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Front pages from the archives: Castlemaine’s vanilla slice rides high

By
Castlemaine Mail
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20 years ago: July 19, 2002

Renowned Olympic equestrian and chairman of the Australian Equestrian Federation, Barry Roycroft visited Castlemaine to take part in a two day show jumping and eventing course. The equestrian legend took the riders through intensive drills in dressage, show jumping and cross country.

In other news reduced federal road funding and insurance premium price rises were behind a 7.25 per cent rate rise proposed in the shire’s draft budget.

15 years ago: July 13, 2007

At the urging of the community the owners of the Wesley Hill General Store Peter Smith and Abbie Freeman had entered their famed vanilla slice in the 10th annual competition to find Australia’s Best Vanilla Slice in Ouyen.

Some landholders whose property would be crossed by the Goldfields Superpipe were critical of the consultation and planning processes for the project and Mount Alexander Shire Council adopted its draft budget with a rate rise of seven per cent. $10 million was to be spent on capital works and $1 million on bridges.

10 years ago: July 6, 2012

The owners of Castlemaine Taxi’s expressed concerns sweeping changes proposed for the taxi industry would kill Castlemaine’s cab service. Owners Mark Baker and David Stephens said that with no restrictions on the number of taxis allowed to operate in a particular area and no regard for market demands the changes would lead to a glut of cabs on the road. The owners said in the short term it may mean more taxis on the road but in the long term taxi drivers and operators would struggle to survive on drastically reduced income.

5 years ago: July 28, 2017

A shock announcement sent art-loving members of the community into disbelief. The board of the Castlemaine Art Museum announced that the venue would close to the public as of August 11, 2017 with the aim of reopening for the State Festival in March 2019. Reasoning behind the closure included a range of operational and strategic challenges, such as significant reductions in revenue along with deep-rooted vulnerabilities in financial structures. Fortunately the beloved institution has since reopened and is once again thriving.

40 year milestone for Glenn

By
Lisa Dennis
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Castlemaine engineer Glenn Lorenz has just celebrated 40 years of service with Vossloh Cogifer Australia and the local rail division.
Castlemaine engineer Glenn Lorenz has just celebrated 40 years of service with Vossloh Cogifer Australia and the local rail division.

Vossloh Cogifer Australia engineer Glenn Lorenz has recently notched up 40 years of service with the company.
Glenn told the Mail he joined the former Thompson Kelly Lewis (TKL) Rail Division fresh out of school at just 18.
“I initially worked as an estimator for a number of years and then I decided to do further education and undertake my engineering studies,” Glenn said.
His new qualifications saw him move into the engineering team. He subsequently worked his way up to Engineering Manager.
The rail division was purchased by Vossloh Cogifer in December 2007 and Glenn has continued to proudly lead the Castlemaine based engineering team for the last 18 years.
Glenn is a Certified Practicing Engineer and a Fellow of the Institute of Engineers Australia.
From 2007-2016 he was a review member on the CE2 committee for all AS1085 rail standards.
He is a current member of the Rail Industry Safety Standards Board (RISSB) Australian Standards review committee of 1085.21 turnouts, switches and crossings.
Glenn has authored and co-authored a number of technical papers for the rail industry, both nationally and internationally.
Glenn said he has seen a lot of changes over the last four decades.
“When I started out we were still using paper and t-squares for our designs. Fortunately we had calculators but there were still a few old-timers which favoured the old slide rules!” Glenn laughs.
The components designed by the engineering team were originally crafted in timber by TKL Rail’s in-house pattern makers.
“These days our team utilises state-of-the-art 3D computer modelling to design components. Sadly pattern-making is becoming a dying art. We now produce a prototype of our engineering designs with our industrial size 3D printer and these are then cast in steel at Billmans Foundry,” he said.
Glenn feels fortunate to have found a career path right here in his home town.
“I am only five minutes from home and I have been able to watch my family grow up and play an active role in the community, whilst also having the opportunity to see the world,” he said.
“Just last week I was in the Pilbara working with two of our biggest clients BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto. I’ve also visited Vossloh Cogifer’s home base in France around a dozen times. We are also currently contributing to the major Inland Rail project on the east coast,” he said.
Glenn said he has been proud to be a member of a specialist team of people who are creative, hard-working, loyal and take pride in the work they do.
“The rail industry in Australia and much of the word is quite small. I have been very privileged to be able to travel extensively in my position. I have been fortunate to meet some exceptional people and develop really strong and long-lasting personal relationships within Vossloh and the greater rail industry,” Glenn said.
“I really enjoy the comradery with the VCA Group and wider business including worldwide group as well as customer interaction. Finding design solutions and seeing major projects come together from conceptual designs to watching trains traverse over our turnouts efficiently and safely, is really satisfying,” he said.
Glenn said he is proud to all be supporting the development of the next generation of local engineers and working to create safer and more efficient rail products.
Vossloh Cogifer Australia Sales Manager Thomas Wehrle said Glenn is often branded ‘the nicest guy in rail’ with connections right across the industry in Australia and further afield.
“To achieve 40 years of service is a massive achievement and we congratulate Glenn on this incredible milestone,” Mr Wehrle said.

