Riddells Creekresidents saytheyare devastatedby the decision to sell thetown'shistoric St John's Anglican Church, arguing the 100-year-old building is an irreplaceable part of the community'sheritage
Thechurch, which closed last year amiddeclining congregation numbers, has been listed forsale by the Anglican Diocese of Melbourne with apriceguide of $1 million to $1.1 million.
Thesalehas sparked strong opposition from locals, many of whom believedthe building would remain in church ownership afterparish representatives indicatedin2025 there were no plans to sell theproperty.
TheDiocese of Melbourne has confirmed theproceeds from thesalewill be used to fund upgrades to St Paul's Anglican ChurchinGisborne.
Diocese chiefexecutiveofficer MatthewCrichtonsaid thefutureofStJohn's hadbeen under consideration since the parishes of Gisborne and Riddells Creekweremerged.
"Itisnot adecision thathas been taken lightly," Mr Crichtonsaid.
"Our commitmentisalwaystothe parishionersand not the buildings, and almost all of the parishionersare now worshipping at Gisborne.
"Inthis instance, the parish of Gisborne and Riddells Creek is looking to expand its op shop ministry and the funds will be reinvested back into the parish."
Butmembersofthe Save St John's Church committeesay the building'shistorical significancemakes the sale unacceptable.
Committee member John Ball described the church (originally built by locals in 1858 before being laterreconstructed) as one of the town's most importantheritageassets.
"Nexttothe Mechanics Hall,thisisthe oldest piece of history we have anditwas built by the founder of Riddell," he said.
Fellowcommittee member Robin Godfrey accused church leadersofabandoning the community.
"Their long-rangeplan to sell St John's to provide capital
to upgrade and renovate St Paul'sGisborne wasdenied last year and no alternativeplan to preservethe historic St John's waseverpresentedtothe public,"MrGodfrey said.
"Thereisavailable church land in Gisborne thatcould be sold to provide the capital required to undertake the upgrade of St Paul's."
Parishioner Rachael Thompson and her neighbour Liz Wattshavebeencampaigning to keep the churchinAnglican hands and reopen it forworship.
"Weare afast-growing area, and this dear building would be such awonderful addition to servicethe people,"MsWatts said.
Ms Thompson said she believedtherewas sufficientlocal support to resume regular services.
"I believe we canget 20 parishioners, but I'm aiming for 40,"she said.
"Riddells Creek has lots of Anglicans. Even if we had it for oncea monthand allowedweddings and funerals to operate, we can do it."
Forty Winks Kynetonisnow open, bringing expert advice,quality bedding and trusted sleep solutions to town.
James and Jo Boyd have been helping people with bedding and sleep solutions for30years
Thecouple owns Forty Winks in Bendigoand Shepparton, and opened in Kynetontoexpand their centralVictoria offering.
“Kynetonwas the perfect location to servicepeople living in towns likeGisborne, Kyneton, Trentham, Maldon, Castlemaine and everywhereinbetween,” James said.
“We’ve been so lucky.Everyone has been so welcoming.”
TheKynetonstore opened on Monday, June 1, and people have been impressed by the store’ssetup and offering. They stock awide rangeofmattresses and bedroom furniture, featuring leading Australian and international brands.
TheexclusivebedMATCHtechnology takes the confusion out of buying abed by matching youtoa mattress best suited foryour body type and unique sleep needs.
ThebedMATCHtest bed has abuilt-in computer systemand sensorsthatrun morethan 1000 scientific calculations across 18 statistical body measurements including your height, the width of your shoulders, hips and waist. Thesystemutilises the data and determines youand your partner’scorrect levels of postural support.
Another exciting offering is MySide Mattresses that ensurethatcouples can enjoydifferentmattresscomfort in thesamebed. In-store sleep experts can advise youon howbest to prepareyourself and your sleepenvironment to getthe best possible night’srest.
Agrand opening forthe Kynetonstore is planned forthe end of the month. Thestore is locatedat51- 53 High Street,Kyneton, and open MondaytoFridayfrom10am to 5pm, Saturdayfrom10am to 4pm, and Sundayfrom 10am to 2pm.
James and Jo Boyd
Witnesses were horrified at the scene of acar ploughing into aflock of geese, killing and injuring many, at Malmsburylast Thursdayevening.
About fiveofthe geese were killed instantly and twowereleftinjured on the road. Witnesses saythe driver of the car made no attempttostop, slow down or render assistanceatthe scene.
Good Samaritans who stopped to assist the geese phoned McIntyre Vets at Kynetonfor adviceand broughtthe twoinjured geese to the clinic forassessment.
Dr Greg McIntyre thanked the Good Samari-
tans fortheir quick thinking and assistance.
"Our staff stayedbackontheir owntime to assist. They were very distressed by whatthey discovered,"hetold the Express Theteam took x-rays to assess the injuries. Oneofthe geese had head injuries. Both stayed at the clinic overnightand, following checks with experiencedwildlifevets, have sincebeen released to theMalmsbury Botanical Gardens.
"We're very proud of our staff forassisting the geese. It's sad thatthis has happened. Thegeese areaninstitution at Malmsbury and no doubtthe
Train serviceslows down
StateParliamenthas been informed that since2007 the fastest BendigotoMelbourne train servicehas slowedby12to 14 minutes —thatis14per cent —and the typical averageservicehas slowedbyabout 20 minutes.
Theline carries well over twomillion passengerseachyear
"The original promise of areliable 80-minuteMelbourne to Bendigoservice has never been delivered, and the line todaysits further from thatgoal than in 2007,"Northern Victoria parliamentarian Gaelle Broad stated in the LegislativeCouncil earlier this month.
TheMPreferred to Golden SquareAction Group's research, which indicated thatover the past 10 yearsBendigoand the Bendigo train line had received less than half of the transport infrastructurecompared to similarsized Ballarat,and less than one-quarter of thatreceived by Geelong, and these shortfalls had notgone unnoticed by the community
As farbackas2019, the then minister and nowPremier in budget committedtoa business case fortrack upgrades between Bendigoand Kynetontoenable a40-minute off-peak frequency This wasreiterated in the regional network plan.
Theaction group is deeply concerned that no outcomes from the business case have been publicly released and no decision on next steps have been announced.
It wasstatedthe governmenthad, fora number of years, committed to thelongterm goal of delivering trains at peak times and every 40 minutes off-peak to Bendigo.
Thecurrentminister wasasked fora detailed response to thequeries from the action group.
It wasclaimedthe community and local council were being asked to plan fora growing Bendigowithout certainty about the fundamental capacity of the rail corridor that connects it to Melbourne.
community is pretty upsetabout this incident," Dr McIntyresaid.
"We're grateful to themembersofthe public who broughtthe geese in forcareand grateful thattheymade donations to contributetotheir care."
McIntyreVetshas adedicatedwildlifefund fordonations to assist wild animals and animals without ownersthatare in need of care.
Policeconfirmed theyare investigating the incident. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact Kynetonpolice.
Howbig were the nuggets?
Castlemaine Society (CASSOC) invites interested community memberstoapublic presentation about Significant Gold Discoveries of the 1850s at the Northern Arts Hotelthis Friday June 19.
Just howbig were the nuggets?
Guest speaker Dean Smith of 'Environmental Creations' is aleading museum preparator,who replicatesgold nuggets, dinosaurs,flora and fauna, and museum dioramas.
He willgivea talk about the significantgold nuggetdiscoveries of the 1850s, thelurefor so manytocome to the Australian Goldfields.
Based on historical records, Dean will share their stories as well as covering some recent prospecting discoveries as well.The eventwill takeplace at 7pmatthe Northern Arts Hotel, 359 Barker St,Castlemaine.
Cost $10 per person. Lightsupper provided. Wine at bar prices.
Book early as places arelimited at events. humanitix.com/significant-gold-discoveriesof-the-1850s-how-bigwere-the-nuggets
TheMalmsbury geese areaninstitution in the town. Photo: Adam Brentnall, JourneyByLightPhotography
Camp conversationcontinues
Lisa
Dennis
Communitymemberspassionate about the futureofCastlemaine's historic Camp Reserveturned outattwo public information sessions hosted by Gold Camp Castlemaine at Castlemaine Town Hall on Thursdayevening.
On the night, local residentand landscape architect Michael Rush of rush\\ wrightassociates, working probono for Gold Camp Castlemaine, provided areview the planning application forCamp Reserve PA077/2025 prepared with his team,and input from architecturalexpert NigelFitton of Spatial Environs and civil engineer and MCGconsultantDaraMcGreghan.
Thereviewwas developed using the body of work already compiledbyMount Alexander ShireCouncil as part of the Camp ReserveMaster Plan adopted in 2020, and planning permit currently before council.
Mr Rush told theaudiencehewasn't theretorepresentGold Camp Castlemaine or theCamp ReserveCommitteeofManagementbut rather to provide an independentpeer review of the site, the current master plan and permit, and presentsome potential design ideas based on other similar projects and siteconstraints, e.g. within aflood footprint. Hisgoal wastolisten to community,and try to find thesolutions to makethe projecthappen.
Mr Wrightprovided adetailed analysis of the siteand its previous history of flooding. He looked at the currentmasterplan raising concerns thatthe planning permit before council maynot obtain state government funding support as in their opinion it failed to meetanumber of regulations and criteria, including standardground size, playersafety distances and gender equity
Council news
Theconsultants classified these10criteria in atrafficlightsystem– red, amber and green as faraswhatwould qualify and what did notmeetcurrentrequirements. Only one –fair play– received agreen light.
Finally,MrWrightpresentedsome draft sketches of design ideas forthe reserve which would provide fora full-sizeAFL oval (which would involvea largesitecut, but enable all thetrees at the reserveto be protected and ensuresafetydistances), atwo-storeydevelopmentonthe current changeroom/pavilion site, and with netball courts remaining at the rear
Thedesign ideas forthe first leveldrew inspiration from local architecture,such as the historic Market Building and TheGoods Shed and iconic buildings such as Lordsin the UK,and incorporated acommunity room, playground, areas formarkets, and horse/ stock enclosures thatcould be utilised in the eventofa catastrophic fireday similar to that encounteredinJanuary
Themodern upperlevel featured stateof-the-art facilities forCastlemaine Football Netball Club and fellow usersgroups, including an overhanging viewerplatform forspectators,a scoreboardthatcould double as a screen foroutdoorcommunity cinema, flood protection fencing forthe netball courts, and an elevatedbridgeconnecting the facility to Gingell Street forfoottraffic or to provide vehicle access to theupper level.
Thedraftdesign also included potential flood mitigation suggestions, such as lowering the railway carpark at the north of the reserve, and carpark in the south east corner to create flood stores thatwould assist to protect the infrastructure in future flood events.
Mr Wrightsaid therewereplenty examples of successful projects built in flood zones across the country –citing the Bullen
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Park Sports Upgrade currently taking place alongside the YarraRiver STICK TO THE PLAN
Reactions and responses were mixed with CFNCpresidentTim Matheson questioning suggestions the project would notreceivefunding support in itscurrent form,citing recent worksattwo other local grounds thatwerealso undersize.
He also refuted suggestions the plan did notcheck theboxesfor gender equity,with the relocation of netball courts to thefront of the reserveimproving visibility and constructionofdedicatedchangerooms being a hugepositivefor women's sport.
Othersexpressed concerns about further potential hold ups to the project,which has already progressed to the planning permit stage, andthe potential 'waste' of ratepayer funds if the design wastoberevisited.
Mr Wrightsaid funds spentonthe project to date would notbewasted as it
had helped to provide adetailed picture of thesite.
Severalcommunitymembersthanked Mr Wrightfor the close analysis of theimpact of flooding at thereserveand the need for considered developmentthatwould not exacerbate future floodevents.
Some communitymembersexpressed concerns about the currentmaster plan and the relocation of thepavilion to thewestern wing of the reserveclosertonearbyhomes, including increased noise and impacts to views.Othersfelt locating the netball courts to the entrancetothe reservewould impact the current green oval vistas from Forest Street
TheCamp ReserveMaster Plan planning permit amendmentatcouncil'sMay meeting wasanticipatedtocome before tonight's June 16 meeting fora resolution. However, it did notappear to be on the agenda at the time of going to press.
Diesel theft disappoints
An attempteddiesel theft at the Lancefield Golf Club has left thecommunity-runfacility facing an unexpectedrepair bill.
Thefirst attemptoccurredonFridaynight or early Saturdaymorning, June 5and 6, when offenderstried unsuccessfully to access the club's diesel supply stored in the machinery shed.
Theculprits returned sometime between Sundayand Monday,this time equipped with
the toolsneeded to carryout the theft. They allegedly ripped locked rear gatesfromtheir hinges to gain access to theshed before using asaw to cut into the diesel storageunitand remove fuel.
Club representatives said it wasdisappointing to face theadditional cost of repairing the damageand replacing the stolen diesel, which is needed to keep maintenanceequipment operating and thecourse in good condition.
This draft design sketch features the heritage-inspired lowerlevel with community room, modern upper levelwith clubrooms and viewing platform,and scoreboard/television screen. Image: rush/wrightassociates
Kynetonbuilderfined $100,000
TheBuilding and PlumbingCommission has fined builder PeterMcBride and his companya combined $100,000 overa litanyofalleged defectivework on anew house build in Kyneton.
TheBPC is arelatively new body thatisresponsible forregulation, registration and licensing the industry,and aims to educate and encouragecommunitymembersto ensuretheir contractor is licensed and qualified forthe levelofwork theywish to have carried out on their home or business.
McBride, the nominee director of the companyTHEBUILDCO.COM.
AU PtyLtd trading as InPlace, enteredintoacontract withthe homeowner in 2023. In late 2024 withthe home still incomplete,the relevant building surveyorissued McBride witha 'Direction to Fix' order
The51-year-old appealed the order to theBuilding Appeals Board and then reportedly failed to turn up to the hearing.
Theorder wasupheld but McBride still failed to rectify the work and refused thehomeowner and the
architect reasonable siteaccess.
Thealleged defectiveand non-compliantwork included an unevenslab, non-compliantpaving, unauthorised structural alterations, missing weepholes, damaged door frames and windows,non-compliant garagedoors, mismatched brickwork and multiple plumbing defects.
McBride also failed to respond to the BPC’sshowcause notice, which outlined proposed disciplinary action, despiteasking fortwo consecutiveextensions. InPlace enteredinto external administration soon after the BPC began disciplinary action against McBride.
TheBPC hasbanned McBride from acting as anominee director fortwo yearsand ordered him to complete twotraining courses within 12 months. McBride has sincefailed to payhis registration fees, so he is unable to undertake registered building work and his companyisnow in liquidation. Thehomeowner received apayout from thebuilder’sDomestic Building Insurance.
McBride has appealed theBPC’s decision to VCAT.
Holgateslisted forsale
Thehome of Woodend'sHolgate craftbeer is up forsale and expected to fetchmorethan $5 million.
Owners Natasha and Paul Holgatehavelisted the brewhouse and hotelfreehold forsale and plan to continuerunning their 25-year-old brewing, pub and accommodation business. Thebusiness would operateunder aleaseback agreementunder twoleases both with a 10-year initial term and further options totalling 30 years.
Abrewery,expanded production facility,discovery centre and taproom wascompletedin 2020 as part of an $8M redevelopment, withhelp from a$1.5M stategovernmentgrant HTL Property is calling forexpressions of interest by 4pm on June 17.
•DrDina Afreem
•DrSadia Asad
•DrLayaSattartabar Our
TheBPC identified a‘litany’ of defective issues with the Kynetonbuild.
Tiny book makesepicjourney
Asmall book has made an unexpected overseas journey and returned to its original purchaser's family in Castlemaine morethana centurylater
It is believeda member of the Tingayfamily,who lived in Castlemaine at thetime, purchased TheIlluminated Scripture Text-Book ForEvery Day from abook storeinVictoria in 1881. Thebook cameintothe possession of an Englishwoman, Jean Lewin,who nowlives in Spain, when she inherited it from herfather
As she is in her 80s and has no one to leave it to,she sentit, via the Genealogical SocietyofVictoria, to Clare Claydon who lives in Glenhope, and who wasnot previously known to Jean Jean and Clarehavenot ascertained alink between their twobranches of the Claydon family.Jean asked Clareto find an appropriateperson to gift thebook to.
TheIlluminated ScriptureText-Book with interleaveddiary formemoranda wasprinted by Edmund Evans (1826-1905) who wasa wood-engraver and colour printerduring the Victorian era, in England, who also published some of Beatrix Potter’searly books.
