Elpho Info

Winter 2020 Volume 86

The Community Newsletter of Elphinstone

Elphinstone Primary School

Participates in Reconciliation Week
On Wednesday 27th May, Elphinstone Primary School joined in an online smoking ceremony following a public invitation from Uncle Rick Nelson,
Dja Dja Wurrung Elder for people to join in lighting their own fire as part of Reconciliation Week with the theme of “In This Together”.
Over 200 participants joined the Zoom gathering, each of them tending their own fires as we were led through the ceremony with Uncle Rick. It
was exciting to see so many familiar faces on the zoom gallery. We were encouraged to “Be present to the fire and follow Uncle Rick’s lead… Uncle Rick
believes if your heart is in the right place then you can’t get this wrong.” With this in mind, Kane and I set up the fire early and gathered gum leaves from
the school grounds. Following Uncle Rick’s lead gum leaves were placed on the fire and the Prep, Grade 1 and Grade 2 students each walked through
and cleansed themselves in the healing smoke.
Kath Coff of Nalderun addressed the topic of Reconciliation, acknowledging that working together has its hardships, but recognising that we share
a love for country. This ceremony felt a great way to come together to acknowledge this. Coming together in this
way also showed us the opportunity to gather ‘virtually’ both in times of social distancing and beyond. We hope
for more opportunities to use the skills we have learned over the last months to meet in this way in the future.
Sam Downing, Elphinstone Primary School Council

Elpho Info is printed with the generous assistance of

Mt Alexander Shire Council & Print Together.
Printed on 100% Post Consumer Paper
 Autumn’s prize winner, Nathan,
modeling his sturdy tote bag.
Thanks Nathan and thank you
Nikki for the prize.
See the inside last page for this
seasons competition.
A puzzle for these
Wintery days.

A message from the Pub

G’day from Mark and Mel at the Elphinstone Hotel. Thanks
so much for your support of our takeaway menu over the last two
months. Unlike many businesses, we are grateful that we at least
had the opportunity to remain open in some capacity during the
height of the Covid-19 restrictions, and it’s been great to connect
with people we hadn’t met during our first few months at the hotel.
Elphinstone is a wonderful community!
The other silver lining from Covid-19 is that we had to
fast-track an on-line ordering portal for our takeaway menu, so
that service will continue as in-house dining resumes on June 3
– complete with a great new menu! If you’d like to book a table at Mount Alexander Council workers, Beau and Kirk, planting out a
the restaurant, give us a call on 5473 3165, and for takeaway orders section of the train crossing opposite the pub. See EPA update.
head to elphinstonehotel.com.au. Thanks a lot, Mark and Mel

Lynden Bookkeeping
ABN 98943174455

Certified Bookkeepers

Registered BAS Agent 26019166

Local to Elphinstone Area

Water Deliveries & General Cartage
10,000 Litre Water Loads
Grass Slashing Lindsay Matheson 0422 711 758
Elaine Matheson 0400 457 606
John Growcott 0407 506 666
lynden.bookkeeping@gmail.com

2 Elpho Info
Update from the Elphinstone
Progress Association, Inc. (EPA)
After a somewhat shaky resuscitation of the EPA, with so many
people leaving and not to mention what the virus did to everything,
we are back in business, and it is with great appreciation to Mani
Heck and Fiona Gatt that the EPA still exists and now has a new
president. It would be unfair of me not to point out that Fiona in
particular was the one that held the whole thing together at a time
when most of us dropped the ball and retracted into our caves to
hide from the virus.
The EPA has in the past been most concerned with improving
the town centre and it has achieved a lot that may have escaped
your attention. For example, one half of the pub side of the train
crossing has been completely rejuvenated due to the efforts of the
EPA. It took years of agitating to council who had to coordinate the
efforts with the railways. It also turned out to be a bigger job than
anticipated - maybe you saw the huge pipes that were laid to fix up
the drainage. The end result is a great improvement. Thank you to
Mount Alexander Shire Council for their support, thank you also to
Mani and Fiona for not giving up
A community organisation like the EPA could serve a multitude
of purposes, ranging from a mostly inactive observer of and
commentator to life around us, to a gentle nudger-on, but also to
being at the forefront of what makes a community work well. It is
time for Elphinstone to decide if they have a need or use for a more
active EPA. We, for instance, don’t have a rate payers association in
Elphinstone, so we are to a large extent subject to Council’s decision
making processes, when realistically we also have rights to be
provided with services for which we pay. We recently lost our scrap
metal bin due to council action and the matter was simply left there
– surely an active EPA could have played a role in getting a better
outcome? Do we want to become more of an entity to be reckoned
with, or are we happy to leave things the way they are? We also
have an opportunity to improve on the social care side of things: we
Elpho Info Editorial
A couple of months ago, I wasn’t sure we were going to be printing
an Elpho Info for Winter due to the Covid-19 pandemic. I was already
brainstorming online versions and alternatives but the world is still
ticking and things are happening. Sometimes quicker than we can
imagine. Thanks to everyone who has contributed, it’s a slightly leaner
newsletter but still has some interesting bits and pieces.
‘Zoom’ has become a very important online communication tool
keeping people connected and making events like the smoking ceremony
for Reconciliation Week possible. It’s great to see the school kids taking
part from school and home with over 200 other participants. Zoom and
the like will surely become a permanent tool for people in the future
even after we get through this pandemic.
Sam from EFC touches on the Elphinstone Hall’s fascinating history
interviewing one of our regular contributers Helen. So many more
stories there! CFA have exciting news about the extension of their
station and Susan talks about how to balance your immune system.
have the elderly and sick people living amongst us and we have the
option of providing community help to them, particularly in times of
disasters. With a tsunami of unemployment about to hit this country
and areas like Elphinstone in particular, do we each just care about
ourselves and our own families, or are we prepared to step up a mark
and help those in need around us?
The EPA is at a crossroads: we can continue our struggle to
survive by having a handful of people show up once a quarter to
work their way through an agenda of limited impact, or we can ramp
up and become a hub of referral and even a beacon of hope in times
of difficulty.
You, as an Elphinstone resident, can join us and we can
collectively make this a better place to live in, simple as that. You
have in the committee a group of people that have the energy to
make decisions and get things done, but we need you to join in and
participate. If you are prepared to get involved then please send
your name and number to us at elphoinfo@gmail.com and we will be
in touch. If you can go one step further and tell us a little bit about
yourself then it would be even better. Any organisation functions
better if it can call on internal resources to get things done and if we
know what you can do and who you know, then it will make the EPA
so much more effective and efficient.
We also have access to funding: there are numerous grants
available to community organisations like the EPA. There is however
no point seeking these grants for the sake of getting them, but if
needs are clearly identified then funding can legitimately be seeked
for urgent community projects. We need you to help us here: tell us
what you see around you that should be fixed or improved, we can
then take matters from there.
Please join us, we need you!
Bertus Keyser
EPA President
Sue from ELMA touches on the Elphinstone Arboretum which, along
with the War Memorial, will have more plantings in the next months.
Sadly, ELMA have had to cancel their Winter Solstice bonfire unless
restrictions are lifted further.
Christine talks about Covid-19 and council along with the extended
information from council. Nikki once again has donated a ripper of a 3D
puzzle as a prize, (see inside back cover for details) while touching on
wildlife injuries in her moving piece. We do have some amazing vets.
Bert’s piece, above, will hopefully inspire more people to the EPA
table. EPA has done great things for Elphinstone and has much potential
with support and involvement of locals in the future.
I hope everyone’s staying well. Stay warm and let us know if you have
ideas or contributions for the Spring edition of Elpho Info. I hope to
make it a big one! Thanks for the support.
Cheers, Matt
elphoinfo@gmail.com
Elpho Info 3
News from Elphinstone
memory and the people
who were involved?
The Carpet Bowls

