The next important step towards Harcourt and district’s bushfire recovery will take place this Sunday, July 26, when the Harcourt and District Community Recovery Association (HADCRA) meets to make decisions about the establishment of the new association.
Approximately 75 homes and 250 sheds, farm buildings and other structures were lost in the January 9 fires. In all, the fire burnt through roughly 4,000 hectares of land. The Coolstore building loss affected approximately 80 businesses, and the total number of bushfire-affected businesses was 157.
We are less than six months on. Recovery is a long road.
Right now, much of the recovery is being run by government and other agencies. They are doing important work. But the Harcourt and district community wants a bigger say in what happens, and in how it happens.
HADCRA is how they will get that say. The way they will replace what has been lost, be better prepared for the future, and where they can build back stronger than before.
HADCRA members are invited to attend this Sunday’s meeting at the Harcourt Leisure Centre at 2pm on the proposed incorporation of the new association.
The purpose of this establishment meeting is:
– to consider and, if thought fit, resolve to establish the association.
– consider and adopt the proposed rules (Constitution) of the association.
– resolve to apply for incorporation under the Associations Incorporation Reform Act 2012 (Vic).
– appoint a person authorised to lodge the application for incorporation on behalf of the association.
– declare nominations for the inaugural committee.
– receive brief statements from candidates for election to the inaugural committee.
– open voting for the election of the inaugural committee.
Voting is available to members only.
For more information on the proposed rules of incorporation and the voting process, email harcourtrecovery@cch.org.au
Not yet a member and keen to be part of the region’s recovery? You can sign up online for free at https://forms.gle/tCPN6dXc7tvczTV48
Rising Naarm/Melbourne-based folk artist Bec Sykes has been carving out her corner of the Australian music landscape with her songwriting prowess, striking voice and captivating stage presence.
Bec will be visiting the Taproom at Shedshaker Brewing on Sunday August 9 for a matinee show as part of her first solo tour of the eastern states.
The magnetism of her live performance is as palpable when performing stripped back on the iconic Melbourne Recital Centre stage as it is with her full band at lauded sticky carpet venues; performances that are grounded with a refinement and growth in confidence that mirrors the deeply personal evolution traced on her “beautifully intimate” (Atwood Magazine, US), Australian Music Prize-nominated debut album Pepperpot Magic (2024).
Released alongside lead single ‘Last to Know’ – which has since had more than 1.3 million streams on Spotify alone – Pepperpot Magic saw Sykes reclaim her power after leaving behind her Christian upbringing and a lonely relationship. Its arrangements are meticulous yet understated, spanning the minimalist to textural, and lay the foundation for Sykes’ voice to work its spellbinding power.
After her breathtaking debut single ‘Edithvale’ led her to win iconic Melbourne record label Pieater’s (Maple Glider, Big Scary) ‘Pie School’ competition and the Josh Pyke Partnership in 2020, Bec Sykes toured nationally with Josh Pyke and has since supported Sarah Blasko, Merpire, Telenova, Jem Cassar-Daley, Mia Wray, Teenage Dads, Didirri and Katy Steele.
Pepperpot Magic has received acclaim and praise from triple j, Double J, triple j Unearthed, ABC News Breakfast, ARIA The Future of Music, frankie magazine, Rolling Stone and many others.
Bec told the Mail she can’t wait to return to Castlemaine with her solo show after appearing at the Theatre Royal in support of Didirri a couple of years ago.
“As an independent artist it has felt really amazing to be able to step out of the organisation and promotion role and back into the role of musician and entertain a crowd. I’ve performed in the Simba Sessions in Kyneton, Melbourne, Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra and Angelsea and I’m scheduled to play in Bendigo this Saturday.
“At Castlemaine I will be supported by local artist Jules Sheldon and fellow Naarm artist Guthrie who regularly performs in Daylesford.
“I’ll be performing in a duo and will be joined on stage by Ronan Nicholson on pedal steel guitar,” she said.
Bec revealed that the album got its name Pepperpot Magic from a now-defunct fairy/occult shop that existed in 90s Boronia.
“My older sister used to work there and I remember visiting it as a child. The songs on the album are quite heavy and personal, but I am more playful by nature. I like the juxtapostion between the title and the music,” she said.
Whilst touring Bec has also been treating audiences to a sneak peek at some new material including ‘Convincing Ground’ which is quite different from her previous material and touches on her family’s connection with the Portland region on the Great Ocean Road, aboriginal history and decolonisation – an issue she is deeply passionate about.
After the whirlwind tour she aims to take some time and space to delve into writing and recording new material.
“I don’t really have a timeframe in mind. I will trust in the process,” she said.
The show will kick off at 4pm. Entry is free.
Castlemaine Community House and Autoplex Castlemaine are launching a new introductory course ‘Drive Forward’ connecting locals with the region’s booming automotive industry.
Perfect for school-leavers, those looking for a career change and for folks who are curious about cars but never had the opportunity to learn!
The local automotive industry spans far more than mechanics — covering welding, auto electrics, diesel mechanics, retail, electric vehicles, parts, sales and more, meaning there are pathways to suit almost every interest and skill set.
