Hobsons Bay City Council CEO Aaron van Egmond remains suspended from his position. 

In a joint statement on February 1, Acting CEO Sustainable Communities director Rachel Sarah Lunn and Mayor Cr Daria Kellander said councillors became aware of concerns about safety in the workplace, as well as the CEO’s fulfilment of his duties and responsibilities more broadly. 

“Councillors continue to take these matters very seriously and made the decision to suspend Aaron van Egmond (on January 25), pending further investigations, following thorough and careful consideration. “

The Acting CEO has taken immediate steps to seek to ensure the safety of staff and the commencement of a fair, comprehensive and respectful investigation into a range of concerns, as well as supporting the continuity of council services. 

“Council requests that the names or other identifying information of council staff, and speculation as to matters under investigation, are not published in the interests of protecting staff safety and providing procedural fairness. 

“Council can make no further comment at this time.” 

Mr van Egmond was CEO of Hepburn Shire from 2012 to 2018 when he left to undertake the same position at Hobsons Bay City Council. 

Mr van Egmond could not be contacted for comment. 

Words: Donna Kelly  

The Hepburn Shire Council is preparing to start applying the first batch of compost to its Parks and Open Spaces trial sites to measure the benefits as part of a Sustainability Victoria funded trial.

The picture above features 40 cubic metres of compost made from kerbside food and garden organics collected from townships across the Hepburn Shire.

The volume of compost produced is less than the volume of material collected because, just like spinach, organic matter dramatically reduces as it ‘cooks’.  

The first stage of composting occurs in the council’s rapid in-vessel composting units at the Creswick Transfer Station. After two weeks, the compost is taken out of the vessels and allowed to cool outdoors while it continues to mature and gets closer to being ready to be applied to plants.

Matthew Daniel of Hepburn Shire Council’s Parks and Gardens team said that much like the story Goldilocks and the Three Bears, good compost needs to “not be too hot, too cold, too wet or too dry”.

He has been closely monitoring the temperature and moisture of the maturing compost to determine when it will be ready to use. Recently, the compost was 40 degrees which is an indicator that it is almost ready to use on sites.

The temperature of the compost indicates how active the thermophilic (heat loving) bacteria are. Now that the temperature is decreasing, the team knows that the bacterial activity is slowing.

Once it reaches an ambient temperature, the compost is considered ‘optimised’ (has the right mix of microbes) and is ready to apply to plants.  

Optimised compost helps to prevent disease but also improves the structure of soil to reduce compaction and increase water retention, a bit like a vaccine does for humans.

Matthew will also test this compost to see the microscopic organisms (like bacteria, microbes, fungi, protozoa) present, before putting it to use.  

Matthew also demonstrated the compost tea making kit he is putting together. Soon he will be adding small amounts of compost to ‘brew’ up a microbe rich tea that can be sprayed around the base of trees to improve their health. 

Council staff are working hard to remove contamination at various stages, mainly by hand. However, it is very difficult to remove completely. They are still seeing some contamination (for example, plastic) ending up in the compost pile.

By far the easiest way to keep the compost clean is for residents to avoid putting any plastic (such as bags) or other rubbish in the lime-green bins.

Those keen to know more can visit the council’s Food and garden organics webpage to find out what you can and cannot put in your kitchen caddy and lime-green lidded bins. 

This story based on a Hepburn Shire Council report

The Hepburn Shire Council has announced it is developing a new plan to guide its strategic direction for the next four years, from 2025 to 2029.

Members of the community keen to have some input now have an opportunity to become part of a Deliberative Engagement Panel to help prioritise intended outcomes.

The new Council Plan will focus on key areas such as financial sustainability, service delivery, and promoting economic growth. It will be informed by both councillor and staff feedback, and feedback from the community.

The significant initiative will outline the key outcomes the council aims to achieve for continued growth, development, and well-being of the community.

Mayor, Cr Don Henderson, said the council was excited to embark on the development of the new plan.

“This is an important opportunity for our community to have input into the future direction of our council,” Cr Henderson said.

“Together, we will work to create a plan that reflects our shared vision for a vibrant, sustainable, and prosperous community, while acknowledging the challenging financial circumstances that Council finds itself in.”

“Council has conducted a significant amount of community engagement over the last 18 months, including consultation on Future Hepburn and our Financial Vision. 

