Macedon Ranges council is calling on skaters, BMX and scooter riders, and all residents, to have their say on the Gisborne Skate Park plan, open for community feedback until December 16.

The existing facilities are about 20 years old, with the draft concept plan informed by community feedback and designed by experienced local skate park designers Baseplate and EastbyWest.

Informed by community feedback, the proposed Gisborne Skate Park Upgrade has been designed by experienced local skate park designers Baseplate and EastbyWest.

Improvements identified include expanding the skate park to the south, developing a formalised pump track, shelters, seating, bins, and access to drinking water.

It would also include an accessible ramp, improved drainage and repairs to existing chips and cracks.

Council’s Director Assets and Operations, Shane Walden, encouraged regular skate park users and the broader community to have their say on the draft plan.

“From our previous consultation with users and the local community, we know the current facility could cater better to various skill levels and different user groups. The proposed plans identify ways to improve that,” he said.

Kyneton Dry Stone Walling Centre has been named Business of the Year at the 2022 Josh’s Rainbow Eggs Macedon Ranges Business Excellence Awards, also taking out the Excellence in Manufacturing, Trades, Retail and Innovation category.

The winner of the People’s Choice Award was Pearce Electricians.

The awards recognise businesses offering an outstanding service to the shire and beyond, who are of great value to the community providing local jobs, services and supplies.

The Glenlyon Progress Association is hosting a Hall party – “Goodbye 2022” on Thursday, December 29 from 5-8pm.

There’ll be live music (The Cartwheels and Glenlyon Ukulele Team), Curbside Carnies (circus and magic) and great food.  All for the low low $15 (adult), $10 (child U16/conc). BYO drinks. Bookings essential via Trybooking and all welcome.

Macedon Ranges Shire Council now has a new mayor with east ward councillor Annette Death elected for a one-year term.

Cr Death will be supported by west ward councillor Jennifer Anderson, who was elected as deputy mayor after serving as mayor for the past two years.

Cr Death said she was ‘honoured’ to be elected and welcomed the opportunity to lead the team of councillors and work closely with council’s leadership team and the community.

“I look forward to growing in this role with you all. For me, the role of mayor is about bringing people together, encouraging diversity and different points of view, and working closely with the community to achieve positive outcomes,” she said.

More than half of young men in Australia feel that society doesn’t understand them
Key Findings
● 39% of young Aussie men feel they have no one they can really count on.
● 38% have not reached out for help or support when struggling with their mental health.
● More than half (54%) of young Australian men feel pressure around being a man, and two-thirds
(66%) feel society doesn’t understand young men.
● Four in five (81%) young Aussie men feel that the current media focus on the impact of
masculinity on men’s wellbeing was an important one.
AUSTRALIA, Movember 2022: As the hairy season nears a close, new research from Movember shows
1
that men’s mental health is still in crisis, with two thirds (66%) of young men feeling like society doesn’t
understand them, and more than a third feeling like they have no one they could really count on (39%).

A free information session at the Kyneton public library tomorrow promise to provide useful tips and insights on just how Google Earth works – and how to make the most of the technology.

The Goldfields Library Corporation is running the free hour-long Be Connected: Beyond Google Earth session tomorrow from 2pm.

Organisers say Google Earth contains a lot more than maps –  ‘it’s also your personal tour guide of the world’s greatest cultural attractions”.

Tomorrow sessions will show participants how to use the technology to ‘visit’ amazing museums and art galleries with Google Arts and Culture, or let Google Voyager ‘take you off the beaten track’.

“Groups will be small and follow up help provided,” organisers say.

“Be Connected is an Australian Government initiative aiming to empower everyone to use the internet and everyday technology to thrive in our digital world.”

Bookings and more information are available through the library website.

The Hepburn Shire Council has responded to community concerns regarding proposed mining exploration in the Daylesford area.

The council released a prepared statement last week stating that it “recognises there is community concern about potential adverse environmental and social impact of exploratory mining activities following the Victorian Government’s decision to issue an exploratory license to Red Rock Mining”.

The statement continued:
The Victorian Government is the regulatory authority with responsibility for considering,
granting or refusing mining licences of any nature. The process is managed and governed
through the Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety.”
“Council believes the issuing of mining exploration licences near towns and potentially in high
value environmental, tourism and agricultural land creates understandable community
concern,” said Mayor, Cr Brian Hood.
“Council has had an introductory meeting with Red Rock Mining in which it emphasised the need
to engage with the local community on their exploration activities,” he said.
The council’s statement continued:

“Minerals exploration is different to mining. Explorers use mostly low-impact methods to
understand local geology and look for evidence of minerals over a large area, then typically focus
activities on a smaller zone.
“If a commercially viable deposit is identified a separate process toward mining would involve
environmental assessment, a potential planning permit application and local community
consultation.”
“It is somewhat reassuring that prior to proceeding with any mining activity the exploration
license holder is required to adhere to more thorough regulatory, community consultation,
geological and environmental approval processes,” said Cr Hood.
“Exploration companies require landholder consent before accessing private land. I encourage
anyone impacted to find out more about their rights at the Earth Resources website,
www.earthresources.vic.gov.au/landaccess.”

The chance to cool off in public pools throughout Hepburn Shire – should the weather warrant it – will be free this summer season.

The pool season opened over the weekend with the council again offering free entry to its public pools, pleasing locals who love to do laps or simply chill.

But the pool season will be a little different this year due a sector-wide shortage of aquatics staff which will initially reduce pool operating hours.

“We would love for more people to put up their hand and apply for a job with our Aquatics Team
so we can extend the hours of operation of our local pools,” said Bradley Thomas, Council’s Chief
Executive Officer.

