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CHEWTON CHATCHEWTON DOMAIN SOCIETY (INCORPORATED)

Reg. No. A0034364LP.O. Box 85, Chewton, 3451.

Published on the 1st of each month Issue 182 April, 2014.

www.chewton.net

Cleaning up someone else’s mess...

...and at the Res.

...at Fryerstown

Cleaning up our local area on Clean Up Australia Day seemed like a good activity – well, for the small band of enthusiastic workers who met at Expedition Pass Reser-voir anyway. With vests, gloves and bags supplied by Parks Victoria a good spring autumn clean was in order.

From rubbish and clothing left behind after recre-ational activities to rubbish that had obviously fallen off trailers, a collection soon filled the bags. Parks Victoria Ranger Noel Muller arrived with a trailer that was already almost filled with rubbish collected at Kalimna, but was able to rope on all the extra material from Expedition Pass. A rather large deposit was to be made at the tip.

Incidentally, two of the collectors at the Res. made good finds. Two banknotes made volunteering a profit-able enterprise. Two local people are now classified as professional scroungers!

Parks Victoria has an entry about this on their Face-book Page. They also have a press release available on line at http://ow.ly/uhMnv

Thirteen Fryerstown residents, mostly in teams of two, set off on the annual hunt for trash on Clean Up Australia Day. As always, this occurs on the first Sunday in March. This year saw our reach extend into the backwoods of Chewton. Well, actually alongside the railway line, which seems to be a popular dumping spot. Two of the teams had initially set sights on a quantity of unsightly tyres that had been marring the daily commute. These are not something that one wants laying around in a fire situation. The tyres were nowhere to be seen (obviously, we weren’t the only ones who had been eying them off!) so the team followed the railway line track to another, more furtively strewn rubbish site.

The roadside from Chewton to Fryerstown also re-ceived a good going over, along with a small section of the Fryerstown-Campbells Creek roadside. Pleasingly, stretches that had been done in previous years had notice-ably less rubbish out from the road. Immediately adjacent to the road was another story. Events such as the Herald-Sun 2014 bike tour haven’t helped our efforts to keep roadsides litter-free. The legacy of the tour was countless drink containers along the route; it seems the fines that riders may face for discarding their refuse in this manner weren’t much of a deterrent!

All up, over 5 kms of roadside was scoured for gar-bage, resulting in approximately 3 cubic metres of rubbish

and recyclables. Many thanks to Council for providing the skip. The sumptuous spread put on by Merryl Gahan at the end for the volunteers was a welcome treat!

Janobai Smith.Photo courtesy of Paul Gahan, showing eager volunteers

about to set off. In fact, some of them were so keen to get started they missed the photo opportunity (assuming

they weren’t camera shy?).

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Anzac Day ServiceFriday 25th April 2014 at 8 a.m.

Chewton Soldiers’ Memorial Park GateCorner Fryers Road and Main Road Chewton

Everyone is welcome to attend.

PA System will be used for the first time to enable all to hear – the crowd was so big last year!

Lest We Forget

Do you have a World War I connection?

To research your own WWI con-nections visit the Victorian Gov-ernment’s Anzac Centenary web-site www.anzaccentenary.vic.gov.au and follow the easy steps described:Under the Get Involved menu click on Research Your WWI Connection and follow the instructions

• To search by birthplace or place of enlistment • To search by name

While Gallipoli occurred in 1915 and the centenary is next year, WW1 began in 1914 and was waged for 5 years! To mirror this, Victoria’s planned celebration will begin in 2014 and last 5 years.

Planning for this Anzac Centenary celebration is being based on the hope that untold stories will emerge, with direct descendants encouraged to participate in this. A folder was distributed which gives further information on www.anzaccentenary.vic.gov.au and suggestions for research. Partnerships with media organisations are sug-gested as “a vital link to engaging Victorians in Anzac Centenary commemorations.”

The Victorian Government’s Anzac Centenary website (www.anzaccentenary.vic.gov.au ) provides in-dividuals and community groups with access to a range of information and resources to research their own Anzac Centenary history and plan local commemorations.

Visit the site to:• Learn about the history of Victoria’s contribution to

World War I • Link to a variety of valuable resources• See historical videos and images• Find Victorian Anzac Centenary events in your local

area• Share Your WWI Story• Read local WWI Stories shared by other Victorians• Learn about current community projects underway in

Victoria• Follow our easy guide to research your own WWI

connections• Connect on social media and join the conversation

about Victoria’s contribution to World War I

By-election for Calder Ward Councillor A by-election for the Calder Ward vacancy has been sched-uled by the Victorian Electoral Commission for Saturday 17 May 2014 following the resignation of Tim Barber last month. The Victorian Electoral Commission (VEC) will manage the process and will arrange advertisements in the local newspapers to advise residents of the timing and pro-cess for the by-election, which will be by postal voting.

Residents in Calder Ward are asked to watch for more details in local newspapers. The VEC will have in-formation widely available and the Returning Officer will be available to meet with interested residents during ad-vertised times.

The Calder Ward incorporates Harcourt, Barkers Creek, Faraday, Walmer and parts of Redesdale, Sutton Grange and North Harcourt.

Between now and the by-election, residents in Calder Ward are welcome to contact the Mayor, Cr Michael Red-den for ward related items that may arise. His contact de-tails are in Councillors section of this website.

For further details about the by-election visit the Vic-torian Electoral Commission’s website at www.vec.vic.gov.au

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Bring along a picnic lunch (and chair) to enjoy at this lovely site where there will be a marquee and a display of art works by Eliza Tree, who has com-pleted a series on Major Mitchell. The Major will also be present in a horse and cart for the occasion.

Limited parking is available at the monu-ment site. However park-ing is available at Dunstans Flat and participants can be conveyed from there to the site if required, from 11.30 to 11.45 a.m. Portable toilet facilities will be provided and an alternative luncheon venue will be available in case of rain.

Celebrate the Centenary of the Major Mitchell MonumentThe latest Faraday Farrago carries an article by Peter Mc-Carthy about the Major Mitchell Cairn at Expedition Pass Reser-voir. The Major passed through this area on the 29th of Septem-ber, 1836 and to mark this event a cairn with an engraved plaque was erected and unveiled on April 22nd 1914.

A re-enactment of the unveiling of the monument will take place at 12 noon on Sunday 27th April, organised by The Faraday Association and the Harcourt Historical Society.

Participants will gather at the Monument beside the Expedition Pass Reservoir. After a short ceremony we will all proceed to Dunstans Flat, which is just past the northern (Faraday) end of the Reservoir.

CFA Update – April 2014... Volunteers at Chewton CFA have been able to enjoy some well deserved rest with March proving to be a lot quieter in com-parison to a busy summer.

The number of turnouts dropped sig-nificantly over the past month, especially in regards to grass and scrub fires. While this is very good news, everyone in the community still needs to be cautious be-cause, with little rain, everything is still very dry and has the potential to result in bad fire conditions.

Members did attend a number of events including a fire call to the Loddon Mallee Prison and a gas leak at a house in the Castlemaine area. A crew was also sent to assist Elphinstone on Sunday 23rd March, to attend a ma-chinery and shed fire in Cemetery Road, Elphinstone. A crew from Malmsbury was also called to the blaze which produced very black smoke as a result of the machinery burning in the area.

Despite fire call numbers dropping, our members have been kept busy with training. With more time avail-able for other activities, training has re-commenced to en-sure skills are maintained. Members have been involved in training for pine plantation fires and have also attended inter-brigade training at Harcourt Fire Station. All mem-bers of the brigade are also currently undergoing new digi-tal radio training, with the CFA radio system set to switch over to the digital channel early this month.

Finally, in celebration of the very first National Red Balloon Day, which was organised by a group of women in Bendigo, the Chewton Post Office and the Fire Station were decorated with red balloons on Friday 28th February.The purpose of the event was to thank our fireys and all other emergency services who had been kept very busy over the summer.

Paige Mounsey, Chewton CFA Communications Officer.

...and the Good Friday AppealVolunteers from Chewton CFA will once again be collecting money, in the Chew-ton area, on Friday 18th April as part of the Royal Children’s Hospital Good Friday Appeal.The brigade would like to take this oppor-tunity to remind members of the commu-nity that this event will be occurring.

Collecting will begin sometime around 7am and should be completed by 12pm (times subject to change).

During this time people in the area should be mindful of tin rattlers walking around Chew-ton as well as vehicles which will be stopping and starting regularly. CFA vehicle sirens will be used during the col-lection in order to alert those nearby that the collectors are close, as this allows people time to find a donation.

We stress, however, that this siren use will be strictly limited. Due to this limited siren use we encourage every-one to ensure that all animals are secured and this is also helpful for our door knockers when entering properties.

So please be aware that this event is happening, it only occurs once a year and our volunteers take the time out of their Easter Holidays to collect money for this very good cause.

Paige Mounsey, Chewton CFA Communications Officer.

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International Women’s Day Soiree

“What is a soiree?” was asked at the Last Splash party at the pool. The answer to the ques-tion was given but the real answer came a week later at the Chewton Community Centre when people gathered from far and wide to celebrate International Women’s Day 2014.

A full room had the ceiling fans struggling to keep the heat at a reasonable level. Suitably attired MC, Jenny Jarman, set the pace and kept the momentum up all eve-ning – filling the few spaces with eagerly contested spot prizes. Historian Dr. Marjorie Theobald was introduced and took us on a fascinating journey through her research. She outlined the scramble and spontaneity of the gold rush and role of women within it. Although most reportage of these times, and writings since, emphasised the role of men Marjorie was able to weave a tale of women on the goldfields. From support roles to men, wives and moth-ers through to occupations in their own right. The hard-ships and deprivations faced in life on the goldfields were outlined, as was the recording of domestic violence and the community attitudes to it. Similarly with prostitution, which was coded out of reports at the time. But despite the adversities, there were stories of women as teachers, mid-wives, nurses, dressmakers, milliners and paid domestic workers. Fortunately, Marjorie’s voice held out until the

finish – and the flowers presented to her at the end were well earnt!

Supper provided an opportunity for many to step out into the cooler evening air outside before Tracey Candy introduced her divas. These included songs she’d written for the occasion and her triumphant “I am Woman” inter-pretation. Tracey enhanced her already enviable reputa-tion with this performance.

And now we all know what a soiree is…

Coffee, Teas, Milk, Newspapers, Magazines, Fresh Bread, Soft Drinks, Groceries, DVDs and more...

You name it we’ve probably got it. At your convenience...

Sprout bread now availableWednesdays, Fridays and weekends!

Hours 7:30 - 5:30 Mon-Fri 8:00 - 4:00 Sat-Sun

...it’s your store Chewton!

Photos: Unbridled enthusiasm all around - Jenny Jarman, Tracey Candy, Jenny with

Marjorie Theobald and some of the full tables.

Five Flags Hotel

Campbells Creek

* Sunday Roast

* New Spring menu

* Cool, shady beer garden

* Pubtab and Keno * Drive through

bottleshop

Open everyday for lunch and dinner

5472 1010

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Pool president Fritz Hammersley had the unenviable roles of, firstly, bringing the party to order and, secondly, trying not to leave out any of the contributors in his than-kyou list. He did brilliantly on both counts – and the list was long and varied. It makes everyone appreciate the teamwork and contributors behind this vibrant organisa-tion – co-ordination, water monitoring, maintenance, ki-osk, gate-keeping, life guarding, fund-raising, donors etc. etc. And as Fritz pointed out, most of these go unrecog-nised unless something goes amiss – that’s when they are noticed for all the wrong reasons.

One special thankyou from Fritz occurred when he called Harry South to the microphone. Harry is a volun-teer who has been heavily involved in the maintenance work and is a member of Castlemaine Lions who have supported the pool in a magnificent manner during the re-opening phase. And Harry is a regular Nugget – one of those hardy souls who swim in the men only sessions dur-ing the week.

With the Pool’s AGM coming up later in the year, Fritz indicated his many other commitments are going to prevent him seeking another term as president. Several other important players in the pool’s functioning have also indicated they will be seeking lesser roles so it is a time for reflection for the Chewton community as to how we can support the pool and the pool personnel as we negotiate these changes.

