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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 186 August, 2014.

www.chewton.net

There’s snow place like...

Mountains are drawcards because of their promi-nence in the landscape. The local Mount Alexan-der is often questioned – is it a real mountain? The answer is yes – it is recorded as 744 metres above sea level, rising out of a local landscape that is al-ready 350 metres above sea level. Perhaps that’s why it’s status is questioned.

Thursday the 17th’s weather brought light snow to Golden Point after lunch, which combined with some heavier hail to turn yards whitish. So the question was – would there be snow on Mount Alexander? And yes, there was! Snow falling on the drive up saw the car record the outside tem-perature dropping to one degree. And near the top of the mount a white coat was beginning to cover foliage - and the landscape.

In terms of heights, Mount Alexander’s 744 metres is well below Mount Macedon’s 1001 me-tres but well above Mount Franklin’s 648 metres and Mount Tarrengower’s 556 metres. And those four are all well short of Australia’s highest be-cause Mount Kosciusko reaches 2228 metres, and they are also short of Victoria’s highest because Mount Bogong reaches 1986 metres.

And driving across Mount Alexander there is a road sign that claims it is another two metres tall-er anyway! 744 or 746? Who really cares when there is snow to visit only a few kilometres out of Chewton!

This post and associated photos on chewton.net Facebook has been viewed more than 1,700 times!!!

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Ten ladies attended a re-union of the pre-1970 Chewton School Mothers’ Club. Their years of service covered the years from 1959.

Edna Preece, Wilma Ellery, Leslie Retal-lick, Dorothy Johnson, Joan Cox, Val Diss, Joyce Maltby, Dot Jones, Doreen Skinner and Merle Jenkins met at the Chewton Store for a lovely af-ternoon tea. Thanks to Chris and Ange for mak-ing the occasion so wonderful.

Among the group there were ex-presidents, ex-secretaries, ex-treasurers and ex-committee members. All with stories to tell and all with memories to share. Have you heard of the story behind the official opening of the school gates? Of the Minister of Education who suddenly ap-peared?

The tales rolled on and on. Merle Jenkins and Joan Cox both said that 5 generations of their families had attended the Chewton school!

This was a vibrant group that must have had the school buzzing through the sixties. And they keep an eye on the school and its goings-on even now – have you no-ticed the school gates do need a little bit of attention?

Thanks to Joan Cox for providing much of the infor-mation for this article.

A re-union rolls back the years

AGMChewton Community and

Senior Citizens CentreHall Committee Annual General Meeting

6th August 2014 7.30pm. at the Senior Citizens Centre

Please bring your friends and neighbours alongTea and coffee available.

President Phil Mawson 5473 3454Secretary Valda Casbolt 5473 3357.

AGMChewton Domain Society

24th August 2014 at 2 p.m.Chewton Town Hall

President Helen McGeachin 0402 085 025Secretary Bettie Exon 5472 3892

AnnualGeneral Meeting

Sunday, August 31st 10.00am

Chewton Town Hall, Main Rd. ChewtonFUN AND FITNESS

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INTERNATIONAL CIRCLE DANCING

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When: Fridays, 5.30 - 7.00 p.m. New people warmly welcome. All dances

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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National Science Week comes to Chewton schoolEach year Chewton school hosts a special annual event during National Science Week – a dinner with members of the Chewton community. The aim of this evening is to en-courage school and community groups to develop shared scientific knowledge and understanding. And the dinner at these fantastic events is always prepared, cooked and served by Chewton students.

Trace Balla was the 2014 guest speaker. Trace is a local author who has written the book ‘Rivertime’ which tells the story of the rich and expansive range of bird and animal life in a river. Trace worked with children at the school during the afternoon, then shared dinner and many of her experiences with families and invited guests.

A series of slides illustrated Trace’s talk as she took us along some of her journeys, particularly the ten day canoe investigation of the Glenelg River. We were shown her sketch-books that record her travels, the water co-lour pencils that create her images - and the

‘Rivertime’ book that emerged two years after the canoe adventure. An absorbing evening all round, and judging by the numbers queueing to purchase a copy of ‘River-time’ at its conclusion a very impressive one.

Chef Jess and the children who prepared the dinner came through and introduced themselves, and received a rousing ovation. There were thanks all round as the Na-

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tional Science Week co-ordi-nation committee was then thanked for assisting with funding this event.

‘Rivertime’ is available locally at Stoneman’s Book-shop in Castlemaine – and it is recommended! Publisher Allen and Unwin describes it as a tender and beautifully illustrated tale of a boy and his bird-watching uncle, on a paddling trip on Australia’s Glenelg River. A story about slowing down, growing up, and connecting with the land and its creatures.• “All children need an Uncle

Egg to open up the magi-cal world of nature. We all need to get outside, away from television, computers and mobile phones, and what better way than a canoeing-camping trip? This is a de-lightful story about the joy of the outdoors.” DAVID SUZUKI

• “Rivertime is a quirky, charming immersion into the life of a waterway and into the life-lessons a river can teach.” MAYA WARD (author of The Comfort of Water)

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The Business(es) of ChewtonCastlemaine Bus Lines

Castlemaine Bus Lines is now officially located in Chewton after the grand opening on July. 3 Main Road, Chewton the sign says! No longer Castlemaine Bus Line since the missing “s” was replaced dur-ing the move after a 20 year absence, the re-invigorated signage now adorns the impressive new premises.

It really was open house as visitors took the opportunity to move around and inspect the pristine white-floored workshop, the latest equipment for servicing and maintenance, sparkling new bus-es, extensive parking area, above ground fuel tank, bus washing area and rain-water collection arrangements. Equally impressive were the environmentally friendly decisions and improvements made dur-ing the planning and construction phases that Managing Director Geoff Hansford outlined in a brief illustrated presentation. The staff recreation area looked especially inviting.

A local industry that is locally owned moving to a new space with facilities that give it the capacity to grow into the future is a great thing. And, as one staff member remarked, “I can now find parking near the depot every morning!”

After Geoff’s presentation a cake was cut, a presentation made by the 1st Castlemaine Pioneer Scout Group in appreciation of sup-port received from the bus line over many years and lots of photos were taken! As the afternoon rolled on the numbers swelled as the tradies and workers who had enabled the move finished work and joined the ranks.

Pizza de Wheels had set up, Jeff Jones was Vox-Popping for the Castlemaine Mail (one wonders how many people jokingly sug-gested it should be re-named Chewton Bus Lines?) and the Chewton Domain Society’s secretary Bettie Exon found a somewhat dated Welcome to Chewton Kit somewhere in the archives and made a presentation! The opening was well on the way to being one to re-member.

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Elaine Appleton has pointed out the bus service that began in Chewton is now based here again! Frank Scoles ran the first bus service in the mid-1920s. Frank ran his business from a house in Main Road Chewton.

Frank and his family moved in 1930 to another Main Road house which was next to the Independent Congregational Church in Chewton. He continued to run his bus business from there until 1950. That house was demolished in the mid-1990s.

Frank Scoles’ first T-model bus operated between Chewton and Castlemaine in the mid-20s. The 1933 Chevrolet bus was then used to operate a regular service between Chewton and Castlemaine, including a cinema run. This bus was green and cream. When Frank sold the bus service in 1950 to Bentleys in Castlemaine it was on condition that the Chewton run would stay on the road.

A glass slide advertisement for the bus service was used in Castlemaine’s Theatre Royal. All four photos are from People and Places Collection.

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Back to Chewton

At the July Post Office Hill Action Group (POHAG) meeting, discussion covered all the usuals – reports on works that are underway and maintenance work that remains to be done. One of

these tasks is removal of tree guards at former plantings adjacent to the old tip site. Discussion then turned to the recent vandalism at that site.

The old tip site is subject to rehabilitation work by Mount Alexander Shire. Levelling work and the removal

of the old unsightly fences are just part of what has been going on. And POHAG members have been re-seeding the area with native grass seeds.

A vehicle (or vehicles?) has (or have?) been churning through the area, dramatically van-dalising the works that have been quietly going on for the last few years. Presumably this trashing of the area wasn’t done by anyone who has been active in volunteering with the rehabilitation work going on!

Making a mark on Post Office Hill

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Ingrid Button was born in NSW. ‘We moved to Victoria where I grew up in Eltham, a very artistic community. I was very heavily into the arts when I was growing up and still dabble a bit, art has been mainly a hobby but I love it’.

She did an internship with the Judith Penak Bridal Couture, ‘then I came on board with her to do her marketing and PR. Nowadays I’m a part-time Trainer and Assessor in adult education - WHS, HR & Business at a Certificate 4 level.’

Her other passions are gardening and animals. ‘I love gardening and developing our garden since we moved here with Michael, we’ve put in wicking beds which are producing a lot of lettuce and dill at the moment.’

Ingrid has a great love of animals. ‘At the moment we have two blue-tongue lizards living in the house, they have their own cabinet which has been customised for them. They sit on my shoulder and come with me for walks, they’re very sociable. They were both animal rescues. Both of them were injured and needed a good home. One was injured in a furnace and has quite a few scars, and the other was attacked by dogs’.

She also has a dog and a cat. ‘In the past we’ve had donkeys, peacocks and for a while when I was a kid we even had a turkey. She was very tame, she’d come and look in the window and watch TV. She was a beloved household pet’.

Ingrid and her partner Michael made the move to Chewton this time last year. ‘We had family already living

here, so when the opportunity to move up here was on the table it was an easy choice to leave Melbourne behind!’ Then Michael and I had our beautiful son Oscar. We moved up here six months before he was born, and he’s now almost a year old.

They decided to move here for family ‘which provides us with fantastic grand-parenting, and because we think Chewton is such a great community. We’ve been attending the playgroup at the primary school and that is so lovely. I’ve volunteered down at the pool throughout Summer. It has been so good to become a part of this community. Life here is much more our pace than Melbourne.

Michael had never lived outside the city, so moving here has been a big change for him. And he loves it. He’s got into fishing since we moved here, and he’s more into the gardening than I am, he’s even got a worm farm going.

