Castlemaine
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Country, Culture and healing
A First Nations art gallery and creative studio has opened its doors in Castlemaine on Dja Dja Wurrung Country. Gabirra* is a warm and engaging space that begs to be entered. Full of bright, detailed dot paintings, a sandbox in the centre is connection to Country, imprinted with stories thousands of years old, and a…
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Let’s take back the track
The second annual Take Back the Track event will be held in Castlemaine on Sunday, February 15. A national campaign, the walk/run is a way to raise awareness about the violence, harassment and intimidation experienced by many women and gender-diverse runners and walkers. Last year’s event saw more than 150 communities across the country organise…
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Re-imagining the shire’s future
A community art project is celebrating the stories, spaces and creative spirit of Castlemaine and beyond. Mapping Our Futures is the brainchild of self-confessed ‘map nerd’ Michael Chew, a local designer and social ecologist. Michael worked alongside four other talented local artists, Wendy Hopkins, Sarah Taylor, Kirsten Moegerlein and Eunice Rigo, to bring the project…
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Tatts for a cause
Forest Creek Tattoo is gearing up to hold a ‘Home is where the Harcourt is’ Tattoo Flash Day this Sunday February 8. The Castlemaine-based tattoo studio has hosted a number of Flash Days in the past for causes close to their heart, and wanted to do something to support the community of Harcourt and surrounds…
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Experience the energy of African folk music
Ghanaian master musician Atongo Zimba is coming to Castlemaine, offering a rare chance for locals to experience the energy of African folk music in an intimate setting. Atongo is known as one of the great ambassadors of West African sound. He has played Womadelaide and has just returned from packed houses in Hobart and the…
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Trees down, buildings damaged across the region
Volunteers from Victoria’s State Emergency Service responded to a spate of disasters last week, and official numbers confirm there were about 1800 incidents state-wide between Monday and Sunday. It was a result of the ongoing bushfires, strong winds and damaging lightning. In the Loddon Mallee unit support team area, which includes Mount Alexander Shire, SES…
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Castlemaine exhibition to honour much-loved Guildford Big Tree
DJAARA, the Dja Dja Wurrung Clans Aboriginal Corporation, is planning an exhibition at the Castlemaine Arts Museum in July to honour the timber which fell from the much-loved Guildford Big Tree in February 2024. The Guildford Biyal (red gum) has long been a culturally significant and important tree for Dja Dja Wurrung People (Djaara). It…
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Newstead Live Music Festival program unveiled
The countdown is on for Newstead Live Music Festival 2026 on January 23-26. Organisers were putting the finishing touches to the curation of the festival line-up late last week, and the program was set to go to print and ‘live’ on the website Monday morning. The festival celebrates 20 years since it made the move…
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Join the carol singing
The 2025 Rotary Carols in the Park returns to Castlemaine’s Victory Park this Friday evening and is once again set to feature a host of local talent. Rotarian and Carols coordinator Scott Buchanan is at the helm for his fourth time and said it would be a special evening not to be missed. “We will…
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Students offer free health checks
A group of first year La Trobe University Bendigo nursing students are currently visiting Castlemaine and surrounds as part of the university’s ‘Healthy Towns’ project. Project coordinator Brad Hodge said Healthy Towns was a community-driven rural health initiative designed to support under-served rural communities while giving university students the chance to develop real-world skills. “Through…
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Crossing creates division
Q. What do you get when you put a zebra on top of a wombat? A. A pedestrian crossing that divides the community. The new pedestrian crossing on Mostyn Street in Castlemaine’s CBD, a wombat (a raised speed hump) with a zebra (thick, parallel white stripes) on top, was officially opened on Friday by MP…
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Let’s celebrate diversity
Celebrate International Day of People with Disability (IDPwD) by joining in a free community event in Castlemaine on Wednesday December 3. IDPwD works to increase public awareness, understanding and acceptance of people with disability. It’s also a day to celebrate diversity and think about how we can make our shire a more welcoming and inclusive…