St, Newstead

The Hub Writers Group is self-organising and supports everyone to write at their own pace.

More info: Dimity on 0475 260 051

26. Words in Winter- Daylesford

A weekend of writers, story-tellers,  poets, artists and more.

This years theme is ‘Out of the Shadows’.

When: August 25, 26 and 27th

Where: Assorted venues around Daylesford

For program: https://wordsinwinter.com/

27. Words in Winter- Open Mic at Yandoit Cultural

Stories, song, poetry and local history.

The theme for this year’s Open Mic session is “around the hearth”- that place where we gather in the winter. All welcome.

When: Sunday August 27th, 2pm

Where: Yandoit Cultural– the old  church in the bush, Uniting Church Rd,  (off High ) Yandoit

28. Harcourt Organic Farming Cooperative- Orchard

EOI for an exciting farming adventure now open! 

An “instant orchard” business opportunity available right now at our organic farm in Harcourt.

29. Castlemaine Weekly Farmers Market

Castlemaine Farmers Market Weekly

When: 2:30-5:30pm

Where: Camp Reserve.

30. Mt Alexander Shire’s Climate Change Strategy

You can view the final documents here:

• Climate Change Strategy
• Action Plan 2023/2024

The strategy sets six long-term climate change response goals for Council. These focus on integrating climate action, supporting just and equitable transitions, enhancing our natural environment, incorporating climate into our infrastructure planning and renewal, supporting community connections, and moving toward a circular economy. Council’s role in fulfilling these goals is clarified through action areas, with the Action Plan 2023/2024 guiding the coming financial year’s delivery.

For further information: Melanie Marshall- m.marshall@mountalexander.vic.gov.au

Subscribe to Council’s Sustainability News here.

31. Hepburn’s Sustainability Advisory Group

Are you passionate about Sustainability and the Environment? Join council’s new Sustainability Advisory group to help guide our sustainable action plan. Sign up below before Monday 31 July.

https://participate.hepburn.vic.gov.au/sustainable-hepburn-community-advisory-committee

32. Future Hepburn – Join our Community Engagement Pool

Our towns are changing, growing, developing. What do we want to save and protect? How do we want to grow? Future Hepburn is a once-in-a-generation project to design how our towns look in 30 years. Be part of our focus groups. Council is calling for community members to sign up to part of a community pool to advise and give input. Your input into neighbourhood character, transport connections, biodiversity, agricultural land, bushfire, town structure plans is important. Help develop Structure Plans for Daylesford, Hepburn Springs, Trentham, Glenlyon, Clunes or Creswick.

Register for the Community Engagement Pool at: https://participate.hepburn.vic.gov.au/future-hepburn

33. National Tree Day

A family planting celebration.

When: Sunday July 30th, 10am -12noon.

Where: Railway St, Chewton

34. Central Victorian Biolinks Alliance

Community-connected conservation across Central Victoria

Connecting Country’s Feathered Five includes the small but striking Diamond Firetail. It is a tricky bird to find, but not impossible.

Their conservation status was unfortunately recently upgraded to Vulnerable under the EPBC Act. It means that over the last 10 years, the population has an estimated decline in the region of 30-50%, with a high probability of declining further in the future.

Photo: Damien Kelly

For information: https://connectingcountry.org.au/

38. Hepburn Shire’s Age-friendly Declaration Expo

THEME: ‘Getting to know each other’.

Event time: 12:00pm – 3:00pm 27 July 2023

Event Place: Trentham Pavilion – 25 Falls Rd, Trentham.

To RSVP:  The Hepburn Shire Age-friendly Declaration Expo: 27th July, 12pm-3pm, Trentham Pavilion (office.com)

39. North Central Catchment Management Info

Find out more about water management in our region via the North Central Chat:

North Central Chat July 2023 | North Central Catchment Management Authority (nccma.vic.gov.au)

40. Revegetation Success in a Changing Climate event

When: Tuesday 1 August 2023

Where: Anglican Church Hall, Castlemaine

Organised by: Connecting Country

The event will address how we plan revegetation in a changing climate. The event will feature presentations from Sasha Jellinek (University of Melbourne), DJAARA and the North Central Catchment Management Authority (NCCMA), and a Q&A panel session to finish. 

For more information: https://connectingcountry.org.au/

41. Sustainable Hepburn News and Sustainable Hepburn Advisory Committee

You can sign-up to the Sustainable Hepburn e-newsletter. Council will report back on the progress with the strategy we co-designed with the community in 2022. Find out how we can work together to reach a circular, zero emission, climate resilient and biodiverse Shire.

Subscribe to Sustainable Hepburn e-news

Expressions of interest are still open for the Sustainable Hepburn Advisory Committee. Find out more!

42. Walking Together

This month’s theme is NAIDOC – For Our Elders, prepared by Floria from Friends of Nalderun. 

  Copy of Copy Walking Together – NAIDOC WEEK 2023

43. Mt Alexander Shire News

Projects now open for input

Communications and Engagement Strategy Plan to improve the delivery of communications, as well as support the community to engage and participate in Council decision making.

Draft Waste Management Strategy  A high-level vision for Council’s waste management services for the future, with a focus on reducing, reusing and recycling waste.

Castlemaine Railway Precinct Master Plan   Draft Masterplan for Castlemaine Railway Precinct.

Future housing in Maldon and Newstead What types of housing are needed to accommodate population growth in the coming years.

Amendment to Local Law 13 passes – Removing requirements for people wishing to camp or occupy a caravan or tiny home on wheels on private property, where there is an existing dwelling.

44. Castlemaine Free University

When: Monday August 7th, 6.30 for a 7pm start

Where: Northern Arts Hotel

Learn about Occupy French style as Yoann tells us about living in the Notre Dame de Landes ZAD established to prevent a rural area becoming an airport.

For more information: anitra.nelson@unimelb.edu.au

46. Community Battery

Hepburn Energy is one step closer to becoming Australia’s first energy park on the distribution network with wind turbines and battery storage, thanks to funding from the Australian Government’s Community Batteries for Household Solar program.

For more information about the Hepburn Energy community battery project see their website.

For more information on the Community Batteries Program visit the federal government website.

47. VNI West Transmission Lines Update

via Wombat Post 2/6/ 23  https://thewombatpost.com.au/

VNI West, is the government’s plan to deliver 500 kilovolt overhead transmission lines from Bulgana, south-east of Stawell in Victoria, to just north of Jerilderie in NSW.  The project is part of the state government’s push to reach its target of 95 per cent renewable energy by 2035 but it has consistently drawn criticism from  farmers and landowners who are concerned about the impacts on their land.

The preferred route in the north of the state is different from the route which and been advised to landholders. The new route will cross the Murray River north of Kerang rather than at Echuca. The proposed route will then pass through Boort, Charlton, west of St Arnaud and through Navare. The link will join the Western Renewables Link at at a new terminal station at Bulgana.

The proposal for the Western Renewables Link remains unchanged. An earlier proposal for a terminal station at Mount Pleasant has been removed but the proposed route for the Link through Hepburn Shire remains unchanged. Hepburn Shire Council still has serious concerns about the increase in size of transmission line towers and the abject lack of genuine consideration for undergrounding lines.

“Farmers will face the unwelcome prospect of massive easements around transmission infrastructure on their property, thereby restricting agricultural activities in this incredibly productive land,”  said Hepburn Shire Mayor.“We encourage the community to continue to make their voices heard throughout this process, including the upcoming Environmental Impact Assessment process.”

The VNI West Project Assessment Conclusions Report is available on the AEMO website.

48. Winter Workshop series for Soil Health and Fruit Trees

at Harcourt Organic Farming Coop.

49. Castlemaine Seed Library

The Castlemaine Seed Library volunteers meet once a month to package up all the saved seeds – if you’re interested in becoming a volunteer, contact them via  castlemaineseedlibrary@gmail.com

The Castlemaine Seed Library is free and everyone is welcome to use it during Library opening hours. The Library also has a great collection of gardening and seed saving books available to borrow too!

Donations of saved seeds are also welcome.

For enquiries-  visit www.castlemaineseedlibrary.org.au  

1.Biolinks- Rewilding Central Victoria workshop recording

Could the topical conservation approach ‘rewilding’ restore nature at the extent and speed we urgently need here in Central Victoria?

 podcast and video recording from the day 

https://thewombatpost.com.au/2023/06/09/the-voice-we-must-accept-the-invitation-of-first-nations-people/

3. Transition Australia videos

Three new videos: stories of Transition Darebin, Transition Dubbo and Active Hope online; HEART NATION online book club; Cohousing webinar .

three new videos‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

4.  The Voice to Parliament Handbook: All the Detail You Need

by Thomas Mayo & Kerry O’Brien (2023 Hardie Grant Explore) 96 pages.

5. Transitioning to clean energy would reduce the volume and harm of mining dramatically

6. Shifting Landscapes: Volume 4 –  Emergence magazine

7. World Localisation Day recordings

Online event recordings from World Localization Day 2023, including two powerful webinars featuring the voices of leading localizers from every continent.

New Economy Network Australia:

• Localizing our economies in the face of global corporatism
• Local resilience after fire and flood
• Localizing our food systems
• Local solutions to Australia’s housing crisis
• Building governance systems for localization

The Gift of Local Interdependence webinar with Pat McCabe/Woman Stands Shining & Helena Norberg-Hodge.‘Why localisation is the path to human wellbeing’ – Resurgence Talk with Helena Norberg-Hodge

World Localization Day webinar hosted by the Sloth club (in Japanese and English) – with Keibo Oiwa and Helena Norberg-Hodge.

Virtual panel on Education, Art and Culture – hosted by the Alliance for a Local Future (Mexico) and Local Futures (in Spanish).

The Reconomistas ‘Twinning REconomy Places’ webinar with Jay Tompt.

Village green India ‘InstaLive’ Sanjana Kaushik in conversation with Kunzang Deachen (Local Futures Ladakh), Alex Jensen and Henry Coleman (Local Futures).

Food Forest ‘InstaLive’ with Pacha Light and Henry Coleman (Local Futures)

8. Wedge issue: rich soils of Melbourne’s fringe under siege from development

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/jul/02/wedge-issue-rich-soils-of-melbournes-fringe-under-siege-from-development

9. Marisa Holmes’ Occupy Wall Street, reviewed 

— https://www.ppesydney.net/a-human-geography-of-the-space-of-the-square/ — is the latest release in the Alternatives and Futures series

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Published in the Wombat Post   16/12/22

15. Rethinking Democracy- Democracy 4 Dinner

You can subscribe to Castlemaine’s Rethinking Democracy newsletter and posts .  The posts are part of Democracy for Dinner’s new channel ‘Rethinking Democracy’, all about what is working in democracy, what isn’t and how we can keep citizens at the centre.

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16. Food for Thought ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

1‌6.1  On the Road with Thomas Merton – Emergence Magazine 18/12/22

16.2   Wetland Bounty – Natural Newstead Blog Post:  https://geoffpark.wordpress.com/

16.3 New podcast episode – Dr. Iain McGilchrist – Rediscovering wisdom in a world gone mad

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Gratitude and reciprocity are the currency of a gift economy, and they have the remarkable property of multiplying with every exchange, their energy concentrating as they pass from hand to hand, a truly renewable resource. I accept the gift from the bush and then spread that gift with a dish of berries to my neighbour, who makes a pie to share with his friend, who feels so wealthy in food and friendship that he volunteers at the food pantry.

To name the world as gift is to feel one’s membership in the web of reciprocity. It makes you happy—and it makes you accountable. Conceiving of something as a gift changes your relationship to it in a profound way, even though the physical makeup of the “thing” has not changed. A woolly knit hat that you purchase at the store will keep you warm regardless of its origin, but if it was hand knit by your favourite auntie, then you are in relationship to that “thing” in a very different way: you are responsible for it, and your gratitude has motive force in the world. You’re likely to take much better care of the gift hat than the commodity hat, because it is knit of relationships. This is the power of gift thinking. I imagine if we acknowledged that everything we consume is the gift of Mother Earth, we would take better care of what we are given. Mistreating a gift has emotional and ethical gravity as well as ecological resonance.

Robin Wall Kimmerer

https://emergencemagazine.org/essay/the-serviceberry/

Welcome to the November/December edition of Localising Leanganook. In this edition you will find information about:

1. Boorp Boorp Boondyil Exhibition– Another step towards Reconciliation
2. Ausnet Transmission Towers and VNI West Update
3. Upcoming Climate Action in Bendigo- Central Vic Climate Action
4. Housing in Mt Alexander Shire- No Room at the Inn?
5. Castlemaine Seed Library
6. Climate Emergency- Mt Alexander Shire and Wararack – your feedback
7. Christmas Carols at Yandoit Cultural with Castlemaine Choir
8. Hepburn Matters- A Community Meeting on the Future of the Rex
9. Some Democracy Thoughts- Democracy 4 Dinner
10. Northern Arts Hotel- What’s On
11. Managing Natural Shelter Belts
12. Mt Franklin Organics
13. Kavisha Mazella concert at Yandoit Cultural raises money for Ukrainian Refugees
14. Keeping Plastic out of Landfill
15. Climate Emergency Letter
16. Housing Affordability in Hepburn Shire
17. Growing Abundance and Fruit Trees
18. Shape Mt Alexander- Have your say
19. Sustainable Agriculture- Building Johnson-Su Composting Bioreactors
20. Alliance For Responsible Mining Regulation Launches 10 point reform plan
21. Climate Action Court Case
22. River Detectives- 2023 Registrations
23. Story Telling Masterclass
24. Hepburn Wholefoods
25. Flood Resources
26. New Economy Network-  Housing Week Recordings
27. Walking Together – Jan Wositzky
28. Mt Alexander Shire- Community Reference Group – 10-year Climate Change Strategy
29. Wombat Forest Care
30. Farmers for Climate Action
31. Loddon Campaspe- Development of a Regional Food Systems Framework
32. Transition Australia
33. Climate: The Long Game-  Castlemaine Free University Reading Group 2022–2023
34. Repair Cafes
35. Renewable Newstead- Solar Farm takes a big step forward
36. Harcourt Organic Farming Cooperative
37. Mt Alexander LETS
38. Food for Thought

1. Boorp Boorp Boondyil Exhibition – Another Step Towards Reconciliation

A contribution from Ed Butler, (Manager, Communications and Customer Services Mt Alexander Shire Council) to WALKING TOGETHER – towards Makarrata

“This is a story my father told me. It’s hugely important to pass it on to our children, and our children’s children”  – Uncle Rick Nelson

The Mount Alexander Shire community has taken a huge collective step towards Reconciliation this month with the opening of the extraordinary Boorp Boorp Boondyil exhibition. The exhibition, which now has a permanent home in the historic Market Building in Castlemaine, is the result of nearly a decade’s work of Uncle Rick Nelson and his father Uncle Brien Nelson, along with numerous other First Nations community members and allies.

Boorp Boorp Boondyil, which loosely translates to ‘passing knowledge to the children’, was produced by Uncle Rick with support from local children themselves, alongside Nalderun Aboriginal Education Corporation, Sharing Stories Foundation and Mount Alexander Shire Council. The exhibition also features artwork by First Nations artists Alvin Darcy Briggs and Aunty Marilyne Nicholls.

Photo: Uncle Rick Nelson

Boorp Boorp Boondyil is pronounced ‘Boorp’ as in ‘torpedo’ and ‘Boondyil’ as in ‘book’, and is a name gifted to the project by Uncle Rick.

This permanent exhibit will provide residents and visitors with an opportunity to walk through an interactive space, where they will learn the history of the area, including the story of the Eagle, the Bat and the Crow, the Creation Story of the Dja Dja Wurrung in the Mount Alexander region, as told by the Nelson family. The exhibition also includes important cultural lessons about living on Country and bush foods, medicine, waterways and weaving.

It welcomes visitors onto Jaara Country, and serves as a starting point to learning more about the rich history of this land’s traditional custodians. Boorp Boorp Boondyil also includes immersive and interactive opportunities to discover Dja Dja Wurrung language, and Jaara stories and teachings. Vitally, this was first and foremost a Dja Dja Wurrung project – Uncle Rick was hired as a Council staff member for a full year as project leader, overseeing the design and development of the exhibition and its content. A demonstration of self-determination, with the institutional backing of the local Council, is a wonderful example of how far this community has come in recent years.

The exhibition was launched by Uncle Rick, Mayor Bill Maltby, and Maree Edwards MP in front of a huge and enthusiastic crowd, featuring performances by Alvin Briggs and Justice Nelson. The region’s journey towards reconciliation continues, and has a long way to go. A permanent exhibition, created and led by an Elder, that shares – and enhances – the space of the historic Market Building, will serve as a central space on which residents and visitors can begin or continue their own journeys for years to come.

Nalderun Education Aboriginal Corporation is a service that supports the Aboriginal Community, led by Aboriginal people. Many people and organisations in the Mount Alexander Shire contribute to Nalderun; the name is a Dja Dja Wurrung word meaning “all together”.

More information can be found at www.nalderun.net.au

2. Ausnet Transmission Towers and VNI West Update

Join the thousands of members of the Moorabool and District Power Alliance (MDPA) by subscribing your email address at https://www.stopausnetstowers.com.au/get-involved/ Joining MDPA costs nothing. MDPA are the umbrella community group challenging the Western Renewables Link (WRL) a project that includes a proposed $470m substation on 17 Ha of prime agricultural land in Newlyn near the Swiss Mountain. This proposed substation is to be the launching pad for the proposed 85m tall VNI West powerline project which will cut through parts of Hepburn and Mt Alexander shires on its way to Bendigo.

Within the next 2 weeks MDPA are launching a federal court action aimed at forcing Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) to take the WRL project back to the drawing board. The VNI West powerline project will need to be reconsidered if the MDPA court challenge is successful.

The VNI West powerline was the subject of two Hepburn Shire organised community meetings at Yandoit Mechanics Institute on October 12. Three senior staff members from AEMO outlined AEMO’s logic for the need for VNI West and the process for deciding on the 85m tall powerline’s viability and its route. At these very well attended community meetings AEMO stressed VNI West is expected to be completed within 9 years (the next day a ministerial media release reduced this to 6 years) and has been declared a project of national significance by state and federal ministers.

AEMO said that no decision has been made on the specific route for the powerline at this stage (specifically whether it follows the existing Ballarat to Bendigo powerline route through Werona, Yandoit and Clydesdale, Strangways, Muckleford). AEMO also mentioned that the existing 35m tall line traversing our area may be pulled down after the new line is completed. AEMO also asked that we send them any comments or concerns via the project email address at VNIWestRITT@aemo.com.au. Thanks to Hepburn shire for organising these meetings and to the 3 AEMO people for making the effort to come to our little community!

Please consider joining MDPA and adding to the thousands of MDPA existing members. Every member helps MDPA show the Federal Court the breadth and depth of their community support in getting local voices involved in the location of powerline infrastructure traversing our communities. Success in MDPA’s Federal court challenge will reduce the probability of VNI West cutting through and destroying our beautiful area. Contact Richard Johnston (0422 150 010) if you’d like more information.  www.stopausnettowers.com.au/get-involved/

With thanks to Richard Johnston, Yandoit Hills

The power of people is stronger than the power people – Let’s stand together to make a difference and Stop AusNet’s Towers.

The Moorabool and Central Highlands Power Alliance has uncovered fundamental flaws in the Western Victorian Regulatory Investment Test for Transmission (West Vic RIT-T) which was undertaken by the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO). Save our farms, towns and communities. AusNet’s towers will be a blight on the region for generations. The proposed overhead transmission line project will have a 100-year impact on our communities.

The transition to renewable energy doesn’t need to leave an army of transmission towers and a massive terminal station in its wake. Destroying the uniqueness of Western Victoria. There are better solutions that are not being considered.

• Overhead powerlines are a proven bushfire risk
• They will destroy Victoria’s highest producing agricultural land
• They will decimate endangered species’ habitat
• They will impact on property values
• Tourism and the Environment will suffer

About our Legal Action – fighting the WRL also fights VNI West.

We have developed a comprehensive legal fight backed by significant public funding to date however to progress this challenge and force this project back to the drawing board we need to raise a further funds. We all face significant financial loss if these towers and the terminal station are built. Dig deep and tell your friends and neighbours. Every donation helps.

Moorabool and Central Highlands Power Alliance

3. Upcoming Climate Action in Bendigo- Central Vic Climate Action

WHAT? Central Vic Climate Action is planning an action targeting NAB in Bendigo

WHERE? the NAB building, 57-59 Mitchell St, Bendigo

WHEN? Friday 2^nd December, 2022 at 3.15pm until 5 .00pm

WHY?  In 2022 we are in a climate emergency and yet:-

• Whitehaven Coal plans a large expansion of its coal mines in NSW!!
• NAB bank agrees to lend them millions of $’s for the expansion??

• COP27 fails in Egypt – countries do not agree to significantly reduce carbon emissions, nor to aid Pacific island nations already suffering!!

This is NOT acceptable and we need people to join us at the bank on Friday to raise awareness about NAB and its deadly link to this rogue coal company, Whitehaven.

We are planning a fun event with movies and singing etc. So bring along your pop corn and your deck chair. Most importantly bring along your friends and meet us outside the bank in Mitchell Street.

RSVP Trevor 0412 250 392 or Laura 0412 887 835

Please let us know if you are coming; and please advise if you have any skills such as banner/placard making, photographing, filming etc.

4. Housing in Mt Alexander Shire- No Room at the Inn?

What: Discussion about Affordable Housing with My Home Network, organised by Castlemaine Free University

When: Monday December 5th, 7pm

Where: Northern Arts Hotel, Castlemaine

5. Castlemaine Seed Library

‘Nice weather for ducks’ was my father’s favourite thing to say when it was raining. My vegetables are enjoying it, as I don’t have irrigation, they are used to growing with as little water as possible. Now I see how big everything would be if I did have irrigation! After the October rains we are left with a new dam and fragrant swamp to the side of our house, (house, studio and sheds not flooded, fortunately) where the frogs noisily enjoy themselves every evening, and two sets of ducks have raised lots of little baby ducks.

Working Bee: Thursday 1st December will be the last working bee for 2022. If you would like to join our friendly group at the library at 11am for seed packing, we will be delighted to see you there! My thanks to our regular volunteers, for all your help packing seeds, making up labels, re-stocking the board, helping to plan what next, growing out seeds to test varieties and donating seeds. Nice work, team! There’s no working bee in Jan, so we are back at it in February.

Seed donation

Gregg from Useful Seed has once again generously donated lots of seed to the seed library. There will be some variety in the plants that grow from some batches of these seeds. Gregg grows lots of varieties of the same plant together to create landraces, plants with a lot of genetic diversity. They develop over time through the plant’s ability to adapt to the environment it finds itself growing in.

As Gregg says: ….we want to offer genuinely new varieties, developed for home growers….we ‘mix up’ varieties through intentional crosses, so gardeners can select new varieties that suit their purposes from the resulting hybrid swarms.” (http://www.usefulseeds.com/)

So, for example, if you find that a particular corn plant thrives in your garden, or grows faster, or grows a lot of cobs, or grows very sweet cobs, save seed from that one. We note on the packet where our seeds come from, so read the packs to know if you have Useful Seed, and expect some diversity in the resulting plants.

6. Climate Emergency- Mt Alexander Shire and Wararack – your feedback

Consultation session

There is a strong commitment across the shire for communities to work together to respond to the declaration of a Climate Emergency by Mt Alexander Shire Council in 2019.

As a part of this journey Mount Alexander Shire Council and Wararack are partnering to run two, two-hour community consultation sessions that we would love for you to be a part of.

The Wararack ask:

Wararack is a coalition of local people in support of a shire-wide, community led building of generative and regenerative ways of living in response to the climate crisis. We seek to promote action that helps us collectively reach zero net emissions, better prepare for climate impacts, to embrace change and to forge new ways of doing and thinking about things. Our goal is to reclaim a climate-safe future for the next generation and beyond. We are currently defining the process for this transition. For this we would love to hear from you.

The first hour of each session will focus on what we need to transition to move from our current ways of living to collectively build resilience, equity and care for Country into our systems and culture while we transition to zero net emissions. 

Council’s ask:

Council is about to develop a 10-year Climate Change Strategy. Our shire is already facing climate change impacts. We know we need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, whilst continuing to adapt to impacts like extreme weather. But what does this look like in practice? How can Council best support the transition we know is needed? And how does Council prioritise its tight resources for the best outcomes?

We plan to use the second hour of each session to explore these questions. 

When and Where:

There are currently two workshop sessions to choose from.

• Register here for session 1 = In person – Wednesday 7 December 12.45 for 1pm start and 3pm finish at the Senior Citizens Centre, Mechanics Lane, Castlemaine
• Register here for session 2 = Online – Wednesday 7 December 5:30pm to 7:30pm, Zoom meeting 

Session Facilitators:

Sharon Fraser from Wararack

Amy Brand and Rob Law engaged by Council for development of the strategy

Further Information:

Click here for more information on Wararack.

Click here for more information on Council’s Climate Change Strategy process.

Have any additional questions? Please email climatechange@mountalexander.vic.gov.au and/or connect@wararack.org and a member from the relevant team will get back to you.

 

Survey

Mt Alexander Shire Council is asking residents to share their views on climate change to help inform the development of the new 10-year climate change strategy.Through this survey, the shire hopes to get a strong sense of the areas our community are most concerned about when it comes to climate change, and areas they’d like Council to focus on.  Please complete our survey at https://shape.mountalexander.vic.gov.au/climate-change-strategy-2023-2033

The survey takes 10-15 minutes to complete, and provides an option to go in to a draw for a $100 voucher from a local business. It closes on Sunday 11 December.

7. Christmas Carols at Yandoit Cultural with Castlemaine Choir

A night of carol singing with the Castlemaine choir, led by Jane Thompson and James Rigby. As well as singing there’ll Christmas stories, a visit from Santa and supper under the eucalypts.

When: Sunday December 11^th, 7pm

Where:  Yandoit Cultural– the old Uniting Church in the bush- Uniting Church Rd, Yandoit.

 

8. Hepburn Matters- A Community Meeting on the Future of the Rex

When: Tuesday December 6th at 7pm

Where: Radius Gallery, 76 main Road, Hepburn Springs

Hepburn Matters Inc.  was formed by Rethink the Rex group to advocate for local assets.  Hepburn Matters is asking for your support as they advocate for community assets! Sign the petition calling on Councillors to favourably consider bids for THE REX that include provision for community use and heritage protections.  https://chng.it/yjgYm2d5

9. Some Democracy Thoughts- Democracy 4 Dinner

 Democracy for Dinner, based in Castlemaine,  is preparing a regular newsletter. Here’s some excerpts:

Election day is pretty much what every Australian equates with democracy, but it hasn’t always been the case. As David Van Reybrouk argues in his excellent book Against Elections (full review in an upcoming newsletter!), democracy was never intended to be purely ‘representative’, and not only ‘electoral’ either. 

There are many examples of other democratic systems already in use around the world. We will explore these further in future posts and newsletters, but here is a taster of two of the most impactful:

Direct democracy – essentially, voting on issues, rather than representatives (or, worse, parties). We have direct democracy in Australia (though rarely) via referenda. In other countries this is much more common.

• In Switzerland, for example, representative democracy is coupled with a citizens initiative system. Any citizen of voting age can proposed constitutional amendments (‘popular initiative’) or seek a referendum on a law passed at any level of government (‘optional referendum’). (Switzerland also has a more sophisticated ‘bottom up’ federalism model, which has local cantons collecting taxes).
• Even the United States, many states have ‘ballot initiatives’ at any given election. At the recent US mid-terms, for example, there were a plethora of initiatives asking questions on abortion, climate action, voting rights and legalising marijuana. Most of these are legally binding (or highly influential) on State legislatures

Direct democracy can be great, where the situation is relatively simple, or where the issue is significant in the public mind and people have had access to good information to make up their minds. But it just can’t work for everything. The problem with direct democracy is that it can be highly susceptible to reactionary, surface level responses, and is easily manipulated by misinformation (if you believe the hype, something like a direct democracy model is part of Elon Musk’s long-term plan for Twitter – which should be fun to watch).

Deliberative democracy – deliberative approaches allow a small number of people, often chosen to be representative of the population, to consider a complex issue, hear from experts and reach a view through considered dialogue.  A well-functioning parliament ought to be a deliberative mechanism, but the proliferation of political parties and partisan voting has all but extinguished this.

