The Smith & Western Jury at The Taproom
The Smith & Western Jury will be performing at the Taproom at Shedshaker Brewing this Saturday June 13. The band sound like the moment a freight train barrels past you—loud, fast, and impossible to ignore. Forged in the backrooms and beer-soaked stages of Naarm/Melbourne, the band deliver a rock-driven punch laced with a western twang—familiar at first glance, but unmistakably their own.
Their 2024 debut, Hotel Texas, didn’t just introduce them —it put everyone on notice. The record earned ABC Country’s Feature Album of the Week, with rotation across Saturday Night Country, Edge of Country, and Henry Wagons’ Tower of Song on Double J.
Cinematic clips for Button That Collar and Hotel Texas also landed on CMT Australia, expanding the band’s growing reputation for drama and scale.
Now they return with a new single, Lucky Stars—a darker, more introspective cut that reveals another side of the band.
Written in the aftermath of sudden health upheaval, the track wrestles with uncertainty, disconnection, and the strange reality of life-altering news delivered in ways that can feel rushed, dismissive, and detached. It’s a moment of stillness beneath the noise—proof that the band’s storytelling cuts as deep as their sound hits hard.
In October 2025, the band stepped into the studio with producer Jordan Koop (Orville Peck, PONY) to record their second full-length album. The new material pushes harder and cuts deeper—proof that The Smith & Western Jury aren’t slowing down.
From Out On The Weekend and Queenscliff to Tamworth and Meatstock, and supporting heavyweights like Ella Hooper, Luca Brasi, and Henry Wagons, their live show stomps and sweats, leaving no one standing still.
The Smith & Western Jury lead singer, Sam Lombardi, told the Mail that the band loves playing regional shows.
“Castlemaine has been on our band bucket list for quite some time,” she said.
“We’re super excited to be playing at Shedshaker Taproom.”
The train isn’t stopping—it’s only picking up speed.
For tickets, visit: events.humanitix.com/the-smith-and-western-jury
Harcourt Fires to feature at ‘LOCALS’
A personal new documentary Harcourt Fires by local writer and photographer, Katherine Seppings, has been selected for the LOCALS program at this year’s Castlemaine Documentary Festival (CDoc) June 26-28.
On January 9, 2026, as the Fogarty’s Gap Road fire approached, Katherine evacuated from Harcourt town to North Harcourt, experiencing the fire twice. She captured the terror and devastation on the day, and the following weeks of recovery and renewal.
Katherine has extensive knowledge of bushfires. She contributed to The Complete Bushfire Safety Book, written by her mother, Joan Webster OAM; has organised local Community Fireguards, and has documented the aftermath of major bushfires in Victoria since Ash Wednesday, 1983.
“Living in Harcourt, and documenting the fires here on January 9 was deeply personal. It felt imperative to share what I witnessed, and to honour the impact on our whole region,” Katherine said.
LOCALS, one of the highlights of the festival, returns for its fifth year to celebrate homegrown storytelling and champion grassroots creative voices from across the region.
From heartfelt to hilarious, this vibrant collection of short-form documentaries offers a window into the people, places, and stories that make our community unlike any other.
For tickets to this special event visit https://events.humanitix.com/locals-2026-after-party-at-theatre-royal
For more on the festival program visit https://cdocff.com.au/
My Green Gully with Ken Killeen – Part Two
The first instalment of Ken’s two-part interview was published in last week’s edition of the Castlemaine Mail on May 29.
Throughout his years teaching, Ken witnessed massive changes to public education, including the abolition of technical schools and the introduction of VCE. Locally, this led to the merger of the tech and the high school.
The replacement of the comprehensive T.O.P. arts program with a single VCE art subject was devastating for many teachers.
Through the union, Ken and his Castlemaine colleagues fought back.
“We lobbied the Education Department, saying, ‘Hey, what about us? What about these art courses?’” he said.
“Through our lobbying, they gave us a second arts subject called Studio Arts.”
The new tech school building was built in Norwood Hill, but the art and PE departments operated across the road from the Commercial Hotel, where the IGA carpark is now.
Over the decades, Ken became head of the CSC art department, head of arts, a leading transitions teacher, and later one of the founding teachers of CSC’s Steiner stream — one of only two secondary Steiner streams operating within Victorian state schools.
“I genuinely love the classroom and I do miss it.”
Though increasingly frustrated by growing pressures on teachers – larger class sizes, increasingly complex student needs, and reduced preparation time – Ken remains deeply passionate about public education.
“I still think state schools are undervalued and underfunded,” he said.
“But ultimately it’s such a worthwhile vocation.”
A federally funded study tour to Finland, Denmark, and Sweden years before left a lasting impression on him.
“The biggest takeaway was how empowered the students were,” he said.
“The students greeted us, showed us around the schools, and explained their learning while the teachers sat quietly at the back.”
When Ken and his fellow teachers asked a group of students what they knew about Australia they yelled, ‘ACDC, ACDC!’
He believes Australia could learn much from Scandinavian education systems that invest heavily in teachers and student wellbeing.
Ken has five sons, who all attended school in Castlemaine and his youngest son Caspar, is currently doing is teaching rounds in outdoor education and Castlemaine Secondary College!
Outside teaching, Ken has continued his artistic practice, exhibiting at Lot 19 in recent years. He is also an ordained priest in the esoteric Christian church and helped establish the Castlemaine Johannine Community.
