Macedon Ranges Shire Council
-
Swim school seeks move
Gisborne South-based Splash Buddies Swim School could be forced to shut down if its bid to relocate is rejected. Owner Rynelle Mills told Macedon Ranges Shire councillors last week that the school could no longer operate from its current site. “At our current Gisborne South location we have no ability to heat our pool year-round…
-
Farmers push for strategy rethink
Farmers have united in a bid for a fairer deal in Macedon Ranges Shire Council’s Draft Rural Land Use Strategy. The strategy proposes rezoning pockets of Farm Zone land to Rural Conservation that would restrict primary producers who wish to diversify away from or change their agricultural focus. It’s a move that Pipers Creek farmer…
-
Skate park priority
Macedon Ranges Shire Council will prioritise the Gisborne Skate Park and Pump Track in its application to the state’s Growing Suburbs Fund. The council is seeking $450,000 for the project which will rejuvenate the park and increase activity for users of all skill levels. In 2020 the Express reported then nine-year-old Thomas Gilmour’s campaign to council to…
-
Dog attack devastates
Two escaped dogs attacked a flock of sheep at Baynton last week, killing two and maiming 33 that later had to be euthanised. Farmer Daniel McKenna discovered the gruesome scene on his property last Wednesday. “It was like a battle scene,” he said. “There were sheep lying down kicking in the air everywhere. “The dogs…
-
A fence too far?
Twelve Lancefield residents have until December’s end to tear down their fences and gardens to accommodate a new council footpath. The High Street residents discovered, in May, their properties encroached the road reserve and they would need to foot the bill to correct it. Some are being asked to shift entire front fencelines for as…
-
Farmers win favour
A Kyneton sheep farming family is bound for big plans after a critical decision was made in their favour. The Pinto family aims to be among Australia’s largest Shropshire breeders and said a permit to build was a “make or break decision”. Their Baynton Road property falls under the 40ha build requirement for the Farm…
-
Urgent plea on netball needs
Kyneton netballers have made an urgent and desperate plea for action to bring their facilities up to code. Last week, Kyneton Football Netball Club secretary, Vinitha Pinto, made an appeal for funding in Macedon Ranges Shire Council’s 2022/23 budget. “The netball courts we have in Kyneton are not as per code and for the last…
-
Tourism-draw questioned
A multi-million dollar redevelopment of ‘The Old Factory’ in Woodend has been rejected at the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal. Impact on the town’s commercial core, question of genuine tourism draw and the need to maintain industrial areas were key factors in the decision. Branded a tourist destination, the original plan included a 40-stall market,…
-
Honing healthy skills
Nutritious and delicious food made from scratch is on the menu at Gisborne Secondary College. Students have been sharpening their skills through a cooking course delivered by local culinary nutritionists Expert Eats, Sunbury and Cobaw Community Health, Healthy Heart of Victoria and Macedon Ranges Shire Council. The classes are based on the cooking videos of…
-
Truffle farm build rejected
Building on a small Farm Zone property has been rejected to support what Macedon Ranges Shire Council has described as “de facto hobby farming”. Plans were to build a home in support of a two-hectare truffle orchard and seasonal grazing on 17 hectares in Lauriston. While no permit was required for the farming activities, building…
-
Bid to build in farm zone
New Kyneton farmers aiming to be among Australia’s largest Shropshire sheep breeders are fighting to build in the Farm Zone to realise their dreams. The Pinto family seeks to build shedding, water tank and a family home but their property falls under the 40ha build requirement for the zone. Farm plans present a vision for…
-
Prioritise safety call
Woodend’s St Ambrose Primary School community is calling for pedestrian safety works to be prioritised in Macedon Ranges Shire Council’s draft budget. About 100 people used Walk to School Day as an opportunity to highlight the dangers for students with a lack of safe crossing points in the Woodend school precinct. More than 150 parents…