Close to Clunes

Close to Clunes Sharing stories from the historic central Victorian town of Clunes and its surrounding area

Something appears to be brewing in Clunes, with Alluvial Property Group teasing a major announcement and promising “big ...
04/07/2026

Something appears to be brewing in Clunes, with Alluvial Property Group teasing a major announcement and promising “big things” are on the way.

In a social media post, the company shared a photo of Clunes with the caption: “Big things are happening in Clunes… Can't spill the details (yet), but we're pretty excited about this one. Stay tuned.”

The cryptic post quickly sparked plenty of speculation, with locals throwing around all sorts of theories about what could be in store.

Some wondered whether it could involve a new gold discovery after the company hinted one guess was “very close”, while others speculated it could be a film production, a major development project, or even new recreational facilities.

Not everyone was enthusiastic, with some residents expressing concern that any large-scale development could change the character of one of regional Victoria's best-preserved historic towns.

For now, Alluvial Property Group is keeping tight-lipped, leaving the community guessing until the mystery announcement is finally revealed. 👀

Former Clunes footballer and AFL player Nick Hind returned to his old club recently, joining the Clunes Magpies for a sp...
01/06/2026

Former Clunes footballer and AFL player Nick Hind returned to his old club recently, joining the Clunes Magpies for a special training session ahead of the club's weekend's Past Players Day! 🏈

A strong turnout of senior and junior players took to the track, with Nick sharing his experience and knowledge from the elite level while training alongside the next generation of Magpies! 🧠

The club thanked the former Magpie for giving back to the club and helping inspire local players as preparations continue for a big weekend of celebrations! 🙏🏻

Young representatives from the Clunes Football Netball Club have taken part in ANZAC Day commemorations, delivering a re...
25/04/2026

Young representatives from the Clunes Football Netball Club have taken part in ANZAC Day commemorations, delivering a respectful and proud display on behalf of their community. 🌺

Zach Van Berkel, Oisin Dunne, Killian McDougall and Ayva Allen represented the club at the local service, reflecting the values of respect and remembrance central to the day. 🇦🇺

The club praised the group’s efforts, highlighting the strong sense of community spirit shown by the young Magpies. 🏈

Massive congrats to Taya Anderson, Emily “Pickles” Pickles and Maddie McLennan on earning selection in the 2026 junior i...
28/03/2026

Massive congrats to Taya Anderson, Emily “Pickles” Pickles and Maddie McLennan on earning selection in the 2026 junior interleague netball teams! 🏐

All three have been recognised for their skill, versatility and effort, with Taya dominating through the midcourt, Em bringing toughness and leadership in defence, and Maddie showing serious talent well beyond her years.

They’ll now represent across several big competitions this season, which is a brilliant achievement and a great reward for all the hard work they’ve been putting in.

Well done girls – and shoutout as well to Caitlyn Summer and Tahlee for having a crack at trials. Good on all of you! 👏

The owners of the Clunes Top Shop say they have been dealing with repeated nuisance phone calls throughout the day, prom...
15/03/2026

The owners of the Clunes Top Shop say they have been dealing with repeated nuisance phone calls throughout the day, prompting them to temporarily disconnect their phone to keep the business running. 📞

In a video shared online, Bobby and Christie from the Clunes takeaway explained that someone had been repeatedly calling the store “non-stop”, hanging up or abusing staff when the calls were answered.

“Unfortunately, we’ve had some little mischievous person calling up our shop constantly, all day,” they said in the video. “And when I mean constantly, I mean non-stop.”

The pair said the calls were disrupting the shop’s operations and had forced them to disconnect their phone line to stop the interruptions.

They also expressed concern about the impact on staff, saying younger workers and women on the tills had been exposed to abusive language during the calls.

“We have young kids here working as well. Ladies on the tills. It’s not on,” they said.

The business owners said whoever was responsible had used explicit language and called Chrissy names during some of the calls.

