The CFA Mount Alexander Group of brigades are better equipped to respond to major emergencies and save lives, after receiving a brand-new Field Command Vehicle (FCV).
Bendigo West MP Maree Edwards visited Castlemaine Fire Station last Saturday to officially handover the vehicle and thank local volunteer firefighters for their work protecting our community.
The state government provided more than $20,000 towards the $55,000 FCV through its Volunteer Emergency Services Equipment Program, while $23,863 was provided through the trade in of the older FCV and a further $10,685 provided through fundraising by the Mt Alexander Group of brigades.
The new 4×4 Twin Cab FCV will be deployed as part of a strike team, enabling firefighters to support surrounding brigades and respond as efficiently and safely as possible to large scale incidents.
New vehicle for CFA
Get your Golden Ticket in to win!
Our Castlemaine Mail ‘Golden Ticket’ promotion is quickly speeding towards its conclusion with the draw set to take place on Wednesday June 15.
Did you get the ninth and final piece of the puzzle in last week’s Mail? Make sure you complete your Golden Ticket and drop it into our office at 13 Hargraves Street to be in the running to share in $5000 in prize money to spend at our 15 fantastic local businesses.
First prize is $3000, second prize $1000 and third and fourth prize winners will receive $500 each.
Castlemaine IGA Plus Liquor in Barker Street are proud to once again be part of our 2022 buy local promotion and the IGA team encourage their customers to get their tickets in to win!
The team at the local supermarket say they really value their local loyal customers and they think the Golden Ticket buy local promotion is a great chance to give back to the community that supports them.
Missing a puzzle piece? Don’t despair we have back copies of the Mail at our office. Snap up your missing piece, complete your ticket and drop it in the draw to win! Good luck!
Falcons off to a winning start at Harcourt
Fans and players of Mt Alexander’s only dedicated footy club for women and gender diverse people were always going to celebrate on Sunday with the club playing Kerang in its first ever home game at Harcourt Reserve – and the celebration was made all the sweeter as the Falcons soared to the club’s first ever win.
Highlights for the day for the large crowd of around 100 people were a great game of football, pies from Woodley’s Pies food truck, and a cameo halftime appearance from the club’s young Auskick players.
The match itself started with both teams in a positive mindset and eager to have fun competing for the ball. See the Mail for more and all your latest local sport news…
Live at the Royal tonight
Old mates Ian Ball and Ben Ottewell from UK band Gomez are back in Australia for a set of stunning, intimate live performances, marking their Australian debut as a duo and locals can catch them at Castlemaine’s own Theatre Royal tonight!
Featuring an array of work spanning across their 20 plus year career, fans can expect to hear anything and everything; from Gomez classics to selections from their accomplished individual solo careers, and more.
Since their 1998, Mercury Prize winning debut Bring It On, England’s Gomez have amassed a much-more-loyal-than-most fanbase and the acclaim of critics worldwide. They have toured Australia numerous times; their fans here are amongst their most dedicated. The show will be opened by special guest LA talent Buddy, the singer-songwriter who fronts indie-rock band also known as Buddy. See today’s Mail Living section for more…
Newstead Spinners to launch ‘Fibre to fabric’
The Newstead Spinners have been busy this week putting the finishing touches on their 2022 exhibition ‘From Fibre to Fabric and Beyond’ which opens at the Newstead Arts Hub tomorrow, Saturday June 4 at 11am.
The exhibition celebrates 45 years of creativity and friendship.
Newstead Spinners member Karen Baker said what began as an informal group has now grown into a wonderfully successful organisation and they have participants which travel from near and far to take part in their fortnightly gatherings.
“Our latest exhibition illustrates how natural fibre is transformed to create a range of fabric types for functional, expressive and decorative purposes,” Karen said. See the Mail for more…
Brendan straps in for Historic Winton
Eve Lamb
It’s true to say Chewton’s Brendan Dillon will have a fair bit of power on side when he competes at Historic Winton this weekend.
“It’s a GN Special on steroids,” says the local motoring enthusiast, describing the self-designed set of wheels whose two cylinder 6200 cc engine he built from scratch using parts from WW2 bomber aircraft.
“It’s quite theatrical,” he adds of the car in which he’ll be taking on fellow competitors both tomorrow and Sunday.
“The cylinders are from a Liberator bomber – Second World War.
“I’ve always enjoyed being a repairer and restorer of vintage engines but creating this engine was a whole new ball game,” says Brendan whose personal interests span vintage cars, steam punk and ‘backyard science’.
“I’ve raided the bin to build this GN Special.
“It’s a 6.2 litre scratch-built engine so that’s 6200 ccs… Get the full story in today’s Mail…
Be brave, make change
By Eve Lamb
With a theme like ‘Be Brave. Make Change’ this year’s Reconciliation Week aims to make a positive difference in the world.
And it got off to a strong start on that front in Castlemaine’s Botanical Gardens yesterday where well attended National Sorry Day event fired up with a Smoking Ceremony and Welcome to Country performed by Dja Dja Wurrung Elder Uncle Rick Nelson, followed by thought-provoking speeches in the rotunda.
All community members are invited to attend local Reconciliation Week events including today’s 10.30 am launch event at the Castlemaine Market Building, with speeches, Nalderun Awards and morning tea all on the program.
The annual exhibition, which includes photos, reading matter, and an information stall will be open in the Market Building daily until Sunday June 5.