Drive Forward is a short, hands-on course for anyone considering a career change, applying for their first job, or simply wanting to learn more about cars. No prior experience or qualifications are needed.
This new and exciting course is being delivered in partnership with Autoplex and has been designed by a leading female mechanic, ensuring the program is inclusive and creates opportunities for anyone interested.
The course covers practical car mechanic skills participants can use from day one, alongside the workplace skills employers say they value most.
Participants will combine classroom learning with practical, hands-on activities, including visits to local workshops, tool-based learning, a tour of Bendigo TAFE, and opportunities to connect directly with local employers.
Local employers say the timing couldn’t be better, with the industry facing a shortage of skilled workers.
Phillipa, from PJ’s Tyre & Auto, said the business was eager to welcome new talent into the trade.
“It’s hard to find great people to join our team. There is a shortage of people coming into the industry and we’d love to have skilled locals we could employ. It’s such a big industry and we need people with skills from electrics to reception to mechanics,” Phillipa said.
Ryan, from Central 4×4, said the industry had changed significantly in recent years, and that adaptability was now central to the job.
“Working with vehicles isn’t like it used to be. These days you have to be interested in learning all the time, the introduction of electric vehicles and other tech means we are constantly skilling up and that’s what keeps it interesting,” Ryan said.
Bookings close next Friday July 24. The course will be held on Tuesdays and Thursdays at CCH at 30 Templeton Street and kicks off on July 28. The course is being offered for the special introductory price of $40 (Full) / $25.00 (Concession).
Register for an information session at: www.cch.org.au/courses/drive-forward-mechanics-course-castlemaine/
Rural and regional women across Australia are facing growing impacts of our changing climate system: floods, droughts, bushfires, frosts, other extreme weather patterns – putting our families and community at risk from climate impacts.
The Women’s Climate Congress (WCC) to be held in Castlemaine on Friday July 24 seeks to explore what could happen if women across our region came together to shape practical, community-led solutions for the future.
The event follows on from the WCC’s ‘Women Changing the Climate’ Victorian Congress at the Castlemaine Town Hall in March 2025, and the subsequent launch of the WCC’s Rural & Regional Climate Hub (R&RCH) pilot in Castlemaine which has continued local conversations around building community resilience.
The 2026 Castlemaine Women’s Climate Congress, headed up by local R&RCH coordinators Heidi Michael and Margaret de Kam, in partnership with
Women’s Health Loddon Mallee, are inviting women from the Loddon Mallee region to explore what matters most to to women in the area, and how we can work together to create meaningful local impact around climate solutions.
The congress will comprise two events the first being a ‘Tea Circle on Climate Conversations’ at Castlemaine Community House, 30 Templeton Street from 10am-12pm.
This free event will be an opportunity to enjoy a cuppa and connect with other local women of all ages to talk about climate.
From 1pm participants can then join visiting Australian director Liz Courtney at the Phee Broadway Theatre for a special Castlemaine screening of her internationally acclaimed documentary exploring Antarctica, climate science and the global changes shaping our future.
Antarctica – The Giant Awakens is a breathtaking journey to the frozen edge of our planet, where science, courage and discovery come together to reveal the beauty, wonder and urgency of understanding our changing world.
The documentary follows a team of young female climate scientists as they embark on a mission to Antarctica, led by Prof Benjamin Horton, one of the world’s leading experts in sea-level rise.
Antarctica, nearly twice the size of Australia, holds 75 per cent of the world’s fresh water. However, the Antarctic ice sheet, perched on a bedrock base, is now under threat as colossal ice cliffs surrounding the West Antarctic coastline are collapsing due to warming ocean temperatures.
Prof Horton emphasises the urgency of understanding the rate of glacier melt and the impacts of increased fresh meltwater into salty ocean currents.
Liz Courtney said the documentary aims to inspire communities and younger generations to engage with science, leadership and solutions for the future.
“Antarctica may feel far away, but what happens there affects us all. This film is about courage, discovery, science and hope – and the importance of communities coming together to understand and respond to change,” Courtney said.
The screening is open to people of all genders and ages and will be followed by a live Q & A with the director.
There will also be a second screening later that evening from 5pm-7.30pm so parents, their children, and interested people working during the day can also attend and see the film.
To book tickets for the Tea Circle visit https://events.humanitix.com/tea-circle-on-climate-conversations-castlemaine
Tickets for the film screenings are $10, $5 concession, children free (up to 18 years) visit https://events.humanitix.com/rural-and-regional-climate-hub-castlemaine-film
Alice Matthiesson, Gold Camp Castlemaine
Much has been written about the Camp Reserve project in recent months, even years. But there has been little focus on the origin of the unease in the community. However, a recent request for the meeting minutes, and annual returns of the Camp Reserve Community Asset Committee, the committee of management for the reserve, reveals much.
The committee is supposed to hold annual elections, advertised to the public, with nominations to be reviewed by council, in an open public process. Public elections appear never to have happened.
The committee is supposed to advertise its general meetings, held monthly, so that members of the public can join, but this public process has also apparently not happened.
What has happened, is that elections have been held without a public process, and apparently in private. On occasion, councillors of the shire have acted as chair, in private sessions, even though the meetings and elections are required to be public by law.
