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Art in action Melton artist Rebekah Cole has always been encouraged to be creative. Now working as a web and graphic designer during the day, and making her art outside of work, she likes to refer to herself as a general creative. “I grew up in a creative household … it was always encouraged for me to be a creative person and was something I always leant towards.” Her art is made primarily through digital illustration in which she creates stories to go along with the artworks. Last year, she found a clear direction for her art through the ArtsACTION program, a free series of online professional development sessions and a partnership with Helen Macpherson Smith Trust and Melton council. “They really helped me define where I want to go with my art,” Cole said. Cole said the program pushed her to take the next steps. “I would recommend this program for people that are looking to make more out of their arts practice or build on their arts practice. It doesn’t matter whether you’re just starting out or a more established artist.” The program is now in its fourth round and artists can apply to participate now. Details: popupart.com.au/artsaction
Artist Rebekah Cole with her artwork. (Damjan Janevski) 268508
West conservation push By Alesha Capone A report has recommended the state government consider bringing forward the acquisition of 15,000 hectares of land to create a conservation area stretching from the You Yangs to Werribee River. In 2019, the Victorian Parliament agreed to establish an inquiry into environmental infrastructure needed for areas of growing populations, particularly parks and open space. The Legislative Assembly’s Environment and Planning Committee delivered its report on the topic in February. During its community consultation
for the report, the committee heard from representatives of both Wyndham and Melton councils who were concerned about the delayed delivery of the Western Grassland Reserve (WGR). Ten years ago, the state government began reserving 15,000 hectares of land to protect the critically endangered natural temperate grasslands of the Victorian Volcanic Plain, which provides a habitat for 65 nationally threatened species and 173 threatened species. The state government said the land would become a grassland conservation park around Mount Cottrell and north of Little River, to be known as the WGR. The WGR will be mostly located in
Wyndham but includes 1500 hectares in Melton. Several stakeholders have expressed concern about the delay in the establishment of the WGR under, according to the Environment and Planning Committee report. In its submission to the committee, Wyndham council stated that the proposed WGR “was a key mechanism established to offset the biodiversity losses associated with urban development and to protect critically endangered grasslands”. “Although the reserve was to be delivered in 2020, as of April 2020 less than 15 per cent of the reserve has been secured and there is significant concern that the biodiversity
values on the remaining private lands within the reserve area are in decline,” the council’s submission stated. Melton council’s planning and development general manager Luke Shannon said that the council would certainly urge for the 15,000 hectares “to be acquired at the earliest opportunity”. “Unfortunately only a quite small portion has been acquired to date, and the area is degrading quite significantly,” he said. The report recommended: “That Victorian government consider bringing forward the acquisition of the 15,000 hectares of land identified for the Western Grassland Reserve, along with interim acquisition targets”.
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