Shedshaker Brewing is hosting a massive weekend of fundraisers for the Harcourt bushfire recovery over the weekend of February 20-22.
Called Harcourt Rising, each event aims to support businesses and residents affected and bring some fun to the community.
Starting on Friday February 20, the Taproom will be showcasing a range of Harcourt wineries who lost stock to the fire. There will also be cocktails made with delicious Maidenii vermouth, as Maidenii also suffered greatly with the loss of the Harcourt Cool Store. The evening will also feature a DJ for that smooth, loungey vibe. This event is free with attendees encouraged to strongly support our local producers by stocking up on great local wines and vermouth!
Saturday February 21 goes to what the Taproom knows and loves – great live music. Headlining a ‘sell-out’ show (tickets sold out a short time after going live Friday) will be Hunters (featuring members of ARIA Hall of Famers Hunters and Collectors) with Paul Dempsey (Something For Kate) on vocals. Also playing are Newstead’s finest electro-pop party band Ok Darling and Castlemaine’s premier surf rock instrumentalists Breaker Breaker.
On Sunday February 22, it’s more live music for a cruisy Sunday afternoon with indie pop/urban country soulsters Duncan Graham and the Way In and alt-Americana folksters Paper Jane. And there is no doubt there will be a special guest or two jumping up on stage as well! There will also be art
auctions, raffles and more. Entry is via donation (with all funds going to the recovery).
Harcourt Rising is also the name of a collaborative beer that many of the Central Victorian breweries have worked on together. Brewed at Holgate with input from Shedshaker, Bendigo Brewers, Cornella Brewing, Rock and Ranges Brewing, Hepburn Springs Brewing, Palling Bros, Lost Watering Hole and Brewer’s Collective, the very smashable and summery pacific ale will be available to buy in cans with proceeds also to go towards the bushfire recovery. The beer will be available at a range of breweries and venues.
Harcourt Rising comes to Castlemaine
Home is where the Harcourt is Tattoo Flash Day
Forest Creek Tattoo is gearing up to hold a ‘Home is where the Harcourt is’ Tattoo Flash Day this Sunday February 8.
The Castlemaine based tattoo studio has hosted a number of Flash Days in the past for causes close to their heart, including Mount Alexander Animal Welfare (MAAW), Hope Assistance Local Tradies (HALT), and the Centre Against Sexual Assault Central Victoria (CASACV) based in Bendigo, and wanted to do something to support the community of Harcourt and surrounds in the wake of the January 9 fire.
Forest Creek Tattoo owner Leonie New said they have been overwhelmed with an outpouring of support for the fundraiser with more than 50 tattoo artists from across Australia offering to donate their time and many more donating vouchers and artwork for the raffle.
“We have a lot more space in our new studio at 62 Mostyn Street, but I have had to turn artists away. Those who cannot physically support the fundraiser have generously donated vouchers and artwork.
“We have had donations from across Australia, New Zealand and I even have items coming from artists in the UK and US,”Leonie said.
Local artists and businesses have also donated items including jewellery, artworks, journals, textiles and even a shiatsu treatment! You can purchase raffle tickets on the day or through the link in the bio on the Forest Creek Tattoo social pages.
The team has also created a ‘Home is Where the Harcourt is’ commemorative t-shirt to raise additional funds and these had almost sold out at the time of going to press!
The Flash Day event will run from 9am through to 9pm Sunday and there are no bookings, the day will operate on a ‘first come, first served’ basis.
“We need you to physically show up, we won’t be taking bookings via phone, Instagram etc,” Leonie said.
There will be two sessions with one group of tattoo artists donating their time and skills from 9am to 3pm, and a second set of artists from 3pm to 9pm.
Check out the Forest Creek Tattoo socials for the artists to feature and arrive before the 9am start time to book an artist for the opening session or before 2pm took book your preferred artist in the afternoon session.
“Once we’ve ‘booked’ your spot then you’ll be given a time to come back, in the meantime you can have a wander, hang out, have some food etc!
