News
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River restoration a win-win
A community-backed plan to restore and protect a key section of the Coliban River at Lauriston will take its next steps early in the new year. Over the next four years, the A Healthy Coliban Catchment project will focus on rehabilitating the river’s frontage between Lauriston and Malmsbury reservoirs. Willow removal and revegetation works on…
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Hot Variety 3.0 set to rock!
The Bridge Hotel, Boomtown Wines and Shedshaker Brewing are joining forces to present a New Year’s Eve spectacular ‘Hot Variety 3.0’ in Castlemaine. With the Taproom at Shedshaker Brewing joining the event for the first time, the 2024 NYE Party is set to be bigger and better than ever with a wide array of music…
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Campbell House claims bronze
Castlemaine Boutique Accommodation’s magnificent heritage property, Campbell House, has claimed bronze at the Victorian Tourism Awards. Proprietors Donna Greenway and Rod Printz were thrilled to accept the award in the Self-Contained Property category at the November 21 event at Palladium at Crown. The pair founded Castlemaine Boutique Accommodation in 2012 and are the caretakers of…
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Woolies signage installed
While supermarket giant Woolworths was in the national news last week due to its ongoing union negotiations concerning workers at four of its distribution centres, the Castlemaine supermarket build continued to forge ahead. The first official Woolworths signage was installed on the building last Wednesday and Thursday. Local history buff and photographer David Williamson has…
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A defining moment in history
In December 1851, 173 years ago, 15,000 gold miners gathered for a Monster Meeting at Forest Creek to defy colonial governor Charles La Trobe’s plans to double the cost of their gold licence. The annual celebration of the Diggers’ 1851 Monster Meeting at Forest Creek is set to take place once again this Sunday December…
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College closes its doors
Staffing challenges and reduced student numbers have led Olivet Christian College to permanently close its doors. By the end of 2024, the Christian college, which has a 46-year legacy in the Castlemaine and Campbells Creek communities, will finalise the closure. The school families have been updated throughout the discussions on the future of the college…
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Small producers rejected
Small-scale beef producers have been left reeling after Hardwicks abattoir at Kyneton announced it would no longer process small consignments of animals from next year. Kilcoy Global Foods, which owns the abattoir, said it wouldn’t take orders below 15 head of beef or 50 head of lambs. A letter sent by the company to existing…
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Bonnie’s the best!
A 24-year-old from Romsey has just won the prestigious Australian Technical Officers Association’s Apprentice of the Year Award, competing against finalists from several trades. Bonnie Saunders received the award at a lavish function attended by about 400 people at the Plaza Ballroom in Melbourne. The award recognises outstanding performance in training. As a final (fourth)…
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Seven central Victorians arrested
Seven central Victorians were among 173 protesters arrested at the recent Rising Tide blockade at the Port of Newcastle. More than 7000 people attended the protestival at the world’s largest coal port from November 19 to 25, including more than 30 people from central Vicoria. They were demanding a stop to the expansion of the…
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Anger at broken promise
The creation of a new Wombat-Lerderderg National Park has been delayed until next year, angering local environmental activists who describe the failure of the state government to legislate the park as a broken promise. Members and supporters of Wombat Forestcare were assured in letters from the environment minister, Steve Dimopoulos, and local member, Mary-Anne Thomas,…
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Jenna’s triumph
Out Trentham way in particular there was huge interest shown in the AFLW Grand Final between North Melbourne and Brisbane women’s teams on Saturday night. For 29-year-old Jenna Bruton, it became another team and individual triumph in her illustrious football career, a far cry from when she was the only girl playing footy in a…
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Castlemaine man jailed for historical sexual assaults
A former Castlemaine resident has been found guilty and jailed for sexually abusing four children under the age of 16 during the 1980s. Robert Dennis Howe appeared at the County Court in Melbourne on November 8, where he was sentenced and jailed for five years and nine months. During the trial, held in Bendigo in…