Editor of the Castlemaine Mail Lisa Dennis chats with Dr Bridget Haylock to discuss the top local stories of the week.
You can listen to this segment every Friday on Main FM‘s Femme Fortissimo program. Proudly sponsored by the Castlemaine Mail.
Front pages from the archives: Flashback to Castlemaine Alternative Expo 2007
15 years ago: August 17, 2007. The seventh annual Castlemaine Alternative Expo at the Town Hall was a huge success with more than 1000 visitors touring the 38 stalls across the weekend. There was a really good atmosphere and great networking amongst exhibitors. A rate rise equal to seven per cent was part of the shire’s adopted budget, and Coliban Water had cancelled its public information sessions on its new Water Plan 2008-13 for what it said was a lack of interest.
National win for Lewis!
Castlemaine tennis star and Tennis Victoria representative Lewis Murray is celebrating this week following his win at the third annual National Indigenous Tennis Carnival in Darwin on Sunday.
The tournament brought together the largest number of First Nations participants in the history of the event, with 230 players from every state and territory battling it out in two streams – one for general participation and another for competition, in both the 14/U and 18/U age groups.
Off court a variety of culturally immersive experiences took place over the four days, including a community concert featuring Indigenous electronic music duo Electric Fields.
The 12 year old enjoyed an amazing week of culture and tennis representing Team Victoria in the 14Us and playing off against fellow tennis players from across the country.
Lewis was privileged to win the final with his hero Evonne Goolagong-Cawley watching courtside.
Lewis’ proud mum Sarah James said it was a really wonderful moment for him.
“Evonne also presented the trophy to him which was incredibly special,” she said.
Goolagong-Cawley believes the National Indigenous Tennis Carnival is a fantastic way to bring tennis and Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander cultures together.
“It’s a dream come true to be part of this National Indigenous Tennis Carnival and to see how tennis can have such a positive impact on communities and do so much good,” Goolagong-Cawley said.
It has been a whirlwind year for Lewis whose latest win comes after he won three tournaments on the Tennis Australia junior tour.
The tennis fan also enjoyed the opportunity to be an Australian Open Ball Kid.
He was also the 12s Boys Singles Champion at the Wagga Open, Swan Hill Easter Tournament, and Bendigo Gold Easter Tournament.
More recently he was part of the Bendigo Zone Squad which represented the Loddon Campaspe region in the Pat Cash Cup 12s event in Wodonga.
Further submissions considered on Harcourt planning amendment
Mount Alexander Shire Council has considered further submissions regarding Harcourt’s Planning Scheme Amendment C94 ahead of the upcoming meeting of the independent planning panel set to commence on September 12.
Amendment C94malx is council’s proposed amendment to implement the recommendations of Plan Harcourt (2020) by incorporating planning policy into the Mount Alexander Planning Scheme, including the Harcourt Framework Plan.
This seeks to provide specific direction for two residential growth areas on the Harcourt Framework Plan (Area A and B); the existing areas of Harcourt by encouraging well designed infill development in the Neighbourhood Residential Zone (NRZ) close to houses; and well designed commercial development within the Commercial Zone with the proposed application of the Design and Development Overlay (DDO).
Council considered submissions to the amendment at its June 21, 2022 meeting but since that time an administrative error was identified by the Strategic Planning unit which resulted in an extended exhibition period and two further submissions being received from the Department of Transport (DoT) and Environmental Protection Authority (EPA).
The DoT submission did not request any changes and commended several aspects of the DDO for its aim to ‘create a safe and active pedestrian environment and public realm through encouraging active transport links within and around the town centre’.
However, the EPA submission raised concerns about ‘potentially contaminated’ land which has been subject to activities in the Farming Zone being potentially rezoned for residential use.
The Strategic Planning unit recommended that no changes by made to the amendment document, and that the further submissions be referred directly to the planning panel.
Council agreed and opted to refer the further two submissions and any more late submissions which may be received directly on to the planning panel for consideration.
