Environment
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Queen bee takes title
Claire Moore has won the prestigious Victorian AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award, with a plan to boost bee population and genetic diversity through artificial insemination. Minister for Agriculture Jaclyn Symes last week announced Ms Moore as the Victorian winner at a ceremony held at the Hotel Windsor in Melbourne. “It was a huge honour and one…
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Our own voices
Hundreds of Castlemaine school students joined Friday’s global School Strike for Climate Action calling on the nation’s leaders to take more decisive action to address the pressing global issue. Students travelled from Castlemaine to Melbourne – on public transport – joining thousands of more from across the state – and many more across the world…
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One in a million
Rather than wait to leave a will bequest after they’re gone, a Castlemaine couple have donated $1 million to help make the world a better place while they’re still very much about to enjoy it. When Caroline and Terry Bellair recently decided to donate the generous sum to Bush Heritage to buy up private land…
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Reckless ignorance
Local fire brigades were left in disbelief when they discovered a group of campers in the Wombat State Forest had lit a potentially disastrous campfire last Friday afternoon. Woodend, Macedon and Mount Macedon Fire Brigades were called out to a smoke sighting about 4.13pm, spotted by the Mount Macedon fire tower. Woodend captain Mike Dornau…
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Planning pigsty?
No piggery has operated in Monegeetta for 10 years yet locals remain restricted by its planning triggers and are demanding answers. Neighbours to the former Monegeetta Piggery on Chintin Road are facing unnecessary red tape when seeking to make changes to their properties, which has cost them time and money. Macedon Ranges Shire Council introduced…
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Working together to protect waterways
On a dry hot summer day last Wednesday, citizen scientists, government agencies, landcare and a platypus ecologist worked together collecting water samples from 20 sites along the Coliban and Campaspe Rivers. The focus of the day was to identify critical refuge areas where platypus can survive during the dry periods. Last Wednesday the lack of…
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Power to community – Woodend wind energy project gets go ahead
A community wind energy facility at Woodend has been given the go ahead following the state government’s approval of a planning scheme amendment to facilitate the project. The Macedon Ranges Sustainability Group is developing the community energy park project, which is expected to include wind turbines, solar panels and battery storage. The project will help…
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Protecting precious species
The unassuming little basalt peppercress plant, a nationally endangered species, is being given a new chance of life at the iconic Hanging Rock Reserve. As a result of funding from the state government, Newham and District Landcare group is propagating and planting the nationally endangered basalt peppercress and the matted flax lily. The two species…
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Get your head around climate
Understanding climate change impacts at a local level is the focus of a public information session coming up at Maldon next week. All are invited to attend the Understanding Climate Impacts presentation taking place at Maldon Neighbourhood Centre on Thursday evening, February 28. “It came out of our strategic planning process that we did last…
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Soil scientists share knowledge
Landowners in the district can gain a better understanding on soil management by attending a free workshop hosted by the Upper Campaspe Landcare Network on an olive farm in Edgecombe. Soil scientists Christian Bannan from South East Soil and Water, and Melissa Cann and Martin Hamilton from Agriculture Victoria will bring their wealth of knowledge…
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Platypus protectors
Lucky students from four primary and secondary schools in our district are learning how to become Platypus Protectors and care for our two beautiful rivers – the Campaspe and the Coliban. The students are involved in the Platypus Project, a collaboration between the Upper Campaspe Landcare Network and platypus ecologist Josh Griffiths from EnviroDNA. The…
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Idea the bee’s knees
Claire Moore hopes to help solve the global problem of bee decline from her own backyard in Kyneton. She aims to breed genetically diverse bees in Australia to combat several industry threats and her plans have seen her named a Victorian finalist for the 2019 AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award. “I want to create better genetics…