BENDIGO has two new recipients of the Order of Australia Medal. Queen’s Birthday honours have been awarded to Councillor Rodney James Fyffe OAM and Brian Joseph Lenten OAM. Cr Fyffe has been rewarded for service to local government, and to the community, and Mr Lenten for service to ..

Greater Bendigo council has delivered what the local community wants, a budget that continues the city’s growth and doesn’t cut services. Council this week announced its biggest ever budget, headlined by an average six per cent rates increase and a further extension of all services. ..

GREATER Bendigo council has delivered a responsible draft budget that balances the need for growth against the need for efficiency. While the six per cent average rates rise will irk some, the larger-than-expected capital works program of $47.36 million will ensure the city’s economy an..

Bendigo’s most recognisable landmark – the Alexandra Fountain – is set to receive a much-needed $100,000 facelift as part of Greater Bendigo’s 2013-14 budget. Mayor Lisa Ruffell said the fountain operates all year round and is currently in need of some repairs. “Wh..

Detailed design and construction of the Long Gully Water Play Park will forge ahead following a $600,000 proposed funding allocation in Greater Bendigo council’s 2013-14 budget. Council recently allocated an additional $50,000 to begin work on the development of the site and cost a preferred..

KANGAROO Flat’s JB Osborne Theatre is open for business. The Bendigo Weekly revealed in August last year Worksafe had closed the theatre in Crusoe College. The theatre was built with community donations on Education Department land, and was run by the school council. Urgent work was ..

Friday has been declared a Total Fire ban for the entire state. Bendigo is facing a very hot start to the new year, with temperatures expecting to nudge 40 degrees for six days in a row from Thursday. The Bureau of Meteorology is tipping the mercury to hit 40 on Friday and 38 on Satur..

Victoria Police and Crime Stoppers are asking Victorians to be the eyes and ears of the community and help stop bushfire arson this summer. Crimestoppers Assistant Commissioner Steve Fontana said up to half of all bushfires are found to be deliberately lit with more than 3000 offences record..

Community health workers hope the government will reconsider a decision to abolish a young people’s youth suicide prevention program. “The government has put out a statement they are reviewing this,” Bendigo Community Health CEO Kim Sykes said. “It’s now mo..

Even before the launch this week, Castlemaine State Festival has booked out the 1200 or so beds available in town for tourists. So director Martin Patel hopes Bendigo will get on board, and promote itself as the place to stay during the ten-day festival in March. "We have launched much e..

Banksia debenture holders caught up in the failure of the non-bank lender will receive between 50 and 65 cents in the dollar. Receiver Tony McGrath from McGrathNicol announced today (Friday) that first payments of 20 cents in the dollar on investments have been distributed. He also relea..

A medical school will be set up in Bendigo, as part of La Trobe University's plans to make the city Australia's leading regional education centre. "Logically at some point, Bendigo will have its own medical school," Vice Chancellor John Dewar said today. "We have great plans ..

BENDIGONIANS got behind Australia’s first solar thermal power station by joining the Walk for Solar on Sunday. The walk started at Senator Bridget McKenzie’s office and ended at Federal Member for Bendigo, Steve Gibbon’s office. Walks for SOALRdarity were organised by the 100 p..

A four-bed ward of patients in Bendigo hospital was invaded by a stern Tony Abbott and a small flock of minders this week, causing one patient to duck for cover under the blankets. The ward visit was the prelude to a quick chat with head of Bendigo Health John Mulder and the executive direct..

FEDERAL Opposition leader Tony Abbott is in Bendigo today. He has visited the hospital, where he has discussed the impact of the carbon tax on the organisation, which has been quoted at $600,000 this financial year. More to come. EARLIER FEDERAL Opposition leader Tony Abbott wil..

The Hon. Julia Gillard MP, Prime Minister of Australia, today launched an $8million, multi-year partnership between the Telstra Foundation and The Alannah and Madeline Foundation to develop and deliver eSmart Libraries across Australia – one of the most significant community cybersafety ..

The carbon tax is now here. Is this the right way ahead for Australia? NO ByPeter Wiseman Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist, tells of a boy forced to plead to a magistrate to save himself from what was a very dirty and dangerous job in 17th century London – cleaning so..

FEDERAL Labor Member for Bendigo Steve Gibbons has launched an extraordinary attack on the Canberra Press Gallery, criticised his government’s judgement about major policy announcements and warned next year’s election could still be close. In an interview with Bendigo Weekly chai..

