Greater BendigoMay 2016

Better bus facilities for Bendigo

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Subscribe to our weekly e-newsletter for your chance to win a double pass to see Bendigo’s most talked about exhibition - page 2

Bendigo loves Marilyn! page 14-15

Goornong and District Heritage Trail page 3

Fly like a fox in Heathcote page 19inside

page 5

Greater Bendigo www.bendigo.vic.gov.au Greater Bendigo www.bendigo.vic.gov.au 2 3

By Cr Rod Fyffe, Mayor

The early part of the calendar year is always a busy one for Council.

Working with City of Greater Bendigo officers we update the Council Plan, which sets out the priorities for the next 12 months, and then we draft the Budget to determine how objectives in the plan can be funded.

Council has agreed to a 2.5 per cent rate increase in line with the State Government imposed rate cap.

While rate capping is and will continue to be a big challenge, Council is confident that enough efficiencies have been identified this year to enable our priority projects to go ahead, while continuing to fund services.

An added bonus is the funding City staff have secured from the Federal Government

for the Greater Bendigo Indoor Aquatic Leisure and Wellbeing Centre, which means less money is needed from ratepayers.

It’s highly likely, though, that a future council will need to seek a variation (increase) to the rate cap to ensure the City remains financially viable and able to deliver the projects needed for our growing population.

Other councils are already seeking variations with around a quarter notifying the Essential Services Commission of their intention to do so for the 2016/2017 financial year.

The Budget and Council Plan will be adopted before the end of June and the community will have the opportunity to comment on both documents before this happens.

Whether it’s supporting major projects such as the Greater Bendigo Indoor Aquatic Leisure and Wellbeing Centre or investing in footpaths and drainage, Council’s

overarching objective is to improve the liveability of our great municipality.

Vandalism

Vandalism of Council’s assets comes at a significant cost to our community, whether it’s the toy soldiers that accompany the Christmas tree in Rosalind Park, sporting facilities or the playgrounds we build and maintain for our children to enjoy.

These assets belong to the community.

This type of wanton destruction has no place in our society. It costs the Council in terms of money, time and resources and, more importantly, it means that children are left without a place to play until the repair works can be completed.

No matter the circumstances, there are no excuses for vandalising community assets in this way.

If you see anyone vandalising community assets we encourage you to contact the police immediately.

Efficiencies enable 2.5 per cent rate rise

New heritage signs have been installed at Goornong, Fosterville and Barnadown to celebrate the early development of each town and acknowledge their contribution to the Greater Bendigo region.

The signs are a partnership between the City of Greater Bendigo and the Goornong and District Community Group. All signs were researched and written by community members and have been installed at the Goornong Village Green, on McCormicks Road at Fosterville and on the Knowsley-Barnadown Road at the Barnadown Bridge to form a heritage drive trail.

“The history of central Bendigo is well known but the surrounding towns also have an interesting story to tell and these signs chart the journey of Goornong, Fosterville and Barnadown from pastoral land to small, thriving communities,” Rural Development Coordinator, Jenny Pendlebury, said.

“Barnadown’s sign highlights the role of the Campaspe River as a way of exploring Victoria and supporting the agriculture industry. The town was the hub of the district and supplied settlers and travellers with goods and services, as it was the site of the ‘punt’ to cross the river.

“Later the railway replaced the river for trade, freight and travel. A survey for the first railway in Australia to join two colonies was completed in 1859. The line between Sandhurst and Echuca was completed in 1864 and Goornong was one of the towns that sprung up to support the rail workers.

“The railway triggered the decline of

Barnadown and Goornong replaced it as the service centre for the region. By the late 1800s, Goornong had nine hotels within an eight kilometre radius.

“Gold was discovered in the region in 1894 at Fosterville. The town was named after the Minister for Mines, Minerals and Water Supply, the Hon. Henry Foster, following his efforts to ensure water flowed to the town.

“Fosterville experienced incredible highs, with 16 batteries operating to extract gold and 600 men employed. The town’s population exceeded 2,000 people and 30,000 ounces of gold was produced in those early years, although ongoing extraction

problems meant only a shell of the township remained by 1910.

“The heritage signs provide a great insight into Greater Bendigo’s very early development and although the heyday of settlement has passed, it is important to reflect on how these towns came to be.”

See page 6 and 7 for more heritage stories.

Pictured above: Goornong community members Carol Sharkey, Barry Winzar, Gabrielle Kennedy, Joyce McKinstry, Trish Ash, Aileen O’Sullivan, Jenny Pendlebury, and Janet Filbey.

On the cover: The new Mitchell Street Bus Interchange in full swing.Greater Bendigo Magazine is printed on Australian recycled paper.

Goornong and District Heritage Trailpreserving our heritage

WIN WIN WIN

WIN WIN

WIN WIN WIN

WIN WIN

An exclusive international event celebrating the life and glamour of Marilyn Monroe through her iconic film costumes, personal style, original photographs and ephemera.

4 CEO’s column

‘Citizens Jury’ plan for Greater Bendigo

5 Better bus facilities for Bendigo

Bus bike rack trial underway

6 Plan to have RSL Hall ‘shovel ready’ for major upgrade

7 Grand scale of fountain revealed for first time in 110 years

Sundial returns home after 26-year absence

8 Upload your stories on ‘My Local Neighbourhood’

9 City congratulates 2016 Citizen and Young Citizen of the Year

Graffiti not here

10 A new era for the Heathcote Lions Estate

11 Joint partnership to improve early learning centres

Keeping you informed

12 Youth events and mentoring to continue

Unique arts partnership

13 Have your say on Reconciliation Action Plan

15 Bendigo loves Marilyn!

16 Is your small business healthy?

New business support directory now available

17 Ulumbarra celebrates a successful first year

2016 Dining & Shopping Guide launched

Raw Arts: celebrating young artists

18 Free green waste disposal weekend

Organics - Coming to your home in Bendigo and Marong

19 Fly like a fox in Heathcote

New look for Strathdale Park play space

20 What’s in the works?

22 New road links highways

23 Another sporting coup as Bendigo prepares to welcome Volleyroos

Indoor aquatic and wellbeing centre community fundraising drive launched

Bendigo Airport stage two works take flight

24 Discover Huntly: An historic and growing part of Greater Bendigo

26 A fair and transparent way to fund infrastructure

27 Marong Township Structure Plan

Strathfieldsaye Town Centre Urban Design Framework

28 Community has a say on Greater Bendigo’s open spaces

29-31 Ward news

32 What’s on

Your Councillors

Terms and conditions: Tickets are non-transferable and are only available for Bendigo Art Gallery and Twentieth Century Fox present Marilyn Monroe until July 10, 2016. A double pass includes entry for two people and is valued at $50 per double pass. Winners will be drawn randomly on 27/05/16 and will be notified by email and then mailed to winners. Names will be published in the 30/05/16 e-newsletter.

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To win one of 5 double passes simply subscribe to our weekly e-newsletter by Friday May 27 at www.bendigo.vic.gov.au/gbnewsupdate It’s a great way to find what’s happening in Greater Bendigo.

HOW TO ENTER:

Win a double pass to see Bendigo Art Gallery and Twentieth Century Fox present Marilyn Monroe

Greater Bendigo www.bendigo.vic.gov.au Greater Bendigo www.bendigo.vic.gov.au 4 5

Better bus facilities for BendigoThe new Mitchell Street Central Bus Interchange in Hargreaves Mall is now open and is proving a safer and more comfortable place for commuters to wait for their bus rather than standing out on the Mitchell Street footpath.

Mitchell Street Central features two steel-framed structures complete with large glass oval-shaped roofs and screens that display bus arrival times.

The new structure also blends well with the surrounds of Hargreaves Mall and boasts 80 square metres of

undercover space with seating for 45 people and standing room for a further 60.

The construction of the new bus interchange completes a major $3.8M redevelopment of Mitchell Street between Pall Mall and Queen Street that was undertaken by the City in 2013/2014 and included a complete rebuild of the road pavement, installation of new underground drainage and services and widening of footpaths. It also included creation of a new pocket park, installation of new street furniture, landscaping and tree planting.

In the near future the interchange will boast real-time service information for the local bus network - making Bendigo the first Victorian city outside of Melbourne to have this technology available.

The real time service information will let commuters see how far away their bus is and will also allow them to use their smartphone to see bus arrival times.

The Mitchell Street Bus Interchange project, which is a partnership between the State Government through Public Transport Victoria and the City, is making public transport an even more attractive option, which is one of the objectives of the City’s Connecting Greater Bendigo Integrated Transport and Land Use Strategy.

At the City, we pride ourselves on being the best we can be for our community.We operate under a set of Values and Behaviours, which emphasise the importance of the work we do for our community, and this means being prepared to take a serious look at this work to ensure that it remains relevant.

Over the coming weeks, months and years, the City will embark on a series of service reviews aimed at ensuring that we continue to deliver the right outcomes for our community in a financially sustainable way.

In many ways it is business as usual with the City’s Business Units regularly looking at how they can do things better.

