Macedon Ranges Shire Council
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Spotlight on wildlife road trauma
Wildlife carers are optimistic that more can be done to prevent wildlife road trauma as Macedon Ranges Council moves to investigate the issue. Spearheading the move at council’s September ordinary meeting, Cr Natasha Gayfer said wildlife road trauma had been raised with council several times over the past four years and was in need of…
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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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Malmsbury marks cultural heritage
New cultural signage has been installed at Malmsbury Common Reserve in conjunction with Djandak, the business enterprise of the Dja Dja Wurrung Clans Aboriginal Corporation. Macedon Ranges Shire Council’s director of planning and environment, Angela Hughes, said a desire was expressed by the community to have Dja Dja Wurrung Traditional Owners acknowledged and reflected in…
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FUTURE GISBORNE? Call to reshape 30-year plan
Gisborne ratepayer Dean Markham is leading a fight against a 30-year plan for his town that he fears foreshadows a ‘Sunbury future’. He is challenging Macedon Ranges Council’s draft Gisborne Futures documents that plan for a population boom and map impending development. Determined to keep the town regional, Mr Markham has launched his own campaign…
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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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‘Keep open space’ call
Macedon Ranges Council is seeking to secure significant Gisborne land for public open space to prevent it being snapped up for housing in a projected population boom. Councillor Helen Radnedge launched an appeal to the state government to retain or return the land known as the Gisborne Pine Plantation to the community. The 1.8 hectares…
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Ecosystems decline ‘severe’ and ‘ongoing’
Macedon Ranges faces a critical challenge in tackling the severe and ongoing decline of local ecosystems. Detrimental human and natural impacts on the environment including endangered flora and fauna have been revealed in Macedon Ranges Council’s submission to the parliamentary inquiry into ecosystem decline. Potential effects include further species extinctions, impacts on; health and wellbeing…
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STAFF SPEAK OUT – Council employees detail impact of restructure
Former staff members of Macedon Ranges Shire Council have spoken out about what they describe as a disregard for employee mental health and wellbeing in the lead up to and during the recent organisational restructure of the council. The restructure included the dissolution of the Community Wellbeing directorate, reducing council’s four-tier structure to three. Council…
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Revamp for Carlsruhe roadhouse
An application has been lodged with Macedon Ranges Shire Council for a permit to redevelop the Carlsruhe BP Roadhouse into a freeway service centre. The plan would see the new service centre face onto the freeway instead of onto Cobb and Co Road. The developer has worked with Regional Roads Victoria on the plans to…
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Program grows wings and saves lives
Live4Life, the only youth mental health and suicide prevention model designed specifically for rural communities, has received outstanding validation in an independent two-year evaluation. The evaluation of Live4Life in Benalla and Glenelg Shires found that 75 per cent of young people expected the skills they learned to be useful throughout their lives and 65 per…
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Council CEO resigns
Macedon Ranges Shire Council chief executive officer Margot Stork has today resigned from her position. Ms Stork said she was proud of the many achievements of the past three years while leading the organisation, including major strategic work on the Statement of Planning Policy and Hanging Rock Strategic Plan, and delivering organisational reform. The mayor,…
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Roadhouse rejected for Woodend
A controversial bid for a 24-hour roadhouse with room for three fast-food restaurants at Woodend North has been rejected by Macedon Ranges Council planners. Plans included 16 fuel bowsers, a convenience store, three kitchens with two drive-throughs, internal and external dining areas, a picnic ground, parking and bays for 13 trucks. The ambitious proposal was…