News
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Central Vic to disrupt Land Forces
Concerned citizens from across central Victoria will be supporting the disruption of Land Forces, this year’s largest weapons expo in the southern hemisphere, to be held at the Melbourne Convention Exhibition Centre. The ‘Land Forces’ massive weapons convention is being held from September 8 to 14. Delegates from 30 countries around the world, including generals,…
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Stolen relic recovered
The Friends of Wattle Gully Gold Mine and the Prospectors and Miners Association have recovered a heritage-listed item stolen from the historic Wattle Gully gold mine at Chewton. The two groups have been working together since May 2023 in an attempt to protect the former Chewton mine site from continued acts of theft and vandalism.…
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Play it safe at footy finals
The Macedon Ranges Highway Patrol has a message for footy finals crowds: play it safe. Sergeant Lee Clayton said his unit would be providing a strong presence in and around the finals across the district to ensure everyone was using the roads in a safe manner. “Historically speaking, we see a bit of improvement in…
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Soccer club’s pitch for reserve
Woodend Soccer Club is campaigning for a multi-purpose synthetic soccer pitch for the sport to grow in Woodend. The soccer club relaunched as the Woodend Eagles in May with massive support from the community but president Alistair Fletcher said there were few options for training on home turf. “For the past 10 years, local coaches…
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Refugee to research fellow
During his six-year imprisonment on Manus Island, a mobile phone was Behrouz Boochani’s most valued possession. It kept him in touch with the outside world and his own mental wellbeing. And it enabled him to write a memoir of life on the island – a literary tour de force that would earn him international renown.…
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Free forum talks tenants’ rights
Tenants, landlords and real estate professionals are invited to join a free Tenants’ Rights Forum in Castlemaine aimed at educating the community about tenants’ rights and available support services. Organised by My Home Network’s Tenants’ Rights Working Group, the forum will feature a diverse lineup of speakers, including local tenants sharing their own experiences, Residential…
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Gambling policy on pause
Kyneton Bowling Club must wait until mid-September for the outcome of Macedon Ranges Shire Council’s Gambling Harm Minimisation Policy, which will determine its future. The policy threatens to shut down KBC’s pokies, raising uncertainty about the club’s future sustainability as it would prevent any form of gambling at council-owned or managed sites. It introduces a…
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Pat does us proud
Romsey archer Patrick French delivered a tremendous performance in tough conditions against tough competitors at his first Paralympic Games. He represented Australia in the men’s para-archery compound open 1/16 elimination round on Saturday against Indonesia’s Ken Swagumilang. The tightly contested match played out in torrential rain and French narrowly missed advancement with a score of…
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Levy to impact tourism, but boost housing
Macedon Ranges accommodation providers are nervously awaiting the outcome of major changes to their industry and expect tourism to also take a hit. Short stay rentals will become more costly from January next year following the Short Stay Levy Bill introduced to Parliament last week. The legislation introduces a 7.5 per cent levy on short…
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Baco workers strike
More than 80 Australian Manufacturing Worker’s Union and Electrical Trades Union members working at Don KR Castlemaine began strike action last Thursday. ETU strike organiser Aaron Douglas told the Express that wage negotiations with the company over the past few months had been unsuccessful. “We put together a log of claims that were intended to…
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Level crossing upgrade
The Victorian Goldfields Railway in conjunction with Mount Alexander Shire Council is in the process of upgrading the level crossing over Sawmill Road in Muckleford/Castlemaine. The latest works follow the recent re-build on the Muckleford-Walmer Road at the Muckleford Station. The purpose of the latest upgrade is to improve the safety of the crossing in…
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Armed robbery at Kyneton RSL
Armed Crime Squad detectives have charged a 42-year-old man after two licensed venues were robbed at gunpoint this month. Detectives allege the man threatened a female staff member with a firearm at the Kyneton RSL about 9.20am last Friday morning. It’s also alleged the man had earlier threatened a female staff member at the Lara…