13 February 2025

In this newsletter – information on upcoming road works, more on the Castlemaine Careers Fair, the future of the Maldon Caravan Park and Q&A with Blumes Historic Bakery.

Castlemaine Careers Fair - on next week!

Momentum is building for Wednesday 19 February's event - more than 50 businesses are attending, loads of informative sessions, a networking lunch, 'coffee with the boss' and more. We look forward to seeing you there. 

Intersection upgrade works: corner Forest and Urquhart Streets

Street works have commenced near the site of the new Woolworths in Castlemaine. Traffic lights will be installed to accommodate an increase in traffic at this site. Works are expected to be completed by the end of May 2025. Maben Group is overseeing the project and has provided Council with the information below:

• The bottom of Urquhart St will be closed for the majority of the works due to it being the central location for the signalisation works.
• At various times over the course of the coming months, there will be altered conditions on Forest St, but it will always remain two-way traffic. On occasions during the day, it may be under the control of stop/go battens - when this is happening, traffic is anticipated to only be held up by a few minutes.
• Traffic is encouraged to travel down Forest St as usual, or detour via Andrew and Mostyn Streets. 
• Works will be carried out during the day, with the exception of the asphalt overlay, which will be done over four nights. Maben will notify the community of these dates via the local newspaper and a mail drop.

Should you have any questions or concerns, please contact Maben's Project Manager Josh Walker on 0438 545 527 or  jwalker@maben.com.au.

Johnstone Street Bridge/ Midland Highway closure

Works are scheduled between 20 February - 3 March to strengthen the existing arch rail bridge.

The Midland Highway will be closed with traffic detoured via the heavy vehicle detour route highlighted in yellow.

Any questions can be directed to Ehab Ballu from McInnes Earthmoving on 0451 735 156.

Note: Due to V/Line annual maintenance works, coaches replace Bendigo, Echuca and Swan Hill Line trains for the entire journey from Saturday 22 February to Wednesday 5 March.

Road closures for The Mongoose filming activities

Selected streets in Castlemaine have been chosen as locations for upcoming action-thriller The Mongoose. Servo Productions will be filming next week, and roads in the CBD, as well as a section of the Calder Freeway, will be affected.

Road closures and/ or traffic interruptions are subject to change, and at the time of writing Servo Productions have requested the following:

• Tuesday 18 February 6:00am - 10:00pm - Calder Freeway between Malmsbury junction and Harcourt junction. Traffic controllers will divert traffic along the Old Calder Highway/ Harmony Way
• Wednesday 19 February - Kennedy Street near the Midland Hotel. Also around the Ampol Service Station on Johnstone Street
• Thursday 20 February in the CBD - Lyttleton, Fredrick, Templeton and Hargraves Streets
• Friday 21 February in the CBD - Lyttleton, Fredrick, Templeton and Hargraves Streets.

If you have any queries or concerns, please contact Servo's Supervising Location Manager, Stephen Brett on 0419 335 636, or David Hart, Location Assistant, on 0417 316 694.

What is next for Maldon Caravan Park?

Council has managed Maldon Caravan Park operations since 2023. And as part of our ongoing asset review program we are considering other potential uses for the site. We're looking for business and community input using the online survey to help us understand local needs and priorities.

Your feedback, as well as other planning and budgetary considerations, will be included in a report for Councillors to consider in mid-2025. This will help Council to decide on the future of the park and use of the land.

In addition to asking for feedback, we will be running some community drop-in sessions, which are a great opportunity to find out more about the project and ask questions. 

Q&A with Blumes Historic Bakery

Blumes Historic Bakery in Harcourt is set to officially reopen on Saturday 8 March following a significant restoration. We caught up with owner Jodie Pillinger recently to find out more about this exciting development for Harcourt and the wider shire.

What will Blumes Bakery be offering, and what makes it special?
Blumes Historic Bakery is more than just a bakery—it’s a celebration of heritage, craftsmanship and community. We’re bringing a 100-year-old scotch oven back to life, baking handmade artisan bread, pastries and cakes using time-honoured techniques. Our menu highlights quality ingredients, slow fermentation, and traditional baking methods that honour the past while serving the present. More than just food, we want to create a warm and welcoming space where locals and visitors can connect over great bread and shared history.

What have been the biggest challenges in getting the business up and running?
Restoring a historic bakery is no small feat—balancing heritage preservation with modern functionality has been one of the biggest challenges. Sourcing the right equipment, navigating compliance and approvals, and ensuring our space retains its authenticity while meeting today’s standards has taken time and patience. Another challenge has been the uncertainty of timelines, but having a strong vision (and a lot of determination!) has helped us keep moving forward.

What’s your personal favourite bakery item—and what do you think will be the crowd favourite?
Tough question! I have a soft spot for our classic fruit loaf. Full of flavour, this recipe is unique to Blumes. When we ran a market stall and home-based bakery shop, this was hands down one of our most popular items. But I think our croissants and crusty sourdough will be the crowd favourites - they take days to make but are worth every minute.

Thank you Jodie! You can catch the bakery's opening as part of the Lost Feasts program over the Lost Trades Fair weekend 8 - 10 March.

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Mount Alexander Shire Council
email: business@mountalexander.vic.gov.au  web: www.mountalexander.vic.gov.au

Mount Alexander Shire Council acknowledges that the traditional custodians of this
land, the Dja Dja Wurrung and Taungurung peoples, proudly survive. We acknowledge their continued practice of custom and their close cultural, spiritual, physical, social, historical and economic relationship with the land and waters that make up
their country, which includes Mount Alexander Shire.