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C R E AT E

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Permission to Play

26 L O S T N E W S RECIPES

PL ACE

More You, Louder

50 PAG E 07 PAG E 4 6 & 47

R E A S O N S T O G E T L O S T

PAG E 6 0

L O C A L Q & A

PAG E 62

LO S T M AG A Z I N E | 3

VOL 2 6 I S S U E 1 4 6 | S P R I N G 2 0 2 6 ABOUT LOST MAGA ZINE

Lost Magazine is an independent magazine circulating throughout Daylesford, Hepburn Springs, Kyneton, Trentham, Glenlyon, Castlemaine, Woodend, Creswick, Clunes and surrounds. We also distribute to select Melbourne venues and to an ever-growing subscriber base.

LOST TEAM

PUBLISHER

Theresa Albioli

Tony De Marco

F E AT U R E W R I T E R

Larissa Dubecki

Mahmood Fazal

F E AT U R E W R I T E R

PHOTOGR APHER

Michael Harden

Kaiya Rae

LOST MAGA ZINE

COVER IMAGE

PO BOX 463 Daylesford VIC 3460 editor@lostmagazine.com.au 03 5348 2008

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EDITOR

Taylor Albioli

Cello Hepburn by photographer Kaiya Rae. Read the full story on page 10 All content in this publication is copyright and may not be reproduced in whole or in part in any form without express permission of the publisher. All care is taken to ensure accuracy in editorial and advertising however the publishers and any contributors accept no responsibility for errors or omissions. All material herein constitutes information and not advice.

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LO S T N EW S

LO S T N E WS

pring is my favourite season. There is a moment when the air changes. A scent that belongs only to late winter and early spring, when the air is ever so slightly warmer. Buds begin to appear on the trees and the sun starts offering its warmth a little more generously. There is a slight buzz in the atmosphere as winter’s slumber slowly melts back into the earth and the cycle begins again. Perhaps that is what I love most about spring: its sense of possibility. Things begin to open, colour returns to the landscape and, after months spent turning inward, there is suddenly reason to venture out again. This edition of LOST feels much like this. Filled with people and places bringing creativity, beauty and new energy to our little part of the world. We begin in Hepburn Springs at Cello, the warm and colourful creation of motherand-daughter duo Kathy and Hannah. We discover the story behind the pair and the intention that has gone into creating a space that feels entirely their own. In Daylesford, we stop to smell the flowers at Larkspur Flowers. Florist, Elissa has built her practice around seasonality and a genuine relationship with the natural world. Her shop is an ever-changing expression of what is growing now, a fitting story for an edition celebrating the return of spring. We then enter the wonderfully playful world of Strange Bird Studio, where making something with your hands is reason enough to gather. This is creativity without the pressure of perfection. A space to

experiment, make a mess, and perhaps rediscover a part of yourself that hasn’t had much room to play lately. Then, it’s time for something a little stronger. At Hepburn Distillery, local ingredients are transformed into gin, vodka and whiskey, made by hand in the heart of Daylesford. We meet the couple behind the stills and explore an approach to distilling grounded in place, flavour and a determination to make something distinctly of this region. We next wind our way up Mount Macedon to Duneira Estate, where history and horticulture have been growing alongside one another for more than a century. Behind the gates lies layers of stories. Finally, we step inside Love Spell in Kyneton, a boutique born from a love of fashion, individuality and doing things a little differently. Eclectic and full of personality, it is a reminder that some of the most interesting places come from people willing to trust their instincts and create the kind of place they themselves want to find. There is a sense of emergence running through these stories; of people making, growing, creating and following ideas of their own. Perhaps that, too, is part of the feeling of spring. So throw open the windows, follow the warmer air and see where it takes you. There is so much to be discovered. It’s time to get LOST. Taylor Albioli Editor LO S T M AG A Z I N E | 7

BOTTLING THE SPIRIT OF DAYLESFORD. AWARDED ACROSS THE GLOBE. BARTENDER'S CHOICE OF G&T DAYLESFORDSPIRIT.COM.AU

Taste of

Something

CELLO HEPBURN STORY BY L ARISSA DUBECKI P H O T O S B Y K A I YA R A E

LO S T EAT

here's a new splash of sunshine in Hepburn Springs that’s impossible to miss.

Painted a bold, welcoming yellow with a smart white trim, Cello Café has breathed fresh life into one of the village's most recognisable heritage buildings. Welcome to the ‘hood’s latest offering, where locals and visitors can linger over great coffee, hearty food and just a little retail therapy. Opened in April, Cello is the latest venture from mother-and-daughter duo Kathy and Hannah Wadsworth, whose business partnership stretches back more than two decades. "It's pretty special," Hannah says. "We've always worked together, since I was about 10 or 11. Mum had homewares and furniture businesses, then fashion, and I was the one cleaning windows and playing behind the counter." That lifelong partnership has evolved through fashion boutiques, cafés and, during the uncertainty of COVID, the launch of Maze Café & Larder at Daylesford's Mill Markets. But it was Hepburn Springs that has most recently captured their imagination.

