Victorian Government
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Community in the dark on Malmsbury Youth Justice Centre reopening
By Morgan Reinwald and Angela Crawford Malmsbury residents and the local Indigenous corporation have said they were blindsided by the state government’s plans to reopen the Malmsbury Youth Justice Centre. The government says it will reopen the centre, which was closed just two years ago, to manage stricter new bail laws and reduce the high…
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Malmsbury Youth Justice Centre to reopen
The state government will reopen the Malmsbury Youth Justice Centre to accommodate spiralling levels of youth offenders in custody due to the state’s new strict bail laws. It comes despite claims made to the Midland Express by the Department of Justice just weeks ago that there were no plans to do so. The government has…
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Plan to reclaim old station aired
The old Riddells Creek Fire Station could become home to local groups like the Men’s Shed and Lions Club if the Victorian Government backs a new plan for its revival. Macedon Ranges Shire Council has recognised the site as a potential haven for ‘homeless’ community-strengthening clubs as the town’s population is soon to double. “When…
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Reforestation takes seed
Mount Macedon is undergoing a landmark reforestation project to restore native forests to former pine plantation sites. The project received $1.13 million funding through Victoria’s BushBank program. “The Mount Macedon Plantation Restoration Project is a huge win for our region,” Macedon MP Mary-Anne Thomas said. “It’s helping to stop the decline of our native plants…
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Deer control to begin
The impact of increasing feral deer populations has put control of numbers in the spotlight. Parks Victoria will, this week, begin its night deer control program in Macedon Regional Park with licensed and professional shooting contractors. Deer are an introduced species and Parks Victoria recognises they “pose significant risks to native biodiversity, water quality, public…
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A first for the nation
Local First Nations groups across the region have welcomed the historic state-wide Treaty tabled in state parliament last Tuesday. It makes Victoria the first state or territory in Australia to introduce a bill of this kind in parliament and, if passed, will set in stone a permanent First Peoples’ Assembly under the name Gellung Warl,…
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Ngannelong speculation
Significant Treaty legislation introduced into the Victorian Parliament last week has re-ignited speculation in certain quarters about possible changes to the names of specific landmarks and waterways on state-controlled land. Could it be that the widely known phrase ‘Picnic at Hanging Rock’ eventually changes to ‘Picnic at Ngannelong’? Under the legislation introduced last week by…
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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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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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Wildlife road-strikes: A growing crisis in Victoria
Kerrie Allen, Mount Alexander Wildlife Watch If you’ve recently spoken about wildlife road-strikes, you’re not alone. The issue has become so widespread and distressing that a Parliamentary Inquiry is currently under way in Victoria. The reasons are obvious — rapid urban development and a booming human population have collided head-on with native wildlife habitats. In…
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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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Old school site “nearly ready”
More than a year overdue, newly renovated spaces at the Old Kyneton Primary School site are “nearly ready for community use”, Creative Victoria has revealed. Creative Victoria has provided an update on the project following probes for answers from Macedon Ranges Shire Council earlier this year. The Victorian Government invested $12 million in the Baynton…