Highlights of the week include films on May 26, 29 and 30, story time with Aunty Kerri Douglas at the library on June 1, and a conversation about white privilege on June 3, and a guided history walk with Uncle Rick Nelson.
The walk takes place on Thursday June 2 with limited places able to be booked through CHIRP Community Health.
The full programme is available at the Market Building and around town, as well as on the Nalderun and Mount Alexander Shire Council websites.
Kangaroo black spot needs action
Lauren Williams, Maldon
Monday night (May 25) at about 5.30pm it was already pretty dark.
I was in my garden and heard the distant impact and bone crack of a kangaroo being struck by a car on High Street, Maldon, near the Castlemaine turnoff.
I live about 200 metres away, so walked up to see if I could help the driver or the ‘roo.
The impact had cracked the car’s windscreen, snapped off the wing mirror, smashed in a portion of the driver’s side window and bent the roof rack mounting.
Neither I nor the driver could find any sign of the kangaroo, which was distressing as it was clear it would have been seriously injured.
I walked around with a torch for quite some time after the driver had left, and on the Anzac Hill side of the road, in the bush, I saw the family of the injured ‘roo, clearly still wanting to cross the busy road.
My heart was in my throat as I watched several of them hop across, with the last youngster causing another car to brake.
There are at least three access points where the Anzac Hill mob come down nightly to cross the road near the intersection; the paths are worn and clearly visible.
It is well overdue that this corner should be signposted ‘KANGAROOS CROSSING’ from all three approaches, and a speed limit of 40kmh imposed.
More distant signs saying ‘Kangaroos next _km’ are not specific enough for this very specific crossing area.
Kangaroos Crossing signage and speed limit has been implemented in Creswick at a similar crossing place.
I ask that Mount Alexander Shire do the same in Maldon, and please don’t take years.
It doesn’t require in-depth analysis; it’s decades overdue.
Celebrating 150 years of education
Locals visiting Castlemaine Primary School on Wednesday could have been forgiven for thinking they had wandered back in time.
As part of their Education Week celebrations (May 22-28) teachers and students at the school donned period dress for their annual ‘Open Day’ event which celebrated 150 years of education in Victoria.
Castlemaine Primary School principal Peter McConnell said they were delighted to host their first community event in two and a half years.
“We were thrilled to join with our fellow neighbourhood schools across the shire in welcoming prospective families as part of our ‘Open Day’ event.
“We decided as the theme for this year’s Education Week was ‘150 years of public education’ that we’d wind back the clock to 1872 as part of our May 25 event,” Mr McConnell said. See the Mail for the full story. Out Now.
Go for gold!
Our Castlemaine Mail ‘Golden Ticket’ promotion is quickly speeding towards its conclusion.
Did you get your free Golden Ticket on April 1 and have you been collecting the puzzle pieces?
Don’t worry if you haven’t as you can collect one from our office at 13 Hargraves Street and back copies of the Mail to catch up.
Collect all nine puzzle pieces over the nine weeks of the promotion to be in the running to share in $5000 in prize money to spend at our 15 fantastic local businesses. You’ll find the final piece in today’s edition!
First prize is $3000, second prize $1000 and third and fourth prize winners will receive $500 each.
Castlemaine Betta Home Living are proud to be part of our 2022 buy local promotion.
The local business was formerly operated by Barry and Penny Green for 20 years and was purchased by Peter Jennings of Betta Home Living Kyneton in August 2021.
“Barry and Penny wanted to retire and were pleased to hand over the reins to a fellow local. We’ve really appreciated the response we’ve had from the community and their continued support of the business,” Peter said.
“We employ 10 local people across our two businesses and we are dedicated to offering fantastic products and great local service people can trust,” he said.
“We have been working hard to expand the range of stock at our Castlemaine store and have introduced some new brands in recent months with more stock arriving weekly.
“We have fridges, washing machines, bedding, IT and televisions, as well as an extensive range of small appliances including kettles, coffee machines, toasters, microwaves and everything in between,” Peter said.
“Pop in and check out our range. If we don’t have what you’re after we are happy to source it for you and we offer convenient home delivery options,” he said.
Our lucky Golden Ticket winners will be drawn on Wednesday June 15.
Magpie women shine
It was a big weekend for the women of the Castlemaine Football Netball Club with Magpie 17 & Under netballer Kyla Byrne congratulated on being awarded the Netball Bendigo Athlete of the Year!
Kyla is a gifted netball player with a very bright future ahead of her. The CFNC family couldn’t be more proud!
In other news four Magpie Women’s footballers Emily Cooper, Meg Ginnivan, Shelby Knoll and Ella Cochrane represented the successful Central Victorian Football League Women’s Interleague team which defeated the Northern Country Women’s League team at Queen Elizabeth Oval on Sunday!
The CFNC women’s squad is scheduled to tackle Golden Square at Wade Street tonight, Friday May 27 under lights from 6.30pm!
Be sure to get along and show them your support!
Imagination seekers
Castlemaine’s Phee Broadway Theatre is set to feature two very special shows by British theatre company Get Lost & Found.
The Australian Premiere of ‘Roald Dahl and the Imagination Seekers’ is touring across all Australian capital cities and parts of regional Australia during 2022 and will feature at our local theatre on Friday June 3 and Saturday June 4.
Direct from an acclaimed tour of the UK, this brilliant family show celebrates Roald Dahlʼs extraordinary stories from The BFG to The Twits – and many more along the way. See the Mail Living feature for all the details. Out Now.