LOST EAT

"We felt Hepburn needed a locals' café," Hannah says. "We looked at this building and all the history of the beautiful businesses that had been here before and thought it needed new custodians to really take it on and give it some love." Love, as it turned out, came in the form of six intense weeks of renovation. The pair painted almost every surface themselves, painstakingly cutting in around ageing shelving that refused to cooperate with straight lines. The cheerful yellow façade was the first move. "We just thought, 'Let's paint the outside, to say something new is happening,'" Hannah says. "People instantly said, 'That's fresh, that's cheery,' and that's exactly what we wanted." Inside, the heritage character remains, with pressed metal ceilings and thoughtfully curated interiors, while vintage bentwood chairs sourced from across Victoria add warmth and charm. Many were rescued from Facebook Marketplace before being lovingly restored. The result is a café that feels both timeless and contemporary. "We've done everything very intentionally," Hannah says. "It's got a beautiful atmosphere." That philosophy extends to the menu. Rather than chasing food trends, Cello focuses on unpretentious dishes with thoughtful twists. Think classic eggs Benedict elevated with lemon myrtle hollandaise, alongside weekly

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lunch specials and house-made jams, pickles and relishes that also line the retail shelves. Coffee is equally considered, made with Bermuda Coffee Roasters beans and Gippsland Jersey milk. "We're pretty particular about coffee," Hannah says. "We've got an incredible team, and our lead barista has been with us since he was 16." Cello goes beyond the café remit. Visitors can browse gourmet pantry items, locally made gifts, clothing and homewares, some of which even connect with what’s on the menu. "We wanted people to spend a slower morning here," Hannah explains. "You might have a pot of tea, fall in love with it, then take some home. It's about creating an experience, not just serving a meal." At the heart of it all remains the remarkable working relationship between Hannah and Kathy. "We're a bit of a yin and yang operation," Hannah says. "Mum's the mother hen and front of house. I'm more kitchen and always thinking about what's next. We've never had a storm out or a harsh word. We're just on the same wavelength."

Cello Hepburn 115 Main Road, Hepburn Springs Open daily 8am – 3pm cellohepburn.com

LO S T EAT

L O S T M A G A Z I N E | 13

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The

Poetry of Impermanence

L ARKSPUR FLOWERS S TO RY BY M A H M O O D FA Z A L P H O T O S B Y K A I YA R A E

LO S T P RO D U C E

here is something slightly perverse about the modern flower industry. We take something whose beauty comes partly from the fact that it is alive, seasonal and destined to die, then spend enormous amounts of energy trying to make it available everywhere, all the time. At Larkspur Flowers, on Vincent Street in Daylesford, Elissa is trying something different. The shop works exclusively with Australian-grown flowers, following the seasons rather than attempting to defeat them. There is no floral foam, no plastic wrapping, no synthetic ribbon. Sometimes, there are no red roses on Valentine’s Day. Elissa Dannock came to floristry indirectly. She studied landscape design at Swinburne, where a favourite subject was permaculture. She was drawn to the idea of designing gardens that worked with the lives unfolding inside them: “Designing with intention, while also accepting and working with the way life naturally moves and grows.” Flowers eventually became another way of doing the same thing. “I don’t mind working with unusual shapes, wonky stems or imperfections,” she says. “I actually really like those things. It’s about working with nature rather than against

it.” When she arranges flowers, she thinks about depth, texture, movement and scent, creating what she calls “little rooms” inside an arrangement. “Flowers are just my medium and I use them to tell a story and to create connection to place and the seasons.” Floristry first appeared to her as a possible life at the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show in 2015. What she remembers now is less a particular arrangement than a feeling: “I think ultimately what I saw was something I could belong to.” She had travelled, studied and moved through different jobs. Photography interested her for a while. So did beekeeping. Floristry might easily have been another passing fascination. Instead, she completed her training and found herself installing flowers for large corporate events in Melbourne, discovering that the work was “a lot less glamorous and a lot more demanding” than she had imagined. What kept her there wasn’t simply beauty. She wanted “to have a place within a community, to be skilled at something that is useful to people, to work with my hands, to be creative and to care for the planet.” After moving to Daylesford, she worked at a small regenerative flower farm in Lyonville.

L O S T M A G A Z I N E | 19

Saint Brigid's D I S C O V E R B A R

A N D

D A Y L E S F O R D ' S D I N I N G

H A R D W A R E N E X T

L A N E ,

D O O R

T O

N E W E S T

E X P E R I E N C E

D A Y L E S F O R D , H E P B U R N

E L E V A T E D

T H I S

V I C

S P R I N G

3 4 6 0

D I S T I L L E R Y

W W W W S A I N T B R I G I D S D A Y L E S F O R D . C O M . A U @ S A I N T B R I G I D S D A Y L E S F O R D

LO S T P RO D U C E

There she learnt the less photogenic life of a flower: watering, weeding, seedlings, beneficial insects, propagation, pruning and knowing precisely when something should be cut. “I understand the time, patience and hard work behind what I’m holding.” That understanding became central to Larkspur. Today the shop at 109a Vincent Street sells seasonal arrangements and works across weddings, events and installations. But perhaps its most interesting product is restraint. If somebody wants calla lilies in summer, Elissa will tell them they cannot have them. Australian growers produce them from midwinter into early spring. Instead, she might suggest belladonnas. “Rather than seeing seasonality as a limitation, I see it as part of the creative process,” she says. “Every arrangement has a connection to the time and place it was made.” Last Valentine’s Day, Larkspur didn’t sell a single red rose. Nobody complained. Elissa had wondered whether customers would miss the synthetic ribbons when she stopped using those, too. They didn’t. “People can only question an expectation once you’ve challenged it.” Perhaps that is what Larkspur is really selling: permission to appreciate something without needing to possess it for very long.

