The Castlemaine Lions Club is on the hunt for dedicated new members and in particular they would love to invite some younger enthusiastic members into the fold. See our special Let’s Volunteer feature in today’s Mail!
On your (e)-bike!
Sue Tomkison loves cycling on her e-bike.
The fit 72-year-old Campbells Creek local is today leading the first in a new series of electric bike rides being offered through CycleSafe Mt Alexander.
Aimed at sharing the pleasures of e-bike cycling and imparting valuable e-bike know-how, the new series starts with a gentle introductory ride from Castlemaine’s Botanical Gardens to Campbells Creek – return.
“It’s great and I love it,” says Sue who has extensively toured on two wheels both in Australia and overseas.
She says today’s debut 12 km round-trip is suitable even for those on conventional bikes to participate in and learn a bit about e-bikes as they go.
But the next two rides planned in the series are definitely more suited to e-bikes with ride two on Wednesday, April 8 to roll from Castlemaine Botanical Gardens to ASQ Skydancers – return.
Then ride three on Saturday May 16 will cover a more exacting 45 km from the Botanical Gardens to Guildford and return through Chewton.
The new series is part of a wider series of fun public cycling events being run through CycleSafe Mt Alexander.
And while many larger public gatherings may be cancelling in the wake of the virus – this one will be going ahead, Sue says.
“It seems to me to be one of the things we should do,” the keen local cyclist says. Find more in today’s Castlemaine Mail, Friday, March 20, 2020
Giddy up girls
Plans underway for a Guildford Cricket Club women’s team for next season!
A group of ladies have come together to form a potential women’s team for the Guildford Cricket Club for season 20/21. The idea was sparked from some partners and wives having a backyard cricket game and they said why not! Momentum built and the team now has enough interested players to put forward a side at the next AGM. See the Mail for more.
A proud history
James Taylor, Castlemaine
In support of Tamasine Dale’s letter, Beautiful Bridge – Opinions, March 6, 2020 – I wish to point out the historical value of this bridge.
In 1870 the Borough Council received a request from the inhabitants of Froomes’ Road asking for a bridge over the creek at the road leading from Dawes’ Railway Hotel (pictured) to the cricket ground.
It was not until 1874 that work was actually begun and, consequently finished, on what was known as Dawe’s Bridge. It was built by convict labour.
Council revealed the cost of erecting the bridge to have been £540 7s. Mr Cornish was much complimented on the excellence of his work, and a vote of thanks was given to him. I believe this to be for supplying the plans and overseeing the construction.
The Dawes would have the hotel for a long time and the local people usually referred the hotel as Dawe’s, so it seemed natural to call the bridge “Dawe’s Bridge”. Even the council referred to it as such.
I think the bridge should remain basically as is, with whatever steps need to be taken to strengthen it for today’s traffic but not to make it in the image of the Elizabeth Street bridge.
Unsafe, costly and environmentally ruinous
Ian Edwards, Castlemaine
Councils have a difficult job in balancing the infrastructure demands of increased traffic with preserving heritage, natural beauty and residential liveability.
The preservation of the one lane bridge in Froomes Road is a perfect example of how a beautiful environment can be kept with very little, or no, interference to traffic flow. On the other hand, the construction of a much larger, concrete two-lane bridge would create a very dangerous thoroughfare for the many tourists, walkers, bike riders, school children, local residents, odd horse and cart and even kangaroos who use Froomes Rd bridge.
The bridge adjoins a heritage area (HO 587), the Botanical Gardens (HO669), and neighbourhood protected by the council’s very own Planning Scheme. There is an Aboriginal Cultural Significance overlay, a Landscape overlay and the nearby historic railway line buttressing. To turn this unique, historic area into a busy “access route…(for a)…significant local industry” would be a disaster, especially as the alternative route along Richards Road and Parker Street takes a mere 15 seconds longer.
The council has shown admirable sensibility in preserving environments and controlling traffic with such initiatives as the Gaffney St bridge and Templeton St road-narrowing and palm tree planting. I urge them to continue their good work by preserving an even more beautiful heritage neighbourhood.
Please, council, use some of the more than $1 million you have allocated to remove and replace the current bridge to its preservation and repair. Then the rest of the money could be used on the many other infrastructure demands Castlemaine ratepayers actually need and desire.
