Joseph Maiden was a botanist, curator and collector, most famous for his work with the eucalyptus and the acacia. Visitors to his museum were presented with 'narratives of progress' that traversed Australian botany, geology and zoology. Maiden would present a raw product and demonstrate how it could be made useful, the exhibits focused on ideas of progressive transformation.
Read MoreFittingly for a bar decked out in so much Old World finery it’s like stepping into a portal to an earlier time, Creswick’s newest bar occupies its oldest building. Odessa is the latest iteration of Leaver’s Hotel, the 1852 construction that was the only thing on Alber Street left standing when fire ripped through more than a century ago.
Read MoreAs the sweltering summer recedes, March approaches with the complex prospects of autumn in tow. The days grow colder and shorter, typically inducing melancholy in many as the winter approaches, though this may prove itself a welcome reprieve at first, given the extreme weather of the past few months. The beautiful colours of spring and summer wither and die, cascading down in waves of brilliant oranges and yellows. Cosy autumn foods and winter fashion makes a return, though at the cost of daylight and warm evenings. It’s a contradictory time of year, and 2020 will be no exception, with at least two additional twists.
Read MoreAs we peer into Manteau Noir in Daylesford, a bunny dressed in shreds stares back at us, puzzling our imagination, the sculpture looks as though it has been dug-up from a grave. It’s gothic, mysterious and beautiful.
“Hip Hip Decay!” is the anthem of Ballarat artist Suzanne McRae, whose doll-like sculptures discover beauty in the grotesque collage of animals, Victorian fashion and fairy tales.
“We lived in Invermay, before it was fancy. Dad built an A-frame house. And so we had five acres of bush and paddocks and I would just go off by myself and play in the bush,” says Suzanne. “It was a great time.”
Read MoreIn Les Miserables, Victor Hugo writes “A garden to walk in and immensity to dream in--what more could he ask? A few flowers at his feet and above him the stars.” The lyrical power of Paul Bangay’s gardens allow the wanderer to lose themselves in dreams sculpted from the divine.
Paul Bangay is working from a private studio in his country residence Stonefields, “My mother was a great gardener. She was very involved in design back then, very much a native focus. She used to work with Ellis Stone, the famous landscape designer. It was a garden that evolved all the time, that’s what I loved about it,” explains Paul, nostalgically. “I grew up in the outer Eastern suburbs of Melbourne, we had ten acres so I had my own collection of ferns and a big vegie garden.”
Read MoreLet’s raise a glass to the power of community. Thanks to Harriet and Henry Churchill of Zig Zag winery, it’s now possible to do that in a delightfully more literal sense than usual. Two years after the English ex-pats arrived in the Macedon Ranges area and became the latest “stewards”, as they describe it, of their beautiful three-hectare vineyard outside Malmsbury, they have just released their second label. Known as Kind Folk, it’s a celebration of the friends and volunteers who have emerged from the local community to help them realise their dream.
Read MoreChillOut Festival is more than a fabulous celebration of expression, dance and drink - it has become the the bedrock of Daylesford’s LGBTIQ+ community. ChillOut is recognised as a culturally important LGBTIQ+ pride event, supporting and representing queer pride for all regional people.
Early organisers wanted to emphasise the country feel of Daylesford. The event was also an important way of profile-raising for the gay and lesbian community in Daylesford as well as the wider Hepburn Shire region. From humble beginnings at a picnic in the mid 90s, ChillOut has flowered into Australia’s largest queer country pride festival.
Read MoreFirstly, I'd like to thank Coll for her amazing work stepping into Lost Magazine for our February edition. It was wonderful, and I'm excited to work on this exciting project together from now on! However, it appears that we're playing holiday tag, as Coll is off on her honeymoon - congratulations to the newlyweds!
Well, it sure is nice to be back! After a few weeks travelling abroad, I can't believe I am already sitting at my computer racking my brain for what to write.. Maybe I'll just let the Lost team of writers and photographers do the talking.
Read MoreAt the end of a beaten track, a white timber building shines among fairytale gum trees. The Little Church on Spring Hill maintains a charming aura that stands the test of time.
“It was originally St Marks, Church of England, it was built in 1890 and served the locals as both a place of worship and Sunday school up until 1959 when it was deconsecrated,” explains Nicky Thomas, co-owner. “I’ve heard the Sunday school teacher used to ride their bikes from Kyneton to take their classes. That probably doesn’t seem that extreme now, but the old bikes wouldn’t have had gears and Spring Hill is atop a rather large hill.”
Read MoreLavandula, or lavender as it is commonly known, means to wash in Latin - referring to the use of infusions of the plants. Behind the golden hills of Shepherds Flat, Lavandula Swiss-Italian Farm cherishes our mysterious relationship to the flower of the Old World.
