We are thrilled to be gearing up to launch our highly anticipated Castlemaine Mail ‘Golden Ticket’ promotion again in 2021.
Our loyal readers will once again be in the running to share in $5000 in prize money to spend at our fantastic participating local businesses – including Cliffords Quality Cuts.
First prize will be $3000, second prize $1000 and third and fourth prize winners will receive $500 each.
The promotion will kick off on July 2 and local businesses are urged to get in quick if they want to be part of the exciting local promotion with registrations set to close on Monday, June 28.
There will be a list of businesses involved in the Castlemaine Mail weekly during the competition.
Each business will have a Golden Ticket flyer in their window to show they are participating in the promotion during July & August 2021.
To participate businesses will be asked to take an ad for the period of the promotion. All advertising will be up to 55% off the original price.
To find out more about how your business can be involved in our buy local shopping promotion contact our advertising team members Lynda Brew at lbrew@midnews.com.au or Tammy Harman at tharman@midnews.com.au
Golden Ticket to return!
Supporting and celebrating our refugees
This Sunday June 20 is World Refugee Day and the Castlemaine branch of Rural Australians for Refugees (RAR) is gearing up to hold a week of events to highlight the plight of refugees in detention and the contribution refugees make to our society.
World Refugee Day is marked internationally to celebrate the strength and courage of people who have been forced to flee their home country to escape conflict or persecution. The Refugee Council of Australia has chosen ‘Unity-the Way Forward’ as a theme for Refugee Week in Australia for 2021.
Rural Australians for Refugees Castlemaine has organised several events to highlight the contribution of refugees to our communities, but also to focus on current concerns. See the Mail for full details.
Magpies swoop back into action
A triumphant return to play was made by the Castlemaine Magpies in very trying conditions last Saturday, June 11. Unfortunately there were no wins for the day but it was a massive step forward to get the club moving on short notice.
The players set their sights on Golden Square at home Saturday, June 19 where they look forward to playing their postponed ‘Mental Health Round’.
Be sure to get along and show our young local sides your support. Go Magpies! See the Mail for more. Out Now.
C-DOC returns!
Castlemaine Documentary Festival (C-DOC) is set to return to the big screen at the Castlemaine Theatre Royal next month.
C-DOC was forced online last year due to the Covid 19 lockdowns and therefore it was apt organisers dubbed the 2020 festival ‘C-DOC – In the Clouds’.
This year organisers look forward to returning to ‘Terra-Firma’ and once again holding their screenings and highly anticipated Q & A panels at the historic theatre on the weekend of July 24-25.
The festival will kick off with a launch party on Friday July 23 and will then see eight incredible films light up the screen at the Royal on July 24 and 25, including three Australian premieres.
St Vinnie’s thank you
St Vinnie’s Foodbank hosted a morning tea at St Mary’s Catholic Church last Friday to thank representatives of Castlemaine and district churches, schools and community groups for their regular donations of groceries and other goods and produce.
They were told their generosity had helped many people put food on the table, especially during this difficult COVID time.
Warming win for winemakers
Eve Lamb
The snap chill in recent days has done little to diminish the warm glow out at Harcourt’s BlackJack Wines where they’ve just barrelled an above average vintage and picked up a prestigious award.
The well-established local winery is among five of the wider region’s wineries able to bask in the warming glow of have been recognised in a prestigious industry cellar door awards program.
Announced last month, The Gourmet Traveller Wine’s 10th annual Best Cellar Door Awards judged BlackJack Wines, Sutton Grange Winery, Mandurang Valley Wines, Balgownie Estate and Killiecrankie Wines among the best in Australia.
BlackJack Wines was named the region’s best tasting experience.
“It’s always nice to get recognition,” BlackJack’s Ken Pollock said when the Mail dropped in for a vineyard visit earlier this week. Read more in today’s Mail...
Joy for regional gym junkies
Eve Lamb
Local fitness and dance instructors are among those breathing a big aerobic sigh of relief after last night’s easing of COVID restrictions now mean the state’s regional gyms – and other indoor sports – are back in action.
The eased rules for regional Victoria mean fitness instructors like Castlemaine’s Dave Tobin can now resume doing what he loves best – keeping fit and keeping others fit as well – even it it’s dark and howling a gale.
The overnight easing of restrictions for the regions mean indoor sport including gyms and dance studios will also be able to reopen with careful limits on the number of people permitted at any point in time.
“All of my classes have quickly filled up,” the pleased local fitness instructor told the Mail just hours after hearing of the new rules for regional gyms that came into effect from midnight last night. Read more in today’s Mail…
Local trader celebrates 40 years
Long running local family business Taylors Home Centre in Castlemaine’s Mostyn Street is celebrating 40 years serving the local community.
The successful local business was formerly known as Castlemaine Art Furnishings and was purchased by Robin and Nancy Taylor in 1981.
Four decades later the business is now owned and operated by the couple’s daughter Julie and her husband Shane Tunn.
Robin said Castlemaine Art Furnishing Co was a long running local business which was formerly located at the bottom end of Templeton Street.
“It was founded by Harry Barton and operated there from the 1930s until 1954 when it relocated to Mostyn Street. It was purchased by Ian and Barb Bell in 1977.
“We had been operating a café next door – the Eloura Café – for around three years when the business came on the market again. We finished up at the café in the January and purchased Castlemaine Art Furnishing Co from Ian and Barb Bell on April 1, 1981,” he said. See today’s Mail for more …
Rotary celebrates 100 years
Members of the Castlemaine Rotary Club recently met to celebrate Rotary’s 100th anniversary.
Rotary started in Australia with the first club formed being Melbourne in April 1921.
The Castlemaine Rotary Club was charted on June 21, 1935.
To celebrate this milestone Castlemaine Rotary held a special dinner recently at the Castlemaine Bowling Club.
The night saw 62 people attend with many stories and great memories shared. It was a wonderful opportunity to catch up with past members and old friends. See the Mail for the full story.
Get in the swing
Local women are invited to try their hand at golf at two ‘Come and Try Golf for Women’ events planned at the Castlemaine Golf Club in June and July.
The initiative follows on from the club’s very successful ‘SwingFit’ initiative for women held back in 2019 which saw several participants go on to become active club members. See the Mail for more.
Seniors set to roar
A special information meeting of the Positive Ageing Advocacy Group (PAAG) was held recently at the Castlemaine Community House to inform various groups of the purpose of the organisation.
Members were delighted with the number attending, with some 20 individuals representing 16 groups.
PAAG chairperson Marilyn Bennet explained that the object of PAAG was to represent Seniors in the community who may need help and guidance in approaching bodies such as council and governments or other bodies or individuals. See the Mail for more…
Art Show raffle
The latest covid lockdown and ongoing restrictions on visitors to regional venues have seen this weekend’s annual Rotary Club of Castlemaine Art Exhibition & Sale postponed until later next month and the Castlemaine Jazz Show cancelled.
However, locals can still show their support for the Rotary Club by purchasing a ticket in their annual Art Show fundraising raffle.
A popular adjunct to the annual Art Show the traditional raffle features a total of five wonderful prizes.
First prize is a magnificent, limited edition photographic print titled ‘Red Knob Vaughan’ by award winning local master photographer John Tozer. See the Mail for details.