“The community feedback obtained through these engagements will inform the draft outcomes that a deliberative engagement panel will discuss and prioritise.”

“An expression of interest for the Deliberative Engagement Panel is now live. We are looking for 44 community members who reflect the demographics of our shire.

“I strongly encourage anyone interested in participating to get involved,” Cr Henderson said.

The Deliberative Engagement Panel will work through a series of questions and activities to review a community vision and help to prioritise outcomes the council intends to deliver over its current term.

The EOI to be part of the panel closes on February 24.

“We will have a strong focus on community and customer service, and we encourage members of the community to take part in the consultation process,” Cr Henderson said.

“This is your opportunity to have a direct say in how our council can best serve the needs of the community over the next four years.”

The draft Council Plan will be presented for public review and feedback, through an online survey and a series of community listening posts, after the council meeting on April 29, with the final version expected to be adopted in June.

For more information or to participate in the consultation process, those interested can visit https://participate.hepburn.vic.gov.au/hepburn-together-2025-2029

This story based on a Hepburn Shire Council media release

The Hepburn Shire Council will be hosting a series of community listening post events throughout the year with the first in the series scheduled for this month.

 The listening post events are aimed at strengthening communication and engagement with the  community.

They will be held in major townships as well as smaller  communities, with the opportunity for residents to share their ideas,  provide feedback on services, and discuss matters that are important to  them.  

As part of the initiative, senior council staff and councillors will be attending local community spaces throughout the year.  

The first three listening posts scheduled are:

• Saturday 15 February – Creswick IGA, 10am to 12pm  

• Thursday 27 March – Daylesford Coles, 4pm to 6pm  

• Saturday 3 May – Trentham Spudfest, 10am to 12pm  

Details of other Listening Post events, including dates and locations, will be  made available on the council’s website – www.hepburn.vic.gov.au/listening-posts  

As part of Hepburn Shire Council’s budget savings measures, Trentham and Clunes libraries will no longer open to the public on Saturday mornings from March.  

Acting Council CEO Bruce Lucas said that the decision to not open the two libraries on Saturday mornings was made after careful consideration of usage and borrowing rates, and aimed to minimise disruption to the community.  

“As we worked on developing our Financial Vision, we carefully examined each council service to identify potential efficiencies. As we move forward with this effort,  we expect to make ongoing adjustments to our services to ensure they are more  efficient and cost-effective for our community.  

“The adjustments we’re making to our library operations will allow us to operate  more efficiently and offer services in a cost-effective manner, focusing on peak demand  times.

“Saturday mornings are our least busy times at our Trentham and Clunes sites.”  

The council will continue to have two libraries open to the public on Saturday mornings at Daylesford and Creswick.  

Meanwhile, the council has received a grant to expand community access to its four libraries beyond opening hours through the Open Access Libraries initiative, which allows library members to upgrade their membership to access library buildings beyond regular opening hours in the absence of onsite staff.

“This initiative supports our community to utilise their local library at a time that  suits them most. It aims to increase their opportunities to learn and share knowledge,” Mr Lucas said.  

“The extended hours will suit families to come and enjoy their love of reading, students to study, and our community to access knowledge and learning outside our regular library hours.”  

Council will roll out Open Access Libraries from March starting with the Trentham library, and then introduce the program at Clunes, Creswick and  Daylesford.  

Library members will be invited to participate in a comprehensive induction program to upgrade their library membership.

This will grant them exclusive access to facilities during non-operational hours, from 8am to 8pm, seven days per week, including public holidays.  

Former Hepburn Shire Council chief executive officer Aaron van Egmond has been suspended from his position as CEO of Hobsons Bay City Council.  

In a statement released on the Hobsons  Bay City Council’s Facebook page on Saturday, January 25, Mayor Cr Daria Kellander said:  “Following an unscheduled meeting of  council today, Aaron van Egmond has been  suspended as CEO of Hobsons Bay Council  effective immediately.

“Councillors became aware of concerns about safety in the workplace and the CEO’s fulfilment of his duties more broadly. Councillors take these matters  very seriously and have made this decision following thorough and careful  consideration, pending further investigations.  

“Given the sensitivity of these matters for all concerned, council can make no  further comment at this time.”

Hobsons Bay City Council’s website says Mr van Egmond started his role on  June 12, 2018 after six years at Hepburn Shire Council.  

