“They’re the benchmark …. They’ve just given us a football lesson,” was how Kyneton Football Netball Club president Guy Nelson summed up Riddell senior footballers doubling Kyneton’s score at the Showgrounds on Saturday. The fourth round drawcard match between the two unbeaten teams left the Bombers feeling pleased with the way they are travelling, and the Tigers’ playing coach Ethan Foreman declaring “We’ve got a lot of work to do”. Nelson spoke realistically after Riddell had toppled the Tigers 14.11 (95) to 7.5 (47), with the latter side’s last two majors coming in time-on during the last term. “We’re still a young side, and Riddell showed they are going to be very hard to beat,” the Kyneton president added. The Bombers displayed plenty of running power and teamwork, and veteran spearhead Dean Galea kicked five goals in a proactive display. Riddell coach Arron ‘Skip’ Bray was comfortable with his team’s display, and the season ahead. He said the Bombers had to work hard initially to match the keyed up Tigers and stayed in control after going to half-time with a lead of 23 points. Foreman acknowledged Riddell’s depth and flexibility, and has good reason to believe the Tigers can make the finals. The match at the Showgrounds was a real battle for supremacy in the early stages, then Riddell took control to lead by 23 points at half-time. Six goals to two by the dominant visitors in the third term snuffed out any hope of the Tigers causing an upset. The last quarter was even, and Bray and his Bombers could go home happy with the overall performance. Final scores — Riddell 14.11 (95) d Kyneton 7.5 (47). Callum Williamson, Dylan Tarczon, Josh Grabham, Galea, Luke Cannon and Bryce Williamson were among the Bombers’ best, while Kyneton was well served by Calan Bowman, Charlie Thompson, Danny Grmusa, Josh Willmott, Harrison Huntley and Caleb Fisher. Earlier, Kyneton Reserves led by 17 points at half-time, but the Bombers revived and secured a 8.9 to 6.8 victory. Kyneton Under 19.5s were supreme, winning 15.17 to 5.7 to delight supporters. Kyneton travel to play Melton Centrals this Saturday in a ‘must win’ fixture, while the confident Bombers are home to Woodend-Hesket, with the Hawks coming off their initial victory where they accounted for Gisborne Giants by 27 points in a high-scoring contest. Finals aspirant Romsey turned in its best performance of the season, defeating visitors Macedon by 40 points to lift confidence for matches ahead. Redbacks’ coach Nathan Blair was entitled to be well pleased with his side’s first half, when they restricted the visiting Cats to just nine points. Sam Wilson, Blair, Jack Jedwab (four goals) and Ash Millane were listed as Romsey’s best, while Macedon could not reproduce the form that earned a draw with Diggers Rest in the previous round. Final scores were 10.9 (69) to 4.5 (29). Nine goals in the second term by Woodend-Hesket guaranteed the Hawks their first win of the season at the expense of Gisborne Giants. The Giants showed plenty of fighting spirit and ability in the second half, going down 15.11 (101) to 11.9 (74). At Wallan, Lancefield turned in a highly competitive first half to trail by just 15 points at the long break. Class eventually took its toll in the final term, with the Magpies running away to win 18.17 (125) to 8.12 (60). FREE digital editions and weekly newsletter direct to your inbox CNN and the BBC World Service which is copyright and cannot be reproduced AEST = Australian Eastern Standard Time which is 10 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) Crews responded at about 1pm to reports of an animal stuck in a tree along the Campaspe River in Kyneton.   Wildlife Victoria attempted to free the currawong despite getting in the water they were unable to free the bird they contacted Kyneton Fire Brigade who arrived promptly and ready to help Crews used their rescue equipment to get the bird out of the tree and it was then able to be disentangled from the fishing line.   The bird had a damaged beak and a swollen wing but is expected to make a full recovery A spokesperson for the brigade said CFA volunteers are always ready to answer the call for help wherever it might come from.  “We’re incredibly proud of our volunteers no matter who needs help,” they said View all stories View more contacts The Facebook feed is contained within an iframe and as such is not available via keyboard access. Please visit our Facebook page directly to view the latest feeds. The Instagram feed is contained within an iframe and as such is not available via keyboard access. Please visit our Instagram page directly to view the latest feeds. Tweets by CFA_Updates We are currently experiencing issues with our embedded Twitter feed We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the Traditional Custodians of the land Copyright 2025 CFA (Country Fire Authority) In a thrilling top-of-the-ladder clash, Gisborne-Kyneton United edged out Taylors Lakes by just seven points in a fiercely contested match that went down to the wire. The lead changed multiple times throughout the day as both sides brought their best football in a high pressure, highly contested game. The match was ultimately decided in the final quarter, when experienced ruck Belinda Hateley pushed forward and slotted a crucial goal, giving GKU the breathing room they needed to hold on for the win. Hateley was instrumental all day, dominating the ruck contests and providing first use to a developing midfield group. Ainslie, Korinfsky and Nicholson were relentless through the midfield, linking up beautifully to feed the outside runners Chiara Dickson and Alicia Chadwick and keep the ball moving forward for GKU. Their work around the stoppages helped set the tone in a game where territory was hard-fought. On the scoreboard, Hateley, Cowan and Jacobsen-Logan all contributed with two goals each, providing a consistent threat up forward. GKU’s defensive unit held strong under immense pressure from the Taylors Lakes forward line. Mitchell played arguably her best football to date, intercepting and rebounding well, while Peterson, Lenius and Brancatisano were rock solid in defense, shutting down key opposition attacks and helping to maintain structure when it mattered most. GKU 6.5.41 def Taylor’s Lakes 5.4.34. Round 5 sees GKU take on Sunbury Kangaroos Saturday May 10, 5pm at Gardiner Reserve. A large number of native and exotic reptiles, birds and mammals were seized from a Kyneton business last Thursday. Officers from the Victorian Conservation Regulator and Victoria Police raided the disused factory site in Beauchamp Street discovering the animals inside a large shipping container. About a dozen officers and wildlife experts took about eight hours to remove the animals from the 40-foot container and nearby sheds. Many of the animals were found dead. It’s expected that charges will follow. The operation was part of an ongoing investigation into illegal wildlife trade. All wildlife is protected in Victoria under the Wildlife Act 1975, and it is illegal to possess, take or destroy wildlife without authorisation. Loddon Mallee operations manager, Suriya Vine, said the laws were in place to protect wildlife and to prevent biosecurity risks. “Our laws and permit systems exist to prevent the exploitation of native and exotic animals as well as protecting their welfare,” she said. “If you are aware of suspicious behaviour around wildlife, we encourage you to report it to Crime Stoppers Victoria. Even a small amount of information from the public can help fight wildlife crime.” Exotic pest animals aren’t pets and pose a serious biosecurity risk to Victoria. The illegal trade, sale and distribution of these exotic species risks normalising these animals as pets in Victoria, which in turn risks their escape or release into the landscape and becoming pest species. If you know of any offences being committed against Victoria’s wildlife, you can make an anonymous report to Crime Stoppers via 1800 333 000. Play Duration: 10 minutes 46 seconds10m Brought to you by Tight rules and prohibitive sponsorship costs mean a Kyneton cafe owner may lose three successful migrant workers as their visas expire. Little Swallow Cafe has had three skilled visa holders successfully working as chefs in his kitchen, but none have been offered residency and their visas are set to expire. Owner Daniel Richards told Ali Moore he cannot attract Australian workers, so losing these workers could mean he has to cut back on hours, which would impact other staff at the cafe. Chair of the Law Coucil's Migration Law Committee Carina Ford then joined the program to explain the worker visa rules, and why so many other businesses are in the same situation.  Press play to hear both interviews on 774 ABC Radio Melbourne Drive.  The Little Swallow Cafe in Kyneton may lose essential workers and have to wind back opening hours due to tight visa rules(Supplied: Little Swallow Cafe Facebook) Download the ABC listen app to text and call your favourite live radio The story of a former Kyneton colonel will be one of those shared at this year’s Mount Macedon Anzac Day Dawn service with this year’s event focussing on the wide-reaching impacts of war the event will draw on stories from local ex-service people to explore the many impacts that war has on those who serve The event will be emceed by Kyneton Royal Australian Navy veteran Luke Bordonaro and students from local high schools will present stories from veterans Francis Donovan from Woodend; late colonel John Charles Barrie formerly from Kyneton; and veteran James Gardiner Daniel whose parents previously resided in Kyneton Mount Macedon Anzac Day Dawn Service committee president Leona Latcham said the students bringing Barrie’s story to life through his own words – which were published in his book Memoirs of an Anzac with the support of his surviving family – will be a special highlight of this year’s service “He was involved in the landing at Gallipoli and later served at the Western Front and was wounded twice during the war His granddaughter Judy Osborne will travel from interstate to attend the service with other members of the family so it will be a very special morning,” Ms Latcham said The service starts at 6am at the Mount Macedon Memorial Cross and runs for approximately an hour with free shuttle buses running from Tony Clarke Reserve in Macedon from 4.15am shut to public traffic for the morning for the safety of attendees Parking is available at Tony Clarke Reserve and free bus services will also run from Gisborne Details: mtmacedondawnservice.org Kyneton has set its standard for the rest for the RIddell District Football League in a dominant round one display. The Tigers had the weekend off due to playing on Good Friday in a split round tow, but couldn’t have asked for a much better start according to coach Ethan Foreman. Kyneton faced newcomers, the Gisborne Giants, in round one. “It was really good and I was happy with the boys,” he said. “We were able to stand in solidarity with the supporters after the pre-season and we were able to set the standard for the rest of the year.” While things were tremulous off field over the summer at the club, Foreman said on the track it had been a really good one for the men’s football program. He said going into their second season in the competition they were always going to be better placed. The Tigers finished last season in sixth spot, a game outside the top five. “We’ve had a really good strong pre-season,” he said. “We’ve added a couple new boys who have been handy additions across the pre-season. “It was always the plan to take a step back last year and focus on local talent and build from there. “It was our