Recent scholarship suggts that the gay/lbian idyllisatn of ral plac is an urban nstct, nstuted through metropolan sensibili, muni and imagari. We extend this work through examg the nstctn of Daylford, Victoria, as a ‘gay/lbian ral idyll’. Daylford annually hosts ChillOut, Atralia’s largt ral gay/lbian ftival, which unrps s idyllisatn. Utilisg data drawn om fieldwork nducted at the 2006 ftival and mentari circulated the gay/lbian media, we argue that not only is Daylford idyllised the Atralian gay/lbian imagary, but that raly and urbany are hybridised s amg as a ‘gay/lbian ral idyll’. This is manifted several ways: discursively, as the ‘gay pal of untry Victoria’; spatially, through enablg proximy to Melbourne; materially, as a stic settg for upmarket stor/servic typilly associated wh the smopolan ner-cy. We th show how the ‘gay/lbian ral idyll’ is an urban nstct not only the gay/lbian imagary, but also when spatialised a ral place.
Contents:
- GAY AND LBIAN ATRALIANS ARE CREASGLY CHOOSG TO LIVE THE OUTER SUBURBS AND UNTRY TOWNS
- STREETS OF YOUR TOWN: THE JOURNO PROJECTSUBSCRIBESIGN {"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"NEWSARTICLE","URL":","MAENTYOFPAGE":","HEADLE":"THE CHILLOUT FTIVAL WH MATHEW CHARLWORTH ","SCRIPTN":"DAYLFORD IS ABOUT TO CELEBRATE THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF ONE OF THE LEADG UNTRY FTIVALS FOR GAY PRI ATRALIA.","IMAGE":[{"@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","URL":"}],"DATEPUBLISHED":"2022-03-07T00:16:40+00:00","DATEMODIFIED":"2022-03-07T00:16:40+00:00","ISACCSIBLEFORFREE":TE,"THOR":[{"@TYPE":"PERSON","NAME":"NANCE HAXTON","URL":","SCRIPTN":"NANCE HAXTON SPECIALIS D JOURNALISM OVER MORE THAN 20 YEARS\U2014TWICE WNG ATRALIAN JOURNALISM\U2019S MOST PRTIG HONOUR\U2014A WALKLEY AWARD.","INTIFIER":"ER:2356101","SAMEAS":["],"IMAGE":{"@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","NTENTURL":","THUMBNAILURL":"}}],"PUBLISHER":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","NAME":"STREETS OF YOUR TOWN: THE JOURNO PROJECT","URL":","SCRIPTN":"WALKLEY AWARD WNG JOURNO TERVIEWG OZ'S BT JOURNOS","TERACTNSTATISTIC":{"@TYPE":"INTERACTNCOUNTER","NAME":"SUBSCRIBERS","TERACTNTYPE":","ERINTERACTNCOUNT":100},"INTIFIER":"PUB:11537","LOGO":{"@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","URL":","NTENTURL":","THUMBNAILURL":"},"IMAGE":{"@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","URL":","NTENTURL":","THUMBNAILURL":"},"SAMEAS":["]}}SHARE THIS POSTTHE CHILLOUT FTIVAL WH MATHEW