The Hepburn Shire Council is encouraging members of the community to check out its Community Grants Program with round three of the program currently open to receive applications until April 29.

The program supports community-based projects and initiatives that enhance the social, environmental and economic life of the Hepburn Shire.

Community Grants can help community groups to implement projects that promote community wellbeing, increase social connection and build capacity for leadership and independence.

Funding is awarded for projects and initiatives that show community benefit and align with one or more of the focus areas in the council plan up to a value of $5,000. 

Further information is available via the council’s website.

The Hepburn Shire Council is calling for community feedback on its inaugural Arts and Culture Strategy with submissions open until April 14.

Mayor, Cr Brian Hood said that Hepburn Shire is known as a creative and cultural hub in the region and that this strategy would help to guide and support local arts and cultural communities. 

“Council plays an important role in creating opportunities to experience and create art and culture across our Shire,” he said.

“This is our first arts and culture strategy and we welcome feedback from our community to ensure we’ve got it right.

“Our community and visitors value our local arts and culture scene. We want to ensure that Hepburn Shire continues to be an attractive home for artists, artistic organisations and creative businesses.

“The strategy shows a commitment to our inclusive and respectful future and also a celebration of our history.”

The draft strategy was developed following consultation with the community, arts and culture groups and council staff. 

The focus areas of the strategy are Continuous cultural connection, Access and equity of opportunity, creative places and spaces, A viable and dynamic arts sector and living local heritage. 

The Hepburn Shire Council has launched its Circular Hepburn Toolkit, a guide to help local businesses reduce costs, reduce their impact on the environment and boost the circular economy. 

“The circular economy tackles climate change and other global challenges like biodiversity loss, waste, and pollution, and reconnects people to each other and the natural systems,” Hepburn mayor Cr Brian Hood says. 

“Practices like picking up goods for someone else, repurposing, sharing, refurbishing and repairing, are all ways that local businesses are contributing to a circular economy.

The Circular Hepburn Toolkit embraces these ideas and more and is designed for businesses of any size or sector.  

“Our aim in creating the toolkit is to help business operators to understand more about what the circular economy is and learn how their business and partners can benefit from becoming more ‘circular’,” said Cr Hood. 

The outcome of improved practices would be an economy, community and environment that are healthier, stronger and more resilient. 

The council recently launched the toolkit at the Sustainable Hepburn Day Out held on Saturday 16 March in Daylesford. 

“We had local business operators and community members representing circular economy leadership across a range of sectors; including food and beverage, housing, fashion and more at Sustainable Hepburn Day Out,” said Cr Hood who launched the kit.  

“There really are some extraordinary businesses in our Shire leading in the circular economy area, including designing buildings for disassembly (Inquire Invent), catering for events with food from farms that would otherwise be thrown away (Happy Scraps), and offering Australia’s only 100% traceable, biodegradable and compostable underwear and t-shirts (Farm to Hanger),” he said. 

“We want to encourage other businesses to see how they can benefit from embracing a circular economy.” 

The toolkit comprises a booklet, a card deck of circular economy strategies, and an accompanying webpage, which together:  

• Explain the concept of circular economy and how it is being developed in Hepburn Shire 
• Detail inspiring local circular economy case studies 
• Bring to life 14 strategies for bringing “circularity” into your business
• Links to circular economy tools, resources and stories from around the world. 

Hepburn Shire businesses are invited to download the toolkit from the council’s website.

“We’re encouraging local business operators to trial these resources and share their experience,” said Cr Hood.   

Printed copies of the toolkit are also available from the council’s Circular Economy Officer Jodi Newcombe.

The Hepburn Shire Council is offering local families a range of free activities to help keep kids entertained over the Easter term holidays.

The council has a range of free activities and programs for children and young people aged from six to 25 years.

Activities include skate competitions, hands-on craft sessions including making compost and growing plants, creating your own flag, making paint, learning how to cook dumplings, and even taking home sensory packs from local libraries.

“Our free school holiday program offers some interesting options for younger members of our community,” said Mayor of Hepburn Shire, Cr Brian Hood.