first time and we could gauge where we were at. We’re now looking at finals and pushing for top three.” The new recruits made an instant impact for the Tigers. Foreman said Danny Grmusa was best on ground in round one while Hayden Smith, Isaac Barassi, Frankie Ellia and Jacob Grinter all made their debut for the Tigers. Foreman, who kicked seven goals in the opening round, said there were plenty of youngsters that had taken that next step in the off season as well. He said while last year was tough at times with injuries, it allowed others to get their opportunity and they were keen to continue to develop this season.. “We’ll keep bringing through the youth,” he said. “We had a young kid who’s only 19 who was on the fringe of playing seniors last season. “We had two injuries to rucks and he ended up rucking the whole season and finished three in our best and fairest. “Something like that and development from him has been unbelievable and it shows coming into this year.” Foreman said while it can be tricky having a bye straight after round one, he said with many sore bodies, including his the break would be good and they would be ready to go for Woodend-Hesket on Good Friday. A large number of allegedly unlawfully possessed animals, alive and dead, were found at a Kyneton premises this month as part of an investigation. The state’s conservation regulator searched a Kyneton business with warrants on Thursday, April 3, locating a large amount of wildlife – with some of the animals found dead. The search warrant was part of an ongoing investigation into the alleged unlawful possession of native and exotic wildlife. All wildlife is protected in Victoria under the Wildlife Act 1975, and it is illegal to possess, take or destroy wildlife without authorisation, with exotic pest animals posing a serious biosecurity risk to Victoria. Conservation Regulator Loddon Mallee manager of regulatory operations Suriya Vine said that the laws and permit systems exist to “prevent the exploitation of native and exotic animals as well as protecting their welfare”. “If you are aware of suspicious behaviour around wildlife, we encourage you to report it to Crime Stoppers Victoria. Even a small amount of information from the public can help fight wildlife crime,” Ms Vine said. According to the Conservation Regulator, the illegal trade, sale and distribution of these exotic species risks normalising these animals as pets in Victoria, which in turn risks their escape or release into the landscape and becoming pest species. If you know of any offences being committed against Victoria’s wildlife, you can make an anonymous report to Crimestoppers by calling 1800 333 000. A grassfire on a section of the Calder Freeway in Kyneton is currently under control with one tanker visiting the site on Sunday morning to ensure there are no hot spots at the scene The fire started on a section of the freeway between Trio and Edgecombe roads with VicEmergency issuing a ‘watch and act’ warning on Saturday night VicEmergency provided an update shortly after advising local residents that the threat level was reduced the fire was initially reported at 5.56pm on Saturday and was attended by 32 CFA resources and put under control at 6.39pm A new era of women’s football is underway in Kyneton with the formation of the Kyneton Women’s Football Club coaches and support staff who had been playing under the Kyneton Football Netball Club’s women’s banner in recent years In a statement the new club said that this move reflects their dedication to fostering a strong inclusive and supportive environment where women and gender diverse players can thrive President of the new club Natalie Korinfsky said it was a step in the right direction “We are really excited as a playing group,” she said “We want to start this new journey as a new club “It’s been our dream for a little while and as players we feel it will be a better fit going forward.” Korinfsky said those involved in the new club wish nothing but the best for the KFNC in the future Many who have joined the new club have been involved in women’s football in Kyneton for 10 years and will bring that experience across who has been a key figure for the side on and off the field said they know it will be tough setting up a new club but they had plenty of support behind them She said any players or volunteers who want to join the club are welcome “We want a future for women’s football in the region,” she said “We have a good foundation for a club that will be for the players and the community.” The new club is talking with all local leagues in regards to which competition it will play in this year It is also in discussions with the Macedon Ranges council and other local sporting clubs about the use of grounds for training and games The club will just have women’s football in 2025 with the hope of adding girls football in the future who has been coaching the existing women’s side will be the inaugural coach at the new club Hawkes is a premiership coach at the Sunbury Lions and coached in the last two Riddell District Football League women’s grand finals with the KFNC team The majority of the players that have been part of the KFNC team in recent years are also making the switch across to the new club who has played more than 200 games and won four club best and fairests and a league best and fairest is the first signing announced by the new club She said playing footy was fulfilling a childhood dream Peta Turnbull is the other signing announced so far Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time It’s an ordinary Wednesday night at the Kyneton Hotel when the women’s football team run into a local superfan proudly wearing her club vest and a tiger mascot bracelet She’s heard the news about the women’s team forming their own independent club How will she be able to watch both teams play What will this mean for the future of the town The Kyneton Women’s Football team have formed an independent club.Credit: Penny Stephens football is the lifeblood of Kyneton and many towns like it Women’s player Charlie Bracey calls it “a real focal point for a large proportion of the community” and it’s an important lifeline for lots of people .. So when Bracey and her teammates decided to leave the Kyneton Football and Netball Club after safety it caused a stir within the tight-knit community There were some particular incidents that contributed to their decision The women say the club’s change rooms were left for them in a dirty condition and that they were harshly criticised by email and text the women’s team say they put a rainbow sticker in the clubrooms to celebrate Pride Round where the football and netball club is based when a pre-scheduled club fundraiser coincided with the women’s grand final Despite attempts to negotiate a time change there was an overlap between the game and the event the women’s players grew tired of being part of a club which they feel didn’t have their back “And we had to make a choice to lead ourselves into hopefully what is a better future for women in sports.” They’ve named their breakaway team the Wedge-Tailed Eagles and are seeking a spot in one of their local competitions But with AFL registration deadlines already passed They’ve been rejected by three competitions – including the Riddell District Football League where they played as part of the Tigers in 2024 but we’re leading this cause … we want it better for everyone else even if that means we lose something out of this,” Korinfsky says Kyneton’s football and netball grounds are adjacent to the local main street The brick grandstand sits proudly at the head of the main oval A large yellow and black sign welcomes you to “Tigerland” the Kyneton ranks among the oldest Australian rules clubs in existence but the club isn’t headline news throughout the entire town One fish and chip shop worker says they don’t have much to do with the club Another lady sitting on a bench admits she hasn’t heard anything “There’s a lot of angry people,” one long-term sponsor says not willing to be named because of their connection with the club “A lot of people don’t really want to say anything because it’s so controversial.” this committee has really helped the club … I really don’t know how it’s spiralled out of control as badly as it has who has been playing football for a decade says that these attitudes are what make her nervous to walk around her home town She’s taking a drink break during her team’s regular Wednesday training which is temporarily being held at the local high school but the women are still practising diligently Not necessarily from a physical standpoint but I don’t know what kind of treatment I’m going to get,” Love says Courtney Johns and Belinda Hateley from the Kyneton Women’s Football team “It’s a boys’ club… they’re buying into that old patriarchal narrative where women must fight for the scraps of what men leave us… it goes to the bedrock.” The Kyneton Football Netball Club committee was not willing to speak directly to this masthead about the split instead pointing to a statement published on social media on Wednesday or anyone else feels unsafe and unwelcome within our club,” the statement says “We have always tried to foster a safe and inclusive environment for everyone A team train at the Kyneton football ground Kyneton’s experience isn’t an isolated experience says former female football development manager at AFL Victoria Chyloe Kurdas Women in traditionally male dominated sports have long had a difficult hill to climb “Everyone thinks what you need is all of the tangible things “But actually the most important thing is the stuff that holds everything together when things get hard “If you think about the genesis of leagues and clubs they’ve been built by men to the needs of men and now they need to evolve and become much more gender balanced,” she says the skill set or the experience to do that.” This is where governing bodies such as AFL Victoria should offer guidance to community clubs and leagues there is more chance that a cultural shift will take place Korinfsky has grown frustrated with the lack of support from these bodies While the Kyneton Women’s FC have sought mediation within the Riddell District Football Netball League (RDFNL) and lodged an appeal with AFL Victoria neither of these requests have brought a resolution to their dispute A spokesperson from the RDFNL says that they engaged in constant communications with the women’s club but were ultimately unable to attend a final meeting it is not feasible for us to attend a meeting every time there is a dispute internally at one of our 27 member clubs,” the spokesperson said AFL Victoria was also contacted for comment The team is growing impatient with the bureaucracy They just want to play football at a club where they feel welcome The breakaway team is looking to enter one of the leagues in the Kyneton area Peta Turnbull wasn’t encouraged to play sport growing up she used the wages from her part-time job to pay club registration fees “It’s been a lifesaver … to have this supportive [football] family Open about her struggles with mental health she believes that team sport has played a big part in overcoming them “My life in my brain is scheduled as the off-season and the on-season … I find myself so lost in the off-season because I don’t have my people,” she says It’s been a similar experience for Courtney Johns: “I’ve got my old life back I’ve got the old me back … I’m a better mum and better for myself [because of football],” she says.