CHARLWORTH COPY LKFACEBOOKEMAILNOTOTHERMAR 7, 2022 • 13MTHE CHILLOUT FTIVAL WH MATHEW CHARLWORTH DAYLFORD IS ABOUT TO CELEBRATE THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF ONE OF THE LEADG UNTRY FTIVALS FOR GAY PRI ATRALIA.MAR 7, 2022SHARE THIS POSTTHE CHILLOUT FTIVAL WH MATHEW CHARLWORTH COPY LKFACEBOOKEMAILNOTOTHER 1×0:00-13:07OPEN PLAYERLISTEN ON);SUBSTACK APPDOWNLOAD MP3GET A PRIVATE RSS LK FOR LISTENGSUBSCRIBE TO STREETS OF YOUR TOWN TO GET A PRIVATE LK FOR LISTENG YOUR FAVORE PODST PLAYER. LEARN ABOUT RSS.SUBSCRIBEAUD PLAYBACK IS NOT SUPPORTED ON YOUR BROWSER. PLEASE UPGRA.APPEARS THIS EPISONANCE HAXTONFROM THE WANRG JOURNO AT STORI THAT MATTER STUDS THIS IS THE STREETS OF YOUR TOWN. THE PODST THAT TAK YOU ON AN D JOURNEY THROUGH THEATRE OF THE MD HIGHLIGHTG A DIFFERENT SLICE OF ATRALIAN LIFE EACH EPISO.SUBSCRIBEEPISO TAILSCOMMENTSWELE BACK TO STREETS OF YOUR TOWN FOR 2022!SCE OUR LAST NEWSLETTER, FEELS LIKE THE WORLD HAS THROWN EVERYTHG AT . THE ONGOG PANMIC, FLOODS AND WAR HAVE FILLED OUR NEWSFEEDS. SO FOR THE START OF SEASON FOUR OF THE PODST, WE’RE GOG TO HAVE SOME FUN. I FIGURED WE ALL NEED SOME LIGHT AND HOPE THE WORLD RIGHT NOW, SO I’M TAKG YOU TO DAYLFORD REGNAL VICTORIA, WHERE THE CHILLOUT FTIVAL IS ABOUT TO LNCH OM MARCH 10 TO 14. IT’S THE FIRST TIME THE FTIVAL HAS N FULL TILT SCE COVID STCK, AND THIS YEAR CELEBRAT THE 25-YEAR SILVER JUBILEE OF TRANSFORMG THE CENTRAL HIGHLANDS OF VICTORIA TO QUEER COUNTRY.COME S ON THE OUTSI TABLE WH ME AT LARR, ONE OF THE TOWN’S MOST WELL-KNOWN FFEE HNTS. I MENTNED TO THE WAER AS HE BROUGHT OUT MY LISH BREKKIE THAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO A STORY FOR MY PODST ON THE CHILLOUT FTIVAL, AND WONRED IF HE KNEW WHO I ULD TALK TO? HE SED AND SAID HE DIDN’T REALLY KNOW, BUT GIVE HIM A MUTE. HE WANRED BACK SI AND I THOUGHT THAT WOULD BE THE END OF , AS I TUCKED TO MY HIPSTER LIGHT BREAKFAST. BUT FIVE MUT LATER, WONRFUL WAER RETURNED, TO TELL ME, “HE’LL BE HERE FIVE MUT”. I THK THIS GIV YOU AN DITN OF HOW TIGHT KN THIS BETIFUL LTLE TOWN IS, AND HOW THE BH TELEGRAPH IS STILL ALIVE AND WELL EVEN THE SOCIAL MEDIA AGE. HE TRODUCED ME TO MATHEW CHARLWORTH, THE CHARMG MANAGER OF THE DAYLFORD HOT SPOT BETEL BOY. AND THIS EPISO OF STREETS OF YOUR TOWN WAS BORN.“THE BETIFUL THG ABOUT G TO DAYLFORD IS THAT YOU GET THAT GOOD QUALY UNTRY SERVICE. THEY LOVE FOOD AND THEY LOVE GOOD QUALY FFEE,” MATHEW SAID.DAYLFORD IS ON THE MAP AS THE GAY PAL OF REGNAL VICTORIA. THIS ISN’T JT A RECENT PHENOMENON, DAYLFORD HAS BEE WELL KNOWN FOR BEG A IENDLY SPACE FOR LGBTQI MUNI OM AROUND THE UNTRY, FOR S.