It waslikely printedinBedfordStreet, London, astreet thatruns from the Strand towardsCoventGarden and was
aprominenthub forbook production at the time.
Thebook waspublished by Frederick Warne and Co ThePreface,ofApril1873, claims that 50,000 copies of the first edition sold within months of publication –hence this second “improved” edition.
This copy of the book wassold by WH Cooper, Bookseller and Stationer in a'specialised niche shop'inRoyal Arcade, Melbourne.
Thebook is tinyand couldfit inapocketorhandbag. It has ablack hard-back coverand thepages aregilded. It has abiblical text witha coloured illustration forevery dayof the year and ablank space– forthe 'memoranda'opposite.
In thesespaces, throughout the book, datesand names of Tingayfamily members have been enteredinaspidery handwriting, in faded sepia ink.
Forinstance, the first entry,onJanuary 12reads "Thomas Tingay",presumably his birthday. Some have adateafter the name, forinstance, "James Edwin Tingay, 1876",which presumably recordsthe date of death of afamily member who had passed away.Perhaps witha touchofhumour by
Thetiny book hasablack hard-back coverand the pagesare gilded. It has abiblical text with acoloured illustration forevery dayofthe year and ablank space– forthe ‘memoranda’opposite.
the book’sdesigner,for thevery last entry,onDecember 31, the text is "The TimeisShort" as aquotation from 1 Corinthians, 7.29.
Clarecontacted Robert TingayofCastlemaine to give him the book
Chainsaw-carved hollows help to shelterwildlife
Chainsaw-carved hollows have been helping to shelter wildlifeinthe WombatState Forest.
Aseverestorm swept through the forest in 2021, damaging thousands of trees, including manybearing hollows thatprovide criticalshelter and nesting habitatfor the southern greaterglider and other creatures.
As part of arecovery programfor the 45,000 hectares of damaged forest, DEECAengaged arborists to install 100 chainsaw-carved hollows in the most suitable remaining trees.
Federation University PhDcandidate Rhys Healy has been regularly monitoring 53 of these hollows sinceearly 2026 in aproject co-funded by DEECAand theuniversity
"Using remote cameras and microclimate loggers, I’m investigating which animals are using these hollows andwhatthe conditions arelikeinside them,"Rhyssaid.
Rhys is particularly interested in the endangered southern greaterglider,found in parts of the WombatState Forest. Knowing wherethe glidershad previously been occupying hollows helped to determine whereto
placethe remote cameras.
Thecameras have also detected arangeofother hollow-loving wildlifelooking fora newplacetocall home, including birds, bats and severalspecies of possum.
"The aim is to better understand howeffective artificial hollows canbeasa conservation tool," Rhys said. Tree hollows cantake morethan100 yearsto form, and large hollows suitable forspecies such as the southern greaterglider can takeevenlonger.This makes existing hollow-bearing trees especiallyvaluable, particularly in forests affected by storms, bushfires and other large-scale disturbances. Rhys's findings will better inform DEECA’s approach to recovery to support hollowdwelling creatures following future largescale weather events.
At theend of this monitoringperiod, he will analyse thecameraand microclimate data and publish his findings as part of his PhDthesis.
"This work will giveusa broader picture of howthese hollows arebeing used across the landscape,"Rhyssaid.
Picturedare Kaye Stubbs,ClareClaydon and Robert Tingaywith thebookthathas gone overseasand circledback to Castlemaine.
Co-op lights up winter
Recent catastrophicflood and fireemergency days have deeply affected local communities. Residents have been left shaken and recovery is long and slowfor those most affected.
Butwhathappened during and afterthese events wasalso something extraordinary.Volunteersof all kinds helped. AndMountAlexander ShireCouncil funded some infrastructure to allowneighbourhood resiliencegroups to better organise to ensuretheywerenot alone when disaster struck.
It's agreat reminder of the power of community
This winter, the Castlemaine CommunityInvestmentCo-operative, in partnership with local projection artist JimCoad (WhiteNight Bendigo),the Bendigo ArtGallery Learn Team, and the Harcourt Valley CommunityHouse, will celebrate community strength with avery special installation of ‘Resilent Heart’ projections.
Children from Campbells Creek andHarcourt Valley Primary Schools have drawnpictures of abrightfuture that will be projected onto the Hubbuilding at 233 Barker Street (TempletonStreetface) forthree nights only on June 26, 27 and 28.
Community members can view the projections from 6pm-10pm each evening.
Thebuilding will be transformed to amessage of hope forsustainability and ashared testamentto the community’sstrength.
If youare in the area, drop by for some whimsy, wonder and solidarity
Small schoolbig on action
Asmall school in Muckleford hasearned one of Victoria’s biggest sustainability honours, proving thatenvironmental action can have an impactfar beyond the classroom.
RedGum–the Waldorf School of CentralVictoria –was named the 2026 ResourceSmart School of the Year at aprestigious awards ceremonyheld at the MCGonThursday,recognised forits outstanding commitmenttosustainability and environmental leadership.
Thecovetedaward celebratesVictorian schools thatdemonstrateexceptional whole-of-school leadership in sustainability.RedGumstood out among schools across the state forweaving environmental responsibilityintoevery aspect of school life, from classroom learning and daily operations to community partnerships and hands-onconservation projects.
Judges highlightedthe school'sleadership in wetland management, biodiversity research and mentoring other schools, describing it as amodel forsustainability education.
“This school is amodel of whatcan be achieved through aclear,intentional focus on sustainability and generous knowledge-sharing withthe wider community,” the judges said.
RedGum's work extends well beyond its school grounds. Judges praised its commitmentto“thinking globally and acting locally”, citing collaborations with universities, local councils and environmental organisations, along with initiatives thatsupportcommunity food relief and divert electronic wastefrom landfill.
SustainabilityVictoria chiefexecutiveofficer Matt Geneversaid RedGumdemonstrated whatwas possible when sustainability became part of aschool'sculture.
“RedGumshows what’spossible when sustainability is embedded into everything aschool does –fromcurriculum and operations to partnerships and communityaction,”MrGeneversaid.
This year marked the 17th annual ResourceSmart Schools Awards, hosted by SustainabilityVictoria under the theme ‘Our Sustainable
with 29 schools competing across the awardcategories and 11 schools taking home tophonours.
Theregion wasalsorepresentedbyNewstead Primary School, which wasnamed afinalist in the CDS Vic ExcellenceAward category
Theschool partnered with the local cricket club, Men’sShed and caravan park to collect eligible containersthrough Victoria’s Container Deposit Scheme, raising funds while reducing waste.
PeterWeir honoured
PicnicatHanging Rock director,PeterWeir, has been honoured with alifetime achievementaward at the Sydney Film Festival.
Weir waspresented with theinaugural awardfromthe Australian Film Television and Radio School last week. Thenow-retired 81-year-old director was celebrated for defining Australian cultureand "global influenceon craft, form and storytelling" In his 43-year career,Weir made 13 films,
including TheLast Wave, Dead PoetsSociety and TheTruman Show.His film Picnic at Hanging Rock is based on Joan Lindsay'snovelof thesame title and features the iconic Macedon Ranges rock formation. Weir waspresented with alifetime achievementaward at Venicefilmfestival in 2024, and wasalsothe first Australian filmmaker to be awarded an honorary Oscar in 2022.
Community’. Television personality Dirt Girl hosted the ceremony,
RedGumrepresentatives Katherine, Arthur,Hamish, Sonny, Olive, Yolande and Terryare proudly pictured at Thursday’sawards.
Castlemaine DocumentaryFestival: Threetop picks
It’s midwinter. Thenights arelong. So the Castlemaine Documentary Festival has filled them with films that nourish, challengeand bring us together
Running from FridayJune 26 to Sunday June 28 at theTheatre Royal, thisyear’s festival is built around asimple idea: Love –the antidote.Acrossthree days andnights, the programlooks forwhatconnects us when the world feels increasingly fractured.
Here arethree toppicks –one foreach dayofthe weekend.
Agridulce(Bittersweet)
Start the weekend on Fridayat5pm with music built forheartbreak, dancing and survival.
Agridulce(Bittersweet) takes audiences to Cabarete,onthe northern coastof the Dominican Republic,wherebachata –the country’sworld-famoussound of love,longing and joy– is wovenintoeverydaylife.
Filmed across adecade, thestory follows agroup of young musicians as theycome of ageinside the culturethatshaped the genre.
Mentored by renowned guitarist Martires de Leon,the students learn notonlyhow to play, but howtocarry forwardamusical tradition born from hardship, love andeveryday life.
It’s afilm about whatmusic carries –memory,identity, andthe hopethatthe next generation will keep the rhythm going.
HowDeep is Your Love
On Saturdayafternoon at 2pm, CDoc heads into the deep.
HowDeepIsYour Love followsbiologists as theyexplorethe abyss, wheremuchof the planetremains hidden from humanview. Strange, delicate andalmost impossiblelooking creaturesemergefromthe darkness, manyofthem species scienceisonly beginning to name.
Part of the film’s beauty is watching the observers– thescientists seeing these creatures forthe first time, and barely able to hide their awe. Butbeneath the wonder sits a
darker question. As interest in deep-sea mining grows, whathappens to ecosystems we barely understand? Howdowecarefor life we have only just discovered? Visually spellbinding and quietly urgent, HowDeepIsYour Love is afilm aboutcuriosity, consequences and the fragile beauty of the unknown.
Buck'sHarbour Sunday’spick, Buck'sHarbour,screening at 2pm takes audiences to Downeast Maine, wherea remote fishingcommunityisshaped by harshwinters, hard labour andinherited ideas of whatmen aresupposed to be.
Buck’s Harbor opensa windowontoa small
community rarely seen or thoughtabout on film –aplacewheregenerations of fishermen navigate work, family,vulnerability and expectation. Boys grow up quickly.Men learn to endure.Leaving is technically possible, but notalwaysimaginable.
What emergesisa tenderly observed portrait of masculinity,survival and belonging. In aworld thatcan appear closed and unforgiving, the film quietly reveals humour, tenderness and acceptanceinthe most unlikely places.
Through the eyeofphotographer-turnedfilmmaker Pete Muller, Buck’s Harbor be-
comes afilm of magnificentbeauty –rugged, intimate andhardtolook away from.
Across the weekend, CDoc also features TheLoveCompilations,a newcommunity screen project capturing local reflections on love;the sold-out fifth anniversary of LOCALS; porridgeand congee with local icon Duang before TheGolden Spurtle;and a Saturdaynightdancefloor after MoveYaBody: TheBirth of House,with local DJ legend Jen Mooreonthe decks.
Come forone film or stayfor thewhole weekend. Viewthe full programand book ticketsatwww.cdocff.com.au
Friday26June—Sunday28June 2026
Buck’sHarbor –aplacewheregenerations of fishermen navigate work,family, vulnerability and expectation.
MAAW lovesyou,yeah,yeah, yeah
Jade Jungwirth
MAAW(MountAlexander Animal Welfare) Op Shop employeeGlenn McGoldrick has started creating seasonal windowdisplays reminiscent of the iconic Myers windows
Wanting to create aCollins Street scene, he scoured a book of Herald Sun headlines from the '60s forinspiration. Aheadline about the Beatles' only Australian tour in 1964, including aperformanceatMelbourne's Festival Hall on June 15, caughthis eye.
"Australiaisthe fifth largest country forthe sale of Beatles recordsinthe world. They still sell millions of records herea year.They'rehuge,"Glensaid.
Already having produced ahandful of magnificentwindowdisplays,Glenwas determined to makethe Beatlesinspired windowthe bestyet
"I'vebeen collecting and preparing forthis windowfor awhile, but all up it took my wifeAnita andmeabout five hourstoput it up,"hesaid
"I have to have twopeople when setting up, so one can stand guard, because every timeI turn my back, someone takes something offthe display!"
Glen's friend and coworkerfromthe Maryborough Art Gallery,Sandy Coventry,painted themagnificentCollins Street backdrop, which transports viewers to memories of times gone by
Thenewsstand is a1968 antique from Detroit. The magazines arecolour photocopied from clippings savedin scrapbooks by acentral Victoria resident. Theold raincoats and clothes were sourcedfromthe op shop, and Glenn handcraftedthe tram stop. Theonly thing missing wasold tins of shoe polish, and lo and behold, afew days before the windowwas to be styled, someone donateda whole bag of vintagepolish!
Installed aweek ago, the displayhas already received rave reviews from the op shop's customersand volunteers. "Weactually had agentleman in his 80s in hereonSaturday,"Glenn said.
“I sawhim out therestaring at the windowfor about 20 minutes. When he came in, Iasked if he liked it, and he said, 'I wasbackthereinmyyouth'.IfI getnothing outofthis, it wasworthitfor that."
Glenn has asked people to jump on the MAAWOpShop Page and sharethe windowdisplayfar and wide.
"Mygoal is to getathumbs up from Paul McCartney," Glenn said.
MAAWOpShop manager PeterBottomleysaid the shop wasdoing abooming trade andattributed some of the success to the windowdisplays
"I read an article recently thatsaid theopshop sector is seeing ayear-on-year growth of 11 per cent,and at MAAW were seeing19per cent growth,"Petersaid.
"All of our profits go to the MAAWshelter to help care forthe animals until theycan findtheir foreverhome."
Thewindowdisplaywill remain up forthe next three months, so makesuretocheck it out –12Johnstone Street, Castlemaine.
Car impounded
Asuspended driver caughtspeeding in Woodend over thelong weekend has had their impoundedand will face court.
Thevehicle wasdetected travelling at 90km/h in a60km/h zone on High Street Policehavealso alleged the driver wasdriving while suspended.
Policeimpounded the driver'svehicle on the spotfor 30 days,atacost of $1175.
Farm fences cut
Castlemaine Police arecurrently investigating aseries of incidents whererural farm fences have been cut along Heathcote-KynetonRoad, Langley.
Policeare appealing foranyonewho may have witnessed suspicious activity in the area, has dashcam footageorhas anyinformation thatmay assist with enquiries, to contact Castlemaine Police on 5470 4100 and speak with Senior Constable Symons.
TheMAAWOpShop windowdisplay,inspired by the Beatles’Australiantour in 1964, is well wortha look.
Renowned luthier Nick Carpenter, founder of Wildwood Instruments, is introducing abrandnewBanjo Making Course, adding to therange of popularinstrument-making workshops he has on offer.
Based in the foothills of MountFranklin, Wildwood Instrumentsisa boutique workshop dedicatedtothe craftofinstrumentmaking. Nick's hands-on courses aredesigned to introduce people to therewarding world of luthiery,with existing offerings including Electric Guitar Making Courses and Cigar BoxGuitar Making Courses.
Thenew Banjo Making Course is believedto be one of the only courses of its kind in Australia. Conductedovera single day, the workshop provides students with all thecomponents required to build abanjo from aspecially prepared kit. Under Nick'sexpert guidance, participants will learn the precise steps involved in assembling, setting up, and finishing aquality instrument.
"Bythe end of the course, each studentwill leave with abeautifully finished, fully playable banjo thattheyhavebuilt themselves,"Nick said.
Thecourse is open to anyone aged 16 years and over,and no prior wo working or instrument-making experienceisrequired.
To ensurepersonalised instruction, class sizes are limited to four participants and theywill be held everytwo months.
TheBanjo Making Course costs $499 per person.
Bookings and further information areavailable at wildwoodinstruments.com.au.
Buildyourself a banjo
Creativecouplemakemixed media show
Local Macedon Ranges creatives, DarcyPrendergast and Josie Mackerras, have long been tinkering away on agentle kids showconcept, but nowthatdream takesone step closer to our screens, securing production funding from both Screen Australia and ACTF
PitPats is agentle mixed media show, combining the duo’s varied skills in clayanimation, puppetry,liveaction filmmaking and hand-drawn animation —but it’s real uniqueness lies in its relaxed tone.
“Wewantedtomake something chill, as ourpreschooler is pretty sensitiveto high stimulation shows,” Josie said.
“Strobing colours, fast edits, loud music, it all just dysregulatedher.Soweset outto makea showabout relaxedmusical creatures thatfeels morelikea warm cuddle, than abowlofpuresugar.”
There’salot of sciencebacking up the
approach too, showing thatslowerpaced shows arelinked to improvedcognitivedevelopmentand emotional regulation, something the duofelt wasextremely lacking on platforms likeYouTube, wherethe showwill launch in August
“We’re like ducks. On thesurface, we’re making this gentle calm showbut beneath
the water, completing it is utter madness,"Darcy said.
