This week in the Macedon Ranges (April 22-28)

Welcome to Your Macedon Ranges for Monday, April 22, to Sunday, April 28.

Gisborne Golf Club has launched a recovery appeal following the devastating fire on Wednesday that reduced the clubhouse to a twisted ruin. Gisborne RSL sub-branch lost memorabilia, an extensive library and historical administration records in the blaze, as well as its meeting place. It, too, is appealing for financial help to recover.

The golf course has reopened to golfers. But the absence of the clubhouse as a community venue will be felt for some time.

Here are the links if you’d like to donate:
⛳ Gisborne Golf Club fire recovery appeal
🎖️ Rebuild the Gisborne RSL Sub-Branch appeal

Despite the loss of the RSL’s clubroom, Anzac Day commemorations in Gisborne will go ahead at the cenotaph as planned. You’ll find details of local parades and services in the event listing for Thursday.

🕚 Anzac Day is marked in this week’s local history article with the origin story of Woodend’s clock tower. You’ll find it below the event guide.

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

Click the links for more info 👇

Tuesday, April 23

Community Chatty Café: Enjoy a cuppa and a natter. Woodend Neighbourhood House, Forest St. 10am-11am.

Wednesday, April 24

Environment Sanatorium Eco-Trail Walk: Join Parks Victoria volunteers on a 3km moderate-level walk. Learn about plants and animals as well as the history of the Macedon Regional Park. Days Picnic Ground, Lions Head Rd, Mount Macedon. 9.30am-11.30am. Free.

Game Canasta Club: Join a friendly group to play the card game Canasta. Beginners welcome. Macedon & Mount Macedon Community House, 47 Victoria St, Macedon. 2pm. $2.

Nature Creatures of the Night – Cobaw: Help to record the night animals found by the roadsides within the shire’s biolink areas. McKinley Track, Cobaw. 7pm-9pm. Free.

Singing Woodend Warblers: Community choir. Norma Richardson Hall, Buckland St, Woodend. 7.30pm. $10 (first session free).

Thursday, April 25

Anzac Day Mt Macedon Dawn Service: Access via bus only, including shuttle buses from Tony Clarke Reserve in Macedon. Memorial Cross, Mt Macedon. Service starts at 6am.

Other Anzac Day services:

Gisborne – 10am: Parade assembles at the cenotaph, Hamilton St. 10.30am: Parade and service at the cenotaph.
Kyneton – 6am: Dawn service at the cenotaph in Mollison St, followed by Gunfire Breakfast at Kyneton RSL. 9.30am: Parade starts from junction of Yaldwyn St and Mollison St. 10am: Ceremony at the cenotaph followed by refreshments at Kyneton RSL.
Malmsbury – 7.45am: Parade starts outside Malmsbury Bakery, Mollison St. 8am: Service at the War Memorial Gates at Malmsbury Botanic Gardens (cnr Mollison St & Ellesmere Pl).
Riddells Creek – 5.45am: Dawn service at the War Memorial Gates, Main Rd.
Romsey/Lancefield – 8.30am: Wreath-laying ceremony at Romsey cenotaph, Main St. 9.30am: Service at Lancefield cenotaph, High St. Morning tea afterwards at Lancefield Mechanics Institute.
Trentham – 11.30am: March from the Town Square to the cenotaph. Morning tea at Trentham Neighbourhood Centre.
Woodend – 11.30am: Parade starts in the High St slip road (outside Bradley’s Curtains & Blinds). 12pm: Commemorative service outside Woodend RSL, Anslow St, followed by light refreshments.

Gardens Autumn Garden Tour: Enjoy two beautiful gardens in Mount Macedon – Glen Rannoch and Durrol – and meet the gardeners. Mount Macedon Tours, 690 Mount Macedon Rd, Mount Macedon. 10am-12pm. $89.

Garden Duneira Open Garden: Enjoy the visual splendour of the historic hill-station garden. Duneira, Officer Ln, Mount Macedon. 10am-4pm. Adult $12, Senior $10, Child (under 16) free.

Garden Viewfield Open Garden: Majestic trees with brilliant autumn colour, 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. 11am-4pm. Adult $10, Child (under 16) free.

Music Oz Rock Express: High-energy rock show. Telegraph Hotel, Hamilton St, Gisborne. 5pm.

Friday, April 26

Garden Duneira Open Garden: Enjoy the visual splendour of the historic hill-station garden. Duneira, Officer Ln, Mount Macedon. 10am-4pm. Adult $12, Senior $10, Child (under 16) free.

