The Castlemaine and Maldon Visitor Centres have reopened and last weekend welcomed back their volunteers for the first time since Covid forced the closure of the two centres in late March.
The Castlemaine and Maldon Visitor Centres will be open from 9am to 5pm on Saturday and Sunday only at this stage. The centres are also open for the Grand Final Eve/ Thank you Day public holiday.
Mount Alexander Shire Council team leader visitor services Aileen Walsh said they were absolutely delighted to welcome back their wonderful volunteers at both centres last weekend after seven long months.
“Our volunteers were excited to return. We are like a family. Many have tried to keep in touch during the lockdowns but it has been hard. Everyone was happy to get back and catch up,” she said.
The teams look forward to welcoming visitors from across regional Victoria. See the Mail for the full story.
Visitor Centres reopen, volunteers return
Virtual run goes the distance
More than 200 keen runners participated in last weekend’s first ever virtual version of Run The Maine with some very impressive times achieved.
Some seasoned runners even took on all four run distances – the 21 km half marathon, 15km, 10km and 5km during the 60 hour-long event.
With entry ticket sales exceeding the $5000 mark, Run The Maine director Gavin Krasner says he’s more than pleased, particularly given there was a moment when it was uncertain the event would even happen due to the impacts of Covid on large gatherings. See the Mail for more.
Counting underway…
Voting for the 2020 Mount Alexander Shire Council elections closed last Friday October 23 and vote counting commenced earlier this week. The successful candidates will be officially announced on Friday November 13.
In two wards current councillors Christine Henderson (Coliban Ward) and Tony Cordy (Calder Ward) have been returne office in uncontested elections.
In Castlemaine Ward (three vacancies) candidates listed in order of ballot paper appearance are: Gary McClure, incumbent Max Lesser, Keppel Cassidy, Bill Maltby, Toby Heydon, Stacey Raselli, Susan Mayfair, Michael Johnston, Rosie Annear, Hans Paas and Glenn Sutherland.
Three candidates vie for a spot in Loddon River Ward (one vacancy): Damien Kingsbury, Hilton Hazeltine and Matthew Driscoll. Two stand in Tarrengower Ward (one vacancy): Genine McHugh and incumbent councillor Stephen Gardner.
The responses are in…
The responses for the 2020 Democracy 4 Dinner Candidate Questionnaire for the Mount Alexander Shire Election are in.
Castlemaine’s Democracy 4 Dinner spokesperson Bryn Davies said 14 of the 18 candidates responded.
Mr Davies said all fourteen candidates who responded to the survey said that it is either ‘extremely important’ or ‘very important’ that Mount Alexander Shire Council commit to actions which contribute to tackling climate change.
“Housing affordability was the issue candidates had heard most often in their campaign. It is also was the equal most selected ‘top priority’ by our candidates along with waste management,” he said.
On waste, the largest number of candidates said council’s priority should be to work with the community to reduce the amount of waste produced (seven), followed by improving the amount and effectiveness of recycling in the shire (four). Two said the priority should be an annual/biannual hard rubbish collection, and one reviewing upgrading the waste transfer station/s.
“More candidates selected ‘Improving walking and cycling infrastructure’ as their top roads and infrastructure priority than any other issue. However, all those who did were from Castlemaine Ward,” he said.
“Five candidates also listed ‘Paths, cycling and pedestrian infrastructure’ in their top three priorities, the equal second most selected priority.”
“In total eight candidates said the current rates were ‘too high’, two said ‘about right’ and five answered that ‘it’s not that simple’,” Mr Davies said.
Community members can view the analysis by theme at democracy4dinner.org
The full results for Castlemaine Ward, Loddon Ward and Tarrengower Ward are available at http://www.castlewiki.com/
Cricket set to return
Castlemaine District Cricket Association (CDCA) has confirmed it will commence its 2020/2021 season on Saturday October 31. The CDCA finalised it’s A Grade and A Reserve fixtures at a meeting via Zoom on Wednesday night.
The modified competition will feature one day matches and will culminate in finals in March as previously scheduled.
CDCA secretary Brian Brasher said the 2020/21 season one-day format would enable the CDCA some flexibility if any issues arise due to COVID.
A Grade will contest a new look ‘Best of Three’ finals format this summer with 1 & 2 and 3 & 4 to play on day one of the finals series, the loser of 1 & 2 will then play the winner of 3 & 4 on the Sunday for a spot in the grand final the following week. See the Mail for the full story. Out Now.
New faces wanted
Would you enjoy being part of a group that gives out funds to local groups? Then Mt Alexander Community Enterprise would love to have you join their small band of grant givers.
Mt ACE has received and distributed over $350,000 to local groups and projects since its inception and all raised without a single cake stall or sausage sizzle!
Their funds come from a partnership agreement with Bendigo Bank and Bendigo Telco and the group’s role is to decide how to distribute these monthly funds received.
Mt ACE meet about six times per year to assess grant applications and choose community projects to support. It’s a great feeling to be helping so many local clubs achieve their goals.
If you would like to be part of the group please contact Mt ACE committee secretary Robyn Lewis at secretarymtace@gmail.com
For more information about the group go to www.communitygrants.com.au
Show your support ‘Buy Local’
The Rotary Club of Castlemaine is doing its best to promote the ‘Buy Local’ message by printing and distributing free recyclable bags to local businesses.
