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April 1 – May 2017 vol 8 ~ issue 9:6

www.theBLACKWOODTIMES.com.au

STOP PRESS!Breaking News. It has been reported that British celebrity chef and proprietor of The Fat Duck restaurant , Heston Blumenthal, has expressed interest in Blackwood’s Cob&Co Tearooms. We believe that the new establishment is to be named the Fat Wombat. Mmmmm.

Meanwhile Rupert Murdock has launched an aggressive takeover of our very own Blackwood Times. Sorry, you can’t afford us, Rupe.Readers are advised to check the issue date.

L-R: Bert Oliver, Ernie Terrill & Clem Budge on the gate at the Easter carnival sometime in the 80’s.

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BLACKWOOD

2 The BLACKWOOD TIMES April – May 2017 April – May 2017 The BLACKWOOD TIMES 3

THE BLSP: A SCEPTIC’S VIEWAs one of the 8 properties initially targeted for The Blackwood Local septic program (BLSP), & as a BAG member, I thought I would share a brief account of my septic installation experience with the community.

Prior to installment, there was an on-site meeting with the relevant personnel on my property. All the applications including the permits, both “ Permit to Install” & “Permit to Use”, were taken care of & paid for through the Project Manager, James Maw. I was also given the information on what to expect during & after the installation of the system, through The Septic Systems Australia Company. As my property size covers 779m2, an Envirosep 2000, a subsurface irrigation system, was chosen. This Aerated Wastewater Treatment System, provides both “the primary & secondary treatment of wastewater from a household. They utilize a conventional septic tank & use additional processes of aeration, clarification & disinfection to further treat the wastewater.” The system is made up of a Primary Tank, a Treatment Plant Tank, a Pump Well & a subsurface field of pipes laid underneath my lawn.

The project took 4 full days, & some 1/2 days scattered randomly, to be able to finish & recheck the work. The crew rocked up every morning at 7am, & worked consistently through to 4pm, & some days until 6pm. I was always informed on the what they were attempting to accomplish on the day, & even bended to my demand that NO plant or shrub be removed. On the 1st day, as with most properties in Blackwood, the team leader hit rock, a massive amount of rock, yet was able to push through, & by 2pm I had a sizeable hole in my front yard ... large enough to sink a Volkswagon into comfortably!

Across the following week I would experience - blue paint sprayed on my lawn to map out the design for the irrigation pipes to be laid. The

around $3pw ex GST your businesses advertisement will support the continued publication of The Blackwood Times. Call 5368 6444 or download a rate sheet from theblackwoodtimes.com.au

destruction of my old septic system, & laying of all new pipes to simplify & connect all my household waste to the new system. New electrical cables laid underground to connect to the Envirosep Pump which requires 240 volts to run,with the final installation by an electrician.

Yes, there was noise including earthmoving equipment, jack hammers & power tools. Yes, my garden looked like a WW1 site, with trenches & a vast hole. But surprisingly, my sewer & power services were interrupted for only 3 to 4 hours throughout the entire installation, which meant I was able to use my toilet for the majority of the time.

As the final pipes were laid, new topsoil placed atop & seed scattered for a future lawn, I observed how remarkable it was that not one plant was injured or destroyed in the process. Overall, I am more than pleased in this early stage of ownership.

The negatives:

• The system needs to be serviced quarterly by an accredited service technician: cost approx. $ 100.00 each time]

• The system requires a continuous power supply.

• You need to de-sludge the system roughly every 4 -6 years

• The project has cost me $800.00, also remembering that we do pay sewerage rates.

The positives: The project covers all the cost of maintenance of the system for a 2 year period.

• I have saved around $25,000 in not having to pay for a new system myself.

• My garden & lawns are now being watered.

So in closing, the experience was much less traumatic than I envisioned. I have also acquired a beautiful green glass bottle, fully intact circa 1900, some donkey horse shoes, & a wheel from a possible cart to carry gold all found in the diggings on my property. But I also am now the proud owner of 2 very fat bronze wing pigeons, who believe that my garden has the best tasting seed around!

~ Noelle Shader

The BLACKWOODTIMES invites submissions from the community. If you’re at a local event please take a photo or two & write a few lines to share in our community news. Deadlines are as follows

Advertisers book space May 15

Regular Contributors, Features & Items of Interest, Community Groups & Clubs

May 15

Display Ad Artwork, Gig & Events Guide May 20

Late breaking News May 20

NO late submissions will be accepted. Please email submissions, display ads & articles to editor@theBLACKWOODTIMES.com.au or post to The Blackwood Times, PO Box 39 Blackwood, 3458.

Download our Advertising Rate Card & back issues (in colour) from www.theBLACKWOODTIMES.com.au &, while you’re there, sign-up to join our eList & follow us https://www.facebook.com/theblackwoodtimes

The BLACKWOOD TIMES reserves the right to edit or refuse any article or advertising. The opinions expressed in articles are not necessarily those of the editor.

The BLACKWOOD TIMES is produced as a community service by Jinny Coyle 5368 6444 & sponsored by FluxDesignStudio.com.au

theBLACKWOODTIMES.com.au ©2017 Jinny Coyle

the BLACKWOOD TIMES info

EDITOR’S THOUGHTS...

Thank you our HANDS-UP helpers – you are the reason we’re able to keep publishing... (along with our regular contributors of course!)

Jimmy Olsen played by... Brendan Hehir

Calendar of Events co-ordinator Rachel Palmer

Advertising co-ordinator Could this be you?

Social Media Manager or perhaps this?

Co-ordinate contributors Your name here?

Regular Photographers The Donnellys, Jimmy Olsen

Event columnists Do you love to write?

Community Co-ordinator Sandy Schmidt

Senior Citizens Co-ordinator Lindy Mundy

Media Co-ordinator Perhaps this is up your alley?

Distribution Co-ordinator The infamous Carlson

Typist Di Hewes

Hello Blackwoodians,

What a funny old Autumn it’s been so far! & a busy time in Blackwood with new & old annual events. Our social album is full of lots of hilarity being had at the inaugural St Pat’s Recovery Day & the 3rd Pink Stumps Day. One weekend we had not 1, not 2 but 4 weddings on one Saturday, including our pub chef, Brad, who wed his beloved Michelle!

With school holidays & Easter coming hot on our tails watch out for wildlife from dusk to dawn. It’s always so sad to see road kill coming into town, including our iconic wombats! Apparently the area up from the bridge towards out of town toward Barry’s Reef is a crossing point for wombats. Probably not any more! Quite a few have been killed there.

DELWP is calling for applicants to put their hands up to join the skills-based Crown Reserves Committee of Management. 3 current members have re-applied which is great for continuity but wouldn’t it be great if we could have some women take up roles. The application process is outlined on p7 & on p6 you can read the achievements of the previous committee.

A number of other committees are calling for members or help ... CERT would love new responders (p18) & the crew running the Easter carnival could do with a hand!

The Blackwood Localised Septic Program which has been the main focus of the Blackwood Action Group (BAG) is seeing great results & CEMP (a BAG spin off) held a very successful Emergency Planning day which involved running a fire scenerio. If you missed it keep your ear to the ground because there are plans to hold a mini scenerio in the near future.

~ have a great Easter, I’ll see you around ... Jinny Coyle (editor)

David Rodgers feels “re-energised”. Ready to embark on long-delayed mantenance on his home, after recieving a new septic.

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• POP THE FIZZ •

Congratulations to Brad & Michelle on your March wedding.

~ Photo courtesy Urs Oehler

CERT member Marie-Claire Blin relaxing with her fur-babies before she gets stuck into studying for her Certificate IV in Leadership & Management. (see CERT update p6)

4 The BLACKWOOD TIMES April – May 2017 April – May 2017 The BLACKWOOD TIMES 5

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The Wombie Book Club broke with meeting tradition in March & met for lunch & drinks at the St Patricks day recovery session to see Trenthamite Peter Fernon recite his verses about the renowned Dr Gwynth Wisewould who has been the focus or many discussions in the group as well as historical story songs about the characters of the Trentham area.

See the latest wombie reviews on p17

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HOW’S THE WEATHER BEEN?

• TRENTHAM BOM figure normally slightly more than Blackwood.

We are experiencing a very dry start to the year similar to 2016.

~ by Don Owen

MONTH & YEAR Rainfall (mm) Rainfall historical average (mm)

Temp monthly min (deg C)

Temp monthly max (deg C)

Temp average daily max (deg C)

Temp average daily min (deg C)

Temp average for month (deg C)

Jan '17 *31.2 50 7.1 37.4 29.3 10.9 18.8

Feb '17 *28.3 54 1.1 37.8 27 8.8 16.6

DOGS, GUNS, NOISE, & THE WOLTER FAMILY OF LONG GULLYMount Blackwood, Victoria, 1864:We can see that most of our past ancestors have some high degree of cultural expertise & a broad range of diversity. But why did they come to Australia in the first place, & was it for gold or poverty & why so far? Perhaps it was for adventure & new lands, or the relentlessness & pain of depression, lack of food, & the hope for a better future? Maybe it’s all the above, but one suggests it was the gold rush & the rich pickings that former relatives were hoping for, which played a major part in their exodus. The weather was also different apart from the mosquitoes, snakes, spiders, & other killers, the people apparently loved the place.

With difficult times for families in both Ireland, Europe, & the British Isles, hearing that gold had been found overseas was now the chance to strike it rich, put food on the table & enjoy a modest life in the unforgiving continent of the Great Southern Land, Australia. A chance of a better way & a fresh start, but for others sadly, it would be the end of their dreams, the harsh reality of life & their final resting place. Gold in the ‘Mount Blackwood’ district was relatively unknown. Because of the harsh terrain, & the inaccessibility to venture further into huge scrub lands & bush, it seems persons were limited. Food services, & water, would play a major part along with cut tracks.