BENDIGO band Abreact are mid-way through their launch tour and are at the Newmarket on Saturday. Entities was released in December and the band said sales had been better than expected. The tour runs until late February and takes in Melbourne, Frankston, Canberra, Sydney, Adelaide and P..

The Music in the Parks series continues with an evening of Blues and Bluegrass at Happy Jack’s Reserve, Lockwood South tonight. Traditional Bluegrass band Bluestone Junction and old-school bluesman Alawishus Jones will be performing in the beautiful bushland reserve. Greater Bendig..

The Blues Tram returns on Saturday January 26. The Australia Day Blues Tram features veteran Australia bluesman Dave Diprose and raw emerging talent Andrew Higgs. The day kicks off at 1.30pm, and features craft beer, local wine and soft drinks. The tram will roll through the streets of the ci..

By TOM O'CALLAGHAN THE problem with Middle Earth is that it is cruelly immersive. It is an all-engrossing, detailed world, yet too fleeting to spend enough time in. It’s a feeling that I despised when the Lord of the Rings trilogy first hit the screens and only recalled halfway th..

Family friendly events in outdoor settings across the Bendigo region Cinema in the Parks Saturday Evenings in February 8.30pm 2nd ‘Parental Guidance’, Canterbury Gardens, Eaglehawk 9th ‘Wreck it Ralph’, Drive In, Elmore Field Days Site, Elmore 16t..

Cosmo Jarvis has released his third album Think Bigger. The lead single Love This is gaining lots of radio airplay thanks to Triple J and lots of YouTube hits. He’s coming to The Bridge Hotel Castlemaine on Saturday, December 29, so you can see him for yourself. His music and films hav..

South Bendigo coach Rick Coburn has said the issue surrounding the walk-off of indigenous forward David Kruse last Saturday will not be a distraction to his players ahead of a big clash against Sandhurst this Saturday night. Kruse stormed off Gardiner Reserve after being involved in a verbal..

The Bendigo Thunder kicks off its third Victorian Women’s Football League campaign this Sunday, in a re-match of last year’s Grand Final against La Trobe at Dower Park. The Thunder has put together an impressive resumé after only two seasons in the competition, having made..

The issues with the surface at Epsom-Huntly Recreation Reserve have continued, with the Bendigo Pioneers forced to move their TAC Cup season opener due to the ground not being up to scratch. Originally scheduled to be played on their home turf, the Pios moved their game last Saturday against..

The 2013 Bendigo Football Netball League season promises to be one of the most even in years, according to league chief executive officer Steven Oliver. With Golden Square chasing their fifth consecutive premiership, Gisborne seeking revenge after a thrilling Grand Final loss, and Sandhurst,..

Bendigo Braves will be stepping out on to the court with a new style this season, with the Braves and Lady Braves sporting new uniforms in the club’s traditional blue and gold colours. The return to the club’s roots has been welcomed by players and fans alike, replacing the previ..

Despite losing both their opening practice matches of the 2013 season, Bendigo Gold coach Aussie Jones says there are plenty of positives to take out of the games. The Gold battled admirably in their first game against fellow VFL side Northern Blues but ultimately went down by just over four goals..

Next month sees the start of a series of concerts at the Sacred Heart Cathedral. The memorial concerts are in honour of Father Ivan Page who died last year. Father Ivan had a great love of the arts, history and music, and concerts in his honour are an considered an excellent way to remembe..

Floss Ah Dore’s long life has much of Bendigo’s history as its backdrop. Born in Maiden Gully on January 29, 1913, Mrs Ah Dore will turn 100 this week, witness to a century of extraordinary change. Educated at California Gully State School and a member of that suburb’s ..

WORK began this week on the rebuilding of the Anglican church in Kangaroo Flat, destroyed in an arson attack in December 2008. Bishop Andrew Curnow was on hand to turn the sod as the building started, with the new $1.8 million St Mary’s church expected to be completed by the middle of th..

A playground at the Bendigo Aquatic Centre has been decommissioned for safety reasons and will be removed. Community Wellbeing director Pauline Gordon said safety issues were reported to the council this week. “Fortunately no one was injured, but it will cost several thousand dollar..

The shortage of one-bedroom accommodation in Bendigo is most likely to impact on older people, according to a housing support service. “We are encouraging people who live in housing where they are not guaranteed affordable rent to plan ahead for retirement,” manager of Housing fo..

THE future looks brighter for unwanted pets. Bendigo Animal Welfare and Community Services have been awarded a $50,000 grant via the Animal Welfare Fund, the first round of grants announced this year. “We are so delighted to have our work recognised in animal welfare,” BAWCS..

