News
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Car ploughs through living room, Kyneton woman escapes death
A woman has escaped death in her Kyneton home after standing up from her armchair moments before a car ploughed through her living room at 5pm last Friday. A 26-year-old male from Kyneton was driving down Sturt Street and failed to give way at an intersection when he crashed into a ute being driven by…
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Macedon Ranges councillor dies
Macedon Ranges Shire councillor, Christine Walker, died late last week. Fellow South Ward councillor and mayor, Dom Bonanno, said today the news had left him and many others in shock. “I have spoken with Christine’s husband Andrew and on behalf of the council, offered our deepest collective condolences and any support the family may need…
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Contractors sought
An expansion of the Macedon Ranges Sports Precinct in New Gisborne is now out to tender, with designs progressed and contractors invited to submit their proposals. The $17 million second stage will double the current indoor and outdoor offerings across the 15-hectare site either side of Barringo Road and north of Hamilton Road. On the…
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Pool’s future murky
Reports of a ‘seizure’ of Castlemaine’s only indoor swimming pool by the Sheriff’s Office Victoria, filtered through to the Express last Thursday afternoon. Upon investigation, we found the doors of Castlemaine Fitness Centre closed and padlocked. The news of the closure certainly made a splash with both swimmers and gym-goers alike, who, having donned their…
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Policy to target AI use?
Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping industries and Macedon Ranges Shire Council will soon consider a new purposed policy to catch up. An Artificial Intelligence Policy is intended to “set clear direction for the safe, effective and innovative use of AI, support compliance with relevant legislation and guidelines, and build community trust”. Last week, Cr Kate…
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SES responds to wild weather
Castlemaine State Emergency Service volunteers were kept busy over the weekend, responding to 34 requests for assistance across Mount Alexander Shire between Friday evening and Sunday afternoon. The most heavily impacted area was Harcourt, where high winds brought down trees and caused damage to roads and properties. While the majority of calls related to fallen…
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Anzac events in a spin
“Macedon Ranges council bureaucrats should hang their heads in shame” for decisions putting two local Anzac Day services in a spin, Bill Bates told the Express. The Malmsbury Anzac Day coodinator said he was “still shell-shocked” the council had refused $2500 for traffic management funding essential to run the town’s service. Last week, both Malmsbury…
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Police raid ends in estimated million dollar drug bust
Police seized a cannabis operation holding a potential street value of $1 million after they raided a property in Darraweit Guim last Thursday. No one was present when police executed the search warrant at the Bolinda-Darraweit Road residence and arrests are yet to be made. Detective Sergeant Hayley Zagari from the Macedon Ranges Crime Investigation…
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New Telstra mobile coverage
Telstra has expanded 4G and 5G mobile coverage throughout Kyneton, with a series of new mobile sites now delivering improved connectivity. A new 4G and 5G mobile base station at the showgrounds has been switched on and will support an additional 10 5G small cells that were recently rolled out through the area. Telstra regional…
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Police investigating Clarkefield car fire
Police are investigating after a car was found abandoned and burning on a roadside in Clarkefield during the early hours of yesterday morning. CFA crews from Clarkefield, Riddells Creek and Bolinda responded at 3am on Tuesday to Konagaderra Road and extinguished the blaze, which had spread onto adjacent grass. Clarkefield CFA captain Brian Boyle said…
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Tunnel tour for Woodend rail pioneer
Woodend’s Peter Bishop played a pivotal role in the last transformation of Melbourne’s train network more than 40 years ago, as supervising engineer on the City Loop. Recently he and a group of former City Loop colleagues had a rare glimpse into the city’s next massive rail upgrade, with a visit to the Metro Tunnel’s…
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Plan to beautify Castlemaine
Mount Alexander Shire Council adopted a new Streetscape Landscape Design for Barker Street and Forest Street, Castlemaine, at last Tuesday night’s council meeting. The plan could not be more timely with the recent completion and opening of the new Woolworths Supermarket at the gateway to Castlemaine and renewed calls for beautification works along Forest and…