Blackwood had always been of interest to me. Since the late 70’s, I had become aware of it through family as I started my genealogical interests. As a country boy from Warrnambool, I was interested in the bush & all she had to offer. Gold & precious metals were far from my thoughts at this stage of my life, but for some reason I started to get an interest where we all came from. Of course, my family were not the slight bit interested &, in fact tried to play it all down. The reasons came out later as like most families, some skeletons emerged from the closet. Quite trivial really, & would hardly be mentioned these days, but back in ‘those days’ scandalous & were a great form of gossip that would really affect people, their families, & their lifestyles.

Some brief Irish family history: The Kelly’s were already arriving in the western district, at ‘Portland Bay’, Belfast (now Port Fairy) in the 1850’s. They came from County Tipperary, in the villages, of Moyglass, Clonbrogan, & Ballysheehan, & neighbouring County Kilkenny’s, Ballycallan, Ballykeefe, & Bennetsbridge. Others made the trip up north from Ballymeglaff, in County Down. Most arrived by free passage, others not so, for trying to feed their families & friends during the the great famine of Ireland. In February 1854, aged 70yo, Mary Kelly (Egan) (a Co Tipperary woman) brought most of her family to Australia. The exception was her late husband Pat Kelly 1st who had died. A County Tipperary man, he was from Moyglass, but later lived in County Kilkenny, Ireland.

Pat Kelly’s claim to fame was that his niece Marie, was a private secretary who worked for Éamon de Valera in 1922, during the wars of independence, who became one of Irelands political leaders, later the President of Ireland. My 4th grandfather, some great uncles, & cousins all how were Kelly’s resided in the Western District, but most moved to NE Victoria. Once settled, their movements drifted to places across the NE such as Benella, Avenel, Beveridge, Greta, & West Greta, in the close surrounding districts. My 2nd cousin twice removed from my mother’s side, was Edward (Ned) Kelly. His father John was my 1st cousin, his father Tom, my great uncle, & his father John Kelly, my 4th great grandfather. All the Kelly’s, Lloyds, Egans, Darmodys, Hands, & the Maltby’s were related, in some shape or form, & all Victorian family members, whom we are very proud.

Destination Mount Blackwood: In 1864, my 2nd great grandfather Hermann Friedrich Wolter, the 2nd Hermann, out of 3, arrived on Australian shores on April 4 1864, at Hobson’s Bay, Williamstown, the main entry into Melbourne. Hermann had left Deutschland for Australia in search of gold & a new beginning. A large move considering German families were normally quite close & reluctant to ‘split’ families. With the family religion, being Evangelic in Kirchdorf, there would have been some hesitance from family & relatives, for his move back in the 1860’s. His parents gave permission to leave, & he headed for the Australian gold fields on a promise of a better life & a wealth of unknown riches. Meeting & marrying his beautiful wife Annabella Wightman, a Northern Irish girl from County Down, was indeed a richness, as was having his new family, ‘The Wightman’s of Mount Blackwood.

They gained a great son in law, as Hermann had been living & working in Barry’s Reef, & Red Hill, since his arrival in 1864. In 1873 he put down some money on two blocks of land in Golden Point Rd. He built 2 houses,

& a few large sheds, 1 house which still stands today, & has now been completely renovated by Alan & Marilyn Hutchison. Marilyn’s family were Whalebone residents. Hermann Friedrich Wolter, had enjoyed a modest living in Blackwood. A successful carpenter & builder, working for his father in law, & shoring mine timbers. He, along with the company of his wife’s family the Wightman’s, enjoyed the country side & the benefits of hard work in a town along with the gold rush, its pubs, shops, & noise.

13 to 20 thousand people setup & prospected for gold in a 40km area. With such a massive influx of people brought the obvious trouble into town. It’s not known how Annabella & Hermann met, but coming from good family backgrounds, one would have expected they met through friends or at a country function. It seemed that the German people, both women & men, were well received back in the day at Mount Blackwood. Extremely hard working & handy with skills, the men thrived in various disciplines. The German women were very well received causing quite a stir amongst the locals & city men. Tall, mostly blonde, very attractive, there was a mystery about them & they were very good cooks & they set up small minorities in the district.

But it was an Irish lass that caught my grandfather’s eye. How they met or when she first came across him is anyone’s guess, but it would have been an interesting conversation given the strong German & northern Irish accents. There’s no doubt it was in Blackwood during the gold rush, but I am wondering how his German/English was, & how he understood the broad Northern Irish County Down accent, from Annabella & her family, during the 1st weeks of his courtship. It must have been love at first sight given the differences, both were young & fresh in a new country during exciting times. It didn’t take long for Hermann to propose marriage; he had a lot to offer & was already a qualified ships carpenter & had ongoing work. This would have also gone down very well with his future father in law who had a large timber business, & just what John Wightman needed to further pursue his business.

Hermann worked for John at his sawmill & in the mine shafts, when required, constructing tunnel support at the Golden Barr Mine. Dangers were present, Hermann it’s documented witnessed a fall of a miner & appeared along with many others at the death inquest. Sadly, it was an all too familiar occurrence during mining times. Hermann’s family was small by comparison to normal German/Irish families with only 2 children being born, both boys. John Hermann Friedrich, & Friedrich William Wolter, brought great joy to the family & grew up in the Mount Blackwood area, attending schools & learning about life. Hermann had started to add to the 2 houses with the coming of the 1st new baby back in the early 1870’s, & had built & furnished his place & the coming bakery from land purchased years earlier, & now it was to being finished, along with the next-door property.

On the old property ledger, properties 34 & 33 respectfully were owned by Hermann F. Wolter, of Golden Point Road, smaller blocks of a rectangle shapes, long, & running down the back towards the creek. The other site number 33 was on the left side of the main house & was a larger property with a 5 bedroom house being built on it & room for horses, cows & farm materials. Golden Point Road was now the family home & 15 years later around 1888 was being operated as a Home Bakery by the sons. The family lived & worked in this 6br place, & operated the bakery, upstairs & down. It remained a family home for a long period but was eventually sold after Hermann’s death. Hermann & Annabella Wolter had 2 sons, the first being Johann (known as John) Hermann Friedrich Wolter, born on the 7th of August, at Redhill, Blackwood in 1873.

~ Glenn Friedrich Wolter

BLACKWOOD HILLBILLY WINNERSWe were very fortunate to win the peoples choice award after our gig at The Sydney Road Street Party this year. We weren’t expecting to win but thanks to social media campaigning & HUGE support from friends, family & fans we managed to take the prize! We came away with a generous $2000 grant from Brunswick Bitter but more importantly, a feeling of overwhelming gratitude & the realisation that we have so many lovely people out there who love & support what we do. Clint & I play regular gigs & festivals that take us on some exciting adventures far & wide. Our next big trip will be to the USA to soak up the music & share a bit of what we do. The Sydney Road Street Party prize money will go towards this trip & hopefully a new recording later in the year. As well as travelling around for festivals, we play a lot of local gigs, parties, weddings & events. You can check out our upcoming gigs on our website- www.catandclint.com or www.facebook.com/catandclint . Thanks for the support!

~ Cat & Clint

Look out for the duo playing at the easter carnival

WHAT GOOD OLD DAYS?~ by Ewan Cameron

Last week, in town, I saw some primary school children wandering through the shopping centre car park. A young lass was talking on her mobile phone while an older boy was playing some sort of game on a tech device. Neither paid any attention to passing vehicles nor the possibility of meeting their maker prematurely. It prompted memories of my primary school days in the late 50’s. There were no mobile technical distractions at all in those days. Our education was pretty rudimentary & spartan. There were huge challenges for teachers & students alike.

It was nothing for 50 pupils to be in a classroom & there were many classrooms. We were an obedient & compliant lot, especially as the strap provided a strong deterrent to misbehaviour. It was a regimented society back then because with such big numbers, order & control were important. This was because successive conservative governments were ultra-conservative in their spending so there were very few support programs.

I remember early in the school day we were provided with free milk at school. This was a well-intentioned post-war program to improve children’s nutrition. I HATED school milk! After a couple of hours sitting in the warm summer sun, by 10:30 a.m. the milk tasted as if it had already been regurgitated. Fortunately, a lot of horse-trading went on so some children were able to have 2 or 3 (one-third pint) bottles. Thank goodness for the milk-lovers.

Some mornings, the senior school was assembled for marching in military style. To the tune of “Colonel Bogey” blaring over the school P.A. system we stomped in formation up & down the playground. Points were awarded to different squads for exemplary stomping. At the beginning we were resolute & very British army-like. At the end we still resembled the British army - but more like after its debacle at Dunkirk! One day, a girl who always wore long, beautiful plaits tripped & fell. Perhaps it was too early in the morning or maybe it was their determination to earn extra points for their squad. Whatever the reason, her colleagues continued to march over the poor girl - from her heels to her head!

“Sloyd” is a long-redundant word for the school subject otherwise known as woodwork. While the girls crocheted their pot-holders & tea cosies, the boys used fretsaws to each cut a plywood rectangle, then cut a piece of dowel into 4 mitred at the ends to 45 degrees. Over the year we had continuously collected used matches (just about everybody smoked in those days) which were painstakingly glued to the plywood to make trays for our mums. I realised later that this was a great ruse to give our overworked teacher some respite. Poor sod.

For the last hour of every Friday grade 6 boys had to clean up the school garden. About 30 boys would squabble over the few tools available like seagulls competing for a dead prawn, with the strongest gulls always winning. We were told to dig the gardens & pull out weeds under the pines. As the soil under pine trees is rock hard & nothing grows there anyway, our horticultural ambitions degenerated into throwing pine cones, sticking pine resin on unsuspecting heads or shoving pine needles down each other’s shirts.

