Even as a child in Northern Ireland Bridget Farmer always loved birds.
When she came to Australia at the age of 27, Bridget says she was “blown away” by the variety of native avian life around her.
Now living in Guildford, Bridget turns her appreciation for her “little winged muses” into unique art pieces.
She’s now one of a number of local designers and artisans whose creations will be part of this month’s Big Design Market Online.
In previous, non-Covid, years Bridget has personally taken her work to the Big Design Market at both Melbourne’s Royal Exhibition Building and also Sydney’s foreshore Barangaroo Reserve.
“The Big Design Market is a real buzz. You get to meet your customers in person,” says Bridget of the last two year’s markets that she attended along with “boxes and boxes” of her creations.
“People tell me their stories of their affinity with birds – so I get to hear the most beautiful stories.”
Due to the Covid pandemic this year’s Big Design Market is shifting online offering pre-Christmas shoppers a chance to peruse the original work of more than 200 designers, over 100 of whom run Victorian based small businesses.
“I concentrate on Australian native birds,” Bridget told the Mail during a visit to her Guildford studio this week.
“Essentially I’m a printmaker mainly focusing on dry point etching.”
Her designs celebrate the native birdlife she sees around the local area and she turns these into items including linen tea towels, bird mobiles and desk sculptures, enamel lapel pins and original etchings.
The hugely diverse range of products on offer in the Big Design Market Online include a swag of new kids’ books by independent publishers including The Very Hungry Bum by Castlemaine based Atlas Jones & Co.
The Big Design Market Online happens over Wednesday November 18 to Sunday November 29 with a website, instagram and Facebook.
Bridget’s birds fly for Big Design Market
Library supports inclusion
During lockdown Castlemaine Library was working behind the scenes to make the local venue more accessible for all community members.
Castlemaine Library manager Jess Saunders said that back in January Mount Alexander Shire Disability Advocacy Group (MASDAG) conducted an audit of the newly refurbished library to identify areas that needed improvement in terms of accessibility.
“MASDAG noted that our our new tables and booth seating prevented those in a wheelchair from utilising the seating areas.
“I approached the Rotary Club of Castlemaine for support to craft two new benchtops to make the new tables wheelchair friendly and they were more than happy to support the project,” Jess said. See the Mail for the full story.
New club joins CDCA
Maiden Gully Marist Cricket Club has joined the Castlemaine District Cricket Association (CDCA) senior competitions this summer and enjoyed their first matches as the season opened last Saturday, October 31.
Maiden Gully Marist Cricket Club president Neil Byers told the Mail it was an historic day for the club playing their first official match on their brand new turf wicket with their A Grade side hosting Newstead.
“We have been playing hard wicket in the Emu Valley Cricket Association for more than 40 years but decided to make the move to turf and join the CDCA,” he said.
Mr Byers said that the competition will provide a great new opportunity and challenge for the club’s A Grade, A Reserve, B Grade and Women’s sides. See the Mail for the full story.
‘Monster’ website launch at Chewton
All roads led to Chewton on Monday for the launch of the Chewton Domain Society’s (CDS) new highly anticipated ‘Monster Meeting’ website.
The special launch event took place outdoors in Chewton’s Ellery Park due to COVID restrictions.
A small but enthusiastic masked crowd were on hand as Bendigo West MP Maree Edwards and Parks Victoria chief ranger Karen Doyle launched the new offering.
CDS president Helen McGeachin welcomed the editor of the new website Pat Healy.
Pat had already been receiving accolades for the work done, a small group having been given viewing permission prior to the launch.
Pat acknowledged the work done by CDS members in actively recording Chewton’s history, and the new website which now focuses on one aspect of that history – the Monster Meeting.
“It tells the long overlooked story of how the transformation of the government, economy and society of the colony of Victoria began at the Diggers’ Monster Meeting at Forest Creek on December 15, 1851,” Ms Healy said. See the Mail for the full story and visit www.monstermeeting.net to check out the exciting new resource.
