THE community has been given the opportunity to vote on some innovative projects in Mitchell Shire as part of the Victorian Government’s Pick My Project initiative.
Pick My Project is a novel $30 million online community grants program that gives residents the chance to suggest project ideas and then vote to decide which ones are funded.
In Kilmore, Wallan, Wandong and Broadford, 10 projects have made the short list – all embracing a range of big and small ideas across a wide range of concepts and venues.
District project ideas with the most votes will be invited to enter into a funding agreement for their project, with funding between $20,000 and $200,000 available.
In Kilmore, the Kilmore Creek Heritage Art Walk Student Garden has been short listed. The garden depicts local school students’ design for Kilmore in mosaics and stone.
The garden is planned for the Kilmore Creek Walking Track as the third stage of a Heritage Art Walk, where a series of panels will be installed telling the significant history of Kilmore as the oldest, settled and gazetted inland township in Victoria.
The third stage garden illustrates the thoughts of the students about Kilmore’s future with native plantings and a coloured mosaic in tiles and stone.
The walk is open to residents and visitors as a place of quiet reflection on Kilmore, past and future.
In Wandong, the History group’s Pick My Project is to relocate an historic hut to the Wandong Heathcote Junction Memorial Park and restore it to be used as a visitor information and exhibition space. The hut was used in the Mt Disappointment State Forest during World War 2 to house internees and later as a camp hut for Forestry workers.
Other projects include the planned expansion to the Kilmore Scouts’ storage facilities and a shed replacement to allow more equipment for the growing scout population.
Kilmore Miniature Railway is also seeking support with a development proposal to rejuvenate and extend the rail track to Hudson Park.
Ever to the forefront with creative ideas, Love in Action is looking to transform the old police station into the Wallan Future Hub that will connect people, pathways and provide practical help.
Local choir, With One Voice proposes a Wallan Sings Weekly community choir program connecting all community members with a love of music. Transition Village Wallan – a community response to homelessness offering safe housing sees Pick My Project as a way of expanding the group’s program to empower residents to rebuild their lives.
The Bush Bus – a mobile, nature inspired playgroup is looking for funding to develop a free outdoor playgroup that travels throughout the Mitchell Shire.
Wallan Bowling Club wants to light up its greens to enable community members to bowl at night and in Broadford a community drone event focused on building and racing drones will get off the ground if it gets enough votes.
To vote, simply register on the Pic My Project website – www.pickmyproject.vic.gov.au – and select a voting area by searching by street address or locality, or by dropping a pin on a map. Project ideas close to this selected area will be shown, and the community can vote for up to three favourites.
Voting closes at 5pm on Monday 17 September. Between now and close of voting the North Central Review will be taking a closer look at the projects seeking votes.
