Prepared for the community of

Noorat with the assistance of Corangamite Shire’s Building Stronger Corangamite Communities project – a A plan for Noorat partnership between the Department of Planning and July 2013 Community priorities for township development 2013 - 2023 Community Development and the Corangamite Shire to support communities to plan and implement improvements to their towns.

OVERVIEW CONTENTS This plan is a product of community consideration of three questions: What aspects of Noorat are most valued and need to be Overview maintained and protected, What things need to be improved or More than just a pretty little town changed? , and What needs to be created in Noorat to make it a Demographics more prosperous and liveable place? A Plan for Noorat outlines a The planning process set of initiatives which local residents see as important to Noorat’s The Soapbox future, to be implemented over the next 10 years. The Survey Identifying assets The planning process involved a written community survey (which Public meeting drew 29 completed responses), a public ‘Soapbox event’ (attended by Issues and themes 16 people on 15 May 2013), and a Public Forum on 17 June 2013 Vision (attended by 24 people). In all, a minimum of 34 different people or Priorities 20.4 per cent of Noorat’s estimated residential population of 167 (ABS Summary of projects Census 2011) participated in at least one of these three engagement Implementation activities. Review Whereas efforts were made to secure the involvement of a broad demographic (across age and gender), these met with limited success. References In the end, the actions represented in this plan were principally Appendices This is the ninth plan to be shaped by the older (and predominately female) members of the Survey instrument developed as part of the Building Noorat community. Perhaps as a by-product of the community Ranking of issues and projects Stronger Corangamite planning initiative, a greater number of Noorat residents are excited Summary of survey responses Communities project, which aims about the prospect of achieving long-held aspirations to improve local Detailed survey and voting results to produce a plan for each of conditions and develop attributes of the town. Corangamite Shire’s 12 towns.

This plan is best seen as a promising start to a community development process which will increase involvement and participation as it gathers momentum. Opportunities are available to involve more men and more adults in their middle years as listed projects are planned, scoped and implemented.

Starting with the rehabilitation and reinstatement of the Mount Noorat Walking Track, replanting the indigenous garden, upgrading footpaths and improving the three approaches to town, the progress of A plan for Noorat will be able to be tracked through the new Noorat Newsletter.

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The progress of these and other The community planning projects will depend upon the process unearthed 73 ideas for active involvement of Noorat, ranging across eight community members, but many broad themes: Town will also depend on the development and tourism; establishment of effective Town promotion; Town amenity dialogue between and and appearance and amenity; partnerships with community Access, safety and roads; organisations, Corangamite Shire Recreation and sport; Provision and the State Government and of services; and Business, its agencies. Some projects will industry and economic be dependent on the decisions development. of private business interests and/or commercial investment.

Recommendations and priorities A total of 27 projects have listed in this plan have been been identified across these identified through a community themes, which need to be survey and two public meetings. scoped, costed, scheduled and implemented over the The plan also draws upon the next 10 years. work of individuals and community organisations. Further meetings and forums are foreshadowed to develop the scope of listed projects, as part of a continuous planning process which will create further opportunities for involvement and partnership formation.

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MORE THAN JUST A PRETTY Crafting a colonial version of the LITTLE TOWN British landed gentry, generations of the Black clan exerted their A prominent landmark on considerable financial and ’s Western Plains, Mount political influence on State and Noorat has long been at the local development. Third centre of things. It was named by generation brothers Stuert and Major Mitchell in 1836, Archibald were influential in reportedly after ‘Ngoora’, an establishing the Glenormiston elder of the Kirrae Wuurong. Butter Factory (in 1895, located

