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These versatile buildings are as close as you can get to an autonomous building and can suit many uses.
Engineered with live floor loads to accommodate light vehicles and workshops or seamlessly configured to suit a wide range of domestic, commercial or industrial applications.
Temporary or Permanent, PORTAMAX offers a creative solution for problematic or time-critical projects, often circumventing planning, building and leasehold compliance issues.
Available with simple ground bearing foundations and plug in service connections for rapid deployment, or with full “compliance of design” documentation and integrated service connection points.
Available in sizes up to 15 metres long and 5.2 metres wide (75m2 internally) and with CUSTOM fit outs.
PORTAMAX UNITS deliver reliable infrastructure wherever it’s needed most.
READYBUILT CUSTOMISE THEIR BUILDINGS & RELATIONSHIPS FOR THE LONG TERM. confidential discussion please call andrew@readybuiltportables.com.au Office / Yard 75 Deadhorse lane Mansfield with MEETINGS BY APPOINTMENT.
SAMPLE FLOORPLAN
THE PORTAMAX STANDARD BUILDING PLATFORM STARTS AS CLASS 10 (shed – non inhabitable) and as such can incorporate a workshop, storeroom, office, ablutions, kitchenette, electrical & plumbing installations including hot water and air conditioning units.
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SHIPPING CONTAINER STORAGE
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• Bar & Bistro serving delicious pub meals
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• Large Beer Garden • Car Park at rear 64 High St | 5797 2513 www.grandcentralhotelyea.com.au
of the Australian Good Food Guide award No1 Bistro in the Goulburn Valley & Victorian High Country.
Every Tuesday night
Farm relics sit side-by-side with fine china and silverware at Killingworth Hill Café & Whisky Bar ~ it is rustic, traditional Australiana with more than a smack of sophistication. Drink in this history as you sample some of the finest drams you’ll ever come across. Enjoy a glass of wine, a charcuterie board made with the finest cheeses, meats, patés, pickles, fruits and nuts, or a bowl of homemade soup, a delicious dessert, tea or coffee. Weekly specials
Meandering around Murrindindi . . .
MURRINDINDI
ARTS & TOURISM, BUSINESS & TRADES
GUIDE
Murrindindi’s INDEPENDENT guide to events and attractions across the shire and surrounds for locals and tourists alike. Pick up a copy at one of our advertisers or information centres in the shire or surrounding towns. Please support our advertisers as without them this magazine couldn’t be produced. If we support our local businesses and communities then we improve our local economy. Keep it local if you can.
Produced and published by Ann Friedel Publishing, 11 Albert Street Alexandra Victoria. Material published in the Murrindindi Arts & Tourism, Business & Trades Guide is protected by Australian and International copyright laws. Reproduction of any material in whole or part is not permitted without prior authorisation by the publisher. Ann Friedel Publishing has made every effort to ensure the information provided at time of printing is correct, but accepts no responsibility for any inaccuracies or omissions. Some components of some advertising in this magazine are made by Freepik.com or allfree-download.com. Events listed in this publication may be subject to change without notice.
Murrindindi-Guide
Ready Built: Mansfield’s familyowned portable building business
By Emily Friedel
Ready Built Portables in Mansfield is a family business specialising in portable buildings, from park cabins to lifestyle villages and everything in between. Owner Andrew Dundas is Mansfield born and bred, as is his nephew Sam Christopher at Prime Portables. The two share facilities, and their local connection shapes how they do business.
“We care about country values and people’s best interests, and that is what’s very rewarding. And that’s what I enjoy about the business – dealing with people and good people,” Andrew says.
That same practical, customer-focused approach has shaped Ready Built’s latest offering. The business is launching a new product: the PortaMax cabin. It’s a building platform constructed to a high structural standard that can be customised for a wide range of uses, from garages and offices to accommodation
Ready Built owner, Andrew Dundas, loves working with local people and operates on an ‘under promise, over deliver’ philosophy.
Above: Commercial offices for landlords and tenants. Below: Garages/storage sheds/sporting equipment/ clubrooms.
and commercial buildings. The flexibility is what makes it stand out – the internal fit-out can be tailored to suit whatever regulations or requirements a customer needs to meet.
“The whole concept is that we can turn this thing into anything depending on what you need,” Andrew explains. “So we start with a basic product, a PortaMax building platform, and then we customise the internal fit-out to suit the need.”
The PortaMax may prove particularly relevant in the wake of natural disasters, including the recent bushfires that have affected the region. The cabin’s adaptability means it can be configured to meet a variety of needs, whether that’s a workspace, facilities building, or potentially even temporary accommodation. Building regulations can be complex and vary depending on zoning and use, but the PortaMax platform is designed to be flexible enough to comply with different requirements.
Releasing the PortaMax onto the market is just the latest chapter in a business built on spotting opportunities and responding to community needs. Ready Built’s journey began 16 years ago, sparked by a chance conversation. Andrew had been a carpenter doing renovations and extensions around the area and, after selling a previous business, was looking for a new direction. While helping his sister with her real estate job, he visited a property where his curiosity about portable building was sparked.
“I spoke to a guy on site, and he had a portable building there. I asked him about the building and where he got it from, and all the rest of it. And my ears pricked up. I took some pictures and asked him how much he paid for it. Then I went back home and kind of manifested what I wanted to do from there. That was really the genesis of the idea.”
Andrew started prototyping from home, selling buildings on eBay and showing them at local events, transporting them on tilt-tray trucks. Initially, the business was non-specialised. But it soon became clear that caravan parks were the sweet spot
– less bureaucracy and a clear market need. Over the years, Ready Built has grown from that backyard operation into a factory-based business and is now building a second factory at the back of the original one.
Farmstay/worker accomodation.
Custom living rooms, bathrooms and kitchens.
The business remains firmly family-run. Andrew’s son Dan works as a project manager, and his nephew has recently come on board to focus on small-footprint portable homes and granny flats, operating from the new factory space in Mansfield. It’s the kind of expansion that keeps expertise and values in the family while allowing the business to serve different market needs.
While Ready Built has expanded its offerings – including the PortaMax and work in lifestyle villages for over-55s – their bread and butter is still cabins for holiday and caravan parks. Andrew sees a future in cultivating long-term relationships with park owners as older facilities are modernised across rural Victoria.
“The regulations have moved that much now that there’s a lot of old, run-down, non-compliant caravan parks, and the problem is that to bring them up to the new standard, you need really progressive people in there,” he says. “And they’re the people that we’re wanting to deal with – the progressive park owner who’s upgrading their park over a period of time.
Working
Authorised by Helen Haines,
We’re really wanting to develop long-term relationships with these owners.”
That focus on quality and relationships shows in recent work undertaken in the Murrindindi Shire at one such progressive park. There are now some lovely upmarket cabins right on the river at Thornton, perfect for people wanting to enjoy the area’s beautiful countryside. It’s this kind of project that demonstrates both the versatility of portable buildings and Ready Built’s commitment to delivering quality outcomes for the local community.
And that commitment comes back to the values Andrew has built his business on – the country approach that shapes everything Ready Built does.
“We try to under-promise and over-deliver so that the customers are happy. We don’t do it the other way around, and we try to keep it as real as we possibly can.”
For more information about Ready Built, visit www. readybuiltportables.com.au, phone Andrew on 0418 338 556 or email Andrew@readybuiltportables.com.au
Specializing in caravan park upgrades.
Diane Hagqvist took up writing and illustrating children’s books after retiring from a career in fashion design and education.
Children’s books bringing King Parrot Creek to life
By Emily Friedel
Diane Hagqvist’s 12th children’s book will arrive this autumn, which is perfect given its Easter theme. But the stars of this story are bilbies, not rabbits. In the story, Nana Bilby knits little vests for the young ones to wear on their cold night-time Easter egg hunt, while kangaroos and emus pitch in to help.
It’s a book intended to bring joy to little ones and the adults who read to them, but it’s also designed to help
the next generation become aware of our endangered native species and perhaps gently encourage a change in purchasing habits at Easter.
“A little bit of the focus is that I’d like people to buy chocolate bilbies rather than rabbits,” Diane says.
Diane writes and illustrates her books from her home in Hawthorn, but her foray into children’s books began with the King Parrot Creek. The creek runs through her brother-in-law’s sheep and cattle farm in Strath Creek, and
both Diane and her husband, Graeme Parncutt, have a special connection to the waterway.
“My husband’s very involved with Landcare, so he’s working on the improvements along the King Parrot Creek with the farm manager, landscaping and getting it back to the original native plants. We are also involved with the platypus watch that my husband organises, and we do a count every year where people from the community come along and help spot
the platypus in the King Parrot Creek at the Strath Creek section. So I’ve spent a lot of time walking along there looking for platypus.”
