WHYLD Projects
PROJECT 1: WHYLD Events
Background
- A draught horse festival was organised for a number of years by the Hoddles Creek CFA. This was a well-loved festival and is no longer held for a number of reasons including the sale of the land where it was located.
Objective
- A festival, farmers market, or some other event is considered highly valuable to create a sense of identity for the district based on our agricultural strengths, to provide a focus for people to come together and to create economic value.
Options and opportunities
- A berry festival
- A focus on alternative lifestyles and sustainability
- A place to barter excess supplies of home grown produce
- Bush dance
- Music festival
- Video project like ‘American Pie’ Grand Rapids www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPjjZCO67WI
- Art project like ‘Inside Out’ http://www.insideoutproject.net/#@section=home
- Work with the WHYLD Caring Team on events to link all ages and abilities and with the WHYLD Trails Team on an event linked to the Trail
- Work with WHYLD Identity Team on a WHYLD Games Festival
PROJECT 2: WHYLD Caring & Connected Community
Background
- It is felt that there is a lack of connection between people. We need to find ways to link people, engage all groups in the community and, if needed, care for and support people. We need to find information and structures on how to link and support people.
Objectives
- To build connections between people in the community
- To appreciate each group in the community, to recognise their skills and strengths
- To give respect, dignity, and recognition of value to all age and ability groups
Options or opportunities
- Map and link existing resources
- Note gaps and needs within caring area
- Investigate needs of individual groups – their ideas, strengths, skills etc
- Provide opportunities for training – computer training for seniors, leadership training for youth, life skills training for disabled
- Investigate the need for transport for different groups
- Create an intergenerational drop-in centre
- Train mentors for the carers and create opportunities to provide support
- Work with the WHYLD Events team on an event that could involve all ages and abilities
- Check out success stories e.g. CFA working with challenged youth to train them to do fire prevention work with the elderly (buddy program to link up on hot days etc).
PROJECT 3: WHYLD Healthy Living
Background
- There is considerable interest in a range of initiatives under a healthy living banner
Objectives
- To promote healthy diet and lifestyle through the establishment of school/community gardens in each of the five towns
- To encourage healthy choices in diet through education (in schools) and health promotion activities
- To establish networks of sporting groups such as walking, cycling etc, where residents of all ages can participate in regular exercise
Options and opportunities
- Exercise – walking groups, bike groups
- Utilisation of sports grounds and trails Don Valley, Aqueduct/Warby, Hoddles Creek,
Yellingbo trail
- Set up a community garden in each community
- School gardens – herb gardens, cooking for kids and elderly and sell some of the natural produce from school garden in canteen
- Encourage people to grow food at home
- Education about basic foods and health for adults and children
- Work with the WHYLD Events Team on a Farmers’ market – fruit growers, apples, berries
- Provide free seedlings and fertilizer
- Encourage cross generational activities
PROJECT 4: WHYLD Trails and Parks
Background
- The existing Warburton and Aqueduct Trails used for walking, cycling and horse riding are key features and assets of the district
Objectives
- To improve the recreational, economic and social benefits of the district’s trail system
- To have an integrated system of trails by linking the major trails – Aqueduct and Warburton Trails and smaller trails to each locality
Options and opportunities
- Link the trails so that the Aqueduct Trail and Warburton Trail are extended to link all towns for pedestrians, bike riders, and horse riders thereby creating a great sense of linked community
- Safer crossing points across the highways and if needed rerouting of trails
- Better facilities on the trails including amenity blocks at periodic intervals along the trail
- Trail side cafes and/or access/exits to town cafes including better signs
- Better marketing of the trails, possibly a marketing officer
- Pedestrian boardwalk on Don Rod
- Add a launch/fishing platform opposite Home Hotel
- Information board about the history of Launching Place and its name
- Trial sales –local produce sold at some point along the trail
- Make a feature of the former railway stations on the trail
- Create a central feature relating to the trails within the district
- Work with the WHYLD Events Team regarding a festival relating to the trail
- Better accommodation to support visitors
We will work with:
- Yarra Ranges Council (management of the trail)
- DSE (owner of the trail)
- Parks Victoria Friends of the Trail
PROJECT 5: WHYLD Vibrant Heart, Halls & Hubs
Background
- At every local meeting people spoke about the lack of care and use of their local halls. There were several examples of charges for halls being too high or the halls not being cared for and so groups now go out of their own area for meetings.
- Local halls are unavailable to community groups (due to cost) and are underutilised and this leaves the towns with no central heart.
- In Don Valley a local person/group has recently negotiated with the council to take over management of the hall. It is currently being used for a playgroup and this person/group hopes to make the hall available for other uses.
- There was very much a sense that these are local community assets that we should be managing as community centres.
- It was also considered that local schools and some CFA have great facilities that can be made available for use by the community
Objective:
- Revitalise the existing community halls to facilitate greater usage by the local community
Options and opportunities
- Community notice boards on the front of halls
- Caretaker who is paid a small amount to oversee
- Exemption of shire fees for community and charity groups
- Refurbishment: kitchen equipment, heating, painting, toilets
- Negotiate with shire to give power back to communities as custodians of the halls
We will work with:
- Yarra Ranges Council (as owner of the halls) People in WHYLD towns with existing halls
PROJECT 6: WHYLD Identity & Brand
Background
- While we live in a great location, many people feel that there is no common sense of identity for the WHYLD localities.
Objectives
- Bring individual towns together as a community
- Highlight local assets to locals and beyond
Options and opportunities
- Road signs in and out, i.e. Don Valley a WHYLD town.
- Go WHLYD in the Yarra Valley as potential branding
- WHYLD walks – work with WHYLD Trails Team on interpretive trails that turn walks, horse rides and cycle rides into an experience.
- WHYLD event calendar – work with WHYLD Events Team so that events in WHYLD towns complement each other and festivals, markets, and other events will be known to locals and promoted beyond.
- Work with WHYLD Events Team on WHYLD games as a landmark event held once every four years with the Olympics with both serious and quirky games for all ages and abilities.
- Reveal WHYLD landmarks such as Haining Farm
- Promote and utilise WHLYD talent such as artisans, performers, and entertainers
Reach out to us
Do you want to reach out for more information or see how we can help you? Freel free to reach out to us.