I watched in disbelief as the newsreaders banged on about the subject of house prices to alarm the viewers and get the most valuable of all currency, ratings.
These characters are the same bunch of dimwits that told us to kiss our arses goodbye in March of 2020 and extrapolated data from “experts” that predicted an up to 40 per cent price crash on the housing market.
I won’t be specific about the news desk as it doesn’t really matter which ones I saw; you could jump to any news panel discussion on any TV channel and hear the same beat-up terrifying analysis.
One nong of a “journalist” said that he “would be terrified if he was about to sell a house”, but what these guys don’t understand, is that if you sell and buy in the same market it makes no difference. Most level-headed folk understood that even when the property prices were red hot, if they divested themselves of their homes and re-bought another they weren’t suddenly nouveau riche jetsetters.
The ultimate party trick would have been to sell in the hot market then rent and then rebuy now, and there goes that hindsight millionaire brain of mine, besides, there is nothing much to rent.
I also heard from the news desk plonkers that some people would have bought with a small deposit on low interest rates and now if they sold their home, it would not be worth what they owe – duh.
The thing about home ownership is that it is just that, a home to own, a long-term investment to rear your family, create a life or pursue whatever makes you happy. I am not talking about investors – those people have to look at a longer-term view as well, but their investment is not their home, that is on them.
The Reserve Bank of Australia or RBA told anyone who would listen, and even put it in print, that interest rates weren’t going anywhere until 2024. Are the good old boys and girls at the RBA sailing by dead reckoning with a sort of a guesstimation?
So, when it comes to turning the screws up and down on Joe Public, one can only hope that this crew are right across the needs of our economy on the world stage.
My personal thought is that it will be alright in the end and if it isn’t alright, well, perhaps it’s not the end yet. That will come in October 2027 when all the cheap interest rate packages expire exactly 20 years after the last recession and exactly 40 years after the one before 1987, 2007, 2027.
Chin up, rant over…

(Oh, if you are thinking of selling your home, don’t forget to insist it goes in the spring edition of House.Land.Home.Premium. Out in time for the Grand Final long weekend – so read by many visitors to our region dreaming of a tree change. You’re welcome! While we’re at it don’t forget our spring Visitors Guide. Plug part of rant over.)

It’s cold

Your bare knees
are not the worst
It’s the air on the back

of your legs
whistling
round your shorts

and the dead cold
of your pox-leather
covered toes

Morning recess
on the concrete courts
where no tennis is played

Edge past a frozen puddle
Your new schoolmates
have encircled someone

They take turns to mouth
unspoken words
to deaf Derek

hoping to see him adjust
his perfectly functioning
hearing aid

Derek’s stamping
on the ground has nothing
to do with cold

• Bill Wootton

Bill lives in Hepburn Springs where even in late winter it is still cold.

Local Lines comes mainly from a group of local poets but other submissions are always welcome. To have a poem considered for publication contact Bill Wootton at cottlesbreedge@gmail.com

Strange fruit – and perhaps a little fear of the unknown
How many of us can honestly say they have never flinched at, or even refused to sample, an unknown, or suspicious looking food item, even if it was eaten with relish by many.
As a “war child” (1940) I was brought up on stodgy but hearty English-style cooking – lots of fruit and veg and little meat – until the “rabbit-oh” came around on his fortnightly visit.
Unless you had your own chooks, chicken was a rarity and mostly a birthday or festive treat. So any chance of exotic dishes were rare for quite some time. I was quite surprised to recently find on a long-lost ration docket that even real Vegemite and quite a few other similar luxury food items were still being rationed right up until the early 50s.
This suspicion, maybe even fear, of things unknown lasted until the first war-torn refugees came, bringing with them their lifestyles and skills, but most importantly, their wonderful food. Who can remember their first pizza, yum cha or paella?
But what also came with them were the skills and knowledge of horticulture far beyond ours, especially in the growing and usage of what we considered ornamentals.
For example, who would have recognised that the berries from dog roses, hawthorns, elders, medlars and even crab apples and many more, had culinary and or medicinal uses.
Come to think of it, why did we take so long to discover the many uses of Australia’s own finger limes, Illawarra plums, and quandongs etc.

