December 24th, 2022A message from the mayor

Council has welcomed the announcement that the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) and Transgrid are investigating alternative options for the transmission line route and terminal station siting planned for the Victoria to New South Wales Interconnector West (VNI West) project.

Council is incredibly supportive of reliable renewable energy, but these projects will be part of communities for decades to come and they need to be well planned and thought out. Council has worked closely with our community to oppose this project and this review is perhaps a positive sign that we may be listened to. While no decision has been made to change the proposed location of the terminal station or route, Council is optimistic that the review opens the opportunity for a rethink of the project and will continue to work with AusNet and AEMO. These projects and their impact reinforce the importance of meaningful engagement with affected communities.Council has awarded a contract to construct the Creswick Trails Network to Australian company Dirt Art. Dirt Art has constructed mountain bike trails overseas and around Australia, including at Harcourt, the Grampians, Gold Coast, Thredbo and Tasmania. The trails will contain a variety of ride experiences and difficulty levels. Works are expected to begin on the trail network in early 2023. Construction will take around 18 months.On behalf of Council I congratulate Mary-Anne Thomas MP on her re-election and Martha Haylett MP on winning the seat of Ripon. We look forward to working with both MPs for the betterment of our community.Our aquatics season is underway and entry is again free to our public pools and aquatic facilities across the Shire. If you are interested in working at our pools or would like to know more please visit www.hepburn.vic.gov.au/jobs. We will have daily operating hour updates on our Facebook page every afternoon. In the meantime, enjoy some relaxing times at the pools!Councillors have been attending primary school presentation functions across the Shire and awarding citizenship certificates and other awards. Congratulations to students graduating from primary school and best wishes for the big step to secondary education. (And well done and thanks to our hard-working teachers).I extend my best wishes to you and your family and loved ones for the festive season. Enjoy some quality time with friends and family, stay safe and best wishes for a happy and prosperous New Year. Council’s next meeting will be held on Tuesday 21 February 2023. – Cr Brian Hood