Budget brouhaha

Kylie Kitchen

A two per cent reduction in the proposed Macedon Ranges rate rise was met with instant community backlash as council adopted its 2013/14 budget on Wednesday night. 

At the special meeting, the adopted budget was amended from the document which was exhibited to residents. 

Residents filled the gallery and expressed dismay over decisions to again propose UL Daly Nature Reserve as the Gisborne Early Years Hub site and to sell four parcels of open space reserve in Gisborne (Wyralla Crescent, Namnan Way and Gardiner Street) to fund a planned netball courts project. 

Cr Henry McLaughlin made the submission to the budget (as a councillor and resident) that resulted in the Daly Reserve decision, and subsequent rate rise reduction. 

"The reality is though council, at the end of the day, we are the ones who have been elected to make the decisions and those decisions are tough decisions," he said.

"The council delivers a number of significant projects. The pockets of ratepayers are not bottomless and neither is the council budget. 

"The budget is about balance. Councillors this is a true balance."

Council cut the rate rise by saving $700,000 on the purchase of a new site for the Gisborne early years hub. 

It returned to its original proposal to make Daly Reserve the hub site, despite voting not to do so at a November 2012 meeting. The budget now allocates $25,000 for a masterplan on Daly Reserve. 

Cr Jennifer Anderson said there are other ways to reduce rates.

"What we're debating is have we got any other solutions," she said. 

"I have concerns for Daly Reserve and what might happen if we put the hub back on the agenda there."

Cr Russell Mowatt said the council has failed the community in lack of consultation and in going back on a decision made last year. 

Cr Sally Piper called it a good governance issue. 

"No wonder there's so many people in the gallery here tonight, they probably don't even know what's going on," she said. 

"I'm sorry to Daly Reserve and I'm sorry to the parcels of land that have been sold. So no, it's not balanced, it hasn't followed process and I'm very disappointed."

Cr Piper proposed a compromise to sell only one of the four parcels of land, which was lost in the vote. 

"Residents should not have to have their open space taken away from them to fund infrastructure for a town that is growing too quickly," she said. 

"Once our land is built on that's it, the concrete jungle is here to stay."

Cr John Letchford told council there are "$65 million reasons" to praise the budget. 

"My community says 'thank you if you can reduce the rates in the budget'," he said. 

"Councillors I suggest you start singing the praises of the budget.

"The budget is a complex process. We had so many conflicting submissions to judge this on."

Kyneton was a winner in the budget, with joint funding proposals for the Kyneton Bluestone Theatre and the Kyneton Community Park project. The theatre is promised a $90,000 council contribution to support a potential $290,000 government grant. The park will receive a $100,000 council contribution to support an application for a $300,000 government grant.

The budget includes more than $17 million in capital works, with $6.2 million in road and bridge works.

Council confirmed its $550,000 budget contribution to infrastructure upgrades at Hanging Rock, $764,000 to upgrade Woodend's Gilbert Gordon Oval, and $800,000 in playground projects in Kyneton and Romsey.

Other capital works include the Gisborne shire office extension ($800,000), footpath renewal program ($220,000), and the Tylden multipurpose courts ($210,000).

Among the 26 new initiatives is the implementation of the State Government's new residential zones ($40,000), and the Macedon Ranges Climate Change Action Plan ($40,000).

Council voted 5-4 on the budget (including the Daly Reserve decision). Those for were Crs McLaughlin, Letchford, mayor Roger Jukes, Graham Hackett and John Connor. Those against were Crs Piper, Mowatt, Anderson and Morabito.

Council voted 6-3 in the Gisborne land sales decision. Those for were Crs McLaughlin, Letchford, Jukes, Hackett, Connor and Morabito. Those against were Crs Piper, Mowatt, and Anderson.

Rare sky event

Gisborne Secondary College students take in the rare sight of a partial solar eclipse. Photo: Chris Fleming

Gisborne Secondary College students rose early last Friday in order to take in the rare sight of a partial solar eclipse.

A solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes between the sun and Earth, and the moon fully or partially blocks the sun.

Most of the country saw a partial eclipse, while those in the northern parts of Australia saw the annular eclipse, which is also called a 'ring of fire eclipse'.

Gisborne Secondary College has been loaned a computerised research-grade telescope from Melbourne University for three years, as part of the Telescopes in Schools program.

"Part of the deal is that we run astronomy nights and days for the community, the school and anyone interested in the field," said science coordinator, Dale Barry.

