Community News
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Solar win for social enterprise
A Kyneton not-for-profit cafe’s annual power bill will be slashed by around $5000 a year after the installation of solar panels. The Social Foundry has installed a 20kW solar system thanks to a $20,000 grant from energy retailer Powershop and support from the More Australian Solar Homes community solar bulk-buy. The 68-panel solar system will…
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Tempo builds for jazz fest
A month after their release, ticket sales to this year’s Castlemaine Jazz Festival are building tempo with organisers now encouraging jazz fans to snap up an early bird pass while they can. Staged over the June 7-10 Queen’s Birthday long weekend this year’s festival will bring more than 50 bands and around 300 musicians to…
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Licensed to kill
Hundreds of kangaroos across the region shot by incompetent hunters issued state government permits to kill, need to be euthanised by wildlife rescuers to put them out of their misery. Manfred Zabinskas, who runs a wildlife shelter in East Trentham, said rescuers were regularly finding kangaroos that hadn’t been “killed cleanly”. “They’ve been shot horribly.…
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Hungry for more
Central Victoria’s reputation as a foodie destination stands to gain international recognition from Greater Bendigo’s bid to become a designated City of Gastronomy. The submission to the UNESCO Creative Cities Network could put the region on the world map for food and beverage alongside the likes of Gaziantep (Turkey), Chengdu (China), Parma (Italy) and Tsuruoka…
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Sky-high result for cancer fundraiser
Despite overcast skies, more than 350 people packed the hangar at the Kyneton Aero Club on Saturday for the annual Cancer Council morning tea fly-in. The fly-in attracted aircraft from Melbourne, Euchca, Bendigo, Geelong and other parts of Victoria who parked up in the display field beside the dozen or so planes owned by aero…
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This ole house …
For many restoring a dilapidated house solo on a budget of practically nothing could be a headache. But for Castlemaine’s Cr Max Lesser it’s become a creative challenge and one he’s relishing since taking on the job to convert a degraded house at Harcourt’s Victoria Road entryway into something to catch the public eye. “I…
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Fun of the fair
Thousands travelled to the historic township of Maldon for the 142nd Maldon Easter Fair last weekend. The five days of festivities included a scone bake, torchlight procession, billy cart races and Dancing in the Streets event on Saturday evening. The fair was capped off with the spectacle of the grand parade on Easter Monday. The…
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Tiny homes to tackle homelessness
Castlemaine District Community Health has developed a project proposal to help those who are homeless, but it needs help. The Tiny Homes Sweet Home project proposes the development of tiny homes as temporary accommodation in Castlemaine. The project would use the model of the Tiny Homes Foundation in Gosford NSW, and work in with local…
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Ditch deadly netting
Macedon Ranges Wildlife Network is urging locals to ditch deadly fruit netting in order to protect threatened species. The network recently responded to three separate call-outs over 48 hours for two flying foxes and a goshawk that were entangled in netting. While all three rescues had positive end outcomes, that is not always the case,…
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Young achievers celebrated
Victorian Youth Week and the school holidays kicked off in style on Friday with a Youth Festival in Castlemaine’s Victory Park celebrating the achievements of young people in our community. The Mount Alexander Shire Youth Festival saw community members enjoy a range of fun activities including tie-dying, a Young Makers Market, live entertainment from young…
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Doctor in the house
Overweight high school drop-outs from low socio-economic backgrounds don’t get to be doctors – especially if they are single mothers. At least that’s what Carolyn Siddell believed. Now a GP registrar at Campaspe Family Practice in Kyneton, Carolyn has discredited that voice of negativity but getting to where she is today was no easy ride.…
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Residents face truck nightmare
Neighbours to a newly approved 43-lot subdivision in Kyneton fear construction trucks will threaten safety as they are forced to traverse residential streets. The 5 Ripplebrook Way development offers no direct access from High Street for traffic, forcing trucks with heavy loads to enter via Ripplebrook Way and Sanctuary Drive, or Riverwalk Boulevarde. Neighbour Natalie…