COMPILED BY RICHARD CORNISH

1. Words in Winter

This is our very own, home grown winter time literary festival. Long time Melbourne story teller Arnold Zable is coming to town to spin some yarns about his life as a writer and hold writing classes. Pompey Elliot was a Victorian born WWI hero and biographer Ross McMullin is telling us why this important man has been overlooked. One of Australia’s most prolific and insightful commentators and creative spirits is Marieke Hardy who is in conversation with old school chum Mika Pediatitis who reunited as adults. Both locals they discuss this reconnection and their transition from wild Goth teens to women. Come to Sally Harvie’s Moroccan cooking masterclass to learn to cook tajine fit for a caliph.

Aug 4-26, various locations.
www.wordsinwinter.com

2. Stockroom

Perhaps regional Victoria’s best modern art gallery and retail space, Stockroom is planning a blockbuster end of winter show. Come for Becc Orszag’s haunting beautiful pencil drawings of mirrored forest landscapes that draw on the emotion best described in German 'sehnsucht', a German noun which describes an individual’s unfulfilled longing for an idealistic, unattainable alternate experience, combined with the phenomenon of paramnesia (déjà vu). Then there is Emm Orbach’s installation In Case of Emergency. This involves fragments of safety glass from a broken bus shelter neatly contained in a glass vitrine, suspended precariously from brackets and chain. Drone footage reveals the vast scale of illegal stockpile sites housed by various recycling plants throughout Victoria. It is a powerful piece. Then there is Poked By A Bone In A Cupboard, a group exhibition of video works, curated by artist Siying Zhou and featuring Bridget Griffiths, Ka-Yin Kwok, Lou Hubbard, Pia Johnson, Sanja Pahoki, Min Min Wong and Siying Zhou. These works, from seven Australian artists who vary in art practices, career status, and socio-cultural upbringing. explore family, immigration and relationships. through a range of video narrations.

Stockroom; 98 Piper street, Kyneton; Sun-Mon 10.30am-5pm, Thu-Fri 10.30am-5pm, Sat-Sun 10am-5pm; stockroomspace.com

3. Daddy’s Got the Blues

Celebrate Father’s Day with blues legend Jojo Rainwater at Daylesford Cider Company. He embodies the authentic sound of the Southern States of America, his toe-tapping bluesy tunes are performed on homemade can/hubcap guitars accompanied by thump'n stomp-box beats. There is something vivid and profound about his tales of yesteryear entwined into his rootsy, bluesy music. Jojo's gutsy rhythms keep things movin' right along and harmonise beautifully with a snifter of folk and gospel.

Doors open at 10:00am and lunch will be served between 12:00pm and 3:00pm. Live music from midday.
Sep 2; Daylesford Cider Company,  155 Dairy Flat Road, Musk; 03 5348 2275. 

4. Writing and Wellness Weekend

Join Cath Crowley and Alison Arnold - writers, creative explorers and experience-makers - at the one-of-a-kind Lake House and discover its beautiful rhythms. This two-night, three-day Luxury Writing and Wellness Retreat will be a balance of writing for wellness, food, good conversation with like-minded people and time to enjoy your surrounds: your luxury Waterfront room, the Lake House's six acres of country garden sloping down to the lake, and the gorgeous town of Daylesford itself. You will leave feeling replenished and restored, having discovered the link between creativity and wellness, and able to bring this into your everyday life and a little bit more in love with yourself and with life.

10-12 Sep; Lake House, 4 King St, Daylesford; $2950; alisonarnold.com.au/lakehouseretreat

5. The Bar at Hotel Frangos

Our Editor in Chief has spent a good deal of time quality assessing the new bar at Hotel Frangos. This is of course the historic building in the heart of town with modern 15 rooms and Endota Spa onsite. The new bar has a great wine list, beers and spirits and a very good menu. It takes up the space left by Belvedere Social with a makeover that includes a ‘60s inspired mural by local artist, David Bromley, that is more Montmatre than Wombat Hill. We have dined here more than a few times and can declare that we have a new favourite dish. It is a plate of hickory smoked lamb rack, with a sweet and smoky bark encasing succulent flesh lying on a bed of buttery mash with a fresh pea puree. Together with a glass of Granite Hills Shiraz, this is our favourite new dish in the region.

Hotel Frangos; 82 Vincent St Daylesford; (03) 5348 2363.