Castlemaine, Campbells Creek and Chewton

Gardening around Castlemaine

Castlemaine and its neighbours sit in the middle of the Castlemaine Diggings National Heritage Park, the largest historic mining landscape in Australia, left behind by the gold rush that began in 1851. That history shows up in the gardens: old cottages on small, sloping blocks, deep beds that have been planted over for generations, and bush that comes right down to the back fence in places like Chewton.

The gardens are often beautiful and often overgrown. A lot of our work here is catch-up: weeding back beds that have disappeared, pruning shrubs off paths and windows, and clearing the leaves and bark that the big trees drop into gutters.

No green bin yet

Mount Alexander Shire doesn't have a kerbside organics collection at the moment. A food and garden organics service is planned from July 2027. Until then, garden waste has to be composted at home or taken to a transfer station, which is where a trailer comes in handy.

Our loads go to the Castlemaine Transfer Station on Sluicers Road. It's open 8am to 4pm every day but closes on Total Fire Ban days. Residents with their own trailer can also use the Shire's free green-waste period each spring. This year it runs from 31 October to 15 November 2026 at the Castlemaine and Maldon transfer stations, with proof of residence.

Fire season in Mount Alexander Shire

The Shire's fire prevention officer and the local CFA inspect properties before and during the fire season, and notices can follow where hazards haven't been cleared. The Shire's own advice includes keeping grass and weeds under 10 cm around buildings, cleaning out gutters, raking up leaves, twigs and branches, and keeping firebreaks on rural blocks. That list lines up closely with our fire-season clean-up, gutter cleaning and green waste services, and we can do them in one visit.