DELWP
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Campaign to protect the forest
In just six weeks Wombat Forestcare has raised more than $12,000 for a campaign to stop VicForests’ salvage logging operations in the Wombat State Forest. Spokeperson Gayle Osborne said the local community cared deeply for the forest and was greatly distressed by the damage caused by the industrial-scale extraction of the fallen timber by VicForests.…
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Rock home in doubt
Hanging Rock Cricket Club may be forced to move from its long-held home at Hanging Rock Reserve if a draft masterplan released by the state government is implemented. Under the plan, released last week and now open for community consultation, the cricket, petanque and tennis clubs will be moved offsite to enable the relocation of…
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Storm over but event not ended
Macedon Ranges is expected to face repercussions from June’s destructive storm for the next month as initial clean-up continues.Woodend SES unit controller Kevin McNair warned “the bulk of the storm is over but the event has not ended”.The Woodend unit responded to almost 600 calls for storm assistance – doubling its yearly average in a…
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Alarm at tree harvesting
Malmsbury East residents have become increasingly alarmed at the number of live trees being cut down, chopped up and removed from the Metcalfe Forest, between the Calder Freeway and Malmsbury-Metcalfe Road. One resident contacted local authorities and the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning in 2018 when this activity was first noticed, and again…
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Council bid for old school site
Macedon Ranges Council will make a bid to take over part of the vacated former Kyneton Primary School site. The proposal comes as the state government moves to find an organisation or group to manage and use part or all of the 1.2 hectares of land on Baynton Street by calling for expressions of interest…
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Offer on Hanging Rock’s East Paddock
Macedon Ranges Council discussed the future of Hanging Rock’s East Paddock behind closed doors on Friday. The Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning made an offer to purchase the council-owned site which is adjacent to the iconic landmark. The offer was listed on the agenda for the council’s special meeting last week but councillors…
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Fierce forest fire
A thick layer of smoke has blanketed parts of the Macedon Ranges after lightning sparked a fierce blaze in the Cobaw Forest near Pipers Creek about 4pm Sunday. About 40 CFA, Forest Fire Management and Parks Victoria crews attacked the firefront that threatened farming properties. Emergency warning alerts were issued as winds spread embers over…
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Old school going to rack and ruin?
The old Kyneton Primary School has suffered its fourth vandalism incident in as many months. The bill for willful damage at the school from broken windows is adding up to thousands of dollars while the future responsibility for the site is yet to be determined. The site, now surplus to education requirements, was committed to…
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Fire compo to court
A Lancefield landholder whose property was burnt out by bushfire as a result of a state government planned burn that got out of control, says he has been forced to resort to legal action to finalise a compensation claim. Graeme Walker and his wife Adele have commenced County Court proceedings against the Department of Environment,…
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Co-op gains Greens
The Victorian Greens have thrown their full support behind the model of a community-managed Kyneton Town Square. A Kyneton and District Town Square Co-Op has been formed with the aim of securing the former Kyneton Primary School site for the project and has welcomed the support of the Greens candidate for Northern Victoria Nicole Rowan…
