I reject the assertion made by John A Lewis (Opinions, Mail, Friday June 5) that my view of the redevelopment of the public recreation precinct of the Camp Reserve is due to a “common ignorance of” its history. Rather, I view the redevelopment as an opportunity to promote the living history of Castlemaine, and to give due respect to its Football Club founded in 1859, the third oldest football club in the world. I’m happy to agree that the best place to view sporting and other activities is from the wing on the Gingell St side of the ground. However, a count during the senior game against Broadford recently found a total of two people watching the game in their car with all other cars parked on the “hill” empty. This area is currently used as a carpark during games and could certainly be used as a more effective viewing platform. I encourage people to view the short animation on YouTube (search for: Camp Reserve Castlemaine, Development). This artist’s impression shows the “hill” would remain largely intact. Most of the current lines of sight to the oval will be retained. In addition, the same “hill” will become a great place to watch netball being played on the new courts. The loss of two established red gums does not preclude council from making every effort to not only retain the historical significance of this area but also enhance it. This could include new signage providing information and encouragement for town folk and visitors to explore the wider Camp Reserve. Most importantly, this should not be limited to the significance of trees, buildings and other features in Goldsmith Crescent and beyond from the perspective of Colonial Settlement, but also to the Dja Dja Wurrung heritage of the area. Of the many other advantages that would result from the proposed upgrade, as listed on the council website: https://shape.mountalexander.vic.gov.au/CampReserve, the most persuasive for me is the better integration of the football and netball playing areas. It will no longer be women playing netball on the court out the back and out of sight, but rather as equal partners with the men playing football. This is entirely consistent with its name, Castlemaine Football Netball Club. The provision of all abilities and all gender changerooms to be used by a wide range of sporting and other community groups is vitally important. In summary, this development provides a bridge from the colonial era use of Camp Reserve to its use today as a modern sporting precinct and should be supported by the broader Castlemaine community. Editor’s Note: The latest amendment before council seeks to protect three trees along the perimeter of the reserve, not to two redgums.
When you select a date in May for an event, you are always wary of the weather. On Saturday, May 23, we awoke to a spectacular sunrise as we prepared for the Biggest Morning Tea, raising funds for Cancer Council. The day was fine with no rain, an overcast sky and late in the morning, a bit of breeze, not enough to deter a good crowd of locals and visitors from further away from gathering for tea, coffee and fresh scones and investing in the various raffles and stalls. We must thank everyone who came for their generosity, thank our family and the volunteers who worked so hard to make the day a success. You donated $5628.30, which has been banked with the Cancer Council. Thanks must also go to the people who donated goodies for the raffle, including the unsolicited gifts from Priceline and Country Trends, both from Maryborough. The press have again been supreme in helping to promote the event. Social media is important, but nothing beats a photo and a well-written story. Yes, we plan to have a BMT again in 2027 on Saturday, May 22.
With regard to Mr Braybrook’s missive of ‘What has happened to Castlemaine?’ (Opinions, Mail, June 5, 2026) may I point out the similarities between the upgrade to the Camp Reserve (in its current apparently unsuccessful form) and the bid for poker machines in The Goods Shed; both failed because they were ridiculous, overly ambitious, inappropriate, doomed to failure and very expensive. The ratepayers outlaid some $800,000 on the Camp planning permit and the Maryborough Highland Society threw away a similar amount only to be told to go away. Mr Braybrook refers to those willing to take up a fight against foolish proposals and unachievable propositions, as “do gooders” yet I reckon they are passionate about their town. It can be safely stated that everyone agrees the Camp needs an upgrade but one that will attract funding, is realistic and is likely to transpire. I am confident that a sensible outcome will be forthcoming for the Camp, just like a sensible outcome was provided by VCAT for the ludicrous notion of 65 poker machines in The Goods Shed; a state-owned heritage listed building.
Championship winners (L-R) Darren Trevena, Tony Skinner and Greg Brown.