The creek and its wildlife inspired Diane’s first book back in 2018: Parny and the Little Orange Tractor, which stars a character based on Graeme (his nickname is Parny and Diane says he very much enjoys driving tractors). Readers are taken on a journey with Parny as he works on the farm and get to meet the native animals that live there along the way.
Diane discovered the joy of writing children’s books later in life. She had worked as a fashion teacher at Box Hill Institute for years, coordinating fashion courses and even heading up a Bachelor of Fashion degree. When she retired, she wanted to pick up more painting skills – landscapes, seascapes, that sort of thing. Drawing had always been part of her
Left: Beautiful natural scenes like this give Diane’s imagination plenty of fodder for her children’s books.
Below: Diane on her brother-in-law’s property in Strath Creek.
work in fashion, but now she had time to pursue art more seriously.
“Drawing has been a strong background in my training and working in the fashion industry. I’ve always loved art and illustrating and drawing, but it’s been more around drawing fashion garments. So when I did retire, I decided that I wanted to pursue art a little bit more, and so I did take classes in learning how to paint and illustrate. And from that, I started to work with my idea of writing children’s books. First of all, it was to be one, and it’s just gone on from there.”
Diane’s books tell stories of Australian animals getting up to antics in the bush. She does research about each creature, finds out about their habitat, then thinks up a fun story they might be involved in – giving them names and characters until the story evolves.
“It’s a bit like the book that came out last year, Missus Marsh and the Sugar Gliders’ School, which is all about Sam the sugar glider going to school at the top of the gum trees and who he meets along the way to his class that’s run by old Mr. Owl.”
Many of the animals Diane features are
endangered species, and she hopes that her books contribute to awareness of the need to look after our unique Australian wildlife. To give readers a reference point for the native characters, she often includes labelled pictures of the various birds and animals featured at the back of the book.
With all of Diane’s background research and attention to detail, each book can take nearly a year from start to finish. She reviews the story multiple times before she’s happy with it, then plans out the double-page illustrations and the artwork alone can take months. Diane works in watercolour, making each scene visually exciting to match what’s happening in the text and capturing what might be happening in the environment at that time of day.
Before Diane finalises anything, she reads book drafts to her grandchildren, who range from six to twelve years old. They’re her target market, so she welcomes their feedback – whether they enjoy the story, whether they like the characters, and sometimes they even help with the title. The final step is sending the book off for publishing.
“It’s quite a journey. And then when we get to the stage of the book being
nearly ready, it gets very exciting to see a proof or the first print of the book for checking. It’s lovely to see it all come together and be finished.”
Maintaining her connection to the place that inspires many of her stories, Diane’s books are stocked at the new cafe in Strath Creek called The General and at the Yea Wetlands, along with tourist information centres in the high country and down at Phillip Island. Diane also attends the Strath Creek craft markets to sell her books and host story time for the kids. Sometimes she even has gingerbread cookies made by her niece to go with the books. In the past there have been tractor cookies, but perhaps this year she will have Easter themed cookies for the launch of her latest book.
“I love to write the stories to give pleasure to adults and children. It gives me a lovely, happy feeling if adults enjoy reading my books to kids. I find that very rewarding, and to get feedback from people in the community that they’ve enjoyed the books gives me a lot of warmth.”
For more information about Diane or her books you can go to her Facebook Page (Diane Hagqvist – Children’s Books) or email her at diane.hagqvist@gmail.com.
Two of Diane’s twelve children’s books, which she produced in Hawthorn but were inspired by the native wildlife and environment around King Parrot Creek.
Rustic Rose Vintage Collection
– A real treasure trove in Alexandra
Rustic Rose Vintage Collection in Alexandra could be described as an emporium or curiosity shop. It’s a real treasure trove where you can wander and shop to your heart’s content. And as you browse through the range of displays and goods, you just might find “that something” you have been looking for – a special gift for yourself or someone else.
After nursing for over fifty years, Dianne Goschnick wanted a change of pace and thought she could find this through opening the retail business, something she did prior to nursing. She enjoys running the shop and is ably assisted by her daughter Kate. Her
Kate (left) and Dianne Goschnick have lovingly selected goods for Rustic Rose Vintage Collection.
grandson Jack often helps out too, taking on what he calls his job: sweeping the front path and putting out the signage on weekends when he’s not at school.
Dianne and Kate have lovingly selected goods for Rustic Rose Vintage Collection, often opting for quirky items or ones that are hard to find elsewhere to ensure a unique shopping experience. Dianne decided the town needed a retail business like this, especially since several local shops closed and locals and tourists needed a place to purchase gifts and clothing with a difference.
Rustic Rose Vintage Collection includes clothing, children’s wear, gift wear, home wears, bric-a-brac and antiques. Right: a range of dapper hats for the gents.
The building itself has character and charm, adding to the shopping experience. Customers have commented on the large brick open fireplace, which dominates one of the interior walls. Many remember this particular feature of the building fondly, having visited and dined in what once was the Yen Lai Rice Inn – a Chinese restaurant many years back.
If you venture inside, you will find carefully chosen clothing items among the shop’s offerings. There is a new range of ladies’ linen wear, children’s and babywear, and a range of dapper hats for the gents. These hats are often purchased for their vintage style, some purchased by vintage car enthusiasts to complete their attire.
You will also find a smattering of antiques, collectables and brica-brac, home and gift wares, and chalk paint. There is also a small section of the store dedicated to vintage and pre-loved goods and clothing which you can browse, reminisce over, and purchase.
If for some reason you can’t decide when looking for a gift, there are gift vouchers available to purchase. That way, you can pass on to someone else the chance to have that ‘old worlde’ experience shopping in the treasure trove of collectables, new, pre-loved, vintage and shabby chic goods.
Rustic Rose Vintage Collection is located at 62 Grant Street, Alexandra. The shop is open Thursday, Friday and Saturday and will open by arrangement if you need to pick up items.
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Escape to nature at Molesworth
Caravan Park and Recreation Reserve!
Escape to nature at Molesworth Caravan Park and Recreation Reserve!
Experience the perfect getaway, nestled along the Goulburn River. Whether you’re a seasoned angler or a family looking to relax, our park offers the ideal setting for an unforgettable outdoor adventure.
Why choose Molesworth caravan park?
• Prime location: direct access to the beautiful Goulburn River with our boat ramp, known for its serene waters and abundant variety of fish including trout, red fin and perch.
• Comfortable amenities: enjoy spacious camping sites, nice facilities and a friendly community atmosphere.
• Activities for all: fishing, explore nearby hiking trails, the rail trail or simply unwind in nature’s tranquillity.
Molesworth Caravan Park –where great catches and great memories await!
4352 Goulburn Valley Highway, Molesworth Victoria 3718
Distance: approximately 9km return Time: approximately 4–5 hours
Difficulty: Grade 4 (hard)
Getting there: The hiking trail to the peak of Mount Juliet starts at Road 3 (a Parks Victoria management track), which can be accessed from the Black Spur. If you’re coming from Narbethong, Road 3 is on the left about 1.7km after the Fernshaw Picnic Ground, and there’s a place on the opposite side of the road where you can park.
The route to the summit: The track to Mount Juliet goes from the Road 3 gate
along the dirt track for about 1.3km, which is an easy stroll on the flats and an enjoyable way to warm up. Then there is a clearly marked point where you veer off the road and start on the foot trail that takes you into the thick of the forest.
The first part of the trail through the bush has a mild incline and is quite pleasant. There is an abundance of birdlife. You will likely hear and see lyrebirds in the cooler weather, and perhaps some gang-gang cockatoos, yellow-tailed cockatoos, robins, and wrens. This easier section is about 2km. The final 1.2km to the summit starts to
get very steep. When dry, the top layer of soil is loose and there are loose rocks, which makes this section even more challenging – it’s quite slippery in places and easy to lose footing (hence the Grade 4 rating). There are parts where it feels safer to have your hands on the ground to steady yourself or where you have to climb over fallen trees. Wet conditions would likely make this part of the walk extremely difficult and possibly quite hazardous.
Generally, the path on the way up is easy to see and there are orange markers on trees to reassure you that you’re literally on the right track. However, there are places where it can be a little unclear, so having a map or GPS on your phone (that can work without reception) is recommended. I use the free Gaia GPS app, which does a pretty good job.
There is slightly more open forest just before you reach the summit, and it’s a little less steep through here, giving you a slight reprieve before reaching the top.