Opposition to billboard: public gatherings being organised ahead of VCAT hearing

By
Eve Lamb
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Wesley Hill's Esther Ten Brink, Joel Meadows and Micah Meadows are among local residents who don't want to see a large advertising billboard installed on the main entryway to Castlemaine. Photo: Eve Lamb.

Locals opposing efforts to erect a large advertising billboard at Chewton on a main entryway into Castlemaine say they’ll be fighting the proposal at the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) this month.
And they’re encouraging all who share their opposition to attend two public events and be part of photographs they plan to use to help argue their case before the tribunal.
The council in February unanimously voted to refuse an application seeking to erect the large advertising sign, measuring 8.25 metres in length and a maximum 5.1 metres in height with a display face of 8.3 metres wide by 2.1 metres high, at 188 Duke Street, Castlemaine, a key gateway entry to the town.
The application lodged by applicant James Course had attracted 16 formal objections.
However, not deterred by the council decision, the applicant has since taken the matter to VCAT in the hope the civil arbiter will overturn the council decision.
A VCAT hearing is now set for July 29 and while the proponents behind the proposed billboard are expected to argue their case to enable the structure to go ahead, the council will be stating its case against the proposal as will objectors like resident Joel Meadows.
“It will have about 1km visibility,” says the local resident whose home would be among those closest to the advertising structure should it proceed.
“The proposed eyesore would face both ways, meaning we will get nearly 36 square metres of advertising entering and leaving Castlemaine, right next to Forest Creek, the National Park and Creek Trail and amongst lots of residential houses,” Mr Meadows says.
“Once installed, we will have no say over who gets to plaster their messages on our town, yelling at us silently every day.
“It reduces the beauty of Castlemaine’s entryway. You’ll be able to see it from the walking track.”
He and others are encouraging those opposing the billboard to gather on Saturday July 23, 11am at the top of the Wesley Hill Market and on the same day at 12 midday at the Leanganook-Forest Creek trail and be part of a group photo.
“If you don’t want another billboard in our town, and a precedent for more to come then come along to participate in a community photo that will form part of the objection we are taking to VCAT,” said Mr Meadows, who is also encouraging those who attend to “wear or bring something red to show you don’t want this proposal to go ahead”.
“There are ten houses where the residents will see it pretty much from their homes. It matters to us. It’s not an industrial area.”
“I’m making a representation to VCAT, representing community objectors. I don’t think anyone wants it.”
Another resident, Esther Ten Brink is among local objectors who hold similar concerns about the potential impacts of the proposed billboard.
“It will just be clutter in the landscape. I don’t want to see the advertisements,” she said.

Chewton’s latest main drag chainsaw sculpture honours local history go-to person, the effervescent Elaine Appleton

By
Eve Lamb
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Chewton local historian Elaine Appleton with the freshly unveiled street sculpture likeness of her herself. Photo: Eve Lamb

Chewton has a new street sculpture.

The new addition to the little locality’s larger-than-life carved timber collection, gracing its main thoroughfare, pays homage to font of local historical knowledge, Chewton’s Elaine Appleton (nee Jury).