It’s such a nice area and you get to know everyone. A lot of young families are coming here now. I didn’t expect in such a small community village that there would be so many young families moving here. There’s now a lot of babies. Growing up here, Oscar will have a lot of kids his age. It’s good to live somewhere where I know there’s a supportive community. As they say, it takes a village to raise a child and we’re in the right village’. Ingrid is adamant, ‘we’re here to stay’. Gloria Meltzer.

Know Your NeighbourHave you met Ingrid Button?

Bold Café will be closed from Monday 21st July For a well-deserved rest

Reopening on Friday 8th August at 10am

We serve a variety of delicious, handmade food. Our specialties include

A curry every day. Laksa on Sundays. Monk Dish on Friday & Saturday.

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REGULAR TRADING HOURS Thursday to Sunday

10am – 4.30 pm Bold Café Gallery

146 Duke Street, Castlemaine Telephone: 54 706 038

Your Host: Onn Ho

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The CFA has launched a number of new campaigns over the past months, all aimed at trying to reduce fires and better prepare the community.

The “My CFA” campaign was launched on June 2nd and aims at targeting households located in the highest risk areas for bushfires. Many Chewton residents should have received a postcard in regards to this as our community has been identified as one of high risk.

Registered users to the new “My CFA” site will be able to remain informed about the latest bushfire safety news which will be tailored to the local area. It is important to remember that this site will not, however, be used to issue any warnings during fire season so residents will still need to utilise resources such as Vic Emergency and the Fire Ready App for smart phones.

Despite this, “My CFA” is a great new platform for safety information and all those in the Chewton area are encouraged to register for the site. To do this you can use the website www.cfa.gov.au/mycfa

The Safe Mistake Zone campaign was also launched on July 23rd. This campaign focuses on Victorian house fires, of which there are over 3,500 each year, and provides tips on how to avoid preventable house fires. For more information on this campaign you can refer to the CFA website as well as Social Media.

In local news, the station has been rather quiet over the past month although members have turned out to a number of fires including one involving solar panels on the roof of a house in Castlemaine.

Our volunteers also participated in inter-brigade training again this month which was hosted by the Castlemaine Fire Brigade.

Paige Mounsey, Chewton CFA Communications Officer.

CFA Update – August 2014 August at St. John’s

Sunday, 10th August 9.15 a.m. Holy CommunionSunday, 24th August 9.15 a.m. Morning Prayer.

Walking Tours

Walks with expert, local guides Gentle, fun 1 hour walk, all ages and abilities welcome Historical and Botanical tours

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Chewton History Walk When: Wednesday 27th August, 10.00 - 11.00am followed by morning tea Where: Meet at Chewton Senior Citizen’s Centre, Main Rd, Chewton. Who: Led by local resident Ian O’Halloran Cost: Gold coin donation

Fryerstown History Walk When: Wednesday 29th October, 10.00am – 11.00am, followed by morning tea Where: Old Fryerstown School, Camp St Fryerstown Who: Led by local historian Margaret Callister Cost: Gold coin donation

For more information call Liza at Castlemaine District Community Health on: 5479 1000 Cancelled in the event of heavy rain or extreme heat

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Winter is really here. Lots of cold days and many wet ones too, and some heavy frosts. The days are really short and the European trees are bare while some native trees have succumbed to high winds. In the bush some of the shrubs are flowering – the wattles, the downy grevilleas, and the common correas with their green bells, and waxflowers. One of our very large and old sugar gums snapped its top branches, which fell narrowly missing one of our tanks. Sighs of relief all round and now we have a good supply of firewood. I do love open fires in cold weather, maybe not efficient but very atmospheric!

Margaret Dickinson, a well known and well loved resident of Fryerstown died on the 19th June at the age of 92. As it said in the notices in the Castlemaine Mail - she was a lady of great style, strength and spirit, remembered with great respect and affection as an integral part of our lives. She played an important role in our community and was a strong supporter of the town. Marg and her husband Ron had a stall in the early years of the Antique Fair in the Mechanics Hall Institute Hall in Fryerstown in which they displayed items that were old and interesting. As they were enthusiastic collectors the displays are still talked about. Marg was one of the original team that joined Pat Cubeta in putting on a display of carnival glass in the Hall in November 1976 in conjunction with the Castlemaine Festival, which was held at that time every two years in November. It attracted many people to Fryerstown. Marg was instrumental in starting the Australian Carnival Glass Enthusiasts Club. She was on the executive of the Club and president for over 20 years up to 2012. She travelled overseas to talk about Australian Carnival Glass and kept up an international correspondence on the subject throughout her life. She will be missed.

In the July Chat I wrote about George Henry Wathen’s book The Golden Colony that was written about his observations and experiences in Victoria during

the gold rushes and just before (1850 to 1854) and published in 1855. As I wrote then, he makes some astute

and fascinating observations. For example, he writes, “The diggers are hardy, active, enterprising, and industrious, patient under suffering, indifferent to political strife, except in questions where they have a direct interest at stake; very far from obsequious to public functionaries, yet with all that instinctive veneration for constituted authority which distinguishes the Englishman from the American. He quotes Lieutenant-Colonel Valiant, “who commanded a military force at Bendigo during a period of great public

excitement. In a letter Valiant wrote in 1853 to the Colonial Secretary in which Valiant states: “As a people the diggers on the gold fields are the most orderly and well disposed body that I ever seen in any part of the world where I have had the honour of serving Her Majesty: at the same time there are numbers of very indifferent characters indeed, who, as in other countries, are always ready to seize a favourable opportunity to create disturbance for their own infamous purposes.”* Yet, in spite of this respect for the powers that be, they (the diggers), for various unhappy causes, have been almost perpetually embroiled with the local government: sometimes the dispute was at the Ovens Diggings, sometimes at

Ballarat, and then at Bendigo. One of the most fruitful sources of discontent was the method of collecting the gold revenue. When the first discoveries were made at Ballarat, the Melbourne government, following the example of that

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at Sydney, issued regulations by which all miners were required to procure a monthly license to dig for gold, and to pay 30 shillings for the same. But how was this tax to be enforced among a migratory population, living in tents scattered through a forest? The mode adopted was, to send out armed bands of police, who, coming down suddenly on a gully or flat, spread themselves over it, demanding of every one his license. A few mounted troopers formed part of the force, to cut off defaulters who might attempt to fly. All who could not produce their license were captured and marched off, probably some miles, to the nearest magistrate, and, after some detention, were either fined £5, or imprisoned for a month. Such a system necessarily led to great discontent and irritation. At some of the goldfields a curious plan was hit upon for evading these inquisitorial visits. No sooner was a party of police seen approaching than the diggers raised the cry of “Joe! Joe!” The cry was taken up, and presently the whole length of the gully rang with the shout “ Joe! Joe! Joe!” and of course all defaulters instantly made off for the depths of the forest. The dissatisfaction was exasperated by the method of collecting the license fee. The collector did not call on the taxpayer, but the latter had to seek the collector. The digger was compelled to walk from his own gully to the Commissioner’s camp, distant, perhaps,

several miles, and then often wait for hours under a fierce sun, while a crowd of others, who had arrived before him, were paying their 30 shillings, or weighing out their half-ounce of gold. Greater facilities were indeed subsequently offered for payment of the fee but the mode of enforcing it continued the same. The diggers complained loudly and

unceasingly of these harsh and un-English measures.”

This of course, led to protest meetings to voice the wide spread objection to the system. The Monster Meeting that is commemorated in Chewton in December each year, was one of these meetings.

The gold fields were also attracting a less desirable population, often ex-convicts, that made easy pickings by holding up diggers and others for their hard won gold or possessions. Wathen himself was held up at Fryers Creek by two such characters. He describes the incident as follows: “There is another and lower class of ruffians, who prowl about the outskirts of the towns and diggings on foot, singly or in pairs. I once encountered two of them at nightfall, near the Fryer’s Creek Diggings, on a main road in the forest, and about a quarter of a mile from the tents of the diggers, in one of the principal gullies. I

was on foot, alone, looking after two horses which I had lost that morning. Two men in blue serge shirts suddenly appeared on the road, walking towards me, and when within a few paces both presented pistols. One was a tall, powerful fellow, with a grave, sullen, and determined expression. He advanced with a pistol in each hand. The other was smaller, and evidently rather nervous at his work, as though it was new to him. He did the bidding of the first. When within a yard they paused, and told me to drop the riding-whip in my hand. The tall, scowling ruffian stood calmly with a pistol in each hand, pointed at and close to my head. The other advanced and having first felt to satisfy himself I had no concealed pistol, proceeded

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Photos courtesy Tim Todhunter:Common Correa, Downy Grevillea, Wax Flower and two photos from

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to rifle my pockets. The only object of value I had was a gold Geneva watch, an old companion of long travel by sea and land. The second robber seemed much flurried, certainly far more so than I, and was very anxious to be off. As I looked searchingly on the face of the taller man, he swore a deep convict oath that he would “blow my bloody brains out if I looked at him.” However, they offered no violence nor other insult; and having replied to my question, whether they had seen the lost horses, the second robber hurriedly repeated “good night” three or four times, and both left the road and plunged into the depths of the forest. It chanced that not long afterwards there was a horse-race at these diggings, and among the crowds there assembled I suddenly encountered the tall, sullen robber. Being anxious to track him to his lair, where I thought I might find my watch, I reported the case to the police on the ground, and begged the officer to set some one to watch the man. Soon after I was vexed to hear that they had lost sight of him in the crowd. However, I now went myself in quest among the thousands collected on the valley-flat and on the encircling rocky hills; nor was it long before I recognised the muscular frame and silent scowl of the robber, who was quietly seated on a grassy slope overlooking the course, with a companion whose countenance told plainly that be belonged to the same class of outcasts from society. Two policemen were now ordered to watch the man to his home. It will hardly be believed that, after a time, these ‘astute constables’ returned together to their chief, to report that they had watched their man till he had entered a certain tent which they could point out. A party was then dispatched to the tent in question, entered, and found that the bird had flown.”