The summit itself is 1120 metres above sea level, making it one of the highest peaks in the Yarra Ranges. There isn’t much in the way of views from the top – the bush is dense and you can’t see
The section along Road 3 is a nice way to warm up and cool down.
The trail has markers (mostly orange triangles on trees and this one cut into a log), but there are places where it’s easy to go off track.
much beyond it. So the ‘payoff’ is seeing the large stone cairn (a human-made stack of stones), which was built in the late 1800s to mark a point used for surveying. And luckily, the cairn is quite impressive so helps make the effort seem worthwhile.
Getting back: The trail to the summit is one way, so to get back to your car, just follow the same route home. As with the way up, the steep section can be tricky, and you must be careful so that your feet don’t fly out from under you.
It’s much quicker on the way down –thankfully, as your legs may be jelly by
Above: This is a difficult hike in spots, with very steep sections and obstacles to navigate.
Below: The point where you veer off Road 3 and head into the bush.
this stage. However, it’s also easier to take a wrong turn. There are some forks where it’s difficult to tell which is the correct path and you can get led quite a way down before it becomes apparent that you’re getting lost. Again, make sure you have something with you to navigate that doesn’t require phone reception as this can be spotty along the trail.
The easy walk along Road 3 back to your car is a relaxing way to end the hike.
In a nutshell: Overall, even without views at the top, this hike is worthwhile for those who have a high level of physical fitness and a decent amount of hiking experience. Good footwear, preferably with ankle support, is a must for the steeper parts.
Easier options: For beginners or those with physical limitations who would like to explore this area a bit more, there are a couple of options.
Road 3 is an easy walk, and you can go past the Mount Juliet foot trail entrance if you’d like to, and then you can simply turn around and backtrack when you’re ready to return.
Another option is to follow the Mount Juliet path and turn around before you reach the steep part. The birdlife along this section more than makes up for not reaching the summit.
The stone cairn at the summit of Mt Juliet is impressive and a nice way to mark the end of a steep ascent.
Native Bees of Murrindindi Native Bees of Murrindindi Lipotriches (Austronomia) australica
By
Dr Kit Prendergast, the Bee Babette (@bee.babette_performer)
Lipotriches (Austronomia) australica is one of four native bee species recorded on Atlas of Living Australia around Murrindindi.
They are in the family Halictidae, subgenus Nomiinae. There are 56 species of Lipotriches in Australia, and this genus also occurs in other parts of the world, with a total of 335 species described worldwide. The type specimen (the individual in which the species taxonomic description is based on) was described from Adelaide, South Australia.
This species was described by Frederik Smith in 1875 in his article: “Descriptions of new species of Bees belonging to the genus Nomia of Latreille”, published in Transactions of the Entomological Society of London. Smith was very prolific and described many Australian bees back in the day! Renowned bee guru, the late Professor Charles Michener, reclassified the species into the genus Lipotriches.
Lipotriches australica is about 12mm in length, with a shiny black head and thorax, a dull metallic blue abdomen, and three broad hair bands on the final segments of the abdomen that are yellow, reddish-gold or white. Its common name is extremely misleading, and another demonstration of why we should avoid common names! The common name for this species is ‘Green and gold nomia bee’. It is not green and gold, nor is it a Nomia! Nomia is a genus related to Lipotriches, and the two genera were once lumped together, but taxonomic work indicated they are clearly separate, with the two readily being distinguished by Lipotriches having abdominal hairbands, whereas abdominal bands of Nomia are the integument.
A revision of the genus Lipotriches in Australia is forthcoming and so as yet there is no key to the genus, and we can certainly expect the number of described species to increase following this revision!
Lipotriches australica is very common,
with almost 1,400 records on Atlas of Living Australia. It is widespread, occupying all states except for Tasmania. It appears to be less fond of hot, dry desert areas, being absent from the Nullarbor through to northern WA.
They have a fairly long activity season throughout their range, but as is typical of most native bees, are mainly active during the warmer months, with peak activity occurring November to March. In Victoria their main period of activity is December to February.
They are polylectic, meaning that females can forage on a wide array of pollen from different plant lineages. The females are also capable of sonication aka buzz-pollination and will often be seen on plant species like Hibbertia. They have also been found to visit to some extent crop species, including leek and to a lesser extent, carrot. Like many
Halictidae, L. australica blow out nectar and “beat” it on her glossa (tongue) to concentrate it in a process known as “bubbling.”
Males of this species are known to congregate in clusters on vegetation, with over 100 males! This behaviour is not specific to this species or even genus, as males of some species of Amegilla, Hylaeus, Lasioglossum and Megachile will do this too. It may be an antipredator strategy or for mutual warmth, but the reason is still unknown. Before settling they are very restless and change their position many times.
Males can be readily distinguished by their expanded hind-femurs – it looks like they are wearing pantaloons! These enlarged legs are characteristic of the genus.
As with all Halictidae, L. australica are ground nesting bees. Also, common to many Halictidae, they are somewhat social: up to three females may occupy a nesting burrow. They will take turns guarding the nest (presumably from enemies like parasitoid wasps) whilst another female forages. When a nest mate wants to enter they will retreat into a small chamber (or “anteroom”) about 5cm below the surface of the soil. The guard female will block the nest entrance with her head during the day, but she uses her rear during the night after the bees cease foraging at around 7pm, likely blocking off the nest against nighttime predators like Lycosa wolf spiders. This primitively social species can have an extended period of reproduction, and overlapping generations, which aligns with it relatively long period of seasonal activity.
Females will often nest gregariously, with a number of nesting burrows occurring in a single location. In some ‘prime real estate’ locations, they can reach densities of tens of thousands of nests per hectare. When digging the nests there can be evidence of excavated soil, but once they complete the nest they seal it with an earthen plug and one would never know there are baby bees developing underground! Nests may be used by successive generations over several years, with the next generation clearing out the debris in the nest cells so that they can reuse them.
We often hear of mites as “bad guys” and the enemies of bees, but many native mites can be friends not foe! And this is indeed the case with acarine mites and L. australica. Their colonies shelter huge numbers of acarine mites, who literally cover the walls and shafts of the nests. Rather than parasites, they are symbiotes, and actually help the bees, functioning as cleaners, maintaining sanitary conditions by munching up the bee’s debris, including dead bees, cast larval skins, and even the poop! In return for their sanitary services, the bees help the mites out with travel. Lipotriches australica does have some enemies, including parasitoid wasps and spiders. One known enemy is a
wasp in the family Mutillidae
The female mutillid wasps will descend down any unguarded shaft and deposit her egg on the bee’s larva. Another parasitoid wasp that invades the nest are species of Labium wasps (family Ichneumonidae).
The burrow consists of a vertical shaft leading to one or more cavities each containing a number of vertical urn-shaped brood cells. Each brood cell is lined with a waterproof secretion and packed with a thick disc of nectar and pollen (forming a ‘pollen pudding’) about 6.5mm in diameter and 4.5mm thick, with a single egg. The egg is milky-coloured and semi-transparent, and attached to the side of the pollen pudding. As is typical of most native bees, the mothers do not feed their offspring but instead create a safe space packed with food for the offspring to develop on their own. About eight days after hatching the larva has fully developed and consumed all of its pud. It takes about three months for the egg to develop through pupation to adulthood.
Extremely detailed and I would say, poetic, observations of this species have been made by Tarlton Rayment in 1956 (who made many astute and detailed observations of Australian native bees).
Hibbertia
To quote, he describes the behaviour of a newly emerged female:
“The fully-developed adult bee has little difficulty in tearing down the plug of sand that seals her in her natal cradle, and is still damp when she reaches the surface of the shaft. There she rests, sunning herself until her wings are quite dry. She preens herself between whiles, giving a flick or two of her wings now and then, and cleans her antennae. She may even re-enter the shaft for a few minutes, and appears to rest there, but not for long. Soon she reappears, walking about the entrance as though surveying all its details, and then tries her wings on a short flight of half a metre or so. This exercise appears to
increase the insect’s confidence, and she extends the range of her flight in ever widening circles, but always with her head directed to the aperture in the ground. At length she is out of sight, but soon returns, and after one or two such excursions, during which she orientates the locality, disappears in search of food.”
I wish all scientific literature was such beautiful prose – alas the art of writing prose seems to have declined as we
how she takes a sh*t: “on her first flight she voids a droplet or two of white liquid, probably urates and calcium.”
The females, whilst they do possess a stinger, are placid, and one can sit down among a colony with no fear of being stung (unlike of course the irritable European honey bee Apis mellifera).
