Hi Edna, can you tell us a little about yourself?
I am 98 and 3/4 and if I had a couple of new legs and eyes I’d be right. I get meals on wheels and a fortnightly cleaner, someone comes to help with the gardening and wood, and my tablets are delivered from the chemist. If you need help you only need to ask and it’s there.
I go on a bus tour every Friday called the Friday Explorers which is great. We’ve been to so many different places and they always ask where we want to go. We’ve to Echuca, to a doll museum in Maryborough, up Mt Tarrangower, on the talking tram in Bendigo and we even went 10-pin bowling – you’ve never seen anyone bowl like us! Next Friday we’re going to Rodilesa Nursery at Harcourt and then for lunch at the Cumberland.
What a fantastic group to be involved with! You were born in Chewton – what was it like going to school here?
I started school when I was four and a half which meant I had to do Grade 8 twice because you couldn’t leave until you were 14 years old.
I loved school and was really good at it. I won the Old Boys Merit Certificate in Grade 6 – which was in 1936. We had to sit an exam for the prize and I was awarded a beautiful book called Westward Ho. I didn’t read it though – it was as dry as anything!
What work did you do when you left school?
I went to the tech school. My father had ideas that I’d be a dressmaker but I didn’t like that and left to work at Gilpin’s (a chain store similar to Coles or Woolworths before they became supermarkets). It was the sort of place you worked your way from the bottom to the top to become a manageress. My second manageress role was in Kerang, which was a real eye-opener – it was so flat, with no hill anywhere! I stayed for 12 months. The people there were really lovely. That’s where I meet my husband. He was part of the fire brigade and they put on dances every Friday. By the end of the year, we were engaged.
Afterward, I was sent to a place in NSW for six months. I resigned to come home and get married (you could only work there if you were divorced or widowed so as not to take work away from the single girls).
When we got married we moved to Kerang at first but came back to Chewton where Eric worked as a relieving baker before working for Alf Rasmussen at a bakery in Winters Flat. After developing a cough from the flour and from smoking Eric was told to get a job working outside and he started working for Ernie Mills building houses for the foundry workers. He also worked for the forest commission and then at Tonks Brothers in the wood yard, driving a truck and that’s when we had our second child.
After a while Eric went back to work as baker at Blooms Bakery and in 1964 we had the opportunity to buy the bakery which we called EJ and EM Preece- it was on Barker Street next door to Coles. We were there for 11 years – until 1975. In the meantime, we had another two children (and I took two years off work). We only had one holiday in that time. We went to Adelaide so we were too far away for anyone to call us back! By the end of the 11 years, we were worn out so we sold the business and did some travelling on bus tours visiting Cairns, Perth, and visiting an expo in Brisbane which we really enjoyed.
How did you come to live in this beautiful house?
Eric built this house. It was just a vacant block of land before that. We moved in here in 1954.
Do you have any other hobbies or interests?
I have been either the president, secretary, or treasurer on every committee in Chewton (except sports – I was too busy!) and am now a life member of the Senior Citizens and the Domain Society. And these days I enjoy getting outside and having a wander around, playing solitaire or watching TV
Finally, do you have any advice for the younger generations?
Get out in the open air.
My Chewton: Edna Preece
Harcourt tennis side celebrates
The Harcourt Tennis Club contested the Grand Final in the Marong District Tennis Association last Saturday, March 18 at Marong.
The Harcourt side won the right to play opponents Wilson’s Reef in the First Semi Final played at Harcourt two weeks ago.
In Saturday’s final showdown the Harcourt side pulled out all the stops to score 12 sets and 94 games and defeat Wilson’s Reef 6 sets and 71 games. Harcourt had a trio of three set winners on the day including Simon Gearing, Ellenor Landy and Megan Atkin. Congratulations to the Harcourt side!
Fabulous fun at CDTA tennis grand finals
Castlemaine and District Tennis Association Junior Grand Finals were battled out in spirited competition at the Lawn Tennis Courts last Saturday March 18.
In Junior A Grade Castlemaine Rogue Four, Captained by Arlo Vellacott, took out a well-fought Grand Final 4 matches to 2 over Castlemaine Kelpies, Captained by Max Henderson.
In Junior B Grade Castlemaine Bandits, Captained by Madeleine Lane and backed up by Zeno d’Evie prevailed also 4 matches to 2 over Newstead Kangaroos, Captained by Will Garsed with Xavier and Sophia Britt backing him up.