Food & Drink Passing Clouds Lunch: Join Kim Cash, from Passing Clouds, to celebrate 50 years of the winery with a set menu by chef Tim Austin. The Kyneton Hotel, Mollison St, Kyneton. From 12.15pm. Three courses $89, Two courses $69.

Food & Music Thank God It’s Friday! Pizza, Wine & Music: Wind down for the weekend. Family-friendly. Taradale Wine & Produce Store, 120 High St, Taradale. 6pm-9pm.

Saturday, April 27

Exercise Parkruns: 5km fun runs/walks in Gisborne (Dixon Field), Lancefield (Lancefield Park) and Woodend (Campaspe Dr). All abilities welcome. 8am. Free.

Gardening Hosting Nature (online): Join Michael McCoy, and guests Isabella Tree, James Hitchmough, John Little, Claudia West, Emma Cutting and Simon Leake, to explore ways to support and encourage biodiversity in the home garden. Online event. 9am-12pm. $95.

Market Lancefield Farmers’ Market: High St & Park St, Lancefield. 9am-1pm.

Market Little Treasures Market: Tasty treats, handmade goods, plants, jewellery, hats and scarves, and more. Mechanics Institute, Main St, Lancefield. 9am-1pm.

Market Daylesford Farmers’ Market: Daylesford Primary School, Vincent St. 9am-1pm.

Gardening Tuberous Begonia and Fuchsia Show: Hundreds of nursery-grown tuberous begonias. White House Nursery, 691 Ashbourne Rd, Ashbourne. 10am-4pm.

Garden Bolobek Open Garden: See this magnificent garden in all its autumn glory. 370 Mount Macedon Rd, Macedon. 10am-4.30pm. Adult $15, Student $10, Under-18 free.

Garden Cadella Park Open Garden: Set on a working farm, the garden covers eight acres and features mature trees, a lake and a vegetable garden. Garden designer Simon Rickard will lead a tour of the garden at 11am. There will also be a café, plant stalls, local produce, art and crafts, and live music. Cadella Park, 109 James Rd, Cadello (Woodend North). 10am-4.30pm. Adult $10, Student $6, Under-18 free.

Music Colours of Autumn – Mark Howard: Live music from Mark Howard. Wombat Forest Vineyard, 189 Springhill Rd, Denver. 11am-5pm.

Music Dolla Pots: 1960s-90s acoustic ensemble. Mount Macedon Hotel, 694 Mount Macedon Rd, Mount Macedon. 1pm-4pm.

Art & Wine Calico Painting, Wine and Cheese: Paint a calico tote bag inspired by autumn among the vines. Double Oaks Estate, 104 Ashworths Rd, Lancefield. 1pm-4pm. $65.

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

Music Ollie: Live music in the bar. The Victoria Hotel, High St, Woodend. 6.30pm-10pm.

Music Cupid’s Irony & The Whiskey Rogues: Acoustic trio and three-piece pop and rock band. Part of the Live and Local in Community Halls series of music events for the Macedon Ranges Autumn Festival. Mechanics Institute, Main Rd, Romsey. 7.30pm-10pm. $15.

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Sunday, April 28

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

Community Malmsbury Village Fayre: Live music, children’s activities, food vans and 50 craft stalls. This year’s theme is “Time Travellers Welcome”. Malmsbury Botanic Gardens, Ellesmere Pl. 10am-3pm.

Community Trentham Vintage Tractor Pull: Includes car show, food vans, family fun. Trentham Station, Victoria St, Trentham. 10am-3pm. Adult $5, Child (under 12) free.

Gardening Tuberous Begonia and Fuchsia Show: Hundreds of nursery-grown tuberous begonias. White House Nursery, 691 Ashbourne Rd, Ashbourne. 10am-4pm.

Garden Bolobek Open Garden: See this magnificent garden in all its autumn glory. 370 Mount Macedon Rd, Macedon. 10am-4.30pm. Adult $15, Student $10, Under-18 free.

Music The Martini Set: Jazz, swing and early rock ’n’ roll. Part of the Live and Local in Community Halls series of music events for the Macedon Ranges Autumn Festival. Kyneton Museum, 67 Piper St, Kyneton. 12pm-4pm. Family $10, Adult $5, Concession $3, Student $3, Child (under 5) $2.50, Child (under 2) free.

Fashion Women’s Clothing Swap: Bring along up to eight garments to swap, including shoes and accessories. Raffle and afternoon tea. Trentham Neighbourhood Centre, 56 High St, Trentham. 1pm-3pm.

Music Mark Howard: Folk, rock, blues and alt-country. Mount Macedon Hotel, 694 Mount Macedon Rd, Mount Macedon. 1pm-4pm.

