City of Greater Bendigo Rural Communities Strategy

CITY OF GREATER BENDIGO RURAL COMMUNITIES STRATEGY

Embracing and enhancing the Greater Bendigo's rural communities: challenges and opportunities

www.bendigo.vic.gov.au Why has this strategy been prepared?

The Rural Communities Strategy is designed to provide:

• Improved knowledge and understanding within Greater Bendigo’s rural communities

• Better recognition of how Council’s adopted strategies and policies apply to our rural communities

• Priorities for managing and supporting transition, growth and community development in our rural communities

• Actions and initiatives that our rural communities can undertake to respond to change and capitalise on opportunities

• A suite of actions that the City of Greater Bendigo will undertake when working with and on behalf of our rural communities

This Strategy was adopted in August 2016.

Acknowledgement of Country The City of Greater Bendigo is on both Dja Dja Wurrung and Taungurung Country, whose ancestors and their descendants are the traditional owners of this Country. We acknowledge that they have been custodians for many centuries and continue to perform age old ceremonies of celebration, initiation and renewal. We acknowledge their living culture and their unique role in the life of this region. Contents

Our rural communities �� 4 Characteristics �� 5 Strengthening our communities �� 8 Regional context �� 10

Our goal �� 16 Priority actions �� 19

What the community told us �� 20 Issues and drivers �� 23

Council's adopted strategies & policies �� 26

Strategy �� 28 Actions �� 29

Maps

Map 1. Greater Bendigo’s rural towns, settlements and areas �� 4

Map 2. Intensive animal industries in central Victoria �� 6

Map 3. Public land within Greater Bendigo �� 7

Map 4. Collaborative communities Raywood – Neilborough – Sebastian – Woodvale – Mapping of community facilities �� 9

Map 5. Greater Bendigo SEIFA scores 2011 �� 11

Map 6. Major facilities and services across Greater Bendigo’s rural areas �� 11

Map 7. 10-minute driving communities �� 12

Map 8. Predominant land uses across Greater Bendigo 2014 �� 13

Images

Image 1. Agri-business multiplier effect �� 7

Image 2. Goornong & District Heritage Trail �� 8

Image 3. O’Keefe Rail Trail �� 9

Image 4. Redesdale community – proposed extension of the O’Keefe Rail Trail �� 9

Cover image courtesy of The Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria. Our rural communities

How are our rural communities defined?

Rural communities are all those towns, settlements and areas of the City of Greater Bendigo outside the growth boundary for urban Bendigo. The City’s rural areas and communities are shown on Map 1 below.

Greater Bendigo’s rural areas include extensive areas under Map 1. Greater Bendigo’s rural towns, settlements and areas agricultural production, forests, numerous towns and settlements, large areas used for rural living and intensive uses such as mining and animal production.

Greater Bendigo’s rural areas and communities make up about 95 per cent of the municipality and are home to about 15,000 people – almost 15 per cent of the population. Significantly, about one quarter of all land in Greater Bendigo is public land, and most of it is forested. Map 3 on page 7 shows the distribution of public land across the City of Greater Bendigo.

4 • City of Greater Bendigo Rural Communities Strategy About 15,000 people currently live in our rural communities.

Characteristics What are the key characteristics of our rural communities?

Greater Bendigo's rural communities fall into one of four broad social-economic settlement and land use types:

Traditional rural service sector Relatively large areas of rural living where people are 1 townships – of which the largest 3 using a property in a rural setting for residential living are: Heathcote, Marong, Elmore, such as Junortoun and parts of Lockwood and Lockwood Goornong, Axedale, Raywood, and South. Larger properties may be undertaking some form Redesdale. Between them they have of primary production but on a small scale or hobby basis, a total of about 6,000 people. These and their owners often rely on employment elsewhere for towns have the infrastructure to most of their income. Generally these areas are found in support growth. relatively close proximity to urban Bendigo or Heathcote.

Areas where there are larger farms Large, but mostly fragmented areas of public land, most 2 often associated with extensive 4 of it forested and much of it declared National Park. In cropping and/or grazing. They are total these comprise about 25 per cent of the whole area generally located in the northern of the City of Greater Bendigo. They provide a significant parts of the municipality and in environmental setting and are important for their values, some eastern areas. recreation opportunities. Our rural communities Our rural

About 15,000 people currently live in our rural communities. Population growth across Greater Bendigo's rural communities Our townships, settlements and rural areas are home to is uneven. Generally areas to the north of urban Bendigo are just under one in seven people who live in Greater Bendigo. not experiencing the same growth rate as other rural areas. The population of our rural communities is growing and It is anticipated that in the future Junortoun and Marong, currently about 40-70 new houses are being built per year in which are currently defined as part of Greater Bendigo's rural these areas (about 600-900 are being built per year in urban communities, will probably be defined as within Bendigo’s Bendigo). The majority of housing being constructed in rural urban growth boundary as they continue to grow. Along with areas is in Marong, Junortoun, Heathcote, and rural residential continuing population growth and housing construction, our areas in close proximity to urban Bendigo. The population rural communities continue to attract other investment in of our rural communities is likely to grow at a similar rate to agriculture, horticulture, intensive animal industry production urban Bendigo, about 1.5 to 1.7 per cent per year. and processing, mining, tourism, transport and recreation.

City of Greater Bendigo Rural Communities Strategy • 5 Greater Bendigo’s rural areas support a diverse agricultural base, which has traditionally been based on grazing in the A particular feature of Greater Bendigo’s southern areas of the municipality and mixed grazing and cropping in the northern half. Historically the rural base rural areas is the very high concentration had a greater variety of production; intensive horticulture and significance of intensive animal such as tomato and orchard production took place industries (one of the largest in Australia) around Bendigo, as did dairying. Some of this land was subsumed in the growth of urban Bendigo and production mostly in areas to the north and west shifted to larger scale production in the north of the of urban Bendigo extending to and state. Extensive farming with full-scale production have embracing significant parts of tended to be confined to further away areas from urban Bendigo, as areas closer to the city were often consumed Campaspe, Loddon and Buloke Shires. by rural residential and rural living development. In some cases new residents in rural areas have supported new investment in the growth of the equine industry and a cluster of such industries. Map 2 illustrates the distribution vineyards. Large scale grape and wine production returned and importance of intensive animal industry production and to the Bendigo region in the late 1970s after phylloxera processing in central Victoria. Considerable local employment halted large-scale production in the 1890s. Investment in is provided by this industry, while the flow-on effects to grape production over the last three decades particularly transport, feed and specialised services are considerable. The in the Heathcote region has once again established Greater animal production and processing industry has the potential Bendigo as a major wine region. The Mount Camel Range, to further expand, however new production is likely to occur which is shared with Campaspe Shire, has emerged as a to the north west of Bendigo. This is because land that is leading wine production area. adequately removed from housing is more readily available Major processing plants to the west of urban Bendigo and in this area. Processing is more labour intensive, so is likely to in Castlemaine together with production sites form part of remain close to Bendigo so it can be accessed by workers.

Map 2. Intensive animal industries in central Victoria Our rural communities Our rural

6 • City of Greater Bendigo Rural Communities Strategy In terms of economic output, the agri-business sector directly 2. Much of Greater Bendigo's rural areas are formed around generates more than $696M throughout Greater Bendigo. The the valleys of a series of generally north flowing rivers below flow-chart represents the multiplier effect the agri- and creeks, principally the Campaspe River and the business sector has on the broader Greater Bendigo economy. Bendigo, Bullock and McIvor Creeks and their various tributaries which all form part of the Murray Darling Basin. These valleys are generally the most productive Image 1. Agri-business multiplier effect areas. Some rural areas are supplied with water through an historic channel system and a water allocation. Water security is a critical issue to support investment. $1.25 $184M Predicted climate change indicates that the most likely $696M $370M Billion Direct effect Industrial effect Consumption scenario is less rainfall in the growing season and hotter + + effect = Total economic output and drier summers. There will be increased pressure to tap those areas that have sustainable underground

Source: REMPLAN, 2014 water sources, to change cropping and stocking rates and regimes, to look for alternative crops and products and to further examine the cost benefit of piping existing The poultry and egg industry generates $300M within the open channels. southern Loddon Mallee region and provides employment to more than 2,000 people in skilled and unskilled 3. The extensive Box – Ironbark and Whipstick forest areas positions. found mainly on public land across Greater Bendigo – are one of the state’s greatest concentrations of this The Bendigo Livestock Exchange is located 12 kilometres vegetation type, and most of these areas are held as north of Bendigo and is one of the largest sheep and lamb national park. Bendigo is therefore a ‘city in the forest’, sales centres in Victoria. Annually, 1.2M sheep and lambs (see Map 3). This feature stands in stark contrast to other are sold – a quarter of the state’s throughput – together with regional cities across Victoria, which are usually located 15,000 cattle, and 2,500 pigs. This throughput represents a inside highly productive agricultural landscapes. This is sales value estimated to be $160M to the economy. a major distinguishing feature of Bendigo and it extends to many of Greater Bendigo’s rural communities and Other features of Greater Bendigo’s rural areas provide a particularly Heathcote. This feature creates opportunities strong distinguishing element that sets them apart from for active recreation, and tourism and leisure pursuits other comparable local government areas in Victoria: that are not possible in other regional city settings.

