The Castlemaine Theatre Royal is set to host the launch of the all new ‘Castlemainaoke – Deluxe Karaoke’ – Castlemaine’s new hosted karaoke hire business tonight, January 20.
The new offering has been created by local music lover Matthew Colin.
Matthew said he grew up surrounded by music and learned to play instruments from a young age. He later started a band. Alongside his adventures as a musician, Matthew developed a love for the technical side of things which lead to a parallel career as an audio engineer.
After moving to Castlemaine he has established a humble recording studio which is gaining traction and and now is excited to launch his new venture which aims to bring the love of music to you and your event with a full PA system, lights, smoke machine, and an evening of unforgettable karaoke for your special event.
Tonight’s launch is ‘entry by donation’ to raise funds for the local indigenous organisation Nalderun – Pay The Rent.
Matthew said the karaoke seed was planted several years ago on a trip back home to his family up in Brisbane.
“One evening on a whim I threw a bunch of gear together and hosted a little party in my parents living room, the first time most of my siblings and my parents had tried karaoke,” he said.
“It was a particularly hard time for my family then, my Dad and my oldest brother were both in chemotherapy for different cancer battles, and I guess I felt I needed to bring a little relief from the challenges we were all facing,” he said.
“It was a moving and beautiful evening of togetherness for us. Dad, a huge fan of classic musical theatre, brought us all to tears with a rendition of “I Dreamed a Dream” from Les Miserables. I think it was then that I realised giving people the opportunity to release themselves in a song, be that at a private party, or in front of strangers in a bar, it could be more than just entertainment, it was therapy,” the muso said.
“The karaoke evolved while working at the Bridge Hotel in Castlemaine, where a few staff parties seemed to always wind up in a long night of singing the hits. This led to me starting up a regular night there and Castlemainaoke was born, although it was somewhat short lived as the pandemic did what it does, and shut the whole thing down.”
In the wake of covid Matthew decided to adapt the offering into a hire business and it is fast gaining popularity.
Matthew said you always get people at the beginning of the night really apprehensive about giving it a go.
“My philosophy is that karaoke is not about being a good singer, it’s about getting up and giving it everything you’ve got. I always want to foster a spirit of inclusivity and support, and when I host I’m right there on the side of the stage singing backup vocals, ready to help out if the performer needs me.
“Among a group of friends there’s so much love in the room that no matter what song you decide to do, be it smash hits like Whitney Houston’s ‘I Wanna Dance With Somebody’, or the more cringe worthy ‘Pretty Fly For a White Guy’ from The Offspring, it’s an experience that brings so much joy and happiness, it’s kinda difficult for me to feel like it’s actually work!” Matthew laughs.
Doors open at 7.30pm.
Castlemainaoke set for launch!
Newstead set to go Live!
The four day Newstead Live festival gets underway today January 20 and will run through until Monday, January 23.
The event will see more than 30 acts, workshops and events staged across a wide array of venues including the ever-popular Troubadour Tent at the Newstead Recreation Reserve, Newstead Community Centre, the Anglican Church, Shedshaker Stage and Bar in the Newstead Park, Blackboard Sets at Dig Cafe coordinated by Danny de Silva, the Enviro Shop, an instrument makers exhibition at Newstead Arts Hub at the former Newstead Railway Station, children’s entertainment at Newstead Pre-School (‘Lilliput’), and of course the ‘Live and Local’ outdoor stage outside the pool in Panmure Street which is blocked off for the weekend and will feature a host of free entertainment covering an eclectic mix of genres and styles.
There will also be a ‘Pool Party’ at the Newstead Pool on Sunday January 22.
Among the acts to feature at this year’s festival are 2020 Troubadour Foundation Award winners We Mavericks and Western Australian poet Kate Wilson and riotously funny Melbourne duo the Tuck Shop Ladies.
The triceps ain’t what they used to be but for the Tuck Shop Ladies, the funny bone has only gotten sharper. Folk music darlings Sam Lohs and Rosie Burgess strap on a pair of ukuleles and pull back the curtain to share an intimate selection of often ridiculous, but always harmonious songs.
Other artists will include Australian Irish songwriter Enda Kenny, soulful guitarist Kerryn Fields, acclaimed singer-songwriter-storyteller Michael Waugh, Scotland-born, Melbourne-based contemporary folk artist Rich Davies and the Low Road and just to name a few.