Facilities Committee Association was

established in the
1960s by the late Jean
Like many other venues at this time, due to Covid 19 regulations Pollard and others. It
the Elphinstone Hall has ceased taking bookings until such time was for the adults and
as council notifies us that the hall can open again. The facilities at my parents joined in.
Sawpit Gully have also been closed but in spite of this, like many Us bigger kids were
people, I’ve found it amazing to see so many people out walking and sometimes allowed to
cycling in the local area and I feel fortunate to have access to both play when the teams
bushland and walking tracks close by. It was on one of my local walks were short players. I
in the past month that - at a distance - I met Helen Gramberg, who did not really know
has lived in Elphinstone for many years. Our conversation was a any of the other adults
great insight into Elphinstone’s history. Helen has experienced a lot who played, except the
of changes in Elphinstone and remembers playing carpet bowls at late Noel Frye. At the
the previous Elphinstone Hall when it was a building with a sagging time, the entire floor
floor that would pitch the balls to one side of the hall. was taken up by the
Helen agreed to answer some questions about life in Elphinstone. mats and the room was
How long have you lived in Elphinstone? crowded.
My family moved here in May 1972. After school, I left to work in For those who don’t
the Big Smoke, and came back to our family home in April 1998. know, each team has 6 players: 3 at each end of the mat, which hosts
What are the biggest changes you’ve seen in town? 2 teams. I think there were 8 mats. At 12 people per mat, that’s 96
The number of pupils at the primary school has increased from the people! The mats were close together, so the occasional “wild” bowl
mere 2 dozen, right up to 58 at one point whilst my children were would run onto the next mat, and there’d be a mad scramble to get
attending. The school has had some large upgrades in that time. I it before it disturbed their bowls! One of the quirks of the old hall,
discovered that many of the people I now met here made a tree- built in 1909, was that the floor sloped on one side. The teams were
change from the city, moving here in the previous 10 years. The rotated through the positions on the floor, and the “dreaded” slope
railway station that I used to use to visit family closed in 1981. The made even the best bowler look bad!
hall in the centre of town was demolished in 1979 and a new brick Carpet bowls was played in Autumn in Elphinstone for over
hall was built on the recreation reserve out of town. 50 years, with a Junior Championship added. It was a very cheap
When we moved here in 1972, there was a swimming pool, but it evening, not far from home, with lots of laughs and a chance to
had a large crack in the base and had already gone out of use. I guess mingle with the local community. It would be great to bring this
it was too costly to fix for a small community. The pool was opposite back to the town.
the roadhouse (which is the current site of the fire station). Cheers,
In the 1970s, the shop was in the tin shed adjacent to the railway Helen Gramberg
station, formerly owned and run by the late Daisy Bateman, and she I have similar memories of playing carpet bowls when I moved to
used to sell us our lollies. “I’ll have 2 cent’s worth of musk sticks, and Elphinstone 10 years ago. It gave me the opportunity to meet people I
1 cent’s worth of jelly babies, please.” :) It then moved to the building otherwise wouldn’t cross paths with and brought in people of all ages
it is now. Originally, the shop part was a narrow enclosed verandah, to the hall on chilly evenings. I’m strongly feeling the lack of social
but later that was built on to, and Post Office Boxes were installed. gatherings at the moment and I miss it. Watch this space for a social
The current proprietors would be the longest serving Licensees since carpet bowls event coming as soon as we are able to the Elphinstone
the 70s, and they do a great job. Hall!
Attitudes are another thing that has had positive change since Sam Downing
the 70s. It may just be a general reflection of society today, but the Secretary
people here are very friendly now and accepting of other residents, Elphinstone Facilities Committee
which was not my observation of those earlier years.
Can you describe the old hall?
The old hall stood where the toilet block is now at the
Sawpit Gully Reserve, adjacent to the Post Office Shop. It was a
weatherboard building, with a raised stage. Attached to the building,
was a small entranceway at the front, and a narrow lean-to kitchen,
containing an assortment of cups, saucers, large teapots, etc., at the
rear.
The Primary School used to perform their end of year concert in
this hall. In Grade 5 or 6, I stood on the stage with my fellow pupils
and we all dried up (stage fright) during the song, “With one eye on
the pot and the other up the chimney, with a bow wow wow!” There
was also a Youth Club, which gave us out-of-towner kids something
to do. And, of course, there was Carpet Bowls.
What do you remember about carpet bowls, when it began in your

