Pyalong residents urge Mitchell Shire Council to get landscape study right

By Colin MacGillivray

A PYALONG resident has urged Mitchell Shire Council to ensure a forthcoming landscape assessment study is not open to exploitation after many residents shared concerns with the draft study.

David Waye said about 50 people attended a drop-in council session at Pyalong Recreation Hall last month to discuss the study, which aims to protect nine areas within the shire deemed ‘significant’ by the shire.

The protected areas include: Mount Piper; Tallarook and Cherry Tree Ranges, Trawool Valley; granitic uplands, including Pyalong; Beveridge volcanics; western Strathbogie Ranges; Deep Creek valley and ridges; Mount Disappointment and foothills; Monument Hill; and the Campaspe River valley.

Mr Waye said many Pyalong residents were concerned that vague wording in the draft plan would leave the proposed landscape overlays open to abuses of process.

“There was a general feeling of cynicism that it was only going to mean more bureaucracy,” he said.

“It had vague terms, and one that concerned some people was the term of ‘threat’. This overlay is about the landscape and whether something fits into the landscape, but it’s very subjective.

“There was one farmer who was concerned because he’d had an experience where one of his neighbours objected to him sawing up a dead, fallen tree.

“He said a council officer threatened him with a fine of nearly $200,000 and he had to expend thousands of dollars getting a solicitor, only to find out the council had no power to do that in the first place.

“It’s that sort of behaviour that concerns people.”

Mr Waye said council officers and two councillors who attended the meeting – Mayor Fiona Stevens and Cr Bill Chisholm – had been receptive to the concerns of Pyalong residents.

He said some residents were eager to form a working group to help guide the council plans.

“The farmers made it quite clear that they are the people who are the most concerned with the use of their land because it’s their livelihood – they’re going to do their best to preserve it, look after it and make it sustainable,” he said.

“If we don’t get it right or there are vague terms, it’s going to lead to delays and farmers being disadvantaged.

“I think it has to be very carefully thought out and with clear definition – nothing vague or broad or that can be manipulated.

“The council officers said they would go away to work on something and then have more engagement later in the year.”

Mitchell Shire Council chief executive Brett Luxford said the assessment was the first step in a planning process to ‘map where the values are located in the landscape’.

“We are now carrying out engagement on that aspect of the study, and welcome feedback and submissions in this regard,” he said.

“At this point in time, there are no planning controls that have been prepared given we want to first discuss with the community and get feedback on the areas identified as being significant landscapes.

“It is proposed that after this round of consultation on the draft landscape assessment study, draft controls will be developed and there will be further community consultation. Again, we will be seeking feedback and submissions through that process.

“It is important to note that planning scheme controls – such as a significant landscape overlay, or similar – will not halt or prohibit current land use or farming activities. In fact, farming activities and supporting infrastructure are important elements of the landscape.”

People can view and make submissions to the draft landscape assessment study by visiting engagingmitchellshire.com/landscapes, emailing mitchell@mitchellshire.vic.gov.au or calling 5734 6200. Submissions close at 9am on Thursday.