This week in the Macedon Ranges (April 11-17)

Welcome to Your Macedon Ranges for Monday, April 11, to Sunday, April 17.

🙌 Looking for school holiday activities? On Tuesday, Una Mitchell will be running an origami workshop. Una is a 20-year-old who has honed her paper-modelling skills over the past 15 years. The two-hour workshop in Newham is for children of all ages and is suitable for beginners. You’ll find details of other children’s activities in the daily listings or in the School Holiday section.

🪓 Two of the main Easter events will be taking place on Saturday. Gisborne’s Easter Festival includes egg hunts throughout the day (for which you need to register) plus carnival rides, face painting, and races. Blackwood’s Easter Carnival gets under way on Saturday morning with a competitive wood chop and a street parade.

🎂 And finally … it’s one year since the first edition of Your Macedon Ranges! Thank you so much for supporting this newsletter: firstly, by signing up to receive it every week. I appreciate that greatly. But also by sharing the newsletter with your friends, by buying me coffees, and by emailing me. Your kind words mean a lot. Thanks also to Susan and Christine, Jannyse, Kylie and Sue for their help with the local history articles. Cheers all! 💛

Here are the events and activities happening in the Macedon Ranges this week:

Click the links for more info 👇

Tuesday, April 12

Garden Tour A Day on the Mount: Visit four beautiful gardens on Mt Macedon: Duneira, Cameron Lodge, Shepherd’s Bush, Viewfield. Lunch at Mount Macedon Trading Post. Mount Macedon. 9.30am-3pm. $192.50.

Kids Unagami: A two-hour origami workshop for all ages. Run by Una Mitchell. Newham. 10am-12pm. $25.

Community Chatty Café: Enjoy a cuppa and good conversation. Woodend. 10.30am-12pm.

Kids Easter Craft: Create an own Easter decoration, and Easter card and a basket. Trentham. 1pm-2.30pm. $8.

Nature Creatures of the Night – Riddells Creek: Help record the night animals found along the roadside. Location provided after registration. 7pm.

Wednesday, April 13

Workshop Botanic Art (Intermediate): Two-day workshop with Steph Goss. Includes morning tea and light lunch. Mount Macedon. April 13-14. 10am-4pm. $295.

Kids Mini Pompom Wreaths: Create your own Easter wreath. For ages 5-12. Gisborne. 10.30am-11.30am. Free.

Singing Woodend Warblers: Community choir. Norma Richardson Hall, Buckland St, Woodend. 7.30pm. $12.

Thursday, April 14

Nature Creatures of the Night – Lancefield: Help record the night animals found along the roadside. Location provided after registration. 7pm.

Art Journey: An interactive light and sound experience around the botanic gardens and lake. Malmsbury. 7.30pm-10pm.

Friday, April 15

Open Garden Viewfield: Majestic trees, stunning views, a fruit forest, a children’s fairy garden, perennial gardens and a sparkling stream through shady fern glades. Mount Macedon. 10am-4pm. Adult $10, Under-16 free.

Art Journey: An interactive light and sound experience around the botanic gardens and lake. Malmsbury. 7.30pm-10pm.

Saturday, April 16

Exercise Campaspe Parkrun: 5km fun run along the Five Mile Creek path. Campaspe Park, Campaspe Dr, Woodend. 8am. Free (registration required).

Exercise Lancefield Parkrun: 5km fun run around Lancefield Park. Lancefield Park, Chauncey St, Lancefield. 8am. Free (registration required).

Market Riddells Creek Farmers’ and Makers’ Markets: Memorial Dr, Riddells Creek. 9am-1pm.

Market Trentham Farmers’ Market: Town Square, High St, Trentham. 9am-1pm.

Market Glenlyon Village Market: Shire Hall, Barkly St, Glenlyon. 9am-1pm.

Community RM Begg Easter Fair: Large variety of stalls and a raffle. RM Begg Aged Care, 27-35 Epping St, Kyneton. 9am-1pm.

Community Blackwood Wood Chop and Easter Carnival: Live music, gumboot-throwing competition, tug-of-war, pet show, treasure hunt, face painting, games and races. Wood chop begins at 10am. Street parade at 11am. Blackwood Recreation Reserve, Recreation Reserve Rd. From 10am. Adult $10, Child (under-16) free.

Community Gisborne Easter Festival: Easter egg hunts (booking required), arts and crafts, carnival rides, face painting, egg-and-spoon and sack races. Gisborne Steam Park, Webb Cres, New Gisborne. 10am-4pm.