The local go-to person for all matters local history has lived in Chewton all her life – in fact she’s the fifth generation of her family line to live in Chewton’s Eureka Street.

The 84-year-old Chewtonian is especially well recognised for her considerable and ongoing volunteer contribution to recording and conserving the area’s rich past through means including film, written and recorded word and photographic images.

Following its ceremonious unveiling on Sunday, the new sculpture of the Appleton likeness now graces a site opposite Chewton’s Red Hill Hotel.

Carved by talented Fulham-based chainsaw sculptor, John Brady, it brings to six the total tally of such streetscape sculptures that acknowledge and celebrate some of Chewton’s most significant and celebrated entities, including some dating back to the 1800s goldrush era.

Mount Alexander Shire mayor Cr Bill Maltby helped officially unveil the Elaine Appleton sculptural addition on Sunday afternoon and the event was attended by about 70 people some sporting period costume for the occasion.

“It’s of a younger version of me,” the delighted local noted of the new sculpture.

“It’s of me when I was about 50 which was about the time I really began recording the history.”

“It brought a tear to my eye,” she said of the honour.

Plans are now afoot to continue adding to the collection of Chewton streetscape sculptures with some of those on the to-do list ahead including sculptures honouring the area’s Aboriginal Indigenous heritage and also its Chinese history.

Others planned include sculptures of J.B.Patterson, a former local pioneer of the area who went on to become premier of Victoria; J.W. Sparks a noted former town clerk and engineer; and the ‘Soldier in the Park’ aka Robert Archer who was blinded in WWI and narrowly escaped death when shrapnel pierced his wallet instead of his body.

A big thank you

By
Castlemaine Mail
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THANK YOU phrase on blue background

Martha Hills, Castlemaine

I would like to report a good deed. Saturday afternoon I was on my way to the Royal to see a film. After crossing Forest Street I was ransacking my handbag for the ticket when someone tapped me on the shoulder. It was a young man who pointed across the road at the glove I had dropped. Oops! He offered to get it for me, an offer I accepted. Just after he returned it to me, I put it into my coat pocket, but when I turned to thank him, he had left. If this news can get to him, I would appreciate it. We need to hear more good news, because it does happen.

New community health services for Maldon

By
Castlemaine Mail
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A new Community Services Hub has opened at Maldon Hospital this month offering a range of new community health services to the local community.
The new services come as a direct result of the amalgamation of Maldon Hospital and Castlemaine Health earlier this year.
The amalgamation created Dhelkaya Health, a new organisation with responsibility for improving health and wellbeing in Mount Alexander Shire. Dhelkaya means ‘being healthy’ in Dja Dja Wurrung language.
Dhelkaya Health Chief Executive Officer Sue Race said they are delighted to welcome these community services to Maldon.
“The amalgamation committed to improving access to high quality health services for the Maldon community. Within just a few months that’s exactly what we’ve done. We expect to roll out further services in Maldon over time in response to community need and demand,” Ms Race said.
The first community health services already seeing clients at the Maldon Community Services Hub include podiatry, diabetes education, counselling for adults and children and continence services.
Other specialists setting up at the Hub over the coming weeks include dietitians, physiotherapists, speech pathologists and alcohol and drugs counsellors.
Any Maldon residents already travelling to Castlemaine for these services can now discuss changing their appointment location with their practitioner.
Dhelkaya Health’s Director Healthy Communities and Social Support Services Grant Hamilton said the service expansion means Maldon locals can now get more health and wellbeing support more easily without the need to travel.
“We’ve been working closely with Maldon Hospital’s Deputy Director of Nursing Peta Ballinger and the staff to get these services up and running, so it’s great to see our podiatrist Martin Burghardt and other specialists now seeing their clients in Maldon,” Mr Hamilton said.
The Community Services Hub has a separate reception to the main hospital and aged care, so clients can enter from Adair Street where they are welcomed by Community Services Hub Receptionist, Jess Humphrey.
With the Community Services Hub already seeing a steady stream of local clients through the door, Dhelkaya Health is expecting more Maldon locals to get in touch to find out how the services can help improve their health and wellbeing.
To find out more about these services or to make an appointment call Dhelkaya Health on 5471 3575. More information is also available online at www.maldhosp.vic.gov.au.

