This week in the Macedon Ranges (November 25-December 1)

Welcome to Your Macedon Ranges for Monday, November 25, to Sunday, December 1.

🎅 The first Advent calendar door will be peeled open on Sunday. Click here for a guide to local Christmas events.

🌼 Small flowers are the subject of this week’s article on smartphone photography. Tiffany Warner has a great tip for capturing their beauty. Find her photo and advice below the list of events.

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

Click the links for more info 👇

Tuesday, November 26

Community Chatty Café: Enjoy a cuppa and a natter. Woodend Neighbourhood House, Forest St. 10am-11am.

Wednesday, November 27

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.

Orienteering Go Explore – Woodend: Beginner-friendly twilight orienteering event. Suitable for adults and children, and all fitness levels. Visitor Information Centre, Margery Cr, Woodend. 6pm-8pm. $5 per participant (parents shadowing children free).

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.

Thursday, November 28

Sport Tennis Challenge: Try pickleball, low-vision tennis, wheelchair tennis and other tennis activities. Equipment supplied. Plus sausage sizzle. For International Day of People with Disability. South Gisborne Tennis Club, 176 Millett Rd, Gisborne South. 10am-1pm. Free.

Gardens Mount Macedon Spring Garden Tour: Enjoy four beautiful gardens in Mount Macedon and Macedon: Shepherd’s Bush, Glen Rannoch, Duneira and Tugurium. Lunch at Duneira Stables. Mount Macedon Tours, 690 Mount Macedon Rd, Mount Macedon. 10am-3pm. $350.

Home & Garden The Art of Living Well Masterclass: One-day masterclass focusing on interiors, gardens, lifestyle and entertaining. Hosted by interior designer Charlotte Coote. Guest speakers Paul Bangay, Sophie Conran and Annie Smithers. Marnanie, 53 Devonshire Ln, Mount Macedon. 10am-5pm. $1595.

Woodend Late Night Shopping: Many shops and places to eat will be open. High St, Woodend. Until 9pm.

Friday, November 29

Garden Bonsai Nursery Open Day: A wide range of bonsai grown by an accomplished and knowledgeable plantsman. Visitors welcome to look and ask questions. Mount Macedon Bonsai Nursery, 4 Cheniston Rd, Mount Macedon. 9am-5pm.

Community Trentham Twilight Night: Food and drink, music and shopping. High St & Market St, Trentham. 4pm-8pm.

Music Pete Walsh: Piano music. Gindu, High St, Woodend. 6pm-9pm.

Music Magic Machine: Rock music. Major Tom’s, 57 Piper St, Kyneton. 8.30pm-11pm. $20.

Saturday, November 30

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.

Art Open Studios: Eleven artists in Macedon will open their studios and discuss their work. Macedon. 10am-4pm. Free.

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

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

Music William Alexander and Charlotte Le Lievre: Country and folk music. Major Tom’s, 57 Piper St, Kyneton. 8.30pm-11pm.

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Sunday, December 1

Sport Try Sports: Have a go at sports including Australian Rules football, cricket, soccer, tennis, netball, pickleball, badminton, petanque, and athletics. In support of the This Girl Can campaign. Gardiner Reserve, Hamilton St, Gisborne. 8am-1pm. Free.

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

Market Gisborne Olde Time Market: Aitken St/Hamilton St, Gisborne. 9am-2pm.

Art Open Studios: Eleven artists in Macedon will open their studios and discuss their work. Macedon. 10am-4pm. Free.

Food & Music Big Tree Sunday Session: Live music from Jarrod Shaw. Pizza, gin. Big Tree Distillery, 307 Hennerbergs Rd, Newham. 11am-5pm. $40.

Flowers Tour of Fleurs de Lyonville: Join Janae and Chris Paquin-Bowden for a tour of their flower farm. Make your own bouquet to take home. Fleurs de Lyonville, 35 Leishmans Ln, Lyonville. 1pm. $95.

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

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.

St Brigid’s Carols in the Hall: Singing and poetry. St Brigid’s Hall, Fisher St, Gisborne. 5.30pm.

Ghost Hunt Victoria Hotel Paranormal Investigation and Dinner: Meet spirits Gwendolyn, Isabella, the two-up players, and Wild George drinking at the bar. The Victoria Hotel, High St, Woodend. 7.30pm-9.30pm. $65.

Exhibitions

Gisborne Phoenix Macedon Ranges Art and Craft Group: Old Gisborne Courthouse, Hamilton St, Gisborne. Sat 10am-4pm, Sun 9am-2pm.

Kyneton The Old Auction House: Exhibition: Buttlejorrk and Macedon Ranges Potters, Megan McInerny and Astrid Lempriere. Mon-Fri 9am-5pm, Sat-Sun 10am-4pm. Book launch of “The Potters Kitchen” Sat Nov 30 2pm-4pm.

Kyneton Art on Piper: Exhibitions: Traditional Christmas, Black and White. Every day 10am-4pm.

Kyneton Stockroom: Exhibitions: Steven Bellosguardo, Welfe Bowyer. Thu-Sat 10.30am-5pm, Sun 11am-4pm. Opening event Sat 3pm-5pm.

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

Kyneton Kyneton Museum: Exhibition: Nurses, Medicine and Caring. Fri-Sun. 11am-4pm.

Kyneton Kyneton Ridge Artspace: Exhibition: Summer Show. Sat & Sun 11am-5pm.

Kyneton Trio Art Studio & Gallery: Exhibition: Maxine McKee, Sacred Heart College students. Sat-Mon 10am-4pm.

Mount Macedon The Gallery: Exhibition: Reuse and Recycle. 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: Fri-Mon 10am-4pm.

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

Coming up

Food Romsey Garlic Festival: Market garden tour and garlic braiding workshop. Farm shop, cakes, preserves and Christmas gifts. Barbecue by Melbourne chef Lorena Corso. Force of Nature Food Co, 221 Ochiltrees Rd, Romsey. 8am-2pm. Free. December 8.

Music Tim Rogers: See the You Am I frontman in concert. With folk singer-songwriter Mariah McCarthy. Kyneton Town Hall, Mollison St, Kyneton. 4pm-6pm. Full $64, Group 6+ $59. December 8.

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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Snap it with your phone

SMALL FLOWers

Professional photographer Tiffany Warner explains how you can make small flowers stand out.

Spring is the perfect time to photograph flowers. Capturing small flowers can be especially enjoyable when experimenting with different angles.

While the most natural approach is often to shoot from directly above, I chose to capture these seaside daisies from the side to highlight their varied heights. This, combined with a shallow depth of field (where only part of the image is in sharp focus), creates an intriguing effect. Try toggling your phone camera’s Portrait mode on and off to see the differences.

This technique can be applied to any small flowers or low-growing grasses. Try capturing a bee or butterfly in your shot to further enhance visual interest.

💡 Tip: When photographing small flowers or grasses, try shooting from the side rather than from above.

Happy snapping!

Tiffany

📷 In addition to portrait and commercial work, Tiffany Warner runs short courses on smartphone photography for social media. See more of her images on Instagram.

🎅 Find out about shopping nights, carols, films, workshops and festivals in the run-up to Christmas.

👉 Click here for the Christmas guide.

In the news

MACEDON RANGES: Councillor Dominic Bonanno has been elected as mayor. First-term councillor Kate Kendall is the new deputy mayor.

MACEDON RANGES: Telstra will upgrade its mobile base station at Macedon West to bring 5G coverage to the area. Its mobile services will be temporarily affected from Monday while the work is carried out.

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