Keep abreast of the goings on at the pool by check-ing http://chewtonpool.com/ or www.facebook.com/chewtonpool and watch out for the AGM.

A last splash - then another week of splashing!A big summer at Chewton Pool came to an end as the days started to get noticably shorter and signs of autumn were starting to become obvious. With this in mind, a Last Splash party was held to mark the impending closure of the swimming season. With record breaking numbers al-ready through the gates, the warm weather predicted for the following week kept the pool open for another seven days after the Last Splash!

A party atmosphere was in the air at the Last Splash - along with the constant aroma from the obviously popu-lar Pizza de Wheels. The sounds of Ghouls Gambit com-pleted the scene as adults and children enjoyed the party atmosphere and emphasised, yet again, what a social hub of magical proportions the Chewton Pool has become once again.

Pergolesi

Stabat Mater

Tiffany Speight / Michael Gillies Smith

Castlemaine Chamber Ensemble

Melbourne Chamber Choir

Conductor David Kram

3 PM

Good Friday April 18, 2014

Castlemaine Christ Church Cnr Kennedy & Forest Sts

$30 / $25 conc / $15 U18

Bookings: www.333arts.net or 5472 1137

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The Business(es) of ChewtonLuca Ruiz, Therapist and Healer

I grew up in Mel-bourne where I stud-ied Architecture at RMIT. I loved de-signing, but I didn’t like working in an architectural office. One day, talking to a draftsman at the firm, I discovered he was studying pho-tography. I thought that would be great! I enrolled in a one

year photography course and worked at the architectural firm in the afternoon and evenings.

After passing the course, some friends living in Hong Kong were visiting and invited me to Hong Kong to work. That sounded exciting and when a tax return arrived a few days later for the exact amount for a return airfare, I thought fate was giving me a helping hand. I decided to go for a 2 week visit to see what I thought of the place. I found it in-credibly exciting, so I went back to Melbourne, packed up my things, sold my car and within 2 months I was living in Hong Kong and beginning a life as a photographer.

Within a few years my freelance work became steady. I worked regularly for Home Journal as an architectural pho-tographer and also for a number of interior designers and ar-chitects. Each week I was going to some amazing designer home and meeting people from all over the world. I was flown to many different cities in Asia; I got to shoot Nike’s new offices opening in Shanghai, Beijing and Guangzhou. The pinnacle was when House and Garden UK flew me to Bali to photograph jeweller John Hardy’s ‘tree-house’ home.

Eight years ago, I met up with a friend who was having lunch with her Reiki master. I discovered I was very inter-ested in learning more and a few weeks later I did her course. This was a life-changing event for me as I quickly received a powerful connection with healing energy. After sharing with my Reiki teacher what was happening in treatments, she asked if I would treat her. This was very reassuring and helped me trust the process I was going through.

My friend also had an eye problem called glaucoma and asked if I could help her. I said I really didn’t know but

we could give it a try. The next day she reported her eyesight had improved. We had a few more treatments and her eye recovered all its vision. Her healing made me realize something very powerful was happening.

In 2010 I decided it was time to return to Aus-tralia. I moved to Williamstown and, for the first time, started working in a healing centre. This gave me an opportunity to work with a wider range of ailments in-cluding unexplained aches and pains, infertility, PMS, bed wetting, stress and anxiety, headaches, trauma, grief, insomnia as well as surgery preparation and re-covery. My most unusual case was a woman who lost hearing in her left ear after contracting a virus. I dis-covered she was carrying a kind of post-traumatic stress from being in the Christchurch earthquake. Once we cleared this blocked energy we began to work on her ear. She miraculously regained most of her hearing.

Last year I moved to Castlemaine where my partner lives and in December we moved to Chewton. We have a lovely healing room in our house where I give healing treatments and hypnosis sessions as well as Lomi Lomi and Hot Stones massages for women.

I am currently doing a permaculture design course run through Community House in Castlemaine and love learning about sustainable living. I am par-ticularly interested in strawbale housing and edible gardens.

Years ago I could never have imagined living in a small country town, but to me now it is perfect. I love living here in Chewton.

To learn more about Luca’s work you can visit her web-sites at: www.sacredstoneshealing.com.au

or www.sacredstonesmassage.com.au

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Monica Sullivan, one of five children, was born in Ko-rumburra in South Gippsland. ‘My dad was with the Rail-ways. When I was five my parents bought a dairy farm there, so I grew up on a dairy farm with beautiful cows and horses. My dad stayed working in the Railways so we all had to work milking cows, raising calves and chooks, growing vegetables. Lots of work to do before we left for school each day.’

At 18 she left Korumburra and went to Perth where she worked in hospitality and catering. ‘I had done some nurse training so I went back to nursing, travelling all over WA for the Health Department. In between I travelled overseas.’

She remained in Perth for nearly 14 years, where Monica met her husband, Jim, who had migrated from England. ‘We lived in Perth for a few years, then the pull of family drew us back to Victoria.’ When some friends in Melbourne offered them their house in Castlemaine, they moved there. ‘This was 18 years ago now, and we instantly loved it. We both got work immediately. These days I work part-time at the St. John of God hospital in Bendigo, and Jim has his ‘Come Clean’ business, so it has all worked out for us here.

When we found our house in Chewton we were drawn to its great back yard. It had a feel of being and living in the country. We’ve been here almost six years. My son Remy went to the Chewton school. It was then that we really felt that we were a part of Chewton, as the school helped provide us with a social group. We’ve been involved with lots of activities there. We helped with the gardening at the school, as do all the kids there. That’s the beauty of it.

Everybody mucks in.’

Their other local involvement is the Chewton pool. ‘We were involved with the saving of the pool, helping with the sausage sizzles, and Jim involved with the music side. The support the pool got then, and since, has been fantastic. My kids are there all the time, and I feel like I’m there all the time. I also go to the Golden Girls swim time. This is three mornings a week and you can pop down and have a swim with no crowds, no children, a really peaceful time. I think of the pool as our little bit of sanctuary in Chewton.’

Monica also volunteers at the pool’s kiosk. ‘I work there every Sunday afternoon, and that’s fun. The organ-isation for the running of the pool has been fabulous. The texting and passing on of messages has been brilliantly done and very democratically. I love being on the kiosk. You get to talk to a lot of people. I always take the Sunday paper to the pool but never get to read it. It’s great for the kids too. My kids love it when I’m on duty there. They feel like they own the pool.

I think of Chewton as a village. When you walk down to the shop or go to the post office it feels like vil-lage life to me. It’s a really open and friendly place, with so many different types of people. A varied mix, and that’s what I like about it the most. Chewton is an easy-going place, and very accepting.’

Gloria Meltzer.

Know Your NeighbourHave you met Monica Sullivan?

40 Lyttleton Street (P.O. Box 632) Castlemaine 3450Ph: (03) 5472 4622 Fax: (03) 5472 4315

Email: shop@castlemaineofficesupplies.com.auProps: Andrew & Sue Thomas

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Call in and see Andrew, Sue and Lindafor that “special” service

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We have had a few showery days, some storms, and some lovely sunny days. The heat of summer hasn’t given up yet and days are changeable. I mentioned in the March Chat that the Fryerstown community has realized the importance of recording and preserving our history. This is obviously a big task for a small town and will be tackled in a number of ways. We want to preserve photographs and what documents we have. We also want to collect family histories and we need to record oral histories of people who gave been in the town and are still able to provide personal reminiscences of life here. We need help to find much of this history. If you have photographs - the big important street photographs, and also the more intimate family photographs with perhaps the house where they lived in the background or the scenery the around the town please let us know.

Photographs can now be very easily copied and enhanced without destroying the original, which you would want to keep. Genealogy has become more accessible with so many old records now available on-line and TV programs such as “Who do you think you are?” and “ Who has been sleeping in my house” has led to more people researching their family history and the history of their home. If you have a family history or any interesting material which refers to Fryerstown or Fryers Creek we would be delighted if you would be prepared to contribute a copy to the project. Either Paul Gahan, our history project coordinator, or I would be delighted to receive a copy and discuss it with you ( psagahan@gmail.com ). Paul is starting to get together a ‘Pictorial Essay - Celebrating Fryerstown Past & Present’ which we expect will be published in book form and will contain pictures and photographs with attached stories. He has emailed me a family history he received which was written by the Venn family in 2005 and with minor editing, I have reproduced it here. It is a very interesting story and hopefully we will obtain many more:

“James Venn, born in 1808 at Exford, Somerset, England was the eldest child of William Venn who sired a family of eleven children. There is a record that James had some schooling and could read and write, but later in life for personal reasons he preferred to say that he could not read or write.

William Venn, James’ father, was described variously

as a labourer in 1813, a higgler (bargaining at market) in 1815, a tanner in 1818, a husbandman in 1822 and as a labourer in 1825, 26 and 27. In 1835 William was described as six feet tall, fresh complexion, hazel eyes and brown hair and domiciled at “Dean Cottage” Cutcombe, Somerset, England. During those years large impoverished families with half-starved and poorly clad children led many to undertake desperate measures and misdemeanours to barely exist, which often brought them into the hands of the law.

On 30 March 1830, James aged twenty-two, was charged and found guilty of stealing clothing from a dwelling house. On 19 November 1833 he was charged with assault and found guilty. At that time he was described as a labourer, height five feet three and a half inches, fresh complexion, hazel eyes and brown hair. James’ younger brother William, born 11 August 1811, was also charged

in connection with the same assault.Two years later in April 1835

James was arrested with the offence of stealing a shovel. He was sentenced to fourteen years imprisonment and sent to a hulk to await transportation. In September 1835 aged twenty-seven, James was placed on board a three masted ship “Bardaster” under the command of Captain Alexander McDonald. James is not recorded as having been ill on the voyage to Van Diemans Land (Tasmania) but his conduct was recorded as good - rather quarrelsome. The sailing ship arrived in Hobart on 13 January 1836. He was granted a Ticket of Leave in February 1843 having served only eight years. He was recommended for a Conditional Pardon on 24 June 1845 and a Certificate of Freedom on 2 October 1849.

Catherine Moffett, born in Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland in 1816/17, was convicted of stealing money and with a child, Mary Ann, born 1840/41, she was transported with the child on the sailing ship “Hope” in April 1842 to Van Diemans Land. At that time Catherine had a mother and two sisters alive, Mary and Cecily who was recorded as having gone to Sydney as an assisted immigrant.

James and Catherine were married on 3 March 1845 at St. Lukes Church, Richmond, Tasmania then they established a home in New Norfolk, where five children

Fryerstown

We need to record oral histories

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were born to the year 1854. In June 1855, James and Catherine embarked on the ‘Royal Shepherd’ for passage from Launceston, Tasmania to Geelong, Victoria. They arrived there on the 28th with one three year old female child. It is likely that James and Catherine received some form of encouragement to travel from their home in New Norfolk, Tasmania to the gold fields in Victoria and, in particular, Fryerstown. Whilst James had no mining experience, he could have been persuaded to make the move by his younger brother William, who appears to have had four years schooling at Barnstable and with whom he was close when they were boys and young men in England at that time, 1855. William was a successful gold miner at Fryerstown from when gold was first discovered there in July 1851. The Castlemaine Historical Society hold a record that William Venn, a miner in Fryerstown, sent three consignments of gold “under escort” from Castlemaine to Melbourne in 1852 in three lots, 2 lb 5 oz, 2 lb 7 oz and 2 lb. He also owned a dwelling in Fryerstown in 1866. William’s death certificate recorded that he died in Melbourne on 7 December 1897.

Thomas Edward Venn was born to James and Catherine on 6th December 1856. When he reached school age in 1862, religious worship was organised and widespread, especially for children and the establishment of schools was well advanced. During Thomas Edward Venn’s school years 1861 to 1870, he would have attended one of a number of schools established in the area such

as State School No 252, which opened in Fryerstown on 6 February 1853 and was located on Chapel Hill on the corner of Heron and Chapel Streets next to the Methodist Church.