Medlar, persimmon and feijoa
Although unrelated, persimmons and medlar have quite a few similarities in that they are both compact growing and have beautifully coloured autumn foliage. They both have attractive spring flowers and fruit that, once ripened, must undergo a period of “bletting: in the words of some less politely inclined than I – “being left to rot”. In each case although initially quite flavoursome they are even more so once left in a warm, dry spot for several weeks, until the flesh is quite soft and a little mushy. It is then that they can be transformed into rather tasty jams, jellies, and chutney.
Recipes abound and I’ve discovered dozens of recipes for both on the web and Professor Google is just dying to feed them to you.
I am rather fond of both trees for their colour in the garden especially in autumn for their foliage, but also in spring for the beautiful white blossoms. It’s with their fruit there is a difference in that the persimmon has large orange to red, tomato-like fruit but, because the medlars are related to the roseacea family, their fruit resembles largish brown, rough-textured rosehips.
The third member of the trinity and my favourite, often called the pineapple guava, is the South American feijoa sellowiana. A large shrub (mine is pruned into a low-spreading tree) it has silver-backed, olive grey ovoid leaves and silver and red flowers. The fruit is similarly green.
It has a distinct aroma and is flavoured like a cross between pineapple and strawberry. The fruit hides itself amongst the lower branches and is best gathered when fully ripe. You’ll know just when because that’s when they’re released to fall to the ground.
There are plenty more fruiting plants qualifying to join the Strange Fruit Pantheon – not the least being South East Asia’s most revered king of the fruits, the fetid country outhouse-smelling durian fruit, pictured left. Its scientific name comes from that of the civet cat (viverra zibetha) either because they smell like one, or maybe can used as bait to catch one.
Got a gardening question? Email glenzgardens@gmail.com

WITH the news of the death of Olivia Newton-John last Tuesday, there were many shared tributes and memories.
Connections to the region included Olivia’s help with the Love Your Sister campaign, staying in Hepburn’s Fourth Avenue while acting in The Man from Snowy River and even contracting a local family to make koala earrings for her very Aussie business Koala Blue.
But one of the biggest connections is with Hepburn House resident Amy Burow.
The 103-year-old has been knitting blankets for the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Centre in Melbourne for many years.
Amy’s grand-daughter Cherie Cheshire is the divisional director of the centre and wondered one day if “Ma” as Amy is known, would mind knitting the blankets. Amy, who had been knitting for another charity, happily jumped on board and the blankets are placed on display at the centre with patients able to choose one during their time there and then take home.
“One dear old man at hospital said to Cherie ‘why don’t you ever make a blanket for a bloke?’ and she told him she had one right there. She showed it to him and he was so excited that he was going to be able to take it home with him. Cherie said it was only because she didn’t have her phone on her that she didn’t take a photo – he was that happy.”
Amy said when she heard the news about Olivia she was “just shattered and devastated”.
“Whenever Olivia came to the centre, Cherie was the one who would show her around, so she is just like one of our family.”
In 2020, Amy received a certificate of appreciation for her years of knitting which she keeps nearby, and she intends to keep on knitting those blankets “until I can’t anymore”.
“Our family had a real connection with Olivia and her centre and I am just shattered. But it is really good to know that whenever you are knitting it is going to a good cause, to someone who really appreciates it. I just keep knitting.”
Details: www.hepburnhouse.com.au or 03 5348 8100.

Daylesford has not one but two restaurants on the Delicious. 100 best restaurants in Victoria list for 2022.
Kadota in Camp Street was voted in at number 25 and also took out Best Japanese.
The iconic Lake House, in King Street, came in at number 35.
Ballarat’s Underbar got the lucky number 13.

Pictured, Kadota’s Aaron Schembri and Risa Kadota

Six weeks after voting closed, there is still no word if Daylesford will be the home of Tinder’s Big Rainbow, the first big landmark celebrating regional LGBTQIA+ Pride and inclusion.
After thousands of submissions and from more than 50 regional towns suggested, the final towns were Daylesford, Hay, Broome and Katherine.
The Tinder site says Daylesford, the traditional land of the Dja Dja Wurrung people, is known as the rainbow capital of regional Victoria and home to the ChillOut Festival, one of the longest-running events celebrating regional LGBTQIA+ pride.
The website then describes the other nominated towns.
“Nestled on the WA coast, Broome, the traditional land of the Yawuru people, is home to one of the most remote Mardi Gras celebrations in the country, providing a melting pot of culture and people.
“As the hub of The Big Rivers region in the NT, the town of Katherine, the traditional lands of the Jawoyn, Dagoman and Wardaman peoples, has an ever-growing LGBTQIA+ community and annual Pride celebration for regional territorians.
“Deep in regional NSW, the small town of Hay, the traditional lands of the Nari Nari and Wiradjuri people, is home to the first Mardi Gras of the region, the Rainbow on the Plains festival.”
Voting closed on June 30 with the Big Rainbow website asking people to: “Stay tuned for more news on the final announcement later this year!”

