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Developing the Small Towns Strategy Key Issues Report - Summary

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Page 1: Developing the Small Towns Strategy - Shire of Moorabool · Key Issues Report -Summary. The Purpose of the Small Towns Strategy The Shire of Moorabool (Moorabool) is largely a rural

Developing the Small Towns

Strategy Key Issues Report - Summary

Page 2: Developing the Small Towns Strategy - Shire of Moorabool · Key Issues Report -Summary. The Purpose of the Small Towns Strategy The Shire of Moorabool (Moorabool) is largely a rural

The Purpose of the Small Towns Strategy

The Shire of Moorabool (Moorabool) is largely a rural municipality covering an area of 2,010 square

kilometres. The eastern boundary is located 40 kilometres to the west of Melbourne and extends

westward to Ballarat. Moorabool is the quintessential peri-urban area - not part of metropolitan

Melbourne but not remote enough to be ‘country.’ Moorabool Shire is a founding member of the Peri

Urban Group of Rural Councils, who are all located on the outer edge of metro Melbourne.

Within Moorabool there are twenty settlements of varying size from a handful of houses through to

district towns like Ballan with hospitals and a host of facilities. Each has a different future. The State

Government, through its plans for directed growth and infrastructure delivery into peri urban settlements,

will also fundamentally impact these futures.

Moorabool Council believes that pro-active planning is required to guide the future of the small towns

and to effectively address growth pressures. The interface of many Moorabool towns with large regional

cities, many of which are growing rapidly, including Melton which is one of the fastest growing LGA’s in

the country and Ballarat which is one of the largest regional cities in Victoria and managing population

growth pressures, makes comprehensive planning a priority.

Moorabool Shire Council is planning for the growth now and through to 2041 through the Moorabool

2041 Strategy (M2041). M2041 is a long range vision for managing growth that will guide planning and

future decision making over the coming decades for the Moorabool Shire. Planning for the urban areas

and the rural areas is being delivered separately through an Urban Growth Strategy (UGS) and a Small

Towns Strategy (STS). These strategies will inform Moorabool 2041.

The Small Towns Strategy (STS) is primarily concerned with the future of small settlements and how

they can provide opportunities and be viable towns and issues including catchment water quality,

infrastructure provision (water, sewerage, gas) and the preservation of farm land. The influence of the

City of Ballarat on these settlements as well as other regional centres will be a key consideration. The

UGS addresses the challenges and opportunities facing the Bacchus Marsh district including the

expansion of Western Melbourne.

The STS needs to be dynamic and address towns as places, underpinning social sustainability and

service delivery. To do this effectively, a solid understanding of community values and expectations is

needed. A functioning framework for service delivery across rural districts needs to be established.

Budgets for service delivery have limits. The role of towns needs to be considered in relation to the

trend towards more housing being built around the edges of the towns rather than within, over the last

ten to twenty years with the inefficiencies this can generate in servicing.

The community’s and stakeholder input is being sought through a process called Talking 2041 which

will identify the community’s aspirations for this area and the values that are important. While 2041

seems like a long way off, it is important that we identify the roles of our small towns and hamlets by

2041 and to then start working from now to realise that vision.

This is a summary document, the full Key Issues report is available at

www.moorbaool.vic.gov.au

Talking 2041

Talking 2041 forms the basis of the conversation with the community about the future

for Moorabool, the urban growth area around Bacchus Marsh and the small towns

and villages of the Shire.

Talking 2041 was used throughout October, November and December 2014 to talk to

the community about the pressures being faced in Bacchus Marsh.

From February 2015 we will be talking to the rural communities of Moorabool Shire about the future of the

small towns which give this Shire its character and contain much of its early history.

Get involved and Have your Say

Respond to this Key Issues Report

This Key Issues Paper sets out the information that Council is using to consider how we manage our small

towns and villages including the population projections and land and service constraints. We have posed

questions throughout the document that will assist to capture important information and the aspirations of

the community.