Cr Tony Cordy noted there had been an extensive community consultation process regarding the planning scheme amendment and thanked all the Harcourt residents who had taken the time to contribute.
“I am sure the planning panel will take on board all the suggestions made by the community,” he said.
“We also appreciate all the work of our planning staff, in particular Coordinator of Strategic Planning Lauren Watt who has headed this up,” he said.
Once it has considered the amendment and submissions the planning panel will prepare a report recommending how council proceed. Council will consider the recommendations, make changes and approve or reject the amendment. If council adopts the finalised amendment it will then proceed to the Planning Minister for approval.
Award honour for Samuel
Former Castlemaine lad and digital guru Samuel Walter was recently awarded the ‘Young Businessperson of the Year’ award at the Auscham Business Awards in Vietnam.
The awards held in Ho Chi Minh City by the Australian Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam (Auscham) celebrate the strength and resilience of Australian businesses operating in Vietnam.
This year’s awards sought to recognise exceptional businesses and individuals who demonstrate the highest levels of best business practice, responses to Covid-19, care of their working teams and a demonstrated Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) platform.
Local IT expert Samuel Walter moved to Vietnam in April last year, where he started a digital marketing agency called Artemis Digital, which also trades as ‘Heads On Pillows’ for their tourism clients.
Artemis Digital is made up of some passionate and talented individuals with a shared love of helping their clients grow their business and achieve their goals. Each digital strategy they implement is built on commercial research and linked to their client objectives.
Heads On Pillows specifically builds the online presence of travel and accommodation businesses through tailored tourism digital marketing campaigns.
Samuel says they are a fully owned by the Australian company he set up not long before moving overseas, and most of their clients are in Australia, but their client base is also growing in Vietnam.
Samuel said he was honoured to receive the ‘Young Businessperson of the Year’ award.
“It was great recognition for all we have achieved to date. We were also a finalist for Small Business of the Year,” he said.
“Our team is growing and we have eight employees here in Vietnam and have been able to work with some really interesting Australian and Vietnamese brands and help them to achieve their goals,” he said.
Despite his fast paced life and success in Vietnam Samuel says he still enjoys coming home.
“I grew up in Castlemaine and it’s still my favourite place. I love going home and I think I’ll end up back there one day,” he said.
Helping main streets survive the focus of local conference
The survival of small businesses in regional main street precincts was the focus of a conference hosted by Mainstreet Australia in Castlemaine earlier this month.
With the support of Mount Alexander Shire Council and Business Mount Alexander, conference participants got to exchange experiences and hear from keynote speakers at the event.
Mainstreet Australia executive officer Elizabeth Joldeski said organisers were thrilled with the turnout.
“We did a metro conference and then a regional conference and we were thrilled with both,” Ms Joldeski said.
“We had a great turnout of about 70 attendees to Castlemaine and it was fantastic.
“We know that a lot of regional businesses have a lot of stresses and pressures, fighting the current covid wave and dealing with cost of living pressures as well.
“There’s real burnout and real stress but the conference was great because everyone was able to connect over these issues and come together to recognise that.
“So we talked about ways we could work together to grow our businesses.”
Ms Joldeski said Jace Tyrrell, CEO of New West End Company based in London, zoomed in and talked about a new type of structure called Business Improvement Districts.
“There are about 2000 of them around the world, in America, the UK and Canada,” she said.
“The model is that you get the backing of the landlords, in conjunction with the traders and the council and government, to combine funds and establish a coordinating entity to look at the needs of that district, be it infrastructure or marketing etc.
“Jace gave such great insight around how that model works, and it’s scalable down for regional towns too, so the audience was thrilled to hear about this model.
“It’s something we’re advocating for more widespread introduction around Australia.”
Ms Joldeski said another keynote speaker was Amanda Stevens, a consumer futurist, who talked about what consumers wanted in order to shop more locally, ethically and smartly.
“She said the ideal customer everyone should be targeting was about the age of 42 and she gave some compelling examples of successful customer service around the world.
“We had some panels in the afternoon looking at sustainability, including some local initiatives, and we talked about the ‘customer experience economy’ as well and what it means to really invite people into your store.”