Hepburn Shire Council has expressed concern at the newly announced overhead transmission lines proposed as part of the Victoria – New South Wales Interconnector West project.
VNI West is a proposed new high capacity 500 kilovolt double-circuit overhead transmission line between Victoria and New South Wales.
The project will include a transmission line from Kerang to the proposed terminal station at Mount Prospect.
Deputy Mayor Cr Jen Bray said while the council was highly supportive of renewable energy, it strongly opposed above-ground transmission lines and the terminal station in the proposed location.
“We have made our position clear that we are strongly opposed to transmission lines being above ground and along the route proposed for the Western Renewable Link (formerly Western Victoria Transmission Network Project). We are of the same view in relation to VNI West,” Cr Bray said.
“Overhead transmission lines and terminal station at Mount Prospect will have a significant impact on our valuable agricultural land, significant landscapes and the health and wellbeing of local people.
“The community and council have made this loud and clear – we do not want this above ground infrastructure.”
The VNI West Project Assessment Draft Report has been released for public comment until September 9.
It is available at https://www.transgrid.com.au/projects-innovation/victoria-to-nsw-interconnector-west

Despite some concerns on social media, Hepburn Shire Council CEO Bradley Thomas has told The Local that the Trentham Community Hub is progressing well and is on track for completion in mid-2023.
“As is the case when working on older buildings, project engineers have identified a few sections of the original building that will need to be replaced to ensure a sound structure for the new hub.
“These sections of the building had previously been inaccessible. It’s important to note that there will be no change to the layout of the new hub or the timeframe for delivery.
“The replacement sections will be reconstructed to the same form, dimensions and style of the original structure and the team will salvage and reuse materials where possible.
“This is a fantastic project for our community and will unite a number of important facilities including the library, visitor information centre, council customer service counter, meeting rooms, along with a multi-functional community hall. We look forward to delivering this project for the community.”
An update by the council on its website has seen quite a few people worried about the redevelopment.
One comment was: “Good to see the Hepburn Shire Council is getting it wrong for all communities within the (shire). Wouldn’t want all the other towns to miss out on the debacle that has been The Rex.”

The Mount Players’ third production for 2022, Reservoir Dogs opens on Friday, August 19 playing through to Sunday, September 4.
Synopsis – when six strangers are assembled to pull off the perfect heist they’re ambushed by the police, killing two and injuring another. Meeting up at the rendezvous it’s a bloody race against time to uncover the informant in the gang and escape with the loot before the police close in.
Director Craig Lenaine-Smith said his vision for this production had been rattling round in his head now for more than seven years.
“We are so used to seeing kickarse female characters on our screens. Think Ripley in Aliens, Trinity in The Matrix, Charlize Theron in Mad Max: Fury Road. TV shows like Killing Eve, Game of Thrones, Wentworth.
“The list goes on. But where are these women on stage? Rarely in a community theatre setting do women get the opportunity to play roles like these. This production of Reservoir Dogs asks the question what if we lived in a society driven by matriarchy, not patriarchy?
“These female characters are fully realised, and we’ve had great fun exploring the nuances in the relationships between them, but they are women who behave in ways you would normally associate with men. Will it be confronting? Yes. Will it spark conversations? I hope so.”
The Mount Players president Karen Hunt said this production of Reservoir Dogs was for a mature audience only.
“It contains high-level course language, sexual references, stylised depictions of violence, simulated gun shots, the use of strobe lighting effects and stage cigarettes which produce an odour.”
For details and tickets go to www.themountplayers.com or call 5426 1892.

