Maine Fitness head Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) and Mixed Martial Arts coach and dedicated trainer Clint Harris was recently awarded his long awaited black belt from renowned Australian martial artist Professor Richard Norton. See the Mail for more.
Community raises $7000!
A Community Fundraiser Cake and Bake Sale and Sausage Sizzle was held in Castlemaine last weekend, January 11-12, raising a staggering $5500 for the Red Cross Disaster Relief and Recovery Appeal.
In addition an accompanying online appeal is continuing to gain momentum with a further $2000 having being raised at the time of going to press. See the Mail for the full story.
Fanny to be honoured
Renowned goldfields pioneer and Australia’s first known female voter Fanny Finch will be immortalised with the installation of a permanent memorial on her grave site at the Castlemaine Cemetery at Campbells Creek next Wednesday January 22.
Community members participated in a working bee last week to ensure the cemetery is looking its best for the special event. See the Mail for the full story.
Treasures to be unearthed
There will be a load of treasures to unearth at the ‘Fossick in the Goldfields’ Campbells Creek Antique and Collectables Fair this Australia Day long weekend – January 25 and 26. We caught up with fair coordinators Ken Smith and Brian Owens to chat about what visitors can expect at this year’s event.
EV uptake gains pace
Yandoit’s Derek Higgins regards getting an electric car as a no-brainer.
“The fact that I can charge it at home from an ordinary power point is number one,” he says.
“I’ve got solar panels so that’s free power.
“We’re not using coal-fired power, and it’s free power. It’s the sun. Why wouldn’t we use it?”
Derek says he can drive 280 km before he needs to recharge his fully electric 2019 Nissan LEAF.
He’s one of an increasing number of locals replacing their old fossil fuel driven vehicles with a new fully electric or hybrid vehicle.
He’s also among the increasing number of local EV drivers now using the public electric vehicle recharge station at Newstead’s EnviroShop. Full story the Castlemaine Mail – Friday, January 17, 2020
‘Assemble’ the answer?
Joyce Sanders, Castlemaine
I had Christmas lunch with a young couple who were about to move into ‘Community Housing’ in Kensington where there are apparently several
community housing models called ‘Assemble’ (assemblecommunities.com ) as part of the ‘Resilient Melbourne’ program. Probably everyone investigating our housing problems in Castlemaine knows about ‘Assemble’ and I’m the only one who somehow missed it. But just in case I’m not the only one, one moves in (after a lottery of applications) and rents for five years (to see if one is happy with the location, the people, etc) and then at the end of the five years, one has first option to buy at the price set five years previously.
Presumably some ‘social housing’ could be in the application mix as well. I wonder if Castlemaine could be linked with the Assemble group to prevent us from having to re-invent the housing wheel?
Get busy
Ian Braybrook, Castlemaine
I have no doubt that we are experiencing climate change. I accept the advice of the numerous scientists who tell us it is happening. I am also unhappy with the lack of action and denial on this from our federal government. And yet I wonder at the Mount Alexander Shire Council’s decision to declare a climate emergency.
Cr Machin says there will be net zero emissions from council operations by 2025. What exactly does it mean? What does it entail? Is it no use of motor vehicles or power tools? No street lighting? No air-conditioned shire offices? Shall council generate its own electricity? If so by what means?
And what is shire residents role in this? Are we to follow suit by adopting those sacrifices above? If so, we can contribute additionally and considerably by giving up our overseas trips in fuel guzzling aircraft, a major contributor of emissions? That alone will be an excellent way of supporting the shire effort.
Cr Nieman says he saw no evidence of collusion between the speakers at the forum. Is he kidding? Does he truly believe that there was no contact between any of them, either in person or electronically, in preparation for the event?
Meantime councillors, get busy. The clock is ticking.
Congratulations
Hans Paas, Castlemaine
Congratulations are in order for ‘Council declares climate emergency’ (Mail 20/12). As for Cr Petrusma’s worries about ” legal liability and financial implications” he may be relieved to know that this declaration will help our council in the event that its insurers seek to walk away from the various policies which indemnify claimants on those occasions that it is found to have done the wrong thing. This is prudent risk management.
Now that the big insurance underwriters around the world are issuing dire warnings about the consequences of climate change on lives and property our council will have signalled that it is committed to best practice. We just need them to step up to the plate when it comes to banning the dangerous poison glyphosate, before our ratepayers are hit with the “legal liability and financial implications” that so
concern Cr Petrusma.
Social soccer welcomes new players
Castlemaine Goldfields Football Club’s Women’s team has set out to achieve a set of social kicks over the summer.
“What we wanted to achieve really are two things,” said team member Kasey Sparks. “One, we wanted to find a way for our Women’s soccer team to stay connected through the off season, and two, we wanted to open up our club to new social players and potentially registering
ones.”
Pre-season training starts for the women’s team Monday February 10 from 6.30-8pm at Soldiers Memorial Reserve, Main Road Chewton. If you’d like more info about the team and or training sessions contact Kasey Sparks on 0425 862 834 or send her an email at writewithya@gmail.com
Castlemaine Goldfields welcome you.
South Sudanese celebration
The local South Sudanese community is inviting community members to join them at the Castlemaine Town Hall on Saturday January 18 for a special celebration. See the latest Mail for the full story.
Smoke signals to raise funds
Three local community organisations Castlemaine Blues Club, HALT (Hope Assistance Local Tradies) and the Castlemaine Bowling Club are joining forces to hold ‘Smoke Signals – a Bushfire Relief Benefit’ on Monday January 20. See last Friday’s Mail for the full story.
Horror crash in Castlemaine
The death of a local woman in a car crash in Castlemaine early Wednesday has made for a horror start to the year on the region’s roads.
The 36-year-old Castlemaine woman died after the car she was driving lost control and rolled multiple times before coming to rest in a paddock on Maldon Road near the McKenzie Hill railway overpass.
Castlemaine’s Senior Sergeant Peter Carey says the car had been travelling east toward Castlemaine when the woman lost control at about 12.45 am on Wednesday morning.
A 12-year-old girl, who police believe to be her daughter, was a passenger in the car and was taken to Bendigo Health hospital with minor injuries.
Anyone who witnessed the crash or with further information or dash cam footage is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au
“We’ve spoken to a number of witnesses and local residents who contacted police and attended at the scene and provided immediate assistance and we’re also asking if anyone else has any knowledge or information that they contact Crime Stoppers,” Snr Sgt Carey says.
“This is a local woman and the impact will reverberate around the community and we’d be asking if anyone is affected and needs some sort of support or counselling that they contact police here and we can link them up with the right agency.”
Full story in today’s Castlemaine Mail, Friday January 10, 2020.