Despite the frustration, the couple said they would prefer to resolve the situation calmly if the person responsible was willing to come forward.

“If you’ve done something wrong to you or offended you in any way, come and have a chat,” they said. “There’s no need to call my missus’ names.”

They said an apology would go a long way toward resolving the issue and added that the situation would not stop the business from operating.

“You’re not going to stop our business. People are just going to rally more behind us,” they said.

The owners ended the video by thanking their regular customers for their support and inviting the caller to come and speak with them directly if they wished to resolve the matter.

A new early learning and childcare centre has opened in Clunes, with the project already prompting questions locally abo...
15/03/2026

A new early learning and childcare centre has opened in Clunes, with the project already prompting questions locally about cost, priorities, and timing.

The facility, named Early Learning Victoria Wirmal, has been built next to Clunes Primary School as part of the Victorian Government’s Best Start, Best Life reforms.

Delivered by the Victorian School Building Authority, the centre can accommodate up to 102 children across five rooms and includes spaces for maternal and child health services and community programs.

During planning and construction, the project was referred to as the Clunes Early Learning Centre, with the final name, “Wirmal,” chosen by the Dja Dja Wurrung Clans Aboriginal Corporation.

The Government say the centre will improve access to childcare and early learning for local families, however many are wondering how much the project has cost taxpayers.

Day care at the centre is listed at around $155 per day before subsidies, with programs like Free Kinder offsetting those costs for families.

However, those subsidies are ultimately funded by Victorian taxpayers – at a time when Victoria is carrying record debt and struggling even to cover the interest on that debt.

The project also lands against a broader backdrop of scrutiny around government spending, with critics pointing to repeated cost blowouts on major infrastructure projects under the Victorian Labor Government.

The government has also faced ongoing controversy surrounding corruption allegations tied to the CFMEU and parts of the state’s Big Build program.

With Victoria heading toward a state election, projects like this are likely to receive closer attention.

Labor's local member for Ripon, Martha Haylett, is understood to be recontesting the seat, but is expected to face strong competition – especially from One Nation.

For many locals, the issue isn’t whether childcare is needed – it’s whether the scale, cost, and timing of government projects like this are the right fit for Clunes.

This is one of those stories that just punches you in the gut if you care about country towns and local footy-netball. 💔...
24/01/2026

This is one of those stories that just punches you in the gut if you care about country towns and local footy-netball. 💔

Clunes Football Netball Club might not survive long-term, and Hepburn Shire Council’s response has been to wave around a $30 million price tag and shut the whole conversation down. 😠

The club wasn’t asking for some shiny Taj Mahal. They wanted a practical, flood-safe precinct that footy, netball, cricket, bowls and the wider community could actually use. 🏃🏻‍➡️

Instead, consultants came back with gold-plated plans, two ovals, and a fantasy budget that everyone involved knew would never happen. 😑

The club reckons a solid, modern facility could be done for $5-7 million, which honestly sounds far more realistic than council’s fantasy number. 🏉

Right now, they’re stuck at Bull Millgate Oval, which floods, doesn’t drain, has cramped changerooms, almost no netball facilities, ancient toilets, no proper community space, and basically zero capacity to grow with the town. 🏟️

The president, Brendan Sheehan, is openly saying he can’t see how the club is still operating there in 10 years. That’s not drama, that’s a warning siren. 🚨

And the kicker? This wasn’t just about footy. They wanted a community hub for functions, kids, disability access, everything the town currently lacks. A proper heart for Clunes. 🖤

Instead, council’s answer is bureaucratic waffle about “financial constraints” and vague promises of upgrades with no actual funding or plan. That’s how towns slowly rot – not with a bang, but with endless reports and no action. 😡

If a council can’t find a way to support the one thing that keeps a country town alive – sport, community, kids, volunteers – then what the hell are they there for? 🤔

This isn’t just about a club. This is about whether Clunes gets a future, or gets managed into quiet decline by spreadsheet warriors... 😔

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Clunes, VIC
3370

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