News
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AFL Vic says no to Kyneton women joining league who welcomed them
“The question we are asking AFL Victoria is whether denying our club the right to affiliate reflects a system that prioritises protecting traditional club structures over the wellbeing, safety and participation of women who no longer feel respected or supported within those clubs.” – Kyneton Women’s Football Club president, Natalie Korinfsky The Kyneton Women’s Football Club…
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Cat containment plan delayed
A plan to enforce 24-hour domestic cat containment across the Macedon Ranges is now not expected to begin until 2029. Macedon Ranges Shire Council voted to prolong introduction of the change by one year to allow residents more time to prepare. Extending the time would also include investigation of options to ease the cost and…
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Residents arrested at NSW protest
Fifty residents from central Victoria travelled to NSW last week to take part in a protest and blockade at a shipping port exporting coal. Thousands of people from across the country attended the annual event hosted by the climate action group, Rising Tide. Protestors paddled in kayaks and other watercraft around Newcastle Harbour, the largest…
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“Don’t forget we’re here”
Kyneton Food Collective has struck a chord with a plea for people to support their local cafes, restaurants, bakeries, bars and businesses. The group of Kyneton hospitality businesses said increased cost-of-living pressures had hit everyone hard but now was the time for people to shop locally if they could. “Staff shortages, rising utility bills, relentless…
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Fellowship for filmmaker
Castlemaine documentary filmmaker and producer, Alex Kelly, and collaborator, director Maya Newell, have been awarded the highly regarded Diane Weyermann Fellowship — placing them among just three documentary teams selected globally. The two-year fellowship will support their feature-length documentary project, Testimony. Testimony follows the journey of the most ambitious climate litigation undertaken in Australia. In…
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Crossing creates division
Q. What do you get when you put a zebra on top of a wombat? A. A pedestrian crossing that divides the community. The new pedestrian crossing on Mostyn Street in Castlemaine’s CBD, a wombat (a raised speed hump) with a zebra (thick, parallel white stripes) on top, was officially opened on Friday by MP…
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Push for safer parking
Liberal MP for Northern Victoria Wendy Lovell spoke in parliament last week asking that the Minister for Environment fund construction of new on-site parking at Expedition Pass Reservoir in the 2026-27 state budget. Mount Alexander Shire Council has identified a location for building a new car park on Parks Victoria land on Llewellyn Road, Chewton.…
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Caravan fire takes off
Two caravans were destroyed by fire at a Gisborne property last Tuesday. Gisborne Fire Brigade was paged to the scene on Braeside Road about 5am when they found the two caravans fully alight. Firefighters acted quickly to contain the blaze and ensured it did spread beyond the initial area. The caravans were a total loss.…
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Council throws off “blanket solution”
Macedon Ranges Shire Council calling for the Victorian Government to hit pause on sweeping planning reforms they fear will shake the Ranges. Under the Planning Amendment (Better Decisions Made Faster) Bill 2025, Victoria’s new homes, duplexes, townhouses and low-rise apartments will not require notice and there will be no third party appeals. It also seeks…
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“What is the point?” Protections ignored
A document built to protect Macedon Ranges’ distinctive areas and landscapes is being “ignored” and lacks power, Macedon Ranges Shire councillors say. While Macedon Ranges was the first declared Distinctive Area Landscape in 2018, the council says vital steps have lagged that would ensure its special protection. The Macedon Ranges Statement of Planning Policy 2019…
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Nurturing connection on Country
An excited crowd of local First Nations and non-Indigenous community members gathered on Friday at Me-Mandook Galk Indigenous Education and Bush Tucker Place in Chewton for a celebration filled with music, connection and hope for the future. The event marked the launch of Uncle Rick’s Community Shed and the announcement of major BIG Project funding…
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Inquiry calls for change
The Victorian Government has been warned that the current model of volunteer wildlife rescue is unsustainable and wildlife roadstrike danger in increasing. The Legislative Council Economy and Infrastructure Committee tabled its final report on the Parliamentary Inquiry into wildlife roadstrike in Victoria last Tuesday. It presented 32 findings and 18 recommendations to respond the crisis…