Welcome to Your Macedon Ranges for Monday, December 20, to Sunday, January 2.
🎅 Before jumping on his sleigh, Santa will be hopping on board local CFA trucks on Christmas Eve to tour some of our towns and villages. If you’d like to meet him, here’s where to find the routes:
🐎 The races at Hanging Rock are a popular way to spend New Year’s Day, but Glenlyon offers a sporting alternative. The village has been holding its New Year’s Day sports day since the 1850s. Events include woodchopping, horse racing, bull-boar sausage eating, mineral-water drinking and gumboot throwing.
🎆 This is the last edition of Your Macedon Ranges for this year. I’d like to wish you a very happy and safe Christmas. See you again on January 2, 2022!
🔥Don’t forget: Fire restrictions start tomorrow (Dec 20).
Here are the events and activities happening in the Macedon Ranges over the next two weeks:
Click the links for more info 👇
Monday, December 20
Food & Drink Low ‘n’ Slow American Barbecue and Wines: Barbecued meats with five wines. Lancefield. From 12pm. $60.
Tuesday, December 21
Food & Drink Low ‘n’ Slow American Barbecue and Wines: Barbecued meats with five wines. Lancefield. From 12pm. $60.
Quiz Team Trivia Challenge: Topical and fun questions plus some games. Gisborne. 7pm-9pm. Free.
Wednesday, December 22
Environment Sanatorium Eco-Trail Walk: Join Parks Victoria volunteers on a 3km circuit through beautiful forest and past the picturesque Sanatorium Lake. Learn about plants and animals as well as the history of the Macedon Regional Park. The moderate-level walk takes about 90 minutes. Mt Macedon. 9.30am-11.30am. Free.
Food & Drink Low ‘n’ Slow American Barbecue and Wines: Barbecued meats with five wines. Lancefield. From 12pm. $60.
Thursday, December 23
Drink Pups and Pints: Catch up with friends and bring your dog along too. In an enclosed area where dogs can be off-leash. Woodend. 5pm-8pm.
🎄 Merry Christmas!
Friday, December 31
Food & Music Ben McGill & The Suspects: Jazz, soul, R&B and rock ‘n’ roll. Dinner and show. Malmsbury. 7.30pm. $75.
Music Athol Guy & Friends: The Seekers star will be joined by Buddy England. Supported by Jenny Blake and Rod Hulls. Woodend (sold out).
Saturday, January 1
Community New Year Sports Day: Old-time sports including woodchopping, horse racing, spinning wheel, bull-boar sausage eating, mineral-water drinking, nail drive, and gumboot throwing. Bar and food. Glenlyon Recreation Reserve, Dysart St. 11am-6pm. Adult $10.
Horse racing New Year’s Day at Hanging Rock: Celebrate the start of 2022 with an afternoon of racing, family activities and live music. Hanging Rock Racecourse, South Rock Rd, Newham. Gates open 11am. Adult $25.
Sunday, January 2
Music Summer Sessions: Cider, cocktails, music and bar food. DV Cider, 39 Darraweit Valley Rd, Darraweit Guim. 12pm-5pm.
Beer Brewery Tour: Learn how the beer is brewed at Holgate Brewhouse. Holgate Brewhouse, High St, Woodend. 3pm-4pm. $25.
Exhibitions
Kyneton Mornington Peninsula Matriarchy: An eclectic selection of works united by the theme of exploring what it is to be woman. Kyneton. Until January 3. Weekdays 9am-5pm, Weekends 10am-4pm. Closed Dec 25-Jan 1. Reopens Jan 2.
Kyneton Becc Orszag, Jason Waterhouse, Honor Freeman: Until January 9. Dec 22-24 and Dec 29-31 10.30am-5pm. Jan 2 11am-3pm. Closed Dec 25-26 and Jan 1.
Newham Art in the Vines – AV4: Sculptures by 26 acclaimed artists. Until April 25. Every day 10am-5pm. Closed Dec 25.
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. Every day 10am-4pm. Closed Dec 25 and Jan 1.
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Coming up
Wine Summertime Fling: Cellar doors across the Macedon Ranges will be hosting a festival of “everything wine, food and fun”. Multiple venues. January 8-30.
Music Tex Perkins and Matt Walker: Live performances return to the Macedon Railway Hotel. Macedon. January 16.
Comedy Arj Barker Comes Clean: Australia’s adopted son of comedy returns with a new hour-long show. Kyneton. February 9.
Comedy Anh Do – The Happiest Refugee Live!: Anh Do tells his amazing story through a combination of stand-up comedy, photos and film. Kyneton. February 10.
Motoring Picnic at Hanging Rock Car Show: Retro cars, trucks and motorbikes, plus miniature train and exhibitors. Hanging Rock Reserve. February 13.
Music Superstar – The Carpenters Songbook: Laura Davidson and her band recreate The Carpenters’ music. Kyneton. February 13.
Market Hanging Rock Craft Market: 200 craft and produce stalls. Hanging Rock Reserve. February 19.
Music The Traveling Wilburys Sessions: Tribute to the Wilburys and its superstar members. Kyneton. February 19.
Dance A Taste of Ireland: Starring dancers from the West End’s Lord of the Dance, Riverdance, and Gaelforce Dance alongside Irish Dancing world champions. Kyneton. March 4.
Have a fantastic fortnight!
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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A shop with art and sole
Then & Now
With thanks to Malmsbury Historical Society.
Recognise this antique-looking shop in Mollison St, Malmsbury?
While the occupants may have changed many times over the last 139 years, the building looks much the same.
It was built in 1882 as two separate shops for Robert Hunter. At the time this photograph was taken (about 1904) shoemaker Edward Stone (far left) was in the left-hand shop and the right-hand side was a bakery.
Today the building houses Rathdowne Antiques.
✍️ Christine Barker, Secretary and Editor of Malmsbury Historical Society.
📘 History of Malmsbury, by Roslyn Stevens, can be purchased for $10 (plus postage) by emailing Malmsbury Historical Society.
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