By Eve Lamb
A young local mountain biker has been airlifted to hospital with suspected head injury following a fall at the Harcourt Mountain Bike Park-La Larr Ba Gauwa earlier this week.
The Castlemaine SES unit was called into action at about 9.38am … Get the full story in today’s Mail
Eve Lamb
Countless tough hours of volunteer work has seen local wildlife carer Kerry Reid celebrated as this year’s Mount Alexander Shire Citizen of the Year.
Enterprising young local secondary college student, keen volunteer and Young Makers’ Market regular Billy Lister took the Oz Day gong for Young Citizen, while stalwart of the Newstead Live annual music festival, musician and funeral celebrant Kelly Skinner is this year’s Senior Citizen of the Year.
And the shire’s new three-day Gold Sounds Music Conference has clinched this year’s title of Community Event of the Year with the event’s Fionna Allan happily accepting the award on behalf of the event’s organising team.
A COVID-aware crowd joined local dignitaries and MPs, council officials, musicians and local Indigenous community representatives at Castlemaine’s Victory Park to mark Australia Day-Survival Day in style on Wednesday.
Mayor Bill Maltby formally welcomed new citizens Charles Morse, Malgorzata Rybicka, Alison Francis and Eli Tavares.
Addressing the crowd, the shire’s newly named Citizen of the Year, Kerry Reid urged others to step up as volunteer wildlife rescuers, a role she said was both needed and expected by the wider community.
“The calls we receive come every day, every week, all year,” Ms Reid told the Australia Day crowd gathered in Wednesday’s humid conditions in Victory Park.
She said that while the work of being a volunteer wildlife carer and rescuer was frequently stressful, demanding and financially draining it was also incredibly rewarding.
“I love what I do and I’m part of a network of volunteers,” Ms Reid said.
“I would encourage anyone who is considering it to join our team. We need you. Please don’t hesitate to call me and I will help you get started. It’s for our wildlife and our community.”
MC for the official program Mount Alexander CEO Darren Fuzzard particularly paid homage to both the local and national First Nations Peoples as well as the nation’s first line responders.
And, performing the traditional Welcome To Country, local Indigenous elder Uncle Rick Nelson noted the well established part that the community’s Indigenous community has in Mount Alexander Shire’s annual Australia Day – Survival Day celebrations.
“We’ve been doing it for ten years now so we’re sort of cemented in,” Uncle Rick said.
Mount Alexander Shire is also proud to boast four community members which were named in the 2022 Australia Day Honours List by the Governor General. For more coverage on the local Mount Alexander Shire Australia Day-Survival Day Awards, our newest OAM’s and AM turn to pages 7, 8, 9, 10 and 14.
Shadow Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen and Bendigo Federal MP Lisa Chesters visited Maldon Neighbourhood Centre on Monday to announce an Albanese Labor Government will deliver a community battery for Maldon.
If successful at the upcoming federal election Labor’s ‘Power to the People’ community battery plan will invest $200 million to install 400 community batteries across the country. With Maldon to be one of the first in central Victoria. See the Mail for the full story. Out Now.
On Tuesday January 25 in sweltering conditions Castlemaine Bowling Club members watched a fantastic contest for the Ladies Championship between Pam Hunter and Nina Hufer. It was an exciting game with numerous lead changes. It was perhaps the vast experience of Pam that counted in the end with the scores ending in her favour.
In other bowls news the Castlemaine Charity Pink Day in memory of club member Brian Medbury will be held next Wednesday, February 2 and the club’s popular ‘Girls on the Green’ competition returns next Thursday evening February 3. See the Mail for more details…
For almost 28 years, BABBA have been thrilling audiences with their superb recreation of 70’s supergroup ABBA and the legacy of hit’s they gave us.
The group will be returning to Castlemaine’s Theatre Royal on Saturday February 19 for another memorable show not to be missed.
With glitz and glamour served up with Swedish accents and enough musical memories to fill you to overflowing BABBA will take you on a journey through time to when satin was King and Dancing Queens ruled. See the Mail for full details.
Community members gathered in Victory Park Wednesday for the annual Australia Day-Survival Day event and the announcement of our community award winners. Young Citizen of the Year Billy Lister, Citizen of the Year Kerry Reid, Mayor Bill Maltby, Senior Citizen of the Year Kelly Skinner and Event of the Year – Gold Sounds Music Conference representative Fionna Allan pictured were all smiles after the ceremony. Four locals and a former Castlemaine resident have also received Australia Day Honours. See today’s Mail for our extensive Australia Day Awards coverage.