Open Garden Viewfield: Majestic trees, stunning views, a fruit forest, a children’s fairy garden, perennial gardens and a sparkling stream through shady fern glades. Viewfield, 651 Mount Macedon Rd, Mount Macedon. 10am-4pm. Adult $10, Under-16 free.

Art Easter Art Market: Artworks old and new, framed and unframed. Ceramics, jewellery, sculpture, glass works, cards and more. Woodend Station, Urquhart St. 10am-4pm. Gold coin donation.

Open Garden Bringalbit: Explore the historic homestead’s 4ha garden, including a 60m Quince Walk. Bringalbit, 512 Sidonia Rd, Sidonia. 10am-5pm. $5.

Food & Drink Grazing Box, Wine, and Music: Enjoy live music, wine tasting and a gourmet lunch grazing box. Double Oaks Estate, 104 Ashworths Rd, Lancefield. From 12pm. $20.

Food & Music Cider, Pork Pies and Tunes: Live music from Brent Turner. DV Cider, 39 Darraweit Valley Rd, Darraweit Guim. 12pm-5pm.

Music Swingin’, Swayin’, Tastin’ and Loungin’: Music from The Martini Set, and Casey Withoos and Jem Sherwill. Gin Lawn Lounge. Local wines and beers. Art exhibition by Julie Chandler. Hedge Farm, 124 Three Chain Rd, Carlsruhe. 12pm-6pm. $38.

Music Park Pop-up – Funkateers: Nine-piece New Orleans-style street band. Lions Park, Main Rd, Riddells Creek. 1pm-4pm. Free.

Kids Easter Storytime: Stories, crafts and an Easter egg hunt. Dromkeen, 1012 Kilmore Rd, Riddells Creek. 2pm-3pm.

Beer Brewery Tour: See how beer is brewed. Holgate Brewhouse, High St, Woodend. 3pm-4pm. $25.

Art Journey: An interactive light and sound experience around the botanic gardens and lake. Malmsbury Botanic Gardens, Ellesmere Pl. 7.30pm-10pm.

Never miss a thing in the Macedon Ranges

Get this newsletter every Sunday

“New to the newsletter and it’s brilliant. So much happening in our region I wouldn’t otherwise know about.”

“So much information … excellent resource for the community. WELL DONE. We’ve forwarded it on!”

Sunday, April 17

Market Daylesford Sunday Market: Daylesford Railway Station, Raglan St. 8am-3pm.

Market Malmsbury Farmers’ and Artists’ Market: Mollison St, Malmsbury. 9am-1pm.

Market Woodend Lions Sunday Market: Cnr High St & Forest St, Woodend. 9am-2pm.

Wellness Outdoor Sound Bowl Meditation: Experience a sacred sound bath meditation in the botanic gardens. The Rotunda, Kyneton Botanic Gardens, Mollison St. 10am-10.30am.

Art Easter Art Market: Artworks old and new, framed and unframed. Ceramics, jewellery, sculpture, glass works, cards and more. Woodend Station, Urquhart St. 10am-4pm. Gold coin donation.

Open Garden Bringalbit: Explore the historic homestead’s 4ha garden, including a 60m Quince Walk. Bringalbit, 512 Sidonia Rd, Sidonia. 10am-5pm. $5.

Beer Brewery Tour: See how beer is brewed. Holgate Brewhouse, High St, Woodend. 3pm-4pm. $25.

Art Journey: An interactive light and sound experience around the botanic gardens and lake. Malmsbury Botanic Gardens, Ellesmere Pl. 7.30pm-10pm.

Exhibitions

Online Magnificent Macedon Ranges: Photographs inspired by local people and scenery. Macedon Ranges Photographic Society online exhibition.

Kyneton The Old Auction House Artists: Exhibitions: Life Through a Kaleidoscope and Before the Fall. Mon-Fri 9am-5pm, Sat-Sun 10am-4pm.

Kyneton Stockroom Artists: Michael Needham, Greg Wood, Talitha Kennedy, Vanessa Lucas. Wed-Sat 10.30am-5pm, Sun 11am-3pm.

Kyneton Art on Piper Artists: Showcasing work by local artists. Current exhibition: Autumn Blaze. Wed-Mon 10am-4pm.