For festival tickets visit newsteadlive.com
My Castlemaine: Graeme Barry
Hi Graeme, you’re a long term resident of Castlemaine, how long have you lived in the area?
My whole life. My parents and grandparents lived here too. My mother’s parents were orchardists at Harcourt and my father’s side worked at the pattern shop at the Foundry.
We built this house (located near the old Castlemaine Gaol) 58 years ago after borrowing three and a half thousand pounds from the bank. Some people said, ‘why would you build across from a jail?’ And I said, ‘if they’re going to get out they won’t be sticking around’.
Before we had air-conditioning we used to sit out on the porch in summer and we’d watch as people would drive up, wearing long coats, pulling out packages, and putting them under the vegetables in the prison yard. Then half an hour later we’d see a prisoner come out and collect it.
That’s incredible! You’ve had a long career at the Foundry, can you tell us about that?
I began studying mechanical engineering at the senior tech, but halfway through the course, there was a vacancy at the Foundry. I worked there for 44 years. I loved it. I worked on steam engines, snowy mountain components, and in later years train components.
If someone had told me when I started working there in 1959 that I would be working in front of a computer, rather than hand drawing, I wouldn’t have believed them.
You’ve been married to your lovely wife Lois for 58 years, how did you meet?
Lois grew up in Campbells Creek and lived there for 21 years before moving to Castlemaine. She was working at the Woollen Mill and her parents lived across the road. I saw her arriving home from work one day and asked her out.
We were married in 1965 at the Campbells Creek Methodist Church (where Olivet is now).
We have two children (a son and daughter) and four grandchildren who all live here.
I notice from your photos you’ve both done a lot of travel. Where have you been?
We have been to seven continents and 66 countries. We’ve travelled to Antarctica, India, Russia, Germany, Norway, Brunei, Japan, and South Korea.
Our first trip (other than Australia) was to New Zealand in 1976 while I was on long service leave. We asked everyone’s advice about doing a bus tour or hiring a car and driving. We went against everyone’s advice and drove. I’ve driven in America and Europe too. I found it easier to drive in America than in Australia. People are more courteous, they let you merge or switch lanes.
We went to Harbin in China for the Ice Festival. We walked around the park and there were ice sculptures of the Colosseum, Parthenon, the Great Wall, and a variety of castles, all with coloured lights inside. It was minus 32 degrees. We’d packed warm clothing but friends of ours came from Queensland with only plastic clothes coverings. All you could hear was this crinkle, crinkle as their coverings disintegrated in the cold. The tour guide had to take them to buy clothes.
Graeme, you’ve been an active member of the community for many years, what sort of activities have you been involved in?
I’m a life member of the Pioneers and Old Residents Association and was the president for 16 years.
I was also involved in the Castlemaine Cricket Association for 50 years, playing and then umpiring, as well as being the secretary/treasurer for 30 years. In 2000 I was awarded a sports medal for my involvement in cricket.
What an amazing achievement! Are you reading anything at the moment?
I’m reading A History of Castlemaine-Maryborough Railway.
What genre of music do you both enjoy listening to?
Classical. Andre Rieu.
Is there a philosophy you live life by?
Take things as they come. Don’t get upset about anything. Live life by your own standards.
Finally Graeme what do you both love most about the place you call home?
We’re happy to live here because we have everything we want and Bendigo is only 30 minutes, Ballarat 60 minutes, and Melbourne 90 minutes away.
Plus all our friends live here and we regularly have morning tea and dinners.
Local business owner goes viral
Castlemaine’s Blue Sea Fish Shop owner Chris Dimopoulos went viral on social media platform TikTok last week when he shared a video slamming McDonald’s for stealing all the potatoes, leaving none for every ‘mum and dad’ shop in Australia. The video had over 300,000 views in less than 24 hours, making Chris an instant celebrity.
“I didn’t expect it to get so big,” Chris told the Mail.
The TikTok shows Chris, who took over the family business in 2019, doing some quick sums to calculate McDonald’s rate of potato cake sales.
“If you’ve got 990 odd Macca’s stores in Australia with 1.7 million customers a day and if you’re selling one potato cake to every 10 customers that’s 170,000 potato cakes you’re selling every single day,” Chris stated.
