News
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Return to the post-punk scene
Castlemaine author Kirsten Krauth has launched her second long-awaited novel, Almost a Mirror. The book was seven years in the making and was developed while Krauth completed her PhD. It explores music of the 1980s, what we make of memories and what they make of us. Like fireflies to the light, Mona, Benny and Jimmy are…
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Secrets of the past
On April 16, 1970, the Kyneton Folk Museum opened its doors to the public. Fifty years later, the building now known as the Kyneton Museum is still going strong, sharing the secrets of the past. Macedon Ranges Council is celebrating the museum milestone with a social media campaign that highlights its social history collection. Facebook…
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The show will go on
Campbells Creek couple and international circus performers Caz Walsh and Mason West are set to present an inaugural circus event in Castlemaine in November. The circus celebration will be the couple’s first local event since moving to the region just over 12 months ago. Caz Walsh told the Express they were excited to be among 13 groups…
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Nowhere to hide
Roads across the region over the Easter long weekend looked unrecognisable to Macedon Ranges Highway Patrol officers out on patrol as part of Operation Nexus, as Victorians followed requirements to stay at home. Sergeant Mark Stephenson said the state-wide road policing operation was aimed at reducing road trauma in conjunction with broader Operation Sentinel checks…
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Foodbanks meet changing needs
Foodbanks in Kyneton and Gisborne are preparing to meet the changing needs of Macedon Ranges locals amid the coronavirus pandemic. Kyneton Caring Community’s Kerryn Wildenburg said the Kyneton foodbank experienced a spike at the end of March as many workers were stood down and unable to access basic necessities. Ms Wildenburg anticipates more people will…
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Community pantry up and running
Local volunteers, community groups and organisations are working together to provide food relief for residents in need in Mount Alexander Shire. The newly created Mount Alexander Community Pantry is a centrally coordinated food relief system that aims to provide assistance in the absence of a local foodbank. Castlemaine Community House manager Martyn Shaddick said everyone…
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Ready to tackle the crisis
An army of volunteers has been working behind the scenes to sew gowns, caps and masks for Castlemaine doctors to ensure they are well protected and ready to tackle the coronavirus crisis. A grateful Dr Richard Mayes and Dr Dominic Blanks of Castlemaine’s Lyttleton Street Clinic described it as a “massive effort”. “We have had…
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VCE and VCAL continue online
Senior secondary students are preparing for major changes to their education as schools switch to online teaching platforms this term amid state-wide coronavirus precautions. Victorian Certificate of Education students will still receive an Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank score, but there will be several changes to the academic timetable including rescheduled tests, exams and assessments. The…
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New kind of school
School may look different this term but Sacred Heart College at Kyneton is encouraging staff and students to inject fun into their new online learning experience. Principal Dr Darren Egberts said staff had worked hard over the past four to six weeks to prepare for remote schooling from home amid state-wide coronavirus precautions. “A variety…
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Coronavirus update for Victoria
The total number of coronavirus (COVID-19) cases in Victoria is 1291 – an increase of 10 from yesterday, as testing for the virus expands in Victoria. There were no new deaths reported yesterday. To date, 14 people have died from coronavirus in Victoria. The total number of cases is made up of 672 men and…
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Good Friday Appeal online not on foot
For more than 40 years, CFA brigades in the Mount Macedon and Mount Alexander regions have been collecting for the Royal Children’s Hospital Good Friday Appeal, and in that time they have collected many millions of dollars. However, this year, due to the virus, things have had to change. Traditionally, brigades have used the Good…
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Never lonely with letters
Cheerful letters, drawings and paintings have been making their way to elderly residents across the Macedon Ranges to help them stay connected during the coronavirus pandemic. It is the result of a Kyneton-born pen pal project that coordinator Katy Condliffe said had a simple aim: “to bring some joy, happiness and love to our older…