ASQ Garden & Landscape set for new Castlemaine home

By
Lisa Dennis
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ASQ Garden & Landscape Castlemaine horticulturalists Elisabeth Templeton and Gary Sobey are pictured with the new building which is quickly taking shape.
ASQ Garden & Landscape Castlemaine horticulturalists Elisabeth Templeton and Gary Sobey are pictured with the new building which is quickly taking shape.

Works on the dedicated new home for ASQ Garden & Landscape Castlemaine are well underway.
ASQ Garden & Landscape closed its doors at former location Skydancers at Harcourt late last week and opened a new pop-up Garden and Giftware shop in the Maxi IGA supermarket complex and a temporary Nursery adjacent to its new site at Miners Court, Castlemaine on Monday.
ASQ Garden & Landscape Castlemaine horticulturalist Elisabeth Templeton said it is an exciting new chapter for the local business which was founded by Graham and Lyn Bird and is now operated by the couple’s sons Tim and Wes.
“The brothers have proudly taken over the reins and are leading the way with the new build on the site of ASQ’s original quarry,” she said.
The new development, thought to be the largest industrial development in Castlemaine in some years, will see the new ASQ Garden & Landscape site occupy five of the eight allotments in the newly created industrial area in Miners Court, Castlemaine. With the remaining three blocks to be opened up to local businesses once the major build is complete.
Works on the brand new purpose-built garden centre commenced in late May and contractors have wasted no time getting stuck into the project with the building quickly taking shape.
“We are capturing footage of the build and our customers can catch up on the progress via the time-lapse video in the window of our pop-up store in the Maxi IGA complex,” Lis said.
The ASQ Garden & Landscape team had a massive week last week moving from Skydancers and setting up their temporary pop-up shops.
“The goods news is our entire team has relocated to Castlemaine so you can expect to see the same friendly faces,” she said.
The Mail understands the Skydancers site has been purchased by a local family business.
The new ASQ Garden & Landscape Castlemaine will feature landscape, garden and cafe areas all under one roof.
Horticulturalists Lis Templeton and Gary Sobey are looking forward to the challenge of building the new nursery from the ground up. This will be the third local nursery that Sobey has had a hand in, establishing the original Castle Flora Nursery (now Rodilesa) on the edge of Castlemaine with his late wife Christine back in 1979.
“We then established Skydancers as Chris really wanted to include a cafe element,” Gary told the Mail.
The horticulturalists say the new ASQ site will be complemented by a massive nursery, wildflower walk and alfresco areas, dedicated access for those collecting landscape supplies and plenty of car parking.
“Everyone on the team has had input into the overall design, its been an amazing collaborative effort and we can’t wait to bring the vision to life,” Gary said.
“The streetscape will be lined with October Glory Canadian Maples which will look stunning come Autumn,” Lis said.
The brand new ASQ Garden & Landscape Castlemaine site is anticipated to open in November.
Until then local green thumbs can source their indoor plants and gifts from the pop-up shop at the Maxi IGA complex which is open seven days and all their plants, mulch, soils and landscape needs from the temporary nursery located in Miners Court just opposite the new site. The temporary nursery is open from 7.30-5 Mon-Fri, 8-4 Sat and 10-3 Sun, with horticulturalists on site to provide expert advice from 9am daily.
“We have 2000 bare-rooted trees arriving Monday for the planting season so we expect to be busy!” Lis said.

Garden specialist Elisabeth Templeton and giftware guru Marion Gillingham are pictured in the new pop-up shop in the Maxi IGA complex.

The Fog, the Pirate, the Double Barrel, and the Centenarian!

By
Castlemaine Mail
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Colin Moore celebrates his 100th Parkrun milestone. Photo: Nicki Renfrey.
Colin Moore celebrates his 100th Parkrun milestone. Photo: Nicki Renfrey.

