We are five years old!

Latest News

The flora thinks it is still autumn, shedding its beautiful foliage as this is written.The past three months have been exceedingly busy both for Committee members and Friends - hence the combined newsletter.

Members of the Greater Shepparton community have the opportunity to submit to the City Council's proposed C50 amendment to include heritage overlays on the local planning scheme. This overlay offers protection against inappropriate development of identified local heritage precincts! Due 4 July.

As members publicly know and the media also publicised in October 2004 - the former Village precinct was strongly recommended to City Council for heritage overlay by Heritage Victoria.
This recommendation followed a registration by Jenny Houlihan (Vice-President of our Association/Friends of Parkside Gardens).

The contributions of many associated with the former Village were included in the application.

Heritage Victoria, came, saw, researched, conducted a public submission exercise and a Registration Hearing before the final decision. The Bangerang Cultural Centre is listed as a State Heritage protected place now. - AS IT SHOULD BE!.

Finally, it seemed, that good sense would prevail.

However, City Council who had failed to assess the site for its historical and cultural significance to this community during its four year 'Heritage Study', claiming to HV officials that
'it was an oversight'.

In November 2004, six of the seven councillors ignored Heritage Victoria's recommendation and resolved that they would not include the precinct in the local heritage overlay plan. The Philippine House and Museum was to be considered in the local heritage planning scheme but this has yet to be prepared.

Recently an article was brought to the general meeting :

International Village

Expressions of interest are currently being sought from consortia of architects, engineers, contractors and developers, interested in submitting detailed proposals for redevelopment of this area.

The release of land immediately outside of the waterway provides the potential for an immediate return from land sales and a subsequent annual rateable income.

In general, the current proposals are to develop the external land for housing, hostel accommodation and parking and to open the whole of the garden areas to the community free of charge.

There is no intention of 'doing away' with the gardens, rather it is proposed that it be improved even further to eventually incorporate botanical gardens. Some buildings may be relocated, whilst others may be offered for business leases.

There has been and will continue to be wide community consultation in finalising the outcome for the area. (Kevin McCartney - Chief Commissioner 1995) -Wish we had known this in 2000 when the lobbying commenced to retain the precinct for the public with the democratically elected City Council.

ABC's ' Stateline' program - April 1 2005

Research journalists indicated an interest in this sorry issue earlier this year. Other Victorian municipalities are experiencing similar concerns with valued established public places. The program brought much feedback from across Victoria to encourage us in our efforts to retain this heritage recommended precinct for future generations.

The most interesting comment by former State National Party Leader Peter Ross-Edwards summed up this community's feelings:

"Shepparton lacks public gardens. Virtually every other major centre and a lot of smaller centres throughout Victoria have got gardens that they're proud of. Well, unfortunately we haven't
Don't throw the site away forever and a day. A tremendous amount of money has been spent in days gone by on creating the waterways. It' s beautiful spot out here, and I hate to say this but, in my opinion, the council are lacking vision and they're not thinking of the future..All I'm asking and I think most people are asking is to preserve this site so that, when the will's there and the money's there, it can be developed."

MEMBERSHIP

Thank you to all those members who have come out of their 'comfort zones' to write letters to newspapers, appear in the media, to support rallies/protests to highlight this community's dissatsfaction with the process undertaken by Greater Shepparton City Council over the past five years.

To learn in March this year that Council had sought and been granted a State government exemption in June 2003 not to publicly acknowledge the sale or exchange of the Parkside Gardens Precinct has been the catalyst for stronger community action such as the May 24th Parliament House steps protest against VicUrban's involvement in the destruction of our valued heritage recommended precinct.