Welcome to Your Macedon Ranges for the week of Monday, December 6, to Sunday, December 12.
🍷 Cellar doors across the Macedon Ranges will be hosting a festival of “everything wine, food and fun” next month. Called Summertime Fling, it will run from January 8-30. Tickets are on sale. Click here for the list of events.
📜 This week’s history article is about one of the most recognisable homes in the Macedon Ranges. But check it out also for a cracking image of Woodend from 1880. Several landmarks, such as the Victoria Hotel, still exist today.
Here are the events and activities happening in the Macedon Ranges this week:
Click the links for more info 👇
Tuesday, December 7
Quiz Team Trivia Challenge: Topical and fun questions plus some games. Gisborne. 7pm-9pm. Free.
Weather Central Victorian Climate – Today, Tomorrow and the Future (online): Felicity Gamble, a senior climatologist at Bureau of Meteorology, will present extended and long-range forecasts. Healthy Landscapes Project. 7.30pm-8.30pm. Free.
Wednesday, December 8
Craft Social Craft Group: Are you working on a craft project alone? Enjoy the company of like-minded people while you’re being creative. Woodend. 10am-11am. Gold coin donation.
Singing Woodend Warblers: Community choir’s weekly rehearsal. Everyone welcome. Norma Richardson Hall, Buckland St, Woodend. 7.30pm. $12.
Friday, December 10
Books Heather Morris – The Tattooist of Auschwitz Trilogy: Hear international best-selling author Heather Morris talk about her journey in uncovering and writing these remarkable real-life stories. Woodend. 10.30am.
Christmas Lancefield Christmas Community Event: Music, jumping castle, petting zoo, face painting, barbecue. Lancefield Park, Chauncey St. 6.30pm-8.30pm.
Christmas Romsey Christmas Illuminations and Twilight Market: Festive lights, food trucks, shopping, music. Market at the Mechanics Institute. Main St, Romsey. Friday and Saturday. Market 4pm-8pm, Outdoor events 6.30pm-10pm.
Exhibitions
Online Macedon Ranges Art Trail Exhibition: Paintings, sculptures, photographs, drawings and mixed media by 26 artists. Until December 9.
Kyneton Buttlejorrk Artists: The group’s 45th anniversary show. Features work by 11 members and six special guests. Until December 6. Mon 9am-5pm.
Kyneton Moments of Being and Everything in Between – Lynka: Explores a woman’s relationship with herself and others, and ultimately her place in the world. Until December 6. Mon 9am-5pm.
Kyneton Becc Orszag, Jason Waterhouse, Honor Freeman: Until January 9. Thu-Sat 10.30am-5pm, Sun 11am-3pm.
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.
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 11
Exercise Campaspe Parkrun: 5km fun run along the Five Mile Creek path. Every Saturday. Campaspe Park, Campaspe Dr, Woodend. 8am. Free (registration required).
Market Kyneton Farmers’ & Makers’ Market: St Paul’s Park, Piper St, Kyneton. 8.30am-1pm.
Market Kyneton Community Market: Bric-a-brac, art, clothes, plants, food and local produce. Ebden St & Yaldwyn St West, Kyneton. 8.30am-1pm.
Food & Drink American Barbecue Pizza and Wine Pairing: Pulled pork or beef brisket pizzas and five wines. Double Oaks Estate, 104 Ashworths Rd, Lancefield. From 12pm. $50.
Music Blues and Brews: Blues music with Bill Barber. DV Cider, 39 Darraweit Valley Rd, Darraweit Guim. 12.15pm-4.15pm.
Food & Drink Food + Fire + Wine: A four-course meal cooked over an open fire and served in the vineyard. Lyons Will Estate, 60 Whalans Track, Lancefield. 1pm-5pm. $135.
Beer Brewery Tour: Learn how the beer is brewed at Holgate Brewhouse. Holgate Brewhouse, High St, Woodend. 3pm-4pm. $25.
Community A Christmassy Concert: Local performers, kids’ activities, prizes for best-dressed, Santa, and more. Malmsbury Town Hall, Mollison St. 6pm-7pm.
Christmas Romsey Christmas Illuminations and Twilight Market: Festive lights, food trucks, shopping, music. Market at the Mechanics Institute. Main St, Romsey. Friday and Saturday. Market 4pm-8pm, Outdoor events 6.30pm-10pm.
Theatre Theatre Restaurant: Enjoy a three-course meal while watching two one-act comedies by the GAB Theatre. The Lancefield Lodge, 50 Main Rd, Lancefield. From 6.30pm. $125.
Sunday, December 12
Market Daylesford Sunday Market: Daylesford Railway Station, Raglan St. 8am-3pm.
Food & Drink American Barbecue Pizza and Wine Pairing: Pulled pork or beef brisket pizzas and five wines. Double Oaks Estate, 104 Ashworths Rd, Lancefield. From 12pm. $50.
Craft Christmas Wreath Workshop: Learn how to make a Christmas wreath with florist Madelene Sutton. Trentham Neighbourhood Centre, 56 High St. 1pm-3pm. $55.
Food & Drink Food + Fire + Wine: A four-course meal cooked over an open fire and served in the vineyard. Lyons Will Estate, 60 Whalans Track, Lancefield. 1pm-5pm. $135.
Beer Brewery Tour: Learn how the beer is brewed at Holgate Brewhouse. Holgate Brewhouse, High St, Woodend. 3pm-4pm. $25.
Coming up
Christmas Carols in the Garden: Bring a picnic blanket and your singing voice. Woodend. December 17.
Christmas Late-night Christmas Shopping: Lancefield. December 17.
Christmas Santa at the Park: Santa visit and ice cream. Riddells Creek. December 18.
Music Christmas Bash: An afternoon of jazz and holiday favourites. Carlsruhe. December 19.
Music Ben McGill & The Suspects: Jazz, soul, R&B and rock ‘n’ roll. Malmsbury. December 31.
Music Athol Guy & Friends: The Seekers star will be joined by Buddy England. Supported by Jenny Blake and Rod Hulls. Woodend. December 31.
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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Raising a glass to the motherland
Then & Now
With thanks to Woodend & District Heritage Society. The society meets every Wednesday, 10am-4pm, at the Old Courthouse in Forest St, Woodend.
The tall, dark, handsome brick building on the right of this Woodend scene was originally a hotel. But by the time this picture was taken, sometime around 1880, it had become a private home.
Today it is the grand white double-storey house on the northern side of the Five Mile Creek bridge, a familiar sight on the main road through the village. And it is still known by the name it was given back then – Islay.
Islay House’s was a hotel for six years in total, under three names: from 1861-64, it was the British American Hotel and then Horneman’s Hotel, and 12 years later it was Patterson’s Hotel (1876-77).
Around this time, John Gilchrist ran a general store on the opposite side of High St (which you can see on the left of the photo). He and his wife Christina had a large family – eight of their 10 children survived to adulthood – and it’s thought they briefly lived in a small house next door to the hotel.
They solved the problem of lack of space by purchasing the hotel from Thomas Patterson in 1878, renaming it Islay (pronounced “eye-luh”) after the Scottish island where John Gilchrist was born.
📘 Time Gentlemen, Please!, by Jannyse Williams, tells the stories of more than 50 hotels from Woodend and the surrounding area. Buy the book here.
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