Featured
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Kyneton beekeeper runner-up in AgriFutures award
Claire Moore’s work to breed genetically diverse queen bees has seen her named national runner-up in the AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award. The Kyneton beekeeper was honoured at Parliament House last week and is already abuzz with plans to develop a local research arm into queen bee breeding and a training centre for future beekeepers. Ms…
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Deputy Leader of the Nationals in Kyneton to launch treatment plant petition
Deputy Leader of the Nationals Steph Ryan paid a visit to Kyneton today to launch a community petition calling on the Legislative Assembly to demand that the state government upgrade the Kyneton Water Reclamation Plant to facilitate the production of Class B water only. Ms Ryan met with affected landowners along the Campaspe River to…
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Castlemaine Seed Library seeks volunteers
Castlemaine Seed Library is keen to secure some more volunteers. While some multinational corporations might like to patent the stuff of life for shareholder profit, in Castlemaine this local grassroots service aims to ensure local people always have free access to local food seeds just as nature intended. The Castlemaine Seed Library is part of…
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Residents fight Campaspe River discharge plan
Landowners along the Campaspe River are fighting a plan by Coliban Water to amend its EPA licence to allow it to continue releasing wastewater from the Kyneton Water Reclamation Plant to the river, but at a reduced dilution ratio. Coliban Water project director Tony Kelly confirmed that Coliban Water had formally requested the EPA approve…
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Cuts to home support services in Macedon Ranges
Macedon Ranges Shire Council will scrap at least three home support services in response to ongoing Commonwealth reforms across the aged care and disability services sector. Meals on Wheels and the Home and Community Care Program for Young People will cease by mid-2020, and supported home maintenance and home modifications will end by July 2021.…
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Northern exposure – Take a tour of dream eco home at Woodend
Having spent 30 years looking after a very old weatherboard house in Rosanna, Lindsay and Geoff Cumming knew exactly what they wanted in building their dream home in Woodend – an energy efficient design that would also allow them to “age in place”. Four years ago the retired couple found an unusual axehead-shaped block and…
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Top axemen head to Metcalfe
Many of the state’s top axemen are headed to Metcalfe this Sunday as the normally sleepy locale springs to life for the annual Vintage Tractor Pull and Wood Chop. Serving as a popular precursor to the Melbourne Show, the wood chop draws some high-profile competition with the state Under 18 Championship event and the Ginger…
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All things edible grown in the garden
A fascinating collection of 11 edible gardens will be open to the public this coming weekend as part of the Kyneton Daffodil and Arts Festival. Visiting some or all of these gardens is a great way to learn and get motivated for the new growing season. Three schools are participating for the first time this…
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Grounds for celebration at Buda House
Sometimes it’s what lies beneath the surface that counts. This is the case with much of the significant ground works project now completed at Castlemaine’s Buda House. Over recent months a $50,000 state grant has enabled the local tourism attraction to complete the project that includes harvesting rainfall that had previously been going to waste,…
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Creating pathways for people in crisis
A Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Forum being held in Castlemaine next week aims to highlight the pathways available to people in crisis. Local suicide prevention organisations HALT (Hope Assistance Local Tradies) and The ELM Network (Every Life Matters) are joining forces to host the forum, which will bring representatives from a range of local…
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Tower call answered for Woodend
A community call has been answered in Macedon Ranges Council’s rejection of a proposed phone tower at the entrance to Woodend. The plan would have seen a 33-metre Optus tower built at the town’s train station near the Christian Street/Corinella Road intersection. Councillor Jennifer Anderson gained unanimous support for her motion to refuse the tower…
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Here’s cheers Harcourt – New venture to showcase regional produce
It was a champagne, cider and canapés event as the new Harcourt Produce and General Store opened on Friday. “Employment, economic development and collaboration,” said owner and chef Annette Larsen Rae when asked about the vision she had for the new venture that will showcase regional produce and wine to visitors. “Everybody has been backing…