“If you have a young person in your life – whether they live in the Shire or are visiting for the holidays – I encourage you to make the most of these free activities,” he said.

“Our teams have worked hard to organise a diverse collection of events over the school holidays so I urge families to get involved.”

More information is available through the council and the council’s website.

A large crowd gathered in Daylesford last Thursday evening to congratulate five new inductees to the International Women’s Day (IWD) Heather Mutimer Honour Roll.

Hepburn Shire Council inducted Anne Bremner, Nikki Marshall, Marj Green, Michelle Clifford and Yvonne Sillett to the honour roll, which was established in 2005 to pay tribute to the women in Hepburn Shire whose contributions, courage and efforts have led to significant social change for women.

Mayor, Cr Brian Hood, said the inductees had made an enormous contribution over many decades.

“Our inductees have demonstrated exemplary service to our community and in many instances their deeds have impacted people well beyond our shire boundaries,” he said.

“They have made incredibly valuable contributions both to their communities and to causes that are close to their hearts. We sincerely thank them for their tireless efforts over many years and congratulate them for joining a long list of significant local women on our honour roll.”

For the town hall ceremony, Peta Hudson performed a Welcome to Country and students from Daylesford College entertained the crowd with music and speeches. Professor Paula Gerber, associate dean in the Faculty of Law at Monash University, was the guest speaker.

International Women’s Day is held annually on March 8. The theme for 2024 is Count Her In: Invest in Women. Accelerate progress.

Anne Bremner

Anne epitomises the spirit of pioneering women, seamlessly managing household chores, caring for family and contributing to the family farm, Wombat Organics, until into her 60s. Her leadership shines through her quiet yet effective management style, effortlessly steering community events and fundraisers.

Gender equality is intrinsic to Anne; she tackles tasks head-on, excelling in every endeavour with dedication and humility. Her leadership extends to various roles, including club champion and board member at the Daylesford Bowls Club, where she ensures financial stability. Anne’s 50-year commitment to the Lyonville Hall as president and treasurer underscores her dedication to community spaces.

Her volunteer work spans over 50 years, encompassing roles in community committees and initiatives like the Healthy Lunches Program. Anne’s altruism extends to delivering Meals on Wheels and supporting school nutrition programs, showcasing her unwavering dedication to community welfare. Additionally, she provides invaluable support to friends and family during health challenges and serves as a compassionate presence during end-of-life care.

Nikki Marshall

Nikki is a beloved, wise and respected community leader and change agent. She has been described as a village builder for her unique ability to bring people together, nurture ideas and forge pathways for action. Nikki has spent a lifetime developing initiatives to facilitate change, to address inequities and to strengthen communities. Before moving to Hepburn Shire, Nikki spearheaded pioneering projects supporting refugee and migrant women in Victoria.

Notably, she established the English Language and Settlement Support Program for women from war-torn African countries, revolutionising teaching methods and influencing agencies like the Adult Migrant Education program.

She also played a pivotal role in developing educational programs to combat female circumcision/genital mutilation, empowering the affected women to develop and implement the program which was subsequently adopted by state government health services. She developed the Multicultural Home Support Program for ageing migrants and won an award for excellence from Department of Human Services.

In Hepburn Shire, Nikki confronts climate change head-on, organising impactful events like the Local Lives Global Matters conference, which attracted over 3000 attendees and spurred the formation of the action group, Localising Leanganook. Committed to sustainable farming, she initiated and supported milking cooperatives, empowering local women and young families.

Additionally, Nikki facilitated the preservation of the Yandoit Uniting Church for community use and pioneered Yandoit Cultural, a vibrant community-led performance program. A passionate advocate for storytelling and local history, Nikki organises events for the shire’s literary arts festival, Words in Winter and History in Story series.

Instrumental in establishing the Daylesford Repair Café, she champions waste reduction through repair and re-use and encourages community skill-sharing. As co-editor of The Chronicle for 12 years, Nikki builds community cohesion through her writing and editing skills, inspiring a dedicated team of contributors.