Purchase a piece of history
Maldon’s former ‘Porcupine Township’ Pioneer Settlement has been listed for sale for the first time in a decade presenting a unique opportunity to purchase a piece of history.
Ed Carthew of Carthew Real Estate Bendigo listed the unique property last Thursday.
News of the impending sale went national on Sunday when the Today Show made a live cross to the property.
The sprawling 15 acre property features two cottages which have been converted into the main residence, seven motel rooms, a separate three bedroom residence which is ideally sited to act as a manager’s residence, a restaurant with kitchen and coolroom, separate laundry to service the accommodation and of course a glimpse into our colonial past – the Porcupine Township.
The township itself features its own pub, ‘Charlotte’s Barn’ – a barn which was actually relocated from the Moolort Plains and was utilised as a dance hall, a blacksmiths, printers shop, general stores, various huts, a doctors surgery, Cobb & Co headquarters and even a bowling alley! Many of the buildings still house the chattels and authentic shop displays that originally featured in the tourist attraction. See the Mail for the full story.
Aboriginal bush tucker farm for Harcourt
An Aboriginal Bush Tucker Farm being established at Harcourt is poised to create new employment opportunities for Indigenous youth and a new attraction for the region.
To be operated by Nalderun Aboriginal Services the bush tucker farm is being established with help from a $200,000 Djakitjuk Djanga grant announced on site yesterday by state agricultural minister Jaclyn Symes.
Meaning ‘Country’s Food’, the Djakitjuk Djanga program provides grants to eligible Aboriginal businesses and organisations to help overcome barriers to commercially producing native plants for use as food and botanicals.
“It’s a program that’s being delivered by the Federation of Victorian Traditional Owner Corporations who have partnered with Agriculture Victoria to be able to provide this grant,” said local Indigenous elder Aunty Julie McHale who is sharing her native food plants expertise with those closely involved with the venture.
The farm is being established on a 2.6 hectare site donated for lease by the Henry family of the area’s Henry of Harcourt cidery business. Read more in today’s Mail and Tuesday’s Midland Express. 06.11.20
New faces: council results declared
Mount Alexander Shire Council will have four fresh faces – alongside three familiar ones – after the results of the council election were formally declared this week.
On Wednesday evening the Victorian Electoral Commission declared the results of the Mount Alexander Shire local government election with three councillors returned and four new councillors now set to join them around the council table for the next four years.
The successful candidates are, for Castlemaine Ward: Rosie Annear, Bill Maltby and Gary McClure; for Loddon Ward: Matthew Driscoll; Tarrengower Ward: Stephen Gardner; Calder Ward: Tony Cordy (unopposed) and Coliban Ward: Christine Henderson (unopposed).
New councillor elect for the keenly contested Castlemaine ward, Rosie Annear received 17.07 per cent of first preference votes with Bill Maltby achieving 18.38 per cent of first preference votes and Gary McClure 15.14 per cent.
Greens candidate Keppel Cassidy missed out but had also fared well with 14.1 per cent of first preference votes flowing to him.
The only Castlemaine ward candidate standing from the previous council, Max Lesser, was unsuccessful, recording 4.99 per cent of first preference votes. Read more in today’s Mail 06.11.20…
When mattresses make art
If only mattresses could talk….
On second thoughts, perhaps it’s best they don’t.
Nevertheless, at Castlemaine’s Northern Arts Hotel mattresses with mysterious pasts have begun making an engaging statement.
Local artist Frank Veldze is a dab hand at using the recycled innerspring metallic cores of pre-loved mattresses to fashion stylish art works.
The pieces he creates have featured in prominent places like Sydney’s Sculpture by the Sea exhibition, chic private gardens on the Prom and the Peninsula, Sydney International Airport, and a public park in Moreland Street, Melbourne where City of Maribyrnong Council recently purchased one of the unique sculptures previously exhibited at Castlemaine’s Lot 19.