Junior C was the Grand Final with the most fabulous fun. A special six player against six player format was adopted to give all regular players a game. The last match lead to much excitement with all players from both teams, and many parents and supporters, cheering loudly at every point. The match was a close as can be. Castlemaine Stars, Captained by Lucina Kaptein Gringel, won the narrowest of victories over Maldon Masters, Captained by Wilbur Carr and Elsa Curran. The result was 5 matches 13 sets to 4 matches 12 sets.
The President of CDTA, Leigh Campbell and the Senior Vice President, Margaret Grant presented Premiers and Runners-Up medallions to all participants, and some brand new shields which Margaret had arranged.
All parents and supporters loudly clapped, being very happy at the conclusion of a top level fun season of CDTA Junior Tennis.
Drawn and mixed pairs champs decided at Harcourt
Harcourt Bowling Club Men’s and Ladies’ Champion Pairs and 100-Up competitions are all still in play with the final outcomes to be completed within the next couple of weeks.
Jackpot bowls social games have been moved to Wednesday afternoons commencing at 1pm. All bowlers welcome and the club ask that you have your names in at the club before 12.30pm to allow time for the draw and commence at 1pm.
The Sponsors Night which was scheduled for last Tuesday was postponed because of the forecast rain and thunderstorm.
Gough Drawn Pairs
The Men’s (Gough) Drawn Pairs were played on Wednesday March 15.
It was another perfect evening for bowling. Teams were drawn to play three games of eight ends with the evening finishing with a meal prepared and served by the lady members. The overall winners on the night were John Grant and Barry Marsh.
Grant Mixed Three Bowl Pairs
A full field of 18 teams competed in the Annual Grant Mixed Pairs last Saturday, March 18. The gusty wind and the heat provided a challenge for the bowlers who all competed in great spirit; playing three games of eight ends with three bowls amid much laughter and showed some surprising competition. This day is proudly supported by the Grant family in memory of Charlie and Freda Grant, founding members and long time bowlers at the Harcourt Bowling Club. The winning team was Phil Clarke and Judy Ewing, with Diane and Barry Marsh finishing second.
GALLERY: Castlemaine Idyll 2023
Music lovers of all ages once again gathered at the Lot 19 arts precinct last Saturday March 18 for Castlemaine Idyll 2023. Click on the image to view a larger version.
Gallery photos are available to purchase as prints or digital downloads via our photo purchase form.
240323-10 
240323-9 
240323-8 
240323-7 
240324-6 
240323-5 
240323-4 
240323-3 
240323-2 
240323-1
Dive into the moshpit this weekend at the Castlemaine State Festival!
The 2023 Castlemaine State Festival kicks off today with a huge opening night party under the Western Reserve Big Top with Frente!
If you missed out on tickets for the opening don’t despair as there are a myriad of events to enjoy over the 17-day extravaganza including the premiere of Punctum’s Maloya Moshpit. Award-winning Castlemaine live arts organisation Punctum will premiere new work ‘Maloya Moshpit’ as part of Castlemaine State Festival and FRAME: a biennial of dance with four very special shows at The Castlemaine Goods Shed this weekend, March 25 and 26.
Maloya Moshpit bursts with the evolutionary influence of Creole culture arising from Réunion Island in the Indian Ocean.
In a live mash up of dance, music, percussion, and song, Maloya Moshpit invites audiences to a collective act of creolisation where cultural collision blooms in a performance petri dish. Synching Creole performance born of resistance, with House music and dance, street procession and flash gatherings, each night performers and audiences uplift each other and give rise to a new performance form.
Maloya Moshpit combines the supreme performance prowess of Réunion /Australian Maloya expert – Muriel Hillion Toulcanon and Creole musicians and singers, with Punctum’s international renown for bold, live performance in collaboration with some of our region’s top performers, music makers, and electronic maestros.
Punctum’s artistic director Jude Anderson says from once covert struggles to public revelry and joy, Maloya Moshpit is a cultural quaking, mixing, and morphing that celebrates collective connection and shift.
“It offers a glimpse of who we might become and how we might arrive there together. Whether observing, hyping, or moving around, for every leap we take in the Maloya Moshpit together, we grow wings as a people,” Anderson said.
Maloya Moshpit has been created with the generous support of collaborating partners Dancehouse, the Community Impact Foundation, Goods Shed Arts FURTHER Residency and Creative Victoria.
The performances will feature this Saturday and Sunday at 2pm and 5pm. Bookings via castlemainefestival.com.au
Castlemaine State Festival exhibitions to be launched at CAM
Castlemaine Art Museum (CAM) invites the community to come along tonight to celebrate the opening of two major exhibitions presented as part of the 2023 Castlemaine State Festival.