“We’re really keen to have more people join our team to give our community the best
opportunity to cool off over summer.

“While lifeguards need to have certain qualifications, there are customer-facing roles such as
Community Pool Assistants, where you interact and connect with patrons, without the need for
pool qualifications.

“I encourage anyone who is interested in taking on one of these important roles to visit our
Council website and apply now.”

Free access to Shire pools ties directly to the Council Plan, where Council aims to create a
healthy, supported and empowered community. Council is investing $500,000 in the costs of
swimming pools in 2022/23, including staffing, maintenance, water and operational costs, along
with $578,000 in capital improvements following the adoption of the Aquatics Strategy earlier
this year.

Mayor, Cr Brian Hood, said that the community told us that access to quality aquatic facilities is
important to them, and Council has listened.

“We are investing over $1 million this financial year in our aquatic facilities,” he said.

“Although limited due to staffing resources, we are aiming to make the opening hours suitable
for family and recreation use and will keep on reviewing and assessing the hours throughout the
pool season. We will extend these hours where we can,” he said.
Pool opening hours are:
• Weekends – 2- 6pm
• Weekdays during school term – 3-7pm
• Weekdays during school holidays – 2-6pm

The council operates a weather policy at the pools. This means Trentham and Daylesford pools open
on days predicted to be 21+ degrees based on the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) predictions for
Ballarat. Clunes Pool opens on days predicted to be 21+ degrees based on BOM predictions for
Bendigo.
Changes to the planned hours will be advertised on Council’s Facebook page.

Daylesford district locals and visitors are being invited to get along to some of the upcoming Catholic Church Christmas Masses as part of their festive season celebrations this year.

Catholic Church Christmas Masses taking place this festive season will include:

Christmas Eve    8.30am St Peter’s Daylesford

Christmas Day   9.00am St Augustine’s Creswick

Feedback is being sought on a Country Fire Authority (CFA) proposal that would see the Riddells
Creek fire station moving sites to continue to serve the community and its members.
The CFA proposes that the fire station on Main Street no longer meets the needs of the brigade, and
an alternative site with more space has been identified within the Riddells Creek Recreation Reserve,
next to the Scout Hall on Sutherlands Road.
The new station would be located on Crown land, where Council is the Committee of Management
and would be subject to a lease agreement with the CFA.
The new station design would provide a building that aligns with current design standards and
addresses shortcomings of the current facility, including:
 the ability to accommodate three fire trucks side by side with drive-through ability
 a dedicated change area, meeting room and administration office.
Mayor, Cr Annette Death, said that Council has been considering the proposal by the CFA to move to
an alternative site in Riddells Creek.
“We’re working with the recreation reserve user groups, and we’d like to also hear from the public,”
she said.
“Please complete our short survey or come along to a drop-in session and share your views – we
would like to hear from as many people as possible.”
Drop-in sessions will be held on:
 Tuesday 29 November, 4−6pm, Riddells Creek Neighbourhood House, 59 Main Road.
 Saturday 3 December, 10am−12pm, Riddells Creek Leisure Centre, enter off Sutherlands Road.
To have your say, view a map of the proposed site plan and other sites considered, visit
mrsc.vic.gov.au/yoursay or call 5422 0333. Submissions close 23 December.

Victoria’s agricultural department is hosting an online forum to explore practical measures aimed at helping farmers and other primary producers to increase their energy productivity and axe their electricity bill.

The department’s upcoming session will be online, open for all who are interested and happens Wednesday 14 December at11.30 am.

Energy expert David Coote will be presenting on energy saving opportunities and best use of solar and batteries and much more.

Those interested are invited to contact Kelly Wickham for information on 0456 772 641 or kelly.wickham@agriculture.vic.gov.au

The Australian Government is inviting councils and community organisations in the Ballarat electorate to participate in the Disaster Ready Fund (DRF) consultation process.

The first round of the DRF is set to commence in early 2023 to help communities better prepare for future disasters, after passing the Parliament in recent days.

Up to $1 billion over five years will be made available under the DRF, with states and territories able to apply for the first $200 million to fund projects that help reduce disaster risk and build resilience to be delivered from 1 July 2023.

Federal Member for Ballarat, Catherine King said the DRF is an important milestone in the implementation of the Government’s disaster resilience initiatives.

“The Australian Government’s commitment to better invest in disaster risk reduction is underscored by our billion dollar DRF, which will make vital funding available for projects that aim to limit the devastating impacts of natural disasters,” Ms King said.

Recent flooding events across the Ballarat electorate highlight the need for investment in reducing the physical, economic and social impacts of disasters.

“It is clear that the frequency and intensity of natural disasters is increasing. The DRF will support councils and community organisations in our region to reduce the vulnerability of our communities to natural disasters and limit the impact that these disasters may have,” Ms King said.

We all have a role in being better prepared for natural hazards, and this is your opportunity to have your say on the DRF. Everyone is encourage to participate in the Designing the Disaster Ready Fund Survey, available at nema.gov.au/programs/disaster-ready-fund.

More information about the first Round of the DRF will be published on the National Emergency Management Agency’s website.

The Daylesford Community Brass Band is in a festive mood as it prepares for quite a few Christmassy outings in coming days.

The band’s list of upcoming public performance dates include:

Carols at Daylesford Christmas Market    Friday December 9th 

Carols around Hepburn  Monday December 12th…6pm onwards

Carols at Daylesford Christmas Market  Friday December 16th

Carols by Candlelight….Hepburn Sound Shell  Thursday December 22nd  8pm onwards

Carols in Vincent  Street…Saturday 24th December   10:30am onwards  

New Year’s Eve’s Parade…Saturday December 31st

Glenlyon Sport’s Day…. Sunday January 1st 2023