January 2019
Advocating for our Community Indigo Shire Council has recently updated its Advocacy Plan, setting out community priorities that are beyond the capacity of Council, working alone, to resolve. The plan covers a wide range of projects and initiatives including: 1. Health & Universal Access; • Improved telecommunications • Access to childcare and kindergarten services • Resources to advocate for disability and accessibility • Youth Mental Health: Psychiatrists Mary Dunn, in Schools Pilot • Affordable housing Citizen of the Year 2. Improved Community Amenity • Improved recreation facilities as Australia Day is the day we recognize those who have made a special contribution to the identified in the Active Indigo culture and wellbeing of Indigo Shire. Recreation Strategy • Community hall and community Indigo Shire’s Citizen of the Year facility upgrades • Rutherglen Heavy Vehicle deviation Most people know Mary Dunn as the go-to person in Rutherglen. Having lived in Rutherglen for over 50 years, her community involvement spans more than a dozen organisations, 3. Investment Attraction & Economic Growth including Rutherglen Primary and High School, Rutherglen Hockey Club, Rutherglen & District • Major cycle tourism infrastructure Garden Club and Meals on Wheels. • Industrial Land development Amongst a long list of valuable contributions to these organisations, Mary played an integral • Major tourism product development role in developing the annual Rutherglen & District Garden Club Flower Show, bringing • Aged care services regional gardeners together and highlighting Rutherglen on the map for visitors to the region. Mary has been awarded life membership in a number of these organisations as a 4. Environment & Sustainability result of her continued passion and efforts. Her unwavering support and friendship for many • Groundwater protection for agriculture underprivileged people and families has been a highlight of her life. • Enabling renewable energy initiatives Described by many as being selfless and empathetic, it is Mary’s often discreet care and • Reduce European wasp population compassion for so many people regardless of their social status or circumstances that have proven her to be a wonderful role model for the residents of Rutherglen. View the full Advocacy Plan on our website. Australia Day coverage continues on Page 2
Follow Indigo Shire Council on Facebook for latest news and updates Upcoming Community Forums Visit www.indigoshire.vic.gov.au to sign up to Indigo Shire holds nine community forums throughout the year at different locations the Weekly Update of news from our CEO’s throughout the Shire. Come along and share your local knowledge, have input into Council desk and explore Council’s services and projects projects, hear about plans for improvement and share successes. Visit the Shire’s tourism websites: The first three Community Forums for 2019 will be held: explorebeechworth.com.au, • Tuesday 12 February, 6pm to 7pm, in Kiewa-Tangambalanga explorerutherglen.com.au, at the Coulston Park Recreation Reserve explorechiltern.com.au and • Tuesday 12 March, 6pm to 7pm, at the Stanley Memorial Hall exploreyackandandah.com.au to find out what’s on around the region. • Tuesday 16 April, 6pm to 7pm, at the Rutherglen Senior Citizens Centre
www.indigoshire.vic.gov.au 2 strength of community building a better future 3
Australia Day Celebrations A Year in Numbers Ageing Well in Indigo Australia Day was celebrated across Indigo Shire on Saturday 26 January Shire – Have Your Say 2019 with events in Barnawartha, Beechworth, Chiltern, It’s been another busy year for Indigo Shire Council and Kiewa-Tangambalanga, Rutherglen and Yackandandah. Each ceremony Our Draft Ageing Well Strategy outlines we’ve accomplished a lot together. Here is a small snapshot featured entertainment, community meals and a flag ceremony, followed our vision and priorities to develop an of some of the work done in our community during 2018: by the presentation of Indigo Shire Australia Day Awards. age-friendly community in Indigo Shire and we want your feedback. Age-friendly communities encourage Certificates of Achievement active ageing by creating opportunities for good health, social and economic participation and personal security. We answered 24,059 phone calls through our Val White customer service centres. A copy of the draft strategy can be found Kiewa- Tangamablanga District on our website, by dropping into your Val is the first contact for all bookings and enquiries at the Tangambalanga local library or by calling 1300 365 003. Community Centre. She is on duty 24/7; often sets up and packs up for You can also provide feedback until 8 functions, cleans floors and toilets, organizes maintenance, liaises with February 2019. Council and synchronises the many hirers of the facility. With over 40 132 babies were supported by our Maternal years of service, Val continues to be a valued and