4 Elpho Info
Elphinstone CFA Update
CFA during isolation
The current pandemic has meant some changes to the way our
brigade is operating. CFA has implemented a range of measures
to reduce the Covid-19 risk to members. We have stopped non-
essential gatherings at the station with brigade meetings being
held by teleconference. Training is on hold and maintenance of
the tankers is on a less frequent schedule. However, the brigade is
continuing to respond in its usual quick way to fire and emergency
incidents. There have been a number of fires and a road accident
that the brigade has attended in the last month. Section of the elevation drawing showing the extension addition.
Some time ago we let you know that the brigade had successfully
applied for State Government funding of $230,000 to extend the We are now heading into winter and, with the recent cold snap,
station and make a range of improvements. It’s taken a while to get our home heaters are providing much needed warmth. This is the
to this point, but our application for building works is now with the time to ensure that you have smoke alarms in place and that they are
local council for planning approval. The project is being managed working. Changing batteries and doing a test of each smoke alarm
by CFA with the brigade being involved in reviewing designs and is a must as only working smoke alarms save lives. To find out more
agreeing requirements. about smoke alarms, please go to cfa.vic.gov.au/plan-prepare/smoke-
The main structural change is an 80m2 extension on the north alarms
side of the existing station. This will provide additional space for: a If you would like to know more about your local CFA, please
vehicle bay for the brigade’s ute; entry foyer; new toilet and shower contact Captain Andy Chapman on 0408 507 770 or Secretary
facilities; and a storage room. In addition, there will be some Gerard Kelly on 0402 456 758.
reconfiguration of the existing station to provide a separate wash area
for the breathing apparatus face masks and a firefighters change area
that is away from the tankers.

AJ CHAPMAN
EARTHMOVING
Andy & Kath Chapman & Girls
Calder Hwy, Elphinstone, 3448
Welcome to your local
For all your Backhoe & Featuring our own Elphinstone cider
Tip Truck requirements and Elphinstone pale ale.
Quarry and Road Supplies Catering for gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan,
plus steaks and all your pub favourites.
Grader hire
Open: Wednesday to Friday: 3pm – 9pm
Driveway & House Sites Saturday: 11am – 9pm
Sunday: 11am – 3pm
Andy has 30 years local
Dinner service: Wednesday to Saturday from 5:30pm
knowledge & experience Lunch service: Saturday and Sunday from 11:30am
Takeaway food and drinks also available from
For Further information phone: Wednesday until Sunday!

0408 507 770 Check our Facebook for all the up coming events
5473-3165 elphohotel@bigpond.com