"(The program) promotes science within the school and certainly gets more students thinking about studying science at uni and following that career path."

The students' photos and comments will appear on the Melbourne University School of Physics/Astrophysics' Telescopes in Schools website.

GSC is one of 10 schools involved in the program.

Finally funded

State Education Minister Martin Dixon visited Macedon Ranges schools including Woodend Primary School to announce maintenance funding on Wednesday. Mr Dixon met school vice-captain Jack Hansford, school captain Emily Hoey, and student representative Maggie Clune. Photo: Chris Fleming

School maintenance has finally hit the State Government's priority list in a funding announcement this week.

Education Minister, Martin Dixon, toured local schools on Wednesday as he revealed funding allocations with Member for Northern Victoria, Donna Petrovich and Federal candidate for Bendigo, Greg Bickley.

The minister announced $51.5 million to be shared across the state for school maintenance needs identified in an audit last year.

"The independent maintenance audit of schools across the state has been an essential part of understanding what schools had not received maintenance funding under the previous Labor Government," Ms Petrovich said. 

Kyneton Secondary College (KSC) will receive this shire's most significant amount, an allocation of $627,726. 

The college has been calling for desperately needed maintenance for years, while also enduring years of State Government knock backs for the K12 (kinder to year 12) Kyneton Education Plan. Without either solution, parents, teachers and committee members resorted to undertaking their own maintenance works in late 2010.

This funding allocation has come as relief to KSC, principal Mark Ridgeway said.

"We were very, very happy and very excited. It's great news," he said.

"It's going towards major maintenance of a number of our buildings; the English wing, the woodwork wing, food technology wing and the arts/textile/music wing." 

Mr Ridgeway said the K12 project was discussed at the minister's visit.

"What we've been campaigning for is the Kyneton Education Plan. The minister indicated that that would be separate to this main funding," he said.

"What he was saying was that they support our plans for the Kyneton K12 plan and it was not a question of if, but more of when."

Woodend Primary School, another school that has led a strong campaign for maintenance, will benefit from $308,384.

In 2011 and 2012 the school lobbied for state funds.

"While we all worked and waited for a response, the school's fabric continued to decay and the associated safety risks increased," Woodend Primary School parent, Rebecca Colless said. 

Ms Colless, a former school council member, attended the announcement on Wednesday. 

"This isn't a special gift or new grant, it's the money owed to the school for a long time," she said.

"It is the government's responsibility to maintain our public schools in a safe and presentable condition, in a timely fashion. I can't congratulate the government for doing their job: (a) when we have had to nag them to do it; and (b) late."

Other local schools to benefit from the funds are Sunbury and Macedon Ranges Specialist Schools ($416,055), Gisborne Secondary College ($73,134), Romsey Primary School ($22,148), Bolinda Primary School ($55,876), and Clarkefield Primary ($3,824).

Serious danger ahead

Gisborne Roads Group president, Bruce Overall at the risky Station Road/Wallaby Run intersection.

Kylie Kitchen

Dangers at Gisborne's Station Road/Wallaby Run intersection have been revealed in a confidential traffic report released under Freedom of Information.

Nine high risks are identified in the Traffic Works road safety audit (31/07/12), all listed as a likely 'serious severity' and 'occasional frequency'.

The serious severity rating means likely deaths or serious injury, and the occasional frequency means a likely occurrence once every five to 10 years.

Gisborne Roads Group president, Bruce Overall says this level of danger is unacceptable.

"The general view is a matter of not if but when there'll be a serious accident," he says.

"If it's certainly above that medium risk rating, I'd have to say that's extremely dangerous.

"The injustice in the thing is it's jeopardising the safety of not only the Gisborne public but the Macedon Ranges traffic that goes through there everyday."

Mr Overall says the risks at the intersection will be exasperated by development at Jacksons Creek Estate, off Wallaby Run.

"It's only a matter of months before they start to develop the section 9A lots and then there's onset of black ice with winter," he says.

Road safety improvement works formed part of the permit conditions for Townshend Homes when the Jacksons Creek Estate was approved. However, the developer is not required to undertake those works in stage one (section 9A). Mr Overall says Townshend Homes is responsible for the intersection's safety. He is calling on council and VicRoads to demand safety works are completed before any further development goes ahead.

Safety improvements recommended in the road report such as road widening and guard railing installation are esssential, Mr Overall says.