to Noorat in 1910) and later For generations of local aboriginal Trufoods (1911), which achieved tribes the Mount was a gathering early success exporting dried site for ceremony and trade – skim milk powder to Great until the arrival of the Europeans. Britain. A number of other The populous semi-nomadic clans ventures spun out of these that lived along Mount Emu interests, such as the Creek were decimated first by Glenormiston Trufoods Animal smallpox then annihilated in the Health Service. These pioneering massacre of 1839, led by William Glenormiston Butter Factory 1908, Source: www.slv.vic.gov.au initiatives in agriculture and food Taylor of the Strathdownie Run processing drew a substantial Post Office, a primary school and a raised their large families on who fled to Canada to eventually workforce to the Noorat district. Mechanics Institute. Many a their 40-acre holdings. (Locals escape prosecution. Enter Niel student has delighted in Alan recall that the trip down and Black, who purchased the In addition to the farming Marshall’s memoir of his younger back the two-kilometre Wallaces property on behalf of a company workforce, the Noorat township years I can jump puddles. His is a Lane filled the school bus.) These of British pastoral investors in served the factory workers and barely disguised account of local families contributed to the rich which he held a quarter share. their families. (Famous Noorat people and places of the Noorat social and sporting life of the Noorat then became a centre for son Alan Marshall worked for a district in the early twentieth district, centring on the Mount the vast Glenormiston run, which time in the office at Trufoods.) century. Noorat Football League, which eventually stretched over By 1920 Noorat had two general was established in 1931 and ran 120,000 acres from Gnotuk to The closer settlement which stores, a hotel, three for 60 years before finally folding The Sisters. followed the steady break-up of blacksmiths, a saddler, a into the and the large land holdings brought in plumber, a butcher, a baker, a District Football league in 1991. boot-maker, two fruiterers, a small-time farmers, some of whom

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MORE THAN JUST A PRETTY LITTLE TOWN

(Robert McLaren’s (2006) Milking Cows and Playing Footy provides a window on rural life in the Western District through this period.)

The local area became a centre of another kind in 1971 with the establishment of Glenormiston Agricultural College on part of the original Glenormiston Estate. It was absorbed into University, which eventually lost interest in its rural and TAFE operations to concentrate instead on the lucrative postgraduate market. Like many things reduced from their heyday, Glenormiston College is now a vestige of Warrnambool-based South West TAFE. The Gnurad – Gundidj Leadership School now occupies a northern section of the old Estate, drawing secondary students from across Victoria.

The coming and going of pastoral relation to mobility, has meant Although many things have empires, food processing that ‘village life’ is no so self- come and gone from Noorat, enterprises, service businesses, contained and self-sustaining. the town still offers much more sporting and educational Many residents of Noorat travel than other towns of its size, and institutions has had expression on far and wide for their work and for the fortunate few, it is still the fabric of the Noorat township. are connected to the economies remains the ‘Toorak of ’. Social change, especially in of larger towns.

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DEMOGRAPHICS

When the results of the 2011 Census were finally published, Noorat residents were concerned that their township had lost its status as a ‘town’. The ABS protests that it has no role in what conurbations choose to call themselves, but the spread-out nature of Noorat means that there are fewer than 200 people who can be counted within one square kilometre, the new Australian Statistical Geography Standard defining of a ‘town’.

Age-structure for Noorat compared to Victoria and as a whole, derived from the ABS Census 2011. The detailed profile shows that Noorat has less than half the average number of infants (0 to 9 years), double the average number of people in the 10 -19 years age grouping, and very few residents in the 25 to 39 age range.

Source: ABS Quickstats 2013 According to the ABS Census This is a statistical aberration Locality’, so it is difficult to get a As the map of the Noorat State 2011, the State Suburb (SS) of arising partly from the changed grip on where the local Suburb shows, many people who Noorat had an estimated ABS methodology in estimating demographics are trending. consider they live at Noorat are residential population of 167 the residential population, but The 2011 Census records that not counted within the tight people, an apparent decrease of more substantially by a revised Noorat’s population of 167 is boundaries of the official count. about 33 per cent on the criteria for defining localities. The made up of 42 families with an recorded population of 251 in Bureau does not publish data on average of 1.9 children, living in 68 2006. the broader Noorat ‘Gazetted dwellings.