Elissa sometimes takes a small bunch of daffodils home and puts them in the same spot, simply for the pleasure of walking past them. Flowers accompany weddings and funerals, apologies and declarations of love, but they also mark less consequential moments — a room, a season, an ordinary Tuesday. “There will always be a need for flowers,” she says, “because there will always be a need to connect with nature and each other.” And, eventually, they die. Elissa thinks this is not a defect but the point. “There are so many beautiful things that are worth experiencing for a moment,” she says. “A good bottle of wine, live music, a beautiful meal, a sunset.” “They’re fleeting. They don’t last, but they can feed your soul in a way that something permanent sometimes can’t.” Flowers, she thinks, can do the same.

Larkspur Flowers 109a Vincent Street, Daylesford larkspurflowers.com.au

L O S T M A G A Z I N E | 21

MELBOURNE CUP LONG WEEKEND

SPEND IT IN DAYLESFORD tuesday 3 november

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03 5348 2008

be found with lost magazine

THE INSIDE STORY

Monument House Daylesford

What first drew you to designing and building Monument House and making it your own? I was only 25 and could really only afford an apartment in Melbourne, so I decided to think big and build my dream holiday home before my first home. Everyone in my life thought I was insane! I wanted something contemporary, calming and modern, while being able to host as many guests as possible. The majority of the home was built with the help of family, cousins and friends, including my dad, a retired tradesman who was 75 at the time. He moved to Daylesford for a year to help SHEPHERDS FLAT bring the house to life. The interiors were created in close collaboration with Caitlin Nicolas, a good friend and interior designer from Melbourne. Even some of the artworks and ceramics are by friends, including Anna Jenkins of AJ Clay. Every detail has a story and is a testament to the love and generosity that has gone into what continues to be an evolving passion project. This isn’t just a holiday home, it’s a living legacy, created with heart and designed to be shared.

What do you love most about the house? It would have to be the living room. Having lived in units and apartments my whole life, walking into that space still feels incredibly luxurious and grand. Opening all the sliding doors and watching the sheer curtains move in the breeze as the sun filters through is a real moment. It’s never lost on me how special the home feels, and how fortunate we are to share it with friends, family and guests. The layout makes it easy to move between the kitchen, dining, courtyard and living spaces, particularly when entertaining. What are some of your favourite places or things to do around Daylesford? Breakfast at Cliffy’s is always a must. The Daylesford Hotel is our favourite dinner spot. It’s cosy, the food is outstanding and both are only a few minutes’ walk from home. My friends love art, so we always make time for Bromley & Co, Michael Parker Gallery and The Convent. Wombat Hill Botanic Gardens is beautiful, and I love walking up to the water tower and catching the view. Bar Merenda is another local favourite, and the perfect place for a wine and a snack.

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Architecturally designed with a focus on creating key connections between the inside and out, Monument House presents an idyllic and quiet reprieve from the outside world. The home’s contemporary features and clean lines bring together a brilliant light-ﬁlled space complimented by its high ceilings, black accents and rustic notes.

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Permission to

STR ANGE BIRD STUDIO S TO RY BY M A H M O O D FA Z A L P H O T O S B Y K A I YA R A E

Play

LO S T C R EATE

hen a table of strangers sits down together at Strange Bird Studio in Daylesford, Nicola Weston has noticed there are usually about 35 seconds of awkwardness. Then everyone starts making something. “Suddenly the whole thing softens,” Weston says. “There’s something about having your hands busy that makes conversation happen sideways.” People begin with ridiculous things and somehow arrive at grief, loss, family dynamics and relationships. They talk about businesses they want to start, ideas they haven’t had the confidence to pursue, or things they are struggling with. Others barely talk at all. “A bunch of strangers walk in, there’s 35 seconds of weirdness, and then this tiny temporary community appears around a table.” Weston moved permanently to Daylesford in 2019, three years after she and her then partner bought a little miner’s cottage backing onto Cornish Hill.

“Daylesford has always felt a little bit magical to me,” she says. “There’s something about this place that draws you in and holds you close.” They fell for the slower pace, the walking tracks and the traffic-light-less streets. Eventually, they stopped wanting to leave. But Weston says it is the community that has kept her and her daughter there. “People genuinely show up for each other.” Strange Bird grew partly from Weston’s own compulsion to make things. She has made everything from a quirky dollhouse for her daughter to a “slightly unhinged” children’s table and chairs covered entirely in thrifted stuffed animals. “I just know I feel better when I’m making something.” About 18 months ago, Weston visited James Street Gallery in Geelong, run by not-forprofit organisation genU and showcasing work by artists with disabilities. She became “completely enamoured” with what she saw. “The work was joyful and strange and brilliant, and there was this real creative freedom to it.”

