News
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Remembering the scars, physical and mental
South Vietnam, 1966: An isolated company of 108 Australian soldiers is outnumbered by 2000-strong Viet Cong. They trade fire for four hours and 18 Australian lives are taken. Francis Donovan, a medic on the battlefield, attends wounded 20-year-old Les Farren. He lays unconscious with his groin destroyed and legs detached. He opens his eyes a…
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Fire threatens homes at Benloch
Properties at Benloch and Lancefield were under threat after a large fire broke out on Frost Road last Thursday afternoon. About 60 appliances from CFA and Forest Fire Management Victoria turned out just before 1pm to battle the out-of-control blaze as it spread across 70 hectares of scrub and bush. The CFA issued an emergency…
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Memorial gates to be restored
The heritage-listed Malmsbury War Memorial gates will be restored to their former glory. Friends of the Malmsbury Gardens and Environs has secured a $27,492 grant from the state government’s Restoring Community War Memorials and Avenues of Honour 2024-25 program. The memorial was built in 1922 as a tribute to the “brave men who enlisted in…
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Timber removal challenged
Environmental activists have called out the removal of large volumes of fallen timber from the Wombat State Forest as being done “under the guise of reducing fire risk”. The Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action is removing trees and debris that fell during the 2021 storms but environmental groups argue the works are destructive…
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War memorial swamped by tourists
Macedon Ranges Shire Council’s Autumn Festival strategy to disperse tourists away from Macedon’s Honour Avenue did little to deter the thousands of tourists who rushed to the street over Easter. Honour Avenue is lined with 154 pin oak trees – each one honouring a soldier from the region who served in WWI – and is…
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Dog rescued from mine shaft
A much-loved dog is back home safe and sound after falling down a mine shaft in the Chewton Bushlands last Tuesday afternoon. Castlemaine SES were first on the scene after reports came through that a dog had fallen into a deep shaft. After an initial assessment, the crew called in the CFA’s Oscar 1 Emergency…
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Explore our golden past
Explore the history behind the region’s golden past as part of the highly anticipated The Alchemy of Gold event, which will take place in Castlemaine from May 16 to 18. The three-day forum will bring together more than 40 experts, historians and community members to explore how the discovery of gold in Victoria in the…
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Donated land in doubt
Descendants of Humphrey Dixon have challenged plans for retirement aged care living on land in Gisborne donated for community healthcare purposes. Benetas has applied to remove building restrictions on the land for its project through a combined planning scheme amendment (C147macr) and planning permit. The amendment seeks to rezone the land from its current Special…
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Roo savaged by dog, left to drown
A kangaroo was saved from the Coliban Main Water Channel by wildlife rescuers after it was attacked by an off-leash dog in Elphinstone on March 28. Volunteers from Wildlife Victoria were called to the scene and managed to extract the 70kg male kangaroo from the water channel, before providing medical assistance. He was taken to…
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Vision for Lancefield Park
A vision for Lancefield’s key sporting precinct has been set in a new Lancefield Park Recreation Reserve Master Plan. The plan includes a 10-year action plan with more than 40 separate projects with short, medium and long-term priorities for implementation, and strategic direction. Some of those high-priority projects include a tennis clubrooms extension, Laurie Green…
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A colossal undertaking
Typically when people are bored they tend to watch TV, read a book or take up a hobby like knitting or gardening. Sometimes they set out to learn a language, a musical instrument or a sport. Some might even book a holiday. But in Castlemaine, some like to do things a little differently….. When local…
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Music masterfully captured for Archibald
Macedon musician Amalie will draw inspiration from the Australian music industry for her Archibald Prize entry. The 20-year-old has spent the past two months painting the portrait titled, Can You Hear Me, which features emerging musicians from around the country. “I wanted to make a statement and bring attention back to the Aussie music industry and…