Yarri Yarns

26 March 2021 Newsletter

The March Council meeting was held on Wednesday. Minutes from the meeting will be available on council's website next week.

Community Road Safety Grant Program
This grant program encourages the Victorian community to improve road safety issues in your local community as laid out in the Victorian Road Safety Strategy 2021-2030. Grants are provided to local not-for-profit community groups and other community organisations. Projects that support vulnerable road users (people walking, riding bicycles and motorcycle riders) will be prioritised. Click here to find out more about the Community Road Safety Grant Program. Grants open on Wednesday 7 April and close on Friday 7 May.

Disability Parking Permits are changing
From 22 March 2021, we will be moving our disability parking permit system to a new online platform - the Accessible Parking Permit (APP) Scheme and new online service. The new APP Scheme and online service will provide significant improvements in the administration and enforcement of disability parking in Yarriambiack Shire, freeing up parking bays for the people who really need them.

What’s changing?
The new APP Scheme aligns with the national Australian Disability Permit Scheme (ADPS) and provides for a consistent process and permit across Victoria.
Many improvements have been made, including:
• making sure the eligibility criteria for a permit is consistent across the state,
• allowing occupational therapists to complete assessments, in addition to GPs,
• introducing a permanent disability classification, so many will no longer have to return for reassessment,
• increasing the permit length from three years to five years for individuals,
• providing temporary permits for 6, 12 or 24 months, and
• a new single permit design to be used across the state.

Centralisation and digitisation of the scheme will reduce the subjectivity of the functional assessment and enable greater ability for councils to enforce the scheme.

A reduction in duplicate and misused permits will occur through system-wide crosschecks and visibility across council boundaries. Councils will now also have state-wide visibility on permits at the parking bay to assist with enforcement. All existing Yarriambiack Shire Council permits will remain valid until they expire.
For more information on the coming changes to disability parking visit Accessible Parking Permits - APP or vicroads.vic.gov.au/app.

Council invites all residents across the shire to attend a Community Engagement Session to discuss the future needs of their town. The Community Engagement Sessions are the first activity in the extensive process of developing the 2021 – 2024 Council Plan.

The 2021 – 2024 Council Plan will include:

A community vision for the next 10 years: in 2031, what does your town look like, who lives here, what services and infrastructure are needed?
A strategic plan to work towards for the next 4 years: What can we do by 2024 to achieve these community goals?
A financially stable budget plan for the next 10 years: How do we best use Council funds to achieve these goals? What grants and alternative funding opportunities are required?
An Asset Management Plan: We need to plan for maintenance as well as new projects. How do we balance this over time?

This is your opportunity to tell Council what your community needs!

It is important to us that we engage with all members of the community during this process. Tier 1 sessions are a general forum covering all aspects of Council and community. Tier 2 sessions will include specific discussions with Councillors and the extended Senior Leadership Team on 5 areas:

Roads and Infrastructure
Family and Health
Economic Development And Tourism
Sport and Recreation
Council Services

In addition to the community engagement sessions there has been a survey developed to obtain additional information. The survey is available here or at the Customer Service Office. A copy of the survey, as well as a flier detailing the community sessions has been distributed via Australia Post.

For enquiries regarding the sessions please contact Director Community Development and Wellbeing Mr Gavin Blinman on (03) 5398 0131 or email gblinman@yarriambiack.vic.gov.au.

Complete Community Survey

The Salvo’s and Woodbine are currently not collecting goods in the donation bins. Warracknabeal's Woodbine Second hand shop is collecting but only during opening hours. Please do not dump at their door afterhours. Disposing of these goods is a costly exercise and means that your pre-loved items will end up land fill.

The Tempy Playground is now open after the installation of shade sails. Council would like to thank the Tempy community for their patience during this project.

Early Childhood Teacher - Murtoa (Full Time)
We're looking for someone to join our passionate Early Childhood Team as our Early Childhood Teacher in Murtoa. We're looking for an individual who can lead their staff and support them to deliver the best. possible education to our youngest residents. Find out more.

Community Support Worker - Warracknabeal (Part Time)
We're on the hunt for a caring, passionate person to take on the part-time Community Support Worker role based in Warracknabeal. This role provides practical assistance to our clients with a range of quality home support services for the frail, aged, adults and children with a disability and/or their carers to promote independence, social participation and enhance quality of life with dignity.
If this sounds like you, visit our website for more information.

GAMES DAY EVERY THURSDAY AT THE YARRIAMBIACK LIBRARY WARRACKNABEAL 1PM TO 4.30PM

Every Thursday from 1pm to 4.30pm the Library will be hosting board games. This opportunity is for everyone to socialise, make new acquaintances, meet with old friends and most importantly have fun. By offering over 10 different board games everyone is inspired to come along and embrace the library for all it has to offer.