Known for her transformative leadership and compassionate nature, Nikki embodies wisdom, empathy and courage. She serves as a trusted mentor, offering support to individuals of all ages and backgrounds. Nikki’s enduring commitment to building relationships and addressing social and ecological challenges with integrity underscores her invaluable presence in the community, enriching the lives of those around her.

Marj Green

Marj Green has dedicated decades of her life to numerous local organisations, championing the advancement of women’s status as a shining example of service. Notably, her involvement with the Daylesford Girl Guides from 1964 to 1996 showcased her commitment to empowering girls through education and leadership development, aligning with the Girl Guides Victoria’s mission. Marj’s steadfast support for the Daylesford Ladies Benevolent Society, spanning 60 years, underscores her tireless efforts in promoting women’s welfare and housing security.

A lifelong member of Christ Church, Marj has actively contributed through music, service on the Parish Council and caring for the church’s environment. Her dedication extends beyond the church as she actively participates in preserving its historical documents. Marj’s wisdom is widely sought after, both in organisational matters and personal guidance. Despite her humble nature, she has served as captain of the Newstead Croquet Club, nurturing members and fostering a love of the game.

Additionally, her leadership within the Girl Guides movement and Brownies section has impacted countless young women, reflecting her enduring commitment to empowerment and mentorship. Through her unwavering dedication and selfless service, Marj Green has left an enduring legacy of empowerment and community enrichment.

Michelle Clifford

Michelle Clifford is that rare blend of person who is both the hub that organises action as well as a person who gets the job done. She has been recognised for her tireless efforts for her community and makes a difference in the lives of our community members every day.

Michelle demonstrated three of the five categories for inclusion to the Honour Roll. She is a local champion who has worked tirelessly for our community through her involvement with Daylesford Community Op Shop, Hepburn Regional Cheer, Hepburn Blue Light Committee, the Daylesford Community Childcare Committee, the Bullarto Primary School and Daylesford College councils and committees.

She is a change agent – or a force of nature. Michelle tackles challenges head- on, leveraging her extensive network to find solutions. From sourcing a new battery to lobbying for recognition and rights for First Nations’ peoples; she leads through disaster. Hepburn has been through floods, fires, storms and pandemics. Michelle has been there.

Beyond community-wide initiatives, Michelle provides invaluable support to individuals facing personal hardships, leaving a profound impact on all fortunate enough to encounter her kindness and selflessness.

Yvonne Sillett

Yvonne’s journey as a trailblazer began in 1979 when she enlisted in the Australian Army, breaking barriers in a male-dominated field. Despite achieving the milestone of becoming the first female corporal responsible for training recruits at Kapooka, her career was abruptly halted due to discrimination based on her sexuality.

Undeterred, Yvonne embarked on a mission for justice, advocating for an apology from the Australian Government and Defence Force for the unjust treatment of LGBTIQA+ personnel.

Her story gained recognition at Victoria’s Shrine of Remembrance and in the book Serving in Silence, showcasing her resilience and advocacy. Yvonne’s voluntary testimony at the Government Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide further amplified her cause, aiming to empower LGBTIQA+ individuals serving in the defence forces.

She remains committed to inclusivity and equality, advocating for LGBTIQA+ rights within the Hepburn Shire community and supporting initiatives like the Rainbow Wreath ceremony for Anzac Day. Yvonne’s educational efforts extend to fostering awareness and understanding of LGBTIQA+ needs at Hepburn House and securing grants to support LGBTIQA+ elders in the community.

As a co-founder of the Discharged LGBTIQA+ Veterans Association, Yvonne continues to advocate for justice and recognition, inspiring others through her compelling story. Her unwavering commitment to authenticity and advocacy has sparked artistic tributes and invitations to speak at various events, solidifying her role as a champion for inclusivity and equality in both local and broader communities.

Words: Hepburn Shire Council

The Hepburn Shire Council has engaged Talis Consultants to carry out a condition assessment of the Shire’s 620 kms of sealed roads, 835 kms of unsealed road and 95 kms of kerb and channel.

The council says it conducts such assessments every four to five years and the information gathered during the survey will be used by the council to identify opportunities for improvements.

