Community News

  • Giving back to those who gave

    Giving back to those who gave

    In support of the Redesdale and District communities, the Redesdale Recreational Reserve Committee and the Redesdale and District Association are hosting a community barbecue on Sunday to support volunteer firefighters who lost their homes during the recent fires in Harcourt. “Our community barbecue is about giving back to those who gave so much for others…

  • Breaking down barriers

    Breaking down barriers

    A welcome barbecue held recently at the Woodend Children’s Park brought together refugee families and local supporters, marking the start of the year for Macedon Ranges Rural Australians for Refugees. Despite cool and blustery weather, about 30 refugees and asylum seekers travelled from Melbourne to attend the event. Coordinated with support from the Melbourne-based Brigidine…

  • Music for Mark’s Country Place

    Music for Mark’s Country Place

    Head to the Kyneton Mechanics Institute on Sunday March 1 for a special afternoon of classical music in support of Mark’s Country Place – a developing all-access garden in Kyneton dedicated to people of all abilities. Music for Mark’s Country Place is a Baroque concert featuring distinguished Melbourne Symphony Orchestra musicians and local mezzo-soprano Kristen…

  • Re-imagining the shire’s future

    Re-imagining the shire’s future

    A community art project is celebrating the stories, spaces and creative spirit of Castlemaine and beyond. Mapping Our Futures is the brainchild of self-confessed ‘map nerd’ Michael Chew, a local designer and social ecologist. Michael worked alongside four other talented local artists, Wendy Hopkins, Sarah Taylor, Kirsten Moegerlein and Eunice Rigo, to bring the project…

  • Tatts for a cause

    Tatts for a cause

    Forest Creek Tattoo is gearing up to hold a ‘Home is where the Harcourt is’ Tattoo Flash Day this Sunday February 8. The Castlemaine-based tattoo studio has hosted a number of Flash Days in the past for causes close to their heart, and wanted to do something to support the community of Harcourt and surrounds…

  • Community a ‘lifeline’ to small business

    Community a ‘lifeline’ to small business

    By Lara Prust Kyneton’s Super Sushi had customers lining up outside their doors for the first time in years over the long weekend. Local resident Danni Gray had her eye on Super Sushi since it opened in 2013, thinking how “ballsy” it was to open a sushi store in a small regional town. Four years…

  • Fire relief ‘snowballs’

    Fire relief ‘snowballs’

    A community-led fundraiser in Woodend on January 18 raised more than $56,000 for victims of the recent Harcourt bushfire. Local resident and Rock and Ranges Brewing Cooperative co-director Penny Morton said she felt compelled to help after the fires tore through Harcourt. “We lost our beer in the fires at Harcourt Coolstore, so we held…

  • Compost for a cause

    Compost for a cause

    What a start to the year it has been! Floods, fires and a local township severely impacted, with buildings, business, homes, gardens and bushland burned. YIMBY (Yes In My Back Yard) sends love to everyone who has been impacted and thanks to everyone who has helped out so far. We know there is so much…

  • Kyneton’s new drive-through

    Kyneton’s new drive-through

    Volunteer firefighters arriving to head out to the devastating Harcourt fires last week were treated to a delicious pre-dawn breakfast courtesy of the Kyneton Lions Club. Lion’s members Denis, Alan, Robert and Gerry were out of bed early to have everything ready for the CFA members who were drawn from brigades across area. The local…

  • Weaner sale on next week

    Weaner sale on next week

    The Annual Kyneton Weaner cattle sale will be held at the Kyneton Saleyards on Wednesday, January 21. The sale will begin at 9am, starting earlier than usual, to allow for a cattle sale to be held in Yea in the afternoon. The Kyneton Weaner sale will feature 1800 locally bred cattle of the highest quality.…

  • Ranges residents can dispose of their festive tree for free

    Ranges residents can dispose of their festive tree for free

    Macedon Ranges residents can opt to dispose of their real Christmas trees for free this month only. Resource recovery facilities at Romsey, Kyneton and Woodend will accept the delivery of pine trees at no cost on weekends in January (including January 31/February 1) during regular hours (10am-4pm). Conditions applying to this offer include that trees…

  • RSPCA Victoria warns pets suffering in dangerous hot weather

    RSPCA Victoria warns pets suffering in dangerous hot weather

    RSPCA Victoria is calling on all pet owners to protect their animals during this week’s scorching weather. The RSPCA Inspectorate had received 20 reports before midday on Wednesday from concerned community members about pets allegedly left without access to shelter or water. RSPCA Victoria Chief Inspector Michelle Green said restricting an animal’s access to water…