Greater Bendigo December 2020 Dine out!Glass half full Meet your new Council CONTENTS NEWS 4 'Tis the season to go swimming 5 Meet your new Council 8 A rewarding opportunity A new chapter begins 9 Working for Victoria, works for Greater Bendigo GB quiz! BUSINESS 10 Dine outdoors 12 To market, to market 13 Highlighting the benefits of hiring people with disability The success of your new home business is only a phone call away! COMMUNITY 14 Glass half full 16 Showcasing gratitude 17 Community spirit shines through COVID-19 projects 18 Surviving summer Is your summer emergency plan right to go? 19 Free green waste disposal Where to go as a last resort when bushfire Greater Bendigo 17 December 2020 threatens 16 Glass half full Dine out! 20 New plan to advance reconciliation Meet your new Council Video a love song to Bendigo 21 Libraries bringing people together A new dog park for Heathcote 22 Golden Square - what's not to love! 3 for free! 24 Bendigo and Maubisse - an enduring friendship since 2006 SERVICES 25 Seeing the bigger picture 26 Tips to reduce your waste this Christmas 27 What's in the works? 27 City to extend organics collections in 2021 ON THE COVER: Bendigo locals Jude and Rebecca Apokis enjoy outdoor dining at Ms Batterhams. PayStay parking now available throughout city Read more on page 10-11. centre 27 ACTIVE AND HEALTHY 29 Why you can't dig on Crown land Helping fitness groups and businesses to train 23 outdoors 30 Making healthy eating easy Local food systems LIFESTYLE 31 Greater Bendigo Great Bakery Trail 32 What I did Last Week 34 When one door closes, another opens 35 Merry Christmas COVID-19 DISCLAIMER GB Magazine was prepared by the City using all reasonable steps to ensure the safety of participants. 2 Looking good Bendigo! Have you got a great photo of Bendigo? Submit your image to gbmag@bendigo. vic.gov.au and you might just see it featured here next edition. Photo submitted by Simon Crane. WELCOME FROM THE CEO A Council is like a Board, it oversees Asset Plan to guide how it will look Finally, I would like to take this In a year that has brought the running of the organisation, so after its buildings and other community opportunity to wish you all a very merry about significant change, Councillors need to understand how infrastructure. Christmas. It has been a year like none it works and the services that are other, but as a community we have done When you think the average week as a in recent months our delivered. This then helps them to make a remarkable job of meeting the ever- Councillor can involve up to 20 hours decisions with the social, environmental, changing challenges of COVID-19. I would of reading, along with attending weekly organisation has been economic and cultural needs of the whole like to thank all our staff for the way they briefings, monthly meetings, meeting community in mind. have worked throughout this time and preparing for one more with residents and attending community thank the previous and current Council for Early next year, consultation will begin on events, it is a significant commitment. – the induction of a new the way they have supported staff to adapt the development of key documents that This Council is the latest in the history of and continue to serve our community. Council. will guide the work of Council over the Local Government in Greater Bendigo and I hope all our readers enjoy a safe and next four years and we want you to be we look forward to it making a valuable relaxing Christmas. involved in this important work. Every four years our community heads contribution as it builds on the legacy of Craig Niemann, to the polls, via our letterboxes, to vote Using community feedback, Council will previous Councils in shaping a vibrant Chief Executive Officer in the next Council – nine people tasked agree to a new strategic vision for our regional city and community. with making decisions on behalf of community, essentially an aspirational our community to guide the long-term statement about how it would like to development and success of Greater see Greater Bendigo transform into the CONTACT THE CITY OF GREATER BENDIGO Bendigo. future. It will set a four-year Council It’s a significant role to get your head Plan, which is a roadmap to achieving the Main office Email around and even though we have vision and sets a workplan for staff by 15 Hopetoun Street, Bendigo [email protected] four returning councillors this outlining a number of actions Council Currently closed due to COVID-19 Website term, officers have a key role in wants to see delivered. It will also restrictions www.bendigo.vic.gov.au bringing everyone up to speed develop a new Municipal Public Postal Health and Wellbeing Plan, which After hours/emergency number to help the new group gel PO Box 733, Bendigo 3552 5434 6000 together. outlines ways Council will work to improve the health and wellbeing Telephone Operating hours To do this, an intensive of residents. 