You could pick the die-hard railway buffs by their cameras, positioning in the landscape and expectant gazes as they stared down the track alongside Castlemaine railway station last Saturday morning.
They were there for the Victorian Colonial Express, a very vintage K class steam loco hauling Victoria’s oldest railway carriages.
Victorian Goldfields Railway is running the vintage steam train between Castlemaine and Maldon for the next few Saturday’s this month to coincide with the National Trust Heritage Festival, the VGR’s Jonathan Newton says. Get the full story in today’s Castlemaine Mail.
All aboard the Colonial Express
A trip through time
Don’t know what a Bullnose Morris Cowley is?
Nevermind – this weekend offers a prime chance to find out as one of these very rare English made vehicles goes on public display complete with its own three-quarter scale replica World War One mine. It’s just one of an extremely diverse range of rare collectibles that make up a special exhibition being staged by Castlemaine Pioneers and Old Residents Association at Castlemaine Town Hall this Saturday and Sunday.
“To celebrate our 139th birthday we’re putting on this display featuring aspects of the shire from 1900 through to 1925,” the Association’s secretary Wilson Bunton says. Full story in today’s Mail …
Victorian twist on teen portraits
Fryerstown photographer Denise Martin pays creative respects to a Victorian era tradition in her latest exhibition featuring current day portraits of recent final year secondary school students.
“My projects are often inspired by personal cycles or transitions in life,” reflects the photographer whose Teen Portrait exhibition opens at Castlemaine’s Upstairs 22 Gallery tonight. Full story in today’s Castlemaine Mail.
Top exhibitors trot to show
The big and the small of the horse world goes on show in Castlemaine this Sunday for the annual April feature show.
With gentle giant Clydesdales at one end of the spectrum and miniature horses and Shetlands at the other, the long running show brings top exhibitors trotting to Camp Reserve from across the state and further.
Among them, Elphinstone’s Sally Henderson will be exhibiting her classy minis from success at the Miniature Horse Association National Show held at Sydney over Easter. Full story in today’s Mail..
Keeping the legacy alive
The state government is helping the Castlemaine RSL keep the legacy of veterans alive for future generations with a $1617 grant to conserve and store WWI uniforms. See the Castlemaine Mail for more.
When loss is gain
The universal human experience of loss is central to a new exhibition by award-winning artist Lucy Foster.
In Healthy Loss, which opened at Castlemaine Contemporary Arts Space on Friday, Foster explores notions of loss, of grieving and of letting go. But perhaps most central to this body of work is the artist’s consideration of the potential for loss to be a positive, rather than a negative, experience. Full story in today’s Mail…
Green light for new late trade store
Castlemaine looks set to get a new late trading convenience store following a council decision this week.
The applicant behind the move had been seeking approval to develop the existing Best Motors service station and vehicle sales business at 30-32 Duke Street, adding extra fuel bowsers, parking and a new 24 hour-seven day convenience store at the site.
At Tuesday night’s council meeting councillors were asked to make a decision after seven objections were received, with the council’s planning department recommending the application be refused … Full story in today’s Mail.
Get set for Easter fair fun
There’s something iconic about a good old fashioned billy cart battle.
And when the setting is a classic historic Aussie town like Maldon the traditional downhill billy cart race is hard to beat for pure spectacle.
This weekend’s annual Maldon Easter Fair billy cart race is shaping as no exception with young competitors honing their race day strategies and putting their hand-built racing machines through their paces.
Meantime, members of the town’s Men’s Shed have been busy ensuring their custom-built fleet of billy carts is in good order so youngsters who otherwise may not have access to a billy cart can still compete. Full story in today’s Mail …
Castlemaine CFA shakes up 60 years
This week members from the Castlemaine Fire Brigade were gearing up for their 60th year collecting for the Good Friday Appeal. See the Castlemaine Mail for more.
Bandidos back in town
The Bandidos Motorcycle Club held a lucky numbers fundraising ride for prostate cancer at the weekend and made Castlemaine one of their stops. For more see the Castlemaine Mail.
Kayaks, canoes get thumbs up at Barkers
After many decades of being banned, kayaks and canoes are now permitted to go out on Barkers Creek Reservoir.
Member for Bendigo West Maree Edwards yesterday took to the local reservoir in a kayak herself as she announced the new move which is understood to be the first time a Coliban Water reservoir has been opened for on-water access of any kind. Full story in today’s Castlemaine Mail.
Get set to salsa!
Castlemaine’s Taproom is rearing for some racy rhythms as it prepares to host Salsa Social tomorrow night. Originally from Colombia, Salsa Social instructor Camila Serrano brought salsa to Castlemaine about four years ago, introducing regular salsa dance classes for locals.
Since then, Camila’s Salsa Social classes have taken off with some 50 to 60 regulars attending the classes she runs. Catch our chat with Camila Serrano – and some of her enthusiastic salsa students – in today’s Mail.