Maldon’s annual Shopping Spree has been a highlight on the social calendar for locals and visitors for the past 20 years. The fun-filled event, held on the last Thursday in November, raises much needed funds for the local primary school while supporting local retailers in the lead up to Christmas.
“We are very proud to be part of this unique event,” said Debra Watson Maldon Primary School Business Manager.
At the beginning of the night shoppers receive a bag containing goodies and vouchers providing discounts from local retailers, including a complimentary glass of bubbles at the Maldon Hotel.
The ‘Barrow Boys’ (usually a couple of local footballers) stroll the street with a wheelbarrow full of drinks, keeping shoppers glasses full as they roam the historic township, with the festive sound of music performed by the Maldon Brass Band in the background.
The fun filled night would not be complete without the huge raffle filled with prizes from all participating retailers and other local suppliers. Drawn at the Maldon Hotel, shoppers often enjoy a meal as they wait with anticipation for their lucky number to be drawn.
“We had many different raffle prize winners this year,” Debra said. “Including one very lucky table of school mums who won a whole bunch of prizes”.
This year’s Shopping Spree Fundraiser included 20 local retailers welcoming over 125 shoppers through their doors successfully raising $2,300 for Maldon Primary School.
“A huge Thank you to Megan Walmsley for coordinating the event,” Debra said. “And thank you to the Maldon and District Community Bank for their support of the event.”
Christmas comes to Maldon
Local author digs into the history of the Bendigo Goldfields
Renowned central Victorian artist and author Geoff Hocking has recently released a new book Sandhurst: Genesis to Federation 1935-1910 – a richly illustrated story of the development of Victoria and the Bendigo Goldfields.
The book features more than 300 historic photographs, engravings, original artworks (including a few works produced by the author), and items of goldfields ephemera.
Sandhurst places the rush to gold in central Victoria alongside the development of the colony. It traces the events that formed the City of Bendigo as it is known today; from the first Europeans, the Dja Dja Wurrung, the discovery of gold, the squatters’ runs, the Red Ribbon Agitation, the Chinese, George Lansell and the pioneers whose enterprise was vital in the early days.
For the first 40 years, after the first rush began in 1851, the early settlement of Bendigo was officially known as Sandhurst. By contrast, the diggings were always known as the Bendigo diggings, named after the champion bare-knuckle bruiser from Nottingham, William ‘Abednego’ Thompson ‘Bold Bendigo’. Following a plebiscite in 1891, the name changed to Bendigo.
Sandhurst is one of many titles Hocking has published, retelling stories of the goldfields including; Gold, A Pictorial History of the Australian Gold Rush, Eureka; The Rebel Chorus, and Castlemaine, From Camp to City.
“After writing the Castlemaine book I thought, given that I had grown up in Bendigo, that this would be easy,” Geoff said.
“I soon discovered how wrong I was!
“I decided I need to do a lot more research and put it aside in 2012. During the pandemic I thought, ‘I’ll finish the book on Bendigo’, only to discover that all I had done was the design for the front cover, the title, and the format of the book!” Geoff laughed.
Like so many local authors Geoff put the pandemic lockdowns to good use and finally penned the long awaited book which has been released just in time for Christmas.
Sandhurst: Genesis to Federation 1935-1910 is available for purchase now at Stoneman’s Bookroom 101 Mostyn Street, Castlemaine, and the Castlemaine Market Building 44 Mostyn Street.
Let’s take a look back at the ‘Panama Store’ between Castlemaine and Chewton
Castlemaine Circus showcase on soon
Castlemaine Circus is putting on their amazing annual end of year Circus Show once again on Sunday December 11.
Join them at The Goods Shed for a marvellous array of performances by their circus trainers, teenage troupes and special guests. The whole family will be entertained and amazed by acrobatics, aerial acts, foot juggling, clowning and contortion. Hosted by the colourful carni MC Madeline Hudson and live Balkan / Latin music by the Kyneton Street Band.
Performances by the circus trainers at Castlemaine Circus include Nichola Hall, Caz Walsh, Nina Robertson with special guests Erika Hansson, Cassia Jamieson and Ellie Hanuska the Contortionist.
Nina Robertson is an acrobat specialising in Risley (human foot juggling), Partner Acro and Aerial Rope. She has just finished a season of Future Proof with Gravity Dolls in the Melbourne Fringe Festival, Arts Centre Melbourne. She will be performing a rope act to her Dad’s favourite song!