You can provide written feedback and comments via:

www.haveyoursaymoorabool.com.au

Post to - Talking 2041, C/- PO Box 18, Ballan VIC 3342

Email to - [email protected]

Or drop your thoughts into Customer Service teams at:

Darley – 182 Halletts Way, Darley.

Bacchus Marsh – Lerderderg Library, 215 Main Street Bacchus Marsh

Ballan – 15 Stead Street, Ballan

Come along to one of the Community Conversations

Completing our quick survey or stopping and saying ‘Hi’ at local events

Our ‘quick survey’ postcards are available at Council Offices and at local events. Councillors and officers

will be attending local events during the consultation period, so stop by and say Hi and share your thoughts

about how we can plan for the future of these small towns.

Online engagement portal— www.haveyoursaymoorabool.com.au

Council’s website has opportunities for you to share your thoughts, complete a short survey or upload your

comments on the Key Issues Report.

Wallace - Tuesday 10 February 2015 Bungaree— Tuesday 17 February 2015 Dunnstown - Tuesday 24 February 2015 Gordon - Thursday 26 February 2015 Lal Lal— Tuesday 3 March 2015 ,

Elaine—Tuesday 10 March 2015 Balliang East—Thursday 12 March 2015 f Korweinguboora— Tuesday 17 March 2015 Blackwood - Tuesday 24 March 2015 Myrniong—Tuesday 31 March 2015

Page 3: Developing the Small Towns Strategy - Shire of Moorabool · Key Issues Report -Summary. The Purpose of the Small Towns Strategy The Shire of Moorabool (Moorabool) is largely a rural

Study Area for Small Towns Strategy

The area of focus for the Small Towns Strategy is Balliang, Balliang East, Barkstead, Blackwood, Bungaree, Clarendon, Dunnstown, Elaine, Gordon, Greendale, Korweinguboora / Spargo Creek, Lal Lal, Mt

Egerton, Myrniong, Wallace and Yendon. Ballan has been considered separately as part of the Ballan Structure Plan work.

Map : Study Area. Areas in blue are the focus of the investigations. Areas in red are covered by the Urban Growth

Strategy (Bacchus Marsh and surrounds) or the Ballan Structure Plan.

Map: Moorabool Shire

Images: highlight the contrasts of this region and the balance required to manage the modern pressures of

transport, telecommunications and infrastructure with the retention of agriculture and heritage and rural character.

Page 4: Developing the Small Towns Strategy - Shire of Moorabool · Key Issues Report -Summary. The Purpose of the Small Towns Strategy The Shire of Moorabool (Moorabool) is largely a rural

Shire of Moorabool 2011 2041 Change 2011 - 2041

Area Number Number Number

Annual

Change

%

Shire of Moorabool 28,620 55,076 +26,456 2.2%

Ballan 2,779 5,988 +3,209 2.59%

Rural West 5,507 7,476 +1,969 1.02%

SL

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Moorabool West 19.8% 16.3% 7.9% 16.1% 13.0% 6.9% 10.6%

Ballan 13.8% 15.6% 9.1% 17.7% 14.5% 8.3% 10.5%

Moorabool Shire 12.8% 15.4% 9.7% 17.3% 14.6% 8.7% 9.7%

Greater

Melbourne

12.5% 24.1% 8.9% 13.4% 15.1% 8.9% 8.0%

SLA Bacchus Marsh Jobs

Ballan Jobs

West Moorabool Jobs

Melton Jobs

Western Melbourne CBD Jobs

Ballarat Jobs

Moorabool West residents

Not

significant

2.2% 23.2% 0.7% 2.4% 42.5%

Ballan residents

7.4% 24.7% 0.5% 4.8% 21.2% 13.5%

Moorabool Shire residents

22.5% 6.6% 3.1% 6.3% 21.6% 9.5%

Occupation

Employment location / Journey to work

Weekly Income

Regional Statistics

Across the study area (Rural West) , population forecasts indicate that at least 1,969 additional residents will move to these areas in by 2036. with annual increases in population of up to 1.38%

Residents living in the west of the Shire will generally work locally or in Ballarat and those calling Ballan home will be split between working in Ballan, Melbourne, Ballarat or Bacchus Marsh.