1. Lake Eppalock is one of Victoria’s largest water storages. It is located to the east of urban Bendigo close to Heathcote, and links Bendigo to the supply of water for Map 3. Public land within Greater Bendigo agriculture and the environment in the Murray Darling Basin. While Eppalock was built for irrigation water storage, over time there has been an increasing diversity of land uses and developments that are placing further pressure on Eppalock’s resources. These land uses and associated developments include farming, conservation of environmental assets, an increasing demand for communities Our rural rural living properties, and a strong recreation industry that supports local jobs. The capacity of the storage to support agriculture, the environment and recreation is ultimately dependent on rainfall in Eppalock’s catchment and in other catchments that Eppalock is linked to by pipeline. An examination of rainfall and water flows into the storage clearly indicates that over the last fifteen years, the amount of water in the storage has been well below historical levels, and its capacity to sustainably support a recreation industry is questionable. Developing a recreational economy around the maintenance of high water levels is problematic if sufficient rain falling in the catchment is uncertain.

City of Greater Bendigo Rural Communities Strategy • 7 Strengthening our communities What initiatives are taking place in our rural • Knowsley - railway marker (‘mile’) posts and replica communities and how are opportunities railway station name boards on the O’Keefe Rail Trail being realised? • Elmore river walk While many in our rural communities have expressed • Kamarooka facilities upgrade concerns about the changes happening in rural areas and • Axedale and Woodvale Historical markers and trails a sense of uncertainty about the future, these communities are also characterised by a process of re-invention, new • Mia Mia music events enterprises, community based initiatives and realisation • Heathcote Games of opportunities. The following section provides a brief • Local events including the farmers market at Axedale, overview of a selected range of activities that have street carnival in Elmore, Christmas in July in been identified in our rural communities. This is not a Neilborough, Raywood Garage Sale and Woodvale Trash comprehensive list but it shows the potential that exists in and Treasure. these communities.

Many individual rural communities are working in their own Image 2. Goornong & District Heritage Trail right or in collaboration with the City of Greater Bendigo

on initiatives which will build their own capacity and Explore a new Heritage Drive Trail that celebrates the history of Goornong, Fosterville and Barnadown and their reposition their community, strengthen social capital and unique contribution to the Greater Bendigo Region. Signs located in these small townships breathe improve facilities. new life into remnants of a rich past and play GOORNONG an important role in helping us to preserve our heritage. & DISTRICT This Heritage Drive Trail is a ‘must see’ for Some of these projects include: anyone interested in early Victorian history. HERITAGE You will find the signs at: • The Goornong Village Green, TRAIL Railway Place, Goornong • Redesdale community hub • McCormicks Road, Fosterville • Knowsley-Barnadown Road at the Barnadown Bridge • Woodvale recreation reserve development Preserving Our Heritage

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To Axedale To generations working together Community based activities: GOORNONG • Axedale - working to construct an ANZAC memorial and river reserve rejuvenation (below) Various activities and initiatives also have the potential to link communities together: • Goornong Barnadown Fosterville Heritage Trail (Image 2) • The progressive development of the O’Keefe Rail Trail (Image 3) • The Redesdale community’s proposal to provide Our rural communities Our rural potential links to the O’Keefe Rail Trail (Image 4) • The work of the Junortoun community to develop an improved bus service and to upgrade the bus services between Heathcote – Axedale and Bendigo • Community newsletters including Roundabout Raywood, Elmore Progress Association News, Axedale Antics, Mia Mia Messenger and the Bridge Connection • The regular meetings between the communities of Raywood – Sebastian – Neilborough and Woodvale to identify opportunities for collaboration. One of the outcomes of that project has been joint asset mapping (Map 4)

8 • City of Greater Bendigo Rural Communities Strategy BENDIGO LONGLEA AXEDALE KNOWSLEY HEATHCOTE 13.4 km 8.1 km 11.4 km 16.1 km

LAKE WEEROONA

Length: 49km (one way) AXE CREEK LONGLEA AXEDALE Grade: Easy 1 BRIDGE RECREATION Axedale is the O'Keefe This 60 metre long structure RESERVE Surface: Gravel with asphalt in Rail Trail’s halfway point. is the third bridge to be Catch a local cricket or tennis Stop here for a bite to Axedale and Heathcote Weeroona Ave installed at the Axe Creek match, or see dog training eat and to discover 3 crossing, replacing a much in action beside the scenic Napier St some of the township’s Pratts Park Rd Pratts Park Riﬂe Range Rd smaller suspension bridge Axe Creek. Surrounded Barnard St historic buildings. in 2012. The pretty spot is by beautiful bushland, Rosalind Park Midland HwyMcIvor Hwy a favourite stop off this is a great spot Williamson St for picnics. for a breather. Mitchell St

McLaren St LONGLEA 2 BENDIGO LONGLEA AXEDALE KNOWSLEY HEATHCOTE McIvor Hwy

Wilkie Rd B280 AXEDALE Obriens Ln 13.4 km 8.1 km 11.4 km 16.1 km 4 BENDIGO McIvor LONGLEA AXEDALE KNOWSLEY HEATHCOTE Bennetts Rd Hwy

Hodges Ln BENDIGO 5

Longlea Ln LAKE WEEROONA Crowes Rd 13.4 km 8.1 km 11.4 km 16.1 km

BENDIGO Mitchell St B280 Length: 49km (one way)