On leave since the beginning of the year, and preparing to officially retire in July, Ken still volunteers in the classroom and will be heading off to camp with a group of students later in the year!
And the all-important questions:
What hobbies do you enjoy? Gardening and breeding rare chooks. I think I’m a chookaholic – I’ve got about 80. I’m in a book club and a biodynamic compost group.
Who are your three dream dinner guests? One of them would be Rudolf Steiner. Jesus Christ. And Nick Cave.
What are your philosophies in life? Human kindness. I think in this day and age, kindness is a radical idea. Not being selfish, caring about others, caring about the environment and caring about the future.
Finally, what do you love most about the place you call home? People are basically kind. Just look at what happened after Harcourt, after the fires, and how everybody rallies together, but at other times, it’s a very divided town. I think it’s a town with a social conscience, generally speaking. And I’m proud of the fact that Castlemaine had a majority yes vote in the referendum.
MAIN Game returns!
94.9MainFM’s highly anticipated and much-loved community event, the MAIN Game, returns for its seventh year this Sunday June 7.
The historic Camp Reserve in Castlemaine will host the annual battle royale between the Rockatoos and the Radio Galahs.
The MAIN Game brings footy and fundraising together for local radio station 94.9 MainFM, a cornerstone of the community for many years. Both teams, comprising local radio presenters, tradies, musicians and respectable community members are excited to put on a show while raising vital funds to support MainFM’s programming and community efforts.
It’s more than footy!
The event is family and dog friendly, with activities for the kids, MAIN Game merch, as well as food stalls – BBQ, donuts, pizza and coffee – not to mention the MAIN Bar, where you can grab a beverage, featuring two local Castlemaine breweries.
Music & Entertainment!
Castlemaine’s own dynamic brass ensemble, Thompson’s Foundry Band will set the tone with some brass brilliance ahead of the first bounce, with Elo & the Shinkicks taking the stage at the half-time break. Bring the kids and a footy so you can have a kick on the hallowed turf between quarters, just like the old days!
MainFM94.9 will broadcast all the sounds, sights and action from the ground with its informative and entertaining commentary team, Macca & Gus!
“There’s no doubt footy brings people together and the MAIN Game ticks all the boxes as a fun community event,” said Steph Riddel, Station Manager at MainFM.
“But it’s more than just footy – it’s a community footy music mini- festival fundraiser,” she said.
“Not only will this be an entertaining game of footy, but it’s also a fantastic way to show your support for MainFM, which plays such an important role in keeping the community connected.”
About 94.9 MainFM
MainFM has been serving the local community with music, news, specialist programs, and a platform for local voices since 2015. As a beloved local radio station, it continues to provide important content that fosters connection, inclusivity, and engagement within the community.
The gates open at 12 noon. Tickets are available at mainfm.net
All that jazz – myriad of artists to feature
Camp Reserve redevelopment long overdue
Fresh eyes on the Camp Reserve
Gold Camp Castlemaine is inviting the whole of Castlemaine to attend one of two public meetings at the Castlemaine Town Hall on Thursday, June 11, to look at a new vision for Camp Reserve.
The group said the new plan could potentially break the current impasse and offer a once-in-a-lifetime redevelopment that delivers premier facilities for sporting clubs, Camp Reserve user groups, and the community.
Group organisers told the Mail that the new plan draws on the body of work already compiled by the council and aligns with sports codes and multiple levels of policy.
Gold Camp Castlemaine has engaged Rush\Wright Associates and their team of consultants to review the planning application for Camp Reserve PA077/2025. They say the result is fresh and inspiring, could unite the community and tick all the boxes on everybody’s wish list.
As well as meeting relevant planning policy, the plan would keep the essence of the Camp’s historic landscape, which can then be restored.
The group are hopeful all parties will see merit in this review and rethink, including all the sports clubs and community groups that have given feedback in the past.
The two sessions will take place from 4 pm-5.30 pm and from 6pm-7.30pm.
You can find out more, meet the external consultant team, ask questions and see what you think.
“It is time to bring the community together with a plan that delivers for everyone in the shire,” a Gold Camp Castlemaine spokesperson said.
Everyone is warmly welcome.
Honouring connection
The final push – Help get the Container of Hope to its destination
Art Show ramps up
It was all action stations at Castlemaine Town Hall last Sunday as artists delivered their artworks for the 37th Rotary Castlemaine Art Show.
The show was officially opened last night with a Gala Opening event to announce the 2026 award winners.
The crowd enjoying entertainment by The Blackbird Echo, a central-west Victorian duo combining jazz, soul, country and blues influences.
With an incredible 510 works from 166 artists from across Victoria and beyond in a wide array of mediums, there’s sure to be something for all tastes.
Art Show curator Catherine Tait designs the show through the week with a fantastic team of volunteer helpers.
“Once again, we have a wonderful display of artistic talents. The diversity and range of work from beginners to experienced artists amazes me. It’s a wonderful opportunity to support Rotary Castlemaine,” Catherine said
The Art Show is open to the public from 10am daily, Friday through Monday, across the King’s Birthday long weekend June 5-8. Adult entry to the show is $8.
The Rotary Castlemaine Art Show Raffle this year features a limited edition print of a Peter Kingston watercolour. Tickets, $2, available at the door.
Funds raised from the event will be directed to a range of community groups and projects.
