Latest
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Council public facilities closed, events cancelled or postponed as COVID-19 precaution
Many of Macedon Ranges Shire Council’s public facilities will be closed and events will be cancelled or postponed as a preventative measure following the outbreak of coronavirus COVID-19. Chief executive officer Margot Stork said council was taking a proactive approach in order to protect the health and wellbeing of the community, especially elderly and vulnerable…
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Poster art provokes
Peter Drew has had one or two confrontational moments in his successful career as a street artist of renown. His work – displayed in very public places – tends to elicit strong response. “My intention is not to change the world but to put art into the world to see what happens,” the Adelaide-based artist…
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Macedon Ranges Council shake up – Redundancies expected in restructure
Council staff fear job losses as a major organisational restructure begins to shake up Macedon Ranges Shire Council. Chief executive officer Margot Stork confirmed last week the council was in the process of transitioning from four directorates to three. Hundreds of council staff will not know the full impact of the restructure for 10-12 weeks,…
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Funds needed to boost Macedon hub
A bold plan to transform Macedon’s much-loved former maternal and child health centre into a community hub is fast gaining community support. A group of dedicated Macedon residents who rallied to save the old Victoria Street house from council sale, have raised about $4000 since launching a fundraising campaign last week to renovate and revive…
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Town powered down
Malmsbury business operators have suffered through an extraordinarily bad run of power outages this past summer. On seven occasions since November, traders experienced power outages at some of their busiest trading times. The outages have been the result of severe weather combined with the use of bushfire mitigation technology installed at electrical substations in areas…
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Growth groan – Riddell rail under pressure
Train users are feeling the squeeze of Riddells Creek’s service as commuters from outside the town descend to take advantage of cheaper fares, and service pressure is about to increase. It’s not uncommon for Gisborne, Macedon and Mount Macedon commuters to board at Riddells Creek to slash their fare, but impending population growth for the…
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Landing with wings
Castlemaine author and talented artist Trace Balla will this month launch her latest book, Landing With Wings, which is set right here on Dja Dja Wurrung country. Trace is the much-loved creator of creator of Rivertime and Rockhopping, The Thank You Dish and Shine. Her latest offering, published by Allen and Unwin, tells the story…
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‘Sweet’ music to launch Woodend Winter Arts Festival
Easily some of the most recognised works for cello, Bach’s Cello Suites continue to delight audiences and cellists alike. These iconic works of classical music have inspired many other musicians and artists across the centuries. Many of us are familiar with them through movies and theatre. Composed nearly three centuries ago, the Solo Cello Suites…
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‘Declare a climate emergency’: XR
Local Extinction Rebellion protesters last month launched coordinated protest actions across the Macedon Ranges to demand immediate action on climate change. The actions took place as part of the statewide XR Rural Day of Climate Change Action on February 21 in the lead up to the Climate Justice Alliance’s Climate Crisis National Day of Action…
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Macedon Ranges Council calls out ‘greenwashing’
Macedon Ranges Council has called out “greenwashing” in a push for a national ban on harsh fragmentable plastic products and mandatory product recycle labelling. Councillors have slammed “false advertising” on plastic products that are not fully biodegradable and will take their fight to the Australian Local Government Association’s national general assembly in June. They want…
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New Castlemaine locomotive stable takes shape in $1M move
Work has begun on Victorian Goldfields Railway’s new Castlemaine locomotive stable as part of a wider project forecast to boost tourism to Castlemaine and surrounds. The $1 million service reorientation project has $500,000 in state funds with VGR adding the rest in a move that will see it shift its operating base from Maldon to…
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The price of fun: CASA fines for drone activity at Kyneton reservoir
Fun has come with a high price tag for two men fined over a daring drone fishing stunt at Upper Coliban Reservoir, Kyneton, last year. The Civil Aviation Safety Authority has issued nearly $4000 in fines for aiding and abetting unlawful drone flight following a four-month investigation and two house raids. Project leader, Sunbury local…