This week in the Macedon Ranges (July 19-25)

Welcome to Your Macedon Ranges for the week of Monday, July 19, to Sunday, July 25.

Having lived here for 10 years, I thought I was reasonably well acquainted with the area. That thought has been shattered since I started this newsletter! Not only am I constantly amazed by the number of events and activities, but the local history articles have taught me so much.

This week’s article has been provided by Sue Worthington, of Trentham & Districts Historical Society. Sue has written about a feature of many of our towns – one often tucked away by the side of a road. I hope you enjoy these little insights into the area’s past as much as I do.

If you’re a garden-lover, don’t miss the chance to wander around Stephen Ryan’s garden in Macedon. As you’d expect from the owner of a rare-plant nursery, it is full of interest, and this is an opportunity to see how foliage, texture and colour combine in winter.

Monday and Tuesday:
No events.

Wednesday, July 21

[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 Neighbourhood House, Forest St, Woodend. Every Wednesday. 10am-11am. Gold coin donation.

[Exhibition] Art in the Vines – the Renaissance: An exhibition of sculptures by 25 acclaimed artists. Hanging Rock Winery, Jim Rd, Newham. Daily until October 15. 10am-5pm. Free.

Thursday, July 22

[Technology] Be Connected – Getting Started with Video Calls: Find out how to get started with Zoom, Skype and FaceTime. Woodend Library, Cnr High St & Forest St, Woodend. 10am-11am. Free.

[Exhibition] Art in the Vines – the Renaissance: An exhibition of sculptures by 25 acclaimed artists. Hanging Rock Winery, Jim Rd, Newham. Daily until October 15. 10am-5pm. Free.

[Exhibition] Every Artist Ever: Celebrating Stockroom’s 10th anniversary. Features more than 150 Stockroom artists. Stockroom, 98 Piper St, Kyneton. Until August 8. 10.30am-4pm.

[Food] Veggie Brunch: An opportunity to try new dishes and catch up with other people who love their veg. Macedon Ranges Sustainability Group event. Home Grown on Piper, Piper St, Kyneton. 11am-12.30pm.

[Sustainability] Get Energy Savvy this Winter: Information about solar power and battery storage. Kyneton Mechanics Institute, Mollison St, Kyneton. 6pm-7.30pm.

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Friday, July 23

[Gardening] Seed Packet Folding: Fold and pack seeds, and talk all things gardening. Woodend Libary, Cnr High St & Forest St. Every Friday. 10am. Free.

[Exhibition] Art in the Vines – the Renaissance: An exhibition of sculptures by 25 acclaimed artists. Hanging Rock Winery, Jim Rd, Newham. Daily until October 15. 10am-5pm. Free.

[Exhibition] Every Artist Ever: Celebrating Stockroom’s 10th anniversary. Features more than 150 Stockroom artists. Stockroom, 98 Piper St, Kyneton. Until August 8. 10.30am-4pm.

[Entertainment] Comedy Night: Featuring Billy Stiles, Jarryd Goundrey, Matt O’Neill and Mimi Shaheen. Event by Gisborne Rookies JFNC. Gardiner Reserve, Hamilton St, Gisborne. $30.

[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 Town Hall, Mollison St, Kyneton. 7.30pm-9.10pm (sold out).

Saturday, July 24

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

* [Exercise] Lancefield Parkrun: 5km fun run around Lancefield Park. Every Saturday. Lancefield Park, Chauncey St, Lancefield. 8am. Free (registration required). * Awaiting clearance to use the track again. Follow the link for updates.

[Market] Lancefield Farmers’ Market: High St, Lancefield. 9am-1pm.

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

[Workshop] Blacksmith Class: Join Rob Nansen under the gum trees for a three-hour blacksmith class. Make your own fire poker. All materials provided. Dromkeen, 1012 Kilmore Rd, Riddells Creek. 10am-1pm. $140.

[Open Garden] Tugurium: A winter chance to see the garden of former ABC Gardening Australia presenter Stephen Ryan. 8-10 Centenary Ave, Macedon. Saturday and Sunday. 10am-4.30pm. Adult $10, Student $8, Child (U18) Free.

[Exhibition] Art in the Vines – the Renaissance: An exhibition of sculptures by 25 acclaimed artists. Hanging Rock Winery, Jim Rd, Newham. Daily until October 15. 10am-5pm. Free.

[Exhibition] Every Artist Ever: Celebrating Stockroom’s 10th anniversary. Features more than 150 Stockroom artists. Stockroom, 98 Piper St, Kyneton. Until August 8. 10.30am-4pm.

[Entertainment] Full Moon Party: Live music from Temple of Tunes, food, cocktails, beers on tap. The Full Moon Saloon, High St, Woodend. From 11.30am.

[Food & Drink] Truffle and Wine Pairing: Four gourmet truffle meal tasters and four wines. Double Oaks Estate, Ashworths Road, Lancefield. Saturday and Sunday, 12pm-5pm. $65.

[Beer] Brewery Tour: Learn how the beer is brewed at Holgate Brewhouse. Every Saturday and Sunday. Holgate Brewhouse, High St, Woodend. 3pm-4pm. $25.

[Music] The Meanies: Punk-rock band with their latest album, Desperate Measures. Supported by Dicklord and Persecution Blues. Macedon Railway Hotel, Smith St, Macedon. From 7pm. $30.