Kimbolton-Axedale Rd A proud cycling city, AXE CREEK Bendigo’s beautiful streets are LONGLEA AXEDALE Grade: Easy a legacy of one of the world’s 1 LAKE WEEROONA BRIDGE KNOWSLEY STATE FORESTRECREATION Axedale is the O'Keefe greatest gold rushes. Historic This 60 metre long structure RESERVE Surface: Gravel with asphalt in Rail Trail’s halfway point. buildings and idyllic bushland are is the third bridge to be Axedale and Heathcote intertwined with contemporary Catch a local cricket or tennis Stop here for a bite to Length: 49km (one way) Weeroona Ave installed at the Axe Creek experiences around the arts, PEPPERCORN match, or see dog training eat and to discover 3 crossing, replacing a much AXE CREEKin action beside the scenic LONGLEA world class attractions, STRATHFIELDSAYE Napier St some of the township’s Grade: Easy PARK Rd Pratts Park AXEDALE Rifle Range Rd smaller suspension bridge wine, beer and local 1 BRIDGEAxe Creek. Surrounded RECREATIONhistoric buildings. Barnard St Peppercorn Park hosts a produce. in 2012. The pretty spot is by beautiful bushland, Axedale is the O'Keefe Rosalind Park Midland HwyMcIvor Hwy range of equestrian activities. a favourite stop off This 60 metre long structure RESERVE Surface: Gravel with asphalt in AXE CREEK this is a great spot Rail Trail’s halfway point. Williamson St With car parking available, KNOWSLEYis the third bridge to be for picnics. for a breather. Catch a local cricket or tennis Stop here for a bite to Axedale and Heathcote Mitchell St this is the ideal place Weeroona Ave installed at the Axe Creek to stagger your journey McIvor Hwy match, or see dog training eat and to discover 3 CAMPASPE McLaren St LONGLEA crossing, replacing a much in action beside the scenic along the trail. Napier St some of the township’s Pratts Park Rd Pratts Park RIVER RESERVE 2 Rifle Range Rd smaller suspension bridge 6 Axe Creek. Surrounded Moorabbee Rd historic buildings. Barnard St McIvor Hwy Take a walk along the in 2012. The pretty spot is Wilkie Rd B280 AXEDALEby beautiful bushland, Rosalind Park Midland HwyMcIvor Hwy Campaspe River. It once BENDIGO FIELD Obriens Lna favourite stop off Image 3. O’Keefe Rail Trail helped sustain various CAMPASPE RIVER this is a great spot NATURALISTS CLUB Williamson St FLORA RESERVE Indigenous groups along for picnics. for a breather. Mitchell St 4 its course. Today, the McIvor Stop here for a dose of bush Bennetts Rd Hwy slow-moving waterHodges Ln is therapy. You’ll find local species AXEDALEMcLaren St LONGLEA BENDIGO a haven for platypus. 5 like yellow box, grey gums, FLORA AND2 BENDIGO LONGLEA AXEDALE KNOWSLEY HEATHCOTE grey box, long-leaf box and Longlea Ln FAUNA RESERVE McIvor Hwy Crowes Rd red stringybark; and in winter Wilkie Rd B280 AXEDALE This reserve is a protected Obriens Ln and spring, golden wattle sample of Axedale’s box ACCESSMitchell St POINTS B280 13.4 kmHEATHCOTE 8.1 km 11.4 km 16.1 km BENDIGO LAKE WEEROONA The blooms reign. LAKE EPPALOCK Zone A proud cycling city, ironbark forest, featuring grey Kimbolton-Axedale Rd Heathcote boasts the longest AXE CREEK LONGLEA RECREATION RIDE PROFILE box, yellow box, yellow gum, 5. Axedale McIvor main street of any country Napier St BRIDGE Bendigo’s beautiful streets are 4 RESERVE Bennetts Rd MT IDA CREEK This 60 metre long structure red ironbark, white box, red box Car parking is available at Australian Hwy town, as well as AXEDALE Length 49km (one way) a legacy of one of the world’s Hodges Ln is the third bridge to be Catch a local cricket or tennis LAKEMoorabbee Foreshore WEEROONA Rd KNOWSLEY STATE FOREST and red stringybark, and some You can begin your O’Keefe Rail Trail the Axedale Hall Reserve over 30 cellar doors in the installed at the Axe Creek match, or see dog training Axedale is the O'Keefe Grade Easy BENDIGO Rail Trail’s halfway point. greatest gold rushes. Historic adventure from numerous access points Car Park, corner of McIvor 5 crossing, replacing a much in action beside the scenic AXEDALE endangered flora. region which is renowned smaller suspension bridge Axe Creek. Surrounded Stop here for a bite to Surface Sandy gravel, small sections LONGLEA buildings and idyllic bushland are Highway and Mitchell St. B280 in 2012. This pretty spot is by beautiful bushland, eat and to discover of asphalt and a number of throughout the region. for its award winning shiraz B75 Length: 49km (one way) Longlea Ln a favourite stop off this is a great spot some of the township’s bridge crossings Follow trail directional signs Crowes Rd intertwined with contemporary and the famous red historic buildings. BENDIGO Old Bendigo Rd within the township area. LONGLEAAXE CREEK for picnics. AXEDALE LONGLEAfor a breather. KNOWSLEY HEATHCOTE experiences around the arts, PEPPERCORN 1. Lake Weeroona Cambrian soils. BENDIGO Axedale Access pointsAXEDALE Multiple access points Grade: Easy 1 BRIDGE RECREATION Tavern are available. Please refer world class attractions, STRATHFIELDSAYE Park in the Northern Car Mitchell St B280 BENDIGO PARK Rd Pratts Park Axedale is theto O'Keefebrochure wine, beer and local Park off Weeroona Avenue This 60 metre long structure JUNORTOUN RESERVE Yalooka Farm Surface: Gravel with asphalt in Peppercorn Park hosts a Kimbolton-Axedale Rd Farmstay CyclingRail time*Trail’s halfwayApproximately point. 3 hours at A proud cycling city, (adjacent the Bendigo 13.4 km is the third bridge to be 8.1 km Catch a local cricket or tennis 11.4 km 16km/h, 5 hours at 10km/h 16.1 km Axedale and Heathcote produce. BENDIGO LONGLEA Farmers AXEDALE Stop here for a biteKNOWSLEY to HEATHCOTE range of equestrian activities. Rowing Clubrooms). Cross Weeroona Ave 6. Knowsley installed at the Axe Creek Arms Hotel Longlea Ln match, or see dog training Bendigo’s beautiful streets are AXE CREEK BENDIGO B280 eat and to discover With car parking available, Weeroona Avenue and KNOWSLEYCar parking3 is available crossing, replacing a much in action beside the scenicRd Crowes Limited on time? Why not explore a shorter Napier St A proud cycling city, some of the township’s a legacy of one of the world’s Rd Pratts Park follow the directional B280Rifle Range Rd smaller suspensionBendigo’s bridge beautiful streets are KNOWSLEYBIG4 Bendigo STATE FOREST KNOWSLEY section of the Trail. Entry points are detailed on this is the ideal place at the trail intersection Park Lane Holiday Park PEPPERCORNAxe Creek. Surrounded LAKE Barnard St 13.4 km a legacy of one of the world’s 8.1 km Axedale 11.4 km the brochure.historic See buildings. Access Points. 16.1 km greatest gold rushes. Historic signage to arrive at the McIvor Hwyin 2012. The pretty spot is PARK to stagger your journey with Moorabbee Road in greatest gold rushes. Historic by beautiful bushland, Farm Cottage LAKE WEEROONA Rosalind Park Midland HwyMcIvor Hwy Peppercorn Park hosts a EPPALOCK intersection of the CAMPASPEO’Keefe buildings and idyllic bushland are *Rest stops are not taken into calculation. buildings and idyllic bushland are Knowsley, at the Tennis a favourite stop off range of equestrian activities.this is a great spot along the trail. intertwined with contemporary Covering a land mass Rail Trail (approx.RIVER 400m). RESERVEWilliamson St Court car park. for picnics.HEATHCOTE With car parking available, intertwined with contemporary 6 experiences around the arts, for a breather. Mitchell St this is the ideal place KNOWSLEY STATE FOREST Moorabbee Rd world class attractions, of over 3000 hectares, to stagger your journey B75 Length: 49km (one way) Take a walk along the wine, beer and local experiences around the arts, 2. BendigoPEPPERCORN Station along the trail. thisLAKE man-made WEEROONA lake is an McLaren St produce. LONGLEA CAMPASPE CAMPASPE RIVER BENDIGO FIELD STRATHFIELDSAYE Exit the stationCampaspe platform River. It once AXE CREEK LONGLEA RIVER RESERVE world class attractions, important water storage, PARK 2 CAMPASPE RIVER AXE CREEK Grade: Easy helped sustain various AXEDALE Moorabbee Rd HEATHCOTE NATURALISTS CLUB under Mitchell St bridge to Mia Mia-Derrinal Rd Take a walk along the wine, beer and local and playground1 for BRIDGEHeathcote McIvor Hwy RECREATION Northern Hwy Campaspe River. It once Heathcote boasts the McLaren St thenIndigenous Williamson groups along Wilkie Rd B280 AXEDALE Peppercorn Park hosts a ONE EYEThe STATE Heathcote FOREST Visitor helped sustain various Axedale is the O'Keefe longest main street of any Length: 49km (one way) FLORAproduce. RESERVE Bendigo and Heathcote. St until reaching Rosalind This 60 metre long structure RESERVE Obriens Ln Surface: Gravel with asphalt in its course. Today, the 1000m Information Centre, corner Indigenous groups along Rail Trail’s halfway point. country Australian town, as Park.range From here, of joinequestrian the activities. AXE CREEK BENDIGO FIELD its course. Today, the LAKE EPPALOCK well as over 30 cellar doors in Stop here for a dose of bush is the third bridge to be Catch a local cricket or tennis LONGLEA MT IDA CREEK Axedale and Heathcote slow-moving water is of High St and Barrack St, High St NATURALISTS CLUB slow-moving water is Stop here for a bite to the region which is renowned Grade: Easy AXEDALE AXE CREEK BendigoWith Creek car Trail parking to ride to available, KNOWSLEY AXEDALE therapy. You’ll find local species Weeroona Ave 1 a haven for platypus. installed at theprovides Axe Creek trail information BRIDGE 4 match, or seeFLORA dog RESERVEtraining RECREATION a haven for platypus. McIvor Armstead for its award winning shiraz Bennetts Rd AXEDALE eat and to discover Information Centre Drinking Water the start of the O’Keefe Trail. Stop here for a dose of bush Hwy AxedaleEstate is the O'Keefe and the famous red like yellow box, grey gums, FLORA AND 3 this is the ideal place crossing, replacingand car a muchparking facilities. in action besideHodges Ln the scenic FLORA AND Cambrian soils. Gravel with asphalt in Napier St This 60 metre long structure therapy. You’ll find local species RESERVE some of the township’s Surface: O’Keefe Trail Bendigo Creek Trail Rd Pratts Park BENDIGO FAUNA RESERVE McIvor Hwy Rail Trail’s halfway point. grey box, long-leaf box and FAUNA RESERVE toRifle stagger Range Rd your journey smaller suspension bridge like yellow box, grey gums, 5 3. East Bendigo 7. Car parking is availableis the third bridge toHerriot be St Axe Creek. Surrounded Axedale and Heathcote Barnard St CAMPASPE grey box, long-leaf box andCatch a localThis cricket reserve isor a protected tennis historic buildings. Stop here for a bite to red stringybark; and in winter in 2012. The pretty spot is Barrack St red stringybark;Longlea and Ln in winter sample of Axedale’s box DERRINAL B75 WeeroonaCar Ave parking is available adjacent to Herriot St, in front Rd by beautiful bushland, B280 This reserveRosalind isPark a protected along the trail. installed at the Axen Creek Crowes Rd LAKE Bendigo Bushland Trail McIvor Highway Car parking Food & Drink Midland HwyMcIvor Hwy to and spring, golden wattle match, or see dog training e RIVER RESERVE ironbark forest, featuring grey eat and to discover n 7 and spring, golden wattle at Pratts Park Road, corner a favourite ofstop the trailoff shelter. y HEATHCOTEEPPALOCK 3 crossing, replacing K a much this is a greatblooms spot reign. box, yellow box, yellow gum, 6 B280 sample of Axedale’s box k HEATHCOTE Williamson St Napier St c Pink in action beside the scenic Moorabbee Rd a Cliffs Rd red ironbark, white box, red Covering a land mass some of the township’s blooms reign. of Rifle Range Road. Rd Pratts Park for picnics. LAKE EPPALOCKB Mitchell St B280 Goldfields Track Rivers and creeks ironbark forest, featuring grey BENDIGORifle Range Rd 8. Car parking issmaller available suspension at bridgeTake a walk along the for a breather. Axe Creek.box andSurrounded red stringybark, and Heathcote boasts theof over longest 3000 hectares, Mitchell St Barnard St historic buildings. Toilets BBQ / Recreation the intersection of Pink Cliffs 8 some endangered flora. this man-made lakeKimbolton-Axedale is Rd an Meehan BENDIGO FIELDbox, yellow box, yellow gum, A proud cycling city, in 2012. The pretty spotCampaspe is River. It once by beautiful bushland, main street of anyimportant country water storage, Vineyard Rosalind Park Midland HwyMcIvor Hwy Road and the O’Keefe Rail Trail. MT IDA CREEK and playground for red ironbark, white box,McLaren red St box Bendigo’s beautiful streets are a favourite stopLONGLEA off CAMPASPE RIVER Australian town, as well as NATURALISTS CLUB helped sustain various this is a great spot Bendigo and Heathcote. Williamson St Moorabbee Foreshore Rd Mia Mia-DerrinalMilvine Rd and red stringybark, and2 some 4. Junortoun a legacy of one of the world’s for picnics. over 30 cellar doors in the KNOWSLEYEstate Wines STATE FOREST Indigenous groups along for a breather. To Melbourne FLORA RESERVEendangered flora. Mitchell St Car parking is available at McIvorgreatest Hwy gold rushes. Historic region which is renowned buildings andWilkie Rd idyllic bushland are B280 its course. Today, the AXEDALE Herriot St the Wilkie Road Car Park, Obriens Ln for its award winning shiraz Stop here for a dose of bush McLaren St LONGLEA just off the McIvor Highway. intertwined with contemporary slow-moving water is AXEDALE and the famous red therapy. You’ll find local species 2 experiences around the arts, a haven for platypus. Old Bendigo RdPEPPERCORN McIvor Hwy Cambrian soils. STRATHFIELDSAYE McIvor like yellow box, grey gums, 4worldFLORA class attractions, AND McIvor Highway B280 Wilkie Rd B280 PARK AXEDALE Bennetts Rd O’Keefe Rail Trail Bendigo Hwy Bushland Trail Information Centre Toilets Food & Drink wine, beer and local B280 Obriens Ln McIvor Highway Hodges Ln grey box, long-leaf box and O’Keefe Rail Trail FAUNABendigo Bushland RESERVE Trail McIvor Highway B280 Information Centre Toilets Food & Drink Peppercorn Park hosts a O’Keefe Rail Trail Bendigo Bushlandproduce. Trail Information Centre Toilets Food & Drink Northern Highway B75 BENDIGO Northern Highway B75 Bendigo Creek Trail Goldfields Track 5 Car Parking Drinking Water BBQ / Recreation red stringybark; and in winter Bendigo Creek Trail Goldfields Track Northern Highway B75 Car Parking Drinking Water BBQ / Recreationrange of equestrian activities. Bendigo Creek Trail ThisGoldfields reserve Track is a protected Car Parking Drinking WaterAXE CREEK BBQ / Recreation Rivers and Creeks Rivers and Creeks With car parking available, McIvor KNOWSLEY and spring, golden wattle 4 Longlea Ln Rivers and Creeks Crowes Rd HEATHCOTE sample of Axedale’s box Bennetts Rd this is the ideal place Hwy Hodges Ln blooms reign. LAKE EPPALOCK McIvor Hwy BENDIGOironbark forest, featuring grey to stagger your journey B280 CAMPASPE Heathcote boasts the longest Mitchell St 5 B280 BENDIGO box, yellow box, yellow gum, LAKE along the trail. RIVER RESERVE main street of any country Longlea Ln Kimbolton-Axedale Rd 6