In the 1870s James, Catherine and Thomas lived in a four room cottage in Heron Street, Fryerstown where the Methodist Church and a school was also located. There is a historical record that Mrs Venn, on l9 December l867, was paid eight shillings for cleaning the Church, Sabbath

School and tablecloths at the Church.

Over the 40 years that James and Catherine lived in Fryerstown and Castlemaine, they resided in a number of homes between 1856 and 1878. James and Catherine moved from Fryerstown to Castlemaine sometime after their son Thomas Edward married and settled in Melbourne in 1878.

The Mount Alexander Mail published on November 8, 1895,

contained the following Funeral Notice:“The Friends of the late Mr James VENN are

respectfully invited to follow his remains to the place of interment, the Castlemaine Cemetery. The funeral will move from his late residence at Clinkers Hill, near Adams Street this day at three o’clock.

T. Odgers and Co, Undertakers.”Also printed under Items of News the same day was

the following:“A very old resident of the district named James

VENN has died at the age of 95. The deceased has resided at Clinkers Hill for many years and his remains are to be interred in the Campbells Creek Cemetery this afternoon. (Castlemaine Cemetery)”

Note: James was actually 87 when he died and not 95 as stated in the newspaper and recorded on his death certificate.

Sometime after James died, Catherine moved from Castlemaine to live with her son Thomas Edward at 29 Cremorne Street, Richmond, Victoria where she died aged 93 on 20 December 1902. Catherine was buried in the Boroondara Cemetery, Kew.

Thomas Edward Venn was born and lived in Fryerstown for some 21 years with his parents James and

We also want to collect family histories and we need to record oral histories...

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Catherine after which he became an apprentice at Carters Boot Factory and was subsequently employed there as a qualified bootmaker.

During his teenage years Thomas Edward met a young lady who lived with her Irish parents John and Mary McMillan at their home in the nearby town of Chewton. Her name was Agnes Jane, born in 1855 in Fryerstown. There was public transport between the towns in the area which commenced in 1872 in the form of horse-drawn coaches which ran daily between Fryerstown and Castlemaine, a distance of about 10 kilometres on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays via Chewton, the fare being one shilling single and two shillings return. This service provided Thomas with a means of visiting his girlfriend Agnes in Chewton. They were married on the 20 January 1877 in Castlemaine.

Following the birth of their first child, Mildred Mary Venn in Fryerstown in 1877, they moved in 1878 to a small shop with a dwelling at the rear, situated at 29 Cremorne Street, Richmond where Thomas set up a bootmaker’s and repair shop.

It is recorded that Thomas repaired a pair of shoes only an hour before he died on 20 May 1922 after providing the public in Richmond with a reliable shoe repair service for 44 years. He was also a Lay Preacher of the Church of Christ and is known to have held meetings in Richmond with varying degrees of success. His wife Agnes Jane died at their home in Richmond on 24 May 1934. Both are interred in the one grave at the Coburg Cemetery.

This story is a reminder of how precious life is, how

simple and rare and how we should live it thoughtfully and to the best of our ability, especially with love and understanding for those close to us and for our ancestors. Whilst our ancestors of bygone years fade, you may obtain a glimpse of some of them by looking no further than yourself as their characteristics and genes are now an integral and interesting part of you.”

The next Fryerstown film night is on April 26th and the film is Gallipoli. Made in 2002 this film uses newly uncovered diaries, letters and photos from both sides, interviews with international experts; on location landscapes, underwater and aerial photography, 3-D computer animation and dramatic reenactment of trenches and battles. More than 70 international archives were researched. All welcome, 7.30 pm, in the Mechanics Institute Hall, Fryerstown. $5 per person includes tea and coffee, and usually cake or biscuits, if someone brings them. Bring a comfy chair if you wish. Kay Thorne.

Photo courtesy Tim Todhunter: Heron Street Fryerstown today, where the Venn family moved in 1853.

The Methodist Church is in the foreground. If you have a family history or any interesting

material which refers to Fryerstown or Fryers Creek we would be delighted if you would be prepared to contribute a copy to the project. Either Paul Gahan, our history project coordinator, or I would be delighted to receive a copy and discuss it with you

( psagahan@gmail.com ). My number is 5473 4410. Kay Thorne.

11

Rapid progress is now being made - the Bentwood chair issue is being straightened out! Two workshops were held and the new second-hand Bentwood chairs were the star attractions. Thanks to some loving attention given to them by Lloyd Curtis and Glen Harrison, the broken screws had been replaced and repacked and the woodwork tightened. It was time for the final sanding and oiling.

Almost 40 chairs is a daunting task for one person – but for one community? People at the well attended workshops were taken through the finishing process to ensure the town hall ended with a consistent set of chairs to complement the hall’s renovation. The value of these workshops was that participants learnt to do the final restoration work – and felt confident enough to take some chairs home with a finishing pack of sandpapers, a jar of colour-

The great chair challenge

ing oxide, a jar of pre-pared linseed oil and felt to cut and glue to the base of the chairs’ legs. At this stage, 28 chairs have gone to temporary homes for completion - with people offering to do some more. Another great community ef-fort! And great chair-manship displayed by Lloyd Curtis.

Council representatives attend the Regional Living Expo each year to promote the Mount Alexander Shire to po-tential visitors, and to those who are considering living, working or setting up a business here.

We will be taking a range of brochures including our Official Visitors Guide and economic development bro-chures to outline the opportunities that our Shire offers. We’ll also be playing our videos, which tell the stories of local people and why they love living in Mount Alexander.

Mount Alexander at Victoria’s Regional Living ExpoPaul Frye from the Castlemaine

Secondary School is attending with us to provide information about the edu-cational opportunities.

By showcasing our highlights, we are promoting the Shire as a great place to visit, live and do business.

David Leathem, Manager Local Economy, MAS.

12

As the Chat goes to print we will have completed an entire term of work. Many of you will make comments about the easy life of a teacher, however I do invite you to spend a day or two at our school and you might just find that our break is well earned.

At this month’s School Council Meeting I presented our schools Annual Report to the Community. This docu-ment provides a means for the school council to inform the community of what has been achieved and how the school is preforming. The annual report is also an opportunity for our school to reflect on our achievements and use this as a basis for future planning. Our school should be ex-tremely proud of all of our results as we perform very well in comparison to all other Victorian Schools. I know I am constantly praising the efforts of our staff, students and families, however it is great to see this praise being sup-ported with tangible evidence.

One of our highlights this month was hosting a study tour from Timor-Leste. We felt very privileged to be asked to take on this role.

Our visitors spent time in classes, working with the children and eating a lunch prepared by some of our stu-dents under the helpful guidance of Patsy.

This year we have a very active student welfare team. The students organized ‘Ride to School Day’ with a walk-ing or cycling option. We had walkers from the memorial park playground and cyclists starting at the Shell Servo.

There was breakfast for all on arrival at school.

This program supports our healthy schools philoso-phy. Their next project is to design some passive areas for our school ground.

The student committee also felt that our chickens are ‘under loved.’ Their present coop does not allow easy or clean access for the children to enable them to spend time with our brood. They decided that a low fence day time run would be a solution to this problem. Some of the funds raised from our Castlemaine Street BBQ will go towards making this enclosure.

Our grade 3-6 children are working on a filming and fundraising project to support a small school in Nepal. This idea sprang from a visit by Anne Rittman who shared her remarkable story of how she befriended a young Nepalese boy thirty or so years ago while travelling through Asia. Anne told us how she sent money to him upon her return to Australia, but never knew whether the money was actually reaching him, so decided to stop sending money. Thirty years later she returned to Nepal curious as to what had be-come of her young friend Ram. As she stood in the market square in Kathmandu she noticed a man hovering nearby. She asked him a few inquiring questions and detected that he spoke quite good English. He proceeded to tell her that thirty years ago a wonderful lady from Australia had sent him money which he used to study English. ‘But then the money suddenly stopped.’ I will let you all work out the ending of this story. Our school community has been ex-tremely generous in sponsoring this student driven project as they organized their own fundraising event.

As the term comes to an end the next one quickly starts to take shape. Our next unit of work will be ‘Chemi-cal Science’, an ever popular topic with children.

Julie Holden.

Nurturing the whole child

in every child

Above: Lunch for the Timor–Leste visitors. Our school also donated 5 unused computers to their school.

13

Soccer report...Chewton, Get Ready For More, More, and Even More Visitors!

This year there will be some significant changes to the soc-cer visitors coming to Chewton with many changes afoot for the 2014 season.

After 40 years with the Bendigo Amateur Soccer League (BASL) our senior men have moved to join the Ballarat Soccer League. This will see them enter a Divi-sion 1 and a Division 2 team and their first game at CSMP was on March 30th.

Changes to the way BASL run the senior day with Div 1,2,3 Youth and Women all playing the same clubs have increasingly made it difficult for the outer regional towns to enter compliant teams. So, Castlemaine Gold-fields explored other options and a change is underway. This will mean teams from all round Ballarat and as far as Warnambool will now travel to Chewton - all new faces!

Home games are as follows on Sundays at 1 and 3pm• 30 March Forest Rangers• 4 May North United• 18 May Victoria Park• 1 June Ballarat• 15 June Forest Rangers• 6 July Warnambool• 20 July North United• 10 August Victoria Park • 24 August Ballarat

And for the Womens team? Well they are off to the Metro North West competition so that will mean teams from metropolitan Melbourne coming to Chewton as well. That’s another lot of people unlikely to have been to Chewton before.

But wait! There’s more (and it’s not a set of steak knives). It is anticipated that our Friday night local juniors program will also return to Chewton. During the drought this program was moved to the Castlemaine Lawn tennis courts and the Western Oval and they just stayed there. The co-ordinator of this 85 strong program wants to return it to the local club and so that’s another lot of children and their parents who’ll be travelling to Chewton weekly for the entire season.

The junior teams will remain with BASL so the usual teams from around Bendigo, Kyneton and even Moama will still travel to CSMP.

From North, South and West, they will all be heading to CSMP for their Football in 2014. So Chewton, put your best foot forward and a smile on your face because a whole lot of new visitors will be coming to town.

Robyn Lewis.

Bus Trial for Fryerstown, Vaughan and Chewton

Council is providing a trial transport service to the areas of Fryerstown, Vaughan and parts of Chewton. The trial bus service will transport residents into Castlemaine, and will run on Mondays only from 24 March to end May. This service is to provide assistance to people living in these outlying areas who may not have access to other transport options. Community members wishing to use this service will be collected and dropped at their home address.

There are three destinations in Castlemaine where bus users will be dropped off and collected from:

• Castlemaine Railway Station• IGA Supermarket (drop off in Forest Street)• Castlemaine Health (Cornish Street)

Pick up and arrival times will vary, depending on the demand for this service. Collection time in the morning from homes will commence from 9.00am and return from Castlemaine in the afternoon from 1.00pm. As the trial progresses a more accurate time frame may be provided.

To use this bus service, users must be fully indepen-dent to get on and off the bus. All trips must be booked by 12 noon on the Thursday before planning to travel. If there are no bookings, the service will not run. A fee of $3.00 per user applies for the return trip.

Community members are advised that the bus does not have appropriate seating for babies or younger chil-dren, and it will not run in severe weather conditions or on public holidays.

This trial is the result of Council’s commitment to explore opportunities for additional community transport that improve mobility options for residents in Mount Al-exander Shire.

For bus bookings or more information please contact the Community Services Unit at Council on 5471 1766.

Taken from a Press Release.

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14

MoBQing in Chewton...The March MoBQ was incredibly well attended and the conversational noise rever-

berated around the little park. And if the noise was loud you should have seen the shirts! Bad taste seems to come naturally in Chewton.

But good taste too! Gary van den Driesen was called to mid-throng and his lengthy contribution to Chewton CFA was publicly acknowledged. Until Gary’s recent stepping back he had established an incredible record of service - he was Secretary/Trea-surer of Chewton CFA from 1986 to 2014 with the exception of 1990/1991 (1 year). Gary is staying with the CFA but has handed the administrative reigns on. A David Watson poem was read and a toast was drunk - then Gary’s spoonerised response added to the mirth of the evening.