“Every fish shop I know around here is struggling to get chips, potatoes, and potato cakes.
“Bloody hell we’ve just gone through dim sims, cabbage, every other shortage, lettuce shortage, and now we’re going to run into a chip shortage. And Macca’s is bringing out potato cakes and stealing all the bloody potato cakes, stealing all the potatoes – the same potatoes we use for chips.”
The video had surpassed one million views and received well over 70,000 likes over the course of the week, with an enormous number of comments in support of small businesses, with many commentators stating that fish and chip shop potato cakes are far superior.
The Dimopoulos family first purchased the local store back in 1986. Aside from a decade-long absence the family has been providing fish n chips to the local community for 27 years and has become a household name thanks in part to their handmade potato cakes.
“We make 400-600 potato cakes ourselves every morning,” Chris said.
So what’s behind this latest food shortage? It appears the recent cold weather and subsequent frosts are causing potatoes to produce extra sugar impacting growth. An increase in production costs is also hiking the prices of the much sought-after vegetable.
Victoria has been one of the hardest hit by the latest supply crisis, with other states not far behind. Unfortunately, due to a hot summer in Europe, importing the starchy vegetable appears to be untenable, so it might be worth switching to the good old sweet potato chip for the time being.
Snake sightings on the rise
Local residents are being urged to be wary after a spike in local snake reports in the Castlemaine region following the 2022 floods and recent rain events.
Campbells Creek resident Naomi Jones told the Mail she had spotted three snakes in the local area in the weeks after floodwaters from Campbells Creek inundated the township.
“We had one just behind our property which backs onto Campbells Creek, we came across another along the Campbells Creek Walking/Cycling Trail and I also saw another one sunning itself on top of a grave at the local cemetery,” Naomi said.
“Many people use the walking/cycling trail, some with dogs off leads and I’m concerned it will only be a matter of time before a dog is bitten,” Naomi said.
On Tuesday last week a local resident reported on social media site Castlemania that she almost stood on a small brown snake in the gutter outside Maxi IGA in Hargraves Street.
“It was heading across to the laundromat and got scared by a passing car so headed back towards me,” she said.
Harcourt Pool was also closed earlier this month when a snake was reportedly discovered in the pool.
Castlemaine based snake catcher Adam Leslie said he hasn’t seen a dramatic increase in numbers this summer but with the wet weather snakes will move to higher ground.
“I average around 50-60 snake catches a year. Many of the snakes I pick up in town have come up storm drains out of Forest and Barkers Creeks,” he said.
Adam’s advice to community members is to make sure they keep their lawns mowed and tidy up any piles of materials etc where snakes can hide.
“Brown snakes in particular are very good at living around humans as they like to feed on mice. They will get to know your movements and your dogs movements and they will usually keep out of sight when you are around,” he said.
“The Eastern Brown Snake is the second most deadly snake in the world but they rarely bite and when they do its rare for them to inject venom. Up to 1000 people die each year in accidents falling from ladders, only one or two from snake bite. Be sensible, clean up your property. Snakes don’t like change, they will move on. If not call a professional snake catcher and they can relocate them safely (for a fee),” he said.
A Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA) spokesperson said many snakes have been displaced during the floods.
“This means snakes may be looking for shelter and food in flood-affected areas where you might not normally see them, like homes, sheds, or in floodwater swimming to higher ground.
If you live in a flood-affected area, stay alert to your surroundings,” the spokesperson said.
DEECA Senior Wildlife Projects Officer Leila Brook said sunny weather also means it’s more likely people will encounter a snake.
“It’s not uncommon to find snakes warming themselves on a rock, path, or in a clearing during early spring, particularly on a sunnier day, so it’s important we’re mindful that they can be out and about earlier than normally expected,” Ms Brook said.
“Snakes are generally shy and prefer to keep away from people. Often when a snake is found in a backyard it’s because it’s moving through the area to another habitat.
“In most encounters with humans, a snake will seek the fastest escape route and take off.
“However, if cornered and feeling threatened, a snake may defend itself”.
Snake species found in the Loddon Mallee region include the Eastern Brown Snake (Pseudonaja textilis), the Red-bellied Black Snake (Pseudechis porphyriacus), and the Tiger Snake (Notechis scutatus).