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LAKE B280 EPPALOCK

Covering a land mass B280 HEATHCOTE

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City of Greater Bendigo Rural Communities Strategy • 9 Regional context What is the wider context within which There is potential for the inequalities between these areas Greater Bendigo’s rural communities operate? and urban Bendigo to increase unless there are deliberate strategies to maintain local facilities and services. Greater Bendigo’s rural communities can easily be ‘under- recognised’ in the context of urban Bendigo as a large, The map on the next page (Map 5) illustrates socio- rapidly growing regional centre. The continuing population economic disadvantage and advantage for Greater growth of urban Bendigo overshadows rural communities. Bendigo. It shows significant variation in low (disadvantage) However, if Greater Bendigo’s rural communities were a and high (advantage) scores across the rural areas. separate municipality they would be larger in population and area and stronger in growth than many other rural Similarly locations of major services, shown on Map 6, local government areas in the state. highlight the differences between local access to facilities in our rural centres and areas. Council is progressively planning urban Bendigo based on what are called 10-minute neighbourhoods – communities where people Even though the population of the can walk or cycle to a range of facilities that meet their City’s rural communities is increasing by everyday needs. This concept works well in the Bendigo urban area and in some of our small towns – but it doesn’t about 250 people per year, most of the work for most of our rural communities. Map 7 displays increase is occurring in communities in the concept of a 10-minute driving community for our close proximity to urban Bendigo. rural areas – based around a town or one of the centres on the edge of Bendigo such as Huntly, Marong and Strathfieldsaye. This provides good coverage across most of our rural communities. The complexity of these issues Of the towns and settlements that are further away from are yet another reason for a better understanding of the urban Bendigo, only Heathcote is experiencing sustained diverse characteristics of our rural communities and the population increase. Parts of the municipality tied to need for them to develop a stronger profile to demonstrate traditional forms of agriculture are generally experiencing their importance to the municipality as a whole. little population growth and in some cases decline. An ageing population in some areas is seeing the loss of services such as local schools. House construction does not necessarily represent population growth. In some areas the purchase of existing houses or the construction of new houses is being driven by people from Melbourne taking on a second home - that may be their future permanent home.

The population profile of some rural communities demonstrates

Our rural communities Our rural their potential vulnerability; residents are older, generally have lower incomes, have few local employment opportunities and access to services is often limited.

10 Map 5. Greater Bendigo SEIFA scores 2011

Source: ABS, 2011

Map 6. Major facilities and services across Greater Bendigo’s rural areas Our rural communities Our rural

City of Greater Bendigo Rural Communities Strategy • 11 Map 7. 10-minute driving communities

Bendigo’s rural sector base is much more extensive and much more important than just the area within the City’s boundaries.