The big difference this time is that the City is taking a more formalised approach. The reviews will be overseen by the Executive Management Team (EMT) made up of myself as CEO and the Directors of Planning and Development, Presentation and Assets, City Futures, Community Wellbeing and Organisation Support.

The timing has been influenced by rate capping, the Commonwealth’s decision to freeze Financial Assistance Grants and ongoing cost shifting to local government. These factors mean we have less money than we otherwise would have.

However, these reviews are not an attempt by the City to abandon or reduce its service commitment to Greater Bendigo. The purpose is about much more than adapting to income pressures. It’s about ensuring that Council is investing in the right services at the right standard and in the right way.

The reviews will touch on every service area in the organisation. Working with Business Unit managers, the EMT is determining the scope of these reviews and is prioritising them to occur between now and 2018.

Some of these reviews will have no direct impact on the community so it’s unlikely you will hear about them. Many of Council’s services are regularly utilised by community members and when these are reviewed, your input will be encouraged. When this occurs those affected will be notified of the service to be reviewed and how they can contribute to the process.

Successful and dynamic organisations like the City are adaptive to change. These reviews are about recognising the changing environment local government finds itself in so we can continue to deliver the right services for our community.

Craig Niemann, CEO

Service reviews part of our vision to be the best we can be

The City will establish a ‘Citizens Jury’ to provide independent community input into Greater Bendigo’s priorities for the next four years.

City Planning and Development Director, Prue Mansfield, said the goal is to have “more people having more confidence in more Council decisions”.

“The ‘Citizen’s Jury’ model is an innovative approach to involving our community in the future direction of the City,” Prue said.

“It will make a significant contribution to our vision of Greater Bendigo – working together to be Australia’s most liveable regional city by building confidence that Councillors are listening to the views of a broad range of our residents.”

Prue said the model will be very useful in helping the new Council – to be elected in October 2016 – to develop the Council Plan for 2017-2021.

Under the model, to be run independently, invitations will be sent to a large, randomly selected group of people, explaining

the task and commitment and process involved.

From these, random selection of about 26 people will be made based on population size and alignment to the city’s demographic profile. Jury members will be provided with background information and submissions would be invited from other interested people.

The jury will come together for six days over a 10-week period to deliberate after which they provide a final report to the Council. Anyone would be able to attend its deliberations.

Prue said the jury will be established in time for their report to be ready for the incoming Council after the October 22 election.

The timing of the election, with the new Council Plan to be adopted by June 2017, makes it very difficult for Council to engage well with the community, if that work does not start until early 2017, she said.

‘Citizens Jury’ plan for Greater Bendigo

City CEO Craig Niemann talks with Works Unit staff at the Depot.

Cyclists can now travel with their bikes on the Strathfieldsaye-Bendigo bus line, thanks to a Public Transport Victoria trial.

Buses on route 70 are fitted with bike racks on the front of the bus, which can carry two bikes at a time.

Public Transport Victoria is running trials on four routes across Victoria including Bendigo; with the other trials happening in Brunswick, Essendon and the Mornington Peninsula.

The trial allows people to combine bike riding and public transport in the one journey.

Councillor Peter Cox said that residents on the Strathfieldsaye line could now ride to their local bus stop and then catch public transport to and from central Bendigo.

‘‘It is fantastic that this trial is happening here in Bendigo and we hope to see as many people as possible take part in the trial,’’ he said.

The City’s Connecting Greater Bendigo: Integrated Transport and Land Use Strategy, which was released last year, promotes active transport as a key priority.

Bus bike racks are a great initiative, giving extra options for people to get to work and residents who live along the route are encouraged to try out this great service.

The trial will run for 12 months. For more information about the trial go to www.ptv.vic.gov.au

Bus bike rack trial underway

“It is fantastic that this trial is happening here in Bendigo and we hope to see as many people as possible take part in the trial”

Greater Bendigo www.bendigo.vic.gov.au Greater Bendigo www.bendigo.vic.gov.au 6 7

Plans for a major upgrade of the Soldiers Memorial Hall in Pall Mall, including a new state-of-the-art gallery, have taken a significant leap forward with the approval of a planning permit.

The objective is to have the project “shovel ready” for when funding becomes available.

The Council will provide $800,000 over two years towards the restoration component of the project.

The RSL and Council will also apply for grants from other levels of government and the RSL will seek community contributions through fundraising activities.

The total project is expected to cost $4.2M and the works will be staged over a number of years.

“It is fitting that the City of Greater Bendigo and the Bendigo District RSL are combining in this major project in the year of the Centenary of ANZAC,” Hall Redevelopment Group Chair, Paul Penno said.

“Our diggers of World War 1, their families and the general community who raised the funds to construct this magnificent Memorial would be well pleased to see the efforts

being made by the City and the Bendigo District RSL to upgrade and expand upon this very special building.

“The completion of this project will ensure that the sacrifices made by so many who served in all wars – those who died, those who survived and suffered and those who are serving still – will always be remembered.

“We look forward to other levels of Government displaying the same levels of enthusiasm and commitment to this important project as the Councillors of the City of Greater Bendigo.”

The Hall constructed in 1920-21 is used as a museum by the RSL and is one of central Bendigo’s most prominent landmark buildings.

The Soldiers Memorial Hall needs to be upgraded to meet modern day accessibility requirements and visitor expectations. A proposed new gallery would be built at the

rear of the existing Hall following the removal of the 1934 fibro stage and toilet additions.

The gallery would include state-of-the-art climate control features to accommodate touring exhibitions from the War Memorial in Canberra. The exhibition space would be located at ground floor level, with the storage and preparation areas within the upper level roof space.

Conservation works to the original building would include total roof replacement, new skylights, external render repairs and the application of a new wash coat to the whole building to replicate the original stone coloured finish.

Other works would include upgrading exhibition spaces within the existing building and removal of the caretaker’s flat.

The design has been reviewed by the Office of the Victorian Government Architect, which states:

“We are highly supportive of the developing design and suggest that (architects) Lovell Chen have put forward an elegant and highly considered design proposition that respects both the heritage building and park context and contributes positively to the city of Bendigo.”

Plan to have RSL Hall ‘shovel ready’ for major upgrade

Concept

The grand scale of the Vahland Drinking Fountain has been revealed for the first time in 110 years as the campaign to restore the historically significant feature kicks into top gear.

A large section of the 19th century fountain has been temporarily reassembled at the City’s Adam Street Depot to show the height and scale of the structure, which Council hopes to fully restore and locate at the Rosalind Park end of Bull Street.

The public appeal has so far raised $173,500 in cash and in-kind donations. This is a fantastic effort, but more contributions are needed if we are to reach the $250,000 in cash and in-kind support needed to complete this important project.

Anyone wanting to support the restoration project can make a tax free donation at any of the nine local Bendigo Bank branches.

The multi-faceted fountain is made of granite and featured four gas lights atop a central column. Water flowed out of the mouths of four metal lions into large granite basins.

Installed in 1881, the fountain sat at the junction of Bridge Street and Pall Mall and together with the Alexandra Fountain was intended to visually balance Pall Mall, whilst also forming a triangle of fountains with the Cascades in Rosalind Park. Renowned architect Charles Vahland designed all three water features.

Grand scale of fountain revealed for first time in 110 years

Drinking fountain c1906. State Library of Victoria.

Join the Bendigo Bank, City of Greater Bendigo, German Heritage Society and the National Trust of Australia (Victoria) in paying tribute to the legacy of this prolific architect by donating to the project.

For more information www.bendigo.vic.gov.au/celebratevahland

Help restore a piece of Bendigo’s history...

Restoring our heritage

The Mackay Sundial, first erected in 1930 as a tribute to the then President of the Red Cross Society, has been reinstated near the Soldier’s Memorial Hall in Pall Mall after a 26-year absence.

The sundial was originally located outside the Hall in recognition of Mrs Mary Henderson Mackay, a prominent Bendigo resident who served the Red Cross Society from 1914 to 1930.

According to the Annals of Bendigo, the Mackay Sundial was “erected to the memory of a noble woman who had given of her best for the relief of distress, suffering and hardship of the men who had played their part in the defence of the Empire”.

In 1990 the sundial was relocated to the then Red Cross Society building in View Street. The building was subsequently purchased by La Trobe University and replaced with the Visual Arts Centre. The sundial has most recently been housed at the City’s Adam Street depot.

Mayor Cr Rod Fyffe thanked La Trobe University for restoring the brass sundial, which sits on top of a pink marble pillar and is inscribed with a riddle: I am a shadow, so art though. I mark time, does thou?

“Mrs Mackay was a highly regarded Bendigonian and the sundial is a fitting tribute to the important contribution she made to the community,” Rod said.

“Council, working in partnership with the university and Mrs Mackay’s descendants, is pleased to have been able to not only restore this important part of Bendigo’s history, but also bring it back, as close as possible, to its original location.”

Sundial returns home after 26-year absence

“Mrs Mackay was a highly regarded Bendigonian and the sundial is a fitting tribute to the important contribution she made to the community”

Mayor Cr Rod Fyffe looks over development plans with Hall

Redevelopment Group Chair Paul Penno.