“ABSOLUTELY DAYLFORD HAS BEEN ONE OF THE MOST LEADG UNTRY TOWNS FOR GAY PRI ALL OF ATRALIA,” MATHEW SAYS.“WE WERE PRISCILLA QUEEN OF THE DERT BEFORE WAS EVEN ON THE SCREEN. YOU ULD E HERE AND PUT YOUR OCK ON AND YOU ULD CLIMB MT FRANKL. “YOU ULD DO WHATEVER YOU WANTED AND EVERYONE HERE WAS THERE. WE KNOW SO MANY OF THE SHOP OWNERS THE AREA—THEY JT WANT TO FEEL CLUD.“I KNOW MYSELF BEG YOUNG AND BEG PART OF THE LGBT MUNY ’S BEEN HOME, ’S BEEN WARM AND WELG—’S PRI FOR ME. AND THAT’S WHAT’S MOST IMPORTANT IS THAT WE ARE PROUD TO BE WHO WE ARE AND ’S AN ACCEPTG MUNY. NO-ONE’S LEFT OUT. EVERYONE IS HERE, EVERYONE IS TOGETHER.”DURG CHILLOUT THE TOWN ALIVE WH CARNIVALE, A STREET PARA, A POOL PARTY, THE POOF DOOF AFTER PARTY AND A GOOD OLD FASHNED BH DANCE.“THE ATMOSPHERE THAT WE HAVE HERE IS THAT EVERYONE FEELS WELE WHEN THEY E THROUGH THE DOOR,” HE SAID.“THE SYDNEY MARDI GRAS IS NOTHG ON THE UNTRY. WE HAVE MORE ROOM TO DO THGS. WE N DO BIGGER AND BETTER BUT WE ALSO ARE MORE WELG. YOU E TO THIS TOWN AND YOU STANTLY FEEL LIKE YOU’RE PART OF THE FAY.“THE BIGGT THG ABOUT CHILLOUT FOR IS ACCEPTG WHO WE ARE, BUT ALSO EVERYONE AROUND AS WELL. AND WE’VE GOT THAT SAFE ENVIRONMENT AND ZONE FOR EVERYBODY.”MATHEW FOUND EASY TO SCRIBE WHAT HE LOV ABOUT LIVG DAYLFORD.“IT’S THE WARM WELG UNTRY VIBE. EVERYONE’S ACCEPTED. EVERYONE’S LOVED,” HE SAID.“AND EVERYONE KNOWS EACH OTHER. AND WE’RE HERE TO SUPPORT EACH OTHER WHICH IS FANTASTIC.”BEHD THE SCEN
- EARLY LBIAN & GAY DAYLFORD
- CHILLG OUT ‘SMOPOLAN UNTRY’: URBAN/RAL HYBRIDY AND THE NSTCTN OF DAYLFORD AS A ‘LBIAN AND GAY RAL IDYLL’
- CHILLG OUT ‘SMOPOLAN UNTRY’: URBAN/RAL HYBRIDY AND THE NSTCTN OF DAYLFORD AS A ‘LBIAN AND GAY RAL IDYLL’
GAY AND LBIAN ATRALIANS ARE CREASGLY CHOOSG TO LIVE THE OUTER SUBURBS AND UNTRY TOWNS
Daylford is about to celebrate the 25th anniversary of one of the leadg untry ftivals for gay pri Atralia. * is daylesford gay *
It’s no surprise that Sydney gets a lot of attentn as a popular statn bee of large LGBTQ+ events such as the annual Sydney Gay and Lbian Mardi Gras and the upg Sydney World Pri 2023, but Daylford, Victoria is beg a new star statn for queer travelers. Vatners vis Daylford bee of s meral sprgs, where they n bathe the meral water some betiful bathho and spas like the gay -owner Benny Pettersson’s award-wng Daylford Day Spa which offers patrons a range of massag, body treatments, facials, and spa packag g anic Atralian products.
