Community Connections Grow at Daylesford Neighbourhood Centre

Step inside the Daylesford Neighbourhood Centre and you’ll find the week unfolding like a living, breathing community diary. 

The week starts with the gentle flow of 8 Silken Movements in the morning, the lilting sounds of French conversation in the afternoon. 

Each day, the smell of fresh-baked muffins drifts through the kitchen, HepFM hums softly in the background, and there’s the steady rhythm of people coming and going — here for courses, activities, or just a friendly chat over coffee. 

Evenings bring the heartbeat of drumming, the calm focus of yoga, and over at the ARC, energy rises with hip hop dance, pickleball, volleyball and basketball. Saturday mornings, the bushwalking group heads out to explore the region’s beauty, returning with fresh air in their lungs and smiles on their faces.

Recently, our team took part in Cultural Awareness Training offered by Hepburn Shire Council, deepening our understanding and strengthening our ability to create an inclusive, welcoming space for everyone who walks through our doors.

Out in the Paddock, garden beds are being freshly prepared, ready to burst into colour and offer up homegrown produce for all to enjoy. Inside, our new coffee machine promises a warm drink and a warm welcome, while our Tuesday soup lunches bring people together for good food and even better conversation.  The Family Heritage Group meets regularly too, keeping the stories of local families alive for future generations. In the Paddock Room, a long-stored piano now waits patiently, ready to be part of future live music events. 

Behind the scenes, DNC staff are upskilling, dreaming up and developing fresh programs to ensure the Centre remains a vibrant, evolving hub of community life.  All this – just a snapshot – there’s so much more that happens here…

Daylesford Neighbourhood Centre is a place where skills are shared, stories are treasured, friendships are grown — and every single person is welcome.

Come spend some time with us up on the hill, we’d love to see you!  Monday to Thursday 9am-3pm, 13 Camp Street, Daylesford.

DNC Joke of the Week

Working people frequently ask retired people what they do to make their days interesting. Well, for example, the other day Jim, my husband, and I went into Ballarat and visited a shop. When we came out, there was a policeman writing out a parking ticket.

We went up to him and said “Come on, man.  How about giving a senior citizen a break?”

He ignored us and continued writing the ticket. I called him a #$!!)}$%.

He glared at me and started writing another ticket for having worn out tires. So Jim called him a *&%@#!?+. He finished the second ticket and put it on the windshield with the first. Then he started writing more tickets.

This went on for about 20 minutes.  The more we abused him the more tickets he wrote!

Just then our bus arrived and we got on it and went home. We try to have a little fun each day now that we’re retired. It’s important at our age.