Castlemaine
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Taking care of the Coliban River
The long-term protection of one of the region’s most important waterways is at the centre of an innovative 20-year plan bringing together government agencies, councils and local communities. A Healthy Coliban Catchment focuses on the health of the Coliban River and its tributaries upstream of Malmsbury Reservoir. For the first time, Coliban Water, the North…
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Travel writer sets down swag in the ‘Maine
There’s not much of Australia that Lee Atkinson hasn’t seen. But when it came to setting down her swag on a more permanent basis the acclaimed travel writer chose Castlemaine. And after buying a house with her husband Bill and shifting to Castlemaine from northern NSW about two months ago, Lee has just launched her…
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Don’t panic, call a beekeeper!
Spring is a busy time for beekeepers as this is the time of year when honeybees swarm. Castlemaine beekeeper Daniel BeeShepherd from the Castlemaine Bee Sanctuary recommends that if people see a swarm of bees that they stay calm and contact a beekeeper. “Seeing so many bees in once place can be very intimidating but…
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Lose yourself to dance
It’s Mental Health Week across Mount Alexander Shire and there’s no better time to put on your dancing shoes and lose yourself to dance. Join the next No Lights No Lycra dance session in Castlemaine this coming Friday. “Dancing is good for your emotional health and has been proven to help fight stress, anxiety and…
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Support networks vital
New data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics reveals suicide rates are at a 10-year high. The Causes of Death Australia 2017 report, released last week, indicates the national suicide rate increased 9.1 per cent over 12 months, with 3128 taking their lives in 2017 compared to 2866 in 2016. beyondblue clinical advisor Dr Stephen…
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Do the time warp
When Castlemaine’s Leslie Thornton was a schoolboy he lived next door to the school – but was always late. In class the young Leslie would stare longingly at the schoolroom clock and today reports that he could often observe the second hand slowing down – or even stopping completely. Now the acclaimed contemporary artist gets…
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Colour runs riot
What better way to celebrate life in all its charm, chaos and occasional confusion than with a riotous celebration of colour. And so it was at Castlemaine Secondary College on Thursday when staff and students took time out beneath a perfect blue sky to participate in the annual Colour Run. First up, a brisk jog…
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Kyneton’s underground
The unexpected opening of a long-buried mine shaft in Kyneton has piqued the interest of mine chasers everywhere. The small opening was uncovered on Premier Mine Road during council works last month and has many pondering just what lies inside. A time capsule of abandoned tools, paperwork and clothing are just some of the historical…
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Local finalist
Castlemaine artist Mark Dober has been announced as a finalist in the prestigious Black Swan Prize for Portraiture in Western Australia, the third richest prize in Australia after the Archibald and Doug Moran. Dober’s work is a self-portrait and was selected from more than 500 entries to feature in an exhibition of 40 finalists at…
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Help blow the trumpet
Castlemaine’s Thompson Foundry Band is blowing its own trumpet by making a movie following its sellout concerts at last year’s Castlemaine State Festival. Local filmmaker Leonie Van Eyk has a film in production and the band is crowdfunding to raise the money to complete it in time for an early evening gala premiere in the…
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The splash on our pool contracts
A new $1,056,455 council contract will see Bendigo Regional YMCA Youth Services manage outdoor pools in Castlemaine, Harcourt and Maldon over the next three years. Mount Alexander Shire councillors unanimously voted in favour of awarding the pool management contract to Bendigo Regional YMCA Youth Services at the ordinary meeting of council last Tuesday night. But…
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Chicken art hatches enterprise
There’s something about chicken art. People seem to go just a bit clucking mad about it. “It’s just egg-cellent really,” said artist Linda Newton, almost deadpan, as she showed the Express around some of the inclusions in Manu Feto Chicken Art Show that opened at Castlemaine’s Drying Shed Art Space on the weekend. Linda is…