Kids’ fest inspires creativity
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.”
Rosemary Sorensen | Bendigo Weekly | 16-Feb-2012
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OUT OF THE ORDINARY: Lisa D’Onofrio, organiser of the Castlemaine Children’s Literature Festival – the next one will be held in October.
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When Lisa D’Onofrio rolled up her sleeves and threw herself into organising a Children’s Literature Festival in Castlemaine, she hoped for a decent turn-up.
It had taken all her persuasive powers, a bucket-load of patience, truck-loads of time and an enormous pile of energy to make it happen.
When she parked her bike discreetly behind Buda, the historic home in Castlemaine’s Hunter Street, and set up her table and chair ready to welcome participants, she hoped all that effort was about to pay off.
“I just love seeing kids getting into books,” Lisa said.
“It’s not about the kids sitting and listening to someone talk about their book, it’s more about them being creative producers themselves.
“I knew this was a good thing to do, and there is nothing like this during school holidays so I wanted to give it a go.”
Give it a go she did, and when 950 children turned up, about a third of them coming from Melbourne with their families to take part, Lisa was proved right.
Lisa is a newbie to the Goldfields. She moved into Castlemaine two years ago with her husband (who, among other things, does palmistry for a living) and two children.
She had worked for many years in the UK, developing skills in literacy development.
When she returned to Australia, eager to apply her skills here, she discovered that regional Australia is often left out of community development programs focusing on culture and literature.
“Regional kids don’t get as much as kids in the city,” she said.
“When we were in the UK, it was all around, you were steeped in culture, but here, there are not so many opportunities.”
A poet herself, Lisa is also keen on finding ways to inspire people to write for themselves.
Before the Festival in October last year, she worked with artists from Windarring, the Castlemaine-based support service for people with disabilities, to create an Alphabet Book.
She also teamed up with Simmone Howell for a Book Swap and Make session, where children made stories and poems using recycled materials.
“I deliberately scheduled the festival during the school holidays, because that’s when there’s a real need,” she said.
“So I aimed for something out of the ordinary, but still really accessible.”
Lisa is now working on the second Castlemaine Children’s Literature Festival, in October, following the inaugural Bendigo Writers Festival in August.
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.”
