The Local - News from Daylesford,
Trentham, Blackwood, Castlemaine,
Kyneton, Malmsbury, Creswick, Clunes, Hepburn Springs and surrounds.

Scottish duo returning to CresFest
Celebrated Scottish duo Chris Stout and Catriona McKay are returning to CesFest this April, bringing their “emotional music of stark beauty and driving energy” to multiple festival stages across the town. Chris and Catriona take the most traditional of Scottish instruments, fiddle and harp, and create glorious soundscapes and music of breathtaking simplicity. Voted best […]
Victorian Goldfields gets green light to seek World Heritage status
The Australian Government has officially given the green light to the Victorian Goldfields’ bid for World Heritage Listing. The move marks a historic milestone after 35 years of advocacy, and follows its successful inclusion on Australia’s World Heritage Tentative List. This significant achievement is the result of a collaborative effort led by 15 councils across […]
Honouring Australia’s first women’s cricket legend
Bendigo local, women’s cricket trailblazer and primary school teacher, Barbara Rae, is set to be immortalised in bronze, as part of the state’s Victorian Women’s Public Art Program. Minister for Women Natalie Hutchins last Saturday announced the statue will have a permanent home in Bendigo – the home of the first women’s cricket match to […]
Rebuild works on Heathcote-Kyneton Road stretch
Crews have begun works to rebuild a section of Heathcote-Kyneton Road from Diss Road to Watts Lane, in a project expected delivering a smoother and more reliable journey for thousands of motorists travelling between Heathcote and Kyneton each day. The project will completely rebuild 2.4km of Heathcote-Kyneton Road in Langley from the ground up, helping to strengthen […]
Don’t be a road fool around school: police
With thousands of children having returned to school in recent days for the first term of 2025, police are again reminding motorists to slow down and take extra care around school zones. It follows a devastating number of pedestrian fatalities in 2024, with 48 pedestrians killed, including three children aged 12 years or under. Sadly, […]
Chance to help shape council strategic direction plan
The Hepburn Shire Council has announced it is developing a new plan to guide its strategic direction for the next four years, from 2025 to 2029. Members of the community keen to have some input now have an opportunity to become part of a Deliberative Engagement Panel to help prioritise intended outcomes. The new Council […]
Memorial bronze plaques stolen from Gisborne cemetery
Police are investigating after heartless thieves stole memorial plaques from a cemetery in Gisborne last week. Investigators believe eight plaques were stolen from the cemetery on Aitken Street sometime between 10am on January 23 and 12pm last Tuesday, January 28. The plaques, worth approximately $250 each, are thought to be made out of cast bronze. […]
Meta’s US fact check failure highlights crucial role of local papers … everywhere
Meta’s plans for the removal of fact-checking services on content posted to its platforms in the US has brought a renewed focus on the importance of regional, rural and local news publishers, media industry leaders say. Country Press Australia president Andrew Schreyer (pictured below) said publishers have never been tasked with so many layers of responsibility, and […]
Fatal collision in Ballarat suburb
Major Collision Investigation Unit detectives are investigating following a fatal collision that happened in the Ballarat suburb of Wendouree last week. Emergency services were called to Creswick Road where a ute and motorbike collided about 6am last Thursday, January 30. The rider, a 50-year-old Brown Hill man, died at the scene. The driver of the […]
Record waterway re-stocking aims to help threatened fish
The Victorian state government says it is bolstering fish stocks in 11 waterways across regional Victoria, helping to improve the populations of threatened fish species. Minister for Outdoor Recreation and Environment Steve Dimopoulos last week announced the successful stocking of a record 141,000 trout cod and nearly 100,000 Macquarie perch into 11 waterways backed by […]
Three charged with drug offences in Wendouree
Ballarat Crime Investigation Unit detectives have charged three people after locating and seizing drugs in the Ballarat suburb Wendouree last week. Investigators executed the warrant at a residence on Hastings Street at 7:40am last Thursday, January 30, and located and seized approximately 4.8kg of cannabis, 18 grams of methamphetamine, one gram of cocaine, three LSD […]
Council to host listening post events
The Hepburn Shire Council will be hosting a series of community listening post events throughout the year with the first in the series scheduled for this month. The listening post events are aimed at strengthening communication and engagement with the community. They will be held in major townships as well as smaller communities, with the […]