In wintertime, we were locked outside come rain, hail or snow. Kids who pleaded to get inside were turned away. It was like turning up to a nightclub wearing thongs & being confronted by a bouncer.

”Get back to the shelter shed!” the monitors would yell.Shelter sheds? Absolute mayhem on rainy days. Fifty kids or so

playing hoppo bumpo, chasey or just throwing balls in such a confined space. Good training in steeling yourself for Russian Roulette!

Somehow we survived!

6 The BLACKWOOD TIMES April – May 2017 April – May 2017 The BLACKWOOD TIMES 7

Expressions of interest - Blackwood Crown Reserves Committee of Management Inc. Nominations are invited from members of the community for membership to the volunteer Blackwood Crown Reserves Committee of Management. The committee is responsible for the day-to-day management, care and protection of Crown land reserves in Blackwood. Specific interest or skills in one of the following areas would be highly regarded:

• Knowledge of community interests and needs

• Community liaison, education and/or training

• Committee and meeting procedures, and administration

• Environmental management • Business management

• Human resource management • Asset management • Legal affairs • Financial

management/accounting • Sport and recreation • Aboriginal & cultural heritage • Tourism and marketing

All expressions of interest will be considered. Further information and nomination forms are available from the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP),telephone Katie Gleisner (03) 5336 6812 or email: publicland.ballarat@delwp.vic.gov.au

All Expressions of Interest (EOIs) are to be on the formal nomination form and close Wednesday 19 April 2017.

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COMMUNITY GROUP UPDATES Anglican Church: Bacchus Marsh Parish

See p23 for Easter service list.www.bacchusmarshanglican.org.au or contact 5367 5362.

~ Nina Harbison

Blackwood Action Group (BAG)see BLSP article p3

~ Brendan Hehir (chair)

Blackwood CFAFairly quiet time lately around the town as another fire season begins

to wind down but it does not mean we relax completely as we should all always be alert to our surroundings. A quiet summer for a change after a wet winter & spring. The brigade has extinguished a number of campfires & attended an illegal burn off. A very dry March & continued warm weather has dried the bush out considerably, so the risk of fire remains till the Autumn rains. Be careful with power tools & mowers. Mowers & grinders have accounted for a number of fires in our region this season.

As Autumn is upon us, you may need to get the chimney checked for any obstructions before it becomes time to light our fireplaces again.

As a precaution, keep a spray bottle filled with water near the fireplace so if something unexpected happens you can squirt water into the fireplace. These can be purchased at most supermarkets, the Reject shop or even online.

Don’t forget to check all your smoke detector batteries. It is also a good time to check the dates on the detector, this is usually on a label near the battery compartment, most detectors have a life span of 10 years & need to be replaced for continued protection.

Working smoke detectors have been proven to save lives so always check them by pressing the test button, changing the batteries regularly & checking the date.

Locate your closest hydrant & advise us of its condition, either via the facebook page or drop into the station on Sunday morning. The brigade has a facebook page which is Blackwood CFA.

Over the coming months we will be organising a few activities so keep an eye out on this space as well as the Facebook page & the web site http://www.blackwoodcfa.com/

Take care & remember in the event of any emergency call 000 & look out for your neighbours.

~ Karl Church

Blackwood Crown ReservesAs our team comes to an end of our tenure we look back over the

years of things we have achieved while at the same time we leave with a balance of approx $80k.

CARAVAN PARK: fire plans for park | contracts for van holders | fire blankets & smoke alarms to all vans | power-leads tagged & safety switches fitted| purchase of 2 vans for Crown Reserves | .equipment & 2 verandahs to 2 vans | satellite dish to the camp hut.

RESIDENCE: fenced off back & front | added new split system heater, fixed kitchen | shed area fenced & secured | the park had new hot water services put into the showers | grant to do tables & BBQ’d st springs | addition of cosy tents

THE HALL: painted inside, a grant for the floor | another large tank | microwave & dishwasher & addition of Central Highlands Library | upgrade of mens & womens toilets | hire forms drawn up for hall & sportsground | addition of a new pavilion at the sportsground from a grant.

Thanks to T Bellett for drawing up fire plans & as treasurer | M Allen for all his help & donations of equipment etc | Brad as ranger & Jenni as treasurer | Barbara for cleaning & support | P Fowler, D White, M Boyd & N Van Gossum for their help | F Moore for her kind donations | A Hall & T Pywell for the many hours put in helping Crown Reserves unpaid | we are also grateful to P Skinner | to B Moore for the many hours doing grants & for doing many plumbing jobs & never charging, it has been a big help to funds.

~ Elizabeth Hall, Secretary

Jenny & Brad are busy with the full caravan park right up until Easter. Over Easter they are running a disco on Saturday night April 15, on Easter Sunday there is an Easter Egg hunt for a gold coin donation, & raffles for Easter hampers to raise money for a new playground, so loads of activities for the campers as well as the locals to participate in. For information on the Caravan Park, please call 53 686 539.

Blackwood Community Emergency Management Plan (CEMP)

see scenerio article p21

~ Blackwood CEMP Planning Group

BLACKWOOD CERT1. Scholarship Award for Blackwood CERT member: Blackwood

CERT is proud to report that one of our dedicated members Marie-Claire Blin, better known as “MC”, has been awarded the VFVB (Volunteer Fire Brigades Victoria) Volunteer Leadership Program 2017 scholarship. MC will study alongside volunteers from organisations such as CFA, SES, as well as other Ambulance Victoria volunteers, to gain the Certificate IV in Leadership & Management. We wish MC all the best & will report back later in the year. (see photo p6)

2. The CERT car has a new temporary car parking space thanks to the wonderful efforts of the Blackwood CERT Committee of Management, CERT Station sub-committee & the Blackwood Crown Reserves Committee. Also the Senior Citizens have offered up a space in the hall for storage of CERT equipment until we find our “forever home”. So positive after many years of stalling - things are really moving along!

3. Lollies! Want to win some? Now I’ve got your attention, have you got a question for a CERT member? Want to become a “Friend of CERT”? Come & visit our CERT stall at the Easter Carnival. While you’re there check out our raffle - each year bigger & better than the last year.

4. Having an allergic reaction? More people die from insects than from snake bites in Australia each year. With gum trees out in flower & the large amount of bee hives around Blackwood at the moment the chance of insect bites are higher than usual. Blackwood CERT members Ivan Johnston & Jan Purchase managed to get to one patient recently in the nick of time to help prevent him becoming another statistic. CERT has been busy of late with allergy related cases. Not all turn into anaphylaxis, but if you’re ever in doubt, don’t hesitate, call 000 & ask for ambulance.

5. Do you have anything you can donate to our fundraising raffle at the Easter Carnival? Please call Jinny 5368 6444.

~ Margaret McCarthy, Blackwood CERT Team Leader 0427 344 055

Blackwood Historical SocietyThanks to the many people who attended the society on our open

day in March. This Easter there will be a mine display in the shed at the Easter Sports & we will be selling our soft drinks from the old kitchen. Our members will be showing off their new polo tops as a club effort.

On Sunday night we will be doing bingo at the hall & open the stables during the day.

All our efforts go to the running of the society & making additions to our collections. Thank-you, have a safe easter

~ Allan Hall, President

Blackwood Progress AssociationThe count down has started, only 3 & a bit weeks to go until the

Blackwood Woodchop & Carnival. Many things still to be done & multiple lists on the go. We still need helpers for set-up Easter Friday, lots throughout the Saturday & for packing up. Please contact Deirdre on 0427 016 284 if you have even half an inkling to volunteer. There is sure to be a job that suits you! The Carnival wouldn’t happen without the wonderful support, hard work & generousity of our wonderful community. So if you have an hour or two to spare we would love to hear from you. Otherwise, keep spreading the word, come to the Woodchop & Carnival (and Crowning ceremony) & vote for the 2017 Blackwood Queen & King!

~ Sue Donnelly, Secretary

Blackwood Senior CitizensEaster is nearly upon us so please take care on the roads. We have 2

special birthdays to celebrate, Barbara Sweet & Betty Banks, we wish you both a very Happy Birthday & hope you enjoy your celebrations. A new cook is about to join us, a very warm welcome to Jenny & a sad farewell to Lindy, we hope your studies go well & see you in the future. Another announcement is the second great grandchild is on the way for Joan & Harry, congratulations to you both. Our next planned outing is to the Ballarat Wildlife Centre on April 6. If you would like to join us please contact Bev Herd on 53 686 526 or myself Dianne Volpe on 53 686 795. The Blackwood Senior Citizens meet every Wednesday of the month at 10.30am. The men play pool while the ladies play Rummikub until lunch at 12pm where the raffle is drawn, & then we have a few games of bingo. Some play carpet bowls which is a lot of fun, so come & join us we would love to see you there.

~ Dianne Volpe (Secretary)

Blackwood Uniting ChurchMeditation at Blackwood House at 7pm, on the 1st & 3rd Monday

of each month. All welcome. ~ Robyn Zanon

If you would like to let your community know about your organisation, what your focus in the community is & how you would like support, please email Sandy at – galaxyss@hotmail.com. We’d love to hear from you.

BLACKWOOD CRICKET CLUBThe Blackwood Cricket Club did not have as successful a year in the 16/17 season as it has had for the past few years, we did welcome a lot of new players so we’re looking forward to their development & hope that the 17/18 season brings us more success. There are still individual achievements to be awarded though & we will be holding our Presentation night at the Blackwood Hotel on Sat April 8 @ 6:30pm. If anyone is interested in attending just contact Jodie on 0414832095 or the pub directly 5368 6501

PINK STUMPS

We raised $3115, what a fantastic effort, this is our 3rd year with the event & certainly our most profitable.