[Music] Matt Joe Gow and Ben Mastwyk: An intimate acoustic set by Music Victoria award winner Matt Joe Gow and nominee Ben Mastwyk. Major Tom’s, 57 Piper St, Kyneton. 8.30pm-11pm. $15.

Sunday, July 25

[Exhibition] Art in the Vines – the Renaissance: An exhibition of sculptures by 25 acclaimed artists. Hanging Rock Winery, Jim Rd, Newham. Daily until October 15. 10am-5pm. Free.

[Exhibition] Every Artist Ever: Celebrating Stockroom’s 10th anniversary. Features more than 150 Stockroom artists. Stockroom, 98 Piper St, Kyneton. Until August 8. 11am-4pm.

[Community] The Big Trentham Thank You: In honour of the local emergency service providers and volunteers who helped during the recent storm disaster. Live music. Kids’ activities. Food and drink. Trentham District Football and Netball Club, 25 Falls Rd, Trentham. 12pm-3pm. (Registration period ended).

[Food] Pizza and Pooches: Every dog has its day and at Cleveland Winery that day is Sunday. Cleveland Winery, Shannons Rd, Lancefield. Every Sunday. 12pm-3pm.

[Paranormal] Psychic Medium “Crossing Over” Lunch: Join host Dolly, from Kyneton Paranormal, and psychic medium Bec for a group show and Q&A. The Victoria Hotel, High St, Woodend. 12pm-3pm. $77.

[Music] Music Masterclass: For beginning to intermediate hobby musicians. Baringo Food & Wine Co., 283 Station Rd, New Gisborne. Also Friday. 12pm-5pm. $62.50.

[Food & Drink] Christmas in July: Three-course lunch. The DV Cider Marquee will be filled with the aroma of spiced cider, roast pork and steamed pudding. DV Cider House, 39 Darraweit Valley Road, Darraweit Guim. 12pm-4pm. Full $95, Children (U12) $40.

[Food & Drink] Truffle and Wine Pairing: Four gourmet truffle meal tasters and four wines. Double Oaks Estate, Ashworths Road, Lancefield. Saturday and Sunday, 12pm-5pm. $65.

[Crafts] Winter Crafternoons: Bring along a current project or something that needs mending. knitters, sewers, crocheters, weavers and creators of all kinds. Malmsbury Town Hall, Mollison St, Malmsbury. 1pm-4pm. $8.

[History] Burke & Wills: An Illustrated Talk: Architect and artist Peter Sanders will speak about his experience painting all the stops made by Burke and Wills on their journey through Victoria. Mechanics Institute Annexe, High St, Lancefield. 2pm-4pm. $25.

[Music] Mick Thomas’ Roving Commission: Performing songs from new album City’s Calling Me. Macedon Railway Hotel, Smith St, Macedon. From 2.30pm. $30.

[Beer] Brewery Tour: Learn how the beer is brewed at Holgate Brewhouse. Every Saturday and Sunday. Holgate Brewhouse, High St, Woodend. 3pm-4pm. $25.

[Music] Juliarna Clark: Jazz classics with Juliarna, Dave Gardner (clarinet/sax), Peter Hooper (banjo), James Clark (double bass/tuba), and Andy Swann (drums). Newham Mechanics Institute, Rochford Rd, Newham. 3.30pm-5.30pm. $32.

Coming up

[Music] Vivaldi’s Four Seasons: Performed by the Melbourne Chamber Orchestra. Kyneton Town Hall, Mollison St, Kyneton. Friday, July 30.

[Arts] Woodend Winter Arts Festival: Includes events originally scheduled for the Queen’s Birthday long weekend. Venues across Woodend. August 7-8.

[Theatre] Blithe Spirit: Noel Coward’s comic play about a séance that backfires. Performed by the Cathouse Players. Kyneton Masonic Centre, 7 Yaldywn St West, Kyneton. August 13-22.

[Theatre] Harmony Hospital: Medical musical comedy. Bluestone Theatre, 28 Hutton St, Kyneton. August 28-29.

Warm wishes,

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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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!

Lead your horse to water

PAST TIMES

With thanks to Trentham & Districts Historical Society

The Cosmo Rd trough, one of two in Trentham. Picture: Trentham & Districts Historical Society

They were the petrol stations of their day.

Bills horse troughs were mostly built in the 1930s and were dotted across Victoria and NSW. In total, more than 500 were installed in Australia and overseas. Today they still stand modestly in many of our towns.

Trentham proudly boasts two, one in Market St, outside Aterics Cafe Bar, and the other on the edge of the town square near the corner of High St and Cosmo Rd.

The troughs were the legacy of George and Annis Bills, who came to Australia from England in the 1870s. The couple shared a passion for animal welfare and after George died in Melbourne in 1927, money from their estate funded the construction and installation of troughs “wherever they are desirable for the relief of horses and other dumb animals”.

Their standard design featured a large concrete trough for horses, a small one for dogs, and a chrome drinking fountain for people. However, World War II and the increasing popularity of the motor car brought their production to an end.

In addition to the examples in Trentham, you can see Bills troughs in Kyneton (cnr Piper St and Wedge St), Lancefield (jct Melbourne Rd and High St), Malmsbury (Mollison St), Mt Macedon (cnr Douglas Rd and Mt Macedon Rd) and Woodend (jct High St and Urquhart St).

Sue Worthington, curator of Trentham & Districts Historical Society.

Location information: Bills Horse Troughs

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