Macedon Ranges Shire Council
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Antisemitism confronts Gisborne
A bridge in Gisborne received a swift paint job after upset residents walked along a footpath underneath and were confronted with antisemitic graffiti on its structure last Tuesday morning. The bridge’s pillars were spray painted with swastikas, cartoon drawings of faces with exaggerated noses, and statements – “f**k Israel” and “Jew scum” – on the…
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Autumn Festival to go big
The Visitor Economy team at Macedon Ranges Shire Council has unveiled the 2026 Macedon Ranges Autumn Festival poster with artwork by Chris ‘Roy’ Taylor. Preparations are already well under way for the biggest and best Macedon Ranges Autumn Festival yet – highlighting a month-long celebration across nine villages on April 1-30. The release of the…
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Public toilet thefts costly
Vandals stealing copper wire forced closure of five public toilets across the Macedon Ranges last week as another tourist-centric toilet was closed over lease concerns. Macedon Ranges Shire Council reported closure of toilets at Sankey Reserve (Gisborne), Ross Watt Reserve (New Gisborne), Stanley Park (Macedon), Campaspe Park (Woodend) and Kyneton Botanic Gardens following significant vandalism…
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Riddell to double in size
A controversial development set to double the size of Riddells Creek has been approved by Victorian Government powers against local council and community wishes. The Amess Road development will create 1360 homes for 3808 new residents on 131.8 hectares, despite substantial push-back from Macedon Ranges Shire Council and residents. Last week, Mayor Dom Bonanno said…
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Reserve plan funded in good time
It didn’t make the budget but now Macedon Ranges Shire Council has found unspent funds for a Riddells Creek Recreation Reserve master plan. Last week, councillors agreed to allocate leftover Community Funding Scheme funds of $37,779.27 to the master plan project. The current plan for the reserve is more than 16 years old and no…
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Tighter leash on free dog walking
A group of dog owners are barking back at a proposal to shorten the off-leash Campaspe River Walk Track. Macedon Ranges Shire Council’s review of ‘Dog off-leash and prohibited areas for dogs and cats’ proposes to shorten the track, to stop off-leash dog walking from the Piper Street Bridge to Jennings Street. Kyneton resident Julius…
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Riddells Creek to double in size
Macedon Ranges Shire Council has questioned the Victorian Government’s approval of an Amess Road development, to double the size of Riddells Creek, with little change. The proposal will develop 131.8 hectares to create about 1360 homes for 3808 new residents, but both local residents and the council were united on wanting better outcomes. “This decision…
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Drainage problems stall street works
Romsey’s Stawell Street upgrade planned for completion in June has hit a snag and is now expected to continue into September. Works began on May 12 for reconstruction of the 130m sealed road section between Main Street and Pohlman Street, footpath kerb and channel, raised safety platform, Pohlman/Stawell Street intersection upgrades, and drainage improvements. Macedon…
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Gisborne “outer suburb” fear
Gisborne residents have raised the alarm over urbanisation risk in plans to increase the approved 768-lot Ross Watt Road development by 93 homes. Developer ID_Land seeks to add an 8.998ha residential village with 220 units, manager’s residence and village amenities in the north-west of the site. A ‘trade-off’ would be a reduction in the standard…
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Councils hamstrung, wildlife inquiry reveals
New technologies and ideas have emerged to reduce wildlife road-strike, but councils are hamstrung by limited finances and autonomy, Macedon Ranges Shire Council says. “Residents want councils to act more quickly with more resources to do a whole range of things: put in electronic responsive signage, underpasses, overpasses and narrow roads,” chief executive officer Bernie…
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Inquiry hears of burn out
Wildlife carers across the region are burning out amid increasing case loads and cost pressures, the Victorian Parliament’s inquiry into wildlife road-strike has heard. Local wildlife carers called for increased funding opportunities and reimbursement programs for wildlife rescuers, driver education, and funding for a range of road-strike prevention opportunities. “There are so many pressures with…
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Hotel site to housing?
Could big changes soon be on the cards for the old Romsey Hotel site? A planning application was lodged last Monday for a 10-lot subdivision at the 90-94 Main Street address. The property also fronts 1 William Street and 94 Barry Street. Macedon Ranges Shire Council confirmed receipt of the application, which is currently being…