More effective examples involve citizens assemblies or citizen’s panels, chosen at random (but can be weighted for demographic characteristics for example). There is really strong evidence that given an opportunity to deliberate, people make better choices.  Successful examples are big and small: in Victoria some water authorities are using citizen panels to set prices, local governments are required to use deliberative approaches by the 2020 Local Government Act. Iceland held a citizen panel for its constitutional reforms, Ireland did the same for the constitutional reforms that enshrined a right to an abortion.

Expect to hear much more on this in future newsletters. In the meantime, our friends at Change Politics are hosting an event on 7 December to hear directly from the Secretary-General to the President of Ireland about the Irish experience. Or ‘how politics can make room for people. Check it out by clicking the button below

https://events.humanitix.com/how-politics-can-make-room-for-the-people-learning-from-the-irish-story?mc_cid=420c7cafeb&mc_eid=6cd3a562b2

For more information and updates from Democracy for Dinner: https://www.facebook.com/DemocracyforDinner/

Send Democracy 4 Dinner an email if something has caught your eye that you want to discuss, or to book your place in one of our events: info@democracy4dinner.org

10. Northern Arts Hotel- What’s On

FILM
Secret Matinee Film | Sun 27 November at 2.30pm
Brooklyn Arts Hotel Documentary Crowd Funding Request

MUSIC
Open Mic Livestream at the Coolroom | Wed 23 November
Maine-ly Ukes | Thurs  24 November
Guildford Folk Club @ The Coolroom | Thurs 24 November
Ernest Aines & Jack Skellern | Fri 25 November
The Pardoners | Sat 26 November
The Jam Tarts Celebrating Xmas | Fri 2 December
CDoc Club Mighty Horse | Sat 3 December
The Maine Course Celebrating Xmas | Friday 9 December
Maggie Sings Christmas with her NY Jazz Quartet | Saturday 10 December
SPOKEN WORD | TALKS  | WORKSHOPS
PoetiCas at the Coolroom | 26 November
CDoc Club Masterclass for Story Tellers | Sat 3 December
CFU | No Room at the Inn? Housing in Mt Alex Shire | Mon 5 December
Northern Arts Book Club
PROJECTIONS
Another Roadside Attraction Live Nightly in Wimble St

11. Managing Natural Shelter Belts

Shelterbelts guide now available

Native shelterbelts are great for providing stock with shelter and shade, and can also help mitigate erosion, control pests and support native wildlife. Connecting Country has long advocated for the use of native shelterbelts in our landscape, as they provide a variety of services for agriculture and the environment. We are excited to have access to a recently published guide by the Sustainable Farms program at the Australian National University (ANU) on planting and managing native shelterbelts. It is an excellent resource for farmers and other landholders. Please read on for details and the link to the guide.

Planting native shelterbelts on farms is a significant act of land stewardship, one that also delivers demonstrated productivity and biodiversity benefits.

Shelterbelts are generally linear strips of vegetation, intended to provide shelter, shade and wind breaks. Well-managed and diverse native shelterbelts can have productivity benefits for cropping and grazing enterprises while supporting hundreds of species of birds, mammals, invertebrates, frogs and reptiles.

This management guide details the science behind shelterbelts and outlines how to create effective shelterbelts on farms.

Shelterbelts  can be a strip of newly planted trees and shrubs, or can involve the restoration of existing remnant vegetation. Shelterbelts can also incorporate other landscape features such as paddock trees, farm dams, creeks and rocky outcrops. All forms of shelterbelts can significantly improve on-farm biodiversity and deliver productivity benefits to livestock, crops and pastures.

About 85% of the original woodland vegetation has been lost across southeast Australia, and in some regions just 3% remains, predominantly on farms. Planting shelterbelts is one way to help restore this native vegetation cover, and improve habitat connectivity for wildlife.

Australian research indicates that the total amount of native vegetation across a property or the broader landscape is more important than the size of individual patches or plantings. Even small shelterbelts can make a worthwhile contribution to biodiversity. Livestock and wool productivity gains, increases in crop and pasture production, more pollinators, and reductions in costly crop and pasture pests, such as red-legged earth mites, have all been associated with the introduction of shelterbelts on farms.

To download a copy of the ANU’s new guide to shelterbelts – click here

Published by Connecting Country on 16 November, 2022: https://connectingcountry.org.au/

 12.Mt Franklin Organics

Veggies, herbs and seedlings are available at Daylesford’s Sunday market or directly from Florian’s farm behind Mt Franklin, on Saturdays between 11 and 2. Please CALL  beforehand – mob 0412 517 013.  Address is 180 Church Rd,  Mt Franklin come down the driveway and  park in front of the shed with verandah. 

Fresh produce: LAST CHANCE (there might not be a lot of locally grown spuds this year)- Dutch cream potatoes  (also good for planting ) $4.50/kg

Fresh herbs $2.50/bunch.

Seedlings $3.50 or any 3 for $10.00

Chives, garlic chives,  basil, mint, thai basil, Vietnamese mint,  oregano, tarragon, parsley, thyme, sage, rosemary, horseradish,  comfrey, snowpeas,  artichokes,  lettuce (3 varieties ), spinach, pak choi, nasturtiums,  marigolds,  lebanese cucumber,  zucchini ( golden, black and striped), pumpkins( qld blue, musquee de provance,  butternut) sweet  corn, green beans, spaghetti squash, sunflowers,

Chillies  (jalapenos, pepperoncino, red and yellow cayenne)

TOMATO PLANTS

rouge de marmande, tommy toe, black russian

green zebra, jaune flamme, oxheart, indigo apple, black krim, yellow cherry, chocolate stripes, aunt ruby, violet jasper, tigerella, black cherry, trifelle, purple cherokee, blueberry and more.

Also

Boysenberry plants  $7.00

Rhubarb plants $7.00

Banana passionfruit plants  $8.00

Red AND black currants $8

About 50 varieties of organic seeds available as well.

Follow Mt Franklin Organics on Instagram    – mtfranklinorganics or facebook – https://www.facebook.com/mtfranklinorganics/

13. Kavisha Mazella concert at Yandoit Cultural raises money for Ukrainian Refugees

It was a full house at Yandoit Cultural on November 13^th thanks to singer, songwriter and story teller Kavisha Mazzella, accompanied on base-guitar and violin by Nick Lyon. Ukrainian born Michael Olijnyk introduced the concert with background information about the Ukraine and Russia.

And from our generous community we raised $2150. This money will go directly to a church on the Polish border where 90% of refugees are finding sanctuary. No administration costs will be deducted and monies will contribute towards shelter, food and medicine especially as the winter draws in.

If you would like to make a donation email Nikki: ycfcpg@gmail.com

14. Keeping Plastic out of Landfill

Collaboration between the Good Op Shop, Mt Alexander Sustainability Group and Castlemaine Secondary College.

The Good Op Shop and Castlemaine Secondary College are working together to raise money to buy the school machines that will shred plastic bottle lids, melt them down and turn them into a new product to sell. These machines use an exciting new technology that can make interesting products such as USBs, plastic sheets, pens and pots for plants from recycled bottle lids. Once a mold has been created, the shredded recycled plastic is poured in and shaped into a new product. This will help to keep more out of our landfill and reduce the amount of plastic that is only single use.

We want the students of Castlemaine Secondary College to learn about a circular economy by being a part of it and making enough money to create new molds and new products. Both The Good Op Shop and the Castlemaine Secondary School are contributing money to the purchase, but we still need to raise $10,000 to buy the machines. The school has set up a bottle lid recycling system and The Good Op Shop and the school will be one of the plastic bottle lid recycling collection points.

By helping the next generation to learn about recycling, to be a part of it and to benefit from it, we hope they will continue to find new ways to recycle more and more products and reduce waste into the future.

Please help to raise $10,000 so that we can purchase the machines for the school and help the students find ways to better look after the environment in the future. The Good Op Shop and Castlemaine Secondary College will contribute $5,000 but we still need $10,000 more to buy the machines.

https://www.mycause.com.au/…/the-next-generation-recycling

15. Climate Emergency Letter

Two years ago I wrote to this newspaper (The Age) about the ills of jet travel in a climate emergency. Yet, in spite of the carbon footprint of jet planes being significantly under-measured in the past, last Saturday’s Age was awash with ads and articles promoting travel to overseas destinations. Australia, particularly NSW, continues to suffer from extensive flooding and, if you watch the national news you’ll know that floods, fires and extreme weather events are not confined to Australia, they are everywhere around the world. Six years ago I was part of a huge campaign to stop the Adani coal mine. Today this mine is proceeding. The Northern Rivers area has had a one in one hundred year flood not once, but five times this year and yet, one of the big four Australian banks has a plan to lend billions of dollars to a large coal company, so that it can embark on yet another huge project. The big question for me is are we going to continue to be lemmings rushing to the edge of the cliff- top ready to jump or, are we going to step up and demand that our government puts and end to this nonsense?

Trevor Scott, Castlemaine

16. Housing Affordability in Hepburn Shire

Please share your views  on housing supply and affordability in Hepburn Shire

Like in many areas of Victoria, it is getting harder for people to find a permanent home in Hepburn Shire that they can afford and meets their needs. It is affecting people on lower incomes but also people in key jobs that are needed to support our local services and business, like hospitality, tourism, farm workers, nurses and other carers.

There are more than 300 households in Hepburn Shire that are either homeless or are in housing stress – unable to afford their basic needs after paying for housing.

Hepburn Shire Council is currently seeking input from the community about what Council could do to help the situation. Most factors that drive housing affordability are outside the direct control of local government and the community. However, there are some things we can do to encourage more affordable housing to be available in the Shire. The feedback from the community will help us develop an Affordable Housing Strategy and Action Plan to guide our work.

Your views are important. The Strategy aims to increase the supply and availability of permanent homes for people in Hepburn Shire that are affordable and suitable. It is really important that we hear all views and perspectives to inform the actions we might take.

How to participate: We’ve analysed research and data on the issue of housing affordability in the Shire – and put together ‘A Home in Hepburn Shire: Issues and Options Paper’. We’d like to hear your views on the different options. You can provide your feedback until Sunday 4 December 2022.

Visit www.participate.hepburn.vic.gov.au/affordable-housing  or scan the QR code at the end of this letter to complete the survey, read the Issues and Options Paper and find out more. You can call us on (03) 5348 2306 or email shire@hepburn.vic.gov.au if you would like us to send you a hard copy.

You can also register your interest to attend our Affordable Housing Solutions Forum on the evening of Wednesday 8 February 2023, where we will bring together different perspectives to discuss and prioritise potential actions based on the community feedback and other research.

If you, or your group, would like to arrange a meeting to discuss council’s Affordable Housing Strategy & Action Plan,  contact Damien Kennedy, Acting manager, Strategic Planning on 5421 6422.

17. Growing Abundance and Fruit Trees

 

A call out for fruit!  It is the time of mulberries, cherries and apricots. If you have any of these trees in your back garden or orchard and you need help harvesting and making use of your fruit, please get in touch at hello@growingabundance.org.au.

18. Shape Mt Alexander- Have your say

Mt Alexander Shire is looking for feedback on a number of Council projects and initiatives.

Castlemaine Heritage Study
Help us strengthen heritage protections for Castlemaine.

Climate Change Strategy 2022-2033
Work with us to protect our shire from the threat of climate change.

Housing and Neighbourhood Character Strategy
We’re planning for growth, housing and neighbourhood character in Castlemaine, Campbells Creek and Chewton.

Active Transport Strategy
Work with us to plan for the future of active transport.

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19. Sustainable Agriculture- Building Johnson-Su Composting Bioreactors

Johnson Su composting bioreactors were being constructed by farmers from the Mt Alexander Regenerative Agriculture group last month.
The Johnson-Su bioreactor composting method is a no turn, self-aerating compost system that breaks down the compost material aerobically. The end product is a microbially diverse fungal and nutrient rich compost product which has the consistency of clay. This product has many uses, it can be mixed into a slurry and used as a seed coating prior to sowing. The product can also be used to make a liquid extract that contain a rich and diverse community of soil microbes, especially fungi. The extract needs straining to remove all the solids before being sprayed onto the paddock or directly into the seed furrow.

The participants all contributed to building a Johnson-Su composting bioreactor either for themselves or helping others. The workshop was run by Ross Davey and Michael Mason from Central Victoria Regenerative Farmer group. They have built many of these units for themselves and other group members using the compost extract on their own properties.

For more information: Darren Bain, Regional Agriculture Landcare Facilitator
Ph: 5440 1893 M: +61 419 560 348
E: darren.bain@nccma.vic.gov.au

20. Alliance For Responsible Mining Regulation Launches 10 point reform plan

As Victoria continues to experience a boom in minerals exploration and development, it is essential that we learn from past impacts. While mining helped build the state’s economy in the 19^th century, the current boom threatens regional communities and farmland, and will use increasingly scarce surface and groundwater. All proposals must be carefully scrutinised and managed to avoid reckless and short-sighted approvals so that this and future generations of Victorians are not exposed to even more social, economic, and environmental harm.

In 2021, a range of local groups concerned about the impacts of mining started to meet to share skills, strategy and knowledge. Over time, this informal network developed into the Alliance For Responsible Mining Regulation (ARMR). ARMR calls for an overhaul of mining regulations that must result in better outcomes for the community and environment. ARMR has launched a blueprint for reform of the laws around mining in Victoria.

ARMR believes that Victoria’s Mining Act must be updated to reflect current social, economic, and environmental conservation and biodiversity expectations, including fair compensation for directly and indirectly affected landholders and communities. Legislation and regulations must enforce international best-practice, and include the prohibition of upstream and wet tailings dam facilities to remove the ongoing negative impacts on communities, soils, and water and to alleviate the risk of a catastrophic dam failure and subsequent impacts on neighbouring communities and the environment. Royalties must be brought in line with those of other states and licensing must include the addition of a levy to secure funding for the rehabilitation of abandoned mine sites and the reclamation of Victoria’s many legacy sites

Robyn Grant, President of Mine-Free Glenaladale, said:

“Mine-Free Glenaladale is grateful that ARMR is drawing attention to just how broken mining regulation is in Victoria. It’s time for politicians and decision-makers to start acting for communities, local economies and the environment and to put a stop to mining companies being able lie about resources and profitability and then to walk away leaving a trail of destruction and heartbreak behind.”

“What will it take for political parties of all persuasions to start acting responsibly when it comes to mining regulation?”

“ARMR’s 10-point-plan clearly shows what must be done if governments are to have any hope of gaining community trust in mining regulation.”

“The ARMR document is the only thing Mine-Free Glenaladale has seen that clearly outlines what is wrong with mining regulation in Victoria and what must be done to avoid further destruction of communities, local economies and the environment.”

“ARMR’s 10-point-plan gives a path for overcoming the shoddy mining regulation that is costing Victorian communities and their environments dearly, and that is leaving all Victorian taxpayers with massive clean up bills while mining company directors slink away from the messes they’ve made.”

Kirsty McDonald, member of Save the Campaspe said:

“Victorian Mining Regulators are consistently failing to protect communities and the environment, preferring to focus on mining company profit and short term gains.  Regional communities, the health and wellbeing of families, environment and biodiversity across Victoria is baring the full brunt of this bias towards mining companies which in turn is leaving a toxic legacy and land rendered useless for future generations.”

“With Fosterville Gold Mine acknowledging that their proposed expansion could affect regional groundwater resources, never has it been more important for Victorian Mining Regulators to protect downstream primary producers, families and communities that rely on this vital groundwater.”

“Local and State Governments need to stop being short sighted and start putting protections in place that prioritise families, environment and our waterways because mining companies have proven time and time again they will abandon the mine and fail to rehabilitate it.”

“ARMR’s 10 point plan is a responsible, considered, evidence-based approach, with lived experience of mining being a major catalyst for the call to overhaul Mining Regulation in Victoria.”

Col Finnie, Administrator, No Drilling (and no more gold mining) in our Valleys group in north eastern Victoria said:

“The atrocious record of gold mining in Victoria is a “sleeping” environmental travesty in many parts of the state. ARMR is an alliance of many activist groups throughout Victoria aiming to put focus on the detrimental effect of gold mining in this State. The long history of no rehabilitation of mine sites and environmental damage and the apparent disinterest by politicians of all colours motivated the formation of the alliance”.

Further comment

Robyn Grant, President of Mine-Free Glenaladale, 0438 571 586; Col Finnie, 0428315487; Dr Dora Pearce PhD, Environmental Epidemiologist, Ballarat, 0438197373

The AFMR has been meeting regularly for the past 6-9 months to share concerns about mining between communities across Victoria. This initiative has been fostered and supported by Friends of the Earth. Though this process the Alliance has developed a 10 point plan designed to bring Victoria’s mining regulations in line with world’s best practice.

Central Victoria has been ravaged by mining in the past and there are a number of active active mine sites operating within the region.

The Victorian Auditor-General’s Office (VAGO) Rehabilitating Mines Report (2020) paints a stark picture of some of the problems with mining regulation Victoria¹. However, the report limits itself to an assessment of the rehabilitation of mines in Victoria and fails to draw attention to, and evaluate, the numerous other aspects of mining approvals and regulation that demand a complete overhaul of the related legislation and regulations, and of any Memoranda of Understanding between Government Departments charged with regulating mining related matters.  The VAGO report clearly illustrates the consequences of the ongoing failure to separate the licensing and regulatory roles of Earth Resources (ERR). This conflict has led to persistent regulatory failure and has caused significant, and long-term, harm to Victorian communities, local economies, and the environment. It has also unnecessarily and unfairly left Victorian taxpayers with the massive financial burdens associated with mine rehabilitation and the reparation of watercourses and landforms.

The ARMR Alliance consist of the following groups: Bendigo & District Environment Council; Don’t Undermine Steiglitz; East Gippsland Alliance; Gasfield Free Bairnsdale; Let’s Stop Proposed Mining in North East Victoria; Maldon Community Alliance; Mine-Free Glenaladale; No Gold Diggings Castlemaine; No Gold Drilling (and No Gold Mining) in our Shire Valleys; No Mining Yandoit Region; No Wombat Gold; Save Huntly Streamside Reserve; Save the Campaspe; Wombat Forestcare; Dr Dora Pearce PhD, Ballarat, Victoria.

A 10-Point Plan has been developed and is being sent to state MPs and candidates prior to the state government election scheduled for November 26th. Here’s the 10 poitnplan. Send this to your MP’s/candidates.

1. Where conflicts occur over approvals and licensing, mining regulation and related authorities, including ERR, DHHS, EPA and DELWP, must prioritise community and environmental health, and the protection of existing economies local economies, over resources development.
2. The Minerals Resource and Sustainable Development Act and Regulations to be amended to require a social, economic and environmental impact analysis to assess an area’s suitability for mining before an Exploration Licence is granted. Farmers to be given veto over exploration licences.

3. Effects of climate change on water availability be factored into all EESs with security of potable water for human consumption, agricultural/horticultural industries and environment flows into the future taking priority over water for mining.

4. The Environment Effects Act and EES process must be modernised in line with recommendations of the VAGO inquiry and in line with best practice in other states and territories. Penalties to apply for intentionally misleading decision-makers and local government and communities should be fully funded to facilitate their responses, including the acquisition of scientific and technical expertise and relevant legal fees.

5. All mining project proposals to model the impacts of climate change and to include Scopes 1, 2 and 3 Reduction in emissions from mining companies must be included in the Victorian Climate Change Strategy.

6. All Workplans are to be made publicly available and all proposed Variations to Workplans will require a supplementary Environment Effects Statement with an opportunity for meaningful public consultation.

7. Victoria to implement the Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management. New upstream tailings dams must be banned, and there must be an immediate moratorium on modification of existing tailing facilities. Independent auditing, including dam wall failure assessment, of tailings facilities must be conducted. Downstream community emergency plans must be developed in consultation with communities and emergency responders, be formally approved and made publicly available.

8. Rehabilitation bonds to be set to reflect the point of maximum disturbance and post closure management. Rehabilitation must be ongoing and not left till mining ends. Bank guarantees must be real, redeemable and covered by collateral. Bonds must be held by an independent organisation with zero cost to Bonds to be redeemed by the State if mines have been left in Care and Maintenance for three years.

9. The MRSD Act to require full, adequate and fair compensation for directly and indirectly affected and neighbouring landowners, including for loss of opportunity and amenity and impacts on lifestyle, physical and mental health. Mining companies to pay the full costs of wear and tear on State and Local Roads and for accelerated depreciation of local infrastructure including waste disposal facilities. Fees and royalties to be raised to same levels as other states and redistributed fairly to local inhabitants and municipalities that bear the significant external cost associated with mining.

10. To protect worker, community and environmental health, monitoring and reporting (including air quality, noise, emissions and water) must meet world’s best practice standards including at frequencies and sensitivities to permit timely and meaningful responses. Monitoring required is to be determined by independent experts in consultation with communities and relevant agencies and authorities and reports are to be made immediately publicly Failure to comply with monitoring, reporting and response requirements to carry deterrent penalties.

The 10 point plan can be accessed here.

To find out more or join the Alliance contact: John Lewis – johnlewis@arcimedia.com.au or Debra Waters – hello@nominingyandoitregion.com

21. Climate Action Court Case

In May 2021, a group of youth climate activists sued environment minister Sussan Ley and the Australian Government over the approval of a huge expansion of the Vickery Coal Mine in Central NSW, in a case that became better known as the “Duty of Care” case. In the final judgement, Judge Modecai, surprisingly enough, said  “The ruling on the case is very clear. It is difficult to characterise in a single phrase the devastation that the plausible evidence presented in this proceeding forecasts for the Children. As Australian adults know their country, Australia will be lost and the World as we know it gone as well.Lives will be cut short. Trauma will be far more common and good health harder to hold and maintain. None of this will be the fault of nature itself. It will largely be inflicted by the inaction of this generation of adults, in what might fairly be described as the greatest inter-generational injustice ever inflicted by one generation of humans upon the next”.  At the time Minister Ley announced that she would appeal the decision in the Federal Court, an appeal that she subsequently won. I and my fellow XR activists at that time were outraged by the minister’s decision, because, in appealing, we believed that she was admitting that neither did she have a duty of care to the young climate activists, nor to future generations. So, on 5th August of last year, in the leadup to the Federal Election, to highlight the fact that his government did not have a “Duty of Care”, I “superglued” myself  to a marble-faced column outside Josh Freydenberg’s office in Camberwell. After 5-6 hours my hand slipped off the column, but this did not stop the police from arresting me and charging me with “Wilful Damage” to the building. I pleaded not guilty to the charge, mostly on the basis that I believed that there was no damage. Anyway that was a little over a year ago and, after a series of Zoom calls and adjournments, the case has finally been deferred to the magistrates Court in Castlemaine. The case will now be heard on 28.10.22, that is next friday at 9.30 am………….so I was wondering if, in the follow up to the floods that we are experiencing, this might be a good opportunity to remind Castlemaine people of the Climate Emergency, and ask the question of the “43% PM and environ minister Tanya Plibersek” if they have a “Duty of Care?’ And if they do, will they reduce emissions by much more than 43 per cent? Will Tanya immediately cancel all the proposed fossil fuel projects that are on her desk, and “Where’s the plan to phase out the export of Australian coal and the plan to remove the billion dollar subsidy on fossil fuels?’ You said, Tanya, when I asked the question on the subsidies about 6 years ago, that it couldn’t be removed because it would destroy the livelihoods of the farmers. Fast forward to 2022 and Climate Change is threatening to destroy the lives of everyone, not just the farmers!

Sincerely, Trevor Scott, Castlemaine 

22. River Detectives- 2023 Registrations

Registrations for the 2023 River Detectives program will open on Monday November 28 for schools and youth groups in the North Central CMA region.
As in previous years, priority will be given to schools that are within CMA priority project areas. These are;
• Bendigo Creek Citizen Science project
• Tullaroop Catchment Restoration Project
• RiverScan Native Fish Recovery (Gunbower and lower Loddon area)
• Caring for the Campaspe
• A Healthy Coliban Catchment
• Ramsar Kerang and Gunbower
• Castlemaine Urban Waterways
If you are a current River Detectives school, you will receive a registration pack over the coming weeks. New schools are encouraged to apply by heading to the River Detectives website after November 28 and clicking on the ‘apply now’ link. To find out more about the program and how it could work in a school near you visit https://www.riverdetectives.net.au/

For more information: Tania MacLeod, Citizen Science Coordinator North Central CMA Phone: 03 5440 1845 Email: tania.macleod@nccma.vic.gov.au

 23. Story Telling Masterclass

A MASTERCLASS OF STORYTELLING and aMIGHTY HORSE EVENING OF LIVE MUSIC at The Coolroom, Northern Arts Hotel.

MASTERCLASS OF STORYTELLING FURTHER INFORMATION

After the roaring success of LOCALS at this year’s Castlemaine Documentary Festival, we’ll be doing it all again in 2023! In 2022 people from Castlemaine and surrounds, of all ages and experience produced an impressive slate of short documentaries to play on the festival’s opening night, and Theatre Royal was packed to the rafters with an eager audience ready to experience what our local talent had to offer.The Castlemaine Documentary Festival is again calling for aspiring and established filmmakers to create some brand new short documentaries that tell the inside story of Castlemaine and our surrounding region.We’re super-excited to offer you encouragement and support so get yourselves ready!

We’ll be looking for short documentaries on the people and places that define our wonderful part of the world. They could be profiles of inspiring locals, captivating historical tales,  or contemporary stories about issues that are important to our neighbourhood and region.

The brief is incredibly broad and it is up to you! Even if you have little experience – or none at all – never fear, we’ve got you covered!

On December 3^rd at The Northern Arts Hotel Club CDoc is running a Storytelling-Masterclass with three veterans of the documentary world on hand to inspire and educate you. Producer/Director Tony Jackson,  Editor Bergen O’Brien  and Producer Kate Pappas will be running a 3 hour masterclass of tips and techniques to help you create a compelling short documentary. Whether you’re planning on shooting a grand production or a simple film shot on your phone, Tony, Bergen and Kate will help you tell the best story possible.

Melbourne based Kate Pappas is Executive Producer for Wild Bear Entertainment. She has produced over 50 hours of television for ABC, SBS and National Geographic. Her recent credits include feature documentaries Playing With Sharks (2021 Official Sundance Selection/ Nat Geo /Disney+) and Westwind: Djalu’s Legacy (NITV). Kate is currently overseeing 44 hours of science, history and wildlife production for the ABC.
Castlemaine local Bergen O’Brien has over 20 years’ experience as a film and television editor.  Three times shortlisted for the Walkley awards for best documentary his work appears regularly on the ABC and SBS, and his recent feature length and critically acclaimed documentary ‘Hating Peter Tatchell’ (executive produced by Elton John) has been seen in cinemas around the world.
Castlemaine local Tony Jackson is an award-winning producer/director with thirty years’ experience making television and documentaries for broadcasters across the world. He’s twice been nominated for a Walkley Award for Excellence in Journalism, is the winner of a Screen Producers Australia Award, and recently won the AIDC award for best documentary for his film Our African Roots.

24. Hepburn Wholefoods

Whilst we are looking forward to a lot more variety in fresh produce as our local farmers gear up for the growing season, we are also aware that many of our farmers and producers are battling flood conditions which will be continue to affect their properties and crops. Supporting local farmers by purchasing their produce throughout the year, whenever it’s available, is one of the ways we can keep our local food system strong.

Organic? There’s been a string of articles in the newspapers lately about the use of pesticides in Australia, and how it compares to other parts of the world such as the well regulated European Union. As such we’ve noticed a renewed interest amongst our members about the status of the products in our shop.

Wholefoods has always had a deep commitment to organic and regenerative farming practices and we attempt to purchase organic, biodynamic and spray free products whenever possible. We do not however exclusively stock certified organic products. Our 2021 survey showed that organic status was a first priority for a lot of members (38%). However many members gave top priority ranking to other factors, such as buying in bulk to reduce packaging (23%) and buying direct from farmers (15%).

Our purchasing guidelines specifies three main areas of consideration when choosing products:

• Locality – Choosing products that are produced or grown in our local area, or as close to here as possible, reduces emissions associated with transport and storage, and supports local food security by strengthening supply and demand.
• Production – Choosing products from producers that practice organic and regenerative agriculture ensures healthy chemical free food, promotes local biodiversity, soil health and carbon sequestration.
• Packaging – Choosing products that are available in bulk with minimal packaging reduces emissions of excessive package manufacturing, decreases landfill and helps to minimise harm to water sources and the local environment.

Other considerations include delivery options and whether it is possible to purchase directly from producers, popularity (‘staple’ products) and ethical practices in product development and processing.

