Embrace the spirit of the Muckleford community on Saturday, December 9 starting at 4pm at the Muckleford Community Centre at 338 Muckleford-Walmer Road.
This event, hosted by the Muckleford Community Centre, is an informal opportunity for neighbours to come together to celebrate the richness of the Muckleford community.
There will be a free ‘sausage sizzle’ BBQ and Muckleford residents are invited to bring a plate of their favourite sweet or savory dish, along with any drinks.
“This event is a great opportunity for new and old Muckleford locals to connect (or reconnect post-COVID), and share a sip and chat. It’s all about fostering community bonds in a relaxed setting” says Daniel Bone from the Muckleford Community Centre.
Muckleford residents are asked to email mucklefordhall@gmail.com or call 0402 389 171 to indicate their attendance and any vegetarian or vegan preferences.
This event is being supported by a Mount Alexander Shire Christmas celebration grant.
Castlemaine’s Theatre Royal was packed on Wednesday evening with more than 130 business representatives from across the shire gathering for the 2023 Mount Alexander Business Awards.
The biennial awards celebrate business excellence and innovation and the vital role that our small businesses play employing and training local community members and offering a myriad of wonderful goods and services which make the Mount Alexander Shire such a special place to live.
The crowd was welcomed by Mayor Cr Rosie Annear who said the variety of businesses that we have in our small shire is nothing short of impressive.
“We’ve got it all from retail, hospitality and tourism, to manufacturing and IT, and health and wellbeing services, we don’t need to go anywhere else.
“Winner or not, you are an incredible bunch of generous people who enrich our community in so many ways,” Mayor Annear said.
This year’s award categories were ‘reimagined’ to create greater diversity and two new awards were added the Lifetime Achievement Award and the People’s Choice Award.
Congratulations to the category winners of the 2023 Mount Alexander Business Awards which were:
Community Focused – Castlemaine Institute
Creative Marketing – Warral Maldon
Diverse and Inclusive – Trace Balla
Environmental Impact – Fumina Projects
Innovative Service or Product – BIG4 Castlemaine Gardens Holiday Park
New Business – Maldon Bakery
Young Achiever – Matthew Thompson from Sandy Creek Clydesdales
The winners were chosen by an independent judging panel who considered the 21 finalists chosen from an initial 63 entries.
There were more than 500 public votes for the People’s Choice category which was taken out by Sandy Creek Clydesdales.
Respected local businessman, co-founder of Graffiti Publications and Castlemaine Hot Rod Centre chairman Larry O’Toole was recognised posthumously with the Lifetime Achievement Award.
Larry’s longtime friends Rod and Carol Hadfield shared a beautiful tribute to the late businessman before presenting the award to Larry’s wife Mary and their children.
The award acknowledges Larry as a local business leader who made a significant impact on the business community through his work promoting the hot rod industry across the shire.
Finally the ‘2023 Business of the Year’ award and $3000 major prize was presented to Fumina Projects – the team behind The Hub and The Paddock Eco Village – and proudly accepted by Brendan Hales on behalf of the driving forces behind this inspiring local project Neil and Heather Barrett.
The Mount Alexander Business Awards are run by Mount Alexander Shire Council with the support of many wonderful sponsors and partners.
Gold Sponsors include Don Smallgoods, along with Gold Media Partner Midland Express and Castlemaine Mail.
Silver Sponsors include Workspace Australia, Maldon and District Community Bank, Lascorp, RMG and Castlemaine Rotary Club, along with Silver Media Partner Tarrangower Times.
Bronze Sponsors include Westvic Staffing Solutions and nbn Local, along with valued partners Castlemaine Hot Rod Centre, Business Mount Alexander and Maldon Inc.
For more information about the Mount Alexander Business Award winners and finalists visit www.mountalexander.vic.gov.au/BusinessAwards2023.
Castlemaine Highland Pipe Band will celebrate its 70th Anniversary at the Castlemaine Botanical Gardens rotunda this Sunday November 19.
The beloved local band will be joined in the celebrations by their friends from the Golden City Pipe Band, Daylesford Pipe Band, Bendigo Highland Pipe Band and Thompson’s Foundry Band.
There will also be Scottish Country Dancing, a Highland dancer, a traditional haggis ceremony and more from 1pm. Entry is free and the band would love to see past and present members and the wider community there.
Photo: Lisa Dennis
