NILLUMBIK PLANNING SCHEME

21.02 MUNICIPAL OVERVIEW & REGIONAL CONTEXT 19/01/2006 VC37 PROPOSED C86 of Nillumbik

The constitution of the Shire of Nillumbik as a ‘green wedge’ municipality of occurred in 1994. In defining the boundaries of the Shire, the Local Government Board recognised the strong rural and conservation focus shared by the communities of interest in this particular region of Melbourne. The municipality comprises the majority of the former of Eltham and Diamond Valley and includes parts of the former and former (Local Government Board 1994a and 1994b).

Community

The Shire of Nillumbik has an estimated population of 58,651 people (Department of Infrastructure 1999). It is widely recognised that there is a community culture of environmental appreciation and responsibility, innovation and creativity. The natural environment of Nillumbik is a significant reason for people deciding to live and work in the Shire. The community has a record of active participation in environmental management, education and works programs in the pursuit of the sustainable management of natural resources and protection of conservation values in the Shire.

Location & Regional Perspective

Figure 1 shows the location of the Shire of Nillumbik in a Melbourne metropolitan perspective. Located on the north-eastern urban-rural fringe of Melbourne, the Shire of Nillumbik is approximately 25 kilometres from Melbourne's central activities area, and extends to the Kinglake Ranges, some 50 kilometres from central Melbourne. The Shire of Nillumbik has an area of 430 square kilometres and is generally bounded by the Yarra and Plenty Rivers and the Kinglake Ranges. Adjoining municipalities are the Cities of Manningham and Banyule to the south, the City of Whittlesea to the west, the Shire of Yarra Ranges to the east and the Shire of Murrundindi to the north. Map 1 shows the location of the Shire of Nillumbik in a Melbourne Metropolitan perspective. The Shire of Nillumbik has an estimated population of 62,500 people (2012). It is widely recognised that there is a community culture of environmental appreciation and responsibility, innovation and creativity. The natural environment of Nillumbik is a significant reason for people deciding to live and work in the Shire. The community has a record of active participation in environmental management, education and works programs in the pursuit of the sustainable management of natural resources and protection of conservation values in the Shire. Much of the Shire is rural and is used for a combination of agriculture, rural living and conservation purposes. The population, however, is concentrated in the residential areas of Diamond Creek, Eltham, Greensborough, Hurstbridge, North Warrandyte, Plenty, Research and Wattle Glen. The Shire of Nillumbik forms part of a metropolitan ‘green wedge’, providing a non-urban break between the Mernda (northernWhittlesea) urban growth corridor and the Lilydale (eastern) urban area. The role of the Shire as a ‘green wedge’ was first formally recognised in 1971 in Planning Policies for the Melbourne Metropolitan Region produced by the then

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Melbourne Metropolitan Board of Works. The metropolitan growth strategy, shown in a framework plan for the Melbourne Region, focused future urban growth in major 'growth corridors' radiating outward from the central Melbourne area, and separated by 'substantial wedges of open country' (Melbourne Metropolitan Board of Works 1971). These strategies and policies have been maintained to the present time were then supported, and reinforced in 2002 when the State Government metropolitan policies since then.introduced Melbourne 2030, the metropolitan strategy for future development in Melbourne which establishes an urban grown boundary to define the limits of future development and to protect green wedges outside of these areas. The ongoing commitment to the Shire's future as a ‘green wedge’ corridor supports regional objectives for integrated catchment management as identified in the Port Phillip & Westernport Regional Catchment Strategy , 2004 (prepared by Port Phillip and Westernport Catchment Management Authority).(Port Phillip Regional Catchment & Land Protection Board 1997) and the Yarra Catchment Action Plan (Yarra Care and the Port Phillip Catchment & Land Protection Board 1999). The City of Whittlesea’s designated residential growth area (in Mernda) abuts the Shire of Nillumbik's western boundary (Figure Map 1). This will bring urban communities adjacent to highly valued conservation, recreation and farming areas in the Shire, and will placealready places demands on the Shire’s road network and other physical and social infrastructure. The Western and Northern Ring Roads connect the Shire of Nillumbik to Melbourne Airport and the north-western and western regions of Melbourne. The Melbourne metropolitan rail network links Hurstbridge, Wattle Glen, Diamond Creek and Eltham to the north-eastern suburbs and central Melbourne. Regional recreation resources, such as Kinglake National Park, Plenty Gorge Metropolitan Park, Sugarloaf Reservoir Park, Yarrambat Park, and the network of parks in the system, are progressively being developed and marketed as recreational experiences (Figure Map 2). The recreational trail along the Diamond Creek links to the Yarra River trail, which in turn provides a path through north-eastern middle and inner suburbs and into central Melbourne.. It is possible that the trail along the Diamond Creek may be extended in a north-easterly direction towards Kinglake. It is intended that the trail will go to Wattle Glen and Hurstbridge. The Shire of Nillumbik plays a pivotal role in protecting the region's biodiversity. Strategic habitat links which continue into surrounding municipalities connect extensive areas of native vegetation. A significant number of rare and endangered species are found in these native environments. In 1986 the former North East Regional Organisation of Councils (NEROC) commissioned a study of significant faunal sites and habitats for north east Melbourne. Commonly referred to as the NEROC Report the study was eventually published in 1997. The purpose of the study was to provide accurate and comprehensive information on sites of faunal significance and the species of native terrestrial vertebrates that require conservation management. Of the 104 sites identified across north east Melbourne, 65 sites occur in the Shire of Nillumbik (Beardsell, 1997). The Shire is generally bounded by the Plenty and Yarra Rivers and the Kinglake Ranges, which are of national and state environmental significance. The Shire comprises a major part of the Plenty and Yarra River catchments, and land use activities in the Shire have the potential to create adverse effects in areas lower in the catchments.downstream. Melbourne’s metropolitan community expects environmental conditions in these catchments to be enhanced. Eltham and Diamond Creek have been identified as the Major Activity Centres in the Shire which provide for a range of commercial, entertainment and social activities for local and district catchments. Regional scale retail, commercial and entertainment facilities are provided in the Principal Activity Centres in Greensborough, Doncaster (Westfield) and Preston (Northland). The Shire of Nillumbik is provided with a public transport link through the Melbourne metropolitan rail network links at Hurstbridge, Wattle Glen, Diamond Creek and Eltham to the north-eastern suburbs and central Melbourne. The Shire of Nillumbik has good road access to the north and west of Melbourne, however the recent

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development of the Western Ring Road has lead to increased pressure on several arterial roads within the Shire. Retail, commercial and entertainment facilities in the Shire are of a scale which provides for local and district catchments. Regional scale retail, commercial and entertainment facilities are provided in Greensborough, Doncaster (Westfield) and Preston (Northland). The Northern Melbourne Institute of TAFE is situated in the Shire of Nillumbik while a A number of tertiary education institutions, such as La Trobe University and RMIT University, are located nearby in adjoining municipalities. These institutions provide employment and further education opportunities for residents of the Shire. The Sugarloaf Reservoir is situated in the Shire of Nillumbik and is a major infrastructure asset for Melbourne. The Watsons Creek Reservoir is proposed to be situated north of the Sugarloaf Reservoir, and will provide additional bulk domestic water supply for metropolitan Melbourne.

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Figure Map 1 - The Green Wedge in the Metropolitan Context

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Figure Map 2 - Major Open Space and Recreation Facilities

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