Environment
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Castlemaine students prepare for global climate strike
Castlemaine’s school climate strike students have spent an afternoon calling on local businesses to register their support for next month’s big global climate strike. It was not financial support that the group of students from Castlemaine Secondary College were after when they hit the streets last Friday afternoon. It was more a question of moral…
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Wastewater to be released to Deep Creek at Romsey
A proposed discharge of low-grade recycled wastewater into Deep Creek at Romsey has been upgraded following community backlash. Western Water aims to release 300 megalitres of recycled Class B water over two years to discharge excess wastewater that cannot be stored at its local Portingale Lane plant. General manager Graham Holt said the planned discharge…
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Macedon Ranges urgent call to remove glass from recycling bins
Recycling will go to landfill if Macedon Ranges residents do not heed an urgent call to remove glass from recycling bins. The council has sought recycling alternatives since the closure of its processor SKM Recycling with assurances efforts would continue but was forced to send several loads of recycling to landfill last week. Macedon Ranges…
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Victorian Solar Homes rebate program overhaul urgently needed
Jo Kaptein, manager of the MASH and Hepburn Solar Bulk Buys The MASH community solar bulk-buy team was all ready to go on August 1, at 9am prompt at four locations including Castlemaine and New Gisborne, to help bulk-buy participants submit their application for the state government’s $2225 Solar Homes program rebate. We’d done the…
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Container deposit push builds
Mount Alexander Shire councillors and executive staff are among those strongly supporting the push for a container deposit scheme in Victoria, with the state Greens expected to this week introduce legislation aimed at establishing the scheme. Recycling has become a hot button issue in Victoria after major processor SKM went into liquidation, forcing many councils…
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On track to tackle plastic waste
Local tourism railways have played a key role in the development of innovative recycled plastic sleepers that may ultimately help solve the nation’s wider recycling crisis. Castlemaine’s Victorian Goldfields Railway and the Victorian Miniature Railway at Harcourt have both been involved in trialing or using the innovative railway sleepers made in Mildura by Integrated Recycling…
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Plan endorsed, doubts remain
The Macedon Ranges has moved a step closer to receiving high level protection for its sensitive landscape as the first gazetted distinctive area and landscape in Victoria. The Statement of Planning Policy was endorsed at Macedon Ranges Shire Council’s ordinary meeting last Wednesday in a 5-2 vote after it was sent back to the state…
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Council acts on wastewater
Growing concerns over Coliban Water’s releases of low-quality wastewater into the Campaspe River have been relayed to the Minister for Water, Lisa Neville. Last week Macedon Ranges Shire mayor, Cr Janet Pearce and CEO Margot Stork met with representatives from the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning and ministerial staff at Ms Neville’s Melbourne…
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Brown in the ‘Maine
Former Greens leader Bob Brown has praised Castlemaine as a great generator of ideas for the future during a visit to the town on Friday. Brown and his long-time partner Paul Thomas attended the Castlemaine Documentary Film Festival at which the high-profile environmental campaigner was a guest speaker. As part of Friday’s festival opening night,…
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Baringhup solar hearings begin
State planning panel hearings for the proposed 75 megawatt Baringhup solar farm began yesterday and will continue today at Maldon’s Bill Woodfull Reserve. Planning Panels Victoria is conducting the series of three hearing dates with the final hearing date next Tuesday, July 23 at Baringhup. The first two days including today are for Res Australia…
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Steps forward for Hanging Rock
Hanging Rock’s East Paddock will be purchased by the state government from Macedon Ranges Council via a $3 million commitment over the next three years to implement the Hanging Rock Strategic Plan. The purchase will prevent any future plans to commercially develop the site, as was controversially proposed by a former council that sought private…