Eve Lamb
An estimated 500 to 1000 people turned out for this year’s Castlemaine Anzac Day commemorative service as big crowds flocked back to remember and pay their respects nation-wide on Monday, April 25.
“Castlemaine district are really generous. They’re unreal,” pleased Castlemaine RSL sub branch president John Whiddon told the Mail at the conclusion of Monday’s well attended 10am service at the town’s cenotaph.
“We’re really pleased with the turnout,” sub branch treasurer and MC for the service, Alan Lane, said – “and perhaps next year we’ll even be able to have a march as well.”
The strong local turnout for the Castlemaine service and others like it throughout Mount Alexander Shire was in keeping with numbers at services state-wide, with many keen to demonstrate their respects after two years of prohibitive pandemic restrictions.
The strong turnout for the 10am service in Castlemaine followed a staunch turnout also for… Get the full story in today’s Mail…
Strong turnout for Anzac Day
Have Hamper, can picnic…
Eve Lamb
It’s time to pack a hamper and a party disposition and head on over to the Castlemaine Town Hall for tomorrow’s Castlemaine Pride Picnic.
The family friendly Picnic is a feature event on the annual Castlemaine Pride festival calendar and was planned to happen in the botanical gardens but tomorrow’s forecast for rain prompted organisers’ 11th hour decision to shift to the Hall instead.
It happens 1-5pm tomorrow with performances by the goldfield’s own Queen of Glamour, MC for the event, Polly Filla, and the Castlemaine Pride Choir making a robust return by popular demand.
Choir director Scott Buchanan says members… Get the full story in today’s Mail…
Ginnivan stars
Angela Crawford
Castlemaine is proving a breeding ground for top AFL talent, with the latest export, teenager Jack Ginnivan, awarded the Anzac Medal in the clash between Collingwood and Essendon on Monday.
Following in the footsteps of former ‘Maine locals, Richmond’s Dustin Martin and Bailey Henderson (VFL), Carlton’s Steven Oliver and Port Adelaide’s Kane Farrell, the young Collingwood recruit has exploded onto the sport’s main stage.
At just 19 years of age, Ginnivan was named best on ground in only his 10th game for the Pies after the small forward booted a career-high five goals from 12 touches.
His performance helped Collingwood sink arch-rival Essendon by 11 points in front of a crowd of 84,000 at the MCG and earned him the round six nomination for the NAB AFL Rising Star.
Collingwood captain and three-time Anzac Medal winner Scott Pendlebury said Ginnivan was “just so classy” that he was already… Get the full story in today’s Mail…
Running over the big 300
Parkrun Castlemaine celebrated its 300th event on Easter Saturday morning.
It came as no surprise to find that many who were in attendance were visitors to the local area, come to soak up the balmy autumn weather over the long weekend.
The first Castlemaine parkrun event was held almost seven years ago on the 23/05/2015.One year, 10 months and 16 days later, on 8/04/2017, we reached the milestone of event number 100.
A further one year, 10 months and 22 days on, we celebrated the 200th Castlemaine event on 2/03/2019… Get the full report in today’s Mail…
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Revved for Revival
MainFM is beyond excited to celebrate the revival of live music in 2022 with an all-ages music festival coming to Castlemaine, on Djarra Country, in autumn, under a new moon in the open air of Lot 19.
The April 30 festival will feature an incredible lineup of local musicians as well as some from further afield including: Cookin’ on 3 Burners, Sugar Fed Leopards, Jess Ribeiro, The Merindas, K5 and Jen Moore.
94.9 MainFM is an award-winning progressive community radio station based in Castlemaine broadcasting music, community news, talks and specialist programs and events throughout a large area of Central Victoria, with over 100 volunteer presenters broadcasting 70+ shows across the program grid.
REVIVAL is a MainFM fundraising event with all proceeds going towards keeping the station on the airwaves.
Dispersed between a solid line-up of diverse talent, MainFM’s finest DJs will… Read more in today’s Mail
$12.56M works in proposed budget
Eve Lamb
Residents of Mount Alexander with an interest in the way their local council is planning to spend its ratepayer dollars are being encouraged to check out the council’s newly proposed budget 2022-23 which has just gone out for public response and feedback.
The freshly proposed budget 2022-23 details finances and resources required to deliver important works and services, including capital works expenditure totalling $12.56 million.
During the upcoming new financial year the council is proposing to focus its capital expenditure on … read more in today’s Mail
A cause close to the heart
For Newstead couple and dedicated Newstead Fire Brigade volunteers Christopher and Cheryl Simmins the Royal Children’s Hospital Good Friday Appeal is a cause very close to their hearts.