5434 6000 8.30am - 5pm, Monday to Friday induction program was planned, Hearing or speech impaired? Follow us which then transitioned into weekly Under the new Local Call via National Relay Service on 133 677 Council briefings and the Government Act 2020, opportunity for new and Council will also It is expected the City will re-open its Customer Service Centres in Bendigo and Heathcote in the new year, as Victorian Government COVID-19 restrictions are lifted. returning Councillors need to publish a to meet individually 10-year Financial Plan for how with myself and Want to read this document in an alternative format? The City is committed to it will achieve Directors. Continued providing documents that are easy to read for all. If you would like to read the long-term support will be magazine in an alternative format e.g. large print or text only, contact Customer offered as the financial Service on 5434 6000 or [email protected] and we will endeavour to service Councillors adjust sustainability your request in the quickest time possible. to the role. and a 10-year NEWS 3 'Tis the season to Summer has arrived and pools across Greater Bendigo are opening for the 2020/2021 season. So if you’re looking for a pool to stay cool or keep fit and swim laps in, visit www.bendigo.vic.gov.au for more information. Elmore Swimming Pool Gurri Wanyarra Wellbeing Centre Marong Swimming Pool Please note COVID-19 4 Elmore-Raywood Road, Elmore Browning Street, Kangaroo Flat High Street, Marong restrictions may impact the 0477 196 840 4431 1000 5435 2207 operating hours, number of people allowed at each pool Facilities: 25m and toddler pools, water Facilities: 51.5m heated pool (with Facilities: 25m and toddler pools, and and permitted activities this slide, barbecue and off-street parking moveable boom to create two 25m kiosk summer. Please phone or pools), beach-entry leisure pool for check social media for details toddler and family swimming, splash on local pool opening hours Faith Leech Aquatic Centre park, warm water program pool and Peter Krenz Leisure Centre and to find out if there are any 168 Barnard Street, Bendigo spa facilities, steam room, sauna, requirements in place. gymnasium and group fitness rooms, 15 Napier Street, Eaglehawk 5443 6151 childcare and multi-purpose room, 5446 9222 Facilities: 50 metre (heated with health and wellness centre and café (all Facilities: 50m (heated), multi-use and accessible chair lift), intermediate (with pools are fully accessible) toddler pools, water slide, spa and accessible ramp), toddler and diving Local pools and facilities: sauna, gymnasium and group fitness pools, water slide, café, barbecue and rooms, family change rooms and café al fresco dining area Bendigo East Swimming Pool Heathcote Swimming Pool 33 Lansell Street, East Bendigo 10 Barrack Street, Heathcote Raywood Swimming Pool Golden Square Pool 5443 7078 5433 2223 1 Macaulay Street, Raywood 14 Maple Street, Golden Square Facilities: 50m (heated), intermediate Facilities: 25m and toddler pools 5436 1360 and toddler pools, barbecue and picnic 0401 804 701 (solar heated), shade and kiosk Facilities: 25m and toddler pools, shade settings, kiosk and off-street parking Facilities: 50m, learners/intermediate and seating and toddler pools, barbecue, shade and kiosk Brennan Park Swimming Pool Long Gully Splash Park FREE ENTRY! White Hills Swimming Pool Brennan Park Pool Road, Flora Hill 21 Cunneen Street, Long Gully Goornong Swimming Pool 5443 9407 Facilities: Shaded seating area, picnic 30 Hamelin Street, White Hills 2 Bagshot Street, Goornong tables, barbecues, toilets and change 5448 4295 Facilities: 50m (solar heated with accessible ramp), intermediate, toddler 5432 2368 room, visitor-activated fountains, drench Facilities: 33m and toddler pools, shade bucket, basketball ring and irrigated and diving pools, barbecue, kiosk and Facilities: 25m and toddler pools, and kiosk grass area off-street parking barbecue, shade and kiosk 4 NEWS Meet your new Council L-R: Deputy Mayor Cr Andrea Metcalf, Cr Vaughan Williams, Cr Julie Sloan, Cr Greg Penna, Mayor Cr Jennifer Alden, Cr David Fagg, Cr Margaret O’Rourke, Cr Rod Fyffe OAM and Cr Matthew Evans. Elmore WHIPSTICK WARD Five new Councillors have been elected to the Greater Raywood Bendigo City Council. Local Government elections Neilborough Sebastian were held in October and those elected will represent Goornong Greater Bendigo for the next four years. Huntly Bendigo Cr Matthew Evans, Cr David Fagg, Cr Greg Mayor position is in title only, there is no Eaglehawk Myers Flat Penna, Cr Julie Sloan and Cr Vaughan additional salary for the Deputy Mayor, and Epsom Marong Williams are all first-time Councillors and they are expected to support the Mayor Maiden they join Cr Jennifer Alden, Cr Rod Fyffe by representing the Council at events and Gully Golden Square Flora Hill OAM, Cr Andrea Metcalf and Cr Margaret meetings the Mayor is unable to attend.