News
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Reading habits change
The reading habits of Castlemaine residents may have changed a tad during lockdown it seems. Joyce Sanders of Castlemaine’s Soldier & Scholar secondhand bookshop has managed to keep her popular little Barker Street business going throughout the pandemic crisis, gaining some interesting insights into readers’ literary tastes in lockdown. With her atmospheric little shop forced…
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Latest edition hits stands
For the past 43 years, the monthly Australian Street Rodding magazine has been published from the offices of Graffiti Publications in Castlemaine. Now, the latest issue of Graffiti’s large-format annual magazine, Hot Rodding International, has just been released and is available in newsagencies. Produced entirely in the Castlemaine-based production centre, Hot Rodding International is true…
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Cheese venture ripens
Castlemaine’s new artisan cheesemaking business is on track to produce its first trial batches of cheese by mid-July and be fully operating by October. And a specialty cheesemaking school that’s also part of the new venture taking shape in premises at The Mill Castlemaine is expected to begin taking classes by August. The Cheese School…
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Art from isolation
Five creative women from Kyneton have collaborated to produce an audio-led theatre experience for families to enjoy at home. The online program, Mountain Goat Mountain, has been created by theatre makers Sarah Lockwood and Tahli Corin who have been exploring ways to make theatre more accessible to people outside of major cities. When theatres across…
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Lancefield farm sanctuary volunteers to share personal stories for National Volunteer Week
Dirt, dust and poop are part of the deal for volunteers at Edgar’s Mission but they do it with a smile, and they will be celebrated for their hard work during National Volunteer Week: May 18-24. The much-loved non profit provides a sanctuary for more than 450 rescued farmed animals in Lancefield and founder Pam…
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Surprise rescue
Fryerstown CFA volunteers and local community members joined forces on Sunday to rescue a three-year-old horse from a ravine at Glenluce. The owner of ‘Surprise’, as she is aptly named, alerted Castlemaine SES about the incident about 2pm when the bay filly was discovered in a hole that leads to the entrance of an abandoned…
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A whole new world
Remember when you were a kid and libraries were quiet places where you got shushed? Libraries these days are so much more than just books on shelves (don’t worry though, there are still plenty of books!). Modern libraries are active community spaces with creative and engaging programs for all ages, shared and welcoming spaces for…
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It’s time to harvest frost-tender plants
Sandy Scheltema Now that the cool cold nights are here in central Victoria and the frosts are starting, it’s time to pull out frost-tender plants like zucchinis and tomatoes. We had a prolific harvest of tromboncino zucchini this year, an heirloom vegetable common throughout Italy. The plants look beautiful growing over fences and supports with…
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Nature needs you
In cities and towns across the globe, people are taking walks in nature, seeking solace in nature – and yet nature needs us more than ever. That’s the call from local environmental group Biolinks Alliance, amid growing concerns the coronavirus is deflecting urgent attention from the climate and biodiversity crisis. “So many of us are…
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Cost blowout for saleyards plan
A major cost blowout for Kyneton Saleyards upgrades has put pressure on Macedon Ranges Council to find additional funds to complete the project. A feasibility study of the two-stage plan for modernisation and compliance requirements projected a cost at more than $1 million, with an estimated payback period of 17-18 years, but stage one alone…
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Not up to scratch
Poor tree pruning has brought Powercor’s electric line clearance works to a standstill in the Macedon Ranges until the company and local council agree on a work plan.Powercor contractors were criticised for leaving trees damaged and unsightly at several locations across the shire during its bushfire mitigation program, prompting council intervention in January.Since then, council’s…
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Addition to town’s creative mix
The establishment of a new media school for Castlemaine looks set to further enhance the town’s profile as a creative centre for Victoria. Founder of the new Castlemaine Media School is Luca Royle, a professional photographer and award-winning documentary maker with a longstanding international background in media. Ms Royle has now taken a year-long lease…