A big thank you to the players, the volunteers, the supporters & the community. We would be unable to raise this sort of money without the donations from our generous sponsors, they are listed below so any support you could also show them would be greatly appreciated;

Sue Anderson, Essendon Football Club, Kirby Firewood, Goonwarra Golf Course in Sunbury, Blackwood Holiday Park, Blackwood Hotel, Greendale Hotel, Ballan Commercial Hotel, The Plough in Trentham, Chaplins in Trentham, Ballan True Value Hardware, KUKI in Trentham, Blackwood Hair Boutique, Reading Cinema, Ballan Salavatore Butchers, Bursons, D&M Traders in Ballan, Sunbury Bunnings, Sunbury’s Royal Hotel, Sunbury Cellars, Itahlia Bistro in Sunbury, Toyworld Sunbury, Sunbury Mower & Chainsaw, Morgans Supa IGA Sunbury, Relysh Bistro Sunbury, Foodworks at Melba Sunbury, Melbourne Drum Recycling, & the following individual people for their kind donations Sue DeJong, Denise Fewster, the Henry’s, the Carr’s & the Turnbull’s.

Remember the cricket club are running the Bar & the BBQ at the Easter Carnival on Sat April 15 at the Rec Reserve so get down there for a fun day out & support the market stalls & all the food stalls. See photos p8 & 9.

April – May 2017 The BLACKWOOD TIMES 9 8 The BLACKWOOD TIMES April – May 2017

Nick’s got a bee in his bonnet about this power cable - 3.5m off the road!

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• BLACKWOODIANS UP TO MISCHIEF (AGAIN) ST PAT’S RECOVERY • • PINK STUMPS 2017 •

April – May 2017 The BLACKWOOD TIMES 11 10 The BLACKWOOD TIMES April – May 2017

weddings, parties, anything!hire the Blackwood Hallkitchen, stage, meeting room

very reasonable rates phone 5368 6537

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Blackwood Woodchop & Easter CarnivalSaturday 15th April 2017 11am-4.30pmBlackwood Recreation ReserveEaster Saturday is a special day in Blackwood, a small town in the Wombat State Forest. The sound of axes & carnival mayhem will once again ring out over the forest during this not-for-profit event. The Blackwood Progress Association hosts the day & funds support our 340 person bush community. This event has a long tradition & has been running in its current form since at least 1894.

Gold was first discovered in Blackwood on November 14, 1854 & within months the population had grown to 13k. During one week in September 1855 there were 497 miners rights & 95 business license applications. An annual sports day was established & wood chopping soon became a highlight. The Bacchus Marsh Express reported in March 1894: “in addition to other sports on the ground, an attractive series of chopping contests have been arranged, in which something like £10 will be given away in prizes.” & in 1897: “Every one present seemed bent upon enjoying themselves ... the shooting gallery [being] well patronised till the ammunition ran out”!

George Stockdale remembers a time around the war, when a tote was run on the woodchoppers with Garry Matheson being, more likely than not, the favourite “because he was a local lad & a good chopper!” People fondly remember Hetty the Hen leading the parade & folk arriving in horse & jinker. Hetty was created in the early 1940’s by Myer Melbourne as an Easter promotion & was on display at their Bourke Street store for many years. Children received chocolate eggs rolled out of a shoot, courtesy of someone sitting inside. Hetty graced the Moomba parade in the 1950’s & made her Blackwood Street Parade debut in the mid 1970’s, surrounded by local children dressed as yellow chicks. History is still very much alive in Blackwood today, with the main street looking very much as it did in the 1860’s. Local historical & gold panning tours are available and, you can take it on good authority, there is still plenty of gold to be found.

Carnival festivities commence at 11am with the street parade led by Hetty departing from corner of Whalebone Road & Martin Street. Glory, accolades & kudos are up for grabs with trophies for the ‘Most Humorous’, ‘Best Decorated Vehicle’ (car/trailer/float etc), ‘Best Decorated Bicycle’, ‘Best Dressed Kid’, ‘Most Imaginative Entry’ & ‘Best Blackwood Theme’. Come along on foot, float, horse or bicycle & join in the parade or follow it down to the reserve.

The day is family-friendly, with a pet show, treasure hunt, face painting, gumboot throw, running & novelty races, craft, woodwork & ‘pot a take-home plant’ activities & jumping castles.

The Wood Chop competition has eleven events including novice events, a tree climb, Team’s event & the Blackwood ‘Hard Hitters’ Championship, with prize money totalling $5,000+. Expect flying woodchips & displays of strength. Entry enquiries can be directed to Allan Pearce of the Midland Axemens Association.

There will be a bar, food stalls, entertainment, workshops & live music. Workshops include backyard bee-keeping, chicken raising, local history

& ‘Growing Heirloom Vegetables’ with Head Gardener, Julian from The Garden of St Erth. Try your luck gold panning, (with expert advice from the Victorian Goldpanning Association), or peg out a claim for the chance to win a gold nugget!

Oh, & don’t forget the tug-of-war competition. It’s hotly contested every year. Participation is actively encouraged!

There is an ever-growing market that included 50 stalls last year & offers wonderful shopping opportunities –vintage clothing, plants, home wares, craft, jewellery, jams & preserves, children’s toys & local wine & produce. As you wander between local artisan stalls enjoy live music & grab some

lunch. There will be excellent coffee & delicious food stalls. You can keep it classy with a classic Devonshire Tea or sample some brews from the fully licensed Woodchop Bar & wines from Wombat Forest Vineyard.

The event runs from 11am – 4.30pm & is held at the very picturesque Blackwood Recreation Reserve. On street parking is available in & around Blackwood & the recreation reserve. A courtesy bus will run from the Reserve to the main street & locally within Blackwood.

We look forward to welcoming you to this fun family day.

Come along & be a part of history! Entry fee is $5 adults, $1 (children 6 & above) General enquiries: Sue 0419527990 Stall enquiries: Rachel: rachpalmer2000@hotmail.com Woodchop entries: Midland Axemens Assoc. Allan Pearce: 0419 510 142 www.facebook.com/blackwoodeasterwoodchopcarnival/ *History & Gold Panning Tour enquiries: Michael Boyd, Blackwood Hotel: 53686501

PHOTO: The sign records donations made to the 1954 Easter Carnival and were hand painted by Les Armstrong on an old flush panel door that has been cut

down. It is on loan to the Blackwood Historic Society by Phil Skinner.

Notice of Temporary Road Closures Blackwood

Easter Sat 15th April 2017

The Blackwood Progress Assoc advises that the following roads will be closed for a short time to allow for the passage of the annual Easter Saturday Carnival Street Parade:

• Greendale-Trentham Road between intersection of Martin St & Simmon’s Reef Rd (11.05-11.15am) • Martin Street between Whalebone Rd & Greendale-Trentham (10.30-11.15am) • Whalebone Road (10.30-11.05am) • Intersection of Goldenpoint Rd & Martin Street (10.30-11.05am) • Intersection of Terrill St & Greendale-Trentham Road (11.05-11.15am) • Simmons Reef Road between Recreation Reserve Road & intersection of Greendale-Trentham Road (11.05-11.20am) • Recreation Reserve Road (11.05-11.30am)

* Please note times of road closures are approximate.

Whilst the temporary road closures are in place motorists are asked to exercise caution and observe all traffic signs and traffic controller directions.

We apologise for any inconvenience.

Please direct road closure enquiries to: Sue Donnelly 0419527990

CURRY WEDNESDAYS FROM MAY 3From the first week in May Blackwoodians & visitors will be treated to curry nights at the hotel where a selection of meat & vegetarian dishes cooked to traditional recipes that have been handed down through generations will be served on a thali plate for your enjoyment

Cooking will be done throughout the afternoon in the hotels kitchen. It is estimated over 20 spices will be used, but don’t let that scare you off! Although dishes have many spices, they are not necessarily hot as in chilli hot, in fact most of the dishes are mild. Customers who are not familiar with Indian taste sensations are welcome to ask to be guided through the menu.

Wednesday nights were chosen as a great night for locals to gather & if anyone wants to travel up there are plenty of accommodation options to make a night of it.

Food is set menu - guests choose either meat or vegetarian option. $25ph will include snacks, 5-6 main course dishes as well as sweets. The dishes will change weekly & will include a dahl dish or deep fried item such as a pakora, a meat curry, a vegetable curry & a rice dish such as a biryani. All will be served with freshly made chutney & raita.”

Most of the dishes are learnt from cooks in home kitchens so the food will

likely be quite different to most Indian restaurants. Recipes, from southern & northern India, will be cooked by Blackwoodian Karen Bruno.

Introducing Karen Bruno: Karen has a love of the Indian culture & is passionate about sharing this through its food. She has been travelling to India for many years & whenever she can will find her way into kitchens & learn to cook as many scrumptious dishes as she can. The mothers of her friends who still live in India are very happy to share their knowledge & love of food which has been passed down through the generations. A lot of Karen’s favourite recipes have been written for the first time by her as tradition passes such secrets through repeated observation & spoken instruction.

Each week will feature one dish where Karen will explain where she learnt it & who taught her how to cook it.

