Environment
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Overhaul for Kyneton Water Reclamation Plant
Coliban Water’s board has approved a major redevelopment of the Kyneton Water Reclamation Plant. The multimillion-dollar investment will more than double storage and increase irrigation capacity at the plant, as well as update treatment processes, so that only Class B water is used for off-site irrigation and tertiary treated water is released to the Campaspe…
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Tree trim too far
Powercor has apologised for powerline tree maintenance taken a step too far in a heritage area of Lancefield. Residents lodged complaints with the company following the annual maintenance works in Dunsford Street last week, which is home to magnificent aged horse chestnut trees. Resident Deb Dunn said she was devastated to see about 70 per…
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Brigades battle burn-offs
Fire brigades across the region have been kept busy bringing escaped fires under control over the past fortnight. In one incident last Friday morning, a contract slasher working to create a fire break sparked a grassfire at Baringhup when the equipment struck granite. Baringhup Fire Brigade captain Brendan McKnight said striking granite was almost 100…
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Coliban Water on notice over discharges
Coliban Water will be required to measure its compliance for wastewater releases to the Campaspe River at the point of discharge at Kyneton. Following our report last week in which CW indicated it would install a new flow meter closer to the discharge point from the Kyneton Water Reclamation Plant, but would continue to measure…
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Join the campaign for No Packet November!
No Packet November encourages families to reduce their consumption of packaged food for one month and make a stand against the billion-dollar food manufacturers that are selling us mass-produced factory food in plastic. It’s a win for our health and the environment. Kyneton’s Kate Coleman, a personal trainer and health advocate, created NPN to inspire…
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Kyneton RV dump point options to be considered
New RV dump point options will be explored in Kyneton following community backlash over a plan to shift the town’s current facility to nearby its Visitor Information Centre. Macedon Ranges Council sought to replace the Kyneton Mineral Springs Reserve dump point for black and grey water, as the septic system was deemed ‘unfit for use’…
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Yandoit beekeeper has something to buzz about
Yandoit beekeeper Craig Terrell reckons he’s onto something. The local apiarist practises what he calls holistic beekeeping to produce resilient bees. “I don’t require antibiotics or supplementary feeding of bees,” says Mr Terrell who use to work as a bricklayer until, about six years ago, he got stung by the beekeeping bug and hasn’t looked…
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Campaspe River landholders label Coliban Water admission a ‘betrayal of trust’
Campaspe River landholders have slammed a new admission from Coliban Water as yet another “betrayal of trust” by the water authority. CW agreed several months ago to relocate the flow meter used to determine whether the releases of wastewater it makes from the Kyneton Water Reclamation Plant to the river are compliant with its EPA…
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Shock at Cobaw shooting range decision
Centre fire rifle and shotgun activity will increase at Cobaw’s shooting range despite an appeal to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal. The Sporting Shooters Association of Australia applied to extend its operating hours to meet growing user demand but a group of local residents fought the move, arguing it would exacerbate existing safety, environmental…
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More illegal water releases imminent
Coliban Water has issued a statement admitting it may be forced to make further non-compliant wastewater releases from its Kyneton Water Reclamation Plant to the Campaspe River in coming weeks. The admission follows a similar crisis in June this year when CW began unlicensed emergency discharges of thousands of litres of undiluted wastewater to the…
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Community effort to restore Woodend Primary School vegie garden
Woodend Primary School’s Community Children’s Garden is having a makeover, thanks to generous locals and a Junior Landcare Biodiversity Grant. The latest addition to the space is an indigenous garden that was planted by grade four-six children. Each species in the native garden will have an informative label, making the garden an educational self-guided tour…
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Campaspe River landowners unimpressed with offsets project
A Coliban Water project aimed at improving water quality in the Campaspe River has left local landowners unimpressed. Coliban Water is investing $2.1 million in the Kyneton Offsets Project for fencing and revegetation works along the river. The project originally formed part of an application from Coliban Water to change its Environmental Protection Authority licence…