The next Fryerstown film night is on the 23rd August at 7.30 pm in the Burke and Wills Mechanics Institute Hall. The film is STRICTLY BALLROOM (1992). It is Baz Luhmann’s energetic high-camp tribute to American dance movies of the 70’s. $5 per person with tea and coffee included and cake if someone brings some. Please bring a comfy chair if you wish.

*Letter of Lt Colonel Valiant, laid on the table of the Legislative Council 18th October 1853.

Kay Thorne.

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“Showing off in the Chewton Town Hall”FRRR - Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal in collaboration with the R. E. Ross Trust – has provided the CDS with $3,000 to assist in the installation of a professional lighting and display system in the Chewton Town Hall.When the application was written the project was titled “Showing off in the Chewton Town Hall”. A number of locals and local groups wrote letters of support and as it turned out many were heading for important anniversaries – hence the title! Golden Point Landcare turns 20 this year and is holding its AGM and birthday celebrations in the town hall on Sunday 31st August at 10 a.m. – everyone is welcome to celebrate. The Biggest Morning Tea will be celebrating 15 years next year since the first event in the town hall. The CDS will have been operating for 20 years in 2016. The first Back to Chewton was held in 1927 so the year 2017 is looking good for another celebration. The Chewton Primary School, Chris and Brett and the Monster Meeting Sub-committee also wrote letters expressing their interest in using the town hall for events and exhibitions. The CDS would like to acknowledge the importance of the funding made by FRRR – it means that another stage of the restoration of the Chewton Town Hall can now happen making the hall a fantastic place, and space, for a variety of events, functions, meetings, exhibitions and whatever. Exciting times ahead …..

13 August is Left-Handers dayThis is an annual event when left-handers

everywhere can celebrate their sinistrality and increase public awareness of the advantages

and disadvantages of being left-handed.

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Progressing the town hall

What is happening with our town hall is a com-mon question these days. With the major external work completed (and the restoration grant money

depleted) the targeted finishing off tasks have moved in-side – which is probably a good thing given the recent weather. The growing pile of rubbish in the side access gives a hint of the internal progress.

The kitchen is being modernised, with a new sink and dish washer complex being installed. The area for the new stove installation is being prepared. All of this must be done to meet current health standards which means the old tiling and flaking walls have to be addressed very care-fully. New lighting has been installed which will facilitate many activities that were precluded by the dullish lighting that has been replaced.

The main hall is a different scene again as David Button has begun the preparation work for the painting. The first of the two cupboards on the front wall has been re-installed, while scaffold-ing, ladders and painting equipment cover the floor space. Protective plastic sheeting covers much of the woodwork and the new wooden floor.

As mentioned on the previous page, the Chewton Domain Society has success-fully applied for a professional gallery hanging system can provide flexibility for hanging any 2-dimensional art works, community displays or interpretive boards. The new hanging and lighting track is a commonly used sys-tem in community galleries, easy to use for volunteers and

cheap to install and maintain. Incidentally, the first en-quiry about an exhibition being mounted in the town hall has already been received.

So where to now? Work will continue to bring all these plans into fruition in coming months. The Chewton Domain Society plans to hold its AGM on August 24th in the partially completed town hall! This will be a major milestone in the restoration work – the first gathering in the building since the work started back in early 2013 and will give CDS members a glimpse into the achievements of this massive project since then. Please consider coming along!

The Chewton Domain Society welcomes new mem-bers. All Chewton residents and friends are eligible (and encouraged) to become a valued CDS member! Member-ship is only $10 per person each year. Complete the form that can be printed from the associated photos and return it with the $10 membership fee to any current CDS com-mittee member or simply mail it to the Chewton Domain Society, PO Box 85, Chewton, Vic 3451.

Not only does the CDS welcome new members – it needs new members. The grants acquired for the Chewton Town Hall restoration were achieved because of the strong membership base! That mem-bership base must remain strong to pro-tect Chewton’s community-owned assets. Please consider joining!

It’s AGM season! See the notices on page 2...

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Just as the town hall closed its door for refurbishment, Ken James, with Allan Dry’s help, had completed “The History of Golden Point” so their plan to launch the book at the Chewton Town Hall was put on hold. The new plan was

to tie the launch in with the re-opening of the sparklingly conserved Town Hall – but the months have fled by and the Town Hall remained firmly closed. However, the Royal Historical Society of Victoria and the Genealogical Society of Victoria have published favourable reviews.

A History of Golden Point ChewtonKen James and Allan Dry,

knjames47@gmail.com, 2013, pp. 423.This massive compilation combines extensive

material from local newspapers, government archives and other local sources to present many facets of life and living in this goldfields area through to the early 20th century. There are many photos as well as a substantial index of surnames that is a boon for genealogists. It adds very much to our knowledge of the Chewton area including the vigorous modern celebrations of the 1851 Monster Meeting. Royal Historical Society of Victoria

A History of Golden Point - ChewtonAuthor: K. James & A.Dry

ISBN 978 1 78159 037 Pub. 2013 by Chewton Domain Society

This book is based on the work of a local historian in the Golden Point - Chewton area of Victoria, the late Barbara James. The authors, through their interest in the Chewton Domain Society, have extended her work and produced a highly readable account of life in this area. Divided into 28 chapters, the history of Golden Point- Chewton is clearly explained from the dispossession of the local Aboriginal people by squatters, through the discovery and mining of gold in the area, up until the present day with its emphasis on heritage and creative arts. It is a treasure trove for family and local historians. For example, there are many lists that include names of ratepayers, mining lease applicants, mine shareholders, school attendees,

teachers, builders and hotel licensees to name just a few. Excerpts from local newspapers and other documents such as police records provide vivid descriptions of living and working conditions. The many photos, lithographs and maps help bring these descriptions to life. There is an excellent chapter on the Chinese who came to the Golden Point area, again including many surnames. Seven appendices give more detailed accounts of certain significant events and local identities. Finally there is a twenty-two page surname index at the end. This volume is essential reading for those with ancestors in this central Victorian area.Genealogical Society of Victoria, Vol 32, Issue 2, June 2014.

Copies of the book are available from Allan Dry (e-mail abdry@bigpond.com or ‘phone (03) 5472 3385). The cost is $49.00 inc. postage and handling.

Ken James is Melbourne based and unfortunately not available for a photo with this posting, but co-author Allan Dry is pictured browsing through the new publication. Some samples of the comprehensive data in the book are amongst the photos too.

More local history - this time the focus is on Golden Point

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Our term has started on a very positive note with children attending the Indigenous band ‘East Journey’ as a celebration of Aboriginal dance and culture in a contemporary form. The children just loved this performance and were an attentive audience for over 2 hours.

We have recently held our third annual ‘Scientist Dinner’. The aim of this program is to encourage school and community groups to develop shared scientific knowledge and understanding. Trace Balla was our guest speaker for the night - see the article on page 3. We chose this topic as it fitted so well as a tune in for our ‘Creek’ production later in the term. Trace worked with children from our school during the afternoon. She then shared dinner with some families and invited guests, a dinner that was cooked and served by our students.

There was certainly lots of action at our school over the holiday break. All of our classrooms were fitted with draft seals on doors and many of the air vents were also sealed. This was the final stage of our energy efficient grant and marked the end of this round of energy saving strategies we have put in place.

The other major task was the replacing of timbers on the BBQ area with colour-bond. A team of parents worked on this job and it looks great.

This term we have begun a battery recycling campaign. Children are high consumers of batteries and there is not often an easy place for families to send them. The Mount Alexander Sustainability Group has provided the bin and when it is full they will collect it for us. Members of the community are more than welcome to use this facility.

On a final note, Friday the 25th was National Tree day. Our students have been very keen to revitalize the interpretive garden so there has been lots of planting to help re-create that special adventure garden that is so very popular with all of our students. Julie Holden.

Nurturing the whole child

in every child

Photos: Bush cook-out and drumming on the last day of term, and two of the ‘East Journey’ indigenous band - the first is the children perfrorming the dance of the white cockatoo.

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

14

Bendigo West MP Maree Edwards issued a press release about the pines behind the CFA building in Chewton in which she said she’d referred a proposal by Holmesglen TAFE to remove the Chewton Pines to the Minister for the Environment.

She also said it was a great solution to have the pine trees used for the Holmesglen Institute chainsaw course and would resolve the issue of the pine plantation in the middle of Chewton that has been of community concern for many years. The pine plantation has been considered a fire risk to the community of Chewton for a long time. She claimed its value to the community is limited and pine trees are now designated as pest vegetation.

The Holmesglen proposal would see the pine trees felled at the base and removed, and while the stumps would remain they would eventually rot allowing for the planting of preferred native trees Ms Edwards added.

Ms Edwards said it was now up to the Minister for the Environment and the Liberal Government to give the OK to the proposal, adding, “I urge the Liberal Govern-ment and the Minister to give very serious consideration to this proposal as a solution to the pine plantation in the centre of Chewton.”

Some years ago a letter from Glenn Braybrook was published on the Castlemaine Independent that explained, “A group of concerned residents has approached our local member, Maree Edwards, who has sent out a letter to all Chewton residents to sign and return to her so she can take the town’s concerns about the plantation to State Parlia-ment and ask that funds be provided to Parks Victoria to

have the plantation removed and the pines replaced with wildfire-resistant native plants and shrubs more suited to being on an important national park and be much more fire friendly should a bushfire come through the town as it did in 1986.” To read the full letter go to http://www.castle-maineindependent.org/action-chewtons-pines/

The Midland Express covered Maree Edwards visit to this stand of Chewton pines, where she was supported by Ian Braybrook. Ian said he was a Castlemaine resident but thought Chewton would be better off without this stand of pines because of the risk they presented and their ugliness in the landscape. That article is at http://www.elliottmid-news.com.au/story/2430775/uproot-fire-risk/?cs=1479

In June and November 2011 the Chewton Chat pub-lished letters to the editor from Maree Edwards about this issue. The recent Chewton Community Planning Survey included a question about the identification and removal of “invasive species eg pines, blackberries, gorse.” It scored 147 in the survey results and was placed in Quartile 1. That was backed up by responses like “eradicate pine trees, this is huge fire risk and invasive weeks and encour-age habitat places”, “remove EVERY pine tree within 8 km north of the Pyrenees Highway”, “Get rid of fire haz-ardous pine trees to save property and lives” and “Do not remove the pines”!