Mo judged the shirts and distributed the prizes, ad-mirably restraining himself from awarding himself first prize. His bad taste shirt featured cards so he had to deal with that problem later. Mike and Carolyn took out the majors but there were plenty of consolation prizes – in-cluding one awarded by the judge to himself. A selfie!

A great gathering and now it’s apparently hats on for the April one… Saturday the 6th at 6 p.m. and BYO the lot! See the signs around the town...

A TOAST TO GARY VAN DEN DRIESENOn this the first of Autumn Season A toast to Gary van den Driesen. Ex-Sekketry of the CFA He’s packed his bags, he’s on his way. For twenty years or more (it seems) He’s kept the minutes (written reams!) For ev’ry meeting short or long: Surely he deserves a gong.But what cares he about a medal? Just push hard on the throttle pedal As ‘round Tasmania with mate Michael You thunder on your motor bikael, Enjoy the peace where’er you tarry.

Let’s raise a toast:Here’s to you Gary.

FUN AND FITNESS WITH DANCE

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fully instructed by a qualified teacher.

Cost: $7 per session

Contact: Marie Ph 5473 3355, 0412 447 600email: marie.feigl@gmail.com

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15

The Jurassic BluesSclerodactyly,

A connective tissue disorder of the hands.I’m told I’ve got sclerodactyly. Does that make me a dinosaur?

I admit I’m not really up to date, And I’ve let things slide a bit of late.I don’t have the internet here at home

And I don’t have skype on my telephone.I don’t care to stare at computer screens And I manage to live within my means.I don’t have a credit card, no, not me.

And my mail goes SNAIL and not by EAnd at the last count I was eighty-three

So perhaps I am a dinosaur.But it seems to me that I’m O.K.

There’s always something to do each day.If I take time I can get things done

And I find that I’ve always time for fun.So my friends don’t mind spending time with me

Even though I’m a dinosaur.Rae Hawkins ©March 2014.

Light HorsemanHe was a cocky a boy from the Bush Not a skite But so self-AssuredGlued to the saddle While his mount shied And fidgeted under him Anxious to get going. Truth was in his eyes And wonder Flushed with the joy Of a hard dash.At Beersheba we didn’t stopAt eight hundred yards.The horses could smell waterAnd just kept going.Our boys galloped under the gunsFear was all they knewBut Johnny TurkCouldn’t hit anythingMoving that fast.That’s what saved us.Just thirty five of our mates fell.How old are you? I asked. Seventeen,He smiled. And wheeled away To his fate.

David Watson.

New Year’s EveWith a wave of the hand and a wry, twisted smile, She’ll cast you aside ev’ry once in a while; And the door is shut quick without making a sound, You’ll wait for the echoes of a world tumbling down. Outside through the rains on a sunrise of grey, An old fashioned love has been fading away; The frames have been emptied, there’s no chair in the room, And radios keep playing those old songs of gloom.

And the Christmas tree lights are flickering low, Old men on the street walk through the falling snow; A trickle of life rides on tides of the time, Washing the mem’ries from the folds of your mind. Moving to the hallway under shadows on high, You recall a day that has long since passed by; Was little to remember, even less to forget, Still up to this point you hold on to regret. The road that you travelled has drifted from sight, Yet you pray that the dreams will return in the night; You knew a woman without knowing her name, More than just cut you loose, she absolved you of blame.

And the Christmas tree lights are flickering low, Old men on the street walk through the falling snow. A trickle of life rides on tides of the time, Washing the mem’ries from the folds of your mind.

Suddenly there’s daylight through the far windowpanes, It lights up the past and everything that remains; All the promises made come from lessons you’ve learned But you cannot look back and you’ll never return. Now the door’s pushed ajar, there are chimes from a clock, Captains ready the sails of their ships at the dock; Fresh breezes are blowing and soft words have been said, With a last farewell kiss she returns to her bed.

Now the Christmas tree lights, they no longer glow, The old men been moved on by the melting of snow. The trickle of life is now far from this time, And so, too, the mem’ries once held in your mind.

Daniel Larson.

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16

Logo designed by Morgan Williamson.

Real Estate GossipI have been a bit busy and missed a couple of months. There seems to have been quite some movement on the property market during this time.Properties for sale around Chewton are: Cantwell Property Group:• Albert Street, 6 vacant allotments, for auction 12

April;• 46 Adelaide Street, partially renovated 2 bedroom

house on 900sqm with established gardens, auction 5 April;

• 49 Commissioners Gully Road, light and bright Cali-fornia bungalow on 7.5 acres, with established gar-dens, orchard and historic ruins, located on the fringe of the bushlands, $498,000.00;

• 4 Prior St, “Amber House”, large family home in quiet rural setting of just over 2 acres (9091sqm). A charm-ing blend of old and new, with beautifully renovated stone cottage with two storey extension creating mag-nificent family living. Featuring four bedrooms, plus study, two living areas, well-appointed kitchen dining room plus powder room, European style laundry heat-ing and cooling. Also fully renovated self-contained cottage, generous bed/living, gas cooking, bathroom & European style laundry. Good shedding park-like gardens, for sale for $859,000.00;.

• 72 Steele Street, 1541sqm, views and all services available, for sale at $175,000.00;

• 225 Sparks Road, 58Ha undulating parcel with his-toric remains, $679,000.00;

• 616 Pyrenees Highway, .81Ha parcel with planning permit, vaild until January 2014 to build two bedroom home. With rambling creek within the boundary, es-tablished eucalypts and gentle elevation. Mains power available. For sale at $120,000.00.

Cassidy Real Estate:• 564 Pyrenees Highway, 3 bedroom character home on

5 acres with shedding and stables, $375,000.00; • 204 Main Road, 2 bedroom house set in established

gardens in the heart of town, $249,000.00 (UNDER CONTRACT);

• 20 Commissioners Gully Road, 3 bedroom home set on 2.8 Ha, perched high on the hill overlooking Gold-en Point Road. Surrounded by an immaculate garden with town water plus 2-5000 gal water tanks. A 40 x 25 shed with power and concrete flooring, and stone ruins from the gold rush era, for sale at $459,000.00.

Castlemaine Property Group:• 20 Fryers Road, artistically renovated 2 bedroom min-

er’s cottage with external bungalow and studio, located short stroll to the shop and post office, $299,000.00;

• 3 McCay Reservoir Rd, tucked away amongst small rural lifestyle properties, this charming timber home is set atop approx 4.8Ha of predominately creek flats

along a seasonal creek, elevated home with 3 bed-rooms and spacious living areas, $439,000.00;

• Pyrenees Highway, rare offering of 10 residential ti-tles, with all main services available, being sold as a group in the one package. Situated in the midst of the historic gold mining village of Chewton, the al-lotments are only a short stroll to Hotel, general store, school and sports amenities. Allotments vary in size from 244m2 to 427m2 approx, for sale at $289,000.00;

• 11 Monks Hill Road, renovated 1800s cottage set on nearly 6000sqm of park like gardens and seasonal creek, $515,000.00;

• 77 Pioneers Road, single bedroom log cabin set high in the Bushlands with views over Chewton and onto Castlemaine, $315,000.00.

Stuart Real Estate:• 142 Main Road, Solid 3 bedroom clad home with art

deco influence on a large allotment in Town Centre. Polished floors, air-conditioning and gas heating. This property has a 3 bay Colorbond garage with work-shop, outdoor areas and north facing yard with de-lightful views over the Diggings to the north, for sale at $345,000.00.

Waller Realty: • 6 Fryers Road, 4 bedroom, 2 bathroom, craftsman

built stone home, located in the heart of town, ex-tensive landscaping and plenty of vehicle storage, $720,000.00;

• 22 Mount Street, 726sqm building block with access to all services. Existing shed and mature established gardens, for sale at $165,000.00;

• 103 Golden Point Road, renovated 3 bedroom home with self-contained unit, no neighbours and views across Forest Creek, $489,00000;

• 7 Railway Street, fully renovated 4 bedroom, 2 bath-room home on large allotment of 1120sqm, lovely shade trees and vegie garden, $395,000.00;

• 107 Whitehorse Gully Rd, 2 or 3 bedroom home on nearly 1 hectare, surrounded by established European gardens and historic remains, for sale at $479,000.00;

• 9 Church Street, 1371sqm lot, dotted with gums, in the heart of town and adjacent to historic church, $155,000.00.

• 732 Pyrenees Highway, ultimate family lifestyle with indoor pool and generous family room, 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, set on an elevated 3 acres with expansive views, the exterior is well set for entertaining, $525,000.00. Lynne Williamson.

17

Action taken on local dog attackLast week an Elphinstone man was found guilty on five charges relating to a dog attack in Elphinstone on 4 May 2013. The five charges brought against the dog owner were one charge of dog rushing, one charge of illegal dis-play of dangerous dog signage and three charges of dog attack.

The man was fined $2000, statutory costs of $110.40 and other costs of $4270.75 and a destruction order was granted for the dogs.

The incident arose when residents in Elphinstone al-leged that two of their neighbour’s Rottweiler dogs had attacked and killed their ram and chased their son. Po-lice attended and provided Council with a statement from the attending officer and video footage of the attack and the neighbour’s son collecting the dogs. Based on this evidence, Council’s Local Laws Coordinator commenced investigation of the alleged incident. Council’s internal panel reviewed the case, and recommended prosecuting the matter through the Court.

Residents are reminded that all dogs must be regis-tered at all times, and must be contained on the owner’s premises, or under effective control.

Taken from a Press Release.

Calder by-electionAre you interested in running as a candidate in the Calder Ward By-Election? Mount Alexander Shire Council, to-gether with the Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) and the Victorian Electoral Commission (VEC), is running an information session for prospective candidates for the the Calder Ward by-election in Mount Alexander Shire.

The session will provide information about the nomi-nation processes, critical dates and the roles and respon-sibilities of a Councillor. Participants will also hear from a sitting Councillor and have the opportunity to ask ques-tions about the personal experience of being an elected member of Council, as well as the processes of nomination and election.

Calder Ward By-Election Information Session for Prospective Candidates

Monday 7 April 20146.30pm – 8.30pm

Harcourt Leisure Centre, Binghams Road HarcourtRegistration is not required. Light refreshments will

be provided. For more information about the information session contact Melanie Rogers, Manager Governance, Mount Alexander Shire Council on 5471 1706.

Calder By-election UpdateA by-election will be held on 17 May 2014 for the extraor-dinary vacancy in the Calder Ward as a result of the res-ignation of Tim Barber. The VEC will conduct a postal ballot in May. Nomination for candidates will open on 10 April 2014 and close at 12.00 noon on 15 April 2014. Community members with any questions about the elec-tion should contact the VEC Election Office at the Town Hall (via the Frederick Street entrance) during that time.

Ballot papers will be posted to registered voters be-tween 29 April and 1 May 2014. Completed ballot papers must be received at the VEC by 6.00 pm on Friday 16 May 2014. Voters who will be away during the by-election should contact the VEC on 131 832.

The Calder Ward incorporates Harcourt, Barkers Creek, Faraday, Walmer and parts of Redesdale, Sutton Grange and North Harcourt.

For more information, call 131 832, or visit www.vec.vic.gov.au

Taken from a Press Release.

LIC 24063

Concerned about your Gas Heater?W. R. Plumbing now have the equipment for testing your gas heating appliances.

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18

Post Office Hill Action Group was formed when the 22.6 hectares of Post Office Hill’s crown land was threatened during the Chewton Urban Design Framework process. A community action group was formed to protect this valuable land that features aboriginal and gold rush his-tory, interesting geological features and a regenerating landscape. This group was successful in obtaining a licence to manage the area. POHAG is now incorporated and has been successful in obtaining grants to al-low rehabilitation work to begin. Membership of POHAG is only $5 per family per year – why not join and support the work of this group? Secretary/Treasurer John Leavesley’s can be contacted at bjleavesley@bigpond.com or 5472 3182.

