Hepburn Shire Council
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Ward structures under review
Mount Alexander Shire Council and Hepburn Shire Council are among 39 Victorian local councils undergoing electoral structure reviews throughout 2023-24. The Local Government Act 2020 introduced several changes, including that all metropolitan, interface and regional city councils must now have single-councillor ward electoral structures. Macedon Ranges Shire Council will not have its electoral structure reviewed…
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Storm recovery continues
One year on from devastating storms that rocked the region, Trentham Fire Brigade has received a boost to support its response efforts. The brigade received $17,000 for a new generator through the Volunteer Emergency Services Equipment Program. Macedon MP Mary-Anne Thomas visited the station to announce the funding last week. “Recovering from a disaster is…
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Trentham hub start
Construction of a community hub at Trentham will begin this year, with Hepburn Shire Council awarding a contract to Ballarat-based builder S J Weir. The Trentham Community Hub will incorporate a community library, council customer service centre, visitor information services, large community hall, commercial-style kitchen, playgroup area, on-site parking and landscaped surrounds. “This hub is…
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ELECTION ON A KNIFE-EDGE
The local government election rested on a knife-edge in two of Macedon Ranges’ three wards, with first preference numbers too close to call and results determined by preferences. Annette Death swept to victory early in East Ward heralding a strong desire for Riddell representation, the first of just two candidates to achieve the required quota…
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Council candidates revealed
Mount Alexander will see uncontested elections for two wards in October’s local government elections while Macedon Ranges has a strong field of prospective councillors across all wards. There will be no public vote for Mount Alexander’s Coliban and Calder Wards as returning councillors Christine Henderson and Anthony Cordy have secured single vacancies, respectively, unchallenged. A…
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WORLD HERITAGE BID
Castlemaine and surrounds are in plum position to benefit from a momentous bid to see the wider Central Victorian Goldfields attain World Heritage listing. In a key document highlighting why the site is significant and should be given UNESCO World Heritage listing, a UK World Heritage expert has described the Central Victorian Goldfields as the…
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Democracy shift for Hepburn
The launch of a new ‘Community Voice’ group marks a new era of democracy in Hepburn Shire. Community Voice is a non-political grassroots movement that aims to shift the process of local government towards participatory democracy by encouraging continual community participation. Spokesperson Jen Bray said the results of the 2020 Local Government Community Satisfaction Survey,…
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Capturing Trentham
Tea pots, ukuleles, paintbrushes, gaming and pets have all been a part of life in lockdown, and now captured as part of a project to document Trentham through this time. The Driveway Project – Life in Lockdown is the work of local photographer Sandy Scheltema who aims to capture the fun, quirks, talent and loves,…
