The Harcourt community were celebrating last week after Harcourt Tennis Club claimed premiership honours in the Marong District Tennis Association.
The grand final showdown was played at Marong in wonderful weather conditions.
It was a very close contest for the entire day but in the end Harcourt 10 sets 87 games defeated Marong 8 sets 67 games.
Alex Manning and Sharon Blake were the only three set winners on the day.
Congratulations go to the Harcourt team members which included Nevan Kelly, Simon Gearing, Lee Tunn, Col Green, Bruce Bickford, Coen Malone, Alex Manning, Jess Cox, Ellenor Landy, Katrina Walters, Sharon Blake, Megan Atkin, David Gearing, Faye Hards, Rhian Sellwood, Sophie Bickford, Nicole and Angus Trethowan and Willow Kelly.
The Harcourt side have been playing in the Marong competition for five years after Castlemaine District Tennis Association’s Senior competition wound up.
This was Harcourt’s first flag since leaving the Castlemaine competition. Congratulations go to the Harcourt A and B Grade teams for their perseverance and determination in the challenging competition.
Premiership success for Harcourt
Vaccination time!
Joyce Sanders, Castlemaine
Hooray!!! I got my coronavirus vaccination on Tuesday morning at 7.45am at the old Windarring/Chambers building in Lyttleton Street. When they rang me Monday afternoon to tell me I could come in to get it, I have to admit to shedding some tears of joy, and took the staff some flowers when I went Tuesday morning.
For someone in their 70s with all three of the three underlying health issues, it is like someone ringing up to say “I’m going to save your life.” It’s hard not to be extremely grateful about that!
In the building, it looked like everyone in Castlemaine was there, so it was quite friendly, with lots of jokes and banter. The clinic was going to try to vaccinate around 100 on the day.
Recipe call out!
Do you have a very special recipe tucked away in your cookbook or drawer? If so the Newstead Preschool would love to hear from you!
After the lockdowns and restrictions of 2020 resulted in the cancellation of their annual fundraisers, the Newstead Preschool’s Parent Advisory Group were left with little fundraising opportunities for the year.
In 2021, with the future of community gatherings and events unknown, they have decided to work with kinder families, Newstead locals and the wider community to produce a ‘Kinder Cookbook’ in the spirit of the fundraisers of old.
Newstead Preschool parent Tika Mapson said they would love locals to share their recipes for the cookbook and the stories behind them.
“We want your recipes of all kinds, favourite recipes, signature dishes, sweet, savoury, unique and bizarre,” she said.
“Tell us why the dish is special to you, where it came from and who you cook it for, plus let us know if you have any special tips.
“In recent years funds raised at our annual events at the British Motorcycle Rally and our Preschool Auction and Trivia Night have contributed to the building of an outdoor stage area for the children to play and create on, as well as the re-rendering and re-painting of the interior of the building,” Tika said.
“With funds raised this year the Parent Advisory Group seek to purchase a new shade sail for our outside play area as the current one is torn and in disrepair and hopefully we can also arrange some new seating for children to use at lunchtime,” she said.
For more information about the project or to submit a recipe email newsteadcookbook@outlook.com.au; text 0411 523 785 or post your contribution and contact details to Newstead Preschool Kinder Cookbook, PO Box 111, Newstead Vic 3462. Submissions close on April 30.
Collecting for the kids
After a year’s recess due to the coronavirus lockdown, the dedicated members of the Castlemaine Fire Brigade will once again be out collecting for this year’s Royal Children’s Hospital Good Friday Appeal.
However, this year’s fundraiser will look a little different due to covid considerations.
Castlemaine Fire Brigade member and Appeal Coordinator Bill Maltby and long time collectors Ron Gartside and Greg Hughes said instead of their traditional tour of the town’s streets collecting funds, volunteers will instead be based at dedicated collection sites at Maxi IGA, outside Castlemaine News and Lotto in Mostyn Street, and outside Castlemaine IGA in Barker Street Thursday April 1 from 8am to 5pm.
