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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 195 May, 2015.

www.chewton.net

It was a grey, wet, overcast morning as I made my way to our Anzac Day Service in Chewton – but what a wonderful sight met me as I came to the Solders’ Memorial Gates. An army truck and jeep parked on the road, and Lyn and Bill with their beautiful steeds representing the horses and riders who had fought. The Chewton school children, along with Julie and Patsy, brought their home made Anzac biscuits, poems they had written and little wreaths of rosemary.

Organisers estimated between 130 to 150 people had come out that morning to our local annual service. The ceremony began and I welcomed and thanked all for attending – and acknowledged two locals who were not there this year but had been there every other year. Mrs. Dot McMillan who would come rain, hail or shine to represent her family and Mr. Fred Cole, who was our last WW2 digger always resplendent in his suit with medals shining.

Pat Mudford read an extract from her book, the children read their poems and Mount Alexander Shire Mayor, Cr. Christine Henderson, addressed the crowd and made comment on how she was moved by these poems. After the ode was read, Riley, a young man who travels from Melbourne just to play the trumpet for us, stepped forward in his school uniform proudly wearing the medals of his great-grandfather and both grand-

100 years - and we’re getting younger!

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Chewton Chat back copies...The current Chewton Chat can be found in colour on www.chewton.net . It is too expensive for us to store all

the previous ones online as we once did – much as we would love to! There are now just too many!Anyone needing back copies should email gleharr@gmail.com who will provide you with the copy you request.

We are hoping to make these available on CDs in the near future. Watch this space!

fathers, played to the crowd and as silence fell we then paused for a minute’s silence.

The floral wreathes were laid and the children handed round the Anzac biscuits as people gathered to catch up with family and friends. A small town with a big heart is Chewton – and thanks go to Max, Gaylene and Pat as the keepers of the flag, to Chewton Primary School for their heartfelt involvement, to Riley who adds that special touch to this service and to all who attended thus keeping this important tradition alive. Bettie Exon.

P.S. After the service a big day of soc-cer began. Playing on the Chewton Soldiers’ Memorial Park on Anzac Day in this Centenary year is certain-ly a special time for all Castlemaine Goldfields FC players. The club un-dertook to ensure all visitors were aware of the significance of the day. The club altered the fixture so games were scheduled later in the morning, and before each game players were addressed with a prepared speech ar-ranged by the club. Sprigs of rose-mary were provided as a symbol of remembrance.

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Chewton Town Hallis back in business

Are you looking for a place for• An afternoon tea?• A celebration?• An exhibition?• A meeting?• A conference?• A concert?• A food preparation space?

The Chewton Town Hall offers a beautifully restored space available for a variety of

events and uses that could suit you. (Because of the age of the building universal access is limited)

To discuss what you might need, what we can offer and the costs of hiring all or part of the hall...

please contact Bettie on 5472 3892 or goldenpoint2@bigpond.com

Chewton’s Biggest Morning Tea returns

Chewton’s BMT this year will be special for two reasons. It will return home to the wonderfully refurbished Town Hall after two years enjoying the hospitality of the Gold-fields Football Club and it will be the fifteenth time we have hosted our own version of this fund raiser for Cancer Research.

The support of the Chewton community and our friends has meant that each year there has been an in-crease in the money raised and last year the final total was $1,134.00! Quite a lot of that money came from the raffle of a lovely quilt that was donated by Jenny Mounsey’s sis-ter. .

This year there will again be raffle prizes donated by local business people and other generous supporters. However, the “star” will be a quilt donated by Diane Frape-Linton. Photos of the quilt will be at the General Store and the Post Office - and both Chris and Rob will sell you tickets at $2.00 each or 3 for $5.00.

The date of the BMT is Thursday May 28 starting at 10.00am. As usual we will serve tasty food (some will be gluten-free), tea and coffee, and there will be an interesting speaker. Lucky people will win raffle prizes and a partic-ularly lucky someone will take home the beautiful quilt.

Remember – 28th May at 10.00am in

the Town Hall.Ph. Marie Jones

5472 2892, Judy Cobb 5472 5118

or Barbara Dry 5472 3385.

Services for St. John’s Chewton in MayThere is a service every Saturday at 6 p.m. We are seeing the church in a different way, with services at this time. With the red carpet, chairs and heaters, the old church gives off a rosy glow. Everyone is welcome.On Sunday 17th May at 2 p.m. there will be a concert of Blenders and Friends at the church. Afternoon tea will be provided. Join us.

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CFA Update – May 2015Summer has come to an end in Chewton and so has the Fire Danger Period which means that fire restrictions are no longer in place. Members of the community are now able to burn off on their properties and recently there have been a number of planned burns undertaken in the region.

Chewton CFA would like to remind everyone at this time that if you do plan to burn off on your property to please register your burn with the Burn Off Notification line by calling 1800 668 511. Registering your burn will mean that our busy volunteers will not be called out to your property when they are not needed.

Over the past month members have also turned out to a variety of both grass and scrub fires as well as structure fires.

The brigade members are also excited to announce that we are currently seeking new recruits who live locally. Our brigade is in need of people who preferably live and work locally meaning they will be able to turn out during work hours, however, we would love to speak to anyone who is interested in joining our busy group.

Good Friday Appeal 2015Records were broken at Chewton this year after a successful morning collecting money for the Royal Children’s Hospital Good Friday Appeal.

At the final count of the money down at

the Melbourne Convention Centre it was revealed that Chewton had raised a grand total of $2,632.40. The final result was higher than first anticipated and a record collection for the Brigade.

Members were out working hard from 9am on Good Friday morning, door knocking and rattling tins around Chewton. The Tanker and Slip-on units worked hard collecting along the main streets of Chewton and along the Pyrenees Highway, while the Metcalfe Group FCV was sent up to navigate the Chewton Bushlands.

Overall, the collection ended at around 1pm after a good 4 hours on the streets and it was then time for the tricky task of getting the money out of the tins and counting it. Members then made their way down to the Castlemaine Fire Station to drop off the money and enjoy fish and chips for lunch.

Chewton CFA would like to send out a very big thank you to the community who helped by donating what they could. Without the generosity of the community the brigade could not have broken their collection record.

Overall a record total of $17,109,063.22 was raised across the state with all donations going to the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne to fund new equipment and research.

A big thank you also goes out to our members and their families who took the time out of their Easter holidays to help this amazing cause.

We are also interested in hearing from locals who may wish to join the brigade and help out with other roles such as catering and fundraising.

Anyone who is interested in finding out more about what volunteering with the CFA involves should attend one of our two information sessions as follows:

When: Tuesday 13th May, 6-7pm or Sunday 17th May, 10-11amWhere: Chewton Fire Station,

Mount Street, ChewtonIf you are unable to attend these sessions prospective

recruits are welcome to come down and speak to our current volunteers at the station on any Sunday morning around 10am.

On behalf of the brigade we would also like to thank the Castlemaine Central Wine Store who has kindly given a donation to the Chewton Fire Brigade.Paige Mounsey, Chewton CFA Communications Officer.

Photos courtesy Jo Willen.

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Taking a stand earns plaudits...It was a post on the Castlemania FaceBook page that alerted most people to a most unsavoury incident in Chewton.

This weekend some of our Shire’s potentially fine and upstanding young men have let us down. They have let themselves down and they have let their families down. This weekend some of our young men, partaking in a bucks’ night right here in the Mt Alexander Shire, got a little bit pissed and crossed a line. A big and im-portant line, one where we all need to say ENOUGH is enough.

Was it your son? Was it your boyfriend? Perhaps your mate? Someone crossed the line.... and it is incum-bent on each and every one of us to remind them that IT IS NOT OKAY. Each and every one of those blokes outside the Red Hill Hotel last night is responsible. And if it was your son, if it was your boyfriend, or your mate, you too have a responsibility. DO NOT ALLOW this foul behavior to continue. Do not allow or condone or sanc-tion or encourage men to presume power or entitlement over women or children.

This post attracted a storm of outrage and in the ensuing “conversation” details of the incident began to emerge. Sympathy for the victim and disgust at the be-haviour seemed to predominate. Then a post on the Red Hill’s Facebook page spelt out in more detail the unfor-tunate situation that had unfolded.

Red Hill Hotel. Last Saturday night there was an incident involving some very intoxicated young men hav-ing a bucks’ night and they abused a woman walking

past. Please let it be known that I will not tolerate this kind of behaviour out here. The men involved had been drinking at another hotel where the police had also at-tended, so they came out in a taxi and I had to suffer this abhorrent behaviour. I am sorry this lady was subjected to their obnoxious abuse. In the 5 years I have been here, this is the second incident where men that are old enough to know better have come out here intoxicated from Castlemaine and caused problems. If you cannot come sober and have a good time - DO NOT COME HERE. Di Baird.

Di’s post attracted 310 likes and supportive com-ments such as, “Thanks Di. Good to know you have a strong line on this kind of behaviour I bring my family down to the Red Hill and I hope that we can all stand with you to make sure it is a family/woman friendly space” and “Good on you Di for taking a clear stand. There is never, ever an excuse for this violent obnoxious behaviour. Love your pub.”

Then Di’s post was shared on the Castlemania Facebook page. Another 93 likes followed with even more comments as the inexcusable behaviour reported that night was roundly condemned.

Isn’t it great to see a community say enough is enough, and then heap praise on a publican who cares? Who knows, but maybe a strong and united community stance like the one demonstrated in this situation might have lasting effects.