“These three species are venomous, but it is rare for them to bite people. Most snake bites occur when people try to capture or kill a snake.
“Being aware that snakes may be around and being informed about how to react to them is important at this time of year,” Ms Brook said.
If you live in an area with snakes, please remember:
• When left alone, snakes present little or no danger to people.
• Wear long pants and footwear, and stick to cleared paths and trails.
• If you see a snake, keep calm and move yourself and anyone with you (including pets) away from the area.
• Don’t attempt to capture or harm snakes. Instead, call DEECA on 136 186 for further advice or a local snake catcher which can be found listed on the Mount Alexander Shire Council website.
• Maintain lawns and clean up around your house, as snakes are attracted to shelter such as piles of rocks and timber, chook sheds, sheets of metal, and building materials.
• Undertake first aid training and ensure your first aid kit contains several compression bandages. If someone is bitten, call 000 immediately.
Snakes are protected under the Wildlife Act 1975 and it is illegal to capture, harm, or kill them. If you have information about people wilfully destroying protected wildlife, please contact Crime Stoppers Victoria on 1800 333 000.
Collectors paradise awaits at Campbells Creek Collectables Fair
The sixth annual Campbells Creek Collectables Fair returns to the Campbells Creek Community Centre this weekend, January 21-22.
The event is the second under the management of Hey Day Events Australia and organiser Kate Larsen said that everyone is excited for the 2023 fair.
“We are delighted to be able to welcome back some more of our interstate stallholders in 2023 and they tell me they have been stockpiling wares and look forward to bringing their unique finds to the Campbells Creek event,” she said.
“One such stallholder is a fair regular and specialises in interesting and unique clocks. He will be bringing a Railway Clock from the North Western Railway in India and an Irish Tavern clock, twin fusee from Ireland. These are only a sample of the fine wares for sale,” Kate said.
This weekend’s fair will feature more than 100 stalls in the hall and surrounds selling Antiques, Vintage, Collectables and Retro finds.
“There will something special for collectors of all ages from vintage cameras to toys and homewares. It will be a real trip down memory lane,” she said.
The event will run from 8am to 5pm Saturday and 8am to 2pm Sunday.
There are special $15 Early Bird tickets available for the first hour (7am to 8am) on Saturday for the avid collector keen to be first through the door.
“For the first time we will also be offering a $10 Weekend Ticket so visitors can return on the Sunday if they wish,” she said.
Day passes are $8 for Adults (Children Under 16 Free). You can save time and get your ticket via trybooking.com or at the gate.
To find out more about the event visit heydayeventsaustralia.com or check out the Campbells Creek Collectables Facebook or Instagram pages for updates.
Castlemaine graffiti response ramps up
The Castlemaine region was struck with another spate of graffiti vandalism over the holiday period.
Local anti-graffiti campaigner Bill Wiglesworth said that disappointingly offender/s once again targeted the Forest Street railway overpass just two weeks after VicTrack staff had cleaned off the last offensive material.
The Don KR Castlemaine factory building in Walker Street and JJ Leech & Sons Transport yard in Richards Road also fell victim to large amounts of graffiti.
Concerned community members would like to see the problem addressed ahead of the upcoming Castlemaine State Festival to ensure the town is looking its best for the 2023 event.
In fact, some frustrated community members have taken the clean up into their own hands, painting over graffiti at a number of locations.
Despite the latest outbreak there are positive moves afoot in the town to re-establish the local graffiti working group which fell by the wayside during covid and police are also ramping up patrols across the township.
In October Mount Alexander Shire Council issued a letter to local residents and business owners advising them that ‘it is an offence under council’s General Local Law to allow graffiti to remain on property for more than seven days.’ The letter urged recipients to remove any graffiti from their property within 14 days.
Mr Wiglesworth said this action saw a number of local businesses move to clean up existing graffiti to avoid a fine.
“Many property owners feel it’s a further form of punishment. Their business or home has already been the target of vandalism and then they have to foot the bill to clean it up or face a fine. They’d like to see the perpetrators caught and the courts order them to clean up their own mess as recompense and rightly so,” Mr Wiglesworth said.
The anti-graffiti campaigner has recently taken to using the Snap Send Solve app to report new incidents of graffiti direct to the shire.
