⏱️ This edition of the West Vic Brolga newsletter is a six-minute read.
👋🏻 Happy Spring, Brolga readers! Darcie with you today. I hope the sun is shinin’ and the birds are singin’ in your corner of West Vic.
Before we kick off, here’s a picture I took last Friday of Mount Buninyong looking rather glorious.
Now, the news:
💰 Glenelg Shire has joined a campaign pushing for a regional investment fund of $1 billion, and has backed tighter flood planning ahead of projected sea-level rises;
🏢 Hepburn Shire Mayor Tony Clark has called for greater scrutiny of the private prosecution that saw 5 councillors stood down - including himself;
🏚 We looked into the delay in delivering social housing in Delacombe;
🌊 Corangamite Shire Council has called for government funded water feasibility study;
♾ 15 high-profile women came together at a Ballarat council meeting as a sign of solidarity in response to controversial comments made by a councillor during an internal arbitration process;
And just quickly, Zara compiled a list of the best places for a weekend getaway across the region 🚗
Oh, and I unpacked a personal favourite fun fact in the video below: Mark Twain came to Ballarat - and loved it. Who can blame him?
West Vic trivia 📚
Which famous brand was founded on the Surf Coast?
In the Southwest 🗞️
Rural and regional councils are pushing for major political parties to fund a $1 billion investment fund ahead of November’s state election, with Glenelg Shire now adding its voice to the campaign. The move will see advocacy signs put up across the shire.
What happened: Glenelg Councillors backed Rural Councils Victoria’s (RCV) campaign during last Tuesday’s meeting, arguing rural communities carry a significant share of Victoria’s economic load while facing ageing infrastructure, housing shortages and growing pressure on council budgets.
RCV is campaigning for $1 billion, spent over four years. It is asking political parties, MPs and candidates to publicly support its priorities ahead of the election.
📱 WATCH: Corangamite Shire Council has called for a government funded water feasibility study
🌊 Glenelg council plans for 1.2-metre sea rise, exceeding state requirements by 50 percent
Glenelg Shire Council has backed tighter flood planning rules for parts of Dartmoor and Nelson, using a projected 1.2-metre sea-level rise by the year 2100, despite the state requiring councils to plan for at least 0.8 metres.
What happened? Councillors voted on Tuesday to introduce new flood controls in parts of Dartmoor and Nelson after a study found some areas could be at risk from rising river and coastal waters.
The decision means properties in certain flood-mapped areas could face additional planning requirements when owners want to develop or make changes to their land.
The background: The flood study was first identified as necessary in 2017, when the Dartmoor and Nelson areas were flagged as needing further investigation because there was limited information available to accurately assess and manage flood risk.
In the Central Highlands 🗞️
🟠 Hepburn Mayor calls for reform after private prosecution left five councillors stood down for months
On August 25, Hepburn Shire Council met for the first time since mayor Tony Clark and four other councillors had private criminal charges against them dismissed. The much-covered charges were brought forward by a disgruntled local businessman, and were described by the mayor as "a bit like a Damocles axe over the head".
A redevelopment in Delacombe remains largely unbuilt almost three years after social housing residents were moved off the land, with locals questioning why the site was cleared before construction was ready to begin.
What happened? In 2018, the Victorian Labor Government announced a redevelopment in Leawarra Crescent, with plans to demolish preexisting housing to make way for 118 social houses and 64 “affordable rentals”.
The development promised townhouses, detached, and semi-detached homes. It will contain a mix of two, three and four bedroom properties with 5% designed to be fully accessible for those living with disabilities.
What they said: Member for Wendouree Juliana Addison blamed the lengthy wait on the extent of the works.
“The things we’re doing with this transformation of Leawarra Crescent are fundamentally changing the whole estate,” she told the Brolga.
👥 Fifteen women wear red in silent protest as councillor delivers apology to Ballarat Mayor
Fifteen women wore red to Wednesday night's Ballarat council meeting, sitting in silence as Councillor Damon Saunders apologised to Mayor Tracey Hargreaves for misconduct.
It was an apology ordered after a year-long arbitration found he had publicly undermined the mayor, and one attendees called insincere and “the bare legal requirement”.
Thanks for reading today’s newsletter folks 🔍
As always, please get in touch with any thoughts, comments, feedback or news tips you have for us. Just reply to this email 💌 .
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Cheers,
Darcie