Great one Di! The compliments are well-deserved!John Ellis.

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1-31 May is Domestic and Family Violence Prevention MonthDomestic and Family Violence Prevention Month is held during May each year to raise community awareness and promote

a clear message that domestic and family violence will not be tolerated in our communities.

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The Business(es) of Chewton... Rocket RoastTony Russell and Caroline Pflieger have created Rocket Roast Coffee. Tony is known for his Saturday Wesley Hill Market Coffee Stall. The delicious brew he serves up has been roasted by Tony in Chewton. A modified old world Turkish drum roaster, innovatively designed, uses a small amount of aged Australian redgum to wood-fire the roast, requiring no gas

heating at all. Fairtrade, organic beans are used exclusively. Blends may vary according to seasonal availability and taste.

Wood creates a natural dry heat, resulting in a smooth, mellow brew, more crema and less acidicity than a gas roast. The choice of wood imparts a subtle flavour to the beans so the taste is unique. Roasting with a small amount of wood instead of the heavy use of fossil fuels to heat needed by conventional roasting lessens the impact on our environment.

Tony roasts for retail, wholesale and contract. His small batch, traditional roasting method consistently produces good coffee. Roasting styles and blends can be tailored to suit wholesale customers’ preferences. Tony is also an accomplished barista, is able to service and restore coffee machinery, and can provide expert advice on using coffee equipment.

Try Rocket Roast coffee at local retail outlets, or come to the popular Wesley Hill Market on Saturday to enjoy a good coffee.

Wanted: Chewton businesses to feature on this page!

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Know Your NeighbourHave you met Susan Morgan?

Susan Morgan spent her early years on a sheep station in outback South Australia. ‘At age 12, I was sent to boarding school in Port Lincoln for five years, and then went to Adelaide where I studied radiation therapy.’

Her first job was in Hobart. She then moved to the Queensland Radium Institute, then to a new cancer centre in Geelong, and for a few years at a private radiotherapy practice. ‘I then went to Canada to live’, explaining that ‘there’s always been a world-wide shortage of people trained in my field and Canada had come to Australia on a recruiting drive. I spent a year in Thunder Bay in North West Ontario, which is minus 40 degrees in winter. That was a shock. I then spent a year on Vancouver Island, the warmest place in Canada.’

On her return to Australia, and after a stint at the Royal Adelaide hospital, Susan was recruited to head up the new radiotherapy centre at Melbourne’s Epworth Hospital. ‘Whilst there I did a Masters in Public and International Health. At the same time I bought my house in Chewton, an old stone house, something I had always wanted, having lived in an old stone farmhouse as a kid.’

At the time she had been working for Australian Business Volunteers in the jungle in Indonesia, working with a private health clinic. ‘It was on my return that I found my Chewton house on realestate.com. To live in the country had always been a passion of mine. I didn’t even know where Castlemaine was, or Chewton. I got out my road map, came up, saw the house, and bought it.’

When she first moved up here Susan was commuting to Melbourne, working then with the Department of Health. ‘After doing this for three years I was asked to set

up a radiotherapy education training course in Trinidad Tobago. I went for 10 months, came home for 6 months, then got a job with the United Nations and worked for them in Vienna for four years.

I’ve been back in Chewton the last 6 months, fixing up my house and garden. I am now determined to find work locally.’

Currently she is helping to update the Chewton Welcome Kit, ‘which I undertook also as a way of getting to know local people. I’m meeting people and learning about places here that I never knew existed.

More and more I’m discovering that we have quite a nice little community here. I remember a few years ago thinking, they’ll never succeed in saving the pool, and then of course they did. Whilst away I would read the Chewton Chat online and was so impressed with the community spirit. I love Chewton. I love the beauty of the landscape, the rolling hills and the trees, the Res and the General Store. I love that Chewton is a small place. It’s gentle, a slower way of life.’ Gloria Meltzer.

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FryerstownIt has been so dry that the birds seemed to be keeping quiet and staying out of our way, perhaps seeking water further afield. So we cleaned out our large bird bath made from the base of an old tank and replaced the water and rocks so it was refreshed completely. It took about half a day and we washed each rock so it was very clean and the rocks were replaced in different places in and around the tank. The next day we noticed a couple of rosellas checking it out, splashing about. Next morning there were ten rosellas taking turns to have a really vigorous bath. Then the magpies came down and evicted the rosellas while they had their baths and flew off. The rosellas came back and continued their cavorting. The small birds and even galahs got the idea too and we placed some of rocks so they could splash in shallow water. It has been a constant delight to see from our kitchen and family room. We have had some rain now and have birds back in profusion. I do love to have them around.

The Cribbes Family Reunion was held in Fryerstown earlier this year. It was a large gathering with a wealth of family history available on computers, in old family documents, and anecdotally. Those attending were the descendants of three brothers who were born in Scotland and came to Australia in the 1850s. Descendants of a fourth brother Mathew, who did not come to Australia, were also present. Altogether there were about 100 people there ranging from Dot Duus (nee Cribbes) at age 90 to a toddler eleven months old - and many in between. They came from locally and from as far away as Queensland, Mt Gambier, Wangaratta, Ballarat, Drouin and Sale.

The Cribbes family (pronounced Crib-bes) has a long association with Fryerstown, Chewton, Taradale, Faraday and Castlemaine, since George Cribbes (born 25th November 1839) arrived in Australia in 1853 from Dunbar

in Scotland. He married Margaret Cameron in Essendon in 1854 and settled as a farmer at Taradale. William

Cribbes (born 4th February 1834) joined his brother in Victoria arriving on the “Florine” in July 1858. He settled at Fryerstown and set up business as a blacksmith. William married Ellen McNamara in 1862. William and Mary had eight children who reached adulthood. They were Jane Purves (born 1863) who married Fred Moore; George (born 1865) became

a blacksmith in Chewton, became a Justice of the Peace and Councillor and Mayor of Castlemaine. William (born 1866) became a blacksmith in Taradale, marrying Mary Alice Williams a grand daughter of Frederick George Dyer one of the early settlers in Fryerstown. Ellen Mary was

born in 1869 and married Arthur Robinson. John (born 1871) was a blacksmith and engine driver. Thomas Matthew (born 1876) was a hotel keeper. The family owned and operated the Commercial Hotel in Castlemaine. Isabella was born in 1878 and married John Duffy. Florence Julia was born in 1881 and married Walter Muirhead. Another brother Alexander Cribbes (born 3rd June 1836) arrived on the “Ocean Chief” in February 1859 and settled at Beechworth.

It is interesting that the occupation of blacksmith recurs in the Cribbes family history and the name Cribbes is firmly

associated with that occupation in Fryerstown. George Brown in Reminiscences of Fryerstown refers to Mr George Hogg - carpenter, wheelwright, sometime undertaker and one of the town’s best known characters. He conducted his wheelwright business in the heart of the town and was later joined in partnership by William Cribbes as blacksmith. Both men were Scottish, Hogg from the lowlands and Cribbes from the highlands. They were famous for their frequent arguments and one day became involved in a brawl in which Mr Cribbes fell and badly

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injured his leg. A court case ensued. Mr Cribbes sued Mr Hogg for damages. After a lengthy court case the judge dismissed the case leaving the bulk of the costs of the case to be born by Mr Cribbes. Brown says the feud continued for the remainder of their days. I wonder why they stayed in partnership.

One of the most interesting stories to me was that of Florence Cribbes. Florence was the School Teacher at Fryerstown when the school moved to its present site from next door to the Methodist Church in Heron Street. She was born in 1881 and died in 1955. She married Walter Muirhead and had her first son Maurice in 1922 when she was over 40. Maurice died in 2014. Her granddaughter, Marion Power, found Florence’s papers relating to teaching in a box during a garage cleanout. It is a rare find. Many lessons are covered and the depth of knowledge over several subjects that the children were expected to learn astounds me. Of course, at that time many would have all the formal education that they would get from the local school. Few would go on to secondary level. Many of these notes involve instructions for experiments; for example the experiment on surface tension of water and to prove that seeds contain starch. Most of them are accompanied by hand drawn and detailed illustrations. I suspect some of these, perhaps all, were submitted to the Department of Education as proof of her competence. It is clear that she was a teacher of serious subject matter. It was common in that era, for a woman to teach sewing and cooking while serious subjects remained the province of male teachers. At first I thought that the 1st World War may have changed that, but the notes are dated 1913. Many of them are intended for Grade V and VI and show a sophistication

that, unfortunately, I can’t demonstrate because I only have photocopies of the handwritten notes which I don’t think would reproduce easily for Chat readers to see, so I have chosen to select some examples as a demonstration

of how she prepared for her teaching classes in nature study and science.THE GRASSHOPPERGrasshoppers kept in boxes1. Grasshopper is protectively covered. A grass feeder. Does harm2. The head - It has compound eyes and jointed feelers. When eating the jaws open and shut sideways.3. The chest is divided into three seg-

ments. A pair of legs is attached to each segment. The wings are at-tached to segments 2 and 3. The outer pair are wing covers. The inner flying wings fold up like a fan and are a bright yellow color.THE DRAGON FLYThe specimens for the lesson were the large brown dragon flies. Also had 10 mud eyes (larvae of dragon fly)1. The dragon fly also called horse-dragon. It has no sting and does not interfere with horses, so is wrongly named. 2. Very rapid flier using both pairs of wings.3. Valuable for killing mosquitoes.4. Three pairs of legs turn forward and meet around the mouth. Legs are used for holding prey near the mouth, not for walking.