or 5473 3294 TheElphinstoneHotel elphinstone_hotel

Elpho Info 5
Wildlife WhispersBy Nikki Medwell
bed sores. He had to be fed every hour tiny amounts or he would
get a stomach ache. He needed help to toilet himself and different
medications had to be carefully balanced out.
It took COVID-19 to make me realise I live my life in a lockdown After about a month we had a healthy, happy little chap that was
state. Nothing changed for me apart from having to go out for keen to explore the great outdoors.
groceries when home deliveries stopped but I know it changed things
He was doing wonders and had started to integrate into the wild
for many others.
mob. He would be with his kin through the day and return at night
Our wildlife had safer passage across roads for a time and the for bottles and the security of a “big bum” pouch indoors.
family dog/s got taken for more walks than usual. There were many
Eventually he started spending nights outside too but returning
funny memes on social media about dogs hiding from their owners or
for breakfast.
simply refusing to walk and laying down playing dead.
One morning I just happened to be in a certain section of the
Most of these amusing memes were city and suburban dogs.
forest when I spotted him. Very odd for that time of day and a long
But what about our country dogs? Are they as closely monitored for
way from his kin. Approaching him I could see he was in real trouble.
control and behaviour because we have wide open spaces?
His leg was shattered. It was Easter Sunday and I can’t start to tell you
What I can tell you is that horrific injuries to kangaroos have of the emotional punch I felt. He had made his way home on one leg,
escalated and are continuing to do so from dog attacks. tumbling along in search of help which I wasn’t able to give.
Beautiful large males that put their hands and arms out to protect We are so lucky to have vets that adore our wildlife. On Easter
themselves found with infections so deep due to puncture wounds Monday Eddy underwent a 1.5hr orthopaedic surgery to plate and
and so severe they have to be euthanised. A sweet little mother doe pin his leg. The photos attached to this article are before, during and
that a member of the public phoned in reporting odd behaviour, that after. You can see his beautiful personality here. He makes us smile.
odd behaviour was caused by the inability to eat due to
her throat having been savaged. The rescuer could hear
this poor girl wheezing as she breathed through her
puncture wounds and was starving to death.
Dogs that chase kangaroos are responsible for
many deaths long after the owner has sauntered home
after “exercising” their dog/s. Throw away comments
like; “Oh the kangaroo got away” after seeing their dog
chasing them is not always the case.
The above scenarios occur and then there is
myopathy which occurs under extreme stress (like
being chased by a dog) and the animal does not even
have to be injured to develop rhabdomyolysis, which is
a disintegration of the muscle fibres.
Should a young mum with an at foot joey or one in
pouch, die days or weeks later then her baby will perish
with her unless found and a wildlife rescuer called.
Please do not let your dog’s chase kangaroos. Not
long ago a small joey was presented to us that after
getting separated from its mother during a dog attack
ran into oncoming traffic. It’s never as simple as ‘just a
bit of exercise’ for our wildlife.
We have had an intensive month of nursing this little ragamuffin.
(Please report dog attacks on kangaroos to DELWP as penalties He is very cheeky and lovable and his desire to return to his mob has
can apply. Contact details at the bottom of this article.) not waived.
That brings me to our volunteers. When you phone a volunteer, Two days ago he took his first hops across our backyard. A
please be patient if they do not answer or get back to you straight monumental achievement for someone so small that has gone
away. They might be in the middle of another rescue. When they through so much. He wants to live and will fight for that birthright.
phone you back, please pick up your phone. Wildlife rescuers know Like we all would/do.
that time is of the essence and want to get to you and/or the injured
The vet reported the injury would be in line with blunt force
animal as soon as they can. Also, please do not decide on euthanasia
trauma. In other words, he’d been hit by a car.
unless you have spoken to a wildlife carer or vet (unless under
extreme circumstances). A lot of our wildlife can be saved when you If you ever hit a kangaroo with your car and it bounds away,
may not think so. please phone it in anyway. Adrenalin will only take them so far and
our wonderful rescuers will search the area for hours to ensure no-
A few months ago a rescuer was called out to a small 5kg joey
one is left to suffer. Eddy is one of the lucky ones but he doesn’t need
laying half dead in long grass. No mob or mother around. Mum
to be the exception. We are the guardians of all wildlife so let me also
probably killed and this little one left alone, was dying from exposure
leave you with these two tips:
and a myriad of other conditions. Mites, conjunctivitis, dehydration,
starvation and even a fly blow cloaca. His odds were not good but he 1. If a mother doe is deceased and there is a young one hanging
wanted to live so we fought alongside him and named him Eddy. around at risk of being hit by a car, please drag the mother away from
the road. The joey will stay close to mum.
Eddy had to be moved and turned every three hours to avoid

6 Elpho Info
 2. If a kangaroo is hopping down the middle of the road, it’s good
#
that drivers slow down but if possible, please stop. The kangaroo will
be looking for a clear escape route and if being chased will not have Wildlife Emergency numbers:
time to assess its surrounds. If you stop for just a moment, this will Rescue - Wildlife Victoria: (03) 8400 7300
give the kangaroo time to find an exit spot off to the side
Thank you to all our wonderful locals that have supported us and Rescue - WRIN: 0419 356 433 (Central Vic Region)
made donations of food and bedding for our wildlife. We are always
trying to improve what we do here and trying hard to learn more to Rescue - WRES: 0427 301 401 (Central Vic Region)
help you, help our wildlife. Cruelty - Castlemaine Police: (03) 5470 4100 or 000
By the time the next edition of Elpho Info is out our little Wildlife
Supply shop will be fully functional. We have 16 local shelters and 4 Cruelty - DELWP Epson branch: (03) 5430 4444
local rescuers on our books and everything in this shop will be free – ask for the Snr Wildlife Officer
for them to access.
There is no funding for wildlife carers. All associated costs come Report shooting and/or dog attacks via email to:
out of our own pockets. ocr@delwp.vic.gov.au and copy in:
We do not stock prescription drugs but we can stock other items lily.dambrosio@parliament.vic.gov.au
that are needed on a regular basis; blankets, milk, tissues and wet
wipes etc. If anyone would like to help with supplies, I’ll cover more
in the next edition but in the interim you are welcome to show an Kangaroo A Love Hate Story is now available online,
expression of interest by emailing us at: elroos3448@gmail.com streaming on various platforms and worldwide on iTunes.
Please watch this award-winning documentary which
From Scott, Nikki and the El-Roos – thanks for caring.
exposes Australia’s own wildlife trade.
The world is watching.
Red Box Wildlife Shelter, Elphinstone VIC Visit: https://kangaroothemovie.com/