The community grocer at the Hub in Eaglehawk has been open a month, and already it's made a difference. "We've had a 40 per cent increase in turnover," Bendigo Access Employment chief executive Michael Langdon said today at the official launch. "With the closest supermarket more than 2km..

A GROUP of Bendigo businesses are again doing their bit for an African charity. The Athlete’s Foot, VMG Accounting, For Feet Sake Podiatry and Bendigo Wholefoods are all donating a percentage of takings today to the School of St Jude in Tanzania. The school began in 2002 when Australian Ge..

St John of God Finance manager Peter Trendos. In essence, the roll out of NBN in Greater Bendigo will provide improved bandwidth to St John of God Bendigo Hospital at what we expect will be more competitive pricing. This improved bandwidth will enable to the hospital to provide better acce..

BENDIGO'S Sleep City and Everyday Living store at the Rocklea Homemaker Centre at Kangaroo Flat has closed its doors and six staff have been made redundant. Administrators of the store's parent company Furniture and Bedding Concepts, PwC announced the closure as p[art pf the ongoing wind-do..

THE announcement of the National Broadband Network was greeted almost universally with relief and optimism around the city. Over the next few weeks, the Bendigo Weekly will look at the reactions across the city’s big and small business, education and health sectors to find out what it means ..

FIVE Information Technology enthusiasts have embarked on the first day of a five-year cadetship, which will see them study at La Trobe University while working at Bendigo and Adelaide Bank. The cadets are part of a wider program which has offered a further four cadets places at Bendigo IT, Integr..

Chicken breasts in posh ham was on the menu this week at Jamie’s Ministry of Food Mobile Kitchen. The kitchen is up and running, delivering cooking courses to Bendigo residents. The program is built on Jamie’s beliefs about cooking and the associated impact on healthy living...

Margaret Fulton has a lot to answer for – in the nicest possible way. She is credited with changing the way Australians eat and cook. The doyenne of Australian cooking published her first cookbook, The Margaret Fulton Cookbook, in 1968 and sold more than 1.5 million copies with a..

Elisha Jeffrey has always dreamed of owning her own coffee shop and has spent the best part of the past 15 years planning her cafe. She even completed primary teacher training as a backup, only in case the dream cafe took longer than anticipated. Her passion for food and 10 years worki..

Jamie’s Ministry of Food mobile kitchen is coming. It will be welcomed at a free community Day hosted by the Greater Bendigo council and Bendigo Community Health Services on Saturday, January 12 from 9am to 12pm in Bull Street, next to the Conservatory. Council Community Wellbeing..

Bendigo is gearing up for the arrival of Jamie’s Ministry of Food Mobile Kitchen which rolls into town on Friday, January 11. The kitchen will be located at the Conservatory carpark, Bull Street from January 11 to 17 before relocating to the Long Gully recreation reserve, Cunneen Street, Lon..

Food is a big part of Christmas tradition all over the world so it makes perfect sense to include it in the gift-giving ritual as well. The choices are vast, from kitchen gadgets to edible produce and living plants, and who doesn’t enjoy receiving a gift of homemade cooking. Bendi..

A M E Bale: Her Art and Life Peter Perry Castlemaine Art Gallery and Historical Museum, $60 To say that “Alice Marian Ellen Bale is one of Australia’s most significant painters of flowers” may not sound like grand praise. But this beautifully produced book by Cas..

If and when we get to see the BBC’s Parade’s End here, this will probably be the first time many Australian readers have come across Ford Madox Ford. Parade’s End was a trilogy, based on Madox Ford’s life, particularly the period he spent living with Australian artist Stell..

It was a series of coincidences that brought Mary Pomfret to Bendigo. But once here, she found her writing voice. Ms Pomfret will launch her first book this month, a small collection of linked prose pieces called Writing in Virginia’s Shadow. Published by a little innovative company call..

Graeme Simsion has pulled off a tricky challenge in his first novel. First - the author. According to his publisher, Text, he's a computer programmer who founded a consulting business in 1982, which he sold in 1999. He is also a wine importer and an antique dealer, and was, until recentl..

1835 James Boyce Black Inc, $44.95 When Malcolm Turnbull reviewed James Boyce’s brilliant book, 1835, he completed his summary like this: “When governments say, doing the right thing is ‘too hard’, what they are really saying is that it is more lucrative, o..

By Dianne Dempsey Something new, something old, something borrowed, something blue: my summer reading Something new: The Dinner Herman Koch Text, $29.99 This is the first time the popular Dutch writer, Herman Koch, has been published in Australia and you can quickly..