Local News
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Beverley Downie – a celebration of 50 years
The huge diversity of work in Beverley Downie’s new exhibition spotlights a prodigious talent. For this acclaimed local artist, her new exhibition at Castlemaine’s Market Building is a bitter-sweet celebration that comes as she shoulders a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease. “Both my father and mother had Alzheimer’s but my father lived to 102 and when…
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Kyneton farmer joins Farm2Plate
Kyneton farmer Alex Sims says he had no money, no experience and no land when he decided to plunge head-long into regenerative farming with his wife Emily. It was also a huge change from their media production careers in France, but the one thing they did have was unwavering enthusiasm, which has seen them succeed.…
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Local housing prices spiral
A local analysis of housing prices over recent months indicates it’s getting harder than ever to crack into the housing market in Mount Alexander. Newstead and District Affordable Housing member John Nieman says the group’s analysis of the local property market highlights the trend. The former local councillor is also raising concerns about what the…
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INSPIRATIONAL OPENER
Kyneton Football Netball Club’s FIDA team took the field for the first time on Saturday, taking on Rupertswood in the league opener for the all-abilities Football Integration Development Association. The team entered the ground running through the Tigers’ handmade banner, put together by Trout and club volunteers. The banner read “If I can take this…
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Trentham gallery defies odds
Trentham’s artist-run Little Gallery is expanding and coming home to its original High Street premises after defying COVID lockdown odds that badly affected much of the arts industry. Rose Wilson, one of the artists who helped found the gallery nine years ago, said the gallery was grateful for outstanding support of the town and local…
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Status boost for Daffodil Festival
Kyneton Daffodil and Arts Festival has been named a shire signature event in Macedon Ranges Events Strategy 2021-25 after councillors pushed for the status boost last month. The festival, which attracts at least 18,000 people over 11 days each year, was previously regarded as a tier-two event against the council’s rating system, suggesting it was…
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'Black spot' woes continue
Holiday traffic was delayed on Friday after yet another accident on one of central Victoria’s busiest tourist routes. Shortly before 2pm, traffic on Edgecombe Road at Kyneton stopped while a vehicle was waiting to turn right into Kyneton Bushland Resort when a utility towing a car ploughed into the back of a camper trailer being…
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Farm build right threat
A strategy aimed at protecting productive agricultural land in the Macedon Ranges is being challenged by farmland owners. The local council’s draft Rural Land Use Strategy will scrap existing rights of landowners to build a dwelling in the Farm Zone on land of 40ha or more, which farmers fear will create barriers and uncertainty about…
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A changing landscape?
Accommodation, restaurants and convenience stores could become part of Macedon Ranges’ farming and rural landscape, under the newly released Draft Rural Land Use Strategy. Greater ease for tourism and commercial activity would come with the new Rural Activity Zone recommended for land in the shire’s northeast between Woodend, Malmsbury and Tylden. A land analysis of…
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Don't forget the flu jab
While the spotlight is on the COVID-19 vaccine rollout, local health professionals are warning against complacency around getting the flu vaccine as well. Among them, state Pharmacy Guild committee member Kin Chong said local pharmacies were now stocked up with the flu vaccine. “In the past we’ve encouraged people to start getting their flu vaccine…
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Residents receive COVID-19 vaccine
Central Highlands Rural Health continued its rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine to residents in Creswick, Daylesford and Trentham aged care facilities last week. More than 70 residents across the three sites rolled up their sleeves to receive the AstraZeneca vaccine, which was administered by the Grampians mobile vaccination team from Ballarat Health Services. Specialist nurse…
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Remembering a music titan
Rod Laver Arena hosted its first live music in more than a year last Wednesday night, and it was in honour of Macedon Ranges’ own Michael Gudinski. A long list of stars gathered to pay tribute to the godfather of Australian music at a state memorial attended by 7000 people including Jimmy Barnes, Tina Arena…