Join them for the opening of David Rosetzky’s highly anticipated Air to Atmosphere and For the Love of Song by local printmaker David Frazer tonight, Friday March 24 from 6.30pm.
Air to Atmosphere explores the diversity, trauma, resilience, and pride of the LGBTQIA+ community.
David Rosetzky, in collaboration with members of the community in central Victoria, including &so, Eden Swan, Terence Jaensch and Rhett D’Costa amongst others, has created a major new work, commissioned by CAM which spans across the Stoneman and Benefactor Galleries, including live performance, and a major Terrace Projection every evening at dusk.
Two years in development flowing from Rosetzky’s renowned practice in video and performance, this large collaborative and multi-disciplinary work includes photography, filmmaking, performance, publishing, music, song, choreography by Jo Lloyd and social events created with and about local artists and community members. Community members can catch an artist talk with Rosetzky next Saturday April 1 from 12 noon.
David Frazer’s For the Love of Song is a passionate and unique collaboration between the renowned printmaker and local artist and some of the most iconic Australian and International songwriters of a generation: Paul Kelly (Aus); Don Walker (Aus); Nick Cave (Aus/UK); Nick Lowe (UK) and Tom Waits (USA). Two great artforms entwine – image-making and song writing – together they reach into our hearts in profound ways. Frazer’s most recent collaboration with Tom Waits is a world premiere.
Frazer told the Mail he always wanted to be a songwriter and this was the next best thing.
“I am using this old fashioned medium to illustrate the text and bring the lyrics of the songs to life. I find each song is packed with imagery,” he said.
“There is 10 years worth of images and books here. I started out with Paul Kelly back in 2014, then Cold Chisel’s Don Walker and the iconic ‘Flame Trees’ and ‘Pool’ one of his solo projects and then continued to explore the theme of ‘heartbreak’ with the work of Nick Cave and Nick Lowe.
“My latest works have seen me come back full circle to where it all began – Tom Waits. My former school teacher took my best mate and I to see Tom Waits in concert at the Dallas Brooks Centre back in 1981. This work is unusual as unlike the others it celebrates love and in particular the love story of Tom Waits and his wife Kathleen Brennan and my former teacher and his wife,” David said.
“I was really thrilled to be able to make contact with Tom and Kathleen to share the latest project and they told me they both love handmade made books made using wood cut and type. It was destiny!” he said.
Be sure to catch For the Love of Song in CAM’s Sinclair Gallery.
Casey Rice will be performing a live DJ set at tonight’s opening on the CAM terrace in Lyttleton Street from 6.30pm.
Drinks will be provided thanks to local winemaking co-operative Boomtown Wine alongside bar and brewery Love Shack Brewing Company. Light refreshments provided by Murnong Mammas.
To reserve your free ticket to tonight’s event visit Eventbrite.
Fringe festivities continue this weekend
The Castlemaine Fringe Festival was officially opened with a huge opening party in Mechanics Lane last Friday evening.
The fun and frivolity continues this weekend with a massive theatre program, family friendly gigs including the Monster Mash Day Party in Victory Park tomorrow Saturday March 25 from 3-7pm, free events such as the Reactivate Street Party tomorrow night from 7pm which will feature more than 100 performers and projections and will be staged over four venues in the town centre, the Art Window Trail, 30th anniversary exhibition at the Phee, exhibitions, performances and much more. Visit www.castlemainefringe.org.au. Photo: Craig Gaston.
Building a better future after prison
Minister for Corrections Enver Erdogan visited Loddon-Middleton Prison in Castlemaine on Monday to meet Corrections staff and prisoners who are part of the Vocational Education and Training (VET) Centre of Excellence program that provides prisoners with the opportunity to obtain civil construction licenses and tickets.
Former prisoners have turned their lives around by using the program to find employment and pre-apprenticeship pathways and land a job in the construction sector, a well as warehousing and traffic control.
Minister Erdogan said 32 prisoners were part of the initial pilot, including 18 from the Castlemaine facility. Such was the success of the initial pilot the program has now been rolled out to prisons across the state.
The state government has allocated $37 million in its 2022/2023 budget to support the program over the next three years to ensure prisoners have access to quality VET education programs that reduce the barriers to aid employment upon release.
The program delivered by Corrections Victoria in conjunction with Bendigo Kangan Institute and major employers provides prisoners intensive training over 12-15 weeks and focuses on practical skills such as operating forklifts, skid steers, excavators and elevating work platforms.
Twenty-eight-year-old Sarah completed the VET Centre of Excellence (COE) at Dame Phyllis Frost Centre in July 2022 and told the Mail she highly recommends the program to other women in prison, so that they can also feel empowered to succeed.