Eve Lamb
The critically important place that the Sutton Grange and Myrtle Creek Fire Brigade occupies in the local community was well illustrated when it celebrated it’s 100th anniversary on Sunday.
The centenary celebrations, complete with commemorative plaque unveiling took place in the morning and were duly marked before VIPs and an appreciative crowd of about 70.
But not long after the day’s official program had wrapped up at about midday, brigade members had to quickly switch their reminiscing and tea cups for their protective gear and procedural protocols as many rushed off to attend two separate call outs on the same day.
“You could say it was a busy start to the new year,” reflected brigade comms officer Andrew Weaving.
The first callout that came through shortly after 1pm was to a fire at … Get the full story in today’s Mail
Eve Lamb
Uncertainty around the number of active COVID cases now circulating in the community has forced the cancellation of this weekend’s Newstead Live Festival.
With 34 live acts on the program, the annual Australia Day long weekend fest had been keenly anticipated by many, but festival director Kelly Skinner has told the Mail the current COVID situation left organisers with no option.
All who had purchased tickets have been offered refunds.
“We’ve refunded abut 200 tickets and about ten per cent of those who were offered refunds have chosen to donate the cost of their ticket back to the festival, which was lovely,” Ms Skinner said.
“It’s a mixture of relief and disappointment.” Get the full story in today’s Mail…
Eve Lamb
Castlemaine shares some of her most entertaining secrets tonight.
This evening is opening night for Castlemaine Theatre Company’s new live show Walk With Us – Untold Castlemaine which will take audiences on a short walking tour around town to catch five dynamic live performance pieces.
The COVID- safe series is being led by a cast of flamboyant characters with each of the five acts written by a different writer and directed by a different director.
“Asking five writers to compose short scripts meant that each wasn’t overburdened and that it would be hopefully fun,” says Mark Penzak, lead artist for the unique live production.
“Technically speaking, having different voices and a gender balance was always going to create a more interesting production than if I’d written it alone.
“I’m also hoping that this might encourage more writers to consider creating scripts for CTC.
“I believe that if the community has ever needed theatre, it is now. Get the full story in today’s Mail.
Eve Lamb
The CFA has issued a stern warning after three separate fires were sparked by machinery use in the Mount Alexander Shire area in recent days.
Last Saturday, in separate incidents, mowers sparked fires at Maldon and at Sedgwick near Sutton Grange, while on Sunday a slasher caused a fire that burnt through about six hectares at Harcourt North.
Harcourt North Captain Andrew Wilson said the fire that was started by a slasher at McIvor Road, North Harcourt around 4.49pm on Sunday afternoon had burnt about six hectares before it was able to be extinguished…
Use of a ride on mower was also so blame for a fire which got away at a property in Hubble Road, Sedgwick about 4.24pm on Saturday, while local CFA units were also called on to extinguish another fire that started about 1pm on Doyles Road at Myrtle Creek.
CFA Maldon brigade captain Sean McCubbin said units from Maldon, Newstead and Walmer turned out to a fire which started on undulating rocky ground on Mount Tarrengower Road in Maldon after ride on mower created a spark that quickly turned into a blaze. Get the full story in today’s Mail…
Maldon’s Porcupine Village is getting a major makeover in preparation for its reopening.
The 15 acre property was purchased by Melbourne businessman Frank Hutchinson back in December 2020 and he wasted no time putting Managers Doug and Debra Baird in place to bring the former local tourist attraction back to life.
The duo have hit the ground running since their appointment back in February 2021, bringing on board a talented troupe of local tradespeople to refurbish the caretaker’s residence, the property’s former restaurant space and motel accommodation.
The team are currently in the process of giving the village itself a makeover, installing new signage, clearing and redecorating building interiors and creating a new reception space, new entrance, and a dedicated new exit and gift shop in ‘Charlotte’s Barn’.
Work is also furiously underway to landscape the areas around the motel, entrance and surrounds. See the Mail for the full story. Out Now.
Castlemaine District Cricket Association’s Under 17 Kirton Shield side has made a fine start to their 2022 Central Highlands Country Week campaign with two wins from two matches as of Thursday morning when we went to press.
The Castlemaine team were scheduled to play Gisborne at the Camp Reserve Thursday and a great game was anticipated with both teams on two wins a piece. The two teams will then face each other again in the final on January 30 in Ballarat.
