The hunt for a hero

Family Videoland is for sale after 19 years of operation, with its owners deciding to finally retire.

However, residents who live outside the main township area who have poor internet signal and cannot download or stream films or access Netflix, say the store is their only source of movie entertainment.

Chris McLean from Porcupine Ridge has spearheaded a “Save our video library” campaign, urging interested persons to step forward and make an offer before the current owners’ lease expires.

That date is looming, with owner Marg Baldock confirming she will vacate by August 1.

Mr McLean said he had been a customer since he and his wife moved to the area in 2002, leasing a new release and two weeklies every week.

“It’s pretty sad. I get frustrated. Things change with the times and the younger generation say that’s how things are,” he said.

“I used to love the process of going to the video library in the evening, with your girlfriend or friends, and picking videos for the weekend.

“Now people just stay home and do things on their computer. That community feel is slowly disappearing.”

He said Daylesford was looking for a hero, someone who was passionate about movies.

Morgan Williams from Dry Diggings said it was “premature” to lose all video stores in the region because it was a rural community with poor internet connection, making downloading or streaming impossible.

“The infrastructure’s just not here at the moment for us all to be streaming a movie at night,” he said.

Mrs Baldock said the store was still well patronised due to locals not being able to access Netflix, and because tourists still liked to rent videos for their B&B stays.

However, she said the business had experienced some amount of decline over the past three years with the increase in cheap pirated imports.

“I’m going to miss everybody because this is my social life,” she said.