The Rotary Club of Castlemaine is doing its best to promote the ‘Buy Local’ message by printing and distributing free recyclable bags to local businesses.
The club’s new president Christine Barkla and secretary Lyndal McClure said they had thought long and hard about how they could support local business after the impacts of the pandemic.
“Local businesses have been wonderful supporters of Rotary, donating prizes for our Truck Show and Art Show, and we wanted to give something back and show them our support,” Christine said.
The community service organisation had 2000 bags printed by local businesswoman Alison Crilly of After Bags at Welshmans Reef and began handing them out to local businesses early last week.
“It was good to be able to get the bags printed locally and we hope that shoppers will retain them and reuse them,” they said. See the Mail for the full story.
Show your support ‘Buy Local’
Funding to transform Thompson House
Castlemaine Health aged care residents are set to benefit from new funding announced as part of the state government’s Regional Health Infrastructure Fund (RHIF).
Thompson House, one of Castlemaine Health’s on site residential aged care facilities, is the recipient of $100,000 awarded through round four of the government’s regional health funding.
The government established the RHIF in 2016 to improve health services and agencies in rural and regional Victoria.
The funds will be used to project plan transformation of Thompson House into a dementia-friendly residence. See the Mail for more.
Carpenter Kate restores local heritage
Kate Jukes might fairly be called “a Jill of all trades.”
The local carpenter has recently finished personally restoring two original 1850s miners cottage using traditional wattle and daub methods.
The unique renovation of the two cottages at Clydesdale, just out of Newstead, is set to feature on ABC TV’s Restoration Australia on Sunday November 1.
But besides being a professional carpenter who’s pretty handy at tiling, plastering and stonemasonry, Kate is also a talented musician and, as part of the trio Kate Jukes & The Blue Healers, is getting set to launch a debut album – Heart One.
Heart One is an alt-country record exploring love, loss and heartache through Kate’s raw and unfiltered approach to lyric-writing.
Raised at Ruffy near Euroa, she’s spent many years working as a carpenter and also as a site supervisor for a high-end kitchen and bathroom company in metro Melbourne.
But about five years ago she happened to discover a unique country property at Clydesdale, with two tumble-down original miners cottages, and right away carpenter Kate knew her fate was sealed.
“I just love old properties and I just knew I wanted to save them,” says Kate who, consequently, now calls Clydesdale home after shifting to the property that she bought complete with derelict historic cottages… Read more in the Castlemaine Mail 16.10.20 ~
Off to market…
Yandoit’s Andrew Kimpton is among local stallholders relishing the chance to attend this Sunday’s resuming Maldon Market.
The sculptural and architectural metalworker says he’s keenly looking forward to being there as the hand made and home grown event makes its return this Sunday after taking a break since July due to the pandemic.
“It will feel so good to return to a degree of normality,” says the creative metalworker who owns and operates Made At Yandoit – a bespoke metalworking business.
Andrew is particularly well known for his stylish garden metal products which include arbours, stakes, veggie bed covers, hose holders and even artistic outdoor shower settings.
“I really do enjoy the interactions and conversations I have at the market,” says Andrew, who’s been getting along to the Maldon Market for the past four years.
“The creative process is a thrill and I like it when people come to me with a project.
“I’m very lucky to get a thrill from my job. It’s just enormously satisfying.”
Market co-ordinator Chris Hain says the emphasis at Sunday’s returned market will be on maintaining CovidSAFE practices and as such the event will take place at the town’s Bill Woodfull Recreation Reserve to enable people to socially distance with comparative ease… Read more in the Catlemaine Mail 09.10.20
Lush Lixouri
Lixouri, the beautiful Barkers Creek garden of Max and Margaret Beyer hums with life.
“With the rain we’ve been having the garden is thicker than it’s ever been. It’s been going berserk,” Margaret says.
Normally, she and Max would have been busy right now preparing to open Lixouri as part of the region’s popular biennial Festival of Gardens.
But while the pandemic has put paid to this year’s festival, some of the gardens involved are still hoped to open to the public, in some capacity, at least.
Named after the village of Lixouri on the Greek island of Chephalonia, Max and Margaret’s garden is one of these.
“We’re just forging ahead as if the festival was going ahead,” says Margaret.
Nestled in its Barkers Creek setting, Lixouri is a fine example of an established Mediterranean style garden complete with olive grove.
The couple’s limewashed mud-brick house is off grid, solar-powered and comfortably ensconced in garden terraces overlooking a pretty pond fringed with water iris, willow, birch and paper bark… Read more in the Castlemaine Mail 09.10.20
Maikel sports ‘HalfCut’ to save Daintree
Newstead local Maikel Linke is raising money to save the Daintree Rainforest by shaving half his head and beard!
