A shared future for Castlemaine Health and CHIRP Community Health is one step closer with the Minister for Health Martin Foley having formally approved the integration of the two local health organisations.
The integration is supported by an independent review and feedback from staff, consumers, partner organisations and the wider community. Both Boards formally endorsed integration at their meetings in June.
Castlemaine Health Board Chair Peggy Ronnau said the case for integration couldn’t be more compelling.
“We are better together. With this decision we’re now just months away from a shared future where our unique people, identities and strengths work as one to deliver the very best community health services around,” she said.
CHIRP Chair Lexi Randall-L’Estrange said this was the very last formal step so they’re not resting on their laurels.
“There is a great deal of work already in progress as we prepare for implementation of integration from October 1, 2021,” Ms Randall-L’Estrange said. See the Mail for the full story…
Integration gets ministerial seal of approval
Funding injection for local creatives
Castlemaine’s creative sector is set to receive a welcome boost thanks to a partnership between the state government and Mount Alexander Shire Council.
Bendigo West MP Maree Edwards visited Castlemaine’s pop-up outdoor entertainment space ‘The Village Square’ in Frederick Street on Monday to announce council would receive $325,000 in funding for two creative projects: upgrading and extending Castlemaine’s successful pop-up outdoor entertainment space to provide more local creative opportunities and Stage 2 of the ‘Get Lost’ online creative platform. See the Mail for the full story. Out Now.
MCDFNL draws curtain on season 2021
It is with disappointment that the Maryborough Castlemaine District Football Netball League (MCDFNL) announced on Tuesday that the 2021 season will cease with no finals able to be played.
The MCDFNL executive said it was forced to make the tough call due to the ongoing restrictions, which are not allowing a return to matches and no prospect of this occurring before the window available for the season concluding. Harcourt FNC has been declared the Seniors Minor Premiers. See the Mail for more…
The circus is coming to a town near you!
The Curbside Carnies Mobile Circus is set to present three free ‘pop-up’ shows tomorrow Saturday September 25 if covid restrictions allow.
The troupe of local circus performers will bring circus joy to the region as part of three events at Castlemaine, Maldon and Newstead.
The school holiday initiative funded through the Mount Alexander Shire Council’s Events Program and is sure to bring a smile to people’s faces! See the Mail for all the details.
Sculpture on the move
There was movement afoot at Castlemaine Art Museum (CAM) on Tuesday morning as Zoe Amor’s iconic sculpture ‘Dusk’ was carefully relocated to allow for the restoration of CAM’s heritage listed facade.
This indelible feature of Castlemaine is going to be restored until its relocation to an alternative site is announced by Mount Alexander Shire Council, under a special loan agreement which seeks to support greater visibility of public artworks throughout the shire. See the Mail for the full story…
Police find graffiti gear, weapons, drugs…
Eve Lamb
Four Castlemaine locals will be fronting court after multiple police search warrants uncovered drugs, a taser, a samurai sword, an imitation firearm and items believed linked to graffiti offending.
Police on Tuesday executed search warrants at five different Castlemaine addresses leading to the arrest of four males including a 21 year old, two youths aged 17 and one aged 16.
Senior Sergeant Darren McQueen said the searches uncovered spray cans, textas and other items believed linked to recurrent graffiti offending and property damage in and around Castlemaine including a recent graffiti attack at Autoplex Castlemaine.
“Also of concern were various other items which were located during the searches including a taser, an imitation (longarm) firearm, a samurai sword, and a quantity of drugs,” Senior Sergeant McQueen said.
Besides a quantity of cannabis, substances uncovered included a quantity of powdered material believed to be amphetamine – while testing still had to confirm this, police said.
Senior Sergeant McQueen said those arrested on Tuesday have been charged with offences including criminal damage relating to multiple graffiti incidents and also weapons and drugs offences.
Charges following Tuesday’s arrests also relate to one or more burglaries at Castlemaine Football and Netball Clubrooms. Read more in today’s Mail…
Maldon man’s $multi-million win
Eve Lamb
A Maldon man’s home ownership dream looks set to come true following his multi-million-dollar TattsLotto win over the weekend.
The local resident scooped a tidy $2.5 million in last weekend’s TattsLotto draw.
He held one of the four division one winning entries in TattsLotto draw 4189, drawn on Saturday September 11, with each of the winners pocketing $2.5 million.
The Lott informed the Mail that the Maldon man had celebrated with his family on Saturday night after making the exciting discovery.
And his winning System 11 QuickPick entry was purchased at Maldon Newsagency.
Speaking with an official from The Lott, the local winner admitted he was still struggling to come to terms with the life-changing news.
“I found out straight after the draw on Saturday night,” he said.
“I was just watching some TV with my family when I checked my ticket on The Lott app and that’s when I realised I’d won division one. Read more in today’s Mail…
Covid-proofing a Shakespearean classic
Eve Lamb
Castlemaine Theatre Company is getting set to unleash about two years’ worth of pent up creative frustration as it presents its new COVID-proof production of The Tempest as a radio podcast in four episodes.
Director Kate Stones says work on the production, featuring original music by David Thrussell, started back in April and recording is now complete with final editing taking place this week.
After months of rehearsal and recording, the keen cast of 15 are just days away from seeing their version of the Shakespearean classic presented to local audiences.
In a savvy move designed to side-step any last minute lockdown announcements, the full production will be broadcast on Castlemaine’s 94.9 MAINfm on Around the Wireless (Wednesdays at 1pm) and repeated on Dark Moments (Saturdays at 10pm), with the first episode scheduled to air on Wednesday September 22.
