Christmas can be a difficult time of the year and particularly so after the challenges and isolation of 2020, but a free Christmas Community Lunch aims to reconnect members of the community and share a little joy.
Residents in Mount Alexander Shire are invited to join in the lunch and celebration at Castlemaine Town Hall on Friday December 25.
The Christmas lunch in Castlemaine is usually organised by St Vincent de Paul Society members and volunteers each year.
This year, Castlemaine Community House is picking up the great work and tradition from Vinnies Castlemaine. See the Mail for more…
Join us for Christmas
Shining a light
Sixty community members brought sunshine to Casltmaine’s Victory Park on Sunday as part of the Mount Alexander Family Violence Prevention Network’s 16 days of activism event.
The 16 days of activism is a global movement raising awareness of and challenging violence against women. It runs from November 25 to International Human Rights Day on December 10.
This year the theme of the state government movement is Respect Women: Call It Out.
The event started with a welcome to country by Dja Dja Wurrung elder Aunty Kerri Douglas who shared stories of resilience, equity and respect within Indigenous cultures. Then attendees heard other guest speakers: Bendigo West MP Maree Edwards, Mount Alexander Shire Council’s manager of community wellbeing and acting manager of community partnerships Rosalie Rogers and MAFVPN coordinator Carolyn Neilson. They spoke passionately of the Gender Equality Act 2020 and other State and MASC and MAFVPN initiatives that address the drivers of violence against women: beliefs and behaviours that are disrespectful to and about women; low support for gender equality; adherence to rigid or stereotypical gender roles, relations and identities.
A vigil was then held, honouring the 49 women and 11 children who have died this year in Australia as a result of family violence. See the Mail for the full story.
Froomes Road bridge sticking points remain
Castlemaine locals opposing plans to replace the town’s single-lane Froomes Road Bridge with a new double-lane structure say council staff have taken on board some of their concerns – but major sticking points remain.
Chief among these is the slated replacement of the single-lane structure with a double-lane affair.
The group began lobbying Mount Alexander Shire Council planning staff at the start of this year on learning the historic bridge in the leafy botanical gardens precinct was to be replaced with a new double lane structure.
They fear replacing the single-lane structure will make the area unsafe with more and heavier traffic prompted to use Froomes Road and the attractive precinct at faster speeds as a result. See the Mail for the latest update.
$6M boost for festival home
Castlemaine State Festival will receive $6 million for Stage 2 of the redevelopment of its home at the Castlemaine Goods Shed.
Bendigo West MP Maree Edwards visited the CSF headquarters on Monday to make the budget announcement.
Ms Edwards said the funding would create two new spaces including an open area for exhibitions and a flexible theatre space.
This first stage of the redevelopment has enabled the conversion of the northern end of the building into ‘Goods Shed Arts’, a venue for arts practice, education and creative enterprise.
“Also home to the Castlemaine Circus, the second stage will mean this beautiful piece of historic railway infrastructure is being reimagined and turned into a fantastic community arts hub that the whole community can enjoy,” Ms Edwards said. See the Mail for the full story…
Ramps open with golden tag fishing comp relaunch
There’s an alluring extra reason to pack a fishing rod or two and head off for a day’s fishing at Barkers Creek Reservoir right now.
This week’s re-launch of the Golden Tag fishing competition means there are now several thousand dollars worth of tagged fish swimming around just waiting to be caught at Barkers Creek Res – and also at Kyneton’s Upper Coliban Reservoir.
Coinciding with this week’s start of the new cod season, new boat ramps at both reservoirs were also officially declared open on Tuesday with state Minister for Fishing and Boating Melissa Horne and MP for Bendigo West Maree Edwards on site for the occasion.
Masters joined by local star
The Castlemaine Masters (Superules) side received a boost this week when local AFL rising star Kane Farrell joined the side for training.
Back in Castlemaine enjoying a break from his duties with Port Adelaide, Farrell enjoyed a hit out with the side he spent many hours training with as a youngster accompanying his father Stephen, the inaugural Masters Captain and a 100 game player for the club.
Fresh from completing his third season at Port Adelaide, Farrell demonstrated the form that saw him play 11 games and earn his first Brownlow votes in 2020, with his scintillating left foot sending the ball huge distances on the Camp Reserve. See the Mail for the full story…
Congratulations
Mount Alexander Shire Disability Advocacy Group (MASDAG)
Congratulations to the editors of the Castlemaine Mail and the Midland Express! Both papers have been awarded a ‘highly commended’ for their coverage during Covid-19. The community support provided by these papers continues to be an important contribution to being fully informed about the rapid changes we have all experienced during this pandemic. Thank you and keep up the good work!
How are you travelling?
In the lead up to the festive period local suicide prevention charity HALT (Hope Assistance Local Tradies) are making themselves available around the clock to offer their support to local businesspeople and their employees in the Mount Alexander and Macedon Ranges Shires.
HALT founder Jeremy Forbes said there is no doubt it has been an incredibly challenging year and HALT wants to do what they can to support those struggling to rebuild their businesses and lives in the wake of the lockdown closures.