"We’re animating at all hours of night, makingthe music, writing scripts and editing during the day.
"I’vegot my sister making costumes, we’vegot ourneighbours making puppets and afew other artists outthis waylending their skills to getthis across the line.
“It’salot,but also alot of fun.”
Andwhile AI offers shortcuts, the duo were passionate about steering clear of the emerging tech.
“Wefelt strongly about this being 100 per cent handmade, because if you’reskipping past carejusttofast-track profit, then the true cost is the healthy developmentofour kiddos. Andwe’dlike PitPats to contribute in it’ssmall way, to a generation of creative, well-rounded and nature-loving humans.”
To keep up to date on launch datesand releases, givethemafollowonInstagram: @ Pit_pats
Skatepark project wins award
TheLancefield-RomseyLions Clubhas been recognised forits role in delivering the upgraded Romsey Skatepark, winning the Lions District201V1-4 TopClub ServiceProject Award.
Theaward acknowledges the club's contribution to children's health and wellbeing through its involvementinthe skatepark redevelopment, acommunity project morethan adecade in the making.
Lions Club member GedMcLaughlin said the news came as acomplete surprise.
"Itshocked the socks offme,"hesaid.
Thedistrictencompasses about70to 80 Lions clubs across Victoria, making the recognitiona significantachievement forthe local club. Theaward nowplaces Lancefield-RomseyLions in contention forthe Australian Multiple Districts Award, with thepossibility of progressing to international judging against Lions clubs from around theworld.
Theupgraded Romsey Skatepark officially opened on March1,2026, attracting morethan 1000 communitymembers to celebratethe occasion.
Theproject wasthe culmination of morethan 11 yearsofplanning and collaboration between the Lions Club, local businesses, schools, artists, volunteers, governmentagencies and community members.
Funding forthe project included $950,000 from the Victorian Governmentand $225,000 from Community Bank Lancefield and Romsey (BendigoBank).
Kynetondesigner Darren WhiteofBaseplate andWoodend designer Wade Trevean of EastbyWest were responsible forthe design, while local primary and secondary school students contributed murals, artwork and even helped name the skatepark mascot,Ollie.
"Itwas along time coming,"MrMcLaughlin said.
"It'sbringing people in from outside the Macedon Ranges."
He said one of the project'skey goalswas to encourageyoung people to spendmoretime outdoorsand less time on screens.
"With the skatepark, kids spend afew hoursa dayawayfrom screens,"hesaid. "Itexercises their minds away from technology."
Thefacilityisalready attracting visitorsfromoutside the district, including skateboardersand BMXridersseeking features unavailable at their local parks
Mr McLaughlin acknowledged the support of the governmentand thebank.
"Wecan't thank them enough,"hesaid.
Theupgraded skatepark nowprovides asafeand inclusivespace thatpromotesphysical activity, social connectionand youthwellbeing across Romsey and surrounding communities.
Waterstorages under pressure
Despite188mm of autumn rainfall, only 143 million litresflowedinto the region’s reservoirs, increasing the likelihood of water restrictions next summer unless thereissignificant rainfall overwinterand spring.
Coliban Water'sgeneral manager waterclimate strategy,AdamCrameri, said the pasttwo yearshad been very dry,resulting in consistently poor inflows anddepletedstorage levels across the region.
“Overthe past twoyears, we’ve seen very lowinflows,which are down on the long-term median of 29 billion litres. As aresult, our storage levels arestill very low,”MrCrameri said.
“Our combined storages near Kynetonare currently at 53% capacity and our shareofLakeEppalockis sitting at 29%.Whilelowerstorage levels aretypical at this time of year following summer demand, the overall position is concerning given the recent run of dry conditions.”
TheBureau of Meteorology is predicting above-average temperaturesand below-averagerainfall this winter. Coliban Watertypically relies on winterand spring rainfall to boost inflows,and whathappens overthe coming months will be critical in determining wateravailability for communities next summer
Customersare being encouraged to conserve water and follow the PermanentWater Saving Rules, with household demand typically increasing during dry periods and placing additional pressureonstorages.
Waterrestrictions were last in forceinthe Coliban Waterregion in 2011.
Mary-Anne ThomasMPwith Wendie, Gedand Lesfromthe Lancefield Romsey Lions at the skate park on Friday
Quiteapart from climatechange, January’sdestructivegrass-fueled wildfireinthe Ravenswood-Harcourt district resulted from four momentous changes to land management.
This started in the 1840s with the cessation of First Nations burning practicesthat had avoidedcatastrophic wildfireand maintained productive, biodiverse grasslands and grassywoodlands formillennia.
Grazing by hard-hoovedlivestock and cropping then destroyed lowlandgrassy ecosystems. Annual weeds likebrome and barleygrasses replaced the oncedominant summer-growing perennial grasses like kangaroo grass.
Recognising the mediocrity of these volunteer pastures and associatedland degradation, governments subsidised application of subterranean cloverseed and superphosphate fertiliser to increase productivity of winter-growing introduced grasses such as ryegrass, cocksfootand phalaris. This dramatically increased soil fertility,allowing manyintroduced plants to go feral: they nowdominate much of the landscapeofcentral Victoria, especially near waterways.
Finally,inthe last fewdecades, the Country Fire Authority phased out routine
annual burning of manyroadsides.
These changes createdalandscape of overly fertile soil. Excess soil nutrients, especially phosphate,can directly kill nativevegetation. Even worse, theypromote high fuel loads of summer-dry introduced grasses and other weeds thatdisplacenativevegetation. This results in potential firebombsonroadsides or wherever introduced pastures aren’t harvested.
Phalaris-dominatedswardshaveabout twicethe biomass of nativegrasslands and grow much taller.Fireintensity in aphalaris stand is about threetimes higher than for kangaroo grass. Taller flames and greater radiantheatmakesuch fires difficult to suppress and morelikely to destroy infrastructure anddamageecosystems.
Climate changewill bring us morefire weather,sowhatcan be done to improve our firereadiness?
First,it’simportanttominimise fertiliser use, especially near roadsides or areas of existing or potential nativevegetation.
Second, we should return cool-season burning to thelandscape. What better waytodothis than through culturalburns conducted by FirstNations people?Their traditional burning practices remove dry fuel and stimulate regrowth of nativespecies. Summer-activenativegrasses like kangaroo grass then producea fresh ‘green
AJanuary 2026 wildfiresitenear Campbells Creekisbeing managedtoreplaceflammable weeds with less fire-prone nativespecies
pick’ through the dry season.
Third, anyburn presents an opportunity to replacehigh-fuel-load introduced species with summer-green nativegrasses.
Kangaroo grass is the best known, but thereare others: red-leg grass, silky bluegrass, windmill grass and more. Maybe one daywecan re-establish some of the rich plantbiodiversity our roadsides once supported!
TheFriends of Campbells Creek LandcareGroup is gradually eradicating phalaris and other high fire-risk weeds from Castlemaine’s waterways. Working in partnership with First Nations people and public land managers, the group is also exploring the use of firetoreducefuel loads and sustain greaterbiodiversity –Ian Higgins is the environmentofficer with the Friends of Campbells CreekLandcareGroup.
Wilkinson’s Wheels isbackontrack
Agrassroots community initiative thatbegan morethan 20 yearsago is being reimagined fora newgeneration of community participation and sustainability. Wilkinson’s Wheels V2 has officially launched as aredesigned social enterprise focused on bicycle reuse, social connection, practical volunteering, and environmental responsibility
Originally established in 2003 as avolunteer initiativesupporting the local CFAfleamarket in Macedon, Wilkinson’s Wheels grew into a much-lovedcommunitymovement thatrestored bicycles, supported affordable transport access, reduced waste, and connected withschools, refugeeorganisations, and community groups.
Founder Phil Wilkinson said the newversion of the project has been intentionally redesigned to create a simpler,lighter, andmoresustainable operating model.
“The original project achieved incredible social outcomes, but over time it became difficult to manage due to storagedemands, volunteer coordination, and the number of
damaged bikes being donated,”Mr Wilkinson said.
“Wilkinson’s Wheels V2 is about keeping the heart of the project alive while creating amodel thatispractical, scalable, and sustainable forthe future.”
Theupdated model introduces a flexible 'micro-volunteering' approach thatallowscommunitymembers to contributeinsmall, manageable ways.Volunteersmay help source bicycles, collect bikes, undertake simple repairsfromhome, assist with social media sales, or support bicycle donations to people experiencing disadvantage.
Higher-value bicycles will be professionally refurbished and sold through Facebook Marketplace, while lower-value bikes will be repaired by volunteersand donatedthrough partner organisations to support vulnerable community members.
Theinitiativealso introduces a newbicycle recycling and disposal serviceaimed at helping households responsibly dispose of bicycles that arenolonger safe or practical to repair.For amodest collection fee,
unwanted bicycles will be picked up and transported to recycling facilities, reducing wasteand improving the qualityofbicycles entering the donation program.
Theproject aims to strengthen communityparticipation, encourage practical skill sharing, reducelandfill waste, improve access to affordable transport,and create opportunities formeaningful social connection.
“Atits core,this project is not really about bicycles,”MrWilkinson said. “It’sabout creating opportunities forpeople to connect, contribute, participateand belong.”
Wilkinson’s Wheels V2 is designed as areplicable communitymodel that could eventually beadaptedbytowns and regions across Australia.
Community organisations, local businesses, bicycle repairers, volunteers, and supportersinterestedin becoming involved areencouraged to connect with the project.
If youare interested in volunteering, or have bikes to donate or take to the tip, getintouch withPhil on 0415 296 918 or email philwilk101@gmail.com
Originally established in 2003 as avolunteer initiativesupporting the local CFAflea market in Macedon, Wilkinson’s Wheels grew into
At Early Learning Victoria, we offerhigh-quality,government-run education and childcare. Our welcomingcentres offerlong day careand Free Kinder forthree-and four-year-olds. We’reexcited to supportyour child through their learning journeyasthey discoverthe world around them.
Indigenous artefactsreturned to Djaara TraditionalOwners
ThreeIndigenous artefact collections held by the Woodend and District HeritageSociety have been returned to DjaaraTraditional Ownersfollowing consultation and research with DJAARA's Cultural Heritageteam.
DJAARA Cultural Heritagestaff,including Sandy Barber and Jason Kerr,recently travelled to Woodend to meetwithheritage society volunteers andexamine the collections. Through discussions and research, the team determined thatthe artefacts originated from DjaaraCountry
Following the assessment, the artefacts were formally repatriated and transported to DJAARA's secure culturalartefact storagefacility in Bendigo.
Thereturn of the collections waswelcomed by DJAARA representatives, who thanked the Woodend and DistrictHeritageSociety forits cooperation and commitmenttoensuring the artefactswere returned to their Traditional Owners.
DJAARA staff also expressed their appreciation forthe opportunity to meetwith volunteersand discuss the collections in what theydescribed as awarmand welcoming environment.
Jason Kerr and Sandy Barber said the
appreciatedbythe Djaaracommunityand representedanimportantstepincaring forand reconnecting cultural heritagewith Country
Doll-making workshop
Artist and collector Jahne Hope-Williams will host a colonial cloth doll-making workshop at the Woodend Artand Makers Market in July,using theevent to raise awareness about children and families experiencing crisis.
Theworkshop, titled Making aColonial Cloth Doll in Honour of Mathinna’s Doll,draws inspiration from the story of Mathinna, an Aboriginal Tasmanian girl adoptedbySir John and Lady Franklinduring the 19th centurybeforelater being abandoned.
Hope-Williams said the ABC story about Mathinna and her doll had aprofound impactonher and inspired the direction of the workshop.
“The story of Mathinna’s doll touched me deeply,” she said.
“I wanted to create aworkshopthatnot only promotesart and traditional doll-making, but also highlights theimportanceofcomfort and carefor people experiencing hardship.”
Participants will create asimple colonialstyle clothdollduring thesession, with HopeWilliams hopingsomeofthe finished dolls mayeventuallybedonatedtocommunities in need.
“I had originally planned forustomakesimple blanket dolls thatcould perhaps be donatedalongside blankets going to remote Indigenous communities or to families in crisis through relief organisations Iwork with,”she said.
Hope-Williams has spent the past fiveyearscollecting, restoring and redistributing recycled teddy bearsand dollstoreliefcentres and support agencies across Victoria.
“Inthe last fiveyears I’ve senthundreds of restored dolls and bearstopeople in crisis situations,”she said.
“I only have about 20 left now, so moreare always needed.”
Shesaiddonations had gone through a rangeofsupport networks, including VMCH compassionate aged care, retirementand disability services, as well as ambulancecrews and emergency relief workers.
“Anyone can turn up at my door to drop offorcollect bears,”she said.
Theworkshopwill be held as part of the Woodend Artand Makers Market,which takes placeonthe fourth Saturdayofeach month at Norma Richardson Hall in Woodend. Register at www.trybooking.com/DMPQK
Mathinna’s doll
gesture wasgreatly
TheGeoffMuntz Collection, repatriatedtoDJAARA. Theartefacts includeseveral grinding stones and one short digging stick.
Sandy Barber and Jason Kerr smokethe DjaDja Wurrung artefacts from three object collections,beforetheyare placed in DJAARA’s secureartefact storageinBendigo. Woodend andDistrict Heritage Society repatriatedthe collections to DJAARA in March.
Let’stalk HEALTH +
Whyheavier weightsmatter Especially forwomen over 40
Formanyyears, women were encouraged to focus on cardio and lightresistancetraining. Butresearch nowshows thatlifting heavier weights is one of the most effectiveways to improvehealth as we age.
Forwomen in their 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s and beyond, strength training can significantly improve bone density,muscle strength, balance, mobility and confidence. It can also help reducethe risk of falls and fractures, supporting independenceand quality of lifeasweget older Strength naturally declines with age, particularly during perimenopause and aftermenopause, butit’snever toolatetorebuild it.The body responds remarkably well to strength training at anyage
Themost effectiveapproach is lifting heavier weights with proper technique and consistenttraining —ideally twotimes per week. Youdon’t need to spend hoursinthe gym or train likeanathlete.Whatmatters most is safe guidanceand gradual progress.
Real Strength in Castlemaine has built astrong following among women, particularly those who mayhavepreviously felt intimidatedbytraditional gym environments or had little experience withstrength training. Sessions arerun in small groups and fully supervised by Real Strength coaches, with an emphasis on proper technique, gradual progress and building confidencealongside strength.
Whether you’recompletely newtostrength training or returning afteryearsawayfrom exercise, it’snever toolatetobecome stronger,healthier and moreconfidentinyour body
DISCOVERYOURSTRENGTH ATANYAGE
Looking to improveyour strength,mobility, and bone density so youcan stay active, independent, and confident as youage?
At Real Strength Studio in Castlemaine,wehelp older adults build real strength –starting from anylevel –in asafe, supportive, and encouraging environment.
•Small group sessions with afriendlycommunity
•Fully supervised by Real Strength coaches
•Tailored to your individual needs and abilities
•Suitable forall experience and strength levels, including beginners
Feel stronger,movebetter, and livelifewith more energy and confidence. SPOTS ARE LIMITED!
Kyneton's Twentynine29 Health Collectiveishome to adiverse team of practitioners: bodyworkers, psychologists, psychotherapists, social workers, and more, all working together to support the local community If you'veeverwondered who does what, you'renot alone.
Here's asimple guide. That said, the most important thing to knowisthis: it'slessabout the title and moreabout finding someone you genuinely connect with.
Psychologists areuniversity educated, registered with AHPRA, and trained to assess, diagnose and treatmental health conditions, from anxiety,depression and PTSD to grief, relationships and ADHD They provide evidence-based talk therapy, beginning with understanding the whole person: their history,relationships, strengths and struggles. Some psychologists integrateadditional modalities suchas EMDR into their work. Thegoal starts with reducing suffering but goes deeper,helping people build lives thatfeel meaningful and connected. GP referrals under aMental Health TreatmentPlan mayattract Medicarerebates.
Social workerstakea broad view, holding mental health alongside thefull picture of someone's life:family,housing, finances and community.Manybring specialised modalities into their work, such as SensorimotorPsychotherapy, which recognises thattrauma lives in the nervous system as much as themind, and Internal Family Systems (IFS), which explores the different parts of ourselves to understand inner conflict anddeep-seatedpatterns. GP referrals
Who should yousee?
mayalsoattract Medicarerebatesfor social workers.
