Community News
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How to use your ‘mind blender’
We have talked before about the importance of getting the moisture content of our compost piles right. Our favourite image for the ideal level is a wrung out, wet sponge, wet enough that, if you squeezed it hard you could just get out another drop, but not dripping water. This is about 55 per cent…
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Doing it for Dal
Members of the Castlemaine and Kyneton communities and music lovers everywhere are urged to get along to the inaugural ‘Live at The Camp’ music festival this Saturday evening. The concert event at Castlemaine’s Camp Reserve is being held to honour the life of Castlemaine Football Netball Club Under 18 footballer Dallas Keogh-Frankling 12 months on…
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Farmers learn regenerative agriculture
It was a perfect autumn day as farmers from the region met for the final day of this year’s ‘Healthy Landscapes – Holistic Grazing Management’ course on Sam White’s property in Sidonia. Farmers and land managers from diverse backgrounds came together on Friday May 3 to finish off an inspiring course that is now in…
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The leaves are falling
“Did you see the wind today, blow the autumn leaves away? From on high they fluttered down, some were red and some were brown”. The magic of autumn and the childhood fun of playing in leaf piles has not left me, but I now see another magical thing about the blanket of leaves falling on…
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Lions clubs take action on melanoma
Australia, unfortunately, holds a grim title: the highest melanoma rate globally. Every 30 minutes, a person in the country receives a melanoma diagnosis, with someone succumbing to the disease every six hours. (Source: Melanoma Institute Australia). Screening stands as a crucial tool in combating these alarming statistics. In line with Lions Australia’s commitment to enhancing…
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Dapper up and ride
The Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride returns to Castlemaine this Sunday, with many riders already registered for the event. The DGR is an international charity event spanning 121 countries around the world. It was founded by Mark Hawwa in Sydney in 2012, who decided a theme ride would be a great way of connecting niche motorcycle enthusiasts…
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Environmental champions nominated
Four local schools, Castlemaine Steiner School and Kindergarten, Winters Flat Primary School, Chewton Primary School and Newham Primary School, have been nominated as finalists in Sustainability Victoria’s 2024 ResourceSmart Schools Awards. Castlemaine Steiner School and Kindergarten, winner of the Campus Infrastructure and Operations School of the Year in 2023, is vying for the title of…
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Salvos seek support
The Salvation Army Castlemaine is urging locals to donate what they can to help them in their vital work supporting the most vulnerable in our community. This year Australia’s most trusted charity is celebrating 60 years of the Red Shield Appeal and aims to raise $38 million as part of the country’s largest and longest-running…
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A recipe for success
When Adam Bourke realised he had built up his bakehouse to become a defining feature of Woodend, he knew he’d done something right. After 34 years, Bourkies Bakehouse is now an institution in the town and Adam is preparing to hand the legacy over to new owners. What people may not know is that its…
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Tattoo Flash Day raises $12,200
The team at Forest Creek Tattoo in Castlemaine has once held a flash day to raise vital funds for charity. In 2023 they raised funds for Mount Alexander Animal Welfare and this year’s charity flash day on March 24 was held as part of the international Still Not Asking For It event. The first SNAFI…
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Hand crafted with love
Every Wednesday for the past 16 years, Tom Taft has bought his weekly fish and chips and made his way to his wife’s grave at the Castlemaine Cemetery with Molly, his little cavalier jack russell. Most weeks he brings a fresh bunch of flowers, carefully arranging them in wooden vases he specially crafted from red…
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Anzac radio programming
Castlemaine’s Radio88FM has a long association with Anzac Day events and programs and this Thursday’s Anzac Day feature promises to be bigger than ever. Radio 88FM manager Ian Braybrook has plans for the day that include the station’s usual commemorative material, but with much more. “We have gathered together a huge collection of recordings of…