Cr. Henderson wrote in the July Chat about “trees being felled in the plantation which lies between Adelaide Street and the Soldiers’ Memorial Park” and the “Shire’s Fire Management Planning Committee which includes se-nior members of local and regional CFA, Victoria Police, DEPI and SES, has long been concerned about the poten-tial fire threat that this plantation poses to Chewton. It is seen as a more significant danger than the pine plantation.” And Cr. Henderson pointed out those works are being car-ried out as part of a TAFE chainsaw training course, over-seen by trainers from Holmesglen TAFE. The removal of the timber and tidying up of the area, including disposal of the tops, will be managed by Council.

Presumably the removal of timber and the cleaning up of the tops of any pines felled “as part of a TAFE chain-saw training course, overseen by trainers from Holmesglen TAFE” would be the responsibility of the land manager and would need to be undertaken to ensure no lingering fire risk endured.

Pining for the future?

15

Harmony Way now officially on our maps

A ceremony in Harcourt saw a section of the for-mer Calder Highway re-named. The construction of the new Calder Free-way provided an opportu-nity to rename the section of the former highway that stretches from the Pyr-enees Highway to Fog-arty’s Gap Road. Mount Alexander Shire council has re-named this road Harmony Way honouring

Henry Harmony Nelson. During consultation with the community, Harmony Way was proposed by the Tradi-tional Owners of the land – the Dja Dja Wurrung people.

Attachment COM 15B of the Minutes of the Ordinary Meeting of Mount Alexander Council (22 May 2012) gives this background: Henry Harmony Nelson was born in Dja Dja Wurrung Country in 1855. Henry moved across the traditional lands that now make up this State and mostly away from his own lands, due to the government policies of his day. He actively looked for solutions to the chal-lenges the aboriginal peoples of his time faced.

Henry was an activist who formed part of a story which we ought to know about and celebrate. In the tradi-tion of Australians who celebrate the rebellion of Eureka as signalling the upwelling of our democracy, we ought to know and celebrate the efforts of this man and his lead-ers in protesting against the government strictures of their time. He was an early part of a tradition of protest by the aboriginal community which culminated in the refer-endum of 1967 which changed our constitution to include aboriginal people as citizens to be counted as Australians in our national census.

He and his wife were known as the “Soup Angels” of Cummerangunja. When disease and hunger were com-mon in their community, they offered provisions to those

in need.Three of his

children fought in the world wars, despite the fact that Aborigi-nal people were not yet given equal rights in the nation which had been forged from their traditional lands.

Henry’s legacy lives on as his great grandchildren contin-ue to fight for justice for the Dja Dja Wurrung people, and share their knowledge, experience and traditions as custo-dians of Jaara Country. Uncle Brien Nelson, a descendant of Harmony, is well known for his years of work in the Mount Alexander community.

Despite the bitterly cold weather the simple com-memoration attracted people from across the shire, and included a Welcome to Country followed by speeches from CEO Phil Rowland, Elder Uncle Rick Nelson and Mayor Michael Redden. A new interpretive sign opposite the Harcourt Shop was unveiled, and after much huffing, puffing (and a few firelighters) the fire took hold and the smoking ceremony concluded proceedings.

Thanks to Katie Perry, Media and Communications Coordinator at Mount Alexander Shire Council , for assist-ing with material for this article.

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A blazing brazier, a hot barbecue, great company and hair out of place everywhere. That was the setting for the July MoBQ as 13 hardy souls gathered for the monthly get-together. Welcoming another Chewton newcomer to the rituals of the community is par for the course at these events and July didn’t let us down.

Some unbelievably fashionable wigs were on display as shelves at home and in a certain shop in Castlemaine had been ransacked. Those with wigs were claiming to be warmer than those sans but counting the derrieres at the brazier it seemed about fifty-fifty. When it came to judg-ing, Mo declared PMG Rob the male exemplar. When the cookbook prize was presented and Rob realised it was cooking with chicken reci-pes he declared he knew how it began – “First kill the chook!” Claire then pulled off the best female wig (the prize, that is!) with her colourful creation – earning a book of romantic quotes. All this with Mo insisting his prizes are getting better month by month!

The August MoBQ is on the 2nd and with the theme being a scarf and beanie party it’s time to start knitting or do the rounds of the op-shops. Remember – the prizes are getting better!

Venturing out in winter to a warm setting is worth doing, meeting old friends and invariably meeting new ones too. Mo says it really is worth the effort – although he admits he’s glad it only happens once a month. Here’s to the next one and maybe a Hot August Night!

Brazier, brazier burning bright... ...truly, truly, what a beautiful sight!

Wesley HillCommunity Market

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An old fashioned Country MarketOpposite the Albion Hotel

New stallholders always welcome.Call the Market Manager

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4-10 August Homeless Persons Week

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more than 105,000 Australians who are homeless on any given night.

17

Poe tryCorner

Breaking upHe has left me. Cruel wordshave turned to ashes in my mouthLife is bitterBetter get on with itI s’ppose.

Cold winds blowing.Lovers snugglelooking out towards the bay.I remember:Fight back the tears andWander on.

Counting treasures Folding towelsand dreaming dreams of how we were. We could have been... It’s no use dreaming Any more.

Sorting out things. Clearing outthe bathroom cupboard of our life. Snoozy Sundays There won’t be any laughter Now you’ve gone.

Vacant places In our bedand in that chair I feel your ghost It won’t get better Better carry on my life Without you.

David Watson.

Silly Moss Silly moss, you’re on a rock -For a plant that’s much too bare. Why not grow in the loamy earthAnd get some decent fare?

Silly moss, you’re on a log -What gave you that idea? Let a fungus have that tackAnd give the ground a care.

Silly moss, you’re in the gutter -Have some self-respect.

Jack Smith

B. Oh DearI needed to buy some deodorant, So I went for a brand that I knew. I made sure that it didn’t have perfume. If it had, then an itch would ensue.

Well, it’s going to last me forever, I’m not speaking a word of a lie, No matter how long I possess it, There’ll always be some standing by.

Now, how is this going to happen? It seems far too good to be true. I’m really not telling a falsehood, I can’t be misleading to you.

So you won’t be surprised when I tell you,The reason is easy to see. I can’t get the BLOODY THING OPEN. Oh, why did this happen to me?

Rae Hawkins July 2014.

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54721010

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Golden Point LandcareGolden Point Landcare has been managing a weed control pro-gram targeting St John’s wort along Forest Creek. As part of the grant it purchased a backpack for volunteers to use for spray-ing weeds with herbicide. Anyone who is interested in borrow-ing this back pack should contact Marie on 5472 2892 to make arrangements. After the wet season we’ve had the weeds will be very active and will need constant control and maintenance.

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Golden Point Landcare - 20 years on the scoreboard!

Please join us at our AGM to be held on Sunday August 28th, 10.00am at Chewton Town Hall. This year’s AGM is a celebration of Golden Point Landcare’s 20th anniversary in the year of the 25th anniversary of the National Landcare movement, making us one of the longer established groups in the movement. There will be a guest speaker and a chance to mix and mingle with others who are interested in improving our local land, flora and fauna. The weed control method of “cut and paint” will be demonstrated with a free “paint” container for those wanting to try this method. Everyone is welcome to this celebration further details on 0423 900 590 or 5472 1029.

Golden Point Landcare celebrated 2014 National Tree Day with a planting in Ellery Park, next to Chewton Town Hall. This event has become a fixture on our calendar of community planting events and helps maintain the established beds, replace and supplement the existing mix of local and not so local native flora. As planters worked along the escarpment to Main Rd it became evident that many early plantings were indeed still there, just very discreetly holding to the bank.

GPL was represented at the Sustainability and Environment Roundtable hosted by MAS, when it met in early July, with the task of establishing topics for discussion over the next 12 months. Meetings will be quarterly and open to representatives from interested organisations for discussion and interaction on relevant local issues for our natural and built environments. The next meeting is scheduled for Thursday 4th September from 6.30-8.30pm at the Mount Alexander Golf Club in Wimble Street Castlemaine and the topic is: Collaboration – Working on the Big Issues Together.

If you would like to be kept up to date with things Landcare locally feel free to join our emailing list (contact us on 0423 900 590) or consider subscribing to Mount Alexander Landcare E-Newsletter by contacting max@cconnectingcountry.org.au.

Chewton’s High FlyersHow many people wake to the cheery call of the shrike thrush? When was the last time you saw a robin – and wondered which one it was? A bird app is handy but talking to locals is much nicer. When chatting to a friend who lives near Forest Creek she explained one of her ways of relaxing is to sit on the back veranda and watch the birds come and go at various times of the day and the year – and as spring is on its way that’s the time when they are most visible and active.The ones that she listed are blue wrens, cockatoos, currawongs, kookaburras, magpies, New Holland honeyeaters, shrike thrush, robin (not sure which one yet), wattle birds, yellow-tailed black cocka-toos and a couple she has yet to identify. If you would like to add to this list of Chewton’s high flyers so that we can print it in subsequent Chats please email the names of the birds and some details such as location, how many and anything interesting about the habits –

goldenpoint2@bigpond.com

19

In a region where we are regularly celebrating 150th anniversaries, a 40th anniversary doesn't sound like such a big deal. However, the local soccer club believes it is a milestone worth celebrating and will be doing just this on the week-end of August 9 and 10.

As part of the celebration, Mick Evans and Robyn Lewis have gathered the club's history into a book which will be launched that weekend. "The World Game in Castlemaine - A History of Castlemaine Soccer Club and Castlemaine Goldfields F.C. 1974 - 2014" is the result of their research.

Mick was in the 1974 team and his family have a long and ongoing association with the club. One of his son's is the Division 1 goalkeeper this season. Mick's ex-perience in the printing industry has been invaluable with

the presentation of the book and his knowledge of the early decades has contributed an insider's point of view.

