News
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Fire quickly escalates
A grass and scrub fire broke out on a property along Coffeys Road at Bullengarook, about 2.40pm, on Sunday afternoon and quickly escalated to a 10 tankers call-out. Air support was brought in to assist, along with multiple dozers working hard to bring the blaze under control. CFA crews also responded to another grass and…
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Illegal burn-off sparks warning
An out of control burn-off at Wildwood, south of Clarkefield, last Wednesday has sparked warnings of illegal rubbish burning. On arrival, firefighters identified multiple large burn piles containing waste materials that are illegal to burn under Victorian law. Several district fire brigades worked for four hours to bring the fire under control and make the…
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Luke claims title
Woodend’s Luke Kirby has claimed the national dressage (secondary) all abilities class title at the Australian Interschool Championships. He joined more than 100 student riders as part of team Victoria to compete at the Sydney International Equestrian Centre last month. Luke, 18, has autism, a moderate intellectual disability, very little language and epilepsy. He may…
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Open space plans open to feedback
Destination-level open spaces, use changes for existing sites and new open space areas are among plans highlighted in the draft Macedon Ranges Open Space Strategy. Last week, Macedon Ranges Shire Council endorsed release of the draft document for community consultation for four weeks, launching in early October. The strategy outlines how the council plans to…
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Trump’s headache advice
Medical practitioners across this region and wider Australia have refuted the U.S. President’s claims last week when he suggested there was a link between autism and the commonly-used painkiller paracetamol. Donald Trump announced last Tuesday, “I think we found an answer to autism”. A White House press conference proceeded and U.S. officials suggested pregnant women…
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Antisemitism confronts Gisborne
A bridge in Gisborne received a swift paint job after upset residents walked along a footpath underneath and were confronted with antisemitic graffiti on its structure last Tuesday morning. The bridge’s pillars were spray painted with swastikas, cartoon drawings of faces with exaggerated noses, and statements – “f**k Israel” and “Jew scum” – on the…
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Masked offenders strike
Police are investigating a burglary at a Kyneton business on August 11 involving two masked offenders. It is believed offenders attended the Baynton Street business about 5am where they stole cash and two vehicles. The first offender is described as being of average height, large build, wearing a pink balaclava, black and white jumper and…
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‘Electrify Loddon Mallee – Power Together’ officially launched
An ambitious new project aimed at encouraging central Victorians to ‘electrify’ their homes was officially launched at Castlemaine Community House on Wednesday. The ‘Electrify Loddon Mallee Project’, backed with $110,000 from the state government, will support Mount Alexander Sustainability Group and Bendigo Sustainability Group to work with councils and groups across the region to accelerate…
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Public toilet thefts costly
Vandals stealing copper wire forced closure of five public toilets across the Macedon Ranges last week as another tourist-centric toilet was closed over lease concerns. Macedon Ranges Shire Council reported closure of toilets at Sankey Reserve (Gisborne), Ross Watt Reserve (New Gisborne), Stanley Park (Macedon), Campaspe Park (Woodend) and Kyneton Botanic Gardens following significant vandalism…
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Bill tabled on park
Local environmentalists are celebrating the tabling of a bill in state parliament last week to create the new Wombat-Lerderderg National Park. About 24,000 hectares of the Wombat Forest will be conserved for animals, plants and fungi and for future generations to enjoy. Wombat Forestcare congratulated the state government for creating this park and the Mt…
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An invitation to recalibrate
Anyone in the vicinity of the Phee Broadway Theatre last Friday would have been witness to a constant stream of middle-aged women steadily making their way into the library foyer in a manner somewhat reminiscent of a clandestine suffragette meeting (perhaps the women of Castlemaine are ready for their own uprising?). The meeting was, in…
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Road risk as safety removed
It has taken months but safety measures have now been restored to a dangerous stretch of road at Barfold. The 300m stretch of road is located along Heathcote-Kyneton Road and is sign-posted 100km/h but features a dip that obscures vision for overtaking. A head-on crash between two cars in April 2023 prompted double line road…