Counsellorstend to focus on thepresent. Going through arough patch,processing aloss, or facing abig decision?Acounsellor offers asteady, supportivespace to work through what'simmediately in front of you, primarily through talk therapy, though some also draw on modalities such as arttherapyormeditation practices.
Psychotherapists work slowly and deeply overa longer period, tracing patterns back to wheretheybegan and connecting emotions to thoughts and body.Different psychotherapistsdrawondifferentapproaches, such as Gestalt TherapyorFamily Systems Therapy, among manyothers. On cost: counsellors andpsychotherapists typically charge lowerfees reflecting the absenceofMedicarerebates, meaning the out-of-pocket differenceisoften smaller than expected. Check individual practitioners' websites forcurrentpricing. None of these approaches is 'better' than another.The rightchoicedepends on whatyou'redealing withrightnow andfind someone youtrust. Browse practitioners' websites to getafeel forwho theyare and howtheywork.
Lesley lifting 40kg
Thefriendly facesofTwentynine29 mental health pracs
Meet Tilly theTooth
–Woodend Dental’sfriendly oral healthmascot
At Woodend Dental, good oral health is encouraged from an early age, with astrong focus on making dental education fun, engaging, and memorable. Onevery special part of thatmission is Tilly the Tooth, Woodend Dental’sfriendly mascot
Tilly travels alongside oral health therapist Alison Walsh throughout the community,visiting local schools, kindergartens, and events across the Goldfields region to help children learn about caring fortheir teethina waythatfeels exciting rather than intimidating. With Tilly by their side, children quickly become morecomfortable with the ideas of brushing, flossing and visiting the dentist.
Tilly also appearsatlocal community events, wherefamilies canstopby, ask questions, and learn moreabout maintaining healthysmiles at every age. These
events provide arelaxed and approachable wayfor Woodend Dental to connect with the wider community.
Thegoal of the programissimple: to help build positivedental habits early and reducefear surrounding dental care.
By bringing oral health education directly into schools and community spaces —and with alittle help from Tilly —Woodend Dental is helping to laythe foundation for lifelong oral health.
Schools and kindergartens interested in arranging avisit from Tilly the Toothcan contact Woodend Dental on (03) 5427 2433.
So,ifTilly the Toothisspotted out and about in the community, be suretostop and sayhello! Woodend Dental –caring forsmiles at every stageoflife.
Thesecrettohealthy ageing
Thepowerful role of exercise in maintaining skeletal muscle could be the key to improving health and resilienceinolder age, according to newresearchfrom Monash University
Physical activity is one of the most powerful ways to combat biological ageing, which is theway our organs and tissuedecline as we get older
Thenew research, published this month in ScienceAdvances, has used preclinical models to uncoverthe keyrole aprotein found in skeletal muscle, NOX4,plays in this process.
Physical activity and NOX4 naturally declines as we age, making it moredifficult to achieve the health and anti-ageing benefitsofexercise.
Theresearch shows lowerlevelsofNOX4are associatedwith muscle wasting and frailty,while restored levels arelinked to better regulatedmetabolism and improvedmuscle mass and strength.
Senior author Professor Tony Tiganis, from Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, said finding alternate ways to trigger the same responses in skeletal muscle could help people retainmuscle mass and strength when NOX4 declines with age.
“Ifwecan find other ways to mimic the processes started by NOX4, we could successfully combat biological ageing and improve health span.
“Soperhaps thereissome truth to the old adage, ‘you areonly as old as you feel’.”
This research builds on previous work by Professor Tiganis and his team,led by Monash research fellow Dr Chrysovalantou Xirouchaki, which found NOX4 acted as asignal to muscles to release oxygen-rich molecules thathelpcells adapt, improveenergy production, reducedamageand maintain overall health.
Dr Xirouchaki said thenextstepwould be to identify “downstream”orsubsequentcellular signals triggeredbyNOX4thatcould be replicated.
“Weaim to harness naturallyoccurring compounds from cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli,cabbageand brussels sprouts, to restorethis pathway, potentially replicating some of the health benefits of exercise during ageing,”DrXirouchaki said.
Tillythe Toothwith oral health therapist Allison Walsh.
LEGO workshops return to Woodend
Families looking forfun,creativeand engaging activities these school holidays will find plentytoenjoyatthe Woodend Neighbourhood House, with adiverse programofworkshops designed to inspirechildren of all ages.
Ahighlightofthe June-July school holidayprogram is the return of the popular Bricks4Kidz LEGO workshops, which last visited Woodend during the winterschoolholidaysin2025. Following the enthusiastic response from local children and families, the workshops areback foranother dayofhands-on building, problem-solving and imaginativeplay.
On TuesdayJuly 7, children in prep to grade four can join Race with Mario,an exciting workshop thatcombines LEGO
building with racing-inspired challenges and interactivefun. Older children in grades three to sixcan take part in Junior Robotics,wheretheywill explore engineering and coding concepts while building and programmingLEGO-based creations.
Theschool holidayprogram also features arangeofcreative, activeand confidence-building activities.
Children can discover the joyof movementand mindfulness through yoga classes with SarahfromShanti Studio on TuesdayJune 30, including a playfulsession forpreschoolersand a creativeyogaworkshop forprimary-aged children.
Young artists canexploretheir creativity with local artist Penelope Cato,
transforming ordinary hamburgers into quirky monster collages on Wednesday July 1orcreating striking dotsticker mandalas enhanced with colourful embellishments and Posca pens on WednesdayJuly 8.
Theprogram also includes an energetic drama workshop presentedby StoryboardDrama on ThursdayJuly 2.
With activities catering forchildren from twoyearsofage through to grade six, the programoffersfamilies arange of opportunities to stay active, creative and connected during theschool holidays
Forfull programdetails and bookings, visit the Woodend Neighbourhood House websiteatwww.woodendnh.org. au or call 5427 1845.
Getknitting
U3A Kynetonhas agroup of about 20 knittersand crocheters who volunteer their time and skills to makearticlesfor various charities. At the momenttheir focus is on making blanketsfor KOGO (Knit OneGive One).ThisMelbourne-based charitydistributes morethan 100,000 items annually to people undergoing hardship including those in shelters, the homeless and children in need. Theknittersare excited that KOGO has allowedthem to be acollection centre forknitted goods, andtheyhavealarge box in the RedBrick Hall in Kynetonthatthey hope to fill soon!
Although U3A is an organisation supporting retired or semi-retired people, they welcome anydonations of knitted goods from anyone within the community. So,if youare someonewho likes to keep busy while watching TV,orhas some time while your babysleeps, then this could be foryou. Theknitterscan even teachyou howtoknit if you’dliketobepart of this initiative. Contact Gedatgedseddon54@gmail.com forpatterns and further information.
Cockatoos hit homes
Cockatoos squawk, and so do ownersof homes someofthe pesky birds have been taking aliking to
Late last week HepburnShireCouncil advised it had received anumberofreports aboutcockatoos damaging homes in the shire.
While this is notsomething the council has direct controlover, thereishelpful information and practical ways of managing the problem available.
It is importantnot to feed cockatoos. "Damagetotimber fittings and outdoor furniture oftenoccurs when someone is providing food forthe birds and attracting them to the area," DECCAadvised.
Visit the website: wildlife.vic.gov.au/ managing wildlife/cockatoos
Childrenenjoya Bricks4KidzLEGOworkshop with instructor Maksim Saletic.
TheU3A Kynetonknitters
Grandparents and informal carersacross the Macedon Ranges arebeing invited to take part in a specialised paediatric first aidworkshop at the Woodend Neighbourhood House this month.
Thehands-on session is designed specifically forpeople caring forbabies and children, helping participants build confidenceand practical skills to respond to common childhood accidents, injuries and illnesses.
Facilitatedbypaediatricfirst aid educator and nurse, Grace Larson, the workshop will coverCPR for babies and children, choking response, burns treatment, head injuries, snakebites, allergic reactions and other common emergencies.
Grace said the training wasparticularly important forgrandparents and informal carers, manyofwhom maynot have updatedtheir first aid skills in decades.
“Caring forchildren todaycan look very different to when manygrandparents were raising their own families,”she said.
“Inanemergency,knowing whattodointhose first fewminutes can makeanenormous difference. We want grandparents and carers to feel calm, confidentand equipped withpractical skills thatcould one daysaveachild’slife.”
Theworkshop is delivered through TheSisterhood Project, agrant-funded charitycommitted to making paediatric first aideducation moreaccessible for families and carers
Manager of the Woodend Neighbourhood House, Melissa Baker, said the session responded to agrowing need within the local community
“We’re seeing increasing numbersofgrandparents taking on caring rolesfor their grandchildren, whether regularly or from timetotime,”she said.
“It’swonderfulthatwecan offeraffordable access to this specialised training locally,helping carers feel moresupported and prepared while caring for children.”
Theworkshop will takeplaceonSaturdayJune 20 from 10am to noon at the Woodend Neighbourhood House. Participation costs $20 per person thanks to funding support from Macedon Ranges ShireCouncil.
Preparefor
Buildfirst aid skills
Free child development sessions
Local families areinvited to attend aseries of free child developmentdrop-in sessions during June organised by Omnia Community Health.
Thesessions offerparents and carersthe opportunity to speakdirectly with a rangeofclinicians, including aphysiotherapist, speech therapist, podiatrist,occupational therapist and dietitian, while children takepart in a variety of engaging activities.
Designed to be informal andwelcoming, the sessions aim to supportchildren’s developmentwhile empowering parents withknowledgeand practical strategies. Families will receiveadvice tailored to their child’s strengths and needs, along with ideas and resources they can easily use at home as part of everydayroutines.
Staffwill also be available to discusslocal services and support options, including referralpathwayssuch as the National Disability Insurance Scheme.
Thedrop-in sessions will be held in Kynetonand RomseyonTuesdays,and in Woodend on Wednesdays No bookings arerequired. Fordetailsvisit: www.sunburycobaw.org.au/child-development-drop-in-sessions, or email info@omniach.org.au
flu season
Thefederal governmentisencouraging people to getvaccinationed against influenza.
Influenza (alsocalled flu)vaccinesare akey factor in reducing infection of the airways,which can lead to serioushealth risks or even death.
Thegovernmentprovides free vaccines to eligible people to help reducediseases thatcan be preventedbyvaccination through itsNational Immunisation Program.
Australia’s fluseason typically peaks between June to September Annual influenza vaccination is recommended forall people aged six months and over. Talk to your health professional about gettingvaccinated
Paediatric first
Photo: Chloe Smith Photography
@ YourOPINIONS
Seewhat thefuturebrings
Alan Kennedy,Kyneton
Iwas quietly amused when Iread the article in TheExpress on TuesdayJune 2about the 'kids rally against Maccas'.I think some of the concerns could be rightbut Ithink the kids have been misinformed by adults thatare concerned about Maccas.
Thekids aresaying thatitwill affect thewater bugs and dragonflies in the forest creek. Gisborne Maccas is astone's throw from Jacksons Creek and I have notheardofany adverse effects on it. Maccas will notaffect traffic in the area as it is already aheavy traffic area, one protester said it "it is nota highwayora city",I agree it'snot ahighwaybut not all Maccas arebuilt on highways,but Ithink Castlemaine wasproclaimed acityback in 1965, so it'snot really asmall country town.
As farassaying "if youwantMaccas just go to Bendigo,"it'snot just thateasyifyou area pensioner, handicapped, or don't have acar
Iamsurethereare people in Castlemaine who would liketosee Maccas open in their town,wewill just have to wait and see whatthe futurebrings.
Centrelink'valuations' are costing pensioners thousands
WinPaschke, Riddells Creek
Many people receiving, or applying for, Centrelink payments areunaware thatCentrelink uses an unlegislatedmethod, similar to Robodebt, to value aperson’s 'excess land' (land over thetwo-hectare principal home exemption). Centrelink determining the value of excess land is notaprofessional valuation and does notcomply with normal valuation practices, this leads to an overvaluation of excess land and to financial detrimentfor thousands of people.
Localknowledge (1 point) 1. Howmanyoutdoor pools does the Macedon Ranges ShireCouncil operate?
When will the next Lancefield Farmers Market takeplace?
3. In which town is Bill Woodfull Reserve located?
4. Wherewill comedian Dave Hughes bring his show Cooked on June 20? (3 points)
5. What cause wasKynetonFootball Netball Clubsupporting at its BigFreeze fundraiser earlier this month?
General knowledge (1 point) 6. Whopenned children’s series The Chronicles of Narnia?
7. Acontroversial “Ditch the Witch” mobile billboardinMelbourne targets who?
8. In which country is the Jiangsu Provincelocated?
9. In whatsection of an orchestrawould youfind abassoon?
My owncasedemonstrates howobscurethese Centrelink 'valuations' are:
Centrelink initially assessed my excess land at $119,000. That figurewas reducedtwo yearslater to $80,000 and, just hoursbeforeanAdministrative Appeals Tribunal hearing, reducedagain, this time to zero.Asaresult,myAge Pension increased by approximately $720per fortnight. Over time, (18 years) this has improved my financial position by about $250,000.
An independentassessmentofthe above yielded this response:
“The fact thattheyhaveleftthe valuation of your excess land and your payments alone fornearly two decades shows they know exactlywho they are dealing with— andthattheynever want to test your research in atribunal setting again.”
Through repeated and persistentFreedom of Information requests, Idiscoveredthatthe method Centrelink uses to determine thevalue of excess land wasnot required or sanctioned by the social security legislation and because of thatitwas notpubliclyavailable but wascontained only in an internal departmental documentthatexplicitly stated that it must notbedisclosed to the public.
My concern is thatmanyother Australians with excess land have had and still arehaving their payments reduced, cancelled, or applicationsrefused because of Centrelink’s inflated land 'valuations' This should nothappen.
What we have is aCentrelink 'system' that determines thevalue of excess land when the valuation of assets isnot delegatedtothem by the social security legislation. This is the same system thatcreated the Robodebtproblem.Ifyou ownahome property with morethan twohectares of land and Centrelink’s 'valuation'ofyourexcess land has affected your payments, Iamhappy to sharethe information Ihave gathered overmanyyearsofresearch and which has certainly helped in my situation.
This is afreecommunity service.
Contact: wpaschke158@gmail.com
Excellentwork
Jean Woelkerling, Woodend
People don't read books anymore! Ha!Did yougotothe Woodend Scout Book Fair earlier this month?Ifyou didn't, youreally missed something. Lots andlotsofall kinds of books, even kids books. Allpriced at only $2 each. Allvery well organised. Agreat benefit to notonlyreaders of books, but also scouts, and those of us who finditalmost heartbreaking to throwout books. Excellentwork by the organisers. Keep thatin mind fornextyear.And thankyou!
Inspiration
Vera Hemkes, Harcourt
January 9,2026, shall liveoninthe memory of the Harcourt community foryears to come afterthe unprecedentedbushfiretorethrough this normally peacefulhamletwithintenseferocity
Recovery and restoration can be grindingly slowattimes, but hopeand resolvecan actasabeacon to strengthen community resilience. Indeed, the blackened landscape and twisted remains of people's homesturned memories to dust. Butwithin afew short weeks, the forest sprouted renewed growth likea resurrection of life and living... shades of bronzegreen and russetfoliageenlivened our spirits. Thefirst bella donnas sprouted pompously on the blackened earth. Theregeneration of the bush wasall around us.
Symbolically,this representation of newlifereminds us thatthereis strength of purpose when communitycomes together,eveninadirebushfire disaster.This has neverbeen clearer than this community'sdetermination to getbackonits feet
Support came from every direction. TheVMR railway providing the first base. Agoods shed distributing waterand supplies. People on hand everywheretolendahand, to help outthose who'd lost so much.
Rightthereinthe beginning, hundreds of thousands of dollarscame through fundraising groupsfromevery direction. Fundraising becameapassion. Pubsings at the Tavern, Harcourt GeneralStorefeeding wearyfirefighting teams; GoFundMe pages. Remarkable really
Using the Harcourt Recreation Reserveasa base, folk gathered; held each other; talked through theirneeds; shared food; and therein wasthe beginning of theresiliencethathas built in strength from those rawbeginnings. Regular meetings nourished those who'd lost so much. Thosewho'd lost nothing came to be present; to sprout the best path forward. People were fedand clothed. Every daywas an open house. And everyone gathered.