“Everytime I go to India I learn new recipes & the mothers of my friends are always keen to help. A few of them now live in Melbourne & I’m hoping they will come up for 1 of the nights. I also have friends who grew up in various parts of India & I’ve learnt a lot from them – some amazing curries but also breakfast & snack food. My old neighbours in Melbourne, Mounesh & Sangetta Badiger were the first to introduce me to the wonderful home cooked Indian food. They have come to Blackwood often & their daughter Nidhi is the young woman who comes up to help me renovate & paint Sivani House. We would have dinner every wednesday where we would eat in each others homes & I would cook Indian & have lessons & be critiqued & they would cook Italian & I would do they same. Wonderful days of fun & family”

Karen really hopes to create a warm family friendly evening where people will feel welcomed & have opportunity to meet others & mingle while enjoying great food. Someone will meet each guest as they arrive, explain how the evening will go & serve a snack before the main course arrives.

12 The BLACKWOOD TIMES April – May 2017 April – May 2017 The BLACKWOOD TIMES 13

Caroline ParkerBHSc Western Herbal Medicine

0402 366 242thecottageherbalist.com.authecottageherbalist@gmail.comthecottageherbalist

ANTA member 12687

• Herbal Medicine• Bush Flower Essences• Diet & Lifestyle Advice• Wellness Programs• Hand Blended Organic Teas and Tisanes

THE COTTAGE HERBALIST

APRIL:DATE TIME EVENT VENUE

Sun 2 10:30am-5pm Anderson's Mill Festival Smeaton Smeaton

Sun 2 2.30pm on Monthly Irish Music Session Pig & Whistle

Tue 4 8am-7:30pm Meditation, Yoga and More (Pay As You Feel Classes) Yogazen Blackwood

Sat 8 6pm Trentham Food Hub: Growers, Cookers & Eaters Dinner

Trentham Mechanics

Sat 8 & Sun 9

9am-5pm Garden Of St. Erth Apple Festival Garden St. Erth Blackwood

Sat 8 8pm The Chime Choir - Choral Institute Melbourne Tour Daylesford Town Hall

Sun 9 9am-4pm Myrniong Historic Car Sprint Myrniong

Fri 14-17

10am-4pm Trentham Easter Art & Craft Show Trentham Mechanics

Fri 14 9am-4pm Bacchus Marsh Easter Fest Maddingley Park

Fri 14 8am-4pm SET-UP Blackwood Easter Carnival & Wood Chop - Volunteers Welcome

Blackwood Rec Reserve

Sat 15 11am-5pm Blackwood Easter Carnival & Wood Chop Blackwood Rec Reserve

Sun 16 10:30am-4pm Blackwood Historical Society Open Museum

Sun 16 3pm Wombat Book Club Blackwood Hotel

Sun 16 pm Historical Society runs bingo Blackwood Hall

Sun 16 8pm Blue Dog Cruiser Aussie Pub Rock Blackwood Pub

Tue 18 8am-7:30pm Meditation, Yoga and More (Pay As You Feel Classes) Yogazen Blackwood

MAY:DATE TIME EVENT VENUE

Sat 6 10am-4pm The Great Trentham Spudfest Trentham

Sun 7 2.30pm on Monthly Irish Music Session Pig & Whistle

Tue 8 8am-7:30pm Meditation, Yoga and More (Pay As You Feel Classes) Yogazen Blackwood

Sat 6 & Sun 7

9am-5pm Clunes Booktown Festival Clunes

Sun 14 12:30-3:30pm Lunar Dust Live: Mothers Day Daylesford Cidery

Sat 20 10am Blackwood Gardening Club - Forest Walk & Picnic Blackwood Merchant

Sun 21 10am Lavandula Autumn Harvest Festival Lavandula Swiss Italian Farm

Sun 21 10am-4pm Cars, Food & Wine Festival St Anne's Winery

Sun 21 3pm Wombat Book Club Blackwood Pub

Tue 22 8am-7:30pm Meditation, Yoga and More (Pay As You Feel Classes) Yogazen Blackwood

To the best of our knowledge all information correct at time of publication, it’s advisable to check times, dates & venues with event organisers.

• CALENDAR OF EVENTS •

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William Samuel Smith & Smiths Junction HotelBy Margot Hitchcock, Historian for the Blackwood & District Historical Society March 2017.

William Samuel Smith is recorded as owning Smith’s Junction Hotel, Ballan Road, Blackwood. The Junction Hotel was on the right hand side of the main road into Blackwood on the corner of the Mount Blackwood road.

As noted in Andrew Robertson’s book – ‘Hotel & Hotelkeepers of the Blackwood Goldfield’ & according the Argus Sept 21, 1855 ‘William S. Smith applied for a Publication’s licence on Oct 7, 1855. Smith started the ‘Junction’ Hotel in 1855. After 1860 the land on which the hotel stood was owned by George Sawbridgeworth, although Smith did own Allot. 1 across the road from the hotel, the Ballan Rate Books of 1876 records Smith as a Publican of a hotel near Blackwood & the records of 1878 & 1881 have him as a carpenter of the Junction near Blackwood’.

As recorded in the Bacchus Marsh Express (October 4, 1873) William Smith, Four Mile Junction, applied for a publican’s license. Senior Constable Kiernan reported there were 5 rooms, & that applicant was going to put up other 2 rooms. Granted.

A report in the Bacchus Marsh Express, August 15 1874, mentions ‘At the Police Court on Monday, August 10th, before E. Baber, Esq., J.P., a man named Troy was charged with wilful destruction of property at Smith’s Junction Hotel, also with drunkenness & assault, & was committed to jail for 6 months.’

Also in the Bacchus Marsh Express (April 17, 1875) The following licenses were granted:- Selina Sherwood, London hotel; Mary Ann Mahar, Family hotel, both at Barry’s Reef. William Samuel Smith; Junction hotel, Ballan road.

As noted in the Bacchus Marsh Express (July 27, 1889) William Bramwell Gamble, better known in Blackwood as “the Bo’sn.,” had been ailing but a short time, & as he was a bachelor, & stopped at an isolated hut in the bush of Mrs. Smith, of the Four Mile Junction, who was most kind in her care of the old man.

So from the above records we can see the William Samuel Smith was operating the Junction Hotel in Blackwood in 1855 & as noted also in 1873, 1874, & 1875 & then as a carpenter at the Junction in 1878 & 1881. Then his death in 1888 & his wife still living at the Four Mile Junction in 1889.

There was also another hotel in Blackwood called the Junction Hotel. It was known as the Junction Hotel at the Two Mile. Whereas Smith’s Junction Hotel was known at the Four Mile.

The ‘Junction Hotel’ was 2 miles from Red Hill, Blackwood & stood on the corner of the Greendale to Blackwood Road. Recent controlled burn-offs show the cut-out outline of the where the hotel once stood.

As recorded by his great granddaughter, Jenny Denny, William Samuel

Researched by Margot Hitchcock from her forthcoming book ‘The History and Pioneers of Blackwood’, hopefully to be published soon. Other books published by Margot Hitchcock – “Aspects of Early Blackwood”, “Some History of Simmons Reef, Blackwood” and “The Billy Pincombe Tragedy”. See – www.blackwoodpublishing.com

For help with information on Blackwood ancestors contact Margot Hitchcock – email – margothitchcock@bigpond.com

Martyn Blake, soon to be the new Owner/Postmaster of the Blackwood Post Office/General Store.

My partner Carol & I moved up from Kingsville/Melbourne to Ballan about 8½ years ago then bought a small property in Greendale a short time later, so we’ve been in Greendale about 8 years & love living in this region.

We love a good coffee, food & have frequented the Blackwood Merchant for brekky & Blackwood Pub for dinner on many occasions.

We have been to Blackwood Bluegrass music sessions a fair few times & also the Blackwood Music Festival, (very enjoyable).

Carol, being a keen gardener , is a consistent customer at the Garden of St Erth, Blackwood Ridge nurseries & is also keen on old collectables, so always having a look in Mikes collectables for a bargain or 2.

I first found out about the sale of the “Blackwood Post Office/General Store” on a visit to Blackwood a while back.

After talking about the sale at home that day I was very excited at the prospect of buying & running the business in this great old Blackwood shop.

We’ve known Michael the current owner for quite a while, Michael running our local “Fire Guard Meetings” originally in Greendale.

From that point we struck up an instant rapport with Michael & think he’s a lovely fella & a great person to have in our community.

We are looking forward to meeting all you Blackwood folk & also looking forward to providing a quality Retail/Postal service to you.

With the business I aim to have a greater variation on goods & consumables in the shop.

First thing we will do is send out a questionnaire to all the town folk asking what other items they would like to have in the shop.

My initial aim is to have the shop open from 8am-5pm 7 days a week at first then will gauge what hours we need to be open to provide you all with a good consistent service.

A big thank you to all the locals so far who have made us feel so welcome!

NEWBIES IN THE POST OFFICE

WHO WILL WEAR THE CROWN?Have you voted for Blackwood’s 2017 Queen & King?

We want everyone (children & adults) to vote & you can trust we will be asking if you have!

While it is a random draw, the more votes a person gets the higher their chance of winning. So if you badly want to win or badly want a mate to win, start canvassing for votes.

Entry containers & forms are in the Post Office & Hotel. Nominations close mid-day Sunday April 9.

The 2017 Queen & King will be announced at the Crowning Ceremony at the Blackwood Hotel on Easter Friday April 14 at 7pm.

Come along & join in the fun. Free lolly bag to anyone who wears a tiara/crown.

