News
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Seeds of kindness
The Express recently shared the story of two local youngsters who were left devastated after someone stole eight plants and the proceeds from their roadside stall at Harcourt North just before Christmas. The story about Harper and Quinn Vance, who had initially set up their little stall to catch traffic on the way to Mount…
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Wild Things to premiere
Castlemaine’s inspirational School Strike 4 Climate youth activists feature as part of a new film, Wild Things, set to make its Victorian premiere at Castlemaine’s own Theatre Royal on Thursday January 28. The premiere is a Castlemaine Documentary Film Festival pop-up event and will take place from 7.30pm, followed by a Q&A with writer/director Sally…
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Suspicious fires spark firebug fear
Two suspicious fires that ignited on the side of the Calder Freeway at Taradale in the past week have sparked fears a firebug may be active in the area. A large number of resources turned out to a fire called in about 12.45pm on Saturday with brigades from Taradale, Malmsbury, Kyneton, Chewton, Elphinstone, Harcourt and…
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First festival out the gate
Castlemaine Botanical Gardens sets the scene for this evening’s Castlemaine State Festival program launch – and what a festival it promises to be. The result of clever reformatting to cater for vagaries tossed up by COVID, CSF 2021 has been expanded by seven days and makes ample use of outdoor venues to carefully manage audience…
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On your bike teens and tweens!
School has not yet begun for 2021, but CycleSafe Mount Alexander and Bike Bendigo are gearing up to support students to ride from day one. Early last year, Bike Bendigo introduced the On Your Bike! school holiday program, supporting teens and tweens to ride safely to school. The program will run in Castlemaine again this…
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Club Summer – poolside!
Poolside is looking like the place to be for the rest of summer – particularly if you’re young and local. Backed with a tidy sum from Vic Health, Club Summer @ Chewton Pool is a new pilot program packed with the sort of things summer memories are made of.Aimed at the 12-18 age set, the…
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Miracle escape from Taradale truck crash
A driver had a miraculous escape after his truck careered off a bridge on the Calder Freeway at Taradale this morning, falling 50 feet and landing in a creek bed. The impact of the crash folded the cabin under the trailer and pinned the driver by his legs. He remained conscious and was able to…
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Driver trapped in crash at Taradale
A woman was trapped in her vehicle after a collision with a cattle truck on the Calder Freeway at Taradale yesterday. The sedan collided with the rear of the truck travelling up a hill in the Melbourne-bound lanes, before being ricocheted into the wire rope barriers about 6.40pm. The barriers and the damage from the…
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Is this exit speed safe?
A 100km/h speed limit on the southbound Calder Freeway exit to Woodend/Lancefield has long had local road users baffled. “The S-bend exit ends at a roundabout and no one could safely approach it at that speed,” one reader told the Midland Express. Acting Regional Roads Victoria director (Loddon Mallee) Barry Green said RRV assessed speed…
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Taungurung agreement creates jobs
The Taungurung Land and Waters Council is creating 17 new jobs as part of a formal agreement with the state government recognising the Taungurung people as Traditional Owners of a large area of central Victoria. The agreement is the outcome of more than three years of negotiations, and covers an area stretching from Rochester and…
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Council staff critical
The wounds of last year’s organisational restructure of Macedon Ranges Shire Council continued to be felt by employees months later, a staff survey conducted late last year has revealed. In responses viewed by the Midland Express, employees expressed feelings of being let down, a clear level of distrust, and lingering dissatisfaction with communication from senior…
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Take a well-earned break
Cellar doors across the Macedon Ranges are holding a series of events this month as part of the new Summertime Fling Festival. Three weeks of events promoting everything wine, food and fun are underway and will continue until January 31. The Macedon Ranges Vignerons Association is running the event to encourage lovers of wine and…