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DEMOGRAPHICS (CONT.)

Like much of South West Victoria, Noorat’s population is decidedly Anglo-Saxon, with more than 90 per cent of the population having Australian, English, Irish and Scottish ancestry. Ninety-two per cent of Noorat residents were born in Australia compared to the Victoria average of 68.6 per cent. Whereas 31.8 per cent of Victorians report that both parents were born overseas, for Noorat that figure is only 8.1 per cent. Noorat residents have strong religious affiliations, (76% of the population) reflecting the ancestry of its population. In a wide departure from the Victorian average, Presbyterains and Reformed Church members make up the largest religious group (31.5%), reflecting the influence of Terang’s Scottish settlement history, followed by

Catholics (30.3%), reflecting the Irish influence. Anglicans make up 10.3 per cent of the population, just under to the State average. Around a quarter of Victorians report ‘no religion’ – for Noorat this figure is 20.0 per cent.

Source: ABS Census 2011

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DEMOGRAPHICS CONT.)

Noorat is quite different to other Corangamite towns along a number of dimensions. Personal, Family and Household median incomes are substantially above State and national reported averages. This ties in to the higher levels of employment in professional, technical and trade occupations, which for Noorat are substantially higher than for other Corangamite towns.

A breakdown by industry of employment shows the high proportion of School Education workers – three times the State average – and Dairy Cattle Farming. This underscores the importance of farming and Noorat’s two schools to the town

(and district) economy. Labourers and sales occupations are also Noorat’s acknowledged more highly represented community spirit is also captured finNoorat than for the rest of in Census statistics. Of the total Victoria and the Australia, population of 167 in 2011, 51 suggesting that there is a fair people of 15 years and over (38.1 share of Noorat residents per cent) undertook voluntary working for the Terang Co-Op work as part of a group or Supermarket and Hardware organisation over the previous 12 outlets. months. This compares to the State average of 17.7 per cent.

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made by communities also serve as a decision tool for Corangamite Council to better meet local needs and aspirations.

The creation of community plans is designed to build capacity within local communities. The process design relies on making best use of deep local knowledge, talents and skills to scope and implement local projects, and as necessary, to identify opportunities to access funding and other resources to implement priority projects. This includes the establishment of relationships within and beyond communities and working with the Council on an ongoing basis.

There is no one planning model – the project is experimental and communities shape their own

process – however each plan THE PLANNING PROCESS The project manages and facilitates advice and administrative observes some fundamental an inclusive process that helps assistance to communities so that The Building Stronger principles. They are inclusive of as communities identify local they can come to a consensus Corangamite Communities many voices in the community as priorities, set short, medium and about what they value most project sets out to develop possible and seek to reflect local long term goals and work with the about where they live and to community plans for the Shire’s demographics, and are Corangamite Shire Council and work towards their preferred 12 townships. These are plans transparent in the way priorities other levels of government to future. developed by each local are identified and decided upon. achieve them. As well as steering the community, for the community, It provides structure, support, development of local public and owned by the local assets, events and services, plans community.

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THE SOAPBOX

Sixteen people attended the Noorat Soapbox event held at the Noorat Recreation Reserve Community Centre on Wednesday 15 May 2013, with most people present either putting forward their ideas for Noorat’s future or joining in the conversations that followed.