Greater Bendigo www.bendigo.vic.gov.au Greater Bendigo www.bendigo.vic.gov.au 8 9

The City is encouraging residents and visitors to upload stories about their neighbourhoods to the new ‘My Local Neighbourhood’ feature on Community Compass.

Community Compass is an online mapping service that appears on the home page of the City’s website or can be found at www.pozi.com/bendigo

‘My Local Neighbourhood’ will allow people to update the map with information about local groups, places and events that are important to them or their community using the icons ‘Get active’, ‘Get creative’ and ‘Get involved’.

The aim of the new online tool is to develop an online asset that tells people all of the resources available to them within a 10 minute walk or cycle from home.

People will have up to 255 characters, about three to four lines or a short paragraph, to explain about a certain location.

We’re encouraging people to go beyond saying a place is ‘great’ or ‘fantastic’ and personalise their story by saying how a place makes them feel and why they like to visit there.

Similarly, community groups may like to make the most of the new feature to promote events or activities.

Upload your stories on ‘My Local Neighbourhood’To find stories within your local neighbourhood:• Type your address into the ‘search

address’ bar. Select your address from the list below

• A list of options will appear on the right hand side of the screen. Click on ‘Nearby Neighbourhood Stories’

• The ‘Get active’, ‘Get creative’ and ‘Get involved’ icons will appear. Click on an icon and the story will appear on the right hand side of the screen (you may need to zoom out using the ‘+’ or ‘-’ button, or scroll wheel on your mouse to see the icons)

To add a story:

• Click on the pencil icon in the top left hand corner of the screen

• Left click on the map where you would like to add your story and an information box will appear to fill in

• To add a photo, upload the image to www.imgur.com Click ‘upload images’ at the top of the screen. Browse your computer for the photo and click ‘start upload’

• Once your photo is uploaded, copy the specific URL or ‘web address’ for the photo from the ‘HTML (website/blogs)’ box

• Paste the link into the link box on ‘My Local Neighbourhood’

• Click save. Once the story has gone through an approval process it will become public

City congratulates 2016 Citizen and Young Citizen of the YearMusician Valerie Broad OAM and volunteer Breanna (Bree) Thomas are the City’s 2016 Citizen and Young Citizen of the Year.

Mayor Cr Rod Fyffe congratulated the women and said one of the great privileges of being Mayor is to bestow the City’s highest honour on two deserving people.

“The Citizen and Young Citizen of the Year awards represent what it truly means to be a great community member and again residents have nominated two worthy recipients for this annual accolade,” Rod said.

“Many of you will know of Valerie, who is the founding director of the Bendigo Youth Choir and has been the choir’s musical director for more than 30 years. She has been responsible for encouraging the musical passions of thousands of young people and activating their interest in music and culture.”

When the choir regularly travels interstate and overseas, Valerie proudly represents Bendigo and willingly promotes the city to all she meets.

Valerie is also an active Rotarian and member of the Rotary Club of Bendigo, and her previous volunteer efforts have focused on helping people with physical disabilities.

Bree is a school teacher and has been a long-time volunteer with abused and neglected foster children and those who are terminally ill, acting as a leader and buddy through various camp programs such as Camp Quality and the Southern Cross Kids Camp.

She is also passionate about cancer research. Bree has coordinated a Relay for Life team in Bendigo for many years and when her grandmother died, Bree held a concert and other fundraisers to collect $5,000 to sponsor a scholarship for cancer research in her honour.

“I congratulate Valerie and Bree on their outstanding contribution to our community and wish them well throughout the next year as they serve as ambassadors for Greater Bendigo,” Rod said.

A group of young people will soon hit the streets to clean up graffiti hot spots in Bendigo’s CBD, thanks to a State Government grant of $17,300.

The City and Radius Disability Services have joined forces to deliver a range of anti-graffiti initiatives including graffiti removal, education programs to reduce tagging and overseeing the development of a community mural in Mitchell Lane (located off Mitchell Street, diagonally opposite Bath Lane).

“The Graffiti Prevention Project complements the State Government’s and the City’s efforts to improve the visual appearance of Bendigo’s CBD and perceptions of public

safety,” City Community Partnerships Manager, Steven Abbott, said.

“By removing graffiti as soon as it appears it limits public property being repeatedly targeted. The opportunity to also develop new public art will increase the overall vibrancy of our city.”

The project will be based at Radius Disability Service’s new headquarters, the Morley Johnson building, on Mitchell Street.

“A group of young people will locate graffiti for removal, learn about the impact of graffiti on the community and look at ways to revitalise graffiti hotspots with creative images,” Radius Chief Executive Officer, Cath McDonald, said.

“Radius wants the Morley Johnson building to act as a social and economic hub for Bendigo, so it is wonderful that it will be able to support the prevention of graffiti in the CBD and the delivery of a community art project by providing participants with a place to work.”

Graffiti not here

Left: Young Citizen and Citizen of the Year Bree Thomas and Valerie Broad OAM.

Cobie Normington, Tom and Clare Cook. Image courtesy of the Bendigo Advertiser.

“I congratulate Valerie and Bree on their outstanding contribution to our community and wish them well throughout the next year as they serve as ambassadors for Greater Bendigo”

“A group of young people will locate graffiti for removal, learn about the impact of graffiti on the community and look at ways to revitalise graffiti hotspots with creative images”

Working with our community

Greater Bendigo www.bendigo.vic.gov.au Greater Bendigo www.bendigo.vic.gov.au 10 11

Nine early learning centres will undergo a range of improvements following a commitment by the City, the State Government and the Loddon Mallee Preschool Association to invest $587,000 over the next three years.

State Government funding of $449,000, an $80,000 commitment from the Loddon Mallee Preschool Association (LMPA) and $58,000 from the City will be used to either upgrade play spaces or carry out general improvement works.

“This joint investment will help to maximise learning outcomes for the youngest members of the community and improve future education and health prospects for local children before they go to primary school,” City Community Partnerships Manager, Steven Abbott, said.

“Five early learning centres will have play spaces renewed so they can offer more inclusive and accessible play opportunities, two centres will receive renovations so they can deliver 15 hours of high quality education to more children in the year before they go to school, especially those from vulnerable and disadvantaged backgrounds, and one centre will receive both sets of works.”

Joint partnership to improve early learning centres

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The Heathcote Lions Estate is about to welcome a new owner and manager.

Specialist housing provider, Wintringham Housing Limited, will be taking over the

ownership and management of the 17-unit estate, which has provided elderly Heathcote residents with access to quality housing for over 30 years.

The land on High Street was gifted to the then Shire of McIvor by the Granter family in the early 1980s and over the years has been carefully developed and maintained by the Heathcote Lions Club and Heathcote Lions Estate Committee.

“The City is grateful to the Granter family for their generous donation of land, which

has served an important purpose in the Heathcote community,” Mayor Cr Rod Fyffe said.

“Ever since the land was gifted, passionate local volunteers have worked tirelessly to ensure the Granter family’s vision to provide accommodation for local elderly residents was realised and, importantly, continued.

“Without this dedication the units would not exist today and nor would they be in such good condition.

“A new era has now arrived for the estate and the City sincerely thanks the members of the Club and Committee for their wonderful commitment to this valued community asset and for helping to identify a suitable new ownership and management model.

“The ongoing wellbeing and housing security of residents has been a key consideration throughout this whole process, and the Club, Committee and Wintringham are working closely to ensure a seamless transition.”

A new era for the Heathcote Lions Estate

“The City is grateful to the Granter family for their generous donation of land, which has served an important purpose in the Heathcote community”

Heathcote Lions Club and Estate Committee members, Estate residents

and Wintringham Housing staff.

Keeping you informedWant to know more about what’s going on across Greater Bendigo and keep up to date with the latest Council news?

When visiting the City’s Lyttleton Terrace office you can now watch our new digital screen, which promotes City services, upcoming events and tourist information, current works, opportunities to have your say and much more.

Below the screen is a bench with an iPad to allow people to view the City’s website.

Mayor Cr Rod Fyffe said the new additions to the Lyttleton Terrace office foyer are another way the Council is striving to keep residents informed.

“We are living in the digital age when people want to receive information quickly. The screen is a great way to catch up on all our news while coming in to pay your rates, register your pet or ask a question of our friendly customer support staff,” Rod said.

“The screen is a great way to catch up on all our news while coming in to pay your rates, register your pet or ask a question of our friendly customer support staff”

The following early learning centres will be upgraded using funding from the City, LMPA and $395,000 from the State Government’s Children’s Facilities Capital Program:

• White Hills Kindergarten – play space upgrade

• Spring Gully Kindergarten – natural play space upgrade

• Huntly Kindergarten – natural play space upgrade

• Axedale Preschool – play space upgrade• Kennington Preschool – extend storage shed

and install rubber bike track • Havilah Road Preschool – play space

upgrade• North Bendigo Kindergarten – all abilities

entrance play space, and amenities upgrade

A range of improvement works including installing PVC blinds to enclose verandas, rubber flooring and shade sails, and storage and access upgrades will be carried out at the following early learning centres with the assistance of a further $54,000 grant from the State Government’s Minor Infrastructure Expansion Grants Program:

• White Hills Kindergarten • Epsom Preschool • Helm Street Preschool in Kangaroo Flat • Annie Galvin Child Care Centre in Bendigo

Playtime at White Hills Kindergarten.

