Local News
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Way of the future… new charge station at Harcourt
Harcourt’s newly installed electric vehicle charge station is up and running with a new public EV fast charge station for Castlemaine soon to follow. The newly installed Harcourt station has been drawing interest from locals and electric vehicle owners and in recent days its listing has appeared on the online PlugShare EV charge station map…
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Indigenous crowdfunding win
A crowdfunding campaign to purchase a parcel of land at Chewton as a permanent base for the local Indigenous community has rocketed to success, meeting and eclipsing its target just days after launching. “We’re still in a bit of disbelief in a beautiful way. It’s very exciting. It’s amazing,” Nalderun CEO Kathryn Coff said. Ms…
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Memories of war
Jim Foreman was just 17 years old when he shipped out to sea. Now aged 94, it’s taken the WWII veteran a lifetime to talk about what he saw at war. It was 1944 and the war was intensifying, so along with many other boys who left school in Kyneton, Jim joined the Navy. “Don…
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Plenty of pride – pack a picnic…
Whatever the weather, there’ll be rainbow colours sparkling across Castlemaine this week with a broad spectrum program of Pride events in store – starting today. The homegrown series of Pride attractions began yesterday with the Rainbow Steps Walking Group at the Botanical Gardens followed by a walking tour of Castlemaine’s LGBTIQ+ supportive businesses set for…
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Ready to roll for MS
Kyneton’s Carole Hemmings is ready to roll for the MS fundraiser event at Albert Park Lake. She will switch her wheelchair for her walker to take on 5km on May 30 to raise funds and awareness for the disease she battles. Diagnosed with multiple sclerosis herself in her 30s, Carole says its a condition that…
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Pottery art as big as an ox…
For years the old Taradale roadhouse has sat vacant and gathering dust – but recently all that has changed. The transformation of the old main drag roadhouse into a unique new ceramics business and gallery is turning heads. Oxart Pottery is the creation of enterprising couple Ian McColl and Leanne Manniche who bought the old…
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Bridge saga to council tonight
The intense degree of public interest surrounding the future of Castlemaine’s historic Froomes Road Bridge is expected to draw a packed public gallery at this evening’s Mount Alexander Shire Council meeting. Lobbying stepped up this week ahead of this evening’s anticipated council decision on whether to review the design of the structure that’s planned to…
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Early morning anger: commuters speak out
Fed up Castlemaine commuters have slammed the early morning passenger train service to Bendigo as totally unreliable and are demanding answers from the state government and V/Line. Workers, students, apprentices and those unable to drive themselves are among many locals who say the 7.54am train service from Castlemaine is supposed to get them to Bendigo…
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$3.2M to sports precinct
The multi-million dollar Macedon Ranges Regional Sports Precinct has been boosted by a guaranteed $3.2M from the state government. “This is a project of state-wide significance, one that can hold state-wide and national events,” district MP Mary-Anne Thomas stated on Friday on site at New Gisborne. The $3.2M via the Growing Suburbs Fund will help…
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FRONTLINE FIGHTER
In February 2020, the United States was still largely unaware of the impending COVID-19 pandemic. Yanti Turang, a Kyneton born and raised nurse who now calls New Orleans home, joined her colleagues and the rest of the city taking part in the city’s annual Mardi Gras, completely unaware they were participating in a super-spreader event.…
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Journey back to our past
Take a journey back to our mechanical past at the Mount Alexander Vintage Engine Club’s 24th Annual Vintage Engine Rally this weekend. The rally will take place at MAVEC’s home base at the Dave Bennett Reserve alongside the Muckleford Railway Station and is always a great day out for the whole family. The popular annual…
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Deserving attention – A guide to our beautiful and hardy native peas
Friends of the Box Ironbark Forests members Bernard Slattery and Bronwyn Silver have teamed up to produce a comprehensive guide to native peas of the Mount Alexander region. Their new book, Native Peas of the Mount Alexander Region, identifies and details numerous common native pea species. It’s the fourth in the Friends’ well-received series of local…