In fiveshort months, support services had already cleared muchofthe debris. Teamsofvolunteers rebuilding fences, clearing rubbish, and simultaneously harnessing ideas.
We arenow at apointwherearural resiliencegroup is beingformed. AThinking Group put in manyhours of labour into strategising astructure based on community-led recovery guided by mentor StevePascoe, who defined thetenacity thatexistswithin recovery,based on his ownexperience of Strathewen's resurrection afterthe Black Saturdayfires. Work teamshavealready begun restoring theLaLaa Ba Gauw mountain bike track and sections of Leanganook (MountAlexander). TheDJAARACorporation areworking with ustoensuredelivery of the most appropriate mix of culturaland scientific ecosystem knowledgetoprotect theinterests of our local community and ecosystemonwhich we alldepend.
It's inspiring to see theHarcourt communityjoining together to formulate acomprehensivecommunitydriven recovery,avoiding the influenceof vested interests and determining we as agroup willmakethe best choices.... Well done,Harcourt. And thankyou
Apology
In the Opinions pageofthe Midland Express of May26, aletterwas published from aperson using the pseudonym Dr Maurie Arty.This paper apologises forits publication noting thatitwas offensivetoanother Opinions pagecorrespondent, Mr Denis George of Castlemaine, and mayhave been to other readers.
Braemar wins Kynspeak
Braemar College’sMount Macedon campus has claimedthe inauguralKynspeak youth public speaking competition, taking home the School Perpetual Kynspeak Trophy after an impressiveperformanceacross all categories.
Sponsored by the Rotary Club of Kyneton and the Lions Club of Kyneton, thecompetition brought together students from Braemar and SHCtocompete forjuniorand senior team titles, theoverall school trophyand the Best Orator award. All participants received medallions and certificates, while winning teams earned cash prizes fortheir schools.
Master of ceremonies John Condliffe praised the students as the “pointofthe spear”,acknowledging the vital support provided by teachers,parents, friends and schools.
Sacred HeartCollegeprincipal Dr Darren Egberts welcomed competitorsand guests, highlighting the importanceoftruth, courageand the willingness to speak up Theevent began with four-
minutepreparedspeeches from junior and senior teams, followedby two-minuteimpromptu speeches on topicsrevealed on the night. Adjudicatorscommended thehigh standardofpresentations.
Among the standout speakers were Maddison, who spokeonthe importanceofswimming lessons, Anouk on voting rights for16-yearolds, Stella on the powerofthe beach, and Ella on sexual violence against women.
Braemar Collegewon both the junior and senior team categories andsecured the inauguralSchool Perpetual KynspeakTrophy. Ella was named Best Orator Awards were presentedby Lions Club of Kyneton president RobScott, Rotary ClubofKyneton presidentPeter Symons and Rotary District Governor PeterShepheard. TheLions and Rotary clubs thankedall participants,teachers, volunteersand SacredHeart College forhosting the successful inaugural event.
Funny, movingand deeply human
Kyneton'sEdgeofthe Heart Productions is retuning this June, bringing acclaimed, sellout theatreto regional audiences.
Founded by local writer,director and actor Paul Canlan and writer/ director Adele Shelley, Edge of the Heart Productions is creating original, heartfelt theatrethatconnects communities through storytelling.
“Powerful independenttheatre exploring the mess, beauty and humour of being human,"Paul said.
Thegroup is anot-for-profit companythataimstotell intimate stories, filled with big emotions and humour.
Their latest show, On Borrowed Time,seesa production comprising four interwovenshort plays
“Borrowedtime is funny, moving and deeply human theatrethat lingerslongafter the curtain falls," Paul said.
Together,theyexplore love, friendship, ageing, mortality,and the moments that test whatmatters most. At its heart, thework gives voiceand agency to thosewho are toooften representedinlimited ways —ifatall —onour stages.
Thecompany’snextstopisKynetononJune 27 with performances at 2.30pm and 7pm.
Youcan purchase tickets online at trybooking.com/DLJV
To find out moreabout this special previewyou can visit their Facebook pagefacebook.com/share/ p/1CkqbFRWqA
The Seagull premieres at The Phee
Castlemaine’s newest professional theatrecompany, TheRavens TheatreCompany, celebrated the opening of its debut production of TheSeagull with asellout crowd at thePhee BroadwayTheatreonFridaynight.
More than 1200 ticketshad already sold ahead of the premiere.
Theproduction, which runs from June 12–27 marks the launch of the newlocally based companyfounded by ShelleyKrape andTim Heath, former owner of Castlemaine’s TheatreRoyal and member of TheBasics.
Acclaimed actor,director and academic Jane Montgomery Griffiths is director of the inaugural production. Amasterpieceofmodern theatre, TheSeagull by AntonChekhovexplores love,ambition, artistic longing and the search formeaning. Famously unsuccessful at its 1896 Moscow premiere, it has sincebecome one of the most iconic and influential plays ever written Thelocal production uses acontemporary adaptation of Chekhov’sclassic by British playwrightAnya Reiss. Forticketsvisit theravenstheatrecompany.org
Joy, colour and Saturday vibes
Saturday’s here at Artpuff!Aneclectic andjoyful collection of wall,surface, ceiling and floor-installed works, imbued with love of textiles, and co-curated withartist Kathryn McAllister
Thereare nine participating artists: Jackie Gorring, Melinda Harper,KateLewis, AshleyMariani, Kathryn McAllister,Kate Meade, Jill Paynter-O’Meehan, Gemma Rubina Sarmiento andJaneSanderson. This is an exhibition full of joyand hope and the delightthatthread and fabric, old and new, can instil in amaker Kate Lewis, a19-year-old who has
launched into sewing in the last year and is exhibiting forthe first time, has made fabric wall pieces thatinclude,for example, AMan with Dog and ACow in aCage
Thework blends observation witha sense of the absurd, and is full of sass and humour,justwhatyou might expect from someone whose artist statementreads:
“I love musicand art and wake up needing to do dancemoves across the kitchen floor," Lewissays.
Saturday can be anyone’s!
Call into Artpuff,The Mill, 9Walker Street Castlemaine and experience it for
Come together for Kyneton Winter’s Feast
TheKynetoncommunity organiserswho broughtyou last year'scommunity carols by candlelighthavebeen working together to bring yousome frosty celebrations this wintersolstice.
Many cultures around theworld celebratethe shortest dayand the longest nightofthe year as it marks the return of light–traditionally abattleoflightoverdarkness –and the dayisgetting longer again as our little planetbegins its rotation towardsspring and summerin the southern hemisphere.
To mark this seasonal milestone, communityorganisersfromSocial Foundry,the Kyneton Christmas Collective, Simba Sessions and KynetonUniting Churchhavecombined to put together aDark MOFOinspired winterfeast.
Therewill be music forthe soul, food forthe belly,lotsofspacefor the family and fires to warm those fingersand toes foranyonebrave enough to face thecold.
If you’relooking forsomething festivethis winter, bring your communityspirit, your warmest jacket andyour favouritepackofhumans, to theKynetonUniting Church grounds on SundayJune 21, from 4pm to 8pm,for agreat eveningoutside. By-golly it gets cold out here, folks, but noone should have to suffer it alone.
Art lovers,gift huntersand curious browsersare invited to theCastlemaine Artists Market on Sunday, June 28, fora vibrantshowcase of local creativity in the heart of town.
More than 40 artists and makerswill fill Western Reservewithanimpressivearray of handmade works, offering visitorsthe chancetodiscoveruniquetreasures, meet the creators behind them and celebratethe vital role artplays in the community Go along have achatwith our artists and learn about their crafts.
Enjoydelicious food and drink as well as livemusic. This month Castlemaine Artists Market welcomes local duo SteveWhite and PeterChaffey with folk guitar tunes to dream your wayintowinter.
Go along and enjoya greatday out; whether youare alocal or visiting thearea, therewill be something thatinspires.
Themarket willrun from 10am-2pm on SundayJune 28 at Western Reserve.
Dinner table by Kate Lewis
TheRavens cast arepictured in rehearsal ahead of the debut show.Photo:Stewart Carter.
SATURDAY,JUNE 20
Charlie Kerin .turns 13 CobyTyquin. .turns 10
SUNDAY,JUNE 21
Jessica Hickey turns 13
Aliana Portelli .turns 3
NAME (PRINT) ADDRESS.......
DATE OF BIRTH
Covering the Macedon Ranges and MountAlexander Shires
Published weekly on aFriday Email: classifieds@midnews.com.au
DISPLAYADVERTISING DEADLINES
Midland Express:Booking and Copy Noon Thursdayprior
Castlemaine Mail: Booking and Copy 4.30pm Tuesdayprior Email: lbrew@midnews.com.au
CONTACTS
General Manager: TimEllen
Editor: Angela Crawford Sales Manager: Lynda Brew
Officehours: Monday- Friday8.30am -5pm CASTLEMAINE Published by Elliott Midland Newspapers Pty.Ltd. ACN 004 608 226 of 3Market Street, Kyneton (P: 5422 1488) and 13 Hargraves Street, Castlemaine (P: 5472 1788). Printed by Express Print, 5Jones Road, Morwell. Responsibility for Electoral comment is accepted by the publisher.Registered by Australia
Welcometoyour regular column,featuring news, tips and recipesfromthe Castlemaine Community House and GrowingAbundancecommunities and networks.
GA,one of CCH’sprograms, encompasses sustainability and food security Castlemaine Community House’s Growing Abundanceprogram createsa viable local food system, by harvesting from local farms and gardens and sharing the produceto keyfood relief distribution pointsacrossMountAlexander Shire.
CCHbuildsstrongercommunities by creating opportunities forlearning, social participation and connection and one of theywaystheydothisisbypartnering with local organisations, groupsand initiatives –likethe Castlemaine Documentary Festival (Cdoc). Cdoc returnstothe TheatreRoyal on June 26-28 witha weekend of boundarypushing nonfiction cinema, aptly centredaround the theme of Love –the Antidote.And Castlemaine Community House will be back inthe TheatreRoyal courtyardtoo, serving delicious soup to warm your soul and raise funds fortheir community food pantry and education programs.
Soup will be available across the weekend to take away or eatinthe TheatreRoyal Garden on Friday: 6pm –8pm, Saturday: 12pm –2pm,5pm –8pm and Sunday: 12pm –2pm, 5pm –8pm –and costs $12 per wholesome and tasty bowl. While the program forCdoc looks fabulous, youdonot need to see amovie to purchase soup.
"It'sone of my favouritefundraising events thatwedo. It's awonderfulpartnership with the Castlemaine Documentary Festival -Castlemaine gets to celebrateand watch stories from all around the world while nourishing our local community,"said CCH executiveofficerMahiraSobral.
"We'll have adifferentmenueach dayand offerawhole rangeofsoups to keep you going as youenjoy some amazing documentaries.
"All thefunds from the soup kitchen will go directly towardshelping CCHcontinue to invest in community programs suchassupporting young people to gain skills, helping families connect with essential services, and making our community feel more connected. Your support directly impacts your neighbours, friends and thepeople around you."
0.5 tsp ground cinnamon (reduce to ¼for milder taste)
2tsp paprika (sweet notsmoked)
2tsp ground coriander
600 ml hotvegetable stock or water
1can plumtomatoes
1can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1⁄2 lemon, juiceand zest of
1⁄2 cup fresh coriander or 1/2 cup fresh parsley
1tsp salt
Castlemaine Community House is awelcoming hub thatsupports andconnects the community. Find out more at cch.org.au Here is the recipefor one of the soups on offeroverthe weekend: Moroccan ChickpeaSoup
1tsp crushed blackpepper or ½teaspoon ground pepper
Method:
1. Heat the oil in alarge saucepan,then fry theonion, carrot and celery gently for10minutes until softened, stirring frequently
2. Tip in the cumin, cinnamon, paprika and coriander and fry foranother minute.
3.Turn up the heat, then add the stock, tomatoes and chickpeas, plus agood grind of black pepper
4. Simmer for8 minutes.
5. Throwinlemon juice, cook fora further 3minutes.
6.Season to taste, then topwith asprinkling of lemon zest and choppedherbs.
Thesoup kitchen forms part of CCH’send-of-financial-year fundraising initiatives. If you’dliketogivefurther,you canalsomakeatax-deductible donation to Castlemaine Community Housecch.org.au/friends-of-castlemaine-community-house Check out the programfor theCastlemaine Documentary Festival here: cdocff.com.au
Volunteer PatGrumontatthe 2025 CCHsoupfundraiser at Cdoc.
MIDLAND Property &Living
CrownHillcirca 1890
Set across approximately 83 acres of cleared grazing land and boxironbark bushland, CrownHill is acaptivating late 19th centuryhomestead of remarkable character,scale and beauty within the peaceful landscape of Walmer.Beyond iron gatesand acircular driveway, the original double brick residencerests proudly on granitefoundations, framed by verandahs detailed with iron lacework.
Theland has been thoughtfully configured forlifestyle and productivity,comprising a substantial grazing paddockwithdam, alarge,poweredshearing shed, rabbit-proof fencing surrounding thehomestead, fiveacres of pasture andthe adjoining bush block. Water security is akey feature, with twohouse dams, an additional paddock dam,anunderground brick tank with pump, and35,000 litresofpolytank storage.
Inside, aformal entrancehall framed by decorativearches leads to interiorsfeaturing baltic pine floors, pressed metal ceilings and ornate cornices.
Theflexible floorplan includes four generous bedrooms and formal loungeall of which retain original fireplaces. Thewelcoming country kitchen and dining area featuretimber cabinetry,timber-lined ceilings and an original fireplacefitted with arangecooker.Aspa bathroom, second bathroom, laundry,split systemheating and cooling, electric hotwater,and a beautifully enclosed breezewaywith exposedbrick walls, and wood heaterensuremodern comfort. Stairsfromthe breezeway descend to astriking granite-lined cellar with flagstone
paving, while outside theestablished gardens provide colour andfragrancethroughoutthe seasons with dry stone walls, extensiverose plantings, maturetrees including apeppercorn, crepe myrtles, aflame tree,spindle berry and three varieties of oak, including amagnificent ancientoak that provides summershade. Awisteria-coveredarbouroverlooks the pétanque court, adding to theproperty’ssense of retreatand relaxedcountry living.
Thegrounds also featureasmall orchardofseveral applevarieties, almonds, cherry, quince, plums, mulberry,pear,fig, medlarand olives, all irrigatedfromthe dam via electric pump. About 300 shiraz vines produceabout 300 kilograms, or about 300 bottles, in a favourable season and areservicedbydripper irrigation.
Property: ‘Crown Hill’homestead
Address: 186 ThreeChain Road,Walmer
Price: $2,800,000
Agent: Jellis Craig
Contact: Leah Panos
acorner allotment of 581 sqm (approx), this three-bedroom property sits just 450 metres from Castlemaine’strain station, with direct services to Melbourne and Bendigo, and 1.1 kilometres from the main street. Solid brick, split-level,unmistakably of its era, and in alocation that genuinely delivers.
(approx.), this four-bedroom period home has been substantially extended and updated over time, delivering alayout that works well for families or anyone seeking genuine separation between living and sleeping zones. Beyond the house, adouble carport leads through to a substantial double garage (5.8 x5.7m).
brick home offers generous proportions, awell-considered layout and ablank-canvas garden five minutes (approx drive) from Castlemaine. The 1785sqm (approx) allotment rises to the rear,wherean elevated outlook reaches towardMount Franklin.
Some buildings simply refusetobe ordinary.The GuildfordGeneral Storeisone of those places wherefloorboards hold over acentury of stories, wherefresh coffee mingles with woodsmokefromthe pizza oven, wherelivemusic drifts across the courtyard on awarm summer evening, and strangers become friends overa long, unhurried lunch.
This is achancetobecome the custodian of one of centralVictoria's most cherished communitylandmarks and takeit somewhereextraordinary.For the passionatefoodie, the hospitality visionary,orthe tree-changer whohas alwaysdreamed of adestination venue with genuine soul, this is waiting foryou, just 90 minutes from Melbourne.
Originally the Commercial Hotel, circa 1865, this grand double-brickbuilding found its next calling in 1916 as ageneral store.
Step through one of twosetsofperiod double doorsintoaspacethattime has treatedvery kindly.The main shop,approx 11.5m x5.8m, soarsto12-footceilings, its pine floorboards worn smooth by generations of boots, its old-world boxedshelving housing productsand curios handed down through previous ownerships. Solidplaster walls, hallway arches and three-metreverandahs on twosides givethis spacea presence thatisbothtimeless and deeply alive.