With some exceptions, the rural areas in Greater Bendigo do and extending into significant parts of southern New South not have highly productive soils. However, access to water Wales. Rural production pays no attention to municipal is a strong determinant of production and versatility. Along boundaries. For example, Greater Bendigo’s intensive major watersources and where irrigation water is available animal industry with its major processing facilities is linked there is high productivity. For relatively large areas farmed to suppliers from outside municipal boundaries, and the Our rural communities Our rural under traditional methods, reliance on rain fed pasture Bendigo Livestock Exchange serves an area well beyond and crops may hold limited prospects with challenges Bendigo. Extensions to the state’s water grid will provide such as climate change, farm succession problems and low greater flexibility in production and higher yields. productivity. Extensive tracts of rural areas across Greater Urban Bendigo’s economy continues to be shaped by the Bendigo may well become large scale rural living areas. rural sector through processing, direct services, export to Despite this trend, our rural areas do support a strong the growing Asian market, transport and logistics, as well as the significant health, medical, education, arts and rural and primary production sector partly by virtue of its cultural sectors. These services provide the structure that strategic location, the services and facilities it offers and encourages and supports investment in rural production the capability that has been built across the community. across the region. Bendigo’s rural sector base is much more extensive and important than just the area within the municipality's The City of Greater Bendigo comprises three distinct parts. boundaries. As a regional centre, Bendigo is part of an Firstly, an urban area, which is about 5 per cent of the extensive area of production across north central Victoria total land area of the municipality but comprises about

12 • City of Greater Bendigo Rural Communities Strategy 85 per cent of the population. Secondly, a settled rural This pattern stands in stark contrast to all other regional area of about 70 per cent of the municipal area with about cities in the state. Other regional cities are generally 15 per cent of the population, of which half live in towns surrounded by much more productive agricultural land. and settlements and the other half on rural properties and They have little if any public land and very limited areas farms with limited agricultural productivity. Thirdly, about of forest and vegetation. This unique setting contributes 25 per cent of the land area of the municipality is public significantly to the character of the whole municipality, land, almost all of it forested and much of it classified as a to Bendigo as a regional city and its rural communities. national park, which is widely dispersed across the whole It shapes important aspects of the city and provides municipality and virtually encircles urban Bendigo. challenges and opportunities that aren’t provided in other municipalities. Map 8 below demonstrates this pattern of land use and development across the rural areas of Greater Bendigo, showing land predominantly used for farming, rural housing, recreation, and vacant land.

Map 8. Predominant land uses across Greater Bendigo 2014

Urban Bendigo’s economy continues to be shaped by the rural sector Our rural communities Our rural

* This information is indicative and based on the City of Greater Bendigo rates classifications - public and charitable land, industrial and commercial land has been excluded. Where multiple land uses are occurring, such as land used for farming that also contains a dwelling, only the predominant land use is shown on the map.

City of Greater Bendigo Rural Communities Strategy • 13 The distinctiveness of this setting is little understood and appreciated. Urban Bendigo residents aren't surrounded by an agricultural landscape and therefore do not see rural The increasing production scenes on a daily basis. Because of the forest importance of agriculture to regional economies and the surrounds, the rural living lots that generally border the level of investment that is taking place in Greater Bendigo forest, and the limited productivity of much of the farming is often not immediately evident in the way in which it is in

Our rural communities Our rural land in the municipality, there are few places where the many other regional cities. urban dweller is reminded of broad scale farming practices. The role that Bendigo plays as an infrastructure hub with a road network between product source to the north and northwest, and markets and ports to the south, is often The sort of productive agricultural not evident to urban residents. The City of Greater Bendigo has been actively pursuing the development of a major or horticultural landscape which is business park to the northwest of Marong for many years. readily evident around a regional city This is designed to meet long term demands for industrial such as Shepparton, Ballarat, land for urban Bendigo, and to act as a distribution point for freight, logistics, storage and warehousing due to its Warrnambool, Latrobe valley or strategic location at the junction of a number of highways Mildura is not highly visible. and major roads and the potential to link to the regional rail network. It is a similar model to the development of major freight centre in locations such as north of

14 • City of Greater Bendigo Rural Communities Strategy Horsham, and at Wodonga and Albury. The development of towns and rural areas can be transformed over time to substantially increase the capacity of the Bendigo airport through visitors spending money on accommodation, so it can handle much larger planes which can link directly food and lifestyle purchases. Heathcote's economy is very to other centres across the nation, is part of the City's long different to what it was just a decade ago and the vibrancy term strategy. and activity on the main street reflects more than a local service industry. Our rural communities Our rural

The emergence of the tourism industry The development of travel networks such as the O’Keefe rail trail demonstrates this potential. Increasingly tourism has been a significant development is about regional products and markets. The City of Greater in many regional economies. Bendigo is working with Mount Alexander and Loddon Shires to position itself as a regional tourist destination. In this regional approach Bendigo and Heathcote are seen Bendigo's heritage setting, growing arts and cultural as two distinct but complementary products. An example sector, food and wine industries and central location of this is that a visit to the Bendigo Art Gallery is linked with have benefited extensively from travel and recreation wineries at Heathcote as a distinct marketing product. expenditure due to Council prioritising these areas for Increasingly, rural producers are identifying how they can investment. Similar trends and opportunities are evident in be part of that product mix through offering farm visits, some rural communities such as Heathcote. The economy experiences and accommodation.

City of Greater Bendigo Rural Communities Strategy • 15 Our goal

Greater Bendigo City Council is pursuing an overall goal: ‘working together to be Australia’s most liveable regional city’. Council endeavours to ensure that the benefits and advantages from pursuing this goal flow equally to all those who live in Greater Bendigo’s urban and rural communities. Integrated liveability outcomes and indicators A fairer and more inclusive community To measure progress towards this goal, Council has A welcoming multi-cultural community where adopted a set of integrated liveability outcomes and the benefits and opportunities of growth are indicators. They provide an overarching and integrated better shared across all of urban Bendigo and approach for all Council strategies and actions. They are its rural communities. A community where there included in the 2016/2017 Council Plan. Outcomes and are convenient and accessible public transport indicators apply to the whole of Greater Bendigo but may services, a more diverse range of housing for all have different applications in urban and rural areas. The and a high level of community wellbeing. integrated liveability outcomes and indicators for Greater Bendigo are: Indicators:

A much healthier community • Increase opportunities for people to use A community that places an emphasis on; public transport children, older people, active travel options, and • Increase the proportion of the population who reducing high levels of preventable diseases. live within 400m of a bus stop • Reduce the gap in the Socio-Economic Index For Australia (SEIFA) disadvantage score between areas Indicators: with the highest score and those with the lowest score • Increase the proportion of people who walk or cycle five times a week for at least 30 minutes • Reduce the proportion of people who report they are unable to access funds in an emergency • Maintain child immunisation completion rates above the state average • Decrease the proportion of residents aged over 60 years who live alone on a low income • Increase the percentage of eligible children completing 15 hours/week of pre-school • Increased social connection • Reduce obesity • Increase the proportion of people who meet recommended fruit and vegetable dietary guidelines

16 • City of Greater Bendigo Rural Communities Strategy Working together to be Australia’s most liveable regional city.

A more resilient community A planned community A community relating to a wider region in a A community where there is an ongoing provision globalising world. One that builds on its economic of land and infrastructure to support sustainable strengths and comparative advantages, works development, deliver quality design and net to further increase education and training levels, community gain. supports the creation of new jobs particularly for young people and diversifies the economic base across urban Bendigo and rural communities. Indicators: • Increase housing choices

Indicators: • Better access to parks or open spaces close to where people live • Increase the proportion of the workforce who have completed a Bachelor’s Degree or higher • Decrease unemployment, especially in young people • Increase the proportion 17 year-olds still attending education (including school and vocational training) • Decrease the percentage of people who are unemployed, expressed as a percentage of the labour force.

• Maintain a growth rate of the Greater Our goal Bendigo economy that is equal to or better than Victoria, as measured by Gross Regional Product (GRP). • Increase the proportion of residents born overseas

City of Greater Bendigo Rural Communities Strategy • 17 A proud and safe community A more productive, innovative, A proud and safe community. A place that adaptive, community recognises and celebrates Indigenous culture, A community where governance is based on protects the outstanding built and cultural transparency, genuine community engagement heritage and a remarkable environmental setting. and effective partnerships.

Indicators: Indicators: • Decrease crimes against people including rape, sex, • Increase the proportion of people taking part robbery, assault and abduction in a public discussion • Increase positive public perception of risk of crime • Increase the proportion of the population who in their local area volunteer for a community group or activity more • Improve people’s perception of wellbeing than once per month • Improve community satisfaction with community consultation and engagement A sustainable community A community where there is a more effective and productive use of all finite resources, facilities and services for the benefit of all and future generations.

Indicators: • Decrease greenhouse pollution • Increase diversion of domestic waste to resource recovery Our goal

18 • City of Greater Bendigo Rural Communities Strategy Priority actions Within an overall focus on improving liveability, health and wellbeing, and providing fairer access to opportunities for more vulnerable community members, Council has agreed that priority will be given to the following three actions in 2016/2017:

Improving the health and wellbeing of our Reducing the environmental footprint through 1 community. This includes promoting active 2 increased housing diversity, and reduced transport and creating the infrastructure waste to landfill. to support it, including shared walking and cycling paths and footpaths, accessible open Supporting local employment – with a special space with networks that provide connections 3 focus on creation of jobs and careers for to community facilities and services, links young people. to bushland and forests, and access to healthy food.