5. Very large and powerful eyes that almost meet near

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the centre of the head.6. Feelers very small.

EXPERIMENT To prove the surface of water occupies as small a space as possible Precautions:- Do not have the cotton too loose and have very soapy water.Method:- Use apparatus as shown in diagram and make a film on both sides of thread. Break one film as shown.Results:- The cotton was drawn tightly by the other film.Conclusions:- The film in trying to get into the smallest possible space took the loose cotton with it, making it tight.EXPERIMENTTo prove that the surface film of water is stronger than the rest.Precaution:- See that the float is properly balanced.Method:- Push the float under water and let it rise gently.Result:- The float rises to just under the surface.Conclusion:- The surface film must be stronger than the rest or the float would have risen through it just as it did through the rest of the water.

EXPERIMENTTo prove that seeds contain starch.Apparatus:- Test tube, spirit lamp, beans, and iodine.Precautions:- See that seeds are good and boil for 5 minutes.Method:- Split the beans and boil them in water, pour off water and put on iodine.Result:- There was a blue liquid in the tube.Explanation:- This shows that seeds must contain starch because iodine only turns starch blue

While some of the explanations and conclusions are simplistic when read 102 years later, they demonstrate a surprising grasp of scientific method.

The Nature Study Notes accompanied by detailed drawings in ink cover a range of topics including Life History of Mosquito, The Mistletoe, The Mantis, The Dragon Fly, Life History of a Frog, The Grasshopper, Seed Dispersal, Wattle Blossom etc. Of course, these are only some of the topics covered in the notes - it was impossible to copy everything in this treasure trove in the time available.

The next Fryerstown Film Night is on Saturday May

23rd at 7.30pm in the Burke and Wills Hall. The Film is MEET ME IN ST LOUIS made in 1944. Directed by Vincent Minelli with Judy Garland, Margaret O’Brien, Mary Astor. A classical musical with American family values. $5 per person with tea and coffee provided and nice nibbles if people bring them. Kay Thorne

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Logo designed

by Morgan

Williamson.

Real Estate Gossip

Having watched the sign on the sites of the old Stur-ken’s store for quite some time now, it was interesting to see a new addition appear. A big red sold sticker!

The story of this site is well-documented in “Chewton Then and Now”, that terrific resource book by Ken McKimmie (on page 33 and page 46).

And now a new leaf may be added to the story of this plot of land.

Frosts already, brutal on the last of the summer vegies, but it makes for a lovely sunny day.Properties for sale around Chewton are listed as follows:Cantwell Real Estate:• 189 Main Road, north facing modern 2 bedroom brick

cottage, $309,000.00;• 65 Adelaide Street, elegant Victorian fully restored

with original features, sprawling 3 bedroom, 2 bath-rooms home on 2800 sqm allotment adjoining the Castlemaine Diggings , $529,000.00;

• 1/72 Steele Street, north facing vacant allotment of ap-proximately 2234sqm. Backing onto state forest but with services available. $220,000.00;

• 24 Main Road, historic property on the edge of town, adjoining crown land and right by the walking/cycling track, surprisingly expansive 3 bedroom, for sale at $585,000.00;

• 4 Prior Street, 5 bedrooms & 3 bathrooms, 2 storey sandstone and weatherboard set amid huge garden, $848,000.00;

• 225 Sparks Road, 58 hectares on the edge of the Bush-land for sale at $595,000.00.

Cassidy Real Estate:• 50 Dinah Road, 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom, multi living

areas home on an acre of land. Indoor pool and spa and entertaining area, extensive shedding and work-shops. All this for $390,000.00;

• 97 Pyrenees Highway, 2 bedroom, 2 living areas and plenty of period features. Large allotment of 1500sqm with workshops and room for several cars. For sale at $515,000.00;

• 29 Mount View Road, 2 bedroom stone home nestled in 6 acres of the Bushlands, offering views over Chew-ton itself, $359,000.00.

Castlemaine Property Group:• 68 Llewellyn Rd, stone and timber house set atop a

hill on approx. 3 acres of bushland. 4 bedrooms, 2 liv-ing areas and shady verandahs where you can sit and enjoy the views over the Res. Outbuildings and R/W tanks. For sale at $492,000.00;

• 77 Pioneers Road, single bedroom log cabin set high in the Bushlands with views over Chewton and onto Castlemaine, $295,000.00.

Keogh Real Estate:• 4 Pitman Street, 2 bedroom weatherboard with de-

tached bungalow set on 1200sqm. Plenty of shedding, land to spare and attractive views towards Golden Point. For sale at $345,00.00.

• 576 Pyrenees Highway, 2 bedroom weatherboard with character, set on 3 ½ acres of land with a meandering

seasonal creek, plenty of outbuildings, $315,000.00.Waller Realty: • 218 Golden Point Road, extended miners cottage

which has retained the heritage character, 3 bedrooms, 3 living areas, adjacent to Castlemaine Diggings, For-est Creek and the Res, for sale at $515,000.00;

• 50 Eureka Street, 1950s 3 bedroom weatherboard on 2000 sqm, updated and with all the comforts, $389,000.00;

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

Lynne Williamson.

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Nurturing the whole child

in every child

Term 2 is up and running with classes in full swing. We ended last term with a ‘Trash and Treasure’ sale. The idea was for children to bring along things they no longer wanted and purchase new items for small coin amounts. All items were less than $1, however we still managed to raise $70 for the Chewton Swimming Pool. The children had heaps of fun making their purchase with some high finances and negotiations put into practice.

We have just commenced using our school facility as a ‘Family Day Care’, an after school venue. This means that on 2 nights a week parents are able to pick children up as late as 5:30pm allowing extra time for appointments and work commitments. Family Day Care attracts some government subsidises making it a cost effective option. Patsy Braybrook is our trained facilitator and so far the program has been a great success with Patsy able to care for up to 7 children on any one night.

We have also been selected to trial the new ‘Sporting Schools’ module. Chewton Primary hosted the ‘Active After School Program’ for many years providing free physical education session for all children in Chewton on two nights a week. This funding ceased at the end of last year and we are now operating under the new funding model.

Our other successful funding came very unexpectedly when we received a phone call from the National Gallery of Victoria inviting our school to attend the Golden Age of

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China Exhibition. The Gallery will cover the full cost of the bus transport and lunch. This will be our first whole school trip to Melbourne for many years.

Work on the sustainable cubby has begun and all those bottles are slowly being filled. There are well over 1000 bottles to be filled with sand. It is a regular play activity for student however quality control means that the older children reject some of the younger children’s filling method. With our clubs program starting on Fridays we are hopeful that the cubby will be completed very soon.

Our next funding project is a rebound wall. With a timber building the much loved activity of hitting and throwing balls at a target just can’t be done. There are a squillion rules about building rebound walls that we need to investigate. Fundraising has only just started with our BBQ on the 2nd of May.

ANZAC day commemorations play a big part in our school’s program. This year the children were presented with a commemorative pine tree to plant to mark the Battle of the Lone Pine. This tree has a place in our front yard complete with a plaque. The children followed their tradition of poetry writing and a small whole school service was held on April the 24th. As always, our school was represented at the Chewton ANZAC service with our biscuits ready to be shared. Julie Holden.

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14

“Thank you. You changed my life.” That’s a very powerful message to get. Both humbling

and life confirming for me but, more important, proof of the value of the 1965 SAFA Bus Trip (aka The Freedom Ride). In 1965 I went on the bus because I believed quite simply that it was the right thing to do. That 2015 message confirmed that it was so.

As the 2015 re-enactment retraced the route of the 1965 Freedom Ride we heard that message many times from men and women from the Aboriginal communities in and around Dubbo, Walgett, Moree, Bowraville and Kempsey. Sometimes in words, sometimes implicit in the welcoming smiles, applause and cheers that greeted and followed us through main street parades, public and private meetings, galleries and concerts. We heard that the Freedom Ride was a watershed event – one that changed things.

Of course the towns have changed over the last 50 years but the local Aboriginal communities told us more changes are still needed. Undoubtedly they are and the necessary changes are often far too slow for those who most need it. Nevertheless I saw, 50 years later, one very significant change.

In 1965 the local Aboriginal people, their communities, their leaders, their organisations were not part of the civic mainstream of the towns – they were pushed to the periphery both geographically and socially by white communities who were in large part viciously racist. Sometimes, and inexcusably, it was unthinking racism but often it was deliberate and violent. In 2015 that

had changed. The Aboriginal communities, their leaders and their organisations are now central to the life of the towns - an essential part of the civic mainstream. Racism may still exist in these towns but it is no longer socially or politically acceptable in the way it was in 1965. In 1965 the local mayors and MPs labelled the Freedom Riders ignorant trouble-makers. In 2015 they honoured the Freedom Ride with speeches and medals that confirmed that what we did was the right thing to do. That has to be at least a step in the right direction.

In 1965 Charlie Perkins was indisputably the respected leader of the Freedom Ride. Until we revisited the towns in 2015, I didn’t fully realise the power of this simple fact – a group of white university students were led by a black man. In 1965 this was a powerful message new to rural NSW – one that belied Aboriginal men’s day-to-day experience and directly, blatantly challenged the cosy assumptions of the towns’ white men.