Swedish born and breed Erika Hansson will perform a horrifying hula acrobatics act. She has been creating dramatic performances on tightwire, pair acrobatics, aerial net, hula and lyra for many years since graduating from the Academy of Modern Circus, Denmark.
Nichola Hall will bring you a mesmerising aerial silk performance, blending live drumming with contemporary circus. Music will be created by West African drum teacher and musician Gianni Boragine.
Caz Walsh from the recent Circus Mania Festival will astonish you with her unique 1920’s Rolla Bolla routine. Since graduating from the National Institute of Circus Arts (NICA), she has been dazzling audiences around Australia and internationally for the past 13 years and working with major Australian companies including Circa and Circus Oz.
Cassia Jamieson is a freelance acrobat who began throwing and catching people when studying contemporary dance and working as a performer and trainer at Fling Physical Theatre. She graduated from NICA in 2019, performed with Australia’s best including Circa and Circus Trick Tease and will perform an awe-inspiring foot juggling act.
Castlemaine Circus also proudly presents acts by their most advanced young students. Aerial Teen Troupers Rita Fortune, delighting you with a comedic flower act on aerial hoop, and Kaeleb Glinski in a spectacular performance on aerial straps. The newly created Circus Troupe will also deliver a high energy, impressive comedic mini tramp act.
Don’t miss this very special show at 2pm at The Goods Shed, Kennedy – home of the Castlemaine Circus – teaching 350 students each week in circus, aerial arts and parkour.
Ticket prices are very affordable so bring the whole family. Entry is just $13 Adults / $6 kids / free under 2.
Bookings can be made at www.trybooking.com/CDZZM
Mount Alexander Shire Council Events Grant program has supported this event.
Thousands flock to Rotary Truck Show
The 34th HHA & Larsen’s Castlemaine Rotary Truck Show returned to a full program over the weekend with one the biggest turn-out of entrants and spectators in a decade. Volunteers were kept busy serving food and registering the trucks for the judging. A quality line up of country music and free children’s entertainment created an enjoyable atmosphere for over 3,000 people at the event over the weekend.
Rotary Club president Grant Thomas was delighted with the results and thanked the sponsors and community groups who assisted. “We simply can’t run an event of this magnitude on our own. Incredibly generous sponsors underwrite the core expenses to make it happen,” he said. “And for every volunteer hour contributed we make a direct donation back to the volunteer’s school, kinder or sporting club. It’s a wonderful example of how a community can come together to do good,” Grant said.
While the profits are still being tallied, Mr Thomas confirmed that this is Rotary’s major fundraiser.
“Along with the Art Show, this event enables us to support many community projects and youth scholarships each year.”
On Sunday morning the public was treated to another great spectacle with 187 trucks participating in the convoy. A big thank you to Castlemaine Police for manning the intersections.
Of all the Truck Show volunteer roles perhaps the most unenviable task was that of the six judges who had to assess 222 trucks over the two days. In a tightly contested show, there were some hair-split scores to determine who took home the 12 trophies.
Rig of the Show and a $1,000 cash prize went to an impressive Kenworth owned by JBE Transport.
The previous day Bransgove Truckin’s 2017 Kenworth T900 Legend took out Best on Show.
Ten category winners were delighted to collect their trophies with additional prizes being awarded to the People’s and Trucker’s Choice and five entrants selected by HHA and Larsen’s. There were grins all round as the happy truckers farewelled Castlemaine.
Co-sponsor Jon Kelly from HHA expressed his pleasure at returning to the Castlemaine Rotary Truck Show and announced that HHA and Larsen’s Truck Sales would continue to sponsor the next two shows. “This show was so refreshing, and it was an awesome job by the volunteers. “Everyone in the community made us feel so welcome,” Jon said.
Lions celebrate 50 years
Castlemaine Lions Club celebrated its 50th Anniversary on November 20 with a special gathering at the Lions clubhouse in Kennedy Street, Castlemaine.
Five of the club’s original 21 charter members and a host of other past and present members, their partners and families gathered to celebrate the Lions’ five decades of service to the local community. Lion Ken McKimmie said it was a wonderful celebration as members reminisced about their various initiatives and poured over the club archives and memorabilia on display.