Richard Leckie browses the City’s website for information on the new iPad in the Lyttleton Terrace Customer Service Centre.

Greater Bendigo www.bendigo.vic.gov.au Greater Bendigo www.bendigo.vic.gov.au 12 13

Bendigo Art Gallery Director, Karen Quinlan, has taken on a unique leadership role in the Victorian and national arts industry.

In an Australian first, she will lead both the gallery and La Trobe University’s new Arts Institute and will serve as its first Professor of Practice and new Director.

Karen said she is excited by the possibilities that will come from the partnership between the City and La Trobe.

“As a first step, I will be consulting widely on the development of an arts strategy for the university to make the best use of its collections, curatorial expertise, exhibition spaces and knowledge,” she said.

“La Trobe University and Bendigo Art Gallery will also explore the possibilities of a collaboration that may include the development of a major exhibition from the La Trobe Art Collection. The collection is of national significance and will be included in celebrations that mark the 50th anniversary

of students commencing at La Trobe’s Bundoora campus in 2017.”

La Trobe Vice Chancellor, Professor John Dewar, said he was delighted by Karen’s appointment.

“We already have a successful partnership with the Bendigo Art Gallery and this new initiative will enable both institutions to link their substantial collections and curatorial expertise with the intellectual capital and teaching expertise of one of Victoria’s top three Universities,“ John said.

City Chief Executive Officer, Craig Niemann, said the City and La Trobe are fortunate to be able to share such an incredible talent.

“Karen is highly regarded in Australia’s arts industry and her new role through this innovative partnership will further strengthen Bendigo’s reputation nationally and internationally as a leader in arts and education,” Craig said.

Unique arts partnership

The City looks forward to delivering more events for local young people after securing a State Government grant of $73,500 to continue its successful FReeZA Program for another three years.

Operating from The COG facility in Mundy Street, Bendigo, the FReeZA program provides young people with opportunities to plan and participate in a range of events and programs.

City Community Partnerships Manager, Steven Abbott, said the funding is greatly appreciated.

“It means more young people can learn about event management, access industry mentoring and training, and organise dynamic and fun music and cultural events,” Steven said.

“With young people leading the way, the City can continue to deliver such events as the Rosalind Park Easter Youth Concert, pool parties, the Battle of the Bands competition, youth gigs at the Bendigo Blues and Roots Festival, sports competitions and song writing workshops.”

Youth events and mentoring to continue

La Trobe University Vice-Chancellor Professor John Dewar, Bendigo Art Gallery Director Karen Quinlan and City CEO Craig Niemann.

“It means more young people can learn about event management, access industry mentoring and training, and organise dynamic and fun music and cultural events”

to be heard in 2016.For more information visitwww.bendigo.vic.gov.au/councilelection

2016 Council Election

We want you...The Council and Bendigo Library is hosting a series of free information sessions for the community, voters and potential Council candidates about local government, the election process and the roles and responsibilities of Councillors.

May 12Council Elections 2016Community, Candidates and Voters1pm – 2.30pm and 5pm – 6.30pmBendigo Library, Activity Room 1

June 9Local Government inGreater Bendigo7.30pm – 9pmBendigo Library, Activity Room 1

July 7Future directions for Council 2016/20175pm – 6.30pmBendigo Library, Activity Room 1

The City’s draft Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) has been released for public comment.

The draft RAP is a three-year action plan outlining what the City will do to contribute towards reconciliation between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians and non-indigenous Australians.

It follows the framework set out by Reconciliation Australia and is based on the themes of respect, relationships and opportunities.

Mayor Cr Rod Fyffe said the draft RAP would help Greater Bendigo to become Australia’s most liveable regional city.

“The RAP will contribute to this vision because it will help strengthen relationships between the City and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities,” Rod said.

“It will help us to actively contribute to reconciliation across all the functions of our organisation. I encourage other Greater Bendigo businesses and organisations to also look at ways they can contribute to reconciliation.”

The development of a RAP responds, in part, to Recommendation 47 of the Independent Review of the City.

The draft RAP is available at www.bendigo.vic.gov.au/reconciliation and submissions close on Friday June 3.

Have your say on Reconciliation Action PlanSome of the actions outlined in the draft RAP include:

• Implementing cultural awareness training for Councillors and staff

• Developing a proposal for Taungurung and Dja Dja Wurrung traditional owner group Welcome to Country signage at key entry points to the City

• Partnering with Bendigo District Aboriginal Cooperative to run quarterly community engagement meetings with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander residents

• Increasing opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employment within the organisation

• Consultation with Dja Dja Wurrung Clans Aboriginal Corporation to support the repatriation of Dja Dja Wurrung artefacts from the Melbourne Museum

“The RAP will contribute to this vision because it will help strengthen relationships between the City and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities”

Greater Bendigo www.bendigo.vic.gov.au Greater Bendigo www.bendigo.vic.gov.au 14 15

An eight metre high, 15 tonne resident called Forever Marilyn has made her international debut in Bendigo and has won the hearts of both locals and visitors alike.

Forever Marilyn is currently residing at the entrance to Rosalind Park opposite the Alexander Fountain and is attracting a steady stream of social media and selfie enthusiasts each day.

In a coup for Bendigo this is the first time the magnificent world renowned sculpture, which is part of artist Seward Johnson’s Icons Revisited Series has been shown outside the USA.

This monumental aluminium and steel creation is based on the iconic photo by Bernard of Hollywood where a gust of subway air raises Marilyn’s white dress in the 1955 film The Seven Year Itch.

Forever Marilyn has garnered attention all over the world and has been featured in The Chicago Tribune, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, Time Magazine and on numerous major broadcast networks in the USA. Now the sculpture is attracting the attention of the Australian Media.

The sculpture has been brought to Bendigo with support from the Victorian State Government, the City, philanthropic benefactors, sponsors and supporters including Bendigo Bank, Symes Motors BMW and Passion8 Diamonds.

Forever Marilyn is exclusive to Bendigo and will be on display until July when she will return to the USA. Her arrival in early February was a unique prelude to the Bendigo Art Gallery and Twentieth Century Fox present Marilyn Monroe exhibition at Bendigo Art Gallery until July 10.

Bendigo Marilyn!

The break up of the exhibition was great. We come to everything that Bendigo Art Gallery puts on, they do it so well.Clive and Sharon Dellora, Beaumaris.

Marilyn’s different lives, public, private and business were conveyed so well. There was a lot more in it than we expected.Dianna Forester and Hannah Whitehouse, Boort.

The exhibition was extensive, you were part of it. The costumes and film made it more personal and provided a greater understanding.Georgina Akers and Cara Basile and children, Keilor.

Glamorous, stunning and interactive. Would recommend to all.Julie Metselaar, Warrigal and Jan Lennard, Sandringham.

Wonderful! Provided us new knowledge and was great to see the respect for her and how inspirational she was for women and fashion.Tracey McGuire and John Horley, Kyneton and Ballarat.

YOUR SAY! What did you think of the Marilyn Monroe Exhibition?

Our local economy

Ronél Burger and Kristine Conings from the Altona Adventurers Activity Group snap a selfie with Marilyn.

Greater Bendigo www.bendigo.vic.gov.au Greater Bendigo www.bendigo.vic.gov.au 16 17

Bendigo has some interesting and unique dining and shopping experiences and the new 2016 Bendigo Dining & Shopping Guide is a fantastic way to promote these businesses to visitors and local residents.

The handy sized, 112 page guide has been produced by the City and Bendigo Tourism in partnership with Bendigo Magazine. It is a fantastic resource designed to showcase the best local dining and shopping experiences to both residents and visitors to Bendigo.

The guide features Bendigo CBD dining and shopping precincts including Bath Lane, Chancery Lane, Hargreaves and Williamson Streets, Lyttleton Terrace and Queen Street, Mitchell Street, Pall Mall, High Street and View Street which all have their own style, points of interest and local characters.

It also features other local businesses in a Minutes Away section as well as a section on surrounding towns including Heathcote.

Information on local fashion, food and beverage events, parking, markets, artists walk along with maps and a dining and shopping directory are also included in the guide.

The 2016 Bendigo Dining & Shopping Guide is available from the Bendigo Visitor Information Centre.

2016 Dining & Shopping Guide launched

Bendigodining & shopping

guide2016/2017

The City’s Raw Arts Awards are an annual celebration of the creative talents of young artists aged 25 and under who live in Greater Bendigo.Since 1997 the City has presented the Raw Arts Awards to encourage and celebrate the creativity of young local artists with $1,000 and $250 prizes awarded for each of the Visual Arts, Literature, Performing Arts and Digital Media categories.

In addition to the prizes, entries submitted for the awards will go on display at the annual Raw Arts Awards Exhibition and Showcase at Dudley House and the Engine Room from Thursday May 19 to Sunday May 22.

