News
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Campaspe River landholders label Coliban Water admission a ‘betrayal of trust’
Campaspe River landholders have slammed a new admission from Coliban Water as yet another “betrayal of trust” by the water authority. CW agreed several months ago to relocate the flow meter used to determine whether the releases of wastewater it makes from the Kyneton Water Reclamation Plant to the river are compliant with its EPA…
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Rise. Resist. Unite. Dance! … 16 days of activism against gender-based violence
Let us rise, resist, unite and dance together to kick off the annual 16 Days of Activism against Gender Based Violence. Recognised globally each year, the 16 Days of Activism runs from November 25 to December 10, beginning on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. This year, the Macedon Ranges Family…
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Shock at Cobaw shooting range decision
Centre fire rifle and shotgun activity will increase at Cobaw’s shooting range despite an appeal to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal. The Sporting Shooters Association of Australia applied to extend its operating hours to meet growing user demand but a group of local residents fought the move, arguing it would exacerbate existing safety, environmental…
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Take the plunge for mental health fundraiser
For the second year, Macedon Ranges is taking the lead in what is hoped will become a state-wide movement of rural communities in taking action against suicide. SWIM 3046 is a Live4Life fundraiser that asks participants to swim laps in memory of those lost to suicide while raising funds and awareness for mental health. The…
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Rejuvenating a New Gisborne hall … brick by brick
New Gisborne Playgroup aims to rejuvenate the much-loved Ross Watt Children’s Hall… and they are doing it brick by brick! As a major user group of the hall, New Gisborne Playgroup is calling on local residents to ‘buy a brick’ to be engraved/personalised and used in an outdoor walkway or wall while helping to raise…
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Vandals strike Castlemaine war memorial, overpass
Graffiti vandals have struck again, this time defacing the Boer War Memorial in Castlemaine’s Mostyn Street. Just weeks out from Remembrance Day, the historic war memorial has been hit with glaring green paint. It appears to be just part of a wider trail of graffiti between the memorial, that’s situated toward the Kennedy Street end…
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More illegal water releases imminent
Coliban Water has issued a statement admitting it may be forced to make further non-compliant wastewater releases from its Kyneton Water Reclamation Plant to the Campaspe River in coming weeks. The admission follows a similar crisis in June this year when CW began unlicensed emergency discharges of thousands of litres of undiluted wastewater to the…
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New life for old Woodend factory?
A $4.7 million retail redevelopment plan could breathe new life into ‘The Old Factory’, Woodend. The proposal for 30 Brooke Street includes a 40-stall market, 75-seat licensed restaurant and tavern, but seeks a waiver for 250+ car parks. Proponents intend the site to become a “tourist destination” and community space supporting trade for local artisans,…
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Castlemaine Secondary College art show packs a visual punch
A stunning array of creative work by local teenagers has gone on public display at Castlemaine’s CBD Market Building. The annual Castlemaine Secondary College Art Show occupies a special place on the college calendar and this year’s offering is particularly strong says Clayton Tremlett, VCE art teacher at CSC. “The emphasis this time is on…
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Community effort to restore Woodend Primary School vegie garden
Woodend Primary School’s Community Children’s Garden is having a makeover, thanks to generous locals and a Junior Landcare Biodiversity Grant. The latest addition to the space is an indigenous garden that was planted by grade four-six children. Each species in the native garden will have an informative label, making the garden an educational self-guided tour…
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It’s go, go, go for the Lancefield Show
The countdown is on to the staging of the 2019 Lancefield Agricultural Show this Sunday. A huge amount of work has gone into organising the show, one of the annual drawcard activities in the Macedon Ranges, and it promises to be a family-friendly something-for-everyone show. “Nearly all the local businesses have been fantastic with sponsorships,…
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Old Castlemaine police station sells at auction
Castlemaine’s old police station building in central Lyttleton Street has sold at auction on Friday to a private buyer. A crowd of about 70 interested onlookers gathered in front of the substantial CBD property and auctioneer and real estate agent Rob Waller opened bidding at $700,000. Bidding then rose steadily in mainly $5000 increments with…