“We’ll also have our friend Matt Collins of Castlemainaoke being a human country jukebox throughout the day so it will be a fun time, with 100 per cent of funds raised going to the Harcourt Progress Association Relief Fund,” Leonie said.
Pistol competitors converge
Castlemaine Pistol Club Inc held its annual Goldfields Open competition last weekend, January 30-February 1.
More than 80 shooters competed travelling from as far as Tasmania, South Australia, Yackandandah, Mildura, Echuca, Euroa, Shepparton, Ballarat, Mornington, Melbourne, Geelong and Warrnambool.
Local members also turned out in force to compete.
As the event was only the second major competition for the year, shooters vying for state and Australia team qualifying scores added value to the standard of the competition.
With the event commencing on the Friday evening, many took advantage of our district’s welcoming hospitality for the full weekend.
Club champions decided at Harcourt
The Harcourt Bowling Club Men’s and Ladies Singles Championship Finals were held on Friday January 23.
On Friday afternoon Rod Harris and the reigning Club Champion Mark Swain contested the men’s final.
Rod got off to a good lead at 10 to 1, then Mark found his pace and slowly caught up to be within 3 at 18/15 then, 22/19 and 24/22. The gallery was indeed treated to first class bowling by the pair as each end had special moments.
After just under three hours of 31 ends Rod Harris claimed victory on 25 to Mark Swain 23. Congratulations!
The ladies final followed Friday evening, Diane Marsh and Wendy Chaplin bowled well and gave the gallery a good display of competitive bowling. Diane kept up to Wendy for 18 ends at 17/13, but Wendy slowly drew away from her over the next six ends to win at 27 to 16. Congratulations!
As a side note, Diane had lost her bowls in the fire, and after a thorough search of the house she found her old set of bowls so she could compete in the championship.
Thanks to President Gary Maddern who marked for both of the championship games – a marathon five hours!
The winners Rod Harris and Wendy Chaplin will go on to represent Harcourt in the Divisional Championships in Bendigo. We wish them good bowling and good luck.
Weekend Pennant
The heat disrupted round 12 of Weekend Pennant last Saturday; with the expected hot day the Bowls Division declared that all games in Bendigo District were to start at 9.30am instead of the usual 1pm. Teams were juggled to accommodate for players who were unavailable for the early start.
Division 2 64/1 lost to White Hills. Scores were Brett Jenkinson (skip) 12/22 – Brian Leech, Terry Chisholm, Tim Carr. Steve Douglas (s) 12/28 – Col Foster, Wendy Chaplin, Darrell Normington. Rod Harris (s)19/25 – Barry Marsh, Jude Ewing, Carrol Frost. Gary Maddern (s) 21/21 – Chris McAuliffe, Cheryl Maddern, Mary-Anne Doyle.
Tomorrow, January 31 – Harcourt will host Serpentine.
Division 4 60/2 lost to Calivil 79/16. Les Harding (s) 17/19 – Rod Watson, Libby Harris, Kathy Harding. John Grant (s) 19/21 – Ian McMillan, Fran Corstorphan, Kay Frances. Mike Saward (s) 16/12 – David Jeffries, Jett Podesta, Wendy Walsh. Ken Tribe (s) 8/27 – Diane Marsh, Geoffrey Ace, Gary Selwood.
Tomorrow Harcourt will travel to Bendigo East.
Division 7 49/14 defeated Bendigo 30/0. Russell Maltby (s) 23/18 – Vinka Maltby, Ron Douglas, Sheila Oxley. Pam MacGregor (s) 26/13 – Stephanie Holt, Graeme Hill, Faye Hards.
Tomorrow Harcourt will host White Hills
Midweek Pennant
There was no Midweek Pennant played on Monday. Midweek will resume next Monday on February 2 for Round 13 when Division 2 will travel to Kangaroo Flat, Division 3 will host Heathcote, and Division 6 will travel to Strathfieldsaye.