L O S T M A G A Z I N E | 29

LOST CR E ATE

She bought a painting of a bird by artist Marcus Lovell. The bird became a kind of mascot for the studio. Its name also draws on one of Weston’s favourite books, Dr Seuss’s Oh, the Places You’ll Go!, and its description of the “strange birds” we encounter along the way. A friend, Jobbo, saw how animated Weston was by the gallery. “You should do something like this,” he told her. “And so I did.” Weston didn’t think Daylesford needed another place teaching people how to become artists. She wanted somewhere children and adults could simply make things, meet people and unwind. The distinction matters to her. “I hear ‘I’m not creative’ and ‘I can’t even draw a stick figure’ all the time,” she says. “But the whole point of Strange Bird Studio is that it’s not about being good at art. It’s about art being good for you.” She can see the transformation physically. Shoulders drop. People stop asking whether they’re doing things correctly. They cut up old coffee-table books, splash around paint and make bizarre collages that make them laugh. One woman told Weston afterwards that it was the first thing she had done purely for herself all year. Weston thinks adulthood has

30 | L O S T M A G A Z I N E

lost some of its capacity for play. “There’s so much pressure to make everything count,” she says. “We’re meant to be achieving something, improving something, earning something, ticking something off. Even our hobbies somehow end up needing to be productive.” Then she adds: “Capitalism, amiright?” At Strange Bird, people make collages, prints, stamps, zines and cards. Weston describes the desired atmosphere as “sip and paint, but with soul”. The finished object is almost incidental. “Perfection and creativity are terrible housemates,” she says. Children understand this better than adults: they make things without worrying whether they’re any good or what somebody else might think. “The good bit is how it feels while you’re making it.” And when people eventually get up from the table, Weston isn’t particularly concerned with what they’ve made. She hopes they leave carrying something less. “Maybe just a little less weight on their shoulders than they carried in.” Strange Bird Studio hello@strangebirdstudio.com.au strangebirdstudio.com.au

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L O S T M A G A Z I N E | 31

FEATURE PROPERTY

york house Hidden behind nearly an acre of ﬂourishing gardens, York House is a beautifully restored 1858 miner’s cottage where history and contemporary design meet, just a short stroll from Daylesford’s vibrant main street. Spend slow spring days wandering through vine-covered pathways, gathering for long lunches beneath the trees, exploring the town on foot, and returning home to the warmth and character of this timeless country retreat.

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The Houses Daylesford have a portfolio of beautiful accommodation rental properties interspersed throughout the Daylesford region Our portfolio of properties provide the perfect setting for couples, families, groups, corporates, photo shoots and location hire.

Living Estate D U N E I R A E S TAT E S TO RY BY M A H M O O D FA Z A L P H O T O S B Y K A I YA R A E

LO S T P L AC E

LO ST PLACE

he first time Melina Godard visited Duneira Estate, she could barely see it.

It was 2005, autumn, cold and raining. Mist had settled over the Mount Macedon garden and the trees had begun to change colour. Rather than diminishing the place, the weather seemed to reveal something about it. “It was mysterious and felt like I was exploring a secret garden,” Melina says. “I fell in love with the place that day and thought about it long after I left.” Duneira has been provoking that kind of attachment for more than 150 years. The estate was established in 1872 by wealthy pastoralist Suetonius Officer, who planted its great elm-lined driveway in the tradition of Victoria’s nineteenth-century pastoral estates. Half a kilometre long, the avenue still provides the theatrical entrance Officer intended, eventually revealing the 1875 homestead beyond the lawns. For Melina, it is also a surviving fragment of another Australia. “It gives us today a glimpse of the lives of the wealthy landed gentry of the late nineteenth century,” she says. What is remarkable about Duneira is not simply its age but how gently successive generations have altered it. The estate has survived bushfires, changing fashions and a succession of owners without anyone entirely remaking the garden in their own image. Instead, they added layers.

36 | L O S T M A G A Z I N E

LO ST PLACE

In the early twentieth century, the Smith Reid family created a secret garden as a cutting garden. More than a century later, it is shadier, but its original structure remains. When the lupins flower, Melina says, it is spectacular. Then came Betty Alcock, who received Duneira as a wedding present from her father, George Nicholas, in 1939. In the following decade, Betty decided the garden needed something it lacked: femininity. She planted brightly coloured rhododendrons and Mollis azaleas. Melina has a particular affection for the scented Rhododendron fragrantissimum Betty introduced. “If I can find a quiet moment to sit with a cup of tea on the verandah, their scent is intoxicating.” Duneira changes its character with the seasons. Crocuses and daffodils appear, then bluebells, cherry blossom and brilliant rhododendrons. In autumn, the orchard fills with Pink Lady apples. Visitors tend to be immediately captured by the elm avenue and the lawns sweeping towards the house, but Melina encourages them to wander further: the secret garden, rhododendron grove, heritage roses and, behind the house, the hydrangeas.

“I think Stuart would be thrilled to see people sitting in his living room tapping away listening to jazz amongst his wonderful art collection.” The house is alive again with concerts, exhibitions, workshops and talks. Preservation, here, does not mean embalming a place. It means allowing people back inside it. Asked when she would visit Duneira if she could choose any period in its history, Melina doesn’t hesitate. She would return to the 1920s, when the Smith Reid family lived there and the estate was bursting with productivity. She would eat raspberries from the berry house. Propagate seedlings in the heated glasshouse. Cut flowers for the house. Play tennis on the grass court and croquet on the lawn, dressed, naturally, in white linen. Then the afternoon would begin to soften. “I would host a party with champagne on the verandah,” she says, “and dance the night away to a swing band in the living room.” Perhaps that imagined evening explains Duneira better than any historical plaque could. A garden survives because somebody keeps tending it, but a house survives because people keep finding reasons to fill it.

The estate might easily have become a private relic. Instead, its final private owner, Stuart Stoneman, left Duneira for the wider community to enjoy.

More than a century later, there is music in Duneira’s living room again.

Melina often thinks of him on the last Friday of the month, when the house hosts Gin and Jazz nights.