The current mix of resident occupations reveals higher than average numbers of managers and high numbers of professionals.

It is expected that these trends will continue with the new residents to the area through to 2041.

Current Population—based on estimates and dwelling numbers.

Population Forecast

At the 2011 census the population of Moorabool was 28,125 residents with the 2014 population

estimate at 30,932 residents. By 2036 the population is expected to total 48,986 residents .

Ballan 2,779 Gordon 378

Balliang 15 Greendale 80 to 100

Balliang East 130 Korweinguboora / Spargo Ck 120 to 150

Barkstead Less than 75 Lal Lal 30

Blackwood 200 Mt Egerton 383

Bungaree 118 Myrniong 240

Clarendon 54 Wallace 165

Dunnstown 115 Yendon 30 to 35

Elaine 70 TOTAL 5,037 approx

Page 5: Developing the Small Towns Strategy - Shire of Moorabool · Key Issues Report -Summary. The Purpose of the Small Towns Strategy The Shire of Moorabool (Moorabool) is largely a rural

Drivers of change across the region

Globalisation

Globalisation is the integration of national economies into global systems of production,

consumption, distribution and exchange (Buxton et al 2006). Such forces encourage and enhance the

view of a peri-urban area as being part of a regional economy and the delivery of infrastructure can be

seen in this context of establishing advantage and efficiency (such as national freight routes).

Infrastructure Development

Railways have opened up new development areas around metropolitan Melbourne and regional

Victoria since they were first laid in the mid 19th century.

Road networks and especially the highway system played a similarly important role. Myrniong,

Elaine and a host of other towns developed as transit or service towns along these networks. The

Victorian State Government has identified the Western Freeway from Melbourne through to Ballarat

as a population growth corridor and has consistently invested in this important infrastructure ac-

cordingly.

Sewer reticulation and access to reticulated water supplies also directly influence development

potential. This is especially so in Moorabool where limitations on residential development directly

relate to the absence of sewer.

Sporting infrastructure and district competitions. Recent upgrades of local sporting facilities at

Bungaree, Wallace and Dunnstown as well as at Blackwood are examples of these investments.

This type of investment may assist towns to become attractors for potential new residents.

Land Use Planning Practices

There have been two major changes made to the Metropolitan Urban Growth Boundary (UGB) since it

was introduced in 2002. Of relevance to MSC, the UGB changes have included additional housing

opportunities being provided in Western Melton. Development on the western boundary of Melbourne

will continue to fuel the desire of residents to move to a settlement near Western Melbourne but

physically separated within a farming landscape.

Technological and Work Place Change

Within many organisations there is now the capacity to work from home, connect to work via video

conferencing and not travel to work each day. This in turn has allowed ‘telecommuters’ to live in peri

urban areas and work somewhere more remote. Some refer to this as the knowledge based economy

(SGS, 2006).

A further workplace change is the fly in and fly out worker (FIFO) worker, typically found in mining and

other more remote industries who through shift rotations can have a permanent address even in a

different state.

Commuting

Enhanced infrastructure and greater workplace hours flexibility allow potential residents to choose a

wider range of areas in which to live. RPD Group identify that between 50-70 kilometres from

Melbourne, up to half of the workforce travels to Melbourne on a daily basis. In Bacchus Marsh the

figure is consistent with such findings and a similar story arises for residents living near Ballarat.

The Sea Change/ Tree change Movement and ‘Downshifting’

The cultural phenomenon of ‘sea change’ and ‘tree change’ is a term which describes a household

decision to leave the pressures of a city existence traded off against the idea of more quality time with fam-

ily and lifestyle amenity. Downshifting is a push to consume less and live with less (income especially).

The social terms are often interconnected.

Accessing Services and an Ageing Population

The ageing of the population in Australia is having significant impacts on where people choose to live as

they age. Driving factors in decisions around location include ageing in place within a known community

and networks, affordability including downsizing for affordability and proximity to family and health ser-

vices.

