Castlemaine Secondary College is deep into rehearsals on its 2026 school production of A Wrinkle in Time.
The latest production follows on from the school’s sell-out 2025 performances of Mamma Mia.
The whole-school production will take place at the Phee Broadway Theatre in Castlemaine with four shows scheduled over three massive days from August 6-8 and promises a magical evening of entertainment for community members of all ages which showcases the talents of CSC students.
The production is being directed by teachers Jo Tsakoumagos and Kat Vearing and Year 11 student Neon Robertson.
The massive cast features students from year seven through to year 12 supported by a student-led backstage and production crew.
CSC teacher and producer of the 2026 show Jacqui Teague said students were involved in every aspect of the show from performance, choreography and dance to costumes, set construction and design, props, lighting and sound.
“A Wrinkle in Time is a faithful, ensemble-driven adaptation by Morgan Gould, of the beloved 1962 science-fantasy novel by Madeleine L’Engle, that masterfully retells the story in a fresh and enduring way,” Jacqui said.
The plot follows one of literature’s most enduring young heroines, Meg Murry, who is on a mission to save her father. Meg joins forces with Mrs Whatsit, Charles Wallace, Calvin O’Keefe and more to battle the forces of evil so she can rescue her father, save humanity and find herself. In the end, we know two things for sure: 1. Love CAN overcome evil and 2. There IS such a thing as a tesseract!
“The show is fast coming together and we are now deep into rehearsals with costumes and sets taking shape,” Jacqui said.
“The students are also looking forward to bumping into the theatre from August 3 for full dress and tech rehearsals, and will be treating local primary school students to a sneak peek, performing Act 1 on Thursday August 6, in a final preparation for opening night!” she said.
Performances will take place on Thursday August 6 at 7pm, Friday August 7 at 7pm, and Saturday August 8 at 12.30pm and 7pm.
To secure your ticket to this unmissable show, visit www.trybooking.com/DMTSQ
CSC students bring the magic
The truth revealed?
Stuart Dunn, Castlemaine
The community owes Michael Wright a huge thanks for his recent letter to the editor (Castlemaine Mail, July 10) in which he exposed the true motivation behind the group known as ‘Gold Camp’.
In his letter Wright laments the Camp Reserve “…used to be the place to go for everybody, on a promenade from the civic centre, across the rail and the creek. But now, for much of the community it is fenced off, barren, a place to avoid because there is nothing to do.”
The letter also suggests the sporting clubs using the facility should perhaps ‘move elsewhere’.
And with those extraordinary sentiments, we can at last begin to understand the senseless opposition ‘Gold Camp’ has mounted against a master plan unanimously endorsed by all of the Camp Reserve users.
The Castlemaine Show? Fenced off. Farmers Market? Barren. The Main Game? A place to avoid because there is nothing to do. And if you play sport, just get lost altogether.
The simple truth is to ‘Gold Camp’ the hundreds of thousands of people who attend the multitude of community and sporting events at the Camp Reserve each year don’t count. For them it isn’t a community, unless it is THEIR community.
Gold Camp doesn’t want events or any sort of organised use of the Camp Reserve. They want community events and sports moved elsewhere, out of sight and out of mind so they can enjoy the views from their porches and stroll around the grounds at will without all this irritating community use happening around them.
This thinking explains why Gold Camp engaged a company to produce a mediocre alternate master plan, without ever consulting the multiple user groups who are currently at the reserve, and why they held a ‘public’ meeting to discuss the Camp Reserve, without any discussion with those groups.
Why on earth would you need to consult with a user group, when your ultimate aim is to move them all out so you can enjoy your daily walk without some annoying community event breaching the peace?
If you attend the Camp Reserve for anything that happens there currently, whether it is sport, markets, charity events, agricultural shows, swap meets or anything else, Gold Camp is not with you. They don’t consider you community and want you elsewhere.
They don’t appreciate the simple joy the hard-working user groups have delivered this community through the myriad of events they provide at the reserve, the colourful, joyous spectacles that happen there most weeks and bring people together in all sorts of ways and have for many years.
Gold Camp consider those events fenced off, barren, and a place to avoid. In the words of Paul Keating they are truly more to be pitied than despised.
Editor’s Note: Gold Camp Castlemaine has reiterated on numerous occasions that they are not against the redevelopment of Camp Reserve, but are keen to preserve the heritage of the precinct. They also invited user groups to attend the public sessions and be part of the discussion around potential alternatives.