Duneira Estate Officer Ln, Mount Macedon duneiraestate.com.au

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L O S T M A G A Z I N E | 39

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The

Next Adventure

HEPBURN DISTILLERY STORY BY MICHAEL HARDEN P H O T O S B Y K A I YA R A E

Nick Skinner Photography

LO S T D R I N K

ike many among us, Brett and Michelle Anderson became enamoured with gin during lockdown. Unlike most of us, however, the Andersons took it further than a few online gin and tonics with mates, particularly after their gin group started monthly Meet the Distiller sessions. Still, despite an increasing interest in the process and possibilities of distilling, they weren’t thinking about launching into the gin business, even after they noticed Daylesford’s Hepburn Distillery was on the market and decided to have a look. “We were at a time in our lives when our kids were moving out of home and we’d started talking about what our next adventure might be,” says Michelle. “We both wanted a career change and to do a business together and were looking at different options. When we heard Hepburn Distillery was up for sale, I sort of jokingly suggested we should go and have a look.” “We’d been to the distillery before and liked it and when I thought about it, this sounded like fun and something we could probably do,” says Brett. “We did wonder if we were quite ready to do our own business as the timeframe was quicker than we imagined but we decided it was time to bite the bullet.”

L O S T M A G A Z I N E | 43

LOST DR INK

Decision made, they hit the ground running, selling their house in Ballarat, moving to Daylesford and negotiating the labyrinth of liquor licensing rules and regulations. Then there was the matter of learning how to become gin, vodka and whisky makers. Brett completed an internationally recognised Certificate of Distilling course with the added bonus of Basil Elades, the distiller and artist who’d established Hepburn Distillery, being willing to share his knowledge with Brett during the handover. The work has paid off. In this year’s Melbourne Royal Australian International Spirit awards, all three of their entries won medals, two for their Hardware Lane Gin and one for their Vanilla Bush Honey Vodka, made using local honey and vanilla pods. The Andersons have made it their mission to use as much local produce as possible. Their vodka is made with local potatoes and the strawberries in their popular Bullarto Organic Strawberry Gin and the sloe berries in their Sloe Gin are from the local region too. They also make their own base spirit and distil using rainwater from their own 20-thousand litre tank so they can legitimately claim to “do everything from scratch”. Even some of the barrels they use to age their whisky are made by a local cooper.

44 | L O S T M A G A Z I N E

The Hepburn Distillery core range of gins, vodka and whisky is supplemented with limited edition batched using fruit like oranges, grapefruit and quinces so their output is as seasonal as it is local. The best way to sample Brett and Michelle’s seasonal, regional approach is at their distillery door which overlooks the distillery floor. They offer tasting flights, cocktails and whisky workshops with build-your-own cheeseboards (from Long Paddock) and local olives for ballast. It’s a great addition to the burgeoning craft distillery culture in the region. “It’s such a supportive community here in Daylesford,” says Michelle. “We’ve even gained some cred with our kids now that we’re distillers, so we really feel like we made the right decision with our new adventure.”

Hepburn Distillery 1 Hardware Lane (rear 79 Vincent St), Daylesford. hepburndistillery.com

LO S T D R I N K

L O S T M A G A Z I N E | 45

Cherry Tree Roast Lamb Ingredients: 1-2kg lamb leg boneless (Cherry Tree) 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (Mt Zero)

Method: Preheat oven to 200°C fan Add Mt Zero extra virgin olive oil casserole/ dutch oven.

1 jar tomato paste 200g (Global Organics) 500ml beef bone broth (Cherry Tree Kitchen) 5 cloves of garlic 2 1rg carrots 1 red onion 2 white potatoes 1 cup filtered water 20g rosemary 20g thyme Salt Pepper

Place Cherry Tree lamb in middle of casserole, with a knife poke holes into the skin of the lamb, about 1cm deep and add garlic cloves, sprinkle salt and pepper. Peel and cut carrots and potatoes, place around the lamb spreading the tomato paste and bone broth, pour one cup of filtered water over the lamb. Top with fresh rosemary and thyme, cover with the lid and roast for 4hrs 175°C. Uncover the last 30 minutes to let everything crisp up beautifully Serve with mash potatoes or jasmine white rice all Australian Certified Organic produce.

Voila! Enjoy!

Woodend Wholefoods 81F High St, Woodend VIC 3442 (03) 5427 4406

Lewellyn House

Art by Lana Daubermann

Wombat Park Estate

PAINTING AT WOMBAT PARK ESTATE

ART RETREAT DAYLESFORD

Immerse yourself in two days of painting and creativity with Australian landscape artist Lana Daubermann, across Lewellyn House and the grounds of Wombat Park Estate.

Lewellyn House

FRIDAY 23RD SUNDAY 25TH OCTOBER LEWELLYN HOUSE WOMBAT PARK ESTATE

LANA DAUBERMANN

Highlights

EXCLUSIVE ACCESS TO WOMBAT PARK ESTATE TWO DAYS OF PAINTING WITH LANA DAUBERMANN EN PLEIN AIR SESSIONS, DEMOS & ONE-ON-ONE ALL MEALS INCLUDED ACROSS THE WEEKEND TWO NIGHTS AT LEWELLYN HOUSE DAYLESFORD

BOOKINGS 03 5348 2008 thehousesdaylesford.com

2026 SPRING OPEN GARDEN STEP INTO A WORLD OF ROMANCE We are delighted to welcome guests back to Wombat Park Estate for our Spring Open Garden. Don’t miss the chance to experience Wombat Park Estate in full spring splendour. Our magnificent 250-acre historic estate comes alive with colour, fragrance and new growth as the gardens awaken for the season. Grand avenues are framed by fresh green foliage, flowering trees and vibrant seasonal blooms, while the garden rooms burst into life. Food, beverages and local produce will be available for purchase throughout the day at our country market on the croquet lawn.

