News
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Thief targets coop
Four isa brown hens were stolen from St Ambrose Primary School in Woodend over the Queen’s Birthday weekend. Staff and students were devastated to make the discovery with signs of damage to cyclone fencing and an open coop. “The top of the cyclone fence in which the coop was enclosed was damaged and the coop…
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Poles add spring to walkers’ steps
Eve Lamb The weather may be making many feel Nordic lately, but for an increasing number of local souls that’s a good thing. In fact Nordic pole walking seems to really have hit its stride in both Castlemaine and Maldon with many keen locals picking up the poles and joining the warming weekly walking program…
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Writing with fire
The countdown is on until the 2022 Castlemaine Documentary Festival, set to feature at the Theatre Royal from July 1-3. The theme for this year’s event is ‘Realise the Possible’ and the team behind this year’s event has once again gone above and beyond to source an array of films that feature ‘Real stories. Real…
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A relieving yarn
A Castlemaine shearer has played a key role in the triumphant yarn of Victoria the overly burdened sheep, relieving her of a massive matted fleece following her hairy rescue from the wild. It took 18 kind hearts a total of five hours on steep and rugged terrain in the bitter cold and rain, but lost…
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Trackside reinvention
Eve Lamb Driving past the old railway goods shed in Newstead it’s hard to miss the fact that work is well under way towards transforming the long idle slice of local railway history into a lively community space. Scaffolding is up and workers in high vis vests are busy on site with Bendigo-based construction company…
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It takes a village
How the community can work together to address Mount Alexander Shire’s housing crisis is the focus of a new 10-year social and affordable housing strategy to be launched at Castlemaine Town Hall next week. My Home Network developed the Mount Alexander Shire My Home Network 10-year social and affordable housing strategy in collaboration with a…
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Dog attack devastates
Two escaped dogs attacked a flock of sheep at Baynton last week, killing two and maiming 33 that later had to be euthanised. Farmer Daniel McKenna discovered the gruesome scene on his property last Wednesday. “It was like a battle scene,” he said. “There were sheep lying down kicking in the air everywhere. “The dogs…
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A fence too far?
Twelve Lancefield residents have until December’s end to tear down their fences and gardens to accommodate a new council footpath. The High Street residents discovered, in May, their properties encroached the road reserve and they would need to foot the bill to correct it. Some are being asked to shift entire front fencelines for as…
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$120,000 boost for rail trail
Plans to develop the Castlemaine-Maryborough Rail Trail have moved a step closer with the state government committing $120,000 to assist with crucial planning for the project. Bendigo West MP Maree Edwards visited Joyces Creek on Friday to announce the funding for a feasibility study at the foot of the now disused 1940 Joyces Creek Railway…
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Old hospital reno begins
Building works begin this week on the long-awaited redevelopment of the old Kyneton Hospital precinct. Aged-care provider Embracia Victoria is planning co-located aged care and childcare for the Simpson Street site. Stage one of the project will see a 120-place childcare centre built opposite the heritage-listed bluestone building, which will offer long daycare to local…
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Comp tempts taste buds
Holgate Brewhouse is tempting taste buds through a competition tapping into one of its most popular beers. The Woodend brewery is offering a $500 prize pack to the most creative and delicious recipe starring Holgate’s Temptress Choc Porter. Holgate’s Lucy Watson said the malt-driven beer was infused with Dutch cocoa and vanilla beans. “It’s ideal…
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Spicy taco looks likely to warm
Eve Lamb It’s an attention-securing start to our phone conversation. “All my life I’ve been joking about how I’m half-Colombian because my mum got knocked up when she was backpacking through South America,” comedian Aidan Jones says. Melbourne based Jones is getting set to tour his award-winning show, Taco, to the ‘Maine for a one-night stop…