Local News
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Rock rescue – Man spends night in open after fall
A 79-year-old man spent a terrifying night exposed to the elements after falling at Hanging Rock last Tuesday. The Melbourne man had fallen about seven to eight metres about 2.30pm and was unable to call for help, sustaining serious upper and lower body injuries. Rangers noticed the man’s car later that day and searched for…
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Austin's big ride
Community members have rallied around the family of Castlemaine youngster Austin Vearing in a bid to make ‘Austin’s Wish to Walk’ a reality. Fundraising for the four-year-old’s life-changing SDR (selective dorsal rhizotomy) surgery is on track and the family has locked in his surgery in the US for June 3. Austin’s dad Julian Vearing is…
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Spirits high for Lyonville distillery
One of the region’s smallest and newest distilleries has won international praise. Hepburn Distillery’s Premium Organic Potato Vodka has won gold representing Australia in the World Vodka Awards. Owner Basil Eliades said the win was unexpected for the young Lyonville distillery and he was “thrilled to the back teeth”. “It’s a strange and exciting time,”…
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A fungus lover’s foray into foraging
Interest in foraging for wild food is on the rise, and magnificent mushrooms are very much on the menu. But if you’re gathering your own, you’ve got to get it right. From the right knowledge and equipment, to following a foragers’ Code of Practice. With fungi being incredibly diverse, delicious (and sometimes deadly) a new…
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Kyneton network upgrade boost for solar systems
Rooftop solar systems in the Kyneton district will operate better following an intensive program of works by electricity distributor Powercor over the next two months. Targeting areas with high levels of rooftop solar penetration, the Solar Hotspots Program will improve export capacity and reduce tripping of solar systems that can otherwise be caused by voltage…
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Gaze-grabber! Retro carriage now ready to roll
With it’s bold retro livery and carefully crafted timbers, VGR’s newly restored heritage refrigerator car is certain to turn heads as it gets rolling on the Castlemaine-Maldon tourist railway line for the first of many outings. Restoring the extremely rare early 1900s railway car has been a labour of love for the Victorian Goldfields Railways’…
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Aim to stamp out antisocial behaviour
A KidzFlip program for Romsey could help trigger change for the town that has faced ongoing antisocial youth behaviour. President of the Gisborne-based group Ged McLaughlin said the program had a proven track record for assisting young people to find meaningful connections within their communities. Mr McLaughlin raised the idea at a police-hosted community forum…
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Ranges residents save tonnes from landfill
Macedon Ranges residents have helped save 8492 tonnes of organic waste from landfill since Macedon Ranges Council’s four-bin service was introduced last year. The new Food Organics Garden Organics bins were rolled out last February and the organic waste collected has been turned into nutrient-rich compost used on farms, parks and gardens across the state.…
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Deposit scheme wait
Litter along local roads and in public places is a pet peeve for Castlemaine local Bill Wiglesworth. He wants to see container deposit legislation introduced in Victoria as soon as possible. For this reason Mr Wiglesworth is among locals quick to welcome the state government’s plan to introduce a container deposit scheme by 2022-23, enabling…
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Balcony restoration for grand old icon
As scaffolding was erected alongside Castlemaine’s gracious old Midland Hotel in recent days it could not help but draw attention. The iconic Midland featuring balcony with lavish flourish of yesteryear lace ironwork, framed by resident handsome established palm tree, is the face that greets all alighting at the town’s railway station. And so it was…
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Firies save a life
Local firefighters have saved a captain’s life after he went into cardiac arrest on the fire ground. Spring Hill Fire Brigade Lieutenant Garry McKimm said members were fighting a small fire in a caravan attached to a house at Glenlyon last month when Captain Scott Selle collapsed. “I was talking to the captain when he…