News
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Kilkenny ‘please explain’
Macedon Ranges Shire Council is calling on Minister for Planning Sonya Kilkenny to explain removal of significant trees from Mount Macedon without notification. Parks Victoria has gained ministerial approval to remove snow gums and other vegetation to reinstate view lines to Mount Macedon Memorial Cross ahead of Anzac Day. Works began earlier this month without…
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Composters call for delay on green bins
Local composting group YIMBY (Yes In My Back Yard) is calling on Mount Alexander Shire Council to delay the roll-out of a green bin service. The green ‘FOGO’ (Food Organics-Garden Organics) bin is designed to divert organic waste from landfill. Lucy Young from YIMBY said that while the group agreed with the council that it…
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Anzac fund barrier removed
Macedon Ranges Shire Council has removed a controversial barrier to Anzac Day support funding, but not without opposition. Both Kyneton and Malmsbury were denied Anzac Day Commemorative Services Support Fund assistance for this year’s services due to conflict with the council’s Gambling Harm Minimisation Policy. The policy came into effect last July and precludes activities…
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Graffiti mural builds connection
A garden wall at Castlemaine Community House has been brought to life with a vibrant new mural by local artist Joey Pratt, creating a colourful and welcoming space for the young people who gather there. The artwork takes its cue from the surrounding community garden — a reflection of both place and community. For Joey,…
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Shoppers to experience Piper Street differently
Piper Street business-owners are uniting to change visitor experience in a special night shopping event. Love Spell’s Heather Carulli is coordinating Piper Street After Dark in Kyneton, which aims to put experience at the centre of visitation. “It’s a bit different to your expected late-night shopping,” Ms Carulli said. “It will encourage more of a…
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Local MP to retire from politics
Macedon MP Mary-Anne Thomas has announced she will retire from politics at the next state election, bringing an end to more than a decade in parliament. Ms Thomas, who has represented the seat since November 2014 and currently serves as Minister for Health, Women and Ambulance Services, said the decision came down to whether she…
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From war zones to Woodend
A former Australian Army sniper who spent two decades on continuous service – including multiple deployments to Afghanistan – will share a powerful message about the unseen toll of modern warfare at this year’s Mount Macedon Anzac Day Dawn Service. Sergeant Joel Forster, now living in Woodend with his young family, served 20 years in…
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Snow gums to be removed for view
Battle lines have been re-established in a fight over restoring historic view lines to Mount Macedon Memorial Cross and saving vulnerable snow gums from destruction. Parks Victoria has gained ministerial approval to remove snow gums and other vegetation (about 0.8 hectares) to reinstate view lines to the war memorial ahead of Anzac Day. The works,…
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Commuters call for more carriages
Victoria’s free public transport initiative has now been extended until the end of May but overcrowding has prevented many regional travellers from using it this month. Premier Jacinta Allen announced free travel across April in response to limited fuel supply and rising petrol prices, as war continues in the Middle East. On Sunday, the Premier…
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Construction begins on $267M New Gisborne development
Construction of a 247-home heritage-inspired over-50s community in New Gisborne has begun, following approval of its first stage late last year. Construction will create about 325 full-time jobs at its peak, with work under way on the first phase of 116 two-bedroom plus multipurpose-room homes, along with $15 million of recreational facilities, including a cinema,…
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Speed reduction recommended
Macedon Ranges Shire councillors will next week consider a recommendation to lower speeds at a section of Three Chain Road in Newham from 100km/h to 80km/h. The council commissioned an independent road safety audit for the site where it intersects with Egans Lane and Dons Road, following a fatal crash there in February. Dom Testoni,…
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Malmsbury florist wins peer award
By Lily Tuck At last month’s Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show, Malmsbury’s Olivia Coutts received the inaugural Florist Choice Award for her installation PEARL. Inspired by a quote from Vincent van Gogh, the work reflects themes of resilience and transformation. “The heart of [wo]man is very much like the sea, it has its storms,…