This week in the Macedon Ranges (March 24-30)

Welcome to Your Macedon Ranges for Monday, March 24, to Sunday, March 30.

👮 Learn about 160 years of policing in Trentham at an open day at Trentham’s old police station on April 5. Explore the station, the stables and the lock-up, and see vintage car and uniform displays. The event has been organised by Trentham & District Historical Society in association with the Victoria Police Historical Society.

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

Click the links for more info 👇

Tuesday, March 25

Community Chatty Café: Enjoy a cuppa and a natter. Woodend Neighbourhood House, Forest St, Woodend. 10am-11.30am.

Author Talk Robert Dessaix – Chameleon: Writer Robert Dessaix is storyteller, critic and artist who has devoted his life to ideas. Join Dessaix and host Mel Fulton as they discuss his memoir, Chameleon. Kyneton Town Hall, Mollison St, Kyneton. 6pm-7pm. Full $10.

Wednesday, March 26

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-5pm.

Singing Woodend Warblers: Community choir. Norma Richardson Hall, Buckland St, Woodend. 7pm. $12 (first session free).

Quiz Trivia Night: General knowledge quiz. The Victoria Hotel, High St, Woodend. 7pm. Free.

Music Festival of Small Halls – Bullarto: Folk and contemporary music with Hat Fitz and Cara, Lucy Farrell, and Pink Lemonade. Barbecue at 6pm. Bullarto Hall, South Bullarto Rd, Bullarto. 7pm. Full $40, Child (12 and under) $10.

Thursday, March 27

Music Festival of Small Halls – Newham: Folk and contemporary music with Hat Fitz and Cara, Lucy Farrell, and Sage Roadknight. Newham Mechanics Institute, 1292 Rochford Rd, Newham. 7.30pm. Full $40.

Friday, March 28

Painting Art in the Garden: Watercolour masterclass with local artist Elizabeth Barnett. Enjoy a private tour of the gardens at Duneira, plus morning tea. Duneira, 1 Officer Ln, Mount Macedon. 9.30am-12.30pm. $250.

Entertainment Circus Latino: Clowns, aerial acts, hand balancing, jugglers, and fire and hoops. Performers from South America and Australia. Gisborne Steam Park, 10 Webb Cr, New Gisborne. 7pm-8.40pm. $20-$50.

Saturday, March 29

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

Market Macedon Farmers’ Market: Macedon Primary School, 67 Smith St, Macedon. 9am-1pm.

Community Macedon CFA Community Day: Activities for all ages, Wild Action Zoo, food and drink, goods and services auction. Macedon Fire Station, Cnr Smith St & Victoria St, Macedon. 9.30am-1pm.

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

Food Hot Cross Buns Cooking Class: Learn how to make delicious hot cross buns. Participants will leave with the recipe, six of your own buns, a jar of Piper St Food Co’s secret spice mix and a pastry scraper. Piper St Food Co, 89a Piper St, Kyneton 11am-1pm. $165.

Music Macedon Ranges Music Festival: Featuring Emma Donovan, Steph Strings, Hot Potato Band, Fools, Son Quba, Joshua Batten, Country Struts Boot Scooting and the Macedon Ranges Music Festival youth stage winner. Hanging Rock Reserve, South Rock Rd, Newham. 12pm-9pm. Adult $45, Concession $40, Child (6-17) $15.

Music The Legends – Adele: Singers including Amethyst Jane and Hannah Cooper will perform Adele’s hits, backed by a seven-piece band. Hedge Farm, 124 Three Chain Rd, Carlsruhe. 2.30pm-5pm. $38.

Music Victoria Welsh Choir: Now into its 46th year, this traditional Welsh male voice choir will perform hymns, ballads, show tunes, arias and Celtic favourites. Lancefield Mechanics Institute, The Crescent, Lancefield. 2.30pm-4.30pm. Full $45, Concession $40.

Music Choral Delights of Seven Centuries – Ensemble Gombert: Woodend Winter Arts Festival will launch its 2025 program with a concert by one of Australia’s leading chamber choirs. St Ambrose Church, Templeton St, Woodend. 3pm. Adult $45, Concession $40, Child $20.

Beer Brewery Tour: See how beer is brewed. Holgate Brewhouse, High St, Woodend. 3pm-4.30pm. $25.

