Low-income earners or those experiencing hardship are encouraged to take advantage of a low-cost cat desexing day hosted in Romsey in late November.

Available to Macedon Ranges residents who receive a government support payment with a valid concession card, the limited-time service will be delivered by the Regional Community Vet Clinic (RCVC) on Sunday 24 November at the Romsey Hub (96-100 Main Street) in a first for the region.

The RCVC is a not-for-profit offering veterinary care to pet owners experiencing social disadvantage or financial hardship in central Victoria.

“Our mission is to provide affordable animal care services to residents in these areas to increase community wellbeing and animal health,” said Robyn Slattery, Co-Founder and Treasurer, Regional Community Vet Clinic.

Desexing has many benefits, including health benefits for the cat and a reduction in nuisance behaviours. It also significantly reduces the future burden of unwanted cats and kittens on rescue groups, local shelters and Council.

Cats without microchipping can also be microchipped for free, helping you to be reunited with your beloved pet should it go missing.

A donation of $40 to the RCVC covers desexing and microchipping costs, making it more affordable and helping to ease the financial burden for cat owners.

Bookings are essential and limited spots are available. For information or to book, call the RCVC on 0493 447 394.

Macedon Ranges residents now have another option for recycling their usable goods or picking up a bargain, following the opening of a new resale shop at the Romsey Resource Recovery Facility.

The new shop, which opened in recent days, is the second in the shire following the recent upgrade and reopening of the resale shop at the Kyneton Resource Recovery Facility.

Both projects were made possible thanks to just over $150,000 in grant funding from Sustainability Victoria’s Circular Economy Councils Fund – Round 3 on behalf of the Victorian Government.

The Romsey resale shop was officially opened at an event last Friday attended by state Member for Macedon Mary-Anne Thomas, Mayor Annette Death, fellow councillors and council staff.

Through these resale shops, residents can donate their unwanted household furniture, tools, sporting gear, toys, books, useful building materials and more to be resold, diverting waste to landfill and giving them a second life. Proceeds go towards the ongoing operations of the volunteer-led shops.

Mayor Death thanked Sustainability Victoria and the Victorian Government for the funding contribution, assisting the council to implement more initiatives that support the community to transition to a circular economy.

“We know our community is passionate about recycling and reducing the amount of waste that goes into landfill – the resale shops provide another way to do this,” she said.

“A key priority in our council plan is to minimise the generation of waste and establish alternatives to landfill disposal, and we will continue to look at innovative ways to deliver this.”

Used clothing and textiles won’t be resold at the resale shops, with residents encouraged to continue donating these items to local op-shops if they remain good quality. Textile bins for recycling all other items not of reusable quality are available at all three of Council’s resource recovery facilities.

Both the Romsey and Kyneton resale shops are open during each respective facility’s opening hours and are run with the assistance of council staff and volunteers.

The Macedon Ranges Shire Council has endorsed a new plan to guide the future development of Romsey township at its recent May meeting.

The newly endorsed Romsey Structure Plan will now guide growth and development of the town until 2050.

It was endorsed at the council’s May scheduled meeting in recent days following an extended period of community consultation in August/September last year. 

Replacing the Romsey Outline Development Plan, the Structure Plan includes determining the protected settlement boundary as required under the Macedon Ranges Statement of Planning Policy. 

A total of 94 written submissions and 213 survey responses were received during the consultation period, with a number of changes implemented into the final plan as a result.

Key features of the plan include: 

• Supporting infill development within the existing Romsey township by changing zoning and overlays to encourage infill development around the Romsey town centre.
• Supporting a high quality and vibrant town centre through providing sufficient land for commercial development and ensuring high quality outcomes using built form controls. 
• Providing land for housing in new growth areas of Romsey that provides housing choice while respecting the Romsey township character.
• Providing enough land in a new Romsey employment precinct on the corner of Greens Lane and Melbourne-Lancefield Road to provide jobs and services to the town.

Mayor Annette Death: “This plan has been a long time in the making, but it is great to have a clear, well-informed direction to support the future growth of Romsey over the coming decades.” 

“A massive thank you to the council officers who worked with councillors to develop this plan, and all those Romsey residents and anyone else who took the time to review the draft plan and provide feedback.

“We hope the final updates made reflect that all feedback is very much valued and thoroughly considered.” 

Romsey residents – and those living within five kilometres of the Romsey Hotel – are being invited to complete a survey relating to an application for gaming machines, to help inform the Macedon Ranges Shire Council’s submission to the Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission (VGCCC).

In response to an application to the VGCCC for 50 gaming machines at 90 Main Street in Romsey (Romsey Hotel), the council has commissioned an independent consultant to deliver a Social and Economic Impact Assessment (SEIA).

To inform the SEIA, the council is undertaking a community survey via independent company Insync, using a publicly available database from the Victorian Electoral Commission to target letterbox drops to all Romsey residents and those within five kilometres of the venue.

The council’s Director Community, Maria Weiss, said there may be people who have moved to the area more recently – or turned 18 and are newly eligible to vote – who are not captured in this database.

