Tales of Taradale

11/01/2026

Some people just keep showing up, no matter their age or the conditions. Ron Payne is one of them! 👏🏻

At 77 years young, Ron was out yesterday at two fires – Fryers Ridge and Harcourt – spending around eight hours on the job, driving and supporting crews where he was needed most. 👨🏻‍🚒

Ron was thanked in a video – shared by the Taradale Fire Brigade on Facebook – as a reminder of the dedication that runs deep in our volunteer services. 🚒

Ron, you’re a true legend – respected, appreciated, and clearly very loved by your crew and community! ❤️

30/11/2025

5 Acre Farm in Taradale has been working to boost local biodiversity while producing small-batch food and farm products for the surrounding community.

The farm focuses on restoring plant diversity as a response to climate pressures, using a mix of native and suitable non-native species, supported by on-site beehives. 🐝

All produce is sold locally within a 70km radius to reduce food miles, with plans to shrink that distance further in the future.

Products are packaged in recyclable materials with sustainably sourced labels and minimal added ingredients.

The operator also serves as Taradale’s YIMBY Composter, collecting food scraps from local residents and using them to create compost for the farm’s gardens. ♻️

Infrastructure on the property is built using recycled materials wherever possible, including a greenhouse made from salvaged windows.

Five sheep help maintain the property as natural mowers and provide manure for compost and flower beds. 🐑

The farm is powered by solar, forming part of its commitment to low-impact, locally focused farming.

08/11/2025

Weekend Windback to this beauty of a shot from April 2023 – when Greg Waterman captured the mighty R711 powering its way to Bendigo for the Easter weekend, thundering past the old bluestone Taradale Railway Station like something straight out of a postcard! 🚂

08/09/2025

UPDATE: Great news, Jasper has been found! 😌

EARLIER: Family members are appealing for help to find Jasper – a young man who has gone missing in Taradale.

He was last seen walking along Metcalfe-Taradale Road at about 5:30pm yesterday, wearing a red jacket with a white stripe on the arms, blue baggy jeans and carrying a black backpack.

Loved ones are concerned for his welfare and are asking locals to please check their properties – including sheds, garages and other places where he might have taken shelter overnight.

Anyone who may have seen him, or who has any information about his whereabouts, is urged to get in touch with the family.

06/08/2025

A heartfelt send-off for Rob and Leanne on Sunday, as the Taradale community came together to farewell two absolute legends. Between them, they’ve dedicated over 36 years to the local fire brigade – leading, protecting, and showing up time and again! 🔥

Now they’re swapping paddocks for apartments, and pagers for peace and quiet in Geelong. From all of us – thank you for everything. Taradale won’t be the same without you! ♥️

On Sunday, people from across our community came together to farewell two of our members, Rob and Leanne...

From Tracey's lovely farewell speech...

As they pack up farm life and head off to the bright lights of Geelong.
From paddocks to apartments … I don’t know what ‘s more shocking – that they’re retiring
or that they will have to start paying for water.

Now, we all know Rob and Leanne as pillars of our community. Between the two of them,
they’ve given 36 years plus service to the Taradale Fire Brigade. Rob, the long standing Captain – calm in a crisis and quick with a solution. And Leanne – our Lieutenant and training officer – sharp, steady and the one you always wanted on the truck beside you, especially when things got tough.

And speaking of tough … Leanne was one of our crew of five that assisted in the 2019/2020 fires in Mallacoota during black summer. That experience was confronting, exhausting and intense.

These two have been the heart and soul of Taradale for so long. Their commitment,
sacrifice, and generosity have left a lasting mark on our community. They’ve given up
weekends, dinners, and sleep to service others. They’ve led with integrity, cared deeply, and
have shown us what it means to be part of something bigger than ourselves. Their legacy of
service and selflessness has made our little town a stronger, safer and a more connected
place.

We are all going to miss them terribly. Their laughter, their steady presence, and their
readiness to help at the drop of a hat. But more than anything, we are going to miss our
friends.

Rob and Leanne, as you trade in your gum boots for apartment living, the fire siren for a bit
of peace and quiet, we wish you all the joy and relaxation that retirement can bring. May
your days be filled with family, good coffee, no pager alerts and only the kind of fires that
involve a glass of wine and a cheese board.

From the Taradale CFA thank you for your amazing 18 years of service each to the brigade and to this community ♥️ We know that Taradale will always have a place in your hearts ♥️

03/08/2025

Nothing like a chilly winter morning in Taradale to catch a beauty on the rails! ❄️

V/Line’s trusty N458 was spotted powering through yesterday, leading train 8081 on its journey to Swan Hill! 🚈

Shoutout to Jay F**t for snapping the moment – top timing, top shot! 📷