“I love renovating and restoring old buildings. I would travel to Europe every year because my brother lived in Italy, he was working as an artist,” explains Carol, as she walks us through the curated gardens, “My brother and I went to the south of France and I saw these little patches of lavender, around Provence.”
Read MoreLearmonth, population 438, is the kind of Victorian town that most people have never heard of. Once visited, however, it’s impossible to forget.
Around 20 minutes’ drive from Ballarat, this leafy corner of Central Victoria is as pretty as it gets. Broad streets are lined with period beauties and the imposing Lake Learmonth acts as a dramatic backdrop. And once you encounter Café Sidra on the tree-lined main avenue the town’s charm offensive is complete.
Read MoreUTILISING THE BOLD FLAVOURS OR MANDARIN, KAFFIR LIME AND WHITE SESAME, ALONG WITH FRESH TUMERIC, GALANGAL AND GINGER, ANIMUS AMBROSIAN IS A BOLD REINTERPRETATION OF GIN RICH WITH BOTH AUSTRALIAN AND SOUTH EAST ASIAN INFLUENCES.
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The Farmers Arms Hotel Daylesford is not your average pub. It boasts a truly seasonal menu, focusing on highlighting local and in-season produce. We deliver dishes that re ect the best of the region, sourcing from local organic farms and produce growers to ensure not only sustainable and tasty dishes, but also generous and deliciously avoured meals. We take great pride in all of our menu and this Twice-Baked Cauli ower Sou e is one of our sta favourites. We hope you will enjoy making it at home too.
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The origin story of Daylesford and Hepburn Mineral Springs Co is ripe for a Seachange-style mini- series treatment. It would start with protagonist, Brylie Rankin, needing a break from working in the hospitality industry in Melbourne, moving to Tasmania with her then- husband, only to discover after they arrived that she was pregnant.
Needing to be closer to her family because of the impending kid, they end up in Daylesford and, after the birth, return to working in restaurants. As she is waiting tables, Brylie notices something that plants the seed that will transform her life.
Read MoreLeading local bands have come together to hold a Bushfire Benefit to raise money in response to Victoria’s recent bushfires. A stunning line up including the 8 piece funk and groove sensation My Flight, local Country and Western rockers Cartwheels, Melbourne singer songwriter Tartie playing her indie dream pop and a few ‘surprises’ on the night! It should be a fantastic night, listening to some of the regions finest bands put on a foot tappin’ show for the community in response to the devastating bushfires.
08 February, Savoia Hotel, Hepburn Springs $20 per person - All monies raised will be donated to the Red Cross Bushfire Appeal.
Read MoreJust over an hour outside Melbourne, towards the southernmost end of the Great Dividing Range, lies the coldest region on the Australian mainland.
A perennial tourist destination, the Macedon Ranges exemplify Victoria’s natural beauty; broad vistas of undulating hills and forests, rolling green broken by volcanic granite, and row after orderly row of grapevines. This region’s climate conditions are among the most exceptional in Australia, and so it follows that the wine produced here carries unique qualities.
“Like human beings, a wine's taste is going to depend a great deal on its origins and its upbringing.” – Linda Johnson-Bell, wine critic.
Read MoreIn 2018, Alexander Hancocks fled the smoke of Sydney city for Hepburn Springs. At Pancho cafe, a local favourite, he is greeted affectionately, “I love that people talk to each other and say hello in the morning,” he explains. It’s been almost a year since that warm Valentine’s Day when Alex opened the doors of his men’s clothing and retail store, Buster McGee.
“My partner's last name is McGinniss and my mum would call me Buster as a child, that's my nickname. They say that you should have an affinity to your brand.” Buster McGee is nestled in one of the most historic rows of shop fronts in Victoria, on Howe Street in Daylesford. “I just didn't want to have to go down to Melbourne to buy clothes, especially on the weekends if I needed a shirt to go out,” says Alex, “I love the look of the shops. Buster McGee is located next to the Secret Garden and DA Apothecary, then Bistro Terroir and The Donkey's Tale.”
Read MoreWinding up the back roads of Glenlyon reveals a serene landscape of happy-go-lucky wandering piglets, chickens rummaging inside a truck, pensive goats and an inquisitive dog. Catherine Farm is the life-blood of Catherine and Bohdan, Glenlyon locals who want to give back to the earth.
“We operate our farm on a scale appropriate theory...what this means is that there’s only so many animals, plants and people that one peice of land can sustain before the symbiotic relationships of nature are thrown off kilter,” explains Bohdan, with a vibrating smile that lights up the room. “If you work with nature nature will work with you. To farm this way you must have a personal relationship with the land and observe the seasons; the way water and wind move across the land.”
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