Working for Whitehorse

“If I see someone in a park with a dog off a lead, I’m not there to give them a fine, I’m there to tell them it’s an on-lead park and they need to have their dog on a lead.

“I play a role in helping people establish good habits, and that makes the city safer and look better too.”

Michelle’s designated suburbs include Box Hill and Box Hill North and she monitors situations such as long grass, dumped rubbish and overhanging branches on trees near footpaths.

She said she enjoys being out and about in the community and working remotely through her laptop, along with occasional visits to the office.

“I do my whole job outside and I work in the field all the time… it suits me to a T.”

Michelle also likes working close to home

Strategic Planning projects update

Here’s the latest news on five of the most important projects planned for Whitehorse.

AMENDMENT C220 – IMPLEMENTING THE WHITEHORSE RESIDENTIAL CORRIDORS BUILT FORM STUDY

This involves setting development guidelines for land in the Residential Growth Zone along the Burwood Highway and Whitehorse Road corridors.

After receiving 16 submissions during public exhibition, Council asked State Planning Minister Sonya Kilkenny to appoint a planning panel, and a hearing was held on 4–5 May.

AMENDMENT C230 – 490-500 BURWOOD HIGHWAY, VERMONT SOUTH (FORMER ARRB SITE)

The amendment proposes to rezone the former ARRB site to a Residential Growth Zone. After 41 submissions were received, a panel hearing was held from 7–10 February 2023. The panel’s report was received on 16 March 2023 and will be considered at a future Council meeting.

AMENDMENT C241 – IMPLEMENTING THE WHITEHORSE DEVELOPMENT CONTRIBUTIONS PLAN (DCP)

The DCP proposes to apply to all land within Whitehorse, and 133 community and development infrastructure projects have been identified in the plan. The DCP proposes to collect $32.3m from new development toward the cost of these projects over 20 years. The State Planning Minister appointed an independent planning panel to consider the 14 submissions received on the amendment. While a formal hearing was not needed, the panel’s report has been received and will be considered at a future Council meeting.

AMENDMENT C245 – DRAFT MINISTERIAL AMENDMENT TO THE WHITEHORSE PLANNING SCHEME FOR BOX HILL CENTRAL NORTH PRECINCT

The owner of Box Hill Central, Vicinity Centres, applied to the State Planning Minister for an amendment to the Whitehorse Planning Scheme to approve a Specific Controls Overlay (SCO) for the Box Hill Central North precinct. The overlay has a proposed masterplan, which includes seven multi-level buildings ranging and being able to bring her own experiences as a Whitehorse resident into her day job.

“I put my hat on as a resident, and I think about what would I like, and then I can make things better for Whitehorse residents,” she said.

“I get satisfaction out of making things better for the community.” between 19 and 49 levels, new and enhanced public spaces, and a pedestrian and bicycle network.

Council raised a number of concerns in a submission sent to the Planning Minister on 6 March 2023. Mayor Cr Mark Lane has also written to the Minister Sonya Kilkenny emphasising the need for a Standing Advisory Committee to consider submissions.

Built Environment Showcase And Education Program

This initiative promotes and encourages the value of good design, creative thinking, innovation and sustainability in the built environment within the municipality. This year’s Built Environment Education Event was held on 2 May as part of Council’s Sustainability Week. It focused on passive house design and included a keynote speech from Gruen Eco Design founder Simone Schenkel.

L For more information about any of these projects, contact the Strategic Planning Unit on 9262 6303 or visit www.whitehorse.vic.gov.au/ planning-and-building

Have your say now on East Burwood Reserve

Council’s East Burwood Reserve Masterplan is out for public consultation – and we want you to help us shape the future of this amazing precinct.

The proposed plan will guide the future use of the reserve for the next 15 years to meet the needs of our changing and growing community.