The club’s new president Christine Barkla and secretary Lyndal McClure said they had thought long and hard about how they could support local business after the impacts of the pandemic.
“Local businesses have been wonderful supporters of Rotary, donating prizes for our Truck Show and Art Show, and we wanted to give something back and show them our support,” Christine said.
The community service organisation had 2000 bags printed by local businesswoman Alison Crilly of After Bags at Welshmans Reef and began handing them out to local businesses early last week.
“It was good to be able to get the bags printed locally and we hope that shoppers will retain them and reuse them,” they said. See the Mail for the full story.
Funding to transform Thompson House
Castlemaine Health aged care residents are set to benefit from new funding announced as part of the state government’s Regional Health Infrastructure Fund (RHIF).
Thompson House, one of Castlemaine Health’s on site residential aged care facilities, is the recipient of $100,000 awarded through round four of the government’s regional health funding.
The government established the RHIF in 2016 to improve health services and agencies in rural and regional Victoria.
The funds will be used to project plan transformation of Thompson House into a dementia-friendly residence. See the Mail for more.
Carpenter Kate restores local heritage
Kate Jukes might fairly be called “a Jill of all trades.”
The local carpenter has recently finished personally restoring two original 1850s miners cottage using traditional wattle and daub methods.
The unique renovation of the two cottages at Clydesdale, just out of Newstead, is set to feature on ABC TV’s Restoration Australia on Sunday November 1.
But besides being a professional carpenter who’s pretty handy at tiling, plastering and stonemasonry, Kate is also a talented musician and, as part of the trio Kate Jukes & The Blue Healers, is getting set to launch a debut album – Heart One.
Heart One is an alt-country record exploring love, loss and heartache through Kate’s raw and unfiltered approach to lyric-writing.
Raised at Ruffy near Euroa, she’s spent many years working as a carpenter and also as a site supervisor for a high-end kitchen and bathroom company in metro Melbourne.
But about five years ago she happened to discover a unique country property at Clydesdale, with two tumble-down original miners cottages, and right away carpenter Kate knew her fate was sealed.
“I just love old properties and I just knew I wanted to save them,” says Kate who, consequently, now calls Clydesdale home after shifting to the property that she bought complete with derelict historic cottages… Read more in the Castlemaine Mail 16.10.20 ~
Off to market…
Yandoit’s Andrew Kimpton is among local stallholders relishing the chance to attend this Sunday’s resuming Maldon Market.
The sculptural and architectural metalworker says he’s keenly looking forward to being there as the hand made and home grown event makes its return this Sunday after taking a break since July due to the pandemic.
“It will feel so good to return to a degree of normality,” says the creative metalworker who owns and operates Made At Yandoit – a bespoke metalworking business.
Andrew is particularly well known for his stylish garden metal products which include arbours, stakes, veggie bed covers, hose holders and even artistic outdoor shower settings.
“I really do enjoy the interactions and conversations I have at the market,” says Andrew, who’s been getting along to the Maldon Market for the past four years.
“The creative process is a thrill and I like it when people come to me with a project.
“I’m very lucky to get a thrill from my job. It’s just enormously satisfying.”
Market co-ordinator Chris Hain says the emphasis at Sunday’s returned market will be on maintaining CovidSAFE practices and as such the event will take place at the town’s Bill Woodfull Recreation Reserve to enable people to socially distance with comparative ease… Read more in the Catlemaine Mail 09.10.20
Lush Lixouri
Lixouri, the beautiful Barkers Creek garden of Max and Margaret Beyer hums with life.
“With the rain we’ve been having the garden is thicker than it’s ever been. It’s been going berserk,” Margaret says.
Normally, she and Max would have been busy right now preparing to open Lixouri as part of the region’s popular biennial Festival of Gardens.
But while the pandemic has put paid to this year’s festival, some of the gardens involved are still hoped to open to the public, in some capacity, at least.
Named after the village of Lixouri on the Greek island of Chephalonia, Max and Margaret’s garden is one of these.
“We’re just forging ahead as if the festival was going ahead,” says Margaret.
Nestled in its Barkers Creek setting, Lixouri is a fine example of an established Mediterranean style garden complete with olive grove.
The couple’s limewashed mud-brick house is off grid, solar-powered and comfortably ensconced in garden terraces overlooking a pretty pond fringed with water iris, willow, birch and paper bark… Read more in the Castlemaine Mail 09.10.20
Maikel sports ‘HalfCut’ to save Daintree
Newstead local Maikel Linke is raising money to save the Daintree Rainforest by shaving half his head and beard!
Maikel’s partner Karla Rawles said this “HalfCut” look is a symbol of the world’s forests which have been half cut already.
“But the other half still stands and needs protection from logging and development,” Karla said.
The money the local couple are raising is being donated to funding raising organisation HalfCut to protect crucial forests which inhabit threatened and endangered species.
HalfCut have one aim – to save our planet from the Climate Crisis by saving forests and replanting what’s been cut down.
“Their current project focuses on the Daintree in Far North Queensland, the world’s oldest rainforest,” Karla said. See the Mail for more…