This was one of four native bee species featured in a set of native bee postage stamps, which were available from Australia Post in 2019 (I contributed
Top things to see and do in Murrindindi Shire this autumn
Grab the bikes and hit the trails, from road cycling to mountain biking and everything in between
Experience local food, wine and brews at one of our cafes or pubs
Take a Sunday drive and check out the stunning display of autumn colour
Enjoy the last of the warm days - pack a picnic and hike to the hills
Catch the sunrise or sunset at a scenic lookout or from the lake
Get the kids off their screens and out to one of our fantastic bush playgrounds
Visit one of our markets and stock up on goodies and local produce
Book a weekend getaway camping in nature or staying at a cosy country retreat
@discoverdindi
Marysville, Kinglake Ranges, Eildon, Yea, Alexandra
Cool, misty mornings and mild, sunny days provide the perfect setting to take in Murrindindi Shire's spectacular show of autumn colour.
If you enjoy fern walks and majestic waterfalls, water sports and fishing, local history, fine food and wine, cosy getaways or a relaxing camping holiday, Murrindindi Shire has it all.
A visit to Murrindindi Shire this autumn supports local businesses that have been doing it tough since the recent bushfires. We are open and ready to welcome you!
Visit discoverdindi.com.au for more information on the many great things to see and do in our patch of Victoria’s High Country.
Thank you to all the people who fought the fires on Friday 9 January 2026 and saved the town of Alexandra (from the team at Murrindindi Guide). Above: . Overlooking Binns-McCraes Road and Maroondah Highway next to DELWP.
Far left: Ayden Embling and Haydn Simpson out supporting the community after the fire impacted Alexandra.
Left: Alexandra tanker 2 protecting the communication towers on Rennies Hill, Alexandra.
Below: Alexandra tanker 2 as part of Strike team 1254 making their way back from Longwood to Alexandra the night before we were impacted.
Next page: Alexandra Fire Brigade member Vic Gallagher blacking out a burnt tree stump on Rennies Hill, Alexandra.
Sam Fawke, Alexandra Fire Brigade.
Photo: Mark Robinson.
Photos:
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Shelters: beside the Goulburn River between Tallarook and Goulburn Valley Highway, Goulburn River near Kerrisdale, Cheviot Tunnel, Eglington Cutting, Merton Gap, Woodfield Station and Olivers Road Mansfield.
BBQs available at Tallarook, Yea, Alexandra, Bonnie Doon and Mansfield.
Public toilets as indicated on map and also located at Tallarook, Yea, Yarck, Alexandra, Bonnie Doon and Mansfield.
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Wombats are a familiar sight around the Murrindindi Shire, which might make them seem unremarkable. But don’t let the fact that they’re among the common native fauna of the area fool you: they are fascinating creatures worth getting to know better.
Wombats are mostly nocturnal animals, preferring to be out under the cover of dark. But during the cooler months, they are seen more during the day. So keep your eye out for them this autumn and perhaps the following wombat facts will inspire you to learn more about these local residents.
1. Wombats are surprisingly fast Wombats can move rapidly when they want to, which is at odds with their stocky build and somewhat bumbling appearance. Their ability to cover short distances in a flash enables rapid retreat to the safety of their burrow if threatened while out foraging.
However, if you’ve heard they can clock speeds of up to 40 kilometres per hour (and potentially outrun Usain Bolt in a
100-metre race), this isn’t the cold, hard fact that Google will have you believe. The wombat’s top running speed has not been formally tested or published in the scientific literature. An investigation by the ABC suggests the claim may have originated from a miscommunication about how fast researchers had driven vehicles in pursuit of wombats, which may not have been the wombat’s speed. Several scientists interviewed by the ABC estimated that wombats can get up to about 20 kilometres per hour, although one professor maintained that the 40 kilometres per hour matches his observations over short distances.
Regardless of what the exact figure is, it’s pretty impressive. But maybe what’s more impressive with their short stature and little legs is the ability to make rapid direction changes and even do a decent job of jumping.
2. Wombats poo cubes
Wombats are the only animal that produces cubic faeces. It’s thought that their unusually shaped poo helps with marking their territory – the flat sides prevent the droppings from rolling away on rocks or slopes.
What is perhaps most interesting about their cube-shaped poo is how they produce it. Contrary to the hypothesis that square anuses are responsible, wombat poo is sculpted by their unique intestines, which have regular variations in thickness along the colon. Tasmanian researchers made this discovery when dissecting deceased wombats to study mange disease. They were subsequently awarded an Ig Noble prize – an international award for science that makes people laugh and think (other past winners in the biology category include scientists who gave clams Prozac and another group that found fleas that live on dogs jump higher than those living on cats).
3. Wombats use their bums as weapons
Wombats have reinforced rumps made up of four fused bony plates covered in cartilage, fat, thick skin, and fur – a structure known as a dermal shield. This area has very few nerve endings, so even if a predator such as a dog, fox, or dingo scratches or bites, wombats generally won’t be harmed. When threatened in their burrow, they block
Wombats poo cubes. Above photo: PooMuseum, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons. Left photo: PooMuseum, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Common.s License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/ the entrance with their thick rear end to keep predators out while protecting the more vulnerable parts of their body. Wombats can maintain this blocking position for extended periods until the threat passes, bracing their strong legs against the tunnel walls. This bum blocking tactic is also used to keep other wombats out of their home, as these generally solitary animals are quite territorial about their burrows.
But wombat bums aren’t just for tough times – they have a tender side too. The wombat mating ritual plays out like a game of kiss chasey but with bottom biting, as either the male or female bites the butt of the other to initiate pursuit. A playful nip from the opposite sex is indeed the height of wombat flirtation, and the rock-hard wombat posterior prevails even though foreplay might see chunks of fur left in its wake.
4. Wombats are the world’s largest burrowing herbivores
Wombats are master excavators, and their burrows – also called warrens – are impressive underground dwellings that buffer against weather extremes and
provide refuge from predators. These burrows can be extensive systems up to 30 meters long, featuring multiple entrances and chambers.
Wombats are industrious creatures and tend to have more than one burrow within their home range. This is good news for other native animals, such as echidnas, who may make themselves at home in one of the spacious warrens. During bushfires, wombat burrows also become crucial refuges for many small animals seeking shelter from the flames and heat. The deep, cool tunnels provide protection that can mean the difference between life and death for creatures like small mammals, reptiles, and even birds that might otherwise have nowhere to escape the fire.
Because of the digging required to build and maintain their homes, wombats also have a backwards-facing pouch. This means any wombat joey inside stays clean and dry even if mum is hard at work tunnelling in the soil.
5. Wombats have rodent-like teeth
Wombats aren’t rodents, but their teeth are remarkably similar. Like rodents,
wombats have ever-growing teeth, and this continuous growth happens throughout their entire lives. Having teeth that constantly lengthen is essential to compensate for the wear from the fibrous material and high silica content in their diet, which is primarily made up of grasses, roots, and even tree bark.
Wombat teeth are anchored deeply in their jaws but do not have closed roots like humans and many other mammals have. Instead, they have open roots, which means the pulp chamber containing nerves, blood vessels, and connective tissue remains open at the base of their teeth throughout their lives. This open-root structure allows new tooth material to continuously grow from the base. Wombats are also unique in the marsupial world for having only one pair of upper incisors and unusually high-crowned molars designed for grinding tough, abrasive vegetation.
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and regional planning services. With offices in Alexandra and Melbourne, we are currently assisting clients in Murrindindi Shire and more broadly across Victoria with residential, commercial, and industrial planning approvals.
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Above: Tawny frogmouths often huddle together on branches especially in winter. Photo: Wayne Butterworth, CC BY 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
Right: With large, yellow eyes tawny frogmouths are often mistaken for owls. Photo: Cabrils, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https:// creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
Tawny frogmouths: masters of disguise
By Carol Hopkins
Although a quiet, unobtrusive bird, the tawny frogmouth has recently enjoyed celebrity status by being named Australia’s Bird of the Year for 2025. In this two-yearly award, organised by BirdLife Australia and the Guardian Australia newspaper, members of the public are invited to vote for their favourite bird in an online poll. Over 310,000 people voted in the poll and, after being
Above: Tawny frogmouths often pose horizontally along branches. Photo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/ shebalso/23820086743/
Left: The bird’s open beak resembles a frog’s mouth. Photo: Cabrils, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/bysa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
runner-up in the past three competitions, the tawny frogmouth finally claimed the crown last year with close to 12,000 votes.
So, what is so special about these birds?