POHAG goes back to school - twice!The past few weeks have been busy with preparations for, then partici-pating with the upper grades of Chewton Primary School in making nest-ing boxes suited to different creatures of our local wildlife, namely bats, pardalotes, phascogales and rosellas. We thank Julie Holden (principal) and the staff plus the pupils for allowing us to carry out this activity with them. Members of POHAG spent from 2:00 pm onwards on two Friday afternoons assembling and painting the boxes with the pupils. An exuberant flurry of action erupted at the sight of the tools and timber. There was a distinct possibility that some inventive designs could have resulted. However when reasonable calm settled over us, the outcome has been that 2 of each type of nesting box were assembled, nailed, glued and painted. Despite precautions and advice, when it came to the paint-ing not all of the paint ended up where it was supposed to.

Thanks are due to Sam for pre-cutting the timber, Alan, Graeme and Greg at Thrifty-Link Hardware for their advice and assistance, and to Ray Fowler who donated the paint. The nesting boxes will be installed in the bush near the school to augment the natural breeding and shelter places which over time have been reduced through clearing and growth of weed species. Funding for this activity was provided by DEPI through the Communities for Nature program which has been the source of recent grants for projects at Post Office Hill.

The next POHAG meeting will be on Sunday, 13th April at 10:00am in Sam’s shed. Ian O’Halloran.

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19

The Friends of the Box-Ironbark run monthly walks in local environmental settings. The walks are leisurely and provide opportunities to go safely on an accompanied walk in new and different areas. The first walk for 2014 was in the Chewton area on Sunday.

The meeting place is always at Castlemaine’s Con-tinuing Education Building at 9.30. Car pooling had ev-eryone at the Chewton General Store 15 minutes later, and after signing the attendance book and a quick round-the-circle introduction the extent of the walk was outlined. About 20 walkers of all ages then set off along the Forest Creek Track to Expedition Pass Reservoir.

First stop was to appreciate the landscape at the Monster Meeting site at the confluence of Wattle and For-est Creeks. Then it was off upstream past the stone sculp-tures, the three exclusion plots erected to monitor re-veg-etation taking place, the spectacular post-goldrush cliffs at Chinamans Point and several revegetation sites in the valley. Morning tea was a break called at Expedition Pass Reservoir – after the first 5.4 kms of the walk had been completed.

Leaving the reservoir the well-marked Goldfields Track was chosen as the route back to Chewton. Away from Forest Creek, this route heads down Chapel Street and Welsh Street before turning and climbing out of Don-key Gully. The walking track goes over the rise into Dead-mans Gully where the lower adit of the Merthyn Syndicate Tunnel complex opens. This is the mine shaft that was the scene of a dramatic rescue in April 2013. The May 2013 Chewton Chat carried the details – it’s available on www.chewton.net

Walking on the track peaked with a view looking down on Loddon Prison, and lunch was eaten there. It was a well-earned break, and Jennifer Pryce took the opportu-nity to hand out and explain a brand new brochure. This brochure highlights the environmental works of many groups working on practical aspects of the 2012 Forest Creek Action Plan and it generated a lot of interest and discussion among the walkers. The brochure was funded by a Caring for our Country grant.

Downhill after lunch, the Garfield Water Wheel sup-ports were the first port of call, then on past Manchester Reef and on to the giant yellow box just beyond Troll Cor-

ner. The tree (above) is a magnificent specimen and the question was posed as to why this one survived when all the landscape was cleared not once, but many times in the years following the gold rush. Mine supports, building, industrial use and commercial firewood all added to the demands on the bush but this tree survived and it’s now a Chewton icon.

After that tree, there was little to do except cross Forest Creek and walk back to the Chewton General Store for a quick debrief. 11.9 kms had been covered, lots of interesting sights and history explored and it was time for heading home.

The next FOBIF walk is also in the Chewton area – on the Poverty Gully Circuit and Eureka Reef on April 27. This walk is through an interesting cross section of the Castlemaine Diggings National Heritage Park. Start-ing near the Castlemaine Secondary College it includes the Poverty Gully water race (a marvel of goldfield’s en-gineering), Campbell’s Creek water race and the Eureka Reef Heritage walk. It’s a varied walk full of interesting mining archaeology. c. 12kms. For more information con-tact Marian Letcher on 9819 9568.

FOBIF walks near Chewton

20

An unfortunate situation arose after the March Chewton Chat was circulated. The Chat with the Chewton Community Plan survey insert went into circulation of Friday afternoon (28th February). By Sunday 2nd March the Chewton shop had no copies left. They’d had 100 two days earlier!

Apparently someone had taken umbrage at the survey insert. Then extra Chats started appearing in the PO, Red Hill and East End Servo. These extra Chats were placed with the Chats that had been delivered on the 28th, and all the extras had a half page of typed text stapled over one section of the survey.

Such an irresponsible action has serious implications for the Chewton Chat and the Chat’s credibility. The editor takes responsibility on behalf of the Chewton Domain Society for the contents of the Chat each month and at no time was the editor asked or contacted about this illegal action. There is no name attached to what amounts to an anonymous addition stapled to appear as though it is part of the Chat. This is the first time this, or anything like it, has happened in 15 years of producing a monthly Chat. It has implications for the:• Contributors who have a right to have their contributions

published in a newspaper free of such intrusive material• Operators of the businesses who volunteer the space for

Chats to be placed for collection who were placed in in-vidious positions by becoming aware of this underhand action

• Readers who lost access to the Chats at the shop when they were misappropriated

• Advertisers who pay in good faith for their advertising and keep the Chat afloat

• Volunteers who put the Chat together and arrange distri-bution each month

• The CDS which has spent 15 years establishing the reli-ability and credibility of the town’s newspaper

• Council who printed the survey after a lengthy commu-nity consultation, only to have it altered.

For very good reasons the Chat has a policy of not pub-lishing anonymous letters or articles. In one fell swoop the author of this mischief has challenged and disregarded this principle, apparently to make readers believe the stapled in-sert is a legitimate part of the Chat and actually comes from Chat sources.

So apologies to all those loyal Chewton Chat readers, contributors, advertisers, distributors and volunteers for this unforeseen incident. Hopefully it will not happen again.

John Ellis, Editor.

A most unfortunate situation...The Chewton community planning group in partner-ship with Council’s community planning team was re-cently assisted by the Chewton Chat to help publicise and distribute a survey asking people for their opinions about proposals for developing a vibrant, healthy and sustainable Chewton community.

Unfortunately there was an attempt by a member of the community to influence the survey. Many of the surveys had an unauthorised addendum attached to them and placed back into the copies of the Chewton Chat and then redistributed throughout Chewton.

This action is not in line with the spirit of the community planning process. Many local individuals have put a lot of time and energy trying to take in as many opinions as possible to reflect the whole commu-nity. Council is also of the belief that this action shows a lack of respect for the integrity of the Chewton Chat. Fortunately, the survey results are still valid and pro-vide a rich description of people’s ideas for Chewton.

We will continue our positive relationship with the Chewton Chat and appreciate it as an important re-source to the Chewton and surrounding community.

Carolyn WallaceDirector Sustainable Communities, MAS.

...as the editor sees it ...as MAS sees it

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This month I want to write about brain health and how we can keep our brains healthy throughout our lives. The research has some challenging aspects which some people are going to find disturbing to their day to day habits. Let’s face it; a lot of people don’t like change. Imagine if you will, a well worn track through a paddock. After years of constant use the track becomes well defined and in our summer heat conditions with the threat of snakes under foot it’s a positive thing to follow the path. In terms of brain use we can use the same analogy.

If you do the same thing day to day, habitually per-forming the same sorts of tasks in the same time frames, the same way, what do you think happens? Neural path-ways become SET and this is not a positive thing for a healthy brain. Our brains are designed to thrive on chal-lenge, information, new data input. One of the best things we can do for our brain is to challenge these ingrained pat-terns of behaviour. I’ve always been scared of people who never change. Frankly, I find it repressed and creepy, but a lot of us think it’s a quality, like dependability or stability or ‘good ‘ol same ol’.

Brains need exercise just like any other part of our body. Oxygen moving through the brain is great, so ex-

Dare to be different - Health Hints for Aprilercise is important. Fish oils are good for the brain along with other nutrients and I found out this week that 25% of the blood from each of our heartbeats goes to, you guessed it, the brain. In our later years when we are naturally be-coming more sedentary in the physical or we have formed very habitual patterns in our lives, it’s a good time to begin to work on improving brain function in order to stave of the dreaded alzheimers disease.

Travel is a great way to stimulate the brain because you are out of your familiar comfort zones. It is also proven to be highly beneficial to have an active social life in your elder years, so stop locking yourself away and get out and make some friends. Just the simple change of patterns is wonderful for brains because it begins to form new neural pathways, so go a different way to work. Drive a different way home. Get your mind onto some puzzles to solve. Play chess, learn an instrument, try a new language if you really want to challenge yourself, but for your Brain’s sake, spare a thought for what it needs and go ahead and do it.

We used to have to memorise the phone numbers of all the people we were close to before the new technology came along, how things have changed. As the old saying goes, “Use it or lose it”. Cheers. Thea O’Brien.

Chewton Town Hall Stage 2 The restoration of the Chewton Town Hall continues …

The major structural works have been completed with a couple of ongoing issues to deal with including the miss-ing front door. The extreme weather conditions meant that the front door kept responding to them (shrinking and ex-panding) and hence needed to be taken off, repaired and once back in place will be painted ready for use.

The CDS has set aside funding for the painting that will start as soon as the painter’s schedule allows. Whilst this is happening we have been concentrating on reinstat-ing the meeting room (formerly known as the kitchen). This turned out to be more complex than we first thought as we need to ensure that the facilities are compliant with the necessary health and food safety regulations.

We now have a quote for an oven and wall canopy ($1,889.62), a dishwasher ($1,450), and a hand wash basin ($342.90). To comply with environmental health regula-tions a stainless steel shelf unit and wall panels will be installed in the food preparation area ($2,000). An instant gas hot water system ($1,200) and light fittings ($6

00) will also need to be purchased. We are re-using the kitchen joinery and sink but re-

modelling the units to allow for the installation of a new hand basin and dishwasher. There are a number of prepa-ration tasks to achieve compliance, including ceiling re-pair and skirting board installation.

We have had many generous donations to help with this work with the money going towards the painting works. It’s now time to look at getting the meeting room done in preparation for the hall being opened for the com-munity use once again.

We have applied for a grant through the FRRR pro-gram for a lighting and display system for the town hall itself – there are many events coming up this year and this system would be perfect for community displays and oc-casional arts events, and would make the life of our volun-teers much easier. The Biggest Morning Tea will celebrate 15 years next year, Golden Point Landcare turns 20 and there has even been talk of a Back to Chewton as the last one was held 30 years ago. The Bentwood chair restora-tion is in full swing – I’ve been assured that we will end up with 38 chairs and at this stage there are 32 chairs in various people’s places being lovingly restored.

Now we need some volunteers who may have car-pentry skills or trades skills to assist with this last stage of works. If anyone can contribute to kitchen cabinet instal-lation, restoring skirting boards, repairing the expanded ceiling joints, or plumbing works, please contact Marie Jones on 5472 2892.

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Arts Open 2014 Visual Arts Extravaganza

Last month we previewed Arts Open with a visit to Rob-ert Maclaurin’s studio in Chewton, thanks Rob - we hope the weekend went well for you! This Visual Arts Extrava-ganza certainly had plenty to offer, we obviously couldn’t see all that was on show – here are some of the highlights.

Our trail began with the opening of “plenty”, a re-freshingly well curated exhibition by Robyn Walton fea-turing nine local artists in the Market Building. Next was the opening of an exhibition of diverse works by local art-

Chatting about the arts with Phil & Debbie Hallists at the old Fryerstown School, surely a great warm up for a weekend of studio visits.

What a delight it was to finally catch up with Dean Smith - a superb ceramicist using innovative techniques, particularly with tricky crystalline glazes. To meet highly talented artists in their home and family/work environ-ments is all part of the charm and insight this initiative aims for.