Robyn joined the club about the time of the Chewton relocation when her son began to play the game. She has now mastered the offside rule but her involvement stops at the ground edge. Admin-istration has been her area and the club has seen the benefit of that during her decade of involvement. She taught at the local secondary school and has been involved with other local history projects.

'The World Game in Castle-maine' will be launched at the Club Reunion and Celebration at the NewNorthern in Barker St Castle-maine on Saturday night August

9th. The book will be launched by author Roy Hay. Along with co-author Bill Murray, Roy has just released "A His-tory of Football in Australia : A Game of Two Halves" and Robyn and Mick are delighted to have him attend our club celebration to officially launch our local club history.

The men’s and women’s All Star teams will also be announced at the event.

Tickets for the Saturday night are available by booking through Mick 54743001, Robyn 0438724025 or email cgfcpresident@gmail.com (Book by July 31 for catering)

Soccer history - forty years on...

20

160 years old? Opened in 1854? Certainly big and impressive numbers for the Red Hill Hotel but what do they really mean? What has hap-pened inside those doors since it opened? Trove

(Australia’s newspapers on line) starts to give some an-swers when you type the magic words “Red Hill Hotel Chewton” and see the articles that spring forward. Some samples:

The Argus of 24 July 1855 reports that there was “stolen from the stables of the Red Hill Hotel, Forest Creek, on the evening of the 8th instant, a riding saddle, with pockets under the flaps, nearly new, the property of Mr. Lockhart, as above.” No car park in those days.

On the 15 July 1856 the Bendigo Advertiser tells us of a meeting to get an Association of Diggers formed locally – “a meeting was held at the Red Hill Hotel, last night, in order to form a co-operative Association for min-ing purposes. About two hundred miners were present… the object was therefore to form a company, to be entitled “The Forest Creek Company of Associated Diggers”… it was to the diggers’ interest to form themselves into com-panies, and thereby preserve their independence in spite of the capitalist.” Community to the fore?

The Bendigo Advertiser of 25th July 1857 report-

ed on “The Chinese. A public meeting was held at the Bath Arms, Camp-bell’s Creek, on Tuesday evening, on the Chinese difficulty… several reso-lutions considering the presence of the Chinese, and pledging the meeting to use every legitimate means to rid the colony of that race, were unani-mously carried. A similar meeting is to be held on Monday next, at the Red

Hill Hotel, Forest Creek.” Politically correct?

The Batteryman, in the Chewton Chat of January 2003, wrote “in early January 1861, Forest Creek, the for-mer eastern suburb of Castlemaine, became the Munici-pality of Chewton. Optimism was the order of the day as the new councillors set about establishing an orderly tran-sition to independence for the most important mining area within the Mt Alexander goldfield. Ideas were boundless, and the possibility of establishing a Chewton newspaper was brought to a head on Monday of the last day in Janu-ary 1861 when a meeting to discuss the issue was held in the Red Hill Hotel.

The Mount Alexander Mail reported that a majority of those present believed the project to be both advisable and feasible. Eventually, it was resolved that a prospectus of the proposed journal should be drawn up and submitted to an adjourned meeting on Monday.

The population of Chewton at that time was 3,353 and was large enough to support a modest publication. However it appears that the idea never reached fruition for no further reference to this promising prospect appears in the extant records.” Yet another community initiative?

On the 26 May 1858 the Bendigo Advertiser report-ed “a ball was given last evening at the Red Hill Hotel, Forest Creek, in honour of Her Majesty’s birthday. A large and respectable assembly showed their apprecia-tion of the loyalty and liberality of Mr. Low by coming together to do honour to the joyous occasion. When we say that the whole affair was characterised by good cheer,

...and the Red Hill hits the big 160!

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21

brilliant illuminations, delicious music, gay decorations, superb dresses, and admirable dancing, we convey some faint idea of the success and splendour of the ball at the Red Hill.” Social hub?

The Mount Alexander Mail of 7 Sept 1914 told of a send-off for volunteers heading for the First world war. “The Red Hill Hall was packed by an enthusiastic crowd on Saturday evening (writes our Chewton correspondent) to bid farewell to departing Chewton members of the Ex-peditionary Force. The Mayor (Cr. G. Cribbes) opened the proceedings by asking the gathering to rise and sing the National Anthem. Needless to say, there is no disloyalty in Chewton, so all rose and sang it heartily…

The Mayor then asked the guests to say a few words. Jack McCance thanked those present for their kind wel-come and farewell, and mentioned that it was not the first time that he had said farewell to them. Mr Victor Bloch also returned thanks to those present, for the good wishes, but it is evident that our volunteers are better fighters than talkers? Continuous cheering greeted both speakers.

The Chewton State School children, under the direc-tion of Mr Dixon, largely helped to make the gathering the great success it was, and sang several patriotic songs very nicely, and a special vote of thanks was passed to Mr Dix-on and the children for their help.” Hosting loyal causes?

The Castlemaine Mail of 25 April 1918 tells us “a social was held on Tuesday night to bid farewell to Mr Theodore Bloch, who has sold the Red Hill Hotel, and is leaving Chewton. It is a unique experience for Chew-ton to bid farewell to a hotel-keeper, but Mr Bloch has made many friends during his residence here, and in spite of the inclement weather a good number attended to wish him good-bye and God-speed. Cr. McMillan, on behalf of the citizens, in a very appreciative speech, mentioned the unique fact of a hotel-keeper being farewelled by the Chewton people. The reason was that Mr Bloch was a gentleman first, and a publican second, and he scorned to serve a man with liquor if he (Mr Bloch) thought that he had had enough, and also that he would not serve drink except in the legal hours. Cr. McMillan then presented Mr Bloch with a gentleman’s umbrella, and Miss Bloch with a silver ink-stand. Ex-Mayor G. Cribbes supported Cr. McMillan in his remarks, bearing out the guest’s worth as a citizen. Mr Cribbes stated that no public house had been conducted in Chewton in such a decent way as during Mr Bloch’s term of the license of the Red Hill Hotel. On behalf of the citizens, he wished Mr Bloch and Miss Bloch good luck. Mr Bloch, in a feeling speech, thanked those present for their kind gifts and good wishes. He said that all he had done was to keep his house clean and decent. A supper and dance ended a very enjoyable function.” Great publicans rewarded?

After the great flood of New Year’s day 1889 the Bendigo Advertiser on 18 May 1889 tells of the funeral of the two drowned miners. “Nearly five months after death, the bodies of the ill-fated miners, William Dennis and Am-brose O’Connor, have had a Christian burial. The last sad offices for the unfortunate men, who on New Year’s Day

descended the Francis Ormond Company’s mine to meet with a swift and awful termination to their career, have been performed, and they now rest in the Chewton Cem-etery. Shortly after noon to-day, scores of burgesses of Chewton and visitors from a distance began to assemble in the main street, and the concourse gradually increased in numbers as time wore on, until at three’ o’clock there were hundreds of persons assembled in close proximity to the Red Hill Hotel, where the bodies lay coffined, ready for interment. ” Mortuary and funeral parlour?

And jumping forward to The Argus of 7 November 1941 where under the heading INJURED IN EXPLOSION we read, “When a gas cylinder with which he was playing and which had not been used for several years exploded Frank Benbow, 4, son of Mr. W. Benbow, of the Red Hill Hotel, Chewton, was severely burned. He was admitted to the Castlemaine District Community Hospital in a serious condition. The washhouse in which he was playing was destroyed.”

Fortunately this had a happy ending and Frank Ben-bow is now an enthusiastic supporter of the town hall’s People and Places history collection. He is an invaluable source of Chewton knowledge – and having grown up in the Red Hill literally knows it like the back of his hand.

The Red Hill has been many things to many people over the years and Chewton’s history is well and truly en-twined with that of the Red Hill Hotel. August 2nd 2014 sees the Reddy turn 160 years old and there’s not too many of the first patrons left!

Do drop by and become a part of the Red Hill story.

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For Massage contact Libby Mayes 0439 653389

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0418 377930

Gym Operating hours Monday to Friday 6am - 8.30 pm & weekends 8.30 am to 4.00 pm.

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22

Logo designed by Morgan Williamson.

Real Estate Gossip

Councillor’s Chat

The days are gradually lengthening, offering more daylight hours for hunting down real estate. Properties for sale around Chewton are:Castlemaine Property Group:• 616 Pyrenees Highway, .81Ha parcel with planning

permit, valid until January 2014 to build two bedroom home. Rambling creek within the boundary, estab-lished eucalypts and gentle elevation. Mains power available. For sale at $130,000.00;

• CA129, Fryers Rd, elevated vacant lot of 1320sqm, $135,000.00;

• 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 $209,000.00;

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

Keogh Real Estate:• 11 Monks Hill Road, renovated 1800’s cottage set

on nearly 6000sqm of park like gardens and seasonal creek, $490,000.00 - $510,000.00.

Stuart Real Estate:• 94 Fryers Road, 1610sqm vacant lot with services

available, $135,000.00.Waller Realty • 85 Main Road, 2 single bedroom cottages on 1538sqm,

each let for $210 pw, $345,000.00;• 173 Main Road, 1800’s 2 bedroom timber cottage, re-

styled and updated, within walking distance of every-where, $339,000.00;

• 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, $675,000.00;

• 103 Golden Point Road, renovated 3 bedroom home with self-contained unit, no neighbours and views across Forest Creek, $469,00000;

• 7 Railway Street, fully renovated 4 bedroom, 2 bath-room home on large allotment of 1120sqm, lovely shade trees and vege garden, $375,000.00;

• 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, exterior well set for entertaining, $525,000.00. Lynne Williamson.

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FOR ALL YOUR BUYING & SELLING NEEDS

Last week’s Council Meeting was at Taradale. Thanks to the great attendance by local residents on such a cold night.Team Henderson was present and addressed the Council about the planned kitchen upgrade works at the hall. Team and I play some music together so we are good friends.

We heard from John Shone, the new proprietor of the Taradale store, and it was great to hear about his plans for upgraded kitchen facilities and also the planned access for 24 hour fuel.

