Nominations for the upcoming local government elections closed on Tuesday this week and the candidates are in. Mount Alexander Shire has 18 candidates standing in our October elections.
In two wards current councillors will be returning unopposed, while in the Castlemaine Ward 11 candidates have thrown their hat in the ring for one of three positions. See today’s Mail for the full story. Out Now.
Local candidates revealed
Live music lifeline
Three local live music venues are among 106 venues across the state that will share in $9 million in survival grants as part of the state government’s Victorian Live Music Events program.
Bendigo West MP Maree Edwards announced on Monday that Castlemaine’s Bridge Hotel, the Castlemaine Theatre Royal and the Red Hill Hotel at Chewton were among the successful recipients in the first tranche of the program. See the Mail for the full story.
Tribute a labour of love for Des
When well known Castlemaine local Des Brady was laid to rest this week after sustaining a fatal aneurysm, he was surrounded by many of the things he loved best in life.
They were hand-painted onto his casket in a unique tribute to honour the long serving and well-loved local mechanic’s life.
When Mr Brady, 80, passed away on September 14 his wife Wendy decided to do something special to honour Mr Brady who had lived in Castlemaine since his 20s after beginning life at coastal Rosebud and doing his mechanics apprenticeship at Echuca.
Wendy contacted family friend and local professional artist Anne Rittman with an idea.
Several days of dedicated work later, the result was a magnificent personalised casket which had been lovingly hand-painted by Anne and Wendy.
The casket and its lid feature many of the things Mr Brady held dearest in life including wildlife and native flora… Read more in the Castlemaine Mail, Friday, September 25, 2020.
An exciting move
Glenn Sutherland, McKenzie Hill
As a former Board President of Castlemaine Health I believe it is exciting to now see the intended merger of CHIRP and Castlemaine Health!
Mount Alexander Shire Council has also shown initiatives in the development of partnerships with CHIRP and Castlemaine Health, as well as developing the Early Years Plan to support the needs of families and children from 0-8 years. Some of the actions include identifying the gaps in the provision of local childcare, including mental health.
Victoria and Australia for too long have spent less funding on the health and well-being prevention actions than has been required.
These preventative initiatives in Castlemaine and district no doubt will really help the quality of our lives!
Ginnivan selected
Castlemaine football talent Jack Ginnivan has been selected for the National Combine for the upcoming AFL Draft.
The 17-year-old said he is excited to join 94 up and coming players from across Australia as part of the National Combine event.
The group includes 46 players from across metro and regional Victoria which will face off in Melbourne next month, where their skills, fitness and agility will be placed under the microscope. See the Mail for the full story.
MAAW Makers corner created
The Mount Alexander Animal Welfare (MAAW) Op Shop in Johnstone Street Castlemaine has reopened its doors and during lockdown has created a new ‘Makers Corner’.
The new installation aims support to local artists and craftists that have been affected by Covid shutdown restrictions.
Council paves way for aged care home
Castlemaine looks set to get a new 93-bed aged care facility following a decision at this week’s Mount Alexander Shire Council Meeting.
At Tuesday night’s meeting councillors unanimously voted to grant approval for development of residential-zoned land at McKenzie Hill, paving the way for establishment of a 93-bed commercial aged care facility to be built on site. See the Mail for the full story. Out Now.
Supermarket plan revisited
One of the first jobs of the new look Mount Alexander Shire Council will be to consider an amended planning permit application for Castlemaine’s newest supermarket.
Council confirmed that it has received an amended planning permit application for a supermarket development on the former gasworks site in Duke Street, Castlemaine.
The amended planning permit application (PA054/2019) proposes a supermarket with a floor area of approximately 3,300m2, slightly smaller than previous planning permit, two shops (including a bottle shop), car parking and associated landscaping and road works.
See the Mail for the full story. Out Now.
Charging ahead: EV charge site tender announced
At least one new electric vehicle charge station will be
installed in either Castlemaine or Harcourt in coming months under a rollout of
up to 24 new chargers across 17 regional Victorian sites.
The Central Victorian Greenhouse Alliance is working in partnership with 12
local councils and the state government to roll out a network of new public EV
charging stations expected to use 100 percent renewable energy.
Mount Alexander Shire is among the sites included in the tender to install
between 20-24 new EV charge stations by the middle of next year.
The CVGA’s executive officer Rob Law told the Castlemaine Mail that
both Harcourt and Castlemaine are currently being considered.
“Tenders close on October 6 and we’re looking to have the first station up
and running in November and all up and running by next May,” Mr Law says.
Covid impacts alcohol, drug use
Two in every five Australians surveyed have been drinking more alcohol during lockdown, a new global drug survey co-led by a Castlemaine-based researcher has found.
But another 40 per cent of Australians among the 55,000 people surveyed globally for the Global Drug Survey COVID-19 Special Edition actuallyreport reducing their alcohol intake instead.
The Global Drug Survey COVID-19 Special Edition results were released on Wednesday and co-lead researcher, Castlemaine’s Dr Monica Barratt from RMIT University spoke to the Mail about the findings.
“The things that most interest me are around looking at how people’s alcohol and drug use may have changed following the COVID-19 social and mobility restrictions which have really changed our lives, and also looking at how drug markets might have changed,” Dr Barratt said. Read more in today’s Castlemaine Mail, Friday September 11, 2020.
Not so tiny issue…
Castlemaine’s Rainer Cook Tonkin rates the involvement of friends as one of the best things about building his own tiny house.
But the 19-year-old and his father, Bernard Tonkin, are among a significant number of locals who fear a local laws review now under way may have retrograde outcomes for those hoping to live in tiny houses – or rent them out to others.
Rainer and Bernard are among some 200 people who lodged written submissions regarding tiny houses to the wider local laws review that’s expected to go before Mount Alexander Shire Council for a decision at Tuesday evening’s council meeting.
As part of the review the council is considering changes to the local laws governing camping on private property – something with potentially big implications for relocatable tiny house living.
The proposed new local law would allow people to camp on private property for 21 days only – compared with the 60 days currently allowed – before being required to meet multiple criteria in order to obtain a six-month permit.
“At this stage it appears that our councillors may settle on a local law restricting staying in a tiny house on wheels – technically a caravan, to six weeks,” Bernard Tonkin says.
“A permit for six months would then be possible if a number of very subjective criteria are met and you wouldn’t be able to use one as a rental option.” Read more in the Castlemaine Mail, Friday, September 11, 2020.
Re-usable masks now available
CHIRP Community Health now has re-usable cloth masks from the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) available for those unable to provide their own mask.
CHIRP allied health and wellbeing manager Deb McCarthy said all Victorians aged 12 years and over must wear a face covering when they leave home unless they have a lawful reason not to. But purchasing masks may not be an option for those in financial difficulty.
“Wearing a face covering helps keep you and others safe. Coronavirus is spread from close contact with a person with coronavirus. Face coverings help stop droplets spreading when someone speaks, laughs, coughs or sneezes, including someone who has coronavirus but feels well,” Deb said. See the Mail for more…