1965 rural NSW was not accustomed to street demonstrations that publicly exposed the dark and ugly side of their white icons. The shameful reality of the Walgett RSL refusal to open their books and doors to Aboriginal ex-servicemen that was known and accepted by the white community, who allowed them in for a beer on Anzac Day. The shocking reality of established apartheid in Moree – Aboriginal people banned from all civic facilities by a council ordinance. The cinemas with barriers – blacks down the front, whites up the back and jail for those who challenged it. Shopkeepers’ spiteful refusals for Aboriginal women to try on a dress before they bought it. The hypocrite hoteliers who refused entry to Aboriginal men and then criticised their drinking in

1965 and 2015 – Thoughts on the Freedom RideIn the March Chat the 50th anniversary of the Freedom Ride and Pat Healy’s involvement in it was featured. Fifty years on, and now the re-enactment is over Pat has time to reflect on what it all means...

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public areas. The violence and rapes forced on Aboriginal women by ‘respectable’ white men – their actions wilfully ignored by their ‘respectable’ white wives.

And the public exposure was not limited to just those rural towns – for 10 days it was documented on the front pages of the mainstream Australian media, the radio and TV. Even the Daily Mirror, a popular evening tabloid, gave front page exposure to the ugly reality of the racism rife in rural NSW. This had never happened before. Now it was no longer possible to claim, “I didn’t know”. And probably many hadn’t known – they should have but many didn’t. Even those who went on the 1965 Freedom Ride expecting the worst were shocked and appalled by a reality that was so much worse than we expected. Before those 10 days, racism didn’t get much press coverage.

The 1965 Freedom Ride was a watershed event that created change. In some rural NSW towns it forced practical changes – the Moree pool was desegregated, the Walgett RSL changed its entry rules, some cinemas changed their seating arrangements and, eventually, business practices changed in shops and hotels. Mainstream Australia began the long, and still unfinished, public acknowledgement of the dark, ugly reality of racism that still shames our country – and perhaps that even contributed a little to the success of the 1967 referendum. Charlie Perkins emerged and was recognised as a leader – heard and respected by both black and white Australians. And some young Aboriginal people in rural NSW glimpsed a new perspective, saw an alternative way of doing things and went for it.

The 1965 Freedom Ride was a life changing event for many, not least for those of us who rode on that bus. What we achieved should be honoured but that should also be tempered with the recognition that there is still a lot to be done. Pat Healy, April 2015.

Family history

Amidst all of the ceremony at the Anzac commemoration it is the personal things that often are the attention grab-bers. Like the medals worn or the pieces of paper some-one is holding.

Dot Bush was holding some papers carefully pro-tected in plastic sleeves. They turned out to be copies of a certificate of thanks presented by the Shire of Metcalfe to Private T. O’Brien on his return from the war. Private O’Brien was an ancestor of Dot’s and her mother has the original certificate proudly hanging on her wall. The wording reads...

Shire of Metcalfe.The residents, councillors and ratepayers of the Shire

of Metcalfe thereby place on record their thanks and ap-preciation for the conduct of Private T O’Brien

who served his king and country in the Great War.

16

A balmy night but the brazier was spreading the scent of burning wood just in case. And there was a lovely Easter sky that was shaping up as being too cloudy to see the

blood moon later that night.Only a few hardies gathered around the barbecue

for the April MoBQ. And only two had ventured into the Easter theme – rabbit-ears! Like indoor television aerials – but they got a good reception and provided some colour as well.

Only two, so there was no need for the promised election of a judge. And no need to split hares (or rabbits) in the judging process. Prizes were awarded to the two poor bunnies who were then able to burrow back into the conversation and general hilarity. So, now the MoBQ’s are over till May.

May brings May Day and many different thoughts. According to Wikipedia, May Day on May 1 is an ancient Northern Hemisphere spring festival and usually a public holiday - it is also a traditional spring holiday in many cultures. Dances, singing, and cake are usually part of the celebrations that the day includes. But in the late 19th Century, May Day was chosen as the date for International Workers’ Day by the Socialists and Communists of the Second International to commemorate the Haymarket af-fair in Chicago. In those countries that celebrate Interna-tional Workers’ Day, the day may also be referred to as “May Day” but it is a different celebration from the tra-ditional May Day. Festivities or Workers? The Chewton

Community Barbecuing... the opposite of “What’s your beef?”May MoBQ is on May the 2nd – and the obvious theme would have been red! Would have been? Yep, there will be a few absentees this month so themes and prizes are held over till June.

Maybe just as well the theme is held over! Mayday is also an emergency procedure word used internationally as a distress signal in voice procedure radio communica-tions. Wikipedia says it is used to signal a life-threaten-ing emergency primarily by mariners and aviators, but in some countries local organizations such as police forces, firefighters, and transportation organizations also use the term. The call is always given three times in a row (“May-day, Mayday, Mayday”) to prevent mistaking it for some similar-sounding phrase under noisy conditions, and to distinguish an actual Mayday call from a message about a Mayday call.

So May Day or Mayday - and despite no prizes - there will be Chewton people to be found by being at the BBQ in Chewton’s Ellery Park at 6 p.m. on May the 2nd. Look for the red faces around the brazier...

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17

Poe try

Corner

Like the ShepherdSomewhere near the morning round about the coming of the dawn, There’s a sense of beauty emanating from an angel’s song. Waking from the slumber I forget about the midnight’s storm; In-between these moments the world appears in a diff’rent form. Mysteries surround me, hiding deep within the fog of time, Though I search for answers I been told they never will be mine. Roads ahead are shrouded by an end I’m not allowed to see; Far from steps not taken is the journey that is meant to be. Faces in reflections move back and forth through the days gone by, Still they remain nameless and I know not yet the reason why. Many look much younger with a youthful innocence aglow; Others share the ages that hold all the years I’ve come to know. Through the sunlight streaming bounds the promise of a brand new day, Peaceful sounds of dreaming come from the place where my love does lay. Then there is the angel being like the shepherd to the lamb; She knows where I’m going and exactly who it is I am.

Daniel Larson.

Happy AnniversaryTho’ my skin is blotched and raddled And the brain is slightly addled Your’e the girl with whom I’m saddled And I’m pleased about that.Tho’ my chances were but fairish You’re the lady whom I cherish And shall love until I perish And I’m proud about that.Yes, the bug of love has bitten By Cupid’s darts I’m smitten In the book of Fate it’s written And I’m chuffed about that.

David Watson

It has been a busy period at Council with the develop-ment of the 2015/16 budget.

There is a lot of work that goes into the budget process and the efforts of our staff are appreciated. In many respects Council is between a rock and a hard place when deliberating over the budget. There is genu-ine concern about rate rises and this is balanced against requests for maintenance to infrastructure and provision of other Council services. There is no shortage of ideas for capital and maintenance works that people need. It is noted that the budget will be on display over the next few weeks and I would like as many residents as pos-sible to make the effort to look at the budget and provide feedback as appropriate.

The budget in its present form does include a 4.5% increase in the general rate. With CPI running at around 2.5% it is an increase of 2% in real terms. I do not sup-port any increase in rates as I feel they are already too high. You might be asking what is all the fuss about rates? Rates in Mount Alexander Shire have been in-creased on average by 7.59% over the past nine years.

Councillor’s Chat The result of this is that in real terms rates have more than doubled. The State Government went to the elec-tion with a commitment to cap rates. All rate payers are waiting for that to be delivered. I wonder if it is a “Core” promise?

Many of you will be aware that I tried to have the farm rate adjusted to bring the MAS farm rate into line with surrounding municipalities. Some of you will be surprised to learn the surrounding municipalities have a farm rate at 80% of the general rate. MAS has the farm rate at the same level as the general rate and farm-ers have access to a Land Management Rate which has a 10% discount. The bottom line is our municipality is a farming area and our farmers are not getting a fair go in terms of rates. Remember, many farmers are paying rates on multiple properties and rates on farming proper-ties can be $10,000, $20,000 and more.

On a general note it has been nice to see a little bit of rain around. Our surrounds will soon be looking green and fresh. We do enjoy a fabulous lifestyle in this district. All we want is a fair go.

Best regards Tony,AG Cordy, Councillor. Ph. 0439 742434

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That P word again...The words Chewton and Petitions seem synonymous so it was with interest this snippet in the council minutes from the last meeting was seen...

PETITIONS AND JOINT LETTERSCouncil has received a joint letter on 30 March 2015

from thirteen residents of Albert Street in Chewton re-questing that Albert Street be sealed.RECOMMENDATION:That Council receive a report on this petition at the next Ordinary Meeting of Council on 28 April 2014.MOVED COUNCILLOR REDDENThat the recommendation be adopted.SECONDED COUNCILLOR CORDY CARRIED.

Albert Street has been a hive of sub-division, build-ing and construction activity in recent times, and is chang-

ing quickly. The road has very recently been re-sheeted and currently has a vehicle counter on it.

To date, this remains a poetry-free petition...

Trenches ExcavationsLandscaping

Posthole Digger Rubbish Removal

Driveway Construction

Phone Colin on 5470 5975 or 0417 509 699

Chewton Pool activity in the off-season...The Chewton Pool’s fund-raising committee is holding a Sausage Sizzle on May 29,

outside the newsagent in Mostyn Street, from 9am to 1pm.Come and sample our gourmet sausages and delicious home-made vegie burgers.

All proceeds go towards the maintenance and upgrade of the Chewton Pool.

