Some changes to the way in which planning applications are dealt with in Hepburn Shire will be trialed for 18 months following a decision by the Hepburn Shire Council. Under pre-existing arrangements planning applications had been dealt with by the council’s planning officers guided by planning frameworks and policy, but have been required to go […]

The Melbourne Road bushfire is not yet under control and is travelling north-easterly towards Sawmill Road at Springmount. Advice messages are currently in place for communities in Newlyn, Newlyn North, Dean, Springmount, Clarkes Hill and Wattle Flat. The Creswick-Dean Road between Melbourne Road and Ballarat-Daylesford Road and the Melbourne Road between Creswick-Dean Road and Howards […]

The Hepburn Springs Sound Shell sets the scene for community carols this Sunday evening from 7pm. Live brass band music and a visit from Santa are all part of the family-friendly program that runs through to 8.30pm. Around the region there’s plenty of festive season fun happening with many special Chrismas church services, masses and […]

For the second year in a row, The Local Publishing Group has been awarded Best Regional Home & Country Lifestyle Media Publishing Group in APAC Insider’s ninth annual Australian Enterprise Awards.  Awards executive Melissa Bramall said the judging panel and research team takes into consideration the commitment, expertise, and innovation demonstrated by nominees through nomination information and voting information.  […]

The Daylesford Community Childcare Centre is turning empty containers into fresh opportunities with their latest initiative to raise funds for Joe’s Kitchen Garden, an inspiring project aimed at teaching children the invaluable skills of growing and cooking their own vegetables.    As a donation partner for the Container Deposit Scheme, the centre is calling on […]

Development of the Ballarat Major Event Precinct has reached a key milestone with the awarding of the contract to lead the redevelopment project. Member for Wendouree, Juliana Addison MP, representing Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events Steve Dimopoulos, earlier this month announced Victorian-based Kane Construction and Nicholson Construction Joint Venture will lead the redevelopment […]

This is what can happen when a father meets Father Christmas. Andrew Moore and  his 11-year-old daughter Annabelle were among the capacity crowd at Stanbridge Hall for a fundraiser for Daylesford’s new cinema when they headed for Santa’s knee.   The result can be seen. And a great round of applause erupted when it was […]

with Eve Lamb Glenlyon’s Claire Clifton is a great example of how being told you’re no good at something may just lead you to become very good at it indeed. Claire’s passion for using creative art to express the inner self – particularly that which does not readily find expression any other way – has led her to produce […]

The City of Ballarat’s partnership with the Western Bulldogs has been strengthened after the signing of a three-year partnership extension to continue hosting AFL and AFLW matches in the city.  In conjunction with the State Government, the new partnership will see two AFL home and away games and one AFLW match played at Ballarat’s Mars […]

While Australia grapples to keep kids safe online, Daylesford’s Dharma School is embarking on a bold new project that uses a mindfulness approach to tackling the problem.  From the new year the school will be part of a Global Wisdom Project as it adapts the Victorian state government’s eSmart package in a way that it hopes will yield far […]

Police are urging motorists to prioritise road safety over the Christmas and New Year period after Operation Roadwise began last week. The statewide road policing operation, which launched on Friday, will run for an extended 20-day period and will see police highly visible across the state’s major roads and arterials. There will be a significant […]

Victoria’s aerial firefighting fleet is ready to respond to what is forecast to be one of the most high-risk fire seasons in recent years for much of the state this summer, the CFA says. Victoria’s Minister for Emergency Services Jaclyn Symes last week unveiled the fleet at Avalon Airport alongside Emergency Management Commissioner Rick Nugent […]