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Welcome to Mitchell Shire October 2017 eNews
Welcome to the October 2017 edition of Mitchell Shire eNews

In this edition: find out how to prepare your property for the upcoming fire season as part of Fire Action Week, discover our new range of books for people with dyslexia, learn how you can provide input into our draft Social Justice Framework and more.

Hilldene and Broadford brigade members with vehicles
Are you fire ready?

Now is the time to prepare

 

13 - 20 OCTOBER IS FIRE ACTION WEEK

 

Now is the perfect time to speak to your household about preparing your property for the upcoming summer fire season and to make sure you have reviewed and updated your Bushfire Survival Plan. 

 

With a predicted 'above normal' fire season expected this summer, Fire Action Week provides a great opportunity to understand your fire risk, learn how to prepare your property, and review your Bushfire Survival Plan. 

 

GET FIRE READY
Picture of a house construction
 
BUSHFIRE SAFETY FOR NEW HOUSES AND EXTENSIONS Bushfire planning and building requirements now apply to more properties across Victoria
 

The Victorian Government has recently reviewed the mapping for the Bushfire Management Overlay (BMO). The overlay now applies to more properties in Mitchell Shire. 

 

The Victorian Government has written to property owners who have had the overlay added. 

 

If you are in the overlay, your property is subject to a high fire risk and there may be additional requirements for new houses, extensions or subdivisions to minimise this risk.

 

This includes building to current bushfire construction standards, locating buildings away from the bushfire hazard, managing vegetation and fuel loads, installing a water tank, providing fire truck access and, in some cases, referring the permit application to fire authorities.

 
CHECK IF YOUR PROPERTY IS AFFECTED
 
Picture of a fire
 
PERMITS NEEDED FOR BURNING OFF IN MITCHELL Burn-off permits may be required
 

From 1 October each year until the CFA Fire Danger Period is declared, most properties in the shire will need a permit to burn off. Once the CFA Fire Danger Period is declared, permits won’t be issued.


Applying for a permit is easy. Simply download the application form from our website and return it via email or drop it in to 113 High Street, Broadford.


Please note, permit applications need to be submitted at least 10 working days before the day you want to burn off.


Free green waste drop-off
To help prepare your property for the fire season, Council is offering free green waste drop-offs on weekends in November at our Resource Recovery Centres in Broadford, Pyalong, Seymour and Wallan.


Wood and tree branches need to be less than 300mm in diameter and don't forget to bring proof of ID which includes your Mitchell address.

 
APPLY FOR A PERMIT
 
BOOKS FOR PEOPLE WITH DYSLEXIA AT OUR LIBRARIES

In response to community feedback, we've invested $5000 in books printed with a special font which is designed to make reading easier for people with dyslexia.

 

Dyslexia is a condition where people have difficulty reading and spelling. It affects about 10 per cent of Australians.

 

The books can be borrowed from Seymour Library or online and can also be ordered and collected from our other libraries in Broadford, Kilmore and Wallan.

 

BROWSE OUR LIBRARY CATALOGUE
picture of Mitchell Shire Mayor Councillor Rhonda Sanderson with dyslexic book collection
 

Mitchell Shire Mayor, Cr Rhonda Sanderson with some of the new books at Seymour Library. 

Picture of a bird
 
AUSSIE BACKYARD BIRD COUNT STARTS SOON Get the binoculars ready and help get Mitchell on the map
 

The Aussie Backyard Bird Count is on from 23 to 29 October with a number of events being held across Mitchell.

 

The BirdLife Australia's nationwide bird count is held each year with people encouraged to report birds spotted in their backyards and local area.

 

To celebrate, there are a number of local events planned for the week including a bird-themed story time and craft activities at Mitchell Shire libraries. 

 

The Sunday Creek Dry Creek Landcare Group is also hosting a Wildflower and Birdsong Walk on Saturday 21 October. 

 

For details, keep an eye on our Facebook page. 

 
REGISTRATIONS AND LOCAL EVENT DETAILS
 
Picture of a boy speaking into a microphone at a library
 
TELL YOUR FAVOURITE STORY WITH SOUND Share your story at Kilmore and Wallan libraries this month
 

Do you, or someone you know, have a great short story they'd love share?
 

We're working with OKR FM to hold a series of Stories and Sounds sessions at Kilmore and Wallan libraries this month.
 

The team from OKR FM will be on hand to help you bring the story to life with a wide range of sounds. 

