News
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‘Let’s get on board’
Acting Sergeant Erin Barkway joined the Castlemaine unit earlier this year. While she has been welcomed by the members, there are only a handful of women and she would love to see more join the force. “Women in policing – let’s get on board,” she said. “There are only a handful of women at Castlemaine,…
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Housing questions left unanswered
Housing targets for the Macedon Ranges are set at 13,200 dwellings by 2051 but council queries about how those figures were formulated have so far been unanswered. The state government set targets for each municipality last year and warned councils they would need to unlock land for housing or it would “do it for you”.…
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Residents demand action on Gisborne intersection
Gisborne residents are demanding urgent action after a newly reconstructed intersection reopened without regulatory road signs. They warn the situation is creating confusion and posing a safety risk. The intersection of Cherry Lane and Swinburne Avenue, beside the Gisborne Children’s Centre, has been open to traffic for almost a week despite works associated with the…
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‘Mac Off’ campaign begins
A packed community soup gathering in Castlemaine last Thursday night has signalled growing opposition to a proposed McDonald’s, with residents officially launching the Mac Off – Protect Castlemaine campaign. Young people involved in the recent Kids Against Maccas rally joined local business owners and residents at the Healthy Food, Not Fast Food event, united in…
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Thefts and dumping impact charity services
Rubbish dumping, theft and attempted break-ins are impacting services at Kyneton charity op shops and support services. Kyneton Foodbank has experienced an increase in rubbish dumping over the past 12 months, and a recent attempted break-in and damage to its refrigerated food van. Video surveillance has also captured people rifling through donation bags left and…
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Horse rescued from spillway
Emergency services assisted with an unusual rescue of a horse that became trapped last week. The horse, named Flicker, had fallen through a collapsed concrete dam spillway and was unable to free himself. Working alongside SES Gisborne Unit, the attending veterinarian and the specialist team from Arthurs Creek and Strathewen CFA Large Animal Rescue, Gisborne…
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‘Hands off’ the Ranges
“We don’t want to be Melbourne. We don’t want urban sprawl. So, hands off!” was the message Macedon Ranges councillor Daniel Young directed at the state government last week. It comes as the council continues its battle against inappropriate development at Clarkefield in a 2300-home proposal that the state government will now decide. The proposal…
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Council seeks data on roo harvesting
Macedon Ranges Shire Council will again call for facts and figures on the state government’s Kangaroo Harvesting Management Plan ahead of its 2028 review. Councillors are determined to understand how the program was formulated, the data supporting it and whether the Macedon Ranges should be included based on that evidence. The move was in response…
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Podium finish for Gisborne gymnast
Gisborne gymnast Sophie Strano has placed third at the Australian Gymnastics Championships. Sophie competed in Sydney on June 28 and 29, across eight events, successfully sticking all performances. Her score on the first day was 47.500 and combined score over the two days was 95.850. This not only put Sophie in third place overall, bur…
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New organics partnership forms
A new coalition of Mount Alexander farmers, businesses and community groups has put $100,000 of its own money behind a home-grown plan for the shire’s food and garden waste. They are offering to fund a trial to demonstrate how the scheme could scale across the shire. The Mount Alexander Organics Partnership is concerned that Mount…
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New operator for old Kyneton school site
The Old Kyneton Primary School is a step closer to reopening as a creative and community precinct, with the state government announcing a consortium led by local social enterprise Social Foundry as the site’s new operator. Macedon MP Mary-Anne Thomas announced the appointment last Wednesday, saying the consortium would oversee the site’s operations as it…
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Folk and fun awaits!
Town Folk Festival has dropped its second artist announcement and welcomes five more Australian acts to round out its 2026 lineup. Joining the already stacked bill are buzz-worthy Adelaide band Any Young Mechanic, Geelong’s vintage-folk newcomer Daisy Kilbourne, the hypnotic Gaia Scarf, scene-stealing Melbourne folk rocker Maggie Alley, and Castlemaine’s own new-wave pioneers Tiramisu Misterioso.…