Mount Alexander
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Big line-up for Town Folk Festival
The countdown is on until Castlemaine’s highly anticipated second annual Town Folk Festival on Saturday February 11. Bringing together 16 of the best contemporary artists from across Victoria and beyond, Town Folk Festival celebrates diverse, compelling and exciting music, which all fits vaguely or specifically under the ever-widening umbrella of folk. The one-day festival will…
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Wood’s landscape win
Eve Lamb Castlemaine artist Greg Wood has won Victoria’s $20,000 John Lesley Art Prize. The local artist claimed the newly announced award with his oil on linen work entitled Reimagining, inspired by Castlemaine’s Forest Creek where it runs near his Chewton home. And fellow Castlemaine painter, Rob Maclaurin, also has cause for celebration as he…
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Restoration begins for old church
Mount Alexander Shire Council has begun work to repair and restore the former Wesleyan Church in Chewton. The building located at 205 Main Road, was built in the 1850s but has sat vacant since 2010, and is in a poor state of repair. In 2017 the council resolved to sell the building, however, following advocacy…
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Run the Maine a success
Runners from across the region and beyond descended on Castlemaine on AFL grand final eve, September 23, for the annual Run The Maine fundraiser. It was the first time in two years that runners could return to the track after pandemic disruption forced the popular annual event to move to an online format. Hundreds of…
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Forced to flee: Afghani women make film in the ‘Maine
Eve Lamb A group of young Afghani women who recently fled the oppressive rule of the Taliban have visited Castlemaine to play key roles in a new short film. The three were all in Castlemaine to participate in filming of My Yellow Dress, a short art film being made by local creatives and filmmakers including Castlemaine’s Bruce…
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Prepare to huff n puff
Eve Lamb With hundreds of runners already limbering up for Friday’s long anticipated Run The Maine, organisers have their fingers crossed for ideal conditions. “We’re on target to raise at least $15,000,” event director Gavin Krasner says ahead of the multi-distance afternoon running event happening this Friday’s Grand Final public holiday. Since Run the Maine’s…
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Great Good Friday effort
Local fire brigades, businesses and individuals across Macedon Ranges and Mount Alexander have boosted this year’s Royal Children’s Hospital Good Friday Appeal total. Woodend, Newham and Hesket-Kerrie fire brigades collected a near-record total of $14,725 including $11,633 for Woodend, $1679 for Hesket-Kerrie and $1413 for Newham. The Woodend brigade noted an increase in the number…
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Value in diversity
Windarring Disability Services is encouraging diversity in workplaces across Macedon Ranges and Mount Alexander Shire. Shaelee Desmond, Windarring’s Australian Disability Enterprise team leader for Kyneton and Castlemaine, said hiring a person with a disability contributed to a business’s overall diversity and culture for staff, communities and customers. “Windarring is a people-centered, community-based organisation committed to…
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Close shave for Alex
Edgar’s Mission has rescued a sheep carrying 40kgs of wool found at Mount Alexander earlier this month. The wool-burdened sheep, affectionately named Alex, was in a poor state of health and unable to stand when Elphinstone bushwalker Chris Dyson made the discovery. Displaying haunting similarities to Baarack the sheep, whom the sanctuary took in last…
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Calling entrepreneurs
Got a new business idea or an existing business looking to scale up and expand into new markets? If so, you might be interested in Startup Central Victoria’s second accelerator program that commences in February 2022. Aspiring and emerging entrepreneurs based in Macedon Ranges, Mount Alexander, Greater Bendigo, Campaspe, Loddon and Central Goldfields are eligible…
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Exemption on farm worker accommodation
Farmers will no longer require a permit to build on-farm worker accommodation under new Victorian planning changes. The permit exemption is available to accommodate up to 10 workers engaged in agriculture and must be on at least 40 hectares of land in the Farm Zone. Minister for Agriculture Mary-Anne Thomas said the amendment would remove…
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Businesses join big shift
Businesses throughout Mount Alexander are being invited to join forces with others and commit to shift to 100 per cent clean energy. The 100% Clean Energy Campaign is one of a number of new Warrarrack Initiatives emerging locally as part of growing community momentum towards taking direct action to address climate change and the threats…