Education

SGS observes (2006) that high quality educational services are a key factor in people’s choice about

where they live particularly for families. Education is a significant part of Moorabool’s economy, returning

$2 for every single dollar of output. In 2011, 697 people were employed in education in Moorabool, which

is 20% above the State average.

An audit of the Moorabool towns reveals there are schools in seven of seventeen small towns. Enhancing

the education offer in Moorabool will likely be a driver of change, just as it has been in the past. Each of

these schools are effectively anchor uses which provide a major attractor for these towns. They operate as

social hubs.

Resource Utilisation

Western Moorabool has significantly rich volcanic soils conducive to different types of faming, especially

potato production. Given the soil type, and the predominantly uniform slope, land capability is an ongoing

driver of economic development. The bulk of agricultural economic value in Moorabool is generated from

Western Moorabool.

Maintaining the agriculture sector into the future is important. The agriculture sector provides

approximately 13% of all jobs in the municipality (Moorabool Rural Growth Strategy – Phase 1 Report).

SGS (2006) .

External Service Centres, Employment Clusters and the

Gravity Model

A major population driver is accessibility to external service centres, employment clusters and basic

opportunities. External service centres including cities exert direct influence on their surrounds and this is

often described as a “gravity model”.

Page 6: Developing the Small Towns Strategy - Shire of Moorabool · Key Issues Report -Summary. The Purpose of the Small Towns Strategy The Shire of Moorabool (Moorabool) is largely a rural

The Constraints to Growth and Change

Topography and Landscape

A strong characteristic of topography in Moorabool is the open volcanic plains west of Ballan and

associated elevated forms —of Mt Buninyong, Mt Warrenheip, Mt Blackwood and Mt Steiglitz, as well as

other volcanic cones such as Black Hill near Gordon and Hopwood Hill near Mt Egerton.

The Shire also encompasses the southern extent of the Great Dividing Range, the Wombat State Forest

and Lerderderg State Park.

Within this diverse mix of forests, mounts, rolling hills and open and undulating grassy plains are the east

and west branches of the Moorabool River, its major tributary, Lal Lal Creek, and the Werribee and

Lerderderg Rivers as well as other smaller tributaries. These rivers and creeks provide for rugged

gorges, steep ravines and rocky outcrops in areas including the bluff at Yaloak Vale in the Parwan Valley

to the south-east, and Ballark to the south, and the well-known Lal Lal and Moorabool Falls that have

been a place of public recreation since the 19th century (Rowe, 2010).

Water Catchments

Moorabool is covered by five surface water management areas (SWMAs) or river basins. The majority of

Moorabool Shire is covered by the Moorabool, Werribee, and Barwon River Basins. Three major

storages are found within Moorabool, being Lal Lal Reservoir (59,000 ML), Moorabool Reservoir (6,740

ML) and Bostock Reservoir (7,460 ML). These reservoirs supply drinking water to the cities of Geelong

and Ballarat.

With much of Moorabool not sewered and the open catchment supplying drinking water to the region

strict controls on development are applied. At the time of writing only three towns have a reticulated

sewer system – Bacchus Marsh, Ballan and Gordon. Investigations are occurring for sewering

Bungaree and Wallace presently. Under the Planning Scheme these are identified via the Environmental

Significance Overlay that protects the proclaimed water catchment areas. It is generous for setbacks to

waterways, requires a referral to either Western Water or Central Highlands Water depending on

catchment and limits subdivision to lots above 40 ha which significantly limits development (4,000 sq.m

applies within Township Zones).

Geology

The Shire is home to a number of mineral resource producers who require significant buffers between

their commercial operations and residential housing areas. These businesses are key employers for the

Shire but do restrict the location of new housing areas.

Agricultural Uses

Overall ‘agricultural suitability’ within Moorabool is mapped in Figure 6-5 with the protea, lavender and

radiata pine suitability maps, to produce a composite map of ‘Land Versatility’ which highlights areas

which are suitable for a wide variety of commodities.