"Station Road needs to be 15 metres wide to accommodate all the lanes it needs and that will require removing that old tree. At the moment it's 14.5 metres, that half a metre does make a difference," he said.

"The only way to avoid the tree removal is to take away that right turning lane. So you will have only a left in and a left out."

Removing the right turning lane will mean access in and out of Wallaby Run, when right hand turns are needed, will require using the existing roundabout at Robertson Street and constructing a roundabout at Morrow Road.

Macedon Ranges Council assets and operations director, Dale Thornton, says Townshend Homes will be required to carry out the permit-specified safety works at the Station Road/Wallaby Run intersection.

"(It is the developer's responsibility) to construct turning lanes, safety barriers and associated works to Australian standards," he says, "... as well as a guard rail along Station Road on the west side".

"The guard rail barrier will increase the safety at this intersection in the unlikely event that a vehicle loses brake power approaching Station Road from Wallaby Run."

Although an urgency for these works has been raised by Gisborne Roads Group, they are not scheduled until stage two of the development.

"These works are programmed to be carried out in three stages over the life of the permit. This is standard practice, because it is not feasible to construct everything in the first stage. Council supports the staged approach," Mr Thornton says.

"Station Road is a VicRoads road and meets current safety standards."

VicRoads regional director, Mal Kersting says VicRoads and council will consider the matters identified in the Station Road/Wallaby Run road safety audit.

"These matters are currently being investigated and include ongoing discussions with the Macedon Ranges Shire," he says.

Hub site proposed

Grant Avenue Kinder will relocate in the future to form part of the proposed Gisborne Early Years Hub.
Photo: Chris Fleming

Investigations into the Gisborne Early Years Hub location has listed the land between the Gisborne Public Cemetery and the Gisborne Secondary School as a possibility.

Macedon Ranges Council selected the location from a confidential list of proposed sites in the town.

It follows council's controversial decision late last year to approve Daly Nature Reserve as the location, subsequently withdrawing the decision following public backlash.

The newly proposed site, on Melton Gisborne Road, is State Government-owned and is currently used as a pine plantation.

"Of all of the sites, we prioritised this one for further investigation because it has the required space to build a hub," Mayor, Cr Roger Jukes said.

"It's also well-located to service Gisborne including the growth areas on the south side of the town, and has good car, cycling and walking access," he said.

Cr Jukes said this block also gives two potential options for access to the site, either from Aitken Street or Melton Gisborne Road.

This will depend on how council decides to use the site in terms of building placement. The process will involve obtaining feedback from key stakeholders.

Initial consultation has begun with stakeholders who may have an interest in the project. This includes the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, the Gisborne Cemetery Trust, Gisborne Kindergarten and Gisborne Secondary College.

Residents close to the site have also been informed of council's interest in the land and have been invited to put their views to council on the proposal.

"Once we've got the feedback from this initial consultation stage, ouncil will consider if the site has sufficient merit to progress to a more detailed investigation," Cr Jukes said.

"This would include soil and vegetation studies, a traffic study and broader community consultation.

"However, there is still a very long way to go.

Even if the site proved suitable in every way we still have to negotiate with DEECD to secure the site and then find the money to build the hub," he said.

Previous estimates put the cost of building an Early Years Hub at $3.8 million, but a new cost analysis will be undertaken to take into account the specific requirements the selected site.

"Council is unlikely to be able to develop a new early years hub without a significant state and/or federal government contribution to the project," Cr Jukes said.

Daly Reserve conservation

Wild Action's Chris Humfrey and Friends of Daly Reserve members Helen Radnedge, and sisters Lydia and Ellena Best are promoting the conservation of Daly Reserve. Photo: Chris Fleming