Ms Joldeski said conference organisers had received strong follow-up from participants that had shown there was demand for more support for traders.
“We want to do more in the regions and we’re looking forward to rolling out some more tailored capacity building for traders in the future,” she said.
Business Mount Alexander treasurer, Jacqueline Brodie-Hanns, said BMA loved hearing from business communities from across the state about how they were responding to the challenges of attracting and retaining customers.
“It’s incredibly reassuring to know that you are not the only ones going through these challenges. And hearing from the regional communities was very encouraging as we share so many similarities,” Ms Brodie-Hanns said.
Local not-for-profit CEO selected for leadership opportunity
Castlemaine for-profit CEO Fiona Davis of Farmers for Climate Action is among twenty-four not-for-profit leaders which have been selected to be part of the second cohort of the Social Impact Leadership Australia (SILA) Program – a five-year $9.6 million capacity building and leadership program funded by four of Australia’s major philanthropic foundations.
Built from a collective desire to support NFP leaders to positively influence their organisations and create a strategic network of more than 100 social impact leaders across the country, The Myer Foundation, Sidney Myer Fund, Vincent Fairfax Family Foundation and Paul Ramsay Foundation came together in 2020 to fund the SILA Program, which is being delivered by the Centre for Social Impact (CSI).
Cohort Two participants – made up of CEOs from Victoria and Tasmania within the climate, arts, agriculture, health, and community services sectors – will experience a series of immersive learning experiences, one-on-one coaching, dedicated capacity-building support, and a fully funded three-month sabbatical over the 10-month program.
As Farmers for Climate Action’s Deputy Director between 2018 and 2021, local Fiona Davis was responsible for assisting the then CEO to meet the objectives in Farmers for Climate Action’s strategic plan and operational plan. In particular, Fiona took the lead on the organisation’s internal and external communications, operations, and people and culture.
Today as CEO of Farmers for Climate Action Fiona is excited to lead 6000-strong farmer-led movement into its next exciting phase.
Fiona told the Mail she was delighted to be selected in the SILA program.
“This is an incredibly rare opportunity to have the space and opportunity to step back and learn and reflect on how both Farmers for Climate Action and I can best evolve and grow,” the CEO said.
“I have no doubt that I will emerge from this program as a stronger and more effective leader. This combined with the training for my step-up leader and the wrap-around business support is going to put Farmers for Climate Action in the very best position possible to thrive into the future,” Fiona said.
CSI CEO Armine Nalbandian said the SILA Program aims to strengthen the entire for-purpose sector through its innovative and immersive approach – an Australian-first and fully funded offering.
“SILA is a ground-breaking way for us to bring leaders together to learn from each other, while also strengthening their personal and organisational capabilities and giving them an opportunity to refresh and re-energise their organisation’s strategic direction,” she said.
“This new cohort of SILA leaders are already driving positive social change for their communities, and SILA will take them to the next level as part of a network of 100 CEOs across Australia.”
Calling citizen scientists to help gauge local platypus populations
The Australian Conservation Foundation is asking people to become ‘citizen scientists’ this September and head to their local creeks and rivers to see if they can spot a platypus.
ACF nature campaigner Jess Abrahams said it was known that the platypus had a wide distribution across the east coast – from northern Queensland to southern Tasmania – but there wasn’t a lot of data about which specific waterways platypuses lived in, or where populations might be in decline, or even if there had been local extinctions.
“Filling these knowledge gaps is a big job, so researchers are asking for the community’s help,” Mr Abrahams said.
“We’ve put together a map that shows the species’ range and where platypuses have been sighted in the past.
“The map includes several documented platypus sightings in creeks and rivers around Castlemaine – specifically in Campbells Creek south of Castlemaine town and in the Coliban River at Taradale and Malmsbury.
“It would be good to know if there are still platypuses living there.”
ACF is asking people to use the map to identify priority areas near them – then head out to see if they can spot a platypus and log their sightings with the Platy-project.