“Aaron has been a strong leader in the Victorian local government sector for 15 years. Aaron previously served as CEO of Hepburn Shire Council for six years where he had a strong focus on project delivery, financial sustainability, operational efficiency and occupational health and safety. He also focused on significant  improvements in customer service and community engagement.”  

Words: Donna Kelly | Image: File  

Hepburn Shire Council announced the recipients of the 2025 Community  Awards last Friday, January 24 at a civic event at The Mechanics Trentham.  

The awards recognised individuals and community organisations that have made  outstanding contributions to the local community.  

The event was attended by a number of councillors along with Ballarat MP  Catherine King and Ripon MP Martha Haylett.

Dja Dja Wurrung Elder Aunty  Marilyne Nicholls performed a moving Welcome to Country.  Citizen of the Year was awarded to Steve Ellis, a member of the Creswick CFA for  40 years, for his exceptional community service and volunteer efforts in various local  initiatives.  

“Steve has over 40 years’ service to the Creswick Fire Brigade with his many  leadership roles, CFA and the Running Championships, as well as his service to the  football community.”  

The Event of the Year was awarded to the 160th Anniversary Clunes Show, for its  significant impact in celebrating and promoting the region’s heritage and community  spirit.  

“The Clunes Show has always shown a wonderful exhibition from local and  surrounding districts, of stock, machinery and homecraft exhibits, illustrating the  abilities and dedication of both the farmers and townspeople to produce only the best  products.”  

Hepburn Together was awarded to the Daylesford and Hepburn United Soccer  Club, for fostering inclusivity, team spirit, and youth development in the region  through soccer.  

“Daylesford and Hepburn United Soccer Club is a 100 per cent not-for-profit  community-run sports club with its number one commitment to provide a safe,  welcoming and inclusive environment for all members of the Hepburn Shire  community.”  

The civic event also included an Australian citizenship ceremony, with six people  becoming citizens. The new citizens hailed from Germany, Philippines, Vietnam,  New Zealand and Ireland.  

Words & image: Contributed  

Hepburn Shire Council residents have been notified that they may just be getting a phone call from National Field Services anywhere through from now to mid-March.

National Field Services are a market research field and tabulation consultancy and they’ve been engaged to conduct a community satisfaction survey for the Hepburn Shire Council.

The same survey is also conducted right across municipalities throughout the state of Victoria.

In a social media post the council says it’s an opportunity for shire residents to share their thoughts.

“They’ll be chatting with residents from different demographics to gather feedback, and we truly appreciate your time and insights. Rest assured, your responses will be kept completely confidential, and only the overall results will be shared with us.”

The Hepburn Shire Council is inviting all residents to attend a special event this Friday and celebrate the Community Award  winners for 2025, while also welcoming the shire’s newest Australian citizens.  

The free community event will take place at 2pm this Friday January 24, in the Loddon River Room at The Mechanics Trentham.

The council will announce its Citizen of the Year,  Community Event of the Year, and Hepburn Together Award winners.  

The Community Award winners for 2024 were ChillOut Festival  (Event of the Year), Pat Tacey and Neville Cartledge (joint Citizens  of the Year) and Alice Newitt (Young Citizen of the Year).

During last year’s event a Special Commendation was also presented to the local band Elysium.  

Hepburn Shire Council has been awarded a $120,000 state government grant to support OCTAVE youth events in the community. 

To be delivered over the next three years, the funding will enable the continuation and expansion of the OCTAVE program, which engages young people in meaningful activities aimed at fostering leadership, skill development, and community engagement. 

The OCTAVE program focuses on empowering youth to lead their own projects. Through hands-on experience in event management, participants gain practical skills, self-confidence, and the opportunity to actively contribute to their communities. 

Mayor, Cr Don Henderson, said the grant was a fantastic opportunity to further invest in young people and give them the tools they needed to become leaders in their own right. 

“By providing young people with the opportunity to plan and deliver events, we are supporting their growth, building stronger community connections, and ensuring a vibrant future for our shire,” he said. 

The program will also offer inclusive social youth events, such as pool parties, skate competitions, live band performances and open mic nights. 

The OCTAVE program has already had a significant impact, giving young people the chance to participate and make a difference in the shire.

This new funding will help broaden the scope of future events, with five new events and one skill development workshop per year. 

