Mount Alexander Shire Council
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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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Camp Reserve master plan draws debate
A “once in a lifetime opportunity to improve our premier reserve” is the way one local councillor has described the adoption of an amended Camp Reserve Master Plan in recent days. At its September meeting last week, Mount Alexander Shire Council voted 6:1 in favour of adopting the new plan intended to guide some $6…
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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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Grand old dame gets a makeover
Works to restore and preserve Castlemaine’s historic Market Building are continuing to draw a huge amount of interest. The Express caught up with heritage contractors Ivy Constructions who are working closely with RBA Architects and Conservation Consultants to undertake extensive testing, maintenance and restoration work on the much-loved local icon on behalf of Mount Alexander…
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Carbon neutral plan for council
Mount Alexander Shire Council has adopted a detailed plan outlining the path it now intends to follow to achieve zero net carbon emissions for its operations by 2025. Local councillors last week unanimously voted in favour of adopting the new Roadmap to Carbon Neutrality 2020-2025 with Cr John Nieman moving the motion in favour and…
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Circus aims to bring a smile
The creators behind the inaugural Castlemaine Circus Festival are watching COVID-19 developments closely and continuing to plan their highly anticipated event. Campbells Creek couple and international circus performers Caz Walsh and Mason West said their November show would definitely go ahead either way. Caz said they had been working closely with Mount Alexander Shire Council…
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Bus commuters without shelter
Castlemaine CBD bus commuters have been left without shelter from the elements thanks to an ongoing campaign of vandalism. Local resident James Taylor contacted the Express over his concerns about the town’s Mostyn Street bus shelter. “Unfortunately, it seems there has been a silent war going on between the council and the group of yobbos…
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Review triggers backlash from tiny housers
Proposed local law changes for Mount Alexander Shire have tiny house advocates up in arms. As part of its current wider local laws review Mount Alexander Shire Council is proposing changes to the laws governing camping on private property – something with implications for tiny house residents. The proposed new local law would allow people…
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Successful bid to reduce speed limit
Sutton Grange residents have successfully lobbied to have the speed limit on the Bendigo-Sutton Grange Road within the township reduced from 100km/h to 80km/h. The local community has been lobbying for the change for 20 years. Mount Alexander Shire Council submitted a request to Regional Roads Victoria to reduce the speed limit, following consideration of…
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Get Lost Quick in the collective
Ten local creative projects will receive $1000 each in funding support from Mount Alexander Shire Council’s rapid-response Get Lost Quick grants program. Many of the funded projects will reveal and celebrate past and emerging stories from Jaara country, including Lisa D’Onofrio’s research to celebrate historical and contemporary local women; Jan Wositzky’s reignited ‘Storyteller’s Guide to…
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Locals helping locals
Mt Alexander Community Enterprise Inc has donated $4000 to local groups in support of their COVID-19 work in the community. Representatives of Mt ACE attended the Community Pantry at the Castlemaine Church of Christ to hand over their contribution last week. Mt ACE recognises the important work local groups are undertaking during this difficult time…
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In Your Face at Newstead
A new art project at Newstead will invite people to try their hand at portraiture, capturing the faces that make up the local community. The Newstead Art Salon In Your Face Portrait project has just received $3000 in grant dollars through Mount Alexander Shire Council’s latest community grants round with a series of 25 In…