Here is an update from Cr Helena Kirby, Mayor of Golden Plains Shire Council.
Change in leadership
On 13 December, we welcomed our newly appointed CEO, Eric Braslis and farewelled Rod Nicholls, after 23 years as CEO.
Rod led Council through Golden Plains’ unprecedented population growth, helped deliver a number of incredible infrastructure projects, championed Council’s Violence Against Women campaign and so much more. He also led Council through many challenging times, including devastating fires in Dereel and Linton.
We are extremely grateful for Rod’s decades of service.
We are also very excited to welcome Eric, who brings with him extensive experience in local government.
His previous roles include several at senior executive level at various metropolitan Melbourne Councils, the City of Ballarat and most recently as the CEO of the rural Gannawarra Shire.
Eric stood out amongst a strong field of candidates, and while we’ll miss Rod, we are delighted for this fresh new chapter for Golden Plains Shire Council.
Dereel mobile coverage up and running
Residents of Dereel and surrounds can now access 3G and 4GX mobile coverage as Telstra delivers on the Federal Government’s Mobile Black Spot programme. This is wonderful news for Dereel!
Council is very pleased that our strong lobbying efforts for improved mobile coverage are being heard. We will continue to lobby for further telecommunications improvements, and understand there is more to be done.
Fire restrictions
Fire restrictions will commence in Golden Plains Shire at 1am on Monday 18 December 2017, as declared by the CFA.
During Fire Restrictions or the 'Fire Danger Period', residents are required to obtain a permit to burn in the open air.
Projects update
We have a lot happening in the local infrastructure space, which is great for Golden Plains Shire!
We have:
- An upgraded Hall and new Men’s Shed in Dereel.
- A new playground, BMX track, tennis and netball change rooms and sporting oval in Smythesdale.
- New or upgraded tennis courts in Grenville and Lethbridge.
- Brand new lights for the Inverleigh Sporting Complex to allow night games.
- Exciting new play space in Batesford, lined up to be built in 2018.
And of course, we have the Bannockburn Heart project, which starts construction in the middle of 2018.
- This exciting $2.6 million project will create an outdoor family area in the heart of Bannockburn.
- The new space will feature water play, an adventure playground, active recreation equipment, BBQs, picnic tables, public toilets and more!
- With 48% of the Shire’s population in Bannockburn and surrounds, this will be a welcome addition for many Golden Plains’ families.
New schools in Bannockburn
We’re also very excited about the Shire’s first ever secondary school – the new Bannockburn P-12 College will open in January 2018.
The St Mary MacKillop Catholic Primary School, the Shire's first Catholic school, will open in February 2018.
It is so wonderful for local families to have more options when it comes to education.
Golden Plains Twilight Market
Residents (and visitors!) are welcome to come along to our first ever Twilight Market, an extension of our award-winning and popular monthly Farmers’ Market.
We’re going all out! We’ll have fresh produce, arts and craft, live music, food vans, entertainment for the kids as well as a beer and wine bar and a separate cocktail caravan.
This is the place to be for Christmas shopping, family fun and picking up farm-fresh supplies for your festive lunch and tea.
Only 30 minutes from Geelong and 45 mins from Ballarat, the Twilight Market will take place in Bannockburn on Thursday 21 December, at 4.00pm on the corner of Pope and Milton Streets.
Huge thank you to our sponsors Powershop and Bannockburn & District Connected Communities.
Christmas and New Year arrangements
Click here to learn more.
I wish you all a happy Christmas and New Year!
Cr Helena Kirby, Mayor