Mount Alexander Shire Council is inviting community feedback on concept designs for the upgrade of Elsie Palmer Field at Wesley Hill Recreation Reserve to support both cricket and soccer at the site.
Elsie Palmer Field is home to the North Castlemaine Cricket Club and council has worked closely with the club to ensure the upgraded design continues to support cricket as a primary user.
The concept includes a new synthetic centre wicket, retention of the turf wicket table, and new cricket training nets on the eastern side.
To meet growing demand from the Castlemaine Goldfields Football Club, the shire’s only soccer club, the design also proposes a multi-sport field that accommodates both cricket and soccer, along with improvements for informal community use.
Mayor Toby Heydon said the project aims to create a flexible and inclusive community facility.
“With such fond memories of playing the Red Hats there – though never troubling the scorers much – I know how important Elsie Palmer Field is to our cricket community, and these upgrades will ensure cricket remains a strong and supported presence at the site,” Cr Heydon said.
“At the same time, we’re responding to major growth in soccer participation to create a shared space that works for both sports and the wider community. We want to hear from residents, players, parents and neighbours before the design is finalised.”
The community consultation is open until March 13.
Residents can contribute by completing a short survey, attending an onsite information session or by providing a written submission.
Details and links are available at www.shape.mountalexander.vic.gov.au/upgrades-wesley-hill-recreation-reserve

The Victorian Miniature Railway (VMR) in conjunction with events at Woop Woop Mini Golf & Sculpture Gardens will lead the symbolic ‘Harcourt Reopen’ event this Saturday February 21.
Fellow local businesses Harcourt General Store, Rodilesa Nursery, Henry of Harcourt, the Harcourt BP Service Station and Harcourt Post Office, have already reopened, providing essential services.
VMR, whose members were instrumental in firefighting efforts and provided the initial coordination base for the relief hub, will be open for the entire weekend (February 21-22) from 8am to 5pm Saturday and Sunday to welcome the community back.
The Mail toured the tourist destination, which has been 10 years in the making, with VMR president Andrew Mierisch and VMR member Darcy Allan, late last week.
The pair said they had lost trees, shedding and other outbuildings but had been very fortunate thanks to the fire-fighting efforts of their members, CFA crews and Forest Fire Management.
“We have had to remove quite a few unsafe trees in the wake of the fire. We also lost five of our engines. These were priceless. Each one takes up to a decade to build and an investment upwards of $30,000 each. To buy one completely finished you are looking around $130,000 but its the painstaking man-hours you can get back. It’s something insurance just won’t cover,” Andrew said.
But fortunately their friends from across Victoria will be bringing their engines to Harcourt to help bolster this weekend’s event and ensure there are plenty of trains hitting the track.
“We have our friends from Eltham, Box Hill and Altona Miniature Railways joining us to ensure the weekend is a huge success,” he said.
Entry to the VMR reopening event will be $10 with funds raised to support VMR’s recovery from the disaster, and also put plans in place for a special Harcourt community celebration to be held in the depths of winter 2026.
“We normally charge $5 but we want to raise a little money to help us get back on track, and we also want to host a free, fully-catered community lunch or dinner for around 2000 people in the Harcourt and district and run free trains sometime mid-year. The focus of the event will be to bring everyone back to reconnect, check in, and keep those important connections, support, and conversations going,” Andrew said.
Woop Woop Sculpture Gardens at 171 Blackjack Road will also be open from 9am to 4pm this Saturday February 21 as part of a free event for the whole community ‘Harcourt Re-Sprouting 2026 – Help Harcourt Heal’.
There will be kids activities, free mini golf, a Jumbo Auction Fundraiser & Mega Raffle with funds raised to support the Harcourt Progress Association and the Harcourt CFA.
Wood Woops Judy Gleeson said she can’t wait to welcome everyone back.
“We have had some incredibly generous donations. We will be auctioning off everything from an in-home performance by Mayor and muso Cr Tony Heydon, Harcourt Football Netball Club identity and fire hero ‘Buzz’ Nunn’s famous thongs, a sculpture by Sir Leslie Thornton, and lots more items (you’ll need to be there on the day to bid on those!). To bid on the auction items and purchase raffle tickets visit https://app.galabid.com/help-harcourt-heal/items

Community members impacted by the January 9 fire at Ravenswood, Walmer, Harcourt and Sutton Grange are invited to meet and yarn with representatives of Bushfire Survivors for Climate Action to share their stories and hear about how other bushfire survivors have used their experiences for change.
Serena Joyner (Blue Mountains) and Jan Harris (Bega Valley) from Bushfire Survivors for Climate Action, will be at the Taproom at Shedshaker Brewing at The Mill Castlemaine next Tuesday evening February 24, and at the Harcourt Leisure Centre on Wednesday February 25.
Jan explained they are visiting Harcourt and surrounds to listen to and yarn with those impacted by the recent fires.
“As survivors ourselves each of us has felt the devastating loss brought about by bushfires – whether it be a home, cherished mementos or our sense of safety and peace of mind. But from these devastating origins, we have discovered strength, and our voices,” she said.
“We have forged a vibrant and diverse community of survivor advocates who share an unwavering commitment and determination to end the mining and burning of fossil fuels for the safety and well-being of all communities,” Jan said.
“We are keen to meet with locals to listen and talk, and for them to know they are not alone. We are here to help amplify the voices of those directly and indirectly impacted by bushfires.
“Speaking up is definitely not for everyone, and there is no pressure to join us. But we want to offer solidarity, a listening ear and to answer questions for anyone curious about the work we do. Like me, some of our survivor advocates lost everything. But like Serena, some didn’t lose a home, but can
speak to their own frightening experiences and the impact the fires have had on their communities,” Jan said.
Serena said they have visited other communities affected by catastrophic fires.
“We were in Pomonal and Halls Gap after the terrible fires there last year and sat with survivors and heard their stories,” she said.
“We are all seeing fires getting more intense and more destructive, and the costs to our communities are rising and rising. It’s just not fair that big polluting corporations responsible for making climate change worse are making huge profits but are not helping us. Those companies need to pay a levy to pay for the costs of our community’s recovery and fund the work needed to be better prepared for a hotter and more unstable future,” Serena said.
Interested community members are welcome to pop into the Taproom on Tuesday February 24 from 5pm or the Harcourt Recovery Centre on Wednesday February 25 at 11am if you want to chat with Jan and Serena.
Bushfire Survivors for Climate Action (BSCA) is a non-partisan, community organisation made up of bushfire survivors, firefighters and their families working together to call on our leaders to take action on climate change.
BSCA has been at the cutting edge of legal reform to reduce climate emissions and hold governments, agencies and companies to account.Visit https://bushfiresurvivors.org