This has meant that the committee has not had broad representation. These end users of the proposed facilities are also the only real beneficiaries of any redevelopment.
The poor planning process began with the decision in 2020, to discard the 2019 consultant master plan recommendations for the site, and instead adopt the council-derived master plan, a master plan sourced in the Camp Reserve Community Asset Committee. That decision was not made in the broader public interest.
The process to procure the current design and the planning permit for the new works has been distorted by a failure to observe basic principles of governance. The Camp Reserve Community Asset Committee should be dissolved, pending an enquiry, and the planning permit for the reserve should be withdrawn.
How the shire has reached this point should also be reviewed, because the best interests of the town are not being served by those currently seeking to adopt the current permit.
This is not how Castlemaine should do business, with a lack of transparency, probity and immersed in apparent failures of basic good governance.
So many people agree, and that is why hundreds turned out to the public meetings to explore alternative designs for Camp Reserve. We all deserve so much better, and so do the many future generations who will inherit these works.
Heather Macdermid, Castlemaine, Dip Fam. History Research UniTas
Re Your Opinions July 10, 2026 ‘Restore the people’s camp’.
I write as a social history aficionado, and a lover of local history in particular. But, the misuse of our local goldfield’s history to obstruct vital updating of facilities at the Camp Reserve leaves me dismayed and even appalled.
Yes, Colonial John Bull, our first gold commissioner, had the foresight to achieve the ‘Camp’ being designated a public recreation reserve in perpetuity. But John Bull did not say the Camp should remain a static memorial to the handful of years of his goldfield administration. I am sure that the John Bull that I have grown to know and admire would be rapt at the wealth of activity that continues to evolve at the Camp, and especially the atmospheric vibrancy and heartbeat that footy, cricket and netball have brought to the Camp ever since his time. Because he chose to retire here in Castlemaine there is a very good chance that he was a fervent barracker at games of the Castlemaine Football Club at the Camp! That football and other sporting activity immerses thousands of citizens in a historic precinct is a huge positive and to be celebrated!
Colonel Bull was a great contributor to the common good of the Castlemaine community. He led the development of community facilities such as a public hospital and public school. Our Mount Alexander Council is entrusted to do that leading of community development now. I think John Bull would champion the pursuit of the ‘greater good’ in civic development just like our local council must pursue ‘the greater good’ now in relation to the Camp Reserve. The array of active recreation that happens so close to the centre of town at the Camp, helps puts one of council’s core responsibilities, health promotion, front and centre.
The Football Netball Club are the experts in what facilities and developments are needed to maximise involvement in the sports they so generously organise. The Camp committee of management have done the heavy work integrating Camp ‘user groups’ needs into an agreed plan. The previous councils have done the planning work following democratic due process. The current council’s role is to bring this due process to fruition without delay.
Continued active recreation at the Camp can help focus on our local goldfield’s history. John Bull would be proud.
A Chester, Castlemaine
It would appear that government and council are trying to reinvent the wheel and replace the existing green waste and composting with yet another carefully labeled tax.
But – what about plastics of which only around 10 per cent is recycled?
Plastronsolutions.com has advanced the prolysis technology where plastic is turned back into fuel and energy.
A plastron module – runs on its own power, can recycle 65 per cent of plastic produced in one year (types 2-6), can pay for the module in four to five years, be scaled for the need of an area, has zero-VOC emissions…
Securing funding for a plastron module would be a huge step forward in waste management, reducing landfill, removing plastics from our world, provide some fuel self sufficiency and we could hope also reduce waste costs to the ratepayers long term.
Kevin Sharkey, Castlemaine
If one was not aware of the high editorial standards of the Castlemaine Mail, they could be forgiven for thinking that Michael Wright’s letter (Opinions, July 10, 2026) was an advertorial spruiking for business. I for one wouldn’t sign up for the following reasons.
The focus on the size of the oval to meet AFL standards is a furphy. The AFL explicitly does not require this in its preferred facility guide. There is no relevant compliance code in regard to the size of a playing oval at a local facility. The only compliance needing to be adhered to is a 3m space between boundary and fence which can be achieved regardless of oval size.
There are many examples of recent projects being completed at venues with small playing ovals, that do not meet the AFL rules measure referred to. Maldon, Newstead and Harry Trott are three local ovals that have had multi millions spent on redevelopments in recent times that are examples of this.
The glossing over of the continuous use of over 150 years of the recreation precinct of the Camp by groups such as the Show, football and cricket clubs is breathtakingly misleading.
The proposed development is part of the council’s Master Plan, developed with input from the users groups and the broader community, including the football club. When adopted there will be vastly more useful space around the oval for many other activities.
Instead of adopting this plan it is suggested we banish the sporting clubs to who knows where, and have the Camp redesigned to suit non sporting activities. Presumably Mr Wright would inform us in due course as to what these are.
Luke Brown’s letter (Opinions, July 10, 2026) promoting the long overdue upgrading of the recreation precinct of Camp to suit the needs of its user groups is a much more accurate reflection of what the vast majority of the community want. Please make it so council.