“It was fantastic to look back on all the projects which we have completed in Castlemaine and district over the last 50 years,” he said.
The Lions Club of Castlemaine was officially chartered on March 4, 1972. The first president was Tom Dunne, manager of the ANZ Bank.Over the last 50 years the Lions club has supported everything from youth exchanges to fundraising initiatives for equipment at the local hospital and supported various schools and kindergartens with much needed materials.In the 80s the club also installed coin operated barbecues in Victory Park, welcomed a visit from aspiring Prime Minister Bob Hawke, hosted a snooker championship, and purchased a set of jaws of life for the local SES just to name a few milestones.
One of the biggest success stories has been the establishment of its major fundraiser the Castlemaine Swap Meet which has now been running for 36 years and attracts visitors from far and wide to the annual April fixture.
Of course their crowning achievement to date has been supporting the establishment of the Mount Alexander Accommodation and Respite Group’s (MASARG) Lions McDonald Hill Respite House at McKenzie Hill.
However, their work is never done and in the last few months the Lions donated a dishwasher to the Castlemaine RSL, assisted to complete the training for the first local Australian Lions Hearing Dog homed in Castlemaine, and lent their friends at Rotary a hand with last weekend’s Truck Show.
The friendly local club always welcomes new members to join their ranks. To find out more on what’s involved contact Ken on 0428 721 809.
My Maldon with multitalented artist Anita Sinclair
Anita, you are an incredible painter, sculptor, poet, performer, and teacher, who has specialised in mask and puppetry since the 70s. Can you tell me a bit about what led you to the arts and the work you’ve done since?
I’d worked in theatre since high school and trained originally as an art teacher. I had no desire to teach at that time but found that I loved it. Everything interests me. My central skill is communication- I use whatever medium communicates what I want it to.
For me, puppetry uses all mediums, poetry, woodwork, voice, sculpture, and theatre. People hadn’t seen adult puppet shows in the 70s and I performed cabaret’s based on poetry dealing with adult concepts like a single, middle-aged woman, people of different races, different ages, a burlesque stripper
I wrote The Puppetry Handbook, people call it the ‘puppetry bible’ and I started a puppetry magazine. I also wrote a book of poetry called A Crowded Solitude, The Kite Maker and I’ve just finished a book that I’m now editing called A Wild Surmise about migration to Australia, mostly about the English, but other cultures and races too. It’s based on my story from ages 11-19. It’s a coming-of-age story that ended up being about control and freedom.
You opened a theatre in Richmond. Tell me about that.
I set Living Room up in 1984 because there was nowhere in Melbourne to get dressed up and go out, listen to jazz all night, and go home safely. Not like there was in Paris. Men would send you a long-stemmed rose or a drink but they wouldn’t harass you. In Melbourne, there were mostly fleabag cafes and male behaviour in Australia (when they were drinking) was not great.
I created a place where you could control audience behaviour. There was no alcohol and no smoking.
What a list of achievements! I don’t suppose that left much time for other interests and hobbies?
I have one hobby. Building doll houses. I’ve built two major doll houses. The first is called Tudor House and the second is a 1750s Cornish fisherman’s cottage called Fisherman’s Rest. Each house took 10 years to build, including all the furniture.
I wasn’t sure what to do with the first one so I donated it to the Children’s Hospital in Melbourne. Eventually, it ended up going up for auction to raise money for the cancer ward.
I kept the Cornish house until recently, but I had to move and it is so huge. I’ve given it to a niece in Rosebud who is going to raffle it and use the money to help the homeless.
Are you reading anything at the moment?
I’ve just finished Edgar Wallace. It’s a series about an African Commissioner named Sanders.
Who would your three dream dinner guests be?
John Keats, Copernicus, who put the sun in the centre of the universe, and Judy Dench.
What’s your musical genre of choice?
Classical opera. My favourite is David Hobson.
Do you have any pet peeves?
Human stupidity.
Any philosophies you live by?
Philosophy in itself. I’ve lived for 86 years, I’ve read a lot of stuff, including poets and I look for philosophy in movies and books.
What do you love most about the place you call home?
Maldon has the quality of a village with familiar faces. Everyone acknowledges each other and provides mutual support. The environment is beautiful and the services are adequate.
