Castlemaine
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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…
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Presenting The Feathered Five
Nature Art Soundscapes are musicians Hilary Blackshaw (volin, guitar and vocals), Joel Bloom (lap steel guitar), Clara Schutz (cello) and artist Jane Rusden. The quartet celebrates local woodland wildlife through weaving beautiful projected live art making with an evocative improvised music soundscape. Nature Art Soundscapes will present The Feathered Five from 7pm to 9pm on…
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Stonnington Symphony presents Motion and Reflection
Guest conductor Michael Lichnovsky returns to Stonnington Symphony for the sixth time with a thoughtfully curated selection of works that explore the themes of Motion and Reflection, offering audiences a journey through a diverse musical landscape. The orchestra is headed to Castlemaine in November with a program that invites us to consider music as both…
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Explore the ‘Vegie Patch’ at Shades of Gray
Castlemaine’s iconic Shades of Gray Gallery and Garden is getting set to launch its highly anticipated annual exhibition this Saturday and this year’s event is set to be the biggest and best yet. Shade of Gray founder and artist Peter Gray said this year’s exhibition was the culmination of 32 years honing his craft and…
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HEDGE gardeners to open gates
The passionate ‘HEDGE’ gardeners collective in Mount Alexander will be generously opening their garden gates to the community once again this November. Held on alternate years to Castlemaine’s biennial Festival of Gardens, HEDGE (which stands for – Happy, Energetic, Dirt-Loving, Garden Enthusiasts) enjoy celebrating their love of all things gardening with fellow green thumbs. This…