For a start, they are masters of disguise. Being nocturnal hunters, they rest and sleep during the day, sitting perfectly still on tree branches. Their silvery-grey plumage, adorned with mottled patterns of white, black and brown, enable them to perfectly blend in to tree branches and trunks. To complete the camouflage, tawny frogmouths often pose with their bodies stretched diagonally along the branch, to imitate a piece of broken wood on the tree. Their disguise is so perfect that even when their presence has been pointed out, it can be a real struggle to see the birds.
At night, when the birds are active, you may hear their characteristic call – a low, soft, repetitive “oom, oom, oom” or, occasionally, the harsh, rasping call of a juvenile. Like owls, they have soft feathers, which means they are completely silent in flight but, if you are out walking at night, you may become aware of a ghostly shape gliding above your head.
Often mistaken for owls because of their large, stocky body, mottled plumage and big, yellow
eyes, they are actually members of the nightjar family. They lack the fully forward-facing eyes of owls as well as their strong talons.
They’ve earned the name “frogmouth” because when their large, wide beak is fully open, it resembles the mouth of a frog. Unlike owls, the tawny frogmouth’s diet mostly consists of insects such as moths, beetles, wasps, centipedes, spiders and slugs, although they will occasionally take mice, lizards, frogs and birds. They mainly catch their prey by pouncing on them from an elevated perch such as a tree branch or powerline but will also catch insects, like moths, on the wing. Once captured, tawny frogmouths usually take their prey back to a perch to feed.
Tawny frogmouths can be found throughout Australia in a wide range of habitats, although it is rare to find them in treeless deserts or dense rainforests. They have adapted well to human presence, and are often seen in the streets and parks of towns especially around light poles where they dine on insects attracted to the light. Birds tend to remain in the same territory for 10 years or more.
In the breeding season, from August to December, males and females both get involved in nest building by gathering twigs and leaves and dropping them into position on horizontal, forked tree
branches. The nest is lined with soft grasses where the female lays one to three eggs. Their nests are not exactly works of art, just a loose construction that can easily break apart. Incubation of the eggs is shared, with the male sitting on the nest during the day and both sexes sharing the task at night. After hatching, both parents cooperate in feeding the chicks which are ready to fly in about a month. Tawny frogmouths form pairs for life.
During winter, tawny frogmouths adopt particular strategies to keep warm. They choose branches for roosting that are exposed to sunlight and often huddle close together in a row. Because their food source of insects is much more restricted in winter and their existing fat supplies can only provide a limited amount of energy, tawny frogmouths
need to go into a state of torpor to survive the cooler months. In this state, their heart rate and metabolism slows down and their body temperature falls. These episodes of torpor last for a few hours every day.
While the conservation status of these birds is classified as of “least concern”, they are particularly vulnerable to large-scale land clearing and intense bushfires because they are reluctant to move to other areas if their homes are destroyed. Feral cats and foxes also pose a threat as does the use of insecticides and rodenticides. Many are also killed at night by motor vehicles when they fly after insects illuminated by the headlights. Nonetheless, this delightful birds is surviving quite well and has certainly won the hearts of a great many Australians.
A tawny frogmouth on the nest. Photo: Mike’s Birds from Riverside, CA, US, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https:// creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
Daiwa showcase Lake Eildon as best big Murray cod recreational fishery
From Victorian Fisheries Authority
In November, two of our Recreational Fishery Managers, Anthony Forster, and Mark Adams met with representatives from global tackle manufacturer Daiwa, to showcase our work in developing Lake Eildon’s amazing Murray cod fishery.
The tour started with the filming of newly hatched Murray cod fry at the Snobs Creek hatchery and, our newly built small-bodied native fish conservation hatchery. This highlighted the VFA’s work to recover both large and small bodied threatened native fish.
Next stop was on the water at Lake Eildon where Anthony was interviewed about how the VFA transformed Lake Eildon into one of the best Murray cod Fisheries in Australia by stocking 1 million Murray cod into Lake Eildon between (2010, 2011 and 2013).
By marking these Murray cod fingerlings with a food dye called Calcein, and by sampling Murray cod a few years later, we found Murray cod from this stocking project survived, grew well and
accounted for around 90% of the Murray cod that were sampled. As a result of this bold stocking initiative, recreational fishers now regularly catch Murray cod between 12 to 14 years old, many of which are now 1+ metres long. To illustrate this, leading up to the Murray Codference, Daiwa proanglers fished Lake Eildon and were delighted to catch a range of impressive Murray cod (60cm, 75cm, 85cm, 104cm and 104cm) in addition to some golden perch.
Buoyed by a great few days fishing at Lake Eildon, Taka Kawasaki, Daiwa’s Product Development Manager gave a great keynote presentation at the
Murray Codference about global trends in freshwater fish technology. To cap it off, at the Murray Codference, we heard from legendary Murray cod fisher Colby Lesko that Lake Eildon is now the number one big Murray cod fishery in the country.
Daiwa are currently developing a mini documentary that will showcase Lake Eildon and how the VFA developed that fishery to the world. This could not only promote Lake Eildon’s fishery management outcome, but it could also spur on national and international interest in Lake Eildon as a destination fishery.
Lake Eildon Fishing Challenge
Your family-friendly Lake Eildon Fishing Challenge, ‘The World’s Greatest Fishing Competition’ is here again on 15 to 17 May – three days where beginners and hardcore anglers can hit the lake for a weekend of fun, camaraderie and competition to raise much needed funds for the local community and Variety the Children’s Charity.
This year one lucky participant will take home the door prize of a 414 Bluefin Drifter boat, motor and trailer package valued at over $18,000 (as pictured above).
Anybody can enter the competition, attend the safety brief, participate in the Saturday night’s auction and/or be present at the winning presentations conducted at Cafe 501. The
competition is open to bait and/or lure anglers with or without a boat, and there are a multitude of prize categories for both adults and juniors up for grabs.
If you are up to the Challenge, mark your diary and make your way to Lake Eildon for a weekend of fishing, competition and entertainment with the official venue being Café 501 at the Jerusalem Creek Marina and Holiday Park.
So bring your mates and the family along to have a crack whilst taking in the serenity of beautiful Lake Eildon, Australia’s Premier Native Fishery.
For more information and to enter visit lakeeildonfishingchallenge.com
Above: First batch of trout cod eggs hatching. Left: Trout cod food – Artemia under the microscope. Below: Preparing trout cod eggs to go in the incubators.
Snobs Creek Hatchery Update
From Victorian Fisheries Authority
Native breeding season began mid-October 2025 with both Murray cod and trout cod producing quality eggs.
There’s a long-held belief that a storm today means a busy time tomorrow collecting nest boxes full of eggs – it may sound superstitious, but this proved true again for us with the first spawning events of the season.
The fish became noticeably more active in the lead-up to a low-pressure system, moving in and out of boxes and chasing each other around the ponds.
Macquarie perch wild broodstock collection were undertaken during November
in preparation for the upcoming breeding season. We keep a close eye on water temperatures to make sure collections take place as the fish start to move and prepare to spawn. Water temperatures through September and October were optimal for growing the 2025 salmonid juveniles.
Growth rates have been excellent, with feed conversion for browns and rainbows sitting around 800g of feed producing 1kg of fish. Why so efficient? They’re not fighting gravity, don’t need to regulate body temperature, and have a low skeletal mass –some of the most efficient converters of protein on Earth, you’d say.
Salmonids develop quickly at this time of year, outgrowing their troughs, tanks, and raceways in no time. Keeping on top of this takes active management, regularly shifting and splitting ponds to make sure the fish have plenty of space to keep thriving. While this is taking place, we carefully inspect fish to select future broodstock for our program.
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We understand everyone’s
Darlingford is an excellent residential aged care facility that accommodates residents with various care needs including permanent, respite and dementia care.
Darlingford provides a secure home environment, surrounded by more than 3 acres of beautiful gardens and land, which is also enjoyed by native birds and kangaroos. Our qualified and passionate staff understand, respect and support the needs of residents and their families.
• Registered nurse on site 24 hours a day
Would you like to bring your loved ones to Eildon while you holiday in our beautiful district. We can provide respite care with flexible visiting hours. Aged Care Assessment required. Call us to discuss.
• State government nurse/patient ratio in place
• Meals are prepared and cooked fresh on-site
• Cappuccino machine available for residents and visitors
• Personal clothing is laundered on-site
• All rooms have ensuite bathrooms
• Group and individual activities – including vegetable garden
• On-site entertainment, external outings and cultural celebrations
• Allied health consultants available: physiotherapist, geriatrician, dietician, speech therapist, hearing and dental services, podiatrist, occupational therapist, social worker.