Elphinstone Ra

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun

‘18 56 9 25 13 91

‘19 14 15 7 4 111

‘20 43 63 38 131 66

Rainfall
Elphinstone Rainfall in mm’s - Comparing 2018, 2019 and 2020
140

131
111
112

91 92
84

59 55 62
56 53
63 66 49
56

40 41 42
34 31
43 25 38
28

14 15 13 12
9 7 10 9
4
0

‘18 ‘19 ‘20 ‘18 ‘19 ‘20 ‘18 ‘19 ‘20 ‘18 ‘19 ‘20 ‘18 ‘19 ‘20 ‘18 ‘19 ‘20 ‘18 ‘19 ‘20 ‘18 ‘19 ‘20 ‘18 ‘19 ‘20 ‘18 ‘19 ‘20 ‘18 ‘19 ‘20 ‘18 ‘19 ‘20
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Elpho Info 7
 Phone 54713555
Myotherapy/Remedial Massage In 2019 Castlemaine Health's main
phone number changed to 5471 3555.
Relaxation & Deep Tissue Massage
Trigger Point Therapy Please update your own records, including any
prerecorded numbers you may have saved.
Lymph Drainage Massage
If you'd Like a Little help, give our friendly staff a call.
Muscle Testing and more Or visit our website at www.castlemainehealth.org.au

All this is available on your doorstep at Sutton Grange

Contact: Vivien Pells
Assoc.Dip.App.Sc.(Myotherapy)
CARE, QUALITY AND CHOICE
0412 882 402

The next Elpho Info is the Spring/September edition 2020

Articles and advertising for the Spring 2020 edition of the Elpho Info are due by Friday August 21st 2020 to
elphoinfo@gmail.com or via the Post Office.
All community contributions are welcome.
For advertising prices and enquiries email elphoinfo@gmail.com or grab a form at the Post Office.
The Elpho Info is a member of the Community Newspapers Association of Victoria and can be read online at: www.elphinstone.net
Find us on Facebook | search Elpho Info or visit www.facebook.com/ElphoInfo
Elpho Info is published by the Elphinstone Progress Association and is produced by volunteers. Elpho Info is printed on 100% post-consumer recycled paper.
Contributions of news items, articles, photos, ideas and letters are welcome as are advertisements which help to cover production costs.
Circulation is currently 300. Thank you to Mount Alexander Shire Council for their continued support in the form of advertising.
Elphinstone Info wishes to advise that the views or remarks expressed in this publication are not necessarily the views of the editor or of the Elphinstone Progress
Association. No endorsement is implied by the listing of advertisers, sponsors or contributors. We are not liable if there are any mistakes or inaccuracy.