The information gathered will also be used to model road use, determine trends, establish the valuation of roads and help to inform plans for road and asset renewal.

Locals and visiting motorists may observe camera-equipped, transporter-style inspection vehicles travelling on local roads, the council has foreshadowed.

It also says that data collection occurs at normal driving speeds so there will be no disruption to road users.

The Hepburn Shire Council is extending an open invitation to members of the community to get along to a celebration of extraordinary women in the shire happening next month.

The International Women’s Day Heather Mutimer Honour Roll event will take place on Thursday 7 March at the Daylesford Town Hall. 

“Our annual event to celebrate International Women’s Day is always very popular and we expect this year will be no different,” said Mayor, Cr Brian Hood. 

“The Heather Mutimer Honour Roll was established in 2005 to pay tribute to local women whose contributions, courage and examples have led to significant social change for women.

“At the free evening event we will congratulate inductees, enjoy performances by students and also hear from Professor Paula Gerber, who is a leading expert on international human rights law, with a particular focus on children’s rights and the rights of LGBTIQA+ people.

“Everyone is invited to join us at the Daylesford Town Hall from 6pm on Thursday 7 March.” 

Bookings are required and can be made through the council’s website.

The theme for IWD this year is ‘Count Her In: Invest in women. Accelerate Progress’. Nominations for the next round of honour roll inductees will open in August. 

Words: Eve Lamb

Victoria’s minister for local government has announced a new electoral structure for Hepburn Shire that will do away with the current ward system later this year.

The changes will see the shire move from having five wards with seven councillors, to having no wards with seven councillors.

Voters will be able to vote for any candidate, regardless of where they or the candidate live in the municipality. There are approximately 16,283 voters in Hepburn Shire Council, with a ratio of 2,326 voters per councillor.

The new unsubdivided structure will take effect from the next local government election which is set for October this year.

The change has raised criticism and concern among some residents, including mayor Cr Brian Hood, particularly in some of the smaller towns and communities where locals fear it may see their community under-represented and sidelined in future council decision-making.

In April 2020, the state government had committed to electoral structure reviews for 39 councils conducted by Electoral Representation Advisory Panels in accordance with the Act.

The panels have since provided their final reports to the local government minister, Melinda Horne MP, who has considered them and accepted the recommendations to alter the electoral structures of all 39 councils.

The protracted process provided for public input and consultation with several different electoral structural models considered in Hepburn.

Submissions not in favour of the move to an unsubdivided electoral structure had expressed concern that the model would not reflect or capture the shire’s distinct communities of interest, its geography or the location of communities in different areas of the shire.

Several submitters from Trentham, for example, felt that without a ward structure, their community would be overshadowed by towns with larger populations.

During the consultation process, the shire’s mayor councillor Brian Hood suggested an unsubdivided structure would result in the election of councillors who were unaware of the issues and interests of communities if they were not from the local area.

Cr Hood felt this would have a negative impact on the Trentham communities of interest in particular and identified the possible impacts on councillor workloads when having to travel throughout the shire.

During an online public hearing held last April, Hepburn Shire Council CEO Bradley Thomas also expressed the council’s own reservations around changing the current electoral structure, which it felt had worked very well to date.

Mr Thomas noted that councillors were divided in their support between two of the considered models; either a shift to the unsubdivided structure or, instead, to a structure with seven single-councillor wards.

However, submitters in favour of the move believe an unsubdivided structure will help reduce parochialism among councillors and the council itself, by making councillors accountable to voters in all areas of the shire, and will encourage councillors to adopt a shire-wide approach to council business.

Among those favouring the unsubdivided structure, the Victorian Pride Lobby’s submission supported the model’s potential to increase the diversity of candidates and elected councillors.

Their submission quoted councillor Tim Drylie’s preliminary submission, and the suggestion the council would include a wider and more diverse range of voices when councillors were elected according to their policies and appeal to all voters instead of their location or ward area.

After considering the requirements of the Act, public submissions and agreed criteria, the panel found that Model 1 (an unsubdivided structure) is “the best model for promoting fair and equitable representation for voters in Hepburn Shire Council and consequently facilitate good governance”.