“We know this is an important matter for many Romsey residents and we want to ensure that we are giving as many eligible people (within five kilometres of the venue) as possible the opportunity to participate in our survey,” she said.

“It is important to Council that our SEIA is as well-informed as it can be, to ensure that our submission to the VGCCC best represents the sentiments of our community.”

Eligible residents who haven’t received a letter directly must “opt in” to complete the survey, showing proof of residency to ensure validity of the data collected. Residents can do this by contacting the council on 5422 0333, or by visiting a council office in person.

Individual survey results will be completely private and de-identified by Insync and a summary of results will be included in a future council report, expected to be listed for decision at the April 2024 council meeting.

Members of the public who live outside of the five-kilometre survey area but would like to share their opinion on the application, they can make a submission directly to the VGCCC.

The Romsey library is inviting locals to tap their inner artistic talent this month and take part in its Tiny Art Show

Locals are being invited to “create a masterpiece for our Tiny Art Show” with those planning to participate able to. collect a mini canvas from the library and unleash their inner artist.

Their efforts will then be followed by a Tiny Art Exhibition in February where the community votes for their favourite and prizes will be awarded, organsiers say.

The Tiny Art Show is free to participate in and is intended for both children and adults.

Those interested can collect a canvas from the library from 2 January, and return by 31 January. 

Members of the public are being invited to have input after the Romsey Football Netball Club revealed it’s trying to get 50 gaming machines installed in the small regional community.

But already some residents are gearing up to fight the Romsey Football Netball Club’s bid to redevelop and reopen the shuttered Romsey Hotel, with the 50 proposed pokies machines.

Meanwhile, the Macedon Ranges Shire Council has issued a statement acknowledging that it was “recently notified of Romsey Football Netball Club’s intention to apply to the Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission (VGCCC ) for 50 gaming machines at 90 Main Street in Romsey”.

While the application is not directly with the council, the council can make a submission to the VGCCC in response, however, within tight timeframes.

And the council had agreed to an urgent business item at its October meeting to provide authorisation for its officers to notify the VGCCC of its intention to prepare and submit a submission.

Members of the public can also provide their own submissions directly to the VGCCC and can also request to attend and speak at an upcoming hearing through the VGCCC.

The council is also welcoming members of the public who don’t have access to email or internet, to provide feedback to help inform the council’s submission.

The Macedon Ranges Shire Council says it’s leading the way in reducing waste to landfill by providing resale shops, textile and polystyrene recycling, and free mulch for residents at its resource recovery facilities.
The council has been awarded just over $150,000 through the Victorian Government’s Circular Economy
Councils Fund for an upgrade of the resale shop at the Kyneton resource recovery facility and the
development of a new resale shop in Romsey.
The $5.9 million fund, delivered by Sustainability Victoria under the Victorian Government’s Recycling
Victoria New Economy policy, provides funding to councils and alpine resort management boards for
projects that reduce waste to landfill and transition towards a circular economy.
The council’s Director Assets and Operations, Shane Walden, welcomed the funding and said resale
shops were a fantastic way to divert usable goods from landfill while giving residents and visitors the
opportunity to buy unique and affordable items.
“We know our community is passionate about recycling and repurposing goods, and trying to reduce
the amount of waste that goes into landfill,” he said. “The resale shops will provide another local
option for residents to donate usable goods and pick up items at bargain prices.”
The upgrade of the Kyneton resale shop is scheduled for completion by Christmas this year, while the
opening of the resale shop at the Romsey resource recovery facility is planned for mid-2024.
The council has also recently expanded its services to include free textile and polystyrene recycling at
resource recovery facilities in another proactive step to reduce waste going into landfill.
Residents can drop their damaged textiles including clothes, shoes, linen and more, at resource
recovery centres where they are then collected for reuse, repair, and recycling. Items that are not
damaged and still in good condition should still go to the nearest op shop.
The textile recycling initiative is delivered in partnership with Upcycle4Better, who turns recycled
textiles into other reusable items such as bags and cleaning cloths.
Clean, white expanded polystyrene can also be recycled for free at resource recovery facilities as
long as it is free from dirt, tape, labels and ink. Recycled polystyrene is turned into items such as
picture frames, skirting boards, decking and other household products.
In keeping with sustainable practices, Council also has free self-loaded mulch available to residents at
all three of its resource recovery facilities, with delivery available within the shire for a fee.
“Spring is the perfect time to apply fresh mulch to your garden to stop topsoil from drying out over
summer, reduce water consumption, maintain consistent soil temperatures, and prevent weeds,” Mr
Walden said.
“We have plenty of mulch available across our three sites, so I encourage you to take advantage of the free offer or the reasonable delivery fee option.”