“The shire is trying harder to quickly remove graffiti on council property, but it’s a much slower process on VicTrack and private property,” he said.
“It is widely accepted that if graffiti is removed quickly and consistently offenders are deterred from returning to those locations,” he said.
Another concerned community member, Peter Watt, took the opportunity to address the council about the issue at Public Question Time at the December 2022 meeting.
“When the Castlemaine Graffiti Working Group last met in February 2021, there was mention by MASC of applying for a grant for “a fully equipped trailer and graffiti cleaning
packs for residents. Almost two years later, the graffiti problem has grown, yet there is no fully equipped trailer, no graffiti cleaning packs for residents, and no functioning Graffiti Working Group, Why? Other councils have introduced active, effective anti-graffiti measures. Why hasn’t MASC done the same?” he queried.
Castlemaine Police have reportedly recently made a submission to Mount Alexander Shire Council regarding a coordinated anti-graffiti plan.
The Rotary Club of Castlemaine has also expressed an interest in lending a hand to clean up graffiti where businesses or residents are struggling to deal with the problem.
Mr Wiglesworth said he is not sure what the answer is to address the ongoing issue.
“Perhaps the council needs to look at providing a creative space or outlet where these people can positively express themselves and explore their art where it doesn’t negatively impact community members and business and detract from our beautiful heritage streetscapes,” he said.
Let’s take a look back at Castlemaine Bell Foundry
Circa 1870s
This sketch of the J.W. Horwood – Castlemaine Bell Foundry which once stood at 6-8 Greenhill Avenue, Castlemaine was supplied to us by our friends at the Castlemaine Historical Society – Exploring Our Past. John William Horwood arrived in Adelaide, South Australia in 1848, coming across to Victoria in 1854. He assisted at the Bendigo Ironworks and the Inglewood Foundry before returning to England to study civil engineering. He returned to Victoria and purchased the Albion Foundry in Castlemaine with his brother, Joel, in 1868. Five years later, he became sole proprietor, also opening a branch in Echuca. In 1879, he tendered for and successfully cast the first large bell in Victoria for the Castlemaine Post Office, at a cost of 79 pds, 15s.
2023
The former foundry site is now home to two private residences. The foundry made a number of bells during its life including one for the Kyneton Fire Brigade – weighing 846lbs, 33 inches in diameter and the note C sharp. J. W. Horwood stated it was most perfect bell yet and he would have liked to have seen it sent to the Indian and Colonial Exhibition in London.
The foundry also forged the Creswick Fire Brigade bell valued at Pds34, Richmond Town Hall bell made in 1879 weighing 2268lbs and the Bundaberg Fire Brigade bell. This large bell was made using an improved method which enabled the bell ringer to ring it from the ground. The foundry were engineers, blacksmiths, boiler makers and millwrights and were manufacturers of agricultural implements and road making equipment, including road rollers. They employed 15-20 persons and value of foundry plant is estimated at Pds 5000. The foundry folded in the 90s.
Men’s and Ladies bowls champs crowned
Castlemaine bowlers are looking forward to resuming pennant after the Christmas break this Saturday January 14 and Midweek on Monday January 16.
During the break Castlemaine has crowned two new Club Champions, Greg Brain and Tricia O’Shea.
finalists Greg Brain and Bernie McConnell had a great game. Bernie took the lead early on and Greg gradually closed the gap and continued on to be the Champion. Congratulations to you both it was a good exhibition of bowling certainly enjoyed by all the spectators.
Tricia O’Shea and Pam Hunter were the finalists for the Ladies Championship played last Friday January 6, once again it was a very good game with Pam and Tricia even for the first half. Tricia eventually came away with the win in the second half with very accurate bowling. A worthy winner of the Ladies Championship.
Both Championships were well supported by club members who all enjoyed watching good bowls. The ladies supplied a lovely lunch after their game where Tricia was presented with the Ruby Wallish Brooch and both ladies with a lovely bouquet of flowers.
Greg and Tricia will now both represent Castlemaine Bowling Club in the Champion of Champions on Sunday January 29 (Venue to be decided).
Club news
In other club news Jack Taylor has won through to the semi final of the Novice Singles in the Bendigo District. Congratulations Jack! He is scheduled to play at Bendigo East on Sunday January 22 10 am start, Final played at 1pm. Castlemaine Bowling Club wish Jack all the best and members will be there to support him.