WOMBAT PARK ESTATE MIDLAND HWY, DAYLESFORD

BOOK YOUR TICKET HERE

FOR TICKET ENQUIRIES 0430 068 999 or events@thhgroup.com.au

LO S T F EATU R E

You,

Louder LOVE SPELL S TO RY BY M A H M O O D FA Z A L P H O T O S B Y K A I YA R A E

eather Carulli spent 25 years helping other people build businesses before she finally asked herself a fairly obvious question: what if she built the thing that was already in her head? The answer became Love Spell, a small, defiantly colourful shop on Piper Street in Kyneton. It arrived out of a sequence of events that don’t immediately seem connected: a career in fashion and corporate life in New York, a move across the world, becoming a mother at 49, a pandemic and, eventually, a shop that Heather insists was never really about clothes. “New York and New Jersey is in my DNA,” she says. “It taught me to be curious, work hard, notice everything and never be afraid to ask, ‘Why can’t we do it differently?’” She didn’t come to Australia hoping to

reproduce New York in miniature. In fact, she wanted precisely the opposite: a different kind of life. What surprised her was how readily she fell for regional Australia, and particularly Kyneton. “Kyneton gave me something I didn’t know I was looking for,” she says. “It gave me a place to belong.” Love Spell began during the pandemic. After a quarter of a century working inside other people’s businesses, Heather wanted to create the place she herself wanted to enter: “Something colourful, feminine, a little loud and completely unapologetic.” “So I did,” she says. “It was either incredibly brave or completely insane. Probably both.” The shop is an expression of Heather’s particular understanding of femininity. Not as a set of rules, but the freedom to ignore them. A woman can wear a tiny dress,

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LOST FEATU R E

leopard print, sequins, jeans or men’s tailoring. She can change her mind the following morning.

she believes, make a town recognisable. Lose enough of them and a place begins to lose its personality.

“I think women spend an enormous amount of their lives being told to tone things down,” Heather says. “Don’t be too loud, too sexy, too ambitious, too old, too much.”

“I don’t believe in competing for the same pie,” she says. “I believe in making the pie bigger.”

Her alternative is wonderfully succinct: “More you. Louder.” That philosophy became more urgent after Heather became a mother at 49. After what she describes as an extraordinary journey involving an egg donor and surrogacy, her son, Wolf, arrived. Motherhood changed, above all, her understanding of time. “Life suddenly felt very finite.” She wants Wolf to grow up watching his mother take risks, make mistakes, remain ambitious and create things. “I don’t want him to see a woman who decided she had to become smaller once she became a parent.” Perhaps this explains why Love Spell has gradually expanded beyond the conventional boundaries of a shop. Heather hosts gatherings, VIP nights and events. The fitting room becomes somewhere conversations happen. Champagne is opened. People arrive separately and sometimes leave together. “A shop can sell you a dress,” she says. “A community can make you feel like you belong.” That idea has spilled onto Piper Street itself. Heather became involved in bringing traders together through Piper Street After Dark, trying to give visitors a reason not simply to shop but to stay. Independent businesses, 52 | L O S T M A G A Z I N E

Now Love Spell is preparing to travel again. A second store is set to open in Daylesford’s new Rex Arcade this spring. Heather is excited about the expansion, but talks more about the people she will meet than the square metres she will occupy. Her definition of success has changed too. Once, it might have involved becoming a CEO. Now it is creating jobs, supporting other businesses, empowering women and making her “little corner of the world a little more magical”. She remains ambitious. She wants Love Spell to grow. But growth, after 25 years in corporate life, is no longer enough. “I want to build something with soul,” she says. Maybe that is why Love Spell works. Clothes are tangible things: they can be bought, bagged and taken home. What Heather is attempting to build around them is less easily measured. “The clothes get you through the door,” she says. “The people make you want to stay.”

Love Spell 56 Piper St, Kyneton lovespell.com.au

0431 444 468 SHOP 2, 14 PIPER ST KYNETON 3444

www.thewoolshedaustralia.com

the newest house Meet on the portfolio

INTRODUCING

Grenville house

Steeped in history and surrounded by lush seasonal gardens, Grenville House is an exquisite Victorian residence oﬀering a sanctuary of elegance, charm and timeless indulgence.

Be amongst the best in

daylesford

(03) 5348 2008 thehousesdaylesford.com stay@thehousesdaylesford.com

Ritual. Ritual. Extraction. Extraction. Experience. Experience. The Enki Farm & Apothecary. The Enki Farm & Apothecary. Now Open. Now Open.

Friday to Monday. Friday to Monday.