Romsey residents are being urged to provide feedback on the draft Romsey Structure Plan, currently
open for consultation until Monday 25 September.
The draft Romsey Structure Plan provides direction for the planning and development of the Romsey
and the immediate surrounds in regards to housing, employment, transport, community infrastructure
and the natural environment, while also determining the town’s protected settlement boundary.
The draft plan seeks to guide Romsey’s growth until 2050. It includes infrastructure suggestions, with
an opportunity to advocate for and further explore a range of community infrastructure to support the
current and future community needs.
The consultation period is open for six weeks, longer than the Macedon Ranges Shire Council’s standard four-week consultation period, to give sufficient time for community members to review the plan, or attend scheduled drop-in sessions and workshops for further information. Through the consultation period the council hopes to hear from the community and stakeholders about their views on shaping Romsey’s future and how the draft plan reflects this.
The council’s Director Planning and Environment, Rebecca Stockfeld said the draft plan builds on
extensive consultation between 2018 and 2022 through the Romsey Issues and Opportunities Paper
and Romsey Emerging Options Paper.
“Along with the feedback received from the community to date there has been an extensive amount of
research and analysis that has informed the development of the draft plan over time to get to this point,” she said.

“I encourage residents to have a look at the plan and take advantage of the drop-in sessions and upcoming workshop, and speak with Council officers to have their questions answered and clarify any
concerns.”

The Romsey Ecotherapy Park has taken out the Park of The Year title at Parks and Leisure Australia’s
2023 VIC/TAS Regional Awards of Excellence.
The award recognises well designed and managed new or significantly revitalised parks or open
spaces and best practice in design and management. Romsey Ecotherapy Park was awarded for its
innovative design and strong community collaboration.
The park is the culmination of a 14-year community-led initiative by Romsey Ecotherapy Park Inc.
which, in collaboration with Council, set out to create a regionally significant place to enhance health
and wellbeing for all ages and abilities.
Through extensive community consultation, a plan was created for an innovative nature-based space
for passive recreation, incorporating visual cultural elements, unique sensory and therapeutic
opportunities and capacity for open-air performances and events.
The park officially opened in October 2022 and features a climbing forest, ropes course, flying fox,
water features, a sensory garden, a ‘woodland ramble’ and an events space with picnic and BBQ
facilities. Adding to the innovative design are numerous sculptural installations highlighting the talent
of local artists and a special ‘Story Telling Chair’.
The design also includes sustainable features such as solar lighting to illuminate pathways and
recycled and locally sourced materials. Existing trees were retained during construction, and more
than 4000 native and exotic plants were added with an emphasis on texture, scent and floral display
as well as resilience and low water usage.
Mayor Annette Death said the project was a great example of how Council and the community can
work together to achieve a positive outcome.
“The park has become a wonderful feature in the community, where children can play and everyone
can gather and enjoy the surrounds,” she said. “It’s strengthening community connections while
providing a unique open space for recreational activities.”
“I want to again acknowledge the hard work and commitment of Romsey Ecotherapy Park Inc. and
the Romsey community, who were fundamental in helping this amazing project come to fruition.”
The park was designed by ACLA Consultants, built by Commercialscapes and made possible through
the support of various contributors including Council, Regional Development Victoria (Victorian
Government), the Australian Government, Romsey Ecotherapy Park Inc., Lancefield Romsey
Community Bank (Bendigo Bank) and Freemasons Foundation Victoria.
As a VIC/TAS Region winner, the Romsey Ecotherapy Park will contend for the National Park of the
Year award in October 2023.

Repairs will be carried out enabling the reopening of the Romsey-Lancefield Federation Trail following a decision by the Macedon Ranges Shire Council at its May meeting last Thursday.

During the meeting the council endorsed the creation of a new project – and funding of $10,000 – to carry out minor repairs to reopen the Federation Trail, as part of its ongoing capital works schedule.

The work will fill hazardous depressions and scoured areas caused by the October 2022 flood
event, which had resulted in the temporary closure of the trail for public safety.

The council says it will work with a locally based contractor to complete these initial repair works and aim to have the trail reopened by July.

Additional works to fully restore the trail are still required and the council says it is continuing to pursue funding options for these longer-term repairs.

Macedon Ranges Shire Council’s flagship storm waste facility near Romsey has been nominated as a finalist in the 2023 LGPro Awards for Excellence.

The awards recognise the outstanding work undertaken by individuals and teams working in local government in Victoria, with the facility nominated in the Special Projects category, recognising projects demonstrating best practice or the pursuit of excellence in service delivery.

The facility was established in partnership with Bushfire Recovery Victoria (now Emergency Recovery Victoria) in response to the severe 2021 storms.

The site has processed more than 65,000 tonnes of tree and storm debris from the Macedon Ranges and other storm-affected areas throughout Victoria.

Upcycled product has been returned back to impacted communities in the form offree timber, fence posts, sleepers, stakes, firewood, fish habitat, mulch, sawdust and more; totalling over $29million in market value so far.

Macedon Ranges Shire Council CEO Bernie O’Sullivan said the facility’s approach set a new, collaborative standard for the sustainable processing of trees and storm debris.

“The site allowed us to clear and process storm debris faster and on an enormous scale,” he said.

“By reimagining storm-damaged timber as an opportunity to provide value for the community rather than simply as waste to be cleared, we assisted residents’ practical, environmental and social recovery.”

Winners of the 2023LGPro Awards for Excellence will be announced at the LGPro Conference event in Melbourne on May 25.