To register and find out more, head to www.acf.org.au/platy-project
Talented Castlemaine netballers bound for the state championships
Castlemaine District Netball Association (CDNA) is thrilled to announce that three local netballers have been selected to represent the North Central region at the upcoming Netball Victoria State Championships at the State Netball Centre in Melbourne in October.
Eliza Oxley and Megan Wilson have been selected in the 17 and Under squad and up and coming young talent Eden Clifford has been selected in the 15 and Under squad. Local coach Vanessa Saunders has also been selected as Assistant Coach of the North Central 15 and Under side.
The trio told the Mail they were thrilled to make the cut for the state event.
Eliza and Megan said this is the second time they have made the squad but unfortunately covid put paid to the 2021 event and they were never able to represent the region. This is the first time Eden has been selected for states.
The netballers have undertaken a gruelling regime of trials to reach this point and will have plenty more training sessions with their new look teams across Central Victoria in the lead up to the October 1-2 competition.
Former CDNA Junior Development Squad member Eliza Oxley is currently enjoying her second year with the Sandhurst 17 and Under side and is a strong Goal Shooter and Goal Attack. She expects to predominately fill a Goal Shooter role for her North Central squad.
Megan Wilson is enjoying her first season with the Castlemaine Magpie 17 and Under side and impressing selectors as a Goal Defence and Goal Keeper.
Eden Clifford was a late comer to the sport first picking up a netball at 11, but has come along in leaps and bounds over the last few years. She has been an integral member of the CDNA Junior Development Squads and is currently enjoying her first season with South Bendigo 17 and Under where she is also coached by Vanessa Saunders.
“Vanessa has coached me at Development Squad level, the Bloods and now North Central. It’s been great to have her as a mentor on my netball journey,” Eden said.
Eden has been playing in the roles of Goal Defence, Goal Keeper and Centre and is sure to be an asset to her North Central side when they line up against netballers from 18 other country and metro regions at the state event.
Best of luck to our local netballers and their North Central squads at the state event!
Local junior footballers celebrate our CDJFL footy past
The Castlemaine Magpies Under 9 White and Black teams enjoyed a ‘Heritage Round’ match to wrap up their 2022 Bendigo Junior Football League seasons last Sunday.
The teams donned the guernseys of the former historic West End and Wesley Hill teams for their last game of the season, a nod to the footy history of the town and the former Castlemaine District Junior Football League glory days. The kids are pictured celebrating the end of a fun and successful season.
Photos prove that Harcourt does flood!
With the Harcourt community recently invited by North Central Catchment Management Authority (NCCMA) to provide input into a Flood Study for Harcourt, local resident Faye Hards has shared images with the Mail of flooding in the township.
Harcourt flooded in 2007, 2010, 2011, and 2016.
The NCCMA is supporting the Mount Alexander Shire Council in the development of a Flood Study for Harcourt and calling on the community to share their knowledge of past flood events to better inform how they manage and mitigate the impacts of flooding into the future.
“I hope these images illustrate to local residents that Harcourt does flood, as many locals are questioning the need for a flood study,” Faye says.
We need to do more to address climate change
Trevor Scott, Castlemaine
“A manager for People and Culture is another unnecessary position” says Bill Bayliss, criticising our council in last week’s Castlemaine Mail (Opinions, August 12). I don’t know where these notions of yours come from Bill, but I do know that if we removed art and culture from the People, the equivalent of banning artists from our society, it would be a much lesser society. It would certainly diminish a lively community such as Castlemaine, which thrives on its artists, craftspeople, writers and musicians. So I disagree with you, Bill. I think $140,000 every year is a small price to pay for the vitality of this community.
As for “the Climate Change position” which you also mention, hasn’t it recently been shown by the increased frequency and severity in droughts, storms, floods and bush fires, that action to address Climate Change is absolutely necessary? I am of the opinion that the recent target set by the new Labor Government of 43% emissions reduction by 2030, although it is a step in the right direction, it is nowhere near enough, and that Mount Alexander Shire Council, having declared a climate emergency in 2019, needs to do much more.