Community News
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Support for Jarrah from far and wide
When the Midland Express shared Jarrah’s story two weeks ago, Jarrah and his family had no idea how far their story would reach. Nine-year-old Jarrah has lost both of his eyes to retinoblastoma – a rare form of malignant cancer that only occurs in young children. He lost his right eye when he was two…
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Opening day jubilation
The opening of the Romsey Community Health and Wellbeing Space last Thursday was a happy, enthusiastic occasion. Those present were excited about the remarkable transformation of the town’s former primary school site, and the prospect of a visionary ecotheraphy park being completed. Several speakers addressed the gathering before a ceremonial ribbon cutting, with Cr Natasha…
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Board for school site
A cooperative to support the old Kyneton Primary School site being in public ownership and community control has been established. At a recent meeting to garner support for what has become known as The Town Square project, 70 people signed up to become inaugural members of the cooperative and eight candidates stood for five board…
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A night for Matty
‘A Night for Matty’ is taking place in Mount Macedon on Saturday in support of Matt Bennett, a Lancefield local who is facing a devastating cancer prognosis. Many in the Macedon Ranges community would know Matt. In August 2017, Matt was diagnosed with stage four testicular cancer. Despite undergoing numerous rounds of grueling treatment, at…
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Hay big senders!
Locally harvested hay bales are making their way to drought-affected farms in NSW and Gippsland. It’s the first cut of hay from the newly Bolinda-based International Racehorse Transport’s property and managing director Chris Burke said the 77 round bales would be donated to those in need. “When we heard about the situation for farmers in…
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Preschool under pressure
Pressure to find a new home is building for Harcourt preschool with the lifestyle location in the grip of a baby boom and the preschool told it must vacate its current premises in two years. The preschool has operated from its current site on Uniting Church land for almost 70 years and, responding to growth,…
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Jarrah’s fight for sight
Jarrah is a typical nine-year-old boy. He’s bright, funny and kind and has a wonderful group of friends at his local school – Campbells Creek Primary School. What makes Jarrah extraordinary is his resilience and the wonderful sense of humour he has maintained while becoming blind. At the age of two, Jarrah was diagnosed with…
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Postie pilgrimage to make tracks
A pilgrimage of old iconic Australian ‘postie bikes’ led by locals will make tracks this September to raise funds and awareness for ‘low survival’ cancers. The Postie Bike Pilgrimage of 12 new and experienced riders will travel about 500kms from Mount Wallace, Victoria, to the Homebush Hotel in Penarie, outback NSW. One of the ride’s…
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Centre performs swimmingly
Kyneton Toyota Sports and Aquatic Centre’s learn to swim program has been recognised for its excellence by Life Saving Victoria with a major award. The centre was named Swim and Survive Licensee of the Year at Life Saving Victoria’s 15th annual Awards of Excellence in Melbourne. Judges said KTSAC staff were dedicated to delivering a…
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The simple joy of walking
Marita Brown is one of the original Lancefield ‘Movers and Shakers’. She was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease 18 years ago but it hasn’t stopped her from forming a local walking group, and now signing on for Parkinson’s Victoria’s A Walk in the Park for the eighth time. The Melbourne walk raises funds to improve the…
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Chicken art hatches enterprise
There’s something about chicken art. People seem to go just a bit clucking mad about it. “It’s just egg-cellent really,” said artist Linda Newton, almost deadpan, as she showed the Express around some of the inclusions in Manu Feto Chicken Art Show that opened at Castlemaine’s Drying Shed Art Space on the weekend. Linda is…
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Parma charmer
When Castlemaine youngsters Kate Hemphill and Ainsley Nash heard about the impacts of the drought in NSW they decided they’d do something to help. The two junior students at Castlemaine Primary School went direct to their principal Peter McConnell with a letter they’d penned outlining their proposal to help the drought-ravaged farmers. “We wrote a…