• 7 double rooms ideal for couples, 37 single rooms
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Meet the Winemakers on the Murrindindi Wine Weekend
Discover the hidden vineyards in the Murrindindi region nestled in the Acheron and Yea Valleys this autumn.
Now in its nineth year, the Murrindindi Winemakers are going to open their cellar doors on the first weekend in May to celebrate locally grown and made wines. Participating venues include both those with established cellar doors and small vineyards that are not generally open to the public.
“The Murrindindi Wine Weekend is a great opportunity to shine a spotlight on our local vignerons. Wine is never-ending in its variations, and our mountainous region produces some outstanding qualities unique to the microclimates of the many valleys’, says Sonja Herges from Sedona Estate.
This year five local wineries across the Murrindindi shire are joining the celebrations on 2 and 3 May 2026.
There is a lot on offer over the weekend. Savour a diverse array of cool-climate wines, get your feet tapping to live music and enjoy delicious food from woodfired pizza to banquet-style feasts.
At Sedona Estate, owners Paul and Sonja will celebrate the Murrindindi Wine Weekend with the popular Long Lunch Harvest Picnic on Sunday, 3 May. It will be a grazing feast of seasonal dishes ideal for groups of four or more. Chef Angela Poulter from My little Country Kitchen will prepare a delicious three-course menu from locally sourced produce for this special autumn event at Sedona Estate.
To book and find out more about the Harvest Picnic, please visit the Sedona Estate website https://sedonaestate.com.au/events/ Start planning your 2026 Murrindindi Wine Weekend now! The events touring map can be downloaded from https:// murrindindifoodandwine.org.au/meet-the-winemaker/ or visit your local Visitor Information Centre.
Visitor Information Centre
Arts Space & Exhibition Space Made in Marysville & Region (locally made products & produce)
MiRa Marysville offers local knowledge, an intriguing gallery, artisan wares, creative workshops & fabulous performances.
Nestled in Marysville’s stunning natural environment and open 7 days a week, there’s always something for everyone.
Stay in the loop – become a member of MiRa and stay up-to-date with events, exhibitions and the latest offerings in store Open 10am-4pm daily
11 Murchison Street, Marysville
T: 03 5963 4567
W: www.miramarysville.com.au
E: info@miramarysville.com.au
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Your Celebrant is integral to your special day and with 15 years, experience as a celebrant and events organiser you won’t be disappointed, I promise. We can even throw out the rule book and have the best fun filled day with an abundance of love, laughter and plenty of memorable moments to give you and your guests something to talk about for years to come. You both need to be sure you choose the right Celebrant who meets your needs and expectations. I’m a great listener with a great sense of humour and will deliver precisely what you want. I have a range of backdrops, arch, drapery etc. that you are welcome to utilise. I set up and take down taking any stress away and you generally have me for the day if required. Weddings take me far and wide so always happy to travel wherever you take me. So, let’s create the perfect ceremony together, in fact why not make it totally, unapologetically and authentically you.
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“Our
Dindi arts trail
Photos Tim Skerritt
The Dindi Arts Trail is a series of murals located throughout the Kinglake Ranges, each telling its own story.
There are 10 different murals spread over six different locations in Toolangi, Kinglake, Kinglake Central, Kinglake West and Flowerdale.
1. Toolangi murals
Location: 1717 Healesville-Kinglake Rd, Toolangi
Artists: Tim Bowtell and Ruby Parr
Tank top right: CJ Dennis.
Clarence James Dennis was an Australian-born poet and author who made Toolangi his home. His most famous publication Songs of the Sentimental Bloke was an immediate success in 1915, breaking all publishing records. The mural shows original characters from CJ Dennis’ prose.
Top middle tank: the sooty owl and Leadbeater’s possum.
The Leadbeater’s possum is Victoria’s faunal emblem. It is a forest dwelling marsupial which is dependent on nesting hollows in big old trees, surrounded by regrowth forest in which it forages for food. It is found only in the Central Highlands of Victoria and is critically endangered due to loss of old growth trees through bushfires, logging and land clearing.
The sooty owl nests in large tree hollows which form by natural decay when eucalypts are at least 150-200 years old. They are strongly territorial and mate for life. Their diet includes a range of small to medium sized mammals and birds, reptiles and invertebrates. Their forest habitat is threatened by bushfires and logging and they are listed in Victoria as endangered.
Top left tank: A road in the 1800s. In the late 1800s the unmade road made it difficult to transport goods. Bullock teams were used to haul felled timber and here local men guide the bullock team as it hauls milled timber palings across the Yea River.
2. Dhulangi Taungurung Biik mural
Location: 1717 Healesville-Kinglake Rd, Toolangi
Artists: Amee McCartney and Tim Honey
The Dhulangi Taungurung Biik mural expresses connection to biik (country in Taungurung language). The focal point of the mural is the word Dhulangi which is the Taungurung word for stringy bark. Early settlers interpreted the word as Toolangi, hence the name of the town.
The Yea River is a central point of the design as it is a symbol of strength, knowledge, and represents the enduring life blood of survival of the Taungurung people.
The landscape surrounding the river reflects the colours of the rising and setting sun in reds, orange and yellow. The markings along the Yea River signify members of the community both young and old. The contour lines highlight the undulations of the landscape and represent Taungurung people’s connection with the landscape.
Accompanied by the contour lines are symbols representing community gatherings where people are sitting in a circle to talk and discuss important business. The lines radiating out show the direction from which they travel back and forth to this place. Travelling across the landscape are kangaroo markings.
3. Wumindjika lyrebird mural (below)
Location: 4/1 Victoria Rd, Kinglake
Artists: Jimmi Buscombe and Tim Honey Kinglake is on Taungurung country and for centuries Taungurung and Wurundjeri peoples traditionally met on this land. In Taungurung language the word Wumindjtha means welcome.
The male lyrebird is renowned for its elaborate tail, courtship dance and amazing mimicry. The lyrebird is viewed as a bird of peace by First Nations People as it copies sounds and speaks all languages, communicating with all. Superb lyrebirds have been known to imitate car alarms, chainsaws, and any sound within their habitat.
The male lyrebird has 16 tail feathers and two outer feathers, the lyrates, which resemble the shape of a lyre.
The lyrebird is a ground dwelling bird and a great cultivator of the forest floor, increasing the rate of nutrient cycling in the ecosystem.
Notice the cheeky brush-tailed phascogale in the mural. This marsupial is nocturnal and feeds on various insects and spiders.
4. Local fauna and flora mural (above)
Location: 1 Extons Rd, Kinglake Central
Artists: Kirrily Anderson and Ilze Cant
The imagery includes the spotted-tailed quoll, the Peron’s tree frog and an Australian bush rat.
The animals are set within their natural environment which includes a silver banksia, juvenile eucalyptus leaves, Australian clematis, bush pea, Victorian Christmas bush, flax lily, pink bells, and a hollow log with moss.
The spotted-tailed quoll (Dasyurus maculatus) is a carnivorous marsupial and is listed as a threatened species in Murrindindi Shire due to habitat loss, predators and baiting.
The Peron’s tree frog (Litoria peronii) is also known as the emerald-spotted tree frog and forages in trees and shrubs near creeks. It is 30mm to 60mm in size and has a distinctive crossshaped pupil.
The Australian bush rat (Rattus fuscipes) is a small nocturnal animal and is a common indigenous species of rat. They are omnivorous and eat small insects, fruit, seeds, fungi and nectar.
5. Bunjil and Waa
mural (top pg 63)
Location: 1 Extons Rd, Kinglake Central Artists: Micke Harding, Mitchil Harding, Tim Honey and Anthony Brady.
Birds hold an important place in the creation stories of the language groups of the Eastern Kulin Nation –Taungurung is one of these groups, the others being Woiwurrung, Boonwurrung, DjaDjawurrung and Wadawurrung.
The most important of the birds are Bunjil, the wedge tailed eagle, (our creator) and Waang (Waa) the crow (our protector).
Bunjil and Waang are totems of approximately 70 clans of the Eastern Kulin Nation.
Photo: Dindi Arts Trail
The Great Dividing Range, where Kinglake sits, is a place where Taungurung and Woiwurrung peoples often met to discuss business.
The shields on the nearby pathway symbolise protection of community, cultural identity and the health and wellbeing of First Nations people as they navigate two worlds.
The thin shields were traditionally used for protection in hand-to-hand combat and the broader shields would have been carved from wood such as silver wattle, black wattle or blackwood.
Wooden shields were used for protection against spears. The Taungurung word for shield is malgarr.
