Latest
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Grants cash splash
Maldon Urban Landcare has reason to feel well pleased with itself this week after being named among the local groups to secure some grant dollars through Mount Alexander Shire Council’s latest round of community grants funding. All up, 16 successful local groups and organisations have secured a grant – sharing in close to $48,000. Announced…
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Community rallies for maternity services
Local group ‘Support Birthing at Castlemaine Health’ garnered more than 1000 signatures in 72 hours calling for birthing services to be reinstated at the hospital during the current review. Castlemaine Health announced on May 16 that it had temporarily paused birthing services to review its policies, procedures and processes to ensure they aligned with the…
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Foundry powering on through pandemic
Castlemaine’s Billmans Foundry was gearing up for the unveiling of its largest project to date – two beautiful bronze whales created by Wollongong artist Julie Squires and fellow artist Theresa Ardler in Sydney’s Botany Bay – when the coronavirus pandemic took hold. Regarded as Australia’s leading manufacturer of bronze fountains, street park, garden furniture and…
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Shared trail on track
Construction on a Macedon Ranges shared-use trail will soon begin with the state government announcing $8.75 million towards the project last week. Woodend’s cycling community has welcomed the move following years of residents “crying out for more options” to cycle and walk safely between towns. Spanning about 23 kilometres, the Macedon Ranges Trails Project will…
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Latest edition of Hot Rodding International hits stands
For the past 43 years, the monthly Australian Street Rodding magazine has been published from the offices of Graffiti Publications in Castlemaine. Now, the latest issue of Graffiti’s large-format annual magazine, Hot Rodding International, has just been released and is available in newsagencies. Produced entirely in the Castlemaine-based production centre, Hot Rodding International is true to its name with international…
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Capturing Trentham
Tea pots, ukuleles, paintbrushes, gaming and pets have all been a part of life in lockdown, and now captured as part of a project to document Trentham through this time. The Driveway Project – Life in Lockdown is the work of local photographer Sandy Scheltema who aims to capture the fun, quirks, talent and loves,…
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Reading habits change
The reading habits of Castlemaine residents may have changed a tad during lockdown it seems. Joyce Sanders of Castlemaine’s Soldier & Scholar secondhand bookshop has managed to keep her popular little Barker Street business going throughout the pandemic crisis, gaining some interesting insights into readers’ literary tastes in lockdown. With her atmospheric little shop forced…
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Cheese venture ripens
Castlemaine’s new artisan cheesemaking business is on track to produce its first trial batches of cheese by mid-July and be fully operating by October. And a specialty cheesemaking school that’s also part of the new venture taking shape in premises at The Mill Castlemaine is expected to begin taking classes by August. The Cheese School…
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Art from isolation
Five creative women from Kyneton have collaborated to produce an audio-led theatre experience for families to enjoy at home. The online program, Mountain Goat Mountain, has been created by theatre makers Sarah Lockwood and Tahli Corin who have been exploring ways to make theatre more accessible to people outside of major cities. When theatres across…
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A whole new world
Remember when you were a kid and libraries were quiet places where you got shushed? Libraries these days are so much more than just books on shelves (don’t worry though, there are still plenty of books!). Modern libraries are active community spaces with creative and engaging programs for all ages, shared and welcoming spaces for…
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It’s time to harvest frost-tender plants
Sandy Scheltema Now that the cool cold nights are here in central Victoria and the frosts are starting, it’s time to pull out frost-tender plants like zucchinis and tomatoes. We had a prolific harvest of tromboncino zucchini this year, an heirloom vegetable common throughout Italy. The plants look beautiful growing over fences and supports with…
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Nature needs you
In cities and towns across the globe, people are taking walks in nature, seeking solace in nature – and yet nature needs us more than ever. That’s the call from local environmental group Biolinks Alliance, amid growing concerns the coronavirus is deflecting urgent attention from the climate and biodiversity crisis. “So many of us are…