
Highlighted Business of the Week
Blue Environment - Castlemaine Blue Environment have extensive expertise in waste management, carbon advice and environmental management issues across the spectrum of research, planning, strategy development, feasibility analysis and implementation phases. Their consultants are recognised as experts in their field and literally ‘wrote the book’ on best practice waste management in Australia – including resource recovery and recycling centres, transfer stations, landfills, gre


Tips for Independent Artists - Negotiation part 4
Groceries, Food & Supplies
When you're really busy, touring or working long long hours you don’t really have a sense of what food and supplies you have in your house. Many people waste a lot of my money on buying more than they need and it either goes off, or gets wasted etc.
• Where do you buy your groceries from?
• Is that the easiest place or the cheapest?
• Have you got a food bank that you can access for pantry items?
• Are local markets available?
• Is there a food shar


Highlighted Business of the Week
Andrew Goodman - Castlemaine Andrew Goodman is a contemporary artist whose work encompasses soft sculpture, sound, lights and electronics and video into immersive installations, usually featuring generative or interactive elements. He has an Honours degree in drawing from VCA and a PhD in Fine Art from Monash University. Current artworks explore the possibility of the event of relation between the viewer or participant and the installations being viewed as the actual work, ra


Tips for Independent Artists - Negotiation part 3
Direct Debits - This often doesn't seem like a very important thing, but it can turn into a massive area to get your head around. You may have direct debits that are paid fortnightly, monthly, quarterly or even annually.
• What direct debits do you have coming out of your bank accounts?
• What direct debits do you have coming out of credit cards?
• What direct debits do you have coming from other platforms like PayPal, iTunes or your phone?
• Do you still need these things ri


Highlighted Business of the Week
Amped Auto Installations - Eaglehawk Travis from Amped Auto Installations specialises in the installation of car audio and 4wd accessories, primarily electrical accessories. Amped Auto can help anyone looking to upgrade an audio system, setup a new ute or 4wd for work, touring or pleasure.


Tips for Independent Artists - Negotiation part 2
BILLS - There are some major limitations in being able to speak to someone due to overseas telecentres, when you ring up they will warn you. It seems that downloading the apps to work out your bills is the easiest way to keep on track of monthly spends and also change billing methods, or details of specific plans. Electricity & Gas: * How are you billed? Monthly, quarterly?
* Are there specific saver times you can purchase electricity / gas?
* Do you have solar? Have you got


Starting A Project - Research
Research will help you in many ways. It can uncover your competition, provide vital information about your audience and identify risks, leading you to be able to position yourself better. Don't forget about SWOT - Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. Having a clear idea of each will allow you to set realistic goals for your organisation. Doing research will help position your company and project correctly!

Highlighted Business of the Week
Alpine Apartments - Castlemaine Alpine Apartments Falls Creek specialises in Falls Creek holiday accommodation. Alpine Apartments is the new look division of Mountain Multiservice which was established in 1984. Their mission is to provide you with comfortable, clean, reasonably priced holiday accommodation, and to give you a first-class experience of what Falls Creek has to offer. Mountain Multiservice has been locally owned since 1984. Whilst being able to book all forms of


Tips for Independent Artists - Negotiation part 1
Over the next 10 weeks we will be looking at Negotiation. This is the stage about changing things and working out what is important and essential and what can be put on hold or cancelled now. Note this can be hard to get through because it feels pretty annoying and stressful. Please talk to other artists about your strategies and work online together even from different homes if needs be. Banking investigation:
• Jump on line and really spend some time looking at your bank


Starting A Project - Defining the Task
Prioritising the nitty-gritty of your project and getting you lil' ducks in a row will save you buckets of time down the track. What is the goal? How will you get there? Get to know the strategic direction and desired result, it'll be your best friend through this process. Always remember it never hurts to have a plan!