Mount Alexander Shire Council
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Residents asking ‘WTF’: Where’s the footpath?!
Pedestrians are concerned about the safety and accessibility of the newly constructed kerb at the delivery dock of Castlemaine’s Woolworths development. The large concrete edging has created a dead-end for people using wheelchairs or prams and left community members questioning who is responsible for remedying the situation – Woolworths, the developers or the council? Local…
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Roo savaged by dog, left to drown
A kangaroo was saved from the Coliban Main Water Channel by wildlife rescuers after it was attacked by an off-leash dog in Elphinstone on March 28. Volunteers from Wildlife Victoria were called to the scene and managed to extract the 70kg male kangaroo from the water channel, before providing medical assistance. He was taken to…
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Legacy project completed
After more than a decade closed to traffic, the Vaughan-Tarilta bridge (or low-level crossing as the experts call it) has been replaced. The original timber bridge crossing the Loddon River was built in 1868. The closure of this vital crossing has caused long detours and limited access for locals. The replacement concrete crossing came with…
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“We’re not giving up”
Mount Alexander Shire Council is advocating for federal funding to deliver an affordable housing development in Castlemaine ahead of the upcoming federal election. The project will create 22 affordable rental apartments on council land at 65 Templeton Street. Apartments will be a mix of one and two bedrooms, a household type that is currently lacking…
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Planning powers at risk
Planning powers could be overridden if local councils do not co-operate with the Victorian Government’s latest housing targets to reach 2.24 million new homes by 2051. Macedon Ranges Shire is expected to accommodate an additional 13,200 houses by 2051 in updated plans released last week. It is an additional 500 homes on what was initially…
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Parking, parrots and potential fires
Mount Alexander Shire Council is seeking a permanent speed reduction along a one-kilometre stretch of Golden Point Road at Chewton to address road safety issues at Expedition Pass Reservoir. Following on from the article ‘An accident waiting to happen?’ (published in the Express on January 7), which outlined community concern about haphazard parking along the…
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A community united in Castlemaine
Australia Day is a contentious day, and instead of bringing the nation together, it divides sections of the community in their beliefs about how the day should be celebrated, if it should be celebrated at all, or when it should be held. And yet somehow, the Mount Alexander Shire community has found a way to…
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Councils prioritise Indigenous relations
Macedon Ranges Shire Council has joined more than 30 per cent of Victorian councils and once more decided against hosting Australia Day celebrations in reconciliation with Indigenous Australians. This action has been in place since August 2023 when the council voted 5-2 in favour of moving the annual Australia Day Awards and citizenship ceremony. To…
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Streetscape to get $12.19M makeover
Frederick Street and Mechanics Lane in Castlemaine are set to receive a major facelift thanks a $12.19 million boost from the federal government. The works aim to link two of the town’s major shopping areas and connect them to a range of important community facilities. Federal Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government…
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Experience the joy of Latin dance!
Latin dancing is hitting the streets of Castlemaine once again with Street Latin Dance: Summer Salsa. Supported by Mount Alexander Shire Council, this lively event brings the infectious rhythms and energy of Latin culture to Mechanics Lane for an evening of fun, music and movement. No matter your experience level, this event is for everyone!…
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Council reimagines the economy
Mount Alexander Shire Council is at the forefront of changing the way we look at the economy by using the ‘wellbeing economy’ ethos as the basis for the council’s Economic Development Strategy. Late last year, the council hosted a screening of ground-breaking documentary, Purpose, to help explain the wellbeing economy model to the community. The…
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An accident waiting to happen?
As the weather heats up, so too does public outrage at the parking situation at the ‘Res in Chewton (Expedition Pass Reservoir). The issue of limited parking at the popular swimming spot has been occurring for years, as visitors and residents keen for a dip, park haphazardly on the narrow roadside curb on the sharp…