proactive member of the and Child Health Nurses. Coulston Park Committee of Management that manages the recreation Are you Fire Ready? park. Val also makes time to drive the local community car. Indigo Shire’s Municipal Emergency Understand your risk and plan ahead. Jan Morey Management Committee have introduced Know what to do on hot, dry, windy days Beechworth and District New Resident Kits to provide information and plan for all situations. Talk to your about fire preparedness for residents family and friends about how you’ll know Jan Morey has a long history of volunteering in the local community, new to living in rural areas. These kits when to leave, where you’ll go and how We received 42 community grant applications including ten years as group leader of the Beechworth Nursing Mums are available free of charge from Indigo you will get there. for projects in our community. Association, coaching swimming, coaching the girls and women’s local Shire’s customer service centres at soccer teams, and volunteering as a member for a number of local Do you have family, friends or neighbours Beechworth, Yackandandah, Chiltern committees. Jan has also dedicated over 700 hours to supporting young who may need help preparing for fires? or Rutherglen. learner drivers through the Vic Roads Indigo Shire L2P Program. Talk to them about when they will leave, Taking steps to get prepared before the where they will go and how you can help. Eileen Collins fire season means you know what to do Have a plan, make sure your family knows We issued building permits. when you’re at risk of fire. It’s important it, and stick to it, don’t hesitate when it’s 454 Chiltern and District to prepare your property for fire, but time to leave. You could get trapped by Eileen is a passionate and committed ambassador for the Chiltern-Mt you also need to plan and prepare for fire if you leave too late. For information Pilot National Park and has become renowned both nationally and your safety. Pack important documents, on how to stay safe this summer, visit internationally for her knowledge of the human history, flora and fauna photos, medications, money and clothes emergency.vic.gov.au or ring the of the park. Eileen has been the driving force behind the establishment so you can leave easily before a fire starts. VicEmergency Hotline on 1800 226 226. of the Friends of Chiltern-Mt Pilot National Park group, building it to be a We engaged with over 350 people to develop diverse and productive group of people committed to making the park a the Kiewa-Tangambalanga Placemaking Plan better place for everyone. Rail Trail Extension on Track Kiewa Fire Brigade Community Organisation of the Year Thanks to everyone who came along The Kiewa Fire Brigade is considered an outstanding community Project timeline to our first information session for the organisation. Not only does it perform the expected tasks of putting 2019 We provided 384 hours of mentor driving Beechworth to Yackandandah Rail Trail through the L2P Program for the year out fires and keeping the community safe, but it is an integral and well Section 1: Peach Drive to Kibell Lane, since the project started. This was first of respected part of the community. The Fire Brigade is always willing to Beechworth many information sessions that will be assist, whether through its promotion of youth and community events Section 2: Yackandandah to Osbornes Flat held across Indigo Shire at different times such as Carols by Candlelight or its efforts in collecting for the Royal Section 3: Fanning and Factory Lanes Children’s Hospital Appeal. The organisation’s wholehearted involvement throughout the duration of the project. in the Kiewa community adds to the liveability of the town. The rail trail extension started in 2020 September 2018 and will be finished in Section 4: Wooragee to the Roundabout We signed up 8 volunteers to Indigo Calling seven sections over three years, due to be Section 5: Roundabout to Yackandandah and volunteers to community connectors, Callista Race-Stelling 5 completed by the end of 2021. supporting older members of our community. Emma George Sporting Scholarship The next step will be starting work on 2021 Callista is a 15-year-old running and athletics champion from Beechworth. section one between Peach Drive and Section 6: Magpie Creek Callista loves distance running and competes in various track and cross Kibell Lane in Beechworth. Section 7: Kibell Lane country events at regional, state and national levels. Her main events are 2,000m steeplechase, 3,000 metres track running, and 3-4km cross To keep up-to-date and find out more about the Rail Trail project country. In April Callista will be competing in the Australian Track & Field visit www.indigoshire.vic.gov.au/railtrailproject We planted 1616 trees Championships in Sydney, before she takes on the Australian Junior Cross- Country Championships in Adelaide in August. Best of luck Callista!