Pennant teams
Pennant teams for this Saturday, January 14 are as follows:
Division One Castlemaine play South Bendigo at home. J Taylor, Chris Brain, Kevin Shuttleworth, Peter Brain (skip). Lee Bastin, Michael Diprose, Neil Bouch, Greg Brain (s). Taylor Walsh, Klai Jermyn, Dallas Klemke, Rod Phillips (s). Bernie McConnell, Kevin Earl, Paul Darroch, Lachy Darroch (s).
Division 4 Castlemaine play Eaglehawk away. Don Ross, Alan Nichols, Chris Crossley, Mal Stevens (s). Russell Chapman, H Fleury, Bruce Miller, Maureen Fletcher (s). L Carlin, Alicia Beauchamp, Pam Hunter, Steve McCoombe (s). Alene Jolme, Rod Fletcher, Graham Fraser, Rosalie Roberts (s).
Division 5 Castlemaine play Inglewood at home. Sandra Grant, Sandra Phillips, J Smith, N Hufer (s). V Passalaqua, G McClure, Ian Devereaux, David Carlin (s). D Barnett, Peter McKnight, Robyn Fleury, Pam Fraser (s). R Lynas, P Rotteveel, L McClure, T O’Shea (s).
Pennant teams for Midweek Pennant Monday January 16 are as follows:
Division 2 Castlemaine play at Kangaroo Flat. Jack Taylor, Rod Fletcher, Chris Crossley, Maureen Fletcher (skip). Alene Jolme, Alicia Beauchamp, Rosalie Roberts, Pam Hunter (s). Pat Devereaux, Graham Fraser, Tricia O’Shea, Steve McCoombe (s).
Division 3 Castlemaine play Kangaroo Flat at Castlemaine. Sandra Grant, Don Steet, Pam Fraser, Bruce Miller (s). Sandra Phillips, Regina Saville, Angie Hill, Nina Hufer (s). Val Passalaqua, Peter Rotteveel, Alan Nicholls, Kathy Parsons (s).
Newstead Live to return next weekend!
The countdown is on until the highly anticipated return of the Newstead Live Music Festival next weekend, January 20-23.Festival director Kelly Skinner said 2023 will mark their first full festival program line-up since 2020 and they are set to welcome more than 30 acts and around 1200 festival goers to the township over the course of the four day event.
“It’s a small, intimate festival which aims to feature a host of folk music genres and talent from the experienced musos through to the newcomers just starting out and forging their path,” Kelly said.
Among the highlights will be 2020 Troubadour Foundation Award winners We Mavericks and Western Australian poet Kate Wilson.
“We always aim to book the annual Troubadour winners to feature at the next festival but unfortunately covid prevented that so we can’t wait to welcome them in 2023,” Kelly said.
“We held a successful Picnic Day in early 2021 but aside from that covid has prevented us from holding the festival for the last two years. In fact, we had to make the tough decision to cancel the festival just 16 days out last year when the Omicron variant took hold,” Kelly said.
A huge amount of work has taken place to bring the festival back to its full glory in 2023.
“It’s a real community effort and that makes it all the more special. We aim to support and celebrate the musicians but also raise funds to go back into supporting local community groups,” Kelly said.
“Andrew Pattison’s beloved Troubadour Tent will return to the Newstead Recreation Reserve. The Troubadour was a much-loved music venue in Melbourne in the 70s and 80s and when Andrew made the move to the country to take on winemaking he continued the tradition at his Lancefield venue and later the Maldon and National Folk Festivals.
“In 2000, the Chewton Folk Festival was launched, with its centrepiece being The Troubadour. In 2007, the festival moved to Newstead and became Newstead Live.”
Kelly said she was honoured to step into the director role in 2014 when Andrew retired, however he continues on as patron and the Troubadour tradition continues now featuring wine from Andrew’s Burke and Wills Winery.
“For the first time there will be camping options at the oval right near the Troubadour and there will also be camping available at the Racecourse Reserve and this is coordinated by the Newstead Football Netball Club,” Kelly said.
“We will also have a second live music venue operating out of the Newstead Community Centre and shuttle buses running between venues.