“I’m standing up for my happiness These women are hopeful about their future on the field As they sit together at the local pub after training there’s excited chatter about the upcoming season “It’s easy to support people to play sport It’s about creating really good people and a really great community that embraces everybody for who they are,” Korinfsky says More than 2000 people have signed an online petition for the women’s club to gain entry to the Riddell District league They’ve raised more than $7000 to go towards the establishment of their new club “There’s a strong 150 years of men’s football in this town and it has been such a driver for the community for so long,” says Korinfsky “So you’re always going to have a bit of push and pull when things change.” And while they’re waiting for that moment of change the Kyneton women will keep training on their makeshift ground They’ll keep running after the ball and look forward to the day when they can lace up their boots for real Keep up to date with the best AFL coverage in the country. Sign up for the Real Footy newsletter It\\u2019s an ordinary Wednesday night at the Kyneton Hotel when the women\\u2019s football team run into a local superfan She\\u2019s heard the news about the women\\u2019s team forming their own independent club Women\\u2019s player Charlie Bracey calls it \\u201Ca real focal point for a large proportion of the community\\u201D and it\\u2019s an important lifeline for lots of people .. it\\u2019s where you go after work,\\u201D she says The women say the club\\u2019s change rooms were left for them in a dirty condition the women\\u2019s team say they put a rainbow sticker in the clubrooms to celebrate Pride Round when a pre-scheduled club fundraiser coincided with the women\\u2019s grand final the women\\u2019s players grew tired of being part of a club which they feel didn\\u2019t have their back there just was no way forward,\\u201D she says \\u201CAnd we had to make a choice to lead ourselves into hopefully what is a better future for women in sports.\\u201D They\\u2019ve named their breakaway team the Wedge-Tailed Eagles They\\u2019ve been rejected by three competitions \\u2013 including the Riddell District Football League \\u201CWe might not get to play footy this year but we\\u2019re leading this cause \\u2026 we want it better for everyone else even if that means we lose something out of this,\\u201D Korinfsky says Kyneton\\u2019s football and netball grounds are adjacent to the local main street A large yellow and black sign welcomes you to \\u201CTigerland\\u201D but the club isn\\u2019t headline news throughout the entire town One fish and chip shop worker says they don\\u2019t have much to do with the club Another lady sitting on a bench admits she hasn\\u2019t heard anything \\u201CThat\\u2019s not really my scene,\\u201D she says \\u201CThere\\u2019s a lot of angry people,\\u201D one long-term sponsor says \\u201CA lot of people don\\u2019t really want to say anything because it\\u2019s so controversial.\\u201D this committee has really helped the club \\u2026 I really don\\u2019t know how it\\u2019s spiralled out of control as badly as it has It\\u2019s disgusting,\\u201D the sponsor says She\\u2019s taking a drink break during her team\\u2019s regular Wednesday training \\u201CThe things that they\\u2019re saying but I don\\u2019t know what kind of treatment I\\u2019m going to get,\\u201D Love says \\u201CIt\\u2019s a boys\\u2019 club\\u2026 they\\u2019re buying into that old patriarchal narrative where women must fight for the scraps of what men leave us\\u2026 it goes to the bedrock.\\u201D \\u201CWe are horrified at the idea that women or anyone else feels unsafe and unwelcome within our club,\\u201D the statement says \\u201CWe have always tried to foster a safe and inclusive environment for everyone Kyneton\\u2019s experience isn\\u2019t an isolated experience \\u201CEveryone thinks what you need is all of the tangible things \\u201CBut actually the most important thing is the stuff that holds everything together when things get hard \\u201CIf you think about the genesis of leagues and clubs they\\u2019ve been built by men to the needs of men and now they need to evolve and become much more gender balanced,\\u201D she says \\u201CThey don\\u2019t have the personnel the skill set or the experience to do that.\\u201D While the Kyneton Women\\u2019s FC have sought mediation within the Riddell District Football Netball League (RDFNL) and lodged an appeal with AFL Victoria A spokesperson from the RDFNL says that they engaged in constant communications with the women\\u2019s club it is not feasible for us to attend a meeting every time there is a dispute internally at one of our 27 member clubs,\\u201D the spokesperson said Peta Turnbull wasn\\u2019t encouraged to play sport growing up \\u201CIt\\u2019s been a lifesaver \\u2026 to have this supportive [football] family It\\u2019s just a feeling,\\u201D Turnbull says \\u201CMy life in my brain is scheduled as the off-season and the on-season \\u2026 I find myself so lost in the off-season because I don\\u2019t have my people,\\u201D she says It\\u2019s been a similar experience for Courtney Johns: \\u201CI\\u2019ve got my old life back I\\u2019ve got the old me back \\u2026 I\\u2019m a better mum and better for myself [because of football],\\u201D she says.\\u201CI\\u2019m standing up for my happiness there\\u2019s excited chatter about the upcoming season \\u201CIt\\u2019s easy to support people to play sport It\\u2019s about creating really good people and a really great community that embraces everybody for who they are,\\u201D Korinfsky says More than 2000 people have signed an online petition for the women\\u2019s club to gain entry to the Riddell District league They\\u2019ve raised more than $7000 to go towards the establishment of their new club \\u201CThere\\u2019s a strong 150 years of men\\u2019s football in this town and it has been such a driver for the community for so long,\\u201D says Korinfsky \\u201CSo you\\u2019re always going to have a bit of push and pull when things change.\\u201D And while they\\u2019re waiting for that moment of change They\\u2019ll keep running after the ball and look forward to the day when they can lace up their boots for real Keep up to date with the best AFL coverage in the country The Abbeyville homestead at 140 Fiddlers Green Rd is one of two local properties previously owned by the family of Joan Falkiner Two historic Kyneton houses formerly owned by the family of an Australian heiress who became a member of Indian royalty have hit the market One of the homes, a 1856-built bluestone home named Abbeyville at 40 Fiddlers Green Rd, is for sale with a $2.7m-$2.95m asking range The second home, a circa-1850s house and cottage at 28 Piper St, has $1.3-$1.4m price hopes RELATED: Princess Mary’s humble childhood home revealed Old world-style estate near Kyneton designed to showcase musical greatness Kyneton: Home akin to Pride and Prejudice’s estates has dam perfect for Mr Darcy to swim in The residences’ connection to Joan Falkiner dates back to when her family were wealthy merino sheep breeders in rural Victoria and New South Wales Broadhurst Property’s Rachel Potter said Joan’s family previously owned both the properties Joan’s parents had established themselves as high-profile members of Melbourne society with their social activities often reported in newspapers A biography penned by Joan’s distant cousin details Joan’s romance with Taley Muhammed Khan whom she met while travelling with her family in Germany He held the title of Nawab (viceroy) of India’s Palanpur State a protectorate of the British Empire which had a population of about 250,000 people at the time meaning a military officer acting as an assistant dado panels and Baltic pine flooring in the formal sitting room eloped from Melbourne to India to marry Taley The matter became a much-talked about scandal in Australia filling gossip columns of the day with the Australian Women’s Weekly reporting Joan’s parents did not approve of the match Joan converted to Islam to marry Taley at the Zora Mahal Palace in Palanpur the Australian Women’s Weekly featured the Australian-Indian Princess Shameen when she was visiting her grandparents in South Yarra The summerhouse is a favourite place to spend time in warmer weather The central bathroom features a heated floor and towel rail Although neither of the Kyneton homes remain in Joan’s family a five-bedroom Colonial Georgian-style farmhouse a conservatory and pond surrounded by natural bluestone formations are downsizing after raising their three daughters at the homestead across more than three decades A previous resident of the house was Victorian MP Charles Young who served in parliament between 1874 and 1892 The property is a five-minute drive from the Kyneton township The couple bought Abbeyville in 1990 and were married in the music room a year later Their favourite part of the property is the summerhouse which can be accessed through the kitchen or conservatory incorporating the original Baltic floorboards and oak parquetry antique lighting fixtures and French doors Abbeyville’s formal sitting room has a fireplace an antique chandelier and double doors with etched glass leading to the dining room And the home is believed to be haunted by a child named Violet who died as a toddler Her ghost is said to sometimes walk up and down the hallway with the sound of her footsteps faintly echoing The facade hides the historic renovated interiors are ex-sales and marketing manager Deb Varney and former Victoria Police senior investigator Joe D’Alo Their home consists of an 1850s-era brick house and cottage that dates back to 1854 Ms Varney and Mr D’Alo described the home as an “ugly duckling” when they purchased it in 2009 threadbare carpet and an outdoor toilet – “but its good bones and rich history made it worth saving” Mr D’Alo returned to study to become a qualified builder specialising in old-world craftsmanship and sustainable materials The home dates back to the Victorian gold rush of the 1850s A glass-encased conservatory allows visitors to admire the garden After reading a magazine article which detailed the use of hemp by French retro-fitters in centuries-old buildings he established the Hemp Building Company which builds homes out of hempcrete a material consisting of hemp hurd (the woody core from hemp plants turned to woodchips) He applied his expertise to transform Tom’s Cottage into Victoria’s first hempcrete project “Slowly and carefully peeling back the layers during renovations was an amazing journey of discovery,” Ms Varney said “We took the conservation approach of retaining as much original fabric as possible including any fixtures and decorative finishes such as the flour bag hooks still fixed to the rafters in the cellar.” The house and cottage were both renovated with as many original features retained as possible which previously served as a land agent’s office was inhabited by a boot repairer Tom Hickey from the 1930s to the 1980s many of Tom’s discarded tools were discovered beneath the floors including awl handles boot polish tins and even old dance passes two-storey self-contained residence serves as a short-term rental accommodation crafted from a collection of recycled red bricks with views of the Italian-style garden courtyard “Overhung by a grapevine and framed by rustic brick walls it’s a serene retreat that reflects the craftsmanship poured into the home and the incredible Italian courtyard vibe.” Tom’s Cottage is thought to have its own ghost According to the family of a previous owner the ghost is likely that of a former gold miner Sign up to the Herald Sun Weekly Real Estate Update. 