News
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Local brigades warn Ashbourne fire is a sign of things to come
A fast-spreading fire in the bush at Ashbourne last Thursday is a sign of things to come, local fire brigades warn. Tylden and Trentham brigades were called to an out-of-control burn off on Keyes Road just after 2pm. On route Tylden captain Marcus Fidler saw a large plume of smoke and immediately called for five…
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Sculpture in motion at Hanging Rock Winery
The first sculptures featuring in Hanging Rock Winery’s new exhibition, Art in the Vines – Sculpture in Motion, have moved into place. During the coming weeks, 15 kinetic sculptures will be installed throughout the winery’s grounds in preparation for the exhibition’s opening day on Saturday October 26. Following on from the hugely successful Art in…
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Riddells Creek Buddhist temple bid
Riddells Creek has been eyed as a peaceful setting for a Dharma Buddhist temple and weekend retreats. An application to Macedon Ranges Council seeks to build a temple and two cabins on the eight hectare property at 1438 Riddell Road, in the Rural Living Zone. The proposal seeks to host weekend retreats at the site…
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Fun and games for Gisborne
Fun and games are expected to arrive in Gisborne with the town’s first arcade by the end of the year. Macedon Ranges Council last week approved an amusement parlour with 34 video gaming machines at the former 22 Brantome Street newsagency site despite some community reservations. Eight objections to the plan related to noise, antisocial…
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Kyneton Water Reclamation Plant upgrade works to begin
Coliban Water has announced the first phase of planned works to improve trade waste and treatment processes at the Kyneton Water Reclamation Plant to help protect the Campaspe River. In June the water authority was forced to undertake daily unauthorised wastewater releases to the river to ensure lagoon embankments at the plant were protected, triggering…
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Lost Castlemaine
While Castlemaine is noted for the heritage treasures that grace its streets today, many of its significant yesteryear structures have been lost to the ravages of time or misadventure. But now local writer-researcher Marjorie Theobald and artist Marieanne Heard have joined creative forces to produce a new book on Castlemaine’s lost built history, from imposing…
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Former Kyneton parish priest Peter Waters jailed for child-sex offences
Former Kyneton Catholic parish priest Peter Waters has been sentenced to 36 months’ jail and must serve 14 after being found guilty of child-sex offences against five victims during his time in Melbourne parishes in the 1970s and ’80s. In 1999, when aged in his 50s, some allegations about Waters became public and the Melbourne…
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Castlemaine branch of ANZ bank to close
A local business operator has slammed a decision by the ANZ bank to close its Castlemaine branch next March. Stephen Cross of Castlemaine Central Wine Store fears the move – part of wider branch closures flagged by the ANZ – will be detrimental for the town. “It is very disappointing and yet another example of…
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Cost blowout – Gardiner Reserve upgrades face setback
A major cost blowout for upgrades at Gardiner Reserve threatens to disrupt Gisborne’s 2020 winter sports season or delay the project by 12 months. The $462,099 shortfall for two pavilion upgrade projects is expected to push back works to game season: a scenario that has been described as “a nightmare” for five tenant clubs and…
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HEALTH SERVICES JOINING FORCES
CHIRP Community Health and Castlemaine Health will conduct a year-long trial to see if combining their community health services in a joint working arrangement can deliver better health outcomes for local people. But it’s not a merger – at this stage, Castlemaine Health CEO Ian Fisher and CHIRP CEO Di Couch say. “Not at this…
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Little local charity Orphfund makes big difference
Castlemaine art space Lot 19 is hosting an exhibition to celebrate the story of local charity Orphfund. The Orphfund Story: A photographic journey provides an insight into the charity’s work through the lens of Orphfund founder and fine arts photographer Steve Argent. The exhibition tracks Orphfund’s 14 years working at the coalface to change the…
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Ready, set … Run The Maine
This Friday public holiday is a big one for Castlemaine as the town hosts hundreds of runners for the annual Run The Maine. Event director Gavin Krasner says the half marathon course has been particularly hitting the mark with strong registrations from runners keen to tackle the 21km distance that will follow the Maldon to…