Hepburn is now among five councils set to change to an unsubdivided structure, alongside Campaspe Shire Council, Gannawarra Shire Council, Moorabool Shire Council and Strathbogie Shire Council.

For those keen to know more and to examine the rationale behind this change, the full report is available on the Local Government Victoria website.

With local government elections set for later this year, 2024 will be a significant year for the Hepburn Shire council and its elected councillors, the Hepburn mayor, Cr Brian Hood has foreshadowed.

“2024 will prove to be an exceptionally busy and important year for council and for councillors in particular,” he says.

“As this is the fourth year of our term we are heading to elections in late October, as are all Victorian councils. Our final council meeting will be held on 17 September after which we go into caretaker mode.

“Councillors are therefore determined to advance a number of critically important pieces of work by the end of our term.

“In that regard community members should watch out for draft town structure plans being released in coming weeks for further consultation.

“We are aiming to finalise these plans by the end of the term and then forwarding them to the state government for formal adoption.”

Arrangements for the October election are yet to be released by the state government. Their announcement will clarify the ward structure for Hepburn Shire, following last year’s electoral review.

“Ahead of the election we expect there will be legislative change aimed to strengthen oversight of councils by the state government, improve dispute resolution mechanisms, reforms to strengthen
council leadership and performance and greater controls over councillor conduct,” Cr Hood said.

The Hepburn shire council’s latest community grants round is expected to support sustainability initiatives, protect heritage, encourage sport and recreation, boost children’s programs, support local agriculture, enhance events … and more.  

Councillors recently met with representatives from the successful groups to congratulate them on receiving the first round of community grants for 2024.  

“We are very pleased to award more than $17,000 to community groups who are doing fantastic work in their communities,” said. Hepburn shire mayor Cr Brian Hood.

“These funds complement the extraordinary contribution of volunteers who support so many important events and programs in our shire,” he said. 

“Their hard work continues to enhance the social, environmental and economic life of our shire.” 

Representatives from the successful community groups, councillors and council staff met at the historic Trentham Railway Station to celebrate and acknowledge the recipients for Round 1 in 2023/24.  

Over 30 members of the local community groups were able to attend this event. One of the grant recipients for Round 1 was the Trentham Rail and Tram Association, who manage the historic Trentham Railway Station site.

The successful projects in this Round 1 are: 

• Creswick Neighbourhood Centre – Lift-up for all – $1,500 
• Clunes and District Agricultural Society – Outdoor games for children – $1,850 
• Trentham Rail and Tram Association – Heritage Preservation Storage – $4,910 
• Daylesford and District Agricultural Society – Purchase of Marquees, tables, and Chairs – $2,100 
• Trentham Sustainability Group – Purchase of items for Trentham Fashion Swap – $1,897 
• Daylesford Lawn Tennis Club – Replacement Ride-on lawn Mower – $5,000 

The community grants program enables eligible community groups to access funds in three rounds annually across six categories that support a range of community needs. 

“I strongly encourage community groups to get involved and apply for future rounds,” Cr Hood said.

Early next month the Hepburn Shire Council will host a workshop to help local farmers work on strategies to deal with the increasing prevalence of extreme weather events.

The workshop will take place at Creswick’s Doug Lindsay Recreation Reserve from 9am-1pm on Thursday February 8.

Mayor, Cr Brian Hood, said that unseasonal and extreme weather was unfortunately becoming more prevalent locally and across the globe.

“We are helping farmers take a more proactive approach to farming practices to prepare for such events and therefore minimise damage to valuable crops and livestock,” he said.

The council has organised a lineup of highly regarded keynote speakers that will present case studies outlining proactive initiatives for local farmers.

“This kind of extreme weather is a reality and we need to be prepared.  Farmers will hear from skilled agricultural professionals on solutions that can be modified to prepare farm infrastructure and livestock for future extreme weather events,” said Cr Hood.