Words: Karen Hunt | Image: Karlana Santamaria

CHILLOUT has unveiled its theme for 2023 – Find Your Wings.
Festival director Emma Ireland said the theme came from the discovery of the bright-eyed brown butterfly at the Grove of Gratitude at Wombat Flat, Lake Daylesford.
The grove was an initiative of the 2021 ChillOut organisers with 100 trees and shrubs planted and dedicated by LGBTQIA+ groups to those who have made a difference in their organisations and communities.
Ms Ireland said the butterfly, long thought to be extinct in the area, had recently been rediscovered.
“So it was partly from that, and also because we are all coming out of our Covid chrysalis and finding our wings.
“It is a really lovely theme, and we are excited to have the wheels rolling again and to start working towards the festival.”
Ms Ireland said next year there would be more events outside – “bigger safer events” – and also more smaller events, which she calls “little pockets of joy”.
“We will have a great capacity to have more fun outdoors and the bush dance is a great example of that. It has traditionally been packed in the town hall but people need more space and don’t necessarily want hot, sweaty venues.
“This time we have the town hall and Victoria Park happening with events on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights. There is just so much more capacity. There is also a new women’s event on the Saturday night.”
Ms Ireland said she had a few headline acts lined up and would be talking about them, and next year’s ambassadors, by the end of the month – when festival passes will go on sale. The 2023 program will be out by November.
The passes were limited and were for the main shows – for people who don’t want to miss out when events sell out, she said.
New to 2023 are movie screenings and the Youth Soundshell, a free event, is back on the calendar.
The Local is ChillOut’s media partner so stay tuned for more details as the festival ramps up!

CLASSICAL guitarist Clancy McLeod grew up in Alice Springs and moved down to Victoria when he was 15. He spent quite a few years of his childhood travelling through the desert with camels and a wagon – the family were cameleers. Clancy said it was a magical start to life and gave him a deep love and connection with the natural world which he channels through his music. With his home now at Mt Tarrengower and a concert happening soon at The Convent, Clancy chatted with Donna Kelly.

Donna: When did you start learning guitar?
Clancy: It all started because my dad was an amateur mandolin player and no one would play with him. So I said I would and lucky me, I got a guitar for Christmas when I was 10. Unfortunately my dad lost interest in his playing so we never formed that band.

Donna: When did the classical part start?
Clancy: I was about 12 and my mum’s friend lent her a CD of John Williams, I think it was Favourites For Classical Guitar. I was blown away by how good the guitar could sound and I just had to be able to do that. A few years later I learnt my first song from the CD Austurias by Albeniz and as previously agreed by my parents I got a guitar upgrade upon completion.

Donna: Can anyone be a musician or is it inherent?
Clancy: I strongly believe anyone can be a musician, it’s a matter of hard work and dedication, four to five hours a day for 10 years gets you there. I think the part that’s inherent is a musician’s personality, their ability to captivate and transport an audience and truly breathe life and magic into music and send goosebumps down your back. That’s a rare thing and no amount of training will help. It’s a bit like how a great impressionist painting will convey so much more emotion and meaning than a photograph taken by me.

Donna: You are playing at The Convent on August 21, what can people expect?
Clancy: Quite a few heartbreaking melodies, some Spanish flair, a bit of virtuosic Paraguayan guitar and hopefully some goosebumps.

Donna: Why The Convent?
Clancy: I think The Convent Gallery Chapel has pretty much the perfect acoustic for classical guitar as well as being a beautiful space. The right acoustic allows the guitar to transcend itself and you might not even be aware that it’s a guitar you’re listening to.

Donna: What do you see as your future?
Clancy: I love performing and I’ve got so much to share so I’m hoping that the stars will align and I’ll be able to keep doing this all the time for years to come. Right now I’ve hoisted the sails with the 13-concert series I’m doing across Victoria, it’s been a huge effort to organise this and all I can do is hope that the wind blows!

Donna: Do you play other instruments?
Clancy: No I don’t, but I’d love to play something that would go in a gypsy or Balkan band, that’d be so fun!

Donna: I looked at your website and you seem to be very environment focused?
Clancy: I think as a society we’re heading towards an ecological cliff and it seems like we’re all just obsessed with our own dreams of success and recognition. After the Black Summer fires I just couldn’t keep on with trying to be the most successful guitarist, I actually just want to communicate with my audiences, to share what I’m feeling. This program A Dream In The Forest is a collection of songs that speak to my grief at the destruction of the natural world, they’re songs of love and loss for the forest and country.

Donna: Oh, last thing, has anyone ever said you bear a striking resemblance to another performer?
Clancy: Never! Just kidding, when I was studying in the UK people genuinely thought I was Ed Sheeran.