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Yack Skate Park Update Indigo Shire Youth Lifeguard Training Events & Employment Pathway Program Start working on your heel flips, fakies and ollies because the new skate park Seven local young people from Chiltern and Rutherglen undertook free certified Tangam/Kiewa is taking shape, with the final design for training in First Aid, CPR, Pool Lifeguard Certificate this year, as well as specific stage one complete. Mini Music Fest leadership training around the themes of positive role-modelling, anti-bullying and The Tangam/Kiewa Youth Action Crew The design includes a quarter pipe, behaviour management. will be hosting the Tangam/Kiewa Mini scooter loop, rock kickers and smooth Music Fest at the Kiewa Memorial Park on stone paving. Construction will get Saturday 2 February 2019, 4pm to 8pm. underway in first half of 2019. The second year running, this free The redevelopment of the Yackandandah community festival will feature a music Skate Park will transform the skate stage with local and larger profile music park into a community space for all, acts, a talent show, food, games for all celebrating our young people, our ages, a jumping castle, face painting and stunning natural environment and our more. A plastic wise/waste minimal event heritage. organised by local young people, the The project is funded with a $100,000 Game on for Chiltern Netball Courts event is drug, alcohol and smoke free and grant from Sport and Recreation Victoria, funded through the FreeZA program. with Indigo Shire Council contributing Work has started on the Chiltern Netball Courts, with the removal of the existing court to To enter the talent show (all types of acts $163,015 to complete the project, at a make way for two new netball courts with acrylic surfaces. There will be one competition and ages welcome) contact the organising total cost of $263,015. court with a cushioned surface and one non- competition mixed court for both basketball crew on [email protected] See the designs and find out more and netball, which will be non-cushioned. Work will continue until the end of March. at www.indigoshire.vic.gov.au/ There will also be four new light towers and a new shelter, which will be installed yackskatepark in March and April. Rainbow Ball Get ready to dance the night away at the first Rainbow Ball onSaturday 16 February. Lake King A celebration for local and rural LGBTQI+ Young People and their friends, the Help Shape the Rainbow Ball will feature local DJs and Thank you to everyone who came along to Lake King drop-in session in December. performances, food trucks, chill out space, We appreciated your feedback on ways to enhance the lake and ensure it’s a great Future of photo booths and more. place for all members of the community – from recreation to seating, planting and Yackandandah the reinstatement of the fountain. The Rainbow Ball is organised by The North East Pride Collective; a passionate group of We’ve taken the comments and ideas on board and will be incorporating them LGBTQI+ Young People, with support from where possible. Help shape the future of Yackandandah Indigo Shire Council Youth Services and by getting involved in the Yackandandah The next step in the project will be the awarding of a tender for civil and hard Gateway Health - WayOut Wodonga. landscaping works. Earthworks are expected to start in early 2019. Place Plan. Throughout the community The Rainbow Ball is a free event inviting engagement process for the Yackandandah The Lake King improvements are part of the Rutherglen Economic Revitalisation LGBTQI+ young people & their friends Place Plan, we’ll be asking for your ideas on Project which will upgrade and link three key precincts in Rutherglen. The project aged 14 to 25 from all around North East everything from residential and industrial involves dam safety and landscaping works and the overall enhancement of the Lake Victoria and across the border. This is a land availability, parking, the route of the King recreational area. fully supervised, drug, alcohol and smoke new rail trail and how we can improve To find out more go towww.indigoshire.vic.gov.au/RERP free event. transport around town. Courtesy buses will be available to and Our steering committee has been from the Cube, with return trips available appointed and we’re looking forward to via Tallangatta, Albury, Wangaratta, Bright, working with the community in 2019. Beechworth, Mt Beauty, Myrtleford, Tangambalanga, Yackandandah, Rutherglen. Visit www.indigoshire.vic.gov.au/loveyack When: Saturday 16 Feb, 6pm to 10pm Where: The Cube Wodonga, 118 Hovell Street, Wodonga Tickets: Free.
Tickets via www.eventbrite.com.au /e/rainbow-ball-tickets-53634649681
Indigo Informer January 2019 Indigo Informer January 2019 6 building a better future environmental matters 7
Walk this way Indigo Cyclists are Good Friends of Atauro Our new tourism guide showcases 40 short walks around the municipality. The walks are centred around the four townships of Over a number of years the Lycra Free Chiltern, Yackandandah, Rutherglen and Zone (Beechworth cycling group) and Beechworth and vary in length and suitability members of the Rutherglen Cycling for all fitness levels and ages. group have supported the activities of the Indigo/Atauro Friendship Committee. Walking is a key marketing platform of the Funds are collected from group members North East regional tourism organisation, during the year and passed onto the Tourism North East, of which Indigo Shire is Friendship committee to use on projects an active member. on Atauro Island. Indigo Shire is capitalising on Tourism North Projects supported include a composting East’s major push into this target market by toilet constructed in the village of Fatu’u getting on board to promote our fabulous in the north of Atauro and equipment for walking product. the midwifery clinic at Makili in the south To coincide with the release of the guide, a of Atauro. series of videos has been produced which Native Vegetation on our Roadsides will be used on Indigo Shire’s social media channels to promote the walks and drive Many of our roadsides across the council • Assistance in erosion and salinity control. area contain valuable native vegetation visitation. They feature