News
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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…
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Amess Road fate close
The Riddells Creek community will soon have answers on the final direction of an Amess Road development that could change the face of their town. In October, the Minister for Planning referred both the application for a permit to build, and draft amendment C161 to the Macedon Ranges Planning Scheme, to a standing advisory committee…
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Garbage truck turned paddock bomb
A truck driver has walked away unscathed after his garbage truck crashed onto its side in a residential street in Kyneton last Friday. The accident occurred shortly after 7am at the bottom of a hill in Riverwalk Boulevard, when the truck careened through a fence and came to a stop in a paddock. The Midland Express understands…
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Rocket sparks grassfire
An exploding rocket started a fire that quickly burned through five hectares at Kyneton on March 30, triggering a number of community warnings. A group of Monash University students were conducting an experiment with rocket engines when the grassfire took hold. Emergency services were called to the scene at a property on Baynton Road about…
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Wildlife seized at Kyneton
A large number of native and exotic reptiles, birds and mammals were seized from a Kyneton business last Thursday. Officers from the Victorian Conservation Regulator and Victoria Police raided the disused factory site in Beauchamp Street discovering the animals inside a large shipping container. About a dozen officers and wildlife experts took about eight hours…
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“Not Melbourne, not Brunswick”
Retaining Kyneton’s historic charm and country identity will be key as Macedon Ranges Shire Council pushes ahead with future design plans. Councillors were adamant that Melbourne-style planning was not fit for Kyneton when adopting the draft Kyneton Urban Design Framework with changes last week. The document is a strategic plan for streetscape and public realm…
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Tax confusing and ‘haphazard’
Macedon Ranges’ accommodation providers have been navigating new obstacles since the Victorian Government introduced its Short Stay Levy in January. The 7.5 per cent tax applies to short stay accommodation (under 28 days) with its revenue to support social and affordable housing. The tax also aims to encourage more people to use their properties as…
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Council seeks answers on school site
The Old Kyneton Primary School site remains fenced off one year on from its scheduled redevelopment completion date, and Macedon Ranges Shire Council is seeking answers. The Victorian Government invested $12 million for the Baynton Street site for community use with a gallery space with areas for community groups by March 2024. Speaking at council’s…