Other places of note were Marte Newcombe’s well organised print and sculpture studio, Roger McKindley’s Antares Iron Art Garden, happy wanderings through cre-ations made from fascinating “stuff”, and Lot 19, so much to see, missed plenty due to time, but had a great chat with Bill Sampson about his techniques in the gallery, followed by a very pleasant perusal of Nici Wright’s studio – the di-versity and quality of her work never ceases to amaze me.

Thank you so much to all the artists we visited and those we didn’t get around to. Hearty congratulations to all involved with this continually evolving and successful biannual initiative!

Robyn Waltoncurator

Bill SampsonLot19

Dean Smithstudio

Nic Wrightstudio David Waters

Lorne

Frank Velz,Suzanne

Donisthorpe,Lorne

Geoffry RicardoLorne

Lorne Sculpture Biennale

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Lorne Sculpture began in 2007 as an annual outdoor sculpture exhibition along the Lorne foreshore. It has now become a Biennale event with a rapidly growing reputa-tion for its diversity and quality of works presented- now over 4 weekends in March.

Julie Collins, Curator for a second time around, has brought much to the community committee and wonder-ful volunteers who dedicate themselves to this event and its continuing success. A broad variety of artists and art practices and styles are showcased harmoniously within the town, from pier to river mouth.

Central Victorian artists are well represented yet again, and we even bumped into a few while we were there. Consequently we have focused mainly on those art-ists who come from our neck of the woods.

Frank Veldz and Suzanne Donisthorpe created a spectacular and well sited installation, “Huberis” at the end of the trail overlooking the mouth of the river and Candy Stephens created a very effective Sculpture Scape, “Herd” across the grass bank and beach, again near the river mouth. Dave Waters placed a fascinating stone in-stallation of carved bluestone pills on the beach, and Jason Waterhouse cleverly corrupted the car park with his work “Ground” – see images.

All in all it was a great weekend, seaside, rain, sun, great art, wonderful event and the winner of the main prize was Louise Paramor for “the Wild Card”. Our People’s Choice vote went to Geoffrey Ricardo’s copper elephant which the public, particularly the kids, flocked to.

Cathouse Players “Deathtrap”

Three Adjudicators from the Victorian Drama League will visit the charming Chewton Senior Citizens’ Centre next month, and be part of the audience when Cathouse Players present the classic thriller Deathtrap by Ira Levin, author of Rosemary’s Baby. The Company is a member of the V.D.L., and Deathtrap is their official entry in these prestigious awards for 2014.

Robert BridgewaterLorne

Candy StevensLorne

Candy Stevenspackup Lorne

Jason WaterhouseLorne

(L-R) Sidney Bruhl (Frank Sartore)

Myrah Bruhl (Margaret Healy) Clifford Anderson

(Andrew Le Clercq)

Clifford Anderson (Andrew Le Clercq) and Porter Milgrim

(Doug Owen)

For all your LPG requirements call

Alan & Heather HarrisEast End Servo

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In complete contrast to last year’s critically-ac-claimed sell-out season of the delightful Blithe Spirit by Noel Coward, Deathtrap, written with icy skill, and with just a dash or two of humour and wit, has more twists and turns than a pretzel! This ‘play within a play’ will transfix and enthrall audiences right to its stunning final curtain, but not before deception and murderous intent, masked by innocent dialogue, is fully played out.

“YOU CAN SCREAM IF YOU WANT TO – IT’S GOOD FOR YOU”Cast: SIDNEY BRUHL – Frank Sartore – whom au-

diences will remember in his epic role in Trap for a Lonely Man last year. CLIFFORD ANDERSON – Castlemaine local Andrew Le Clercq – fresh from his wonderful per-formance as Charles in Blithe Spirit in November. MYRA BRUHL – Margaret Healy. HELGA TEN DORP – Gail “Murfi” McGregor (both actresses are long-time members of Cathouse Players). PORTER MILGRIM – Castlemaine local Doug Owen – making his Cathouse Players’ debut. Included in the tech. crew are Lighting/Sound Designer, Helen Gramberg of Elphinstone and Sound Operator Di Addington of Castlemaine.

With bookings now open, and tickets selling fast, Cathouse Players’ Artistic Director Bette Sartore’s advice is to please book soon. “We don’t want any disappointed locals missing out,” she says. “And there’s good news regarding the sight-lines. All the acting areas will be on the one level, as we will be installing a specially-designed and raised frontstage, making sure that none of our patrons miss out on the action!

EIGHT PERFORMANCES ONLY - from Fri May 16 (Opening Night - Wine & cheese) to Sat May 31 (Gala Night – Post-show Supper with cast & crew). At the Chewton Senior Citizens’ Centre, 201 Main Road,

Chewtonwhere there’s plenty of parking at rear in Mount Street. All shows EXCEPT Gala Night: $20/$15,Gala Night: $25 (no conc.) Ticket price includes

pre-show sherries 30 minutes before curtain, program, tea/coffee/biscuits at Interval.

BOOKINGS: On-line – www.trybooking.com/ELFWEnquiries & cash sales – 0448 371 623

Adult Puppet Show – in town nowAward Winning Musical for Castlemaine

A raunchy Adults Only puppets show, Avenue Q, is coming to Castlemaine’s Phee Broadway Theatre in March. The production, has had a number of highly suc-cessful overseas runs and is one of the longest-running shows ever produced on Broadway.

Castlemaine’s production is by Three’s a Crowd, the local company which is committed to achieving excel-lence in the presentation of musical theatre and bringing exciting productions to Central Victorian audiences.

Avenue Q is packed with heart and song, but also contains filthy language, mild racism, puppet nudity, sex and porn. This show is guaranteed to have you laughing out loud, yet surprisingly may also bring a tear to the eye with its moving emotional content that we can all relate to – human, puppets, monsters all!

Avenue Q opened on March 28 and will run over three weekends. Evening shows still to come are April 4,5,11 and 12 starting at 8pm. There will also be 2 mati-nee performances on Sunday March 30 and April 6th start-ing at 2pm. Tickets are available online at 3ac.com.au or at the door. Ticket information is available on 0439 537 319.

Art @ The CommaCorner Hargreaves &

Forest Streets, Castlemaine.

Hooked on Bossa Sunday 20th April,

6.30pm.

Tom Fraser rehearses for

Avenue Q

ANZAC Day 25th April8 a.m.

Soldiers’ Memorial Gates

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Theatre Royal highlight events

Our award winning venue continues to deliver…Castlemaine’s Theatre Royal, the current Age EG

Music Awards “Best Regional Venue”, is releasing details of an impressive live music program for 2014, showcas-ing a diverse mix of local and international touring artists. Throughout March and April the Theatre Royal will play host to such acts as Tex Perkins and Charlie Owen, Tim Rogers, James Reyne, Broderick Smith, Chad Morgan, The Bushwackers, Stonefield and the Cosmic Psychos – and the list goes on.

May and June sees more fantastic local and inter-national performers, including Saskwatch, the Backslid-ers, Frente, Cosmo Cosmolino, the Topp Twins from New Zealand and Lloyd Cole (of the Commotions fame) from the U.K., plus legendary Aussie export, The Beards, will perform in July.

David Stretch, owner of the Theatre Royal, says “I’m pleased to report the Theatre Royal will continue to de-liver a range of quality live entertainment in the next few months, showcasing performers from all over the country, indeed, all over the world.”

To be kept up-to-date with all forthcoming perfor-mances, visit the website and subscribe to the newsletter.The Theatre Royal is at 30 Hargraves Street, Castlemaine. Phone 5472 1196 for bookings or visit www.theatreroyal.info

There’s lots happening in the region, and it’s easy to miss out. Remember to check out http://massculture.com.au/ to keep up with what’s happening in the region.

If you have any arts news, events, exhibitions, op-portunities or if you are a local artist wanting to show-case your work or get involved with arts initiatives in the Chewton Community please contact us on 54725396 or email debbie@otterycottage.com

The Beards

Uncovering secret historiesCouncil is keen to hear from community members with stories about our Shire’s history from the distant past up until the present day. This will kick start the process of preparing the first Thematic History for the Mount Alex-ander Shire. To get involved and to find out more about this project, a Drop-in Information Session will be held on Wednesday 9 April from 4.00pm to 7.00pm in the Ray Bradfield Room in Victory Park, Castlemaine. All are welcome to attend.

This project is a key part of implementing the MAS Heritage Strategy 2012-2016 which sets out directions and priorities for the identification, protection, management and promotion of Mount Alexander’s heritage.

A thematic history differs from the usual chronologi-cal history as it views the past through themes to build a multi-facetted understanding of how we have arrived where we are, and who we are today. It is a way to locate significant objects, places, landscapes, people and events within a network of themes, rather than in isolation.

While the Thematic History will include well docu-mented early themes such as gold mining, it will also out-line more recent themes, such as 20th century industry, and other less known stories, like the development of dry land farming and the contribution of minority groups dur-ing particular eras.

Of special interest are those stories and aspects of our past which are not widely known – our secret histories.

Anyone can make a submission by emailing info@mountalexander.vic.gov.au , by post to Strategic Planning, PO Box 185, Castlemaine 3450 or via the Your Input sec-tion of Council’s website before 19 May 2014.

For more information please contact Sarah Austin, Acting Strategic Planner on 5471 1816 or s.austin@moun-talexander.vic.gov.au Taken from a Press Release.

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Chewton Domain SocietyAfter the minutes of the previous meeting were approved the business arising was discussed. This included the news that the acquittal of the local History Grant for town hall signage has been forwarded, and a letter has been sent to MASC requesting that they put in writing that they have discontinued cleaning the public toilets behind the town hall and the nearby BBQ. Other correspondence received included a congratulatory letter from Lisa Chesters on the GVESHO Grant the CDS has just received to assist with the administrative costs it incurs. It was noted that in the correspondence the CDS receives, any historical research letters/queries go to Allan Dry for attention, Chewton Chat articles and ad payments go to the editor and new member-ships are recorded and approved by the committee.

The treasurer reported a balance of $34,366.48 ($9,125.00 of that is committed) with accounts for pay-ment totalling $1,885.73 (about 50% of that was the Chat printing cost).

A final report to DPCD and acquittal for the expended town hall restoration grant is being prepared. The painting of the town hall is imminent and a variation on the volun-teer grant the CDS received ($4,100) will now be used for white good purchases (stove, canopy, dish washer, hand washing basin). A stainless steel shelf unit and wall pan-els (approx. $3,000), Hot water service (exterior $1,200) and light fittings ($600) are also needed. Estimates are still being sought for carpentry (cupboard alterations, re-pair ceiling, install new skin wall for preparation bench, repair internal wall), plumbing, electrical work and project planning.

A grant application for $3,448 for a display/lighting system in town hall has been submitted. A letter request-ing an exemption for the installation of a grease trap has been sent to Coliban Water.

Fund raising may need to be considered because it appears the CDS will be looking at approx. $40,000 for the total completion of the town hall restoration.

The teasurer also pointed out that the annual insur-ance premium (expected to be in the region of $3,000) is due shortly.

CDS membership is currently 83 members – it was suggested a yellow membership form go in the July Chat when 2014/15 memberships are due.

Elaine reported that the People and Places display received a donation of $22 for work she did for Howard Bown on the Pitman family. Bev Ralph has donated some paperwork to the People and Places display.

Chair restoration workshops have been organised (see separate article) and there has been a request from the

Castlemaine Lions Club for CDS to do a powerpoint pre-sentation on the restoration of the Chewton Town Hall on 22.4.2014. Helen, Bettie and Marie are to organise and at-tend as a way of thanking them for their $2,000 donation.

A discussion was held about the Chewton Commu-nity Survey having an unauthorised stapled addition (in the March Chat) by a person from the community – a com-ment about how this was inappropriate to be included in the next Chat.

The Park report informed the CDS that since council ceased cleaning the BBQ and public toilet a CDS commit-tee member has been cleaning the BBQ and a local resi-dent generously cleaning the toilets.

The first opening of the town hall is to be for official guests – politicians, councillors etc. and is to be organised once a firm date is known. Helen mentioned there is an interest in a Back to Chewton as the last one was 30 years ago – everyone is to think about how this may happen and further discussion will follow at the next meeting. The meeting closed at 8 p.m.

