Australia Day-Survival Day commenced with a poignant smoking ceremony led by local Jaara elder Uncle Rick Nelson on Leanganook (Mount Alexander) at dawn on Tuesday. Uncle Rick later welcomed community members to the Australia Day-Survival Day service at Victory Park. For full details on all our 2021 award winners see the Castlemaine Mail. Out Now.
Scholarship program closing soon
Maldon & District Community Bank’s 2021 TAFE and university scholarship program closes this Sunday.
Three scholarships are available in 2021 – a major $2,000 scholarship, as well as two minor scholarships of $1,000.
The scholarships are designed to support young students in the Mount Alexander Shire and Dunolly district undertake an apprenticeship, or study at university or TAFE. See the Mail for more details.
Flying high!
Skateboarders, scooter and BMX riders of all ages descended on Castlemaine last Saturday January 23 to take part in a regional heat as part of the Australian Skate Park League series.
The series is a national grass-roots skateboard, scoot and BMX competition in Australia coordinated by the YMCA and Mount Alexander Shire Council were delighted to have the opportunity to play host to the event. See the Mail for the full story.
Welcome to paradise
Bryon Cunningham, Castlemaine
Castlemaine is no longer the town it was before COVID. The lockdown challenged our way of life and changed priorities. We had to look to ourselves to stay in touch with family and friends, prepare meals, seek ways to entertain ourselves and sometimes do the things we put aside for the last decade or two. Nurseries and hardware shops were busier than ever; jobs needing to be done around the home were done. Young families did it harder. Home school, separation from friends, keeping the kids entertained took its toll on parents, businesses closed – some for good, jobs were lost but the hardest hit were those isolated from usual contacts and services. Many of us took time to help and found ways to support each other. Food was made and delivered, local produce markets flourished and generally life in regional Victoria was not too troublesome. But isolation has brought with it a big shift in thinking! City dwellers are casting their eyes on the good life to be found in regional towns. This is an important time to plan for new growth and how best to manage new development. How to provide sustainable services for water, waste, power, public transport as well as services for education, community health, and employment. All will need to be managed effectively to meet the needs of our community as well as the newcomers to our town. To do this well with our limited resources will be the greatest challenge. I have concerns about the preservation and protection of our unique heritage, how to evolve Castlemaine’s unique character with respect to what we have and what we will need for the future. More than ever we need our councillors open to and in touch with the community, alert to these new challenges. Councillors who will lead the way and ensure our council officers reflect the wishes of the councillors and the community. We must be proactive with a plan to ensure we make the best of the opportunities change will bring, planning for new developments that will ensure our safety and wellbeing and make a good fit with our community as well as for future residents.
It’s no surprise that people want to move to our beautiful town, lets welcome them with warmth and respect armed with a sound strategic plan for our future consistent with our values and our unique cultural heritage, led by community not profit seekers, if we lose what we have we will be just another ordinary country town.
Working group forming for recycling project
Hopes to establish a new community recycling project are gaining momentum at Maldon with people now being invited to join a new working group. Local childhood educator Leone Wallace is a driving force behind the concept to establish a ‘reverse garbage truck’ to collect and repurpose waste materials for reuse … Read more in today’s Mail.
Festival program launched
A fantastic crowd turned out to enjoy the official launch of the Castlemaine State Festival 2021 program at the Castlemaine Botanical Gardens on Tuesday evening.
Many packed a picnic to enjoy at the CovidSafe event which took place on the grounds around the rotunda and featured live music by Castlemaine’s own home grown group The Maes, an address by Festival director Glyn Roberts and a set by DJ Jen Moore.
You can pick up a free copy of the program in our current edition of sister paper the Midland Express. See the Mail story in the Mail. Out Now.
Colonel Bull Trophy decided
Members of the Castlemaine Rifle Club contested the third stage of the Club Championship last Saturday which is also the ‘Colonel Bull Trophy’.
Colonel John Edward Newell Bull was the man responsible for setting up the Castlemaine Rifle Range on the site it still occupies today. It was gazetted in 1861 and this year the club celebrates its 160th birthday. See the Mail for the full story. Out Now.
Tech School reunion on soon
The Castlemaine Technical College Past Students’ Association (CTCPSA) will be holding its 84th annual reunion on Sunday February 21, 2021 and invites past students and teachers to come along to the 2021 celebration.
CTCPSA president Bill Sikora said it’s been an extraordinary 12 months with COVID 19 affecting may aspects of our everyday lives.
“Given the uncertainty around what Covid rules will be in play looking ahead the association has decided that they will not run a reunion in the same format as recent years,” he said.
“We invite past students, teachers and their families to participate in a less formal self-catered reunion lunch at the Music Centre at the Castlemaine Secondary College Etty Street Campus (site of the former Castlemaine Technical College) on Sunday, February 21 from 11am onwards,” he said. See the Mail for more…
Celebrate Australia Day in the park
Castlemaine’s Highland Pipe Band members are tuning up for Tuesday’s special celebrations to mark Australia Day – Survival Day in Castlemaine’s Victory Park.