Jim Miller from Baringhup spoke about transport issues relating to the proposed broiler farm. As we are aware there is a lot of concern in the Community about this proposal.

Things are on the move at Harcourt with the meeting about the proposed mountain bike park at Mount Alexan-der. This proposal has the potential to bring a lot of extra visitors to the region so it will be interesting to see if goes ahead.

Council continues to work on some complex plan-ning matters. Being new to Council I have found the discussions around planning very interesting. There are many aspects considered by Council and a lot of work goes into getting the balance between, heritage aspects, environmental considerations and progress.

In recent weeks I have been considering the benefits of installing solar power on my own house. There is a very high uptake of these installations in our community. Neil Barret and his Sustainability Group are doing a lot of work promoting solar. I have found the articles Neil has written on this subject in the local press very informative. MAS are currently doing a bulk buy on components at present so it is well worth considering.

As an Engineer I have done a lot of work on en-ergy management and apart from considering solar my suggestion to save power is that households cut back to one refrigerator. Many households have a second fridge for drinks or in the kids room. You may be surprised to know that a fridge can cost up to $700 to run over twelve months. Get rid of that old fridge if you can.

Best regards, Tony Cordy. Cr. Cordy represents Calder Ward.

Seen the chewton.net Facebook page yet?Keep up to date with Chewton news...

23

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There was good news amongst the correspondence re-ceived by the CDS at the July meeting. First, there was a letter from FRRR saying the CDS has been successful in obtaining a grant for $3,000 for the lighting/display sys-tem for the town hall to support the restoration project. Then there was the first enquiry for a booking for the town hall – for the duration of the Castlemaine State Festival.

The treasurer’s report showed the final Vic Govt. DS-DBI grant payment of $17,600.00 for the town hall resto-ration had been received, making a balance of $50,185.66 - with $40,000 of that already committed for either grant funded programs or the town hall painting. Accounts for payment totalled $1,737.14.

The CDS membership list has been updated and a draft membership form has been prepared ready for print-ing and a comprehensive mail out. Currently renewals are at 31 with one new member amongst them.

David Button has started the hall painting and works are continuing to the kitchen re-installation. Plans are be-ing made to hold the CDS AGM back in the town hall on August 24th. This will involve cleaning and the re-placing of furniture and other items which will have to be organ-ised. A town hall rental/booking policy will need to be compiled with a dedicated person to manage the bookings/cleaning etc.

The Your Community Heritage Monster Meeting Project is well on the way with the final stages nearly com-plete and the grant money is being arranged for auditing and acquittal by mid-August. The filmed interviews of se-lected historians comprising the first part of the project are already available on the internet and the second part of the project (the archive book) will be available on the internet in a matter of weeks.

National Tree Planting day will be celebrated by a planting session in the park co-ordinated by Golden Point Landcare on July 27th. This will be followed by a BBQ.

As part of the Community Planning Process, Rose Darling canvassed CDS committee members about their ideas on the location of a new public toilet. It was stated the public toilet behind the town hall should remain until other toilets are built.

The next CDS Management Committee Meeting is on Tuesday August 19th at 7 p.m. in the George Archer Pavilion.

Chewton Domain Society Chewton Domain Society Memberships 2014/15

A special thanks to the CDS Membership Secretary, the Chewton Post Office and those CDS members who have responded to our 2014/15 CDS membership drive – if we keep going at this rate we’ll equal our highest number when we first started back in 1996! 1996 was the year when the commissioners decided the Chewton Post Office was in excess to the shire’s needs and they started the process of putting the property up for sale on the private market. This decision galvanised the community into action and it was found that in fact the community owned the properties of the town hall, post office and park and no one was interested in sell-ing off any of these assets. This was the beginning of the volunteer, incorporated, not for profit organisation – the Chewton Domain Society - and is testament to what a passionate group of local citizens can achieve by working together to conserve our cultural history. Membership forms can be found on the noticeboard at the Chewton PO and at the Chewton Shop, or by con-tacting the Secretary on 5472 3892.

24

Chatting about the arts with Phil & Debbie HallWell the great winter warmers continued in July with another “heatwave” soul dancing night at CASPA and “Hooked on Bossa” continuing their groovy sessions at the Comma. We also went to Kyneton to see Mikelangelo do a very intimate and interesting solo gig at a hair salon called “Jelly Fox”. Better still, and closer to home, he will be playing at the Bridge Hotel on 23rd August.

“Hooked on Bossa” play their next gig at the Comma on the 29th August and there will be another “Heatwave” on Saturday16th August at CASPA to keep you warm in the depths of winter!

Also coming up in August, opening on Friday 1st 6pm@ CASPA, is another powerful exhibition of ongoing work by Melissa Scott. Entitled “Prodito” here is an im-age and her statement about this exhibition.

“Proditio is an exhibition of ‘work in progress’ from an Honours research project that I am currently complet-ing at La Trobe Institute of Art.

The work was inspired by the Victorian Govern-ment report: Betrayal of Trust, Inquiry into the Handling of Child Abuse by Religious and Other Non-Government Organisations 2013.

It has become increasingly clear that major institu-tions in Australia such as the Catholic Church, the Angli-can Church, the Boy Scouts Association and The Salvation Army are guilty of horrendous crimes against children and duplicitous cover-ups that have sought to hide and deny

Bossa stimulates dancing, the Bossa poster

and Heatwave below

Mikelangelo

25

the long-term abuse involved.I once believed that the basic moral principles of our

society were upheld by an imperfect but essentially decent and rigorous set of checks and balances. I was sure that these systems of justice would discover and act upon such appalling (and endemic) corruption but I can no longer maintain any confidence in such ideals.

These images are my response to the injustice and abuse that has been allowed to continue.”

Art @ the CommaOpening on Monday 4th August is the exhibition

“Perspective Made Easy” by Jenny Nestor.

Bilarni – Please note change of venue

Jan ‘Yarn’ Wositzky’s new show, Bilarni, will now be performed at the Chewton Community Centre Friday 8th August, Saturday 9th August @ 8.15pm and Sunday 10th August @3.15pm (matinee).

This piece of story theatre is based on the life of WE (Bill) Harney (1895-1962) – the greatest yarn-spinner of them all and the man who was known as the ‘expert’ on Aborigines.

For Jan, the Bilarni story began in the mid-80s when he heard the arresting voice of Bill Harney on the radio. It was a voice that set a new path in Jan’s life and took him ‘up north’.

In Bilarni Jan tells of his adventures tracking Bill Harney through a beautiful and brutal land, and of his encounters with many weird and wonderful incidents of black and white relations, where nothing is black and white.

Scripted from Harney’s books, radio broadcasts and

papers, Bilarni tells of an ‘uneducated’ Northern Territory bushman - a soldier who returned from WW1 to live amongst Aborigines: as a lov-er, husband and father who lost it all – and

that’s only the beginning of a truly epic tale.Tickets are available through Maine Shoes, 174 Bark-

er Street, Castlemaine, or online through ww.trybooking.com/exvd.

Taradale BallThe always scintillat-

ing Taradale Ball is coming up on the 16th August, this time with a carnival/side show theme. Once again a minibus pick up from Cas-tlemaine, stopping at Chew-ton is also available.

And a plea: SEND US SOME IMAGES FOR THECHAT’S SEPT & OCT ISSUES!!!!!!!!

We are taking a break from chatting about the arts so here is your chance to send in some photos of great shots you have taken, artwork you have seen or made, or action shots from events you have been to like the upcoming Taradale Ball, or some of those beautiful frosty/sunny mornings in Chewton.

We will be back for the November edition with a more international flavour in our chatting about the arts pages.

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

Jenny Nestor

26

A post on Chewton.net Facebook page about the Red Hill’s imminent 160th anniversary has attracted 810 views and 9 likes in 3 days! Last week Barbara Dry’s write up about the new Golden Point history book was posted and since then it has attracted 430 views and 11 likes

The progress of the town hall post has already at-tracted 147 views and 7 likes – and the record breaker is the post about the snow on Mount Alexander. Almost two weeks later we have had a massive 1,714 views and 40 likes. And those photos are now on the Bendigo Ad-vertiser’s website in the weather gallery acknowledging chewton.net on Facebook.

When we print Chewton Chats the exposure to read-ers is limited to that number of hard copies – even though they are shared around in many cases, and more than one reader exists in many households. But the Facebook sce-nario attracts a wider audience and a greater set of readers or viewers. From the Facebook admin section of chewton.net we are told that in the past 28 days our posts were served to people in these locations:

• Melbourne, VIC, Australia 705 • Bendigo, VIC, Australia 396 • Castlemaine, VIC, Australia 365 • Harcourt, VIC, Australia 80 • Sydney, NSW, Australia 75 • Adelaide, SA, Australia 69 • Brisbane, QLD, Australia 53 • Geelong, VIC, Australia 51 • Perth, WA, Australia 44 • Chewton, VIC, Australia 39• Campbells Creek, VIC, Australia 34 • Ballarat, VIC, Australia 32 • London, England, United Kingdom 23 • Newcastle, NSW, Australia 20 • Gold Coast, QLD, Australia 16 • Ouyen, VIC, Australia 16• Ocean Grove, VIC, Australia 15• Hamilton, VIC, Australia 14• Vriezenveen, Overijssel, Netherlands 14 • Maryborough, VIC, Australia 13• Maldon, VIC, Australia 12

• Melton, VIC 12• Liverpool, England, United Kingdom 12 • Elphinstone, VIC, Australia 11• Newstead, VIC, Australia 11• Shepparton, VIC, Australia 11• Deniliquin, NSW 11• Canberra, ACT, Australia 10• Sutton Grange, VIC 10• Mildura, VIC, Australia 10• Kyneton, VIC 10• Hobart, TAS, Australia 10• Kangaroo Flat, VIC, Australia 9 • Warrnambool, VIC, Australia 9• Camperdown, VIC 9• Barkers Creek, VIC, Australia 8 • Echuca, VIC 8• Yapeen, VIC, Australia 8 • Horsham, VIC 7• Mt. Waverley, VIC 7• Swan Hill, VIC 7• Kerang, VIC, Australia 6• St. Arnaud, VIC 6• Rockhampton, QLD, Australia 6• Auckland, New Zealand 6

Quite remarkable really! When Blade first suggest-ed this Facebook site to complement the other Chewton presences I must admit to being very sceptical. But now? Wow!