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Kyneton Football Netball Club has said it is “horrified” at the thought members of the club have felt unsafe or unwelcome the Tigers released a statement on their Facebook page following a number of media reports speaking about the club and its environment the majority of the Tigers’ women’s football side has left the club and formed a new club has said it wanted to provide a safe and inclusive environment where women and gender diverse players can thrive The new club has yet to find a league to play in with the Riddell District Central Victoria and Ballarat leagues knocking them back The club is still seeking to join the RDFNL for this season It has launched a petition calling for the league to change its mind and has been seeking legal advice KFNC said in its statement that it would like to share some of its thoughts with the community It said it had been subjected to a “barrage of negative” reporting gender diverse people or anyone else feels unsafe or unwelcome within our club,” the statement said “We have always tried to foster a safe environment for everyone “Where issues have been raised with our committee they have been dealt with in a timely manner “Our efforts were recognised by the AFL in 20201 when we were named the most inclusive club in Victoria.” The club said there was always room for improvement and its recent efforts include contacting women who have long standing relationship with the club and asking them what they do well and where they can improve and pursuing certification as an AFL women’s charter club The club said some of its members had been subject to insults in correspondence and social media posts we’re a group of volunteers donating our time to provide sports programs for our kids and friends,” the club said We ask everyone in our community to think about whether you are contributing to making our community safer or more inclusive through your actions and comments “There’s one thing we all have in common: a love of community sport We can all take positive steps from here for the benefit of our community.” After three rounds Kyneton senior footballers are on top of the Riddell League ladder and this Saturday face an acid test against reigning premiers Riddell The drawcard match should attract a large crowd to the Showgrounds with Kyneton coming off a 66-point victory over a tenacious Lancefield in the Anzac Day ‘Battle of the Tigers’ Kyneton took until the third quarter to get on top of Lancefield and will be without on-baller James O’Sullivan who sustained a broken collarbone early in the first quarter KFNC president Guy Nelson said early indications were that it might not be a season-ending injury for O’Sullivan He said Kyneton was looking forward to playing the Bombers on Saturday following big wins against the bottom three sides in Gisborne Giants Kyneton coach Ethan Foreman has indicated the aim for 2025 is a “top three finish” in what is shaping up as a very interesting season There was a real Anzac Day spirit at the Kyneton versus Lancefield match and the ‘Most Courageous’ medal for a Kyneton player was awarded to Isaac Barassi Barassi has given the side another talented player who is versatile in a key position or on the ball named after a legendary figure who gave outstanding service to his club and country The Lancefield players wore black arm bands in memory of Col Richmond the last surviving member of the Tigers’ 1952 premiership team Both Lancefield footballers and netballers also wore uniforms bearing the names of 13 former Lancefield players who had lost their lives in conflicts overseas Both sides attacked the ball hard in the opening term and Kyneton was tested by opponents who had regrouped after coming off the bye Kyneton’s depth of talent was revealed in the second half Final score: Kyneton 13.23 (101) d Lancefield 5.5 (35) Caleb Fisher and Gabriel Yow Yeh were listed as Kyneton’s best Lancefield was well served by Darren Robinson Kyneton monopolised the ball in the first half and Lancefield revived to outscore the home side in the second half in a promising display Kyneton Under 19.5s scored a runaway 15.15 (105) to 4.1 (25) victory The brigade marked the important milestone alongside Chief Officer Jason Heffernan and Minister for Health Mary-Anne Thomas MP on Saturday 27 July at a dinner which also included significant service awards acknowledging dedication to the people they serve Macedon Ranges Shire Deputy Mayor Janet Pearce proposed a toast to CFA and the brigade commending and thanking the members for being ordinary people doing extraordinary things for the community Kyneton Captain Greg McIntyre said the brigade has been operating continuously since 1884 – when it had 30 members and was located at the former bluestone police stables it was moved to a timber building next door to the current fire station,” Greg said the brigade moved into its current location in town maintaining a strong presence in the community “The brigade has always been a very active brigade in the community and in CFA competitions as well as operations,” Greg said “We have about 70 members at the moment and over half of them are active firefighters We also have close to 30 per cent female firefighters “We provide urban support to brigades in the group and beyond; we respond to the recently closed Malmsbury Youth Justice Centre “And we do a lot of the usual incidents such as structure fires car fires and motor vehicle accidents.” a 1998 Type 3 Isuzu pumper and a field command vehicle alongside a hazmat trailer servicing the wider Macedon Ranges area “I remember our pumper when I first joined was a Mazda it was a very small vehicle and not very powerful so the one we have now is a big improvement on that.”  Greg said the brigade is proud of its heritage “We certainly had a lot of people involved in the Ash Wednesday bushfires and we were heavily involved in Black Saturday as well as Black Summer,” he said “We've had many members participate in those and they've contributed a lot to the culture and learning at the brigade “We have quite a heritage program in the brigade with trophies and other memorabilia and we try and encourage members to be good representatives of the brigade and of CFA as they serve in the community.” not only does his passion lie in mentoring up-and-coming firefighters but helping community members during a traumatic time “Sometimes it’s hard if we get called at Christmas dinner time but then I think well actually this is the worst day of somebody else's life so I haven't got anything to complain about,” he said “I think the brigade is very well respected in our community We’re included in a number of community activities “I'm very proud when I see members committing and then being able to apply that when the situation requires it “To see the members working with one another even though we're immensely different people we're all there to carry out the functions of the brigade and help save lives and property.” A plaque commemorating an extension finished in 2016 – now officially named The RG & RB Walker Extension – was handed over to members at the event The extension is named after members Ronda Beckley Walker OAM and ex-Captain Roger Gordon Walker AFSM “I felt honoured to participate with our Chief Officer in the official naming of this facility and the presentation of the commemorative plaque to honour two members who have contributed so much to the culture and development of the brigade for many years,” Greg said “This commemorative plaque will serve as a reminder to future brigade members of the heritage of service on which we build.” The Kyneton Art Group is hoping to expand its membership offering an opportunity for artists to exhibit their work and be part of a “like-minded” community Art group president Anna McGrath said the group is seeking new members of any age “It’s always good when younger people join and keep it going it’s really important … and as time goes on to take over the president and the secretary and all those jobs that we’ve done for a long time,” Ms McGrath said She said that for people who have recently retired joining the group could be a way of maintaining or improving mental health “It’s good to have a plan when you retire and work towards something that you may not have been able to do when you were younger … art is a very calming practice because once you get involved in what you’re doing Ms McGrath said that making art in a social environment gives you the opportunity to receive constructive feedback from other members With the group exhibiting works at the annual Kyneton Daffodil and Arts Festival in September she said that now would be a good time to join the group and consider exhibiting work later this year The group originally formed in 1977 and now consists of about 30 members Members meet each meet each Tuesday between 10am–4pm at the Red Brick Hall Details: kynetonartgroup.com Kyneton Football Netball Club has finally issued a statement following a week of media attention on the club and its culture the senior women’s football team defected from the club to form its own stand-alone club as the Kyneton Eagles Women’s Football Club allegations were reported that the women had been subjected to inequitable treatment and disrespect KFNC had remained silent on the team’s departure until it responded with the following statement last week: “We acknowledge the media reports about our club in the last week and we would like to share some thoughts with our community or anyone else feels unsafe or unwelcome within our club We have always tried to foster a safe and inclusive environment for everyone Where issues have been raised with our committee they have been dealt with in a timely manner Our efforts were recognised by the AFL in 2021 when we were named The Most Inclusive Club in Victoria At KFNC our recent efforts to improve our community club include: – Contacting women who have longstanding relationships with the club and asking them what we do well and where we can improve – Pursuing certification as an AFL Women’s Charter Club – Putting our women leaders forward for leadership programs and training We’d like to take this opportunity to highlight a few of our strengths During the winter season we have around 1000 people of all ages and genders participating in sport in some capacity Fifty per cent of our committee of management are women vice-president and secretary within the last six years Half of our club players are women and girls who play netball We pioneered women’s football in the Macedon Ranges 10 years ago and our support for the women’s game continues through our junior and youth girl’s teams – Partnering with Generous to fundraise for the Kyneton Community House – Donating excess stock to the foodbank – Sending jumpers to an Indigenous community Over the last month we’ve been subjected to a barrage of negative reporting We have been called “disgusting” in correspondence Our women volunteers have been called “lackeys” in Facebook comments we’re a group of volunteers donating our time to provide sports programs for our kids and friends We ask everyone in our community to think about whether you are contributing to making our community safer and more inclusive through your actions and comments There’s one thing we all have in common: a love of community sport We can all take positive steps from here for the benefit of our community,” the statement concluded A Macedon Ranges Navy Veteran will emcee this year’s with the event’s theme relating to the wide impacts of warfare April 25 at the Mount Macedon Memorial Cross the theme of this year’s Mount Macedon Anzac Day Dawn service is The Unseen Wounds of Conflict – referring to the broad impacts that war has on those involved in warfare who joined the Royal Australian Navy in 2003 Sydney IV