At a well-attended Campaspe Shire Council meeting on Tuesday, July 23, council formally endorsed the Rushworth and District Place Based Plan, which has been in the works for the past 12 months.
After extensive consultation with the Rushworth community, the council’s Place-Based Plan Committee produced a 33-page document outlining a detailed 10-year plan.
Cr Weston moved the motion in the Tuesday meeting to endorse the plan and said that as the councillor for the Waranga ward, the project was “close to home”.
“It’s been a really comprehensive process and one that’s been really embraced by the community in what I can say is pretty much a 100 per cent overwhelmingly positive way, which has been fantastic to see,” he said.
“I’d just like to thank the committee for their time and their contribution, and the Rushworth community for their thoughts and enthusiasm shown during the process.”
The plan for community development was split into six sections outlining priorities for council, from ‘Quick-win’ priorities for projects that will be completed within the next 12 months, to ‘Long term’ priorities for projects that could take between four and 10 years to come to fruition.
The council committee was advised by over 500 local residents who shared ideas about a reimagined Rushworth through surveys, in-person sessions, workshops and even drawings from school children and preschoolers.
Also in the place-based plan document was the commitment to establish a Rushworth development committee that would oversee the implementation of the plan.
Speaking about the establishment and implementation of a new development committee, Cr Weston said the purpose of the committee would be to see through the plans in this document.
“Often plans will get a lot of time spent developing a plan and then for various reasons no-one has the authority or ability to take carriage of the implementation of that plan,” he said.
“The purpose of establishing a development committee … the intent behind that is to make sure that the plan doesn’t sit there gathering dust.”
Attached to the Rushworth and District Place Based Plan document was an action plan that identified 19 key actions that council would take to help achieve the vision of the Rushworth community.
For health and wellbeing, one action was the advocacy for additional GPs and health professionals to service Rushworth, and the support of the developments of an arts precinct.
For community participation and resilience, suggestions included the establishment of a development committee, the support of a youth space that would provide a space for young people to meet and connect, and the undertaking of a strategy to enhance quality of life for older residents.
In the built and natural environment section of the plan were upgrades to sport and recreation facilities, the enhancement and protection of Whroo Forest and Heathcote-Graytown National Park, the continued support of the Waranga Catchment Landcare Collective, and the advised response to risks from climate change in the area.
Road improvement and development listed the overall review of roads that need a reduction of speed limit, and a focus on reviewing the Waranga Outlet Bridge and Rushworth-Nagambie Rd.
In the action plan, the council also committed to increasing tourism by providing more visitor information through various outlets, promoting and helping to improve existing accommodation, promoting and encouraging water-based events and activities that make use of the Waranga Basin, and establishing events and promoting existing events.
More details for how residents can be involved in the Rushworth Development Committee will be available soon.
To read more about the plans for Rushworth, visit the Campaspe Shire website.
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