8 Elpho Info
Coronavirus (COVID-19) update
The Victorian Government recently announced COVID-19
restrictions will start to ease from Monday 1 June. The message
is no longer stay at home but stay safe as we transition to a life
under a new norm. It is important we continue to use common
sense and follow the restrictions to keep our community safe.
Please continue to maintain good hygiene and physical
distancing, and check in on your family, friends and neighbours.
We also urge you to shop locally to keep every dollar in our shire.
Remember to stay home if you are unwell and get tested if
you are experiencing mild symptoms of coronavirus. Make an
appointment with your local GP or head to a nearby testing centre
in Bendigo, Kyneton or Maryborough. For more information visit
www.dhhs.vic.gov.au/coronavirus or call the coronavirus hotline
on 1800 675 398.
Council is continuing to deliver a range of services within the
directives from State Government and health authorities. Help
keep our community safe by downloading the free COVIDSafe
app. It’s part of a nation-wide effort to slow the spread of
COVID-19. The free app helps find close contacts of COVID-19
cases. This means health workers can quickly notify you if you
come into contact with someone who has coronavirus. It also
reduces the chances of passing the virus on to family, friends and
other people in the community.
Visit www.mountalexander.vic.gov.au/coronavirus for updates on
Council services.
COVID-19 support
To help and connect our community at this time we have created
a dedicated COVID-19 support number and email. For local
information or a referral to a community organisation or service,
call us on 1800 512 446 between 8.30am and 5.00pm Monday
to Friday or email covid19@mountalexander.vic.gov.au. We have
also expanded the COVID-19 support service to provide an online
virtual emergency relief centre (VERC). The online centre provides
a one-stop shop for assistance, similar to what would be in a
physical emergency relief centre.
Visit www.connectmountalexander.com.au for information about
programs and services to help residents and business deal with
the impacts of coronavirus on the road to recovery. There are
links to service providers and assistance programs, frequently
asked questions such as where to get tested, and an online form
to make a request for support.
Civic Centre
Corner Lyttleton and Lloyd Streets
P.O. Box 185 Castlemaine VIC 3450
Looking after your health
CHIRP Community Health can offer support to help you get
through these challenging times. Call CHIRP on 5479 1000
weekdays during business hours or visit www.chirp.org.au. For
crisis support and suicide prevention services contact Beyond
Blue 1300 22 4636 www.beyondblue.org.au; Kids Helpline 1800
55 1800 www.kidshelpline.com.au; QLife 1800 184 527
www.qlife.org.au or Lifeline 13 11 14 www.lifeline.org.au.
Family violence and staying safe
If you, or someone you know are at risk of family violence call
Safe Steps on 1800 015 188 or visit www.safesteps.org.au. For
local safety planning, counselling, support and other services
contact the Centre for Non-Violence based in Bendigo on 1800
884 292 or visit www.cnv.org.au. In an emergency call 000.
Help stop fruit fly
Council is calling for residents to act now to help prevent a
widespread outbreak of Queensland fruit fly (QFF), following the
first confirmed report in Castlemaine. Please check monitoring
traps and gardens for the pest – they are small brown flies with
yellow markings. Keep an eye out for grubs or larvae in fruit or
vegetables, remove unwanted fruit from trees and pick up fallen
fruit off the ground. If you suspect you have QFF contact Council
on 5471 1700. See photos to help identification at
www.mountalexander.vic.gov.au/FruitFly.
Draft budget available soon
We will soon release our 2020/2021 Proposed Budget on
Wednesday 17 June, with submissions required by 5.00pm on
Wednesday 15 July. The draft budget will be available at
www.mountalexander.vic.gov.au/HaveYourSay.
Council meetings
The next Council meeting will be held at 6.30pm on Tuesday
16 June. It will be broadcast live via YouTube. Search Mount
Alexander Shire Council. Send a question you would like raised
by 12noon on the day of the meeting to the Governance Team at
governance@mountalexander.vic.gov.au or to Mount Alexander
Shire Council, PO Box 185, Castlemaine 3450 VIC.
Important: This information was correct at time of going to print.
Find the latest updates on our website.
t (03) 5471 1700
e info@mountalexander.vic.gov.au
w www.mountalexander.vic.gov.au
Elpho Info 9
Re-opening of our libraries
Goldfields Library Corporation are planning to re-open
following Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews recent announcement
that libraries would be allowed to reopen from 11.59pm on May 31.
From Monday 1 June, return chutes will be open and a limited
‘Click and Collect’ service will be available for patrons to pick up
items they have reserved before and during the lockdown.
From Tuesday June 9, all library branches will re-open to allow
the legal maximum of 20 people in the space at any one time. Visits
will be capped at 30 minutes to give as many people as possible the
opportunity to access the library.
Goldfields Library Corporation chief executive Mark Hands said
libraries are an important part of the community and welcomed their
re-opening.
“We’re pleased to be able to take this first step towards re-opening
our libraries. We’re really excited to see everyone and we know there
will be a lot of grateful patrons.”
“We are committed to reintroducing services safely, so we will
need to take precautions to protect the community and our staff, and
ask library users to follow important conditions.”
Goldfields Library Corporation will implement a number of
Elphinstone Post Office
and General Store
5473 3200
Weekdays 7:30am - 5:30pm
Saturdays 8:00am - 1:00pm
Sunday 8:00am - 12noon
Public Holidays 8:00am - 12noon
Gill and Dave
LOCAL HORSE DENTIST
Bob Franze
(Dip Equine Dentistry)
Phone 0418 346 830
Prompt and reliable service
covering all areas
10 Elpho Info
protocols to ensure the safety of library users including sanitisation
stations and the quarantining of returned items for at least 72 hours.
Patrons are encouraged to utilise the free ‘Click and Collect’
service that allows members to reserve library materials online or by
phone, then organise a time to collect the items.
Libraries will only be open for borrowing, returning and the
registration of new memberships at this time. Access to public
computers and Wi-Fi will be allowed for up to 30 minutes.
“If it is a nice day, you can sit in the surrounding gardens or in
your car outside the library to access our Wi-Fi for as long as you
like,” said Mr Hands.
“We recognise that this is a very limited re-opening and that
people have been missing their community lounge room. We
encourage people to stay connected with us in some of the other
ways we have developed to help out during the closures and limited
services.
“Patrons can join us through online author talks, virtual story
times, a virtual ‘Library Cafe’, by joining our Life in Lockdown story
catching project, or they can seek help in getting connected online –
we even have a small number of internet connected devices we can
loan out to patrons,” said Mr Hands.
For more information and to keep updated visit www.ncgrl.vic.gov.au
or phone 5449 2700.
Elphinstone Hall
Olivers Road, Elphinstone
Features
- Large car park - Main hall is 20m wide x 40m long
- The flooring is polished floorboards - 95 chairs - 20 tables
- Full kitchen with oven, cooktop, urns, kettles,
pie warmer & two large refrigerator
- Comprehensive crockery, cutlery & coffee/tea cups for 80 people
- Sound equipment - Two large gas heater
- Two playground, one with sandpit - BBQ trailer, fully equipped
- Internal toilets, with showers
- Ramp access to hall, with disabled toilets
Fees and charges
Half Day $50
Full Day from 9am - $100 (including equipment below)
2 hrs & Below - $20
Grounds (Outside of Hall) access to two Playgrounds - $50
Trestle tables - $10 - Chairs - $1
Crockery & Cutlery - $1 per setting - Pie warmer - $30
BBQ trailer 24 hr - $55 (Gas Bottle Refill via Elphinstone Post Office/Milk Bar)
Plus $50 bond or each item above
Contact: elphrechall@gmail.com www.facebook.com/elphrechall/
A message from Zoom technology, which allows a ‘gallery’ of up to twenty faces on
a screen. We’ve held several successful briefing sessions so far, and
last week held our first online council meeting. Physical distancing
our Councillor rules and personal health concerns led to four councillors being in
the council chamber, filmed via webcam, while staff and remaining
On March 15th the family gathered councillors ‘zoomed in’. The general public was excluded because of
for lunch to celebrate our eldest grandson’s distancing rules.
18th birthday. On March 16th the Victorian Councillors have agreed to delay release of our draft budget to
government declared a State of Emergency. A allow more time to consider how best we can support the community
ban on mass gatherings and mandatory quarantine for returning in the recovery phase, while knowing that we’ll be living with
overseas visitors came first. TV footage of cruise ships docking and physical distancing for the foreseeable future. How are priorities
attempting to dock took on a sinister new aspect. By the end of the shifting? What parts of council operations will be limited? What will
month I found myself celebrating my birthday with family online via need to expand? How can we best support our local businesses that
Zoom. Things moved fast during the last two weeks of March. We have been impacted by shutdown? We’ve changed our procurement
knew the virus was with us. Infections were growing exponentially, at rules this year to place a higher weighting on quotes and tenders
one point with a very frightening doubling time of two days. from local operators, to help keep council money circulating in our
As a community we were beginning to appreciate the local economy. The draft 2020-2021 budget will be out for public
mathematical nature of exponential growth. One infected person comment for two weeks following the June council meeting on June
infecting two others every two days: how long before we have a 16th when it’ll be placed on the council website. Make sure you have
thousand infected people? Less than three weeks. After one month a look at it and send in your comments and suggestions.
the number reaches close to 33,000. (For curiosity’s sake, after
two months the figure is over a billion, though obviously a simple
mathematical model and reality have diverged widely by this stage.)
Personally I’m very grateful that I live in a country where our
governments listened to the scientists, the statisticians and acted Like to see your ad in Elpho Info?
accordingly. The Federal Government’s convening of the National
Cabinet was in my opinion both good politics and good emergency Contact elphoinfo@gmail.com
management. The leadership demonstrated by this Cabinet
convinced us all to toe the line and follow the draconian shutdown
rules for the good of all. I suspect that the compliance of the
Australian public was far beyond the expectations of those in charge.
We surprised ourselves. The introduction of payments to the many
people no longer in paid work has of course been vitally important,
though unfortunately not all are covered.
And what has been the impact on Council’s operations? While
most of the outdoor crews are working as usual, on the roads and
in our parks, gardens and reserves, most of the indoor staff have
moved to working from home. Thanks to the investment in up-
to-date technology over the past two years, all staff can access the
information and files they need, and communicate with their work
teams, from their home office. The planning department continue
to assess applications, with a slight increase in work load. Customer
service continue to take the same number of calls and emails per day.
Some staff have moved to take on other work but largely it’s business
as usual. Meanwhile councillors have been meeting online using
4t excavator / tip truck
bobcat / kanga hire
- house & shed site cuts
- trenching / drainage / driveways
- landscaping / stone work & design
- post hole augers / various sizes
- supply road gravels
- all general earthworks / hourly hire
- taradale / elphinstone & surrounds
- contact: vange
- po box 53, taradale, 3447
- email: vaeearthworks@gmail.com