Kyneton A Biodiversity Crisis – Animals and Plants of the Macedon Ranges: Interactive exhibition. Contains taxidermy. Fri-Sun 11am-4pm. Guided presentations on April 14, 21, 22. Adult $5, Concession/student $3, Child under 5 free, Family $10.

Lancefield Community Art Gallery: Paintings, sculptures, glass jewellery by local artists. 34a High St, Lancefield. Wed-Fri 10am-4pm, Sat 10am-2pm, Sun 10am-1pm.

Mount Macedon Autumn Botanic Art: Features artists who regularly exhibit at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Melbourne and Sydney, and internationally. Artist open studio on Tuesday. Mount Macedon Horticultural Hall, 583 Mount Macedon Rd, Mount Macedon. Tues, Sat, Sun 10am-4pm. Gold coin.

Mount Macedon Colours of Autumn: Paintings, photography, pottery, glass, textiles and more. Fri-Tues 10am-4pm.

Mount Macedon Portraits on the Mount: Exhibition of portraiture by local artists. Fri-Tues 10am-4pm.

Newham Art in the Vines – AV4: Sculptures by 26 acclaimed artists. Every day 10am-5pm.

Trentham Little Gallery Members: Artwork by Rose Wilson, Helen Cottle, Kim Haughie, Ri Van Veen, Larissa Gray, Llael McDonald, Frances Harkin, Liz Archer, Ruby Wilson-Peirce, Sam Bloomfield. Thu-Mon 10am-4pm.

School holidays

Kids Sing 2: Film, Rated PG. Can-do koala Buster Moon and his all-star cast of animal performers prepare to launch a dazzling stage extravaganza. Trentham. April 19.

Kids Peter Rabbit 2: Film, Rated G. When Peter’s family risks everything to come looking for him, he must figure out what kind of bunny he wants to be. Gisborne. April 20.

Kids Uncommon Phascogale: Art and nature workshop. Join environmental artist Jo Mott to make a glow-in-the-dark brush-tailed phascogale artwork and learn about this vulnerable nocturnal marsupial. Kyneton. April 21.

Coming up

Gardening Dreaming Gardens: Hear from local master gardeners Stephen Ryan, Simon Rickard and Michael McCoy. Followed by a garden wander. Includes morning tea and lunch. Mount Macedon. April 20.

Music Yeah Nah: Macedon Ranges-based cover band Yeah Nah celebrate three years since their first gig. Woodend. April 23.

Running Run the Rock: Three races at Hanging Rock, over 5km, 13.5km and 22km, plus a 2km route for children. Plus games, live music, and food and drink. Hanging Rock. April 30.

Workshop Grow Your Own Spring Flowers: Mother’s Day workshop with Aga Jones. Learn how to grow spring bulbs and care for your flowers. Tulips, mini daffodils, ranunculus, anemones and other seasonal flowers. Riddells Creek. May 5.

Food & Drink The Great Trentham Spudfest: A celebration of all things potato. Trentham. May 7.

Comedy Melbourne International Comedy Festival Roadshow: Featuring Chris Ryan, Blake Freeman, Jay Wymarra, Prue Blake, and Takashi Wakasugi. Kyneton. May 11.

Running Mt Macedon Trail Run: Five routes: 10km, 21km, 30km, 42km, 50km. Mt Macedon. May 29.

Have a great week!

Richard

P.S. I’ve tried my best to ensure accuracy, but please follow the links above to confirm details before attending events.

How am I doing?

Your Macedon Ranges is researched, written, and edited by me alone. Compiling it takes me 10+ hours each week. I love doing it, and the response has been incredible. I’m very grateful for your kind words.

If you find value in the newsletter, I’d so appreciate you subsidising my coffee habit … it helps with the collating and the writing!

In the news

💲 MACEDON RANGES: Businesses affected by the pandemic are being encouraged to apply to Macedon Ranges Shire Council for vouchers of up to $1,000.

🏀 NEW GISBORNE: The Labor Party has promised to invest $15m to help complete the Macedon Ranges Regional Sports Precinct.

🏏 HANGING ROCK: The Liberal Party has pledged its support to Hanging Rock Cricket Club, which is fighting to continue playing at its home ground.

🥬 MACEDON RANGES: The search is on for the most delicious plant-based food in the Macedon Ranges. Nominate a cafe for an Edgy Veg Award .

Enjoyed this newsletter?

Get it emailed to you every Sunday – and never miss a thing.

“I am so happy to be able to receive your emails and keep up to date with what’s going on in the area as well as learning a bit of local history!”