The next CDS Man/Comm. Meeting is on Tuesday April 15th 2014 at 7 p.m. in the George Archer Pavilion.

Buda Historic Home and GardenA property of national significance.

Home of the noted Gold and Silversmith ERNEST LEVINY and his family from 1863 to 1981, featuring authentic furnishings, arts and crafts collection, significant heritage garden and grounds.

Nursery selling drought-hardy plants, many propagated from the garden. Open hours Wed - Sat 12noon to 5pm, Sunday 10am to 5pm. Groups by appointment.

42 Hunter Street, Castlemaine 3450, T/F: (03) 5472 1032 E: admin@budacastlemaine.org

Chewton PlaygroupBabies, toddlers and preschool aged children who go to play-group can make new friends, have new experiences, gain self-confidence and develop physically, socially, emotionally and intellectually.

This year provides us with ongoing opportunities for learning, growing and developing. Come join us in the multi-purpose room at Chewton Primary School, where we can draw, cut, colour, paste, paint, build, ride and play together.

9am to 11am, Monday mornings during term. We look forward to seeing you.

Contacts:Bronwyn Dawson 0407 889 390

Chewton Primary School 5472 2557

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Victoria’s home-grown opera star Tiffany Speight will sing the soprano role. Tiffany, based in Malmsbury, has received Helpmann and Green Room Awards for lead roles with Opera Australia and the Victorian Opera. She has given concerts with the Mel-bourne, Sydney and Adelaide Symphony Orchestras. Tiffany stars with Anthony War-low, David Hobson and Collette Mann in the DVD of Opera Australia’s HMS Pinafore. She has appeared on the ABC hit TV show Spicks & Specks a number of times. She is also a favourite of some of Australia’s biggest stars. She performed for Nicole Kidman at husband Keith Urban’s birthday party and sang at Russell Crowe’s wedding. It is Tif-fany’s debut in the soprano role.

Michael Gillies Smith, of Chewton, will sing the male alto role. Michael was an opera student at the Victorian College of Arts in Melbourne and the Royal Academy of Music in London and has performed in many operas and musical productions in Austra-lia, England and Israel. In recent years he has performed with the Victorian Opera and Chamber Made Opera. It is Michael’s debut in the male alto role.

The performance will also feature the Melbourne Chamber Choir, conducted by David Kram, also based in Malmsbury, and the Castlemaine Chamber Ensemble. Peter Butler of Bendigo will play the organ.

The venue is Castlemaine’s magnificent 1856-built Christ Church, corner of Ken-nedy and Forest Sts.

The Stabat Mater Dolorosa (the mother stood weeping) is a 13th century latin poem or hymn, a meditation on the feelings of Mary during her son Jesus’s crucifixion. It is generally agreed that it was written by Italian Jacopone da Todi (about 1230-1306). Ja-copone was a member of a noble family and a successful lawyer. He turned his back on this life, gave away all his possessions and became a wandering ascetic and a Franciscan friar. He also gained a reputation as a mystic, sometimes acting out in public his spiritual visions. He wrote many poems and songs. The Stabat Mater Dolorosa is considered one of the greatest hymns ever written. Jacopone’s preaching attracted many enthusiasts. Dante praised him in his epic Paradiso on the soul’s ascent to God.

Italian composer Giovanni Pergolesi died from tuberculosis at age 26 in 1736. Dur-ing his final illness, he relocated to a Franciscan monastery in Pozzuoli, where he set the Stabat Mater to music in his final weeks. Scored for soprano, alto, string orchestra and basso continuo, it is his most celebrated sacred work. It was commissioned by the Confraternità dei Cavalieri di San Luigi di Palazzo, who presented an annual Good Fri-day meditation in honour of the Virgin Mary. From the moment it was premiered, after Pergolesi’s death, it struck a deep and fundamental chord with the public. It became one of the most printed works in the 18th century. German poet Johann Tieck said: “I had to turn away to hide my tears, especially at the place Vidit suum dulcem Natum (She beheld her sweet child).”

Tickets $30, $25 conc, $15 U18.Bookings at www.333Arts.net or 5472 1137.

Chewton-based 333 Arts presents the Pergolesi Stabat MaterGood Friday, April 18, at Castlemaine Christ Church at 3 pm.

Please support our advertisers......and let them know you’ve seen their advertisement in the Chat!

Michael Gillies Smith and Tiffany Speight and

members of the Castlemaine Chamber Ensemble,

Trish Timmins (front left), Evie Mathews and

Libby Anderson (front right).

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Last month’s 160 years in the making article about the Red Hill Hotel has brought for-ward items of interest. This from the Metcalfe Shire Heri-tage study.

HISTORY The Red Hill Hotel

took its name from a hill at the centre of the Forest Creek diggings which became fa-mous for its rich shallow de-posits of alluvial gold. How-ever much of the hill had been passed through cradle and puddling machines by the time George Lockhart opened his hotel on the 2nd

of August 1854. He was the first licensee of the Red Hill Hotel and probably its builder.

Just three months after the hotel was opened the li-cense was transferred to Mr William Low. William Low was responsible for erecting what was to become a well-known facility in Chewton’s main street. This was a large music hall adjoining the hotel. When it was opened to-ward the end of 1856, the Mount Alexander Mail claimed that the “magnificent ballroom” was the “theme of general admiration”. During this period William Low may also have rebuilt the hotel - which was originally timber - in brick.

The Red Hill Assembly Hall became the venue for a variety of functions during the 1850s including a per-formance by the English Opera Company, a giant anti-Chinese protest meeting in 1857 and the annual Masonic Ball. A number of organisations also had their beginnings at the Hotel; the Manchester Unity Lodge held its inaugu-ral meeting at the Red Hill in 1888.

William Low remained the licensee of the Hotel until 1885 when the licence was transferred to Edward Bennett. Three years later the hotel became the property of pub-lican, Fritz Otzen. At the turn of the century it was sold

to Fitzgerald and Company Brewery, Castlemaine, who over the next four decades until 1941 leased it to a total of twelve different publicans.

It is said that the Cellars under the hotel were once fitted with heavy doors and used for the safe storage of gold and that the same cellars were also used as a morgue in the hot summer months. Local residents remember that, in the days of 6 o’clock closing, the cellars could become quite crowded after official closing time and the steps at the end of the corridor, which led to the Music Hall, pro-vided a speedy exit if the local policeman appeared.

The building continues to operate as a hotel. DESCRIPTION

The original Red Hill Hotel constructed in 1854 was of timber. The music hall was constructed in late 1856. The present brick building was constructed on the original cellars. This is believed to have been during the owner-ship of William Low from 1854 to 1885.

The existing building is a single storey brick build-ing on a bluestone plinth with a rendered facade facing the street. The only embellishment is the straight parapet with cornice mouldings at the springing of the hipped roof verandah and just below the top of the parapet.

The Hotel has a hipped roofed street verandah sup-ported on timber posts. There is little decoration remain-ing on the verandah. The facade is punctuated by three arch headed doorways and rectangular window openings. The music hall has its own centrally placed doorway and flanking windows but is now visually part of the facade of the hotel. The prominent position of the Hotel on the street line and on a curve in the road makes the building a significant element in the character of Chewton.

The Red Hill Facebook page now carries several in-teresting items and photos of the hotel’s past – it is well worth a look. And do you have memories and/or photos and/or mementoes from the Red Hill’s past to share?

Di would love to access them during the months leading up to the 160th. The most convenient way of mes-saging Di or getting photos to her is via the Red Hill Hotel Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/pages/Red-Hill-Hotel/315300361659

The Red Hill -160 years in the making...

Music, music, music - the Red Hill during the 2003 Chewton Folk Festival - inside and outside

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Leader, Saturday, 18 April, 1914.MARKETING TABLE POULTRY.

Sir,- If the business of poultry raising is not to become extinct, the Government must come to its assistance. At present, breeders are, completely at the mercy of auction-eers and middle men. I sent a crate of 17 young Indian Runner ducks to a firm of Melbourne auctioneers, and got back a cheque for £1 4/6, not quite 3½d. a pound, half the price of butchers’ meat. The average weight of the ducks was 5 lb. This is by no means a solitary instance. What is wanted is for the Government to have a place where consignments could be sent, each consignment to be valued, and an auctioneer appointed at a fixed salary to sell the birds. No consignment to be sold under the valuation. Any consignment unsold could be put in cold storage and an advance made to the consignor until sold, when an account, sales could be rendered with a cheque for the balance. By this means the export of poultry would go up by leaps and bounds, as breeders would go into the business on a much larger scale, being certain of getting a fair price, whilst the public would be benefited as the middleman’s profit would be eliminated. Fancy and pure stock breeders are as much affected by market prices as the breeders of table birds. If the price of table birds is not remunerative, breeders’ will go out of the business; then the fancy and pure stock breeders must also go. This is a matter that ought to be of considerable interest to the Poul-try and Kennel Club, as well as the general public.

-Yours, &c., BREEDER. Chewton, 6th April.

Chewton - 100 years ago...

Bendigo Advertiser, 18th July 1904SportingFootball

A meeting of the Castlemaine District Association was held on Friday night. Mr Thomas, the umpire at the Foundry and Chewton match, reported four of the Chew-ton players for using improper language on the field. One of them was disqualified for the season, and the other three were reprimanded and ordered to send in written apologies to the Association before being allowed to play again. A protest entered by Foundry over the same match was con-sidered. Chewton won by one point. The umpire who was present reported that in the last quarter Errington for the Foundry kicked a goal. But as the umpire had whistled for the ball to be called back again, through one of the Chew-ton players going over the mark, he made Errington kick again, when he only scored a behind. The rule being clear on the matter that the goal should have been allowed, the Chewton delegates moved that the game be awarded to the Foundry, which was carried.

Bendigo Advertiser 11th July 1910SportingFootball

Castlemaine AssociationUmpire Assaulted

The match between Castlemaine Foundry and Forest Creek Miners, played in the Camp Reserve, Castlemaine, on Saturday, was witnessed by a large and excited crowd. The central umpire, S. White – an accredited umpire from the Bendigo Association – was very strict, and awarded numerous free kicks. As the members of the Forest Creek team were the principal offenders they were the more fre-quently penalised, consequently the umpire was frequently hooted by the Forest Creek followers. In the first quarter Foundry scored 2 goals 2 behinds to Forest Creek’s nil.

In the second quarter the game was more even, Foundry scoring 1 goal 2 behinds to Forest Creek’s 1 goal 3 behinds. At half time the scores were:- Foundry, 3 goals 4 behinds to Forest Creek’s 1 goal 3 behinds. In the third quarter Foundry scored 1 goal 4 behinds to nil, and in the last quarter each side scored 1 goal 1 behind, making the totals:- Foundry 5 goals 9 behinds; Forest Creek, 2 goals 4 behinds. Immediately the game was over a number of Forest Creek barrackers rushed the ground and hooted the umpire. One of them, named John Davies, struck him a cowardly blow from behind, and on his turning round to see who had struck him, he was again punched on the chin. Constable Maher, who was on duty at the ground, saw the cowardly assault, and immediacy arrested the assailant. Undoubtedly the constable’s prompt action prevented an all-round free fight, as both sides had been wrought up to a pitch of excitement, and were in a pugnacious mood. The umpire entered a charge of assault against Davies, and he was locked up. Later on he was admitted to bail.

Maldon played Castlemaine, in the Shire Reserve, Maldon, on Saturday. Scores:- Maldon, 10 goals 7 be-hinds; Castlemaine, 4 goals 10 behinds. Our correspon-dent says:- Pollock, of Bendigo, gave a good exhibition of umpiring.

Bendigo Advertiser 28th October 1910Football

The Forest Creek Football Club, the runners-up in the Cas-tlemaine District Competition, held a social at Chewton on Wednesday night, when the late Mr. Q. Crawford’s trophy for the runners-up was presented to the president, Mr. W. Ebbott (Mayor of Chewton). A gold medal for the most unselfish player was awarded to Campbell, and a second trophy to Bentley, the captain. A solid gold albert chain was presented by the club supporters to the secretary (Mr. J. Pitt), and a handsome trophy was handed to Mr. D. Mor-gan, the assistant secretary. A programme of dances was gone through to the strains of Hodson’s String Band, and supper was served by Mr. W. Penney.