The Friends of Daly Nature Reserve group was formed at a community meeting in Gisborne last month.
Residents shared aspirations and ideas for conserving UL Daly Nature Reserve.
The group has already identified a number of objectives including weed removal, native flora and fauna protection, pest control, and, regeneration.
Removing weeds such as gorse, ivy, broom and radiata pines will enable the local vegetation to flourish.
Protecting the native flora, fauna and land will create a strong habitat for the many wildlife species in the area.
Chris Humfrey of Wild Action zoo in Mt Macedon was there to help launch the friends group.
"In the Macedon Ranges the koala population is dwindling. I was there with the koala just to show that all the trees in that reserve are koala food trees. So much of Gisborne and Macedon Ranges is carved up with development, it's so important to preserve any remaining viable areas of habitat," Chris said.
"Basically this is just trying to get public awareness of Daly Reserve and how important it is to save and keep it biodiverse.
"The whole idea is to connect up existing open land space for animals to move through and save the wildlife including microbats to bird and invertebrate species.
"All too often most people are oblivious to the smaller creatures. The message is all things biodiverse and small need to be saved to have a healthy environment."
At the launch, guests a walked through the reserve and admired some of the flora and fauna in the nature reserve.
A pair of eastern grey kangaroos watched on, and two new plant species were identified. The number of indigenous species recorded there has now moved to over 100.
The friends group will share knowledge about the local flora and fauna and compile the reserve's history.
Future goals include becoming incorporated to allow for grant applications and sponsorship.
Regular working bees will be hosted by the Friends of Daly Reserve to preserve and enhance the natural environment.The group thanks Macedon Ranges Councillor Sally Piper for her support, and also guest speakers, John Bradford (landcare coordinator), Michelle Patrick (council staff), Paul Gray (council staff) and Jason Jones (native plant grower), and Chris Humfrey for bringing a koala and lorikeet to the event.
The first committee meeting was held last week, where the office bearers were elected. They are: president Helen Radnedge, vice president Irene Perkin, treasurer John Phair, secretary Deb Dunn, with general committee members Rod Green, Tony Smith and John Clarke.

Refuelling at Gisborne

 Helitacks refuel at Dixon Field, Gisborne, on Monday night. Photo: Chris Fleming

Waterbombing helicopters refuelled at Gisborne on Monday evening - an event not seen in town for about 15 years.

A crowd of about 50 people watched on at Dixon Field as 10-12 helitacks came and went, some twice, between 5pm and 8.30pm.

The helicopters were refuelling at the site to attend to the Epping and Donnybrook fires.

"They would work and then come back for rapid refuelling, which is when the engine is still running, then they were sent away to work again," Gisborne CFA captain, Sam Strang explained. 

The Department of Sustainability and Environment coordinated the refuelling as the responsible body for the State Aircraft Unit Victoria.

Two aviation fuel trucks provided the fuel.

A Gisborne CFA unit was on site to provide "fire coverage" during hot refuelling which poses a fire risk.

Gisborne SES also attended.

"It was rather exciting. It was very interesting, and it was good that we could help out in some way," Capt. Strang said.

Six helitacks stayed overnight with a view to deploying again on Tuesday. Unfortunately most were struck on site for a further one to two days due to cloud cover and unclear visibility.

Capt. Strang said it was very unusual to host a helitack refuelling operation at Gisborne. 

He recalls the last one occurring during a fire at the Macedon pine plantation in the 1990s.

Tributes flow

Coffin bearers at Lt Peter Harry's funeral in Gisborne on Wednesday deliver his casket to the hearse (above).

CFA and emergency services personnel line the streets to form a guard of honour as the coffin departs Dixon Field (below).Photos: Chris Fleming

More than 1000 people attended the funeral service for 2nd Lieutenant Peter Harry at Dixon Field in Gisborne.

Moving tributes were made by family and friends of the much-loved volunteer firefighter and community member.

Group officer of Mt Macedon Group, Ian Hay, gave the eulogy and thanked the Harry family for the privilege of being able to speak about Peter's CFA service.

Ian provided a long list of Lt Harry's contributions to the brigade and the CFA family.

"Just listing Peter's service does not really demonstrate how much he did for CFA and, ultimately, the community," Ian said.

"When he was living in Sunbury we could always be sure to see Peter on Good Friday for the Royal Children's Hospital Appeal. "With his contacts, Peter would always get Gisborne mentioned on the televised appeal. However, he was not happy with just a mention so, with some gentle arm-twisting, he would arrange with his brother in-law for a live cross from the station.

"The kids - and some adults - loved the chance to become a star for the short time of the cross, but no-one was happier than Peter because he had once again raised the profile of the brigade and CFA in the community. 

"A lot of people did not realise the work Peter did with the local media to get the CFA message out to the community. The respect that Peter had cultivated with the local papers has become very evident in the past few days.

"Peter would not have been such a big part of the brigade and group without the support of his family, and CFA would like to take this opportunity to thank Leanne and the girls for their generosity in allowing us to be part of Peter's life."

Ian closed with a quote from a Facebook post from a firefighter in Geelong, which in part read, 'Rest peacefully - you have done your duty. We will take over from here'.

Following the service, CFA and other emergency services personnel lined the streets to form a guard of honour as the coffin departed.