In the council’s Youth Strategy consultation in 2021, 31 per cent of the population aged 10-24 were surveyed, providing key insights into their interests and needs.

A significant proportion of young people, especially those aged 10-14, expressed a strong interest in music and social activities.

Specifically, 47 per cent of 10–14-year- olds said they enjoyed music, and 69 per cent reported that they enjoyed spending time with friends outside of school. 

“Council is dedicated to supporting the health, wellbeing, and development of its young people. By focusing on youth engagement, leadership, and skill-building, the council continues to work towards a prosperous and inclusive future for the region,” Cr Henderson said. 

Council rate increases in the state of Victoria will again be capped at the forecast Consumer Price Index for 2025, continuing the state government’s drive to reduce pressures on household budgets.

The three per cent rate cap for the next financial year is part of the government’s Fair Go Rates System.

The rate cap limits the amount Victorian councils can increase their total revenue from general rates and municipal charges.

Councils may apply to the Essential Services Commission for a higher rate cap if they can demonstrate a critical need for spending on services or projects that would require a rate rise above the capped amount.

Contending with financial pressures, the Hepburn Shire Council last year, prior to the election of the current council, decided to apply to the Essential Services Commission for a 10 percent rate cap variation, including the applicable rate cap for the 2025/26 financial year.

The council, in September, issued a statement confirming that it will begin the process of making an application to the Essential Services Commission, with the application required to be submitted between February 1 to March 31 this year.

The ESC must then notify the council of their findings within two months of receipt of the application.

Some changes to the way in which planning applications are dealt with in Hepburn Shire will be trialed for 18 months following a decision by the Hepburn Shire Council.

Under pre-existing arrangements planning applications had been dealt with by the council’s planning officers guided by planning frameworks and policy, but have been required to go before the council for decision where there were at least five objectors.

An officer recommendation that went before the council meeting on Tuesday December 17 sought to increase this threshold from five to 15 objectors required before an application would need to be referred to the council for decision.

The reason for seeking the change was in order to streamline and expedite the processing of applications.

However at the meeting Councillor Lesley Hewitt presented an alternative motion requiring at least 10 (rather than the recommended minimum of 15) objections be required before triggering the need for an application to go before the council.

Cr Hewitt’s new motion also differentiated between the farming and urban or residential context, proposing that the limit for triggering the need for council determination should remain fixed at the current minimum of five objectors in the case of applications relating to land zoned for farming.

“Community feedback suggests that the change from five to 15 objectors is too high,” Cr Hewitt said in moving her alternative motion.

Cr Hood seconded Cr Hewitt’s motion and it passed 5:1 with only Cr Tim Drylie voting against Cr Hewitt’s motion and instead seeking a deferral of the matter and Cr Tony Clark an apology for the meeting.

“I support going from five to 10 objectors. I think 15 was a bridge too far and I fully support (Cr Hewitt’s amended) motion,” Cr Hood said.

Also supporting the motion, Cr Shirley Cornish said “the farming zone is so very different to a residential zone”.

The officer’s original recommendation had also sought to require that planning applications of more than $5 million in value should be referred to the council – up from the $2 million threshold for a referral to council which has been in place to date.

However, Cr Hewitt’s successful motion instead dropped reference to a dollar value threshold for triggering a referral to council, instead requiring an application to be referred to council where it meets one or more of five specific criteria.

These criteria included where “the planning permit application raises significant issues of public interest” and where it would result in a use or development contrary to the adopted Future Hepburn Strategies or a proposed planning scheme amendment which is supported by council”.

Formalising an informal practice which had already been in place, Cr Hewitt’s successful motion also requires that the council’s CEO implement a process where councillors can “call in” to a councillor briefing any planning permit if a minimum of three councillors seek such a “call-in”.

The new arrangements will now be temporarily in place for 18 months and after that time officers will present a report to the council on the outcomes and provide further recommendations on whether to continue with the changes.

During the meeting councillors heard that in the last 18 months only one planning decision made by the council had been different to the planning officer recommendation.

It also heard that over the last four year term fewer than 10 applications had involved the council making a planning determination that was different to the planning officer recommendation.

And in the 23-24 financial year of the five matters that had ended up being determined by VCAT, four of those had upheld the council’s decision while the only one that had not been supported at VCAT was one in which the councillors had overturned an officer recommendation.

