The Bannockburn Heart is a vibrant community space in the centre of Bannockburn, Golden Plains Shire’s largest township.
Stage one
- Water play splash pad and adventure play equipment
- Upgraded site for the Golden Plains Farmers’ Market
- BBQ facilities and shade
- Public toilets and seating areas
- New car park
- Active recreation equipment
- Garden beds and planter boxes
- Relocation of Playgroup building and Scouts shed to a new location onsite
- Paved plaza for functions, events and gatherings
- Improved lighting, safety and accessibility.
Golden Plains Shire Council continues to seek government support to build Stage 2 of the Precinct featuring a village green and performance stage.
Revised masterplans have been developed for the project in preparation for the detailed designs (and then construction). These concepts show what elements are going where and meet the many requirements stipulated by our funding partners. They also reflect the community aspirations and feedback gathered in consultation since 2013. You can learn more about how the community was consulted and what they had to say via the Vision Plan Report.
Stage One and Two MasterPlan (staging plan)
Stage two - not yet funded
- Village green
- Performance stage
- Further space for the Farmers' Market.
Project status
Stage One of the Bannockburn Heart was officially opened by Golden Plains Shire Mayor Cr Own Sharkey, the Hon Senator Sarah Henderson, and Parliamentary Secretary for Sport and Regional Victoria Danielle Green MP on Thursday 19 December, 2019. Read more about the opening here.
Stage One of the precinct at the corner of Milton and Byron Streets included an impressive new water and adventure play space, active recreation equipment; and community facilities including public toilets, seating, BBQs, shade, lighting and landscaped community space.
The Heart is home to the Shire’s first water play space with splash pads for toddlers and older children, which will operate from morning to evening, seven days a week during summer. The Heart has accessible play elements and DDA compliant toilets, making it a regional destination for people with disabilities and their families.
Stage One of the Heart project has also delivered an upgraded site for the Golden Plains Farmers’ Market, a new shed for the Bannockburn Scouts, a new car park, the relocation of the Bannockburn Playgroup, and the upgrade of power and fire services at the site. Construction of Stage One of the Bannockburn Heart began on 12 April, 2019 and the goal of completing the project for the Golden Plains community to enjoy in the summer school holidays was achieved.
The $3 million Stage One project was jointly funded by $1.2 million from the Australian Government through the National Stronger Regions Fund, $1,233,500 from Council; and $566,500 in grants from the State Government with $500,000 from Regional Development Victoria’s Rural Infrastructure Fund and $66,500 from Sport and Recreation Victoria’s Community Sports Infrastructure Fund - Minor Facilities Program. In addition, Barwon Water supplied the precinct with drinking water fountains, and the Bannockburn and District Lions Club helped fund the BBQ.
Community consultation to date
Comprehensive community consultation was undertaken in 2013 to develop a Vision Report for the project. This included a community listening post in Bannockburn, with feedback forms for residents and visitors to have their say. This event was promoted through advertising, media releases and flyers.
Bannockburn Primary School students were also heavily involved in the initial consultation, with almost 200 students attending a series of workshops which included take-home messages for their parents.
Feedback from initial community engagement fed into the Draft Vision, which was put out to the community for review and feedback. Recently, revised masterplans were developed in preparation for the Detailed Designs.
In 2017, students were further involved, via an excursion to a large-scale playground, similar to that which is envisioned for the Heart. Through observation and comments, Council staff were able to see what types of equipment the children preferred and spent the most time on.
Conversation booths and online voting in relation to select aspects of the play space commenced in September 2017. Feedback from these activities will feed into the Detailed Designs for the project.
Timeline
● 2017
Community consultation and commencement of preliminary works.
● December 2018
Detailed design of stage one
● 2019
Major construction of stage one. Construction due to be completed by December 2019.
MORE INFORMATION
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