Castlemaine
-
Bin bandit put on notice
Castlemaine Police are seeking information from the public following a series of incidents where rubbish and recycle bins were mowed down by a vehicle across the township. Leading Senior Constable Wayne Cairnes said Mount Alexander Shire Council contacted them regarding the incidents, which took place sometime overnight on Tuesday evening/Wednesday morning on January 10-11 and…
-
Songs full of lyrical imagery
Melbourne songwriter Tim Downey explores the light and shadow of life’s mysteries. His songs are full of lyrical imagery that paints a bittersweet and sometimes abstract reality. Since its inception in 2017, folk rock band Beautiful Buildings has been the focus of Tim’s musical output, writing and performing alongside friend and collaborator Di Casey. Their…
-
Japanese art exhibition unveiled at Lot 19
Lot 19 Art Precinct in Langslow Street was excited to launch its first exhibition of 2023 last weekend, Isabelle Kawai Vincent’s It’s too Black and White. Growing up the first second-generation Japanese Australian in Castlemaine, Isabelle Kawai Vincent was surrounded by Japanese images from books, magazines, posters, kimonos, Japanese ornaments and music. While completing a…
-
New recruits join ranks
The Country Fire Authority recently added another happy group of volunteer firefighters to its local ranks. Last month, 16 new recruit members came together from Castlemaine, Newstead, Maldon, Fryerstown, Huntly, Talbot, Guildford, Bullengarook and Wareek Bung Bong brigades to finally complete their practical general firefighter assessments at the Castlemaine Fire Station. For some it was…
-
Christmas comes to Parkrun
Christmas weekend in Castlemaine saw not one, but two parkrun events held, and both were very well attended by a plethora of visitors from near and far. The perfect weather encouraged a total of 106 participants to attend event #335 on Christmas Eve and a further 58 to start their Christmas Day enjoying some exercise,…
-
Bridge back on agenda
Jade Jungwirth The highly controversial Froomes Road Bridge is once again on the agenda of tonight’s Mount Alexander Shire Council meeting. At the beginning of 2020 the council resolved to award the contract for the bridge’s replacement, but after receiving negative feedback from residents and a petition with 1300 signatures, the council temporarily suspended awarding…
-
Cash/Carter tribute show at Phee Broadway
A popular Johnny Cash and June Carter tribute act, led by a real-life married couple, will soon be coming to Castlemaine. Mark and Joanne Caligiuri star in Get Rhythm – A Tribute to Johnny Cash and June Carter as the famous country duo. Coinciding with the close-knit spirit of many other classic country acts, they…
-
The mask of disability
Jade Jungwirth A large group gathered in the sunshine at the Castlemaine Botanic Gardens to celebrate this year’s International Day of People with Disabilities. It was a morning of celebration with local musicians Joe Smith and Benz performing for the crowd as they enjoyed a delicious morning tea of cakes and honey joys. Between MainFM’s…
-
Our versatile band
Castlemaine’s Thompson Foundry Band, now in its 137th year, is getting into the swing of Christmas. Bandmaster Dan Bendrups told the band’s recent annual meeting that “it matters for a town like Castlemaine to have a band it can call its own”. He said the band had played at range of community events and festivals…
-
A little bit of Christmas magic
Jade Jungwirth A group of local women has spent endless hours making hand-crafted Christmas wreaths to place around the townships of Castlemaine and Maldon. Seventy-three-year-old Lana Osterfield organised the wreath-making efforts, using vines pruned from her ornamental grapevine, with eight other retired crafters. “The council had approached a group of craft people to make decorations…
-
Laundry service for friends in need
A new initiative in Castlemaine is providing a free laundry service to people experiencing homelessness and members of the community doing it tough. The ‘Laundromat of the Future’ service is operated by not-for-profit organisation, Orange Sky, at Sac O Suds Launderette. Orange Sky provides people experiencing homelessness or doing it tough (whom they call ‘friends’)…
-
Council denies permit
Jade Jungwirth Mount Alexander Shire councillors aired mixed views on the refusal of a double-storey development and two-lot subdivision opposite picturesque bushland at Castlemaine. The Parker Street application attracted 11 objections from across nine properties as well as council officer recommendation for refusal. Council officer reservation was largely due to the design, appearance and layout…