“I was one of the first four women to sign up for the pilot back in March 2022 and I found the training was really comprehensive. They didn’t just hand us a white card at the end of the course, we learnt a wide range of skills such as forklift driving, skid steer (bobcat), excavation skills, Stop/Slow traffic management and the mathematics behind different aspects of civil construction. We had to reach certain hours of training on the various machinery to complete our course,” she said.
Sarah received tickets and licences in traffic management, skid steer, excavator and gained many more skills related to work in the civil construction sector.
During her COE studies, Sarah was engaged with the Women’s Employment Specialist (WES) service at DPFC, who provided pre and post-release employment support.
Following her release in August 2022, the WES introduced Sarah to SHEForce, a recruitment company giving women ex-offenders a second chance and was employed on a casual basis.
Sarah’s skills soon impressed her new employer and within a short period of time and with much support she is now employed full time on a large construction site.
Sarah said that she is extremely grateful for the skills she learnt in the VET Centre of Excellence, the support she received from the Women’s Employment Specialists and the second chance from SHEForce.
“I am now working on a big construction project. I earn good money and I have a good life. I am sober and clean and making the most of this second chance,” Sarah said.
She definitely recommends the program to other women in custody.
“Just have a go. Not everything will be your cup of tea but it never hurts to learn new skills. I was really pleased to have skills and a clear plan to put in motion on my release,” she said.
A plan for the future
Mount Alexander Shire played host to a ‘Regional Zero Emissions Forum’ at the Castlemaine Town Hall last Thursday March 16.
The event was held by the Central Victorian Greenhouse Alliance, Greater Bendigo Climate Collaboration and the City of Greater Bendigo.
The free event explored local opportunities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the region, and heard addresses from a raft of key speakers include Annika Kearton from the Central Victorian Greenhouse Alliance and Richard Denniss from the Australia Institute, as well as Mount Alexander Shire resident Bill Grant from Federation University. Others included representatives from Renew, Clean Energy Council, SEA Electric, and Cassinia Environmental.
Central Victorian Greenhouse Alliance Executive Officer Annika Kearton told the Mail they had a wonderful response to the forum with more than 140 people in attendance at the day long event which featured more than 12 speakers on a range of topics, panel discussions and a brainstorming session.
Ms Kearton said it was a terrific opportunity to learn about the work already taking place across the 13 councils covered by the alliance spanning across the Loddon, Campaspe, Mallee and Grampians regions and also to discuss areas of need and plans to take further action moving forward.
“We know we are in the last decade where we can make a real difference. A lot of the discussion focused on energy equity and making sure everyone, including low income earners and renters are in a position to make changes to their homes to reduce their emissions,” Ms Kearton said.
The three main areas of discussion were energy, transport, and agriculture.
“The discussion around transport was particularly exciting. Transport is responsible for 18 per cent of our emissions. While many people are moving to electric cars the modelling is telling us this will not be enough. We need to look at improving public transport and active transport in our regions so people can be confident to leave their cars at home. Many felt the Commonwealth Games would provide a great opportunity to harness the need for improvements in public transport infrastructure in regional Victoria,” she said.
Ms Kearton said it was fantastic to hear from local student and School Strike for Climate campaigner Arlo Foyn-Hill who urged forum attendees to bring emissions down as much as possible as soon as possible for his and future generations’ sake, and DJAARA project manager Oli Moraes who offered a First Nations perspective on the issue.
“It’s important that all voices are heard as part of this discussion including our young people and First Nations people who have such a wealth of knowledge to offer about managing our environment,” she said.
“At the end of the day we want to scale up projects that are working and make our climate response bigger, faster and fairer,” Ms Kearton said.
City of Greater Bendigo Manager Climate Change and Environment Michelle Wyatt said the forum was really all about sharing information and making sure everyone was on the same page moving forward.
“Our panellists raised a lot of issues and options and we workshopped these to get our priorities down on paper and look at the key things we want to achieve are moving forward,” Ms Wyatt said.
“It is about looking at what is working – such as one really amazing local retrofiting project – and looking how we can expand that right across the entire region. It is also important that we work together and that all levels of government – local, state and federal are also working together on this,” she said.
Ms Wyatt said a report will be prepared following the event and will help inform Regional Development Victoria, which funded the event, about the outcomes and help organisations to implement and advocate for priority projects moving forward.
At this week’s council meeting Mayor Rosie Annear spoke of attending the forum and the large number of people passionate about tackling climate change and reducing emissions that attended.
“I learnt an awful lot in the time I was there,” said Mayor Annear.