The Raw Arts Exhibition is free to attend and everyone is welcome to come along and celebrate the abundance of young talent that is present in our community.

Further information is available by contacting Rohan Phillips on 5434 6478 or emailing raw@bendigo.vic.gov.au

Raw Arts: celebrating young artists

Ulumbarra Theatre has celebrated its first year of operation.

Ulumbarra which means ‘gather together’ in the Dja Dja Wurrung language is living up to its name with over 117,500 people through the doors to enjoy a range of over 270 performances, functions, conferences and events in its first year of operation. In addition the complex is also used by hundreds of Bendigo Senior Secondary students each week.

Major arts organisations and the community and corporate sectors are all taking the opportunity to showcase their performances, events and conferences at Ulumbarra.

City Capital Venues and Events Manager, David Lloyd, said Ulumbarra’s first year has been a great success and its reputation continues to grow at a local and national level.

“Everyone we take on a tour through the venue and those who come along to a show are both stunned and surprised at just how amazing it is, with many calling it a world class facility,” David said.

“We really are very fortunate to have such a great, multi-purpose facility within our community that caters to the education, arts and cultural, corporate and community sectors.

“If you haven’t already taken the opportunity to visit Ulumbarra, make 2016 the year to take in a performance, attend an event or go on a tour of this unique building.

“There are some fabulous shows coming up and you won’t be disappointed.”

To view what’s on at Ulumbarra visit www.ulumbarratheatre.com.au

Ulumbarra celebrates a successful first year

Is your small business as healthy as you think? Find

out by taking advantage of the City’s new free Business Health Check

tool for local micro and small businesses.

The Small Business Health Check Service is a self-assessment

tool designed by the City’s Economic Development Unit, with the help of leading

industry professionals and it is available free to local small

businesses.

The online tool is supported by face-to-face consultations and detailed follow-up, designed to provide small business owners with a “check-up” of their businesses’ health.

The Economic Development Unit has partnered with Paul Henshall, CEO of ActionCOACH Australasia, to deliver the service. ActionCOACH is the world’s leading business coaching franchise.

The online questionnaire is simple and takes about 25 minutes to complete. It examines everything from sales and social media to marketing and client base to profitability and strategic planning and

provides an invaluable insight into the condition of a business.

Using the results, the City’s small business advocates Peter Jeffery and Dawn Holland who are both accredited by ActionCOACH in the use of the tool, will consult with business owners and link them with practical support services such as business mentors, specialist networking groups or shared work spaces that are available across the region.

If you would like to know more about the City’s free Small Business Health Check Service please contact Peter Jeffery or Dawn Holland on 5434 6000.

Is your small business healthy?

The City’s Economic Development Unit has produced a new Business Support Directory to help local business owners connect with networks, organisations, government departments, agencies and other businesses.

Small business operators can often be isolated and the directory has been developed as part of the City’s ongoing support for local small businesses.

It’s important for small business operators to link into a networking or industry group to discover what support is available, who provides it and how it can be accessed.

It’s also important for sole traders to continue to gain new customers and this

is something that accessing networks can provide as other businesses know who is out there, what they are offering, and what their capabilities are.

The Business Support Directory is for both new and established business owners and includes entries about government departments and agencies at local, state and federal levels, industry bodies, trader organisations, networking and business support groups, as well as shared office space providers and business-friendly meeting options.

The directory includes details about training and education providers, where to find information about local events, useful social

media links and a rundown of what the City’s Economic Development Unit does. It also explains what other City units are responsible for.

It has been designed to quickly and simply showcase the many services on offer from government bodies which allocate community grants through to networking groups for creative professionals, and everything in between.

The user-friendly, 25 page Business Support Directory is available as a full-colour A5 booklet from City offices or electronically from www.bendigo.vic.gov.au/business

New business support directory now available

Health check - Peter Jeffery and Dawn Holland discuss the results

of a health check with Indulge Chocolates owner Hayley Tibbett.

2 0 1 6 E d i t i o n2 0 1 6 E d i t i o n

Greater Bendigo www.bendigo.vic.gov.au Greater Bendigo www.bendigo.vic.gov.au 18 19

The City is providing the opportunity for residents to dispose of their green waste for free at the Eaglehawk and Heathcote landfill sites on the weekend of May 21 and 22.

The free green waste disposal weekend is a good opportunity for residents to clear their gardens and property of autumn leaf litter.

Autumn is when most trees lose their leaves and growth slows down in gardens, so it is the perfect time for people to make the most of this incentive and tidy their gardens.

Residents who take the time to keep their properties clear of vegetation help minimise fire risk during the summer months and decrease the amount of work they need to do in the garden when the weather warms back up.

The Eaglehawk Landfill is open from 8am to 4.30pm while Heathcote landfill is open from 8am – 5.30pm every Saturday and Sunday.

Following a trial of almost 2,700 households, Council has decided to retain a weekly waste collection and introduce a new, compulsory fortnightly organic waste collection service to over 40,000 households in the urban Bendigo and Marong areas in September this year.

The introduction of the new organics service is the biggest change in the way residents sort their waste and the way the City collects and disposes of it to happen in the past 30 years.

Mayor Cr Rod Fyffe said Council committed to introduce an organics service when it adopted the City’s Waste and Resource Management Strategy 2014/2019 but at that time didn’t know what shape the service would take.

“Council reached its decision after analysing the considerable feedback received from the 2,700 households in parts of Kennington, Strathdale, East Bendigo, White Hills and North Bendigo who took part in fortnightly waste and organics collection services.

“We were pleased that 45 percent of participants completed a comprehensive survey about their experiences during the trial. A further survey was also sent to trial participants to gain an insight into the participant’s views on what combination of frequency and cost of service best met their household’s needs. The findings of the surveys can be viewed at www.bendigo.vic.gov.au/organics

“The trial participants provided critical information about their personal experiences and reactions and I

want to thank them for helping to shape the introduction of the new organics service. Their feedback was invaluable and we did listen to what they had to say.”

He said the introduction of an organics service also complies with the State Government’s Statewide Waste and Resource Recovery Infrastructure Plan to introduce systems that remove organic waste from landfills.

“An organics service will help Council to reduce the current and future financial and environmental liabilities. The City, and therefore the ratepayer, currently pays a levy to the State Government for every tonne of waste that is put into landfill – this figure currently totals over $3.4M each year,” Rod said.

“The City found through kerbside bin audits that over 50 per cent of household waste is food and garden waste which can be composted and reused rather than going into landfill. The new organics service will result in over 12,000 tonnes of organic waste being turned into reusable compost each year which is a great outcome

for the environment and the smart and right thing to do.”

He said organic waste in the City’s landfill creates more methane and other

greenhouse gases than all of the other measured activities of Council put together.

“By separating out organic material we will extend the life of our local landfills and reduce the level of ongoing work required once the

landfill is full,” Rod said.

There will be an exemption process for households who can demonstrate they are

managing all organic material within their property and the City will undertake a community

education campaign in the lead up to and following the commencement of the new organics service in September.

For more information, a full list of questions and answers and a map of the collection area visit www.bendigo.vic.gov.au/organics

Coming to your home in Bendigo and Marong

green waste disposal weekendFree

wasterecycling organics

Playing in Greater Bendigo

Fly like a fox in HeathcoteVisitors to Heathcote’s popular Barrack Reserve Play Space can now fly like a fox!

Flying foxes are enormously popular and Barrack Reserve is only the second play space in Greater Bendigo to feature one.

The new flying fox is part of the recently completed $84,000 stage two works to complete the community’s vision for the play space.

The stage two works have included the installation of a range of new equipment including a swinging hammock, a shop counter play area, rocker and a drinking fountain.

While all of the equipment at the play space offers a range of experiences and encourages active, explorative, social and imaginative play to a wide age group, the addition of the new flying fox is sure to be a hit.

To enhance the play space’s viticulture theme a barrel balance circuit has also been created for children to challenge and improve their coordination. New additional seating has been installed and plantings to provide more shade have taken place.

In addition to the play space works a new path and gate has also been built to provide access to the Barrack Reserve Pavilion and proposed netball court as part of the Barrack Reserve Pavilion Upgrade works.

The stage two works are part of the City’s playground improvement program and follows work undertaken at the play space in 2015 which has proven popular with both local residents and visitors.

The Barrack Reserve Play Space is a very popular spot for both local residents and visitors to Heathcote and having great recreational facilities like this helps to make Greater Bendigo a better place to live and visit.

The stage two works have been funded by the City along with a $10,000 contribution from the Heathcote Lions Club and a $2,000 contribution from the Heathcote and District Community Bank.

New look for Strathdale Park play spaceOne of Greater Bendigo’s most popular play space’s Strathdale Park, is receiving a major $200,000 face lift complete with new equipment and landscaping.

Located at the corner of McIvor Road and Crook Street, Strathdale Park now boasts a range of interesting new play equipment to provide children of all ages and abilities with some exciting new play experiences and outdoor activities.