That’s right … we had it all at Castlemaine Parkrun for our 312th event on Saturday, including an eerie fog, which added to the ambiance and rendered the lake particularly beautiful. Our volunteer photographer, Nicki, captured the mood perfectly. You can check out all the photos, videos, and latest news by following the Castlemaine parkrun facebook page.
Adding to the atmosphere, we also welcomed visiting parkrunner, Shelley De Luca, who is a self-confessed parkrun pirate. One of the many available challenges, aside from simply running 5kms each week, encourages parkrun tourism, by setting the task of ‘capturing’ the 7 Cs and 1 R (aarrrgggh). Hailing from Rosebud parkrun, Shelley already had the ‘R’ in the bag, but only had 6 Cs which she had collected by participating in parkrun events at Cascades on Clyde Wetlands; Chelsea Bicentennial; Campaspe; Churchill; Coburg; and Cyril Curtain Reserve. She has now captured her 7th C – Castlemaine parkrun.
I wonder which of the many fun and interesting challenges she will take on next?
Regular visitor to Castlemaine from GreenWay parkrun, west of Sydney, Pam Joseph was able to combine both her 25th volunteer milestone and her 50th run achievement this week, and we were very glad to help her with her double-barrel celebration.
Another cause for recognition was that of Colin Moore’s100th parkrun, 88 of which he has completed at Castlemaine, since he joined at the beginning of 2018. In this time, he has also volunteered in a variety of roles, on a total of 40 occasions and achieved 6 personal best times. We all recognised Colin’s centennial run, Pam’s 50/25th and the attainment of Shelley’s pirate challenge, by forming a tunnel of love at the beginning of the event and applauding their achievements.
As always, visitors from far and wide were welcomed to Castlemaine parkrun. This included a contingent from Mullum Mullum in Melbourne, visitors from Nepean River NSW and near neighbour, Kennington Reservoir, as well as Shelley from Rosebud.
A big shout out too, to the six people who recorded PBs this week – Chris Greene, Simone Ewenson, Harriet Storrar, Ros Calder, and junior runners Persephone Bevin and Daniel Dimopoulos.
Braving the fog to ensure the event ran smoothly was our team of 11 volunteers: Grace Chivers, Lily Chivers, Dianne Cox, Donna Faircloth, Michael Farr, Jane Harding, Pam Joseph, Nicki Renfrey, Shane Renfrey, Raewyn Rice and Robin Murdoch. Thank you one and all; it is heart-warming to see so many people willing to give up their time. Register at www.parkrun.com.au/register, grab your barcode, and join us in the Castlemaine Botanical Gardens playground area every Saturday morning at 7.50am.

Further considerations

By
Castlemaine Mail
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Rosemary Turner, Castlemaine

Thank you to Hans Paas for the wise contribution to the Froomes Road Bridge discussion (Opinions, Mail July 8).
There are two more considerations to add to the paramount need for road safety.
First, pedestrians’ and bicycle riders’ safety – please include!
Since the on-going development of the paths in the Nature Reserve over the creek at the Botanical Gardens there is more pedestrian use of the bridge. This can be tricky, especially for those with children and/or dogs.
Second is the need to protect the boundary of our Botanical Gardens. The row of old cypress trees, kept in beautiful order by the Gardens’ staff, serves as an important part of the landscape. It is also the preferred area for shelter and feeding of the young Powerful Owls who live in our Botanical Gardens for months in the years when they breed locally. These are majestic, wild creatures, rare now, and categorised as Threatened Species.

Heavenly exhibition at Maldon

By
Lisa Dennis
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Local artist Catherine Tait is pictured with her painting of Maldon's own goth Clover.
Local artist Catherine Tait is pictured with her painting of Maldon's own goth Clover.