The format of the evening involved a brief outline of the community planning process in train, followed by an invitation for individuals to come forward and speak for between three and five minutes on any of the One upshot of the meeting was the to young families as well as older The meeting heard of work in questions outlined in the town common view that the current residents. train on the restoration of the survey. At the conclusion of the village feel of the town should be Mount Noorat Walking Trail and The need to re-open the Noorat meeting there was a general maintained and that Noorat is not noted the recent publication of Store was a common theme, and question and answer session, in need of ‘development’ or the ‘Noorat Newsletter’. others mentioned that something with both questions and answers ‘modernization’. needs to be done about the state offered by members present. A report on the Soapbox event In regard to the reported decline in of the decaying old Glenormiston appeared in the Terang Express The Soapbox format was the town’s population, several Butter Factory. on Thursday 23 May 2013 designed to generate discussion speakers spoke of the need to (page 3). Unfortunately, a Safety concerns for pedestrians and interest to build the number attract and retain population so as number of speakers did not due to speeding cars and trucks of completed surveys returned. It to secure the future sustainability appreciate being quoted in the were raised, as well as the issues attracted the interest of a mature of the primary school in particular, newspaper, reporting that their of numbering of residential demographic, including a number but the town’s services in general. views were selectively quoted, addresses, replanting the town’s of local community leaders, but a These observations led to a range without context. central garden and more number of younger people were of proposal to promote Noorat and information on the town’s also in attendance. the many advantages it has to offer history.

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SURVEY RESPONSE

The Town Survey attracted a total of 29 responses. These contributions represent a response rate of 17.4 per cent of the estimated residential population of the State Suburb of Noorat– (167 persons at the ABS Census 2011).

The gender distribution of respondents was typically uneven, with almost twice as many females responding as males. All respondents provided age group information, although The big gap in the survey is the Additional copies were made and District Residents’ two did not provide any gender non-participation of younger available at the Noorat Post Association on the timing and information. Twenty of the 29 adults. In the critical 25 to 54 age Office and the Noorat Hotel, as conduct of the survey. Despite respondents gave ‘Noorat’ as the range only two respondents well as hand delivered at efforts to reach some of the Postcode and eight did not participated. Persons in the 65 – 74 football/netball home games at recognised ‘difficult to reach’ provide any Postcode age grouping made up over half the Noorat Recreation Reserve. groups, the survey response is no information. the survey sample. Advertisements were placed in doubt skewed to the literate,

the Terang Express newspaper to socially-connected and perhaps A comparison of the response The conduct of the survey was encourage participation, with the more comfortably placed profile with current ABS data on advertised in and editorially Noorat Post Office and the members of the community. The age distribution of the township supported by WD NEWS through Noorat Hotel acting as collection sample certainly included people population shows good the local newspaper – the Terang agencies for completed surveys. with a passionate interest in their representation of personsin the Express. The survey opened on 5 Some completed surveys were town and their community, but 15 – 24, 55 – 64 and 75+ age April and closed on 10 June 2013 returned by post to Corangamite did not secure the involvement of groupings, and an under- and was mailed directly to all Shire. many people in the 25 to 54 age representation of primary school Noorat and district residents by range. students (the 1-14 years quota). Australia Post through the Noorat Presentations were made to, and

Post Office. advice sought from, the Noorat

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IDENTIFYING ASSETS

The first question on the survey asked the question ‘What things do you most value about Noorat, which need to be maintained or protected?’ The clear consensus was ‘Mount Noorat, which not only topped the count of survey mentions but found expression in reference to the town’s village atmosphere and rural setting.

The physical form of the township, size of Noorat. contributes to Noorat’s sense of with its avenue and trees is highly community , above and beyond Although Noorat’s General Store valued by residents, who are the retail service functions they is no longer operating, it’s re- appreciative of the Shire’s care and perform. This picture is opening is at the top of the maintenance of Noorat’s public nevertheless incomplete. Having town’s wish-list. Some survey realm. regard to the survey sample, it respondents are appreciative of remains an unanswered question Noorat’s outstanding educational, the efforts of Scanlon’s Rural as to what the younger middle- sporting and recreational facilities Store to fill the gap, yet it is the aged adults of Noorat are also much valued, and it is social role of the General Store (particularly men) value about understood that these assets are (like the ‘social infrastructure ‘ of their town. exceptional for a township the the Post Office and The Pub) that

