Latest News
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Sewer pump station overflows
Last week’s torrential rain overwhelmed part of Kyneton’s sewerage network, causing a sewer pump station and nearby access point in Jeffrey Street to overflow. The intense downpour inundated the pump station, leaving it unable to keep pace with the volume of stormwater entering the sewer system. As a result, both the pump station and a…
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Wild weather lashes region
A week of wild weather has lashed the region with steady rain and fierce winds causing chaos across the Macedon Ranges. From Tuesday to Friday, Woodend SES attended 42 callouts/requests for assistance including a floodwater road rescue (see report, page 5), trees down and structure damage. A Woodend SES spokesperson said 38 of those calls…
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Orders up for Newham General
Newham General is back and buzzing after reopening its doors to the public on Friday. The town has been without its general store and community hub since it closed in 2024 and local residents were queued up to sample the menu last week. Owner Jo Bombardier said launch day “did not have many quiet moments”.…
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Mountain bikers take out the trash
Frustrated by a lack of action from government agencies, two Macedon Ranges mountain bike riders have begun cleaning up illegally dumped rubbish in the Wombat State Forest themselves. Long-time local residents, Matthew Connor and Craig Jones, spent part of their weekend removing waste from several dumping sites after becoming increasingly concerned about the amount of…
Sport
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Kyneton fires up when it matters
Perseverance and self-belief played a big part in Kyneton senior footballers fighting back in the second half to win a vital match against Macedon by 10 points on Saturday. The round 12 match of the day at the Showgrounds lived up to expectations from the perspective of the outcome being uncertain until the dying stages…
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Sixty years on for Lancefield
Reunions were held for Lancefield’s 1966 and 1996 football premiership sides on Saturday. It was time for many reminiscences, with surviving members of the 1966 side coached by supremo Kevin O’Brien being thrilled to finally be presented with quality premiership medallions. Legendary life member Neil ‘Mort’ Haslett made the presentations. In 1966, the Tigers defeated…
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Kyneton climbs ladder
Kyneton has climbed back into third place on the ladder after edging out Macedon by four points in a hard-fought Riddell District Football Netball League Under 19.5 clash at the Kyneton Showgrounds on Saturday. With the sides sitting third and fourth entering the round, the match carried significant finals implications, with a coveted double chance…
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Magpies shoot down Bombers
The eagerly awaited clash between reigning football premiers Riddell and unbeaten ladder leader Wallan was expected to be close on Saturday … it was anything but, with the jubilant Magpies winning by 62 points. And this match was at Bomberland, with 39-year-old ruckman-forward Chris Stewart a match winner for the visitors. Stewart, who won the…
Community
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Youths raise funds for Gaza
The second Gig 4 Gaza event held in Castlemaine last Friday was a huge success, with hundreds filling the Town Hall to raise more than $8000 for three important not-for-profit organisations. The evening featured six local and Melbourne-based acts, spanning indie, rock, folk, grunge and electronic music. DJ Luqman finished off the night with a…
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Men encouraged to ‘See Your GP’
McEwen MP Rob Mitchell is a big fan of the men’s shed movement. As co-chair of the Parliamentary Friends of Men’s Sheds he has long supported the valuable work they do and the important role they play in men’s health. Last week, during Men’s Health Week 2026, Mr Mitchell paid a visit to the Lancefield…
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Romsey artist in international project to lift spirits
Romsey artist Debbie Daks is continuing her connection with Ukraine through a new cultural children’s mural project. Ms Daks has worked closely with the Association of Ukrainians in Victoria and, in particular, young people from Ukraine. Following the recent launch of the book Many Colours of Home, a montage of thoughts, art, poetry and recipes…
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Last push to release aid
Last year, a group of dedicated volunteers in Mount Alexander Shire spent countless hours gathering and filling a 40-foot shipping container with essential items to send to Uganda through the charity organisation I Am Someone. The shipping container, which has travelled across the world to Mombasa, Kenya, has unfortunately been detained by customs for more…
Leisure
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Scales, feathers, fur and facts
This winter, Jubilee Hall in Macedon will come alive with scales, feathers, fur and fascinating facts as TV Zoologist Chris Humfrey and the Wild Action team present their unforgettable Winter School Holiday Wildlife Workshops. Children and adults alike are invited to Take a Walk on the Wildside and come face-to-face with an extraordinary lineup of…
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Bringing 80s synth-pop back to Castlemaine
Celebrating the music of 80s Synth Pop, New Wave and New Romantic era, the Blitz Kids will perform at the Theatre Royal in Castlemaine on Friday, July 10. Before the charts… before the world caught on…there was The Blitz Club in London—the birthplace of a movement. A scene of style, rebellion, and sound that ignited…
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Len Fox Prize launches
Castlemaine Art Museum has announced that entries are now open for the 2026 Len Fox Painting Award. This a biennial acquisitive painting prize and is awarded to a living Australian artist to commemorate the life and work of Emanuel Phillips Fox (1865–1915), the uncle of Len Fox, partner of benefactor Mona Fox. The Len Fox…
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Take a walk on the wild side
Families across the Macedon Ranges are invited to rug up, get curious and come face-to-face with some of Australia’s most extraordinary wildlife these winter school holidays, as TV Zoologist Chris Humfrey and the Wild Action Team bring their unforgettable live wildlife workshops to Jubilee Hall, Macedon. Running from Tuesday July 7 to 10, with sessions…