Welcome to Your Macedon Ranges for the week of Monday, December 13, to Sunday, December 19.
I started this newsletter eight months ago with the intention of celebrating all the good things happening the Macedon Ranges. As we head towards Christmas, I want to thank you for your support.
I’m enormously grateful to you for recommending the newsletter to friends and family, and for your kind comments. It really means a lot.
I’m especially grateful to you for buying me coffees.
As you may know, I compile the newsletter each week in my own time because I love the area and sharing what I discover with you. I hope you get as much from it as I do.
Here are the events and activities happening in the Macedon Ranges this week:
Click the links for more info 👇
Tuesday, December 14
Quiz Team Trivia Challenge: Topical and fun questions plus some games. Gisborne. 7pm-9pm. Free.
Wednesday, December 15
Craft Social Craft Group: Enjoy the company of like-minded people while you’re being creative. Woodend. 10am-11am. Gold coin donation.
Kids A Christmas Corner: Listen to a classic Christmas story while crafting. For families and primary school children. Gisborne. 4pm-5pm. Free.
Community Black Forest Drive Safety Project Listening Sessions: Discuss your experiences of using Black Forest Drive and help shape improvement plans. Woodend. 4pm-6pm and 7pm-9pm.
Singing Woodend Warblers: Community choir rehearsal. Norma Richardson Hall, Buckland St, Woodend. 7.30pm. $12.
Thursday, December 16
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.
Friday, December 17
Christmas Carols in the Garden: Bring a picnic blanket and your singing voice. Woodend. 6.30pm.
Christmas Late-night Christmas Shopping: Lancefield. Until 8pm.
Exhibitions
Kyneton Mornington Peninsula Matriarchy: An eclectic selection of works united by the theme of exploring what it is to be woman. Until January 3. Mon-Fri 9am-5pm, Sat-Sun 10am-4pm.
Kyneton A Biodiversity Crisis – Animals and Plants of the Macedon Ranges: Interactive exhibition. Contains taxidermy. Fri-Sun 11am-4pm. Adult $5.10, Concession/student $3.10, Child under 5 free, Family $10.20.
Kyneton Becc Orszag, Jason Waterhouse, Honor Freeman: Until January 9. Thu-Sat 10.30am-5pm, Sun 11am-3pm.
Newham Art in the Vines – AV4: Sculptures by 26 acclaimed artists. Until April 25. 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.
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Saturday, December 18
Exercise Campaspe Parkrun: 5km fun run along the Five Mile Creek path. Every Saturday. Campaspe Park, Campaspe Dr, Woodend. 8am. Free (registration required).
Market Trentham Farmers’ Market: Town Square, High St, Trentham. 9am-1pm.
Market Glenlyon Village Market: Shire Hall, Barkly St, Glenlyon. 9am-1pm.
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.
Food & Drink Low ‘n’ Slow American Barbecue and Wines: Barbecued meats with five wines. Double Oaks Estate, 104 Ashworths Rd, Lancefield. From 12pm. $60.
Music Summer Sessions: Cider, cocktails, music and bar food. DV Cider, 39 Darraweit Valley Rd, Darraweit Guim. 12pm-5pm.
Food Cheese-making Workshop: Learn how to make artisan rennet-curd cheese and ricotta, and how to preserve olives. Woodend Neighbourhood House, Forest St. 12.30pm-4pm. $180.
Beer Brewery Tour: Learn how the beer is brewed at Holgate Brewhouse. Holgate Brewhouse, High St, Woodend. 3pm-4pm. $25.
Christmas Glenlyon Christmas Event: Santa, bouncy castle, live music, picnic/barbecue, and an origami boat race on the Loddon River. Shire Hall, Barkly St, Glenlyon. 4pm-8pm.
Community Blue Christmas: For anyone who finds the jolly-ness of Christmas too difficult to bear. Held in the church garden. St Mary’s Church, Buckland St, Woodend. 2pm.
Christmas Santa at the Park: Santa visit and ice cream. Walter J Smith Reserve, Riddells Creek. 5.30pm-7.30pm.
Music Matt Joe Gow: Winner of the 2019 Music Victoria award for Best Country Album. Major Tom’s, 57 Piper St, Kyneton. 8.30pm-11pm. $15.
Sunday, December 19
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.
Music Christmas Bash: An afternoon of jazz and holiday favourites. 124 Hedge Farm, 57 Three Chain Rd, Carlsruhe. From 12pm. $25.
Food & Drink Low ‘n’ Slow American Barbecue and Wines: Barbecued meats with five wines. Double Oaks Estate, 104 Ashworths Rd, Lancefield. From 12pm. $60.
Music Absolute 80s Show: Scott Carne, Brian Mannix and Dale Ryder perform all their hits. Telegraph Hotel, Hamilton St, Gisborne. 12pm-4pm. $35.
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.
Beekeeping Woodend Bee-Friendly Society: Monthly meeting. Woodend Neighbourhood House, Forest St, Woodend. 3pm-4.30pm.
Coming up
Music Athol Guy & Friends: The Seekers star will be joined by Buddy England. Supported by Jenny Blake and Rod Hulls. Woodend. December 31.
Music Ben McGill & The Suspects: Jazz, soul, R&B and rock ‘n’ roll. Malmsbury. December 31.
Community New Year Sports Day: Old-time sports including woodchopping, horse events, spinning wheel, bull boar eating, mineral water drinking, nail drive, and gumboot throwing. Bar and food. Glenlyon. January 1.
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. January 1.
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!
Last train to Lancefield
past times
With thanks to Romsey & Lancefield Districts Historical Society. The society meets every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 10am-2pm, at the old courthouse, in Main Rd, Lancefield.
In the photo above, from June 23, 1956, a Victorian Railways train calls at Monegeetta on its journey along the Clarkefield-Lancefield line. The scene of a passenger checking his watch and people striding along the platform suggests nothing out of the ordinary. However, this was the final time a passenger service would run along those tracks.
The line closed for good almost two months later, its demise sealed by the increasing popularity of the motor car and the cost to repair the Bolinda trestle bridge.
The Clarkefield-Lancefield railway opened in 1881 and operated for 75 years. In addition to Monegeetta, the stations along the route included Bolinda, North Monegeetta and Romsey.
In 1892, the track was extended 30km from Lancefield to Kilmore, linking the Bendigo and Heathcote lines. But the Lancefield-Kilmore section, built at great expense over steep terrain, proved to be a white elephant. Suffering from a lack of passengers and freight, it closed five years later (though it did briefly reopen from 1900-1903).
Of the former stations on the Clarkefield-Lancefield line, only Lancefield remains in its original location. The station at Monegeetta was moved to a farm near Romsey, where it serves as an outbuilding.
✍️ Kylie McKay, co-author of A Pictorial Guide to the Long Lost Lancefield and Kilmore Railway
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