and Hobart III – attaining the rank of petty officer He said that the theme of the service is particularly close to his heart and that he is “honoured” to be involved in the event “The unseen wounds of conflict and service can leave lasting scars on a veteran’s mind and soul often resulting in struggles that extend far beyond the deployments,” Mr Bordonaro said the ability to regulate my acute stress response became a challenge in everyday life – leading to hypervigilance and difficulty in high-stress situations,” he said adapting to civilian life presented its own battles and purpose found in service was hard to replicate.” The dawn service will start at 6am at the Mount Macedon Memorial Cross and run for about an hour with free shuttle buses from Tony Clarke Reserve in Macedon from 4.15am – as roads to the cross will be shut to public traffic throughout the morning for safety purposes Attendees are encouraged to dress according to the weather and to bring a water bottle and torch Everything is in readiness for the 2024 Kyneton Cup race meeting tomorrow (Wednesday), with a large attendance of both locals and visitors anticipated. Macedon Ranges trainer Liam Howley is making a double-pronged bid to win another Kyneton Cup, with his 2022 winner Station One and New York Hurricane in the field. The $125,000 bet365 Kyneton Cup will be run over 2000 metres at the picturesque local course, where Kyneton and Hanging Rock Racing Club conducts 13 of its 15 meetings this season. A public holiday applies in Kyneton and surrounds, including Malmsbury and Trentham and parts of Cadello and Carlsruhe (basically the former Shire of Kyneton area), in recognition of the significance of the Cup meeting. Sandwiched between the Melbourne Cup (today) and Oaks Day at Flemington, the Kyneton Cup meeting is an important component of the Spring Racing Carnival in Victoria. Gates open at 11am, and a nine-event program is scheduled. In 2022, when racing returned to normal after years of COVID disruptions, heavy rain meant the Kyneton Cup was transferred to Bendigo. This is where Howley won the feature event with Station One, ridden by Craig Newitt. It was the first locally-trained winner of the Kyneton Cup since the Neil Dyer-trained mare Mrs Bently was successful some 20 years earlier. Cup Day is usually a very social occasion, with marquees booked out well in advance. Some overseas visitors in Victoria for the Spring Carnival are expected to make their first trip to Kyneton tomorrow. Liam Howley has well-established training centres at Macedon Lodge and Kyneton. The stable will have strong representation at Cup Day, with several runners across the program. Six-year-old Station One has been a stable star, and the tenacious galloper has notched up eight wins and prize money of $399,050 from 37 starts. As well as winning the 2022 Kyneton Cup, Station One ran third last year. His last win was in the Murtoa Cup earlier this season, followed by a close second carrying 58kg in the Horsham Cup on October 20. Five-year-old New York Hurricane has chalked up six wins and earned $304,435 for his contingent of owners. His latest success was over 2019 metres at Morphettville, when he scored by four lengths. The Howley stable has already landed two winners this week. On Monday, Onlygoldwilldo started as second favourite and won narrowly at Ballarat, thanks to a great ride by Jason Maskiell. The $175,000 TAB Trophy race over 1800m at Flemington today (Tuesday) was won by promising three-year-old Opening Address, ridden by top jockey James McDonald. Having his fourth start, Opening Address was well supported to start as equal favourite. Later in the day, the 2024 Melbourne Cup was won by Knight’s Choice, ridden by Robbie Dolan and trained by John Symons and Sheila Laxon. Warp Speed ran second, with Okita Soushi third in the ‘Race That Stops a Nation’. As in many Kyneton Cups, there appears to be a number of runners with good chances tomorrow.Racing club president Gary O’Meara and his committee, and club staff, have been working hard to ensure the success of tomorrow’s meeting. Club memberships can be purchased at the racecourse tomorrow. Fashions on the Field are a traditional activity at many Cup meetings, and Kyneton is no exception. There are various categories, with registrations accepted on course between 11am and 12.30pm. Casey Bruce will be the ‘Fashions’ compère, with the three judges being Hayley Giemza, Brooke Colbert and Rebecca Gannon. Categories are: Best Millinery; Couple of the Day; Local Lady of the Day, and Lady of the Day. The local club is appreciative of the support of sponsors for various races, and for Fashions on the Field. A history of the Kyneton District Racing Club, from 1866 to 1974, written by George Bremner, was published in 1974. An emergency warning was issued for Kyneton on Saturday after a grassfire broke out near the Calder Freeway. The fire had a one-kilometre perimeter impacting properties along Tattersall Drive, Kelly Close, Tonks Court and Patterson Drive. Thanks to the swift and coordinated efforts of firefighting crews (roughly 35 appliances), Victoria Police, Ambulance Victoria, Forest Fire Management and VicRoads, the fire was brought under control, and the warning was downgraded shortly after containment. Helicopter support from Bendigo Airbase played a crucial role in the initial response. The Calder Freeway was closed during the incident to ensure community and responder safety. The cause of the fire is still under investigation. Incident controller Josh Gamble highlighted the importance of preparation, emphasising that grassfires posed a real threat to urban fringe areas. “Under the right conditions, a fire can cause significant damage in a short amount of time,” he said. “So many people still think it won’t happen to them, but the grassfire risk is very real in urban interface areas, and residents need to plan accordingly.” Mr Gamble urged residents to take responsibility for their properties and to act now to reduce the risk of fire. “Anyone living in an urban rural grassland area holds the responsibility of knowing the risks they face and should be preparing now – you need to clear weeds, sticks and leaves, and remove firewood, rubbish and other fuel from around your property.” He also stressed the importance of personal preparation in addition to property readiness. “The risk posed by these urban grassfires can be quite different to a bushfire. Often, simply sheltering in your home, or moving one street back from the fire is the safest option. Either way, you need to plan what you’ll do now, ahead of the summer fire season,” he said. New York Hurricane has stormed to victory in the $125,000 Kyneton Cup on Wednesday, giving Liam Howley his second triumph in his home race in the past three years, but the first actually on the Kyneton course. The son of Manhattan Rain was in danger of being a hard-luck story when held up on the turn, but Caulfield Cup-winning hoop Harry Coffey never panicked and his mount proved far too strong once clear, scoring comfortably as a $4.40 favourite. Ciaron Maher-trained pair Too Close The Sun ($17) and Promises Kept ($4.80) tried hard in behind, but were always fighting out the minors as New York Hurricane put the race to bed, with Too Close The Sun eventually setting for second and Mathew taking third. It was an extremely satisfying win for Howley, who won his first local Cup in 2022 with Station One - who faded from the front in Wednesday's race - at Bendigo, after the Kyneton track fell victim to heavy rain. "This is magic, it really is. Super horse, been with us right from the beginning, great ownership group," he said. "There are some great mates, who just started out as clients and have become great friends. It's been a real journey with him. "He was a challenging horse early doors, but he's just continued to mature and mature and today we saw the best of him. Super ride from Harry. "The hometown cup, it's very, very important. We've got the whole team here, the best team in the business. "We're all mates and I treat them sort of more like family than employees … great result for us, I think we might have a few tonight to celebrate. "He looked outstanding in the yard and he did the job very nicely today … I said to the owners a long time ago, 'This horse will win the Kyneton Cup'." Kyneton Basketball Association ended the 2025 junior country championships with two division three titles. The U16 boys and the U12 boys took out the titles being undefeated in both divisions. The U16 boys who dominated their division in February in Melton and The U12 boys who with a 9-0 win loss record competed in Bendigo last weekend are proud to wear the black and yellow with pride. Kyneton Basketball’s vice-president Jenny Ganim is excited to see high level basketball return to the Tigers den and is focused on the rebuild of their long-standing association. “Our town has such a long history and our committee is determined to see the programs go from strength with a new focus on country basketball,” Jenny said. “Being able to field five JCC teams in the eight age groups is exciting for the association as we want kids to be able to play quality domestic basketball close to home and give them the option to advance further if they choose. “With plans already in motion for the 25/26 season where our focus remains on being represented at country basketball tournaments, we are excited with lies ahead. “We know, not all families want to commit to a rep season of 11 months of the year so our country based rep program will see teams head to three to four tournaments over a maximum six-month period, being a more family friendly option while still providing quality basketball for kids in the area. “These programs feed into our senior CBL teams and provide a good pathway for local kids.” Kyneton’s new 3 x 3 winter domestic competition, which Basketball Victoria believes is the first of its kind in Australia, will see both domestic and senior basketball played in Kyneton once more and registrations are now open. Kyneton has a festive glow thanks to a new Kyneton Christmas Collective lights and decoration competition this year. The newly formed collective is a small group of passionate community members planning Christmas activities in Kyneton throughout December. A lights and decoration competition has been a much-anticipated event with prizes awarded for the residential displays. The Kyneton Christmas Collective has released this year’s winners and highlighted displays as follows: First prize: 11 Jesse Evelyn CrescentSecond prize: 14 Clowes Street Highly commended: 9 Windridge WayHighly commended: 15 Jesse Evelyn CrescentMost Resourceful: 97 Beauchamp Street (for their gingerbread cubby house) KCC committee member Alice Elston said the collective had brought the community together as planned. “Christmas is a time when our community should come together, and the events organised by the collective have done exactly this,” she said. “I grew up in Kyneton and have such fond memories of Christmas back then, so we we’re so excited that our own kids will be able to look back on their Christmases in Kyneton in the same way.” Watch this space. The collective has plenty more planned for 2025. Over the past five years, with the support of the thoroughbred racing industry, a number of major infrastructure and environment projects have been carried out at the Kyneton Racecourse. With the Spring Carnival in full swing, and the time-honoured Kyneton Cup meeting on Wednesday November 6, it seems appropriate an almost completed drawcard community ‘walk’ around the perimeter of the race track is about to be officially opened. Kyneton and Hanging Rock Racing Club’s