An adjoiningprivatedining room with an open fireplaceofferssomething rarer still: intimacy.Whether aprivate dinner,a long winterlunch, or adegustation event, this room earns its keep in anyseason. The updatedshop kitchen features commercial appliances, agas cooktop, electric oven, stainless steel benches, dishwasher and rangehood. Alarge storeroom and agenerous 5x4 metrecellar round outthe provisions. Asplit system andintegrated solar systemkeep comfort and running costs in check year-round.
If the general storeisthe heartbeatof
this property,the converted stables areits spirit.Exposed timber gables, trusses and brick walls, slateflooring, awood heater, a wood-fired pizza ovenand amezzanine level of vaulted ceiling beams and nine-inch pine floorboards, anchored by abar area of easy conviviality
Andthen thereisthe courtyard. Shelteredand sun-drenched, spilling onto the side street, this is wherethe magic happens. Pizza nights draw thelocalsin. Livebands fill thewarm evening air.Apomegranate tree, acumquat tree and agenerous canopy provide dappled shade.
Themain kitchen is spaciousand wellequipped, withaneight-burner Waldorf cooker,rangehood, twocommercial electric ovens, acommercial dishwasher,substantial stainless steel bench space, amultitude of cupboards and storageshelving, and awalkin coolroom. Bothkitchens arefully outfitted with all thecommercial appliances and equipmentrequired to operate thestore, café and pizza bar.A dedicated toiletblock offthe courtyardservicesthe retail areas.
Threerooms arranged offa long central passageoffer flexible accommodation, owner'squarters, staff or short-stay, serviced by aprivatebathroom. Thestables building also includes aself-contained one-bedroom living quarter with its ownbathroom and split system,ideal fora manager'sresidenceoran additional income stream
Beyond thebuildings, the property continues to impress. Agenerous private green spaceofapproximately 1100sqm offers quietretreat, futureoutdoor dining expansion, or subdivision potential (STCA). A6.5m x4mbarn provides excellentstorage or workshop potential,a 4.7x7.5 metrecarport deliverscovered vehicleaccommodation, and additional open parking ensures guests and staff arewellcatered for, apractical advantagethatisraretofind in aheritage township setting.
MIDLAND Property &Living
An architectural showpieceofbespokedesign
Showcasing exceptional craftsmanshipand timeless architecturaldesign, this meticulously appointed42 square(approx.) residencesetsanew benchmark forluxury family living, sitting pride of placeoverlooking RicheyPromenade, in one of Gisborne's most sought-after pockets.
From the momentyou arrive, the home announces its calibre. Grand double entry doors with ornate wroughtironinlays open to reveal french oak wide timber flooring, setting the tone fora residencewhereevery detail has been curated withintent. Premium finishes and flawless execution define eachspace,delivering ahomeofenduring sophistication.
At the heart of this masterpieceisthe expansivemaster suite-a true parents' retreat. Enjoya lavish Kinsman craftedwalk-in dressing room andaclassically appointedensuite complete with underfloor heating, dual vanity,and walk-in shower. Threefurther bedrooms, each featuring built-in robes and luxury wool carpets, ensurecomfort forfamily and guests alike. Abeautifully finished powder room enhances conveniencefor residents and visitors.
Designed forthose who love to cook,entertain and gather,the showpiecekitchen is nothing short of exceptional. Astriking stone draped island presides over asuiteofpremium Ilve andMiele appliances, including a1.5mgas cooktopand dual ovens. A'Shaws1897' butler'ssink, stone splash backs and an impressivebutler'spantry-complete with Vintecwine fridgeand secondary sink-elevate both functionalityand style.
Twoseparateliving zones and awelcoming meals area create flexibility formodern families, all framed by 2.7m ceilings and abreathtaking 5.4m architectural centrepiece. Square setfinishes blend seamlessly with Victorian cornicedetailing, while curated lighting delivers warmth, ambienceand refinement.
Practical luxury continues with atripleintegrated garageoffering adrivethrough access, awell-planned mudroom, and afully fitted laundry featuring abundant storageand adedicateddrying cupboard.
Beyond the interiors, outdoor living is equally impressive. Twocovered alfrescospaces extend the home'sentertainmentcapacity,including one accessed via large slidingdoors thatinvitethe outdoorsin-perfect forbarbecues and social gatherings.
Property: Luxury familyliving
Address: 9Richey Promenade, Gisborne
Price: $1,700,000 -$1,799,500
Agent: Raineand Horne Kyneton
Contact: RodCallins 0457 681 560 /Ken
Enjoyeasy-careliving in asought-aftercentral location, offering
•Moments from towncentreand station
•Two generous and comfortable bedrooms
•Practical open kitchen and living
•Centrallylocatedfamily bathroom
•Fresh presentation throughout the home
•Covered carportfor secureparking
•Handy storage shed forextras
•Ideal downsizer,investor or first home
•Modernfamily home set in awell-positioned pocket of CampbellsCreek,just ashortwalk to the PrimarySchool, café, post office, hotel and recreation reserve,with the creek providing apeaceful natural backdrop
•Spacious open-plan kitchen, meals and living area with well-appointedkitchen including walk-in pantry, plus a separate theatreroom or second living space.
•Four generous bedrooms -main with ensuiteand walk-in robe,remaining bedrooms with built-in robes,ducted heating and cooling,solar hot water, double garage with internal access and a securebackyard with garden
Acherished 1970s family home offering generous proportions,original character, versatile living spaces and a convenientlifestyle location.
•Retained by one family sincebuilt
•Four bedrooms and twobathrooms
•Spacious kitchen with breakfast bar
•Multiple living and entertaining areas
•Privatealfrescoand level backyard
•Abundantnatural lightthroughout home
•Single lock-up garage with versatility
•Walk to school and gardens
MIDLAND Property &Living
Bold architectureabove the treetops
High on 10 privateacres at Elphinstone, this remarkable residencerises from thelandscape with the confidenceofa contemporary sculpture– all dramatic angles, soaring glass and sweeping horizons stretching toward MountMacedon. Designed in 2003 by acclaimed architects Darren Carnell Architects, the homefeels both connected to theland and ahead of its time.
Arriving along the winding approach, the propertyslowly reveals itself: aseries of striking pavilion forms perched against theridgeline, framed by maturetrees, open skies and rolling countryside. Inside, vast panes of glass invite the outdoorsintoevery space, while Tasmanian myrtle timber floors, rakedceilings and warm natural materials soften the home's bold architectural lines.
At its heart, theopen-plan living, dining and kitchen domain is designed forgathering and retreatinequal measure. ACheminees Philippe combustion fireplaceanchors the room beneathdramaticceilings, while panoramic outlooks draw your eyeacrossthe property and beyond to MountMacedon. Thekitchen deliversbothbeauty and performance, appointedwithtwin V-ZUG ovens, induction cooking, an oversizedislandbench and abutler'spantry complete with chilled and sparkling waterontap. Accommodation is generous and flexible,with three to four bedrooms, adedicatedstudy lined with custom shelving and workspaces, and twosubstantial bathrooms
including an ensuitewith underfloor heating. Above it all, the circular sky deck studio offers abreathtaking retreat–equally suited as agym, wellness space, artist'shideawayor elevatedobservatory immersed in uninterruptedviews
Theinfrastructureacross the property is equally impressive. Thereisa detached studio with bathroom and decked balconyideal forworking from home or creativepursuits, an expansive11m x13m garagewithhoist and high-clearancedoors, plus asubstantial 7m x14m workshop with additional playroom or workspacepotential
Designed withlong-term sustainability and country living in mind, the property features a16kWsolar systemwith Tesla battery storage, 90,000 litres of tank water, grey water recycling to thegardens, fertile soils, established windbreaks, twodams and 10 dam-fedgardentaps. Productive and beautifully established, the grounds include terraced vegetable beds, mature fruittrees, shiraz vines and ahen house, while the equestrian facilities arewell-considered with fenced paddocks, holding yards, a15m x30m open ménage/riding arena and ahorse stable with loose box, creating an ideal setup forhobbyfarmingorhorse enthusiasts. Privateyet brilliantly connected, this extraordinary country estate sits within easyreach of Castlemaine, Kyneton, Daylesfordand Woodend –offering an architectural lifestyle of rare vision, self-sufficiencyand complete immersion in the surrounding landscape.
There’ssomething comfortingabout seeing families gathering at TheMill, locals chatting along Piper Street and children enjoying the simple rhythm of country life. It’s this strong sense of connectionthatcontinues to shape thestory of KynetonOnRiverside —and few understand thatbetterthan Suzy Dann.
Recently appointedascommunity relationships manager forKynetonOnRiverside, Suzy brings warmth, energy and agenuine passion forcommunity.Locals may have recently spotted her enjoying lunch at TheMillCampaspe Mill Distillery with her daughterPaige— a momentthatperfectly reflects thelifestyle she and her family came searching forwhen theymadethe move from Melbourne to theMacedon Rangedistrict. Before hertreechange, Suzy built ahighly successful career as arespectedhairdresser in Richmond, Victoria,
whereshe became known notonlyfor her talent, but for the trusted relationships she built with clients over many years.
Drawn to theMacedon Ranges forits slowerpace, strong community spirit and family lifestyle, Suzy says Kynetonand its surrounds quicklyfelt likehome. Now proudly living locally,she is passionate about helping othersdiscoverwhatmakes the region so special —from riverside walks and café catch-upstothe welcoming sense of belonging thatdefines country living.
As Kynetoncontinues to grow,Suzy’sstory is one manylocalscan relate to —trading the rush of city life forconnection, communityand aplacetotruly call home.
Sayhello to Suzy to chat all things KynetonOnRiverside, 0424 895 541.
Suzy Dann and her daughterPaigeenjoylunch at Campaspe Mill Distillery.
•Privately positioned on 12 acresjustminutes from Castlemaine, this handcrafted sandstone and brick home offersthe perfect blend of seclusion,space and convenience.
•Studio,shedding, paddocks and beautiful bushland surrounds
Coming Soon ContactAgent View By appointment
RobWaller |0418 571 130
Blasi Mulholland |0417311 733
3 a 2 b 2 v
SoldOff-Market 19 Church Street,Maldon
•Charming1950s homewith elevatedviews,just 500m to centralMaldon
•Light-filled 3-bedroomhome with ensuiteand entertainingdeck.
•Beautifulestablishedgardens, firepit area.
NarelleWaller |0408 571131
Rob Waller | 0418 571 130
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3 a 2 b 2 v
CASTLEMAINE
Saturday saw17teams contest the second round of the Hero Series 4BBB.
Panel Forum –ThursdayJune18
6to9pm
Panellists
at the Shamrock Hotel
• Heather Carulli,Owner,Love Spell Boutique,Small business and independent retail perspective
• Dr Isabel Mettler,Osteopath and Owner,TwentyNine,Allied health and professional servicesperspective
• Peter Jennings,Owner,Betta Electrical Kyneton, Franchise and retail perspective
• HayleyWakefield,Owner,Shamrock Hotel Kyneton, Hospitalityand tourism perspective
Thepanel discussion will be facilitated by Cr Kate Kendall,Mayor of Macedon Ranges Shire Council, who will lead the conversation and audience Q&A throughout the evening.
Join us foraneveningoflocal insights, inspiration and practical ideas as four respected Kyneton business owners share their experiences, challengesand outlooks forthe future of our regional economy. Whether you’re abusiness owner,employee, communityleader or simply interested in the future of Kyneton and the Macedon Ranges,this event offers aunique opportunitytohear directly from people shaping our local business landscape
Your Ticket Includes
•Entry to the panel discussion and Q&A
•Finger food throughout the evening
•Networkingopportunitieswith local businessesand communitymembers
•Insights and practical takeaways from experienced local business leaders
SPONSOR:
$25 per ticket
SPONSORS: Kyneton Branch
Town & District
“Local VoicesShared Success” GOLF results
Thefather-and-son combination of Lesand RobPrendergast provedthe team to beat, combining brilliantly to post an impressive 45 points, just one pointclear of NigelWilson and Marie Louise Fitzpatrick.
Nearest-the-pin honoursweresharedbetween Jayson Glenister and Brad Sturgess.
With rain forecast laterinthe day, afield of 13 optedfor an early start nine-hole stableford on Saturdaymorning.
Thedecisionprovedworthwhile,with players enjoying favourable conditions. KerinLourey (17) produced the best scoreof17points to claim victory
PeterGresswell (11) prevailed on countbackto securesecond placeahead of Glenda Jefferies (18).
Thepar competition on Thursdayproduced some impressivescoresacross all grades.
Liam O'Brien (5) continued his excellentform with asuperb +4 to claim the overall win and Agrade honours.
O'Brien's round wasone better than A-grade runner-up Jeremy Bottomley(8), one shotclear of Jeremy Bottomley(8), who secured second place in A-grade with afine scoreof+3.
In B-grade BryanFitzgerald (15) and Kerin Lourey (15) both finishing squarewith the card Fitzgerald claiming thegrade victory on countback.
Tony Strong (17) shone in C-grade, returning +3 to winfromWayne Toohey(18) to takethe grade win and also finish among theday's leading scorers. Wayne Toohey (18) claimed second placein the grade withascore of +2, edging Leon Thomas and John Beet on countback.
Other notable performances came from Klai Jermyn (1) and Ross Bottomley(6),who both finished at +1.
Liam O'Brien capped offa greatday by collecting NTP on the 7th, with MatthewO'Brien closest on the 12th. Both were very close to the pin GISBORNE
Bunnings increased their cementinventory last week in preparation some soft golfersmightbuy a spoonful and bravethe threatening damp conditions on Saturday. However, thereisplentyofstock left as just 97 turned up withonly the late afternoonfield needing umbrellas.
TimScoble, former captain and creatorofthe A-reserveclub champion grade, which he wonlast year,tookout A-grade with 38 points.
MathewThorley,yes, he did, wonB-gradewith 37 points and 13-year-old JaiWattwon C-grade with 43 points. Watt the?Yes,thatisright, he is only 13 and had 43 points.
On Thursday, membersplayedGaryHoffman’s favouritecompetition, Parplus, whereTonyKucic wonA-grade.
Mick Roganwho playedwith Josh wonBgrade, and Love Boat Captain, Mark Buckley, or none,found aspark andwon C-grade.
Scores areirrelevant sinceHoffman changed the format to rewarding bandits without retribution forbad holes; abit likegetting aribbon for turning up.
Damp conditions on Wednesdaydid notaffect Cheryl BlanchardorLeanne Fraser who both scored an impressive40points in the women’s stableford competition. Cheryl wonthe dayona countback.
Thesecondbiggest bandit in the Hogan household, Anisa, wonthe nine-hole competition with 19 points.
KYNETON
It neverrains on agolfcourse, serious players will tell you, but adverse weather forecasts scare awaythose less committed to the cause. Such was the case overthe past week as predicted rain kept playing numbersdown.
Theexception thatprovesthe rule wasthe full field forthe annual King’sBirthdaytwo-person Ambrose, with acountback deciding the winners aftertwo duos tied on nett 63.25.
Greenkeeper Braeden Cottingham did most of the heavy lifting with11tee shots but it wasRSL singles champion Connor Munrowho hit it close on 17 fortheir only birdie to play the back nine in even and edgeCraigieburn-Willmott’sAndrew Gibson and Stuart Hayter.Adam Smith and Neville Yateswerethird on 65.
Thebest gross scoreof68camefrommixed winnersTerry Gamble and Kylie Munro, their nett 64 toogoodfor Colin Hudgson and RobMacRae on 65.75.
Valme Smoors and Terry Morley were the women’s winners with nett 80 and NTPs were ScottMurphy, Brendan Cameron, Glenn Holland, Connor Munro, Smoors and MacRae.
Thewomen’s monthly medal washelda week late,with Tracey Bramich scoring 91-17-74 to win overalland takeA-grade by twofromMacRae(25).
Banksie Buckley(35) baggedB-grade with 81, twoahead of Dot Greenway (42), while NTPswere MacRae andLiz Murray
Ross Foreman wasrunner-up in thetwo major
men’s competitions, beatenoncountback with39 points off13onWednesdayand shaded by two shots with36off 12 on Saturday.
Firstup, Gordon Stevens (20) racked up 21 points starting on the back nine including afourpointbirdie on the 14th.Hewas fiveupbeforehe stumbled and wiped the 7th. Foreman’s fireworks flowedonthe front, shooting three overfor 22points. Double bogeys on the12th and 13th proved costly.NTPswere Hudgson (2), Borg andPeterWalsh.
