Posted 22/5/11

This is an extract from an email a Woodend resident has sent to councillors today. What are you doing?

“If every town within an hour of Melbourne having rail and freeway access was deemed a "growth" corridor, where would people go for the R&R.  What happens when every area close to the city is compromised and laid bare to developers.

We have a duty of care to the space we inhabit, and to society in general, to protect areas which have such significant and iconic elements as does our beautiful shire.

Areas of significance should be there for all to enjoy, not to be exploited so that so few can reap so much by urban sprawl. Mt Macedon/Hanging Rock/Woodend are key to tourism. Tourism also includes our city folk who need to escape the "city/suburbs" and come to the country.

Through lax controls we have already allowed uninspiring developments to take hold in Woodend when we should be setting much higher standards. We should be building on Woodend's cornerstones (clock tower/Holgates/Devon Lodge/shire buildings/museum/old post office - what a shame that is!) and developing Woodend as a destination of which we are truly proud.

We have artists, gardeners, musicians and more in our shire and where are our displays of artwork, our meeting places for music and food, or public gardens and promenades for strolling and enjoying the wonderful landscape Woodend has to offer. What is the shire doing? Woodend people would be invigorated if such leadership was demonstrated.

Take control and say NO to further growth and shoddy developments and say YES to putting Woodend on the map and a place you MUST SEE!”

As the proponents for greater growth in Woodend seem to gain strength and our position as caretakers seems to shrink, I wonder how this will reflect on our Council’s ability to protect and nurture our very special neighbourhood.