 

Our next sessions will be held from 1pm on:

  • Tuesday 24 October in Wallan
  • Thursday 26 October in Kilmore

 

Don't miss out on the chance to tell your favourite story.

 
TELL YOUR STORY
 
Picture of a child swimming
 
DIVE IN FOR OUR AQUATICS OPEN DAY FUN THIS SUNDAY Fun activities and great discounts for the whole family at Seymour
 

Seymour Sports and Aquatic Centre

9am-3pm, Sunday 15 October

 

FREE activities including swimming races, a jumping castle, face painting and pool inflatable. 

 

Looking for somewhere to enrol the kids into swimming lessons? Enrol in our Learn to Swim Program on the day and we will give you your first 5 Lessons for $25. You've got to love that.

 

So what are you waiting for? Drop into our Leisure Centres and grab yourself a registration form.

 

Don't forget to pick up a colouring-in picture while you're there for the little ones to enter into our colouring-in activity.

 

Hope to see you all there.

 
JOIN THE FUN
 
Video of children walking to school
 
TIME TO GET WALKING THIS OCTOBER Walk to School and the Mitchell Pedometer Challenge are back
 

Noticed an increase in people walking around Mitchell Shire this month? 

 

It's possible they've hit the streets as part of VicHealth's Walk to School Program, or the Mitchell Shire Pedometer Challenge. 

 

Last year, the Walk to School program saw more than 144,000 children from over 750 primary schools in Victoria walk more than 2.2 million kilometres. This year we're aiming to do even better.

 

We've produced walking maps for three schools in the shire with suggested drop-off points and walking routes. 

 

We're also holding our Pedometer Challenge which is open to all ages. If you missed out on registering, that's ok. You can hold your own pedometer challenge with your family and friends and lace up, step out and get moving this October.

 
WATCH OUR WALK TO SCHOOL VIDEO
 
HEALTH AND WELLBEING PLAN

Did you know 16.8 per cent of people in Mitchell Shire consume sugar sweetened drinks daily, compared to the Victorian average of 11.2 per cent.

This is just one of the insights from the latest Mitchell Shire Health Profile and is one of many factors which has led to the development of a new Health and Wellbeing Plan.

Extensive community consultation was undertaken to identify your health and wellbeing priorities and ways we can all do our bit to help build a healthier, more liveable community.

Find out more about the key health indicators in Mitchell Shire, and how we're working with other organisations and the community to help address them.

 

READ THE PLAN
A picture of the front cover of the draft Social Justice Framework document
 
DRAFT SOCIAL JUSTICE FRAMEWORK OUT NOW Input closes Thursday 19 October
 

We've released our first draft Social Justice Framework, which aims to promote equal rights and opportunities across Mitchell Shire. 

 

The framework brings together our former Cultural Diversity Plan and our Access and Inclusion Disability Plan. It has seven key priority areas:

  1. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders 
  2. Cultural Diversity
  3. LGBTI
  4. Gender Equity
  5. Equitable Access to Services - Supporting Vulnerability
  6. Disability 
  7. Community Connection

We'd love to hear what you think of the plan. Head over to our Engaging Mitchell site, check out the plan and take the survey. It's open until Thursday 19 October.

 
TAKE THE SURVEY
 
A picture of 'Stop Canning me' graffiti project in Broadford
 
STOP CANNING ME GRAFFITI ART MURAL Street art on show at youth room
 

Broadford Youth Room has a brand new street art mural thanks to a mentoring partnership with Broadford Alternative School and Blender Studios.

 

The mural was designed and painted by students from the Broadford Alternative School with the help of Adrian Doyle, curator of Blender Studios.

 

The project has been a great opportunity for students to channel their creative talents in a positive way and work together as a team to deliver the colourful mural.

 

As well as creating opportunities for students to explore possible career pathways through art, the project also hopes to reduce the appearance of illegal graffiti by encouraging teenagers to take pride in their local area. 

 

ABC Central Victoria made a short video about the making of the mural. 

 
WATCH THE VIDEO
 
MAJOR PLANNING MILESTONE FOR STRUCTURE PLANS
Progressing plans for Kilmore and Wandong/Heathcote Junction
 

A major milestone has been reached in the implementation of the Kilmore and Wandong/Heathcote Junction Structure Plans, which were adopted in 2016.

Planning scheme amendments are now underway for proposed changes to land uses and zones in Kilmore, Kilmore East and Wandong/Heathcote Junction.

 

This is a formal planning process with anyone affected by the proposed changes invited to make a formal submission.

 

We're holding drop-in sessions to run through the changes and to explain the submission and amendment process later this month.