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frequently mentioned proposals Following the voting period, for change or action. This attendees returned to their chairs representation of all the survey and an informal verbal summary advice was posted around the of voting patterns was described, room on large-print A0-size highlighting the transparent sheets, with room for attendees priorities to emerge. to add any further ideas which had not been mentioned to date. It was reported that the next Members of the public then steps would involve the voted on priorities from the 69 formation of Action Groups and listed ideas that had been scoping of projects, and that a identified through the survey summary of priorities would be circulated in advance of the The process of voting involved completed plan. each attendee being given five

coloured stickers and one gold A ‘vision’ would be drawn upon PUBLIC MEETING The evening commenced with an sticker. Instruction was given that those ‘most valued’ aspects of outline of the community planning A public forum was held at the the coloured stickers should be Noorat identified in the survey project and reference to work Noorat Recreation Reserve applied to the five ideas people responses. completed in eight Corangamite Community Centre on Monday 17 would like to see implemented, towns. The outcomes of the Town June 2013, with 24 people with the single gold sticker to Survey were presented, based on attending. This figure represents then be applied to each the 29 completed returns. 14 per cent of Noorat’s individual’s top priority. This was It was explained that all the survey population. Different people expressed as – if there was only ideas had been summarized and attended the Soapbox and Public one action to be implemented grouped under a number of broad Meeting events, with some out of the community planning headings. Similar ideas were attendees explaining that for process, what should it be? grouped to give a summary of the families with young children one most parent attended one event and the other parent the other.

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ISSUES AND THEMES

Survey responses were categorised under 7 key themes and an ‘Other’ category. Adding the public meeting ‘votes’ and ‘gold sticker’ priorities provides a rough map of the major issues of concern to participants, with ‘Access, safety and roads‘ the top issue, in terms ideas, survey mentions and votes. ‘Business, industry and economic development’ came in second in terms of survey mentions, followed closely by ‘Recreation and sport’.

Sifting through the detail of particularly school children. This is another element, as well as Town development and proposals and commentary is linked to the walkability of local support for the ongoing promotion contained within these themes town and the need for new future of the much-loved Post Ideas for reinstating an upgraded uncovers some key concerns footpaths/ tracks and repairs to Office and the Noorat Hotel. Mount Noorat Walking track and which are at the heart of a variety some existing footpaths. re-opening access to Lake of proposed ‘solutions’ around Town presentation and amenity Keilambete are key propositions given topics. There are four broad Local business and economy There are many ideas for making for creating opportunities for concerns which provide context The re-opening of the General fine-grain improvements to the locals and visitors to enjoy the to the 27 priority objectives Store is one of two top priorities, presentation of Noorat, most of spectacular landscape and natural which follow, all of which are which is important to the social which would be relatively environment of Noorat and inter-related and some of which life and identity of Noorat as a inexpensive. Similarly, proposed district. These developments, could be combined into a single ‘town’. The idea of recovering improvements to amenities (eg along with improving the project. lost economic opportunities is mobile phone coverage, a bus approaches to town, will enable expressed through references to shelter) would improve the Noorat to develop a more Safety, access and walkability Glenormiston College and the old liveability of Noorat. For locals, expansive ‘town slogan’ to better Relocating (reduced) speed limit Butter Factory. The need for a sensitivity to maintaining market the various attributes signage is part of general concern additional population to ensure Noorat’s ‘village’ feel remains which make Noorat a desirable for the safety of pedestrians, the future of the Primary School critical. place to visit – and to live.

