07 Nov NEWSLETTER NOVEMBER
We are late this month so our October newsletter is now the November one.
Talking Heads
Another wonderful edition of Talking Heads for Spring. Summer edition will be out early December. Here is the link for spring: click here
Upcoming Events
Please come to our AGM on the 18th of November at 5:30pm at the new Bowling Club.
We have invited our representative for the Bellarine Alison Marchant to join us and the Principal of the Barwon Heads Primary School Rob Bennetts to discuss plans for the schools 150 years celebrations.
We are seeking new Committee members – please contact Philip on 0487 498 002 or come to the next committee meeting at the seniors on the 12th of November at 9:00am. Our committee members are connected to a range of local groups and initiatives, and you can determine how involved you want to be – if you are passionate about the park, the beach, getting better value for your rates, engaging with CoGG on trees, traffic etc or something else in town please join us.
The current Committee is looking for input from members on reviewing our objectives and agreeing a strategy for the next few years. Your ideas and expertise are needed.
We are also hoping to have a representative at CoGG meetings – if this floats your boat let us know.
Local Government Elections 2024
WELCOME CONNEWARRE
You have now all voted in the Council elections. We will be in the single Councillor ward of Connewarre. We expect our representative to be able to collaborate with the other councillors’ – otherwise this new model will be a total mess.
Results will be announced by the 15th of November – we will be sharing all we know at our AGM on the 18th and will be inviting our Connewarre representative.
Local Initiatives
Bellarine Arts Trail
www.bellarineartstrail.com.au
This is a great way to meet local artists and invest in their beautiful works. The Bellarine Arts Trail includes over 90 Bellarine artists who are opening their studios and collective venues across 40 venues in Barwon Heads, Ocean Grove, Pt Lonsdale and Queenscliff over the Melbourne Cup long weekend 2-3 November 2024.
Barwon Heads School – 150 years celebration planned for 2025
We are excited to celebrate with the school its 150 years – which is amazing for a small town. Rob the Principal will speak at out AGM, and he has written a great piece later in this newsletter.
Barwon Heads & District Pony Club (Inc)
Fundraising – the club has been operating for over 60 years and it has a proud history of being a thriving community hub for members and their horses. Even though member numbers have dwindled at the club over the past 10 years they are growing again and undertaking a fundraising to improve its facilities. Here is the link if you want to contribute: https://gofund.me/e46b2827
Planning
Wakeboard park – still waiting for a new application, but regardless of its re positioning on the site we remain concerned about its location and the disposal or leakage of water into ground water or by surface flows from this site which would directly impact the saline environment of the abutting Ramsar protected wetlands and which may result in significant negative impacts on its ecology and biodiversity.
Development in Paringa Lane – Planning Permit Number: 633/2024 for the construction of a retaining wall the proposed works are within land affected by a Significant Landscape Overlay. The BHA considers that the site does have a boundary “adjacent” to the river and accordingly the impact on the riverfront is a relevant planning consideration. “Buildings and works should be set back to maintain the open landscape along the waterway”. Further, the landscape character objectives include:
To ensure buildings and works are not visually dominant when viewed from the waterway corridor.
To ensure the location and size of earthworks minimizes alterations to the natural topography and is consistent with the landscape character.
The BHA is concerned that the increased height and construction design of the proposed retaining wall will be more visually dominant than the existing wall and the type of construction of adjacent walls and accordingly may be inconsistent with the existing landscape character.
To enable proper evaluation of the application we have requested that the following further information should be made available for assessment and public comment:
- The existing ground levels of the site (demolition of 4 dwellings having been completed)
- What are the proposed ground levels of the consolidated site at the retaining wall, proposed new building external walls and the Paringa Lane and Talbot St. boundaries?
- Hydraulic Modelling Setup, Existing Flood Depth, Level, and Hazard, proposed Conditions Flood Depth, Level and Hazard and Flood Level Difference Plot all show existing dwellings of which 4 have been demolished.
- Do these diagrams accurately reflect the current situation?