Recipe submissions- If you have a recipe idea brewing, we’d love you to put some time aside to write it down and send if through.

Cookbook Recipes can be submitted via the link on our website.

Opening hours

Mondays 9.30-11.30am
Wednesdays 2-4pm
Thursdays 3-5pm
Saturdays 11am-1pm

Location: Hepburn Wholefoods Collective · 11 Perrins Street · Daylesford, Vic 3460 · Australia
and yes, you can join or renew your membership at the shop!

Membership: $40 per year, $20 per year concession, FREE for volunteers.

25. Flood Resources

Financial support for flood-affected farmers
Agriculture Victoria has advised of the ‘Victorian Primary Producer Flood Relief Program’ support package available for flood-affected farmers:
• Primary Producer Clean-Up Relief Grants: $10,000 grants to cover the cost of the clean-up and get businesses up and running again
• Primary Producer Concessional Loans: Up to $250,000 to restore or replace damaged equipment and infrastructure, or to cover the short-term business expenses.
• Primary Producer Transport Subsidies: Up to $15,000 to support the transport of emergency fodder or stock drinking water, and the movement of livestock.
To find our more and understand eligibility and application processes, visit: Rural Finance or contact Rural Finance on 1800 260 425.

Photo: ABC News

26. New Economy Network-  Housing Week Recordings

Scroll down for recordings

NENA Housing Week 2022

27. Walking Together- A Reflection from Jan Wositzky

Makarrata = ‘coming together after a struggle, facing the facts of wrongs and living again in peace.’

This column is written by Jan ‘Yarn’ Wositzky OAM

Walking Together. To travel, physically or metaphorically, side by side, to a destination. Let’s call it towards Equality, Dignity and Respect – though we need Dignity and Respect to even begin. And who’s walking? On the one hand there’s Indigenous, Aboriginal and First Nations people of various tribal/language groups. But what should we whitefellas call ourselves? For surely to dignify ourselves alongside Aboriginal/Dja Dja Wurrung people, we need a good name?

Europeans? Colonists? Migrants? White Australians? Settlers? None of it works, does it? We’re the post 1788 people without a proper name. How undignified! Aboriginal people have called us many things, including ‘Balanda’ (Hollander) and ‘Gubba’ (government man) – but the name we most often use for ourselves is ‘Settlers’. However ‘Settlers’ is a colonial conceit.  Our coming was, and is, very unsettling for Indigenous people. So before we take a first step, let’s be honest and call ourselves the … Un-Settlers. The first Un-Settler in Djaara country was Major Mitchell in 1836, followed by squatters, gold diggers, industrialists and now us.

And, before we stride out, so as to begin with appropriate humility, a timeline: Aboriginal footprints have marked this land for at least 60,000 years; transfer that to an hour on the clock and the Un-Settlers of 1788 arrived at six seconds before the hour. And by God – yes, by Him! – they made rapid work of clearing the trees, changing the rivers and imposing our story on this continent. However Indigenous stories pre-date Adam and Eve by millennia, so of course in this Walking Together it’s surely Indigenous people who should be leading the way.

For a start, they’re writing arguably the most powerful television (Redfern Now), theatre (Blackie Blackie Brown), literature (Dark Emu), dance (Bangarra), history (The Australian Wars) as well as the most generous and evolved political documents (Uluru Statement from the Heart).  They are the natural teachers, we the natural students, in this land.

However, digesting all the knowledge that Aboriginal people have to offer is not going to be enough to get us to the end of the walking, as equals. Hanging a dot painting on your wall or buying a ticket to First and Forever, A Celebration of Blak Excellence at Hanging Rock on November 27 – not worth missing! – cannot in itself get us there.

There’s another side to this – knowing who we are and who we have been in this country. And in the centre of that is a mighty moral and practical problem: the original sin for Aboriginal people is that the British came and took their land; and now it’s us Un-Settlers who have inherited that land; and even though we might support Sovereignty, Land Rights, Self Determination, Justice and Truth Telling, we’re not giving back our house blocks, are we? I’m not. And you? So, to walk together as equals we need to resolve this problem, in our hearts and politically. For a start, it was colonial governments that sanctioned this original theft, so this nation has a massive reparation bill to pay. Maybe then we can really start to walk together.

But to take heart, we’ve come a long way. At high school in the 1960s I was given an essay topic with a preamble which stated that ‘when the First Fleet arrived, Aborigines, who had weaker genes, simply melted away, like mist in the morning sun. Then came the question: “For the remnants, which is best – assimilation or integration?” I dearly wish I still had my essay to read, but at least those who wish to keep telling those lies are now discredited.

Once we were not on the walking together journey at all. Now some of us are making steps as best we can. One day we’ll catch up. And to get there what we Un-Settlers need, desperately and deeply, is to come to terms with who we are and what we have been. Then we can begin Walking Together, in dignity and respect, as equals.

And to finish: how many Indigenous people died in Queensland’s Frontier Wars? Approximately 62,000. And 61,519 Australians died in the First World War.

Nalderun Education Aboriginal Corporation is a service that supports the Aboriginal Community, led by Aboriginal people. Many people and organisations in the Mount Alexander Shire contribute to Nalderun; the name is a Dja Dja Wurrung word meaning “all together”.

More information can be found at www.nalderun.net.au

28. Mt Alexander Shire- Community Reference Group – 10-year Climate Change Strategy

Council is committed to addressing the current and future impacts of climate change on the health, economy and well-being of the people of the Mount Alexander Shire and to its environment.

We’ve made steady progress in delivering our Roadmap to Carbon Neutrality 2020-2025 as captured in the recently released Progress Report, including:

• Electricity for Council operations is sourced from 100% renewable wind power
• Almost all street lights have been upgraded to low-energy LEDs
• We’ve purchased our first electric vehicle which marks the beginning of our transition to a fully electric fleet.

Council’s operational emissions are an important part of the puzzle, but there’s much more to be done.

That’s why we’re developing a 10-year Climate Change Strategy. The Strategy will provide strategic direction to enable Council to focus and prioritise its efforts on emissions reduction and adaptation within its own operations and within the broader community. There are many community initiatives focused on climate change within the shire, so we look to collaborate and complement rather than replicate this important community work.

How can you get involved?

We recognise the significant expertise and good will within our communities, and that we need to develop our climate response together.

October 2022

We are forming a Community Reference Group to guide Strategy development and support community engagement. We are looking for Shire residents who understand the challenges posed by climate change, and want to contribute to our Shire’s climate response. People who can bring ‘word on the street’ into the conversation and make sure we’re hearing from a broad range of community members. Find out more or apply to join the group at Climate Change Strategy 2023-2033 | Shape Mount Alexander. Applications close Tuesday 1 November.

November 2022

We are currently busy reviewing community feedback from past climate-focused surveys and events. In November we’ll present the key themes from past feedback, and check in to make sure we’re heading in the right direction before developing the draft strategy. We will also hold stakeholder interviews with community groups active in this space.

February to March 2023

We will seek community views on the draft strategy, before it goes to Council for endorsement. You can register to receive updates on the project via the Shape platform.

For more information: Melanie Marshall  |  Climate Change Coordinator  |  Mount Alexander Shire Council – mmarshall@mountalexander.vic.gov.au

29. Wombat Forest Care

Gang Gang Cockatoos

How are Gang-gang Cockatoos Callocephalon fimbriatum are faring in the Wombat Forest and surrounds? This beautiful bird was listed as ‘Endangered’
in March this year, mainly due to a sharp decline in their estimated population. There was a major loss of habitat in 2019–2020 bushfires, but declines had also been recorded throughout their range prior to the fires. Fortunately the Wombat was not impacted by fire during the summer of 2019–2020, but there was a loss of many thousands of trees in the extreme wind event of June 2021. Gang-gangs are the least studied of the cockatoo family. To understand the environmental factors leading to their decline it is important to collect data regarding their locations, breeding and food sources.

Dr Michael Mulvaney and an informal group of people and community organisations have been monitoring Gang-gang nest hollows in the Canberra region and
Michael is beginning to coordinate and encourage widespread monitoring of Gang-gang nests this breeding nesting ecology across its range, so that more informed and effective conservation of this magnificent cockatoo can occur. Like so much of the fauna in the Wombat, Gang-gangs are reliant on tree hollows for breeding and not just any hollow will do. It has to be the right size; roughly 30cm x 30cm, but with their strong beaks Gang-gangs can enlarge a smaller
hollow. Both sexes chew the sides of the hollow and use the wood chips and fragments to line the nest. If you are walking in the Wombat Forest and surrounding area in the next few weeks, please keep an eye and ear out for Gang-gangs and look for hollows with chew marks at the entrance.

Boobook Calling
Anyone living close to the Wombat Forest, or a patch of bush with some fairly sizeable trees, has a good chance at this time of year to hear the very familiar call of the Southern Boobook Ninox boobook. From around mid-August, as the days lengthen, the two hoot call, so much a part of the Australian bush, starts to be heard throughout the forest following a long period of silence during the coldest days of winter. Calls are often continuous and can go for well over an hour, usually from the same spot. Unlike the Wombat’s other Ninox owls, the Powerful Owl and Barking Owl, where the male voice is noticeably deeper than the female’s, this is not the case with the Southern Boobook where the difference between the sexes is barely discernible. Both sexes can engage in these long bouts of “territorial calling” at this time of year, which is mainly used as a warning to other Boobooks, both male and female, to keep away from an established territory. Occasionally, owls from neighbouring territories, usually the male, will engage in periods of aggressive calling to each other. The double hoot call is believed to be performed through a closed bill with both wings pressing against the body as each sound is emitted. This sounds tiring but a lot of effort is put into protecting breeding territories. While the core breeding territory can be reasonably small, possibly only several hectares, home ranges will be much larger and can overlap with a neighbouring pair’s territory. Another call in their repertoire is what’s known as “braying”, which is mainly given by the female during the breeding season and will most likely indicate an active nest in the near vicinity. It is hard to describe, but is a little like the sound made by sheep but with a vibrating element to it. The Southern Boobook is generally thought to lay eggs between August and November in southern Australia. However, well-known raptor expert, the late Jerry Olsen, believed laying can sometimes extend into February.1 This would be very late for any Wombat Forest birds when you consider the time from an egg hatching to fledging is over 70 days, meaning juveniles will be fledging when the weather is starting to cool and there is a noticeable decrease in the available food supply. Although recently fledged juveniles feed on birds and mammals brought to them by their parents, their own early prey capabilities are mainly limited to invertebrates. It is probably the reason why most Southern Boobook eggs are laid in spring, ensuring that when
chicks fledge in early summer, prey items like moths and beetles are at their peak abundance. The juvenile (or chick) of the Wombat’s three Ninox owl
species all have a very similar cricket-like trill that they gradually lose as they become independent from their parents. The young Southern Boobook’s trill is slightly shorter than the other two owls and very insect like, and particularly high-pitched. Last year on a cool evening in late March, just off Countess Track, I was quite surprised to see and hear two Southern Boobook juveniles, calling frantically, no doubt hoping to attract the attention of a nearby parent. In the Wombat, these urgent calls are usually heard during the warmer months, so maybe these youngsters were a pair of late starters and still some time from making their own way in the world.
1. Olsen, J. (2011). Australian High Country Owls. CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne

30. Farmers for Climate Action

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Farmers for Climate Action
https://farmersforclimateaction.org.au

31. Loddon Campaspe- Development of a Regional Food Systems Framework

The Healthy Loddon Campaspe (HLC) initiative is a Victorian Government funded project aimed at improving health outcomes in the Loddon Campaspe region – the heart of Victoria. There are six local government areas involved: City of Greater Bendigo, Campaspe Shire, Central Goldfields Shire, Loddon Shire, Macedon Ranges Shire and Mount Alexander Shire. HLC has recently received funding from the Victorian State Government for a further four years.
The development of a Regional Food Systems Framework will help guide the work of local government and key stakeholders in creating a healthy, equitable and sustainable regional food system.
The framework will align with and leverage key strategic policy, investment and initiatives at the LGA, state and national level and be informed by world’s best practice. The framework will identify recommendations (short and medium term) for HLC and its stakeholders to implement across the region.

Why a Food Systems Framework for the Loddon Campaspe region?
There are a variety of policies, plans and initiatives from across the region that highlight the need to focus on the food system, especially in relation to health, including:
• Findings from the 2019 Active Living Census
• Healthy Loddon Campaspe (formerly Healthy Heart of Victoria) regional workshop findings
• Municipal Public Health and Wellbeing Plans 2021-2025 from all six Local Government Areas (LGA’s)
• Greater Bendigo Food System Strategy
• Bendigo and Region City of Gastronomy
• VicHealth Local Government Partnership

Implementation of the framework will further benefit the region through:
• Increasing food security
• Increasing access and consumption of healthy food through policy and environmental change in key settings (i.e. workplaces, education settings, sport and recreation facilities)
• Increasing access to culturally appropriate and local food
• Increasing community knowledge and skills related to healthy food
• Increasing climate change adaptation to reduce its impact on health
A mapping and assessment of the regional food system is underway to get an understanding of the current landscape.
Following this, two workshops involving invitees from all parts of the regional food system will be conducted to further understand the current food system and then plan for what the food system framework will look like.
The final framework document will be developed by Foodways Consulting, in partnership with the HLC working group and reference group.
Timelines
Planning for the framework commenced in June 2022. The final Regional Food Systems Framework, including key recommendations, will be completed by December 2022.
How will we share the results and information?
Key stakeholder and broader community engagement will be undertaken throughout the framework planning and development process.
Following the development of the Regional Food Systems Framework, the results and key outcomes will be shared with all HLC stakeholders and the six local government areas.
What will we do with the framework once it’s complete?
Recommendations from the final Regional Food Systems framework will be assessed by HLC and used to provide direction on future projects within the region.
HLC will collaborate with other stakeholders and groups to implement key actions as appropriate.
For further information email hlc@bendigo.vic.gov.au

32. Transition Australia

Transition Australia is part of an international movement of local communities coming together to re-imagine and rebuild our world.

We invite you to take one more step: become a paid-up, signed-up member of Transition Towns Australia Inc. Why do that? Well – it gives you a stronger voice in our decisions (‘though we’ll listen to you anyway), you can join the committee if you wish, and it actually helps us pay the bills. We are a group of volunteers dedicated to connecting people or groups like you to strengthen our collective effectiveness by sharing stories and resources and bringing people together in online events across Australia.

We run on a shoe-string and we need your support. You could be one of the foundation 100, that is, our first 100 members, each paying $20/year to cover our basic annual costs: website maintenance and improvement, Insurance, CRM subscription and Zoom subscription (and we can give YOUR GROUP a zoom link for your meetings).

So, by joining Transition Australia:

• You are becoming part of an Australia-wide network of individuals and groups working to build a localised, sustainable and just future, from the ground up.
• Your membership fee will help to cover some of our basic running costs – and that means a lot to us.

We are writing to you as a representative of your group or organization – your organisation can apply to join as an Associate Member $10/year. A Member has voting rights, an Associate Member does not (but we encourage individual people within a group to join as Members and thus exercise voting rights). We invite groups to become Associate Members as a way of expressing support for the purposes of Transition Australia:

Our Purposes:

supporting the effectiveness of Transition Towns and other not-for-profit organisations in Australia that are working to advance an ecologically regenerative and socially just future by:

1. raising and distributing funds to support the ability of these organisations to carry out activities that advance an ecologically regenerative and socially just future;
2. providing a platform for all people interested in creating an ecologically regenerative and socially just future so they can identify common needs and community-led possibilities for positive change, discuss best practices and share inspiration and learnings;
3. curating, developing and distributing tools, training and other resources to support organisations to carry out activities that advance an ecologically regenerative and socially just future; and
4. engaging with the public, private and civic sectors across Australia to advance the aims of ecological regeneration and social justice in regard to public policy and decision-making processes; and
5. being affiliated with the international Transition Network and liaising with other national Transition Town Hubs and national not-for-profit sustainability groups in seeking to achieve an ecologically regenerative and socially just future throughout the world.

Read more about what we do

Read about the history of the movement and our values and principles

Read our official rules (constitution)

Apply for membership

33. Climate: The Long Game-  Castlemaine Free University Reading Group 2022–2023

WHAT?
What can our responses to climate change tell us about ourselves, our society and humanity? This reading group will meet fortnightly to
select and discuss readings from significant but accessible books on moral, philosophical, long term and holistic paradigms for addressing the ongoing
existential threat of climate change. The group will meet at a mutually agreed time after 6pm for around 90 mins, on the second and fourth Thursdays of the
month.

WHO?
The reading group will start with a book chosen by the group’s convenor, local engineer, and climate activist Malcolm Robins — the just published What we
Owe the Future: A Million-Year View by renowned philosopher William MacAskill. The first session will take as its subject and title ‘The Long View’ from Part 1 of this authoritative and readable book. After working together through this book, group participants will be able to choose their own next reading and discussion challenge from a range of stimulating works.

For an introduction, see short article — https://theconversation.com/what-do-we-owe-future-generations-and-what-can-we-do-to-make-their-world-a-better-place-189591

WHERE? Northern Arts Hotel, 359 Barker Street, Castlemaine, 3450
WHEN? TBC but after 6pm on the second and fourth Thursdays of the month
FREE Drinks available for purchase
Castlemaine Free University
For more details and to subscribe to our e-list — https://anitranelson.info/cfu

34. Repair Cafes

Our Repair Cafes will be back again in January 2023

Daylesford– Sunday January 15th, 1-4pm at Victoria Park Pavillion, Ballan Road

Castlemaine–  Cafes in New Year-  Sunday Jan 29th, 10am to 1pm, rear of 30 Templeton St, Castlemaine

Petition on The Bower’s website. It has a letter to treasurer re Right to Repair. Including “In France, businesses have to state clearly how long spare parts will be available for. In Sweden, you can claim the cost of repair as a tax deduction. Other measures can help to make it easier, more convenient and cheaper for you to repair regular household and personal items such as whitegoods, clothing, bicycles and much more. “

Click the link to access it. https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/right-to-repair?source=direct_link&

Article by Chris Hooper, Coordinator Castlemaine Repair Cafe- a contribution to International Repair Day- the anniversary of the start of Repair cafes in 2009.

International Repair Day was established in 2017 to promote the value and importance of repairing, including at community events like Repair Cafés or Restart Parties. The first International Repair Day was organised on 21 October 2017. This year Repair Day is on October the 15th.

Once, years ago there were many repair shops and appliances and equipment were made to be repaired. Now things aren’t even made to last so long and if you attempt to repair them you may lose your warranty, if you still have one.

Repair Cafes started in the Netherlands 13 years ago as a way for people to learn to repair and attempt to save their household things from going to landfill and so save money. There are now Repair Cafes all around the world including many close to our region including Bendigo, Daylesford, Woodend to name a few. Australia currently hosts over 40 Repair Cafes.

The right to repair is seen as a key step for the European Union’s plan to achieve circular economy by 2050in the framework of the European Green Deal, the EU’s roadmap to reach climate neutrality by 2050. It’s about not tossing things away and buying new. If you have the skills maybe offer to help a friend to repair something or join other repairers at your local Repair Cafe.

Sydney Library of Things and  Repair Cafes.

https://transitionaustralia.net/

35. Renewable Newstead- Solar Farm takes a big step forward

A small crowd attended the community information session in Newstead inSeptember to hear the great news that Newstead’s solar farm has the green light to go ahead. After years of negotiations and work, we are delighted that our partner, Flow Power, has declared their support for the project and will begin construction in earnest in the first quarter of next year.

The project includes a three megawatt (MW) solar farm, capable of producing more than enough energy for Newstead, and a battery that can store 5MW energy. The battery will store excess solar power generated and then dispatch it into the grid as required. This may be at night or when it’s cloudy and the panels aren’t collecting much solar energy.

Local people will be able to become Flow Power customers and know that their energy is the greenest energy available. A project to generate local energy that’s renewable and competitively priced. It will be available for everyone in our community to sign up for but completely optional. You can choose to buy from the Newstead solar farm or not.

Flow Power’s Head of Energy Projects, Tom Harrison, and Project Engineer Lachlan O’Brien attended the meeting. They answered detailed questions about the site, the storage battery and management plans. They said having a relationship with the local Renewable Newstead team helped bring the project to fruition.

The company is involved with at least 11 other energy generating ‘farms’ around Australia. Most are solar. Two harvest energy using wind.

Renewable Newstead, with the help of a $1.1 million Victorian Government grant, will pay the landholder lease costs and the cost to connect the farm to the electricity grid.

We want to help you understand how the farm can benefit your household/ business and our community and why you can be proud of having it here.

Please keep in touch with our news here and also feel free to email back any questions you have and we’ll try our best to answer (and we’ll try to pop them up on our Q and A page here).

Visit our website

36. Harcourt Organic Farming Cooperative

So, it’s been raining…You’ve probably noticed we’re in the middle of a La Niña – it’s been a bit hard to ignore! The last time we had this much water running on the farm was 11 years ago, in the 2010/11 season. That year the big dam overflowed so hard it had a current running through it for weeks. Then we had minor flooding in 2015. Last spring was pretty wet, and this year there’s no sign yet that things are easing yet – it’s raining as I write this.

It’s now completely obvious that “1-in-100-year” events are happening much more often.

We’re fine and very glad we live and farm on the side of a hill. Things could be so much worse, and we’re thinking of the communities north of us in Echuca, Swan Hill, Rochester, Kerang, Lismore, and many places in between. Hundreds of farms and houses have flooded and communities have been cut off for weeks. And of course, a number of people have lost their lives.

Yet in Australia, we’re relatively well off. This year flooding in Pakistan has killed almost 1,500 people, and more than a million have been displaced. There have been severe floods with millions affected in Colombia, Gabon, Indonesia, Chad, the Philippines, Venezuala, Nigeria, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Mexico, Cambodia, South Sudan, Trinidad and Tobago, India, Thailand, and Ghana – and that was just in October!

We’re grateful that we’re safe and fairly well-resourced. But extreme seasons like this definitely have an impact on food production, and if you’re not a farmer it can be hard to know what’s really going on. So we thought we’d share the impact of this very wet spring on your local food supply, from the perspective of one farm.

The dairy (by Tess)

Even though the constant rain has made it hard to stay positive, I’m becoming more and more aware of how lucky I am in the dairy this season. For me, it’s about managing the logistic of it being wet, not how to deal with loss.

The cows are mostly fine in the wet except for Quartz who hobbles around with her sore feet which I am constantly trimming and poulticing. The paddocks are sodden, with an inch of water sitting on most areas. This means that it is very difficult to manage the herd without causing damage to the soil as they pug up boggy areas.

The mobile milking parlour is becoming less mobile as the locations I can find to park it where the cows can come to be milked, the calves can spend the night and I can drive to every morning are seriously limited to the side of the road/track.

I was on the phone a lot last week talking to other producers who I work with and it made me really appreciate my situation. So many stories of farmers spending all their time fixing fences due to trees and flood waters, farmers not being able to drive onto the paddocks to plant or harvest crops, crops stunted by the lack of heat, fungal infections, or completely wiped out by flood waters. There are some tough times ahead.

Yet driving out to collect our grain from Burrum Biodynamics last week we crossed over Bells Swamp, usually only recognisable as a swamp because of the dry red gums. This year it has burst into life, with water, growth, birds, and insects everywhere. It’s a good reminder that it’s us humans and our systems that are struggling the most, much of the natural world is thriving.

The market garden – Gung Hoe Growers (by Mel)

After having two previously cooler and wetter spring/summers I thought I knew what we were up for. However after watching my fellow grower friends live through full La Nina on the southeast coast of NSW for the last 2 years, when the rain didn’t stop I got in touch. Get another off-farm job was their immediate suggestion and a list of crops to not grow alongside a list that they had seen do well in the relentless wet, boggy conditions.

So I was fortunate enough to be able to (hopefully) find shifts at a local winery for events and had the most interesting experience working on a wedding whilst watching the weather radar come through with a front spotted with red (the heaviest) dots. Here we were, warm and dry (very grateful for rooves and that we live in a place where buildings are pretty good) whilst I was watching the weather outside pummel the crops, drown the garlic, wash away seeds, cause root rot and fungal disease and stunted growth due to water logging and the much much cooler weather. This year our spring crops either didn’t grow or died.

As a small business with not much buffer, we can’t really afford months and months of no crops as well as paying wages (hence my third job). We have been unable to get onto the field to prep beds for planting due to how wet its been and have to take the moments of dryish and sun to do what we need to. Unfortunately, this has meant a lot more hoeing (tilling) than we’d planned for, but we’ve done our best to keep it at a minimum.

This was our year to see what was possible, what we could do, the team and I, but I think I’ve accepted the fact that seasonality is becoming ever more a myth and this is the new future of farming. With no capital, we are unable to invest in the infrastructure we need to protect ourselves from the growing extremes and unknown. To say this season has been a rollercoaster doesn’t really express the stress and fear and emotional toll it is taking. Ever grateful for our Gung Hoe team on site and the background support who make it possible to turn up every day.

If there was ever a time to support your local producers, and plant some food in your own backyard, it’s now. Everyone across the board has been affected and I expect to see food chain disruptions in the following months. The bush has been resounding with life and vibrancy however and I am so aware of life brimming in other areas that aren’t the market garden. Making sure I keep that in sight also keeps the scales more balanced.

The orchard (by Meg from The Orchard Keepers)

This wet & wild weather has meant bogged tractors, a plethora of fungal diseases on the stonefruit, low pollination (bees only like to visit on sunny days!), hail damage, wet toes, and lots of jobs we just can’t do until it dries out. As we look across the orchard, we see a whole lot of trees under stress due to the wet weather.  We are about to lose an entire block of peach and nectarine trees, and some cherries too. Apricots are struggling and many of our plums will be hail damaged. Despite our best care, and support from Katie and Hugh, overall, we are looking at a low yield for this season. On the upside, there have been stunning rainbows, loads of lovely beneficial clover coming up under the fruit trees, and we certainly have not had to irrigate yet!

Because of all this, we have made the difficult decision to cancel all of our weekly box CSA subscriptions for this season. In ordinary circumstances under a CSA model, our members would be with us through ups and downs and if we were 10 years in and they had tasted our apricots before, we might ask them to hang in there with us. But with the existing pressures of the season, the additional pressure of filling boxes was going to be too much for our team. We know for many of you that participating in the CSA represents a large outlay for your household budget and feel that the state of the crop this season is too much risk to pass on to our members. We’ll be selling fruit locally and in Coburg over the summer instead, and offering a lighter ‘Friends and Lovers of the Orchard Keepers’ or “FLO(C)K” subscription that will include two boxes throughout the season and access to our events.

Build your connection to the orchard and with us 

We have some summer workshops coming up for any keen home orchardist (discounted prices for CSA members). If you are laboring over fruit trees in your own home, you might like to consider honing your skills and coming along.

Carr’s Organic Fruit Tree Nursery (by Katie)

We made the mistake of weeding before the day we got 100mm of rain. Bad idea. Our nursery rows run north-south downhill, and without the ground cover of the weeds, the topsoil just got washed down the hill and deep gullies formed alongside the young trees and seedlings that we’ve planted in the last couple of months.

We lost a few trees but were able to find most of them at the bottom of the hill and replant them. We had to scrounge topsoil from between the rows to fill in the gullies, so the whole nursery looks a bit messy – and it’s annoying that there’s so much soil at the bottom of the hill where we don’t want it!

Losing topsoil meant we also lost organic matter and nutrients, which we’ll now have to replace. We do this anyway – we usually weed, then compost, and then mulch, but we didn’t have time to do the composting and mulching before the rain. If we had, or if we’d left the weeds in place until after the worst of the weather, the soil probably would have had enough protection.

We’ve also now dug proper drainage ditches around the nursery to direct the runoff around the nursery, rather than through it. We’ve learned a lot this season about how to cope with a super-wet spring, but we’d rather not go through another one for a while!

 

The property

Our soil here at Harcourt is famous for its variability. We have topsoil in some places, clay in others, and massive granite boulders that make their presence felt in orchards and paddocks. This year our normally dry creek is running a banker and the dams have been overflowing for weeks. The soil is unstable. Trees have fallen over, sometimes onto fences.

The constant rain and extra traffic mean the driveway has washed out. This has made it hard for our people to get to work, and impossible for customers to come and pick up their produce. Kind neighbours have lent us their shed as a temporary pick-up point, and some of our farmers are having to do deliveries.