Each of these priority actions has particular application across and within Greater Bendigo’s rural communities. One of the key outcomes of the adoption and implementation of the Rural Communities Strategy will be to address each of these priorities in our rural communities and measure the progress made towards them. Our goal

City of Greater Bendigo Rural Communities Strategy • 19 What the community told us

What did our rural communities tell Council in the community engagement process?

During the development of the Rural Communities Strategy, an extensive process of community engagement was undertaken. There were three core themes in the issues raised:

While there was no single over-riding 1. Many people and communities in Greater priority that was raised during the Bendigo’s rural areas feel marginalised, community engagement process, neglected, or overlooked. some issues were consistently heard.

People in rural communities Many of the issues are interrelated and reflect some often report that they feel that common agendas, however there is a considerable diversity in views and opinions across Greater Bendigo’s the importance and role of rural communities. Generally the issues and concerns Greater Bendigo’s rural areas and raised reflected similar issues identified in Council’s community planning and development work with small communities are often not recognised. towns and through advice from groups such as Council’s Farming Advisory Committee. The size of urban Bendigo overshadows them and it appears to many rural residents that the Council's agenda is dominated by what happens in urban Bendigo. Many people feel that the Bendigo urban area is synonymous with the municipality. Residents of urban Bendigo often express a frustration with what is seen as the Federal or State Governments' lack of understanding of regional agendas. Similarly, our rural communities often feel that urban Bendigo overlooks and undervalues them.

People living in Greater Bendigo’s rural communities reported that they felt that many people in urban Bendigo

20 • City of Greater Bendigo Rural Communities Strategy Farming, agriculture and commodity production are still important components of the rural economy.

do not know much about their areas and towns. Residents from rural communities often express the view that people 3. Rural communities are diverse in their in urban Bendigo do not understand the impact of changes characteristics. happening in rural areas, such as drought and the lack of services. They often feel that there is little appreciation in urban Bendigo of how rural communities add to the Approaching Greater Bendigo's rural areas and liveability and economy of Greater Bendigo. communities as a single set of communities with common characteristics fails to realise their diversity and their individual profiles. The issues that each rural community 2. Communications and mobility for those who faces are often very different. No one would suggest that live and do business in our rural areas and all the suburbs of Bendigo are the same; a similar situation communities are vital. exists in our rural areas and communities.

Each town and community has Mobile phone coverage, broadband an agenda that defines important access and speed are uneven, generally elements of their community. inadequate and too often not present at all in our rural communities.

Generally, rural communities identify population growth us told community What the (or decline), jobs for young people, tourism potential, and specific community facilities and services as important Access to reliable high quality services is critical for a range issues and opportunities. of business, social and emergency reasons. The poor level of service provided by mobile phone and Internet Particular towns are concerned about traffic safety through providers is impeding jobs growth and investment in our main streets, expansion of sewer and water services, illegal rural areas and communities. It is limiting access to services dwellings and buildings such as containers and sheds and is impacting on quality of life. This is a significant making their town and surrounds unsightly, assistance to disadvantage experienced by many rural communities facilitate more development, particular public transport compared to urban Bendigo. There is also a continuing services and maintenance of community facilities. need for a well connected high quality road network and for much better levels of public transport (which is generally of Those who live in rural communities come from a wide range a very limited service), particularly for those who are older, of social and professional backgrounds and circumstances those without cars and for young persons. and there are many reasons why they live there.

City of Greater Bendigo Rural Communities Strategy • 21 Rural communities provide attractive places to live. Rural • A fundamental set of changes occurring in the roles and communities comprise multi generation families and social structure of small towns and in many cases these others who have arrived more recently. Farming, agriculture changes may be more rapid than experienced in and commodity production are still important components urban Bendigo of the rural economy, but there are many other reasons • A range of impacts from the rate of change and that people choose to live in a rural community. the proportion of the population affected by change in a small town or community can be significant

Other issues raised during the community • A strong sense of resilience in rural areas and engagement process. communities; most have faced drought, fire or flood, and in some cases all three

It was evident for the community engagement process The community engagement process also identified that rural communities make a major contribution to the that there is: diversity, range of opportunities and lifestyle of Greater • A widespread understanding and appreciation Bendigo. Many who live in those communities have a in rural communities of the changes in the strong belief that they are not heard sufficiently and that agricultural economy they need to be better recognised by the whole of • A range of new and emerging opportunities in Greater Bendigo. agriculture, but tackling water security, climate change, new skills, knowledge and succession planning are daunting What the community told us told community What the

Image courtesy of The Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria. Issues and drivers What are the issues and drivers that are • Observations on the trends and forces impacting impacting on our rural communities? on rural communities

The range of issues and drivers that impact on rural • Reviewing Council’s own strategies, actions, communities have been identified from a number of sources: infrastructure provision and service delivery and how they apply in our rural communities • What Council heard in the community engagement process undertaken in the development of this strategy • Evaluating how the range of strategies and actions from relevant government departments and agencies impact • Advice from Council’s Farming Advisory Committee on and influence our rural communities • Priority setting by the Community Planning Committees These issues and drivers are set out below against that work with Council on community plans for our the relevant principle. townships

Principle One Principle Two Principle Three Principle Four Building on our Continuing to work Realising the unique Realising and understanding of our more effectively with values and attributes, capitalising on our rural communities our rural communities plus the social and rural and regional and advocating with economic potential of leadership potential and on behalf of our our rural communities rural communities

Principle One Principle Two Building on our understanding of our Continuing to work more effectively with our rural rural communities communities and advocating with and on behalf of our rural communities

Issues and Drivers Issues and drivers • Greater Bendigo rural communities have particular features, characteristics, needs and concerns. Some • The actions of Council need to ensure that wherever of these are shared with urban Bendigo but many possible, they strengthen the economy, community are not capacity, and social capital of our rural communities • Build on and improve distinct rural community • Quality transport, phone and internet access profiles, ensuring they continue to be recognised, and infrastructure are vital for household and What the community told us told community What the understood and fully considered in the development communities in our rural areas and for the capacity and implementation of Council’s policies, strategies of Council to work with our rural communities and in the planning for and provision of services • Council must continue improving the connection of and facilities rural communities with high quality safe roads and • Each rural community and all rural communities a well-functioning road network, and work towards as a whole need to ensure that their distinct profile, regular public transport services attributes, challenges and opportunities are • Mobile phone coverage and accessible high-speed identified and that Council continues to better broadband are essential for all rural communities understand them • The physical and mental health and wellbeing of residents in rural communities can be more vulnerable because of isolation, stress and difficulty accessing services and facilities. Continuing support is essential to ensure equity-based service provision

City of Greater Bendigo Rural Communities Strategy • 23 • Council’s strategies, actions and programs that relate • In many cases these trends are beyond local control to its rural communities need to continue to be and are increasingly impacting the traditional based on a collaborative approach that supports and economic base of rural communities, which has strengthens local leadership, resilience and capacity largely been tied to extensive food and fibre production • Council advocates with and on behalf of its rural communities for planned and essential facilities and • Realising the social and economic potential of our services where the responsibility for their provision is rural communities needs to build on a realistic wholly or jointly with a state or federal government assessment of the changes that are impacting rural department or agency areas and the capacity to capitalise on opportunities • Rural communities need to work with Council, with • Climate change is a major challenge to rural each other and with relevant local and regional bodies communities, particularly those involved in to better identify their needs and develop widely agricultural production. Securing long term water supported plans and actions to advocate for essential supplies and managing the water resources that are services and facilities provided by other levels available are critical elements for the future of all of government our rural communities and particularly for primary production and environmental management • These challengers also provide opportunities for Principle Three greater efficiencies and sustainability, growth and Realising the unique values and attributes, and economic gain, and new forms of production the social and economic potential of our rural communities • Population growth, local leadership, economic investment and local jobs – particularly for young people – are all critical for the sustained future of our Issues and drivers rural communities • Greater Bendigo’s rural communities provide a wide range of lifestyle, community, environmental and social settings that contribute to the overall liveability Greater Bendigo’s rural communities of the whole of Greater Bendigo contribute significantly to the • Greater Bendigo’s rural areas are made up of prosperity of the whole municipality significant land and surface and ground water resources, important vegetation and biodiversity, prized rural landscapes, unique environmental ecosystems, major national parks and other public • Transitioning to different modes of employment, land areas, and highly rated Indigenous and built wealth generation and supporting new heritage that need to be protected, celebrated, endeavours all require strategies that ensure and sustainably and collaboratively managed that community and individual wellbeing are not impacted and people have the • All these resources contribute important cultural, opportunity to acquire new skills social, community, environmental and economic What the community told us told community What the and education values for rural communities and Greater Bendigo as a whole. These assets and features need to be more • The expansion of tourism, widely recognised, valued and promoted by the City, recreation and cultural Bendigo’s urban residents and by the communities opportunities in Greater themselves. Rural communities need to be assisted Bendigo’s townships, to capitalise on these diverse assets and qualities settlements and rural areas can provide direct social and • Rural communities are experiencing substantial economic benefits for our change through a range of social, environmental and rural communities, the whole economic trends including an ageing population, municipality and the climate change and global competition. These issues wider region are challenging traditional approaches that may no longer be relevant or productive