Where: Convent Gallery Chapel
When: Sunday, August 21, 2pm
Booking: $25 via Convent Gallery (03) 5348 3211
Website: clancymcleodguitar.com

Image: Cailin Rose Photography

DAYLESFORD business owner Chris Hartigan came to work last Tuesday to find someone had tried to break into his Vincent Street business.
Luckily, his security systems stopped any possible theft, but one business next door was not so lucky and another also showed signs of thieves trying to break in.
Mr Hartigan is calling on Hepburn Shire Council to install CCTV cameras to not only act as a deterrent to would-be thieves but also provide police with evidence to follow up any incidents.
The council told The Local they were creating a policy and would eventually be rolling out cameras at the Doug Lindsay Recreation Reserve (in Creswick) and Collins Place in Clunes. Business owners were also able to install their own cameras.
Daylesford Police Acting Sergeant Ryan Newman said CCTV video would be a great help and the police were planning to approach the council to install Street Safe cameras.
Mr Hartigan praised the local police as being fantastic “but there is only so much they can do”.
“This is also a call-out to the community to be vigilant and report anything they think is suspicious.
“Someone would have seen something that night, people loitering around shops, and they can report that. Times are hard right now with the cost of living and when that happens crime increases. I am just getting that feeling that people are always loitering.
“And I think it’s time the council thought about installing CCTV cameras throughout the business area.”
Mr Hartigan opened his store, Slow Lane, just nine months ago, but has spent years in the region working as a hotel manager for some time. He says he remembers the council talking about installing CCTV cameras “but that was years ago”.
“We are a premier tourism town and we need protection. I would have been gutted if someone had broken into my business.”
Mr Hartigan, who is also keen to start a traders’ association, said while some people think business owners should install their own camera systems, it was another financial impost after a couple of hard years.
“I really believe it is council’s responsibility and they should be protecting us. The police do what they can but they are not here 24 hours – and that is another thing we should be looking at.
“If Dan Murphy’s is looking at coming in here, they can see the population projections for the future and Daylesford is really starting to move on to be pretty big time. CCTV cameras would be a helpful tool for the police, businesses and the community. It is a no-brainer.”
Hepburn Shire Council CEO Bradley Thomas said the council was currently developing a CCTV policy that will govern the maintenance and storage of vision from any future CCTV installed in public spaces in the shire.
“We are proposing to roll out CCTV at Doug Lindsay Recreation Reserve (in Creswick) and Collins Place in Clunes once the policy has been finalised.
“We will also be seeking additional government grant funding to roll out CCTV in other areas where it is deemed to be beneficial.
“We know that theft can have a significant impact on businesses, residents and public amenity, and urge anyone affected to report these issues to Victoria Police.
“Where possible, business operators can also consider installing security systems, which along with preventing theft, can assist police with investigations.”
Acting Sgt Ryan Newman said there had been a significant amount of offences in Daylesford over the past month with thieves preying on unlocked cars, homes and garages.
“We really encourage the community to lock up their valuables, everything, it is a huge deterrent.”
Acting Sgt Newman said most of the offences were carried out between 3am and 6am and anyone who saw anything suspicious should call Triple 0.
Even if the Daylesford Police Station was not staffed, there were often police from the region or further afield in the area, he said.
He said police were always talking to community members and especially business owners about getting CCTV installed.
“We were going to approach the council to run some ideas with them about installing Street Safe cameras but there is quite a cost to the community.”
Acting Sgt Newman said whoever tried to break into Mr Hartigan’s and surrounding businesses had used a chisel-type tool.
Fingerprints and evidence had been taken but there was no footage and no offenders had been identified. Police were still investigating, he said.
Words: Donna Kelly