Getting through

Lost crops, dead fruit trees, and cows with sore feet. More work, more worry, and fears about the future – that pretty much sums up the negative impact of this weather pattern for everyone on our farm. For you – our lovely customers and supporters – that translates into less food we can offer you this season. The responsibility of not growing as much food as we’d like weighs heavily on our co-op members.

But it’s just a season! And even though we’ve had some losses, our diversity has pulled us through again, and we’re still on track to produce plenty of food. Thanks for your support, not just for us but for every farmer that’s going through this wet, wet season.

37. Mt Alexander LETS

“Eat locally grown, food in season.” Freshly picked, locally grown, low miles travelled fruit & veggies, homemade preserves, for your family.

Trading days on Duke Street Castlemaine: Every Saturday morning: 8:30am to 12:30pm.

Maldon Community Market: 9am to 1:30pm @ Maldon Neighbourhood Centre @ 1 Church Street, Maldon, second Sunday of each month.
This market can carry home grown produce – fruit & vegies, preserves – relishes, pickles, jams, sauces, soaps & plants. There is no kitchen baked goods at this market.
“WHOLE FOODS PROJECT” Available at Ma LETS on Duke Street trading days, every Saturday. Organic, Bio- dynamic, wholesale prices, offering a selection of dry goods in size for kitchen use only to start the project. No Bulk orders @ this stage.
The items supplies available now all @ 4 Pods per bag. Chick peas, Red lentils, Quinoa, Mung beans, Sunflower Kernels, White, Brown & Jasmine rice,
White Heritage, Wholemeal & White Spelt flour, Rolled Oats, Semolina, Whole grain, Pitted dates, Sultanas, Cashews, Walnuts

*Contact list:
Secretary: Matt Gibson 0423140881 email: gibbo68@hotmail.com
Treasurer Transaction Manager: George Ryan 54762710 email: transmanager@gmail.com
Ma LETS newsletter: Loretta De’nham malets.editor@gmail.com
Come to the Trading days to trade your home grown produce, ideas & do you weekly grocery shopping.

38. Food for Thought

38.1 https://artistasfamily.is/2022/11/15/stinging-nettle-for-arthritis-and-allergies-neopeasant-medicine-food-series/

38.2 Life After Progress: Technology, Community and the New Economy – a new collection of essays by Helena Norberg-Hodge and her colleagues at Local Futures. The book is now available from our online store.Some of the essays ask us to rethink our most basic assumptions about progress, poverty, and happiness, while others shine light on the root causes of our multiple crises: from climate change and income inequality to terrorism and right-wing authoritarianism. All point towards the most strategic steps we can take to bring about a healthier, happier world.As Bayo Akomolafe writes in his foreword:“This book is a cartography of sensations guiding us through the din of demise. A map to shake you out of the complacency of being so thoroughly found, so thoroughly intelligible, so worryingly available to the imaginations of the familiar.”

38.3 https://artistasfamily.is/2022/11/27/permaculture-community-sufficiency-regenerating-ecological-culture-and-economy-2/

38.4 Living in an ecovillage

Life in an Ecovillage

38.5. Ancient Futures: Learning from Ladakh, by Helena Norberg-Hodge, is now available as an audiobook.

Translated into more than 40 languages, Ancient Futures is a rare first-hand account of an indigenous culture that had avoided the worst impacts of colonialism. It therefore serves as an invaluable lens for questioning deeply held assumptions – ubiquitous in the modern, globalized world – about who we are, and what ‘prosperity’ and ‘progress’ really mean.

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Learning is unnerving…It knows certainty to be an unrepentant and possibly temporary lapse in judgement//…Certainty, you could say, is the rent that knowledge pays for all the inner real estate it takes up. Learning, and the wonder that animates it, brings that rent down to something livable. The programmes of certainty are an assault on mystery, bringing mystery to heal …Learning is something like a counter-intuitive willingness to be mystified, to be on the receiving end of a world that, in its dignified manner, does not give itself away, or succumb, or dissolve into its constituents parts.

Jenkinson, Stephen : Come of Age- The case for Elderhood in a time of Trouble, p 96-97 , North Atlanta Books, 2018

1. A Note from the Editor

Welcome to the October edition of Localising Leanganook. You’ll notice a few changes: a more in depth story/article at the beginning, followed by information on  events and initiatives which contribute to and strengthen localisation across central Victoria.

For those not aware of the background, Localising Leanganook emerged as a community initiative from the Local Lives Global Matters conference held in Castlemaine in October 2015. With a focus on further exploring themes central to the conference – (sustaining viable local economies; acting on social and ecological justice; reclaiming democracy; and revitalising spirit) – Localising Leanganook’s e-news has informed, encouraged, and promoted initiatives within, or connected to, central Victoria since 2017.  Those who’ve been reading the e-news over the past 5 years will be aware how much the newsletter has grown, reflecting the bounty in this region, all of which contribute to what writer and poet Margaret Attwood proposes: it’s not just climate change we need to address- it’s everything change.

In light of this expanding work, I am calling for additional writers and editors to help prepare monthly editions. I welcome your feedback on a more detailed story/reflective article at the beginning of each edition and perhaps shorter ‘what’s happening’ info,  with more info via links; also a more expanded Food for Thought section, given the diversity and quality  of podcasts, videos, books and talks relevant to localising in our region. Or any other suggestions you may have.

Please email me at nikki.marshall@mmnet.com.au 

With thanks in anticipation,

Nikki

This month’s edition:

1. A Note from the Editor
2. WADDANANGGU: Trevor Scott reflects on a Cultural Tour of Galilee Basin 
3. In the Spirit of Renewal Exhibition– Raising Funds for Climate Action
4. Film Screening- MINE-FIELD at Yandoit Cultural
5. The Orchard Keepers- CSA subscriptions now open
6. Harp and Voice and String Quartet concerts at Yandoit Cultural
7. Seniors Festival in Hepburn and Mt Alexander shires
8. Newstead Landcare AGM – Understanding the Landscape pre-white settlement
9. State Government Election- Meet Bendigo Candidates– Democracy 4 Dinner
10. Home Energy Savings Workshop – Castlemaine
11. Discussion  on Housing– Democracy 4 Dinner
12. Heather Mutimer Honour Roll Nominations
13. Caring for Large Old Trees–  Connecting Country AGM
14. Expand your Impact workshops
15. Exhibitions at Maldon’s Edge Gallery
16. Meet the Mayor– Hepburn Shire
17. National Bird Week– Aussie Bird Count
18. Sustainable Hepburn Expo Day
19. Castlemaine Free University
20. Seed Library
21. VNI-West Transmission Line– Community Q and A sessions
22. Looking for Landholders: Bursaria for Butterflies
23. Circular Economy Project
24. Climate Smart Farming Scholarships
25. Northern Arts Hotel- Music, Films and Talks
26. First Nation’s Voice to Parliament
27. Walking Tour of Landcare Groups
28. Repair Cafes
29. Proposed Redevelopment of Castlemaine’s  Camp Reserve
30. Festival of Gardens– Castlemaine and District
31. Sizematters – Residents take new supermarket concerns to VCAT 
32. Growing our Agriculture Program
33. Wild at Art Threatened Species Art Competition for kids
34. Macroinvertebrate Monitoring
35. Parenting in the Modern World: Managing Teenage Emotions
36. DJARRA WURREKA Yarns Newsletter
37. Water Storages- Central Victoria
38. Cloth Nappy Workshop
39. Changes to Australia’s Fire Danger Ratings
40. Goldfields  Library-Castlemaine- What’s On
41. Newstead Solar Farm Getting Closer
42. Rain, Cairncurran Reservoir and Birdlife
43. Bendigo Climate Alliance
44. WALKING TOGETHER –A Journey Towards Solidarity
45. 1,000 Plants for Climate Change Resilience
46. Food for Thought– including documentaries, music, essays, first nations perspective on water, community libraries and repair,  solar schools and more.  

2. WADDANANGGU: Trevor Scott reflects on Cultural Tour of Galilee Basin

For many years I had been involved in the campaign to “Stop Adani” so naturally enough, when the indigenous people who occupy this land in central Queensland invited us to come on a cultural tour of the Galilee Basin, the mine site, I was very curious, and keen to go and check it out. After 4 and a half days of driving, I had driven 2,700 Km from my home in Castlemaine. I had travelled on some of the loneliest and roughest roads in Australia before I finally arrived at the campsite, west of the small town of Clermont in central Queensland.

If you cast your eye along the east coast of Queensland, the mine site is on approximately the same latitude as Rockhampton, but much further to the west. When I arrived, I saw to my left a huge slag heap, about a Km long and 40 metres high, the hallmark of many a mining town in Australia and in fact everywhere around the world. The camp called Waddananggu (meaning “the conversation”), was a bunch of tents of varying shape and size on the other side of the road. After I had pitched my tent, it was time to go and check in to one of the many sessions given by the Wangan and Jagalingou People, who are the First Nation’s People and the traditional owners of the land that we were visiting. After a special smoking ceremony in which each of us was immersed in the smoke of a sacred fire, we were told about such things as the all-important link to the land, the significance of water in this dry landscape, and the dependence of every living plant and creature upon it. We were also told that Waddananggu this year is the celebration of 12 months of “illegal” occupation of the mine site by the indigenous Australians. To mark this period of occupation, the sacred fire mentioned above, has been burning for the whole time.

Over the next 5 days we had “truth-telling” and stories told by the custodians of this land, the tribal leaders and elders. We had lessons in the local language, lessons and a guided tour on bush tucker and bush medicine. One sunny day, I went on a long bike ride along with a few others, to a dam where we bathed in the cool water. Although there is another, very important source of water nearby called the Doongmabulla Spring, it is a site that is sacred to the First Nation’s people, and on this visit we were not permitted to go there. One of the things I really enjoyed about our camp was our neighbourhood get- togethers every evening. After the day’s activities were over and we had eaten, we would walk back to camp, collecting firewood along the way. Then, once our little fire was burning brightly, out would come the cask of wine, and sitting on our camp stools and sipping from our plastic mugs, we would talk under the stars until late, about anything and everything.

The leader of the indigenous people was Adrian Burragubba and it was his son Coedie McEvoy who talked to us pretty much every day, sharing his knowledge about his culture, which was considerable. One day he took us to a place about 2 Km up the road, to a place called “the Footprint”. He told us about how he and his people believe that this is a sacred place once occupied by his ancestors, because there are many scarred trees here, and each of the scars is facing east, meaning that they have been marked as birthing trees. Birthing trees are places of shelter for women during labour and birth. They may also be places where placentas are buried after women have given birth. He explained to us that if this site is excavated in the near future, they expect to find evidence of stone tools, carefully shaped for purpose. On another day, lawyers from the EDO (Environment Defenders Office) visited the campsite and spoke to us about the illegal occupation of the land by the Adani Company (now known as Bravus). No cultural tour would be complete without a ceremonial tribal dance by the Mob, and several times during the 5 day camp, we were treated to music and dancing in the Bora Ring, a sacred circle defined by stones, right next to our camp. At least once during the camp, we were invited into the circle to dance with the Mob. On the Friday, the last day of our camp we were invited to a party with dancing and fire twirling in the Bora Ring.

Most of us packed up and left early the next morning and headed for our various destinations. There is a plan to hold Waddanangguu every year, so we all said our goodbyes and promised to return in 2023.

Trevor Scott, Castlemaine 22nd-26th August, 2022.

 3.In the spirit of renewal exhibition- Raising Funds for Climate Action

4. Film Screening- MINE-FIELD at Yandoit Cultural

 

No Mining Yandoit Region and Yandoit Cultural are screening MINE-FIELD- a film about the mining invasion of Victoria’s rural towns and communities,  especially relevant to much of central Victoria.

When: Saturday October 8^th at 7pm

Where: Yandoit Cultural- the old church in the bush, Uniting Church Road, off High St, Yandoit

This documentary film shows the real impact of mining on Victoria’s rural communities and the environment, and  how a farming community in East Gippsland fought a ruthless mining company and won.View the trailer here:  MINE-FIELD.

Lock The Gate signs will also be available for $5.

Entry by donation  For more info: hello@nominingyandoitregion.com

5. The Orchard Keepers- CSA subscriptions now open

CSA subscriptions are open for our upcoming 2022-23 season. You can sign up now here.

The buds are blooming and we’ve almost wrapped up the winter pruning here in the orchard. The trees are clearly on the move with bees visiting on the rare sunny days (La Niña here we come!). We now have a team of six, with Rachael, Meg & Bri all joining in the last couple of months and we’re all settling in to our new rhythm.

We are delighted to announce our CSA subscriptions are open for our upcoming 2022-23 season, and thanks to those from our waitlist who’ve already signed up. You can sign up now here. For those of you further afield we will be heading to Coburg Farmers Market again this season as long as the harvest is plentiful enough!This year we plan to offer 100 CSA shares(some already sold to our waitlist) across 21-23 weeks depending on our harvests and how La Nina impacts us this season! Our pick up points will be:

• Central Castlemaine Location – Wednesday afternoons (NB we will no longer be at Castlemaine weekly farmers market)
• Harcourt Organic Farming Co-op Farm Shop, Danns Road, Harcourt – Wednesday to Friday
• Harvest at the Mill, Castlemaine – Saturday

We’ll also be trialing a stall at the Castlemaine Monthly Farmers Market (First Sunday of each month) where we’ll showcase some of what’s in our boxes and we would love any CSA members to come down and say hello.CSA is such an important part of what we do – it is us, the growers and you, the eaters, joining in solidarity to share both the abundance and the risk of growing food. CSA is valuing what is shared over what is individual. It’s a relationship based on recognition of mutual value, rather than an invisible transaction. So, we really value each and everyone of you who signs up and joins us in helping to make our local food system stronger.

Our first season was eventful and a huge learning curve. We have had a chance for a solid rest, to think big picture and to build a new team. There are now six Orchard Keepers and we’re excited about the possibilities for the coming season.

If you are ready to sign up, fill out this form. Feel free to get in touch with any questions!

Website

Instagram

6. Harp and Voice and String Quartet concerts at Yandoit Cultural

What: HARP AND VOICE CONCERT- DUO BLISS

When: Sunday October 16^th, 4pm

Where: Yandoit Cultural- the old church in the bush- Uniting Church Rd, off High St, Yandoit

Nadia Piave (voice) and Jacinta Dennett (harp) have been playing as duo Bliss since the 1990s. Their concert GREEN (Sunday October 16^th, 4pm) is over 20 songs from the 1500s to now that explore the shades, tones and complexities of green in music that includes the colour in their titles, lyrics or themes. The concert includes re-imagined evergreens like Greensleeves, Robert Burns’ Green Grow the Rashes, Being Green, and Kate Bush’s Wuthering Heights, and compositions by artists including Joni Mitchell, Miles Davis, Tom Waits, and Green Day. Piave’s awards include the prestigious Frederic May Foundation Scholarship from the University of Sydney, and Dennett’s awards include the Jim Marks Postgraduate Scholarship and the Director’s Award for Exceptional Doctoral Research at the University of Melbourne.

Entry by donation- Please support our musicians who’ve been hard hit over the past couple of years as a result of covid and lockdowns.  Bookings:  Email ycfcpg@gmail.com

What: CELLIST CERIDWEN McCOOEY RETURNS TO YANDOIT WITH EUCALYPTUS STRING QUARTET

When: Sunday October 23, 6pm.

Where: Yandoit Cultural- the old church in the bush- Uniting Church Rd, off High St, Yandoit

For those lucky enough to hear Ceridwen McCooey play cello at Yandoit Cultural in June (with Darcy King on classical guitar), Ceridwen is returning to Yandoit, this time with the Eucalyptus String Quartet. Ceridwen plays cello, along with Sujie Kim and Samual Ke, both on violin, and Flora Cawte on viola. The quartet will perform a variety of classical music on Sunday October 23, 6pm.

Ceridwen McCooey is an Australian cellist and composer based in Melbourne. She was the 2022 The Talent winner on 3MBS.

Entry by donation.  Bookings: Email ycfcpg@gmail.com or phone Nikki 0432 232 073

7. Seniors Festival- in Hepburn and Mt Alexander shires

There’s a variety of activities across Hepburn and Mt Alexander shires as part of the seniors festival.

Hepburn Shire

is offering a limited number of FREE tickets, as well as free bus travel, to the four events for residents over the age of 55.

EVENT 1: 10 October 2022: 11:00 am – 12:30 am – Lonnie Lee Stage Show (rockabilly)

Regent Cinema Ballarat – 49 Lydiard Street North, Ballarat Central 3350

EVENT 2: 12 October 2022: 11:00 am – 2:00 pm – Skiffle Party with supporting acts.

Dean Hall – 1301 Ballarat Daylesford Road, Dean Victoria 3364

EVENT 3: 26 October 2022: 11:00 am – 2:00 pm – Skiffle Party with supporting acts

Lyonville Hall – 4 Bremner Avenue, Lyonville Victoria 3461

EVENT 4: 28 October 2022: 9:30 am – 5:00 pm – Talking Ageing with Attitude Conference 2022

Clunes Town Hall – 98 Bailey Street, Clunes 3370

For more info: https://www.hepburn.vic.gov.au/Places-activities/Events/Events-Activities/Victorian-Seniors-Festival

To book tickets contact Eddie Wyman, Positive Ageing OfficerMobile: 0438406538 • Phone: 0353216494 • Email: ewyman@hepburn.vic.gov.au  

Mt Alexander Shire

Held as part of the Castlemaine Community Lunch, join us for lunch, information stalls and entertainment. Seniors eat for Free!

Cost: FREE Venue: Castlemaine Town Hall, 25 Lyttleton Street Castlemaine

Navigating the Aged Care System (MASC): 9.30am – 10.30am, Wednesday 5 October

A guided discussion with Mount Alexander Shire Council about the services and support they have in place and what steps to take to get the most out of MyAgedCare.  Venue: Seniors Citizens Centre, Mechanics Lane Castlemaine

Your Rights & Decisions (Seniors Rights Victoria): 10.00am – 10.30am, Thursday 6 October

What homework do we need to do when making decisions about end-of-life directives? Gary from Seniors Rights Victoria will take us through making sure our rights and choices aren’t overlooked.   Venue: Seniors Citizens Centre, Mechanics Lane Castlemaine

Wills and Estates (Grainger Legal): 11.00am – 12.00pm, Thursday 6 October

Caroline Grainger will talk us through filing what paperwork, and when.Venue: Seniors Citizens Centre, Mechanics Lane Castlemaine

Be Connected (Goldfields Library): 1.00pm-1.30pm, Thursday 6 October

Goldfields Library will talk through their Be Connected program, part of an Australia wide initiative that helps people to stay connected in a digital word.  Venue: Castlemaine Library, 212 Barker Street Castlemaine

Housing Needs for Seniors: 2.00pm – 2.30pm, Thursday 6 October

A frank discussion about how the need for sustainable and affordable housing affects older members of the Mount Alexander community.  This is followed by a guided discussion with Mount Alexander Shire Council about the housing needs of older people in Castlemaine.  Venue: Seniors Citizens Centre, Mechanics Lane Castlemaine

Staying Active (Dhelkaya Health): 10.00am – 11.00am, Friday 7 October

Liza and Edgar from Dhelkaya Health will talk about the benefits of staying active and undertaking these activities in groups. Venue: Ray Bradfield Room, Forest Street, Castlemaine, next to Victory Park (access from IGA car park)

Staying Socially Connected (Rosemary G): 11.30am – 12.00pm, Friday 7 October

Community member, Rosemary, will talk about her experiences with social groups in and around Mount Alexander Shire and her thoughts on how these connections have benefited her. Venue: Ray Bradfield Room, Forest Street, Castlemaine, next to Victory Park (access from IGA car park)

Country Concert: Broderick Smith with Shannon Bourne– 2.00pm, Friday 7 October

Broderick joined legendary Blues outfit the Adderley Smith Blues Band in the 60s, and went on from there to a life of full time music and touring – with Carson, the Dingoes, Broderick Smith’s Big Combo and other collaborations. He’s released sixteen or so albums to date, and still going strong. He is joined on stage by Shannon Bourne the critically acclaimed blues-and-roots-founded guitarist, singer and songwriter.

Cost: FREE Venue: Castlemaine Town Hall, 25 Lyttleton Street Castlemaine

Bookings: Bus & group bookings only, individual bookings not necessary. 5471 1797 or 5471 1807 or info@mountalexander.vic.org.au

8. Newstead Landcare AGM – Understanding the Landscape pre-white settlement

When: Thursday October 13th, 7.30pm

Where: Newstead Community Centre

The arrival of Europeans in Australia produced profound changes across the continent. It can be hard to know exactly what the landscape looked like before this dramatic upheaval. Professor Barry Golding of Federation University has combed through historical records to put together a picture of how the land around Newstead and its environs may have looked prior to contact. Come along to our presentation on Thursday October 13^th when Barry will present what he’s learned about the extraordinarily rich and diverse vegetation communities that once adorned our landscape. The presentation will start at 7.30pm at Newstead Community Centre. A very brief AGM will follow. All are welcome to attend, gold coin donations appreciated.

9. State Government Election- Meet Bendigo Candidates- Democracy 4 Dinner

When: Tuesday November 15th, 7pm

Where: Taproom, Mill Markets complex,  Castlemaine

Organised by:  Democracy 4 Dinner-  facebook- https://www.facebook.com/DemocracyforDinner/ 

website- https://democracy4dinner.org/

Come along and put your questions to those candidates standing for the seat of Bendigo, including the sitting member, Maree Edwards.

A letter to State MP’s: Maree Edwards and Mary-Anne Thomas

Yandoit Hill’s resident, Richard Johnston, recently wrote to  state members of parliament-  Maree Edwards (Bendigo) and Mary Anne Thomas (Macedon) –  raising questions and seeking their response to a few local issues/challenges, prior to the state government election scheduled for Saturday November 26^th. Richard will send a similar letter to all candidates standing for Macedon as well as Bendigo seats.  The issues focus predominantly on: the threat of VNI West 500 kV powerline; the threat of gold mining returning; and the condition of local roads in small hamlets as well as cycling access. A summary of the MP’s and other candidates’ responses to these challenges will be published in the next edition of Localising Leanganook.

10. Home Energy Savings Workshop – Castlemaine

11. Discussion  on Housing- Democracy 4 Dinner

When: Thursday October 20th

For more details including venue and start time email: info@democracy4dinner.org

12. Heather Mutimer Honour Roll Nominations

The Heather Mutimer Honour Roll provides a forum to acknowledge women who have made a difference in our Shire. By acknowledging these women, past and present, they become role models for generations to come.

International Women’s Day is celebrated across the world on 8 March each year. The purpose of the day is to recognise women and their achievements. the 2023 Honour Roll will be announced on IWD.

Nominations close on Thursday 27 October at 2pm. Click here for more information on nominating.

13. Caring for Large Old Trees-  Connecting Country AGM

 

When:  Saturday 19th November, 2.00pm

Where: Campbells Creek Community Centre

At the AGM Chris Pocknee – Landscape and Biodiversity Conservation Ecologist with Biolinks Alliance will talk about large old trees in our landscape and how vital they are to a host of woodland birds and other wildlife.

Chris is an ecologist with a passion for understanding the threats facing native fauna and ecosystems, and how we can address these issues. Chris grew up in the south-eastern suburbs of Melbourne and completed his MSc at the University of Melbourne in 2017 before undertaking an internship with the Australian Wildlife Conservancy in NSW. Chris has recently submitted his PhD thesis at the University of Queensland, where he studied the impacts of fire and feral cats on the Endangered northern bettong. He relishes collaborative ecological work, and is passionate about empowering communities to conserve and recover local biodiversity.

All welcome. Please register your attendance for the meeting – click here

If you have any questions, email info@connectingcountry.org.au

 

14. Expand your Impact workshops

Make a Change is hosting workshops around expanding your impact. Expand Your Impact is a program that challenges you to think
a little differently, supporting you to grow your success.

Two workshop series to choose from:Wednesdays 10.30am – 12.00pm
6 online sessions, starting 19 October 2022 Tuesdays 6.00pm – 7.30pm
6 online sessions, starting 21 February 2023

The workshops will help nut out challenges, create new approaches and develop new solutions for achieving your goals.

JOIN WORKSHOPS HERE

For more info: info@makeachange.org.au
Website: makeachange.org.au

15. Exhibitions at Maldon’s Edge Gallery

Where: 35-37 Main St, Maldon VIC 3463

What: A showing of works in development for the Orchestra of Extinction in the basement at EDGE Galleries and CONFLUENCE = a reflection of Country

When: October 2nd – 22nd- OPEN WEEKENDS 11 – 3 or by appointment

ORCHESTRA OF EXTINCTION: Artists- Forest Keegel and Amanda King

Orchestra of Extinction is a contemporary interpretation of a Cabinet of Curiosities that highlights extinction and the vulnerability of threatened species. Conceived in 2014 by Forest Keegel and Amanda King as a decade long project, in which they do annual residencies in threatened species habitat. Where they record sound and video to emanate from old radiogram cabinets that are encrusted with residues of habitat, such as varnish made from plant saps and local beeswax. Each of these cabinets become an archive for a particular species forming a record of what King and Keegel have learnt about them through research, time walking and recording in their habitat and speaking with scientists and local experts. They never imagined koala would be added to the list or that the perils and threats to the biosphere would become so severe so rapidly.

Orchestra of Extinction watch video

CONFLUENCE: Artists- Amanda King, Forest Keegel, Simon Dow.

Reflections of Country. A photo based installation.

For more information: info@edgegalleries.com; Instagram @edgegalleries

16. Meet the Mayor- Hepburn Shire

The upcoming Meet the Mayor session is on Wednesday 26 October (bookings essential). Locations will be confirmed for each session and available at Participate Hepburn and on Council’s Facebook page.

Hepburn Shire Council invites community members to Meet the Mayor and Listening Post sessions, which will provide an opportunity for residents to speak with Councillors and staff about local projects, highlight ideas or raise concerns.

Listening Posts sessions will be open to everyone to drop-in, without the need to register or book a time. For the Meet the Mayor sessions, community members are able to book a 30-minute private meeting either online or in person.  The Mayor also attends the Listening Post sessions and you can attend any of these, not just the ones in your area.

17. National Bird Week- Aussie Bird Count

The 2022 Aussie Bird Count is happening during National Bird Week, 17-23 October.

Make a difference for bird conservation by giving a moment of your time to count the birds that are counting on you. Participate in the Aussie Bird Count during Bird Week in October and use your observation skills for a 20-minute period to make a simple but important contribution to Birdlife Australia’s conservation initiatives.

Download the Aussie Bird Count app and get involved or learn more at aussiebirdcount.org.au.  Join the flock for Australia’s largest citizen science project.

Photo: Geoff Park- Natural Newstead Blog

 

18. Sustainable Hepburn Expo Day

When: Saturday, 29 October 2022, 10 am – 3pm
Where: Trentham Railway Station

Hepburn Shire’s Sustainability and Storm Recovery teams are partnering with community to deliver the inaugural Sustainable Hepburn Expo Day on 29 October. To celebrate the launch of Council’s new environmental sustainability strategy Sustainable Hepburn 2022-26, the progressive work underway across our community, and to learn and share skills and knowledge together, we invite local businesses and community groups invested in sustainable products and services to partner in this event by holding a stall, running workshops and showcasing your wares.

If you would like to be involved, complete the expression of interest form by the 30 September.  Click here book a stall. *Council will be subsidising all costs for stallholders.

For more information: Maree Grenfell, Sustainability Officer, Mobile: 0419731941 • Phone: 0353216495 • Email: mgrenfell@hepburn.vic.gov.au

19. Castlemaine Free University

What : Mount Alexander: Connecting Country, Friends of the Box–Ironbark Forests and Landcare

When: Monday 7 November 2022, 7 – 9pm

Where: Northern Arts Hotel, 359 Barker Street, Castlemaine, 3450

Friends of the Box–Ironbark Forests (Mt Alexander Region) is a community organisation advocating sound ecological and Indigenous management practices to conserve vegetation and associated wildlife on private and public land. See their prolific publications — www.fobif.org.au/ Likewise Connecting Country is a community organisation educating, monitoring and actively restoring landscapes and habitat for local plants and animals across Mt Alexander, including through Landcare. Over 200 landholders and community groups have been restoring more than 10,000 hectares in the past 15 years — www.connectingcountry.org.au/

Who

Newstead resident and ecologist Asha Bannon is a FoBIF committee member, was a Landcare Facilitator and is a volunteer with Connecting Country. She is particularly interested in wildlife conservation and community engagement.

