Unfortunately home games at Chewton Soldiers Memorial Park were postponed on Saturday July 8 due to standing water making the ground unplayable for the six Castlemaine Goldfields FC junior fixtures scheduled. Both Bendigo Amateur Soccer League (BASL) and the club will be working together to ensure those games can go ahead at a future time, with both catch-up rounds and midweek games to be considered. The club is hoping that the recent continued wet weather will be starting ease in the coming weeks and the second half of the season goes ahead without further postponements.
Around the grounds across Bendigo though things were a little muddy games went ahead including a great double victory in the U16 mid-season Knock Out Cup for U16 Gold.
Seniors and Youth
Thankfully the rain eased before Sunday and three games managed to take place with our Women, Div 7 and Div 5 Men all taking out wins as well as our our Youth Team who were away to Golden City. Goals to Tame, Silas and an Golden City own goal saw a solid win for the ‘Prospects’ on the road.
In the early kick-off a short numbered Women’s squad took on an even more depleted bottom of the table Golden City. With only eight players from City taking to the field the Maine played with nine and a bench of two still putting in a massively dominant performance to come away 12-0 winners. Six different scores on the day saw hat tricks for V and Eva backed up with goals from Jess, Sarah, Ana and Bridget.
Next up Castlemaine Div 5 Men’s teams looked to put two disappointing results behind them hosting fellow league winning hopefuls West Point.
To say it started badly would be the understatement of the season, as an early mistake from kick off saw West Point take the lead. Maine looked to respond, spreading the ball around, trying to tire their older, more experienced opponents. Chances were created, but no goals. Late in the half, Maine won a penalty for deliberate hand ball with the ball destined for the back of the net. Although the penalty and follow up were well saved, Maine further increased pressure on a stretched West Point, who held on till half time.
The second half was a similar story, with Maine pressing and harrassing in defence, while creating and probing in attack trying to make the most of their extra player. Finally the breakthrough came in the 78th minute, when Kyan scored in the top corner from the right side of the box. With the dogged defensive line finally breached, it was only a few minutes later when Dennick put Maine ahead 2-1.
West Point were not going to lie down though, and gave one final press for a hard won corner, with even the keeper up. Fortunately, the ball fell to Lemuel, who ran 60 metres and slotted home into an empty net, setting off celebrations from the Maine players.
An exceptional performance from all envolved, with James and Dave Gunter returning from long term injuries, Jerome and Brody providing excellent control in midfield, and Dennick and Lemuel showing some much needed composure in front of goal.
In the final game of the day the Div 7s got back to winning ways enjoying a hard fought victory at Chewton on Sunday beating 4th placed Reservoir 1-0.
The team played some great football and had the majority of possession and shots on goal throughout the match. Despite creating many chances they just couldn’t put the ball away, going in 0-0 at half time. Coach Terry Attwood reminded them to stick to the game plan, be patient and a goal would come. However the second half continued much like the 1st half, until the 70th minute when the Mainers finally scored a tap-in from a corner. A huge team effort and a great game to watch seeing a well earned 3 points.
Run the Maine 2022 showed their love for local health services and health activity with the event delivering essential funds for Dhelkaya Health.
Dhelkaya Health CEO Sue Race was thrilled to be presented with a cheque for $20,000 from Run the Maine Director Gavin Krasner last October and the funds were recently used to purchase a BiPAP machine, providing support for critically unwell patients needing respiratory support at Dhelkaya Health’s Urgent Care Centre.
Ms Race said the local hospital is incredibly grateful to the organisers, event partners, sponsors and participants of Run the Maine.
“Despite all the challenges faced the Run the Maine team continued to raise funds through virtual events in 2020 and 2021! Congratulations on the success of Run the Maine in 2022. Our community is so fortunate to benefit from your hard work, sweat and generosity in getting new equipment for Dhelkaya Health’s Urgent Care Centre,” Ms Race said.
Run the Maine mascot and social media star The Bird, was happy to join CEO Sue Race for a patient’s eye view of the new equipment, skilfully operated by Nurse Gillian.
The BiPAP machine is the latest non-invasive option to support a patient’s breathing, shown to be very effective in cases of acute heart failure and some types of respiratory failure by reducing the effort needed to breathe and increasing the volume of space in the lungs for respiration to occur.
