Community News
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Lancefield hungry for more
Slice of Perfection’s authentic Italian pizza has returned to Lancefield in a series of pop-up Friday nights that have left residents hungry for more. Owner and Neapolitan trained pizza chef Stefan Barbagallo wants to respond to that demand and is now seeking an opportunity to rebuild his dream. Personal circumstances forced the unexpected closure of…
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U3A gives life to roses
Frances Noonan Kyneton U3A has begun restoring the Heritage Memorial Rose Garden at Kyneton High School, helping preserve an important piece of local history. The memorial garden was originally established in 1918 at the school’s former Piper Street site to honour students and teachers who lost their lives serving in the First World War. When…
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Still in with a chance
The Kyneton and District Town Square Co-operative says it remains committed to securing community access to the Old Kyneton Primary School site after almost nine years of advocacy. Co-op board member Peter Henderson said the group was “very excited” to have been shortlisted as head tenant/lead operator for the site after submitting an Expression of…
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Harcourt community raises $30,000 for bushfire recovery
Harcourt Valley Vineyards, Harcourt General Store and Harcourt and District Lions Club have joined forces to raise $30,000 from the sale of local wine to support those impacted in the bushfire-ravaged community and surrounds. Harcourt Valley Vineyards’ Kye Livingstone said the 600 bottles of ‘Harcourt Recovery’ 2024 Cabernet Shiraz miraculously survived the January 9 fire.…
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Student book spreads kindness
Aurelia Poyner has helped spread kindness and positivity through a unique project at St Brigid’s Primary School in Gisborne. The nine-year-old’s idea for a student book of positive affirmations and art captured the entire school community’s imagination. What Aurelia thought would be a small project, quickly grew to include more than 200 student contributions across…
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Tamworth success for Colin
Castlemaine country music singer and songwriter, Colin ‘Fish’ Fraser, was honoured to be a finalist in the recent Tamworth Songwriters Salute Awards. The 76-year-old said that he discovered his passion for music later in life. After a relationship breakdown at 55 he picked up the guitar and hasn’t looked back. “I had a few lessons…
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Brigade joins lifesaving program
Romsey Fire Brigade has joined the list of 50 CFA brigades that are trained and ready to respond to select medical Triple Zero (000) calls. The brigade has been training with Ambulance Victoria for months in preparation for the program, which will complement the Ambulance Victoria Service in the local area. Under the joint initiative,…
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Woodend Neighbourhood House receives boost as pressures bite
Woodend Neighbourhood House has received a funding boost from over-50s lifestyle developer GemLife, as cost-of-living pressures drive increased demand for its services. The not-for-profit organisation is supporting up to 300 people a week – a 119 per cent increase between 2024 and 2025 – through its food bank, community lunches and range of connection programs.…
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Medical physicist grateful to help
As a medical physicist, specialising in radiotherapy cancer care, Newstead Fire Brigade member Anne Perkins decided she wanted to help her community further when she joined the CFA in 2009. Anne and her husband George first joined Newstead Fire Brigade more than 17 years ago in response to the February 2009 bushfires, having just moved…
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Lightning Queens bound for Shitbox Rally
Local hot rodding identities Sharon Soldatos and Stacey Raselli are set to take part in the July edition of the Cancer Council’s Shitbox Rally fundraiser. The ‘Lightning Queens’ will be making the journey in a four-door BA Ford Falcon Station, which was originally purchased by late hot rodder and Graffiti publications founder Larry O’Toole from…
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Appeal close to Newstead’s heart
Newstead and District Fire Brigade members Christopher and Cheryl Simmins have a deep connection to the The Royal Children’s Hospital’s annual Good Friday Appeal, and one that sadly comes with a great deal of grief. When their seven-month-old son James died in 1977, the support from staff at The Royal Children’s Hospital left a profound…
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Calling all Harcourt tradies
Hope Assistance Local Tradies (HALT) will be hosting a breakfast for tradies in Harcourt next Tuesday at James Park. The grass-roots suicide prevention charity organises and runs events for tradies to raise awareness of mental health and connect people with local and national support services. Concerned about the wellbeing of tradies in Harcourt following the…