Guildford resident Hadley Cole recently joined Connecting Country as Landcare Facilitator for the Mt Alexander region having worked in various environmental management and conservation roles with government and non-government organisations. Inaugural member of Golden Point Landcare, Marie Jones has spent years on the Natural Resource Management Committee of the North Central Catchment Management Authority, and on both Connecting Country’s Management Committee and the FoBIF Committee since their inception.

FREE with drinks at bar and publications for purchase.

For details and subscribing to our e-list — https://anitranelson.info/cfu

20. Seed Library

What: Working Bee -Castlemaine Seed library.

When and Where : October 6th,  11am in the library.

Come and join us packing seeds. Our group is very friendly and everyone is welcome. We will put the beans out next, these are best directly sewn in the garden, but are not frost hardy, so wait til November to plant, or keep an eye on the weather reports through October and cover any emerging seedlings on frosty nights. Beans are easy to grow and easy to save, (they don’t cross-pollinate), so make sure you leave some pods on the vine to go brown, and return some beans to the seed library.

The seed board has been recently filled.   You will find coriander, lettuce (mixture), basil, carrot, light green chard, celery, dill, Parris Island lettuce, flat leaf parsley, Serrano chilli, mixed cherry tomatoes, Tommy toe tomatoes, Spacemaster cucumber, Lebanese zucchini, fennel, mustard, top-setting onions, Royal Oakleaf lettuce, and mixed coloured Hollyhocks for bees/pollinators and sheer loveliness. It’s beautiful out in the garden right now, so get to it, growers!

21. VNI-West Transmission Line- Community Q and A sessions 

When: Wednesday October 12th,- 2 sessions -4pm or 6pm

Where: Yandoit Hall, High St,  Yandoit

The Victoria to New South Wales Interconnector West (VNI West) project is a proposed new high capacity 500 kV double-circuit overhead transmission line between Victoria and New South Wales.  It would connect the Western Renewables Link with the NSW EnergyConnect Project via a proposed terminal station at Mount Prospect in Hepburn Shire.

While Hepburn Shire Council is highly supportive of renewable energy, it strongly opposes above-ground transmission lines and the Mount Prospect terminal station.  Overhead transmission lines and the proposed terminal station will have a detrimental impact on our valuable agricultural land, significant landscapes and the health and wellbeing of local people.

Council will provide a community information session about the VNI West project for residents of the Yandoit, Franklinford & Clydesdale districts.  Two one-hour information sessions have been scheduled for Wednesday 12 October, 4pm and 6pm, at Yandoit Mechanics Institute & Public Hall, High Street, Yandoit. If needed, additional information sessions will be provided on other suitable future dates.

Council officers and community representatives will be available to provide information about VNI West, learnings from the Western Renewables Link project and the Environmental Effects Statement process, and respond to questions from the community.Council acknowledges that the Australian Energy Market Operator has engaged early with Council about its planning for VNI West. Council has advised AEMO it expects the community to be fully consulted about the project. Council will continue to seek detail about the project including the proposed alignment of the transmission line, the nature of the infrastructure and the environmental features and communities that will be impacted.

22. Looking for Landholders: Bursaria for Butterflies

The Castlemaine area is home to the largest remaining populations of the Eltham Copper Butterfly. Historically, survey efforts and management actions have focused on public land, yet we know there is potential butterfly habitat on adjoining private land. This habitat is under threat, particularly from urbanisation, weeds, changed fire regimes and grazing.

Connecting Country’s Bursaria for Butterflies project aims to protect and enhance priority habitat for the threatened Eltham Copper Butterfly (Paralucia pyrodiscus lucida) around Castlemaine VIC. We’ll achieve this through practical on-ground actions to reduce threats and improve the quality, quantity and connectivity of available butterfly habitat. We will work with key landholders to protect and restore priority butterfly habitat on their land. We’re supporting local landholders to control threats (including weeds and rabbits) and revegetate their land, focusing on the butterfly’s host plant, Sweet Bursaria (Bursaria spinosa).

Sweet Bursaria is a small prickly shrub that produces abundant small white flowers through summer. It’s a great habitat plant for wildlife and essential for Eltham Copper Butterflies. On warm spring nights their caterpillars climb Sweet Bursaria plants to feed, accompanied by their special attendant ants.

We are looking for interested landholders with properties (of at least 1 acre) adjacent to the known local populations of the Eltham Copper Butterfly. If your property is suitable for the project, we will:

• Visit your property to identify remnant vegetation and assess its potential as butterfly habitat.
• Discuss management actions and provide you with advice on how to protect, connect and enhance butterfly habitat on your property.
• Provide suitable indigenous understory plants and plant guards for revegetation, with a focus on Sweet Bursaria.

For five key landholders with larger properties, we will also:

• Develop a written property management plan setting our on-ground actions to protect and improve butterfly habitat.
• Supply contractor support for weed and rabbit control, and revegetation planting.
• Provide ongoing advice on how to manage your property as butterfly habitat.

Not every property will be suitable as Eltham Copper Butterfly habitat and we will prioritise properties that are closer to known butterfly sightings. We’re looking for properties  with minimum of 0.4 hectares (1 acre) land size with space for revegetation planting; Proximity (within 1 km) to Kalimna Park, Castlemaine Botanical Gardens northern section, Chewton Bushlands (Dingo Park Rd region), Walmer Forest Reserve (near southern end of Woodbrook Rd) and Campbells Creek (near Broad Rd); Suitable conditions for the target plant species to facilitate healthy growth; No domestic stock grazing.

If you meet the criteria and are keen protect and restore butterfly habitat on your land, please complete our expression of interest form – click here Email expression of interest forms to Connecting Country via email (info@connectingcountry.org.au) by  17 October 2022.

Posted on 27 September, 2022 by Connecting Country: https://connectingcountry.org.au/

23. Circular Economy Project

Hepburn Shire Council is partnering with Good Human and Hepburn Energy to deliver this new Hepburn Z-NET project called ‘Connecting Hepburn Shires Circular Economy’. Integrating waste and resource management, the Circular Economy goes beyond recycling to rethink how we make and shape our world.

You are invited to get involved with this project by: filling in the Circular Economy survey by Monday 10 October; and attending a business workshop

Find links and more information on this project on Participate Hepburn

24. Climate Smart Farming Scholarships

 

Farmers for Climate Action is offering Climate-smart Farming Scholarships to 20 leading farmers across Australia. The scholarships will provide an opportunity to learn from internationally-recognised climate experts, including Nobel Prize winners, who will equip recipients  with the tools needed to deal with a changing climate, to become a climate leader, and be able to discuss impacts, adaptation and mitigation.Whilst the agricultural sector is particularly vulnerable to climate change, there are a wide range of adaptation strategies and the sector can also provide solutions to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

As part of the scholarship, between November and March recipients will undertake:

• A world class on-farm carbon accounting course run by the University of Melbourne;
• A climate-smart agriculture course with the Australian National University, hearing from world leading professors and Nobel Prize winners
• An Accounting for Nature workshop;
• Media and advocacy training;
• Regular virtual catch-ups with fellow scholars to talk about farming and leadership opportunities.

The scholarship will run over five months from 28 November 2022 to 31 March 2023. It will involve approximately 10 hours of commitment each month online to meet the requirements of each course, with most of the work self-paced. It will culminate in three days together in Canberra in the last two weeks of March 2023 and exact dates will be finalised in November (pending 2023 parliamentary calendar release).

The Climate-smart Farming Scholarship is tailor-made for farmers and pastoralists from all agricultural sectors. No tertiary education is required, just a passion for the future of the Australian agricultural industry.  Apply now – applications closing 24 October

For more information email info@farmersforclimateaction.org.au or visit https://farmersforclimateaction.org.au/portfolio/csa-scholarship-2022/

25. Northern Arts Hotel- Music, Films and Talks

FILM
Secret Matinee Film | Sun 9 October at 2.30pm
John Flaus Documentary Fundraising Campaign
MUSIC
Open Mic Livestream at the Coolroom | Wed 5 Oct
Northern Music Session | Thurs 6 October
Burning Bridges | Fri 7 October
Maggie Jackson NY Jazz Quartet | Sat 8 October
A Celebration of Country Music from Fri 9 Sept- Fri 25 Nov
Celebrating the Blues Season 2 | Sept – Nov
Castlemaine Celtic Singing Circle | Sat 15 October
De-Lovely: A musical tribute to Cole Porter | Sat 15 October
Almost So Much Soul | Fri 21 October
Djangology | Sat 29 October
Zoe Single Launch ‘Fire’ | Fri 4 November
Blue Tango Fundraiser | Sat 5 November
Sammy Owens and Burning B3 | Fri 18 November
Kavisha Mazzella Trio | Sat 19 November
Ernest Aines & Jack Skillen | Fri 25 November
The Pardoners | Sat 26 November
SPOKEN WORD | TALKS
Book Launch | Alyce Elmore | Sat  8 October
Northern Arts Book Club
PROJECTIONS
Another Roadside Attraction Live Nightly in Wimble St

26. First Nation’s Voice to Parliament

Australia doesn’t have an advisory body of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to speak to Federal Parliament about laws and policies that impact them – yet. Current proposals are for a separately elected body (a First Nations Voice to Parliament) to be enshrined in the Constitution of Australia. Together with structural reform, this would empower First Nations people to take a rightful place in their own country.

The Government has committed to the Uluru Statement from the Heart recommendations, and intends to hold a referendum on this matter. At the Garma Festival this year, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese described a draft proposal of three sentences that could be added to the Constitution: -There shall be a body, to be called the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice. -The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice may make representations to Parliament and the Executive Government on matters relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.- The Parliament shall, subject to this Constitution, have power to make laws with respect to the composition, functions, powers and procedures of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice.

During a Q&A with an all-Indigenous panel, members expressed several different viewpoints about a Voice, bringing up important issues about bureaucracies, power dynamics, clarity, and the consequences that an enshrined Voice will inevitably have on First Nations peoples. Other forms of self-determination between government and Indigenous people are certainly possible. Many policies and programs are already in place, such as justice reinvestment (improving the criminal system), Indigenous rangers, respecting homelands and National Partnership agreements. There are now eleven Indigenous MPs in Parliament.

The Victorian government is open to negotiating with the First Peoples’ Assembly to develop a treaty, one option being: reserved seats in State Parliament to give Indigenous people a say in the cabinet process where ministers decide on policy. If Victoria establishes a permanent Indigenous voice, it will be the first Australian jurisdiction to do so. Already in Victoria, an independent formal ‘truth-telling’ process the Yoorook Justice Commission, has been established, in response to the Uluru Statement from the Heart, which called for Voice. Treaty. Truth.

In politics, new governments don’t necessarily continue with procedures set up previously. Some do not engage in genuine consultation with First Nations, as the tragedies of the Stolen Generations and the destruction of the Juukan Caves attest. Fulfilment of promises, commitments and initiatives are delayed, as with the recommendations of the Royal Commission Into Aboriginal Deaths In Custody and the Bringing Them Home Report. Few of the goals of Closing the Gap are on target. Without an Indigenous representative body, first Nations people are in the same position they were in the 1960s, unable to have their voices heard and interests considered in the processes of government. Minister for Indigenous Australians Linda Burney says, a Voice to Parliament will make our nation whole, because it speaks to the values that we all share and honour – fairness, respect, decency.

The Commonwealth of Australia was founded on the Australian Constitution, which set out the powers between the states (previously colonies) and the new Federal government. The Constitution was silent about the First Nations and the dispossession of their lands. In the highest Yes vote ever recorded in a federal referendum, 90% of voters were in favour of the 1967 ‘Constitution Alteration (Aboriginals)’ on including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the census and making the Federal Government responsible for policies specific to First Nations.

In the coming referendum the question may be “Do you support an alteration to the Constitution that establishes an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice?” Voters are being asked to approve the body’s basic purpose and function. Other details can be filled in later by parliament. In order to achieve a Yes vote, the referendum will need a double majority of both the national vote and at least four states in favour. There will be debate for and against. It would be wise to do one’s own research, learning from genuine sources, not social media posts. Two important questions will help clarify the principles: What are the motives behind the opinions being expressed? What value do they bring to the people who express them?

Nalderun Education Aboriginal Corporation is a service that supports the Aboriginal Community, led by Aboriginal people. Many people and organisations in the Mount Alexander Shire contribute to Nalderun; the name is a Dja Dja Wurrung word meaning “all together”. 

More information can be found at https://nalderun.net.au

27. Walking Tour of Landcare Groups

When: Saturday 8 October 2022, 10am to 12noon

Where: Honeycomb Reserve (end of Honeycomb Rd), Campbells Creek

The Mount Alexander region Landcare sticky beak tour is a celebration of Landcare and friends groups across the region! Many of the natural spaces you can experience in our beautiful region have been lovingly brought back to life and cared for by the incredibly dedicated network of Landcare and friends groups of the region.  Our Landcare sticky beak tour provides an opportunity for our local Landcare and environment groups to showcase their work both online over the month of October 2022, and in person at the launch on Saturday 8 October.

Connecting Country will launch the project in partnership with local Landcare and friends groups, with a walking tour in and around sites in the Campbells Creek area. This is a great opportunity to hear about the activities of local Landcare groups, meet some of the Landcarers and share their stories. Everyone is welcome and morning tea will be provided. Sturdy walking shoes and drink bottles are recommended.

Please book to assist us with planning. To book for this free event – click here

For more information contact Hadley Cole – hadley@connectingcountry.org.au

Posted by Connecting Country, 21 September: https://connectingcountry.org.au/

28. Repair Cafes

Daylesford

When and Where: 3rd Sunday of the month- Sunday October 16th, 1-4pm  at Victoria Park Pavillion, Ballan Road

What: This month the Repair Cafe will include a Workshop on sharpening chain saws and garden equipment

Castlemaine

When and Where: Last Sunday of the month- October 30th, 10am to 1pm, Castlemaine Community House, Templeton St

What: Castlemaine is starting a “mending circle” where people can turn up to just sit and mend things and maybe get tips from others. Crochet, darning, hand sewing etc.

The latest weights total is 309.958 kilos kept out of landfill.

29. Proposed Redevelopment of Castlemaine’s  Camp Reserve

Mt Alexander Shire Council is proposing to redevelop Castlemaine’s historic Camp Reserve to build a new football pavilion, changerooms and netball courts relocated to the southern and western boundaries. Developed plans for the new pavilion, new netball courts, and general layout for the redevelopment of Camp Reserve, have been released to the public and a community consultation period ended on 22 September.

The proposal, in summary, includes:

• A substantial pavilion located on the western boundary of the Reserve, opposite the Gingell St / Caroline St intersection.
• Two netball courts, with high fencing, lights and shelter sheds, located just inside, and to the left of, the Forest St entrance gates.
• Removal of the palm tree, the two remnant River Red Gums, and trees along the fence line
• Courts to be cut into the historically significant and undisturbed south-west rise that is integral to the Camp Reserve & Environs Heritage Precinct.

“The Gold Camp is Castlemaine” Group has been formed to oppose the current plans and endeavour to have the redevelopment of Camp Reserve and modernisation of sporting facilities undertaken in a manner that preserves the unique heritage and landscape of this original Gold Commissioner’s Camp that is embedded in the Reserve and surrounding environs. They have developed a detailed alternative proposal that featured in the Castlemaine Mail on 9/9/22. Further information can be obtained by emailing gold.camp.castlemaine@gmail.com or contacting John Lewis on johnalewis72@gmail.com

There are many issues which can be raised in objection to the Football/Netball Club relocation, including:

* destruction of significant native & landscaped vegetation & extensive green space as seen from within the camp reserve and from surrounding streets, to be replaced by huge man-made structures, whether the new pavillion on the western boundary, or extensive and tall fencing & lighting for the relocated netball courts at the southern boundary

* diminution/destruction of the historic aspects of the Camp Reserve, as embodied in the name itself. The Forest St gates and monument at the southern end of the reserve will be overshadowed by the relocated netball courts. The original camp was an open area, with little permanent building, and is now utilused well as public space for dog-walkers, sporting activities, those doing exercise, or for easy access to the Railway Precinct

* greatly reduced parking at Forest St end will lead to relocation of main entrance to the northern end of the Camp Reserve, greatly increasing traffic in neighbouring streets, especially Gingell St. The current small log-jam of entry to the Forest St entrance on home-game days will simply be transferred to the Gingell St corner, with the added obstacle of local traffic. The parking area outside the northern gateway will become much busier than currently, & will lead to greater risks to pedestrians and cyclists.

* loss of heritage value of the area. There are many historic homes/buildings in the area of the Camp Reserve. The current location of the clubrooms and netball courts is non-intrusive to this heritage overlay, while the new plans for development at the southern and western boundaries of the  reserve are large, brutal and not complementary to the historic value of Castlemaine – surely part of its tourism appeal

* an enlarged pavillion on the western boundary, with service deliveries from Gingell St, while blocking views over the green space to the historic avenue of elms, will bring potential conflict/nuisance to neighbours in Gingell St and beyond, when the clubrooms are used for social events in the evening – something that is likely to happen more frequently to recoup costs of the construction

* there are a number of users of the Camp Reserve. Does this huge development with parking and other infrastructure reflect an equitable sharing of the space, or dominance by one group?

* what linkages are there to the Railway Precinct, the bike trail to Maldon, the walking tracks to Campbells Creek, all of which emphasise open, natural, people-friendly paths in natural surrounds

* we are not against the football/netball club expanding their facilities, especially to accommodate changerooms, etc for female footballers and netballers, but consider the current location the best site for this, possibly building a 2-storey complex to mitigate flood risk, and allow viewing platforms to netball games to the north, and football/cricket games to the south.

For more info on design of the project: https://shape.mountalexander.vic.gov.au/CampReserve

30. Festival of Gardens- Castlemaine and District

31. Sizematters – Residents take new supermarket in Castlemaine concerns to VCAT 

The final day of hearings at VCAT for the proposed supermarket on Duke St/Forest St was on Friday, 26^th August. The presiding Tribunal members will now take the time to make a determination about the application. A decision to either grant the application or refuse it will be made sometime in the next six to 12 weeks.This brings to an end a very drawn-out and complex matter that has involved 16 sitting days at VCAT and over 4,000 pages of submissions and expert evidence into everything from urban planning, traffic management to soil contamination, to storm water management and landscaping for the proposal, should it proceed.

The last part of Friday’s hearing was very much focused on conditions that would be imposed on the development should a permit issue (which is not to say a permit will issue but rather what the Mount Alexander Shire Council would require if one does issue). The detail of any of these conditions will be part of what the VCAT members determine in their decision-making.

In an unusual step, we, as resident objectors, were also invited by the Tribunal to submit our response to the MASC draft conditions, and have every confidence that we have applied the best interests of the community in our recommendations, should a permit issue. We have also made representation to the Tribunal that their determination is not an all or nothing decision, given that the applicant already has a permit (issued in April 2018) to build a smaller supermarket.

So, what happens next? We wait! If the permit for the larger supermarket is refused, we will have to wait and see if the developer takes up the option to build the smaller supermarket. If the permit is granted, the likely timeline for the development is to commence in the next two to three years and be finished in four to five years.

For more information email: sizematters3450@gmail.com

32. Growing our Agriculture Program

Mt Alexander Sustainability Group (MASG) has been able to get two important significant grants over recent months; they complement each other and help continue providing on-going support for sustainable and regenerative agriculture across our region. This links well with the leadership role that Mt Alexander is playing in strengthening our agriculture sector and complements the recognition by UNESCO of the region being a centre for gastronomy. The two grants are:

Healthy Soils.

The Soil Health, Nutrition and Carbon management project is being funded by the Commonwealth of Australia through the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, under the Smart Farms, Small Farms grant program. MASG has been awarded $197,300 under this program.

The project will work with existing and new grower networks and communities of interest in Central Victoria to assist farmers to develop Soil Health, Nutrition and Carbon Management Plans. It will provide and promote tools for farmers to cost-effectively gauge the health of their soils on a day-to-day basis. The 2-year project will work with a core of at least 20 farmers to develop documented management plans, as well as developing factsheets and planning tools. It will establish and report on case study demonstration sites and conducting field days. The work will promote practices such as reduced tillage, stubble retention, cover crops, green manures, plant species diversity, sensitive and more precise use of chemicals, and composting and compost use.

The project aims to work with mainstream as well as biological and organic farmers to first identify their soil constraints through on-site and soil testing, and then develop management plans to build, maintain and monitor soil health, with an emphasis on field observations throughout the year and nutrient budgeting as well as periodic soil testing. The project officer will assist in the running of field days, editing and production of information and promotional resources including print and on-line materials, and potentially some field site data collection.

The Mt Alexander Regenerative Agriculture Group (MARAG) program was established by MASG in 2019 and funded by the National Landcare Program 2 through the North Central Catchment Management Authority (NCCMA). DON has now made a donation of $100k to MASG (as required by a court ruling) to enable MASG to continue delivering this on-going curriculum based learning program, comprising over 70 landholder members from the region. Member farmers are keen to see the program continue indefinitely, such is the benefit they gain.

The objectives of this continuation are

• the facilitation of up to 8 training and educational sessions, drawing on a range of industry leading guest speakers;
• comprehensive soil carbon and nutrient baseline testing; implementation of appropriate land management practices (holistic grazing, multispecies winter and summer cover crops, pasture cropping and revegetation programs) to build soil health; compliance with the Federal Government Carbon Farming Initiative methodology; and the opportunity to generate carbon credits; and
• purchasing equipment for biochar manufacture, compost bioreactors, foliar sprays,and support for sowing of multi-species cover crops.

The exact specifics of each of these objectives will be determined together with the landholders by agreement and guidance from the program facilitator, to ensure maximum regenerative agricultural benefit is achieved.

Note also that our MARAG program still has three events before the ‘third’ year (2021-22) is complete:

• Bioreactor Compost construction at Harcourt Organics Co-operative;
• Farm Visit to Jonai Farm – to understand Tammi and Stuart’s farm philosophy that drives their (food sovereignty) enterprise; and
• Complementary Biodynamic Agriculture Workshop on Sept 29 and 30 see below for more details

If you are interested in these events,  contact Deane at deanebelfield@eco2sys.com

33. Wild at Art Threatened Species Art Competition for kids

Wild At Art threatened species art competition for kids opens for submissions – supported  by the Australian Conservation Foundation

Online submissions are open to children living in Australia aged 5-12 from today until Monday 31 October. In their submissions, artists should include a short written component on their chosen threatened species and their motivations for the artwork. Take a look at the entry criteria and terms and conditions for more information.

Last year, kids around the country expressed their deep love and concern for Australia’s unique and wonderful plants and animals through Wild At Art. And this year, the competition is back to support them to speak up for wildlife through colour and creativity.Wild At Art is an amazing opportunity for kids to raise awareness about the extinction crisis amongst both their peers and adults, and highlight the urgent action we need to take. It’s a wonderful opportunity to learn and share, and empowers our kids to take action now and into the future.

MAKE A SUBMISSION

34. Macroinvertebrate Monitoring

They say there is no such thing as a free lunch. They were wrong. North Central CMA are inviting community members to join the team undertake waterbug monitoring across our priority projects this spring – and we’ll shout you lunch.

Castlemaine Urban Waterways 4 Oct
A Healthy Coliban Catchment 13 Oct
Reimaging Bendigo Creek 27 Oct
Tullaroop Catchment Restoration Project 17 Nov
RiverScan (Native Fish Recovery Plan) 23-25 Nov

Each session can allow for a few extra helpers. Contact Britt if you would like to join in: britt.gregory@nccma.vic.gov.au
Ph 5440 1843 | M 0401 213 992

For more info on NCCMA activities: https://www.nccma.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/publications/north_central_chat-_october_2022.pdf

35. Parenting in the Modern World: Managing Teenage Emotions

Community Health Nurse Bron Grieve delivers a Parenting in the Modern World talk, focusing on some of the most prevalent emotions our youth are experiencing. Bron will provide practical tips and share some great resources to help parents and carers support young people experiencing anxiety, depression and other big emotions.

Light refreshments provided.

A partnership between Castlemaine Library and Mount Alexander Shire Council.

Thursday 13 October, 5:30-7:30pm

BOOKINGS REQUIRED

36. DJARRA WURREKA Yarns Newsletter

Keep up with the amazing, varied and ground-breaking projects DJARRA have on the go. The DJARRA WURREKA yarns newsletter is a wonderful resource for everyone living, working and caring for Dja Dja Wurrung Country.

“Wurreka means to yarn, to talk in Dja Dja Wurrung language. We share the yarns of our projects, our achievements and our celebrations in our monthly
Wurreka newsletter. It also contains all our latest Gunga (jobs) EOI’s, news and events.”You can find copies of the current (September) newsletter as well as back copies on the Resources page of the DJARRA website: Resources – Djaara (Dja
Dja Wurrung Clans Aboriginal Corporation) Sign up to the mailing list to receive your direct monthly newsletter on the DJARRA website: https://djadjawurrung.com.au/

 

37. Water Storages- Central Victoria

% full at end September 2022 

Cairn Curran Reservoir-  97.35%
Tullaroop Reservoir-  101.17
Laanecoorie Reservoir –  108.69
Newlyn Reservoir – 101.55
Hepburn Lagoon 105.40

Lake Eppalock – 98.52
Upper Coliban Reservoir – 101.30
Lauriston Reservoir –  95.60
Malmsbury Reservoir –  115.40

Source: North Central Catchment Management Authority: https://www.nccma.vic.gov.au

38. Cloth Nappy Workshop

Hepburn shire Council is running a waste education initiative focused on cloth nappies.

A workshop was held in mid September but if you missed that, get in touch with Isabelle Hally, Waste Education Officer:

Phone: 0353216127 • Email: ihally@hepburn.vic.gov.au

39. Changes to Australia’s fire danger ratings

Victoria’s fire danger rating have changed and signs are now being replaced. Here’s the news ratings and signage.

 

40. Goldfields  Library-Castlemaine- What’s On

Read Now at Castlemaine Library

The Read Now collection at Castlemaine Library is a collection of books that you’d find if you walked into any book store right now – available to borrow with no waiting times! New titles are added every month, and we rotate the collection to keep it fresh and super up-to-date. There are multiple copies of each title, so you get them in your hands even quicker!

You can still borrow them for three weeks, but they can’t be reserved – so when they come back, they go straight on the shelf waiting for you to take them home.

Book Reviews

Have you read something really great recently? Want to share it?
Send us an email with a short review and we’ll include it in our next newsletter – everyone loves a good recommendation

For more library information: www.ncgrl.vic.gov.au/events

Check out the library’s latest What’s On program.

• Download the latest What’s On Program or pick up a copy at your local library
• View our events website

41. Newstead Solar Farm Getting Closer

LOCAL ENERGY FROM RENEWABLE NEWSTEAD’S SOLAR FARM – A project to generate local energy that’s renewable and competitively priced.

Renewable Newstead held an information session about their planned solar farm in September. In partnership with electrical retailer FLOW it is anticipated that the local grid connected solar farm, providing 100% renewable energy, will be switched on around mid-2023. Residents of Newstead and surrounding towns and hamlets are eligible to sign up. You can also register to receive updated information. After jumping a bunch of hurdles, Renewable Newstead is now on the home straight to getting this solar farm built and for it to start generating 100% green energy for Newstead and surrounds. You can’t quite sign up yet. As soon as our partner Flow Power has their retail billing system ready we’ll let you know and then you can elect to be an early adopter.

Meanwhile keep watching for updates on our website at: www.renewablenewstead.com.au

And for more information, check out our FAQs page at:www.renewablenewstead.com.au/faqs/

42. Rain, Cairncurran Reservoir and Birdlife

Natural Newstead’s blog is an inspiring source of information about birds, flora and other wildlife, posted by Geoff Park and with occasional posts from Patrick Kavanagh. Extracts from the blog below, posted at the end of August, show one of our precious waterways and birds making the most of this wet season.

With some good rains, soaked soil our waterways are flowing beautifully. Cairn Curran Reservoir has come up significantly. A kayak trip upstream from the bridge on the Pyrenees Highway on the weekend was pure delight.

A group of Australian Pelicans (Pelecanus conspicullatus) were hanging around the lower reaches near the bridge. The can be few sights as magnificent as watching these birds in flight.

On a branch of one of the old, dead River Red Gums that line the main channel of Joyce’s Creek (now well under water) a Royal Spoonbill (Platalea regia) rested.

Ducks were abundant further up the creek, especially Pacific Black Ducks (Anas superciliosa) and Grey Teals (Anas castanea).