Now, new owner of Castlemaine’s Northern Arts Hotel, Maggie Fooke, has commissioned Frank to install some of his sculptural mattress work at the Barker Street front of the local accommodation establishment.
Frank has spent the past few weeks busily installing the work and soon ornamental grape vines will be planted, using the innerspring coils as creative climbing frames. Read more in today’s Mail 06.11.20…
Iron art garden grows…
Newstead’s Roger McKindley has used his time during the Covid lockdowns and restrictions constructively.
He’s constructed numerous new sculptures, adding to the ever-expanding collection at the unique attraction that is Antares Iron Art Garden.
If you’ve visited Antares before, expect a few new additions now as Roger opens Antares to the public throughout this Melbourne Cup long weekend – plus the following weekend as well.
“I’ve made a lot of new metal sculptures,” the iron art garden’s creator says.
“Over the past two years I’ve probably made another 40 new sculptures from the very small to the large.”
Roger handcrafts all of his idiosyncratic pieces using all manner of recycled and metallic materials and objects to cleverly complement Antares’ expansive rural vista.
Antares is entirely off grid and the hardy trees, shrubs and flowering plants that thrive here provide excellent indications of what works in a tough, dry climate subject to occasional killer frosts.
The old schinus molle or peppercorn trees remain gnarled, standout beauties at Antares.
“I’ve got no mains power and I’ve only got tank water so trees are my main thing for shade and colour,” Roger says.
“I’ve created a new entrance to the side paddock and many new metal sculptures are in there.
“It’s ongoing, all the time. I’ll only stop when I’m injured.”
Antares was among the gardens originally intending to open over Melbourne Cup Week as part of the region’s biennial Festival of Gardens.
In the wake of Covid and the resultant cancellation of the wider festival, Antares is now among the handful of gardens that are now opening independently to the public over this long Melbourne Cup weekend – and in some cases throughout the entire Cup week.
Others opening their gates are Lixouri at Barkers Creek, Laceys’ at Newstead, Mica Grange at Sutton Grange, Forest Edge at Muckleford and Mossbank in Castlemaine. Read more in today’s Mail 30.10.20…
Support for Indigenous names in our shire
Lorraine Le Plastrier, Castlemaine
I read Pat Healy’s letter last week (Mail, October 23) commenting on reinstating original Dja Dja Wurrung names of landmarks, creeks and mountains of our area. I have seen examples of this in other shires in their signage and I would love to see this happen in our “Mount Alexander/ Leanganook Shire”.
I think it is significant for the living culture of descendants of this lands first people and of great value to us all learning the significance of these names.
I would love it, if the shire employed Dja Dja Wurrung person/s to work on this project. If you agree with these thoughts… join with me in writing to the shire and councillors suggesting that this happen
Maldon’s Hole-In-One comp returns Sunday
The Maldon Golf Club is set to host its popular annual Hole-In-One competition this Sunday, November 1 and invites community members and keen golfers to get along and try their luck!
The competition is normally a major feature of the Maldon Easter Fair but unfortunately the fair was cancelled this year due to the Coronavirus pandemic.
Thanks to support from the Maldon and District Community Bank the Maldon Golf Club is thrilled to have been able to reschedule it’s popular competition for this Sunday and there will be guaranteed prize money of $1000 to the Hole-In-One winner! See the Mail for all the details.
Cricket is back!
The Castlemaine District Cricket Association (CDCA) 2020/2021 season gets underway tomorrow, Saturday October 31 with A Grade and A Reserve sides to take to local fields.
C Grade (Under 16) also return this Saturday for day one of two day contests.
B Grade cricketers return to the pitch on Saturday November 7 and the CDCA’s Women’s competition begins on Friday November 6.
The competition will welcome newcomers Maiden Gully Marist which will field teams in A Grade and A Reserve and the Women’s competition.
Catch the Mail for your CDCA 2020/2021 fixture.