recently re-elected president, Gary O’Meara, explained that through its strategic plan, the club had a continued improvement approach to managing its key assets, the tracks and facilities, general infrastructure and environment. With a focus on the future, the racing club’s general manager, Jon Dight, has in recent years initiated and overseen a folio of very significant and transforming projects including: • A new sand track training facility• A horse menage• A horse pool• New horse stalls and related amenities• New facilities for male and female jockeys. The latest enhancement about to be completed is Buckley’s Walk, a walking pathway for the community around the racecourse perimeter. This ‘walk’ will complement/extend the long-established walk from the Kyneton Botanical Gardens. It opens up to the public a vista of the club’s historic avenue of oaks and elms, the Campaspe River and the back straight as a park-like, usable backdrop. “We see it as a valuable addition to community recreation-pastime options,” the president said. Overall the various improvements goes towards ensuring the continued relevance and high status of the racecourse as one of Victoria’s premium country racing venues. The club looks forward to showcasing these improvements to a bumper crowd at the 2024 Kyneton Cup meeting on November 6. Retaining Kyneton’s historic charm and country identity will be key as Macedon Ranges Shire Council pushes ahead with future design plans. Councillors were adamant that Melbourne-style planning was not fit for Kyneton when adopting the draft Kyneton Urban Design Framework with changes last week. The document is a strategic plan for streetscape and public realm improvements in and around Kyneton’s main commercial streets, focuses including pedestrian safety/accessibility, improved appearance/amenity, and movement. Potential speed change of 30km/h in Kyneton’s commercial district was dubbed “more suitable for Brunswick”, and some limitations to traffic movement in favour of pedestrians/cyclists was said to “fail in understanding the context of a country town”. Councillor Kate Kendall pushed for more balance between pedestrians, cyclists and motorists, and to maintain Kyneton’s historic look and feel. “I was a little concerned that we over-optimised or indexed for one type of user at the expense of another, and in this case vehicles,” she said. She gained support for her motion to incorporate changes including keeping the speed limit to a minimum of 40km/h throughout the town’s centre, rather than a potential 30km/h that attracted negative community feedback. The motion also removed kerb outstands at the south-east corner of Market and Mollison streets and the west corners of Yaldwyn Street West and Mollison Street. The Kyneton UDF was developed with three rounds of community consultation. Another point of contention was potential introduction of bicycle lanes and reduced car parking – an option put forward for consultation but not included in the draft UDF. Addressing fellow councillors last week, Cr Alison Joseph said Kyneton was a country town with commuters and it was unrealistic to think that everyone could ride a bike or walk. “Kyneton is not really inner city Melbourne, it’s not Brunswick,” she said. “Kyneton is a country town, people use cars to come and go from it, and often they comes from considerable distances. There is also not a lot of public transport: you can’t really get a tram down Piper Street. We, therefore, need to cater to cars as well. “To think that making things more difficult for drivers will encourage them to ride bicycles or walk, really fails to understand the context: it’s a country town.” Cr Daniel Young said changes that put focus on traffic flow would be a “far more valuable approach”. “We saw some data as a council just recently that showed most people, in the high 90 per cent, drive their car to get to and from work, and getting into the centre of Kyneton,” he said. Other changes to the document include kerb outstands in Piper Street to be designed to ensure the heritage appearance of the street is maintained, and a kerb outstand trial will be implemented at a Mollison Street intersection. The council will also seek community consultation for the final detailed design of Mollison Street and Piper Street intersection. Councillors said adopting the framework was just the beginning of the community contributing ideas and feedback. Future community consultation will help determine finer design details. In an exciting new chapter for women’s football, the Kyneton Women’s Football Club and the Gisborne Football Netball Club women’s football team have announced a new partnership for the 2025 season. Both clubs have come together to form a hybrid team—Gisborne-Kyneton United—to compete in the Essendon District Football League. This collaboration unites two passionate, committed clubs with shared values of inclusivity, community spirit, player development and professionalism. Both clubs have a rich history of success and pride, and this partnership presents an exciting opportunity to elevate their women’s football programs in the region. The Kyneton women’s team, formerly under the Kyneton FNC, has a strong track record, having featured in the Riddell League grand final in both 2023 and 2024. The team won their first premiership in the inaugural year of the RDFNL 2023 senior women’s competition. A large number of the players, dissatisfied with gender equity at Kyneton FNC, decided to form their own club at the end of last season. Meanwhile, the GFNC women’s team has demonstrated a strong commitment to growth and achievement, quickly gaining recognition for its player development programs. The club has also worked with talented coach and VWFL life member Bernie Marantelli to relaunch their senior women’s program for 2025. Gisborne-Kyneton United will combine the best elements of both clubs, blending their talent, experience and resources to form a competitive team for the 2025 season. This partnership will foster a stronger environment for player development while emphasising community and teamwork. “It’s a really exciting time for both clubs,” said Natalie Korinfsky, president of the Kyneton Women’s Football Club. “This partnership with Gisborne allows us to grow both of our women’s teams together for the season, ensuring that both clubs remain strong, sustainable and competitive moving forward. This collaboration will give our players the opportunity to stay together in 2025, while also learning from the talented players and leaders at Gisborne FNC.” GFNC president, Tony Brancatisano, echoed those sentiments. “We’ve been eager to grow our women’s football program, and this partnership is a fantastic way to do that,” he said. “The shared values between our clubs are undeniable, and we’re looking forward to what we can achieve together in 2025. This is a huge step forward for both our teams and our local women’s football communities.” This partnership will last for the 2025 EDFL season, with the Kyneton Women’s Football Club planning to reapply for the RDFNL in 2026. While the collaboration will span just one season, both clubs hope this partnership will pave the way for continued growth and greater opportunities in the region. “We see this as a unique opportunity to build something special,” added Kyneton’s coach, Phil Hawkes. “While this is a one-season partnership, our focus will be on creating the best environment for our players. After 2025, we’ll work hard to return to the RDFNL for 2026, and Gisborne will undoubtedly continue to grow with their revamped women’s football program. Both clubs will carry valuable lessons learned from this partnership as we continue to develop our women’s football programs.” Gisborne’s coach, Bernie Marantelli, spoke highly of the first combined training session. “It was fantastic to see both the Gisborne and Kyneton players coming together. There was a high level of motivation and commitment to working collaboratively and inclusively. All positive signs for the 2025 season.” – See our Football and Netball Liftout in tomorrow’s Midland Express for more about the squad. Picture by Barry Murphy Kyneton livestock agent Kieran McGrath has hung up his boots after a near 50-year career in the industry All articles from our website & appThe digital version of Today's PaperBreaking news alerts direct to your inboxInteractive Crosswords, Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueThe much-loved Kyneton saleyards stalwart oversaw his last sale at the complex on Wednesday Mr McGrath looked back with fond memories and ahead to a happy and healthy retirement with his wife Jane who had been at his side throughout Mr McGrath had a real impact on those he worked with and for He first started as an agent with Elders at Swan Hill in 1977 before later joining DSM Estates at Millicent with the agency before joining their Casterton team in 1983 Mr McGrath changed over to the Victorian Producers' Co-operative (VPC) and then moved with the organisation to Kyneton in 1990 he moved to Rodwells and had been with the agency until 2019 marked Mr McGrath's last day selling at the Kyneton saleyards Picture by Barry MurphyHe said working with Jane and his family was one of the greatest pleasures of his role a lot of my clients I call my friends," he said Over nearly five decades Mr McGrath had seen some major changes in Australian agriculture and the way in which livestock were sold He said the National Livestock Identification System (NLIS) made selling cattle much more efficient "Curfew on our livestock is also an important thing and it doesn't affect the livestock at all," he said "They present well and it's good for the seller and buyer Mr McGrath also felt the way farmers breed livestock had changed in his time "The breeding of cattle over the last 48 years has improved remarkably," he said "We're using proper genetics and people are being rewarded now when you see the cattle in the yards." paid a poignant tribute to his friend and colleague The Coxons and McGraths both moved to Kyneton in 1990 and both families were very close "On behalf of all of us here at the Kyneton Associated Agents we just want to thank Kieran and Jane for everything they've done," Mr Coxon said "They've been an integral part of the Kyneton saleyards." He said Mr McGrath was like a second father "He's taught me a lot in this job and he's been a great friend to my father [Brendan] too," he said "He'll be sorely missed and we're very proud to see him out on a great note." Kieran's son Michael McGrath with daughter Eden The family watched on as Kieran sold his last cattle at the Kyneton saleyards Picture by Barry Murphy Mr Coxon said Mr McGrath's career demonstrated if a livestock agent looked after their clients properly very well for his clients over a number of years and there'll always be a spot for people who want to service their clients," he said Mr McGrath said there's a big future for any young man or woman entering the industry it's a great job and it's a pleasure to go to work every day." his youngest son Patrick McGrath had just started working with Nutrien Ararat last week Kieran's own late father Michael had also worked as an agent at Charlton "Patrick will be the third generation of McGraths to be a livestock agent," Kieran said He previously worked in agricultural media in his native Ireland and hails from a small beef and sheep farm in the country's south-east Email Barry at barry.murphy@stockandland.com.au Barry is a journalist with Australian Community Media's Stock & Land where he reports on all aspects of agriculture Today's top stories curated by our news team Grab a quick bite of today's latest news from