In the heart ofof Victoria’s spa In the heart Victoria’s spacountry countryand andwellbeing wellbeingregion, region, Enki Apothecary has returned home. Enki Apothecary has returned home. ForFor years, amongst the hustle years, amongst the hustleand andbustle bustleof ofDaylesford’s Daylesford’s main main street, street, Enki became a treasured has Enki became a treasuredoasis oasisfor forlocals localsand andvisitors visitorsalike. alike. Now, Now, Enki Enki has returned to the farm. To the place where the passion behind what is created returned to the farm. To the place where the passion behind what is created can bebe experienced inin itsitsentirety. can experienced entirety. Just seven minutes from the hills of of Just seven minutes from theDaylesford Daylesfordtownship, township,amongst amongst the the rolling hills Musk, sits Enki Apothecary Musk, sits Enki Apothecary&&Farm: Farm:biodynamic biodynamicgardens, gardens, laboratory, laboratory, Apothecary and Tea House Apothecary and Tea Housebrought broughttogether togetherin inone oneplace. place. Eight years in in the making, to Eight years the making,ititisisthe therealisation realisationof ofaapublic-facing public-facing Garden to Glass experience, and perhapsa areturn returnto tosomething somethingDaylesford Daylesford itself has Glass experience, and perhaps has long been known for: placescreated createdfor forslowing slowingdown, down,reconnecting reconnecting and long been known for: places experiencing wellbeing withdepth depthand andintention. intention. experiencing wellbeing with Enki has always existed at the frontier of BotanicalRenaissance Renaissance -- a Enki has always existed at the frontier of aaBotanical a return return plant kingdom andananinvitation invitationtotoremember rememberourselves ourselves as as part part of to to thethe plant kingdom and of the the natural world. natural world. Here, that philosophy becomestangible. tangible. Here, that philosophy becomes Visitors can see the botanicalsgrowing growingininthe thesoil, soil,touch touch and and smell smell the the Visitors can see the botanicals plants, step inside the Apothecary and discover how they are transformed plants, step inside the Apothecary and discover how they are transformed in in the laboratory into the Spagyric extracts, botanical preparations and the laboratory into the Spagyric extracts, botanical preparations and skincare found upon the shelves. skincare found upon the shelves.

And then, there is time to sit for tea.... And then, there is time to sit for tea....

. .

EXPERIENCE DAYLESFORD’S EXPERIENCE DAYLESFORD’S HERBALAPOTHECARY APOTHECARY HERBAL NATURAL SKINCARE RITUAL NATURAL SKINCARE RITUAL ARTISAN HERBS & MEDICINAL MUSHROOMS ARTISAN HERBS & MEDICINAL MUSHROOMS

Teaisisserved servedininthe thetraditional traditional Gong Tea Gong FuFu style,using usinga asmall smallvessel vessel and a series style, and a series of allow the leaves ofshort shortinfusions infusionsthat that allow the leaves to flavour and toslowly slowlyreveal revealtheir theiraroma, aroma, flavour and texture. It is a more attentive way of texture. It is a more attentive way of drinking cup offers drinkingtea, tea,where whereeach each cup offers something slightly different from the something slightly different from the last. Settle in overlooking the farm and last. Settle in overlooking the farm and experience tea as a ritual of slowness, experience tea as a ritual of slowness, conversation discovery. conversationand andsensory sensory discovery. Friday FridaytotoMonday, Monday,10am-4pm 10am-4pm

wwwwww. .eennkki .i a. auu ccoonnnneecct t@@eennkki .ia. a uu

LOST R E A SONS

Reasons to get LOST

W H AT T H E L O S T T E A M A R E E X P L O R I N G T H I S S P R I N G

Our region flourishes in Spring Spring breathes new life into our region, bringing with it a season of celebration. As gardens bloom and days grow longer, the calendar fills with vibrant festivals, exceptional food, music, heritage, flowers and creative collaborations, each offering a chance to experience the warmth, character and spirit of our community.

World Press Photo For the first time in a decade, the internationally acclaimed World Press Photo exhibition comes to Victoria, hosted at the Ballarat Mining Exchange. Featuring the year's most powerful photojournalism and documentary photography from around the globe, the exhibition offers an extraordinary insight into the stories shaping our world. 8 August – 20 September artgalleryofballarat.com.au

Bloom Spring bursts into colour across the Bendigo region with Bloom, a season-long celebration of flowers, food, wine and regional experiences. Discover more than 60 events, from open gardens and floral installations to cellar doors, guided walks and vibrant country festivals. 14 August – 31 October bendigoregion.com.au

Kyneton Daffodil & Arts Festival Celebrate the arrival of spring as Kyneton comes alive with vibrant daffodil displays, art exhibitions, live music and community events. The much-loved festival showcases the creativity, heritage and welcoming spirit of one of the region's most charming towns. 4–13 September kynetondaffodilandartsfestival.com.au

Landscape Painting Art Retreat at Wombat Park Estate Spend two inspiring days immersed in the landscapes of Wombat Park Estate under the guidance of renowned artist Lana Daubermann. Designed for artists of all levels, this intimate retreat offers time to paint, wander and reconnect with your creativity in one of the region's most remarkable private estates (pictured). 23–25 October wombatparkestate.com.au

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LO S T R EA S O N S

Wombat Park Estate Spring Open Garden Following the overwhelming success of previous years, Wombat Park Estate once again opens its magnificent State-significant gardens to the public. Wander through one of Victoria's finest historic landscapes while enjoying local wine, artisan producers, garden stalls and seasonal delights over Melbourne Cup weekend. 31 October – 1 November wombatparkestate.com.au

Traditional Arts Fair Set within the beautiful gardens of Buda Historic Home & Garden in Castlemaine, the Traditional Arts Fair celebrates heritage skills, craftsmanship and creativity. Browse artisan demonstrations, handmade wares, garden workshops, local food and familyfriendly activities in a truly unique setting. 22 November budacastlemaine.org

Maldon Folk Festival

Victorian Medieval Festival

For more than 50 years, the Maldon Folk Festival has filled the historic township with music, dance and community spirit. Expect an unforgettable long weekend of folk, Celtic, bluegrass and blues performances, workshops and entertainment for all ages.