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VISION Some people are at home in the Terang for those things a little walked the lip of the Mount bustle of the restless city and village can’t be expected to offer. Noorat crater and felt the rush of others enjoy the more leisurely Just as it used to be, a home in the eagles wings can attest. With the convenience of a large country ‘Toorak of Terang’ is as sought Walking Trail open once more town, but for those with a taste after as it ever was, and the town’s visitors can enjoy the watchful for county life, it doesn’t get historic Beehive Store is buzzing company of curious black much better than Noorat. It’s the again, the hub of the Noorat wallabies which have hopped obvious reason why those who community once more. down from their sanctuary in the belong in Noorat are impossibly disused quarry. Lake Keilambete cheerful and friendly. The town is looking neat and provides another attraction to smart, and passing traffic naturally the area now that it too has been More than just a pretty little slows along the new avenues re-opened. town, Noorat is blessed with which signify the town. Crowds still outstanding educational, sporting flock to the Noorat Show each year Noorat’s ‘vision’ is not so much and recreational facilities that and to local sporting events, but about ‘development’ or make it a great place to live for Noorat is also a popular place for becoming something else, but families young and old. For them, day trippers and other visitors. rather one of restoration and as for those who have retired to Mount Noorat has always been a preservation of a much-loved Noorat, it is only a short drive to special place, as those who have rural village and its community.

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PRIORITY PROJECTS

S means survey mentions, V means votes at public meeting, G means ‘gold sticker’ top individual voter priority

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PRIORITY OBJECTIVES (CONTINUED)

S means survey mentions, V means votes at public meeting, G means ‘gold sticker’ top individual voter priority

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SUMMARY OF PROJECTS

In considering how to confront the list of potentially 27 projects, it is useful to sort them into groups under the principal agency through which action will need to be carried out. This approach gives the following breakdown:

Community (6 projects) Community/Shire partnership (2) Council (6) State Government (5) Private commercial interests (2) Community organisations (2) Unspecified (2)

Given that the Noorat Community Plan has a 10 year horizon, it would be possible to complete the plan in that timeframe by addressing three priorities each year, although those that involve private commercial interests or In developing a schedule of Experience suggests there is substantial investments by the activities, there might be value in value in focusing on two or three State government might be less establishing Action Groups to work priorities at a time, lest the list of amenable to influence. There is on individual projects and proposed projects becomes some scope to connect to existing relationships with the key overwhelming for the people work in progress, and perhaps to government agencies. One involved. Early achievement of a combine some of the listed approach might be to prioritise tangible project can provide projects. projects by implementation confidence that time spent on agency, and to work through these community planning is in order. worthwhile.

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SUMMARY OF PROJECTS (CONTINUED)

The clear priority for those who participated in the formulation of Noorat’s community plan is reinstating the Mount Noorat Walking track. This is tied to the recognition by community of Mount Noorat as the town’s most cherished asset. Work on this project is well-advanced, with the first stage scoped and costed and work in train to secure funding to Projects led by the community or the community with partners enable it to proceed. BSCC seed funding is available to support took a variety of forms, from There are potentially 13 projects this work or to contribute to later The next three highest priorities improving directional signage to of the 27 where the community stages. attracted a similar number of votes at the public meeting. the creation of new avenues. This could take a lead role – three of The re-opening of Noorat’s overlaps with some lower priorities them in partnership with Council. General Store is also a high A variety of suggestions were put (Priority 8, Priority 12 and Priority priority for the community, and it forward for improving the 24) relating to improving the Projects linking to town is recognised that this may not walkability of Noorat, including appearance of the township and its promotion might be combined, as necessarily be easily achieved. specific footpath repairs and presentation to visitors. could the several projects relating While the sale of the premises to construction as well as a gravel/ to town appearance and The establishment of a regular a new owner might occur, sand walking track from the town presentation. Farmers Market (or a variant another option is to explore the centre to the recreation reserve. thereof) came in as priority social enterprise models which It has been agreed that the There is potential to work with number five. Again, there is scope have been successful in other township should work with the Terang residents on a project to to work with the Shire to place rural localities (eg ). Shire on this issue with a view to re-open access to nearby Lake scheduling works in future Noorat on the schedule of monthly Keilambete. These issues outnumber all Council budgets. Farmers Markets which already others in terms of survey feature at several Corangamite A deal of scoping work is needed mentions and were the two clear The proposals to improve the towns. on all but two of the listed highest priorities. approaches/ entrances to Noorat community-led projects.