Chewton Pool Inc. seeks the services of a volunteer Webmaster.If interested,

please contact Secretary, Rose Darling, on 0418 306 900

Support

needed

Help

needed

19

Chewton Playgroup – not just for the kids!

Babies, toddlers and preschool aged children who go to playgroup can make new friends, have new experiences, gain self-confidence and develop physically, socially, emotionally and intellectually. And that’s just some of the benefits for the kids! But what’s in it for you?

Adults stay with their children at playgroup. This gives them the chance to meet other people going through similar experiences that can come with caring for young children. You get to have adult conversations, develop new social networks and friendships, share experiences, interests and ideas. It’s time to spend playing with your child, without the guilt of needing to do something else.

Come join us in the multi-purpose room at Chewton Primary School. 9.15am to 11am, Monday mornings during term, or contact the Chewton Primary School on 5472 2557.

It was the noise that raised the alert. Stepping outside there was the sound of running water. Only minimal rain in the week beforehand, about 15 mm. all up in our gauge, but the sound of moving water was there.

Time for the camera and a walk to the res. And, sure enough, Expedition Pass Reservoir was spilling over. Only minimally, but the dozens and dozens of little waterfalls that had suddenly been cre-ated made a sound not heard for months. After walking up the rocky spillway from one waterfall to the next, the view back down the spill-way showed pools of water reflecting the sky.

And at the top was the res itself – magical in these seasons because there is rarely another human there. In the evening light there was bird life aplenty – crashing in the reeds, calling, diving and foraging and there were even two pied cormorants resting on the logs over the water. Not to mention the lone wallaby that was too quick for the camera it sighted.

The Res is overflowing

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A pile of freshly dumped rubbish near the Wattle Gully Mine gate. A mix of everything – from toys to documents! On our doorstep so to speak...

Thanks to Parks Victoria, this was cleaned up very quickly. But it leads us into a wider problem - a problem that other shire’s are also confronting.

1. CCTV cameras zoom in on illegal rubbish dump-ing in Macedon Ranges.

Macedon Ranges Shire Council is trialling CCTV cameras in areas known as hotspots for illegal rubbish dumping. The cameras are being placed in known hotspots for illegal dumping, with footage to be used by Council’s Local Laws department and Victoria Police as part of in-vestigations.

Mayor, Cr Jennifer Anderson said that it is hoped the cameras will not only act as a deterrent but also help to catch offenders. “Cleaning up dumped rubbish costs ratepayers in excess of $50,000 each year. By installing a number of covert cameras in these locations, we hope to deter the select few who don’t do the right thing,” she said.

EPA Victoria estimates that Victorian councils clean up over 33,000 tonnes of illegally dumped waste each year. Reports of dumped rubbish within the Macedon Ranges have increased by almost 100 per cent this year, with Council responding to an average of 32 reports per month, up from less than two on average per month in 2014.

“What is really disappointing is that often, the dumped items that are collected from the sides of roads

Litter literally on Chewton’s doorstep...and other locations are televisions, fridges and other recy-clables that are actually accepted free of charge at Coun-cil’s transfer stations,” Cr Anderson said.

CCTV cameras will be installed at various hotspot locations across the shire, along with signage during May. Council will regularly review the locations of the cameras and relocate if necessary.

The illegal dumping of rubbish is a criminal offence and people can face fines up to $8,857 if caught.

Residents can report dumped rubbish to Macedon Ranges Shire Council or contact EPA Victoria’s 24 hour hotline on 1300 372 842 (1300 EPA VIC).

Residents who witness illegal dumping are encour-aged to note the time and location of the offence, vehicle registration numbers and descriptions of suspected offend-ers if possible.

2. City of Greater Bendigo to increase landfill fees. “The City of Greater Bendigo draft Budget propos-

es charging people by the weight of the rubbish they are dumping at the Eaglehawk Landfill, rather than the vol-ume. People are currently charged $61 per tandem trailer load of rubbish, but the council has proposed charging $160 per tonne. Waste Services manager Simon Clay said the average user’s tandem trailer load of rubbish weighed 700 kilograms, which would cost $112 under the new fee system.

However, Mayor Peter Cox released a statement on Tuesday calling on residents to dispose of their recyclables for free at Eaglehawk Recycle Shop. He said measuring waste by the tonne rather than by the trailer load would encourage people to separate their waste. “The measure is designed to help recoup the real cost of dumping waste at the landfill and will also act as an incentive for people to drop off any reusable or recyclable items ... for free at the Eaglehawk Recycle Shop,” Cr Cox said. “Again and again people are bypassing the recycle shop – located just 80 metres from the entrance to the landfill – and are in-stead choosing to dump perfectly good recyclables at the landfill. Doing so not only impacts on the environment but also increases the costs associated with running the landfill.”

In an earlier Addy article… Environment Victoria spokesman Nick Roberts said there was no correlation be-tween tip fees and rates of illegal dumping. “If you actu-

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ally look at the correlation of where the largest fees are in municipalities that doesn’t match up with incidents of illegal dumping,” he said.

http://www.bendigoadvertiser.com.au/story/3025772/backlash-over-tip-fee-increase/

3. And another rubbish story making headlines this month was the news that one Melbourne council is consid-ering fining residents up to $1500 for leaving their bins out 24 hours before or after collection. It was a surprise to the City of Greater Bendigo, which can fine residents $100 for the same offence. Darebin Council, in Melbourne’s north, made the proposal after receiving a number of complaints from residents about their neighbours leaving their bins out too long, making their streets look unattractive.

The City of Greater Bendigo has had a bylaw for at least 18 years allowing it to fine residents $100 should they leave their bins out more than 24 hours before or after collection. City of Greater Bendigo manager environmen-tal health and local laws Susannah Milne said the city had been required to fine people on a number of occasions. “We do get complaints about it and have issued fines, but not very often,” she said. “The first step is education - which could come in the form of a visit from local law officers or a letter. If they continue to do it, then they will receive a $100 fine.”http://www.bendigoadvertiser.com.au/story/3001043/fine-

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Vale Tony CookOn the 18th of April Katherine Seppings posted this no-tice on Castlemania FB. It was accompanied by a photo by Katherine Seppings taken at Cooky's home in the Chewton Bush in 1986. The post was widely appreci-ated and has attracted 30 comments to date.

Vale Tony Cook (Cooky) 2.10.44 – 17.4.15Cooky passed away at Bendigo Hospice

after cancer took its toll. In central Victoria he left a legacy of fine stonework, mudbrick houses in the Bush, the Wesley Hill market,

art and craftwork from a time that valued the combination of nature and hand-made skills, and he

danced as free as a man could be. His friendship and kindness will not be forgotten.

26 May National Sorry Day

National Sorry Day is a continuing effort to achieve

appropriate education, reconciliation and recognition

for the Aboriginal stolen generation.

22

Next FOBIF walk17 May Nuggetty Ranges

Leader: Brian Cuffley 54 75 1556.A 6 km loop walk in the Nuggetty Ranges component of the Maldon Historic Reserve. The walk will be through typical box-ironbark forest which has regenerated in the ranges surrounding Maldon, which were once reserved for timber and mining purposes. We will commence at the corner of Church Street and Davies Lane, north of the cen-tre of Maldon.

The Nuggetty Ranges is part of the metamorphic au-reole surrounding the Harcourt Granite to the north. The granite has heated and hardened the slate and sandstone bedrock and has produced a hard flinty rock called horn-fels. Hornfels is very resistant to erosion, thus it has formed a range above the granite which has weathered away more rapidly. The contact zone between the hornfels and granite will be seen at the historic Nuggetty Gold Mine.

We will then walk westerly along the crest of the Nuggetty Range to The Rock of Ages, a scenic lookout on the granite contact. From this lookout the geomorphol-ogy/landscape evolution of the region can be explained.

We will then return down the loop track to the start-ing point.

Our walks are on Sundays, they are free and non-members are welcome. We meet at 9.30am outside 30 Templeton Street, Castlemaine (Continuing Ed.) and car-pool to the start of the walk. Bring water, morning tea and lunch. Walks usually finish mid afternoon. Walks are cancelled on Total Fire Ban days in the area.

Muckleford FOBIF walks Clinkers HillThere was also a kids’ walk and craft at Clinkers Hill when eight families from across Castlemaine came together to hear about restoration work and environmental values at the Clinkers Hill Bushland reserve on Sunday the 26th April.

Elvyne Hogan gave an introduction to the site, out-lining work done by the Victoria Gully Group, showing little ones which species of eucalypt that occupied the area lead to funding for a project with Connecting Country through their Yellow Box Woodland program.

Cassia Read then introduced the children and adults to the Cherry Ballart and collected insect galls which short-ly afterwards became bush creatures with the addition of feathers, leaves and sticks found on site. After a snack and cuppa the children were encouraged to find some ‘habitat’, a big word when you’re four, for their creatures.

Kids and adults enjoyed the bush and company of other like minded families.

On the return walk Cassia contiuned to share her knowlege about the plant and moss species found in the reserve.

Information taken from http://www.fobif.org.au/ where there are lots of photos!

A wild and windy Sunday morning did not deter the 25 walkers who checked out the landscape of the Muckleford State Forest on Sunday 19th April. Capably led by Neville Cooper this 7 km walk starting from the Red, White and Blue Mine Poppet Head went past the proposed site for a Castlemaine Hot Rod Centre (CHRC) where plans for a Dynamic Vehicle Testing Facility, Events and Recreation development are being discussed, and then on to a tour of Dunn’s Reef and a quick lunch break. The understorey through this area is gradually recovering and the bird life was taking advantage of this – an always changing landscape!