Areas of highest versatility are found in the north west of Moorabool, around the townships of Bungaree

and Gordon. These areas have a high annual rainfall and are characterised by soils that are deep, and

moderately to well drained.

Flooding and Inundation

Flooding issues are less significant in the Moorabool West towns although localised flooding has been

known to occur in Ballan from time to time.

Wildfire Risk

Wildfire risk is a day to day consideration in much of Moorabool, reflecting the varying terrain,

accessibility and extent of vegetation cover. Much of this risk is associated with the landscape around

Greendale heading north into Blackwood and Trentham as well as the Wombat State Forest and

Lerderderg National Park. But there are also significant forested coupes around Lal Lal and Brisbane

Ranges to the south and south west.

Page 7: Developing the Small Towns Strategy - Shire of Moorabool · Key Issues Report -Summary. The Purpose of the Small Towns Strategy The Shire of Moorabool (Moorabool) is largely a rural

Facilities Highway Accessibility

Public Transport Infrastructure (sewer, water, gas)

Catchment Water Quality Issues Major Risk/Hazard Employment opportunities

Sporting facilities Setting Town

Church kindergarten, hotel, school, general stores & main street services. Limited food based retail.

Central to Ballarat & Bacchus Marsh. 30 minute commute to either destination.

Regular passenger rail service to Melbourne & Ballarat.

Water, sewer and gas provided

Sewered town which limits catch-ment issues. ESO2 Overlay applies.

No Major risks. Some localised flooding.

A range of opportunities provided

Well serviced Tree lined streets and landscape around the Werribee River provide great appeal.

Ballan

Community Hall, ten-nis court, church, public hall and CFA.

Limited Nil identified No sewer, water or gas Nil identified NIL identified Limited Tennis Court Within a wooded landscape surrounded by working farms

Balliang

Balliang East Primary School and public hall are only facilities

Located on Geelong—Bacchus Marsh Road. Access to Geelong and Bacchus Marsh

Limited bus service No sewer, water or gas Nil identified ESO7 applies – Grasslands within Werribee Plains Hinterland.

Limited but close to Geelong and Bacchus Marsh

Limited NA Balliang East

NIL identified Limited NIL identified No sewer, water or gas Nil identified Major bushfire risk Limited NIL identified Wombat State Forest pro-vides wooded backdrop

Barkstead

Hotel, general store, 2 churches, community hall & accommodation.

Collector road access only

Limited bus service No sewer, water or gas Within potable water supply catch-ment and is subject to Overlay ESO1

Major bushfire risk Limited Recreation Reserve has been upgraded & is well used.

Vegetated setting at alti-tude. Heritage buildings & miners cottages

Blackwood

Primary school, sports facilities, petrol, post office, churches, hotel & general store

Close to Ballarat—10 minute commute.

Limited bus service No sewer or gas Within potable water supply catch-ment and is subject to Overlay ESO1

NIL identified Limited local employment. Close to Ballarat

Recreation Reserve newly completed

Variable topography. Drainage is a major fea-ture

Bungaree

Clarendon NIL except cemetery Midlands Highway access to Ballarat

Limited bus service No sewer, water or gas Limited application of ESO1 & ESO2 overlay.

NIL identified Limited Limited Rural setting

Dunnstown Hotel, school, sports facilities and clubs. No general store.

Relatively close to Ballarat but no free-way access

Limited bus service No sewer, water or gas Within potable water supply catch-ment and is subject to Overlay ESO1

NIL identified Some local employment—hotel, school, Boral Quarry.

Recreation Reserve Mt Warrenheip enhances scenic amenity.

Elaine Corner store, hotel, fuel. Below critical pop-ulation size to support a school

Midlands highway access to Ballarat

Limited bus service No sewer, water or gas Within potable water supply catch-ment and is subject to Overlay ESO1

NIL identified Limited Recreation Reserve Surrounded by farmland and has distinct edges

Gordon Church, Kindergarten, hotel, school, sports facilities, general store.