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SUMMARY OF PROJECTS

Corangamite Shire Council might be involved in the planning and implementation of up to 11 listed priorities, and will need to partner with the community on at least three.

The five projects connecting with State and Commonwealth Projects intersecting with the responsibilities of Council government responsibilities provide advocacy opportunities, with three of the six projects only requiring simple and inexpensive actions. Aspirations in regard to natural gas connection, mobile phone coverage and Glenormiston College are more complex or problematic. Projects involving the State Government and its agencies

Two projects are the province of relevant community-based groups, leaving three that could potentially be delivered by private commercial interests or through some social enterprise initiative if there was sufficient local interest and commitment.

Projects dependent on business decisions of community groups or private commercial interests

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IMPLEMENTATION

Two the Noorat’s listed 27 The community could work with priorities are currently being Council on small items such as implemented. Two editions of the installing a light on the west wall Noorat Newsletter have been of the public toilets, as well as published, and some finance selecting and planting a new secured from Corangamite Shire avenue and maintaining the to support its ongoing present oak avenue on The publication. The Mount Noorat Sisters Road. Walking Track is scoped and costed, and funds are currently There is nothing to prevent being assembled to allow work to letter-writing and advocacy in commence of the first stage. regard to items such as provision BSCC funds may be used to meet of a new bus shelter, improving any shortfall or to fund further mobile phone coverage, a hard- stages. rubbish collection trial, corrected directional signage and new/ Work on repairs and extensions revised speed limit zones, or to the footpath network might establishing a Farmers Market. be referred to Corangamite Shire for consideration in future works In terms of the $50,000 BSCC plans. On common with other seed funds allocated by Council towns, this might also involve a to Noorat Plan implementation, it community project to build a is proposed not to assign funds to gravel/sand path from the town projects at this time, until they centre to the Recreation Reserve. Lake Keilambete: Highly saline 30,000 year-old circular volcanic maar are scoped and costed so that the lake located and west of Noorat and 4 km north of Terang, roughly local community is in a position Replanting of the memorial 1.8km in diameter and up to 11 metres deep, surrounded by basaltic to decide how to make best use garden with local indigenous tuff ring rising to 30 metres. of its investment. Some small plants could be an achievable projects could be funded in full or early project, replacing dead seed funding leveraged through plants and installing an adjacent The core idea of making better public access, taking advantage of grant applications for more water supply to allow use of outstanding natural assets an existing. The construction of a substantial projects. supplementary watering through provides the rationale for the re- jetty an public bathing boxes might at least the first few summers. opening of Lake Keilambete to form part of this project.

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IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS REVIEW

A primary goal of the Building Through its Residents It is proposed to formally review Stronger Corangamite Association, the Noorat the A Plan for Noorat after a Communities initiative is to community is well-advanced with period of two years, perhaps strengthen communities through its major priority of restoring and towards the middle of 2015, to the establishment of linkages re-opening the Mount Noorat assess project achievements within communities, between Walking trail, and has taken against objectives and to community organisations, and several steps to secure funding formulate revised objectives as between local communities and for initial works. The Association required. government agencies, including has also secured some funding local government. This is on the support for the ongoing premise that development of production of its new town local capacity may be achieved Newsletter. through the sharing and utilisation of talents and skills Having arrived at a ranked list of within the community as well as project priorities it is evident that through linkages to expertise not a deal of detailed work is readily accessible to local required to specify and scope organisations. This includes these shared objectives. For this access to assistance from local reason it may be necessary to and State government agencies countenance a more fluid and to seek out advice and financial continuous planning approach in and other resources to support place of the stepped Plan/ local initiatives. Implement/ Review process. This will provide opportunities to The implementation of the include additional voices in the projects outlined in this plan will conversation about how these seek to support and strengthen priorities can be realised, and in local organisations, not the least which order. through activation of local interest and involvement in projects deemed to be of high priority by the local community.

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APPENDICES

Survey instrument Ranking of issues and projects Summary of survey responses Detailed survey and voting results

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