“And on the Saturday and Sunday locals and visitors can also find live music and workshops at various other locations including the Anglican Church, Shedshaker Stage and Bar in the Newstead Park, Blackboard Sets at Dig Cafe coordinated by Danny de Silva, the Enviro Shop, an instrument makers exhibition at Newstead Arts Hub at the former Newstead Railway Station, children’s entertainment at Newstead Pre-School (‘Lilliput’), and of course our ‘Live and Local’ outdoor stage outside the pool in Panmure Street which is blocked off for the weekend and will feature a host of free entertainment,” Kelly said.
“This has been led by two former Daylesford students that I have mentored Tino and Marlon and in the past has seen everything from Ska Music to pop feature, moving a little bit away from the traditional folk and acoustic music and offering something for everyone and the chance for locals to hit the stage. The Live and Local offering is free to ensure families can come along and support the musicians and those passing through the town can stop and join in the festivities,” she said.
Of course the festival will also include the popular ‘Pool Party’ at the Newstead Pool on the Sunday featuring three acts with funds raised to support the Newstead Pool Events Committee.
“We we also have a couple of local food vans from Castlemaine and Macedon at the Live and Local stage in Panmure Street, but we try to limit these to ensure that visitors are also supporting our local businesses and the Newstead Men’s Shed will be on hand serving up breakfasts on the Saturday, Sunday and Monday,” Kelly said.
The full program went live on Tuesday. To view the program and secure your weekend, day or camping tickets visit newsteadlive.com
Video: Speed boats zoom around Lake Eppalock
A huge crowd of 1500 spectators turned out to enjoy the annual Eppalock Gold Cup boat race hosted by the Victorian Speed Boat Club (VSBC) last Saturday January 7.
The race meeting is a round of the Australian Power Boat Championship series and the Eppalock Cup itself is a Perpetual Trophy that dates back to 1958.
The prestigious Gold Cup event was taken out by GP1 racer Grant Harrison.
The Norm Day Memorial event was won by Turn It Up driver Conner Patterson.
The Doug Smith Cup was won by Rev Limit driver Ray Lindrea.
VSBC commodore Ray Palmer said they enjoyed some great weather and fantastic racing.
“Boat entries were spread across 13 categories for the one day event,” he said.
“We had about 58 entries including 15 juniors,” Mr Palmer said.
“Other boats ranged from 25 horsepower outboards, 1.6 litre hydroplanes to unlimited hydroplanes and displacements,” he said.
Opinion: Your reaction to Goldfields’ World Heritage bid
Readers have shared their thoughts on the article from last week’s Mail regarding the current World Heritage bid for the Central Victorian Goldfields.
Good questions raised
Philip Ingamells, North Melbourne (former local resident)
Brian Walters raises some good questions about a proposed World Heritage bid for the region’s historic goldfields. While it might be possible to workshop an application to narrowly squeeze into compliance with UNESCO’s criteria for such a bid, it wouldn’t fit the vibe of the key criteria. For culture, that’s something associated with traditions or works of “human creative genius” or “outstanding universal significance”. For the environment, it’s “areas of exceptional natural beauty”.World Heritage bids are very public events on the world stage. In this day and age, do we really want to be seen making such a claim for an event that had catastrophic impact on the natural environment, and a similar impact on the culture of the area’s Traditional Owners. The goldfields were a tumultuous and often lawless event that produced many winners and losers and, yes, some fine neo-classical buildings. But the clear-eyed, unromanticised history of that fascinating period is yet to be written.
Disappointed by criticism
David Murray-Smith, Castlemaine
I was disappointed to read the criticism of the bid for Unesco World Heritage status for the Central Victorian Goldfields, as reported in the Castlemaine Mail on January 6. If we downplay the historic importance of the goldfields – and their contribution to today’s Australia – we might as well as dismiss all post-European settlement of this country (tempting as that might seem to some).
We all applauded the addition of Budj Bim in Western Victoria to the Unesco register in 2019, a belated recognition of a unique part of our Indigenous heritage. But while of a different scale, the remains of the Victorian goldfields are also an extraordinary cultural treasure. For anyone with the slightest interest in the development of our nation, it is impossible to overstate the importance of the 19th century gold rushes. And what is perhaps most remarkable about our local goldfields is the vast extent of what survives. It is easy to lose sight of the value of this legacy when we are, effectively, immersed in it; but wandering through the ‘degraded’ bushland of the ‘dry diggings’ it is simply astonishing how much remains intact from over 150 years ago.