Long-billed Corellas were also around in big numbers, some of them checking out hollows in the dead trunks and branches.

There were a few Whistling Kites (Haliastur sphenurus) around, patrolling for fish or whatever else they could snatch off the water. Below the Kite’s roosting spot, Welcome Swallows (Hirundo neoxena) rested between sorties to hawk small insects above the water.

A few kilometres upstream from the bridge, there was a great abundance of Straw-necked Ibis (Threskornis spinicollis) and a few Black Swans (Cygnus atratus).

43. Bendigo Climate Alliance

Bendigo Climate Alliance aims to connect, support and promote community groups, organisations and businesses in Bendigo that are actively working to combat the climate emergency.’

Bendigo Climate Alliance is organising a calendar of events to celebrate what is happening in Bendigo and encourage people to join in the action to address climate change at the local level. You can view the calendar on the website or facebook page: https://www.bendigoclimatealliance.au  

https://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=bendigo%20climate%20alliance

 For further Information: Elsie L’Huillier, Commoners Co-op

E: elsie@commoners.coop

W: www.commoners.coop

T: 0419351370

44. WALKING TOGETHER –A Journey Towards Solidarity 

Janet Phillips

I would like to Acknowledge the Traditional Custodians, Elders past, present and future of Djaara Country, on which I write this. I also Acknowledge other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who live on this land, or who are reading this. I was born on GunaiKurnai Country, my ancestors are primarily of English origin and my two sons were born on Djaara Country.

I think my journey of solidarity really started in the early 1990’s, when with friends we became early supporters of the Pay the Rent campaign, and we were invited to join in on Invasion Day commemorations. We dressed up as convicts, went aboard a tall ship in Port Philip Bay, launched a longboat and landed on St. Kilda Beach. We were met there by local Boon Wurrung and Wurundjeri people, spears at the ready. Our (role-playing) Commander kindly requested and was given permission to come ashore, where we were warmly welcomed by local people. As newcomers, we signed a pledge to honour this Country and the people of this Land.

On moving to Djaara Country in the mid 90’s, local treasure Vic Say introduced me to Reconciliation Learning Circles, a self-directed exploration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and history, of colonisation and the impacts of racism on our countrymen and women. As a small group at Castlemaine Community House, we created a safe space to challenge one another and to learn what Reconciliation could actually mean for us. One community activity our group initiated was a Women’s Story-telling Day. We invited local female Aboriginal Elders to share their stories with us as together we created a large wall hanging to represent our connection to Country, local lore and people. It was displayed in Green Goes the Grocer for many years.

In the early 2000’s my sons were in the Community Class (a multi-age parent-guided classroom) at Winters Flat Primary School. We were very fortunate to have Elder Aunty Julie McHale as our Lead Teacher. Aunty Julie’s generous offerings and teachings deepened our knowledge of local country and our connections to local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

In 2012 our family took a year to travel through the Central Desert and Top End, finally arriving in Gapuwiyak, Northeast Arnhem Land NT. The boys enrolled in school and my partner and I took on community development roles. I later also developed another project where I mentor a local woman, Minay Wunungmurra, to manage a whole of community Nutrition and Wellbeing program. We have fun creating community events like Family Cooking Competitions and Women’s Bush Camps, all underpinned by the ever-present nature of health issues in remote communities. Over these eight years Minay has become a respected local authority on Yolngu nutrition and is about to take on mentoring the program herself.

In 2019 I started work in Darwin developing a social enterprise that works side-by-side with remote Aboriginal Corporations to build both-ways capacity in social and human services delivery.  And now, I am back in Castlemaine, a member of the Friends of Nalderun and part of a group hosting Self Reflection Conversations in Castlemaine. These are facilitated conversations for those who wish to become a good ally to First Nations people, to reflect on white privilege, racism and de-colonisation.

I have found in my relationships and conversations with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, that an open hand is always extended; I always hear ‘We can do this together, my sister’. I believe this open hand is linked to an open heart and an open mind and I aim to embrace this in my journey toward being a good ally. As we collectively move closer to enlivening the Uluru Statement from The Heart and making real Voice, Treaty, Truth, I invite you to consider how you too can become an ally. All you need to do is to start somewhere and follow it everywhere.

If you are interested in joining a Self-Reflection Conversation, please email: reflectionconversations@gmail.com

Nalderun Education Aboriginal Corporation is a service that supports the Aboriginal Community, led by Aboriginal people. Many people and organisations in the Mount Alexander Shire contribute to Nalderun; the name is a Djaara word meaning “all together”.

More information can be found at www.nalderun.net.au

45. 1,000 Plants for Climate Change Resilience

During August Connecting Country has been creating 1,000 sturdy wire trees guards, laying out the plots, planting, and labelling 1,000 Silver Banksia (Banksia marginata) and Sweet Bursaria (Bursaria spinosa) to identify individuals and provenances most suited to survive in our changing climatic conditions.

Each plot has been carefully set out to allow tracking of each plant into the future.  Mixing up provenances within the plot will increase the likelihood they will share pollen between plants when they flower and reproduce. This sharing of this genetic information may help the plants adapt as our climate changes. Once the plants are established, monitoring will allow us to assess plant growth and success.

The two climate future plots are located near Castlemaine and Metcalfe, with one having 500 Sweet Bursaria and the other 500 Silver Banksia. Both are key species for our local woodlands and landscape.

We have sourced plants from a variety of provenances, from local populations as well as further away. We started by looking at the Bureau of Meteorology’s climate predictions for our region, and selected seed from areas that are anticipated to match our predicted future local climate, focusing on areas that are hotter and drier. However, we also included seed from areas that are cooler and wetter. We aimed to include genetics from a wide range of environments, as we don’t know what will be important in the future. There may be other genetic information stored within a particular provenance, such as the ability to survive insect attack or frost resilience, that plants from hotter and drier areas do not have. We then paired these climate predictions with species distribution and the availability of seed or plants, to make our final plant selection.

We will be holding a tour of the climate future plots over the coming year, once the plants are established.

500 Sweet Bursaria planted at the plot near Castlemaine (photo by Bonnie Humphreys)

46. Food for Thought

45. 1 Documentary- Sunday 16th October at 6pm with a Double Screening of Seed’s Water is Life documentary and Frack Free Kimberleys’ Fighting Giants followed by a panel of young First Nations people. Organised  by SEED- Indigenous Youth for Climate Action, at Cinema Nova Carlton .

RSVP here to secure your spot

46. 2 LISTEN: About how Adelaide’s ‘extinct’ Indigenous language Kaurna was brought back to life after 100 years of barely being heard. (Thanks to Milkwood e-news)

46.3. Essay called Ancient Green. Moss, Climate, and Deep Time by Robin Wall Kimmerer for Emergence Magazine

46.4. Planet Local short film series- Our short film series -an inspirational collection of free-to-view films that feature local food and farming projects around the world — with a particular focus on projects started by young people.

46.5. Watch/Listen to Rufus Wainwright lead a huge choir in singing Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah”, from issue #67 of Dumbo Feather.  Watch

46.6. Community libraries that lend things promote neighbourhood sharing and reduced consumption

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-09-25/libraries-of-things-bringing-back-neighbourhood/101469752

46.7 Water in the Landscape- a Dja Dja Wurrung perspective

Chain of Ponds installation with Aunty Nichols in Hargraeves Mall Bendigo

46.8 School-based solar and battery virtual power plant pilot kicks off in NSW

School-based solar and battery virtual power plant pilot kicks off in NSW

46.9. Repair With Heart – Making Fine Furniture From Foraged Urban Materials

Peter Owen kitted his home out with free things found discarded in city streets by foraging his local urban ‘forest’ – the streets and laneways of Sydney.

See The Upcycled Furniture 

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For the Homeric Greeks, ‘kleos’, fame, was made of song. Vibrations in the air contained the measure and memory of a person’s life. To listen was therefore to learn what endures. I turned my ear to the trees, seeking ecological ‘kleos’. I found no heroes, no individual around whom history pivots. Instead, living memories of trees , manifest in their songs, tell of life’s community, a net of relations. We humans belong within this conversation, as blood kin and incarnate members. To listen is therefore to hear our voices and those of our family.

Tree songs emerge from relationship. Although tree trunks seemingly stand as detached individuals, their lives subvert this atomistic view. We’re all – trees, humans, insects, birds, bacteria – pluralities. Life is embodied network. These living networks are not places of omnibenevolent Oneness. Instead they are where ecological and evolutionary tensions between cooperation and conflict are negotiated and resolved. These struggles often result not in the evolution of stronger, more disconnected selves but in the dissolution of the self into relationship.

We cannot step outside life’s songs. This music made us; it is our nature.

(Haskell, David George: The Songs of Trees- Stories from Nature’s Great Connectors, Black Inc Publishers, Preface)

Welcome to the August edition of Localising Leanganook’s e-news. (The next edition will be published towards the end of September, so send through any relevant information before then).

In this edition you will find information about:

1. Yes In My Back Yard- Community Composting
2. Castlemaine Women’s Rights of Passage
3. Repair Cafes and Workshops
4. Film Screening- Planet Local — A Quiet Revolution
5. Yandoit Cultural – Winter stories and music at the old church in the bush
6. Australian Conservation Foundation  (Bendigo) – Bushwalk
7. Mt Alexander Housing Network
8. Wararack Networking Event
9. Monthly guided tours of Melliodora
10. Climate Ready Community Conversations
11. Community Concern over Dan Murphy’s in Daylesford
12. Transmission Line Update
13. Words in Winter
14. Self Reflective Conversations
15. Newstead Spinners Group
16. Make a Change Workshops
17. Alliance for Responsible Mining Regulation
18. Sustainable Hepburn Strategy
19. Shepherds Flat Land Care Group – community planting
20. Climate Change and Health Resource
21. Local Pasture Raised Pork and ORTO Farm Workshops
22. Braided Rag Rug and Handloom Weaving Workshops
23. Saltgrass Podcasts
24. MaLETS
25. Hepburn’s Community Engagement Policy
26. Northern Arts Hotel- What’s On
27. Hepburn News
28. Rest Stop Retreats
29. Walking Together – Towards Makarrata- The Seven Sisters
30. Food for Thought

1. Yes In My Back Yard- Community Composting

A community composting project has been happening in Castlemaine for the past 2 years- called YIMBY (Yes In My Backyard).

The Group are running a short event to let people know about how YIMBY works, to introduce just some of the amazing people that make this project work, celebrate what we have done so far (hundreds of people involved, 5 tons of food scraps diverted from landfill, tons of quality compost made!), get an idea of where this project  might go and to launch our short film to help everyone spread the word about why YIMBY composting is such a good option for our community.

See details of the event in the flyer below – Tue Aug 16th. 5 – 6 pm Ray Bradfield Rooms, Castlemaine (use QR come to RSVP, or at www.yimbycompost.com/events)

2. Castlemaine Women’s Rights of Passage

What: Information Evening

When: Wednesday 17th August, 7 – 9 pm (arrive by 6.45pm)

Where: Campbell’s Creek Community Centre, 45 Elizabeth Street, Campbells Creek

What is a Women’s Rite of Passage for Teenage girls? Join us with special guests TIDES Rites of Passage from New Zealand. We are excited to share information about Rites of Passage and the details of our program running 7th-10th October, 2022. Parents are integral to the program and all family members are welcome. This program has been designed for any young person or adolescent who identifies as female, and who wants to move consciously across the threshold into womanhood.

Supper will be provided. Gold coin donation appreciated.

For further information and booking please contact: castlemainewrop@gmail.com
Women’s Rites of Passage

Castlemaine Women’s ROP acknowledges that this event will be occurring on Dja Dja Wurrung Country, land of the
Djarra people, and pay our respect to the custodians of this land. We acknowledge that sovereignty was never ceded

3. Repair Cafes and Workshops

Daylesford

What: Daylesford’s  August Repair Cafe includes a workshop on pulling things apart and putting them back together with Mr Fixit- Julian Alaba

When: Sunday August 21st, 1-4pm

Where: Victoria Park Pavillion, Ballan Road, Daylesford

In addition to the workshop,  our range of skilled fixers can help repair things electrical and mechanical, household and garden items, and bicycles. They can sharpen knives and tools and can can help mend and darn clothes. Enjoy a cuppa and cake at the cafe and chat to other locals while your items are being repaired.

Castlemaine

Bring your clothes, radios, toys and all kinds of household goods for repair.

When: Sunday August 28th, 10am – 1pm

Where: Castlemaine Community House 30 Templeton St, behind the Town Hall. Enter through car park and garden to back door.

For more information: Call Chris Hooper on Ph 5470 5508 or https://www.facebook.com/groups/castlemainerepaircafe/permalink/1724723457919772

Ballarat

When:  Saturday August 27th, 1-4pm , at Barkly Square, 25 Barkly St, Ballarat East. The Ballarat Repair Cafe is also connected to the Ballarat Tool library.

 4. Film Screening- Planet Local — A Quiet Revolution 

What: Screening and Discussion- a joint venture between Localising Leanganook and Castlemaine Free University

When: Monday 5 September 2022, 7pm–9pm (doors open 6.30pm)

Where: Northern Arts Hotel, 359 Barker Street, Castlemaine, 3450  

A free event. Drinks can be purchased at the bar

Local Futures recently released their 50-minute film Planet Local — A Quiet Revolution on World Localisation Day. The international film features grassroots activists alongside well-known figures such as Noam Chomsky, Vandana Shiva, and Helena Norberg-Hodge to offer inspiration, clarity and a call to action in a dark world. From restoring topsoil to sharing traditional knowledge and opposing free trade treaties, they propose a path forward for humanity.

The film is presented by Carolyn Neilson, Ilka White, John Terry and Nikki Marshall of Localising Leanganook whose members continue the spirit of the 2015 Castlemaine Local Lives Global Matters — A Conference for Future’s Sake. That conference offered space to share ideas and stories of active sites of resistance, to both imagine and renew relationships between humanity and nature in rural central Victoria, and to connect with stories of activism in other parts of the world.

For more than 40 years, Local Futures has raised awareness of the power of going local to restore ecological and human well-being for decades, with a mantra of Rethink, away from globalisation to glocalisation; Renew — local economies and communities, cultural and biological diversity; and Resist.

5. Yandoit Cultural – Winter stories and music at the old church in the bush

Yandoit’s historical Uniting Church is now in community hands and is being run as a community arts and culture space, called Yandoit Cultural.

What: Winter Solstice – Musings on a Common Theme from Uncommon Places

When: Sunday August 28 from 2pm – 4.30pm

Where:  Yandoit Cultural, Uniting Church Road (off High Street) Yandoit 3461

Entry by donation (cash only) with Tea/Coffee/Wine and Afternoon Tea provided

Join us for an afternoon of spoken word, song, history, performance, storytelling and visual art. Three groups. Many voices. Unexpected perspectives.

Presented by: Yandoit Cultural – the old Uniting Church in the bush, run by the community as an arts and culture space;

Lab Kelpie – a new writing theatre company now based in Daylesford.; and

Roomers – a creative collective living and making in the City of Port Phillip, Melbourne

For more information: nikki.marshall@mmnet.com.au or https://www.facebook.com/yandoitcultural

What: Django Fretts Concert- Gypsy Jazz Quartet

When: Saturday  August 27^th, 7pm

Where: Yandoit Cultural, Uniting Church Road (off High Street) Yandoit 3461

Entry by donation

The Django Fretts are a gypsy jazz quartet from Castlemaine. Formed in 2015, the Fretts have an extensive repertoire of tunes taken from the Django Reinhardt songbook as well as a few American jazz favourites. They have played extensively around the goldfields region, honing their up-tempo sound at markets, gigs, and festivals. A set from the Django Fretts will evoke the mood of 30s Paris with authentic gypsy jazz melodies and acoustic improvisations.

For more information: nikki.marshall@mmnet.com.au or https://www.facebook.com/yandoitcultural

6. Australian Conservation Foundation  (Bendigo) – Bushwalk

When:  Friday 19th August, starting from our meeting point at 10.00 am and returning to the meeting point at approximately 12.30pm.

Where: A moderately challenging walk on Lanjanuc and enjoy some expansive views (if the fog allows), within Mount Alexander Regional Park.

The walk will take approximately 2.5 hours to complete. The tracks are quite steep, rocky and slippery in places and many trees have fallen across the path. Sturdy footwear is very important. Also, please wear suitable clothing, bring drinking water and snacks, and protect yourself from sun, mosquitos, wind and rain.

Register: https://www.acf.org.au/acf_central_victoria_august_bushwalk

If you register, we will have an idea of how many are coming so we don’t leave you behind if you are running late!  Please include your phone number when you register, so we can call you if you haven’t arrived by 10.00 am or if there is a belated change.

Friends and family are welcome but should register individually, as we like to have names and contact numbers for all participants.

If you want to carpool from Bendigo, contact Jill: 0419353116 or jillmfred@gmail.com

7. Mt Alexander Housing Network

The Mt Alexander Housing Network is acting on the 10 year social and affordable housing strategy. Working Groups have been formed around the following issues: 

• Vacant dwellings 
• Tiny homes on Wheels (THOW)
• Shape MT Alexander affordable housing
• Home Share
  

There’s some advocacy work happening within the vacant dwelling and tiny homes on wheels working groups but there are certainly plenty of other advocacy work we can get our teeth into. If you are interested in being part of these working groups contact KAZ on 0439550904.

If you would like to organise a meeting of the Co Housing  group to discuss a cohousing project contact SallyRose Carbines on  0431 445 930
and started to meet . If you have a particular interest and feel you would like to contribute please ring

My Home Network 10 year social and affordable housing strategy: The summary and full versions of the strategy can be found via this link –on the right side of the page under reports and plans Housing | Central Victorian PPH (centralvicpcp.com.au)

Community vigil-homlessness week

Thanks to everyone for their support of the community vigil on Thursday-we reckon about 40 people attended the candle lit vigil -17 candles for the 17 community members sleeping rough in our Shire. Many attendees had their photos taken with signs with messages regarding addressing homelessness and these were loaded onto social media. Thanks to Pauline Bolch for doing a beautiful Acknowledgement of Country and Dhelkaya Community Health Housing Team for driving the event. Thanks too to Suzanne Donisthorpe of Hear Say on Maine FM for having us on her programme.

Action from here is MHN advocacy to Federal and State government to increase crisis and transition housing and social housing, increase Home Share happening in our Shire, engaging with shop top and vacant dwellings landlords encouraging their release as affordable rentals and engaging with local accommodation providers to release accommodation as crisis and transition housing.There will be hopefully be media releases in the Castlemaine Mail and Midland Express in the next week or two.

 Vacant Properties

An update on the amazing research and advocacy work of local Karl Fitzgerald, director of  Prosper Australia Prosper Australia | Access → Opportunity → Prosperity   Prosper Australia advocate for the taxation of the economic rents arising from property rights in land and natural resources, including government created monopolies. Karl has been passionate about revealing Melbourne’s hidden housing supply. He has always thought it strange that in a ‘housing supply era’ we barely measure under-utilised supply. His work on Speculative Vacancies Speculative Vacancies in Melbourne  – identifying idle sites by using abnormally low water consumption-. Karl recently established the Global Empty Homes Network  along with US NGO Local Initiatives Support Corporation & UK campaigners Action on Empty Homes. Their research on vacant dwellings did not go far enough up the supply chain, to measure what was happening in the land banks of major developers. It was here that hundreds of thousands of lots sit unmeasured and without any oversight. Karl’s recent  report for Prosper, Staged-Releases-Prosper-Australia-web22.pdf where he has built up the group’s research focus over 18 years.

This report investigates the rate of lot sales in nine major master-planned housing developments. Their  research reveals a “staged release” approach that responds to price growth but appears crafted to avoid supply-led price declines. Here’s a snippet from the ABC 24 interview  his op-ed   the Premier saying yes we need to fix this.  He has recently set up an incorporated organisation called Grounded – an advocacy group for Community Land Trusts.

At a local level Dhelkaya Community Health Housing team and MHN with the support of Council are going to approach targeted local businesses who have vacant shop top dwellings to encourage their release as affordable rentals. The vacant dwellings working group are planning approaching known landlords of vacant dwellings to have a conversation regarding their dwellings release as affordable rentals. We are also considering  advocating  to State Government regarding the vacant property tax that currently is only applicable to Melbourne Councils.

 Tiny Homes On Wheels (THOW) working group

A delegation from the THOW working group is having a preliminary discussion with local laws officers and other Council staff this week  as part of their review of the local byelaw 13 regarding THOW. Thanks to Fred Schultz of Fred’s Tiny Houses for his expertise.

 Shape Mount Alexander affordable housing

Council are kindly sharing aspects of their online affordable housing platform with the My Home Network and Dhelkaya Community  Health  to scope interest in Home Share and release of vacant dwellings and shop top properties. Please refer those you know who have vacant dwellings or would be interested in Home Share to : Let’s talk about affordable housing | Shape Mount Alexander

 Home Share

In the absence of funding for a Home Share coordinator three families have taken the bull by the horns and are crafting their own Home Share arrangement with a bit of support and Home Share reference documentation to guide them. Fantastic! Home Share is an internationally recognised scheme for formally pairing householders, who could benefit from help in the home and companionship, with individuals (homesharers) prepared to give practical assistance in return for free accommodation. It is based on principles of fostering independence, mutual benefit and reciprocity.

8. Wararack Networking Event

When: Thursday 1 Sept 2022 ⋅ 5:30pm – 8pm

Where: Shedshaker Brewing Company, 9 Walker St, Castlemaine

What better day to reschedule our Wararack Networking Event than the first day of Spring, Thursday 1 September, officially National Wattle Day of Australia.  The Wararack (silver wattle) is the spirit of our climate emergency response. The sap of this plant is the glue that connects community and Jaara Country. Our plan is to collectively build resilience,equity and care for Country into our systems and culture while transitioning our shire to zero net emissions.

With the change in season, the promise of new beginnings and hopefully the improved health of our community this event will help to progress our movement and ‘keep the ball rolling’.Whether you are a current or previous contributor or have put your hand up for the Steering Committee or a Working Group or expressed any other interest in the Wararack Initiatives*, we would like you to save this new date and look forward to meeting you in person on the night.

We plan to:

·       bring a snapshot of progress to date lifting the curtain on the work that has been happening behind the scenes

·       show case a couple of initiatives to stimulate our thinking and conversation

·       provide time for networking and building alliances with others who can strengthen action already happening in the shire

For planning purposes, please confirm your attendance by accepting this meeting invitation. Having trouble accepting this invitation/meeting request? Just send an email here with your name to let us know you will be joining us.

Unable to attend on the night? Join us online as we live stream the main presentations via the’Google Meet’ link attached to this email.

* Need a reminder of what the Wararack Initiatives are all about and seeking to achieve? Please click on the websitelink here

9. Monthly guided tours of Melliodora

Situated in the Victorian central highlands, Melliodora is one of the best examples of working cool-temperate climate permaculture in the country.
The one hectare property has been transformed from the blackberry covered wasteland in 1985 into a model of small-scale intensive permaculture. Permaculture co-originator David Holmgren and his partner Su Dennett will show you how their passive solar house, mixed food gardens, orchards, dams and livestock, as well as creek revegetation, have been developed and maintained. Whether you are renting in the suburbs, or live on a large rural property, you are sure to discover ways that you can apply the underlying principles and strategies of permaculture to your own situation.

https://holmgren.website/2022-tours

10. Climate Ready Community Conversations

Over the past months the Mt Alexander Deliberative Engagement Group have been bringing locals together to talk about  climate readiness and adaptability. Fires, floods, droughts and the pandemic are all indicators of climate change . Information from theses community conversations is being collected including themes emerging, what residents value about living in MAS,  and what are the priority risks of climate change and adaptation strategies most appropriate here.  This information will be widely shared — with MASC and other local shires – to assist with developing their climate change strategy, ADAPT Loddon Mallee, and built into future Wararack Initiatives and other local climate change adaptation strategies.

The conversations take approximately two hours and offer opportunities to share information on amazing initiatives currently happening in our Shire and to mobilise and galvanise the community on climate change adaptation.

Over the last six years a number of locals have been exploring the concept of, and developing expertise in, deliberative engagement — placing people (citizens, residents, affected individuals) closer to the affairs of government and decision makers. Experience in holding Kitchen Table Conversations (KTC) has been developed; also engaging in Citizens Assemblies (bodies formed from randomly selected citizens to deliberate on important issues), community panels, and democratic renewal (adjusting the institutions of local government to make them more democratic) as well as various types of group process capacity building.

Image from : https://www.adaptloddonmallee.com.au/about/climate-ready-victoria/

The group comprises community members and representatives from community and government organisations including Central Primary Care Partnership (CVPCP), Community House, Mount Alexander Shire Disability Advocacy Group (MASDAG), Mount Alexander Sustainability Group (MASG), Mount Alexander Ecohousing Group (MAEG), Localising Leanganook, Castlemaine Commons, Yandoit Clydesdale and Franklinford Community Planning Group, CHIRP/Castlemaine Health, Mount Alexander Shire Council and the Castlemaine Institute. We liaise with Nalderun Aboriginal Education Cooperative and are supported by Department of Environment Land Water and Planning (DELWP) Adapt Loddon Mallee.

If you are interested in participating in a climate ready conversation email:  Carolyn Neilson –projects2@centralvicpcp.com.au; Anitra Nelson – anitra.nelson@unimelb.edu.au  or Nikki Marshall  – nikki.marshall@mmnet.com.au 

11. Community Concern over Dan Murphy’s in Daylesford

From the Wombat Post, Aug 10, 2022

Residents have expressed concerns about the development of a Dan Murphy’s store at 63 Central Springs Road opposite the Daylesford Pool.  Last week’s article in the Wombat Post was widely discussed and drew a range of comments and concerns on social media. The proposed site is close to the pool, the kindergarten and the Daylesford Primary School and there are concerns that children will be exposed to daily alcohol advertising.

Chain stores like Dan Murphy’s and McDonalds also have the potential to change the historic and unique character of the town into just another suburban shopping complex. There are broader issues about the Endeavour Group, which owns Dan Murphy’s. Endeavour is a spin off created in 2021 from the merger of Woolworths liquor assets and the hotels and pokies empire developed by the Bruce Mathieson Group (BMG). After Endeavour was floated, Woolworths and Mathieson retained about 15 percent each of Endeavour. It is a highly profitable, giant corporation with a market capitalisation of $14.08 billion.

The Endeavour Group has a stable of brands. They include the former Woolworths liquor retailing businesses including BWS and Dan Murphy’s. It also owns the online liquor delivery service Jimmy Brings, the ALH hotels group, Cellar Masters, Langton’s, Shorty’s Liquor and Pinnacle Drinks. The Dan Murphy ‘s division of Endeavour has 248 stores operating across Australia with 74 in Victoria. The Endeavour Group also has over 12,000 poker machines at around 300 venues across Australia. Daylesford currently has 25 poker machines at The Royal Hotel. Expenditure on pokies at the Royal last year was reportedly $1.6 million.

Setting aside restaurants, Daylesford already has seven liquor sales venues within 500 metres of Vincent Street including hotels, wine shops, bottle shops and retail liquor outlets . There is another development for a liquor outlet at 24 Vincent Street. Cellarbrations and Liquorland are the major competitors for a potential Dan Murphy’s store. Cellarbrations is franchise model with local independent operators with over 700 stores nationally. It is controlled by Metcash through ALM (Australian Liquor Marketers). ALM owns Cellarbrations, Bottle O, IGA liquor, Duncans Liquor, Thirsty Camel, Big Bargain Liquor, Porters Liquor and Merchants Liquor. Liquorland is owned by Coles (Wesfarmers).

The Endeavour Group, and Dan Murphy’s, has a mixed reputation. It’s online liquor delivery service, Jimmy Brings, is being investigated for liquor law breaches in New South Wales after a 49 year old man died in Bondi in 2018 after reportedly placing around 300 orders for several bottles of alcohol at a time over three years. Woolworths experienced a major backlash when it sought to open a Dan Murphy’s megastore in Darwin. The store was near three dry indigenous communities on Darwin airport land. Given the fierce opposition, Woolworth’s withdrew the proposal but has refused to rule out a further development through its subsidiary Endeavour Group.