New equipment at the play space includes a combination play unit complete with a spiral tube slide, a track ride, multiple climbing opportunities, wheelchair accessible carousel, a ‘moonwalker’ spinner and a nature play area complete with giant gumnuts and a custom made timber play hive.

The new play hive structure is 1.8 metres high and made up of over 500 blocks of individually cut hardwood, which have been pieced together by a team of senior volunteers and young people at the Salvation Army’s Men’s Shed at Gravel Hill.

Play hives are quite rare in Australia and this is the first of its kind to be installed in Greater Bendigo. It provides opportunities for children to be active by climbing and exploring the bee hive shaped structure.

A complete list of all the City’s play spaces is available at www.bendigo.vic.gov.au under the Community Compass online tool.

Our environment

Greater Bendigo www.bendigo.vic.gov.au Greater Bendigo www.bendigo.vic.gov.au 20 21

As part of Council’s commitment to deliver improved infrastructure, a range of works are currently underway or have recently been completed.

What’s in the works?

Other works underway or completed:• Wattle Street, Bendigo - installation of bluestone gutter

• Chum Street, Golden Square - drainage upgrade

• Honeysuckle Street/Pitt Street, Bendigo - drainage upgrade

• Curtin Street (Bendigo Crescent), Flora Hill - drainage upgrade

• Installation of turf at selected locations across the municipality

• Installation of park furniture at selected locations - including Lake Weeroona and Long Gully Splash Park

• Bendigo CBD - Universal Access Program

• Road resealing works at various locations

• New bus shelters at various Locations

• Malone Park, Marong - netball and tennis courts reconstruction and surfacing

• Goornong-Mayreef Road, Goornong - road patching work

• Advanced Tree Planting at various locations

A list of current works is available at www.bendigo.vic.gov.au/roadworks

The City is currently constructing a further stage of the Back Creek shared path between Mundy and Abbott Streets, Bendigo. Works are valued at $160,000 and are nearing completion. The next stage, a continuation of the path through to Baxter Street (under McIvor Road), will commence soon.

A drainage system upgrade in Kinross Street, Long Gully will aim to alleviate flooding issues. Works will be finished in early May and are estimated to cost $250,000.

The City is currently replacing the old timber bridge in Chapel Street, Kangaroo Flat with concrete crown units. The new bridge is expected to be completed by the end of May at a cost of $220,000.

Footpath construction continues in Mitchell Street, Bendigo between Wills and McLaren Streets. Works are valued at $570,000 and are expected to be completed in late May.

The reconstruction of Furness Street, Kangaroo Flat is underway. Works are valued at $1.22M and

are expected to be completed by late July.

Greater Bendigo www.bendigo.vic.gov.au Greater Bendigo www.bendigo.vic.gov.au 22 23

New road links highwaysThe fourth and final stage of the major four year, $3M East Bendigo Link Road project to serve one of the city’s largest industrial areas and link the Midland and McIvor Highways is now complete.

City Manager Engineering and Public Space, Brett Martini, said the need to create the East Bendigo Link Road was first identified in the Bendigo 2020 Transportation Strategy back in 1993 and was reinforced in the City’s East Bendigo Local Structure Plan in 2006.

“The East Bendigo Link Road provides a realignment of the arterial road network from the Victa/Rohs Road intersection through the industrial precinct to Lyons Street where it connects with the traffic signals at Midland Highway, Brett said.

“The completion of this important road will have a long lasting impact on our road network by providing an important link between the city’s major industrial precinct in East Bendigo and the Midland Highway. It has also improved the flow of traffic wanting to by-pass central Bendigo.

“This has been a very important project, undertaken over four consecutive Greater Bendigo City Council budgets and it’s great to see it completed and delivered to the community.”

The East Bendigo Link Road project was funded by the City ($765,000) and the Federal Government’s Roads to Recovery program ($2.32 million).

The project has been undertaken in four stages by the City’s Works unit staff:

1. The $860,000 stage one works included a realignment and construction of Heywood Street at Lyons Street, alterations to the Lyons/Bobs Street intersection, drainage works and works in conjunction with V/Line to relocate and upgrade the railway crossing at Heywood Street

2. The $406,000 stage two works included the continuation of Heywood Street from Bobs Street to Heywood Street

3. The $806,000 stage three works included the construction of new road from Heywood Street to Rowena Street

4. The recently completed $960,000 stage four works included an extension of Victa Road and the reconfiguration of the intersection at Victa and Rohs Roads

Indoor aquatic and wellbeing centre community fundraising drive launchedThe Kangaroo Flat Community Enterprise has set a target to raise $1M towards the development of the new Greater Bendigo Indoor Aquatic Leisure and Wellbeing Centre.

A community fundraising drive has been launched, which provides local businesses, sporting clubs, schools and families to make a worthwhile investment in their community.

The City is grateful to the Hazeldene family for its generous donation and helping to kick start the fundraising drive.

Early works at the site of the new aquatic centre are now complete. The tender process is nearly finished to select a company to build the facility and work is expected to begin in June.

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Australia, Cuba, Croatia and Columbia will go head-to-head when the Bendigo Stadium hosts the Women’s International Volleyball World Grand Prix from June 3 to 5.

The tournament will be an opportunity for the teams to qualify for the finals in Kazakhstan and seek promotion to Group Two. There will be six matches, with each team playing three times in a round robin format.

“The City is thrilled to welcome this event to Bendigo and provide local volleyball fans with an opportunity to watch world-class athletes vie for competition points,” Acting City Futures Director, Pauline Gordon, said.

Two games will be played each day of the competition, with Australia to take to the court every day. Tickets can be purchased for each day’s play and will allow patrons to watch both

games, with the first to start at 4.30pm and the second to start at 7pm.

The City has also unveiled a new animation that brings to life the final designs for the Bendigo Stadium expansion, which will include a three court/show court conversion, retractable and fixed seating to cater for up to 4,000 people, kiosk/bar, crèche, change rooms, updated administration areas, meeting rooms, storage and retail area.

“Events such as the Volleyball World Grand Prix are exactly why the City, the State Government and the Bendigo Stadium are working together to deliver a state-of-the-art sports and events centre for the community,” Pauline said.

Early works to revitalise the netball precinct are underway. Construction on the Stadium is expected to begin in June.

Another sporting coup as Bendigo prepares to welcome Volleyroos

Major projects

The Bendigo Airport’s 1,600m ‘Class 3C’ runway is beginning to take shape, with more than 60,000m³ of dirt being moved.

Federal, State and Local Government representatives recently celebrated the commencement of the $15M project, which will deliver the new runway, associated taxiways, lighting, signage and fencing infrastructure.

When the works are complete, the Airport will be able to welcome aircraft carrying up to 70 passengers and will secure significant employment, emergency services and economic output opportunities for the region.

Bendigo Airport stage two works take flight

Greater Bendigo www.bendigo.vic.gov.au Greater Bendigo www.bendigo.vic.gov.au 24 25

Huntly is one of Greater Bendigo’s key growth areas with an average growth rate of 6.85 per cent. With over 950 residential properties and 289 rural residential properties Huntly’s current population of over 3,360 is predicted to grow to 11,000 by 2036.

Huntly was named after the rich agricultural district of Huntly of Aberdeenshire, Scotland (presumably by a lonely Scot in the government survey party of 1854 whilst looking north of the valley who decided to perpetuate the name of his birth-place in this new distant land).

The township of Huntly was gazetted on May 15, 1885.

Originally Huntly was included in the large tract of land known as the Barnadown Run which extended from the Campaspe River to the Bendigo Creek and was settled by H.G. Bennett in 1841.

Back then, the Epsom Huntly area was a peaceful, timbered valley, not large in area, but an oasis between the rough iron-stone ridges of the area now known as Bendigo and the harsh wilderness of the nearby Whipstick Forest.

The discovery of gold in Bendigo in 1851 led gold seekers to the Epsom Flats/Upper Huntly area in 1852.

Many who tired of the hunt for gold saw the potential of the area and began to produce vineyards and market gardens. Huntly was very multi-cultural with French, Italian, Swiss, Spanish and Chinese people settling in the area.

Following a “rush” to Epsom in 1856, Huntly experienced its own gold rush in 1859 and mining continued in the area until around 1900.

Historical figures from 1860 boast a population of 6,000 men in the Huntly/Epsom area.

The decline in vineyards was hastened by the dreaded disease, Phylloxena, which hit the Bendigo district in the late 1800’s. Vineyards that were found to have this disease were required to up root and burn all vines. Although Phylloxena was never positively identified at Huntly destruction of many vineyards was carried out. This fact, together with the uncertainty of the future for vine-growing saw the decline in vineyards in Huntly.

Following gold mining, the region’s agriculture consisted of tomatoes, white clay mining, the eucalyptus, dairying and the poultry and egg industries.

An historic and growing part of Greater Bendigo

Discover Huntly

Old Courthouse Building.

Notable buildings in Huntly include:The Chapel of St. ThomasThe first Catholic Church in Huntly was built of bush poles and bark sides and was dedicated to the patron saint of Ireland – St. Patrick. In 1875 a permanent Chapel was built in brick at Huntly and was dedicated to the name of St. Thomas.

