It’s taken just six months for newcomer on the local live theatre scene, Moonlight Theatre Company, to stage its first production.
The new Castlemaine-based company is preparing to premiere its debut play, The Wrong Box, at Castlemaine’s Theatre Royal on Thursday November 29, following its formation in June by locals Michael Treloar, John Rowland, Sophie Flynn and Barbara Rowland.
“It’s been very interesting getting together a whole new theatre company,” says John Rowland who’s directing The Wrong Box after adapting this classic black comedy as a radio play. Full story in today’s Castlemaine Mail.
A comedy to die for
Colourful profusion a festival inclusion
Castlemaine’s Terry Moloney is quick to acknowledge the work of the previous owners when discussing Rosebank, the beautiful garden he shares with his wife Meg Clancy.
But given that he and Meg have been at Rosebank for the past eight years, since moving from Sydney, it’s also apparent a serious gardener now resides within as well.
Situated in Castlemaine’s leafy Bowden Street, Rosebank is a circa 1860s weatherboard house cossetted in its abundant half acre garden featuring a profusion of classic cottage plants including some 150 or so rose bushes. It’s just one of the 22 beautiful gardens that are now opening to the public as part of the Festival of Gardens that starts this weekend and runs through Melbourne Cup Week to November 11. Catch our chat with Terry – plus our festival Weekender read – in today’s Castlemaine Mail.
Top Spot!
It was a careful and precise operation as the new and upgraded fire observer’s cabin was craned into position atop Mount Tarrengower fire observation tower yesterday.
The positioning of the new, larger cabin was the long-anticipated highlight of the $1 million project, started back in June, to replace the old 1980s observation cabin in time for the start of the new fire season. Story in today’s Mail.
Pedal to the Metal on Etty Street site
The accelerator has been forcefully applied to Castlemaine’s reputation as the centre of hot rodding in Australia following a council decision over the future of the town’s Etty Street secondary college campus site this week.
Tuesday night’s unanimous decision by Mount Alexander Shire Council paves the way for the development of the Etty Street site as a community enterprise hub notably including hot rodding among a wide range of potential enterprises. Full story in today’s Castlemaine Mail.
Taking on Tarrengower
It takes a sturdy breed to take on the mount, but right now they’re revving in anticipation for the local tradition that is Mt Tarrengower Historic Hill Climb.
The annual event happens this weekend bringing keen drivers and collectors of vintage and rare cars and motorcycles to battle against each other, the clock, and the slope of Maldon’s famed landmark. Full story in today’s Mail.
Festival secures funding for creative hub
The Castlemaine Goods Shed is now set to be transformed into a new creative industries hub thanks to $500,000 in funding from the Victorian government. For more see the Castlemaine Mail.
Spring sculpture at Lot 19
The creative talent of sculptural artists from across the state and beyond are in the spotlight as Lot 19’s keenly anticipated annual Spring Sculpture Prize opens in Castlemaine tomorrow.
With $6000 in prize money on offer across multiple categories, the annual fixture on the region’s arts scene has this time attracted entries from more than 60 artists, co-curator, Lot 19’s Mark Anstey says. Full details in today’s Mail …
Get ready to run!
Keen runners are flexing leg muscles and limbering up for this Sunday’s 10th anniversary of Castlemaine’s iconic homegrown running event – Run The Maine at the Castlemaine Botanical Gardens.
Organisers expect upwards of 500 participants including classy local and metro competition for this the 10th anniversary running of the popular event featuring the 14 km trail run, 11 km and 5.5 km events, and the all-ages 2 km Run Bird Run with the emphasis firmly on fun. Catch our full story in today’s Mail …
Vote for Ian!
Castlemaine’s Ian Higgins, already the Victorian 2017 Individual Landcarer of the year, will soon know if he’s taken out the national award – a nomination that means he’s also in the running for the People’s Choice Award, to be decided by an online poll you can vote in.
The Victorian award recognised Ian’s work, beginning in the 1980s, to restore Castlemaine’s creeks and the achievements of the volunteer Friends of Campbells Creek Landcare Group he co-founded. See tomorrow’s Castlemaine Mail for the full story.
A gardener’s garden
Now Spring is in the air it’s a great time for getting out and exploring some of our magnificent local gardens. Quite a number of our fine local gardens are open now as part of the Open Gardens of the HEDGE — that’s Horticultural Endeavours Demonstrating Gardening Enthusiasm — Open Gardens event. The Mail has got out and into one of these beautiful local gardens and caught up with the unstoppable gardener who has created it it over more than four decades. Catch the full story in today’s Castlemaine Mail …
Maxi farming fundraiser
Maxi IGA in Castlemaine is currently selling tickets for two raffles as a fundraiser for drought affected farmers. See more in the Castlemaine Mail.