Respected local artist Catherine Tait embraced the opportunity to open a pop up gallery at 21 Main Street, Maldon during the recent Goldfields Gothic Festival.
Catherine has been creating all her life and exhibiting professionally for more than 35 years. She has won over 40 awards and in 2019 exhibited in New York and Venice in 2022.
The prolific artist created numerous large scale works during the covid lockdowns and needed a large space to exhibit the works.
“It was a shame to see some shops empty in the heart of Maldon during the new festival, so I contacted the owners to see if I could create a pop up gallery,” Tait says.
Her latest body of work centres on the use of warm highlights and darker undertones to create depth and emotive constructs. Her subjects vary, from portraits through to vast natural landscapes and intimate still life compositions.
“The exhibition tied in perfectly with the Goldfields Gothic Festival theme and includes a portrait of Maldon’s own goth Clover and some Victorian themed pieces,” she said.
The exhibition also includes designer furniture created by Catherine’s husband Neil and industrial designs and sculpture by the couple’s son Tristan Tait.
“The Maldon folk have been very embracing and delighted to see an empty shop occupied. I have also met new people to the town that are now venturing out after covid lockdowns,” Catherine said.
The pop up gallery continues for one final weekend, today Friday July 15 through to Sunday July 17 and is open daily from 9.30am to 5pm.
The exhibition coincides with the launch of Catherine’s latest series of online drawing and painting classes.
Catherine is a teacher of various skill levels from beginners to the more experienced in the arts.
“A lot of people tell me that they cannot draw. I can only do stick figures. I wish I could draw or paint like you.
“I am here to inform you that I can teach anyone to draw. All that is required is the desire and wish to have a go,” she said.
“My blog offers some great tips and insights for artists of all abilities,” she said.
This unique online approach is a way of reaching out to her students, avoiding cancellations of workshops or classes due to the impacts of covid.
Catherine also embraced the covid lockdowns by furthering her knowledge of the artist’s mind, she is currently completing her diploma of art therapy by correspondence.
A learning experience of what makes artist’s tick, thought patterns and analysis of art work will also be explored when joining the lessons with Catherine.
“People do feel intimidated in classes, feeling they’re on show.
“My classes are designed not only to develop your confidence but also so you can proceed at your own pace. You can be flexible and repeat classes until you are ready to move on,” she said.
Visit www.catherinetaitartclasses.com.au for further information.

My Castlemaine … with former mayor Bronwen Machin who has been in some pretty high places

By
Eve Lamb
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Many know her as former mayor and councillor for Mount Alexander Shire Council. But not so many know Castlemaine's Bronwen Machin as a rock climber, something she has, nevertheless, been in a former life. Bronwen tells journalist, Eve Lamb, a little about that former life and also about what it is that she loves best about the place she calls home.