Elpho Info 11
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12 Elpho Info
 ELMA UPDATE
(Elphinstone Land
Management Assoc.)

Arboretum comes to life in Elphinstone

The Elphinstone Arboretum is a great example of a shared vision
coming to life through community engagement, team work and
dedication, in the true spirit of Landcare.
As the brainchild of former ELMA member Neville Cooper, who
saw an opportunity to enhance and develop a half acre site dotted
with mature sliver banksia and eucalypts at the Recreation Reserve
in Elphinstone, the arboretum has become an important part of our
local landscape.
When it was established in 2010, aided by a grant from the
Mount Alexander Shire Council, it was a project that captured the
hearts of ELMA members and has been the most successful of our
group’s planting days and working bees. With assistance from native
plant guru Frances Cincotta from Newstead Natives, indigenous
plants were carefully chosen and planted according to habit with
many species grouped together to allow for greater visual impact and
easy identification.
Over 400 seedlings have been planted over the years to showcase
trees and shrubs indigenous to the area, encouraging visitors to learn
about native plants and how to use them on their own properties,
whilst providing habitat for native wildlife.
Some years later, when the plants had become well established, Elphinstone Primary School students learning all
ELMA was successful in obtaining a grant for signage through the about the Elphinstone Arboretum.
North Central Catchment Management Authority and in 2017 we
installed fixed full colour signs with photos providing information on
habit, flowering and cultivation of over 25 different plants including The Elphinstone Arboretum is located behind the Elphinstone
various species of acacia, eucalypts, correas, melaleuca and hopbush, Hall in Olivers Lane, Elphinstone.
to name a few. This article appeared in the second edition of the ‘Landcare stories’
The arboretum is an ever evolving space, and although we’ve lost booklet, was published in the Midland Express and Connecting
a few plants along the way, we’ve gained knowledge in which species Country blog in 2020, and shared with others (e.g. Landcare Victoria
have thrived under the local conditions and have planted more of Inc, North Central CMA, local council, DELWP) to share through their
those species ensuring that each year it grows in abundance. platforms. Telling the stories of Landcare groups’ amazing work that
often goes unseen is a great way to engage the broader community with
Not only is it a wonderful asset for our community, it’s a
Landcare groups and caring for the land, as well as showcasing the
celebration of our botanical heritage and an example of how we can
value of Landcare to government and other funders.
make a positive impact on our environment. We hope that visitors to
the Recreation Reserve can enjoy the arboretum, not only to admire
its beauty but as a botanical and educational reference for many years Sadly, we’ve had to cancel our annual winter solstice
to come. bonfire unless restrictions are lifted further.

Councillor Listening Post at the Elphinstone Post Office

First Friday of the Month
See Post Office for listening post arrangements
9:00am to 11:00am as COVID19 rules change.
Local ward councillor Christine Henderson is available at
the Post Office to meet with residents, hear about any
council-related concerns and answer questions.
Come and have a chat.