Have a look on https://www.facebook.com/pages/Chewtonnet/288889464550308

Some Chewton statistics that amaze!

27

The Box-making Competition’s Peo-ple’s Choice Award has now closed – and Chewton’s Tom Taft has finished in second position. The voting closed at midday on Wednesday July 2nd when Tom was on 176 votes with the winner from Western Australia on a massive 200 plus. Tom had either been in the

lead or alternating the lead for most of the voting period but was overwhelmed in the run to the post.To poll so many votes and finish second in an Australian wide contest was an incredible performance!Then, unexpectedly, there was an interesting footnote to the box-making competition! We thought it was all done and dusted with Tom Taft coming second in the people’s choice award. But not done and dusted at all…A post on the Australian Wood Review website announc-ing the winner went on to say, “With such a contest on our hands we decided to award a prize to another frontrunner: Tom Taft’s Hummingbird Box (176 votes at time of tally). Tom will receive an iGaging Digital Marking Gauge.” So congratulations Tom!

And typical Tom, he’s now back into doing what he loves – and does best. Working and creating with wood, walk-ing his dogs and contributing to community life in Chew-ton. Onya Tom!

“Silver” for Tom - then an unexpected sur“prize”

Letter to the editorAs readers would know by now, the box-making competi-tion has been quite a ride for me. Through the Chat I’d like to thank everyone who voted for me and encouraged me along the way. I feel very humble and proud to live in the Chewton community and to find so many of the local people had backed me.Thank you Chewton and everyone supported me and kept me going as I would not usually enter competitions.

Yours etc,A very thankful Tom Taft.

LIC 24063

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28

The July Chat carried this 1932 Faraday school photo which had appeared in the Castlemaine Mail and led to a phone call to the Chat… and another letter. Ex-Faraday people are ap-parently everywhere!

The letter came from Stan Ralph who is “the third one on the right side at the front. The big bloke on my left is Ar-nold. In the back row is Mr. Crabb with his daughters Evelyn and Aileen. One is by his side and the other is on the other end. The fourth girl in the back is Lorraine Howarth.”

The telephone call came from Archie Brown who grew up in the area too. Archie was second from left in the photo and his two brothers are there too – one on the right of the school sign and the other is the tall boy standing in front of Mr. Crabb. The telephone call was followed by a conversa-tion with Archie and that led to a page full of notes – the house he grew up in, fish, rabbits, ferrets and snakes, footy and cricket at Dunstan’s Flat, the post and rail fence around the res and more!

Two fascinating stories were about the road signs and the camellia tree. The signs have, unfortunately, long gone but they used to mark the geographic features along the road around the res. Picturesque names such as Poplar Bend, Devil’s Elbow, Willow Bend and Spring Hill marked the picturesque journey. What a shame they’ve disap-peared from the roadway – and from our vocabu-lary. And down by the old post office there was a large camellia tree in the Faraday Tea Gardens that became a focus for mo-torists travelling through. Although cars were a rar-ity along that road then (not many more than one a fortnight!) they all stopped to pick the flowers – and a fence to protect the tree was eventually erected!

Chewton - 100 years ago...Mount Alexander Mail - Wednesday 5 August 1914On Sunday recently a Castlemaine lady attended one of the Chewton churches, with her precocious two-year-old child. During the service it developed the wander-lust and crawled all over the church. The mother, who is a devout worshipper, did not miss the darling until the members of the choir made themselves conspicu-ous by their suppressed laughter. The wee pet had col-lared the conductor round the knees, and was audibly goo-gooing at him. The congregation was tickled at the spectacle, and the service discontinued, more espe-cially as the preacher was at the time most eloquently discoursing from the text. “For such is the Kingdom of Heaven.”

Bendigo Advertiser - Thursday 27 August 1914AT CHEWTON

At a meeting held at Chewton on Monday night, convened by the Mayor (Cr. Cribbes) to raise subscriptions to the soldiers’ comforts fund, the collectors reported that they had £29 in hand and a quantity of materials. Further sums will be collected and the ladies will hold working meetings to make up the material. When the three volunteers from Chewton who are going with the expeditionary force, Messrs. McCance, Thomas and Curtain, come back from Broadmeadows to bid good-bye to their friends, they are to be publicly entertained. At the quarterly meeting of the local branch of the A.N.A. held last night, it was decided to request the committee to present suitable souvenirs to the members of the branch that had joined the expeditionary force.

Glen Harrison.

Doug Ralph forwarded this

shot of Lawson’s Lookout 1933. It was taken on a hike of YPS

members. Lawson’s Look-out was on the

hill to the west of Dead Bullockys Track and was

used for fire spotting.

The lookout is no longer there - has anyone else some photos or the story of this

structure?

Faraday in 1932

Lawson’s Lookout?

29

Mount Alexander Shire ratepayers are advised that Coun-cil is moving to payments of rates and associated charges by instalment only. The due date for the first instalment is 30 September 2014.

“The change to payments by instalment only is in response to changes in the Local Government Act relating to how interest on overdue rates is calculated to facilitate debt collection and reduce outstanding rates,¨ said Lucy Roffey, Director Corporate Support. “The rates and charg-es for the 2014-15 rating year are to be paid in four instal-ments. The change will mainly affect those ratepayers that have previously paid a lump sum in February.”

Instalment due dates are set by the Minister for Lo-cal Government in accordance with the Local Government Act 1989 as follows:

- Instalment 1 due by 30 September- Instalment 2 due by 30 November- Instalment 3 due by 28 February- Instalment 4 due by 31 May

“The new system will help identify ratepayers who have not received their rates notice or those that may have difficulty paying their rates earlier,” Ms. Roffey said.

Instalment reminder notices issued by Council at least 14 days before each instalment will help reduce the incidence of lost and mislaid rates notices.

Over the last 12 months Council has introduced a number of new payment options to make it easier and more efficient for ratepayers to pay their rates. Payment options now include: using BPAY and BPAY View via in-ternet banking, in person at any Australia Post Office or the Civic Centre, by calling Council or through Council’s website. Those who receive Centrelink payments can opt to use Centrepay, which allows a deduction of your pay-ment to be forwarded to Council.

For more information on payment options visit www.mountalexander.vic.gov.au or contact Council on 5471 1700. Taken from a Press Release.

How do we rate in 2014?A letter in the 13 June 1918 Castlemaine Mail

Sir, In to-day’s Mail Zekle jokes about Chewton ratepay-ers waiting in the rain to pay their rates. I can tell you it was no joke to wait about three to four hours to pay away hard-earned money, for which we get practically nothing in return. Anyhow, the Metcalfe Shire officials are paid to attend to the affairs of the shire, and should attend to the business for which they are paid. According to the law, practically all the ratepayers of the Chewton riding are struck off the roll. Yours, etc., RATEPAYER. Chewton.

An article in the 22 June 1918 Castlemaine MailMETCALFE SHIRE RATES

CHEWTON RATEPAYERS’ GRIEVANCESSHIRE SECRETARY AT CHEWTON

RATEPAYERS DISFRANCHISED INTEREST CHARGED ON RATES

The rates question was advanced another stage today (Fri-day), (writes our Chewton correspondent), when the shire secretary, Mr Carmichael, put in an appearance to gather in money for rates due. It was not enough to wipe the ma-jority of ratepayers off the rolls, but insult was added to in-jury by charging interest on arrears of rates. Chewton has sunk very low indeed if it takes this lot lying down. In the first place the rate notices were only delivered a fortnight before the pay-up date, and accompanying each rate notice was a printed form stating that the rate collector would attend at the Chewton Town Hall on the first and third Fri-day in each month. This printed notice was sent out over the name of “Geo. Carmichael. shire secretary.” A large number attended in the cold and wet weather on the Friday before the 10th June, to pay their rates and qualify for a vote. But they waited in vain. The shire secretary now says that the law compels him to be in Metcalfe from June 2nd to June 19th inclusive, and therefore as he could not be in two places at once, it was no fault of his. But surely he could have sent a substitute or a notice to the Chewton people to that effect. Amongst the many ratepayers who are disfranchised by the neglect of the shire secretary is one of our councillors. There is hot feeling over the mat-ter, and there is a strong likelihood of further action being taken to obtain some redress. The Chewton riding repre-sentatives may be trusted to bring the matter before the council at its meeting on Tuesday next.

And how did we rate in 1918?

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

30

Walking Group Every Friday 9.30am start, $1 donation for tea & coffee

All welcome. Supported by CDCH

Playgroup Let your kids have some valuable play

time while you have a chat and a cuppa with other local parents.

Tuesdays, 9.30am—11am Free! BYO morning tea (all equipment

for play is provided)

Discover Ayurveda Ayurveda is learnt through action.

Wednesday, 6-8pm $195/$155

Sewing for All With Heather Hunt, an

experienced seamstress. Monday

4.30—6.30pm $15 per session

AA Meeting Come together and

share your experiences Tuesdays, 8pm—10pm

Dynamic Yoga Classes promote strength, flexibility

and endurance. Tuesdays, 6.15pm—7.45pm

$80/$65 6 classes, $17/$15 casual Contact Paul Romano on 0433 086

572 or paul@bodymap.net.au

Maldon Art Group A friendly environment in which to cre-

ate, teach and learn collaboratively. Wednesdays, 9.30am—1pm

(drop in any time), $2 per session Contact Julienne Beasley

on 0437 462 463

Telling Stories: Professional Writing

With Josie Emery Thursday, 10—12 noon $430/$345 for 18 weeks Intermediate Italian

Building on the basics with a focus on conversation. Fridays, 3.30pm—5pm $180/$155 for 9 weeks

Hatha Yoga Stretch and expand more than your imagination!