Saturday was the final of the Castlemaine Rifle Club Championship for the 2025–2026 season. The club has a very long and proud history of competitive rifle shooting at Castlemaine. The range was first gazetted in 1861 with the Volunteer Corps under Colonel J.E.N. Bull practising there. With Federation in 1901 the club became the Castlemaine Rifle Club. The championship then commenced in 1917 with I Gibson being the first champion. 109 years later the club will be adding new names to its Championship Boards. Saturday was the eighth and final stage of the competition that has been running for the last 12 months. To win the event you have to be a skilled marksman able to handle all conditions. Whether it is hot or cold, wet or dry, windy or still, and above all you need to be the best. The event started at the 800 yard mound in fairly pleasant conditions. Greg Brown started with 47.3 in ‘Target Rifle’ to lead Chris Jolme with 47.2. In ‘F Class’ Darren Trevena scored 57.3 to lead Kerri Neven with 57.2. Tony Skinner shot an excellent 60.5 to lead Shannon King with 57.2 in ‘F Open’. The final round was shot from the long distance of 900 yards. Conditions were still pretty good except for the failing light. In Target Rifle Greg Brown with 47.3 again led Chris Jolme with 46.0. In F Class James Dolphin scored 59.2 to lead Damien Trevena with 58.2. In F Open Tony Skinner again shot very well scoring 66.4 with Shannon King next with 60.3. Daily results saw Greg Brown win Target Rifle with 99.6 with Chris Jolme next with 93.2. Chris won the handicap from Richard Ruddick. Darren Trevena was the winner in F Class scoring 115.5 followed by James Dolphin with 114.5. James won the handicap from Kerri Neven. In F Open Tony Skinner had an exceptional shoot scoring a possible being 126.9, followed by Shannon King with 111.5. Shannon won the handicap from Tom Christie. Next was the big presentation for Club Champions, Target Rifle was won by Greg Brown from Richard Ruddick and Chris Jolme. Richard won the handicap from Chris. Darren Trevena won in F Class from Kerri Neven and Bradley Knox. Kerri won the handicap from Bradley. In F Open the winner was Tony Skinner from Shannon King and Tom Christie. Shannon won the handicap from Tom. The winners can be justifiably proud of their achievements with their names to be added to the lists of previous Club Champions, and recorded for history. This week a practice will be held to commence at 1pm. For more on this sport call the Captain on 5474 2552 or see Max at Castlemaine Fresh.
The daily winners were (L-R) Darren Trevena, Tony Skinner, Shannon King, Chris Jolme, Greg Brown and James Dolphin.
The Rockatoos were thrilled to claim the trophy for the second consecutive year. Photo: Diana Domonkos
94.9 MainFM’s annual footy fundraiser, the MAIN Game, on Sunday June 7 was a huge success, with hundreds of people streaming into Camp Reserve over the King’s Birthday long weekend to witness the much-loved clash between the Radio Galahs and the Rockatoos. The crowd was treated to an entertaining and spirited contest, with the Rockatoos holding on to claim the trophy by eight points, 7.4 (46) to the Galahs 6.2 (38). Local photographer Diana Domonkos captured these fantastic images of the day which was once again a fantastic celebration of community and an important fundraiser to keep the community radio station on the airwaves.
The Radio Galahs gave a spirited performance and never bowed their heads.A couple of Galahs remove a unwelcome pitch invader.The umpires take to the field to the cheers of the crowd.Castlemaniacs of all ages turned out for the event.The Castlemaine Circus performance was a highlight.Young supporters are proudly pictured in their footy colours.Punters enjoyed the footy, food, bevvies and live entertainment throughout the day.
The Grist Cafe Group which met through the 'Get Connected' program officially launched their group exhibition on Tuesday.
The latest art show at Grist Cafe Bakery in Wesley Hill was officially opened on Tuesday. The exhibition by the ‘Grist Cafe Art Group’ has been created by a group of friends who originally met through Dhelkaya Community Health’s ‘Get Connected’ program. During weekly get-togethers at Grist, against a backdrop of other art shows throughout the year, the idea formed that the group would like to have their own art exhibition. The works to be displayed are the product of people who have practiced art over a long period of time through to those who have been more recent converts. The eclectic range of works include colourful oils and watercolours, charcoal sketches through to photography, and feature a diverse subject matter from landscapes to portraits. Some works are for sale, but others have deep personal value and will be retained by the artist. One such special piece is a group collaboration ‘The Warrior’ which has transformed a base created by technicians at Peter Mac, to be utilised by one of their members during radiotherapy treatment, into an incredible work of art. Each member of the group contributing a magnificent ‘feather’ to be added to the work as a tribute to their friend and to all those challenge by cancer. The show will run until June 26.
Group collaboration ‘The Warrior’ celebrates the brave battle by one of their members.
Magpie stalwart John Watson celebrated his 200 game milestone with a goal and a 207 point win. Photo: Lorelle Huntly.
