News
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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,…
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Burial recovery begins
More than three decades after a police investigation confirmed the unthinkable, a quiet but determined effort is under way to restore dignity to those displaced at Castlemaine Cemetery. The Castlemaine Cemetery Burial Recovery Project has begun its first stage, marking the start of a multi-year archaeological investigation into human remains disturbed during decades of cemetery…
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Wilson on top of the world with new M70 record
His world ranking just entered top two, but for Kyneton ultramarathon runner Greg Wilson, the ultimate achievement was smashing Cliff Young’s record. Wilson has written his way into the record books for breaking the long-held Australian M70 Age Record for six days by about 9.8kms in New Zealand. He was the second male, with about…
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Mist lifted on captivating mountain gardens
Elizabeth Langslow describes Mount Macedon as a place of great natural beauty and mysterious allure. It’s the reason she felt compelled to explore the mountain’s past and how it came to have one of the most significant collections of 19th century gardens in Australia. The Woodend filmmaker has captured a piece of its history in…
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Mass fish death at Malmsbury
A mass fish death has occurred in the ornamental lake at Malmsbury Botanic Gardens, prompting an investigation by local authorities. Macedon Ranges Shire Council parks staff became aware of the incident on March 20 after the Friends of Malmsbury Botanic Gardens and Environs reported about 20 dead carp floating on the lake. Council chief executive…
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Erin takes the stage
Gisborne performer Erin Haberecht is set to take the stage this weekend in Theatrical Symphony, a spectacular musical theatre concert celebrating some of the genre’s most iconic songs, performed alongside a full orchestra. Presented by Theatrical Inc, the special three-night event will be held at The National Theatre. The production brings together some of the…
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Daylight theft – van wrecked
Police are investigating the bizarre background to a mid-morning theft of a caravan that was wrecked when it smashed into a tree on the outskirts of Lancefield. The alleged offender was last seen driving an early model utility with a yellow stripe towards Woodend. This brazen theft, which took place around 10.30am last Monday, has…
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Adverse possession claim on McCubbin’s former Mount Macedon home
An adverse possession claim has been lodged over ‘Fontainebleau’, the former summer residence of prominent Australian artist Frederick McCubbin, located on Mount Macedon. Long-time caretaker Trevor Hoare has applied for title to the property on Glover Road, after caring for the estate for about 18 years. Adverse possession, sometimes called ‘squatter’s rights’, is a legal…