Convenient to West-ern Highway

Limited bus service Sewer and water reticulation

Sewered which limits catchment quality concerns

Bushfire risk Modest opportunities in Gordon. Close to Ballarat

Recreation reserve. Slope of oval limits opportuni-ties.

Strong grid layout. Native vegetation. Large lots sizes.

Greendale Hotel and CFA Relatively accessible to Western Highway

Limited bus service No sewer, water or gas Within potable water supply catch-ment and is subject to Overlay ESO1

Bushfire risk Limited Limited Recreation re-serve

Rural/village amenity. Lack of development and open landscape.

Kor-weinguboora

NIL identified Access via Ballan Daylesford Road only

Limited bus service No sewer, water or gas NIL water catchment considerations Bushfire risk Limited Recreation reserve Wooded surrounds at altitude. Soils & rainfall create lush landscape.

Lal Lal Primary school, hotel Limited highway ac-cessibility

Limited bus service No sewer, gas or water Within potable water supply catch-ment and is subject to Overlay ESO1

Bushfire risk Limited Nil identified Forest landscape

Mt Egerton Primary school, waste transfer station. Gen-eral store has closed

Relatively close to Western Highway

Limited bus service Water. No sewer or gas Within potable water supply catch-ment and is subject to Overlay ESO1

Bushfire risk Limited Recreation Reserve Varied topography.

Myrniong Primary school, hotel, community hall. No retail. Scope for expan-sion.

Access to Western Highway and Mel-bourne.

Limited bus service Water. No sewer or gas Nil identified NIL identified Limited locally. Close to Bacchus Marsh & Mel-bourne

Limited facilities—oval tennis courts, playground and BBQ.

Attractive neighbourhood village.

Navigators Quality Recreation Reserve and community hall

Good access to Ballarat and to the south

Limited bus services No sewer, gas or water Within potable water supply catch-ment and is subject to Overlay ESO1

Limited risk of major flood or bushfire

Limited presently. Possi-ble future farming and light industry

Recreational facilities for tennis and a children’s playground

Pleasant rural amenity.

Includes sports facili-ties, church, kindergar-ten, hotel. No general store

Relatively close to Ballarat. 15 minute commute to Ballarat by vehicle.

Limited bus service. Rail corridor present but no station

Currently no reticulated sewerage system.

Within potable water supply catch-ment and is subject to Overlay ESO1

Not prone to bushfires Limited local Employment. Close to Ballarat

A range of recreation fa-cilities of a standard not far behind Bungaree.

Tree lined streets are a significant feature.

Wallace

Yendon provides few facilities.

Not as convenient to the highway system as other towns.

Limited bus service No sewer, water or gas reticulation

Within potable water supply catch-ment and is subject to Overlay ESO1.

Limited presently. Average standard tennis courts

Avenue of Honour fea-ture.

Yendon

Key Strengths Limitations

Small Towns Assessment

Page 8: Developing the Small Towns Strategy - Shire of Moorabool · Key Issues Report -Summary. The Purpose of the Small Towns Strategy The Shire of Moorabool (Moorabool) is largely a rural

The Key Questions for Moorabool’s Small Towns—General Questions What role does your town or settlement play in Moorabool?

What do you see as they key issues for this strategy?

What trends do you see in your local community?

Where do people work and how do they get there?

What are the main types of jobs available?

What do you see as the key planning issues for your area? How should these be addressed?

Why do people choose to live in your area?

What services do you use locally? Which services do you use at larger settlements?

What role does lifestyle play in your decision making for where you live?

Why do you live in this area?

What’s the best thing about your town?

What’s your big idea for your town or this area?

What is the most important project for your town or this area before 2041?

What services would you like to see provided in your town?

Ballan What are the likely growth fronts as Ballan expands towards 5000 residents in 2036 and how will it

function in terms of service delivery as a district centre?

Balliang & Balliang East Should Balliang and Balliang East share resources?

Barkstead Is upgraded access into Barkstead a priority for this community?

Blackwood Is Blackwood best to be viewed as a village or small town?