When the free Mount Alexander Shire community event fires up from 10 am, the band will be opening proceedings with a 10 minute set including some classic favs.
As a CovidSafe event, registration is required to attend with tickets available online at bit.ly/MtAlexBoxOffice or at the Visitor Information Centre in Mostyn Street.
“It will be our second only public outing since we started practicing together again in November,” the band’s Pipe Major Vic Groenhout says, noting that Covid meant the band forwent group practice for about eight months last year.
Fortunately, their usual Wednesday evening practice sessions at the botanical gardens band room have resumed and now they’re not the only ones preparing for what promises a great day out.
Local Indigenous elder Uncle Rick Nelson will also be having an early start on Tuesday as he prepares to perform a traditional smoking ceremony at 6am on the summit of Leanganook – Mount Alexander.
The early morning smoking ceremony will be live-streamed, while Mount Alexander is inviting everyone to waste no time in registering to enjoy the free Victory Park program to run 10am to 12 noon.
It’s a chance to be the first to see the winners of the shire’s Australia Day awards and welcome the newest local Australian citizens in a special citizenship ceremony.
The family-friendly event will also feature a Welcome to Country and a BBQ lunch by the Rotary Club of Castlemaine.
“It’s a day to reflect on our nation’s history which began with the First Australians tens of thousands of years ago, and to respect and share the stories, histories and contributions of all Australians,” mayor Cr Tony Cordy said.
Algae warning for Barkers Creek Res
Coliban Water has requested people avoid contact with water in Barkers Creek Reservoir near Harcourt following detection of blue green algae.
It’s also currently advised that stock and pets should be kept away from the reservoir.
Coliban Manager Customer Operations Steve Dunlop said visitors to Barkers Creek could still sight-see and were encouraged to enjoy activities that don’t involve direct contact with the water.
“We are closely monitoring the presence of Blue Green Algae at Barkers Creek and will keep the community updated on any changes to this advice,” he said.
Signage has been erected at the reservoir to notify visitors and customers supplied by the Harcourt Modernised Rural System can use their rural water as normal and have been notified.
This is because the water source has been changed from Barkers Creek Reservoir to the Coliban Main Channel. Further information is available at 1300 363 200.
Sunday’s a picnic…
Extremely strong demand for tickets to this Sunday’s Newstead Live Picnic Concerts bodes well for the future of the town’s long running Newstead Live festival, the event’s director says.
“It’s a bit of placeholder,” Kelly Skinner says of this Sunday’s event happening when the festival normally would have – pre-Covid.
After a rip-roaring Newstead Live 2020 snuck in just before the pandemic struck, Newstead Live 2021 was cancelled due to Covid 19.
However, Victoria’s progress made in thwarting the virus spread since prompted the organising committee to go ahead with the scaled-back picnic concert instead.
It had been set for the town’s rec reserve but the heat now forecast for Sunday has now prompted and eleventh hour relocation to the town’s Community Centre.
“It’s going to be a scorcher on Sunday so we’ve shifted to the community centre,” Kelly notes.
“It’s not really a festival but it’s still Newstead Live and really it’s kind of a bit of a place-holder and a celebration of Newstead Live,” she says.
With Irish-born-Melbourne based Enda Kenny headlining and Ian Bland as MC, the program also features Cat & Clint, Mon Coeur and Skyscraper Stan.
Skate comp Saturday
Local skateboard riders of all ages are encouraged to get involved in a national competition being held at Castlemaine Skate Park this Saturday January 23.
The regional heat is part of the Australian Skate Park League series, which is a national grass-roots skateboard, scoot and BMX competition in Australia.
There will also be free parkour workshops running throughout the day, as well as a barbecue and refreshments available.
Mount Alexander Shire Council’s youth activities officer Jodie Hearn said the event is a chance to showcase the talent of the region’s young riders.
“Whether you’re new to the sport or an experienced rider, I’d encourage you to come along and be part of the day,” said Ms Hearn.
“Castlemaine has a fantastic skate park, which makes it an ideal venue for an Australian Skate League regional heat, as well as an awesome training venue for locals,” she said.
“There are lots of talented riders in our shire, and I’m looking forward to being able to cheer them on, and check out some of the amazing moves that’ll be on show.”
Entry to the competition is free. To register go to www.skateparkleagues.com and complete the online enrolment form. Competitors can also register on the day.
The event is sponsored by Mount Alexander Shire Council, FReeZA and the Victorian Government, and organised by YMCA Action Sports, Skate Australia, Victorian Skateboarding League and BMX Victoria.
The event will run from 11am to 4pm and will be alcohol, drug and smoke free and fully supervised. CovidSafe precautions will also be in place and helmets must be worn be all competitors.
For more details, including event accessibility, contact Jodie Hearn, Council’s Youth Activities Officer, on 5471 1700, email youth@mountalexander.vic.gov.au or head to our youth website www.mountalexandershireyouth.com.au. Details are also on Facebook and Instagram @mountalexandershire_youth.