6. Ngarrak Yilam mural
Location: 1 Extons Rd, Kinglake Central Artists: Aimee McCartney and Tim Honey
Ngarrak Yilam means mountain range home in Taungurung language.
The imagery was designed by Aimee McCartney who is a proud Taungurung, Wotjobaluk, Wemba Wemba and Boon Wurrung woman.
As a contemporary
Aboriginal artist, Aimee’s vibrant approach to life coupled with her ancestral and cultural identity allows her to create unique artworks that speak a strong symbolic language and express connection to biik (country).
In the centre of the design are concentric circles representing a gathering place which is appropriate as this site is a very popular gathering place for sports activities, markets, Anzac memorials, and meetings.
To depict people and community members, Aimee uses U-shapes surrounding the meeting place and the meandering creek (gumang) is a symbol of an important life source, nourishing all. On either side of the creek is the Mumong or Yam daisy which was, and continues to be, an important staple food for the Taungurung people and other members of the Kulin Nations.
The contour lines highlight the steep mountain range (ngarrak) in ochre colours touched by the warmth of the sun, a strong energy force promoting life and growth. The lines also represent Taungurung people’s connection to the land and the knowledge, customs and traditions which have remained in place for tens of thousands of generations.
On both sides of the design, Aimee has used leaves (djerrang) of trees to emphasise the importance of the bush in smoking ceremonies, which is used to welcome guests onto country and ensure safe passage. A pivotal part of the design is the blue sky symbolising the openness of the sky in Kinglake and the fresh air available to all and which is vital to the growth of country and its people. The sky is accompanied by stars depicting the Southern Cross and paying homage to the ancestors watching over those below.
Photo: Dindi Arts Trail
7. Celebration mural
Location: 1 Extons Rd, Kinglake Central (200m up the Arts and Heritage Trail. It is located on a shed at the southern perimeter of the Middle Kinglake Primary School).
Artist: Shaylee Flook
The celebration mural honours the deep pride of place felt across the mountain communities. It reflects the history and enduring spirit of Middle Kinglake Primary School and the land
8. Kinglake Historical murals
Location: 1055 Whittlesea-Kinglake Rd, Kinglake West
Artists: Tim Bowtell and Tim Honey
Above: tank on left: ‘Mountain Rush’ Gold Diggings (circa 1862) In 1861 gold was discovered in the Mountain Creek on the
it occupies. We pay our respects to the Taungurung Peoples of the Kulin Nation, the traditional custodians of this country, whose timeless connection continues to guide and sustain this place.
Drawing on layered symbolism predominantly from nature, the artwork pays tribute to the courage, strength, resilience, and generosity shown by the land and community in the school’s remarkable rebuilding following its loss in the devastating 2009 Black Saturday bushfires.
Great Dividing Range north of Queenstown (now St Andrews) and there were soon over 200 diggers on the ‘Mountain Rush’ goldfield. Pictured here are Harry Thomson and Maurice Power, both of whom later took up land and established their families in the Kinglake district.
Above left: tank on right: Kinglake Timber Railway (circa 1915). Sawmills were established in the Kinglake rainforest from 1890. Damage to the unmade roads by heavy timber wagons resulted in sawmill owners being required to build a wooden railway for horse-drawn trolleys to take sawn timber to the Whittlesea railway station.
Left: Kinglake State School Excursion (circa 1910). The children of the Kinglake State School were taken on nature walks to the largest tree, known as ‘Big Ben’, in the nearby bush to see how many of them it took, linking hands, to encircle the tree.
Above: Local midwife, Mary Burton (circa 1900). Isolated in this mountain district, far from the nearest doctor or hospital, many pioneer families were grateful for the services of Mary Burton at home births.
9. Orchids mural
Location: Amenity Block, Forest Road, Kinglake
Artist: Barbara Hauser
This mural depicts four indigenous orchids found in the Kinglake Ranges. Orchids need to be protected and remain in their natural environment. Removal from their natural habitat usually results in death. They are dependent on complex symbiotic interactions between fungi and pollinators.
A. Caladenia clauigera or clubbed spiderorchid: 10-40cm high. Flowers September to November.
B. Caladenia parua or small spider-orchid: 5-15cm tall. Flowers September to October.
C. Caladenia oenochila or wine-lipped spider-orchid: 20-40cm tall. It is listed as critically endangered and is impacted by habitat clearing, grazing, weed invasion and development and relies on microscopic underground fungi to germinate. Flowers August to October.
D. Chiloglottis reflexa or autumn birdorchid: 5-15cm tall. It has two broad leaves and a single greenish-bronze or purplish flower with an ant-like callus covering most of the top of the labellum. Flowers March to August.
10. King Parrots mural
Location: 3325 WhittleseaYea Rd, Flowerdale
Artists: Geoffrey Carran and Tim Honey
The male king parrot is the only Australian bird with a completely red head. The female king parrot has a completely green head and breast. Both birds have a red belly and green back, green wings and long dark blue tail. The birds are 43cm in length including the tail.
While this mural was painted, flocks of king parrots flew overhead investigating the unfolding artwork. This area offers a natural habitat for the king parrots that dwell in wet sclerophyll forests where they forage for seeds and fruit. These birds lay their eggs in deep hollows of tree trunks and the breeding season is from September to January.
The town of Flowerdale is located in the aptly named King Parrot Ward of the Murrindindi Shire.
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Sonja
Adrian & Robert Madge
• market stalls
• market stalls
• local food
• local food
live music • wine tasting
• face painting • live music • wine tasting • face painting
• children’s amusements
• children’s amusements
Fun, fibre, textiles, fabulous beanies and more with stall holders spilling into the street Fun, fibre, textiles, fabulous beanies and more with stall holders spilling into the street
The Murrindindi Beanie and Fibre Festival is on again featuring more stalls, including indoor and outdoor stalls, makers market, community workshops, kid’s activities, school art, Devonshire tea, and other home cooked treats, raffle of goodies, Alexandra Quilters, and Alexandra Timber Railway. This festival of fibre art has something for everyone and features our theme this year ‘a world in black and white’.
The festival is on Saturday 23 and Sunday 24 May at Alexandra
Shire Hall in Grant Street, Alexandra. Doors open 10am to 4pm. Don’t forget our online auction, 32auctions.com/beanie2026 for those who can’t be there starts Monday 18 May featuring a select amount of winter warming items. And anyone can get involved with ‘Wear a Beanie Day’ on Friday 22 May, with hand made beanie brooches available in select stores locally.
Entries happily received for this year’s fibre festival – contact Pam for more info on 0415 476 639. Money raised from the festival goes back into the community.
Alexandra: 0491 714 893
Mansfield: 0491 641 474
WE OFFER BULKBILLED EYE EXAMINATIONS
Alexandra Optical 106 Grant St Alexandra Monday & Wednesday: 9am-5pm or by appointment
Mansfield Optical 30c High St Mansfield Tuesday, Thursday & Friday: 9am-5pm or by appointment
What’s on . . .
MARCH 2026
GIGS AT PIXIES AT THE BILLABONG
Pixies at the Billabong,19 Main Street, Eildon P: 0436 969 285 (see ad page 22)
SATURDAY 7 & SUNDAY 8 ~ DARREN GILBERT OPEN STUDIOS
5 Giffard Street, Yea
Art and sculpture in a beautiful historic building in Yea. 10am-4pm W: www.monkeytaildesign.com F:www.facebook.com/darren. gilbert.503 P: 0421 378 451 E: gmgilbert@skymesh.com.au (see ad page 42)
SUNDAY MARCH 8 ~ LIVE MUSIC WITH SCOTT MILLER
Snobs Creek Bar & Bistro, 515 Goulburn Valley Highway, Eildon P: 5774 2903 (see ad page 6)
SATURDAY 14 ~ YEA CRUISE NIGHT
High Street, Yea
Bring your pride and joy. Cruise and park in the main street.