“Probably one of the most striking things was when one of the young school strikers spoke and pretty much blew the crowd away. Just their energy and their drive and passion is incredible and we’re very lucky to have the young people that we do, especially in our community, leading the way on this.”
Join Adventure Bingo!
Adventure Bingo, which initially launched in 2020 in the townships of Castlemaine, Maryborough, Bendigo, Wedderburn, and Kyneton, has now launched in the towns of Maldon, Dunolly, Romsey, Boort, and Gunbower.
Adventure Bingo, an initiative of Healthy Loddon Campaspe is a fun way to get physically active in towns across the Loddon Campaspe Region. Using a map participants are able to spot points of interest during their walk and once they’ve spotted three items in a line, they’ve got Bingo.
Last Wednesday the latest round of Adventure Bingo kicked off at the Maldon Botanic Gardens with members from the Young at Heart Playgroup.
Maldon mum Elisha said she attends three different playgroups each week and she is looking forward to walking the new adventure bingo trail in Maldon, and previous trails in Castlemaine, and Harcourt.
“It’s good to get out and about and just get out of the house, doing something that’s great for the kids,” Elisha said.
Brenda, who has facilitated the ‘Young at Heart Playgroup’ in Maldon for the past 18 months, has been attending playgroups with her children for the past 10 years said it’s a great way to meet other families.
“The kids can interact with each other and it’s great to be able to compare notes with other parents,” Brenda said.
Healthy Loddon Campaspe is also giving residents the chance to win one of 50 $20 sports store gift cards via a series of prize draws. Entries are open from Monday March 20 until Friday May 5, with five weekly draws starting from Tuesday April 11. Residents simply need to complete Adventure Bingo online to go into the draw.
Healthy Loddon Campaspe Coordinator, Alicia O’Brien said Adventure Bingo encourages physical activity, especially for children and families, in our local region in a fun and simple way.
“It also provides residents and visitors alike with a free, self-guided opportunity to explore walks in our region at any time that suits them,” Ms O’Brien said.
“The 2022 Australian Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Young People indicated that whilst most children and young people in Australia have access to public open spaces such as parks and playgrounds, just one quarter are meeting the national physical activity guidelines for their age. We hope that encouraging people to participate in Adventure Bingo, it will provide a fun, free reason for children and families to be more physically active.
“Walking is also the most popular form of physical activity in our region, according to statistics from the Active Living Census, and Adventure Bingo plays on this popularity by providing residents with a fun activity to participate in when out on a walk.
“You can get involved both during the prize afterward when you can challenge friends and family to see who can get Bingo first.”
The Mount Alexander Shire Adventure Bingo walk is located in Maldon. Hard copy maps and Bingo cards are available for free at Maldon Visitor Information Centre or Castlemaine Visitor Centre or residents can participate online.
Vinnies needs you!
Vinnie’s Shop Castlemaine is looking for volunteers to join their wonderful team, sorting and selling a range of goods to help provide crucial material and financial support to the people in our community who need it most.
According to the Vinnies Shop Castlemaine manager Kim Perry the store lost a number of volunteers during the height of the pandemic, leaving them shorthanded.
“It doesn’t take over your life, people work at their own pace and to their capacity,” Kim said.
“Some people work a few hours a week and others work every day. We work around people’s lives, holidays, and time with grandkids. Volunteers provide a real support network for each other with lots of banter. I call it my Vinnies family.”
According to Kim people volunteer for many different reasons including giving back to the community, for social interaction, or to bring structure and meaning into people’s lives.
The need for assistance from the Vinnies Support Centre in Castlemaine has increased significantly in recent years with the rising cost of living and the shop proceeds from the shop provide essential funding to assist with bills, food, rent, and pet care.
“We get a lot of donations that all need to be processed,” Kim said. “But if we don’t have enough volunteers then we are forced to close down donations.”
At present the op shop has 22 volunteers working various shifts, but they require at least another 10 volunteers to process donations and work front-of-house, to help take the pressure off. They also require volunteers trained to ‘test and tag’ electrical items as part of the ‘Green Sparks’ program which launched last year and is designed to save electrical items from landfill.
“We’d love to have anyone over the age of 15 come and volunteer. It can be a great way for school kids to learn job skills in a retail setting,” Kim said.
“There’s great support with training resources and a buddy system to assist with learning,” Kim told the Mail.
“My volunteers are a good tribe. I’m really blessed.”
Vinnies Castlemaine is open seven days a week 10am to 4pm and is located at 244 Barker Street.
For those interested in volunteering at Vinnies Castlemaine, drop into the shop for a chat during business hours and/or submit your interest via Vinnie’s volunteer website at vinniesvic.carrd.co/.