Many major projects are proposed in the Draft Masterplan. Some highlights include:

▪ a 2.5m wide shared pedestrian and bike path circuit

▪ a large scale play and communal space including BBQs, shelters and public toilets at the north-western corner of the reserve

▪ creating a new youth area including a pump track for BMX riders, multipurpose sports courts and skating facilities at the south-western part of the reserve

▪ a new fenced dog park, also nearby at the south-western part of the reserve

▪ progressively renewing and upgrading sports pavilions –of which shared use facilities will be explored to increase their use and benefits.

Q&A session

Talk to us and get answers to your questions at our Q&A session from 3.30pm–5.30pm on Wednesday 14 June at East Burwood Hall, 310 Burwood Hwy, Burwood East.

Submissions close on 22 June. Visit yoursay.whitehorse.vic.gov. au/east-burwood-reserve to have your input.

If you need help accessing documents or providing feedback, contact Council’s Leisure and Recreation Services team on 9262 6371.

Whitehorse Meals on Wheels soup-er launch!

Our new Whitehorse Meals on Wheels free service commences 1 July and we’d love you to join us for a special celebration.

Join us for some soup, socialising and heart-warming time with local volunteers. All welcome! We look forward to feeding you.

When: Saturday 1 July, 11am to 2pm Where: Community Kitchen, Level 2, Nunawading Community Hub, 96-106 Springvale Rd, Nunawading

L For more information on our launch event, or if you’re interested in volunteering with Whitehorse Meals on Wheels, please give Rebecca a call on 0421 230 129 or 1800 718 326 or drop us an email at enquiry@mowfuturefit.com.au

Have your say

Share your ideas and provide feedback on issues and projects that matter to you!

Register as a user on Your Say Whitehorse to receive notifications of new consultations.

To sign up to Your Say Whitehorse, visit yoursay.whitehorse.vic.gov.au

We want to hear from you – have your say today!

Whitehorse presents HIT Productions’

The Sunshine Club.

Where: One Community, Blackburn.

When: Friday 7 July 7.30pm and Saturday 8 July 1.30pm.

Bookings: Tickets via theround.com.au or call the Box Office on 9262 6555

‘Fun Australian Musical’ hits Blackburn

Theatre lovers will be transported back to Brisbane in post WWII when The Sunshine Club lands in Whitehorse next month.

The production follows the story of Aboriginal solider Frank Doyle and was written by Noonuccal Nuugi man Wesley Enoch AM, with songs composed by John Rodgers.

Frank returns home from serving in WWII and discovers that while the world may have changed, the same attitudes and prejudices still exist at home.

Filled with a desire to change things for the better, Frank starts The Sunshine Club, a place where all people are welcome to come together, laugh, romance and dance, and he sets out to win the heart of the girl next door, Rose.

The Sunshine Club stars a cast of emerging talent including Trent Owers (pictured), who plays the role of travelling salesman Peter.

Owers said he was delighted to be reprising his character following a season in Brisbane during 2022, describing it as 100 per cent fun to play the ‘smarmy’ role.

Youth Committee celebrates 21st birthday!

Put your creative mark on Box Hill

Calling all artists and muralists!

Whitehorse City Council is on the search for an experienced mural artist to paint six low-level murals on garden bed retaining walls in Box Hill. We are inviting artists who have a strong cultural connection to the Whitehorse area and the community, who can represent this in their work. This is a unique opportunity to have your work on display in bustling Box Hill and to be viewed by potentially thousands of people every day.

Applications close at 5pm Friday 16 June 2023. Apply: www.whitehorse.vic.gov.au/activate

Council congratulates the Whitehorse Youth Representative Committee (WYRC) on reaching a major milestone and celebrating its 21st year of operation this year.

The Committee was established in 2002 and provides a formal link between young people and Whitehorse City Council.

The musical covers themes of racism, mixed race relationships and discrimination.

“There is not a lot of original Australian theatre, about Australia, about First Nations people,” Owers said. “Come and see a fun Australian musical.”