11-17 May is National Volunteer Week

23

Golden Pointers met at the Chewton Town Hall to continue their work on the information to go on the 3 interpretive signs along Forest Creek as part of their current projects. The Local Landscape Enhancement project received funding to improve the Forest Creek Track with these signs as well as the construction of slat bridges and steps along the way and the Communities for Nature project has been funded to continue with the weed control and supplementary plantings of indigenous native plants through the valley.

Favourite birds and animals and other creatures, interesting sites, geology information to set the scene, the changing landscape through the years and stories that bring the creek to life were talked about and recorded. The next stage is to tidy up this draft information in preparation for a final review and check - then it’s off to the graphic designers to do their magic. The information housed in the People and Places Collection at the Chewton Town Hall was a highlight and will add to the value of these interpretive signs – and it was great to be able to meet in such a comfortable and pleasant place.

The method of weed control by cutting the weed and then quickly painting the stump was talked about and offers were made to do some of this work through

Golden Point Landcare

the Forest Creek valley targeting gorse, cape broom, early black wattles and even small blackberry plants – it is amazing what a difference this work makes to managing weeds allowing the native plants the chance to grow and spread. This offer will complement the work already happening through the area. To drive along Golden Point Road in the spring and see yellow wattle flowers instead of yellow gorse flowers is something that many people are now noticing. Jennifer Pryce.

POHAG - Post Office Hill Action GroupPost Office Hill Action Group meets regularly and organises work on Post Office Hill.

POHAG was formed when the 22.6 hectares of Post Office Hill’s crown land was threatened during the Chewton Urban Design Framework process. A community action group came together to pro-tect this valuable land that features aboriginal and gold rush history, interesting geological features and a regenerating landscape – and to keep this valuable parcel of land in public ownership!

The action group group was successful in obtaining a licence to manage the area. POHAG is now incorporated and has been obtaining grants to allow rehabili-tation work to begin. Other works underway and/or planned are nest-ing boxes (construction, installa-tion, monitoring), a walking track network through the area, rubbish removal, weed control, seed col-lecting and re-vegetation. Big tasks but ones that can be achieved with community support.

Membership of POHAG is only $5 per family per year – why not join and support the work of this group? Meetings are very sociable affairs, and are always advertised in the Chewton Chat.

Secretary/Treasurer John Leavesley can be contacted at bjleavesley@big-pond.com or 5472 3182.

24

Chewton Domain SocietyA report on Castlemaine Festival “Slow” Photography Ex-hibition in the Chewton Town Hall was a highlight of the April meeting.

The exhibition by photographers Brendan McCarthy and Rob Hickman was tentatively booked for the Chewton Town Hall in 2014 on the understanding that the hall’s hanging and lighting system would be installed. Thanks to Phil Hall’s negotiations, the hall was ready a week prior to the Castlemaine Festival starting which gave the exhibitors the time to hang their photos. The launch of the exhibition was an exciting event showcasing the photos, the photographers and the hall itself!

In return for this event the CDS and the Chewton Town Hall received:

• Wide publicity through the Castlemaine Festival promotion

• Excellent coverage through the Chewton Chat and ABC radio

• The connections with the Bendigo Advertiser• Word of mouth publicityvia the many visitors to

the successful exhibitionThere was a need for extra cables and hooks to

ensure the best hanging of the photos – paid for by the photographers. A banner advertising the exhibition was also provided – one that can be used for other exhibitions. A donations bucket, along with the donations, was also passed on to the CDS in thanks for the use of the town hall.

The CDS had received a grant from the R. E. Ross Trust through FRRR to support the installation of the hanging and lighting systems so that exhibitions such as these could be held. $3,000.00 (not subject to GST). The expenditure was on a hanging system $884.64, a lighting system $1,702.26 - and installation of both which took the final total of $3,840.19. A great result!

The treasurer’s report showed a balance as at 8.4.2015 of $27,124.66, but accounts for payment (post box renew-al, insurance, gas and cleaning totalled $4,805.56 reducing the balance to $22,319.10. With committed funds and fu-ture needs to be considered, a fund-raising venture is being planned.

Membership was reported as steady at 147. It was agreed that anyone joining now will start their member-ship for 2015/16.

The Town Hall roster for People and Places has start-ed again. Suggested speakers for events to supplement this display were discussed - along with the possibility of offering afternoon tea for a donation/charge?

An advertisement for hiring the town hall is to be placed in the May Chat, a Facility Manager and updated hire costs to be worked on before the next meeting

Previous copies of the Chat are now too expensive to keep on-line because of their numbers, but Glen can provide them digitally by email - a notice to go in the Chat advertising their availability.

Maintenance is needed on the post office building - to repair/paint windows/laundry walls. This is being or-ganised by Wallers as the CDS rental agents, and will be

done over the next month.Rose Darling reported that Mount Alexander Shire

has $3,000 available to start off the first part of the Chew-ton Community Plan as identified by the community – WiFi Hotspots, Landcare etc. A further meeting to be held to discuss the priority. CDS will need to write to council requesting this funding once a decision has been made.

It was noted that rain has made a difference to the park, and the recent plantings are to be checked.

It was reported that the Great Victorian Bike Ride will be coming through Chewton December 5/6th. It was mentioned that there may be a possibility of combing with other Chewton groups as a fundraiser – e.g. the pool, BBQ, jumping castle, signs etc. CDS representatives are to go to the Great Victorian Bike Ride briefing to find out more.

The meeting closed at 8.25 p.m. The next CDS Man-agement Committee Meeting will be at 7.15 p.m. on Mon-day May 18th in the Chewton Town Hall.

Major milestone coming up!

This Chat is Issue 195 – which means we have 5 issues (5 months!) to decide if the 200th edition is

worth celebrating... And, if it is, how it should be celebrated. Let’s know if

any practical thoughts come to mind...

TOWN HALL EXHIBITION ROSTERSATURDAYS AND SUNDAYS (& most Public Holidays) 1pm to 4pm SCHOOL HOLIDAYS WEEKDAYS BY APPOINTMENT ONLY

We need friendly people with an appreciation of Chew-ton’s history, who are prepared to give 3 hours one Satur-day or Sunday each month. Please ring Allan Dry 54723385 or Elaine Appleton 54722498 if you would like to be part of the team.

Please

arrang

e your

own

swap if

these

dates

don’t su

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May 2015Saturday 2 JudySunday 3 ElaineSaturday 9 GlenSunday 10 RoseSaturday 16 FrankSunday 17 JoanSaturday 23 AllanSunday 24 MaxSaturday 30 JudySunday 31 Elaine

25

Mount. Alexander Mail - Thursday 6 May 1915BOROUGH AMALGAMATION.

Sir,- Your remarks re the amalgamation of Castlemaine and Chewton Boroughs are highly appreciated by the rate-payers and residents of this locality, the only exception be-ing the Councillors who have set their opposition to the principle, against the expressed wish and will of the rate-payers, as determined on by public meeting several years ago. What motive can they have in trying to keep this moribund Borough going is beyond all human understand-ing. They have let the opportunity wilfully go by, and now having disregarded all advice and suggestions they are faced with a compulsory mandate from the Government to put their house in order, whether they like it or not.

How half-a-dozen Councillors could meet, every fortnight to deal with the small revenue of the Borough is beyond contemplation. When the amount of rates is avail-able they pay the Acting Town Clerk his salary, then print-ing, lighting, and stationery, and nothing is left to repair roads or footpaths, and the street lamps have been hidden away for years.

Let us be satisfied to know that the time has come when the Councillors have to recognise that this suffering community will be relieved at last.-

Yours, etc., ROBT. OTTERY. Chewton.

Sir,- In your leading article on Monday last, you took the liberty of making fun at the proposal of Mr Hagelthorn that I should be wedded to Castlemaine, and Mr “Zekle” went further in this morning’s Mail, and shamelessly made derogatory remarks on my personal appearance, as well as my age and financial state. In the first place, I have no wish to be the wife of Castlemaine. He is a heartless flirt, and for sixty years I have been contributing to his support, and now that he thinks that I am old and poor, I am made fun of. When I was known as Miss Forest Creek I was wooed by men from all over the world, and as I still have the golden reefs practically untouched I will at an early date return to great prosperity, and so recover my early youth and vigor. Castlemaine has always taken the credit for my gold mines, and gold returns, and has always had the lion’s share. If it had not been so I would not now be left in my old age to beg for someone to take me. I hope, Sir, in future that your sense of chivalry will cause you to protect a poor lone female from annoyance.

Yours, etc., MISS CHEWTON. Chewton.

Chewton - 100 years ago...

All British bikesChewton throbbed to the sound of motorbikes immediate-ly after the Anzac Day commemoration. The BSA Motor-cycle Owners Association has run the All British Rally® annually since 1977 and the 2015 was underway in News-tead, at the Old Newstead Racecourse. One of the activi-ties was a ride to Maldon and the route took in Chewton.

British bikes, old and new began arriving and gather-ing under the trees in Fryers Road. BSAs, Nortons, Tri-umphs, Royal Enfields and more all parked along the treed road. And all of this taking place in front of the soccer matches that were underway.

26

There have been at least 15 articles in Chewton Chats mentioning the pine trees in the Castlemaine Diggings National Heritage Park that are in the heart of Chewton.