Finals showdowns
The Castlemaine District Cricket Association 2019-2020 season drew to a close last weekend with grand final showdowns contested in all grades.
See this week’s Mail for the full results.
Clown doctors bring a smile
Patients and staff at Castlemaine Health enjoyed
a very special visit from the Clown Doctors last Wednesday March 4.
The renowned Clown Doctors are currently on the
move, bringing smiles and laughter to regional areas of Australia as they head
on tour. See the Mail for more.
Golden Opportunity
During our Golden Ticket promotion we will be featuring stories on some of our fantastic Golden Ticket businesses. This week we had a chat to Mark at Tattoos & Curiosities Castlemaine. See the Mail for the full story.
Inspiring women
As part of local International Women’s Day (IWD) celebrations on Sunday March 8 our editor Lisa Dennis was fortunate to enjoy a behind the scenes tour of the Castlemaine Police Station alongside students from Castlemaine Secondary College (CSC).
We also had the chance to hit the local streets on patrol alongside Inspector Donna Mitchell, local area commander for the Goldfields, Donna’s daughter and fellow policewoman Detective Sergeant Jaymee Cutler and her grand-daughter Olivia who was a ‘Little Copper’ for the day.
The theme of the event was ‘You Can’t Be What You Can’t See’ and aimed to encourage more young women to consider a career with Victoria Police. See the Mail for the full story.
Shipping container plan in vision for the ‘Creek
Darren Baker has a vision for Campbells Creek Football Netball Club.
And the club treasurer and seniors netball coach is not the only one.
Baker has his sights set on seeing the club he loves get new female change facilities, something they notably lack, and he has a specific idea in mind – conversion of two shipping containers.
He and fellow club committee members say these could serve both as much needed change facilities and would also be a saleable asset when further upgrades occur into the future.
It’s a vision influenced by observing some slick shipping container conversions done elsewhere – Melbourne’s CBD waterfront area among them.
At last month’s Mount Alexander Shire Council meeting Baker and club president Scott Jones took to the lectern during public question time and directly urged the council to do what it can to help the club realise its goals – something the dedicated club treasurer sees as key to a wider healthy community.
It was not so long ago – about two years back now – that conjecture was rife as to the club’s future.
But since then the local club has put paid to those rumblings and in the past year has seen its membership grow with a particularly welcome influx to bolster both its footy and netball ranks.
“Financially the past year has been the the best year the club has had for the last five years,” Jones told last month’s council meeting.
“Last year we welcomed more than 50 new playing and non playing members.” More in today’s Castlemaine Mail, Friday March 13, 2020.
One for the birds
Castlemaine Mens’ Shed members have turned their talents to a special project helping the state’s hard-hit wildlife recover from this season’s devastating Gippsland bushfires.
Working as part of the wider Nest Box Connections project several local shed members have got busy making about 160 specialised nesting boxes – most of which have already been delivered to fire-ravaged East Gippsland locations.
“People have been stopping me in the street and saying it’s wonderful what you’re doing,” Castlemaine Shed president Brian McCormick says.
“And the best thing about it is the community involvement.”
Shed member Phil Pengelly is one of the local shed members who has been busy turning his hand to making the nesting boxes designed especially for different sorts of native birds and animals that require trees and hollow logs to successfully breed.
With so many trees and hollow logs destroyed in the unprecedented fires that impacted East Gippsland, the ability of surviving birds and animals to breed this season is under serious threat. More in today’s Mail, Friday March 13, 2020.
Royal and rosy for Applefest
Mingling and munching are all part of the gig when you’re Applefest royalty.
Harcourt’s Robyn and Mark Mitchell were recently bequeathed King and Queen of tomorrow’s much anticipated annual Harcourt Applefest and have been busy adjusting to their royal duties.
The new monarchs get to reign supreme at tomorrow’s festival that features attractions from live music and market stalls, to the hotly contested apple pie eating competition and the ferret racing.
Apple-related baking is also a crowd-pleasing part of Applefest, traditionally a celebration of harvest time in the heart of Victoria’s apple country.
“These days Applefest is as much about the local ciders as it is the apples,” Queen Robyn observes.
“And the vineyards,” adds King Mark, naming the area’s mountain bike park and developing miniature railway among the new attractions putting Harcourt on the map. More in today’s Mail, Friday, March 6, 2020.