Words: Eve Lamb

The Hepburn Shire Council’s community grants program is currently open to receive applications.

The council says it wants to hear from local community group with project ideas that benefit local residents.

Groups are being encouragted to submit their project idea for funding up to $5000 with applications open up to January 31 in the new year.

Those keen to know more can check out the community grant guidelines at hepburn.vic.gov.au/grants or can contact the council’s grants team at grants@hepburn.vic.gov.au to discuss their project proposal with a grants officer.

Recent acts of antisocial behaviour around the the Hepburn Shire are deeply concerning, the Hepburn Shire Council says, following the recent vandalism of Daylesford’s Big Rainbow.

In a media statement following the recent vandalism, the council said: “Hepburn Shire has long prided itself on being a welcoming, inclusive and supportive community that practices respect and celebrates diversity. However, recently Council has been made aware of several appalling incidents that are intending to spread hate and fear”.  

Mayor, Cr Don Henderson, said that he, the Councillor group and the organisation will not tolerate a small few in the community who attempt to spread misinformation and deface public property with discriminatory language.  

“Council stands firm in its commitment to combating hate in all forms. Council will not tolerate homophobia, racism or any behaviour that seeks to diminish and devalue another’s life experience.” 

“These recent incidents are against everything this community stands for. We believe in the values of respect, kindness, and equality for all. I want to make it clear that we will not tolerate bigotry. We will not tolerate homophobia. And we will not tolerate racism,” he said. 

“We are proud of the diverse, vibrant, and inclusive community we live in. Together, we will continue to stand against hate and discrimination in all forms. We urge anyone witnessing such behavior to report it to the relevant authorities and to stand with those who are affected by it,” said Cr Henderson. 

The council encouraged anyone affected by the recent incidents to reach out to medical professionals for support suggesting that for immediate support and online counselling, they should contact: 

• Lifeline website or call 13 11 14, available 24/7 

• Kids Helpline – confidential and anonymous online and phone counselling for people aged 5 to 25 

Hepburn Shire Council has officially opened the 60-kilometre mountain bike trail network, Djuwang Baring (Creswick Trails) with a special event at the Hammon Park trailhead in Creswick held on Saturday.

Mayor Cr Don Henderson said the event was a festive culmination of years of hard work from multiple stakeholders, and years of advocacy by the community and the council.

“We know that the community was very much looking forward to this and we are proud of what we have been able to achieve with a diverse range of stakeholders,” Cr Henderson said.

Despite the rainy weather on the day, there was an impressive turn out at the opening on Saturday November 30, many who made the trek from Melbourne and beyond.

The trail network was designed for a wide range of abilities and skill levels and works to build a healthy, connected community, Cr Henderson said.

The 60-kilometre trail network is designed for a wide range of abilities and skill levels and works to build a healthy, connected community,” said Cr Henderson.

The project is being hailed as instrumental in strengthening the relationship between the Hepburn Shire Council and DJAARA. The branding and signage suite has been designed by Dja Dja Wurrung enterprise DJANDAK and features art by Nukara Nicholls-Moore, a Dja Dja Wurrung artist.

The trail network is expected to generate positive tourism outcomes, including increased visitation, providing a strong return to local and regional businesses and tourism destinations.

Cr Henderson said that since the partial opening of the trails in August, the trails have been extremely popular, and well-used by local and visiting mountain bikers and biking groups.

“We are noticing our local mountain bikers taking advantage of this trail network that weaves its way through Creswick’s iconic landscape,” he said.

“Village of the Old Goldfields Association (VOGA) and Ride Creswick are two local groups that have been putting the trails to the test, and we have heard from our business community who are seeing an increase in customers,” he said.

“The trails are extremely popular, so we understand that they will need to be monitored, along with any impacts on nearby residents,” said Cr Henderson.

The council has committed resources to the ongoing auditing and maintaining of the trails. 

The Whale Tail, a black or extremely difficult jump line, was also re-opened after being closed for a full safety audit. Some minor changes have been made to improve the approach to the jump.

The $9.4 million project included funding from the State Government’s Regional Tourism Infrastructure Fund ($2.56 million), with additional funding coming from State Government ($2.1 million) and the Creswick Community Bank ($250,000) to supplement Council’s contribution to the Hammon Park redevelopments.