Consultation - Have Your Say

Mount Alexander Shire Council invites the community to participate in the development of the streetscape designs for five local townships.

The streetscape designs are based on the priorities identified in community plans for Chewton, Campbells Creek, Guildford, Newstead and Taradale.

This is an opportunity for the community to take a look at the draft designs and work together to make some improvements to their town centre. The draft designs consider things like the placement of trees and gardens, traffic management, pedestrian safety and creating social spaces for communities to gather.

Council is hosting a series of workshops to further develop the draft designs. You can provide input into the designs by attending a workshop, completing our online feedback form, sending your feedback titled Streetscape Designs by email, or by calling us on 5471 1700. Feedback must be received by 5.00pm on Friday 22 June 2018.

Workshops

What: Taradale Streetscape Design
When: 5.30pm, Wednesday 6 June
Where: Taradale Wine and Produce, 120 High St, Taradale
Draft Taradale streetscapes design

What: Chewton Streetscape Design
When: 7.30pm, Wednesday 6 June
Where: Castlemaine Goldfields FC Clubhouse, Chewton Soldiers Memorial Park, Fryers Road, Chewton
Draft Chewton streetscapes design

What: Guildford Streetscape Design
When: 5.00pm, Thursday 7 June
Where: Guildford Public Hall, 6 Templeton St, Guildford
Draft Guildford streetscapes design

What: Campbells Creek Streetscape Design
When: 7.30pm, Thursday 7 June
Where: Campbells Creek Primary School, 127 Main Rd, Campbells Creek
Draft Campbells Creek streetscapes design

What: Newstead Streetscape Design
When: 5.30pm, Wednesday 13 June
Where: Mechanics Hall, Newstead Community Centre, 9 Lyons St, Newstead
Draft Newstead streetscapes design

Further consultation on the revised designs will be held in July, with the final streetscape designs expected to be completed in September. Council is working with Michael Smith and Associates on the project.

For more information or to provide your feedback contact Gaynor Aitkin, Manager, Community Partnerships on 5471 1700.

Council released the 2018/2019 Proposed Budget for public comment in April. Public submissions closed on Wednesday 23 May. Council will consider submissions at a Special Meeting on Council on Tuesday 5 June (see details below).

The $37.04 million budget seeks to maintain and improve infrastructure, and deliver more than 100 services to the community in the year ahead.

It outlines the staffing and resources needed to achieve the strategic objectives in the Council Plan 2017-2021, under the three pillars of Our People, Our Place and Our Economy. The proposed budget will deliver an $11.35 million Capital Works Program.

Rates will increase by an average of 2.25% in line with the Victorian Government’s Fair Go Rates System, as council continues to find more efficiencies and advocate to the state and federal government for more funding.

Council has removed the municipal charge as per our rating strategy. Kerbside bin collection charges will increase by an average of 5.4% per property, in response to cost pressures associated with the rising costs of waste management.

Key dates
• 5.00pm, Wednesday 23 May 2018 – closing date for public submissions.
• 6.30pm, Tuesday 5 June 2018 – Special Meeting of Council to hear budget submissions, Civic Centre, Castlemaine.
• 6.30pm, Tuesday 26 June 2018 – adoption of the Annual Budget at Ordinary Meeting of Council, Civic Centre, Castlemaine.

Budget
• 2018/2019 Proposed Budget
• 2018/2019 Proposed Budget Summary
• Media release - Proposed council budget open for comment
• Media release - Council invests in vital infrastructure

Expressions of Interest are now open for interested people to join the Mount Alexander Shire community’s LGBTIQ roundtable. You can download the Expressions of Interest form as well as the Terms of Reference for the roundtable.

Applications to join the roundtable need to be submitted to Lisa Knight via email on l.knight@mountalexander.vic.gov.au by Monday 7 May 2018.

Fitzgeralds Close Wesley Hill Business Park

Notice is given under Section 189 of the Local Government Act 1989 that Council intends to sell nine remaining lots in Fitzgeralds Close, Wesley Hill Business Park that are currently owned by Mount Alexander Shire Council. These are formally known as Lots 3, 5, 6, 7, 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14 PS629772. A copy of a plan of the lots is below.

This land was acquired and developed by Council for the purposes of sale for a business park.The land is to be sold by private treaty through Real Estate Agents appointed by Council. An anticipated sale timeframe for each of the lots is not yet known.
Prior to accepting any offers, Council will obtain an independent valuation in accordance with section 189 of the Local Government Act, and will not sell the land for less than this valuation amount.

Members of the public may wish to make a submission in accordance with Section 223 of the Local Government Act 1989. Submissions should indicate whether the person or a person acting on their behalf wishes to be heard before Council.

For any questions regarding this matter, please contact Daniel Borton, Property Portfolio Coordinator on 5471 1700.

Written submissions will be accepted until 5:00pm on Tuesday 17 May 2018.

Submitters who wish to speak in support of their submission will be heard at the Ordinary Council Meeting at 6:30pm on Tuesday 19 May 2018 at the Civic Centre Castlemaine.

Submissions should be addressed to the Chief Executive Officer, Mount Alexander Shire Council, PO Box 185, Castlemaine VIC 3450, or email info@mountalexander.vic.gov.au.

Key document
Map of proposed blocks for sale at Fitzgeralds Close Wesley Hill Business Park

Council is developing a management plan for the 70 hectares of Creekside public land currently under public license to Council.

The draft plan has been developed by Council in collaboration with the Friends of Campbells Creek and the Castlemaine Landcare Group to further improve the amenity of the 70 hectares of creeks and adjoining public land located in the urban parts of Chewton, Castlemaine and Campbells Creek.

Council invites your comment on the draft Castlemaine Creekways Management Plan.

How to provide feedback

Download a copy of the draft Castlemaine Urban Creekways Management Plan.
A hard copy is available for viewing at Council’s reception, the Civic Centre during business hours Monday to Friday.

You can provide a written submission entitled Castlemaine Urban Creekways Management Plan submission by:
Email: info@mountalexander.vic.gov.au
Post: Mount Alexander Shire, PO Box 185, Castlemaine Vic 3450
In person: Civic Centre, Corner Lyttleton Street and Lloyd Street, Castlemaine.

Written submissions will be accepted until Tuesday 1 May 2018. For more information contact Council's Natural Environment Officer on 5471 1700.

Key document
Draft Castlemaine Urban Creekways Management Plan

The final designs of the six flood protection levees planned around Castlemaine and Campbells Creek are now complete.

Read about the 10 recommendations in the Flood Management Plan brochure.
Read the full Castlemaine, Campbells Creek and Chewton Flood Management Plan 2015.

View the final designs of the flood protection levees below:
Cover Sheet
Gingell Street
Castlemaine Central Cabin and Van Park
Elizabeth Street
Campbells Creek
National School Lane

For more information contact Marcus Goonan, Team Leader Engineering, on 5471 1776.

Council is developing a creative play space at Victory Park in Castlemaine, where people of all ages and abilities can play, explore, socialise and connect.

The concept designs encourage imaginative play and include musical, swinging and spinning elements in response to community feedback. They are sympathetic to the park’s history and include seating, shade and barriers to the road and car park.

Public submissions on the designs concepts are now closed. For more information, contact Edwina Reid, Active Communities Officer, 5471 1740, or email e.reid@mountalexandervic.gov.au.

Victory Park Concept Designs - link to download designs, artists impressions and mood boards.