Foreman started hotagain on Saturday, abirdie on the 3rdhelping him to four up aftereightbut he wipedtwo holesfromthere. Cottingham (22) had morestrokes to playwith and overcame amiss on the 11th to parthe last andfinish twoclear Simon Rosenberg(2), Bellis, Regan Williams (super pin)and Gamble were NTPs.Birdies were hardtocomeby, McDermott and Gamble getting doubles.
Jason Swinden cruised to athree-shotvictory in the nine-hole Thursdayscramble, making nothing worsethan bogeyonthe wayto20points. Kylie Munroparredthe last three to snatch second LANCEFIELD
Inclementweather on most days in the past week meantlower participants than usual.
Don'tforgetthe major 'Winter1000' drawcard backed by KilmoreTrackside is on Saturday, June 28 (see club website)
Legends: 'Shuffles' McBride 94-21-73 from Dean Budde 84-10-74 on c/b from DenisDavenport 80-6-74.
ThursdayFix: Mark Cruise (19) 35 stableford points, on c/bfromSteve Gilbert (12), withBarry Flentjar (17) 34 third.
Saturdaystableford:GaryDudderidge(12) 36 points, from Dvid Morgan (13)35, and Todd Lambert (8) 32.
MOUNTMACEDON
Saturday's4BBB stableford wasa wintry affair, and the wildcardpairing of Hamish Allen (25) and David Watt (9) were victoriouswith 44 points. Sean Bassett(20) and Kevin Taylor (14) were runners-up on 42.
Agloomyand threatening sky tested heart muscles in the midweek stableford event. BruceFraser (7) had the best scoreof34points and topped A-grade, while PeterSemmens (24) claimed B-grade with 32.
Runners-upafter countback were Mike Hoiles and Brian Collins, with Hoiles and Semmens the NTPs.
TRENTHAM
Therewas plenty of greatscoring on displayin near-perfect conditionsonThursday.
Alison Borcherswas in magnificentform, shooting atremendous 78-13-65 to earn the Thursdaymonthly medal and B-grade honoursas well.
Robin Wilson wasincracking form with 68-266 to clinch A-grade honoursfromBrent Leheny 73-2-71.
Paul McKeon 94-22-72 topped C-grade from John Hudson 93-20-73.
While some enjoyedasleep-in on theKing's Birthdayholiday, 44 hardy golfers answered the royalcall and ventured into cool, misty conditions.
Jock MacLeod(12) continued his regal reign by taking out overall and B-grade honourswith 36 stableford points. James Coyle(14) wasrunner-up on 34.
Liam Murray (5)topped A-grade with33points, by onefromJason King (10) ,and Ruud de Raadt (29) took offC-grade with 33 pointsona countback from Mark Myers(20).
Don'tforget: TheNeil and Judy Rothe Trophy eventbegins this Saturday WOODEND
If golf wasn't hardenough already,Woodend turned on aproper winterchallengeonSaturday, with thickfog swallowing fairways, greens and occasionally entireplaying groups.
Despitethe conditions, scoring remained surprisingly strong.
Brendan Cunningham mastered the fogto post an impressive39points and claim A-grade honoursfromKennyTurley36.
Wayne Paterson topped B-grade with35, from ShaneCarey 34.
in thepassing of Bev who was adedicated Legatee for 23 years, including two terms as Chairperson. Sincere condolences to her family
Kyneton
OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
The Kyneton Bowling Club Inc. Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be held on Wednesday 8th July at 6.30pm 61-79 MollisonStreet Kyneton, Club room. The Bowling sectionAGM will follow
IMPORTANT NOTICE
• Anniversary,
• Birth,
• Birthdays,
• Engagement,
• Wedding Is your family Celebrating?
FLAGS FLLAAGGS S
NOTICE TO ALL ADVERTISERS
Section 29 of the FairTrading Act 1999 requires the inclusion of afullnameand address (not PO BoxNumber) –inall advertisements for the supply of goods and services.
ELLIOTT MIDLAND NEWSPAPERS advises all displayservice advertisements must comply with the above requirement to avoid prosecution, or provide those details to us to pass to the Dept. of Justice if requested.
A‘Breen-sweep’incroquetpennant
Husband and wifeAllanand LynBreen from Golden Squarehad amemorable dayatthe Grand Finals of the Northern District CroquetAssociation's autumn pennantlast week. Played at theKyneton CroquetClub,in recognition of their 150 Anniversary (despitenoKyneton teams being in thefinals), both Breenswerevictorious, but in differentdivisions. Allanpaired with Gary Dykes from Maldon as Golden/Maldon to take out Division 1/2, while Lynpaired withMark James (Golden Square) as the Golden SquareShooters to win Division 3
TheShooterswereconvincing in their Grand Final of Division 3,taking thewin by 4-2 games. Going into the last game, theywerealready ahead 4-1 games, but Golden SquareGold (Kathy Montgomery and NigelGaul) didn't go down withoutafight, winning thefinal doubles game 7-6. Apart from oneclear 7-2 singles win by Mark James, all theother games were very close, either 7-5 or 7-6, reflected in the final hoop countbeing just 39-33 to the Shooters. It wasadeserved win to the Shooters,who were the only team to scorefivematch wins in the round robin.
TheDivision 1/2 Grand Final wasanextremely even and nail-biting contest. Allfour singles games were won by 7-5 hoops, twobyeachteam, butGolden Maldon had wonthe firstdoubles by 7-4 hoops. This meantthatthe Quarry Hill Galahs (Colleen Coutts and Barry Lovell)had to winthe last doubles game by at least 7-4 to draw the gamesat3-3 and be even on hoop countback, thereby forcing aplayoff.Watched by agood crowd of enthusiastic supportersfrommultiple clubs, the Galahs were ahead 6-4 in the last doubles. Just when theylooked in danger of losing hoop 11 (and thewhole Grand Final), Couttsnailed adesperate(but brilliant) shot through the hoop from the
TheLegend of Goanna Flats
Many long yearsago,according to local legend, an epic grand final Aussie Rules football match tookplace between Goanna Flats—the home side —and their bitter rivals, DingoDowns.
Excitementreached feverpitch, as, with but afew minutestogoand the scores dead level, one 'Rooster' McVee— white-haired boyofthe Goanna Flatsteam —gained the ball.
Likea maninspiredhebullocked his waythrough the opposition and, to thefrantic screaming of the crowd, slammed the ball between the postsjust as the final bell sounded.
Pandemonium brokeout as the Goanna Flatsfans and players too, chased afterthe dumbfounded 'Rooster' –all yelling bloody blue murder: the trouble wasthat "Rooster" in the passion of the play, hadinadvertently kicked the wrong wayand made the winning scorefor DingoDowns.
Theill-fated footballer managed to hide in the thick scrubuntil nightfall, then made his escape under the coverofdarkness.
Foryears he wandered Australia, but neveroncedid he risk going home.
In time, he prospered. Greatwealth and fame came his way, but tryashemight, he could nevererase that fateful grand final from his memory
Finally,when an old man, he decidedtoreturn to his home town. Surely,hemused, the past will long have been forgottenand the newgeneration will accord me therespect my ageand position deserves.
As his car drew near Goanna Flats, familiar old landmarks caused tearsofnostalgic recollection to flow down the old man's cheeks. At the town's outskirts, he espied aboy leading acow along the dustyroad
Bidding his chaufferstopthe car,the happyhome-comer addressed the boy. "And what might your name be?"
"Billie Brown",answered the lad.
"Tell me, howold areyou,boy?" wasthe next question. Afrown of bewildermentcame over theyoungster'sface.
"Well, I'm nottoo sure,"hereplied, scuffling his baretoes through the dirt "But Iknowmefather wasbornthe very dayafter 'Rooster' McVeelost us the premiership."
–ReprintedfromHistory of Football in the BendigoDistrict. Compiledand written by John Stoward. with the advice, assistanceand good will of many. Firstpublished 2008.
boundary to tie up thematch. Aftersome checking of the rules, abest-of-fivehoops doubles gamewas implemented to decide awinner.The twoteams went toetotoe, getting to twohoops each, just one left to decide the outcome. Thecrowd wasgetting involved, applauding great shots. It fell to AllanBreen to takeashotatthe potentially winning hoop 5. Despitehis aching back and more than five hoursofcroquet, he held his nerveand slotted adifficult two-metre hoop shottotakethe win. It wasafitting result, as Golden/Maldon had been undefeated in the round robin series, finishing at thetop of the table.
Butithadn't always been awalk in the park for Golden/Maldon. Over the pennantcompetition, they had four wins that weredrawn 3-3games, which they won based on the hoops scored –moredrawn matchesthan anyother team in the pennant. As an indicator of how close the competition was, in Division 1/2, therewere10 matches (out of 20) thatweredrawn 3-3games. Aspecial shout outtothe Quarry Hill Robins (Nick Quirk and Trevor Ware). They qualified second in the roundrobin, but lost their Semi-Final against Golden/Maldon by onehoop, then lost theirsecond-chancePreliminary Final to the Galahs, also by onehoop. Theother Grand Finalists, theQH Galahs, had twowins by onehoop, while the Quarry Hill Ravens had threewins from their 3-3 drawn matches.
In Division3,therewas awider spread of results, with just four matches(from 27) drawn 3-3 games. However, thereweremore(12) walkover matches won5-1 or 6-0, most of them by the Shooters,reinforcing their worthiness as Division3Champions.
It has been an excitingpennantcompetition, and many arealready looking forwardtothe next iteration, hopefully in spring.
Reelzaz takesvictory
Four-year-old mareReelzaz scored at tough win forKynetontrainer Liam HowleyatBendigoon Saturday. Ridden by Jack Hill, Reelzaz made alongsustained run to wear down leader Explain in the shadows of the post.
TheJenharwill Cossar Farms Maiden wasrun over2400 metres, the longest distanceyet tackled by the winner
"A greatreward forthe patienceand belief shown by owner and breeder and greatstable clientDale Corrigan,"was howHowleydescribed the outcome.
Reelzaz started as a$6.50 chanceand the first tworunnersfinished clear of the field.
Dalhousie pennantwinners
Dalhousie District Golf Association's rescheduled Sundaypennantfinals were held at Lancefield. Four finals were played on Sunday, with many individual matches very close, severalgoing to the 19th hole.
Handicap division 1: Broadford dKilmore4/1
Handicap division 3: Kilmored Hidden Valley 4.5/0.5.
Restricted handicap division 1: Mt Macedon d Broadford3/2.
Restrictedhandicap division 2: Avenel dBroadford 3/2. TheDDGAappreciatedall at Lancefield Golf Club having the course in excellentcondition, and providing asplendid lunch and attentivebar staff.All participating clubs were thanked fortaking part in whatwas described as avery successful pennantcompetition, with ShaneCulpin organising the competition onceagain.
Reelzaz ridden by Jack Hill wins the Jenharwill Cossar Farms Maiden Plate at Bendigo
Photo: Brett Holburt/Racing Photos
NDCA autumn croquetpennantwinners (fromleft)Lyn Breenand Mark James (Division 3winners),AllanBreen and GaryDykes (Division 1/2 winners).
ExuberantRomseyyoungster Billy Jarvis is looking forwardtohis 12th birthdayonJuly 6, especially as aday laterheflies to Brisbane to representVictoria in the 2026 Australian Schools Boxing Championships.
Last December the Express outlined howboxing has been alifechanger forBilly,after he successfully made his amateur boxing debut in Canberra.
Proud mum Amber explained howboxing has given Billy confidence, purpose, structureand aplacetothrivewhile navigating multiple diagnostic challenges.
What wasconfronting the intellectually brilliantboy only fully came to lightsome 12 months ago.
"Our family owessomuch to House of Stoush Boxing Academyproprietor/head trainer BrycePoorter in Wallan, as boxing has turned out to be abeneficial sport forBilly in morewaysthan one,"Amber explained.
TheVictorian schools' team comprises42young boxers —bothmale and female —and 10 train at the House of Stoush.
"I can't wait to getonthe plane withthe team and fly to Brisbane," Billy said aftera training session on Saturday.
He is counting down every dayuntil July 7, with the championships taking placeoverfourdaysatthe Eagles Sports Complex, in the Brisbane suburb of Mansfield.
Billy willbeboxing in the Under 13 division, forboys32kg and under Isabella Cassar (U15 girls), Monique Rowe andtwo-times national champion IvyDawson arethe three Poorter-trained females in the team.
Boxing is asport that demands authenticity, where discipline, composureand resilienceare tested openly under pressure.
Young athletesoften dedicate countless hourstotraining, sacrificeand personal growth foropportunities such as this.
Billy also has his sights setoncompeting in the Golden Gloves competition laterinthe year
"Our family would liketosincerely thank all those individuals and businesses who have supported us through raffle donations and vouchersto help meettravel, accommodation and competition expenses,"Amber said.
"Billy is very proud to be representing Romseyatthis levelonthe national stage."
Thunder’sJeff
among Oz best
Local Gisborne Thunder swimmer,JeffConnor,isset to compete in the upcoming Australia Swimming Trials.
Jeff recently swam at the 2026 Australian AgeChampionships on the Gold Cast, supported by his family and coachMattKearns.
Jeff qualifiedfor 3events, an amazing achievementitself,but went on to maketwo Bfinals: Placing 2nd with atime of 23.71 seconds in the boys 50m Freestyle BFinal, ranking him No.2 in Victoria and No.10inAustralia forhis age.
In the boys 50m ButterflyB Final he placed 8th with atimeof 25.93 seconds ,ranking him No.18 in Australia forhis age.
Jeff also competed in the 100m Freestyle, placing 49th nationally
Jeff’s50m Butterfly time qualified him forthe Australian Swimming Trials, which this year acts as theselections forthe Commonwealth GamesAustralian Team.
What aphenomenal fewmonths forJeff, allwhile balancing his year 12 studies. We wish Jeff the best of luck at the Australian Swimming Trials and congratulate himonhis outstanding achievements.
Anyone wanting to join the club or to find out more can contact memberships@gisbornethunder.orgorcome along to the next club nightonJuly 18th at Gisborne Aquatic Centre,registrations at 4.45pm, racing starts 5pm
World Cupkicks off
Castlemaine Goldfields Football Club hosted aWorld Cuplivescreening at TheGoods Shed on Sunday.
More than 300 fans, young and old, went along to watchthe Socceroos overcome Turkiye2:0 in an enthralling game. Thecluborganised the livesiteto celebratethe amazing opportunity to bring the local football-loving communitytogether to watchthe first gamefor Australiaintheir 2026 World Cupcampaign.
TheCastlemaine Rotary Club and the GoodsShed were amazing supportersofthe event.
Open to everyone, the eventisjust another waythe club is bringing the communitytogether to celebratethe love of football in Castlemaine. With both the men’s and women’s national teams succeeding at respectiveWorld Cups, theclub is celebrating on and offthe pitchaslocal playerregistrations at CGFC continue to grow aftereach international tournament!
"After today, we’resurethereare afew of our junior players dreaming of their chancetorepresentAustralia one day,”hesaid.
Castlemaine Goldfields Football Clubcurrently has 160 Miniroos players,23 junior teams (including nine girls teams)and fivesenior teams (including two women’s teams).
“It’sgreat to seethe local football-mad community come out in droves to support our international teams," Hannes said.
“A huge thanks to all our volunteerswho made the daypossible, and to both Rotaryfor the BBQ and the Goods Shed forhosting us.”
Stay tuned forannouncements regarding future screenings as the Socceroos 2026 World Cupcampaign continues.
Hundreds of football fans turned up to Castlemaine Goldfields Football Club’s screening of the World Cup at the GoodsShed on Sunday.
Campbells Creek playedhost to Natte Bealibainround 9ofthe Maryborough Castlemaine District Football Netball League on Saturday.
Thematch sawheavy downpoursresult in slippery conditions.
Creek has been showing marked improvementthis season and Saturdaywas no exception with the Magpies taking thematch rightuptotheir Swans opponents.
Creek kicked three goalstothe Swans one in the opening term to hold an 11 pointled at quarter time
Nattebounced back in the second term slammingon fivegoals to theMagpies twototurn the tables and lead by 11 points at half-time.
Creek grabbed acouple back in the third, but the Swans found four of their owntoextend their lead to 22 points at the final change.
Creek pulled outall thestops in the last quarter kicking 3.5 to Natte's2.3 to win term.
Butthe Swans wonthe dayby19points.