Is growth likely or even desirable in Blackwood if heritage fabric and sense of place is to be retained?

There appears scope for more interpretive signage on the history of Blackwood and the marketing of the town based on this history. How is this best achieved?

Bungaree Does Bungaree have scope to be a more sizable town with a capacity to support a wide range of

community needs?

What is the resident’s vision of Bungaree? Is it to remain a small settlement on the edge of Ballarat or a more sizable town similar to Ballan?

On what timeline would growth occur?

Who pays for the infrastructure to support growth?

What are the key drivers of change in Bungaree – population growth along the corridor, spill over growth from Ballarat, economic investment or other?

What types of households would be attracted to living in Bungaree?

Clarendon Is Clarendon to be a residential estate on the edge of Ballarat or a township?

If growth occurs on existing vacant lots what service obligation would this generate?

Dunnstown Dunnstown is well placed to facilitate controlled residential growth given its proximity to the City of

Ballarat. Is that what the community of Dunnstown wants?

Is there a preferred size for Dunnstown (area, population numbers)?

If Dunnstown is to provide a service role to its surrounds (rural properties and smaller settlements nearby) what capacity does it have to meet these needs?

Is there scope for growth and if so where could it occur?

Any growth within the town would need to be supported by reticulated services – at the least town water. Who is best placed to fund these works if only limited, un-sewered new development is feasible?

Elaine What is the future of Elaine as a small settlement? To what degree is this future impacted by its location

on the Midland Highway?

Is there scope for growth and if so where? Elaine is located within a potable water supply catchment. Can this be overcome through application of the current draft domestic wastewater policy?

What services can Elaine support now and into the future based on existing population, scope for growth and passing trade? What services should Elaine optimally provide?

What is the competitive advantage of Elaine – is it to be a commuter town or a town with local employment?

Gordon What is the future of Gordon – that of a country village or service town? With limited services in Mt

Egerton, should Gordon be optimally viewed as an emerging service town?

How is growth achieved whilst retaining local character?

Greendale Is there scope for residential growth given Greendale’s assessed level of bushfire risk?

Are septic systems acceptable solutions on remaining vacant lots in Greendale?

What is the future of Greendale and its service role in coming years?

Korweinguboora Korweinguboora/Spargo Creek wasn’t set out as a fully integrated township. If it is viewed as a lifestyle

housing area, which nearby settlement/s best serves the needs of this area in delivering local services?

Is Korweinguboora/Spargo Creek more functionally integrated with Trentham and Daylesford than Bacchus Marsh/Ballan?

Lal Lal What role do recreational and mining tourism play in the future? Has that potential been tapped into?

Mt Egerton Given the level of service offer in Mt Egerton what is the future of Mt Egerton?

Is Mt Egerton to remain a residential village?

To what degree can Mt Egerton reasonably be viewed as the southern arm of Gordon with respect to services provision?

Myrniong Is there scope for controlled growth to further support the local primary school and provide a sustainable

population size to support expanded local services such as a general store?

The scope for a sewer scheme may warrant consideration in future. Is there potential and would the community support it? Would it be cost effective?

Navigators Given your proximity to Ballarat, what services are required locally into the future?

Wallace What is the future use of the former dairy site? What are the appropriate uses that take advantage of

Wallace’s location and productive landscape?

What businesses and industry can utilise the installed three phase power and gas reticulation?

What are the key drivers of change in Wallace – population growth along the corridor, spill over growth from Ballarat, economic investment or other? Are the issues in Wallace the same as those for Bungaree? Would the same types of households be interested in living in Wallace as Bungaree?

Do the residents of Wallace wish to facilitate growth?

How large a settlement would the residents wish to see in Wallace and who pays for the service infrastructure?

Yendon Yendon is functionally a locale with an expressly residential focus. What types of services are required

in this situation? Are services required?

Evidence is that the pressure for development is outside the settlement on the edge of Yendon. Does this impose any service demands?

What do the existing residents, as key stakeholders, see as the vision for the management and evolution of this town?