24 Aug NEWSLETTER AUGUST 2022
Please Renew Your BHA Membership (and please encourage others to join)
The Barwon Heads Association (BHA) wishes to thank our members for their wonderful support over the last 12 months and looks forward to your continuing support and participation. Thank you to those of you who have renewed their membership.
We have developed a new website which we encourage you to use to renew your membership. https://barwonheadsassociation.com/
Help protect The Bellarine Rally – Please Come
August 14, 10.30am Edwards Point, Indented Head (a very beautiful part of The Bellarine)
This coming Sunday (August 14), the Combined Bellarine Community Associations (CBCA), in conjunction with Protect the Bellarine (www.https://www.protectthebellarine.com) will hold a rally at Edwards Point.
Its purpose is to maintain pressure on the State Government, and especially the new Planning Minister Lizzie Blandthorn MP, to emphasise the importance of fulfilling their 2018 promise to protect the Bellarine as a Distinctive Area and Landscapes and to maintain protected settlement boundaries for each of our communities.
Bellarine candidates for Labor (Alison Marchant) and Liberal (Donnie Grigau) have been invited as observers and possibly also Upper House member Andy Meddick, who has been very supportive of protecting the Bellarine.
Numbers are very important, so if you can spare an hour on Sunday, please come along.
Stay Safe
As you are aware the BHA is a member of the Bellarine Community Safety Committee. We urge you to take the following advice from Senior Sergeant Adrian Bickley, the Officer in Charge of the Bellarine Police Station. Barwon Heads is still being identified as an area that is experiencing a high number of thefts which is significantly influenced by theft from motor vehicles.
Police are asking local community members to be vigilant in locking their vehicles as well as being conscious of their surroundings and who is in it. Senior Sergeant Bickley said, “Barwon Heads is a small community and this can work positively in regards to reducing crimes in this community. If, as a local, you see somebody acting suspiciously in your street, or you see a vehicle you have never seen before loitering in your street and the actions of the people you are observing make you feel they are up to no good…then call 000”.
Senior Sergeant Bickley advises that by calling 000 a job is recorded and the closest available police unit is dispatched to attend. “There may be a police car around the corner but if you don’t call 000 police may miss out on the chance of catching some offenders or at least identifying who is in the street acting suspiciously”.
Senior Sergeant Bickley said that there appears to be some confusion still occurring on when to call the police. His advice is that If you think a crime may be occurring then call 000. Let the police that attend figure it out. If you wish to report to police something that has already happened for instance, you wake up in the morning and find your letter box damaged or you have located some lost property, then call the Police Assistance Line on 131444.
Local police are also working with the City of Greater Geelong and Barwon Coast management in having more CCTV cameras placed in Barwon Heads in preparation for this coming summer and police are already commencing planning for summer policing.
Senior Sergeant Bickley said the local community and police can work together regarding crimes being reported and police attending and investigating in quick response to a call being made and this will help lower crime and help to ensure the safety of all persons living in the Barwon Heads community.
To prevent theft of your plates, bring your vehicle to Bunnings Leopold Store Car Park on Saturday 13 August and volunteers will fix anti-theft screws on-the-spot for a gold coin donation.
With the increased costs of fuel, the theft of number plates is on the rise. Affixing one-way screws to your number plates can prevent them being stolen. A stolen number plate is not just an inconvenience. Your number plates can be fitted to a stolen car and that car used in a range of crimes.
Scout Raffle Tickets are Now Available
The Vic Scouts Monster Raffle has been launched. This is a fantastic raffle with over 100 prizes to be won! First prize is a Suzuki Vitara! Tickets are $2 each and Barwon Heads Scouts get 100% of the money.
This year the funds raised will go toward some urgently needed repairs to the two Scout Nissen huts in the Village Park that have sprung some serious leaks, and also toward the on-going project to establish new premises for the Barwon Heads Scout Group.
It is a digital raffle! All transactions take place within a personalised Group web page and you receive the tickets you buy directly via email.
Use this link to go to the website and buy your tickets using your credit card.
https://scoutsvic.raffletix.com.au/1stbarwonheads?sref=pynbttw7
If you have any questions, please contact Pip, the Treasurer of the Barwon Heads Scouts via email treasurerbhscouts@gmail.com or text 0448 883 310.
Planning Applications
We are constantly watching planning applications, and most are ok, comply with the guidelines and go through to the keeper. Some however, especially those in areas with heritage overlays and proposing large scale buildings in strategic locations cause us to interrogate further and understand the long-term impacts and precedents for future developments.
Many of you have expressed your surprise and concern about the scale and impact of the proposed development of the iconic Barwon Heads site at 2-4 Stephens Pde.
These sites are bounded by Stephens Parade to the south and Golf Links Road along its shorter frontage to the east. Abutting the north of the site is Barwon Heads Golf Club and the 7th hole of the Barwon Heads golf course, to the east over the road are the 4th and 5th holes of the golf course with views over the first 6 holes. There is crown land to the south of the site which has dense native vegetation. The properties are located within a broader Heritage Overlay area the Golf Links Heritage Area, identified as HO1650 in the Schedule to the Heritage Overlay of the Greater Geelong Planning Scheme.
The BHA objection is on our website – and you can object until Council makes a decision.
Permit Number PP1587/2021 2-4 Stephens Pde.
OUR NEXT MEETING Monday 29th August, at the Senior Citizens from 7.00pm
Richard Weatherly OAM will be speaking to his submission to the Bellarine DAL on the birds in the area and the importance of corridors and the dangers of fragmentation and corridor destruction.
Richard has Illustrated a detailed written study of a single specialized subject “The Fairy Wrens, has written or co-authored scientific papers in Australia and internationally, worked on CCAMLR Ecosystem Monitoring project developed by the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources; published a book about birds, animals and people “A Brush with Birds”, which contains the observations, experiences and adventures of a life spent watching birds.
Richard has been awarded a Medal in the Order of Australia for contributions to the visual arts, conservation and the environment.
SAVE THE DATES OCTOBER/NOVEMBER (more info to follow)
MONDAY 17TH BHA AGM 7:00pm at Seniors
TUESAY 25TH Barwon Heads Community farewell to Lisa Neville morning tea
11:00am at the Community Arts Hub.
THURSDAY 10TH NOVEMBER – State Election Forum 7:00pm at the Barwon Heads Hall