Macedon Ranges Shire Council
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CFA loses council contract
Local fire brigades have lost their longstanding fire equipment maintenance contract with Macedon Ranges Shire Council, which provided a valuable source of income for their work. The council has instead awarded the tender to a private contractor, Bendigo-based Elliots Fire and Safety Services. For decades, qualified volunteer technicians from Macedon Ranges CFA brigades have serviced…
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Haste on Clarkefield plan “unreasonable”
Macedon Ranges Shire Council has called out the state government’s haste in its four-week consultation on a development planned to change the face of Clarkefield. At council’s meeting last week, Cr Jennifer Anderson revealed the council had been informally refused a time extension on its submission to the process. With submissions closing yesterday, MRSC has…
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Intersection safety improvements questioned
Residents in Batters Lane at Kyneton have questioned the efficacy of intersection safety improvements on their road after a two-car collision sent four people to hospital last Tuesday morning. Emergency services were called to the scene at the intersection of Batters Lane and Pipers Creek Road about 9.20am. Police allege a 77-year-old man from Hoppers…
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Heritage questioned in cross tree clearing
A dispute has emerged between the Victorian National Parks Association and Parks Victoria over woodland clearing works at Mount Macedon, with differing interpretations of the heritage basis for the project. The controversy centres on vulnerable snow gum removal near the Mount Macedon Memorial Cross, which Parks Victoria says was undertaken to restore views associated with…
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Local designers edged out
Two local skatepark designers have questioned Macedon Ranges Shire Council’s decision to award the redevelopment contract for Kyneton Skatepark to a large Melbourne-based firm. Kyneton designer Darren White of Baseplate and Woodend designer Wade Trevean of EastbyWest – the team behind the successful Lancefield and Romsey skateparks – said they were bitterly disappointed their quote…
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Clarkefield future in focus
A 2300-home development will change the face of Clarkefield if approved and now the Victorian Government has opened consultation. The move follows Macedon Ranges Shire Council’s calls for broad community awareness and input after the plans were referred to the state’s Development Facilitation Program. Draft Macedon Ranges Planning Scheme Amendment – C164macr proposes a new…
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Lancefield development ‘sterilised’
A group of Lancefield landowners are hopeful a lengthy planning battle restricting development may soon come to an end. Macedon Ranges Shire mayor, Cr Kate Kendall, has sought Planning Minister Sonya Kilkenny’s urgent assistance to remove Development Plan Overlay Schedule 24 (DPO24) that has created almost the opposite outcome of its intent. Cr Kendall told…
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Urgent calls for safety upgrade
Two school children struck by cars and injured within a week of each other at Woodend have prompted calls for urgent road safety measures. The incidents occurred at Romsey Road on April 21 and April 28 when children were walking home from school. Both children required medical care and one was taken by road ambulance…
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Kilkenny ‘please explain’
Macedon Ranges Shire Council is calling on Minister for Planning Sonya Kilkenny to explain removal of significant trees from Mount Macedon without notification. Parks Victoria has gained ministerial approval to remove snow gums and other vegetation to reinstate view lines to Mount Macedon Memorial Cross ahead of Anzac Day. Works began earlier this month without…
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Anzac fund barrier removed
Macedon Ranges Shire Council has removed a controversial barrier to Anzac Day support funding, but not without opposition. Both Kyneton and Malmsbury were denied Anzac Day Commemorative Services Support Fund assistance for this year’s services due to conflict with the council’s Gambling Harm Minimisation Policy. The policy came into effect last July and precludes activities…
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Speed reduction recommended
Macedon Ranges Shire councillors will next week consider a recommendation to lower speeds at a section of Three Chain Road in Newham from 100km/h to 80km/h. The council commissioned an independent road safety audit for the site where it intersects with Egans Lane and Dons Road, following a fatal crash there in February. Dom Testoni,…
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Mass fish death at Malmsbury
A mass fish death has occurred in the ornamental lake at Malmsbury Botanic Gardens, prompting an investigation by local authorities. Macedon Ranges Shire Council parks staff became aware of the incident on March 20 after the Friends of Malmsbury Botanic Gardens and Environs reported about 20 dead carp floating on the lake. Council chief executive…