It’s a first for the local theatre company that’s never before presented a full feature-length play via radio podcast, and the creative process tossed up some unique challenges and rewards notes cast member Toby Heydon.
“One of the interesting things from my point of view as an actor is that every recorded take has been like a live performance so in some ways that sense of achievement was magnified,” says Toby who plays Sebastian, bratty younger brother to the king.
Stones says the innovative podcast project was inspired by a New York theatre company who created an episodic podcast version of Richard III. Read more in today’s Mail…
Our Harcourt
G’day Katie and Hugh. How long have you called Harcourt home now?
Katie: I was born here. I was born at Castlemaine hospital – so all my life, except for about 15 years when I lived in Melbourne.
Hugh: I moved to Harcourt exactly 30 years ago. From Melbourne. Escaped from the city.
What brought you here Hugh?
Well – just getting out of Melbourne. I didn’t need to be working in Melbourne. I was doing a job that didn’t require me to be in an office. I was travel writing for Lonely Planet.
Now the two of you are pretty much synonymous with organic farming practices here in Harcourt. What does that involve at the moment?
Katie: We’ve moved more into being organic farming mentors actually. We learnt how to do it over about 20 years and didn’t have a lot of peers when we started. We got some great advice from other famers in other places and so learned how to do it, and then as we’ve stepped back from active farming ourselves we’ve really enjoyed mentoring a new generation both here on our farm and through other networks as well.
And also you’re involved with the nursery. Can you give me a little snapshot of what that entails?
Katie: We still keep our hands dirty by running Carr’s Organic Fruit Tree Nursery. That’s mainly me and my dad, Merv Carr, and my sister Liz Carr. Hugh is theoretically not part of the business. He just does lots of work for none of the glory (laughs).
Hugh: The tractor stuff. Catch our full chat with Hugh and Katie in today’s Mail…
Our Golden Ticket winner!
Our 2021 Castlemaine Mail ‘Golden Ticket’ buy local promotion major prize winner is Castlemaine’s Leonie Langford!
Our Golden Ticket winners were officially drawn with a Facebook live-stream event on Wednesday this week and we are delighted to announce that Leonie claimed first prize and $3000 to spend at our fabulous Golden Ticket businesses.
Second place and $1000 went to Alf Green of Campbells Creek, third and $500 worth of vouchers went to Shirley Anderson of Castlemaine and fourth and $500 in vouchers to Lois Barry of Castlemaine.
Leonie said she was shocked but delighted when she received the call that she had won.
“I had to sit down and have a cup of tea and let the news soak in!” she said.
Leonie and her husband are currently undertaking a bathroom renovation and she said some of the money will be used to purchase tiles from Dales Discounts.
“We might get some new towels from Taylors Home Centre too and plan to support various other businesses. I can’t believe it. It’s just fantastic!” she said.
Congratulations to all our winners and thanks to the hundreds of readers that diligently collected their puzzle pieces over the nine weeks of the promotion and submitted their entries.
Our winners can spend their vouchers at any of the 21 wonderful Golden Ticket buy local promotion businesses which included: Barker Street Cafe, Beehave, Castlemaine IGA, Castlemaine News & Lotto, Clifford’s Quality Cuts, Dales Discount, Extremity Street and Sport, Greenaway Bins. Hip Pocket Workwear Castlemaine, Hot & Crusty Bakery, JM Leech Jewellers, Maine Shoes and Accessories, Maldon Crystals, Midland Pet Supplies, Miss Maisie, Mulberrys Delicatessen, PJ’s Tyres, Robertson Hyetts Solicitors, Stevens Mensland, Taylors Home Centre and The Tea Dispensary.
The Castlemaine Mail is incredibly proud to support the Golden Ticket promotion and encourage our readers to shop local.
Castlemaine Mail manager Lynda Brew thanked all the businesses which participated in this year’s promotion.
“It’s really great to see people getting behind the promotion and supporting our local businesses which have had an incredibly challenging 18 months,” she said.
“The best bit about the promotion is the fact all the prize money goes towards supporting our local businesses. Buying local is so important to ensure our businesses not only survive but thrive”.
Historic gem to be restored
Castlemaine Cemetery’s historic Sexton’s Office will be restored thanks to a $77,000 grant from the state government.
The Castlemaine Cemetery Trust were thrilled to receive the grant after being unsuccessful the first time around and say the works are of paramount importance in saving the crumbling historic gem.
The grant is one of 19 worth more than $2.3M under the Victorian Government’s Living Heritage Program.
The Sexton’s Office was built in 1867 and over the last 154 years has been damaged by rising damp.
Castlemaine Cemetery Trust chairperson Debra Tranter said they are delighted to receive the funding.
“The office is such a distinctive building and an important part of Castlemaine’s heritage. We are delighted that we will see not only the office restored but also the original 1875 cemetery plan, an important historical document,” she said. See the Mail for the full story.
The ride of a lifetime!
Sick of being cooped up in the house? Looking for a challenge? Why not consider tackling this year’s Great Vic Bike Ride?
The majestic Grampians and the award-wining Art Silos in Western Victoria will take pride of place at this year’s event.
The 537-kilometre route is expected to attract over 3,000 people from across Australia. The ride is arguably the world’s greatest cycling holiday and bike riding adventure.
One of those looking to participate is Castlemaine’s Karly Whelan.
Karly has been on the Great Vic Bike Ride once before, 20 years ago when she was in uni and is looking forward to hitting the road again.
“It’s a long time between Great Vic stints!” Karly laughs, but she would definitely recommend the experience to others.
“Travelling the back roads through county Victoria is such a great way to see our beautiful state,” she said. See the Mail for the full story.