Step back in time as Kryal Castle transforms into a bustling medieval village filled with jousting, historical reenactments, artisan markets and familyfriendly adventures. From birds of prey displays to Knight School, it's a weekend of immersive entertainment for all ages.

30 October – 2 November maldonfolkfestival.com.au

21–22 November kryalcastle.com.au

Budburst Macedon Ranges

SpringFest Ballarat

Celebrate the arrival of a new vintage as more than 20 cool-climate wineries open their doors across the Macedon Ranges. Budburst invites visitors to discover exceptional wines, regional produce and unforgettable cellar door experiences throughout the weekend.

One of regional Victoria's largest outdoor markets returns to the shores of Lake Wendouree. Featuring more than 450 stalls, local makers, gourmet food, live entertainment and community groups, SpringFest is a vibrant celebration of Ballarat's creative spirit.

14–15 November budburst.com

29 November springfestballarat.com.au

Image: Marnie Hawson

Time is the ultimate luxury. Spend it well..

alkinalodge.com.au

Over 20 years of storytelling

lostmagazine.com.au editor@lostmagazine.com.au IN PRINT, ONLINE & SOCIALS

be found with lost magazine

As a driving force behind Trentham Words in Winter, what have you learned about the people and creative spirit of this region through the festival?

Sylvia Johnson Introducing Sylvia... From food and wine to festivals and funerals, "life has been an amazing roller-coaster of a ride!"

What first brought you to the Macedon Ranges, and what continues to inspire you about living and working here? From living in The Dandenong Ranges, we followed our family to Trentham, (Hepburn Shire), wishing we had come 10 years earlier. We knew nothing of the geography and history of the region that every day reinforces our move. History is everywhere through the towns, the villages and the farmlands, so it forms the very character of Macedon/ Hepburn. So does its people, the characters, the stalwarts, the community minded. The people are kind and considerate with more time for everything and everyone. Now semi-retired we enjoy our engagement with such people, especially those of Trentham.

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Every year we are amazed by the depth of creativity that surrounds us, with a willingness to share their areas of expertise or creativity. Our Festival highlights stories, conversation and performance, from music to authors; singing to word competitions; bush and contemporary poetry, all in all some 26 events that is pretty amazing for a small town. Spring is a season of renewal and discovery. What are some of your favourite ways to experience the Macedon Ranges at this time of year? It is the daffodil that heralds Spring, that takes us away from the difficulties of winter to happier times ahead. Spending some time in Kyneton that every year puts on quite a show of these joyful flowers; so do the Wattles now coming into bloom. The small white blobs of the newly born spring lambs also reinforces the various seasons and rebirth. You connect people through stories every day. Why do you think literature, conversation and community events are so important in regional towns? Everyone one has a story. As a Civil Celebrant for some 30 years I have been privy to thousands of stories of life, living and death. The power and delight of literature and expression is the very base of how we connect. Regional towns and villages through their physical and social structures invite people to come together, to share, to hear, to learn and to know….It is strengthening of our existence, our daily life.

If you were creating the perfect Macedon Ranges day for someone visiting for the first time, where would you send them and why? Obviously Hanging Rock – ancient and mystical, however it is a physical challenge. In Spring it would be a drive or a tour through Macedon’s superb and grand gardens, they can be breathtaking. In a passive sense a walk through the Kyneton Gardens where giant trees of historic significance shelter. And peppered through the day, a little therapy shopping in Piper Street that again reflects through its buildings the history of the area… of course with a couple of breaks to experience locally grown and produced food. I would also offer a visit to one of Macedon’s wineries as mostly people are amazed at the variety and standard of these cool climate wines.

Looking to the future, what excites you most about the Macedon Ranges (Hepburn) and what do you hope people, locals and visitors alike, will continue to value about this special place? If we loose our sense of history; if we do not collectively come together to uphold tradition, purpose, care and kindness, if we allow ‘insensitive development and expansion’ to overrule all that we value, we loose everything. As a Trentham resident I well know people come to this town often to ‘do nothing’; to take a break from the business of city life; to breath in fresh country air; to shop and eat in the quaintness, and to feel unhurried, a rarity these days.

TOWN FOLK FESTIVAL PRESENTS

FREE ENTRY 3PM 10PM FRIDAY 20 NOVEMBER 2026

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S P RING S ERVED AT THE FARMERS A RMS

SPRING IS A TIME TO GATHER, EAT WELL AND MAKE THE MOST OF THE SEASON. At The Farmers Arms, over 160 years of history meets a fresh take on the classic country pub, with a menu celebrating Daylesford’s finest seasonal produce. Tuck into local favourites like our Veal Schnitzel with herb butter, lemon and chips or the Sher Wagyu Burger, and pair it with a Kilkenny, local wine or a signature cocktail. Whether it’s a long lunch, a casual drink or a private gathering in our newly renovated dining room, courtyard or outdoor space. The Farmers Arms is the perfect place to enjoy spring in Daylesford. OPEN 7 DAYS LUNCH + DINNER

03 5348 2091

1 EAST ST, DAYLESFORD

farmersarmshoteldaylesford.com