STREETS OF YOUR TOWN: THE JOURNO PROJECTSUBSCRIBESIGN {"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"NEWSARTICLE","URL":","MAENTYOFPAGE":","HEADLE":"THE CHILLOUT FTIVAL WH MATHEW CHARLWORTH ","SCRIPTN":"DAYLFORD IS ABOUT TO CELEBRATE THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF ONE OF THE LEADG UNTRY FTIVALS FOR GAY PRI ATRALIA.","IMAGE":[{"@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","URL":"}],"DATEPUBLISHED":"2022-03-07T00:16:40+00:00","DATEMODIFIED":"2022-03-07T00:16:40+00:00","ISACCSIBLEFORFREE":TE,"THOR":[{"@TYPE":"PERSON","NAME":"NANCE HAXTON","URL":","SCRIPTN":"NANCE HAXTON SPECIALIS D JOURNALISM OVER MORE THAN 20 YEARS\U2014TWICE WNG ATRALIAN JOURNALISM\U2019S MOST PRTIG HONOUR\U2014A WALKLEY AWARD.","INTIFIER":"ER:2356101","SAMEAS":["],"IMAGE":{"@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","NTENTURL":","THUMBNAILURL":"}}],"PUBLISHER":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","NAME":"STREETS OF YOUR TOWN: THE JOURNO PROJECT","URL":","SCRIPTN":"WALKLEY AWARD WNG JOURNO TERVIEWG OZ'S BT JOURNOS","TERACTNSTATISTIC":{"@TYPE":"INTERACTNCOUNTER","NAME":"SUBSCRIBERS","TERACTNTYPE":","ERINTERACTNCOUNT":100},"INTIFIER":"PUB:11537","LOGO":{"@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","URL":","NTENTURL":","THUMBNAILURL":"},"IMAGE":{"@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","URL":","NTENTURL":","THUMBNAILURL":"},"SAMEAS":["]}}SHARE THIS POSTTHE CHILLOUT FTIVAL WH MATHEW CHARLWORTH COPY LKFACEBOOKEMAILNOTOTHERMAR 7, 2022 • 13MTHE CHILLOUT FTIVAL WH MATHEW CHARLWORTH DAYLFORD IS ABOUT TO CELEBRATE THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF ONE OF THE LEADG UNTRY FTIVALS FOR GAY PRI ATRALIA.MAR 7, 2022SHARE THIS POSTTHE CHILLOUT FTIVAL WH MATHEW CHARLWORTH COPY LKFACEBOOKEMAILNOTOTHER 1×0:00-13:07OPEN PLAYERLISTEN ON);SUBSTACK APPDOWNLOAD MP3GET A PRIVATE RSS LK FOR LISTENGSUBSCRIBE TO STREETS OF YOUR TOWN TO GET A PRIVATE LK FOR LISTENG YOUR FAVORE PODST PLAYER. LEARN ABOUT RSS.SUBSCRIBEAUD PLAYBACK IS NOT SUPPORTED ON YOUR BROWSER. PLEASE UPGRA.APPEARS THIS EPISONANCE HAXTONFROM THE WANRG JOURNO AT STORI THAT MATTER STUDS THIS IS THE STREETS OF YOUR TOWN. THE PODST THAT TAK YOU ON AN D JOURNEY THROUGH THEATRE OF THE MD HIGHLIGHTG A DIFFERENT SLICE OF ATRALIAN LIFE EACH EPISO.SUBSCRIBEEPISO TAILSCOMMENTSWELE BACK TO STREETS OF YOUR TOWN FOR 2022!SCE OUR LAST NEWSLETTER, FEELS LIKE THE WORLD HAS THROWN EVERYTHG AT . THE ONGOG PANMIC, FLOODS AND WAR HAVE FILLED OUR NEWSFEEDS. SO FOR THE START OF SEASON FOUR OF THE PODST, WE’RE GOG TO HAVE SOME FUN. I FIGURED WE ALL NEED SOME LIGHT AND HOPE THE WORLD RIGHT NOW, SO I’M TAKG YOU TO DAYLFORD REGNAL VICTORIA, WHERE THE CHILLOUT FTIVAL IS ABOUT TO LNCH OM MARCH 10 TO 14. IT’S THE FIRST TIME THE FTIVAL HAS N FULL TILT SCE COVID STCK, AND THIS YEAR CELEBRAT THE 25-YEAR SILVER JUBILEE OF TRANSFORMG THE