Music & Dance Lauriston Hall Bush Dance: The band Eat Ya Greens will play Irish and Australian music. They will also teach and call dances. Lauriston Community Hall, Lauriston Rd, Lauriston. 5pm-10pm. Adult $30, Child (under 15) free.

Music Ollie: Live music in the bar. The Victoria Hotel, High St, Woodend. 6.30pm-9.30pm.

Music David Francey: Canadian folk singer-songwriter. Supported by Geoff Achison, a guitarist who grew up in Malmsbury. Malmsbury Hotel, Mollison St, Malmsbury. 7pm-10pm. $32.50.

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Sunday, March 30

Community Melanoma March Woodend: Join a walk along the Five Mile Creek footpath to raise awareness and funds for melanoma research and support. Guest speaker Mary-Anne Thomas. Coffee van and free barbecue. Campaspe Dr, Woodend. 8am-11am. Family $80, Adult $40, Child (5-17) $20.

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

Drink Coffee Masterclass: Learn about all things coffee and enhance your coffee-making skills. Rafael’s Coffee Roastery, Musk Gully Rd, Lancefield. 9.30am-12.30pm. $99.

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

Food & Music Music in the Vines: Live music from Puttin’ on the Spritz. Glen Erin at Lancefield, 200 Rochford Rd, Lancefield. 12pm-4pm.

Music Wind Trios: Matthew Kneale (bassoon), Rachel Bullen (oboe), and Paavali Juumpanen (piano) will perform trios by Poulenc, Beethoven, and Ian Whitney. Lowland Farm, 70 Brougham Rd, Mount Macedon. 2.30pm-4.30pm. $60.

Beer Brewery Tour: See how beer is brewed. Holgate Brewhouse, High St, Woodend. 3pm-4.30pm. $25.

Music The Light of Love: Solo lute recital by Rosemary Hodgson. Plus a light afternoon tea baked by Annie Smithers. Babbington Park Chapel, 84 Lyonville Rd, Lyonville. 3pm-5pm. $60.

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: Exhibitions: Elle Pervez and Carolyn Brennan-Tucker, Jahne Hope-Williams. Mon-Fri 9am-5pm, Sat-Sun 10am-4pm.

Kyneton Art on Piper: Exhibitions: 7 Elements of Art, Grant Medbury. Every day 10am-4pm.

Kyneton Stockroom: Exhibitions: Rhett D’Costa; Carly Fisher, Juan Ford, James Guerts, Desmond Lazaro, Nick Mangan, Michael Vale, Lisa Waup; Kris Coad. Thu-Sat 10.30am-5pm, Sun 11am-4pm.

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

Kyneton Kyneton Museum: Exhibition: Good Sports, Leisure and Recreation in the Macedon Ranges. Fri-Sun. 11am-4pm.

Kyneton Kyneton Ridge Artspace: Exhibition: Beneath the Surface (group). Fri-Sun 11am-5pm.

Mount Macedon The Gallery: Exhibition: Amaya De Silva. Fri-Tues 10am-4pm.

Newham Hanging Rock Winery: Exhibition: Art in the Vines (sculptures). 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: Thu-Mon 10am-4pm.

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

Coming up

Community Lancefield Whole Town Garage Sale: Maps $5. Lancefield Men’s Shed, 76 High St, Lancefield. 8am-2pm. April 5.

Food & Drink Wine Under the Stars: Take a tour of the night sky with the Astronomical Society of Victoria while you enjoy dinner and a glass of wine. Hanging Rock Winery, Jim Rd, Newham. 6pm-10.30pm. $99. April 5.

Ghost Hunt Islay House Paranormal Investigation: A former coaching inn, Islay House once offered accommodation to miners travelling to the Bendigo goldfields. Since then it has been owned by various families. Find out about the spirits who keep watch over this Woodend landmark. Islay House, 123 High St, Woodend. 7pm-9pm. $44. April 9.

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.

🍂 If you enjoy gardens and gardening, there’s lots to see and do in the Macedon Ranges this autumn. Click here for a guide to local autumn garden events. Added this week: Michael McCoy’s latest garden design symposium, Camelot estate’s first public opening.

In the news

🍰 MOUNT MACEDON: Parks Victoria is expected to announce the new operator of the Top of the Range tea rooms in the coming weeks. “We expect they will commence operations later this year, after making a significant investment in the historic building and facilities,” a Parks Victoria spokesperson said. The couple who ran the cafe for the past 14 years revealed this month that their lease had not been renewed.

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