around the region and the nation Catch up on the news of the day and unwind with great reading for your evening Get the editor's insights: what's happening & why it matters tips & travel writing to transport you around the globe Your weekday morning newsletter on national affairs Your essential national news digest: all the big issues on Wednesday and great reading every Saturday Let the ACM network's editors and journalists bring you news and views from all over reviews and expert insights every Thursday from CarExpert Your digital replica of Today's Paper Test your skills with interactive crosswords Police are investigating two burglaries in Kyneton last month It is alleged that two male offenders gained access to a mechanic shop on Mollison Place about 1am on Sunday Police believe the offenders gained access to the motor yard before stealing a dark coloured Ute that was being kept for repairs While the offenders were fleeing from the business in the Ute they allegedly collided with a parked car on Ward Street it is believed the same pair tried to gain access to a liquor store on High Street about 4am The pair were unsuccessful in their attempts and fled the scene Police have released images and CCTV of two males who they believe may be able to assist with the investigation Both males are Caucasian in appearance with thin builds one male was seen wearing a large dark jacket with hood The other male was seen wearing a dark puffer jacket with a light hooded jumper underneath one male was seen wearing a brown coloured jacket with a light hooded jumper underneath The second male was seen wearing a dark jacket with hood Anyone who witnessed the incident, with dash cam or CCTV vision or information, is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report online at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au There is magic in daring, with equal parts excitement and trepidation in its pursuit. When you embrace that journey of discovery, something special happens. Welcome to the House of Sol. The reimagining of this atmospheric 1850s bluestone building in Kyneton had many parents and multiple inspirations. Its chief visionaries, Tara and Taras Pearce, wouldn’t have had it any other way. “We were a bunch of crazy people dreaming up stuff,” says Tara of the process that saw a range of tradespeople and artisans buy into the couple’s initial vision to create a “cosmic home hotel” and add their own spin, expertise and insight. “I don’t think any of the ideas we had at the start actually made it through to the end,” laughs Taras, describing the collective consciousness that helped manifest House of Sol. The result is a sublime palette of originality and verve where colour weaves around original features with respect, but also a confidence that the old materials will hold their own against the new. Back at the beginning of the process in 2022, though, it had definitely seen better days. There was water running down the walls outside and in,” says Taras. “We basically had to gut it. It’s pretty much a whole new house.” The bluestone walls and the original staircase remained. Running alongside their initial upgrade of necessities – electrical, structural, plumbed – was a deeply held guiding philosophy of how the house should flow. How this 3.6-metre-wide terrace home fits it all in Inside a whimsical apartment that once housed a secret gambling den One of the largest straw-bale homes in the southern hemisphere for sale in Torquay The principles of feng shui, in which nature, energy and design converge to create a harmonious environment, are evident throughout, from the relocation of the meter boxes to the placement of the kitchen sink. Water flow, light and colour are situated to create the greatest movement of energy through space. “We wanted it to be calm, clean and minimal,” Tara says. “Everybody that worked on it came on board and became comfortable with it. It was like an education process.” While you might not see the fusion of energies in the configuration, you can certainly feel the serene, easy vibe. That’s the great alchemy here: that a house with so many contrasting hues and textures can feel so still, so elegantly quiet. The couple credit designer Melissa Macfarlane’s bold, astute eye for bringing their concept to captivating life. Macfarlane’s local emporium, Kabinett, a cornucopia of found, vintage and original furniture and homewares, sits just doors away on hip Piper Street. “We just gave her full creative freedom and she pushed us out of our comfort zones,” says Tara. Off-white concrete floors flow throughout, meeting the bluestone’s handsome heft to anchor the flights of colour. A stony, Aegean blue front sitting room is open to the entry hallway, where arches are trimmed in deep sea green. A yolky yellow vestibule sits adjacent. Judiciously selected furnishings do the heavy lifting of bringing together colour and texture. A chunky sideboard sits below a deep, facetted mirror, the uneven surfaces reproducing the bluestone’s bumps. It’s clever stuff that recurs throughout, bringing a pleasing coherence. A central bedroom boasts a Macfarlane original – a geometric patchwork of muted greys, dusky browns and golds bending across a whole wall. On the stair to level one, an entire twilight panorama unfolds – the yellow treads and the just-pink walls are the dusk that leads to the dramatic dark powder room’s night sky. There’s another fine bedroom up here that catches the northern light and a bathroom with a sublime brick-red finger tile and blue tap combo so perfect it could make you weep. The downstairs bathroom is a study in contrasts – its patchwork of green, pale tan, and white tiling wraps the space in a warmth that is palpable. An Uluru trip, along with sojourns to Sri Lanka and Palm Springs, sparked imaginations, too. The kitchen’s powder blue, pale mint and burgundy cabinetry is a homage of sorts to the house colours dotting the forest beyond Colombo. The green marble benchtop reminds Tara of something much closer to home. “It looks like an aerial view of the Macedon Ranges.” House of Sol comes fully furnished, and like the whole offering, many of the pieces here are works of art. “We’ve loved the journey,” says Taras about the prospect of leaving their heart project behind.  “And we know the right person will find it,” adds Tara. The information on this website is intended to be of a general nature only and doesn't consider your objectives, financial situation or needs. where we are privileged to live and operate A never-say-die attitude and some great bowling under pressure led to Kyneton winning the Ballarat-Highlands Bowls Region Champion of Champions final by three shots in a tense finish on Sunday afternoon which defeated Romsey by 21 shots in the Saturday pennant division one final travelled to play the strong Victoria (Ballarat) side that won the last three Ballarat pennants after trailing overall by 10 shots at one stage following afternoon tea The Champion of Champions pennant final was played under the dome at Sebastopol Bowling Club due to inclement weather with the Kyneton players welcoming support from the sidelines Kyneton now represents BHBR at the Champions of State Pennant event at Moama from April 26 to 29 and John O’Donnell’s rink opened up a handy lead over Aaron Wood to keep Kyneton in contention Greg Podesta led Marc Oswin narrowly for most of the afternoon When Victoria’s Craig Ford surged ahead of Anthony Mathison after the break Mathison’s rink clawed back to win vital ends in the latter stages to cut their deficit to six shots Overall Kyneton led narrowly when it mattered and players and supporters were elated with the performance Kyneton 65 d Victoria 62: John O’Donnell’s rink 27 beat Aaron Wood 20 Note: Today (Tuesday) the BHBR final of midweek division 1 pennant will be played at Sebastopol between the Kyneton and Victoria BC premiership sides the streets of Kyneton were full of colour for the Kyneton Daffodil and Arts festival this month the festival program included open garden tours This year’s Grand Parade theme was ‘All the Colours of Spring’ and people passed through Mollison Street on the closing day of the festival followed by a fair with food and entertainment Kyneton Daffodil and Arts Festival committee vice-president Sharryn Smith said that a highlight of the festival for her was the sense of community throughout the festival “I just love how … the community gets together and just seeing the joy on everyone’s face … it’s a little bit of a quirky little festival,” Ms Smith said “Particularly the newcomers to the town and how they’ve embraced the whole festival and the spirit of the festival.” She said that the open garden tours were a huge success receiving plenty of interest from visitors from all across Melbourne and “opening up everyone’s eyes to what a beautiful area we live in in the Macedon Ranges.” Ms Smith said that the festival committee is looking for a new secretary and president for next year’s festival The newly formed Kyneton Women’s Football Club is facing the prospect of being unable to play this year after being rejected by three local leagues The women who have joined the Kyneton Eagles had hoped to continue playing in the Riddell District Football Netball League where they had played the past two seasons as part of the Kyneton FNC but were last week refused by the league board Those who defected from KFNC say they are seeking better support safety and equitable resources than was being offered by the old-established Kyneton club The Riddell league rejection follows earlier refusals from the Bendigo and Ballarat leagues Eagles club president Natalie Korinfsky said the club was bitterly disappointed to miss out on playing in the Riddell league and criticised the logic behind the decision “They claim that they are concerned we can’t be financial sustainable that we might not be able to attract volunteers,” she said “But the club is already financially sustainable and has enough committed funds to run for the season and three major sponsors have signed on for three-year contracts “They don’t think we can have the name Kyneton because there is already an FNC with the Kyneton name We don’t believe any one entity or club should be able to own a town name “In the RDFNL there are already clubs affiliated with the same town name (Melton and Gisborne) We would expect the same process and test to be applied to us.” Ms Korinfsky said the Eagles just wanted a fair go to play football locally “We have an established independent club set up “How are there still so many barriers to women accessing sport?” the RDFNL said it had worked on five different models to workshop an ideal outcome but could not accommodate the team this season in conjunction with our affiliated clubs and AFL Victoria is willing to revisit the KWFC proposal for the 2026 season,” the board said The league had encouraged the KWFC to consider joining another club which is another independent women’s club that is supportive of the breakaway Kyneton club But Ms Korinfsky said the women’s team didn’t want to sit under the old football netball structure that was being offered “We have been under that system for 10 years and are still seeing a lack of support and respect for our team,” she said “We want change and we believe we deserve the right to have our independent club be treated fairly and get access to our local league so our players can play community football.” More than 1600 people have so far signed a Change.Org petition backing the Eagles’ bid to join the RDFNL. Meanwhile KFNC is continuing to seek players to field its own women’s team this season. Play Duration: 3 minutes 59 seconds3m 59sPresented by More than two dozen members of The Kyneton Football and Netball Club's women's team have split off following claims of inequitable treatment and disrespect. The members of the newly-formed Kyneton Eagles claim they were subject to a "horrible, volatile environment", something the KFNC denies. Research has found almost a third of women who play community sport in Victoria have faced similar issues.  