local people talking We all have a role to play in looking after including trees, shrubs, grasses and ground about their favourite short walks and why our roadside vegetation. Unauthorised covers. In some cases, not all of these they love them. removal of native vegetation in roadsides, types of plants are present. For example, A copy of the guide can be collected including large dead trees and grasses, is native grasslands that contain no shrubs or from the Shire’s visitor information not okay. trees are still very important as habitat. centres or online via explorebeechworth. Any fire prevention works on roadsides Native vegetation on our roadsides is often com.au, exploreyackandandah. require written consent from Council. of high conservation value and provides: com.au, explorechiltern.com.au or The Country Fire Authority is the only explorerutherglen.com.au • Habitat for native wildlife, often including body authorised to conduct burning on endangered plants and animals. roadsides. • Lower fuel loads than introduced Answers to some of the common queries A new lease on grasses, such as Phalaris. we receive about vegetation in the road life for Beechworth • Important fauna habitat corridors reserves are below, if you are unsure, Goods Shed and connections between please always contact council in the fragmented bushland. first instance. A new composting toilet for Atauro
Located in the heart of historic Beechworth, the Beechworth Goods Shed Roadside vegetation: Can I or can’t I? sits along the Murray to Mountains Rail Trail opposite the old railway station in the Clear trees in the road reserve? All works in the road reserve require Council consent. Indigo Shire is the responsible au- heart of Beechworth. thority for municipal roads and VicRoads need to be consulted for VicRoads roads. You will The Goods Shed will undergo a $460,000 definitely need a consent to work in the road reserve. There are some exemptions – but refurbishment to restore the building, often vegetation clearing would also require a planning permit and offsets. Council’s policy retaining its heritage fabric whilst improving is to retain native vegetation on in the roadsides unless it is causing a road safety issue. All facilities to make it a welcoming space. roads are regularly inspected for maintenance, including assessment of overhanging trees, Refurbishment works will include: but if you think there is a hazard please report it via our website. • Replacement of the external cladding of the wall and roof with Bulldoze/grade the roadside No. This is a contravention of the native vegetation regulations. Clearing the area will result new galvanised iron to remove fire hazards? in loss of habitat, and more weeds. • Refurbishment of internal and external platforms The CFA and the Municipal Fire Management Committee have assessed all roads in the Shire and have a plan of roads which require fuel reduction treatment. • Improvements to access ramps For more information on this program, please contact CFA or council. • Natural lighting and ventilation Partner with us • Upgrade the electricity supply to As part of the Good Shed refurbishment, Indigo Shire Council has called for three-phase power expressions of interest for potential investors and businesses to partner with us. Plant native vegetation in the Maybe – we encourage native vegetation appropriate to the area to improve the roadside road reserve? conservation value. You will need a consent to work in the road reserve - so please discuss The refurbishment is jointly funded by We will be looking for businesses that will complement the Rail Trail and existing your proposal with council. Don’t plant near power lines or other services. Indigo Shire Council and the Federal tenants in the Railway Precinct. Government, through the Regional Jobs We expect the refurbishment to drive private sector investment and create new and Infrastructure Program. commercial opportunities that will reinvigorate Beechworth’s Railway Precinct. Tidy up/pick up sticks etc from You can but it’s best not to - All natural material should stay in the road reserve wherever To find out more visitwww.indigoshire.vic.gov.au/beechworthgoodsshed the road reserve practicable, it is all part of the habitat and breaks down over time to return organic matter to the soil. Many animals rely on leaf litter, low shrubs and thickets for habitat.
Indigo Informer January 2019 Indigo Informer January 2019 8 the last word
Free Hard Waste Items that WILL be accepted FREE up to a Items that will NOT be accepted Disposal 2019 maximum of 1m3 include the following Carpet Industrial Waste
We provide a free hard waste disposal Household and Garden Furniture Building Waste/Rubble service for residents to dispose of unwanted domestic waste items. Vouchers Televisions Cleaning Solvents/ attached to your rates notice can be Household Chemicals used at the Beechworth and Rutherglen Computer equipment Herbicides/Pesticides Transfer Stations all year round. Mattresses Paint Hard waste disposal weekends Additional locations for hard waste Scrap metal and white goods Unidentified Chemicals disposal will be offered in Yackandandah, Large domestic items that will Green Waste – Garden Waste Tangambalanga and Chiltern on the generally not fit in your garbage bin following dates and times: Saturday 16, Sunday 17 March 2019 Asbestos and Saturday 23, Sunday 24 March 2019 Tyres 8am to 12noon. Food or organic material Yackandandah: 8am-12pm Shire depot, Railway Avenue, behind All Batteries YCDCo service station Gas bottles Chiltern: 8am-12pm Former Transfer Station - Chiltern/ Rutherglen Road Chiltern Vouchers are not required to be presented for scrap metal or white goods. Scrap metal Tangambalanga: 8am-12pm and white goods can be disposed of at any time during the year, at no charge, at both Corner Forge Court/Kiewa Bonegilla the Beechworth and Rutherglen Transfer Stations. Road Tangambalanga (Opposite Kiewa Fire Station) Transfer Station opening times The sites are supervised and vouchers Beechworth – Diffey Road 1 pm-5pm Friday, Saturday, Sunday Monday must be presented. Rutherglen – Cornishtown Road 1pm-5pm Friday, Saturday, Sunday More information is available from www.indigoshire.vic.gov.au
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