Early Bird Registration for the 15th edition of Run the Maine 2023 is now open so be sure to jump online and register! The event will once again take place on Grand Final Eve, Friday September 29. Get out the trainers, maybe review the training tips videos on the Run the Maine website https://runthemaine.org.
There is a course tailored for everyone, so sign up to their newsletter and we will see you there! Love your work Run the Maine!
The team at Billman’s Foundry have done it again – creating an enormous statue of nurse Lieutenant Colonel Vivian Bullwinkel to be placed in the grounds of the Australian War Memorial in Canberra in recognition of her exceptional military service and her contribution to the development of Australian nursing.
Born in Kapunda, South Australia, Vivian trained as a nurse in Broken Hill. At the age of 25 she enlisted in the Australian Army Nursing Service and was posted to the 13th Australian General Hospital in Malaya which was then moved to Singapore Island. After the evacuation of nursing staff, patients, women and children Vivian found herself onboard the SS Vyner Brooke which was sunk by Japanese aircraft.
Vivian drifted for hours, clinging to a lifeboat, before coming ashore on Banka Island. Japanese troops arrived on the island and ordered 22 nurses into the sea where they fired on them. Vivian, struck by a bullet and feigning her death was the only survivor.
Upon returning to the beach she found a wounded British soldier who she hid with and cared for until he died 12 days later after which Vivian surrendered and was held captive for three and a half years.
After retiring from the army in 1947 Vivian went on to become the Director of Nursing at Melbourne’s Fairfield Hospital. She devoted herself to nursing and honouring those killed on Banka Island, raising funds for a nurses’ memorial, and serving as a member of the Council of the Australian War Memorial, and later President of the Royal College of Nursing, Australia.
The three metre tall sculpture in honour of Vivian designed by Dr Charles Robb will be the first depiction of an individual woman or nurse on the grounds.
The team at Billman’s Foundry spent more than 340 hours completing and putting together 18 sections of the statue which has been sent to the Australian War Memorial to be unveiled on August 2.
Production Manager Travis Billman said their foundry is the only one in Australia able to work on such large scale.
“Dad started the business 40 years ago and it’s a bit of a lost trade really. He’s passed the skills down to us, whereas most places stopped training young people to work on loose moulds,” said Daniel who bought the foundry with his brother Travis earlier this year.
“We make the moulds from sand and then burn it to harden before pouring molten bronze of 1250 degrees,” explained Daniel.
The list of jobs the foundry has worked on since its inception in the late 70s is enormous and statues and fountains produced right here in Castlemaine can be found right across Australia.
According to Daniel and Travis the first big job their dad completed was a pair of gates for the President of Singapore back in the late 80s. Since then, the foundry has produced numerous Chaffey Fountains, giant whales, flamingos, Rocky and Bullwinkle, and Daniel’s favourite – a Peter Brock Memorial.
The winners of our 2023 Castlemaine Mail Trivia Trail promotion were officially drawn last Friday July 7.
The innovative new shop local campaign encouraged our loyal Mail readers and digital subscribers to hunt for local trivia clues throughout the Mount Alexander Shire over the 10 week promotion and submit their weekly entry form to be in the running to win vouchers to spend at our 19 fantastic participating businesses.
The final question quizzed readers about what birthday milestone our long running publication, previously known as the Mount Alexander Mail, will celebrate in 2024. The answer being our 170th!
We are excited to announce that the winner of the $1000 prize was Pam Docherty who has spread her spend over eight of the 19 participating local businesses.
We also had 4 x $250 winners. They were Lois Barry, Karen Caval, Joan Cox, and David Paull.
Congratulations to all our winners and thanks to all those who took the time to enter the competition.
Thanks also to all the wonderful local businesses which featured in this year’s promotion including: Beehave, Hot ‘n’ Crusty, Maldon Newsagency, Extremity Castlemaine, Mulberrys Delicatessen, PETStock Castlemaine, Maine Shoes & Accessories, Wesley Hill Bakery, Greenaway Bins, Midland Pet Supplies, Clifford Quality Cuts, Mensland Castlemaine, PJ’s Tyres, Top End Technology, Cumberland Hotel, Castlemaine IGA, Lyal Eales Stores, Chapman’s Framing and Photography and Stocks Gifts & Gallery/Ivy & Grace.