Elpho Info 13
Health Corner By Susan Lintott
The Balancing Act that is your Immune System
Whether you’re comfortable with it or not, we ARE more bacteria
than we are human; on a cellular level we are 43% human and 57%
microbial, on a genetic level we contain 20,000 human genes and up
to 20 million bacterial genes… making us less than 1% human!
We all harbour viruses and bacteria that can causes disease and/
or unwellness if the bacterial balance and our immune system isn’t in
balance. So how do we keep the balance?
1) Maintain good exercise levels. Aim for a 45 minute walk, 5
times/week. If you’re out of practice start gently, something like half
an hour/week and build up, and check-in with a professional if you
have heart issues. If low energy or joint pain is restricting you then
you might benefit from anti-inflammatory and energy supporting
supplements. pneumonia, fever, sore throats and bronchitis.
2) Ensure good quality sleep. This means at least 7.5 hours sleep Astragalus is among the most popular and important qi (life
for most people and many people benefit from 9 hours sleep. There force) tonifying herbs in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Astragalus
are a lot of natural tips for resetting your circadian rhythm including is an excellent herb for building and nourishing the immune system,
ensuring sun exposure during the day, having a regular sleep time it can be used both preventatively and during infections to enhance
and avoiding blue light and bright lights two hours before bed. your immunity.
3) Balance your gut bacteria. 70 to 80% of your immune system is Turmeric has been historically used to relieve discomfort
in your gut and looking after your gut bacterial balance is paramount and inflammation associated with a wide variety of infectious
to maintaining a strong immune system. The good bacteria thrive on and autoimmune diseases. Turmeric is an invaluable herb in any
fibre, mostly from vegetables and in particular green leafy vegetables. condition that involves inflammation.
Nutritional medicine has a lot to offer to strengthen your If you are fighting infection there are additional herbs that can
immune system in the way of nutrients such as Vitamin C, Zinc, be taken to reduce your time of sickness. If your health picture
Vitamin D and supplements such as probiotics and medicinal is complicated then your best care will be in booking in for a
mushrooms. consultation, either as a video call (telehealth/zoom etc) or in
Andrographis is herb that can offer immune support for bacterial person. If you want some simple immune support there are many
and viral respiratory tract infections such as influenza, colds, supplements that Susan can provide without a consultation.

Susan Lintott
Naturopathy
Nutritional and herbal medicine
Dietary and lifestyle advice 0401 764 050
Relaxation and deep tissue massage info@susanlintott.com
Located in Elphinstone www.susanlintott.com

14 Elpho Info
What’s happening at
Elphinstone Primary School
At the time of writing this we are almost at the end of our self-
isolated—home based learning experience and our parents and
students have done a remarkable job in such trying circumstances!
After a few teething problems early on everything has been running
smoothly and most students have settled into a rhythm and learning
and working at their own pace from home. It is pleasing to see many
students voluntarily jump back on our conference site and ask for help
or assistance. It is also pleasing to see several students creating their
own work schedule and timetable, which
is what flexible learning is all about.
We have had almost 100% ‘attendance’
as we begin our day with a whole class
meeting, setting out the day’s work
and then catching up with individual
students or small groups which are
rotated throughout the week. Our Prep,
Grade 1 and Grade 2 students start two
weeks before the older students and the
school is complying with all the protocols
surrounding COVID-19. We look
forward to tackling term 3 and hopefully
we will see the Play Group at some stage
– we miss you!

Competition Once again, again! Nikki from Red Box Wildlife Shelter
has very kindly donated a prize to give away. It’s a 60 piece 300x220mm
3D puzzle in a most handsome tin. It’s a ‘lenticular’ printed puzzle that gives
the illusion of movement when you view it on different angles. This type of
printing is sometimes called a wiggle picture. To win the puzzle you will need
to submit your best interpretation of a native Australian animal as a short
video! Adults and kids all invited to join in the fun. Post your video on the
Makers of Traditional & Contemporary
ElphoInfo Facebook page or email elphoinfo@gmail.com and I’ll post it
for you. The verdict for the winner will be most likes. Go and video. Puddings to enjoy all year

Available from Maxi IGA Castlemaine,

Kitchen Door Sales &Tasting direct to public.
Workspace Castlemaine
Room 24, 1 Halford St
Ph 03 5470 6128
Visit the website for full list of products
www.pudforallseasons.com.au
Locals Discount when you mention this
advert at our kitchen door.

Elpho Info 15
 STAYING
STAYING
SAFE
SAFE
KEEPS US
KEEPS US
TOGETHER
TOGETHER
Thank
ThankYou
You Victoria.
Victoria.

While
Whilesome
some restrictions haveeased,
restrictions have eased,limiting
limiting our
our
movement
movement everyday meanseverything.
everyday means everything.It It means
means wewe
slow
slowthe
the spread
spread of of the
the virus.
virus.IfIfwe
wekeep
keep working
working from
from
home
homeandand we
we limit the number
limit the numberofofususmoving
moving around,
around,
wecan
we cankeep
keep kicking
kicking aa footy
footyininthe
thepark.
park.If If
wewe use
use
common sense
common sense and
and keep
keepourourdistance,
distance,wewe can visit
can visit
cafesand
cafes and restaurants.
restaurants. And Andififwe
weonly
onlysee
seethose
thosewewe
needto,
need to, we’ll
we’ll keep
keep our
our friends
friendsandandfamilies
families safe.
safe.

WeWeallallhave
have a a part
part to
to play.
play.
It’s up to all of us to makethis
It’s up to all of us to make thiswork.
work.

STAYING
STAYING
APART KEEPS
APART KEEPS
US TOGETHER
US TOGETHER

For details go to vic.gov.au/CORONAVIRUS

For details
Authorised go tobyvic.gov.au/CORONAVIRUS
and published the Victorian Government, 1 Treasury Place, Melbourne
Authorised and published by the Victorian Government, 1 Treasury Place, Melbourne