You don’t know what you’ve got till its gone
Kirsty McIntyre, Castlemaine
“You don’t know what you’ve got ‘til it’s gone”, the words of Joni Mitchell’s Big Yellow Taxi rang through my ears, coming out of the council meeting last Tuesday night.
Disappointingly, most councillors have decided to approve the council’s master plan for Camp Reserve.
This will mean the demolition of the topography (hillock on the south-western corner), the destruction of significant heritage trees and the removal of other markers of our past. From the hill, there are views directly to historic buildings in nearby streets (the houses of famous figures, the court house, the gaol and the pre-gold rush tree along Goldsmith Crescent including the heritage-listed ‘prisoner’ tree). As well, the view from Goldsmith Crescent towards the Camp is an uninterrupted vista to Camp Reserve hill, the beautiful River Red gums and across the oval to the avenue of 1860s elms and
Barkers Creek. This continuous view was planned so many years ago. Without these features and views, we will just have photos and paintings to understand our past.
This area was an important place for the Dja Dja Wurrung people who would have benefited from living in a fertile area where three creeks join. In the early years of the gold rush, it was known as ‘Canvas Town’ where a large number of families camped. It was also the administrative centre of the whole of the central Victorian goldfields.
Soldiers paraded up and down the grounds when it was used as military barracks. Chinese opium dens were to be found on the edges of the camp ground. It was an important place for so much of our history. There are good reasons why this area is, and should continue to be protected by a heritage overlay.
People come to visit and to live in Castlemaine because of its history and its character. Quaint, historic small-scale buildings and streetscapes make it different from other towns which have been taken over by main roads, traffic and huge commercial signs.
If this area was to be preserved, it could become a premier historic precinct where tourists could walk along a tree-lined avenue from the railway station through the Camp Reserve grounds towards the historic buildings in the nearby streets, with informative signs, artwork and installations along the way.
I look forward to the day, if it ever comes, when we value our history and our environment as much as we do our sporting facilities. One day, future generations will wonder what were we thinking when we bulldozed so much of our rich and fascinating heritage.
Give it up
Graeme Thomas, Castlemaine
Did I hear right! Now the anti Camp Reserve campaigners may go to VCAT?
You have had your say, which is your right, and I have read all your arguments. Fair dinkum, you sound like a skit from Monty Python. You are desperately grasping at any straw to nobble the sporting groups proposal no matter how absurd. The council have made their decision, again, and you lot need to accept it and move on. I am confident you will soon find another whinge.
I am not affiliated with any sporting groups at the Camp, but a simple look at history shows is has been a sports reserve since at least 1855. A sports reserve that is home to football, netball, cricket and table tennis clubs. They are the ‘users’ of the area. Are any of you ‘real users’ of the Camp or are you just visitors that take your dog for a walk through there on your way somewhere? Visiting the Farmers Market does not make you a user. It is not a ‘green space’ either, it is a sports reserve that has other uses when available eg. the show, athletics etc. If you want a green space go to the Botanical Gardens, Victory Park or there is plenty of bush all around us.
What is it with this rubbish about a ‘special hill’ that some dead bloke pitched his tent on a long time ago.
I think you will find that nearly every hill had a tent on it in 1850 so why aren’t you stopping every house cut in Castlemaine or are you just anti sport? The area has changed from 1850 and I am yet to meet a tourist that drove several hours to check out a hill that had a tent on it in 1850. They come to see buildings and gardens. The hill has been checked for artefacts and there was none, so let go of that straw.
As for losing a couple of trees that have no significance at all, what a croc. I personally have propagated and planted hundreds of red gums, wattles and other native trees over the last 15 years and am happy to donate my ‘carbon credits’ to keep the greenies happy. May I suggest you take a walk up any of our higher hills and you will see that we have plenty of mature trees all around us in Castlemaine. Chances are we will lose more than a couple of trees in the next heavy wind, that is nature for you. And no, a couple of trees is not going to affect the world’s climate.
It’s time to accept the umpire’s decision, again, and move on. I have lived in Castlemaine all my life and assure you that you do not have the support of the majority. I fear Castlemaine seems to be attracting more than its fair share of ‘experts’ that have lived overseas or in ‘the big city’ and us country folk need their expertise because their way is the right way. It may come as a surprise, to some, that us country folk might have our own ideas on what happens in our town.