Music A Classical Celebration: The Gisborne Singers, soprano Merlyn Quaife, and the Macedon Ranges Chamber Orchestra will perform works by Mozart, Haydn and Handel. Conducted by Luke Severn. Our Lady of the Rosary Church, Ebden St, Kyneton. 2.30pm-5pm. Adult $55, Concession $45, Child (under 12) free.

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

Singing Rainbow Voices Community Choir: LGBTQIA+ and allies choir. For anyone aged 13 and over. Kyneton Community House Good Food Hub, 35 High St, Kyneton. 4pm-6pm.

Exhibitions

Kyneton The Old Auction House: Exhibition: All I Can See (group). Mon-Fri 9am-5pm, Sat-Sun 10am-4pm.

Kyneton Art on Piper: Exhibition: Tatania Korinfsky. Every day 10am-4pm.

Kyneton Unmasked: A celebration of nursing and midwifery. Mon, Thu, Fri 10am-3pm.

Kyneton Stockroom: Exhibitions: Ravi Avasti, Arthur Dimitriou. Thu-Sat & Mon 10.30am-5pm, Sun 11am-4pm. Exhibitions’ official opening April 27 6pm.

Kyneton Cusack & Cusack: Fri-Sun 10am-3pm.

Kyneton Kyneton Ridge Artspace: Exhibition: Melbourne Collage Assembly (group). Sat & Sun 11am-5pm.

Kyneton Trio Art Studio & Gallery: Exhibition: Poetry in Print. Sat-Mon 10am-4pm.

Mount Macedon The Gallery: Exhibition: Portraits on the Mount. Fri-Tues 10am-4pm.

Mount Macedon Artanica: Exhibition by 12 artists from Mount Macedon & District Horticultural Society’s botanical art group. Mount Macedon & District Horticultural Hall, 583 Mount Macedon Rd, Mount Macedon. Sat-Tues 10am-4.30pm.

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

Trentham Trentham District Story: Outdoor display telling the story of Trentham from its earliest Indigenous inhabitants to the present day. Open every day in the grounds of the Old Police Station, 3-5 Camp St, Trentham.

Trentham Little Gallery: Fri-Mon 10am-4pm.

Woodend The Back Shed Gallery: 33 Urquhart St, Woodend. Tues-Sun 10am-5pm.

Coming up

Comedy Melbourne International Comedy Festival Roadshow: Featuring Carl Donnelly, Claire Hooper, Daniel Fernandes, Bronwyn Kuss, and Luka Muller. Kyneton Town Hall, Mollison St. 7.30pm-9.45pm. Full $45, Concession $38. May 1.

Community The Great Trentham Spudfest: A celebration of all things potato. Craft stalls, horse and cart rides, tours, kids’ zone, food and drink, and more. Trentham. May 4-5.

Community 140 Years of Kyneton CFA: Open day. Learn about the history of the brigade and compare the beaters, buckets and hand-pulled carts of 1884 with the fire trucks of today. Kyneton CFA Fire Station, 46-48 Ebden St, Kyneton. 10am-2pm. Free. May 11.

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.

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Time to remember

THen & NOW

With thanks to Woodend & District Heritage Society. The society meets on Wednesdays at the old courthouse in Forest St, Woodend.

The tower awaits the installation of the clock.

It’s June 1919. The president of the Woodend branch of the Returned Soldiers’ Association, James McDonald, is about to address a public meeting at Woodend’s Mechanics Institute.

Seven months have passed since the end of World War I and the meeting has been convened to discuss a suitable memorial to the district’s soldiers.

The number of people at the meeting is smaller than expected. And before this night, less than £40 has been donated to the memorial fund. Much of the money has been raised by the soldiers themselves.

Mr McDonald rises to speak.

“It will be for the people of Woodend and district to say if there is going to be a memorial costing £25 or £30, which they may be ashamed of,” he says, “or one that will do some honour to the ‘boys’, and credit to the public.”

His words resonated with the audience. When the meeting ended, a further £111 had been pledged.

And so began the long journey to raise money and build what has since become Woodend’s most notable landmark – the memorial clock tower.

However, in May 1927, as the building work neared completion, the memorial committee still needed £200 to pay for the clock itself.

Another public appeal was launched and the shire council donated £50.

Several months later, in February 1928, the clock mechanism was installed and clock faces were inserted into four holes in the tower.

More than eight years after Mr McDonald addressed the public meeting, the soldiers’ memorial was finally complete.

✍️ Richard Padgett

📘 They Went to War, by Sylvia Boxshall, describes the life of people from the Woodend district during World War I. Available from Woodend & District Heritage Society, $39.70.

Pictures: Woodend & District Heritage Society

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