The objections cited in the article – including the tortured distinction between ‘heritage’ and ‘history’ – amount to pseudo-legalistic (dare I suggest ‘woke’?) nitpicking. It is of course indisputable that the gold rushes had devastating impacts on the Indigenous inhabitants and the environment which they nurtured, as emphasised in the article. However, parallel concerns could be raised against virtually every historic monument on the globe, let alone on the World Heritage Register.
That is what history is; virtually never one-sided and usually contested. We preserve our heritage to recognise, to remember, and to reflect on the consequences – negative and positive.
We might as well ‘cancel’ Versailles while we’re at it, we know too well about the horrors of the Ancient Regime. The Opera House and Exhibition Building hardly withstand scrutiny: whitefella desecration of Aboriginal land. The creators of the megaliths on Rapa Nui (Easter Island) destroyed their environment to such an extent that they were forced to abandon the island (or simply died out). Strike them off the list. Aztec and Maya sites are steeped in the blood of the human sacrifices practised by those civilizations. To invoke perhaps the most extreme example possible, from recent history at any rate, even Auschwitz-Birkenau was added to the World Heritage register in 1979.
This is not to suggest equivalence; just to note the complexities than can underly a Unesco listing. I would certainly contend that the goldfields represent a more nuanced story than the Shoah, and that the diggings reveal much more than the “Legacy of Shame” portrayed in your article. Others are free to disagree. The point is that much has survived that bears witness to this savage and tragic but arguably also heroic and to some extent wondrous era – and which allows us to continue the debate “IRL”. It’s important not to gloss over the long-term damage, but that’s only part of the story.
We are blessed to be surrounded by the diggings in the condition they are in; even if we are inclined to take them for granted. Their cultural significance is immeasurable; the lessons they can teach us are vast and they resist simplistic characterisation. Their preservation is urgent and without question globally important. Unesco status will not necessarily change any of that, but it can help focus attention on the resources required to save, maintain and, yes, to interpret this legacy. This will inevitably follow the fashions du jour.
Shameful heritage
Margaret Rasa, Castlemaine
I was somewhat bemused by the campaign by two former Premiers for World Heritage listing for the Central Victorian Goldfields, thinking at first that it was just a desperate case of relevance deprivation syndrome. Then I realised that the bid could be an opportunity that could really benefit the community and the region.
Brian Walters is right when he warns us not to confuse heritage with history. The history of our area has many dark and shameful aspects characterised by greed, depredation and exploitation, racism and romanticism that have left a heritage of damage and shame that continues to this day.
Perhaps the Premiers would be better to shift their focus and campaign alongside the community groups trying to fix the effects of mining on the environment and use their influence to get decent funding for landcare and forest regeneration? Or maybe lead Local Governments in their efforts to improve damaged waterways and mitigate flooding? Or drive the EPA in finding solutions for the still remaining toxic waste across the landscape? Or work with government and community to address the continuing legacy of the White Australia Policy which was born out of the goldfields.
Let’s broaden the conversation
Eliza Tree, Castlemaine
Excellent to see Brian Walters article (Castlemaine Mail, January 6) questioning the virtues and intention of World Heritage Listing for our region, with Gold as the central focus.
As well as the immeasurable damage and destruction of nature, forests, waterways, and soils, it overlooks the many greater features of our communities and region, that are worthy of celebration.
It overlooks and denies the enormous Indigenous cultural richness, as well as natural wonders and natural environment of our region, albeit requiring care and rehabilitation.
If we are to apply for World Heritage listing, let it be focused on important values and a wider story, not just ascribing ‘mining techniques’ and ‘immigration patterns’ as the predominant events and features to highlight to attract visitors, but focus on culture and nature as our tourism and heritage focus.
If we are so proud of our ‘mining past’ why is it that the blackberries, gorse and weeds infest so many of the sites, as they slowly decay into disrepair.
Let’s broaden the conversation and apply for heritage listing that is worthy of recognition, celebrating Culture and nature, for locals and visitors alike.
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Read more comments from Chewton historian Patricia Healy here.