Who are CERT?We’re highly trained volunteers from Blackwood, Newbury & Dales Creek who offer advanced first aid & lifesaving medications until the ambulance arrives. We’re are trained by, & operate under protocols of Ambulance Victoria, & our assets governed by our not-for-profit association run by a local volunteer committee.How do you activate CERT?• Call 000• CERT is dispatched by 000 operators• Ambulance Victoria always follows

Smith was born in Nottinghamshire in 1826, the son of William Smith & Elizabeth Chadwick. He was transported to Port Arthur in Tasmania as a convict on the ‘Lady Palmyra’ in 1846 then eventually gained his free certificate in Jan 1853 & in April caught the steamer ‘Yarra Yarra’ to Melbourne presumably to head to the goldfields. He was noted on a list of persons entitled to vote as posted in the Argus (May 1856) as living at Simmons Reef as a miner. He married Mary Hanrahan in Blackwood on November 21, 1858 & their 1st son was William Joseph Smith born in Blackwood in 1860. Mary Hanrahan was born in Nottinghamshire in 1834.

William Samuel Smith, was 1 of 300 convicts transported on the ‘Lady Palmyra’, on March 4,1846. He was convicted on Jan 2, 1846 at Nottingham at the Town of Nottingham Quarter Sessions for stealing 1 key & 1 chisel from George Jacques & Transported for 7yrs. He arrived on August 22, 1846 at Van Diemen’s Land, Tasmania.

Digger birth records show he had 6 children while living in Blackwood. William (1860), Emma (1861), Mary Helen (Ellen) (1863), John Thomas (1865), Edward Samuel (1867), & Michael born in Greendale (1868).

William Samuel Smith died in 1888 & is buried at the Blackwood cemetery,R.C. section buried 10.9.1888 in section N. grave 5. Also buried with him is his wife Mary nee Hanrahan who was buried 16.10. 1894 - but no headstones.

The son, William Joseph Smith owned a hotel, butcher shop & a newsagent in Trentham at different times, & was also a Cobb & Co. driver. The photo shows William Joseph Smith driving the mail coach from Trentham station to Blackwood in 1891 - 1893. The photo was taken outside his home in Market Street, Trentham. Courtesy of his granddaughter Jenny Denny.

14 The BLACKWOOD TIMES April – May 2017 April – May 2017 The BLACKWOOD TIMES 15

for information call St Erth on (03) 5368 6514or visit our website www.diggers.com.au

THE GARDEN OF ST ERTHopen 7 DAYS a WEEK

Garden & Nursery 9am - 5pm Cafe 10am-4pm Thur – Sun

Membership & gift vouchers available

APPLE FESTIVAL APRIL 8 & 9CAFE OPEN: 10-4 Thur-Mon

(no lunches on Mondays)

BLACKWOOD GARDENING CLUBOur visit to Heronswood was thoroughly enjoyed by our small group.

It’s an interesting garden with some unusual plantings & beautiful views over the bay....very different from the other Diggers Garden, St Erth. We lunched at the beach & headed home. We thoroughly recommend a visit.

Propagating at Kerryn’s was fantastic. She showed us how & we all had a go & came home with pots of indigenous cuttings from Kerryn’s garden that we can nurture &, in time, plant into our own gardens. Sharing, knowledge & plants is what I most enjoy about gardening.

At the Easter Carnival in April we will have seedling potting for kids. May 20 will be a forest walk & picnic & remember you don’t have to have green thumbs to join in any activity organised by our group.

~ Jane Howat

Bush� res can start quickly and threaten lives within minutes. When it comes to � re, what you need to do is black and white. Check Fire Danger Ratings daily and monitor warnings.

Most bushfi re deaths happen close to home, so leaving early, before a fi re starts, is always the safest option.

emergency.vic.gov.au Download the VicEmergency app

LeaveearlyTHE REASONS AREBLACK AND WHITE

COMMUNITY FUND-RAISING NOTICES & RELEASES as well as local gigs & events ARE PUBLISHED IN THE BLACKWOOD TIMES FREE OF CHARGE.To be included in our next publication please email us information, posters & articles by the nominated deadlines on page 2.

Dear Pet Guru,My Pet Bison is very fond of my pet kangaroos and wants to learn how to hop. Do you think I can teach him?

~ Hopeful of Hamilton

Dear Hopeful,I fear not. If you look at a bison, his massive shoulders would make you think he’s designed more for landing than taking off.Pet Guru

• BOUQUET •

Great to see out local kids out selling blackberries & handmade bookmarks in the main street a few weeks back. Good on you kids - I love my new bookmark!

~ MMc

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PET SHENANIGANS WITH SEAMUSWOOF: If you have ever experienced a bee or wasp sting or even an ant bite you can understand how much it hurts, & it’s the same for our pets. If your pet has been stung by a bee or bitten by a little nasty ant you can use some first aid that may help reduce the amount of swelling & pain in the affected local area. It is however important to monitor your pet closely & if the conditions worsen the best safety precaution is to seek immediate veterinary care.

BEE & WASP STINGS:

Bee & Wasp stings can be nasty & some pets can have an allergic reaction. If the reaction to the sting is severe it can cause the airways to close. The sting doesn’t have to be near the face to cause this reaction. If there is any swelling around the face or throat, or your pet is having trouble breathing & has pale gums, it’s vital that visit your vet immediately.

Signs: Bees & wasps commonly sting around the mouth, lips & sometimes on the feet

• A swelling at the site of the sting • Drooling • Vomiting • Pain at the site of the sting • Itchiness at the site of the bite or over the whole body • Pawing at the mouth • Difficulty breathing

First Aid:

• Remove the stinger if you can locate it • Apply a cool face washer to the affected area or wash the area with cool water • Restrict exercise to help decrease blood supply to the area & therefore pain & swelling • Monitor your pet closely & seek veterinary advice if the symptoms worsen

ANT BITES:

Ant bites will often cause pain at the site of the bite & often swelling can occur. Ant bites do not often cause severe allergic reaction however the area that has been bitten can be very irritating to the pet.

Signs:• Pet suddenly holds leg/paw up sometimes flicking & shaking the leg • Sudden redness between the toes • Licking or chewing at the site of the bite

First Aid:

• Apply a cold compress to the site of the bite for 5-10 minutes • If the bite is on the foot, place the foot in a cold water bath for 5-10 minutes • Protect the area that has been bitten, the pet can cause self-inflicted trauma by licking or chewing at the site of the bite.

Your local vet can provide a special collar to protect the area if the pet is causing self-inflicted trauma by licking or chewing

Contact your local Vet if the redness or itching doesn’t settle down after 10-15 minutes.

~ Woof for now. Seamus

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• BLACKWOOFS •Daisy is 9 weeks old. She’s a beagle x foxhound

She was pretty ill when she came to us but some antibiotics & lots of roast chook had her well in no time.

Daisy loves her fluffy squeaky sheep toy to wrestle & cuddle with but she will investigate anything & everything - she’s keeping us.on our toes! Daisy also loves snuggles when she is tired. She lives with Jo & Jon & 2 cats Olli & Mia. Mia doesn’t like her much but that will change with time.

She came from a farm where hunting dogs are used, 3 bitches got impregnated by mistake. The owner is trying to sell the pups (reasonable prices)...through faceboook... & the owner’s wife was trying to care for them but didn’t know much about dogs ... 2 of Daisy’s litter mates died due to illness & she was starving when we got her as she wasn’t being offered appropriate food for puppies. The people were well meaning but not able to cope. So we initially were trying to purchase but she became a rescue!

OH! also Daisy’s been entered into the Lort Smith Backyard Hero’s Calendar comp - so if you want to plug her link for people to vote they can here: http://www.lortsmith.com/calendarcomp?entry=1064

Woodside Retreat is perfect for couples or groups seeking a private escape in a tranquil parkland setting. This spacious, self-contained 4 bedroom house retains its original 1930s charm enhanced by a stylish renovation. Luxury features like a plasma TV, double spa bath a contemporary stainless kitchen compliment the open fire & polished hardwood floors.

Nestled in the Wombat State Forest, frequently visited by friendly kookaburras, kangaroos & wombats, & located just an hour away from Melbourne in historic Blackwood. It is the perfect place to unwind, relax & reconnect with family & friends.

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• LETTERS TO THE EDITOR •

Dear Editor,The letter in the last edition of The Times about the Blackwood Kiosk

has evoked strong memories in me. It was the social hub for holidaying teenagers of whom I was one

and was run by a friendly and pleasant woman whom we all knew as Ma Bailey.

~ Robin Bradley

STRIKE 1 OFF THE BUCKET LIST!Em Novak ticked off another dream on her bucket list when she competed recently on Who Wants to be a Millionaire. She answered 18 straight questions before bombing out on this one: in the 2016 Summer Olympics, how many games were contested? (geez, Eddie, that’s a bit harsh) 1, 40, 28 or 38?

Em can’t remember any of the other questions. “I was running on adrenaline all day”, she said. She does remember winning the “fastest finger” section of the game, where contestants compete on their buzzers. She got in first with 13 of the 15 questions.

Later in the game, when Eddie asked her that fateful question, Em was just 3 answers away from the $250,000 prize. She chose badly & walked

away with $1,000. Bad luck, Em. So, how many games at the Summer Olympics? The correct answer is……are you sure?.......the number of games played at the 2016 Summer Olympics was…….wait for it……the answer is…..after the break, folks.

Em went home to Blackwood & had a peek in her bucket. “I reckon I’m up for that European holiday. A budget one. How far will $1,000 get me?”

Watch Em play on April 17, 5pm, Ch.9. & scream at the TV… “28! 28! 28!”

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t.View Cottagefully self contained holiday rental

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GARBAGE MONDAYApril 10 • 24May 8 • 22

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WOMBAT BOOK CLUB 2016Hello from Wombat Book Club. With the Easter break upon us, it’s nice to sit out with a book while enjoying the warm autumn days. We have just read another two books & have some reviews on what we thought of them. We meet the third Sunday of each month at 3pm at the Blackwood pub, a great place to catch up for a drink & to chat about the book we just finished. For more information please contact Jinny on editor@theblackwoodtimes.com.au.