CENTRAL HIGHLANDS OF VICTORIA TO QUEER COUNTRY.COME S ON THE OUTSI TABLE WH ME AT LARR, ONE OF THE TOWN’S MOST WELL-KNOWN FFEE HNTS. I MENTNED TO THE WAER AS HE BROUGHT OUT MY LISH BREKKIE THAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO A STORY FOR MY PODST ON THE CHILLOUT FTIVAL, AND WONRED IF HE KNEW WHO I ULD TALK TO? HE SED AND SAID HE DIDN’T REALLY KNOW, BUT GIVE HIM A MUTE. HE WANRED BACK SI AND I THOUGHT THAT WOULD BE THE END OF , AS I TUCKED TO MY HIPSTER LIGHT BREAKFAST. BUT FIVE MUT LATER, WONRFUL WAER RETURNED, TO TELL ME, “HE’LL BE HERE FIVE MUT”. I THK THIS GIV YOU AN DITN OF HOW TIGHT KN THIS BETIFUL LTLE TOWN IS, AND HOW THE BH TELEGRAPH IS STILL ALIVE AND WELL EVEN THE SOCIAL MEDIA AGE. HE TRODUCED ME TO MATHEW CHARLWORTH, THE CHARMG MANAGER OF THE DAYLFORD HOT SPOT BETEL BOY. AND THIS EPISO OF STREETS OF YOUR TOWN WAS BORN.“THE BETIFUL THG ABOUT G TO DAYLFORD IS THAT YOU GET THAT GOOD QUALY UNTRY SERVICE. THEY LOVE FOOD AND THEY LOVE GOOD QUALY FFEE,” MATHEW SAID.DAYLFORD IS ON THE MAP AS THE GAY PAL OF REGNAL VICTORIA. THIS ISN’T JT A RECENT PHENOMENON, DAYLFORD HAS BEE WELL KNOWN FOR BEG A IENDLY SPACE FOR LGBTQI MUNI OM AROUND THE UNTRY, FOR S.“ABSOLUTELY DAYLFORD HAS BEEN ONE OF THE MOST LEADG UNTRY TOWNS FOR GAY PRI ALL OF ATRALIA,” MATHEW SAYS.“WE WERE PRISCILLA QUEEN OF THE DERT BEFORE WAS EVEN ON THE SCREEN. YOU ULD E HERE AND PUT YOUR OCK ON AND YOU ULD CLIMB MT FRANKL. “YOU ULD DO WHATEVER YOU WANTED AND EVERYONE HERE WAS THERE. WE KNOW SO MANY OF THE SHOP OWNERS THE AREA—THEY JT WANT TO FEEL CLUD.“I KNOW MYSELF BEG YOUNG AND BEG PART OF THE LGBT MUNY ’S BEEN HOME, ’S BEEN WARM AND WELG—’S PRI FOR ME. AND THAT’S WHAT’S MOST IMPORTANT IS THAT WE ARE PROUD TO BE WHO WE ARE AND ’S AN ACCEPTG MUNY. NO-ONE’S LEFT OUT. EVERYONE IS HERE, EVERYONE IS TOGETHER.”DURG CHILLOUT THE TOWN ALIVE WH CARNIVALE, A STREET PARA, A POOL PARTY, THE POOF DOOF AFTER PARTY AND A GOOD OLD FASHNED BH DANCE.“THE ATMOSPHERE THAT WE HAVE HERE IS THAT EVERYONE FEELS WELE WHEN THEY E THROUGH THE DOOR,” HE SAID.“THE SYDNEY MARDI GRAS IS NOTHG ON THE UNTRY. WE HAVE MORE ROOM TO DO THGS. WE N DO BIGGER AND BETTER BUT WE ALSO ARE MORE WELG. YOU E TO THIS TOWN AND YOU STANTLY FEEL LIKE YOU’RE PART OF THE FAY.“THE BIGGT THG ABOUT CHILLOUT FOR IS ACCEPTG WHO WE ARE, BUT ALSO EVERYONE AROUND AS WELL. AND WE’VE GOT THAT SAFE ENVIRONMENT AND ZONE FOR EVERYBODY.”MATHEW FOUND EASY TO SCRIBE WHAT HE LOV ABOUT LIVG DAYLFORD.“IT’S THE WARM WELG UNTRY VIBE. EVERYONE’S ACCEPTED. EVERYONE’S LOVED,” HE SAID.“AND EVERYONE KNOWS EACH OTHER. AND WE’RE HERE TO SUPPORT EACH OTHER WHICH IS FANTASTIC.”BEHD THE SCEN
* is daylesford gay *
Walton also says there has been a large crease over the last 12 months buyers om the gay muny and alli to the gay muny. There’s also Beartopia, which is a newly created weekend event for the gay muny that happens December.