On Good Friday volunteers will also be collecting funds at the traffic lights at the intersection of Forest and Barker Streets in Castlemaine. Alternatively community members who would like to make a donation are welcome to drop into the Castlemaine Fire Station in Barker Street to make their donation from 8am to 2pm on Good Friday. Receipts are available for tax purposes. If you miss the local brigade you can call the RCH Appeal donation hotline on Good Friday only on 1300 277 325.
Mr Maltby said between the trio they have been collecting for the appeal for a combined total of approximately 140 years.
“The brigade has been proudly collecting for this very important appeal since the 1960s and every year we are amazed by the generosity of our local community,” Mr Maltby said.
“Last year people supported us through our Virtual Tin fundraiser online but this year we look forward to getting back out there and collecting for the kids,” he said.
A life full of colour
Did you catch our story about renowned Castlemaine watercolourist Peggy Shaw and daughter and mosaics master Julie Shaw in last week’s Mail?
The pair have teamed up to present a vibrant exhibition of new works as part of the Castlemaine State Festival’s Open Studio Program.
The 99 year old artist told the Mail she has been enjoying her craft for well over 60 years.
“I started painting as a child but took a break to focus on raising my family. I rediscovered my love of painting in my 40s and haven’t looked back,” Peggy said.
The artist has been exhibiting in the Castlemaine State Festival since its inception and also enjoys participating in Arts Open in alternate years.
“I love it and I can’t wait for the next one!” Peggy says.
To find out more about the Castlemaine State Festival Visual Arts program castlemainefestival.com.au
A battle for the ages!
Tomorrow may April 1, but Camilo Demarco is clearly not joking as he previews an event for the ages, taking place tomorrow evening: a giant Scrabble battle.
And, when he uses the word “giant”, again he’s not mucking about, as he describes the size of the letter pieces and the playing surface involved.
“We made a full set of Scrabble pieces for an event in the State Festival here eight years ago; each piece around ten times the size of the letters you have on your board at home. We ended up being asked to do events at other festivals, including the Melbourne Writers Festival at Fed Square,” Camilo explained.
While tomorrow’s event – taking place in the courtyard of the Salvage Yard, Lewis Drive, Castlemaine – might intimidate the most confident word nerds among us, Camilo is quick to add with a smile that, despite the daunting scale, the evening is all in good fun, with proceeds, including the $10 entry fee, going directly to the Castlemaine Fringe Festival.
“We ask people to come with a team of up to four, a team name and, if it feels like fun to you, in costume. We’ll have an expert judging panel on hand, too,” he added with a laugh.
To provide the oversized 5 x 5 metre board across which the larger-than-life scrabble letters will be arrayed, Camilo has come up with an ingenious approach: a large projector will be hung overhead, projecting the scrabble board onto the surface below.
Camilo, who will also be emceeing the night, states it will be the biggest scrabble battle ever held. Feel like contradicting him? You’ll need to present you professional qualifications in lexicography.
Most of all though, he stresses the night is about community; about being together.
“The inspiration for this event was Trish Hay, who is not with us anymore. It’s an idea we came up with together and she always wanted to see the projected version of the event happen. She loved scrabble, was super competitive and loved bringing people together. This event is a tribute to her.
“My passion for the Fringe is it’s also an event that brings people together. The theme this year, Reactivate, is for me all about reactivating spaces and connecting people from different backgrounds. Things can feel too highbrow, artsy and exclusive sometimes, this event is the opposite of that – Trish would have loved it,” Camilo said, looking forward to the night.
Please bring cash to this event as there will be drinks and pizza available. This is a COVIDSafe gathering – please do not attend if you are feeling unwell.
Explosives squad raid, items seized
A Castlemaine resident is assisting police with enquiries after prohibited items including smoke grenades were seized following a raid at a local address earlier this week.
The Victoria Police Arson and Explosives Squad executed a search warrant at an address in Castlemaine on Tuesday afternoon. Get the story in today’s Mail
Explore Autopia!