Labor wins and Maree Edwards returned to office
Labor has returned to government with an increased majority winning 52 of the 45 seats needed in the lower house, compared to the Liberal/Nationals 23 with 64.81 per cent of the vote counted.
Local Bendigo West Labor incumbent Maree Edwards has also been successful in winning a fourth term in office. Fellow Bendigo East Labor party member Jacinta Allan was also returned with a majority vote.
Ms Edwards has been the local member since 2010, and was re-elected in 2014 and 2018.
On Saturday Maree Edwards polled 46.73 per cent of first preference votes, ahead of Liberal candidate Ken Price 24.24 percent, Greens candidate James Searle 12.52 per cent, Legalise Cannabis Victoria candidate Wayne Taylor 5.14 per cent, Family First Victoria candidate Steve Serpell 3.78 per cent, Independent Matt Bansemer 2.77 per cent, Animal Justice Party candidate Victoria Maxwell 2.53 per cent, Freedom Party Victoria candidate Richard Woolley 1.38 per cent and Independent candidate Marilyn Nuske 0.91 per cent.
In the two candidate preferred vote in Bendigo West Labor recorded 65.51 per cent and the Liberal’s 34.39 per cent.
Speaking at Trades Hall Bendigo following the election win, Ms Edwards said she was honoured to be re-elected to represent Bendigo West for the next four years.
“Thank you, to my volunteers, supporters, friends, family, team and our community,” she said.
Placing her vote on Saturday Ms Edwards said a vote for Labor was a vote for free kinder, bringing back the SEC, making V/Line fares fair, expanding free TAFE, more investment in local schools and more action on climate.
Ms Edwards made a raft of local commitments during her election campaign including $4 million to relocate and expand Castlemaine TAFE and $100,000 funding boost to the team at the Maldon Vintage Machinery and Museum (pictured).
God is not dead
Rhys Hall, Castlemaine
Graffiti suggesting the contrary defiles the Johnstone Street railway bridge in Castlemaine. A 1987 experience I had in Bombay showed me God is alive.
Returning to work as a missionary in South Sudan after home leave, I planned to seek the manager of a Christian magazine called STEP in nearby Kenya en route. I was to assist a publishing business in Juba, South Sudan’s capital and wanted permission to reprint STEP articles. Juba youth had shown interest in the few copies reaching them.
The flight involved a 10 hour stopover in Bombay airport, India. Being a large airport there were perhaps 400 seats and most were full but I found an empty one and tried to sleep. A man came up to the person on my right and stood talking, keeping me awake. I offered him my seat and looked for another. It wasn’t easy but eventually I spotted one beside a man sleeping across three seats! I then slept for two hours. Upon waking, the guy was awake sitting next to me and reading a Bible. Contrary to my usual practice, I started to chat with him. He was Haron Wachira, the Manager of Kenya’s STEP magazine. He’d missed a connecting flight and waited in the airport four days.
1 of 23 Million Kenyans. I’m in India. Maybe 400 airport seats. The chance was less than 1 in a billion. God had engineered the meeting.
On reaching Nairobi, my visa to Juba was refused. Would I go home? Inspired by what had happened I started a publishing house in Kenya that produced more than a million schoolbooks and hymnals etc for South Sudan. Haron helped train South Sudanese church workers to write books. God is alive!
Retain our bridge
Tamasine Dale, Castlemaine
Did you know that the Froomes Road single lane bridge is still under threat to be replaced by a two lane bridge?
Did you know that at the council meeting in April 2021 council voted to retain the single lane bridge and is now putting it back on the agenda to take another vote?
Did you know in August 2022 at the council run community consultation process, 98 per cent of attendees voted to retain the single lane bridge?
Did you know in the recent floods the Froomes Road bridge did not flood?
Did you know that the council engineers have assessed the Froomes Road bridge and reported that the bridge, with minor repairs, a new tabletop, new modified guard rails it has an estimate life span of another 40 years’ service?
Did you know that the Froomes Road bridge leads to the beautiful bushland end of the Botanical Gardens where the endangered Eltham Copper butterfly reside, the Powerful Owl pair last year raised two chicks?
Did you know that if a two lane bridge is allowed to be built this will allow large trucks access to this treasured part of Castlemaine, an area relatively untouched for decades?
Did you know that if you travel along Froomes Road it eventually leads to the Bacon factory and the site of the proposed bio mass plant and proposed solar farm?