HALT is offering free 15-20 minute sessions to meet with businesspeople and their staff to check in and talk about these issues, the importance of self care and the support services available locally should they be suffering depression, anxiety, financial hardship or other personal challenges.
“We aim to touch base, let people know that their community cares, there are lots of avenues to turn to for help and they are not alone,” he said. See the Mail for the full story…
Rotary keep on truckin
As trucks rolled into Castlemaine on Sunday morning, a large crowd turned out to cheer them on.
Without a doubt the Rotary Club of Castlemaine’s convoy to celebrate the 32nd Castlemaine Truck Show was extremely well received.
Rotary president Christine Barkla paid tribute to the transport businesses who turned out to make up a convoy of nearly 40 trucks and a vibrant audio-visual spectacle for the community, the first big public event since COVID restrictions have eased.
“The convoy and online activities were very well received by the community and we are grateful to those who have made a small donation to show their appreciation,” Chris said.
“The truck show is normally our biggest fundraiser for the year, but we’ve had to do things differently in 2020.”
The donation portal remains open for those who would like to support Rotary’s work in the community – https://www.trybooking.com/au/donate/castlemainerotary
Maternity pathways defined
Castlemaine women will be able to access locally-based maternity care via three distinct pathways under Castlemaine Health’s new collaborative model of care.
Castlemaine Health announced this week that its new model of care has been endorsed by the Castlemaine Health Executive
Board and the Castlemaine Maternity Service Governance Committee, which is comprised of members of the Castlemaine Health Board, staff members, consumers, Safer Care Victoria, the Department of Health and Human Services and the Australian Nursing & Midwifery Foundation, Victorian Branch.
It affirms the clear choice of Castlemaine women and families to have locally-based services in their community where it is safe and appropriate.
The model will see midwives, doctors, allied health and support services working together to care for women, babies and families throughout pregnancy, birth and early parenting. It will also rely on strong relationships with Bendigo Health. See the Mail for more…
Storytelling gold
The rich stories and genuine characters of the region’s goldfields past are being brought to life afresh in a unique new series of audio tours.
The Storyteller’s Guide to the Goldfields tours lead locals and visitors alike to significant goldfields and Dja Dja Wurrung sites in and around Castlemaine and Bendigo while sharing the stories of their vibrant and tumultuous pasts.
Launching on Monday, The Storyteller’s Guide to the Goldfields series can be downloaded for free on an iPhone.
Written, produced and presented by multi award-winning storyteller and musician, Castlemaine’s Jan Wositzky, the series is a treasure trove of local and national history.
It’s also chockfull of rollicking yarns, featuring some of the rogues and goddesses who once inhabited the area’s goldfields, the lucky and unlucky, the murderous, the colonial government and their brutal military police and the diggers who stood up to them and kick-started Australian democracy.
“I’m really happy about it seeing the light of day,” says Jan who spent countless hours working on the series that coincidentally comes as the Goldfields of Central Victoria – including Castlemaine – is pitched for World Heritage listing.
“It was a really big project,” Jan says.
A special feature in the tour series are several stories from the late Dja Dja Wurrung elder, Brien Nelson, taking tourers to the Jaara water wells, with Dreaming stories also from Brien’s son, Castlemaine’s Uncle Ricky Nelson. Read more in today’s Mail…
Road to be sealed before bridge works
In a move likely to please more than 80 petitioners, Campbells
Creek’s Eleanor Drive will be sealed prior to slated bridge construction works
on the Campbells Creek-Fryers Road.
This follows a decision at this week’s Mount Alexander Shire Council meeting.
The council had, in September, received a petition with 82 signatures calling
for the unsealed section of Eleanor Drive to be sealed before the start of
replacement works on two bridges with works due to start this year.
Tuesday evening’s ordinary council meeting was the first for the new council
following last month’s state-wide local government elections and the matter was
on the agenda for decision.
But not all locals are in favour of the bridges’ replacement with former
councillor Robin Taylor raising his opposition during public question time via
a submitted question.
“I request that council review the planned replacement of the two bridges
in Fryers Road Campbells Creek,” Mr Taylor said in his submitted question.
“Council insists on calling them bridges when they are really culverts.
Both are three metres wide with stone walls and abutment built about 1870.
“Due to the width of the bridge it’s impossible to get more than a legal axle
set up on the bridge at one time.
“The council-commissioned report from 2014 stated these bridges did not
need replacing. It’s not rocket science. Apply some common sense,” Mr
Taylor said.
But, responding, the council’s director of infrastructure and development Jess
Howard said a more recent review had noted that the two bridges were
“among the highest risk bridges in the municipality and needed to be
replaced”.
“A contract has been issued and that contract will now see more detailed
design work be done ahead of the construction of the project,” Ms Howard
told Tuesday evening’s meeting.
“They will be box culverts that will be used to replace the current
structures that are there.
“The heritage blocks that are there will be salvaged and they’ll be stored
and made available for future use ideally in the Campbells Creek area noting
the heritage value and significance.
“Another element of this that has been raised is about pedestrian safety
in the area and part of this project will include looking at the design of
pedestrian bridges alongside those culvert structures.”
The project is expected to be completed by May 2021 and Ms Howard said the 20
tonne load limit that currently applies to both structures will be removed once
the new bridges are in place.