The Castlemaine Football Netball Club welcomed Bendigo Football Netball League newcomers Broadford FC to the Camp Reserve for the first time on Saturday in round 8 action. The club report is as follows: Football The Magpie Under 18s faced a hard-nosed Broadford. The boys got challenged to play a four quarter Castlemaine game, which is exactly what they did. They ran away convincing winners in the end 167-21. Standouts for the day included Lewis Murray, Ben Jardine, Max Matheson and Jack Archer. This places the Under 18’s into 4th position on the ladder and in a great position to lock away a finals spot. They come up against a firing Sandhurst this weekend which presents a massive challenge for the boys! The Reserves got back on the winners list at home. Castlemaine got off to a great start kicking 5 goals 7 points to nil. Broadford fought out the game kicking a goal in each quarter to finish with 3. The Magpies kicked another 8 for the game to finish with 13 and come out on top by 74 points. Chaz Holman finished with 6 goals and Caspian Lord got 3, both were in the best with Alec Staples and Campbell McLennan. Harper Kneebone continues to impress. Best for the day was Patty Leathem who stepped up to ruck duties and showed that he’s not only a good defender. The 2s are starting to show some real talent and depth. The Seniors match was started with acknowledging our very own John Watson’s fabulous Senior career at Castlemaine. John has many accolades; amongst them, CFNC Life Membership, coaching premiership teams in our Juniors, Coach of the Year in Juniors and always doing what is best for Castlemaine. John has been with us in the lean years where Saturday’s result had been reversed and saw us on the end of many defeats. Congratulations John on an amazing achievement, thank you for the dedication and time given to CFNC- 200 Senior games! We look forward to watching you continue the tally! We also congratulate Alex Welch on his Senior debut and wish him a fabulous future at CFNC. The talent coming through our ranks is outstanding! Our sincere thanks to Len Watson for coming into the rooms prior to the match to acknowledge John’s milestone and present Alex with his jumper. It is wonderful to see our past players coming to our games and continuing their support of CFNC. With a total of 35 goals kicked we watched Harts kick a total of 15! What an effort, with everyone keeping count around the ground. The last time a personal tally like this took place at Castlemaine was in 1992 when Steven Oliver kicked 14. Harry continued his great form and came away with 50 touches, an outstanding performance. Bodhi Robinson got to celebrate his first Senior win at Castlemaine. Every Senior player played their part and for supporters it was a chance to enjoy a match without the angst! Our skills were on display for the large crowd, as we all know it is sometimes hard playing in games where the outcome was known early on; we stuck with the plan knowing that percentage will come into play at the end of the season. This result was fabulous for all the boys who had not played in such a match, we hope they enjoyed the feeling. We now head into the second half of the season with momentum and need to win those close ones! Netball Under 17s After a few tough weeks, we secured our first win on the board for the season. It was a close and competitive game throughout, with both teams fighting hard. Everyone played their role and contributed to a strong team performance from start to finish. It was a fantastic effort and a great result! B Reserve B Res celebrated their first win of the season with a fantastic team performance. The players showed great determination under pressure, working together seamlessly to move the ball down the court and create opportunities for the goalies. Defensively, the team never gave up, with the defenders putting in a huge effort to win rebounds, collect loose balls, and contest every play. It was a well-deserved win that reflected the hard work, teamwork, and persistence shown by the entire side. B Grade Things didn’t go our way on the scoreboard, but every player gave their all from start to finish. We continued to work together as a team, supported each other through the tough moments, and never stopped fighting for every ball. While the result wasn’t what we hoped for, there were plenty of positives to take away, and we’ll use them to keep improving. We’ll learn from this game, stay focused, and come back stronger next time. A Grade Castlemaine celebrated its first A Grade win since returning to the competition, marking a significant milestone for the club. It was especially exciting for Grace, Abby T, Abby K and Anna, who recorded their first-ever win in the black and white dress. As a netball program, we continue to grow, develop and build towards sustained success, and we’re excited about what lies ahead for the group. (Broadford do not field an U15 or A Reserve side). Sponsor of the Week This week the club celebrate our Platinum Sponsors Fairbrother. We sincerely thank them for their ongoing support. For over 50 years Fairbrother has been a symbol of excellence in the Australian constructions industry. From their beginnings in Tasmania’s northwest, they have grown across the state and into Victoria to become a recognised industry leader. They are a nationally award-winning company specialising in commercial and industrial construction, joinery and facilities management. Fairbrother have undertaken quality work which can be seen at Galkangu (Bendigo GovHub), Bendigo Art Gallery and Werribee Open Range Zoo to name but a few. These projects and many more can be viewed on their website. This weekend The Magpie Women’s and Under 18 Girls squads enjoyed a week’s rest due to the King’s Birthday long weekend and will tackle Sandhurst at the Queen Elizabeth Oval this evening, Friday June 12. The Under 18s hit the park at 5.30pm, followed by the Senior Women at 7.30pm. This Saturday the Magpie sides play Sandhurst at the home of finals, the Queen Elizabeth Oval. Let’s show everyone how far we have come! Go Magpies!