The first book, ‘The Tin Roof Blowdown’ by James Lee Burke. Set in the USA in the city of New Orleans at the time of Hurricane Katrina. In the midst of the terrible suffering of the people, a policeman , Dave Robicheaux, not only investigates the crimes committed, but breaks through the racial barriers & leads him to a sociopath.

Terri: I haven’t picked up too many detective type novels, The Tin Roof Blowdown being one of the first. It was good read, maybe I should try a few more. I particularly like learning about hurricane Katrina & the devastating effect it had on the population of New Orleans.

3 wombats

Brenda: Plunges you right into the horror of Hurricane Katrina. It beggars belief that the US government left people stranded on roofs & hanging on trees waiting for aid that never came so they slipped into the water & were lost. Burke sets his story in the middle of this chaos. It is such dense writing & needs concentration to read but characters & descriptions of New Orleans compelling. Not a book to pick up for a few pages. I think I will have to read it again to take it all in.

4 ½ wombies

The second book we read was ‘Gweneth Wisewould Outpost Doctor’ by Ian Braybrook. Set in the Central Victorian town of Trentham. Gweneth Wisewould, a Highly regarded ENT Surgeon, in Melbourne, & socialite, was frowned upon by her behaviour & ousted from her social surroundings & her livelihood as a surgeon. Taking up residence in Trentham & lived a bohemian lifestyle, became the much loved & respected Doctor to the Trentham locals. Ian Braybrook, had insight into her personality & why she swapped the high rolling life in Melbourne for a quiet country town.

Sandy: This is a story about Gweneth Wisewould, an extraordinary Doctor with an upper class background & an elite ENT specialist should find herself living in Trentham in very ordinary living conditions. She was much loved by the community as well as a respected local Doctor. An interesting read from a local author & gives insight into who Gweneth Wisewould was.

4 Wombies

Terri: Outpost A Doctor On The Divide was a thoroughly good read. It’s one I’d love to have on my bookshelf so that I can go back to recall all the wonderful old stories of the area & the characters that inhabited it. Gwen’s tales of being a Doctor in & around the Trentham area are bite sized, humble & all encompassing. The the gruesome details of how patients presented to detailed descriptions of the residences, personalities & paths travelled.

5 Wombats.

Well researched background explains why this exceptionally gifted doctor who insisted on doing things her way ended up in a small country town, & happy for her adoring patients that she did. I didn’t like the writing style but local stories very interesting.

3 ½ wombies.

LUCKY PHIL LUCKS OUT AGAINLast Sunday was hot. Phil was out working and, despite the heat, he wore long trousers & protective boots.

When he got home he threw on shorts & sandals & drove off to a friend’s place. “I got to my friend’s, put 1 foot out of the car & …bang! A Jack Jumper bit me.”

Within 10 minutes, Phil’s lips had swollen & his eyes felt grainy. It was hard to see. His whole body was itching severely & he felt as hot as hell. He grabbed a wet towel to cool himself. “You need an ambulance”, his friend said.

The Jack Jumper, or Jumping Jack ant is a bugger. It’s aggressive & its bite can hurt like hell. Some people are allergic to its venom & can suffer the anaphylactic reactions Phil was experiencing. Blackwood CERT arrived inside of 10 minutes & sorted him out. Lucky, Phil. The ambulance arrived in about ½ an hour.

“CERT is well equipped to deal with bites, stings & allergic reactions”, says Team Leader, Margaret McCarthy. “Thanks for the feedback, Phil. I’m delighted to hear that our team responded so quickly & with such professionalism”.

And well played, that friend. This is important; if you’re convinced that somebody needs an ambulance, pick up the phone. No discussion, no arguments. And don’t attempt to drive them yourself. Driving with a distressed person could land you both in trouble.

He’s lost the Mick Jagger lips & the puffy eyes & back to his usual handsome self!

18 The BLACKWOOD TIMES April – May 2017 April – May 2017 The BLACKWOOD TIMES 19

NEW IN TOWN – CERT NEEDS YOU, TOO When I moved to Blackwood I wanted to take part in the community, but I wasn’t sure if there was something that would be right for me. Never did I think I’d be volunteering as a first responder for Ambulance Victoria.

One cold wet winter night, soon after I moved here, my neighbour was lying on her cold floor with what I called at the time “Harry Potter’s Broken Arm”. I was called to help with the dog by her husband, but become quickly aware that the ambulance was a long time off & this distressed person could not be moved. I thought she might go into shock &, with the help of her husband, padded her with a blanket & hot water bottles. Thank goodness for CERT who arrived soon after. How calmly they walked in, assessed the situation & provided so much care & reassurance before the ambulance arrived.

I thought, “I think I could do that.” Walk in & offer reassurance. I had no medical or emergency services experience until I moved to Blackwood. Then over the next few years, with training, support & encouragement from the team, Ambulance Victoria & the community, I’ve gone on to learn more than I ever imagined. I love being a part of CERT. & it’s opened the way into full time employment in the emergency services.

We have a small, strong team, but we need more people taking part. Like me, you don’t need a medical background – all the training is provided. If you want find out more about CERT, see our stand at the Blackwood Carnival, or come along & say “hi” at our next training April 23 at the CFA. You can also be a “Friend of Blackwood CERT” if you prefer a less dramatic, but equally supportive roll.

Blackwood needs a few more people to say “I can go help next door if they need”. We in CERT know CPR. We can recognise a stroke & report this back so that a local person in trouble has access to early intervention. We can give pain relief when kids have fallen off their bikes, or alert

Ambulance Victoria to the need to send the helicopter. What we can’t do at present is attend to every call we get, & that worries us no end. Don’t think your involvement wouldn’t make a difference. It will!

We urgently need a few more people on our team. Might that be you?

It’s a great time to join the team. All our community’s great efforts are building a more supported volunteer emergency health care team than ever before. We can only respond in pairs which means that sometimes we just need one more member to make the difference. And the difference could mean life or death for a usually fit loved one, a vulnerable neighbour, or an injured bush walker or cyclist. Might you be the member who makes the difference? It does take time & you need a professional volunteer attitude, but you don’t have to be retired or working local - most of our volunteers also hold full time jobs.

A great way for new people in town to connect & contribute, & for longer-time locals to use their local know-how. If you can’t get to the carnival, call me on 0427 344 055, to find out more. Margaret McCarthy, Team Leader of CERT (the best volunteer emergency first aid team in town).

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Lunar Cycle 1: Moon Tidesby Kathie Strmota

Recently, I had an unusually disrupted, disorganized day, & thought “What the hell’s going on? Is it a full moon?”. That night, I looked out to see that, yes, it was indeed full! Phrases like “it must be a full moon” were common in my previous hospital job, where odd-ball emergency presentations at that time became quite apparent. Many members of different emergency services, being at the ‘front line’ regularly enough to see a pattern, have also noticed this.

Cultural observation of lunar tides leads some to assume that the moon affects water in our bodies, but tidal rhythms are also seen in low-water environments, with high-altitude atmospheric tides, & terrestrial tides that cause the earth’s crust to ‘breathe’ rhythmically. It seems nothing on the planet is exempt from lunar influence, through shifts in gravitational flow, moonlight intensity, & body-clock cycle entrainment.

At the new moon, peak levels of sleep hormone melatonin are highest, causing people to sleep longer & more deeply. At the full moon, melatonin is lowest, with a slightly shorter sleep & more dreaming-time. People also tend to have more ‘bizarre’ dreams at this time.

Although affecting us all, subtle lunar influences seem to be more obvious on those of a receptive, ‘flowy’ nature (intuitive, creative, emotional, ungrounded), compared with a more ‘structurally organised’ personality (grounded, practical-minded, intellectual), regardless of gender, & often ‘works its magic’ on our shifting hormone cycles. Traditionally, the female menstrual cycle aligned with the lunar cycle, peaking at the full moon (ovulation) & ending at the new moon (menstruation). The high degree of cycle variation we see today can be attributed to more immediate hormone influences (food hormone additives, contraceptives, artificial lighting & shift-work), which effectively disrupt the natural body-clock rhythm. Men also experience a monthly cycle, visible in rise & fall of testosterone, which peaks mid-cycle, enhancing sperm potency & libido (like female ovulation), & causing subtle mood shifts, with more apathy or indifference when testosterone is low, & greater wellbeing & energy-for-action when it peaks.

Lunar influences on behaviour are most obvious around the full moon, when ‘extreme’ is the keyword. At the dark (new) moon, we are drawn into ourselves, & retain a stronger self-awareness of our choices. The full moon, on the other hand, tends to draw us out of ourselves, into the realms of creativity, imagination, & social activity. We become less analytical & more emotionally responsive, with reduced impulse-control.

This may simply cause a slight downturn in normally well-managed existing mood issues, or it may lead to more impulsive choices & behaviours with

NATURAL RHYTHM disturbing consequences. Research reveals a variety of full-moon related extremities, such as a statistical increase in criminal activities, an increased tendency to indulge in drugs or alcohol (with their associated under-the-influence activities), & the likelihood of more aggressive & violent outbursts. This latter loss of impulse-control was found in animals too, with the incidence of animal bites to humans increasing significantly around the full moon.

On a positive note, researchers found a decrease in absenteeism around the full moon, compared to the rest of the cycle. This may be attributed to increased alertness & energy around this time. One could also extrapolate many other positive influences of the full moon’s creative pull, from things like inspired inventions & suddenly finding a solution for a sticky problem, to feeling more-sensitive-than-usual towards another’s suffering, or finally letting yourself have a good cry which had been bottled up for weeks.

In the next issue, I’ll explore each phase of the lunar cycle, & how you can apply these dynamics to enhance your life experience.