G’day Bronwen. What a top little energy efficient home you have here in Castlemaine. Can you tell me a bit about it’s features?
Triple glazed windows. It’s sealed and very well insulated and I can open it up and set up systems to get a draft through. It’s a passive house and it’s solar passive which means I get this beautiful northern light in. It’s very small, 40 squares. I have solar power and a battery as well, although I’m not totally off grid. I pay about $40 a month (for energy). And I deliberately don’t have gas.
How long have you called Castlemaine home?
Twenty years.
Where did you move from?
Brunswick.
Are you a Melbourne gal originally?
No. British North Borneo. Penny Wong and I were born in the same place.
British North Borneo! That’s interesting. How did that come about?
My parents were doing post war reconstruction. My parents are teachers. Originally Dad was going out there to test his vocation to be an Anglican minister and to do good works – and came back an atheist. So that worked!
That’s a great story in itself.
We went: Borneo-Northern Territory-Borneo-Northern Territory-Borneo-Sydney-Blue Mountains-Canberra. And then I married a soldier and ended up in Melbourne. In 1989 I went around the world. In those days you could do that. Travel was still pretty rare. It was the year of the mountains so we started off in Nepal… I ended up in Germany six weeks before the Wall came down. Came back six weeks after and there was no Wall… I went to Nepal, joined my partner in the New Zealand Alps.
Was your partner the soldier you mentioned?
No. I’d moved on since… I’m still good friends with my soldier-husband, but … no… It was a climber that I went around the world with. I was a rock climber at that stage… We went to the New Zealand Alps, The Andies, then to the Swiss Alps, the Pyrenees and ended up on New Year’s Day on Mount Kosciuszko. That (travel) divided my life. Before that I was a really good public servant in Canberra and after that I thought – Nah! So ever since 1992 I’ve been working or volunteering. I started off with Environment Victoria, spent quite a while there, and even when I was working in local government I was a sustainable transport planner. I think my life will span a lot of things including the first measurement of greenhouse gas emissions, and from IBM saying the world will only need five computers to … even in this house there’s numerous computers…
Well here in Castlemaine you’re well recognised as the former Mount Alexander Shire Council mayor. How long have you previously served on the council and spent as mayor Bronwen?
With a couple of breaks I was on council for eight years, and two-and-a-bit years as mayor.
And you also have quite a few other community involvements. Can you give us a snapshot of those?
The Castlemaine Community House where I’m chair and treasurer, I’m also secretary of the Regional Association of Neighbourhood and Community Houses, Castlemaine-Maryborough Rail Trail committee secretary, and I’m the Castlemaine-Maryborough Rail Trail Representative for Mount Alexander Cycling. I’m doing a Certificate of Community Governance. It sets you up to be on committees and to do it well, and to recognise that there are real risks, real responsibilities, and how you keep focussing on what the objective of that committee is – not on your ego…. and I’m trying to learn Spanish but that’s not a community interest.
Any philosophies by which you like to lead life?
Part of living is giving. I’m a stoic. Stoicism is a philosophy which holds the belief that ‘remember death is just around the corner. It will happen so therefore what do you do now?’ It’s also about recognising what you have control over and what you don’t have control over.
Sounds a worthwhile philosophy. OK, moving on …Three dream dinner guests?
Maybe Marie Stopes one of the first female doctors in England who was very concerned around enabling access to contraception, Caroline Chisholm, Enid Lyons, our first female Parliamentarian, and Jacinda Adern…
That’s four and will no doubt make for some lively and political conversation around the table. OK, next question for you Bronwen… Any pet peeves?
Why would you put energy into a pet peeve?
That sound’s like an answer. What are you reading at the moment?
I’m reading a book I’ve just started which is fascinating – ‘Braiding Sweetgrass’ by Robin Wall Kimmerer who’s a botanist, scientist and Indigenous northern American. I’ve just got into the bit where she’s comparing and contrasting the creation stories… Beautiful writer. Every word sings.
OK. Music. What’s your musical genre or artist of choice?
If it’s just background music I’d probably have Spanish guitar. If I’m doing the vacuuming I’ll be singing along, and hoping no-one hears me, to I don’t know… I love Eartha Kitt, Ella Fitzgerald…
Last one Bronwen, What do you enjoy most about living in Castlemaine?
Just all the amazing people. Everyone has a story that’s fascinating.

Info session for new community vet clinic offers prime chance to find out more

By
Eve Lamb
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A few of the supporters and drivers of the new community vet clinic planned for Campbells Creek. Photo: Eve Lamb

A community information session this Sunday offers a prime chance to find out more about a new vet clinic being established at Campbells Creek.
The team pushing to establish the new non-profit regional community vet clinic is hosting the session’ at Campbells Creek Community Centre, at 2pm this Sunday July 17 and is inviting locals to attend, ask questions and meet those behind the concept.
“Community is at the heart of everything we do, and we want to make sure our community, feel well informed about our plans, our goals, how to support us and how we are spending donations.” says founding member and secretary James Mack
He says the event is open to anyone to attend and will give the public a chance to see the proposed
site at Campbells Creek Community Centre where the new Regional Community Vet Clinic operations will be based.
Registration for the event is available via the RCVC Facebook page, but is not mandatory and anyone interested can attend Sunday’s session.
Not content with waiting to raise the funding needed to complete their purpose-built clinic the RCVC ream are
now looking at how they can have an impact in the community today.
They have more community days planned to provide pet de-sexing, vaccinations and micro-chipping.
They also have an ambitious plan to begin a community outreach program providing at-home pet care services
for those unable to travel due to financial or medical reasons.
The team behind the concept is also welcoming donations toward their clinic fundraising campaign and say these can be found at https://www.mycause.com.au/rcvc-clinic or through the RCVC homepage online.
With their newfound Deductible Gift Recipient status, they’re also inviting any organisations interested in corporate giving or sponsorship to contact them as well.

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