Castlemaine
Goodbye music festivals, hello food festivals? Where to plan your next regional road trip
From community-led harvests, to cheese and bread workshops with Australia’s best, regional food festivals have a lot to offer – and they’re booming. Here’s our pick of five to visit this autumn.
- by Bianca Hrovat
Latest
Victoria’s oldest festival under a cloud as administrators appointed
The Castlemaine State Festival traditionally attracts up to 50,000 visitors, but its future is uncertain after significant losses at last year’s event.
- by Kerrie O'Brien
Is this regional town now up there with nearby Daylesford in the quality dining stakes?
There’s a top chef serving farmhouse French food in heritage digs, another cooking affordable public bar dishes in a cosy space on the main street, and a much-needed pub in a picturesque small town nearby.
- by Emma Breheny
Heritage-listed Castlemaine church to be reborn
The historic church is likely to find a new purpose, with zoning allowing numerous uses, including conversion to residential, short-stay accommodation, childcare, commercial, a community centre or a place of assembly or worship.
- by Nicole Lindsay
Giant throne without pier heading for Lorne
Artist Stevens Vaughn’s ‘Throne of Potentiality’ rises higher than 4 metres with more than enough room to fit two adults sitting comfortably.
- by Benjamin Preiss
Graphic content
Courts
‘I can’t do it myself’: Son sentenced for aiding ailing father’s suicide
Colin Stratton, 80, begged his son to shoot him to end his chronic pain soon after being told paperwork for assisting dying could take weeks.
- by Erin Pearson
Review
Victoria
Pioneering dining at Bar Midland in Castlemaine's grand dame
With climate change in mind, the tasting menu is built within tight parameters: no refined sugar, and only wild introduced species for meat.
- by Gemima Cody
Castlemaine embraces freedom as regions emerge from COVID lockdown
Businesses and residents said they were surprised to be granted freedom so soon, and admitted to some nervousness that restrictions could be imposed again just as quickly.
- by Benjamin Preiss
Principal counselled after breath testing high school students on muck-up day
A central Victorian state high school principal has been "counselled" by the Education Department after year 12 students were subjected to alcohol breath-testing on their 'muck-up day' last week.
- by Rachael Dexter
'It's special': Regional Victorians thrilled at prospect of household bubble visits
Six-year-old Lucia from Castlemaine is looking forward to reuniting with her grandparents from Phillip Island under easing of COVID-19 restrictions for the state's regions.
- by Carolyn Webb
Two dead, three in hospital after horror crash on Calder Freeway
Frantic calls to triple zero were made in the minutes before a driver going the wrong way on the Calder Freeway was involved in a horror crash, killing two.
- by Erin Pearson and Ashleigh McMillan