DADS WHO ABUSE WOMEN.

ADVERTISING WITH US MAKES CENTSAround 40,000 issues of the Blackwood Times are downloaded bi-monthly + with 600 hard copies distributed in the local area no-one can deny advertising with us is value for your hard earned dollars. Investing $2.50 per colCm ex GST & an extra 50c per colCm for your ad to be colour in the online issue just makes good sense.

SMALL PRINT: In commercial advertisements in newspapers, traders must include two pieces of information:

1. their own name or their company name or their registered business name. & 2. either: The street address of their business or a business name registration number or a business

licence number such as their licence number to be an estate agent or plumber (note: an ACN or ABN is not sufficient)

~ Fair Trading Act advertising requirement June 2004

It is the advertiser’s responsibility to ensure correct information is supplied for their ad.

DOWNLOAD OUR BOOKING FORM & VISUAL SPECS FROM THEBLACKWOODTIMES.COM.AU

Blackwoodian old farts meet every Monday evening from 5.30pm til whenever.

Blackwood Old Farts tested their investigation skills during a Murder Mystery night at Kryal Castle. Photo courtesy Dee

20 The BLACKWOOD TIMES April – May 2017 April – May 2017 The BLACKWOOD TIMES 21

this community advertisement is sponsored by The Blackwood Times

Photo: from State Library archives C1920s

The Kiosk at the top of the Mineral Springs road.As a child we (some of my siblings Rayners) would frequent the Mineral Springs to fill bottles for our family. They were screw top “Cohns” bottles which kept the mineral water fizzy. After long weekends on the Monday afternoon we would scour the camp areas to collect soft drink bottles so we could buy an ice- cream. Sometimes we would end up with 10 to 20 soft drink bottles worth 5 cents each if returned to shops. We thought we were rich. At this time the Kiosk was run by a woman known as “Old Ma Bailey”. She would not give us money for the bottles & would make us spend all the refund at the kiosk. I clearly recall my late father (Jack Rayner) going to see Old Ma Bailey & in a polite way giving her a serve & demanding that she refund us the extra on money for the bottles we returned. After she left came the Dunbars & the Mathesons ran it for some time. In those days it would have been a very productive business. It did burn down & we heard rumours as to the cause of the fire. The site was then cleared as you see it today.

Regards, Brian Rayner in Concongella

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Panning at the 2017 Gold Panning Championships.Moving the Post Office boxes took muscles!

EMERGENCY SCENARIO PLAYED OUTSunday’s (Mar26) Emergency Planning Exercise was a great success. Representatives of all emergency service agencies joined enthusiastic locals to walk through a (sometimes gruelling) scenario of 3 days of emerging bushfire threat to Blackwood.

Emergency Management Victoria’s Steve Cameron used powerful computer modelling (Phoenix Program) to lead us through the scenario, hour by hour asking all of us to respond to the unfolding situation.

It was a great way to get an understanding of the scale & complexity of the emergency services response to a major event like this. & it was sobering to watch my personal fire plan come up short time & time again when challenged by the ever-changing conditions. The logistics of the recovery stage, presented by Cherie Graham from Moorabool Shire were equally impressive, but the highlight of the day came by way of Janie Power who told us about losing it all in the Scotsburn fires. Her story of preparation & resilience was an inspiration.

One Blackwoodian, there with her 2 youngsters said, “Today’s given me just the information I was after. I appreciated the respect for local knowledge that was shown by the emergency services. I feel that this community can & should play a major role in preparing for these situations.”

If you missed the event, don’t worry. Plans are afoot for a pub-friendly version (short & sweet with exciting pictures) coming soon to the Blackwood Hotel.

Join us at https://www.facebook.com/groups/BlackwoodCEMP/ & view the draft CEMP at http://theblackwoodtimes.com.au/home/2016/11/28/cemp-have-your-say/

22 The BLACKWOOD TIMES April – May 2017 April – May 2017 The BLACKWOOD TIMES 23

Authorised by the Victorian Government, 1 Treasury Place, Melbourne

Meet FidaParamedic, community volunteer.

Victoria is a special place. We have

freedoms many only dream of, like the

ability to be yourself. And when you’ve got

something to say, you can, because one law

respects us alland one law protects us all.

We’re all Victorian and it’s up to all

of us to contribute and belong.

See her story and share yours.

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BEYOND BLACKWOOD...

this community advertisement is sponsored by The Blackwood Times

5368 6444 (Blackwood)

• sponsoring the Blackwood Times •

business cards | fliers | signs | booklets | websites | social media

this community advertisement is sponsored by The Blackwood Times

A SAINTLY SEASONTrentham Football Netball Club is gearing up for a big 2017 season. We have had a number of practice matches prior to the season commencing which gave our Senior football coach Clayton Scoble & Senior netball coach Erin Richardson an opportunity to see the players progress & the combination of the young local talent with a number of new recruits.

Early in March we hosted the Trentham Cup Lightning Premiership day & a big crowd enjoyed the warm weather, great atmosphere & thrilling action on the field other clubs the competed were Harcourt, Newlyn & Heathcote Football/Netball clubs

All sides played each other in U/17 & Senior Netball & Football with grand finals in each division with an overall champion decided for the day.

In the netball the Saints U/17 defeated Newlyn in the grand final 14 – 12 after losing to them in the round robin games whilst the senior girls defeated Harcourt by 1 goal in both their heat & the final.

Trentham’s U/17 footballers won all their matches including the final against Heathcote & in the senior football Trentham managed to knock off the more favoured Newlyn in the grand final after losing to them earlier in the day.

It was a terrific day for the club with all matches played in great spirit & all clubs benefitting from the quality hit out.

Our first home game on Saturday 22nd April we travel to Navarre to take on last year’s premiers in the senior football & netball. The A grade netball will be a replay of last year’s grand final. The following week on Saturday April 29 is our first home game at Talbot, this is a twilight schedule with games from 11am playing through to 8pm. Also on the day we will celebrate the 20 year Reunion for the 1997 Reserves Premiership team & we will be entertained by former local Hayden Evans in the evening.

We have a number membership & sponsors packages available from $100 through $3000. If you are interested in sponsoring, being a member or would like to give a general donation contact Cello 0419 161 002 or Tracey 0408 508 364.

If you interested in being part of the saints or helping out in any way we are always looking for volunteers to assist on match days, we would love to see you.

Be part of the Saints in 2017!

ARTY FARTY AROUND & ABOUTDaylesford Macedon Ranges Open Studios (DMROS) 2017Now in its 5th year, Daylesford Macedon Ranges Open Studios is in Autumn this year, with 2 Lyonville artists, Basil Eliades & Chris Rowe, participating on the weekends of April 29/30, May 6/7 & May 13/14.

The group show, to be held at The Convent in Daylesford, will launch the event on Friday 28 April & will be open for viewing & information over the following 3 weeks.

Details of the Artists, Demonstrations Sessions & “Art-full Conversations@ DMROS”- 1 hour talks between the artist & DMROS creative producer- are available at http://dmropenstudios.com.au/

Basil & Chris are participating in the Art-full Conversations, Basil at 4pm Sunday May 14 & Chris at 10am Sunday April 30, cost $20 @ door.

FROM TRENTHAM ‘LITTLE GALLERY’:It’s been a busy 6 months in Rose Wilson’s studio as she creates a solo show “The Disappearing Farmer” for the Regional Gallery in Albury (MAMA). For the Little Gallery to run efficiently she has temporality handed over her April spot in the collective to painter Llael McDonald & photographer Anneke Hoekstra.

The gallery also has quite a few new commission artists, giving the space a lot of variety & ensuring you see new & fresh work from around the region.

The Series of Highland Farmers will return to Trentham for 1 weekend to showcase the series to the community in which the farmers hale from.

Meet the artist Thursday April 6 goo.gl/uBOHpX

24 The BLACKWOOD TIMES April – May 2017 April – May 2017 The BLACKWOOD TIMES 25

COSY OPEN FIRES & MAGNIFICENT BEER GARDEN

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your hosts: Tony and Leanne Sproule

Pizza: Wed, Thurs, Fri 6-8pm & Sun noon-8pmTues: Locals Slab Draw in Bar & Parma and Pasta $14Friday: Happy Hour 5–7, $3 POTS, Bar Nibbles & Meat RaffleWed – Sun: Full Menu DinnerDaily: Lunch @ noon-2pm Mon-Fri: $12 lunches

LARGE BEER GARDEN AT REARGeneral Store stocks all, drinks, icecreams,

grocery items, toasted sand, take away bottleshop, newspapers daily, bread, ice

& anything else you may just need. Shop opens at 10am every day

and is open late with Pub.LIVE MUSIC: Check our facebook page

call Shirley Corneille for an application 5348 5690 or 0427542811

October 16 • November 20April 21 | May 18

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Dinner ~ Thur, Fri, Sat, SunLunch ~ Fri, Sat, Sun

Lunch & Dinner ~ Public Holiday Mondays

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JOIN THE FUN & STAY UP-TO-DATE ON FACEBOOKhttps://www.facebook.com/theblackwoodtimes

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ADVERTISE FREE: BUY, TRADE or SELLHave you got something to sell or give away, trade or are

you looking to buy something? (local, private adverts only) email editor@theblackwoodtimes.com.au

26 The BLACKWOOD TIMES April – May 2017 April – May 2017 The BLACKWOOD TIMES 27

240 Main StBacchus Marsh 3340Ph. 5368 2001Fax. 5367 0776

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TRENTHAM PETROL & STUFF

1 Market St ph 5424 1611Mon-Sat 8am-6pm Sun 9am-6pm

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28 The BLACKWOOD TIMES April – May 2017

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