“There are many reasons bears and the wir gay muny love g and stayg Daylford – the ever creasg variety of great dg optns, relaxed untry-style experienc you don’t fd the big smoke and an always iendly wele om the tons of gay-owned bs and servic the area. Thoands of people have gathered Daylford for the silver jubilee special of the town's annual ChillOut pots:ChillOut Ftival celebrat 25 years of regnal pri wh silver jubilee eventThoands of people gathered to march, mgle and party the regnal town of DaylfordLGBTIQ+ Commissner says 20 groups will receive a share $200, 000 to boost pri events across the stateThe historic Victorian town was awash a sea of rabow lours to celebrate the natn's longt-nng untry pri event's 25th year foced on the theme of queer untry pri and brought together the ral and regnal LGBTIQ+ muny as well as alli and regnal ftival, celebratg gay, lbian, bisexual, transgenr, and queer people, often attracts 27, 000 atten each year. “It’s been gay here for a long time, ” Merryn Tkler, who liv nearby Hepburn, told “At tim seems every send person is gay and that’s why we love so much here.
EARLY LBIAN & GAY DAYLFORD
Atralian Bure of Statistics’ (ABS) cens data has revealed that LGBTI people, who ed to monly pack together for safety and muny ner cy enclav, are on the passg of same-sex marriage laws and an creasg acceptance of gay people has spurred the migratn.
CHILLG OUT ‘SMOPOLAN UNTRY’: URBAN/RAL HYBRIDY AND THE NSTCTN OF DAYLFORD AS A ‘LBIAN AND GAY RAL IDYLL’
Acrdg to the ABS, Daylford has now jumped to the top flight of gayt plac Atralia, acrdg to the number of same-sex upl unted the 2016 NSW, the Blue Mountas, Coffs Harbour, Broken Hill and Lismore also have healthy LGBTI Bure timated there are now some 46, 800 same-sex upl livg together Atralia, up 39 per cent on the prev cens. Sce the ABS first started measurg same-sex upl 1996, the number has the ABS don’t ask people to fe their sexualy, the numbers of gay people total will be far higher.
CHILLG OUT ‘SMOPOLAN UNTRY’: URBAN/RAL HYBRIDY AND THE NSTCTN OF DAYLFORD AS A ‘LBIAN AND GAY RAL IDYLL’
Proportnally, the ACT has the hight equency of gay upl while South Atralia and Wtern Atralia have the will e as ltle surprise that the ner Sydney suburb of Darlghurst, home of the Mardi Gras, is the gayt place Atralia wh almost one--five upl of the same-sex fact, all 10 of the Atralian suburbs most preferred by gay men, plac like Kgs Cross and Newtown, make a ntuo strip surroundg the cy’s CBD. An arc which has been dubbed the “rabow ribbon” or even the “Great Gay Wall of Sydney”. “Female same-sex upl tend to be more geographilly dispersed and ls ncentrated than male same-sex upl, ” acrdg to the of the reason why gay women are more dispersed than men is put down to havg the space to have kids.
You n see when you walk down the street that you’re not the only gay the village, ” she Tkler put Daylford’s populary down to several factors cludg a welg straight muny and that the town has long been a tourist mag.