Local News
-
Katrina’s need for speed …
Katrina McAdam describes herself as a hobby trainer who felt the ”need for speed” from a very young age when riding at the Riddells Creek Pony Club. For the past 12 years she has dabbled with racehorses, mainly at picnic events. She said at Riddell she found participating in pony club novelty events and showing…
-
YJC LOCKDOWN
Malmsbury Youth Justice Centre is in lockdown after a worker tested positive for coronavirus over the weekend. The Midland Express understands the worker was an education coordinator who assisted young people with education plans in a one-on-one capacity as transition to or from the centre. The worker, employed by the Department of Education, is believed…
-
Second COVID-19 case confirmed for Coles Woodend
A second team member at Coles’ Woodend supermarket is self-isolating after testing positive for COVID-19. A Coles spokesperson said the team member had not been into the store since July 8 and was self-isolating after being identified as a close contact of an earlier positive case. “Any other team member who worked in close contact…
-
New coronavirus cases for Macedon Ranges
The Macedon Ranges has recorded two new active cases of COVID-19 since yesterday, bringing the total number of active cases to three. Victoria has recorded 238 new cases of coronavirus since yesterday, with the total number of cases now at 4448. Mount Alexander and Hepburn Shires have not recorded any new cases. Within Victoria, 29…
-
Tail-wagging wonderful!
It’s official – Castlemaine finally has a site for its first off-lead dog park. After many years of speculation and multiple aborted suggestions for a suitable site, the new off-lead park site was announced on the spot late last week. Covering 1700 square metres of leafy natural space, the site occupies the Castlemaine township edge…
-
Castlemaine State Fest offers grants to creatives
Virus or no virus, come March next year the Castlemaine State Festival will happen, its director says. Exactly what form it takes will be guided by the level of restriction in place at the time, but festival director Glyn Roberts says planning for the March 19-28 festival is factoring in adaptation to the shifting COVID-19…
-
Farmers win in land battle
A fourth generation Springfield farming family has taken on the state government in a David and Goliath battle over land, and won. Backed by Macedon Ranges Shire Council, the Clement family succeeded at the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal in preventing fragmentation of farmland at 75 Clements Road, Springfield. The family donated the land as…
-
‘Fix traffic’ cry for Riddell
Traffic troubles are mounting in Riddells Creek and locals warn they must be tackled before development takes hold. Residents are urgently calling for a town traffic management and movement plan as they brace for a population forecast of 6000 people, becoming a ‘district town’, by 2036. Riddells Creek’s Ross Colliver last week called on Macedon…
-
CHECKPOINT CHEATS
Macedon Ranges residents have raised concern over how easily people have been able to enter the shire from COVID-19 lockdown areas across its borders. While police have established vehicle checkpoints on major arterial roads heading out of Melbourne, several people have contacted the Midland Express to report their easy entry to the Macedon Ranges via…
-
Coles Woodend staff member positive
A team member at Coles’ Woodend supermarket is self-isolating after testing positive for COVID-19. In a statement posted to the Coles website last night, the company said a number of team members who worked in close contact had also been asked to self-isolate and Coles would continue to work with the Victorian Department of Health…
-
Coin coup for Castlemaine photographer
The work of Castlemaine photographer Gary Chapman has just become a niche collector’s item, worth its weight in gold after it was selected to feature on a new limited edition coin. One of the images captured by the long-time local photographer has just been used on gold and silver limited edition commemorative coins produced by…
-
TEDx has landed in Kyneton
Speakers are now being sought for TEDx Kyneton to bring the region’s big ideas to a world stage. The event invites up to 20 female speakers to share profound ideas and stories from the Macedon Ranges region with a larger audience to shape our world. Facilitator Paul Kooperman said the project aimed to explore a…