Friday, July 4, 2025

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My Castlemaine (pt. 2) – Vic Say

The first installment of Vic's interview was published in last week's edition of the Mail on Friday, June 27.
On moving here, Vic quickly noticed there was no visible Aboriginal presence in the commun...

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Busy time for Castlemaine cyclists

Castlemaine Cycling Club members and visitors enjoyed a great day of competition at Baringhup last weekend. Photo: Dion Jelbart.

Great weather and racing was enjoyed by Castlemaine Cycling Club members last weekend with A/B/C Grade scratch races at Baringhup.
A big thanks to Ken Maddern, all the helpers and well done to all rid...

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Lions footballers and Roo netballers dominate

The Harcourt and Newstead netballers battled out some high energy contests. Photo: Max Lesser.

Harcourt FNC welcomed Newstead FNC to the den last Saturday in round 11 of the Maryborough Castlemaine District Football Netball League.
The Lions got out to an early lead in the opening term kicking ...

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Creekers just fall short in spirited BCNA round

The Creek netballers proudly show off their pink socks.

Campbells Creek Football Netball Club hosted a Pink Day last Saturday supporting the Breast Cancer Network Australia.
The club's five senior football and netball teams showed their support by wearing ...

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New coach welcomed

Castlemaine Lawn Tennis Club’s new coach Calum Curtis-McDonald (left) has been warmly welcomed to the club.

Last Sunday June 29 the Castlemaine Lawn Tennis Club held an open day to welcome its new coach who ran his first tennis coaching clinics for enthusiastic juniors.
New coach Calum Curtis-McDonald origi...

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My Castlemaine (pt. 1) – Vic Say

With his signature snowy beard and cheerful disposition, Vic Say is a familiar face to many in the local community.
He is best known for his many years teaching Indonesian to primary school children, ...

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Council preferences equity

Late in March, Mount Alexander Shire Council received a petition from the Harcourt Football Netball Club president claiming that the council have restricted the club's usage of the grounds, favouring ...

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MainFM impacted by flooding

Have you heard? Our friends at community radio station MainFM 94.9 have been impacted by flooding at their station home, The Old Hospital at 1 Halford Street, due to a burst water main. The radio station is currently homeless – but thanks to the dedication and tenacity of their technical team – they are still on the air!

MainFM are broadcasting remotely, which means you will notice disruptions to their regular programming. They are broadcasting pre-recorded shows only (for now).

Staff and volunteers are working hard to source solutions, and hope to find a temporary home. In the meantime, thanks for your patience and for sticking with our wonderful little local community radio station. They’ll be back with regular programming soon. 

Documentaries and disco

Castlemaine Documentary Festival (July 4-6) will once again feature a jam-packed program of incredible cinematic offerings such as doco-musical Reas which will be followed by a live performance by local glam-pop band, Sugar Fed Leopards (pictured). See page 15. Photo: Ryan Wheatley.
Castlemaine Documentary Festival (July 4-6) will once again feature a jam-packed program of incredible cinematic offerings such as doco-musical Reas which will be followed by a live performance by local glam-pop band, Sugar Fed Leopards (pictured). See page 15. Photo: Ryan Wheatley.

Step into a world where real-life stories are wilder than fiction—right in the heart of Castlemaine this July.
The 2025 Castlemaine Documentary Festival (July 4-6) isn’t your usual cinema trip. Think jaw-dropping data conspiracies in opening night world premiere Human Algorithm, a performance artist literally turning his body into living art in Stelarc – Suspending Disbelief, poetic laser-lab voyages in Tracing Light, and three generations of Hazara women forging resilience in Writing Hawa.
When night falls, the CDoc team crank it up: silent-film masterpiece Man With a Movie Camera gets a live electronic music score with beloved Melbourne band, Underground Lovers Moda Discoteca; and on Saturday, the boundary-blurring hybrid doco-musical Reas transforms a Buenos Aires women’s prison into a stage of song and dance, followed by a live performance by the local glam-pop band, Sugar Fed Leopards which will have you up and dancing.
You don’t have to be a film buff—or even a film fan—to get hooked. These stories are high-voltage adventures featuring espionage, cosmic marvels, and encounters with the unexpected. Plus with Friday and Saturday ending with a late-night disco who says documentaries can’t conclude with a dance party?
Sunday the adventure continues with the screening of Blue Road – The Edna O’Brien Story which tells the tale of the controversial Irish writer, powerful archival doco Soundtrack to a Coup d’État, The Wolves Always Come at Night the story of young nomads in Mongolia, and Look Into My Eyes which examines the work of psychics and mediums.
Swap your usual weekend on the couch for a festival that blends mind-blowing visuals, real-life drama, and live music.
The team from Castlemaine Community House will also have their pop-up kitchen operating in the Theatre Royal Garden offering soup to warm the soul and raising funds to support the CCH Food Pantry.
Tickets are on sale now: Single Sessions, Day Passes, or go all-in with a Full Festival Pass (complete with prize-draw entry and exclusive food & drink deals).
To see the full program, head to www.cdocff.com.au
Ready to swap scripted drama for actual wonder? Discover CDoc 2025 — where truth is stranger, funnier, and more thrilling than any blockbuster.

Reas transforms a Buenos Aires women’s prison into a stage of song and dance.

Providing safe, affirming and memorable tourism

According to BIG4 Castlemaine, park owner Claire Height the Welcome With Pride training is, "Tourism specific, powerful and takes just 45 minutes".

BIG4 Castlemaine Gardens Holiday Park, is proud to announce it is the first holiday park in Australia to receive accreditation from Welcome With Pride, a LGBTIQ+ inclusive tourism training organisatio...

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Campbells Creek community celebrate

More than 200 people attended the celebrations at the Campbells Creek Trail last Saturday. Photo: John Childs.

A large group of locals, rugged up in their warmest winter gear, gathered at the Campbells Creek Track on Saturday to celebrate the Friends of Campbells Creek Landcare's 25th birthday and the official...

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