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Jazz fest set to return

By
Eve Lamb
-
The all-female Melba Big Band are among the jazz acts lined up for the Castlemaine Jazz Festival set for the Queen's Birthday long weekend in June.

Eve Lamb

Jazz cats have their fingers and toes crossed ahead of the Castlemaine Jazz Festival with planning well advanced for the upcoming Queen’s Birthday long weekend in June.
After COVID saw the festival’s cancellation for the past two years running, committee members, performers and music lovers alike are now hoping this time will be a goer with ticket sales opening this week on the festival’s dedicated website.
“We had 70 applications (from bands) and we’re only able to accept 30 bands which demonstrates just how keen the musicians are to get back to work,” Castlemaine Jazz Festival committee member Lyndal McClure says.
“We’re looking for people to come back and support us again.
“Tickets went on sale on our website on Monday evening.”
In the past few days ticket sales have also opened at the Castlemaine Visitor Information Centre with the variety of ticketing options significantly increased since the festival’s earlier days when a weekend pass was the only option.
“We’ve now got got a pass for the entire weekend or just for an entire day or just for an evening for the … Read more in today’s Mail…

Rodders celebrate 60 years

By
Lisa Dennis
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Castlemaine Rods will celebrate their 60th anniversary with a ‘Show and Shine’ event at the Campbells Creek Football Netball ground this Sunday April 3.
A massive display of hot rods and classic cars is expected as people dust off their much loved vehicles after two years of covid lockdowns.
Among the enthusiasts to attend with be local hot rod legends and Castlemaine Rods life members Peter Swift and Eddie Ford, the duo credited with starting the local movement in Castlemaine.
The Mail enjoyed a chat with the pair about how it all started and their whirlwind trip to America to source parts in 1966. Catch today’s paper for the full story and details on Sunday’s celebration.

Get set for the Swap!

By
Lisa Dennis
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Castlemaine’s Camp Reserve will be bustling with activity this coming Sunday April 3 for one of the region’s largest and most successful events, the Castlemaine Lions Club Swap Meet.
This year marks the 36th annual swap meet after a two year covid hiatus.
The swap meet is the local service club’s major fundraiser and over the last three decades its had raised thousands of dollars to put back into many community projects such as the Mount Alexander Shire Accommodation & Respite Group’s McDonald Lions McDonald Hill Respite House.
This year’s event it is expected to once again draw thousands of visitors through the gates from across the state and beyond to buy and browse from 550 plus stalls selling all manner of things including vintage and veteran car and motorcycle parts, memorabilia, antiques, collectables, and bric-a-brac. See the Mail for all the full story.

National bronze for Jade!

By
Lisa Dennis
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Castlemaine's Jade Maddern (right) is pictured on the podium with Queensland's Byron Davies and Tasmania's Josh Duffy on Wednesday, following his Elite Men's 1km Time Trial bronze medal success.
Castlemaine's Jade Maddern (right) is pictured on the podium with Queensland's Byron Davies and Tasmania's Josh Duffy on Wednesday, following his Elite Men's 1km Time Trial bronze medal success.

Castlemaine Cycling Club member Jade Maddern has won two bronze medals this week following two amazing performances representing Victoria at the 2022 Australian National Track Championships at the Anna Meares Velodrome in Brisbane.
On Tuesday Jade competed in the Elite Men’s Team Sprint.
Jade and Victorian teammates Sam Gallagher and Ned Pollard started fast with Jade finishing it off to take the bronze medal in a time of 44.967.
Jade concluded his national campaign racing in the 1km Time Trial on Wednesday and was thrilled to also take out an individual national bronze for his efforts. Congratulations Jade! See the Mail for the full story.

Fascinating facts, fabulous fashion and festival fun at Buda

By
Lisa Dennis
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Get along to Buda this autumn and catch the Bustles and Bows exhibition.
Get along to Buda this autumn and catch the Bustles and Bows exhibition.

It’s autumn and the fun and events are popping up all over along with the bulbs.
Castlemaine’s Buda Historic Home & Garden is making the most of the balmy autumn weather by offering a host of events over the coming months, starting this Saturday April 2 with ‘Tinsmithing and Backyard Chickens’.
Then from the April 22 Buda presents a series of events for the National Trust Heritage Festival including a Twilight Tour, exhibitions and more. See our all new ‘Mount Alexander Living’ liftout in today’s Mail for more…

Positive Ageing group here to help

By
Lisa Dennis
-

Representatives from the Positive Ageing Advocacy Group (PAAG) were on hand to chat to attendees at the weekly Mount Alexander Community Lunch at the Castlemaine Town Hall last week.
PAAG members Marilyn Bennet and Ian Braybrook said the local group was formed to advocate for Seniors in the shire.
“We aim to help local Seniors understand and exercise their rights and have their voice heard on local issues such as affordable housing and social supports,” Ian said.
The group also work with young people who are caring for a parent or relative in need of support.
“Some people are nervous about making enquiries and others are not tech savvy. Our group gives them a voice, considers the needs of local seniors and acts upon these needs when appropriate,” Marilyn said. See the Mail for the full story.

