Castlemaine First Nations arts advocate and broadcaster Pete Dawson and friends are rallying together to organise a ‘Share The Love’ bushfire benefit fair on Saturday February 14.
Global Village Learning have made their soon to be new campus at the Old Castlemaine Gaol available to host the event, and the fair organising team met there Tuesday to hit the ground running on planning for the event.
Pete told the Mail the benefit was kick-started by his desire to help friends impacted by the January 9 fire event.
“On the afternoon of Firey Friday, a fire began at Ravenswood South and quickly converged on the neighbouring apple-growing town of Harcourt at the foot of Leanganook-Alexander Mount.
“Knowing my mate Julie McHale lived on Coolstore Road at Harcourt I was most concerned! Seeing a post from Julie on social media that she, her husband, sister Wendy Oates and her old friend and housemate Barry Murphy had evacuated to Bendigo, I initially felt relieved,” Pete said.
However, in the aftermath of the fire that had raced along Coolstore Road, Julie and Wendy, returned to find their late mother’s home, in which Wendy and Barry lived, was razed to the ground. Julie’s neighbouring home was singed but all okay.
“Sadly, Wendy’s house was completely destroyed. She didn’t have it insured. She has nothing,” Pete said.
“I felt galvanised into organising a benefit concert to raise, not only funds for Wendy and mate Barry Murphy, but also to raise the spirits of the community. It soon became a monster with dozens of singers and bands offering to play,” he said.
“Then artists, craft makers, caterers, market stall holders, children’s activities leaders offered goods and services. So it was decided to create a family fair, starting at midday and going until late.”
However, Wendy, or ‘Oatsie’ as she is affectionately known to her students at Winter’s Flat Primary School, and First Nations activist, Julie have requested that the benefit fair should be “for all Harcourt district not just us.”
Harcourt musician, Loz Lawrey has put his hand up to coordinate the concert aspect.
“Like others in my situation I’m experiencing a degree of ‘survivor’s guilt’ and I want to do what I can to help. I believe that Harcourt’s community spirit will prevail and we will ‘rise from the ashes’,” he said.
Pete agrees, “this is a ‘benefit’ not just to raise money, but also wrap our love and support around those affected,” he said.
Global Village Learning Chief Learning Architect, Pip Cleaves and the Campus Lead, Reuben Cahill opened the Old Gaol on January 9 as a safe haven for local people and their pets. Many took advantage of the invitation, gathering outside the building to watch Leanganook-Mount Alexander go up in flames. They wanted to help with the benefit and healing moving forward.
Others who have come onboard include Ben Laycock of CASPA who will coordinate the art display and auction; and Anwyn Stekahofs and Fiona Brand are getting the marketplace together with stalls and food vans.
With support from community radio MainFM, Castlemaine Mail, Mount Alexander Shire Council and the generosity of Global Village Learning, the Harcourt Bushfire Benefit Fair is set for Valentine’s Day on Saturday February 14 and will run from midday until late.
There will be a mammoth music component featuring dozens of local musicians across three stages including Kavisha Mazzell OAM, Trudy Fatnowna, Loz Lawrey, and Jan ‘Yarn’ Wositzky just to name a few.
There will also be children’s activities, a Jirrahlinga Wildlife display, a market, food vans, an art auction, sound healing and more. Stay tuned for more details shortly.

Were you impacted by the fire at Ravenswood, Walmer, Harcourt, Sutton Grange, Faraday and surrounds?
Did you lose important identity documents?
Good news, representatives from the Department of Justice and Community Safety were at the Bushfire Recovery Hub at the Castlemaine Town Hall today, and will be visiting the Harcourt Progress Association Fire Relief Centre at the Harcourt Leisure Centre tomorrow, Friday January 23 between 11am-3pm.
They are offering on the ground support to help step community members through the Birth Certificate re application process.
Pop in and speak to the friendly team from the Department of Justice and Community Safety and let them assist you to take the hard work out of reclaiming your identity and beginning the path to applying for support to move forward. Best of all, these services are being offered free of charge.