... and more than 100 years ago!Chewton, Chewton Miners, Forest Creek, Forest Creek Miners - all have appeared in old papers as Football Clubs at various stages. Were they the same entity? Or did the names change? The Mayor of Chewton was ap-parently president of Forest Creek Football Club in 1910. Old newspaper reports give clues:

An interesting starting point - but can anyone shed light on the story of Chewton’s Football Clubs? And after

reading the these articles one wonders what was the issue with the Castlemaine Foundry footy team...

30

Stopping the spread of St John’s Wort

A Communities for Nature grant from the State Govern-ment has been used to help promote natural regeneration through the upper section of the Forest Creek catchment. Members of the Friends of the Box-Ironbark Forests ex-pressed concern about the spread of the extremely in-vasive weed, St John‘s Wort (Hypericum perforatum)

through the valley after seeing the problems it has caused on Mount Alexander. Infestations of this weed are so large there that a biological control method is possibly the only way to stop it spreading. This perennial weed outcom-petes native understorey plants in the bushlands with its aggressive growth and spread. When eaten by livestock it can cause severe poisoning.

The Department of Environment and Primary Indus-tries (DEPI) has produced an information sheet that has been letter boxed along Golden Point Road advising the local community of this problem weed. It is also available through Max Schlachter, Landcare Facilitator for Mount Alexander Region on 5472 1594, or on the Weeds Austra-lia website www.weeds.org.au

The grant was also used to employ a registered con-tractor to spray the heavier infestations through the Forest Creek valley. This has been, and will be followed up later, with volunteers either hand pulling or spot spraying new plants. Funding also provided two backpack spray units for volunteers and local residents to use in their battle to stop the spread of St John’s Wort.

Local seed from indigenous plants (spear and wal-laby grass, carex and daisies) has been collected –and will be direct seeded into specially prepared areas in May and July, depending on the weather. As with all invasive weeds, the long term follow up control and maintenance is necessary to stop the spread of St John’s Wort. There are two native Hypericum species that are much smaller and quite delicate plants that are definitely good plants to have. If you would like further information please contact Marie Jones on 5472 2892.

First Youth Grant supports Bushwalking

The first of Council’s new Quick Response Youth Grants has been awarded to a young girl from Muckleford, Nioka Mellick-Cooper. She has received $1,000 for a bushwalk-ing group that she is developing for young people. Her project involves a partnership with the Friends of the Box-Ironbark Forests. There will be two bushwalks developed specifically for young people with interesting guides, cov-ering topics like the history of gold mining.

“This project is about starting a youth bushwalking group that will encourage young people and their families to participate in the Friends of the Box-Ironbark Forest walks,” said Nioka Mellick-Cooper. “If young people are going to enjoy and protect the bush around Castlemaine, then they need to get out into it.”

The first walk took place on Sunday 30 March. Par-ticipants were bussed from Castlemaine to the start of the Red, White and Blue Mine Walk in the Muckleford Forest.

A BBQ lunch was provided at the end of the walk. For more details and to complete a registration form con-tact Nioka on 5472 4609 or niokamc1@gmail.com

Council’s new Quick Response Youth Grants sup-port young people to organise and plan activities, events or projects which interest them. Small grants up to $1,000 are available at any time of the year. To be eligible for a Quick Response Youth Grants you are required to be a young person aged between 12 and 25, live in the Mount Alexander Shire and want to run a project for young peo-ple in Mount Alexander Shire. To find out more about the Quick Response Youth Grants, an Information Pack outlining the guidelines is available by visiting the Youth section of this website or you can contact Shannon Lacy, Youth Development Officer at Council on 5471 1826.

Taken from a Press Release.

Chewton Domain Society membership renewals

for 2013/2014 are now due$5 will keep your membership up to date.

Email: gleharr@gmail.com or Phone/Text: 0419 337 804

31

FIELD NATSVISITORS ARE WELCOME AT CLUB

MEETINGS AND EXCURSIONSFri April 11th Meeting:

Speaker: Carol Hall on IcelandSat April 12th Excursion: Mineral

Springs tour with George Broadway Ordinary membership: Single $30, Family $40, Pensioner or student: Single $25, Family $30. Subscription includes postage of the monthly

newsletter, Castlemaine Naturalist.General meetings - (second Friday of each month, except January) are held in the Uniting Church (UCA) Hall (enter from Lyttleton St.) at 7.30 pm. Field Trips - (Saturday following the general meeting) leave from the car park opposite Cas-tle Motel, Duke Street at 1.30pm sharp unless stated otherwise. BYO afternoon tea. Outdoor excursions are likely to be cancelled in extreme weather conditions. There are NO excursions on total fire ban days.CASTLEMAINE FIELD NATURALISTS,

PO BOX 324, CASTLEMAINE 3450Website: http://home.vicnet.net.au/~cfnc

The Chewton Chat is published by the Chewton Domain Society. A subcommittee of John Ellis (Ed.),Bettie Exon, Gloria Meltzer, Debbie Hall, Phil Hall and Glen Harrison is responsible for the publication. Many volunteers help with production and circulation. It is circulated on the first of each month, necessitating a deadline of about the 22nd of the month before. Material can be left at the Chewton General Store, with any of the sub-committee members, sent by e-mail to goldenpoint2@bigpond.com or by calling 5472 2892.

Contributions of ideas, news items, articles, and letters are always welcome; as are advertisements that help meet monthly production costs. Circulation is via the Chewton General Store, Chewton Pet Supplies, Chewton Post Office, East End Servo, Red Hill Hotel, Castle Auto-motive Enterprises and Tourist Information Board, as well as the Bold Cafe, Castlemaine Library, Market Building, CHIRP, CIC, Castlemaine Copy Centre, Castlemaine Camera Shop and Castlemaine Office Supplies. Mt. Alexander Hospital Residential receives monthly copies too. Whilst copies are free, there are donation tins at many collection points and donations can be mailed to the CDS address below. Subscriptions for mailed copies can be arranged. Circulation is now 800. A full colour Chewton Chat can also be downloaded each month from www.chewton.net - as can earlier issues. The CDS can be contacted through PO Box 85, Chewton, 3451; or the Chewton Town Hall 5470 6131 (when open). The Chewton Chat wishes to advise that the views or remarks expressed in this publication are not necessarily the views of the editor, the manage-ment team or the Chewton Domain Society and no endorsement of service is implied by the listing of advertisers, sponsors or contributors.

Vocal Nosh a good sing & good food in convivial company

Sunday 6th April

with Jane Thompson and James Rigby

at Newstead Community Centre Theme: Seasons of Change

• 6.00 - 7.00 pm Vocal entrée - warm up/easy stuff• 7.00 - 7.30 pm Food - Hearty soup, crusty bread,

fresh fruit• 7.30 - 8.30 pm Musical main-course – Delicious

harmoniesSongs in the folk style, mostly a cappella

- no prior musical experience necessary - no need to read music

Singing for the pleasure of it Bookings by email: faywhite.music@westnet.com.au

or phone Fay 5461 5471

Castlemaine CWADiary of Events:

• Thurs 3rd 9a.m. - 1 p.m. Sewing circle, knit, and crochet• Wed 9th 10 - 2 p.m. Cooking class - warm salads• Sat 19th 10 - 4 - sewing plus a stall - hand made and haby oddments • Mon 21st general meeting - 6 p.m. with dinner• Mon 21st maldon show parade 10 a.m.• May 4th Farmers Market 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.BEANIE AFFAIR: We are working towards our major textile event May 23 - 25th to be held at the Market Building Castlemaine. Entries are now being received from textile workers, and our craft sessions are also working towards this event.

A new web page has just been created for the Beanie Affair: www.beanieaffair.org.au

Check out our facebook pages both Beanie Affair and Castlemaine CWA, email us castlemainecwa@gmail.com, or phone President 04040 98920, post: P.O. Box 19, castlemaine 3450We are recruiting new members at present and are offering membership at half price. Allison Nye, Castlemaine CWA.

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There is a definite hint of autumn about the place this week. In the second week of March we were still get-ting mid-twenties and low 30s at my place. But now, we are decidedly back to the high teens and low twenties. Seems only last week we were all bemoaning a slow start to summer, then suddenly it arrived with a bang. And now it’s leaving again. Just as we all said during the week of the forties, we shall soon be complaining that the summer has gone. Well, we were right; we are.

A month’s high of 33 degrees C is eleven degrees lower than last month’s high. Only seven days of more than 30 degrees C compares with last month’s sixteen days. And finally, no forty degree days this month at all.

The nights are getting cooler too. It seems like only last week we could leave our beds for the bathroom that was pleasantly warm. Suddenly it’s chilly again and it’s necessary for a quick dash from shower to the towel to get dry as quickly as possible. No hanging around inspecting the mirror. Our most common overnight temperature in March was 9 degrees. The average was just 11 degrees instead of the almost seventeen degrees we had in Febru-ary. The lowest overnight was 8 degrees Celsius.

And so to rain. Or rather not to rain, where has it all got to? It seems so fickle. I keep hearing of downpours in Daylesford, Hepburn, Bendigo, and even good falls in and around Castlemaine; but Chewton !!!!! For the first

And now it’s going again... three months of the year we have had just 22 millimetres. 10.5, 9 and 2.5 mills so far this year. Since 2001, our rainfall in the months of January, February and March has, on average, totaled some 110 millimetres. Quite a difference. Of course, we can do without the 100mil-limetre plus falls of these months and the accompanying floods, but just a bit more would be nice. The veggies would love it and the tanks are looking quite low. I no-ticed my next door neighbour had the truck in his drive-way with that familiar blue tank on the back. A lack of regular teenagers visiting is actually a help as they are no ‘respectors’ of 3-minute showers. I put wicking beds into my veggie patch over the last few years and that has helped to keep the tomatoes on track.

Time to go back to the “Southern Oscillating Index” again, or El Nino/La Nina. I noticed an article in the New Scientist this month in which someone in Europe had been investigating the rain in the equatorial Pacif-ic Ocean. There is always more research to be done of course, but this fellow quoted a relationship between the winds blowing across the ocean that churned up the deep ocean waters to the surface. These waters were appar-ently warmer and could be the cause of the warm water that moved back and forth across the ocean.

John Leavesley.P.S. It is to be expected that the day after I write that we have had very little rain - we

get 25 mms overnight!

Calendar of eventsApr 4th School Term 1 finishes..Apr 6th MoBQ (Chewton Community BBQ), 6 p.m., Ellery Park. BYO everything.Apr 8th MAS Council Meeting, 7.30 p.m., Civic Centre, Castlemaine.Apr 13th POHAG Meeting, 10 a.m., Sam’s Shed.Apr 15th CDS M/Com. Mtg, 7 p.m., George Archer Pavilion.Apr 18th Good Friday.Apr 18th World Heritage Day.Apr 18th Good Friday Royal Children’s Hospital Appeal by Chewton CFA.Apr 18th Pergolesi Stabat Mater, 3 p.m., Castlemaine Christ Church.Apr 21st Easter Monday.Apr 22nd School term 2 starts.Apr 22nd MAS Council Meeting, 7.30 p.m., Metcalfe Hall.Apr 23rd Deadline for May Chewton Chat.Apr 26th Fryerstown Film night (Gallipoli), 7.30 p.m., Fryerstown Mech. Inst.Apr 25th ANZAC Day Ceremony, 8 a.m., Chewton Solders’ Memorial Park gates.Apr 27th FOBIF Walk (Poverty Gully and Eureka Reef), 9.30 a.m. (see page 19 or call 9819 9568).Apr 27th Centenary celebration Major Mitchell cairn, 12 noon, Expedition Pass Reservoir.Apr 27th No meeting for Golden Point Landcare in April. Apr 30th Folding Chewton Chat, 2.30 p.m., Chewton General Store.

Sunday 6th of April - Daylight Saving ends!Don’t forget to change your smoke alarm battery!