Alcohol has both benefits and harms. The benefits are mostly the personal and social experience alcohol brings. There was a view that drinking moderately might result in health benefits. But recent research shows there are in fact few if any health benefits and drinking too much is associated with social and health harm, including domestic violence. Health authorities now recommend drinking no more than an average of 10 standard drinks of alcohol per week and no more than four in any one day. On average Australians drink more alcohol than is good for them. One in four people drink more than what is recommended. But worse than that,  alcohol use is very skewed. About a fifth of people don’t drink at all and over 50 percent of Australian alcohol consumption is by 10 percent of the population at 8 standard drinks a day (more than a bottle of wine). This group can expect significantly increased health problems and reduced life expectancy. And alcohol abuse is worse in regional and country areas.

Increasingly companies like Endeavour and Dan Murphy’s face pressures from investors and regulators to meet environmental, social and governance standards. The argument that harm minimisation is an individual responsibility doesn’t wash any longer and investors are not keen to be associated with companies that don’t act responsibly. This includes harm minimisation from gambling and alcohol. Maximising short term profits at the cost of corporate responsibility is increasingly a risky strategy.

Few in the community want prohibition. But the community does want a responsible and planned approach to alcohol sales that includes limiting the number of outlets, store size, hours, advertising, position and terms of service that protect people from harm – particularly vulnerable groups, including young people, gamblers and people with drinking problems. This is best done when liquor outlets have strong connections and engagement with the community. Engagement places checks and balances on those who sell alcohol, rather than being simply profit driven.

Objections to the proposal to establish a Dan Murphy’s store at 63 Central Springs Road can be made until the Tuesday, August 16. Objections need to  address the impact on the amenity of the area and the potential for misuse or abuse of alcohol. Objections can be made online or by email to contact@vgccc.vic.gov.au. 

Or go to the community based WEB site, www.keepitcountry.org, which has been established  to assist in making valid submissions.

12. Transmission Line Update

Upgrading the powerline that traverses swathes of land between  Ballarat and Bendigo, including through Yandoit,  is part of the AEMO preferred option to increase the electrical connection between VIC and NSW by 2031. While the detailed route for the ungraded line has not been released, both the Victorian and Federal governments have expressed support accelerating the upgrade earlier than 2031. The upgraded line will likely consist of 85m tall towers on a 70m easement clear-felled of trees and buildings vs the current 35m towers on a 40 yard easement. On July 29^th the AEMO released a report (Project Assessment Draft Report – PADR) on the economic viability of the upgrade. AEMO are now seeking ‘consultation’ on the economic viability including comments on the analysis and ranking of their preferred option ( they had 5 broad options originally) but not consultation on detailed choice of route, this will come later in the process probably early 2023. Residents and communities affected by the transmission lines need to be preparing for this choice of route ‘consultation’ by registering significant trees landscapes and natural amenity in our area to ensure that the unique heritage and fauna of our area are taken into account when the powerline route is chosen in 2023. More info from the proponents and a copy of the PADR is at www.tinyurl.com/yandoittowers.

13. Words in Winter

After several years of being thwarted by Covid and lockdowns, Words in Winter is back again over the last weekend in August, starting Friday afternoon August 26th and finishing on Sunday evening August 28th. Events will mostly be held at Radius Gallery and Bellinzona in Main Street, Hepburn Springs. There’ll also be events at Yandoit Cultural  and a series of events in Trentham throughout the month of August (https://www.wordsinwintertrentham.org/)

Words in Winter is a literary and arts festival held in August in the Hepburn Shire and surrounding districts. Words in Winter is a celebration of words, stories and ideas in all their forms shared by locals and visiting presenters through readings, poetry, theatre, music, talks, workshops, visiting authors, and exhibitions.

The festival program, which runs from Friday, August 26 to Sunday, August 28, will be headlined by Alex Miller. Alex is twice winner of Australia’s premier literary prize, the Miles Franklin Literary Award, first in 1993 for The Ancestor Game and again in 2003 for Journey to the Stone Country. He is an overall winner of the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize, in 1993 for The Ancestor Game. His fifth novel Conditions of Faith won the Christina Stead Prize for Fiction in the 2001 NSW Premier’s Awards. In 2011 he won this award for the second time with his novel Lovesong. He is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of the Humanities and a recipient of the Centenary Medal for an outstanding contribution to Australian cultural life.

Alex Miller will be in conversation with Jane Sullivan at Bellinzona on Saturday, August 27 from 1:00 to 2:00 pm. They will discuss his highly praised new book, the non-fiction work, Max. The book is Miller’s first full length work of non-fiction, an astonishing and moving tribute to friendship, a meditation on memory itself, and a reminder to the reader that history belongs to humanity.

The festival will kick off with the traditional open mic poetry and Cicada Story Slam at 6:00 pm on Friday evening at the Radius Art Gallery in Hepburn Springs. The program includes Dennis Altman in conversation with Carmel Bird, Mahmood Fazal & Osman Faruqi, and local artist and human extraordinaire, Petrus Spronk. Other guests include Ross Gillett, Eloise Grills, Mark Dickenson’s writing workshop, Beverly Risstrom’s fireside funeral chats! The finale will be announcement of the Venie Holmgren Environmental Poetry Prize.

Events are planned in Hepburn, Daylesford, Trentham, Creswick, Yandoit and Maryborough. Visit the Words In Winter Facebook and Instagram pages for program updates and tickets. Here’s the program: https://wordsinwinter.com/programme-2022/

14. Self Reflective Conversations

 

15. Newstead Spinners Group

When: Every second Tuesday

Where: Newstead Community Centre

Join with others who enjoy spinning, weaving, knitting and all sorts of fibre arts. Share your fibre skills with us along with your desire to learn more.

Contacts: Sally Weis (President) • 0400 922 027;  Anja Tuseck (Secretary) • 0407 806 004

16. Make a Change Workshops

What: Expand your impact workshops: Two workshop series to choose from:Wednesdays 4pm – 5.30pm
6 online sessions, starting 10 August Thursdays 10.30am-12noon
6 online sessions, starting 11 August
With in person options available in Wycheproof & Charlton

Expand Your Impact is a program that challenges you to think a little differently, supporting you to grow your success. Join this inspiring online series to:- nut out challenges- create new approaches- develop new solutions …for achieving your goals [no matter how big or small in any area of life

What topics are covered?Expand your Impact covers 6 essential elements for growth & success:

Vision- Discovering & rediscovering ‘what lights YOU UP?’

Projects- Giving thoughts & ideas the structure to MAKE THEM HAPPEN

Story- Creating YOUR compelling narrative, to ENGAGE OTHERS

Team –Building networks, growing communities & enlisting SUPPORT

People Working together effectively for GREATER OUTCOMES

Digital Tools –Navigating the world online with IMPACT

WORKSHOP Series #2 Wednesdays 4pm-5:30pm,  10 Aug to 14 Sept

WORKSHOP Series #3 Thursdays 10:30am-12pm, 11 Aug to 15 Sept

WORKSHOP Series #3 Thursdays 10:30am-12pm, 11 Aug to 15 Sept

For more information visit: https://makeachange.org.au/buloke

17. Alliance for Responsible Mining Regulation

This Victorian based group has active participation from individuals and local groups across central Victoria including: Bendigo and District Environment Council, Save Huntly Streamside Reserve, No Mining Yandoit Region, Save The Campaspe, No Gold Diggings Castlemaine, Mine Free Glenaladale, Let’s Stop Proposed Mining Exploration in North East Victoria, Don’t Undermine Steiglitz, No Gold Drilling (and no more Gold Mining) in our Shire Valleys, Wombat Forest Care, No Wombat Gold.  The Group is supported by Friends of the Earth.

Lock the Gate signs are available and the group is currently working towards legislation reform. If you are interested in getting access to lock the gate signs  or contributing towards the work of this group, contact johnlewis@arcimedia.com.au or hello@nominingyandoitregion.com

18. Sustainable Hepburn Strategy

Hepburn Shire Council’s new environmental sustainability strategy, Sustainable Hepburn 2022-26, will be presented at the 16 August 2022 Council meeting for adoption. This finalizes the strategy development process which began last October. Sustainable Hepburn acknowledges the interconnected relationship between many facets of environmental sustainability and speaks to four key themes. Each theme shares elements of crossover which each other, providing an opportunity for deeper collaboration and partnership both within Council and between Council and community.

Sustainable Hepburn’s themes are:

• Beyond zero emissions: Achieve and maintain beyond zero net emissions from council activities by installing and purchasing renewable energy, increasing energy efficiency, designing for local climates, offsetting where appropriate and providing options for low fossil fuel-based activities.
• Natural environment and biodiversity: Protect and enhance biodiversity values across the Shire through restoration of natural environmental values, appropriate land use, knowledge sharing, and improved capacity of Council.
• Low waste: Reduce waste to landfill, increase and improve recycling and extend services across the Shire for reuse of materials and develop circular economy opportunities.
• Climate resilience: Council’s infrastructure, services and the community can adapt to the impacts of a changing climate, know what actions to take in extreme weather, are more informed about climate risk and water is valued as a vital natural resource.

29. Walking Together – Towards Makarrata- The Seven Sisters

Makarrata = ‘coming together after a struggle, facing the facts of wrongs and living again in peace.’

THE SEVEN SISTERS

The Seven Sisters dreaming story is widely known by First Nations people. Although it has many names and variations, the theme remains constant: a story of a forbidden pursuit and a daring escape, of desire, magic and family bonds. The star cluster named the Seven Sisters, or Pleiades, consists of about 300 stars, with seven of the brightest named for the daughters of Atlas and a nymph, Pleione, from the Greek myth about the Pleiades.

Seen from southern skies, the constellation is part of the Milky Way, and rises above the horizon near Orion in the warmer months.

Desert people know the Seven Sisters as a creation story. As the sisters flee from their pursuer, they form features of the landscape, rocks, water holes and springs. They escape by transforming into stars. The songline for the dreaming story goes from deep in the Central Desert out to the west coast, travelling through many different language groups. It teaches vital skills and lessons of surviving on the land, of changing seasons, of the bonds of family and relationships – how to live with each other, how to live in the environment, and how to be in tune with the spiritual realm.

An evil sorcerer, Yurlu (Orion), admired the beautiful sisters. He wanted one as his wife but he was not of the correct skin group, so marriage was forbidden. In spite of that, he pursued the sisters back and forth across the deserts. They escaped capture every time; once they dug a hole through the back of the cave where he had ambushed them. Yurlu sent a magic carpet snake slithering over the rocks. The sisters grabbed it, thinking it would be good to eat. But the moment they saw Yurlu prowling they realized it was magic, and threw it away. Desperately they sought refuge in the sky. The trickster followed them and the pursuit continues today, with the Pleiades stars being chased across the sky by the Orion constellation.

Amongst its many uses, the story teaches that when Orion can be seen appearing above the horizon in Central Australian springtime, the snakes come out. Beware they don’t catch you!

Here in Dja Dja Wurrung  country Orion is Kulkan Bulla. He is an old man teaching a younger one how to dance a special dance, part of men’s business. The Pleiades or Seven Sisters might be the women playing their possum skin drums for the dancers at public ceremonies.

Creation is made visible through such teaching stories, songlines, ceremony and art.

Nalderun Education Aboriginal Corporation is a service that supports the Aboriginal Community, led by Aboriginal people. Many people and organisations in the Mount Alexander Shire contribute to Nalderun; the name is a Dja Dja Wurrung word meaning “all together”.

More information can be found at www.nalderun.net.au

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Kintsugi serves as a powerful and dramatic metaphor of acceptance, resilience and renewal in a time of environmental, political and civil upheaval. Having kintsugi in our lives  encourages us to remember that we can get through more than we may feel we are able to, in what sometimes feels like a world of overwhelming sorrow and desperation. In the very ordinary act of repair we are offered the opportunity to experience an extraordinary sense of hope & beauty (p. 26)

( Kemske, Bonnie:  Kintsugi- the Poetic Mend,  Herbert Press, 2021)

The world breaks everyone and afterward many are strong at the broken places. (Ernest Hemingway p.9, Kintsugi)

Kintsugi‘s greatest strength: an intimate metaphoric narrative of loss and recovery, breakage and restoration, tragedy and the ability to overcome it (p.12, Kintsugi)

Welcome to the July edition of Localising Leanganook e-news. In this edition you will find information about:

1. Home Energy Savings Workshop
2. National Tree Day
3. Gibbo– Local Talent Brings Suspenseful Play to life
4. Repair Cafes including pulling things apart workshop
5. Yandoit Cultural – winter stories and music at the old church in the bush
6. Castlemaine Free University- Landcare and Wildlife Conservation
7. Words in Winter– Daylesford, Hepburn and Yandoit
8. Hepburn Matters and The Rex
9. Northern Arts Hotel- Castlemaine
10. Participating in Council meetings- Have your say
11. Bird of the month: Blue-billed Duck
12. Newstead Arts Hub- Exhibitions and Workshops
13. Rehabilitation of Mining Land- Have Your Say
14. Newstead Men’s Shed
15. Concerns re commercial billboard outside Castlemaine pistol club
16. Upcoming Textile Workshops- on line, Newstead and Castlemaine
17. Look at Me podcast: Ants keeping an endangered butterfly alive
18. Screening Planet Local – A Quiet Revolution
19. Victoria’s Renewable Energy Zones- Public Consultation
20. Wararack Initiatives- Networking Event
21. Wombat Forest
22. Towards Zero and Community Grant recipients  in Hepburn Shire
23. Storm Recovery – Photography Competition
24. Farming Program- Regenerative Agricultural Training
25. Hepburn Wholefoods Collective
26. Digging Deeper for Soil Health Project
27. Tree Project- Growing Indigenous Seedlings
28. Victorian Landcare Grants
29. Hepburn Energy- Community Retail Offer
30. Food for Thought- Stories of Resilience from the Northern Rivers ; Imagining a world Beyond Money- YENOMON

1. Home Energy Savings Workshop

 

When: Sunday July 31st, 2pm

Where: West End Hall, Morrissey Reserve, Corner of View and Woodman Streets, Castlemaine.

FREE 2-HOUR WORKSHOP presented by the West End Resilience Energy Group and guests.

PART I : Understanding your Energy Bill
• Where does my energy come from? Why does it matter?
• How to understand your bill and your consumption data.
• Choosing a retailer. What should I consider? Including the Victorian Government’s Power Saving Bonus Program.

PART II : Basic Intro to Home Energy Efficiency for Everybody
• Energy Efficiency and Energy Basics – Why would we want an efficient home?
• Appliances and Efficiency – Heating, cooling, hot water systems, and lighting.
• Building Shell Efficiency – Draughts, insulation, windows – practical tips and demonstrations.
We encourage participants to bring a recent power bill to practice interpreting.
There will be physical examples of draught proofing materials, insulation, external blinds, etc., and information about rebates for energy efficient appliances and upgrades.

Any questions / Further info: Email ilkajanewhite@gmail.com
NO RSVP REQUIRED – ALL WELCOME!

 

2. National Tree Day

When: Sunday July 31st

Established in 1996 by Planet Ark, National Tree Day has grown into Australia’s largest community tree-planting and nature care event. The program is a call to action to get our hands dirty. ​​​Trees are natural carbon sequesters absorbing and capturing carbon from our atmosphere. The timber they produce is also an important, environmentally friendly building material because it stores carbon and is a renewable resource.

Local area forestry and tube stock is available from Frances Cincotta at Newstead Natives ( 5476 2691) and from Verna Baker at Basalt Rock Nursery (0401 159 506).

 

3. Gibbo– Local Talent Brings Suspenseful Play to life

 

When: Starting Friday July 29th and finishing Saturday August 20th.

Where: Casltrmaine, Bendigo, Kynetona and Melbourne- see details in poster

What: A powerful stage drama “Gibbo”, based on a true event and set in a farmhouse in rural Victoria, is now in rehearsal at Castlemaine’s Phee Broadway Theatre, and due to open there on July 29^th, touring Bendigo’s Engine Room and Kyneton’s Bluestone Theatre over four weekends until 20^th  August.

Based on a true event, Gibbo tackles the challenging subject of drug rape, and revolves around a likeable farming couple, whose world is tipped upside down when a woman walks into their home twenty four years after the crime, with only one demand to make of the man she believes is the offender.

Well known actors Kate Stones, Rebecca Barnett, and Stephen Mitchell are performing in this suspenseful 90 minute drama, written by award winning local playwright Sandy Fairthorne.

Bendigo’s CASA (Centre Against Sexual Assault) is supporting the play, and will be on hand for anyone needing advice or counselling post show.

For further enquiries or to book, visit https://www.suckerpunchtheatre.com/

Rated MA15+

 

4. Repair Cafes including pulling things apart workshop

Next Castlemaine Repair Cafe:  Sunday July 31st. 10am to 1pm at 30 Templeton St, Castlemaine.

Next Daylesford Repair Cafe: Sunday August 21st, 1-4pm at Victoria Park Pavillion, Ballan Road, Daylesford, including: Workshop on pulling things apart and putting them back together, with thanks to ‘Mr Fixit’- Julian Alaba

Next Ballarat Repair Cafe: Saturday July 30th, 1-4pm , at Barkly Square, 25 Barkly St, Ballarat east. The Ballarat Repair Cafe is also connected to the Ballarat Tool library.

 

5. Yandoit Cultural – Winter stories and music at the old church in the bush

Yandoit’s historical Uniting Church is now in community hands and is being run as a community arts and culture space, called Yandoit Cultural. The church was built by locals in 1875, using bricks from clay dug from the neighbouring dairy farm, which were then fired in a hand-made kiln. This church, nestled in the bush, is filled with history. It has excellent acoustics, perfect for musical concerts and spoken word. The raked floor makes for easy viewing and listening, and the stain-glass windows beautifully frame the surrounding eucalypts.

The Yandoit Clydesdale and Franklinford Community Planning Group have negotiated a lease arrangement with Castlemaine Uniting Church parish to keep this beautiful, historical building in community hands. This is an alternative, for the time being, to private sale, which has been the fate of so many historical churches in our local area.

What: Winter Solstice – Musings on a Common Theme from Uncommon Places

When: Sunday August 28 from 2pm – 4.30pm

Where:  Yandoit Cultural, Uniting Church Road (off High Street) Yandoit 3461

Entry by donation (cash only) with Tea/Coffee/Wine and Afternoon Tea provided

Join us for an afternoon of spoken word, song, history, performance, storytelling and visual art. Three groups. Many voices. Unexpected perspectives.

Presented by:

Yandoit Cultural – the old Uniting Church in the bush, run by the community as an arts and culture space;

Lab Kelpie – a new writing theatre company now based in Daylesford.; and

Roomers – a creative collective living and making in the City of Port Phillip, Melbourne

For more information: nikki.marshall@mmnet.com.au or https://www.facebook.com/yandoitcultural

What: Django Fretts Concert- Gypsy Jazz Quartet

When: Saturday  August 27^th, 7pm

Where: Yandoit Cultural, Uniting Church Road (off High Street) Yandoit 3461

Entry by donation

The Django Fretts are a gypsy jazz quartet from Castlemaine. Formed in 2015, the Fretts have an extensive repertoire of tunes taken from the Django Reinhardt songbook as well as a few American jazz favourites. They have played extensively around the goldfields region, honing their up-tempo sound at markets, gigs, and festivals. A set from the Django Fretts will evoke the mood of 30s Paris with authentic gypsy jazz melodies and acoustic improvisations.

For more information: nikki.marshall@mmnet.com.au or https://www.facebook.com/yandoitcultural

6. Castlemaine Free University- Landcare and Wildlife Conservation

WHEN? 7pm–9pm, Monday 1 August 2022

WHAT? 

Friends of the Box–Ironbark Forests (Mt Alexander Region) is a community organisation advocating sound ecological and Indigenous management practices to conserve vegetation and associated wildlife on private and public land. See their prolific publications — www.fobif.org.au/

Likewise Connecting Country is a community organisation educating, monitoring and actively restoring landscapes and habitat for local plants and animals across Mt Alexander, including through Landcare. Over 200 landholders and community groups have been restoring more than 10,000 hectares in the past 15 years — www.connectingcountry.org.au/

WHO?Newstead resident and ecologist Asha Bannon is a FoBIF committee member, was a Landcare Facilitator and is a volunteer with Connecting Country. She is particularly interested in wildlife conservation and community engagement. 

Guildford resident Hadley Cole recently joined Connecting Country as Landcare Facilitator for the Mt Alexander region having worked in various environmental management and conservation roles with government and non-government organisations. Inaugural member of Golden Point Landcare, Marie Jones has spent years on the Natural Resource Management Committee of the North Central Catchment Management Authority, and on both Connecting Country’s Management Committee and the FoBIF Committee since their inception.

WHERE? Northern Arts Hotel, 359 Barker Street, Castlemaine, 3450

FREE with drinks at bar and publications for purchase

7. Words in Winter– Daylesford, Hepburn and Yandoit

After a few challenging years with Covid lockdowns, the Words in Winter festival is back again for 2022, from Friday August 26th to Sunday August 29th. The program will be available soon via the WiW website: https://wordsinwinter.com/

This year Radius Gallery in Main street Hepburn Springs will host a number of events. There will also be events in Yandoit, Daylesford, Trentham, Newstead , Creswick and Maryborough.

Information about the Venie Holmgren Environmental Poetry Prize can be found at https://holmgren.com.au/ 

8. Hepburn Matters and The Rex

(Extracts from the Wombat Post 22/7/22 – https://thewombatpost.com.au/)

To a chorus of interjections from observers, Hepburn Shire Councillors voted this week to sell the Rex building in Vincent Street. As they were in November, Councillors were once again divided. Crs Henderson, Hewitt, Hood and Simpson supported the motion to sell and Crs Bray, Drylie and Halliday opposed the motion.

The Rex has been a long running sore for the Council and the community. Originally built as a theatre in the 1920s, the building has had a varied history in private ownership. Following a failed attempt to turn the building into a shopping arcade, Council bought the Rex in 2016 as the venue for a community hub to include a new library, customer service centre, public toilets and staff accommodation. Following lobbying from the local Daylesford Cinema, Council agreed to include a small auditorium in the community hub to give the cinema a home. The Cinema had, for a few years, rented space from the private owners of the Rex for a volunteer run cinema in the concrete extension under the carpark at the back of the Rex.

The Council bought the building and adjacent property for $6.3 million. Council then agreed to a highly unusual development plan budgeting less than a $1 million for a complex and difficult 2000+ square metre renovation, effectively acting as an owner builder to avoid requirements for a planning permit. Renovation costs for heritage buildings are typically two or more times the cost per square metre for a new building and not surprisingly, the budget soon blew out. It is unclear how the planning process and the budget were developed.

Aaron Van Egmond, then Council Chief Executive Officer, left Council under a cloud and acting CEO, Bruce Lucas, instituted an internal review and later an external review of the project by Crowe Horwath. A litany of mistakes and miscalculations uncovered by those reviews prompted the new CEO, Evan King, to contact the Local Government Inspectorate.It is still not clear how such a costly decision was made with so little planning. The results of the internal audit and the Crowe Horwath report have not been released pending the outcome of the Inspectorate report. After more than three years waiting for the Inspectorate report, Chief Inspector, Michael Stefanovic, still refuses to release it. The Inspectorate has serious questions to answer about its competence. In this case, it has utterly failed its responsibility to ensure transparency and accountability of local government.

Despite the rocky start, Council forged ahead with the project. Completion of the renovation was subsequently tendered out to Hutchinson Builders for an estimated renovation cost of $7.1 million. However, Hutchinsons and the Council parted ways in July 2021 without work commencing following a protracted dispute about costs and site conditions. Following the withdrawal of Hutchinsons, an updated cost estimate of $8.8 million was presented to Council which included rectification of the issues which formed the basis of the dispute with the contractor. The work was retendered in 2021 and the selected tender was  higher still at $9.7 million because of increasing labour and materials costs. The costs did not include costs to change the heating from gas to electricity or to repair the facade of the building. In addition to renovations, fit-out costs (floor coverings, new furniture and equipment) and the initial $6.3 million purchase cost led to an overall project cost in excess of $18 million.

In November last year, faced with massive cost blow outs and rapidly deteriorating Council finances partly resulting from storm events and COVID, Council determined, in a split vote, not to award a contract and to instruct the CEO to initiate a community consultation about selling the building and an alternate plan to provide the planned facilities. Following an agreement with the State Government, Council reallocated library grant funds of about $500,000 to a new library in Trentham instead. This retained the benefit of this grant without excluding future funding for a Daylesford Library.

The decision in November and the confirmation of that decision this week has divided the community. The Rethink the Rex Group (now Hepburn Matters) organised public meetings and voiced their opposition in local media. There were calls for the Minister for Local Government to sack the Council.Submissions to the Community Engagement ran about 2 to 1 against selling the Rex. Those who supported the sale recognised the need to develop a library, auditorium, activity spaces, staff accommodation and customer service facilities but saw the Rex as a costly and inappropriate building for these purposes.

This week’s Council meeting saw a number of passionate community presentations in favour of keeping the Rex in Council ownership arguing the need for arts spaces, the library, a community cinema and activities for young people. There is no doubt that there is strong community support for these facilities to be developed even amongst those who think the Rex is the wrong place to do so.

Hepburn Matters proposed that Council delay its decision and enter into a community co-design process to develop the Rex. A motion from Cr Bray along those lines was defeated at the Council meeting on Tuesday. Three Councillors, Crs Bray, Drylie and Halliday supported the motion to delay the sale and run a codesign process with the community. However, they provided little detail on what that would involve, whether it would lead to a different outcome or what it would cost.

In the end, concerns about the parlous state of Council finances, the unknown risks of renovating, further potential cost blow outs, Council inability to manage the project and the importance of maintaining basic services and assets, saw the majority of Councillors vote to continue with the sale of the Rex. Despite nearly a decade of poor planning, mismanagement and waste, no one has been held accountable for the Rex fiasco. There is no new library, auditorium, arts spaces, customer service centre or youth opportunities. There is no staffing plan and no plan to accommodate those staff. Many in the community have lost confidence in Council management and there is no apparent plan for moving forward.

9. Northern Arts Hotel- Castlemaine

Where: 359 Barkers St, CASTLEMAINE

Here’s some of what’s coming  up in the next month or so:

FILM
Secret Matinee Film | Sun 24 July
MUSIC
Open Mic at the Coolroom | 20 July
Northern Music Session | 21 July
Guildford Folk Club | 21 July
Wolf and Willie Postponed | 23 July
Celebrating Women In Music from July-September.
The Martini Set | 13 August
Elements 19-21 August
SPOKEN WORD | TALKS 
Poetry Launch: A Beginner’s Guide Mark Tren | 30 July
Castlemaine Free University | 1 August
PROJECTIONS

OPEN MIC – Castlemaine Live Streamed from the Coolroom
NOW ON WEDNESDAY NIGHTS from 7pm
Mount Alexander’s Community live-to-air music show.
Watch local live music from the warmth & comfort of your home.
Live Streamed from The Coolroom at The Northern Arts Hotel
You  can find us on the OPEN MIC – Castlemaine Facebook page or on your smartTV by going to Facebook streaming. Link to the show on Facebook – here

CELEBRATING WOMEN IN MUSIC
A cavalcade of talent.
C3: SUZETTE HERFT |  ‘A DIAMOND IN THE RUST’ A JOAN BAEZ CELEBRATION  FRIDAY  29 JULY  7.30PM  $15
C4: JADE FERGUSON | JADEBYRD ‘SONGS OF THE PROHIBITION’
SATURDAY 30 JULY  7.30PM  $15
C5: WENDY PHYPER | THE CARTWHEELS ‘HONKY TONK & WESTERN SWING’  SATURDAY 6 AUGUST 7.30PM $15
C6: GILLIAN EASTOE | GILLIAN & TERRY ‘HI ENERGY JUKEBOX’
FRIDAY 26 AUGUST 7.30PM  $15
C7: TRUDY EDGELEY | TRUDY & PHIL ‘NATIVE BORN’
SATURDAY 3 SEPTEMBER 7.30PM  $15
|
Women in Music Collection: BOOKINGS |

10. Participating in Council meetings- Have your say

Council meetings provide a limited opportunity for community members to voice their concerns and suggestions to council in a public forum. There are strict rules around this meeting format called Governance Rules. Hepburn shire Council is reviewing these rules and will discuss at the August meeting.

Are there any changes you would like to make to the way council meetings are run or the way community are allowed to participate? Do you want to be able to read out your own question or have the Mayor read them out? Should objectors to planning matters be able to present to councillors prior to the council meeting to give more time for consideration? Should Electronic Petitions be permitted as a valid petition to council?

