News
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Taylor a finalist
Kyneton-based visual artist Ross Taylor will be representing Australia as a finalist in this year’s Sovereign Asian Art Prize held in Hong Kong. The nomination-only prize is recognised as the most established and prestigious annual art award in Asia-Pacific and Taylor was one of 30 selected from a pool of 800 artists. The selected artwork, Ember,…
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'Patronising and abstract'
Macedon Ranges locals are calling for clearer messaging from the federal government’s education campaign aimed to teach consent to school students. The government last week pulled two of its most controversial videos that used a milkshake and a shark analogy to discuss the concept of consent, which had been criticised as being patronising and abstract.…
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On location at Lauriston
Production is under way in Lauriston on The Cost, a psychological revenge drama from director/writer/producer Matthew Holmes (The Legend of Ben Hall, Twin Rivers) and South Australian co-writer Gregory Moss. Set over an intense 48-hour period, The Cost is a harrowing tale of vengeance that spirals desperately out of control. “While revenge is a common theme in movies, it’s…
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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…

