AFTER more than a decade of building up and maintaining a special tilt to one of Creswick's most beloved stories, parents have a place to sit.
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As Creswick tourism started to rise, there became a glaring need for a little hospitality at Magic Pudding Playground, a popular visitors' spot inspired by town export Norman Lindsay's classic book.
For Creswick mum Kate Mackie, new seats and picnic tables also make a huge difference for young families in town, especially while waiting with pre-school children for their siblings to finish the day in nearby schools.
The seemingly simple facilities have been driven by an increasing community passion to become more involved in the town and promoting what Creswick can offer.
New tables and chairs have been installed ahead of the annual three-day CresFest folk music festival, in which the Magic Pudding Playground will play host to a Magic Pudding-themed outdoor show on Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning.
A Magic Pudding Playground working group sought a federal grant for permanent tables and chairs to enhance the space. The group has also been fundraising and sourcing anything, from boulders to wood from storm recovery.
This is the only playground in Australia with the rights to use images and the story from Lindsay's Magic Pudding.
The story, published in 1918, tells the tale of a talking pudding named Albert who, no matter how often he is eaten, always reforms to be eaten again. Albert's adventures, with three companions defending him against the Pudding Thieves, is divided into slices.
The Australiana-themed playground, opened in early 2012, originally featured a timber boat called the Salt Junk Sarah, a treehouse, characters from The Magic Pudding and a fire hose.
Creswick Neighbourhood Centre manager Chrissy Austin said the working group drew community volunteers from groups such as Creswick Railway Workshop Association, Creswick Friendship Shed, Creswick Timber Training School and University of the Third Age to keep the story alive.
Ms Austin said event to oil up the boat, or putting in picnic tables, helped to preserve the tale for new generations of young Pudding readers - and Creswick wanted to do the story proud for Lindsay, one of Australia's most prolific artists who was born in the town.
"There is a fine balance between keeping the natural-type play elements but looking like new. We want it to be enticing and engaging," Ms Austin said.
"We really are wanting to ensure the history and theme of the story is obvious."
Creswick is home to the RACV Goldfields Resort, which attracts about 55,000 staying guests each year and has been rebuilding after the 2022 floods.
The town has also been shaping into a trail bike riding destination with 60 kilometres of new trails halfway completed. A new pump track at Hammond Park opened in May 2023 as an entrance to the trails.
Creswick also hosts one of the region's four Parkrun events on Saturday mornings, drawing visitors to the free, timed five-kilometre run at Calembeen Park.
Calembeen Parkrun will be in action on Saturday, April 6, with CresFest in full swing.
