Buangor TOWNSHIP PLAN
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Buangor TOWNSHIP PLAN BUANGOR TOWNSHIP PLAN Prepared For Ararat Rural City Council FINAL REPORT June 2016 PROJECT CONTROL Checked Checked Date Status Version PM PD released FINAL 2 DF JLR 30/06/2016 © Planisphere 2016. This Publication is copyright. No part may be reproduced by any process except in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright Act 1968. ii Ararat Rural City Council | BUANGOR TOWNSHIP PLAN © 2016 CONTENTS 1 INTRODUCTION 1 6 PUBLIC REALM 24 1.1 Brief 1 6.1 Des Brennan Park & Recreation Reserve 24 1.2 About Buangor 2 6.2 Billy Billy Creek 24 1.3 Economy and Tourism 4 6.3 Access and Transport 26 1.4 Western Highway Duplication 6 6.4 Public Realm 28 1.5 Strategic Context 8 6.5 Landscape & Urban Design Guidelines 30 1.6 Planning Controls 10 7 IMPLEMENTATION 32 2 BUANGOR’S HERITAGE 14 3 CONSULTATION 16 3.1 Consultation Results 18 4 A VISION FOR BUANGOR 19 5 ECONOMIC & TOURISM DEVELOPMENT 20 5.1 Tourism 20 5.2 Township Economic Activity 22 5.3 Land Use 22 5.4 Sense of Place 22 © 2016 Ararat Rural City Council | BUANGOR TOWNSHIP PLAN iii 1 0 0 Kara Kara k State Park m to Adelaide Avoca River Wimmera River Bendigo Wine Region Pyrenees Wine Region PYRENEES HIGHWAY STAWELL 5 0 k AVOCA m Pyrenees Ranges WESTERN HIGHWAY HALLS GAP ELMHURST PYRENEES HIGHWAY 2 0 k m WARRAK Mount Cole Langi Ghiran State Forest ARARAT State Park 1 0 k Grampian Ranges Mount m National Park Buangor State SUNRAYSIA HIGHWAY Grampians Wine Region Park Challicum BUANGOR Hills Wind Farm BEAUFORT m k 0 1 WESTERN HIGHWAY Hopkins River WILLAURA m k BALLARAT 0 2 to Hamilton GLENELG HIGHWAY LAKE BOLAC m k 0 5 Woady Yaloak River FIGURE 1. REGIONAL SETTING OF BUANGOR iv Ararat Rural City Council | BUANGOR TOWNSHIP PLAN © 2016 1 INTRODUCTION The Buangor Township Plan has been prepared 1.1 BRIEF to respond to the opportunities that will arise following completion of the Western Highway The objectives of the Buangor Township Plan are duplication and bypass of Buangor. It has to: been developed by conjunction Ararat Rural ▪ Provide a future vision for the town City Council through consultation with the community. ▪ Identify economic and tourism opportunities Buangor is a small rural village located on the ▪ Strengthen community facilities Western Highway approximately 24km east of ▪ Plan streetscape improvements Ararat and 75km west of Ballarat. ▪ Build on Buangor’s landscape and heritage The township is currently divided by the Western character Highway, which is the main interstate transport route between Melbourne and Adelaide. ▪ Build on the urban design elements outlined VicRoads is currently in the process of duplicating in the Ararat Sustainable Growth Future and upgrading the highway, and part of the (2014), and on the actions identified in the Existing signage at the eastern entrance to Buangor duplication project includes the bypass of Community Action Plan (2015-2018) Buangor. Removal of this major transport corridor will see the amenity, safety and character of Buangor increase significantly as freight and through traffic is diverted north of town. The Western Highway, a major truck route, divides the town with a 90km speed limit. © 2016 Ararat Rural City Council | BUANGOR TOWNSHIP PLAN 1 1.2 ABOUT BUANGOR Buildings within Buangor are all single storey, except for the Cobb & Co Changing Station Buangor has a high level of visual amenity, with which is a three storey bluestone building that the backdrop of Mount Buangor/Mount Cole has a commanding presence on the built form and Mount Langi Ghiran rising to the north, a character of Buangor. Buildings are modest and rolling pastoral landscape scattered with remnant many retain a consistent historic character. river red gums to the south, and a long ridgeline supporting the Challicum Hills wind farm to the The broader community is supported by east. predominantly farming industries, including wool, cattle, cropping, hay and vineyards. The timber The focus of the town is centred around industry has established plantations to the north community facilities located within the Des of the town which are currently in the process of Brennan Park recreation reserve. The most being harvested. prominent of these is the heritage listed Cobb & Co Changing Station, a bluestone building that The Challicum Hills wind farm has been operating is now used for community functions. Beyond on a ridgeline that overlooks Buangor to the that is a sports oval and pavilion that serves as a south-west since 2003. gathering place for the community, a new BMX Sports Pavilion at the Recreation Reserve track, tennis courts, a children’s playground and adult exercise station. To the east of Des Brennan Park a winding path crosses the Billy Billy Creek and leads up to the primary school, which has a current enrolment of around 30 students. On the opposite side of