19 March 2026

In this edition of Business Link - Celebrating our local business heroes, a tribute to visionary Alison Lansley, inclusive tourism, charity golf, Councillors visiting Harcourt, plus lots of free training opportunities.

Help us recognise generous local businesses who stepped up in the fires

Business Mount Alexander (BMA) is inviting the community to nominate local businesses that demonstrated outstanding generosity throughout the bushfire response.

Across the shire, businesses stepped up in remarkable ways - from cafés sending pizzas to our firies, to retailers supplying bottled water for recovery centres, to local B&Bs opening their doors to residents who lost their homes. These acts of kindness played a crucial role in helping our community get through the immediate aftermath of the fires.

BMA wants to ensure these contributions are properly acknowledged and celebrated. If you know a business that went above and beyond, please take a moment to nominate them using our quick online form. You may nominate more than one business and nominations take only a few seconds to complete.

📅Nominate by Friday 27 March 2026

Vale Alison Lansley: a visionary for artisan cheese

It is with great sadness that we mark the passing of Alison Lansley, co-founder of Castlemaine’s Long Paddock Cheese and The Cheese School. A former corporate lawyer and partner at Mallesons Stephen Jaques, Alison pivoted her formidable professional skills toward a passion for artisan dairy, becoming a transformative figure in the Australian food industry.

Since opening at The Mill in 2021, Alison’s leadership helped establish Castlemaine as a national hub for excellence. Long Paddock Cheese achieved national and international acclaim, including prestigious gold medals at Le Fromage Mondial in France. Her contribution extended far beyond our shire; she served as the long-standing Secretary of the Australian Specialist Cheesemakers’ Association and was the founding Chair of Melbourne Farmers Markets. In this role, she guided the markets through periods of growth and change with a steady hand and a deep belief in supporting local producers and authentic food systems.

Alison was a tireless advocate for local food networks, organic production, and professional mentorship. Her warmth, intelligence, and dedication to the craft have left an enduring legacy on our local economy and the national artisan community. We extend our deepest condolences to her family, colleagues, and the team at Long Paddock.

Unlocking access: what inclusive tourism means for Victoria

Victoria’s tourism industry is shifting toward accessibility as a fundamental requirement for sustainable growth. Recent research undertaken in New Zealand by a Victorian Tourism Industry Council's award recipient highlights practical, evidence‑based lessons for Victoria, with tourism operators urged to consider taking these actions:

• Make access to information your first upgrade
• Design for dignity and shared experience
• Invest in staff confidence

Read the full report for more tips on how to unlock broader participation in your offering. And learn more about the Lynette Bergin Tourism Excellence Award - an annual grant for an individual seeking professional and personal growth whilst striving to benefit the Victorian tourism and events industry.

Cultural Diversity Week: 21 - 29 March

Did you know more than 35 languages are spoken in our shire? During March, Victorians are invited to recognise and embrace cultural diversity. Cultural Diversity Week offers business owners a powerful opportunity to connect with customers, strengthen workplace culture and build brand visibility in authentic and meaningful ways. 

Celebrate multiculturalism through your products and services, use storytelling to connect with customers and build long-term inclusion strategies. 

Cultural Diversity Week invites people and workplaces to share their stories online using the tags  #CulturalDiversityWeek, #CDW2026 and #CultureConnectsUsAll

Payday Super starts 1 July 2026 - get ready now

From 1 July, Australian employers must pay employee superannuation guarantee (SG) contributions at the same time as their salary and wages, rather than quarterly. The Australian Tax Office (ATO) has released new resources to assist business owners prepare for Payday Super. Watch a short video that outlines common pitfalls to avoid, how to stay on track between now and 1 July, and manage your cashflow. 
You can also sign up to the ATO's fortnightly Business bulletins email newsletter to receive timely information relevant to your business and industry.

Castlemaine Toyota Charity Golf Day

Castlemaine Toyota is calling on local businesses, mates, and golf tragics to rally a team for the first annual Castlemaine Toyota Charity Golf Day.
This isn’t just a great day on the course, it’s a chance to help support the Harcourt bushfire rebuild, with funds raised going toward helping the community recover.
Business owners are invited to donate an auction item or prize. Email Castlemaine Toyota below or call 03 5470 5255.

📅 Friday 1 May 2026 
🕔Breakfast and check-in 8am, tee off 9am
📍Castlemaine Golf Club, Pyrenees Hwy, Castlemaine 3450
💲1,000 team entry (4 players)

Community Giving Project 

Elders' annual grant programme is now open. The programme supports initiatives that provide sustainable, tangible and long-term benefits for Australian rural, regional and remote communities. This in turn builds capacity, longevity, liveability and connection in the regions. Based on six distinct pillars, the project offers a total of 12 grants.
Not-for-profit organisations with an ABN and incorporated organisations and auspiced unincorporated organisations are eligible to apply.

📅Applications close 21 May 2026
💲Two tiers of funding are available: $10,000 and $20,000

Councillors to visit Harcourt

Council warmly invites all Harcourt residents to a relaxed community barbecue. Councillors will be cooking and available for a chat. No agenda. No speeches. Just connection, care and community. 

📅 Tuesday 31 March 2026 
🕔 3.00pm - 6.00pm
📍Harcourt Leisure Centre, Recreation Reserve, Binghams Rd, Harcourt 3453
💲Free

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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.