Madi Clifford leaps to keep the ball in play against Broadford. Photo: Max Lesser.
The Ravens Theatre Company's debut production, The Seagull, will open to a sellout crowd at the Phee Broadway Theatre tonight. Photo: Stewart Carter
Castlemaine’s newest professional theatre company, The Ravens Theatre Company, will launch its debut production of The Seagull tonight.More than 1200 tickets had already sold ahead of tonight's openin...
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The 4.3-kilometre off-road trail from Campbells Creek Park to Camp Reserve in Castlemaine has officially been named Watjarang Baring, meaning platypus track in the Dja Dja Wurrung language.The decisio...
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Central Vic Climate Action, the local hub of the Rising Tide movement, led a rally outside the Bendigo ANZ Branch on Wednesday to ask the bank to rule out funding the North East Australia Pipeline.The...
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Year 7 students gave positive feedback about the transition from primary school to high school.
Following overwhelmingly positive feedback from families and strong evidence of improved student engagement and learning outcomes, Castlemaine Secondary College will expand its successful TechSmart ap...
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Judith Hopkins is pictured at resting place of her ancestors and former saddlery owner James Lindsay, wife Susan and their children Susan, Willie and Susan at the Castlemaine Cemetery.
Castlemaine history enthusiasts will be delighted to learn about a new book which delves into the history of a number of local pioneering local families including the Lindsay, Martin and Crump families. The new book titled A History of the Lindsay and Clarke Families 1852-2025 has been painstakingly researched and written by Judith Hopkins whose family has a long connection to the Warragul & Drouin Gazette. Judith told the Mail the book began as a yearning to know more about her Nana Reita Clarke’s family. “To satisfy this itch, I contacted the Clarke family historian, Verna Woods. Verna had reams of information on both the Lindsay and Clarke families, and generously shared it with me,” Judith said. This initial information led her to make a number of important family connections and these people were a catalyst for two-years of extensive information gathering. Her research led her to Castlemaine where she connected with Ruth Giddings at the Castlemaine Historical Society who assisted Judith to delve deeper into her Castlemaine family connections. “Once gathered, I couldn’t bear to see this research lost. I wanted it recorded and passed on to future Lindsay and Clarke generations,” Judith said. Thus the idea for the comprehensive family history book was born. “Did I find any skeletons in the closet? Well no, but I did find some interesting characters along the way, Sir George Samuel Measom and Major Charles Newman for instance, plus a predominant sense of determination: the two Lindsay boys, the Clarkes, the Martins, the Crumps and the Newmans, all had the will to succeed in a new, fledgling land, a long way from home,” Judith said. Judith’s great great grandfather James Lindsay and his wife Susan (nee Kilpatrick) were pioneering members of the local community establishing a saddlery shop and tent at the corner of Mostyn and Union Streets in 1855 and later opening a larger business on Barker Street. Shortly after they settled in Castlemaine tragedy struck. James’ brother, Robert, 22, who joined the police force on arrival in Australia, died as a result of an accidental gunshot wound after leaning on his musket whilst guarding 45 prisoners. James and Susan went on to have nine children, naming their first son in honour of Robert, but sadly the high infant mortality rate took its toll on the family, with three small graves. Lindsay took active roles in community affairs, including urging the Railway Committee to reconsider plans to divert the railway line away from Castlemaine. As a tribute to his life work he was mentioned every year in Castlemaine Annual Show reports as having taken all saddlery prizes. Another ancestor, Charles Martin, was a master butcher and the Martin and Crump families built homes and settled in Wimble Street in the mid 1850s. Judith recently visited Castlemaine to share her newly completed book with her friends at the Castlemaine Historical Society, and also visited the former family homes in Wimble Street, and family graves at the Castlemaine Cemetery. Judith said her research into the book highlighted the important role local newspapers played in recording the everyday happenings of rural people and events “The Mount Alexander Mail (predecessor to the Castlemaine Mail) provided the answers to many questions. “I would like to acknowledge these reporters of the past, and suggest local newspapers today are just as important as they continue to provide account accounts of local news and, importantly, are still archived for future reference,” she said. Anyone who would like to know more about Judith’s research and limited edition book is welcome to email her at jbhopkins@bigpond.com
Judith Hopkins at the grave of former butcher Charles Martin and his wife Frances at Castlemaine Cemetery.The new book captures Judith’s research and family stories for posterity.