Featured:Natalie Korinfsky, player and president, Kyneton Women's Eagles Football Club. Phil Hawkes, coach, Kyneton Women's Eagles Football ClubDr Nadia Bevan, Monash University TranscriptAndy Park: A Victorian women's football team has broken away from its club because of what the players describe as inequitable treatment. Thirty-five players from the Kyneton Football and Netball Club say an underlying culture at the club made them feel unwelcome and unsupported and have now formed a new team. Researchers found almost a third of women who play community sport in Victoria have considered leaving their club for similar reasons, as Luke Radford reports. Luke Radford: In August last year, the Kyneton women's football team played rivals Macedon in the grand final. But player Natalie Korinfsky says the grandstands were lacking some key spectators. Natalie Korinfsky: We were in our grand final for the second year in a row and our club held their big annual raffle on at the same time as our grand final, essentially ensuring that none of the members could come and support our women's team at their grand final. Luke Radford: It was the latest in a series of issues. She says the women's team would often come into the club rooms after the men had played and find blood, spit and faeces in the bathroom, which they would have to clean up. But the grand final was the final straw. Following the game, she led a group of 35 players to break away to form their own female football club, the Kyneton Women's Eagles. Natalie Korinfsky: We tried over months to get some resolution with the Kyneton Football and Netball Club. We asked the RDFL to come in and bring mediators and all of these requests, you know, were kind of acknowledged, but nobody ever really came to our aid. We kind of just had to handle the situation by ourselves, which is incredibly distressing for a group of women who are just trying to get a fair go, trying to have our voices heard. Luke Radford: In a statement, the Kyneton Football and Netball Club said they were never informed of any misconduct against any member of the senior women's leadership group, individual players or guests of the club. It also said the club was strong supporters of women's football. Phil Hawkes is the Kyneton Eagles women's coach. He says the breakaway isn't surprising. Phil Hawkes: Leading up to probably the last two or three years, the support hasn't been where it probably should have been at times. And when I say support, it's the general support of the whole club. Luke Radford: It's not an isolated problem. The Victorian Government 2023 State of Play survey revealed almost a third of women who play community sport said they'd considered leaving their club due to inequitable treatment. Dr Nadia Bevan from Monash University specialises in inclusion in community sport. She says it's down to leadership. Dr Nadia Bevan: The people on the ground in the community sports clubs do end up providing sort of the access and the opportunities and making decisions around who can and can't play or what that may look like. So those are the people that really need to be on board with making change. Luke Radford: The ABC has been contacted by other Victorian female footballers who faced similar problems. Jane is a player who wished to remain anonymous, fearing a backlash from her club's board. We've revoiced her comments. Jane: We've had members go along to supposedly whole club pre-season events and had some pretty dispiriting comments made about them. This included homophobic rhetoric, such as the master of ceremonies, making comments about how the female footballers were only there to pick up netballers. I'm not going to pull the not all men line, but of course some of the younger players in the boys and men's programs are probably fine with the fact that there's female football. Luke Radford: And she argues the club was happy to spruik its female football credentials when it meant getting government funding. Jane: There are some very savvy grant writers at the club who've discovered that you can leverage your female football program to benefit your men's program. Luke Radford: Back in Kyneton, Natalie Korinfsky says urgent change is needed to better support women in sport. Natalie Korinfsky: It's this silent death that is happening and it's happening everywhere. We see teams folding all the time and it's because they can't stand up because there's no alternative pathway here. And we're here to say that enough's enough. There needs to be a different way to manage this. And if a women's team wants to become independent, they should have every right to do that. Andy Park: Kyneton footballer Natalie Korinfsky ending that report by Luke Radford and Marnie Vinall. Download the ABC listen app to hear more of your favourite podcasts A popular hometown win for New York Hurricane who was the last horse standing in a brutally run Bet365 Kyneton Cup (2006m) the Liam Howley-trained son of Manhattan Rain found his way clear of a zip fastener pocket to defeat the 9-year-old Carlton House gelding Too Close The Sun by one and three-quarter lengths with the 6-year-old Tavistock gelding Mathew back in third The track record was lowered by three and a half seconds New York Hurricane advances his record to seven wins and four thirds from 35 starts with earnings of $396,785 Hurricane warning! ??@HTCoffey & @HowleyRacing win the Kyneton Cup with New York Hurricane ?? pic.twitter.com/VZ1vmqaw10 He is a super horse that has been with us since the beginning,” Howley said “It’s a great ownership group that starts off as clients and became great friends who continued to mature and today you saw the best of him Harry Coffey has had a pretty good Spring so far & it continues with his win aboard New York Hurricane in the Kyneton Cup ??@HTCoffey @stowaustralia pic.twitter.com/6BYfVHJeuC “Harry held his nerve and got out at the right time This horse has a beautiful turn of foot developed through maturity “The hometown cup is very very important and the whole team is here “I said to the owners a long time ago that this horse would win the Kyneton Cup Missing the Seymour Cup was the only hiccup A $70,000 buy for Liam Howley Racing from the Three Bridges Thoroughbreds draft at the 2021 Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale New York Hurricane is the best of two winners from as many to race for the French winning Elusive Quality (USA) mare Al Dhakira (USA) whose dam Serena's Joy (Forestry) is a half-sister to the dam of Zabeel Prince and Puissance De Lune (IRE) Al Dhakira (USA) has not had a live foal in three years Manhattan Rain stands at Geisel Park Stud for $8,250.  After plenty of pre-season speculation about Kyneton’s division one bowls prospects this season the answer came with a convincing all fours up victory over Kyneton Golf on Saturday including proven skippers Greg Podesta (ex-Kangaroo Flat) and John O’Donnell as well as much-travelled Glen Gascoyne and ‘Big G’ Graham Edwards (who were at Romsey last season and previously with Kyneton Golf) gave Kynton a much more in depth appearance An all fours up 24 shot victory against the reigning premiers on the on the Golf green was just what Kyneton’s hierarchy and suporters were hoping for there’s good reason to feel Kyneton can only improve further as the season progresses Other sides often felt if they could contain Anthony Mathison’s rink they were well on the way to victory; that will no longer be the case did not get things all their own way against Lancefield who improved on their opening round effort at Kilmore with the Aaron Young versus Jeff Holmes battle a tie Diggers Rest edged out Broadford by four shits Third round matches this Saturday are: Kyneton v Romsey.Lancefield v Tentham.Gisborne v Kyneton Golf.Kilmore v Diggers Rest Mt Cottrell retuned to the competition after quite some years’ absence and its division 3 side chalked up an astonishing 84-shot victory over Trentham Other sides may be thinking Mt Cottrell is a genuine premiership prospect already Lancefield won by 28 shots aagainst Kilmore and the other three matches in division three were all close Woodend was certainly pleased to win 89-47 at home to Kyneton in division 2 and Gisborne had five shots to spare at Broadford Scores from the second round of Highlands pennant bowls on Saturday were:Division 1: Kyneton Golf 44 lost to Kyneton 68 — R Division 2: Romsey 54 lost to Kyneton Golf 66 — A Richmond 18; Broadford 52 lost to Gisborne 57 — A Fitzgerald 19; Gisborne (3) 50 lost to Kyneton 56 — C Gent 21; Mt Cottrell 119 d Trentham 35 — R Bruton 10; Macedon 63 lost to Woodend 67 — B Behan 24; Gisborne (4) 53 lost to Romsey 58 — S A man has died after swallowing cyanide during an arrest in the Macedon Ranges and five police officers potentially exposed to the substance were taken to hospital Victoria Police said officers visited a house in the town of Kyneton about 86 kilometres north-west of Melbourne about 2pm on Tuesday as part of an investigation The crime scene in Kyneton on Wednesday.Credit: Nine News A 27-year-old man was arrested before he then “appeared unwell and became unresponsive” “Police immediately called for medical assistance and performed CPR on the man he was unable to be revived,” police said in a statement on Wednesday it appears the man may have ingested some sort of substance five police officers who attended the scene were taken to hospital as a precaution.” three police sources with knowledge of the incident confirmed to The Age that the substance the man swallowed was sodium cyanide different forms of cyanide have been used as a lethal poison in several high-profile murders But sodium cyanide has industrial uses too most notably in Australia’s gold mining industry In 2010, an Australian government chemical assessment said sodium cyanide was also used in metal cleaning animal extermination use has since been widely outlawed and sodium cyanide is not registered by the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) for any agricultural or veterinary purpose The Age asked Victoria Police what the Kyneton man was being arrested for and how homicide squad detectives suspected he consumed and obtained the cyanide pointing to ongoing forensic analysis to confirm the substance consumed Victoria Police’s professional standards command the internal unit responsible for investigating police conduct is investigating the man’s death alongside the homicide squad per standard practice when a person dies in police custody Crisis support is available from Lifeline on 13 11 14 and Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636 Get alerts on significant breaking news as happens. Sign up for our Breaking News Alert A 27-year-old man was arrested before he then \\u201Cappeared unwell and became unresponsive\\u201D \\u201CPolice immediately called for medical assistance and performed CPR on the man he was unable to be revived,\\u201D police said in a statement on Wednesday five police officers who attended the scene were taken to hospital as a precaution.\\u201D most notably in Australia\\u2019s gold mining industry an said sodium cyanide was also used in metal cleaning Victoria Police\\u2019s professional standards command is investigating the man\\u2019s death alongside the homicide squad Get alerts on significant breaking news as happens