We all know that if every historic bridge were to be replaced in the name of progress that countries like England and Europe would look very different today. These countries know the value of maintaining their heritage.
Please councillors’ consider the wildlife, consider the heritage of Castlemaine and vote to keep our single lane bridge the community will thank you.
End the nonsense
Trevor Scott, Castlemaine
Six years ago I was writing letters to this newspaper about climate change, and suggesting what we could do to turn it around. Fast forward to November 2022 and I find to my astonishment, that instead of decreasing, carbon emissions have actually increased, and we are in the worst climate crisis ever. If you watch the national news you’ll know that floods, fires and extreme weather events are not confined to Australia; they are everywhere in the world. United Nations has tried to address this; but now, 11 COP’s (Conferences of the Parties) after Paris in 2015, when world leaders agreed to limit global heating to 1.5 degrees C, a catastrophic 2-3 degrees rise is predicted.
Six years ago, I was a part of a huge campaign to stop the Adani coal mine. Today, although not yet actually producing any coal, this coal mine is going ahead in central Queensland.
The Northern Rivers area of NSW has had a one in a hundred year flood, not once, but five times this year and yet, almost unbelievably, one of the big four Australian banks has plans to lend billions of dollars to a big coal company so that it can embark on yet another huge coal mining project.
The big question for me is are we going to continue to act like lemmings, heading steadily towards the jumping off point, high on the clifftop; or are we going to step up and demand that our government puts an end to this nonsense?
Convoy to roll into Campbells Creek for Truck Show
The HHA & Larsen’s Castlemaine Rotary Truck Show returns to the Campbells Creek Recreation Reserve this weekend, November 26-27.
Among the truckers set to support this weekend’s event is Newstead local Hayley Leech of Foure Mile Transport.
The 21-year-old is a third generation trucker and began her career with her family company at 19.
“It was something I always wanted to do,” Hayley said.
“I got my Heavy Combination Licence and did a year in a tray-truck learning the trade. It was a brilliant way to learn. I gained some valuable lessons, finding my way around the truck and also streets in Melbourne, Sydney and further afield.
“I made notes about streets and where I could and couldn’t go to prepare for when I stepped up to the semis,” Hayley said.
In August 2021 she began driving semi trailers and regularly hauls freight to Adelaide, Sydney and central New South Wales.
As she grows in confidence and experience she aims to branch out to longer hauls to Brisbane, Bathhurst and Perth.
Hayley said the relationships that her father Malcolm has built in the industry has helped pave the way for her and her older brother Joel who also drives for the company.
“I’ve had a lot of support out there on the road, and friends of Dad have helped me out securing loads or with mechanical issues along the way. The trucking community is like one big family. Everyone looks out for each other,” she said.
Hayley said that some of her highlights to date have been seeing the Great Australian Bight, visiting central Australia and also Townsville.
In the future she would love to have the opportunity to go up north and drive road trains.
“It would be amazing, no pavement, no services just being left to your own devices and having to make it work,” she said.
“I’d also love to drive across America”.
Hayley said she has fond memories of visiting the annual Rotary Truck Show as a child and it’s great to be able to experience the event from the other perspective.
“I love being part of the Sunday morning convoy and seeing the grins on the kids’ faces when they see the trucks go by. It’s great to see the younger generation taking an interest in the industry,” she said.
“I’d really encourage other young women to give trucking a crack if they have the opportunity. You will face challenges, you will make mistakes but the job can be extremely rewarding,” she said.
After two years of modified covid programming this weekend’s Truck Show will feature a full schedule of events and raise important funds to assist Rotary to support community groups and events.
Truck owners from all over Australia will have the chance to win trophies across 10 categories plus Saturday’s Best on Ground and Rig of the Show with a $1,000 cash prize.
Great entertainment will be provided for the whole family over the weekend with free admission for children under 16 years. Live music. Free children’s rides and activities. Full catering and a bar are provided on site.
Special guests will be Peter Coad, the Coad Sisters, and the Jim Hermel Band live on stage Saturday November 26 from 5-8pm and again on Sunday, along with other performers. Bring a chair, sit back and take in the action. A crowd favourite is always the annual convoy of trucks from Castlemaine to the Campbells Creek Recreation Reserve commencing at 9am on Sunday.
For entries and online ticket sales go to: http://castlemainetruckshow.com/