the road the Buangor Hotel and Wine Tasting/Gallery business are no longer in operation. There is currently no commercial activity in the town. The Avenue of Honour is a key feature of the town’s streetscape. It was planted in 1918 to commemorate those who enlisted and served in the First World War. It is comprised of a mix of English elms, golden elms and silver poplars. Of the original 50 trees that were planted, 30 remain. Former Cobb & Co Changing Station 2 Ararat Rural City Council | BUANGOR TOWNSHIP PLAN © 2016 Nearby Mount Langi Ghiran + vineyard Scattered Red Gum woodland to the south of town. Children’s playground adjacent to the sports pavilion. Avenue of Honour and adjacent service road Challicum Hills Wind Farm Former Wine and Art Gallery © 2016 Ararat Rural City Council | BUANGOR TOWNSHIP PLAN 3 1.3 COMMUNITY There is a close alignment between the goals of the Community Action Plan and this Township Buangor has a strong and active community Plan. Both will be implemented through a that is heavily involved in a variety of voluntary collaboration between community groups, activities. Ararat Rural City Council and relevant State The Buangor Community Sports Committee, Government agencies and authorities. Primary School Council, Country Fire Authority and Landcare Group provide focal points for community activity for people living within 1.4 ECONOMY & TOURISM Buangor and throughout the surrounding Buangor is nested between Mount Langi Ghiran agricultural district. and Mount Cole State Parks which form part of There is a particularly close relationship between the lower Pyrenees and have been recognised as Buangor Primary School and the recreation part of the South-West Landscape Study (2013). reserve. The school plays an important role Mount Cole and Mount Langi are popular nature Mt Langi Ghiran in retaining and attracting residents. This is based attractions and are well-used for camping (Image source: www.winebof.com) complemented by the Sports Committee, and recreation. which provides sporting, social and recreational opportunities for both children and adults. Challicum Hill to the south west of Bunagor is home to one of Victoria’s first wind farms and The recreation reserve and primary school provides a scenic route to Ararat. precinct has emerged as the central meeting place for the local district, with the pavilion and The district is home to a number of wineries Cobb and Co Hall catering for a wide range of and vineyards, for example Mt Langi Ghiran at activities and events. The vision contained in the foothills of the mountain and Wineworks at the Buangor Community Action Plan 2015-18, Warrak, which form part of the Grampians Wine highlights the value placed on this precinct: region and have access to the Pyrenees to the north. Our community will strive to provide: Agriculture is the largest part of the local ▪ A central meeting place for functions and economy with cropping, grazing and farming to town activities the south of Buangor. There are also vineyards, horse studs and pastures between Buangor and ▪ Improvements to existing infrastructure Mountainside Wines north of Buangor Warrak. ▪ Opportunities to attract funding from external (Image source: www.about-australia.com) sources to improve Buangor’s sustainability ▪ Improved services to encourage tourists and residents to the area. 4 Ararat Rural City Council | BUANGOR TOWNSHIP PLAN © 2016 1 0 0 k m 5 0 k m Pyrenees Ranges WESTERN HIGHWAY ELMHURST To Pyrenees PYRENEES HIGHWAY 2 0 k m WARRAK Mount Cole State Forest ARARAT 1 Mount Langi Mount 0 k Cole m Diversification of rural agriculture (vineyards) Grampians Wine Region Challicum Hills Wind Farm BUANGOR BEAUFORT m k 0 1 Hopkins River m k 0 FIGURE 2. ECONOMY & TOURISM2 © 2016 Ararat Rural City Council | BUANGOR TOWNSHIP PLAN 5 m k 0 5 1.5 WESTERN HIGHWAY the Buangor township. More detailed information can be found on the DUPLICATION VicRoads webpage, including Environmental The Western Highway is the main interstate Effects Statements and Technical Appendices: transport route between Melbourne and Adelaide, https://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/planning-and- and is one of Victoria’s busiest rural highways. projects/regional-road-projects/western-highway- VicRoads is in the process of duplicating and upgrades/western-highway-duplication-beaufort- upgrading the highway as it is expected to see an to-ararat increase of traffic volumes in the future. A 6 kilometre bypass is being constructed around Buangor between Andersons Road and Pope Road (see Figure 2 opposite). It is expected to be completed by the middle of 2016. BMD Constructions Pty Ltd has been contracted to construct the bypass. The bypass will lie to the north of the town, and Overpass and interchange at Peacocks Road under construction. access will be available via the service road and interchange at a new overpass on Peacocks Road.