Drivers on notice

By
Eve Lamb
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School crossing supervisor Tony Peachey with Leading Senior Constable Dave White and Senior Constable Jackie Gloster at the Barker Street school crossing where dangerous drivers can increasingly expect to cop costly consequences. Photo: Eve Lamb

Eve Lamb
Breach the road rules around Castlemaine’s school crossings and … you can expect some pain in the hip pocket at very least.
That’s the message from police following an alarming increase in the incidence of drivers flouting the road rules at Castlemaine’s school crossings.
School crossing attendant Tony Peachey says that in recent days he’s observed a worrying rise in the number of motorists illegally driving onto the crossing before he has moved off it while on crossing duty near Castlemaine North Primary School on busy Barker Street.
“People are ignoring the safety issues to the detriment of ourselves and anybody else using the crossings,” he said.
“The number of people not bothering to stop when I’m still in the middle of the road is increasing exponentially.
“I would also estimate it’s close to 75 per cent who are … Read more in today’s Mail…

Old rockers never…

By
Eve Lamb
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Chewton's Glenn Braybrook got a shock in recent days when he realised he'd been dispensing hard rock in public places for half a century. Photo Eve Lamb

Eve Lamb
It’s not everyone who’s rocked live on stage with the best of ’em through the headiest days of pub rock and lived to keep getting air play in 2022.
One such die-hard rocker, however, is Chewton’s Glenn Braybrook, who just the other day had a significant personal epiphany.
“I realised it was 50 years, almost to the day, since I first played in public,” revealed the singer-songwriter, who’s played with bands supporting AC/DC, Jimmy Barnes, Cold Chisel, Rose Tattoo, Motorhead and Suzi Quatro… to name a few.
“I couldn’t believe I was that old! I went ‘Shit what happened?!’ Because musos don’t grow up,” mused Braybrook who, since ’81 has been a staunch member of old-school rock outfit Darkcide – on rhythm guitar and vocals.
So what’s a law-abiding musician – who saw out the ’70s and ’80s touring the nation dispensing sound sufficiently hardcore to please the likes of the Hells Angels, while intermittently supporting various major rock legends – to do to mark such an anniversary? … Read more in today’s Mail…

Castlemaine talent shines at IDYLL 2022

By
Lisa Dennis
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2022 Idyll winners Hot Vagrants are pictured with judge Clementine Ford and their trophy. Photo: Diana Domonkos.
2022 Idyll winners Hot Vagrants are pictured with judge Clementine Ford and their trophy. Photo: Diana Domonkos.

A joyous crowd of music lovers of all ages gathered at Lot 19 last Sunday March 20 for Castlemaine Idyll 2022.
The community event has now been running for a decade and celebrated with musical treats to the theme of ‘Chutzpah’ and once again gave aspiring stars their moment in the spotlight to shine.
And shine they did with the performers once again making the task of judges – singer and performer Aurora Kurth, writer and broadcaster Clementine Ford and Bridge Hotel publican Pat Furze – an extremely difficult one. See today’s Mail for a full spread on this fantastic community event.

Magpie women off to a flyer

By
Lisa Dennis
-

Castlemaine Football Netball Club’s new Senior Women’s football team are celebrating this week after claiming the ‘atWork Australia Cup’ at Shepparton on Sunday.
This was a significant day for the team as it was also the first time they had played together, 2022 being the first season CFNC has fielded a senior women’s side!
Playing five games against Benalla, Echuca, Tatura and Shepparton United with the final played against a very competitive Echuca Football Netball Club, the Magpies emerged victorious and the club are so proud of how far the side have come throughout preseason. See the Mail for the full story.

Art Book Fair this weekend

By
Lisa Dennis
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To complement the 2022 Melbourne Art Book Fair, Castlemaine Art Museum is hosting a two-day regional art book fair inside the beautiful 1931 art deco building this weekend, March 26 and 27.
The two-day National Gallery of Victoria satellite event will from run 12-4pm each day and will see CAM host stalls showcasing work by central Victorian artists, writers and publishers, and two afternoon panel discussions on creating and publishing in the regions.
CAM director Naomi Cass said they were excited to be partnering with NGV’s Melbourne Art Book Fair to present a regional celebration of art book culture.
“Featuring local artist books, publishers, designers, print makers and poets, this free event also includes a pop-up exhibit of children’s books from Beth Sinclair and two afternoon creative conversations,” she said.
“Come along and meet the artists and writers and support Castlemaine’s vibrant creative community. Books will be for sale and your questions on how to publish your own work will be answered.”
Saturday’s discussion hosted by CAM’s director Naomi Cass will centre on ‘Publishing and Design’ and will hear from Kristin Gill from Northern Books in conversation with Stephanie Holt from Editors Victoria on getting your work published and what makes good book design.
Sunday enjoy an artist talk from 2.30pm. ‘COLOSCENT’ combines the investigative practices of multi-disciplinary artist Anna Schwann and painter Simon DeBoer to tackle the absurd task of deciding what colours smell like, realising a new perception of colour synaesthesia through the invisible medium of scent.
Don’t miss this very special event.

Eric Thake Jean Daley Bookplate 1930. Castlemaine Art Museum. Image: Ian Hill

The MAIN Game set to return!

By
Lisa Dennis
-

After a two-year hiatus, MainFM is excited to announce the return of the MAIN Game to Castlemaine on Sunday June 12 at the Camp Reserve!
Event goers can expect a seriously fun game of Aussie Rules footy, plus live local entertainment alongside food stalls, a BBQ and the MAIN Bar.
The MAIN Game is a community engagement and major fundraising event for local community radio station 94.9 MainFM.
A Kick to Kick and Information Session will be held next Sunday April 2. See the Mail for more details.

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