The Castlemaine Hot Rod Centre Limited launched its highly anticipated ‘Autopia’ event celebrating the art of hot rodding today, March 20.
The exhibition at Autoplex Castlemaine at the former Castlemaine Secondary College senior campus in Etty Street runs until March 28 and features hot rods, street rods, customs and street machines built before January 1, 1980 – e.g. vehicles “built” in the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s only – that have not been substantially changed in the last 40 years.
The display space is limited to approximately 25 vehicles and each has been specially selected by invitation.
The exhibition also features an Art/Craft exhibition including pinstriping, cut-out corrugated iron art, photography, graphic art and metal fabrication art.
The exhibition is a great opportunity for local hot rod enthusiasts to check out Autoplex Castlemaine, which is being redeveloped by Castlemaine Hot Rod Centre Limited. The week long exhibition will also tie in with various events including a T Bucket Cruise, Coffee Cruise and the Castlemaine Auto Model Show at Autoplex this Sunday March 21 only. Don’t miss this unique display of scale model cars from across Victoria!
The exhibition space will be open to the public from 10am til 4pm daily. Entry will be $5 per adult, kids free!
For more information call Kim Michelmore on 0412 276 772 or Larry O’Toole on 0407 842 851 or email them at info@hotrodcentre.com.au
Autoplex Castlemaine is located at 35 Etty St, Castlemaine (former Technical School trade training block).
All Aboard!
Free coach services are running to and from Castlemaine Railway Station for the opening weekend of the Castlemaine State Festival, connecting patrons with performances held in Bendigo.
Additional performances are being held in Bendigo to spread the reach of this year’s festival in response to the coronavirus pandemic and the special coaches will make it easy for Castlemaine locals and festival goers to travel to and from the shows. See the Mail for the full story…
Fringe Festival reactivates our region's artistic heartbeat
For a community of some 7,000 people our town’s unique reputation for the arts and artists precedes it – it’s a heady mix that is being celebrated as part of Castlemaine’s acclaimed Fringe Festival which is on now!
Whether it’s poetry, music, book launches, or an art trail of shop window installations hosted by an eclectic mix of Castlemaine’s veterinary clinics, tattoo parlour, bookshops, bakeries and florist, the Fringe Festival, held over two weeks, will offer something for everyone.
See the Mail for the full story…
Further details of the Castlemaine Fringe Festival, including artists, events, programming and the window art trail can also be found at the festival’s website at castlemainefringe.org.au
Birthing group welcomes the reopening of service
Support Birthing at Castlemaine Health (SBACH) has welcomed Castlemaine Health’s announcement regarding the reopening of birthing services at the hospital.
SBACH spokesperson Arabella Davison said the SBACH community welcomes the long-awaited announcement that antenatal services will return to Castlemaine Health from Monday March 22, with birthing to return from May 3, 2021.
The announcement was made last Wednesday night by the Castlemaine Health’s new CEO Sue Race at the sold out SBACH Celebration event at the Theatre Royal in Castlemaine.
Ms Davison said they are so proud that this community has fought to retain this precious, vital community resource, that all regional women deserve.
“It is a demonstration of the shared commitment of the Castlemaine and Bendigo hospitals, midwives, GPs, and importantly, this passionate community, to provide women and their families with access to quality, caring, local birthing services,” she said. See the Mail for more…
Premiers crowned
The Castlemaine District Cricket Association (CDCA) grand finals got underway Friday evening with Harcourt hosting Barkers Creek in the Women’s showdown.
Harcourt finished on top of the ladder and Barkers Creek were vying for back to back premiership honours.
Harcourt won the toss and elected to bat first. They made 56 runs but lost seven wickets (which adds 3 runs per wicket = 21 runs to the opposition) then Barkers Creek went in for their innings and only lost one wicket (3 runs added to the opposition) giving Harcourt a final score of 59 and Barkers Creek’s final score was 135.
At the conclusion of a top evening of competition Barkers Creek emerged victorious and claimed the 2020-2021 Premiership Cup. See the Mail for more…