24 • City of Greater Bendigo Rural Communities Strategy • Rural communities provide extensive choices as places to live, invest and visit. Each rural community Principle Four needs to develop their own prospectus and to Realising and capitalising on our rural and work with Council to set out the advantages and regional leadership potential opportunities they provide

• Our rural areas provide essential components of Issues and drivers the City’s economic base, service economy and value-adding local industries. The productive use of • Bendigo is located in a rural region with an economy agricultural land, appropriately sited and conditioned centred on food and fibre production, processing mining and extractive industries, and the production and transport and processing associated with intensive animal • Bendigo’s regional leadership role builds not only on industries are three important sectors of the local the strengths, assets and capacity of our urban and and regional economy. These industries need to be rural communities but on our location in respect supported with transport infrastructure and protected to central and northern Victoria from encroachment by residential and other urban • Bendigo’s size, facilities, services and strategic development through the City’s planning scheme location means there is great potential to capitalise • Planning for and provision of community services and on the significance of agriculture in the wider region infrastructure, and emergency and support services to • The role and capacity of Bendigo as an education, respond to natural disasters and the impact of climate health, cultural, finance, manufacturing, processing change, are needed to support our rural communities and service centre substantially enhances one of • The provision of facilities and services in our rural Victoria’s most productive regions and strengthens communities needs to make the best possible use of the capacity for further investment in agriculture available infrastructure, be based on the principles of • Development will need to focus on growing preparedness and wherever practicable, shared use the regional agricultural base, transport and within and between communities communications infrastructure. The scope and potential to expand the regional economic base is directly linked to the regional infrastructure and service role of Bendigo and the capacity of the Council to drive innovation, jobs and investment to benefit Greater Bendigo and the wider region • Investment, growth, productivity and rural communities across Greater Bendigo and the wider region will be strengthened by Bendigo being a leading regional capital, that is open to ideas, inclusive and innovative What the community told us told community What the

City of Greater Bendigo Rural Communities Strategy • 25 Council's adopted strategies & policies

How do Council’s current adopted strategies and policies apply in our rural areas and communities?

The City of Greater Bendigo is required by the Victorian government to prepare and adopt a series of documents, principally a four year Council Plan following the election In developing its current four year Council Plan, the Council of a new Council which must be updated each year during adopted the overall aspirational goal of ‘working together to be Australia’s most liveable regional city'. Liveability the Council term. Council’s Plan for 2016/2017 includes a can be a seen as a vague and undefined term. Council has number of actions that relate to rural communities. adopted 24 indicators that are used to assess whether The election of a new Council in October 2016 started the Council is making substantive progress. four-year cycle again and Council’s plan for 2017 – 2020 will be one of the most important tasks for the newly elected councillors. This Rural Communities Strategy should be an Most of the adopted liveability important driver of that Plan’s content and the actions the new Council sets out to deliver. indicators are directly applicable to the both the urban and rural Council is also required to produce a new four year Municipal Public Health and Wellbeing Plan by October communities of the City. 2017. This will link to the new Council Plan and assist in implementing the State’s Public Health and Wellbeing Plan. Both documents will be subject to a formal process Council has recently adopted a series of topic and site- of consultation and community input. specific strategies and plans, which are designed to provide a clear framework for the future. These strategies and plans The third document that is required to be prepared by a have varying degrees of applicability to our communities. Council is its Municipal Strategic Statement (MSS); a legal requirement to be included in each Council Planning Council’s Greater Bendigo Residential Strategy provides Scheme. Council’s current MSS is currently being revised, for and encourages further residential development in before to being formally placed on public exhibition. The the existing towns and cities, the Integrated Transport MSS must be consistent with the adopted Council Plan. and Land Use Strategy (ITLUS) supports better connected communities and a stronger emphasis on public transport These three major documents will be produced in similar for our rural communities, and the Economic Development timelines and there is considerable scope to ensure that Strategy recognises the vital role that our rural areas play in they will be complementary, mutually supportive and the continuing growth of Greater Bendigo, though there is consistent in their intentions and actions. concern that opportunities provided by our rural economy

26 • City of Greater Bendigo Rural Communities Strategy Council is currently preparing strategies that set out priorities for action relating to a number of issues in our rural communities.

could be more fully realised. The recently adopted Council is currently preparing strategies that set out Commercial Land and Activity Centres Strategy sets out the priorities for action relating to a number of issues in forecast floor area requirements by centre and township our rural communities. These include public spaces, to support ongoing population growth; and highlights the environmental sustainability, inclusion and early years. supply of additional floor space in Heathcote and Marong. In addition there are current processes underway to While some strategies focus on just Greater Bendigo, examine the longer-term facilities needs of Heathcote, a others that Council has adopted link with the wider region Housing Strategy and the development of Marong. Council and indicate that Bendigo’s future development forms part works closely with twelve towns and settlements across of a regional network. Examples of this include the Loddon- rural Bendigo to assist them to undertake community- Campaspe Regional Growth Plan, regional tourism plans, planning processes and identify actions and priorities. and the Loddon-Campaspe Regional Transport Strategy. Council has committed to develop structure plans for This strategy and ITLUS both support better public Heathcote, Elmore, Goornong, and Redesdale. transport including more services on the Bendigo to Echuca and Swan Hill train lines. Council's adopted strategies & policies strategies adopted Council's

Image courtesy of Kate Hicks, Mia Mia. Strategy

Goal – principles – actions

Goal Council’s overall goal – working together to be Australia’s most liveable regional city – encompasses the whole of the City of Greater Bendigo including our urban and rural communities.

Principles The four principles are:

The Rural Communities Strategy is based on the pursuit Building on our understanding of our rural of four principles which guide Council’s ongoing work and communities relationships with its rural communities. The principles were 1 developed in response to the context and understanding of Continuing to work more effectively with our rural communities and the issues and needs identified 2 our rural communities and advocating with as part of an extensive consultation program. and on behalf of our rural communities

Actions Realising the unique values and the social and economic potential of our Against each principle is a set of actions that are designed 3 rural communities to provide clear direction, priorities and tasks to be undertaken. Realising and capitalising on our rural 4 and regional leadership potential

28 • City of Greater Bendigo Rural Communities Strategy The Rural Communities Strategy is based on the pursuit of four principles which guide Council’s ongoing work and relationships with its rural communities.

Actions

Principle 1. Building on our understanding of our rural communities

Context – Issues – Drivers Actions

• Council needs to continue building on and improving 1.1 That the Strategy and Community Partnerships its understanding of its rural communities, including Units of Council produce a ‘State of Bendigo’s Rural the trends, changes and forces influencing them, Communities’ report in 2017 following the release the implications and the opportunities that can be of the 2016 Australian Bureau of Statistics census capitalised on results. That the report be used to assist in informing Council as it continues to implement this Rural • There is a need to ensure a better understanding of Communities Strategy the potential impacts and consequences of Council policies, strategies, decisions and processes on our 1.2 That all reports to Council and the annual business rural communities and to ensure that their interests are plans in each of Council’s units include a section fully recognised and considered titled ‘Rural Communities Issues and Impacts’ which is completed as applicable • As part of an ongoing program of service reviews across the organisation, the City will undertake a review of its 1.3 That Council establish a Rural Communities community planning service in 2018 Committee with membership comprising three Councillors, one from each ward, one of whom would be the Chairperson, and a representative from each of the Community Planning Committees operating Strategy in Greater Bendigo’s rural areas. The Committee would meet at least three times a year to provide ongoing advice to Council and provide an annual consolidated report and presentation to Council, which includes a list of prioritised actions

City of Greater Bendigo Rural Communities Strategy • 29 Principle 2. Continuing to work more effectively with our rural communities and advocating with and on behalf of our rural communities