Best forthe CreekerswereIsaac Fletcher,Dylan Stevens, Jesse Presser, James Haber,Jack Larkin and Ben Sutherland.
In the local derbybetween Harcourt and Newstead, the Steaderscaused an upsetdefeating theLions on their home turf at theden in alow scoring arm-wrestle.
Harcourt had theupper hand early on kicking twogoals to the Steadersone to hold aslender six pointleadat quarter time
Harcourt kicked twomoregoals in the second and held the Roos to just fivepoints to extend their lead at 16 points at half-time.
TheSteadersreceived arev up at halftimeand came out firing on all cylindersinthe thirdterm smashing through another fivegoals and holding the homeside to asolitary point.
At the final changeitwas Newstead who held a16pointlead.
Thelast term descended into aslogwithbothsides struggling to gain the upper hand and only managing one goal apiece
Butthe Roos held on to win by 12 points.
Best forNewstead were Liam O’Brien, Lincoln White, William Moran, Lachlan O’Brien, Michael Dalrympleand Cordie McKendry
Best forHarcourt were Billy Quirk, Mark Noonan, Taylar McKnight, DanChaplin, Braydon Vazand Benjamin Leech.
Thewin sees Newstead jump up into thirdspot. Despitethe loss the Lions remain in second spot.
Maldon lost to theMaryborough Giants in another tightbattle.
TheDons started strongly kicking three goalsinthe opening term and holding the Giants to apoint.
TheGiants recoveredinthe second term kicking four goalsand holding the Bomberstoone straightkick.
At half-timethe sides were locked on 27 points each.
Maldon lifted their intensity in the thirdterm kicking another fivegoals to the Giants three to have a10pointadvantagegoing into the final term.
Butnot to be outdone the Giants playedtheir best footyofthe day in the final term kicking another six goalsand shutting the Dons forward line, keeping them to just four points, to eventually winthe match by 22 points.
Best forMaldon were Tadgh Cananzi, Tristian Rowe,MatthewGray, Tully Rowbottom, Patrick Barry and Coby Bennett
TheGiants nowsit in seventh, Maldon have dropped to 11th. TalbothostedTrentham on Saturdayand the matchresulted in another upset.
Roos,Hawks cause upsets in MCDFNL
Thesides were evenly matched in the firstterm kicking three goals each withthe Saints holding anarrow three pointleadatquarter time.
TheHawks found something extrainthe second term bagging another four goalsand keeping the 2025 premiers to apoint.
Talbotled by 24 points at half-time.
Thethirdterm wasonceagain close with each side registering two goals.
At the final changeTalbothad extended their lead to 28 points.
Thelast quarter wasplayedout the sameway,bothsides registering another twogoals and at the final siren Talbotwon by 31 points.
Best forTalbotwereDylan Tarczon, Jayson Atkins, Aaron Collicoat, Adam Scott, Jude McGuireand Charles Aitken.
Best forTrentham were Joel Dovaston, Joel Cowan, Zachary Gervasoni, Harrison Knight, Ryder Henchie and Taylor Ford
Thewin sees Talbotinfifth, whilst Trentham has dropped to fourth.
In other matches Carisbrook had ablistering 95 pointwin overDunolly and Navarrehad a43 pointwin overLexton. Avoca had thebye Netball
On the netball court in AGrade matches Campbells Creek22lost to NatteBealiba 77. Creek'sMillie King led the waywith15. Harcourt 33 defeated Newstead 25. Jordan Bagleytop scored forHarcourt with 23 goals, Brianna Jury netted 16 forthe Roos.Maldon 29 to Maryborough 35. Maldon's Sophie Zammit netted 16 goals. Talbot35defeatedTrentham 27. TheHawks Elenoa Naimalua notched up an impressive 33 goals, theSaints Sharna Ford had18. Carisbrook 52 accountedfor Dunolly 32, Navarre63had abig win overLexton23. Avoca had thebye
This week
In round 10 matches this weekend Avoca takeonNavarre, Maryborough Giants host Harcourt,Lextonwelcome Carisbrook, Newstead tackle Campbells Creek, Dunolly face Trentham, Natte Bealiba versus Talbot. Maldon has the bye
No surprises forwomen
No surprises inround 8of Riddell League women's football on Saturday evening.
Flag favouriteMacedon cruised to a10.5 (65) to 1.6 (12) victory against Riddell. CharlotteNoonan dominatedwithsix goals, andTaya Konias produced three forthe Cats, withNoonan, Brianna Woodburn and captain Ruby Watts leading theway in the 'best player' list.
TheBomberswerewell served by Shai Mychai, Madina Naboli and Ruby Ayers. Lancefield battled for three quartersagainst Mount Alexander Falcons with the outcome still aliveatthe last change.
TheTigersfinished well to win 3.4 (22) to 0.0 (0), with TaleeyaRobotham 2and Lily North the goalkickers.
MollyLibardi, Emily O'Brien and Luzanne de Kock were listed as best forthe winners. Theninth round this Saturdaysees Falcons take on Macedon at 2.30pm at Harcourt,withthe 5pm match being Riddell vLancefield at 5pm.
Sport forall
TheBendigoFootball Netball League andAFL Victoria areemphasising there is no circumstanceinwhich abuse of officials, threateningbehaviour,discriminatory language, harassment, or spectator interferenceare considered as acceptable by the BFNL
"Community sport belongs to everyone, and should be conducted in asafe, welcoming, and respectful environmentfor all,"aspokesman said on Friday.
Theleague and AFL CentralVictoria reiterated acommitmenttoa zerotoleranceapproach towards behaviour that is unbecoming or prejudicial to the interests of community sport Clubs areencouraged to proactively communicate these expectations and ensureALL membersunderstand the consequences of failing to meetthem
All community members attending local matches areurged to demonstrate respect, and call outpoor behaviour wherewitnessed.
New coach
Darraweit Guim Tennis Club has just appointed anew coach.
Jess Norris,who is head coachatHiddenValleyResort, will be conducting sessions forall ages on Fridays
Atennis coach for15 years, said she lovesworking with people, specially kids bringing in good energy to build their confidence, and let them shine within.
Thetennis club announced it is keeping membership fees unchanged forthe next 12 months.
ACampbells Creek footballer attempts amark in heavy rain.
Photo:Max Lesser
TheCreek netballers were valiantinthe wet. Photo:Max Lesser
Gisborne’s quick startdecisive
Ablistering sevengoals to one in the first quarter setthe stagefor Gisborne senior footballerstodefeatGolden Squareby22points on Saturday.
Coach RobWatersand his coaching team must have been pleased with the decisivebounceback aftera disappointing fade out at home against Sandhurst in the previous round.
TheBulldogs went into the match without 19-year-old star JamesGray, who made hisVFL debut withFootscray Bulldogs against Sandringham Zebras at the weekend.
Grayand fellow Gisborne playerDylan Johnstone were named on the benchinthe matchat Whitten Oval
TheZebras wonby11points in alow-scoring affair,with Grayexcited to kick his first goal with acurling shotfromthe forwardpocket to lift the side.
At Golden Square, Gisborne welcomed back acegoalkicker PatMcKenna, and he finished with three goalstonarrowly lead the BFL goalkicking on 31.
The39-pointleadatquarter-timewas trimmed to 28 by half-time.
Gisborne went into the last term 22 points up, and both sides kicked three goalsinthe last
quarter
Thewin means Gisborne is nowinthirdspot on the ladder,withStrathfieldsaye an unlikely ladder leader
It looks to be anyone's premiership at this stage.
Gisborne forwardDominic Sullivan kicked five goals in the 14.13 (97) to 11.9 (75) victory
Frank Schipano wasinfine form, Brad Bernacki again provedhis worth, and JedDenahy, Harry Thomas and skipper ZacVescovimade their presencefelt.
In the Reserves, Golden Squarewon 12.7 (79) to 3.2 (20) and the home side prevailed in the Under 18s 11.6 (72) to 9.7 (61)
With the halfwaypoint of the season reached, the Bulldogs travel to face Kangaroo Flat this Saturdaywith abig chancetoconsolidate BIG MATCHFOR NETBALLERS
Gisborne A-grade netballersfaceattough test against powerful ladder leader Kangaroo Flat
On Saturday, Gisborne cruised to a56-38 win in A-grade overGoldenSquare.
Gisborne teams also won75-31 in A-Reserve, 73-14 in B-grade, and 46-29 in B-Reserve.
Golden Square17&Under side stopped aclean sweep with a62-38 victory
James Gray
Challenging dayfor Magpies
Castlemaine FootballNetballClub headedupthe Caldertotackle Sandhurst at the Queen Elizabeth Oval in round 9ofthe BendigoFootball NetballLeague on Saturday.
Castlemaine came into thematch offa percentageboosting win over Broadford, whilstthe Dragonswerekeentocontinue their momentum afteran11pointwin overGisborne.
TheDragons were quick to getthe scoreboardticking overwith earlygoals to Oliver Stewartand Cobi Maxted, before BodhiRobinson grabbed one forthe Magpies.
Anothergoaltothe Dragons saw themleading by 16 points at quartertime.
KalanHuntly goaledfor Castlemaine early in the second.Jaxon Howardreturned serve forthe Dragons, before Harrison Sheahan kicked another forthe Magpies. Twomoregoals to the home side saw them holding a26point advantageathalftime.
TheMagpiesbouncedbackearly in thethirdwithanother twogoals, but Sandhurst hadall the answers with four more goals widening the gapto34 points at thefinal change
TheDragons bagged twomoreearlyinthe fourthterm. To their creditCastlemaine fought back in the dying stages andkicked two more. Butthe damagewas done andSandhurst claimed the win by 31 points.
Best forthe Magpies were Dylan Landt, Jack Sutherland, Harrison Sheahan, JaiseColeman, Rhys Jenkins, MichaelHartley
Thewin sees Sandhurst in 4th spot,with Castlemaine dropping a rungto6th.
TheReserveswereintouch with the Dragons up until halftime. But thehomeside pulled away in thesecondhalfofthe matchand eventually wonby26points.
Best forCastlemainewereCampbell McLennan,JosiahBell,Jordan Cochrane,Tyson Hickey,Declan Slingoand CurtisMcLennan
TheUnder18s wonathriller in alow scoring affair
Thesides were lockedon1.2 at theend of thefirst term
TheMagpies gotanedgeinthe secondstanza and led by twopoints at half time. They extendedtheirleadto10points at threequarter time.
TheDragons fought back in the lastterm, but the Magpies heldon to win by thenarrowmargin of threepoints.
Best were Morgan McClure,OliverBritt,HarperKneebone, Benjamin Jardine,Brian Shafik-Eid andLogan Browne-Kerr. Women'sFootball
TheSenior Women's and18Girls footballsides alsotookonSandhurst at the QEOonFridaynight.
TheMagpie Women lost aclose clash to the Dragons by just11 points. Despitethe lostthe Magpies still sitin second spot, with the Dragonsnow third. Best forCastlemaine were Taylah Sartori, Jemma Finning,EillishCumming, GraceBrady,AliceD'Arcyand Georgia Gribble.
TheMagpies 18 Girlssquad alsofaced atough opposition in Sandhurst. They battled hard from start to finish butwentdownby15 points. Best onwereAmelia Brown, AvaBartlettand Kate Batchelor. Netball
On thenetballcourt it wasa challengingday forthe Magpies but theydug in and gave theirall.AGrade lost 70-37.Incentiveawards wenttoCharliHenderson and Anna Elliot.AReserve lost 67-41.Award winner wasPaigeMitchener.BGrade lost 48-25. Best wasAshaJacobs. BReservelost52-23.Bestwas Prue Higgins. 17 &Under lost 81-19 Best wasElla Farrington.15&Underlost 88-9.Bestwas TamzynRoser This weekend
This weekend in round10matches Castlemaine willonceagain hit the road to face GoldenSquare at Wade Street
Jack Sutherland landsa tackle on his Dragonsopponent.
Photo: PeterBanko
Magpie netball Anna Elliottakesashoton goal Photo: PeterBanko
Magpie Michael Hartleyflicks off ahandball to teammate Archie Rixononthe run. Photo:PeterBanko
ShowdownatBomberland
Bill West
Therewas plenty to likeabout theway Kynetonand Riddell senior footballerswon their ninth-round matches on Saturday— nowthese twosides clash at Bomberland in the matchofthe round this weekend.
Kyneton'splaying coachEthan Foreman turned backthe clock by kicking nine goalsagainst Gisborne Giants as his side piled on 20.14 (134) to outclass the Giants 10.7 (67) at the Macedon Regional Sports Precinct.
Reigning premiersRiddell, gradually building up towardspeakform as the season progresses, restricted Melton Centrals to amiserable fivepoints in second half of alow scoring contest which ended with a 10.13 (73) to 4.9 (33) scoreline.
Riddell had evergreenMattPannucio in vintageform, and tall ruckman Mark Kovacevicshowedwhy he is ratedasone of the recruits of the season.
TheBombersare thirdonthe ladder,and Kynetonfourth, but the Tigers have amuchsuperior percentageof170.22 per cent
Kynetonwon 20.14 (134) to 10.7 (67) against the Giants, with consistentball winner Caleb Fisher,Foreman and Isaac Barassi among the Tigers'best in the lead-up to theclash with Riddell.
BlakeTirchett, captain Brad Mangan and Matt Quigleywere prominentfor the Giants.
Unbeatenladder leader Wallan took controlinthe second term against Romsey, andwereeightgoals clear at the last change.
To their credit, the Redbacks foughtthe game rightout withfour goals in the last quarter while keeping the Magpies to asolitary point. Wallan, withsix goalsfromLachlan Smart,won 13.13 (91) to 9.14 (68).
Once again avery consistentJack Jedwab seta fineexample with fivegoals forRomsey.
Thereare severalplayers rightinthe race to be the topgoalkicker this season.
Yettobreak the ice, Lancefield battled hardagainst aformidable DiggersRest line-up, being contained to one goal in thefirst half
Final scores were 23.15 (153) to 4.8 (32) withthe second-placed Burras having plenty of flexibility as theytry to discovertheir strongest possible side fora tilt at the premiership.
In the Under 19.5s, the battle between the toptwo sides resulted in a5.12(42) to 3.5 (23) forthe Giants over Kyneton.
Riddell netball at thehalfwaymark
Bill West
Riddell League's 2026 netball season reached the halfway mark on Saturday, andatthis stagethe fivedifferentgrades arebeing led by fivedifferentclubs.
Thesecond half of the home and away matches should see some tremendous tusslesfor favourable positions going into the elimination and qualifying finalsonthe weekend of August 29 and 30.
Kyneton'swinning streak of fiveinarow in A-grade is likely to be challenged at Riddell this Saturday.Bothsides areinfine form.
Theinclusion of Kristiana Manu'aand EllieBirdhave given the Tigers powerhouses at both ends of the court, with their formidable presencelifting teammateswho can see arealistic chanceofplaying finals.
Kynetonwon 61-48 at Gisborne Giants' headquarters,
with Manu'a, Matilda Candy and Bird (54goals)ingood form. TheGiants slipped to sixthplace, with qualityplayersinMalia Seumanutafa,Lauren Clymoand Olivia Craske playing well.
Indicating they have depth in their list, the Giants won their other four matches against Kyneton.
Thetop three A-grade teams, Lancefield, Wallan and Woodend-Hesket,are nowseparated on percentage.
SCORINGBLITZ
Woodend-Hesket went on ascoring spree against cellar dweller Melton South, winning 98-23 to gain awelcome percentageboost.
Topliner Kaylia Stantondominatedwith 82 goals, the highest individual tallyinthe competition.
Coach Ty Coppingerand Georgia Bowkett were also in fine form forthe Hawks, who travel to take on seventhplaced Macedon this Saturday.
Lancefield prevailed 55-44 against DiggersRest, with Lili Florenceand Shanae Brundell sharing the goals.
Fourth-placed Riddell tuned up forthe big match at home
against Kynetonwith a69-57 margin over Melton Centrals ShelbyHolter produced 37 goals, andthree othersadded to the scoring options.
Predictably,Wallan accountedfor Romsey,with Maeve Donegan firing 42 goalsinthe 62-45 margin against aside still looking forits first win. Emma Grech, with34goals, was the Redbacks' best.
Kyneton wingman Jake Grinter looks to clear the ball from defence with James Gaff providing support
Left: Ethan Foreman kicked nine for Kyneton against the Giants Photo: Sophie McLeod Photography
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