The Sunshine Club is at One Community, Blackburn on 7 and 8 July, and is touring nationally with support of the Federal Government’s Australia Council.

Connect with The Round on social media by following @theroundmelb on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter

It comprises a group of young volunteers aged 12–25 years that act as a voice for young people, advocating on their behalf to Council and to the wider community on important youth related issues.

Every year, WYRC members learn various training and leadership skills and deliver a diverse range of activities, events and projects.

The key objectives of the Committee are to develop a positive profile of young people in the community, consult with the broader youth population, report to Council on the aspirations of young people and to assist in the creation of new opportunities for young people to be involved in their community.

Moses shows us ‘The Scenery of Things’

A respected photographer from Melbourne’s east has taken photos of ordinary things in his neighbourhood and transformed them into striking artworks for this month’s feature exhibition at Whitehorse Artspace, Box Hill Town Hall.

Moses Tan has created more than 40 pieces for his exhibition ‘The Scenery Of Things’, which opens at Artspace on 3 June and continues until 1 July.

Moses was a longtime photography tutor at Box Hill Institute and science teacher at Vermont Secondary College, and has had a lifelong passion for photography.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, he began taking photos during walks near his Wantirna home of basic scenes such as cracks and water marks on a road bridge underpass, and the textures on a wooden bench. He then digitally edited the photos at home and reimagined them into new landscapes with different colours and gradients. The results are art pieces depicting scenes such as rain storms, flower petals in a pond, garden scenes and satellite images of the earth.

The exhibition provides an insight into his creative mind and shows how the most basic scenes can be transformed into breathtaking pieces of art.

Moses said he hoped the exhibition inspired people to explore the potential of the images they capture and how they can be reimagined into something new.

“There is an image to be captured everywhere around you if you know where to look… you just have to be open to whatever’s there in front of you and what it possibly suggests,” he said.

You can experience ‘The Scenery of Things’ by visiting the Whitehorse Artspace at Box Hill Town Hall, 1022 Whitehorse Rd, Box Hill. Entry is free and opening hours are 10am–4pm Tuesday-Friday, and 12pm–4pm on Saturday.

L For more information phone the gallery on 9262 6250 or visit www.boxhilltownhall.com.au/ moses-tan-scenery-things

‘Living Memorial’ created by Artist in Residence

The Box Hill Community Arts Centre hosts an active Artist in Residence program, supporting both emerging and established artists to develop their practice within a community setting.

This program aims to contribute to the rich cultural diversity within the City of Whitehorse by connecting the local community through art and promoting the centre as a leading Victorian arts facility.

Recently, the centre presented ‘Hero’, an exhibition showcasing the site-specific creative practice of its award-winning artist in residence, Marynes Avila.

This immersive exhibition intersected history, art and science and was the culmination of Avila’s three-year artist residency at Box Hill Community Arts Centre.

Hero’s visual narrative incorporated bronze sculpture, digital photographs on silk, embroidery and solid sculptures of pine needles, pen and ink drawing on paper, photo-micrographic video and soundscape.

Paying homage to the living ANZAC emblem, Avila’s heartfelt installation encapsulated the journey of the Lone Pine tree seeds collected from the site of the historic WW1 Battle of Lone Pine in Gallipoli. These seeds were collected by Private Thomas Keith McDowell and given to his aunt Emma Gray, who planted them. As one of these seedlings grew, it was transplanted to Wattle Park in Burwood 90 years ago. Today, this is the oldest surviving Lone Pine/Pinus Brutia in Australia.

Avila collected millions of pine needles from this tree, and used these to create her moving installation. Avila considers the tree as a living memorial, and this became the basis for her final Artist in Residency exhibition.

To find out more about the Box Hill Community Arts Centre’s Artist in Residence program, call into the gallery at 470 Station St, Box Hill and speak to the friendly staff, or phone them on 9895 8888.