This week in the Tarrangower Times

Still not sold on solar

Local residents attended a community information session at the Baringhup hall this week regarding a proposal to build a huge solar energy complex  out on the Moolort plains, on Havelock Road.  

The multinational company behind the proposal, Renewable Energy Systems (RES), plans to install 266,000 solar panels on a 520 acre block of leased land.  This would generate 75 MW of energy that would supply 44,000 homes. 

There is stiff opposition to the solar project from many members of the local community, owing to the fact that the block is only metres from the Baker family home.  The house, which is built on a high ridge, has views that extend across the Loddon Valley to the Nuggettys and Mt Tarrengower.  RES intends to minimise the solar development’s visual ‘pollution’ by planting a belt of vegetation between the Baker residence and the solar site.  The Bakers remain unconvinced that this is a viable solution...

Maldon RSL hall receives much needed grant

The Maldon RSL Sub Branch has secured a 21-year lease of ‘their’ building which will allow them to upgrade hall facilities beginning with a kitchen replacement. 

On Tuesday, Federal member for Bendigo Lisa Chesters proudly announced a $10,504 grant from the Federal Government’s Stronger Communities Program. The  replacement kitchen has been identified as a priority as the current kitchen is no longer serviceable in its current state...

I think I can, I think I can ...

The Victorian Goldfields Railway (VGR) proudly unveiled the latest project of their Victorian Goldfields Railway’s Young Volunteers Group (YVG) last Saturday in Maldon. 

This group of dedicated younger volunteers has completed a major cosmetic restoration and repainting of an historic Y class diesel locomotive. 

VGR President Steve Strangward said, “The VGR actively fosters a culture of encouraging all volunteers and especially the younger people, who will be able to take the railway forward and keep old traditions alive as well as learn new skills. This is a major success story for this dedicated group, many of them have given up holidays to work to an incredibly tight timetable. The result is a remarkable transformation of a very tired, rusty looking locomotive into a new 1965 classic Victorian Railways appearance...

and more .......