Editor’s Note: The article in last Friday’s Castlemaine Mail merely speculated that the issue may come before VCAT at a later date. There has been no confirmation of this.
Roundabouts risky for cyclists
Trace Balla, Castlemaine
If you have ever ridden a bike around a roundabout you will know how risky it is, and that cyclists need to be taken into consideration when allowing development next to any roundabout.
Since the traffic lights were installed at Urquhart Street it has become much trickier to take the safer back route beside the South School when coming into town. I am alarmed to hear of the large fast food outlet’s possible location which will only further challenge cyclists. If the council are serious about access for all, and a healthy environment, cycling safety needs consideration, especially near a school.
I ask – what are we teaching our kids and what legacy are we leaving them? I also ask about the growing number of older people using ebikes and how they are being taken into account.
A roaring success
The annual bonfire held at the Chewton CFA on July 25 was another roaring success raising over $7,000 for the Chewton pool.
The event sold over 300 tickets prior to the night and more queued at the door. Over 400 people were fed and entertained on what was a very cold night.
The CFA lit the huge bonfire and everyone enjoyed the spectacle of embers lighting the sky. Music was provided by the wonderful outfit Saltgrass Band which got people moving and grooving.
The Chewton Lifeguard team yet again lost the Tug-of-War to the CFA team and the coveted trophy will remain at the CFA station for another year.
Loads of local businesses donated goods and food for the dinner and for the raffle.
Big thanks to Maxi IGA, Harvest at the Mill, Cliffords, Castlemaine Fresh, Woolworths, Steve Barty Gas, Bar Midland, The Albion, Love Shack, Boom Town, and Shedshaker.
Overall the event made over $7000 which will provide the Chewton pool with another new pool blanket and contribute to the cost of new tiles for the toddler pool.
If you have capacity to volunteer at the pool there are a variety of roles that need filling. Visit www.chewtonpool.com.au/volunteers for more information or to register
CSC squads off to states!
A huge congratulations to the Castlemaine Secondary College’s Year 7/8 Girls Soccer team, who claimed the Loddon Mallee Regional Championship in Moama last week.
The team secured a fantastic 3–1 victory in their match!
The girls showed great teamwork, determination and skill to earn the win, securing their place at the State Finals later this term.
The school community is incredibly proud of the way they represented Castlemaine Secondary College and can’t wait to see them compete against the best teams in Victoria. Congratulations girls, and good luck at states!
Regional Champions!
A huge congratulations also go to the Castlemaine Secondary College Senior Boys Netball team on taking out the Loddon Mallee Regional Finals in Bendigo recently.
The squad produced an outstanding display of teamwork, skill and determination.
The team thanked their coaches and fellow student helpers for their invaluable support throughout the day. The netball team is also bound for the state finals. Go CSC!
Cyclists excel
Castlemaine Cycling Club held another fantastic day of racing at Baringhup on Saturday July 25.
It was a great turn out for President Daniel Jackson’s birthday race, though unfortunately the Pres didn’t get up for the win.
A field of 27 riders took to the figure 8 Map 1 tacking a 35km course.
The limit and second limit bunches come together to work hard all day. Eventually staying away for the win.
Though hot on their heals was the remnants of the 14 and 6 minute bunches. With a very strong performance from newcomer Mingma Sherpa.
Placings were as follows:
1st Greg Chapman
2nd Hayley Clarke
3rd Geoff Pollard
Fastest Time Ben Sherwell.
Scratch Ben Sherwell
2 Minute
1st Tim Decker
2nd Tony Coombes
3rd Leigh Wallace
F/T Levi Brain
6 Minute
1st David Collier
2nd Matt Brain
3rd Glen Ford
Mingma Sherpa
Rob Griffith
10 Minute
1st Carl Harris
2nd Daniel Jackson
3rd Emma Jackson
F/T Ross McDonald
14 Minute
1st Shane Dellevadova
2nd Rod Hinton
3rd Wendy Bennett
F/T Steve Auld
20 Minute
1st Greg Chapman
2nd Geoff Bennett
3rd Josh Malone
28 Minute
1st Michael Collier Clarke
2nd Kimi Gardiner
3rd Di Jane
Maddi Malone
Ken Lacey
Hayley Clarke.
Solomon Islander Charles Maimarosia to perform
Charles Maimarosia will be returning to The ‘Maine for the International Day of Indigenous Peoples, kicking off at 3 pm Sunday, August 9.