SATURDAY 14 ~ ALEXANDRA CUP RACES
Alexandra Race Club, Ruoak Way, Alexandra Activities for all the family. (see ad page 28) W: country.racing.com/alexandra E: walsh145@me.com P: 0467 413 767
SATURDAY 28 ~ ALEXANDRA BUSHFIRE RELIEF RODEO
Dame Pattie Menzies Centre, Station Street, Alexandra W: www.alexandrarodeo.com.au (see ad back cover)
APRIL 2026
GIGS AT PIXIES AT THE BILLABONG
Pixies at the Billabong,19 Main Street, Eildon P: 0436 969 285 (see ad page 22)
FRI 3, SAT 4 & SUN 5 ~ DARREN GILBERT OPEN STUDIOS
5 Giffard Street, Yea
Organic metal sculptures / pen and ink artworks of Australian animals. W: www.monkeytaildesign.com F:www.facebook.com/darren. gilbert.503 P: 0421 378 451 E: gmgilbert@skymesh.com.au (see ad page 42)
FRIDAY 3 TO MONDAY 6 ~ ROTARY ALEXANDRA EASTER ART SHOW
Alexandra Shire Hall, 55 Grant Street, Alexandra E: alex.easter.artshow@gmail.com P: 0418 378 806 / 03 5772 2496 (see ad page 66)
SUNDAY 5 ~ ALEXANDRA EASTER FAIR
Rotary Park, Alexandra Market stalls, children’s amusements local food and wine (see ad page 67) E: alexandraeventsltd@gmail.com
SUNDAY APRIL 5 ~ LIVE MUSIC WITH ASH SUMPNER
Snobs Creek Bar & Bistro, 515 Goulburn Valley Highway, Eildon P: 5774 2903 (see ad page 6)
MAY 2026
GIGS AT PIXIES AT THE BILLABONG
Pixies at the Billabong,19 Main Street, Eildon P: 0436 969 285 (see ad page 22)
SATURDAY 2 & SUNDAY 3 ~ DARREN GILBERT OPEN STUDIOS 5 Giffard Street, Yea
Organic metal sculptures / pen and ink artworks of Australian animals. W: www.monkeytaildesign.com F:www.facebook.com/darren. gilbert.503 P: 0421 378 451 E: gmgilbert@skymesh.com.au (see ad page 42)
Alexandra Shire Hall, Alexandra Textiles, fibre art, beanies, workshops (see ad page 66) E: murrindindi.beanie.fest@gmail.com W: beanie.org.au
REGULAR MARKETS
ALEXANDRA MARKET
1st Sunday of the month 9am-1pm ~ Rotary Park, Alexandra Various stalls, music, jumping castle. Contact Andrew Embling 0418 266 038
EILDON TWILIGHT MARKET
4 April 2026 ~ 4pm-8pm
The Eildon Pondage, Riverside Drive Eildon
Local food and beverage trucks, local producers, quality local artisans, artists and creators. Live music showcasing local youth and artists. Family activities, pet friendly (dogs must be on a lead). Gold coin entry.
Karine 0400 715 319 | karine.haslam@gmail.com
KINGLAKE PRODUCE & ARTISAN MARKET
4th Sunday of month 10am-2pm (held on 3rd Sun in December)
Kinglake Community Centre, 1 Exton Rd, Kinglake Central Fresh from us to you. High quality items, grown or made by our stall holders. Proving quality products and food every month, all year round.
2nd Sunday of month – Murchison Street, Marysville
Crafts, gifts, clothing, plants, locally produced preserves, jams, chutneys, lavender products, shortbread biscuits, honey, fresh fruit and vegetables and wine. Additional stallholders invited. 0494 329 695 I marysvillemarketinc@gmail.com
STRATH CREEK COUNTRY MARKET
3rd Sunday of the month, 9am-1pm
Pioneer Reserve, Ferguson Street, Strath Creek
Local produce, hot food, wine & spirits, coffee, fresh bread, preserves & honey, quality locally made homewares, health & skincare products, plants & poultry, live music and a playground for the kids. Stallholder applications welcome via strathcreekcm@gmail.com
TAGGERTY 4 SEASONS MARKET
Saturday of Australia Day, Easter, King’s Birthday and Melbourne Cup Weekends 9am-1pm – 3 Taggerty-Thornton Road, Taggerty
Local produce including olive oil, wine, honey, fudge, baked goods, preserves, soaps, crafts, bric-a-brac, fruit, vegetables, plants, free range eggs, BBQ sausages and espresso coffee. taggertycommunityprogress@gmail.com
TALLAROOK FARMERS MARKET
1st Sunday of month (except January) 9am-1pm 44 Main Road, Talarook
Fresh local produce. Relax in the market cafe while listening to local musicians. Free kids activities. market@tallarook.org.au | Facebook Tallarook Farmers Market
YARCK COUNTRY MARKET
3rd Saturday of month 9am-1.30pm Yarck Hall, Maroondah Hwy, Yarck
The market helps to fund the hall maintenance and provides an outlet for local produce, jams, craft, plants and wines. 0407 879 612 | yarckhall@hotmail.com | www.visityarck.com.au
YEA RAILWAY MARKET
1st Saturday of month – Yea Railway Reserve, Station St Yea
Fresh local produce, arts and crafts, children’s activities, playground and skate park. The market showcases local producers, growers and makers and is a community event with a gold coin donation entryfunds from entry are donated to local charities each month. 0427 722 624 | globalgemsandfinejewellery@gmail.com
ØShowroom full of everything your boat needs for your day on the water. Spare Parts, Electrical Accessories, Mooring Ropes, Cleaning Products and much more ØWater sports accessories & PFD’s
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• Workshop & Mobile Service – Fast, friendly support, on-site or in-store
• Fire Protection Units – Built tough for local conditions
• Local Team – Trusted name, expanded service, down-to-earth care
Tossol Real Estate – 0419 558 032 Andrew Hill Yea and Alexandra Livestock – 0419 322 286
Bleicher Yea and Alexandra Livestock – 0492 475 217 Carrie Brewer/John Purvis Yea and Alexandra
Business & Trades listings
ACCOMMODATION
Alexandra Motor Inn 5772 2077
Alpino Apartments
Marysville 0408 103 481
Big4 Taggerty Holiday Park
Taggerty 5774 7263
Black Spur Inn, Narbethong 5963 7121
Bonfire Station Farmstay 0423 457 072
Buxton Hotel, Buxton 5774 7381
Corner Hotel, Alexandra 5772 1004
Eildon Parkview Motor Inn 1300 131 129
Eildon Pondage Holiday Park 1800 651 691
Elite Stays
Marysville / Taggerty 0413 795 283
Flowerdale Hotel 5780 1230
Jerusalem Creek Marina & Holiday Park
Lake Eildon 5774 2585
Little Luxe Cottage stay@littleluxecottage.com.au
Molesworth Hotel & General Store Facebook
Molesworth Recreation Reserve & Caravan Park 5797 6278
Parklife Alexandra
Alexandra 5772 1222
Riverbend Holiday Park
Thornton 5773 2305
Royal Mail Hotel, Yea 5797 2515
Rubicon Hotel Motel
Thornton 5773 2251
Saladin Lodge
Narbethong 0429 699 969
Snobs Creek Holiday Park 5774 2903
Taylor Bay Country Club
Taylor Bay 0497 889 353
Tower Motel, Marysville 5963 3225
Yea Motel 5797 2660
Yea Peppercorn Hotel 5797 2000
AGED CARE
Darlingford, Eildon 5774 2711
AIR CONDITIONING SERVICES
North East Air, Buxton 0438 572 376
ANTENNA / TV SERVICES
Chris’s TV 0405 554 915
APPLIANCE STORE
Chookies Alexandra 5772 2152
AUTOMOTIVE SERVICES
Alexandra Automotive 5772 3232
Eildon Auto Spares 5774 2712
Thornton Auto Repairs 0482 703 881
BEE SUPPLIES
Dindi Bee Supplies, Yea 0413 627 194
BOAT HIRE
Boost Wake, Eildon 0414 313 255
Lakeview Boat Hire,Eildon 0488 051 721
Jerusalem Creek Marina & Holiday Park
Eildon 5774 2585
Northern Waters Boat Hire northernwatersboathire.com
BOOK SHOPS
Books at Yarck, Yarck 0400 418 139
Goulburn River Books
Alexandra 5772 2935
Story & Song Bookshop, Marysville 0491 137 644
BREWERIES
Bonfire Station Brewing Co, Taggerty 0423 457 072
On Point Brewery
Alexandra 0413 562 693
BUILDERS / RENOVATIONS
Readybuilt 0418 338 556
BUSHFIRE ASSESMENT
BAL Assesments 0417 885 747
BUTCHERS
Thornton Butchers & Deli 5773 2224
C ARAVAN PARKS
Alexandra Showgrounds Caravan Park 0417 179 313
Big4 Taggerty Holiday Park
Taggerty 5774 7263
Breakaway, Acheron 5772 1735
Eildon Pondage Holiday Park
Eildon 1800 651 691
Jerusalem Creek Marina & Holiday Park
Lake Eildon 5774 2585
Mar ysville Holiday Park 5963 3247
Molesworth Recreation Reserve & Caravan Park 5797 6278