Speakers scheduled for the event include:

• Dr Kirsten Barlow (Principal Scientist) – Precision Agriculture
• Geoff Ross – Precision Agriculture
• Andrew Bohay – Civil Agricultural Design
• Sinead Barker – Meridian Agriculture
• Mark Hutchings – Hutchings Plant Hire

The event is funded by the Victorian Government through Emergency Recovery Victoria’s grant program in response to the 2022 Floods which impacted Victorian communities including residents and farmers of Hepburn Shire.

More details and registrations are available through the council’s website.

The Hepburn Shire Council is currently inviting expressions of interest from members of the community who are interested in joining its Reconciliation Advisory Committee.

The committee aims to provide a forum for the council to consult key stakeholders and seek advice regarding the process, development and implementation of its next Reconciliation Action Plan.

The council is currently inviting potential new committee members to complete an expression of interest by Thursday 15 February via https://participate.hepburn.vic.gov.au/reconciliation

The Hepburn Shire Council is inviting all residents of the shire to attend a special free event celebrating its community award winners for 2024 and welcoming its new Australian citizens on Thursday January 25.

The free event will be held from 2pm on Thursday 25 January and will be held at the Daylesford Town Hall.

Refreshments will be provided and during the event the council will announce its Citizen of the Year, Young Citizen of the Year and Community Event of the Year.

Community events are also being organised by local community groups at Clunes and Trentham on Australia Day/Survival Day Friday January 26.

At Clunes, the town’s Tourism Development Assoication is hosting a sunrise walk and flag raising ceremony with a 5.45am start from the Mt Beckworth Reserve (meet at the Dam). A pancake breakfast atop Mt Beckworth is also on the program.

Then at 12 noon there’s a flag lowering ceremony, community barbecue and live entertainment at Collins Place in the town’s Fraser Street.

At Trentham there’s a flag raising ceremony, a community barecue and entertainment in the town square.

The Trentham Lions Club is hosting the event and music starts at 10 am with the main event including flag raising and speech from Hepburn mayor Cr Brian Hood scheduled to get under way from 11.30 am.

The township of Clunes looks as though it may be poised to expand with a planning application lodged seeking to subdivide a 29.31 hectare parcel of land to create 106 new housing lots.

Daylesford Land Development Pty Ltd have lodged the application seeking a staged multi-lot subdivision of 106 lots and removal of native vegetation at 35 Paddock Street, Clunes.

Documents recently lodged with the Hepburn Shire Council indicate the 106 proposed new residential allotments would range from 2000 square metres to 2856 square metres in size.

The proposed site for the subdivision is situated at 35 Paddock Street, neighbouring the town’s primary school, and the staged proposal includes internal roads, street trees and green space within the mooted housing estate.

The proposal is currently being advertised until January 24, enabling opportunity for public response.

Planning documents that have now been lodged with the council state: “The site is located within a lightly populated rural-residential area of Clunes, with the nearby area zoned for Low Density Residential, Farming, Rural Living and Neighbourhood Residential.

“Extensive land surrounding the property is located within the Farming Zone, with some land also identified as being environmentally significant.

“The site abuts Esmond Park, with Clunes Common Nature Conservation Reserve further to the north.”

Last year, the Hepburn Shire had forecast that 300 new dwellings would need to be built in Creswick and Clunes by 2041.

Compiled by the state government in 2014, the central highlands regional growth plan had identified Creswick as a town experiencing medium growth while Clunes had been identified as destined for limited growth and sustainable change.

The Hepburn Shire Council says biodiversity assessments have been conducted to inform township structure plans for its five main towns as part of the ‘Future Hepburn’ program.  

Ecological consultants, Practical Ecology, gathered existing and surveyed new ecological information over several months in 2023.

The work has already been used in community reference group workshops and will be available online as the council enters the community feedback period for the draft Strategic Plans (planned for March 2024).

 The reports have wider and ongoing value for informing the council’s conservation planning. 

The Future Hepburn project aims to improve the shire’s livability as well as understanding, protecting and enhancing the values and character of the whole shire, including townships and rural areas.

The above image shows current and potential wildlife corridors through the Trentham – an example of the assessment outputs, the council says.