Clothing for a good cause
BENDIGO’S residential Strategy will be reviewed because of greater than expected growth.
The State Government has announced a grant of $50,000 to carry out the review.
The review is needed because, according to the State Government, 40 per cent of the forecast growth between 2006 and 2031 had already been realised.
Regional Development Parliamentary Secretary Damian Drum made the announcement this morning.
Mr Drum said the Bendigo Residential Strategy Review would deliver greater community and investor certainty, helping the region grow.
“The Bendigo Residential Development Strategy was adopted in 2004 and is currently being audited because of the faster than anticipated growth that has occurred in Bendigo in recent years,” he said.
“Strong residential growth has many flow-on economic benefits and having a clear framework for future development will position Greater Bendigo City Council to undertake more detailed, place-based planning in the future.”
Deputy Premier Peter Ryan said about 40 per cent of the forecast growth between 2006 and 2031 had already been realised.
The Residential Strategy impacts directly on where and how property developments use “infill” parcels of land, range of housing styles and also on housing affordability.
“This project will review the strategy, assess current and estimated land supply and demand and consider various legislative and policy changes,” Mr Ryan said,
“It will also consider the latest demographic data and establish a new strategic framework to guide the long-term residential growth of Greater Bendigo.
“The project will result in a revised residential strategy that will give developers, the community and service providers greater surety and confidence about where land can be developed for residential purposes, and that sufficient land is available to accommodate the City of Greater Bendigo’s future growth.”
Mr Ryan said a contemporary strategic planning framework was essential to the economic development of a large regional centre like Bendigo.
“Clearly identifying future growth options and supporting infrastructure needs will enable the Greater Bendigo City Council and other infrastructure providers to plan their capital works programs well in advance,” he said.
“Identifying long-term growth areas will enable the council and other service authorities to start planning for the delivery of services, thereby minimising the lag time between when residential development occurs and when the services need to be in place.”
Bendigo Weekly | Bendigo Weekly | 24-Aug-2012
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WARM WISHES: Heathcote Primary School and Crusoe College have collected about 30 large garbage bags of clothing donated by staff, students and families, to be ferried to Gapuwiyak School for their annual fundraising fete. Photo: ANDREW PERRYMAN
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TWO local schools are pitching in to raise much-needed funds for a remote indigenous school in the Northern Territory.
The schools – Heathcote Primary School and Crusoe College – have collected about 30 large garbage bags of clothing donated by staff, students and families, to be sent to Gapuwiyak School for their annual fundraising fete.
Gapuwiyak is an Australian Aboriginal community located in north-eastern Arnhem Land, 220 kilometres west of Nhulunbuy, and serviced by a barge from Darwin once a week.
The town has a population of about 1200 people and the school has more than 100 students.
The Bendigo-Gapuwiyak link was established by former Bendigo teacher Jackson Clayton who moved to Gapuwiyak at the start of the year to take up a teaching position
Mr Clayton, whose brother, Rhys, teaches at Heathcote Primary School, said the idea for a clothing drive arose from a staff discussion about the best ways to raise money to buy new equipment for the school.
“We decided to link the school fete with a local music festival which will bring people to the area, and the idea of running a clothing drive came about simply because of necessity,” he said.
“There are no clothing stores for three hours in any direction, so it’s not easy for people to get clothes and it’s the same situation for all of the communities who will be coming in for the festival.
“We reasoned that if we could source clothes from somewhere, it would be a real hit and a chance for everyone to replenish their wardrobes.
“I grew up in Bendigo, I know it’s a very generous community where families regularly donate clothes to organisations such as the Salvation Army, and I had good school contacts there so it made sense.”
Through family members at Crusoe College, Heathcote and Monash University, Mr Clayton got the clothing drive under way.
Notices were placed in school newsletters inviting students and families to donate clothes, and he gave presentations at the primary and secondary school during a recent visit home. The response has been fantastic.
“On his visit home, Jackson showed a video of the Gapuwiyak school to our students and they were absolutely fascinated to hear about life in such a remote community,” Heathcote principal Cindi Bruechert said.
“We were absolutely inundated with clothing - there must have been 15-20 bags from our school alone.”
Crusoe College staff member and Mr Clayton’s mother, Mandy Clayton, leaves on Friday to transport the clothing to Gapuwiyak.
The school fete is on August 31.
BENDIGO’S residential Strategy will be reviewed because of greater than expected growth.
The State Government has announced a grant of $50,000 to carry out the review.
The review is needed because, according to the State Government, 40 per cent of the forecast growth between 2006 and 2031 had already been realised.
Regional Development Parliamentary Secretary Damian Drum made the announcement this morning.
Mr Drum said the Bendigo Residential Strategy Review would deliver greater community and investor certainty, helping the region grow.
“The Bendigo Residential Development Strategy was adopted in 2004 and is currently being audited because of the faster than anticipated growth that has occurred in Bendigo in recent years,” he said.
“Strong residential growth has many flow-on economic benefits and having a clear framework for future development will position Greater Bendigo City Council to undertake more detailed, place-based planning in the future.”
Deputy Premier Peter Ryan said about 40 per cent of the forecast growth between 2006 and 2031 had already been realised.
The Residential Strategy impacts directly on where and how property developments use “infill” parcels of land, range of housing styles and also on housing affordability.
“This project will review the strategy, assess current and estimated land supply and demand and consider various legislative and policy changes,” Mr Ryan said,
“It will also consider the latest demographic data and establish a new strategic framework to guide the long-term residential growth of Greater Bendigo.
“The project will result in a revised residential strategy that will give developers, the community and service providers greater surety and confidence about where land can be developed for residential purposes, and that sufficient land is available to accommodate the City of Greater Bendigo’s future growth.”
Mr Ryan said a contemporary strategic planning framework was essential to the economic development of a large regional centre like Bendigo.
“Clearly identifying future growth options and supporting infrastructure needs will enable the Greater Bendigo City Council and other infrastructure providers to plan their capital works programs well in advance,” he said.
“Identifying long-term growth areas will enable the council and other service authorities to start planning for the delivery of services, thereby minimising the lag time between when residential development occurs and when the services need to be in place.”
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