Huntly Post OfficeA Post Office was first established at Huntly in 1860. The original building occupied several positions within the town during its 120 years of continuous service and is located adjacent to the Old Shire Offices on the Midland Highway. The building is no longer in use.

Old Shire OfficesIn 1867 the Huntly Shire Council accepted a tender (under 700 pounds) to build a Shire Hall (Chambers) which was used by the Council for 110 years. The City refurbished the building which is now home to the Huntly Historical Society.

Old Courthouse BuildingThe former Courthouse located opposite the old Shire Offices on the Midland Highway was built in 1874 and cost 985 pounds to build. The last day of court sittings in Huntly was January 21, 1916.

In 1930 the Courthouse became home to the Loyal Sir Henry Barkly Lodge a branch of the Manchester Unity Independent Order of Oddfellows, which was formed in 1861. It is presently owned by the City and is used by the Huntly Historical Society.

Huntly Hotel (formerly Victoria Hotel)The former Victoria Hotel now trading as the Huntly Hotel, was built in 1860 by W. W. Watts and is the oldest surviving building in Huntly. The hotel is located on the corner of Pasley Street and Midland Highway. In 1867 there were six hotels trading in Huntly. Of the many hotels which traded in the Huntly area during the latter part of the 19th century the Huntly Hotel is the last remaining.

Old Shire Offices and Huntly Post Office.

Huntly Hotel.

Soldier’s Memorial at the Garden of Remembrance.

St Clements Anglican Church.

Greater Bendigo www.bendigo.vic.gov.au Greater Bendigo www.bendigo.vic.gov.au 26 27

The City is embarking on the preparation of an Urban Design Framework (UDF) for the Strathfieldsaye Town Centre to guide future development as the town grows and doubles in population over the next few years.

The UDF will establish the form and layout of the town centre, landscaping, public space and how the town centre will progressively develop to retain the features that the community highly values.

There has been growing concern about

traffic and safety and retaining the rural setting. The UDF will ultimately be implemented through changes to the planning scheme which will be publicly exhibited.

To assist in the preparation of the UDF, the City has undertaken a series of community workshops and surveys.

It is anticipated that the UDF will be completed towards the end of 2016 and will involve a series of community engagements to assist in refining the final document.

Strathfieldsaye Town Centre Urban Design Framework

The City will use Development Contribution Plans (DCP) to fund shared infrastructure in growth areas such as Maiden Gully, Huntly and Marong.

The development plans are already being widely used in other parts of Victoria, including Ballarat, Geelong, Warrnambool and Macedon Ranges and are a fair and transparent way to fund infrastructure.

“Too often we hear stories about housing developments that have been allowed to proceed without having adequate infrastructure in place, which impacts on the liveability of these areas,” City Planning and Development Director, Prue Mansfield, said.

“The Council’s vision is working together to be Australia’s most liveable regional city. These plans will enable the City to work

together with developers and communities to deliver shared infrastructure in growth areas, rather than having to retrofit this infrastructure many years after the housing stock has been built and residents have moved in.”

Under Development Contribution Plans, which are incorporated into the Planning Scheme, developers provide funds to the City via a levy, which is paid at the subdivision stage.

Projects to be funded include arterial and feeder roads, pathways, community, active recreation and some larger scale drainage infrastructure. Projects that will not be funded include infrastructure that is local to a particular development such as local drainage or local streets, which are paid

for by the developer as part of normal subdivision works.

Prue said the plans provide a transparent and fair approach.

“This approach means that from the outset developers will know what contribution they must make and will be able to factor this into their plans,” she said. And every landowner will contribute their share. Rezoning land for residential purposes greatly increases the value to the landowner, who has often done nothing to achieve the windfall.

“For homebuyers, it means they will be able to see the types of shared infrastructure that is being planned and when it will be built for an area.

“For ratepayers across the City, it means that they will not be footing the bill for infrastructure that in many cases they will never use.

“Levies will not be uniform across the municipality. Rather, they will be determined depending on the particular infrastructure needs of an area,” Prue said.

The Minister for Planning has to approve an Amendment in order to incorporate a Development Contributions Plan into the Planning Scheme.

The rate and projects to be funded cannot be challenged once they have been incorporated into the planning scheme, providing certainty for the City, homebuyers and developers.

A fair and transparent way to fund infrastructure

In 2005, the Council adopted a long-term residential strategy for urban Greater Bendigo that nominated Marong Township as ultimately growing to 8,000 people.

Since then there has been strong growth in Marong and the population is now estimated at about 900 people.

In order to guide the development of the town and ensure the development of a town that works for all, the City is preparing a structure plan.

The plan will be the basis for the rezoning of land, establishing the road network, open space, drainage and community facility requirements.

It will be prepared in conjunction with what is known as a Development Contributions Plan (DCP) – this is a document which establishes how key infrastructure, to be available for all the residents, will be paid for as development proceeds.

The whole process will extend over 12 months and will have a continuous community engagement program.

Marong Township Structure Plan

Planning for our future

Above: Marong township. Right: Strathfieldsaye from above.

Greater Bendigo www.bendigo.vic.gov.au Greater Bendigo www.bendigo.vic.gov.au 28 29

The City of Greater Bendigo is currently developing a Rural Communities Strategy and has already undertaken considerable community and stakeholder consultation.

We have found that many people in Greater Bendigo’s rural communities feel marginalised, neglected and overlooked and whether these views are real or perceived they are widespread. It was also found that communication and mobility for those who live in, or do business in rural areas is limiting opportunities and that all rural areas are different and should not be treated the same.

When a draft has been completed Council will make it available for community comment.

Providing opportunities for residents to be involved in projects that affect our municipality is important and I am pleased to Chair the City’s new community based advisory group to identify potential flood

mitigation options for creeks in the Epsom, Ascot and Huntly areas.

Following severe rain events, residents and businesses in the Epsom, Ascot and Huntly areas often face the possibility of flooding and the recently formed Epsom, Ascot, Huntly Flood Mitigation Advisory Committee will help resolve the ongoing flood threats that Bendigo Creek, Back Creek and Racecourse Creek pose to these communities.

The nine member advisory committee consists of representatives from the City, the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, Epsom Huntly Drainage Committee, Northern Bendigo Landcare Group, Dja Dja Wurrung Clans Aboriginal Corporation and community members.

A key role of the new committee is to oversee the development of a Flood Mitigation Options Report which will form the basis of funding applications by the City to the State

and Federal Government to help implement solutions to stop the flood threat.

The group will oversee the community consultation in the affected areas and will be responsible for analysing the feedback and possible solutions.

This is an important project that is being jointly funded by the City and the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning.

There will be opportunities for Epsom, Ascot and Huntly residents to have their say through the consultation which will be undertaken soon.

I am also pleased to Chair the City’s new Rosalind Park Advisory Committee which comprises community representatives who represent the broader community.

The Rosalind Park precinct is very important because it provides a range of environmental, social and economic benefits to our community and caters for

tens of thousands of people each year as they participate in a number sport, leisure, education and cultural activities.

This Advisory Committee will provide advice and assist with the development of the Rosalind Park precinct in-line with the Rosalind Park Recreation Reserve Precinct Master Plan which was adopted by Council in 2014.

My congratulations and thanks to everyone who gives up their time to be part of the range of advisory groups that provide valuable advice to Council and also to residents who provide important feedback on a number of matters and projects. It is appreciated.

I am always pleased to discuss any concerns residents may have.

Cr James WilliamsT: 5434 6208 M: 0427 211 677 E: j.williams@bendigocouncillors.org.au

Rural strategy underway

Cr James Williams inspects flood prone areas with the Epsom, Ascot, Huntly Flood Mitigation Committee.

Late last year the City invited you to rate the spaces that you use or know in your neighbourhood and anywhere around the municipality.

Over a five-week period we received a terrific response from across the community, which included over 700 space ratings and ideas spots, as well as over 700 comments on these spots.

The map on the right shows the top-ten public spaces. These were calculated by adding together the number of ratings, comments and likes given for a particular location.

The top 10 list really does not contain too many surprises and illustrates that, not only do we have an impressive diversity of well-known and well-regarded spaces, but also that we have some spaces with great future potential.

The findings from the Rate Our Spaces survey are being used as one of many inputs to the current research and analysis stage of the Greater Bendigo Public Space Plan project. This information is helping our understanding from a community perspective, not only of where our great and poor spaces are, but also of things like:

• The kinds of activities people do, or want to do, in public spaces

• The types of public space improvements that are most important

• The degree to which spaces are considered to be safe

To see all the community ratings and feedback, go to http://publicspaceplan.crowdspot.com.au

Thanks to all those who contributed.

Community has a say on Greater Bendigo’s open spaces

Ranked number seven: Lake Weeroona.