The couple know first-hand the incredible work done by the team at the Royal Children’s Hospital having lost their precious baby son James to a rare, and to this day undiagnosed, condition in 1977.
The pair have been fundraising for the Good Friday Appeal ever since with Chris first rattling the tin in 1977.
In more recent years the couple have enlisted the help of their friends and colleagues at the Newstead Fire Brigade and the collection totals from the Newstead community have continued to grow. See today’s Mail for the full story… You can support this year’s appeal by making a donation in collection tins at the Newstead IGA, Newstead Country Store and Crown Hotel and the brigade will also be door knocking and visiting other locations in the fire truck on Good Friday.
Castlemaine CFA volunteers will also be collecting outside the Castlemaine Newsagents and Maxi IGA Thursday and at the intersection of Barker and Forest Streets on Good Friday.
Alternatively you can make a donation online at www.goodfridayappeal.com.au
Conference coup for Castlemaine
Castlemaine is set to host the Mainstreet Australia National Conference in August.
The city was one of eight across the country in the running to host the event and was thrilled to be shortlisted to the final four.
In a visit to Castlemaine this week, Mainstreet Australia president Georgina Pikoulas announced that Castlemaine had beat out the competition.
The August 4 event will feature a conference based at the Phee Broadway Theatre and a networking event.
“We are expecting around 120 members from across the country which will be a great boost for Castlemaine’s accommodation providers, restaurants and cafes and a wonderful opportunity to showcase the town and the region’s retail offerings,” Ms Pikoulas said. See the Mail for more…
Magpies claim Cup!
The Castlemaine Magpies season has started off with a bang with the club’s Women’s side making their AFL Central Vic debut under lights at the Camp Reserve on Saturday night, and the club claiming ‘Challenge Cup’ honours over long time rivals Kyneton with seven wins from nine matches.
Castlemaine Magpies Women’s assistant coach Jordan Cochrane said it was a special night with the club’s Senior Men’s side forming a guard of honour to welcome the club’s newest side to the ground.
“The team celebrated by running through a banner prepared by team manager Georgia Banks and the Youth Girls side and went on to have a fantastic first up win in the competition,” Jordan said. See the Mail for more… Out Now.
CDOC Saturdays
Castlemaine Documentary Festival (CDOC) invites the community to attend two free public screenings at The Village Square Castlemaine over the next two Saturday nights.
The two music docos feature extraordinary performances and great storytelling and are well-suited to being screened outdoors.
The first film Grace Jones: Bloodlight and Bami will hit the big screen tomorrow night Saturday April 16 from 7.30pm.
Larger than life, wild, scary and androgynous – Grace Jones plays all these parts. Yet here we also discover her as a lover, daughter, mother, sister and even grandmother, as she submits herself to our gaze and allows us to understand what constitutes her mask. See the Mail for more…
Celebration of new beginnings
The end of an era and new beginnings for CHIRP Community Health were celebrated in March at an event to acknowledge the service’s role in the community and offer a formal farewell.
The event held in the Botanical Gardens began with a Welcome to Country from Aunty Kerri Douglas. This was followed with a formal presentation of artwork ‘Gadjigadji’ by Arkeria Rose Armstrong.
Arkeria is a Gamilaraay artist who was born in Ceduna and now lives and works on Dja Dja Wurrung country.
The painting ‘Gadjigadji’ was commissioned to mark the integration of CHIRP Community Health with Castlemaine Health. The painting is a representation of CHIRP Community Health’s past achievements as well as the coming together with Castlemaine Health for future strength and growth. See the Mail for more…
Doing the time walk
Eve Lamb
If the walls of Castlemaine’s old streetscape could speak they might tell tales something like those being brought to life by the keen band of volunteers leading the town’s new autumn series of guided walking tours.
“As an initiative to welcome visitors back when travel restrictions eased we engaged the Castlemaine Historical Society to offer these guided walking tours of our historic streets,” says Mount Alexander Shire Council team leader visitor services at Castlemaine’s Visitor Information Centre, Aileen Walsh.
“At 2pm each Saturday throughout the months of autumn, these one hour long tours set off from the historic market building in Mostyn Street.
“They highlight many of the town’s notable landmarks in addition to various sites of historical significance.”
The walks are being led by a keen crew of knowledgeable volunteer guides who are all members of the Castlemaine Historical Society – each with a specialist area of expertise.
“We started doing them in spring last year trying to get people back into the town, and really to welcome people back post COVID,” Aileen says.
“And we’ve definitely noticed that we’re getting people who… Read more in today’s Mail