Community
Elphinstone may be a small community, but it is vibrant, positive and proud.
There’s a few groups are at the centre of many of the community activities, including:
Elphinstone Progress Association
The Elphinstone Progress Association represents and provides a voice for the betterment of our little community. Activities are guided by the Statement of Purpose.
They are a very friendly bunch of people, and welcome any resident of Elphinstone to get involved. Meetings are quarterly.
Contact elphinstoneprogress@gmail.com for more details.
Elphinstone Land Management Association
Elphinstone Land Management Association (ELMA) is Elphinstone’s Landcare Group. ELMA has created beautiful native plantings around town plus an arboretum near the hall, and they help manage roadside weeds.
The group is looking to reinvigorate after the challenges of the pandemic. We welcome new members and the ideas that can be generated by the group to help our local environment and make our community even better.
For more about ELMA, email Gerard Kelly at gnkkelly@bigpond.com or call 0402 456 758.
Red Box Wildlife Shelter
Elphinstone’s first and only registered wildlife shelter. Opened in 2016 by Scott and Nikki Medwell, the Red Box Wildlife Shelter is here to help the local kangaroo population when they get injured or orphaned.
Red Box Wildlife Shelter emphasises the need to raise awareness and the profile of Elphinstone’s amazing flora and fauna. Wildlife often suffers from people’s lack of education and it can disappear from an area unless there is assistance to co-exist alongside residents. They lead by example, respecting and caring for the environment to ensure future generations get a chance to see the affectionately named El-Roos living free and in peace.
Red Box Wildlife Shelter became a registered charity in 2020.
Visit the FREE educational website created by Red Box Wildlife Shelter: www.kangaroorangers.com
Elphinstone Primary School
Elphinstone Primary School is a small community school in the heart of the Victorian Goldfields, at the entrance to the Mount Alexander Shire which centres around Castlemaine.
The school is in a beautiful setting with well developed grounds on 1.5 ha by the original Calder Highway. There are magnificent views of Mt Alexander to the north. The school community take pride in the school environment and have worked hard to ensure that it is appealing, stimulating and safe.
Our students are involved in many educational activities both in and outside the classroom. They are also involved in many specialist classroom activities and programs as well as inter-school ventures and a wide range of camps and excursions.
The school remains closely tied to the district schools through the Small Schools Cluster. Regular planning meetings occur and this contributes to a commonality in curriculum, language and goals.
Elphinstone Playgroup
Elphinstone Playgroup is open to children from babies up until school age. It provides a great environment for families to socialise and get to know each other.
The Elphinstone Recreation Hall is a wonderful home for the group. It has a great big space to play in, a sand pit, two outdoor playgrounds and a new kitchen for preparing fruit snacks and making coffee.
The group is well equipped with lots of toys and all you need to bring is $4 and a piece of fruit to share.
Check out the Elphinstone Playgroup Facebook group or contact Bec on 0488 935 558.
Elphinstone CFA
The Elphinstone Fire Brigade is historic rural brigade which unofficially commenced in approximately 1919 when a group of local men riding horses would summons themselves as they were required to fight fires. Then in 1924, the Brigade became officially known as the Elphinstone Bush Fire Brigade. This was prior to any official CFA body which was established in 1944 after a review of the savage 1939 fires.
These days, we have two state of the art tankers and the latest forward control 4WD vehicles. Our Brigade has a set of breathing apparatus. The equipment that we have today has grown from humble beginnings thanks to the efforts of members, our predecessors and the local community.
The brigade would warmly welcome more volunteers.
Contact Captain Andy Chapman on 0408 507 770 for more information.
Elphinstone Facilities Committee
Elphinstone Facilities Committee cares for our lovely and highly functional Town Hall and grounds and helps manage Sawpit Gully Reserve next to the post office.
For information about the hall, or to get involved with the committee, send an email to elphrechall@gmail.com.
The Elphinstone Cemetery
Known as ‘God’s Acre’, the Elphinstone Cemetery is in fact exactly one acre in area. About 200 bodies have been laid to rest here since 1860.
Still in use to this day, the cemetery is run by a small group of volunteers under the direction of DHHS. For inquiries, please call Cassandra Gunter 0422 524 649.