Great Spaces Ok Spaces Poor Spaces New Idea Spaces

1. Barrack Reserve - Swimming Pool2. Botanical Gardens3. Rosalind Park4. Hargreaves Mall5. Wolstencroft Reserve7. Lake Weeroona8. Ironbark Gully Trail9. Spring Gully Reserve10. Crusoe Reservoir

Council BoundarySource: City of Greater Bendigo, prepared by CrowdSpot

Greater Bendigo Public Space PlanCity of Greater Bendigo Top 10 Spots

Ward news

Greater Bendigo www.bendigo.vic.gov.au Greater Bendigo www.bendigo.vic.gov.au 30 31

Working with diverse groups

I am enjoying my time as an Eppalock Ward Councillor and working with my fellow Councillors to ensure that Greater Bendigo is a great place to live now and into the future.

As a Councillor my goals have been to ensure the Council is more transparent and more accepting of ratepayer scrutiny, that it delivers more balanced budgets so all parts of our municipality receive equal treatment, strives to keep rate increases to a minimum and continues to deliver valuable services to the community.

When I reflect on these goals I realise that there is still work to be done but that is the nature of leadership and the never ending need to do more.

I enjoy working with community groups and assisting with individual ratepayer requests. Councillors also take on advocacy roles and do their best to support constituents when they are in need of a helping hand. For instance, over many months I have been meeting with residents and businesses looking for assistance to combat low water levels at Lake Eppalock.

I have been thrilled to see the continued development of Heathcote’s Barrack Reserve, seen new play spaces installed in Heathcote and Strathfieldsaye, and works carried out to improve safety at the Redesdale/Mia Mia school.

It’s been great working on the Strathfieldsaye Community Hub Project which responds to the need for a new Early Learning Centre in Strathfieldsaye, replacing the existing Strathfieldsaye Preschool Centre which has reached the end of its design life.

The new Early Learning Centre aims to bring together users of the Strathfieldsaye Sports Centre, Strathfieldsaye Preschool including

the Playgroup and Maternal and Child Health Service, Loddon Mallee Preschool Association, local schools and community groups by constructing a new Early Learning Centre adjoining the Sports Centre.

The Project responds to the need to rejuvenate community access and participation in the Strathfieldsaye Sports Centre - a major community asset.

Community events also give me great joy and earlier this year the Australia Day celebrations at Heathcote and Mia Mia were a wonderful display of civic pride and I welcomed the opportunity to support this year’s Heathcote Community Games (HCG), the second time the event has been held.

I like the emphasis the HCG puts on participation and having fun. This is the message the Council wants to deliver to all residents to ensure they remain healthy. You don’t have to be a star athlete but keeping physically active is important and the HCG gave people numerous opportunities to be involved, including skateboard workshops,

wheelchair races, the hospital bed race, bowls, Frisbee and tug-o-war.

The beauty of the HCG was that it was rolled out across Greater Bendigo and into Mitchell Shire, providing more opportunities for people to simply go and visit somewhere new. I strongly encourage residents to explore their surrounding community. There is so much to do and many small communities are very innovative in their approach to attracting visitors and staging events. Take time to look up the Bendigo Advertiser, Bendigo Weekly or community newsletters to see how you can support our smaller towns.

Cr Helen LeachT: 5434 6190 M: 0419 549 574 E: h.leach@bendigocouncillors.org.au

“It’s been great working on The Strathfieldsaye Community Hub Project which responds to the need for a new Early Learning Centre in Strathfieldsaye”

Cr Helen Leach and Preschool Association CEO Phil Hosking discuss development plans for the Strathfieldaye Community Hub project.

Malone ParkI am pleased to report that from July 1, 2016, Council will assume Committee of Management responsibilities for Malone Park Recreation Reserve in Marong.

The reserve includes an oval, trotting track, cricket nets, netball courts, adjoining dam, swimming pool, picnic area, golf course and bowling club. The Council will be responsible for these assets excluding the golf course facilities, which will remain with Marong Golf Club.

During 2016, the Council will replace the netball courts with three new netball/tennis courts, replace the cricket nets and upgrade the playground in the picnic area.

The Council’s decision ensures the Marong community will continue to have access to recreation facilities that are maintained at a level comparable to other similar reserves in the municipality and are available at a reasonable cost to residents.

I have been an advocate for this change and I look forward to its implementation.

Maiden Gully Structure PlanAs a member of the Advisory Committee for the Maiden Gully Structure Plan, I am pleased to provide an update on how this work is progressing.

Following an extensive community engagement program Council adopted a Maiden Gully North East Precinct Structure Plan, which covers an area of 700 ha and provides eventually for around 8,000 new residents.

Council has determined that the plan would be accompanied by what is known as a Development Contributions Plan (DCP) – this is a document which establishes how key infrastructure to be available for all the residents such as drainage, road upgrades, walking and cycling paths, open space and community facilities will be paid for as development proceeds. Such a comprehensive approach to funding such facilities has not been used by Council before.

Successive State Governments have been progressively developing such plans over

recent years for application throughout the state and state-wide legislation is expected in mid-2016. Council has almost finished the DCP after extensive work particularly around drainage and the level of road works required which have also led to some minor refinements of the Structure Plan.

The next step will be formally exhibiting both documents through a Planning Scheme Amendment process. All persons within the Structure Plan area will receive individual notification of the exhibition and will, if they choose, have the right to have any concerns heard by an Independent Panel. The Minister of Planning will be responsible for the approval of both plans.

Bendigo Stadium worksCouncil is getting on with the job of delivering the much-anticipated expansion of the Bendigo Stadium in West Bendigo.

A $2.37M tender has been awarded to Fairbrother Pty Ltd to deliver nine netball courts (initially), site preparation and demolition, landscaping and drainage,

relocation of external utilities, car park upgrade and other traffic works.

These works form part of a Master Plan that will transform the Bendigo Stadium into one of regional Victoria’s largest indoor sports events and convention centres.

The total project value is $20M with $13M coming from the Stadium, $5M from the State Government and approximately $2M from the Council, which is also contributing in-kind support.

Meanwhile, Council is expected to announce in May the successful tenderer to build the Greater Bendigo Indoor Aquatic Leisure and Wellbeing Centre at Kangaroo Flat.

Cr Elise ChapmanT: 5434 6193 M: 0418 330 289 E: e.chapman@bendigocouncillors.org.au

Developing communities

Cr Elise Chapman and club representatives at Malone Park

Recreation Reserve.

Greater Bendigo www.bendigo.vic.gov.au32

Contact us

City of Greater Bendigo195-229 Lyttleton Terrace, Bendigo

Postal PO Box 733, Bendigo 3552

Telephone 5434 6000

Hearing or speech impaired? Call us via the National Relay Service on 133 677

Fax 5434 6200

Email requests@bendigo.vic.gov.au

Website www.bendigo.vic.gov.au

After Hours/Emergency Number 5434 6000

Operating Hours (Main Office) 8.30am - 5pm, Monday to Friday

Executive Management TeamCraig Niemann Chief Executive Officer

Patrick Jess Acting Director, Community Wellbeing

Pauline Gordon Acting Director, City Futures

Darren Fuzzard Director, Presentation and Assets

Kerryn Ellis Director, Organisation Support

Prue Mansfield Director, Planning and Development

Councillor emails like other correspondence are the property of the City of Greater Bendigo and may be referred to a staff member for action. As with any correspondence, if you would like emails to be kept private and confidential please place “private and confidential” in the subject line.

Cr Lisa RuffellT: 5434 6206 M: 0429 946 171 E: l.ruffell@bendigocouncillors.org.au

Cr James WilliamsT: 5434 6208 M: 0427 211 677 E: j.williams@bendigocouncillors.org.au

Cr Peter CoxT: 5434 6189 M: 0427 318 490 E: p.cox@bendigocouncillors.org.au

Mayor Cr Rod FyffeT: 5443 7673 M: 0419 874 015 E: r.fyffe@bendigocouncillors.org.au

Cr Elise ChapmanT: 5434 6193 M: 0418 330 289 E: e.chapman@bendigocouncillors.org.au

Cr Barry LyonsT: 5434 6215 M: 0429 292 084 E: b.lyons@bendigocouncillors.org.au

Cr Mark WeragodaT: 5434 6192 M: 0400 363 586 E: m.weragoda@bendigocouncillors.org.au

Cr Helen LeachT: 5434 6190 M: 0419 549 574 E: h.leach@bendigocouncillors.org.au

Cr Rod CampbellT: 5434 6203 M: 0427 514 429 E: r.campbell@bendigocouncillors.org.au

Your Councillors

For more details visit www.bendigo.vic.gov.au/events

May

13 Piers Lane – Chopin by Candlelight Capital Theatre

June

2 Ulumbarra – Gather Together Ulumbarra Theatre

3-5 FIVB Women’s Volleyball World Grand Prix Bendigo Stadium

11-13 Victorian Country Table Tennis Championships Bendigo & District Table Tennis Stadium

28-31 Bendigo International Open Squash Bendigo Squash Centre

30 Australian Country Classic Body Building Ulumbarra Theatre

June 28 - July 7

Darts Australia National Senior Championships All Seasons Bendigo

July

July 27 - August 2

Australian Open Squash Championships Ulumbarra Theatre

What’s on

Ulumbarra – Gather Together