SUSTAINABLESUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIESCOMMUNITIES THETHE BAWBAW BAWBAW SHIRESHIRE COUNCILCOUNCIL SOLUTIONSOLUTION AboutAbout BawBaw BawBaw • Located in West Gippsland, just over an hour from Melbourne • 100 localities spread over 4,027 km² of rolling green hills, towns, mountains & top agricultural land • Population of over 40,000 people. Warragul is the largest town (~12,000 people) & Drouin is a close second (around 7,000 people) • Major employers - agribusiness(11%), health(11%), retail(10%), construction(10%) & manufacturing(9%) •2/3rd of Melbourne’s Water Supply comes from our mountainous regions Council Challenges • Enlightening communities • Empowering communities • Resourcing communities • Open and honest communications • Communities owning & controlling process • Delivering sustainable council strategies Getting Over The Past • Historical disconnection impact • Council amalgamation issues • Lack of consultation with communities • Changing budgetary demands and priorities • Perceived poor project delivery Reconnecting with the Community • Engaging at a different level • Seeking broader participation • Identifying the challenges for communities • Setting realistic goals – ownership • ‘Ground-up approach’ • Communities driving council strategies Community Connect COMMUNITIES SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT ACTIVITIES COMMUNITY COMMUNITY CONNECTING ASSETS ECONOMY ARTS AND HEALTH & CULTURE WELLBEING LOCAL GOVERNMENT Community Engagement across Baw Baw Shire Tanjil Bren Noojee Walhalla Rawson Neerim District Erica Jindivick Tanjil Valley District Rokeby/Crossover Longwarry Drouin Shady Creek Darnum Yarragon Seaview/Grand Ridge Thorpdale Poowong East Jindivick Workshop 1 Longwarry Workshop 1 Neerim District Workshop 2 Poowong East Workshop 2 Noojee Workshop 3 Longwarry Reviewing & Agreeing Priorities Jindivick Developing Action Plans Community Projects • Wide range of projects identified & delivered • Over $2M invested – State, Local & In-kind • Conservative figure Longwarry Town Beautification Project BEFORE AFTER Jindivick Walking Track Project BEFORE AFTER Willow Grove Public Toilet Project BEFORE AFTER Noojee Water Wheel Project BEFORE AFTER Willow Grove Walking Track Project BEFORE AFTER Sustainable Community Development • Identified diversity across communities • Challenge to ensure sustainability • Community needs vs council obligations • Range of scenarios • Community expectations • Impact of global challenges Introduction to Rawson Rawson Introduction to Rawson • Built as part of Thomson Dam project • Housing more than 1000 workers and families • Local economy based on Thomson Dam and local timber industry • Rawson crater lake - recreational feature Rawson Today • Township no longer sustainable • Thomson dam unable to fulfil potential • Crater lake reliant on rainfall • Township struggling to survive • Current population 279 (Census 2006) Rawson Community Engagement • Crater lake identified as a priority project • To be emptied, cleaned and refilled • Insufficient rainfall to sustain the lake • Shortage of water • Limited funds Rawson Crater Lake 2002 Rawson Crater Lake March 2009 Rawson Crater Lake Oct 2009 Rawson Crater Lake Project • Funding from Federal/State and Local Govt • Works currently in progress • Creation of lake/wetlands • Upgrade of surrounds • Community contributions Sustainability • Sustainability is all about flexibility • It’s all about change! • Catalyst for sustainable economic growth • Putting in place realistic ideals • Managing delivery expectations • Global challenges – significant impact ThankThank YouYou.