AUGUST 29, 2017 \ STARWEEKLY.COM.AU
NEWS + SPORT + PROPERTY GUIDE
A big day for Dadda’s boy
(Damjan Janevski)
Mount Macedon’s Paul Hill is looking forward to Fathers Day with his 19-month-old son Charlie. It seems Mr Hill got his Father’s Day present a little early. “He’s just started talking,” Mr Hill said. “‘Dadda’ was his first word, actually.” The young father is loving fatherhood, particularly the nappy changing – or so he jokes. Like many dads, Mr Hill is looking forward to a quiet day and a meal with his family on Sunday. Father’s Day is traditionally a day to indulge dad’s favourite past-time or simply spend time with him. In Macedon Ranges, there’s plenty of events to share with all sorts of dads. Carlsruhe CFA’s Wine and Food Festival will offer art, music, food, wine, beer, craft stalls and children’s activities. Nearby, the Kyneton Daffodil and Arts Festival will be in full swing with a wide range of activities. Or just take the chance to enjoy the first weekend of spring in the beautiful region. Serena Seyfort
Macedon takes a stand By Serena Seyfort Macedon Ranges council is determined to protect the shire’s character “from inappropriate development”. The council is calling on the state government to come up with a new set of planning guidelines specifically for non-metropolitan areas. At a meeting last week, Cr Helen Radnedge said the specific guidelines were necessary “to protect the cultural heritage and built form character” of areas such as the Macedon Ranges. The council will ask Planning Minister Richard Wynne to look at its request for changes and to grant an interim two-storey height limit
for new buildings approved in the shire in the next two years. Under changes to the Victoria Planning Provisions introduced in March, residential buildings in general residential zones can be up to three-storeys and 11 metres high. Previously they were restricted to two-storeys and nine metres. Cr Radnedge said the changes were “resulting in homogenous housing types better suited to metropolitan growth areas” and failed “to account for rural styles, character and circumstances”. Mayor Jennifer Anderson agreed the new state planning guidelines did not take into
account the differences between the Macedon Ranges and Melbourne. “They don’t get that we’re different to Melbourne,” Cr Anderson said. “Rural living is different to metro. “We are going to VCAT [Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal] more and more often with our community and councillors having a different interpretation of neighbourhood character.” The council last month rejected for a second time plans for what would have been the first apartment building in Gisborne. The council denied the permit, against the recommendation of council officers. The
applicant had taken the case to VCAT and been referred back to the council. At the time, Cr Radnedge said apartments were “out of character for the whole region”. The council’s move to request a new set of planning controls for rural areas was widely supported. But Cr Henry Bleeck spoke against the motion, saying the community needed to keep moving forward. “Diversity is what we need – it actually makes the shire,” he said. “It’s important we go down that track rather than stopping everything.” The motion was passed 7-2.