- The report states (Section 5 Results) – “the retaining wall in conjunction with the proposed building layout reduces the extent of flooding within the site.” If the existing ground levels are maintained what is the finished ground level to be to reduce flooding?
“it is also expected to eliminate the inundation of the depression running from Talbot St to Riverside Lane”. The maps appear to indicate an extensive depression to the west of the development.
Works by Barwon Water
Work on roads and track into village Park are still under way.
We expect:
All roads to be repaired to their original state and improved if possible
The return of the Firth Memorial and significant replanaing
The side road along Barwon Heads Road to be fully reinstated and vegetation replaced
An improvement of drainage at the corner of Barwon Heads Rd and Cottesloe Drive.
Traffic and Parking
We convened a meeting in October attended by representatives from COGG, Barwon Coast, BHA & Ocean Grove. We are concerned that the restructure of Regional Roads has resulted in far fewer resources, and we are now struggling to get responses to our requests for information. We have advised Alison Marchant of our concerns. Barwon Heads and Ocean Grove are very reliant on Regional Roads, Golf Links Rd, Bridge Rd, the Spit Rd are all arterial roads. So we rely on them for pedestrian amenity as well as road maintenance.
CoGG Have Your Say
Road Management Plan Review 2025
Do you have ideas or concerns about the maintenance of footpaths or roads? Join the upcoming CoGG workshops to help guide the City’s future maintenance standards.
Learn more about the project yoursay.
Bird Flu
We understand that there are dead shearwaters on the ocean grove beach – this is not unusual, but because we are all concerned about the threat of Bird Flu if you find dead seabirds on a beach in Victoria, you can call the DELWP Customer Contact Centre on 136 186 Monday to Friday, 8 AM to 6 PM. You should call if the deaths are suspicious or in mass.
Emergency Markers
There has been confusion about the new emergency markers. Barwon Coast have advised as follows:
Barwon Coast is liaising with RapidMap and 000 to implement the final stage of upgrading the emergency markers in accordance with State guidelines and plan to complete this upgrade by Christmas 2024.
Messages from Barwon Heads Primary School
It was June 1875 when Barwon Heads Primary School opened its doors for the first time on a two-acre plot near the corner of Geelong Road and Lings Road.
The newly formed Barwon Heads township was just starting to emerge into the beautiful village by the sea that it is today, but the role that Barwon Heads Primary School played in the lives of children remains as crucial as ever. The school’s doors stayed open throughout the Depression, World Wars, and, more recently, the long lockdowns of COVID. It’s only fitting then that we celebrate the 150th anniversary in style.
The school has established deep community roots over the past 150 years and many thousands of students have walked through its gates. In 2025 we look forward to sharing some of their stories and celebrating this milestone with current and past families and staff, and the wider community.
We are busily planning a schedule of events including a free community celebration day and a possible commemorative Gala Dinner to mark the legacy of the school.
As well as honouring the school’s rich history, the 150th anniversary will be an opportunity to unveil our vision for the future.
In celebrating this milestone, we hope to draw on the goodwill of Barwon Heads residents and invite all members of the community to be part of the school’s legacy – including some vital new projects.
We’d like to welcome Association members’ participation and ideas for these events. There are many ways to join – volunteering or donating your time in other ways, investing in legacy projects or sponsoring events. Not to mention spreading the word and sharing the joy of the celebration with our 430 students and their families.
No matter how long or deep your link to Barwon Heads Primary School is, we hope this celebration can deepen your connection to this special community and for you to share our sense of hope and positivity for the future.
If you’d like to be involved, please get in touch. We look forward to sharing a memorable 150th anniversary celebration for Barwon Heads Primary School with you.
Warm regards,
Rob Bennetts
Principal
robin.bennetts@education.vic.
Ph. (03) 5254 2324
Please renew your membership
Thank you to our very loyal members and especially those who have renewed so promptly. We are looking for new ideas and members for the Committee – please share. Click on the following link to our website or copy this link into your web browser and complete the membership form.
https://
Make the payment (INCLUDING YOUR FULL NAME) using your online banking to the BHA Account
Account Name: Barwon Heads Association
BSB: 633000
Account Number: 130256704
