Castlemaine’s Lot 19 Art Space was thrilled to take delivery of a retired W-Class Tram last Friday.
The tram was transported from its former home at Melbourne’s Newport Workshops to Castlemaine by semi, where it will be used to support creative arts in the region.
Bendigo West MP Maree Edwards and representatives from VicTrack visited Lot 19 on Monday to check out the new addition. See this week’s Castlemaine Mail for the full story.
All Aboard!
FFA Cup clash
Castlemaine Goldfields Football Club played host to Mount Waverley City Soccer Club in qualifying round two of the Football Federation Australia (FFA) Cup on Saturday February 22. See the Mail for more.
Developing young readers
Local parents, teachers and librarians enjoyed a professional development session with a difference at The Taproom at Castlemaine’s Shedshaker Brewing recently.
The evening featured Sarah Mayor Cox a highly-regarded Literacy Consultant Sarah Mayor Cox and authors Jen Storer and Felice Arena
See the Mail for more.
Up, up, up she goes!!!
Last Monday was an important day for the Mount Alexander Vintage Engine Club (MAVEC) with members working erect a large shed which will be the focal point of their home base at the Muckleford Railway Station. See last Friday’s Mail for the full story.
When the river runs dry
Last year’s mass fish kill in the Darling River system moved plenty of people to tears, but few were as moved to action as Maldon father and son duo Peter Yates and Rory McLeod.
The two were so affected by the environmental tragedy impacting the nation’s iconic Murray-Darling river system they decided to do something about it.
Equipped with a trusty video camera, a successful crowdfunding campaign and a fierce determination, the two set off travelling 15,000 kilometres over multiple trips to make a documentary aimed at understanding and helping find solutions for the problem.
Teaming up with a professional producer and editor for the final stages, Peter and Rory never expected the end result would so quickly reap the results it has.
Already their debut doco entitled When The River Runs Dry has picked up three American Golden Picture Awards recently announced in Florida.
“It got Best Long Documentary, Best Cinematography and Best Sound,” Rory notes.
Last Saturday the local father and son duo attended a featured Q&A session as their debut doco made its premiere at Melbourne’s Nova cinema as part of the Transitions Film Festival.
Closer to home the documentary will screen for the first time at Castlemaine’s Theatre Royal at 7.30pm on March 4 with Peter and Rory attending for an audience Q&A. Read more in today’s Castlemaine Mail. Friday, February 28, 2020.
Locals oppose bridge contract
Castlemaine locals are opposing a council decision to award a contract for replacement of the town’s historic single-lane Froomes Road bridge with a new double lane bridge.
Local councillors at last week’s Mount Alexander Shire Council unanimously decided in favour of awarding the $1,018,300.10 contract to VEC Pty Ltd.
Citing both safety and drive-ability, Cr Dave Petrusma moved the motion in favour of awarding the contract to be part-funded ($480,000) using federal Bridge Replacement funding with the balance from the council’s capital works budget.
The council’s decision to demolish and replace the existing bridge follows an assessment which found it was at the end of its life with several serious structural issues identified.
It was also deemed unacceptable that the current 30 tonne load restriction remain in place for several reasons including that the bridge is on an access route between a significant local industry and the Calder Highway.
“It’s one of my nightmares that residents will be trying to get out as fire trucks are trying to get in so to have it two-lane is very important,” Cr Bronwyn Machin said, voting in favour of the move.
But locals like Ian Edwards who lives close to the bridge believe the move will decrease safety and damage tourism, heritage and aesthetic values in the leafy precinct that adjoins the town’s Victorian Heritage listed botanical gardens.
A sizable group of locals who share these concerns came together on site earlier this week to make their opposition to the council’s decision publicly known.
“This is exactly the type of spot that tourists come to and it’s going to disappear if they stick a great concrete monstrosity of a double-lane bridge through there,” Mr Edwards said.
“This road is not a particularly good or safe road. This single-lane bridge has operated as a little safety valve and stopped accidents. More in today’s Castlemaine Mail Friday, February 28, 2020.
On Target
The Castlemaine Clay Target Club welcomed community members as part of a Come and Try event at the club last Sunday February 23.
Rise, unite, resist gender inequality
Mount Alexander Family Violence Prevention Network (MAFVPN) and Macedon Ranges Family Violence Network (MRFVN) are organising a collective 1 Billion Rising Dance flash mob, with the support of Movement Zone dance school, to perform at the International Women’s Day Breakfast at the Women’s Health Loddon Mallee offices in Bendigo on Thursday March 5 at 9.15am. See the Mail for the full story.
Supporting our community
The Castlemaine Lions Club has donated a
defibrillator for the people of Castlemaine and district.
The St John’s Ambulance Defibrillator has been
installed near the registers at the entrance to Castlemaine’s Maxi IGA
supermarket in Mostyn Street. See the Mail for the full story.
From strength to strength
The Taradale Primary School will receive brand new computers thanks to funding support from the federal government.
Federal Member for Bendigo, Lisa Chesters visited Taradale Primary School on Monday to announce their success in receiving $14,872 in federal funding. See the Mail for the full story.
On your marks …
A top day of racing is shaping as Castlemaine hosts its annual Gift athletics meet this Sunday.
Castlemaine Athletic Club president Darryl Nettleton says a top day of athletics action is assured for competitors and spectators alike as this Sunday’s Castlemaine Gift has attracted many of the state’s top runners.
“It’s a stepping stone toward the Stawell Gift,” says Mr Nettleton, ahead of the Gift.
“This year we’ve got over 300 athletes entered and they’ll be in more than one race.
“Our main events are the Men’s Gift over the traditional distance of 120 metres and our main women’s race is our 400 metre Women’s Classic which all up is worth $4000.
“It’s one of Victoria’s richest 70 metre races and we’ve got a good mixture of guys and girls that have put their hand up to run in that so it will be run pretty fast I’m guessing.
“The aim of the whole exercise is to present a quality event on an excellent track with a great atmosphere.
“This town has an enormous history in professional running as a lot of the mining towns did.
“We’ve had Gift races here on this ground – the Camp Reserve – going back to the early 1920s – 1921 I think was the first.
Making a splash
Castlemaine Swimming Club held its annual meet at the Castlemaine Swimming Pool on Sunday February 9. See last Friday’s Mail for the full story.