Context – Issues – Drivers Actions

• Council’s strategies, actions and programs need to 2.1 That Council forms a rural communities team ensure that they continue improving the level of comprising one Councillor from each ward and support for strengthening the capacity of and the relevant Managers and Coordinators that meets opportunities available to our rural communities at least three times a year to ensure a coordinated approach to respond to, plan for, monitor the needs • People living in our rural communities need to be of, and assist the development of rural communities able to easily access Council services to overcome the disadvantages they experience through isolation, 2.2 Council continue to place a high priority on lobbying limited public transport services, and poor or non- relevant authorities regarding improvements to existent mobile phone and internet services mobile phone coverage and the NBN for our rural communities • There is a need to continue to support, and provide for the coordination of emergency services to assist rural 2.3 That Council, as part of the implementation of this areas and communities and to build a high level of strategy and ITLUS, work with Transport for Victoria community resilience and the Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources to establish a local • Sport, recreation and community organisations are key transport forum for the rural communities of Greater community based activities in rural communities and Bendigo in accord with the State Government’s they play an important role in supporting health and recently released Regional Network Development wellbeing, social capital and engagement Plan

• Many facilities and services in rural communities 2.4 That Council continues to work with its rural are provided and maintained by other arms of communities and Public Transport Victoria to government. Council needs to continue to work with increase public transport services and establish a its rural communities to advocate for and support local transport forum with a particular focus on improvements to high priority and community supported facilities and services • the Heathcote/Axedale/Junortoun/Bendigo bus service • The general poor quality, coverage and speed of • the Marong, Goornong, and Raywood to Bendigo mobile phone and broadband internet coverage bus services across our rural communities impacts on their social sustainability, impacts quality of life, restricts economic • more services on the Echuca to Bendigo railway line and population growth, investment and limits capacity • the reopening of railway stations at Goornong and to respond effectively to emergencies Raywood • Our rural communities need access to a well- 2.5 That Council reviews its level of support in the maintained road network, regular convenient 2017/18 budget with consideration to increasing the public transport services and links for residents funds for programs addressing health and wellbeing and businesses in our rural communities. Current including mental health in our rural communities

Strategy public transport services are limited and need to be significantly extended

• The health and wellbeing, including mental health, of our rural communities is generally declining, and convenient and affordable access to services is often an issue for rural communities

30 • City of Greater Bendigo Rural Communities Strategy Principle 3. Realising the unique values and the social and economic potential of our rural communities

Context – Issues – Drivers Actions

• Rural communities and businesses need support and 3.1 That Council refer the appointment of a new position; assistance to a Rural Communities Officer, for consideration in the 2017 – 2021 four year Council Plan and the 2017/2018 – grow their population Budget so as to provide a resource for Council and a – expand local employment opportunities particularly focus for our rural communities to: for youth • Actively support and promote population growth, – increase agricultural production services, infrastructure needs analysis and planning, employment initiatives and economic – develop tourism opportunities development – ensure planned development and grow the • Work with Council's Economic Development Unit population of towns that have existing infrastructure to develop a ‘Made in Rural Bendigo’ publication – better secure long-term water supplies similar to the recently produced ‘Made in Bendigo’ – improve health and wellbeing and mental health publication promoting Bendigo’s manufacturing outcomes businesses – become more vibrant, sustainable and engaged • Assist with maintaining and improving essential places facilities and focus expenditure on those facilities which can be effectively developed as multi- • There is a an ongoing need to support agreed essential purpose and multi-use community facilities in rural areas through a process • Develop a process to assist Council setting of priority setting that supports each community, but strategic priorities with regards to its decisions takes advantages of opportunities to share and to about allocation of resources for infrastructure provide for multiple use of facilities maintenance and repair • Local and regional leadership programs are essential to • work with relevant agencies on the protection, strengthen local rural communities and better realise management and sustainable development of opportunities assets and resources in Greater Bendigo’s rural areas • There is an ongoing need to protect, conserve and sustainably manage Greater Bendigo’s water and land • Support the Rural Communities Committee (Action resources to ensure the long-term future of farming, our 1.3) and the Rural Communities Team (Action 2.1) rural communities and the economy that depend on these resources 3.2 That Council undertake a renewal of its Economic Development Strategy to include a specific and major • There is an increasing need for Council and our rural focus on communities to work collaboratively with relevant • Supporting food and fibre production and government agencies and community-based groups to processing mitigate the impacts of climate change, provide water security, and to change practices that contribute to • Growing local jobs in our rural communities, in

adverse climate change particular employment for rural youth Strategy

• There is an ongoing need for Council and its rural • Collaboration with organisations such as Regional communities to work collaboratively with relevant Development Victoria, the Victorian Farmers agencies and community groups to ensure the Federation, the Central Agribusiness Forum and protection and management of: adjoining municipalities to promote and support rural economic development and agribusiness, and – vegetation education and training to support agriculture – biodiversity – forests and public land assets – Indigenous heritage – built and cultural heritage – valued rural landscapes

City of Greater Bendigo Rural Communities Strategy • 31 Principle 3. Realising the unique values and the social and economic potential of our rural communities

Context – Issues – Drivers Actions

3.3 That Council work with its rural communities to prepare • A series of structure plans for the following places (which have already been listed and scheduled by Council) – Marong, Heathcote, Elmore, Redesdale and Goornong – as well as Junortoun and Raywood • Structure plans for the following areas: – Lockwood/Lockwood South – Woodvale/Neilborough/Sebastian/Raywood – The rural surrounds of Heathcote/Mia Mia/ Redesdale and Lake Eppalock – Junortoun to Axedale – Huntly to Goornong – Lake Eppalock and surrounds – The Heathcote - Mount Camel Range wine region and the Campaspe River valley north of Axedale (in conjunction with Campaspe Shire)

3.4 That Council receive and consider a report in 2017 setting out a planned series of actions to address people living in illegal dwellings and substandard structures in and around townships and in our rural communities

3.5 That Council undertake the necessary studies to complete an inventory of the heritage assets in rural communities and ensure that these are protected under the provisions of the Greater Bendigo Planning Scheme

3.6 That Council continue to work with the Dja Dja Wurrung and Taungurung communities to ensure that Greater Bendigo’s indigenous heritage is appropriately protected, recognised and celebrated Strategy

32 • City of Greater Bendigo Rural Communities Strategy Principle 4. Realising and capitalising on our rural and regional development and leadership potential

Context – Issues – Drivers Actions

• Bendigo needs to continue to build on its role as a 4.1 That in its renewal of its Economic Development major regional centre in the Loddon Campaspe region, Strategy Council work in close collaboration with its its regional development capacity and its comparative rural communities and: competitive position on a national and global scale • The new Loddon Campaspe Regional Partnership • Bendigo is strategically located relative to one of the nation’s most productive agricultural regions. The • Regional Development Victoria capacity of Bendigo to support and take advantage of • The Department of Economic Development, Jobs the development of this region through regional scale Transport and Resources facilities and services needs to be further developed through a collaborative approach on Bendigo’s • The Department of Environment, Land Water and comparative advantages Planning

• Across central Victoria and in municipalities adjoining • Regional Development Australia Loddon Mallee, Greater Bendigo, there is a network of rural towns such to prepare a specific section that builds on Greater as; Maldon, Newstead, Harcourt, Castlemaine, Dunolly, Bendigo’s rural strengths and regional competitive Maryborough, Bridgewater, Inglewood, Lockington, advantages Rochester, Colbinabbin and Rushworth, that have close social and economic ties with towns and rural 4.2 That Council expand its collaboration with adjoining communities in Greater Bendigo as well as with urban municipalities to promote and support the network Bendigo. The sustained growth and development of the of rural towns across central Victoria to assist in whole region benefits all these municipalities including • Planned population growth the City of Greater Bendigo • The collaborative provision of services and facilities • Economic development and job creation • Tourism product development and promotion • Providing housing choice and diversity and living options

4.3 Council continue to work with municipalities in the Loddon Campaspe region to support the development, employment growth and innovation of the local and regional intensive animal industries and to ensure a consistent approach to protect approved industries from encroachment by residential development through relevant planning scheme provisions

4.4 Council continue to support Strategy • The development of the Marong Business Park to strengthen the Bendigo regional economy and the links Bendigo has with one of Australia’s most important agricultural regions • A major upgrade of the Calder Highway Alternative, a Calder Highway bypass west of Marong and the road link between Marong and Epsom • An expansion of the freight capacity of the regional rail network • The progressive implementation of the ten top priority actions from the Loddon Campaspe Regional Transport Strategy

City of Greater Bendigo Rural Communities Strategy • 33 Notes

34 • City of Greater Bendigo Rural Communities Strategy Notes

City of Greater Bendigo Rural Communities Strategy • 35 For more information contact the Rural Development Coordinator on 5434 6000. www.bendigo.vic.gov.au