Community News
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SES hits the training track
Castlemaine’s SES unit recently ran a Crew Member 2 training program for both local and regional members. The Scotts Avenue facility hosted seven members from Castlemaine, Gisborne, Marong and Heathcote – with assistance from two regional trainers and six additional Castlemaine unit members – where they worked together as a team to complete activities such…
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Passing on the baton
Antonia Barron It’s not often the opportunity arises to buy a business that’s also a lifestyle encompassing positive ideologies – but here it is. For more than 30 years, in the heart of Castlemaine, Over the Moon Dance and Yoga Studio has been an expressive and artistic centre for all ages. Toddlers come with parents…
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The Compost Conversation – with Joel Meadows
Is your cool compost… cool?Most backyard compost piles are cool, which means they don’t achieve consistent temperatures over 55 degrees Celsius for three days or more. They can still make good compost if we follow a few simple rules. The lower temperatures of cool compost mean we can’t trust the heat of our pile to…
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Friendship captures hearts
A novel published last year, inspired by the extraordinary friendship of Mount Alexander based teenagers, Jarrah Podesta and Mathilde Cross, has won a national literary award. The Children’s Book Council of Australia announced on Friday that August & Jones, by Sydney based author Pip Harry, had been voted the CBCA 2023 Shadow Judging Book of…
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Youth shine in awards
A big-hearted cyclist, young art entrepreneur and LGBTIQA+ community advocate are among Macedon Ranges Youth Award winners this year. Celebrated for their outstanding achievements at a Kyneton Town Hall ceremony last week, this year’s winners were: Toby Birkett (Willpower), Casey Carew and Akira Zutelia (Skilling It), Alexander O’Hanlon (Good Deeds), Charlie Jackman (Pure Imagination), Lachlan…
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The Compost Conversation – with Joel Meadows
The great turning There is both fear and mystique surrounding the turning of compost piles. Many people never turn their compost, but there are benefits to turning that are worth the effort. Turning our compost gives three distinct benefits; aerating the whole pile, blending the different layers of ingredients and seeing what is happening right…
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Who’s for top dog?
Two border collies from Darraweit Guim are among the finalists to be named Top Office Dog in the feel-good campaign of the year, people2people Recruitment 2023 OZ Top Dog competition. Jess and Dog work at a small marketing and design studio for the equestrian industry and our spend every day 9am-5pm in the office with…
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See the new centre
Embracia Childcare and Kindergarten is Kyneton’s newest childcare centre located on the heritage-listed ‘Old Kyneton Hospital’ site. Construction of the centre is now complete and the operators want to invite the whole community along for an Open Day event. Taking place from 11am to 3pm on Saturday August 26, Embracia is offering free activities for…
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Student-led project to help homeless
An innovative new project aims to assist young people and families facing homelessness in Mount Alexander Shire, while also helping students develop skills and aspirations in the construction industry. Created by Castlemaine Secondary College in partnership with Dhelkaya Health, HALT (Hope Assistance Local Tradies) and Goldfields Local Learning and Employment Network, the student-led ‘Caravan Fix…
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The Compost Conversation – with Joel Meadows
Carbon cap and store There is a little trick you can do every time you add ingredients to your compost pile that can really improve how well it works. Cap your compost with carbon. Now, this might sound like something from the Kyoto Protocol that governments couldn’t get international agreement on, but it is much…
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Little voices, loud futures
Pete Dawson More than 400 children from schools and people from around the Mount Alexander (Leanganook) Shire turned up for a ‘fabudeadly’ mini-festival at Castlemaine’s Goods Shed last Friday. Each year on August 4, an educational and cultural celebration is held throughout the country to commemorate First Nations history and involve school children in creative…
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Local couple’s cancer pledge
Castlemaine couple Marianne and Ross Allan has pledged a significant investment to the Australian Pancreatic Cancer Foundation ‘Pankind’ to fast-track early detection research into pancreatic cancer. Pancreatic cancer is currently the third biggest cancer killer of Australians. The local couple’s generous 10-year pledge will fund Australian research projects that aim to detect pancreatic cancer in…