 
SEE THE PLANS OR ATTEND A DROP-IN SESSION
 
Engaging Mitchell
Road graders in Rutledge Street
 
ROAD SAFETY UPGRADES IN KILMORE $550,000 Rutledge Street upgrade is underway
 

Work is underway to improve road and pedestrian safety on Rutledge Street between Powlett and Conway streets in Kilmore.
 

Jointly funded by Council and the Federal Government's Roads to Recovery, the $550,000 project also incorporates safety improvements at the intersection of Rutledge Street and Ryans Road from the Federal Government's TAC Blackspot program.
 

We expect there will be ongoing roadworks until mid-November. Thanks for your patience while we undertake these important works. 

 
Mens Shed members with Mitchell Mayor and Jaclyn Symes MP
 
MEN'S SHED REVAMP ON THE WAY Upgrades and new facilities for Broadford and Kilmore
 

Men's Sheds are an important asset to any community.

 

They provide an opportunity for social connection, as well as keeping minds and bodies active.

 

Thanks to grants from the Victorian Government, and support from Council, the Men's Sheds at both Kilmore and Broadford are gearing up for a revamp.
 

The new facilities will enable the Men's Sheds to continue to grow as our community grows.

 
Picture of broadford secondary school soccer pitch with soccer players and government representatives
 
MORE THAN $14M FOR OUR COMMUNITY Strong partnerships deliver new facilities in Mitchell
 

Thanks to strong partnerships with State and Federal Governments, Mitchell Shire has secured more than $14 million in funding recently for a range of new facilities.

 

In the latest funding announcements, we secured three Shared Facilities projects. 

 

Seymour will see the development of a $3.7 million integrated community and learning hub, featuring two early learning rooms with outdoor space, two maternal and child health rooms, two consulting rooms, a multi-purpose room, and an outdoor play area.

 

Wallan will also benefit with $631,000 for a new oval and lighting which will be shared with Greenhill Reserve users. A new air conditioning system will also be added at the performing arts centre which is currently under construction.

 

The news is also looking bright for users of the soccer pitch at Broadford Secondary College, with a $121,275 lighting upgrade on the way.

 

You can find out about these projects and more on the news section of our website. 

 
VISIT OUR LATEST NEWS PAGE
 
Picture of first sod turn for Greater Beveridge Community Centre.
 
GREATER BEVERIDGE CENTRE SOD TURN A new multi-purpose community centre for Beveridge
 

Work has commenced on a new $6.7 million Greater Beveridge Community Centre. 

 

The community centre will include two kindergarten rooms, two maternal and child health rooms, consulting rooms, kitchen facilities and multi-purpose rooms that can be used for youth services, life long learning and community activities and programs. 

 

With the population in Beveridge and Wallan anticipated to reach 153,000 people in the next 30 years, developments like these will be vital in providing a space for families to meet and connect. 

 

The new centre has been jointly funded by developers Newland, the Victorian Government's Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning and the Victorian Government's Growth Areas Infrastructure Contribution.

 

Broadford Living and Learning Centre

We've also started work on the $660,000 upgrade of the Broadford Living and Learning Centre. The centre is closed during construction work. 

 
GREATER BEVERIDGE COMMUNITY CENTRE
 
Microphone and sound desk
 
ON AIR WITH MITCHELL SHIRE Tune in for the latest news
 

We're taking to the airwaves for our monthly Mitchell radio program.

 

The first half includes updates from the October council meeting as well as the latest news and events from across the shire. 

 

The second half of the show takes a deep dive with one of our staff members focusing on a service area and finding out a bit about their role. 

 

Our next shows are on:

  • Thursday 19 October, 10-11am, Seymour 103.9FM
  • Monday 23 October, 10-11am, OKR FM 98.3FM (and 97.1FM in Wallan)
 
 
NEXT COUNCIL MEETING Monday 16 October from 7pm
 

Our monthly Council meeting will be held on Monday 16 October at the Broadford Civic Centre, 113 High Street, Broadford. 

 

Agenda items include:

  • Customer Service Charter and Complaints Handling Framework
  • Emergency Management Policy and Framework
  • Action Plan for our new Council Plan and Environnment Strategies
  • Various planning matters
  • Environment Commmittee membership
  • Notices of Motion
  • Delegates' Reports

Agenda can be viewed on our website under Council - Meetings, Minutes and Agendas.

 
 
FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK
 
 
Mitchell Shire Council, 113 High Street Broadford, Vic 3658
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