Victorian Government
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Council seeks answers on school site
The Old Kyneton Primary School site remains fenced off one year on from its scheduled redevelopment completion date, and Macedon Ranges Shire Council is seeking answers. The Victorian Government invested $12 million for the Baynton Street site for community use with a gallery space with areas for community groups by March 2024. Speaking at council’s…
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Kitchen garden grows
Kyneton High School has partnered with Sunbury and Cobaw Community Health and successfully secured a $50,000 grant from the state government to grow a kitchen garden. The project is one of 84 recipients who successfully outbid over 600 applicants to receive a share of $4.87 million from VicHealth. A spokesperson from VicHealth said this application…
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Gisborne open space push
A small but valuable parcel of land could provide Gisborne with much-sought open space if Macedon Ranges Shire Council can acquire it. The 4.5 acres at 120 Aitken Street was donated to the local primary school for use as a pine plantation and bird sanctuary in the 1920s. At that time, 18 local families and…
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Protesting proposed protest laws
Central Vic Climate Action, along with a number of other groups such as Extinction Rebellion and Wombat Action Group, gathered outside Jacinta Allan’s office in Bendigo last Thursday to celebrate protest and all it has achieved, and bring an important message: democracy dies when protest is criminalised. Avery Barnett-Dacey was one of the speakers at…
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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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Engaging young people
Mount Alexander Shire Council has been granted almost $300,000 to run youth projects in the shire through the Engage! program and the youth-run Eight Metre Speaker committee. The Engage! program will receive $170,000 to work with young people, community organisations and service providers to provide activities, training and development programs. The programs will be aimed…
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Anger at broken promise
The creation of a new Wombat-Lerderderg National Park has been delayed until next year, angering local environmental activists who describe the failure of the state government to legislate the park as a broken promise. Members and supporters of Wombat Forestcare were assured in letters from the environment minister, Steve Dimopoulos, and local member, Mary-Anne Thomas,…
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Amess Road decision imminent
A decision is imminent on controversial plans that could change the face of Riddells Creek forever. Victorian Planning Minister Sonya Kilkenny will this month determine the fate of the Draft Macedon Ranges Planning Scheme Amendment C161macr at Amess Road. The amendment would allow a housing development that is anticipated to urbanise and double the size…
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Levy to impact tourism, but boost housing
Macedon Ranges accommodation providers are nervously awaiting the outcome of major changes to their industry and expect tourism to also take a hit. Short stay rentals will become more costly from January next year following the Short Stay Levy Bill introduced to Parliament last week. The legislation introduces a 7.5 per cent levy on short…
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Alarm raised over Amess Road consultation figures
Riddells Creek residents have raised alarm over the integrity of community consultation for a major Riddells Creek planning application conducted via Engage Victoria. Riddells Creek Planning Group has written to Minister for Planning Sonya Kilkenny seeking the process be immediately stopped and reviewed following a discrepancy in data. On July 19, planning group members met…
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Turning trash into treasure
Romsey residents now have a new way to recycle unwanted items and an alternative to buying new, thanks to funding from the state government’s $5.9 million Circular Economy Councils Fund. Romsey’s new ReSale Shop at the Romsey Resource Recovery Centre, one of 67 projects supported by the $5.9 million fund, was officially opened last Friday…
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Community helps fund new tanker
Woodend CFA has recently taken delivery of a new 4WD medium tanker that was partly funded through the Victorian Government’s Volunteer Emergency Service Equipment Program. “We applied for the grant in 2020, when I was captain of the brigade,” said former captain Mike Dornau. “The CFA provides the brigade with vehicles and equipment to suit…