DAYLESFORD Spa Country Railway trains are not far from heading back to Bullarto after the track was covered by fallen trees and debris in the June 2021 storm.
Board member Stuart Smithwick said Bushfire Recovery Victoria had done a fantastic job with work looking like it will be finished this Friday, August 19.
“It’s great and while it doesn’t mean we will be running trains on Saturday, the work BRV and the contractors have done just needs to be noted.”
Mr Smithwick said the storm damage was devastating for the railway’s many dedicated volunteers but “you just keep your chin up and keep plodding along and you know someone will come along and help you eventually”.
“And we have definitely been proved right that it was not just a job for a couple of blokes and a chainsaw. You see the gear they are using and the volumes they have been taking out. We could never have done that.”
Mr Smithwick said the organisation originally contacted VicTrack and Macedon MP Mary-Anne Thomas with BRV unable to work on public land until legislation was changed.
“The contractor did an assessment back in January, and they brought in arborists to look at the trees, and then we all got the green light on June 30 this year. I think the six months was all about who was going to pay for it.”
Mr Smithwick said despite the delays, the volunteers never gave up on their railway. “At the end of the day it is a government asset and the government recognises that we are pretty important to the region. So it was just a matter of being patient – the same as it was with the fires in 2009.”
Mr Smithwick said it had taken until now to discover the extent of any track damage with “literally spots we couldn’t actually see the track because there was so much debris over it”.
“I walked the track last Monday and it doesn’t look too bad. And if we have to put down a couple of sleepers, that is what we do.”
Mr Smithwick said it could be a couple of months before the train reached Bullarto and people riding the train will find a huge change of scenery.
“There is going to be sunshine where it hasn’t been for a long time, and in some spots where it was forest it is now open. “It’s not until you actually go into the bush and go ‘wow’ that you get a real feeling of what has happened.”

The Daylesford Spa Country Railway volunteers have been kept busy since the June storm last year. But they are almost back on track to Bullarto thanks to their hard work and that of Bushfire Recovery Victoria. Photo-journalist Tony Sawrey caught up with a few of the crew on a recent Sunday.

THE 2022 Victorian Community Satisfaction Survey has found that Hepburn Shire Council has shown a decline in 14 of 16 key areas since last year including Overall council direction, Overall performance, Community decisions and Sealed local roads.
The two areas where it remained the same as last year were Tourism development and Consultation & engagement.
The survey is held every year and Hepburn Shire Council has continuously performed poorly in many areas and often under the average benchmark of small rural councils and state-wide results.
The survey seeks views, by landlines and mobile phone surveys, on councils’ overall performance, value for money in services and infrastructure, community consultation and engagement, decisions made in the interest of the community, customer service, local infrastructure, facilities, services and overall council direction.
The results for Hepburn Shire Council, from the largest declines, were: Overall council direction – 39, down from 47 in 2021, with small rural councils’ average of 51 and state-wide average of 50; Sealed local roads – 39 47 50 53; Value for money – 39 44 51 53; Customer service – 61 66 67 68; Appearance of public areas – 62 67 73 71; Overall performance – 47 51 58 59; Business & community development – 51 55 57 58; Planning & Building permits – 40 44 48 50; Community decisions – 41 44 54 54; Enforcement of local laws – 55 57 62 63; Slashing & weed control – 42 44 50 49; Recreational facilities – 59 60 69 69; Environmental sustainability – 54 55 59 61; and Lobbying – 44 45 54 53.
Tourism development was 63 for this year, the same as last year, just above the average of small rural councils at 62 and above the average for statewide councils at 60.
Consultation & engagement was also the same this year as last year at 44 but significantly behind the average for small rural councils at 54 and the average for statewide councils, also at 54.
The report by JWS Research said after “a marked improvement in community perceptions of Hepburn Shire Council’s overall performance in 2021”, the council experienced a significant four-point decline in 2022.
“This is reflected in significant decreases in performance ratings across four individual service areas over the last 12 months.
“In the next 12 months, the council should aim for greater consistency in performance, to halt any further declines and begin to build more steady long-term trends of improvement. Community views of the council’s performance in most service areas have been more favourable in the past, so there is evidence the council can do better.
“Consultation and good communication and transparency with residents about community priorities and decisions provides the greatest opportunity to improve perceptions of council’s overall performance.”

Mayor, Cr Tim Drylie, inset, said the survey data showed that community satisfaction with councils right across Victoria had fallen since last year.
“We expect the significant flooding and storm events over the last year, which impacted so much of our shire, has influenced community satisfaction, as has major decisions such as our aged care transition, the Aquatic Strategy and The Rex.
“However, the results certainly give us an understanding of where the community would like us to improve, particularly around demonstrating value for money, reiterating council direction, sealed local roads, planning and building permits and council decisions.”
Cr Drylie said the annual survey would now be conducted quarterly. The cost to the council remains the same but the shorter time period is a more accurate reflection of themes at different points throughout the year.
The survey is on the council’s website.

Words: Donna Kelly | Image: Kyle Barnes