SCHOOL HOLIDAY ACTIVITY PACKS

The Yarriambiack Library has worked hard on creating a fun activity pack for the school holidays!

If you are interested in an activity pack please send us a private message or phone us on: (03) 53981270. Activity packs can either be picked up at the Warracknabeal Library or be delivered through words on wheels!

Community Piano Opening 23 March 2021

Yarriambiack Shire Council officially unveiled the Community Piano in Warracknabeal on Tuesday 23 March. The Piano has been a collaborative project between the Yarriambiack Youth Action Council and the Warracknabeal Arts Council. The piano was donated by Meg Streeter and her family. The piano had been in Ms Streeter’s family since the 1950s, passed down through generations. The piano was prepared by Youth Action Councillors and painted by local artist Abby Sleep. Located in a shop window during the painting stage, local residents have had a sneak peek into the progress of the project.

Yarriambiack Shire Council Chief Executive Officer Ms Jessie Holmes said, “The community piano is a wonderful example of how council and community, when working together can achieve great things. The piano will bring lots of joy to the streetscape of Warracknabeal and we hope that residents enjoy the piano for many years to come”.

A crowd of approximately 30 people attended the official unveiling of the community piano and were treated by some wonderful songs by local residents. Council would like to thank the Streeter Family for the donation of the piano, the Arts Council and Men’s Shed for their assistance with the project and David Kranz for the use of his shop during the preparation and painting of the piano. The Warracknabeal community piano is located on Woolcock Street between Café Pharmacino and the Chemist and is available to all residents to play and enjoy.

Pictured:
Top (from left to right): Youth Councillor Sailor Knorpp, Youth Officer Justin Knorpp, artist Abby Sleep, donor Meg Streeter, Youth Councillor Sophie Evans, Mayor Graeme Massey, pianist Graeme Addinsall and Councillor Karly Kirk at the unveiling of the community piano in Warracknabeal.

Below Left: Meg Streeter and brother Lynton Brown play a duet on the piano

Below Right: Artist Abby Sleep with the community piano she was commissioned to paint.

COMMUNITY NEWS

The National Drought and North Queensland Flood Response and Recovery Agency (the Agency)works hand-in-hand with communities, all levels of government, charities and agricultural organisations to support farmers and rural and regional Australians living through the immediate and longer-term effects of drought and flood. Our aim is to ensure people and communities are given the support they need to be better prepared now and into the future.

The Agency in conjunction with Rotary Australia will be conducting community outreach events throughout drought-affected districts in regional Australia to bring together community members and share with them important information about available drought support and how to access it. Under this Australian Government initiative, agencies will travel to drought-affected communities to assist farming households.

Rotary will be distributing $500 vouchers to drought-affected households and conducting community well-being activities at the outreach events. The outreach events provide opportunities for face-to-face, confidential conversations with farmers and community members experiencing the impacts of drought.

Australian Government agencies involved included the Australian Taxation Office, Regional Investment Corporation, Services Australia, along with NBN Co., state agriculture and natural resource management organisations, peak agricultural bodies, the Rural Financial Counselling Service and Royal Flying Doctor Services. For more information please contact us at communityoutreach@droughtandflood.gov.au

Wind farm generates grants opportunity

The Murra Warra Wind Farm 1 Sustainable Community Grants Fund will provide financial support to promote social and environmental sustainability initiatives for the benefit of communities within the Horsham Rural City, Hindmarsh and Yarriambiack shire councils.

It is part of the wind farm’s community investment program.

Wimmera Development Association project manager Vernetta Taylor said $55,000 was available across the three municipalities. Not-for-profit groups or organisations can apply for small grants of up to $5000 or large grants of up to $20,000.

“It also aims to strengthen community connections and social wellbeing in developing projects focusing on long-term sustainability; to develop projects that enhance and encourage healthy and active communities; and to develop projects which enhance cultural diversity, creative community activities and projects.”

Applications open on March 1 and close at 5pm on April 12.

Applications forms are available via www.murrawarrawindfarm.com or www.wda.org.au

Hard copy application forms are available on request.

For more information please phone Vernetta Taylor on 0419 114 274.

PROGRAM GUIDELINES - DOWNLOAD HERE

LINK TO ONLINE APPLICATION - CLICK HERE

LINK TO PRINTABLE APPLICATION - CLICK HERE

Have you got a photo you'd like to share with the Yarriambiack community? Send it to kcolbert@yarriambiack.vic.gov.au