Maimarosia is well known to Castlemanians, having played several gigs here in The Coolroom at the Northern Arts Hotel and Shedshaker Taproom.
Almost two decades ago, Maimarosia first performed with the Malaita Island music and dance group, Narasira to Pan Pipers, on a tour of Australia, as the musical director. They performed vibrant shows at the World Music Expo in Melbourne and WOMADelaide.
Since settling in Melbourne, Maimarosia has recorded his blend of traditional and contemporary Pacific Ocean music with David Bridie’s Wantok Music Foundation and contributed to the Australian High Commission’s cultural exchanges with the Solomon Islands.
MainFM’s In Didj’n’Us Radio presents the family day celebration, which also includes Kavisha Mazzella, Kinja (Sarah & RonMurray), Georgia Darcy, Loz Lawrey, Peter Bodin and special guest, the youngest artist on the bill ~ Milaan. Newstead Arts Hub’s Weaving the River exhibit & Cultural displays, Kids Fun with Emily Baird (who organised the children’s activities at the Harcourt Bushfire Benefit last February), food stalls and more!
Sunday, August 9 from 3pm to 8pm at St Mary’s Hall, Cnr. Hargraves and Lyttleton Streets, Castlemaine.
Adults: $20 Kids: donation
Proceeds to Indigenous Children’s Literacy Foundation
Joy abounds
The Castlemaine and Surrounds Women’s Shed (CSWS) is going from strength to strength and is very grateful for the generosity of so many supporters.
There are growing numbers of people wishing to play an active part of the shed.
Recently many old and new supporters were part of an audience of 100+ at the Women of Wit (WOW) fundraising performance at the Phee Broadway Theatre.
In line with the CSWS community, these comedians displayed their amazing courage, joy and talent including our local gals Patti Fawcett and Julieta Mateo. This year’s MC was Janty Blair. All brought wonderful hilarity.
CSWS is particularly appreciative of Luke Morris of Comedy Victoria for coordinating this event from which $680 has been donated to the local Women’s Shed.
Castlemaine and Surrounds Women’s Shed has had a mixed journey in the 10 plus years. They would like to thank all their keen followers and participants past and current. They have high hopes on the horizon for the realisation of their dream of attaining their own premises.
Volunteers have been invaluable as is critical for any community organisation and enormous thanks are offered.
Looking ahead the group has more gatherings planned and will soon begin the collection of the amazing offers of donations for the planned shed.
Watch the CSWS Facebook page and local media for updates.
Free Know Your Rights workshop at Safe Space
Independent Mental Health Advocacy (IMHA) are offering self-advocacy and rights workshops for the community as part of a 18 month project. IMHA supports people who are at risk of, or are currently receiving, compulsory mental health treatment with free and confidential information and advocacy.
The next session will take place at Castlemaine Safe Space, 74 Mostyn St, Castlemaine, on Thursday August 6 at 6pm.
IMHA has run these workshops in inpatient settings and where possible in the community since our service began in 2015, and are excited to be able to focus on running workshops in the community to increase awareness of the Mental Health and Wellbeing Act, 2022.
The workshop is inclusive and accessible to anyone in the community such as those:
– receiving, or at risk of compulsory treatment
– receiving voluntary treatment
– who have had treatment in the past
– who want to learn about mental health rights
– who care and support someone receiving treatment or who maybe be considering accessing mental health and wellbeing services.
The session is relaxed and informal with time for discussion and includes information about:
– IMHA- Independent Mental Health Advocacy
– Mental Health and Wellbeing Act- Rights and Principles
– Advance Statement of Preferences
– Self-Advocacy
Each attendee receives an information pack with relevant documents and forms.
IMHA believes it’s important for individuals to understand their rights within the mental health system, so consumers (those who use mental health services) can make decisions about their treatment informed by knowing their rights, advocate for themselves, with or without the support of an IMHA advocate. When consumers are supported to make their own decisions and supported in their decisions, they have agency and can build confidence.
These community workshops aim to increase community awareness about IMHA and consumer rights, including providing advocacy services to people should they need it. Having these discussions helps to reduce the social stigma around mental health and increase community knowledge.
There has been some really positive consumer feedback about the sessions, one participant commenting, “I didn’t realise I had any rights. Seems I need
to plan and be ready so I can ask my doctor for what I want and what will work for me. Thank you so much for this information. Great session.”
To book your spot please email workshops@imha.vic.gov.au
To find out more about IMHA and the services they offer go to www.imha.vic.gov.au