The majority of these reports expressed interest in the removal of these trees and making this area a safer and more interesting space and one that reflects Chew-ton’s ever changing history. The issue was brought to the attention of the then State Liberal National Government by Maree Edwards, MP for Bendigo West in June 2011 and was again followed up in November with the response from the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment that he would seek advice from his department. The local community has heard nothing since then.

There was a change of government last November so perhaps now is the time to follow this up and see what should happen now. A public meeting where up to date information is available? Another community planning survey? Another petition?

The story of Forest Creek flowing through Chewton tells of a changing landscape over the years. There are sketches and photographs showing that change since the discovery of gold in the 1850s from a meandering creek to one that was the scene of the greatest alluvial gold rush the world has ever seen. This section between Mount and North Streets has had extensive alluvial gold digging as well as reef mining with The Frances Ormond Mine in the late 1800s. The stone wall along Forest Creek that was completed in 1879 was constructed to protect the Chew-ton township from flooding.

Fast forward a few years when Chewton was be-coming a settlement rather than a transitory working

place and the local Chewton School decided they needed a swimming pool where children could be taught during school hours (sound familiar?). The pool operated from the 1920s to about 1945 when the community decided to work towards developing what is now the current commu-nity managed pool. This sketch below shows its location and also that of the tennis courts that were in use from the 1920s to the 1930s.

The first Chewton Fire Station was officially opened in 1949 and over the years has been extended and rebuilt to where it is now – built on the flat ground that once was the old tennis courts. The pine trees were planted by the primary school community as an investment possibly in the late sixties and, like many similar school plantations, the trees were left to their own devices, with the result that the trees now have no commercial value.

The Castlemaine Diggings National Heritage Park, the only heritage park listed in Australia, was declared in 2002. This is one of the largest protected historic plac-es in Australia. The park protects a nationally significant historic cultural landscape of exceptional heritage value, rich with relics and stories of the Victorian Gold Rush. In recognition of the park’s outstanding heritage value to the nation, it has been listed on the National Heritage List. The role of a national heritage park is to bring high levels of recognition and protection to cultural values, especially landscapes of exceptional quality with protection also pro-vided for other environmental values.

Chewton is very fortunate to be a custodian of all this history. So - where to now with the pines?

Images used courtesy of Ken McKimmie, taken from Chewton Then and Now.

Where to now?

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Nostalgia?What does nostalgia mean to you? That was a question posed to a long time Chewton resident the other day – and the answer was, “The Mine”. Wattle Gully Mine.

And then there were two artists intent on capturing the main street in paint – another interpretation of Chew-ton nostalgia.

What does Chewton nostalgia mean to you? When this question was posed on chewton.net FaceBook, Nik-ki Harrison Sharp responded with “Mineshafts, tunnels, house remains. Lots of areas left to remind us of the busy gold days from the past.”

What does Chewton nostalgia mean to you?

A great Sunday for the history book project began with a meeting of the the Chewton Bushlands history book group, some of whom are seen here, (right to left) Ken Savage, chairman, Charles Affleck, web and book designer Mark Carter, Karen Baker, secretary, and Cate Freeman, primary researcher and book champion. There was tremendous excitement at seeing the first draft of the layout which in-cluded photography by Hannah Nicholas and Tim Purdie. Publication is focussed on the the Brian Parsons subdivi-sion and it is hoped to be published in September. While there are certain to be many more hurdles before then, rest assured, the committee will continue to work to bring the publication to fruition. Keep you posted!

In a post on chewton.net FaceBook Terry Taylor has written:

Hi Chewton Community, I was recently in your lovely part of the world researching and photographing images regarding the Chinese Gold Miners. I wondered whether any of your families had direct links to the Chi-nese within Forest Creek or stories pertaining to their time during the gold rush. Thanking you in anticipation.

Cheers Terry.Has anyone any information or anecdotes to pass on?

A Bushlands History on the way

Antoinette Birkenbeil.

Most historians think the Hundred Years War refers to England vs France. Actually, it’s Chewton vs Gorse.

A Scott Hastings post on chewton.net FaceBook.

Chinese Miners - help sought

LIC 24063

W.R. Plumbing are pleased to announce we are now agents for Edson Solar Hot Water Systems.

Gas boosted, Electric boosted and Wet back systems are available.

Panel replacement for existing systems also available.Edson Panels are frost resistant to -15°c.

Contact Simon for more information and design advice.

0419836423

edson

Senior Cits in May5th 8-30am Castlemaine Market POKIE TRIP21st 10-30am at the Centre. Bus to “WOOP WOOP” 11-00am Castlemaine market. 28th. LUNCH at Campbells Creek. Centre Bus at Chewton Centre 10-30am. Castlemaine Market 11-00am.

28

Grandparents!! Are you a full-time or part-time carer for your

grandchildren?

We have been running a grandparent support group for three years now and are now looking to expand the group.

We would like to invite you to come along to our morning tea to discuss what it would take for you to join a support group for grandparents raising your grandchildren.

What you would like to happen in a support group?

How can we help you still feel part of the community?

Two of the grandmothers who have been in the group from it’s conception will share with you what it means for them to be in the group with other grandparents caring for their grandchildren.

An information session will be held on:

10am Wednesday, 6 May, 2015

at

Castlemaine District Community Health,

13 Mostyn St, Castlemaine (CHIRP).

Contact: Gabrielle 5479 1099 or 0400 531 325

Grants awarded...Mt Alexander Community Enterprise delivered nearly $5000 to community groups recently through their first round of Small Grants. The new round of Small Grants is just the first to benefit the wider shire groups.

The volunteer group was very pleased to hand over cheques to 11 successful groups. “Applications exceeded the amount of funds available so we are pleased with the range of groups that have been able to receive support,” said secretary Robyn Lewis.

The cheque handover was held at the Bendigo Bank in Castlemaine and representatives of the groups attended. Funding partners Bendigo Bank and Bendigo Telco were represented by local branch manager Alison Tingay and regional sales representative Josie Caruso. They both spoke briefly of the community benefit of the Enterprise and how easily these funds could grow for Mt Alexander Shire just through people using these businesses and asking to link their accounts with MtACE.Chair of the Enterprise group, Larry O’Toole, said that the Small Grants would be an annual opportunity for local groups to receive funds. Full detail of the grants is available at www.communitygrants.com.au and general enterprise information is available on www.mtace.com.au.$500 to each of the the following:ELPHINSTONE PROGRESS ASSOCIATION for Town Centre Redevelopment Community EngagementCASTLEMAINE DISTRICT RADIO MAIN FM for Rewiring of Outside Broadcast VanCASTLEMAINE JAZZ FESTIVAL for a Jazz Musician Masterclass at the 2015 FestivalMOUNT ALEXANDER GIRL GUIDES for Keeping Us in Print: Administrative SupportMcKENZIES HILL ACTION AND LANDCARE to Make Safe the old Winters Flat School Shelter ShedCASTLEMAINE CHURCH OF CHRIST for the Castlemaine Secondary College School Breakfast ClubCASTLEMAINE COMMUNITY HOUSE for a Combined Printer/Photocopier/Scanner/Fax

FRIENDS OF CAMPBELLS CREEK LANDCARE for a Combined Working Bee at the Jessie Kennedy Road Stop$250 to each of the following:BENDIGO TAFE CASTLEMAINE VCAL CLASS for their Family Breakfast ProgramPARROT CONSERVATION AUST. GUILDFORD for Nesting Box materialsCAMPBELLS CREEK PLAYGROUP for New Toys and Equipment

Taken from a Press Release.

Mani and Chris from Elphinstone after receiving the cheque for $500 for the Elphinstone Progress Association.

Listening PostChewton General Store

Saturday May 2nd 9.30 a.m. to 11. 30 p.m.

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Fined for illegal firewood collection

A Koondrook man was fined $590 by Department of En-vironment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) Forest Officers after breaching firewood collection regulations at Gunbower Island.

DELWP District Forest and Operations Manager Tim Wishart said the man had more than the daily limit of wood allowed to be taken from a designated firewood collection area.

“We set up a road block at the Twin Bridges en-trance to the Gunbower State Forest and spoke to around 20 people who had been collecting firewood,” Mr Wishart said. “DELWP officers measured up several trailers as they were leaving the Forest to ensure they were adher-ing to regulations but one was overloaded with 4.3m³ of firewood. That was well over the daily limit of 2m³ per person so the man received a $590 on-the-spot fine and half of the wood was seized and impounded.

With the autumn firewood collection season open until 30 June 2015, people collecting firewood on public land need to be aware of where, when and what firewood is allowed to be collected in order not to incur penalties.

People who do not follow firewood collection rules are breaking the law and those caught will be dealt with severely. Maximum penalties for more serious offences are fines of up to $7,380 or one year imprisonment or both.

DELWP and Parks Victoria staff regularly patrol for-ests and take a zero tolerance approach to those who are breaking firewood collection laws.

Rules when collecting domestic firewood:• Only collect firewood from within a designated do-

mestic firewood collection area and during a domestic firewood season.

• Only collect fallen or felled trees.• Do not collect more than 2m3 per person per day.

Note: 1m3 is approximately a 1.8m (6’) x 1.2m (4’) trailer of split firewood neatly stacked to a height of 0.5m (20”).

• Do not collect more than 16m3 per household per fi-nancial year.

• It is illegal to sell firewood collected from domestic collection areas or to use the wood in a commercial enterprise.