Complete the survey at the link below by 5pm 27 July.

https://participate.hepburn.vic.gov.au/governance-rules-review/governance-rules-review-community-surey

11. Bird of the month: Blue-billed Duck

Posted on 20 July, 2022 by Connecting Country with thanks to Damian Kelly and Jane Rusden for words and images

Blue-billed Duck (Oxyura australis)

The handsome male is distinctive and easy to identify with its blue bill, glossy jet black head and chestnut body. The female is overall grey with pale barring, a bit like a Freckled Duck or lighter coloured Musk Dusk, and harder to identify for this reason. Blue-billed Ducks are smaller than Musk Ducks, but the two species are closely related genetically.

Due to their shyer nature, these ducks are usually seen at a distance. In the water, Blue-billed and Musk Ducks can appear similar as both swim with a low posture, although the Blue-billed Duck sits slightly lower in the water. Like the Musk Duck, Blue-bills feed mostly by diving to the bottom of the water to collect a variety of vegetation as well as insects, larvae, molluscs and crustaceans. They have been observed diving to depths up to three metres and they can remain submerged for up to 30 seconds. They also swim alongside banks where plants overhang, stripping seeds and other parts.

As they are specialised diving birds, they cannot walk very well on land, with legs set back on the body. They are rarely seen perching on logs, preferring open water and secluded bays. They are also known as stiff tails, because like the Musk Duck, they have a rigid tail to assist in diving. Preferred habitats are inland swamps with dense vegetation and they have a preference for Cumbungi  swamps. They range across eastern and southern Australia as well as the south-west of Western Australia.  During the breeding season they tend to remain hidden in dense vegetation, so are often hard to see. Open water is a favourite habit and they can congregate in groups, especially after the breeding season. Large groups have been recorded at times, the largest being about 8,000 birds, but generally smaller groups are most common.

Nesting is in dense vegetation. A domed nest is built with Typha leaves (Bull Rushes) and a cup of roughly woven structure of dead vegetation. Clutch size is generally 5-8 eggs. Unusually, they have a propensity for dump-nesting, where they will lay in the nests of other species, particularly the related Musk Duck. Ducklings are then raised by the other species. Yes, you read that correctly: Blue-billed Ducks are a brood parasitic duck! Young birds are precocial and able to feed themselves almost immediately after hatching. They have been recorded on their second day diving for up to ten seconds in search of food.

To find out more about Blue-billed Ducks – click here

12. Newstead Arts Hub- Exhibitions and Workshops

Here’s some upcoming exhibitions and workshops at the Newstead Arts Hub, 8A Tivey St, Newstead VIC 3462

Opening Hours – Gallery: Sat and Sun 10am-4pm. Note: Opening times vary depending on the program.

Check the What’s On page.

12.1 Plein air painting-  Bringing the outside in

Experience plein air painting through the works of  five artists- Mark Dober, Jenny Merkus,
Petra Kleinherne, Ulrike Radichevich and Julie Goodwin. The artists met during March at locations around Newstead – gum trees on the road out of town to the cemetery, at Picnic Point with its views of Cairn Curran, and at the Loddon River – to experience plein air painting in oils.

Reflecting on the experience, Mark Dober said: ‘Plein-air painting is, of course, not an easy thing to do. It takes time and a lot of practice to do well, and all the time, the artist is striving to find their own individual expression.’  

Join the artists to celebrate the results: opening event Sat 30 July, 10am-12pm.

 12.2 Relax into drawing workshop

When: Sunday 31 July, 2022, 10am-4.00pm

Cost: Workshop $110 (plus $20 materials fee paid at the workshop)

Start drawing at this hands-on workshop with Selina Wilson: a relaxed introduction to drawing for beginners. Designed for the absolute beginner who has always wanted to draw but does not know how to begin. Learn the basics in mark making, explore drawing mediums and practice hand-eye connection. You will leave with a finished drawing. All materials supplied.

Selina believes everyone can draw. ‘We have been making marks in the dirt and on cave walls for millennia, as a way to teach, spread knowledge and better understand our surroundings. The ability to draw is not unique to a few individuals but something we share, something that is collectively primal, and that is innate in each of us’.

Book here

12.3 Beautiful braiding workshop with Ilka White, Sun 14 August, 2022, 10am-4.00pm

Workshop $110 ($5 for notes & extra materials – paid at the workshop)

10 workshop places (max.)

COVID Safe plan in place: full refund if govt COVID requirements result in cancellation.

A great way to recycle old clothes and fabric! Learn to make fantastic rag rugs using an off-loom, spiral-woven braiding technique. We will share an inspiring range of colour and design possibilities in this workshop, as well as covering cloth and fibre types. Beautiful and unique floor coverings are possible using contrasting colours, or you can blend patterned rags for a ‘carpet of flowers’. This braiding technique works in a circular fashion, weaving in as we go so there is no stitching up required afterwards.

Most people’s work by the end of the class is about the size of a bread & butter plate. The completed size is up to you, and could range from a small mat to a room-sized rug. This workshop covers all the skills you need to finish off your rug at home.

Bring your own material to recycle and find out just what riches can come from rags!

Book here

12.4 Film Screening: Zorba

When: Sat 13 August 2022, 7.30pm

Enjoy a movie INSIDE the Hub on our new movie screen!

Warm up with a set of Irish fiddle tunes from multi-talented Sean Kenan.

Then it’s Zorba the Greek, a 1964 comedy-drama film written, produced, edited, and directed by Greek Cypriot filmmaker Michael Cacoyannis. It stars Anthony Quinn as the titular character, an earthy and boisterous peasant in Crete, and Alan Bates as the buttoned-up young intellectual he befriends.

It’s a feel-good favourite. A chance to share the joy with local friends and neighbours. Book now: adults $15, kids free.

13. Rehabilitation of Mining Land- Have Your Say

So much of central Victoria has been dug over for the mining of gold since the 1850’s and much of the region continues to be subject to exploration  licences as well as mining activities.

The Victorian Government is seeking our feedback around the approach to rehabilitation of land where our biggest mines operate.

Here’s the link: Draft Declared Mine Regulations 2022 and RIS for public consultation

The consultation closes on August 17th, 2022.

14. Newstead Men’s Shed

Did you know that there is a thriving Men’s Shed close by in Newstead? The Newstead Men’s Shed was established in 2010 to provide fellowship and health support to members, and the wider Men’s rural community. The Shed provides a place where men can meet to discuss health and allied matters in a social surrounding.

There are men in our community from all walks of life who benefit from the opportunity to have fellowship and the opportunity to share experiences with others who may need help with personal problems. Also, the opportunity for widowed and single men to share with others is very significant. Being a member of a Men’s Shed like the one in Newstead offers a chance for men who have very little social contact, to take an active part in the community and addresses the reduction of social isolation in men while being able to participate in projects that assist the wider community.

We also offer a place for men to work together to make timber & metal products for sale by the Shed, to raise funds as well as provide a service to our community. Our Facilities include not only a fully equipped workshop but also a Club Room where we can meet and have social occasions, a kitchen and a pool table.

Membership of the Shed is only $50 pa with a small amenities fee when you visit the Shed. We have a lot of fun when we hang out including Burger Monday lunches and a Sausage Sizzle once a month for members. Our main days are Monday and Tuesday as well as Friday and Sunday mornings. Why not drop in for a chat with the blokes or contact us via our Facebook Page.

Secretary – Graeme Lees 0418 723 196;  Committee Member – James Grant 0413 895 591

15. Concerns re commercial billboard outside Castlemaine pistol club

There is a proposal for a commercial Billboard to be erected outside the pistol club, on the east gateway to Castlemaine (Chewton side).  It will be visible from the top of the Wesley Hill Market, and for close to 1 kilometre of road (from the Shell servo to the top of Wesley Hill)

Residents concerned that this area’s beauty will be disturbed by an advertising sign are taking community group photos, on Saturday July 23rd,  to be used in a VCAT submission against the billboard.  If you are concerned about this issue and, given this e-news edition is published a day or two after the group photos will be taken, contact Joel Meadows for more information:  joel@greenhand.net.au

16. Upcoming Textile Workshops- on line, Newstead and Castlemaine

Braided Rag Rugs- (on line or in person)

A great way to recycle old clothes and fabric!
ONLINE workshop, Sat/Sun mornings, July 23/24
Bookings : https://ilka-white.corsizio.com/c/62b15a90b4863ffa071efe0d

IN PERSON one day workshop at NEWSTEAD ARTS HUB
Sunday, August 14, 10AM – 4 PM
Bookings : https://events.humanitix.com/create-a-braided-rag-rug

Introduction to Handloom Weaving

 CASTLEMAINE Short Course
Learn to weave your own fabric from scratch! No weaving experience required.
Saturdays, September 10 to October 8, 10 AM – 4 PM
Castlemaine Community House
Bookings : https://ilka-white.corsizio.com/c/626f430c135b31b5e8ac7698

For more information – ilkawhite.com.au

17. Look at Me podcast: Ants keeping an endangered butterfly alive

‘Look at Me‘ is a much-loved podcast series featuring weird and wonderful tales of Australian wildlife. It’s hosted by award-winning science journalist Rae Johnston and ecologist Chris McCormack, and is produced in conjunction with Remember the Wild.

We’re not talking about the usual koalas and kangaroos. This podcast delves into the more bizarre but fascinating creatures that most Australians probably haven’t even heard of! This includes a very special local animal close to our hearts: the Eltham Copper Butterfly. As our regular readers know, the largest remaining population of this threatened species lives in Kalimna Park, right next door to Castlemaine in central Victoria. The podcast features interviews with local ecologist Elaine Bayes, who has worked tirelessly to document, monitor and protect our local Eltham Copper Butterfly population.

Look at Me: The ants keeping an endangered butterfly alive

Imagine outsourcing childcare to a nest of ants? This may not be the best idea for humans but a certain insect is making it work. Now the Eltham copper butterfly’s amazing use of surrogate ant parents has attracted human fans who are using a song to try to save it from extinction.

To listen to the Eltham Copper Butterfly podcast – click here

For other Look at Me podcasts – click here

Photo: Eltham Copper Butterfly on flowering Sweet Bursaria by Elaine Bayes

Posted by Connecting Country, 14 July, 2022: https://connectingcountry.org.au/

18. Screening Planet Local – A Quiet Revolution

What: Film Screening followed by discussion.

When: Monday September 5th, 7pm

Where: New Northern Hotel, 359 Barkers St, Castlemaine

A joint initiative between Localising Leanganook and Castlemaine Free University, supported by Northern Arts Hotel. 

Film and discussion introduced by: Carolyn Neilson, Ilka White, John Terry, Anitra Nelson and Nikki Marshall

Local Futures released their latest film- Planet Local – A quiet Revolution– on World Localisation Day in June, 2022. The 50-minute film features grassroots activists from every continent alongside internationally known figures like Noam Chomsky, Vandana Shiva, Naomi Klein, Jane Goodall, Gabor Maté, Helena Norberg-Hodge and Russell Brand – all of them bringing inspiration and clarity to a world full of dark news. The film is a timely and compelling call to action, giving voice to dozens of people building a more just, equitable and beautiful world. From restoring topsoil, to sharing traditional knowledge, to opposing free trade treaties and innovating new ways of supporting local businesses, their actions are forging a new path forward for humanity.

Background: In 2015 Castlemaine’s Local Lives Global Matters- A Conference for Future’s Sake brought together local, national and international thinkers and activists to strengthen local economies, to act on social and ecological justice, to reclaim democracy and to revitalise spirit. The Conference facilitated the sharing of ideas and stories as active sites of resistance, countering corporate interests over people and nature; the sharing of stories which both imagine and renew relationships between humanity and nature here in rural central Victoria; local stories which connected with activism and stories from other parts of the world. Local Lives Global Matters was a collaboration between local activists in and around Castlemaine, Local Futures (the Economics of Happiness) and Borderlands Cooperative. Localising Leanganook was created to continue the work of the conference.

Local Futures challenges the crude ‘bigger is better’ narrative that has dominated economic thinking for centuries. Countless initiatives are already underway to protect and restore human-scale local economies, communities and the natural world, demonstrating that human beings need not be the problem – we can be the solution. For more than 40 years, Local Futures has raised awareness about the power of going local to restore ecological and human well-being. Local Futures calls on us to Rethink-  to dive deeper into the key elements of globalization and its many costs for people and planet;  Renew- to rebuild local economies and communities, and restore cultural and biological diversity; and Resist- to work towards building a better world and learn how to be part of systems-level change.

19. Victoria’s Renewable Energy Zones- Public Consultation

The Victorian Government is seeking community feedback on the proposed approach to developing Victoria’s Renewable Energy Zones. Public consultation is open until 15 August 2022.

Regional online public information sessions are being held to hear about proposed approach for how best to plan and develop Victoria’s electricity grid and Renewable Energy Zones (REZs). Click on the links below to register for an online community information session.

• Loddon Mallee – 6pm Monday, 1 August 2022
• Grampians – 6pm Thursday, 28 July 2022

The Victorian Government is looking to invest in large-scale renewable energy generation and storage with the aim of providing reliable and affordable electricity at the scale needed to power Victorian homes and businesses. This will involve upgrading and  modernising Victoria’s transmission network.

This plan has significant implications for locations across Central Victoria, especially a corridor of land between Ballarat and Bendigo. A new framework is being considered for how transmission infrastructure is currently planned and developed. This proposal is set out in the Victorian Transmission Investment Framework (VTIF) Preliminary Design Consultation Paper. The proposed Framework would introduce a strategic and proactive process to ensure timely co-ordination of investment in transmission, generation and storage infrastructure across Victoria’s REZs, tailored to Victoria’s energy needs. It also seeks to better integrate land use considerations, environmental impacts and community views into the planning process. This includes opportunities for earlier and deeper engagement with local communities to help better manage impacts and to make the most of regional development opportunities for host communities.

There are three consultation documents on the proposed VTIF, all of which can be found at the bottom of the overview page: https://engage.vic.gov.au/victorian-transmission-investment-framework 

1.     Victorian Transmission Investment Framework: Preliminary Design Consultation Paper

2.     Victorian Transmission Investment Framework: Preliminary Design Consultation Paper (Summary for Communities)

3.     Options Paper: Access for Victorian REZs

After the consultation period has closed, VicGrid will analyse the feedback received throughout the consultation and consider how the feedback can be incorporated into the final design of the proposed Victorian Transmission Investment Framework. A report will outline results of the consultation and feedback received and be published on the Engage Vic page in late 2022.

Contact erin.baxter@delwp.vic.gov.au with any feedback or queries.

20. Wararack Initiatives- Networking Event

When: Thursday 28 July, 5.30pm for a 6pm start – 8pm finish

Where: The Taproom – The Mill, 9 Walker Street, Castlemaine

The Wararack (silver wattle) is the spirit of our climate emergency response. The sap of this plant is the glue that connects community and Jaara Country.Our plan is to collectively build resilience, equity and care for Country into our systems and culture while transitioning our shire to zero net emissions.

We know that to succeed we all need to be involved. This event will help to progress our movement and ‘keep the ball rolling’. We plan to:

• bring a snapshot of progress to date lifting the curtain on the work that has been happening behind the scenes
• showcase a couple of initiatives to stimulate our thinking and conversation
• provide time for networking and building alliances with others who can strengthen action already happening in the shire

For planning purposes please confirm your attendance by emailing connect@wararack.org.

21. Wombat Forest

After years of campaigning, the Wombat Forest was acknowledged to be worthy of park status and in June 2021 the State Government promised to create a new Wombat- Lerderderg National Park. It was also in June 2021 when we experienced the intense wind event that left swathes of fallen trees through sections of the Wombat Forest, blocking many roads and tracks.

Members of the Wombat Forest Care group were caught completely by surprise to find that, in early April this year, and without any notice, VicForests had commenced an industrial scale salvage harvesting operation at Babbington Hill. It is obvious that ecologically sensitive management of fallen timber in some areas, particularly road and tracksides is necessary. However, at Babbington Hill it is questionable whether there was a need to intervene, to any great extent, other than track and trackside clearing. It was distressing to see that about two acres of standing forest had been harvested to create a large machinery depot and an area to store and load logs. New tracks, 4–6 metres wide had been made, the ground disturbed and large heaps of branches and bark left on the ground. As the works progressed, the damage intensified. The salvage machinery, that weighs between 20 and 30 tonnes has compacted and rutted the wet soil and destroyed understory vegetation. Some of the habitat trees that survived the storm now have tracks alongside, damaging the roots and making them vulnerable to falling in the future. All the medium and large logs on the ground have been salvaged by the VicForests’ contractor and, in the main, trucked to a sawmill in Gippsland or sent for pulp at the Maryvale paper mill. A second contractor commenced works on Wombat Creek Road and now a third area is being harvested on Osborne Road, Bullarto. At both these sites forest has been cleared for machinery and logs, and gravel laid.

The government position is that this salvage operation will reduce fire risk, however, the logs that are being removed do not present a major fire risk as it is fine fuels, generally less than 6mm in diameter, that are recognized by many fire scientists as a driver of forest fires. The large logs lying on the ground would have become important habitat for mosses, lichens and fungi as well as insects and small mammals and lizards and are an important contributor to the food chain
that supports life in the forest.

So many of us consider ourselves fortunate to be able to experience a natural environment close to where we live. Babbington Hill, an extinct volcano, was one of many favourite places for walkers, particularly in the fungi season, where a large range of species could be found in a multitude of forms and colours.
Endangered Spotted Hyacinth-orchids Dipodium pardalinum grow along the roadside among the tall gums. Wedge-tailed Eagles Aquila audax nest on the east side of the hill and Southern Greater Gliders Petauroides volans inhabit the forest. There is also a record of the endangered Fuzzy New Holland Daisy Vittadinia cuneata var. morrisii. Babbington Hill has not been extensively surveyed for flora, and now it is impossible to know if species have been lost from the site.

The natural world is complex. By scraping and mounding the topsoil and litter, there is a massive disruption to the tiny insects, bacteria and fungi that help the litter decompose, recycle nutrients and provide fertile soils. This destructive salvage operation has caused great distress to those who love the Wombat Forest and has shown that laws to protect biodiversity completely fail to do so. The Code of Practice for Timber Production provides little protection for environmental values. Habitat trees that survived the storm have been damaged by machinery at Babbington Hill, but there is nothing in the code to say that this should not occur.
(Published in Wombat Forestcare Newsletter – Issue 60)

22. Towards Zero and Community Grant recipients  in Hepburn Shire

Hepburn Shire Council provides $65,000 through the Community Grants program each year.  For Guidelines and applications go to:  our website

Towards Zero Community Grants totalled $44,969 and were awarded to:

Daylesford Museum Reserve Committee of Management – Daylesford Museum Goes Solar – 10.53kW of solar PV – $11,189

Doxa Youth Foundation – Doxa Strives Towards Zero-net – 11.7kW solar PV system + off-grid hardware/software – $23,890

Daylesford RSL – Daylesford RSL Towards Zero Emissions – 7.8kW of solar PV – $9,890.

Round 4 Community Grants, worth a total of $27,710, went to:

The 5000 Club Inc – The 5000 Club Weekly Community Luncheons – $2000

Victoria State Emergency Service – Hepburn Shire Unit – SES Community Open Day – $2,125

Daylesford Girl Guides – Ovens – $1,360

Creswick Bowling Club – Replacement computer system – $1,316.65

Daylesford Men’s Shed – Drum sanding -$1,637.95

Hepburn Community Radio – FM broadcasting equipment – $2,033.63

Friends of Creswick Park Lake Botanical Reserve Association – Christmas in July Community Bonfire $1,871.33 (subject to event safety management plan).

23. Storm Recovery – Photography Competition

Hepburn Shire Council invites people impacted by the June 2021 storm to take part in a photography competition. Photos can be from the actual event, the aftermath, the intervening period or an emotion that has arisen from it. Tell your stories with a photo and anything up to 200 words describing it. Open to all storm-affected residents of Hepburn Shire. Find out more on Participate Hepburn.

Stories are not only written, they can be told through images. This is one of the most successful ways of passing knowledge or information down through the generations. Because stories are important, we hope this photography competition will encourage storm affected residents to submit two images that tell a story; it can be about the actual event, the aftermath, the intervening period or an emotion that has arisen from it. Some examples are the change in landscape, routine, relationships, momentos, emotions, attitudes.

Competition closes 31 July 2022. Click here for the Terms and Conditions

Prizes: First prize overall $500 voucher for Ted’s Camera Store + 90 minutes photography tutorial with a professional photographer. There will also be section prizes and runner up prizes.

24. Farming Program- Regenerative Agricultural Training

A local program that supports farmers and rural land managers with regenerative agricultural training and advice has been extended until 2024.

The Healthy Landscapes Practical Regenerative Agricultural Communities program is a collaboration between several local councils and agencies. It aims to help rural landowners to improve sustainable land management practices and regenerative grazing techniques, improve soil and waterway health, enhance biodiversity, reduce exposure to climate risks and reduce emissions.

The Practical Regenerative Agricultural Communities – Healthy Landscapes – program is being delivered as a partnership between Hepburn Shire Council, Macedon Ranges Shire Council, the City of Greater Bendigo, A Healthy Coliban Catchment project (North Central Catchment Management Authority and Coliban Water), Melbourne Water and the Upper Campaspe Landcare Network.

Over the next two years, the program will continue to offer free individual on-farm advice, a holistic grazing management course, small property grazing management course, webinars, field days and discussion groups. Find out more

25. Hepburn Wholefoods Collective

Troubled conditions around Australia (and to some extent overseas) are affecting some of our suppliers.

• Buckwheat from mainland Australia has been affected by drought (NSW) and flood (QLD), so we’re looking into alternatives from Tasmania (and avoiding purchasing from Asia)
• Sunflower seeds are affected by floods in Queensland as well as premium global prices, due to Ukraine’s harvest being stuck on their wharves.
• Quinoa, millet, corn and polenta have also been affected.
• Seeds and grains are ok, thanks in large part to Burrum Biodynamics, Mt Zero and Powlett Hill.

Locally grown veg can be particularly hard to come by at this time of year, as many of our farmers take a well earned winter break. Sandor’s Harvest has just delivered a big batch of winter veg.  Sandor grows cool climate vegetables in Dean, and he also sources other produce for us, from further afield in Victoria. We also have a couple of new products in the shop –  toothpaste, and palm oil free castile liquid soap.

The re-useable crates we bought earlier in the year, have proved to be a great success. Polystyrene boxes are now now longer in use at wholefoods (and we don’t have the task of taking them to landfill either). And Josh from Tumpinyeri Growers has begun taking our cardboard boxes to his farm, where they will be shredded and used as compost!

Wholefoods is happy to accept donations of jars and re-usable plastic containers for use in our shop. However, we do ask that all items are clean, have properly fitted lids and, preferably, labels removed.

Recipe Submissions: If you have a recipe idea brewing, we’d love you to put some time aside to write it down, and send it through, to be immortalised in our upcoming cookbook.  Cookbook Recipes can be submitted via the link on our website

26. Digging Deeper for Soil Health Project

This is an opportunity for landholders or farmer groups. The North Central CMA, in collaboration with Agriculture Victoria, has a new project called Digging Deeper for Soil Health. Spring is the perfect time to dig a little deeper and investigate what’s really happening under your growing crops, pastures, vines and plants. The project can work with you and your networks to deliver activities to help build your understanding of the current soil condition, the value of soil data, and how to use this data for future decision making to improve soil health and productivity.

Half-day workshops are open to all farmers and land managers in the North Central CMA region. Host a workshop with a soil pit or host an in-paddock demonstration on your property. In-paddock demonstrations could be a fertiliser comparison or a soil amendment assessment. Let us know which you would like to try.

If you would like to know more about the workshops or project contact Mandy Coulson at the North Central CMA:  mandy.coulson@nccma.vic.gov.au

Here’s the link to submit an expression of interest (EOI): https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/6838955/DiggingDeeper-into-Soil-Health-Workshop-Registration

27. Tree Project- Growing Indigenous Seedlings

The Tree Project gets urban and rural communities working together to put trees back on the land. A network of trained volunteers grows local indigenous seedlings for rural landholders and Landcare groups who need our help with revegetation. This year volunteers grew more than 140,000 indigenous seedlings.

For landholders, being able to access at-cost seedlings ($220 for 500 native seedlings) from Tree Project, can be the critical start to restoring degraded areas.
North Central Catchment Management Authority and the Tree Project have been working with a number of Landcare groups (Deep Creek, Malmsbury, Upper Maribyrnong, Arawata groups order seedlings annually). These Landcare groups determine which species they want to plant, then collect or order local seed, coordinate an order of 500, and then distribute the seedlings to members when they are ready for planting. If seedlings can’t be picked up we’ll use volunteers to minimise the cost of delivery.

Orders need to be in by 30 September 2022. You can find out more or order seedling via: https://treeproject.org.au/landholders/order-seedlings-introduction/

28. Victorian Landcare Grants

In 2022, a total of $3.35 million is available through the Victorian Landcare Grants for Project Grants and Support Grants across Victoria.

These include:-
Project Grants: up to $20,000 are available for on ground works, capacity building activities, community education and engagement that protects or improves our natural environment such as native vegetation, native fauna, waterways, wetlands, and soils.
Support Grants: up to $500 are to assist with costs such as insurance, incorporation and operational needs, or meetings and events or newsletters, websites and other communication.
Eligibility: Grants are open to all Victorian Landcare and environmental volunteering groups and networks that have a focus on on-ground land and natural environment improvement work. This includes Landcare groups and networks, Friends groups, Conservation Management Networks, Committees of Management, Coastcare groups and Aboriginal groups and organisations working on Country.

Applications close 5pm Tuesday 26 July 2022. For more information: https://www.environment.vic.gov.au/grants/vlg

Victorian Junior Landcare and Biodiversity Grants: Up to $5,000 are available for projects that involve and educate young Victorians in valuing and caring for Victoria’s native plants, animals and natural environment. Funding is on offer for hands-on projects and/or learning activities with a biodiversity focus.
The $450,000 of grants are open to all schools, kindergartens, childcare centers, Scouts, Girl Guides, Junior Landcare groups and youth groups in Victoria.
The grants are funded through DELWP’s Victorian Landcare Program and administered by Landcare Australia as part of its national Junior Landcare Grants
program.
Applications close 3pm Tuesday 9 August 2022.
For more information, visit https://juniorlandcare.org.au/

29. Hepburn Energy- Community Retail Offer

Hepburn Energy members and Hepburn Shire locals are invited to register for our community retail offer with Flow Power kicking off in 2022.

MAKE THE SHIFT TO 100% RENEWABLE ENERGY

For more information : https://www.hepburnenergy.coop/energy-expression-of-interest/

30. Food for Thought

30.1 Stories of Resilience from the Northern Rivers – catch up on NENA’s YouTube channel here!

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1. Music at Yandoit Cultural– Ken Buddha Trio performs the Calamity of War

3. Castlemaine Free University- Poet and anarchist Pi O 

When: Monday May 2nd, 7-9pm

Where:  Northern Arts Hotel 359 Barker Street, Castlemaine

What: π.o.- Pi.O

Format: Talk, poetry reading and Q&A

FREE EVENT — And purchase drinks at bar, and publications that Pi.O. brings along to sell.

A short journey through the life and work of epic poet and anarchist Pi.O. whose working life was spent as a draughtsman in the Victorian land titles office. Known as ‘a legendary figure in the Australian poetry scene’, ‘the chronicler of Melbourne and its culture and migrations’, and ‘a pioneer of performance poetry in Australia’ (Giramondo), his Epic trilogy is 24 Hours (1996), Fitzroy: The Biography (2015), and Heide (2019) a 560-page poem comprised of 300 poems) which won the prestigious 2020 Judith Wright Calanthe Award.

Writer Pi.O. is editor of magazines such as Unusual Work, which features creative writing and graphic art, and a publisher, namely Collective Effort Press. Born in Greece, his life has been spent in and around Fitzroy. His prolific work includes Panash (1978), The Fitzroy Poems (1989) and Big Numbers: New and Selected Poems (2008).

For more information about Castlemaine Free University: https://anitranelson.info/cfu

 4. Connecting to this Country- 8 week course  

13. Hepburn Food Hub Plans

34. Limits to Growth- A Conversation- Holgrem and Heinberg

What and Who: Join Daylesford’s permaculture co-originator, David Holmgren, in conversation with Richard Heinberg, Senior Fellow at the Post Carbon Institute.

Presented by:  Transition US.

When: Wednesday May 11th, 9am to 10am, AEST

A free event- Register: www.holmgren.com.au/events

35. Food for Thought

34.1 An interview with Jean Renouf, Founder of Resilient Byron about community operations in disasters.

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