News
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Inmates arrested at MYJC
Critical Incident Response Police were called to Malmsbury Youth Justice Centre about 4pm yesterday after four inmates accessed the roof of a secured building inside the prison complex. Armed with a metal pole and planks of wood, they shouted abuse at police while smashing roof panels, exhaust fans and airconditioning ducts. Despite attempts to talk…
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A tree-change tale from Kyneton
The challenges of renovating a rundown country home in Kyneton provided ample material for playwright Tahli Corin and her screenwriter husband Josh Tyler to produce a short film for an exciting new performance initiative. The couple’s contribution is one of 16 new plays about the places we live destined for both live performance and digital…
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It takes a village
Perhaps now more than ever, we are all keenly aware of just how important it is to shop local and rally community support for those most in need. As aged-care facilities around the world are under unprecedented duress and small businesses, particularly in hospitality, are under enormous financial strain, a wonderful good news story has…
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Grand old dame gets a makeover
Works to restore and preserve Castlemaine’s historic Market Building are continuing to draw a huge amount of interest. The Express caught up with heritage contractors Ivy Constructions who are working closely with RBA Architects and Conservation Consultants to undertake extensive testing, maintenance and restoration work on the much-loved local icon on behalf of Mount Alexander…
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Turning periods into pathways
A group of local Macedon Ranges women has been making sustainable, reusable menstrual hygiene kits to distribute to girls across the developing world. The local chapter of Days For Girls is one of many around the world (there are about 120 in Australia) that make and distribute the kits together with vital education regarding reproductive…
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A welcome sign of spring
It’s a welcome sign that spring is here when the daffodils are blooming and the lambs are being born. Quadruplets in sheep are extremely rare so it was a surprise for sheep farmer Andrew Sellars-Jones to see these four healthy girls arrive at Chandpara in Tylden this week. They are purebred southdown sheep and are…
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Council CEO resigns
Macedon Ranges Shire Council chief executive officer Margot Stork has today resigned from her position. Ms Stork said she was proud of the many achievements of the past three years while leading the organisation, including major strategic work on the Statement of Planning Policy and Hanging Rock Strategic Plan, and delivering organisational reform. The mayor,…
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Roadhouse rejected for Woodend
A controversial bid for a 24-hour roadhouse with room for three fast-food restaurants at Woodend North has been rejected by Macedon Ranges Council planners. Plans included 16 fuel bowsers, a convenience store, three kitchens with two drive-throughs, internal and external dining areas, a picnic ground, parking and bays for 13 trucks. The ambitious proposal was…
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Democracy shift for Hepburn
The launch of a new ‘Community Voice’ group marks a new era of democracy in Hepburn Shire. Community Voice is a non-political grassroots movement that aims to shift the process of local government towards participatory democracy by encouraging continual community participation. Spokesperson Jen Bray said the results of the 2020 Local Government Community Satisfaction Survey,…
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Life in a parallel universe – Photo makes NY exhibition
A photograph from Sandy Scheltema’s ‘Life in The Time of Corona Virus’ series is among just 1000 selected from 35,000 images worldwide for an exhibition documenting the pandemic at the International Centre of Photography New York. ICP (www.icp.org) is the world’s leading institution dedicated to photography and visual culture. Established in 1974, the ICP has…
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Mining bid no laughing matter
Tom Gleeson has used his star power for a second time to help shut down mining plans spanning a huge area of the Macedon Ranges from Hesket to Pipers Creek and Nulla Vale. The comedian, who calls Romsey home, red-flagged two exploration licence applications on social media last week, showing once again that mining Macedon…
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Get on board with Harcourt’s Miniature Railway
It’s an imposing sight. The newly built replica of Maryborough’s grand 1870s railway station, complete with newly added clock tower, stands testament to the massive work that’s already been done towards creating Harcourt’s Miniature Railway. Now Stage 3 COVID-19 restrictions have placed Victorian Miniature Railway’s work to realise its grand vision on hold. But the…