Maikel’s partner Karla Rawles said this “HalfCut” look is a symbol of the world’s forests which have been half cut already.
“But the other half still stands and needs protection from logging and development,” Karla said.
The money the local couple are raising is being donated to funding raising organisation HalfCut to protect crucial forests which inhabit threatened and endangered species.
HalfCut have one aim – to save our planet from the Climate Crisis by saving forests and replanting what’s been cut down.
“Their current project focuses on the Daintree in Far North Queensland, the world’s oldest rainforest,” Karla said. See the Mail for more…
Dispose of green waste for free
To help prepare homes and properties for the fire danger period, Mount Alexander Shire Council is offering free green waste disposal to local residents and ratepayers between Saturday October 24 and Monday November 9.
Residents and ratepayers can dispose of garden and green waste at the Castlemaine and Maldon transfer stations at no charge over the 17-day period, which includes three weekends. See the Mail for more details.
Tennis returns to Castlemaine
With the ease of restrictions, the Castlemaine Lawn Tennis Club (CLTC) were excited to host the Victoria UTR Series last Sunday October 4.
The Victoria UTR Series is a new and exciting Tennis Victoria event, with the inaugural series launched over the Term 3 school holidays across regional locations including Bendigo, Shepparton and Ballarat. Over 30 adult and junior players took to the court playing round robin matches, with many players having their first experience back on the tennis court and almost all players having their first experience with the UTR system. See the Mail for more.
Who is to blame?
Ian Braybrook, Castlemaine
Who is to blame for the spread of the Covid-19 virus from the hotel quarantine? Dan Andrews? Government Ministers? Department Heads? The Chief Health Officer? No! It is none of these. It is a handful of the people placed in quarantine who would not obey the rules. Instead, these selfish people proceeded to inflict the virus on the community; recklessly causing death, misery, and economic disaster.
Place the blame where it belongs. A group of people who were surely aware of the serious threat they posed; serious enough to have them placed in forced isolation. They knew the danger that they presented.
The blame rests squarely with those who treated the rules, and the rest of us, with contempt.
New council to provide boost for cycling?
A new peak body has been formed in the local region Mount Alexander Cycling (MAC) comprising the major cycling organisations in the shire, and other groups with a strong interest in cycling.
MAC’s members include the Castlemaine Rocky Riders Mountain Bike Club, Castlemaine Cycling Club, CycleSafe, Newstead Walks & Wheels, Castlemaine-Maryborough Rail Trail Inc and The Maldon Classic.
MAC wants to see Mount Alexander Shire become an active cycling community, providing excellent opportunities for recreational, commuter, and competition riding, for a wide range of cycling abilities. The group say this would have substantial health, environmental, economic (tourism and cost-effective transport) and social benefits.
MAC recently sent a brief survey to candidates for the Mount Alexander Shire Council elections, asking whether they supported a range of activities to improve conditions for cycling in the shire and thus encourage more people to ride, more often. See the Mail for the full story.
Next generation
Kaye Swanton (former Castlemaine City Councillor), Castlemaine
How wonderful to see such a large interest in the upcoming council elections (Castlemaine Mail Sept 25). It reminds us that in these strange and unique times, community is at the forefront of our desire to connect and build social cohesion.
It’s particularly exciting to see such a large and varied field of candidates in the Castlemaine Ward. It foreshadows well a sense that the next generation of candidates is emerging.
I’ve always believed that each generation has a right to help shape the nature of their community-from social policy, to housing and
economic policy, environment and infrastructure.
When we cast our votes, we have a very real opportunity to shape the future of Mount Alexander Shire, to ensure that the new council reflects the rich diversity that is now synonymous with Castlemaine and surrounding communities.
Busy time for Magpies
Castlemaine Football Netball Club (CFNC) announced last week that former Under 18s coach Brodie Martin will continue on the coaching staff in 2021 as a Senior Assistant Coach.
CFNC president Caleb Kuhle told the Mail this week Martin has stepped into a senior assistant role under coach Don Moran as ‘Development Coach’.
The club president said it had been a big few weeks for the Magpies with the announcement that Senior Coach Don Moran would continue on with the club and the announcement of the ‘Master Plan’ to redevelop the facilities at Camp Reserve.
Kuhle thanked the Committee of Management of the Camp Reserve with their breakthrough in getting the ‘Master Plan’ up.
“We hope that now the plan has been approved we can work with council and the wider community to secure the funding to make the redevelopment of the facilities at the reserve a reality.”