News
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For sale: Kyneton’s history
A historic military building in Kyneton will be sold amid the Department of Defence’s latest announcement to sell 68 properties in their real estate portfolio. The Kyneton Drill Hall, located in the town’s centre, was listed in the federal government’s latest venture to sell off military-owned sites. It includes training facilities, museums, islands, golf courses,…
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Crash-prone road upgraded
An intersection notorious for vehicle collisions near the Kyneton town centre recently received road safety upgrades. The Beauchamp and Mollison Street intersection received planned safety upgrades late last year. A raised wombat crossing was installed and kerbs upgraded to improve the adjacent footpath, visibility for passers-by, and slow down oncoming traffic. It comes after a…
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Rescued, then arrested
A high-speed police pursuit out of Melbourne ended when the driver of a stolen vehicle crashed and flipped it on its roof at Woodend last week. The 30-year-old driver from St Albans was taken to hospital after he crashed the car near a level crossing on Tylden-Woodend Road about 12.30pm last Tuesday afternoon. Police allege…
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State forest surveillance increases
Vic Police shut down an illegal rave in the Wombat State Forest earlier this month, which had more than 1000 people in attendance. The Conservation Regulator is working in conjunction with police to increase surveillance in state forests and prevent illegal raves, amid the ongoing fire danger period. It identified the Loddon Mallee region and…
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Guildford pub, store closed
The Guildford community has been dealt a second blow with the town’s beloved general store closing its doors for the second time in two years on Sunday, just a month after the closure of the town’s historic pub. In a post shared to the Guildford General Store Facebook page on January 24 they announced, ‘Due…
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It truly is the world’s ugliest lawn
To the untrained eye, Jarno Coone has failed to maintain his lawn. “My philosophy is to kind of not work when it comes to the lawns,” said Jarno, whose job includes maintaining the lawns and gardens at the Candlebark and Alice Miller schools. However, Jarno has put in many hours to have his yard appear…
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Battery sparks rubbish truck fire
By Lara Prust Gisborne CFA responded to a rubbish truck fire last week, believed to have been sparked from household batteries disposed in a resident’s general waste bin. The driver noticed the fire in the truck’s skip bin during the early hours of Monday morning, and as a safety measure, dumped the entire rubbish load…
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Harcourt Rising comes to Castlemaine
Castlemaine’s Shedshaker Brewing is hosting a massive weekend of fundraisers for the Harcourt bushfire recovery over the weekend of February 20-22. Called Harcourt Rising, each event aims to support businesses and residents affected and bring some fun to the community. Starting on Friday February 20, the Taproom will be showcasing a range of Harcourt wineries…
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Farming ‘unconference’ breaks new ground
Local farmers have turned to their community in a grassroots quest to position Macedon Ranges as a centre for excellence in regenerative agriculture and land stewardship. The organisers of GROW Festival went back to the drawing board to redesign the event for 2026, even after the bumper success of the first GROW in 2025. This…
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Celebrating all Australians
In most parts of Australia, January 26 is a divisive day, one where the divide between fundamental beliefs is more pronounced than ever. In the shire of Mount Alexander, the community is able to celebrate the complexities of those two opposing ideologies side-by-side with the dual-named Australia Day Survival Day. Since 2018, the annual celebration…
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Population fear in Riddells Creek
A Victorian Government-appointed advisory committee decision last year witnessed the Macedon Ranges Shire Council overruled once more, approving the Amess Road Precinct Structure Plan and creating the reality that Riddells Creek’s population will double in mere years to come. The fear of some is that this sets a precedent for other large blocks of land…
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Will Kyneton be kept country?
A Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal decision that overruled Macedon Ranges Shire Council’s position on a Kyneton development will see an urban commercial precinct built on the outskirts of town. The first stage of works will soon begin on the development of a $100M service station and retail precinct at Edgecombe Road. Located 1km from…