Fridays, 10am—11.30am $12 per session

Contact Wendy Ashton on 5476 2240

Pilates Builds strength from the inside

Friday, 8.45am—9.45am $160 for 10 week term

Helen Gilfillan on 0417 732 092 or helelgil@gmail.com

Kids Art Class After school arts and craft for

primary school aged kids Thursday, 3.30pm - 4.30pm

$90 for 9 weeks + $20 materials

Elementary Italian For those who have made a start

in the Italian language Mondays, 2—3.30pm $165/$135 for 9 weeks

Maldon Brewers Experiment with fermentation! Focus on beer-brewing.

First Thursday of the month, 5.45 - 7pm Contact Neil, nclaney@bigpond.net.au or 0402836831

Exercise for Seeing Drawing classes. Tuesdays 4.-6pm

$220/$175

Intro to Home Brewing Learn the principles of simple

home-brewing with a kit 11 & 18 September 5.45—7pm,$25/$20

Run by the Maldon Brewers

Beginners Italian Embrace the romance of

a second language! Tuesdays, 2—3.30pm $165/$135 for 9 wks

Gentle Tai Chi Ideal for all levels

Thursdays 11.30am -12.30pm $2 per session

LEARNING AT THE

TERM 3 COURSES—starting from 21 July

To book, please complete the enrolment form & return with payment. Forms available from the MNC or www.maldonnc.org.au. Contact Amy on 5475 2093 or info@maldonnc.org.au for info.

Tool up for Spring Intro to DIY in the home & workshop Thurs, 1.30 - 3.30pm, 28 Aug-18 Sept

at The Maldon Men’s Shed $175/$160 concession

Learning Technology 2 hour workshops $15/$10

see brochure for detail

Future Powered Families Energy saving

workshop 28 July 9.30-11

FREE

Video Vox Pops 9 July FREE

Get with the program!School is back – and not just for the kids – life-long learn-ing starts at your Neighbourhood Centre!At the Maldon Neighbourhood Centre there is a wide range of adult education courses, classes and workshops starting soon. From the Arts to Technology, from Wellbe-ing to Woodwork – we have the course for you (see right)“You don’t have to be a member or live in Maldon to come along to our classes” explains Centre Coordinator, Amy Atkinson.There are many reasons why adults might like to get into study – it is a great way to meet people, a chance to keep the brain active and also you can up-skill or re-skill boost-ing your work opportunities.Our website www.maldonnc.org.au has a wealth of infor-mation. Follow us on Facebook www.facebook.com/mal-donnc for the latest information and feel free to come and chat with us about what courses you would like to see of-fered by the Maldon Neighbourhood Centre, contact Amy on 5475 2093 or info@maldonnc.org.au.

Twenty two walkers enjoyed a fine winter’s day for the July FOBIF walk into Muckleford Gorge on Sunday the 20th. The walk was led by Deirdre and Bernard Slattery, and the group heard an informative talk from farmer Ian Garsed before descending into the spectacular valley. Ian and his family manage the Gorge largely for conservation, and he gave an engaging account of the difficulties and rewards of having responsiblity for such an important part of the landscape.

Although the Muckleford Creek is not flowing at this point, there are enough substantial pools to preserve the picturesqueness of the situation; and the dry sections al-lowed the group to criss cross the creek for easier walk-ing–though it has to be said that some of the crossings were easier than others. Once again our thanks go to Ian for his unfailing generosity to our walking groups. Thanks also to Barb Guerin for her lucid explanations of the geo-logical formations along the Creek.

Walkers look across the gorge to the edge of the lava flow, before making the descent. Mount Franklin is in the

distance.

FOBIF walkers checking out the cliffs at the bottom of the Muckleford Gorge.

Taken from the FOBIF website, and the photos of the walk were taken by Noel Young and Bronwyn Silver.

Next FOBIF walk17 August - Fryers Ranges Mineral Spring

This walk of approximately 9 kms will be in the southern end of the Fryers Ranges State Forest. Starting at the junc-tion of Fryers Ridge Road and Irishtown Track, we will walk in or close to the Columbine Creek valley. The Min-eral Spring is west of Hunters Track on Stony Creek. For more information contact Richard Piesse on 0448 572 867.

FOBIF walking

31

FIELD NATSVISITORS ARE WELCOME AT CLUB

MEETINGS AND EXCURSIONS

Fri Aug 8th: Meeting - speaker Graeme Watson on Australian mammalsSat Aug 9th: roadside clean-up 9 am

(no excursion this month) 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

Vocal Nosh a good sing & good food in convivial company

Sunday 3rd August at the Newstead Community Centreled this month by Fay White

Theme: Rollicking Songs of Survival• 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 harmonies

Songs in the folk style, mostly a cappella - no prior musical experience necessary and no need to read music

Singing for the pleasure of it Bookings by email: faywhite.music@westnet.com.au or phone Fay 5461 5471

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 700. 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.

**Note - the email address for the Chat is now goldenpoint2@bigpond.com

Offer of Red Cross speakersRed Cross is able to provide free guest speakers for community organ-isations/clubs and groups. Most people are aware of the presence of Red Cross and are interested to learn of the breadth of our work within our local communities and overseas.

Red Cross is offering free presentations that provide a brief out-line of the work of the Society including:• History (in 2014 we celebrate 100 years in Australia)• International Humanitarian Law• Social Inclusion Programs e.g. Telecross, Patient Transport, Break-

fast Clubs• Emergency Services• How you can help?

We will also provide a range of printed information which make good reading and provide a wonderful insight to the work of Red Cross both locally and globally.

To discuss a possible speaking date or for more information please contact Raechel Gleeson on 0439 348 554 or by email rgleeson@red-cross.org.au Taken from a Press release.

Chewton Senior CitizensOur programme for August is...

•Tuesday 5th: 8-30am. Pokie Trip C’maine Market •Thursday 21st: 1.30pm. Bingo at the Centre•Thursday 28th: 12noon Lunch at the Centre•Thursday 28th: 1.30pm. Annual General Meeting

For more information on the above ring the Secretary Dot Pollard on 5472 3297

or President Nigel Casbolt on 5473 3357.

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Winter is hereThere was a traffic jam in Chewton on a recent Saturday morning – a significant occurrence in its own right. It was on the main road, just outside the 'dog-food' shop. Stopped were the The Airport Bus, any number of cars, two railway buses, and a truck or two. All came to a full stop in both directions. Two very proud wood-ducks were accompanying their small brood of three tiny ducklings across the road, and nothing was going to stop them. It’s a good feeling to think that this can still happen.

Talking of winter, we are in the middle of it now. Two months of good rains have filled the tanks and dams. The grass is growing and the cabbages are looking good. The firewood we cut last summer is being consumed, and fires that were only needed during the evening are quietly burning all night now, as well as all day.

The last few days of this month have at least been dry, with clear days once the early morning frost has been driven off. Not so much fog and mist this month, though an early morning drive to Tullamarine to put rellies on the plane for their return home was greeted by an easy arrival at the terminal and the impossibility of finding a parking space whilst seeing them off. All due to fog related airplane disruptions of course.

Following rain of 91 and 99 millimetres in May and June (due largely to a couple of good falls early in the

month), we are looking at a modest fifty-five milimetres for July spread over 16 days. Not to be dismissed of course, still a nice-little-earner to keep tanks and dams comfortably full. We need to get it now to avoid the problems of El Nino if, as is threatened, he arrives later in the year. As I write, the rain is falling, having released up to 2 millimetres overnight. So far we have had 72 rain days for some 326 millimetres. It is starting to look like a year of average-rainfall, if El Nino does not arrive.

Temperatures have taken a decidedly downward turn. Our average daytime temperature has been 10.5 degrees Celsius and the highest was 13 degrees C. No day got anywhere near the more balmy 20 degrees. The lowest daytime recording was 9 degrees C. The most commonly experienced temperature (the mode), was 11 degrees C.

The average night-time low temperature has dropped by three degrees to a value of 3.4 degrees C. Our lowest here has been -2 degrees, but I know others have had deeper frosts than I have recorded. In total I have recorded seven frost nights. The highest overnight temperature was 8 degrees Celsius, and another night at 7 degrees. Both were associated with the rain early in the month.

BUT, it is not all gloom. Spring is already trying out its new foliage as the yellow-hued acacia appears along the roadsides. John Leavesley.

Calendar of EventsAug 2nd Red Hill Hotel’s BIG 160th Birthday Bash.Aug 2nd Birdwatching for Beginners, 2 p.m., Castlemaine Botanic Gardens Tea Rooms (see page 18).Aug 2nd MoBQ (Chewton’s Community Barbeque), 6 p.m., Ellery Park.Aug 5th Senior Cits (SC) Pokie Trip, 8.30 a.m., Castlemaine Market Building.Aug 6th Chewton Comm. and Senior Citizens Centre AGM, 7.30 p.m., Senior Citizens Centre.Aug 8th (and 9th and 10th) Bilarni, 8.15 p.m., Chewton Community Centre (see page 25).Aug 9th (and 10th) Goldfields F.C. 40th anniversary celebrations (see page 19).Aug 10th Holy Communion, 9.15 a.m., St. John’s Anglican Church, Chewton.Aug 12th MAS Council meeting, 7.30 p.m., Mount Alexander Civic Centre.Aug 17th FOBIF Walk in the Fryers Ranges, 9.30 a.m., C’maine Cont. Ed. (see page 30).Aug 21st SC Bingo, 1.30 p.m., Chewton Senior Citizens Centre.Aug 19th Chewton Domain Society Management Comm. meeting, 7 p.m., George Archer Pavilion.Aug 24th Morning Prayer, 9.15 a.m., St. John’s Anglican Church, Chewton.Aug 23rd Fryerstown Films (Strictly Ballroom), 7.30 p.m., Burke and Wills Mechanics Institute Hall.Aug 24th Chewton Domain Society, 2 p.m., Chewton Town Hall.Aug 26th MAS Council meeting, 7.30 p.m., Mount Alexander Civic Centre.Aug 28th SC Lunch 12 noon, AGM 1.30 p.m., Chewton Senior Citizens Centre.Aug 31st Golden Point Landcare AGM,10 a.m., Chewton Town Hall.

Roll on Spring!