If you see any suspicious behaviour in public land areas, please report it to 136 186 or your nearest DELWP or Parks Victoria office or police station.

For more information, maps and a factsheet on do-mestic firewood collection, please visit www.delwp.vic.gov.au/firewood

Taken from a Press Release.

New firefighting vehicle

Central Victorians may see a new type of fire vehicle on local roads after the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) Loddon Mallee took deliv-ery of the newest addition to its fleet of fire vehicles – the Ultra-Light Tanker.

DELWP Program Manager Preparedness and Re-sponse Carsten Nannestad said Bendigo is one of the first places in Victoria to get this type of vehicle.

“The new vehicle is part of a Victorian Government initiative that will see purpose built firefighting vehicles rolled out across the state,” Mr Nannestad said. “The Ul-tra-Light Tanker has several additional features specifical-ly designed for DELWP’s forest firefighting and planned burning needs. The Ultra-Light Tanker has a greater water carrying capacity than the older vehicle, 630 litres versus 400 litres, which means firefighters are able to stay longer on the fire ground. We are also pleased with the increased safety features for our firefighters, especially the improved protection from falling objects. The Ultra-Light Tanker has a large steel frame above the cabin which will help protect our crews from falling trees and branches, which is important because DELWP firefighters spend a lot of time battling fires in remote areas of forest. Fires weaken trees and they can fall unexpectedly so it is imperative that we keep our crews as safe as possible. Other features of the new vehicle include an automatic hose reel for quicker op-eration, and cabin fire curtains for improved crew safety.”

New Ultra-Light firefighting vehicles will also be based at DELWP offices in Alexandra, Ballarat, Forrest, Heyfield and Knoxfield. Taken from a Press Release.

Seen the chewton.net Facebook page yet?

Keep up to date with Chewton news...

30

CASPA Castlemaine Contemporary Art Space is

launching a new show for the month of May,

Friday May 1st from 6 pm, upstairs Stonemans

Bookroom. CRYSTAL DARK is the installation of sculptural

works by Gary Beaumont, resident of Chewton.

A less than serious look at a serious subject.

Excavators 5 &13 tonne Backhoe Grader Tip Trucks 6 & 10 metrePost Hole Auger Rock Grab Roller

Trenches Site Cuts Drainage Foundations Driveways RetainingWalls Septic Land Clearing Erosion Control Explosives

We also supply & deliver a variety of large rocks, crushed rock & gravels

Jai Baker 0419 364 815 Sharon Baker 0417 347 372Email store@vaultselfstorage.com.au

PO Box 410, Maryborough 3465949 Newstead Road, Guildford

Mount Alexander Shire Council is seeking community input into its draft Environment Strategy 2015 - 2025, which outlines the Shire’s eight environmental priority areas for the next ten years. A series of facilitated workshops were held throughout April to give community members and organisations the opportunity to learn more about the draft strategy and provide input.

“I encourage members of our community to take this opportunity to help shape the strategy and better understand Council’s environmental stewardship role,” said Jason Taylor, Director Sustainable Development.

The draft strategy will be available online via the Your Input section of Council’s website until Thurs-day 14 May. Comments can be made via email to info@mountalexander.vic.gov.au

Have your say on draft Environment Strategy

Pet registrations now overduePet owners are reminded that the renewal date for pet registrations was 10 April 2015. The penalty for not renewing dog or cat reg-istrations is $295 per animal.For more information on dog and cat registra-tion requirements please phone 5471 1700 or visit www.mountalexander.vic.gov.au.

Temporary library closureResidents are advised that Goldfields Librar-ies, including the Castlemaine Library, will be closed Wednesday 20 May for staff train-ing and building maintenance.

Items can still be returned on the day via the returns chute on Barker Street.

31

FIELD NATSVISITORS ARE WELCOME AT CLUB

MEETINGS AND EXCURSIONSFri May 8th: Meeting:

Guest Speakers: Brett Lane on shorebirds

Sat May 9th: Field trip: Laanecoorie: Leader George Broadway.

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

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

PO BOX 324, CASTLEMAINE 3450http://castlemainefnc.wordpress.com/

Vocal Nosh!A good sing & good food in convivial company

Sunday 3rd May at 6pm

At Newstead Community Centre

Led this month by Fay White

Theme: Sun, Moon and Stars• 6:00 - 7:00pm Vocal entrée - warm up and easy stuff• 7:00 - 7:30pm Food - Hearty soup, crusty bread, fresh fruit• 7:30 - 8:30 pm Musical main course - delicious harmonies

Songs in the folk style, mostly a cappellaNo prior musical experience necessary. No need to read music.

Singing for the pleasure of it.Whole session including food $15, concession $12,

children $5, first hour only $5.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 Automotive 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 management team or the Chewton Domain Society and no endorsement of service is implied by the listing of advertisers, sponsors or contributors.

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

32

Now being well into autumn, and after yet another month of sparse rain events, the last weeks have at last seen at least a measurable fall. Tanks, dams and reservoirs rejoice as the vegetable patch enjoys the showers. Brassicas are well under way, and peas and beans are shooting. A clear sign that winter is on its way.Not all good news however, whilst Sydney and New South Wales are “enjoying” the downpours in the southeastern States, we seem to be missing the autumn rains that accompany a later El Nino event. An El Nino event is often heralded by autumnal rains in our part of the continent. Latest updates from the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) are predicting a June commencement of El Nino later in the year. Currently it is put at 70% chance that it will occur (you will recall my comments last month that a high chance of rain will be nominated as a 70% or 80% chance of rain). BoM report that temperatures in the tropical Pacific Ocean continue to be higher than normal, trade winds remain weaker than average, and the weather models suggest the ocean temperatures will continue to increase. The Bureau El Nino barometer is only one unit below a firm prediction of an event.This month has seen us receive just 19.5 millimetres of rain. This contrasts with an April average of almost twice as much. Critical to our forthcoming spring growing season are the winter rains of May and June,

It does rain sometimes...usually bringing us around 50 millimetres each month; and July that we can expect as much as 60 millimetres from for those thirty-one days.Typical rainfall for April is 35 to 45 millimetres, with an average of some 32 millimetres. We have had years when more than 60 mms. fell, but the lowest I have recorded was 18 millimetres for the month; so we are pretty low this year.Turning to the temperature we find that following our ‘low-temp-summer’, April temperatures have largely held up to be only slightly less than last month. No 30 or 40 degree celsius days, but fourteen at 20 degrees or more, with a month high of 27 degrees C. This resulted in an average of just 20 degrees celsius, and a mode of 22 degrees C. All in all, quite a good month, with a coolish few days early in the month, but a decided cooling off as we end the month and welcome May. Time to return to those winter overcoats and chilly bathroom mornings before the heating cuts in.At the lower end of the temperature scale, the overnight temperatures have fallen too. Curiously, the month’s mode remains 12 degrees C., the same temperature that was recorded as the overnight mode for March, a month ago. The overnight average has fallen from 12.5 to 10 degrees C. The lowest overnight temperature was just 4 degrees Celsius. No frosts yet though we need a few for next years fruit. John Leavesley.

Calendar of EventsMay 2nd Councillors’ Listening Post 9.30 a.m., Chewton General Store.May 2nd School Fundraising BBQ 7.30 a.m., Mostyn Street, Castlemaine.May 2nd Church Service 6 p.m., St. John’s Anglican Church.May 2nd MoBQ (Chewton Community BBQ) 6 p.m., Ellery Park (beside Town Hall).May 3rd Vocal Nosh 6 p.m., Newstead Community Centre (Bookings 5461 5471).May 5th Senior Citizens (SC) Pokie Trip 8.30 a.m., Castlemaine Market.May 9th Church Service 6 p.m., St. John’s Anglican Church.May 10th POHAG Meeting (followed by a walk on Post Office Hill) 10 a.m., Chewton Town Hall.May 12th MAS Council Meeting 7.30 p.m., Civic Centre Castlemaine.May 13th CFA Information Session 6 p.m., Chewton CFA (see page 4).May 16th Church Service 6 p.m., St. John’s Anglican Church.May 17th CFA Information Session 6 p.m., Chewton CFA (see page 4).May 17th FOBIF Walk in the Nuggety Ranges 9.30 a.m. (see page 22).May 17th Blenders and Friends concert 2 p.m., St. John’s Church (see page 3).May 18th Chewton Domain Society Man. Comm. Mtg. 7.15 p.m., Chewton Town Hall.May 21st SC Bus to Woop Woop 10.30 a.m., Chewton Community Centre.May 23rd Golden Point Landcare meeting 10 a.m. Jennifer Pryce 0423 900 590May 23rd Church Service 6 p.m., St. John’s Anglican Church.May 23rd Fryerstown Films (Meet me in St. Louis) 7.30 p.m., Burke and Wills Hall, Fryerstown.Mat 24th Deadline for the June Chewton Chat.May 26th MAS Council Meeting 7.30 p.m., Civic Centre Castlemaine.May 28th Chewton’s Biggest Morning Tea 10 a.m., Chewton Town Hall (see page 3).May 28th SC Lunch at Campbells Creek Centre, bus at 10.30 a.m., Chewton Community Centre.May 29th Chewton Pool sausage sizzle, 9 a.m., Mostyn Street, Castlemaine.May 30th Church Service 6 p.m., St. John’s Anglican Church.May 31st Folding Chewton Chat 2.30 p.m., Chewton Town Hall.