Moriac and Winchelsea locals creating their own community plans

Published on 30 March 2023

Surf Coast Shire Council is supporting Moriac and Winchelsea locals to develop three-year community plans.

Community plans are created by community members for their community. They contain a shared vision and actions that locals feel motivated to act upon themselves.

The Deans Marsh and district community were the first in the Surf Coast Shire to develop a community plan in 2019, and now its residents are seeing the benefits of the community-initiated projects being realised.  This includes the Deans Marsh Community Dinner Program, the PowerMaD renewable energy project, local food initiatives and the establishment of the Deans Marsh Streetscapers, who are planning for streetscape improvements. 

Working groups have been set up in Moriac and Winchelsea with community surveys about to start shortly.  Other engagement opportunities will include focus groups and community dinners.

Find out more and get involved at surfcoast.vic.gov.au/CommunityPlanning.  

Tony Phelps of the Winchelsea community planning working group said it was about giving everyone in the community the chance to have their say, picking out the common themes, and putting it all together into a master plan for actioning.

“This is an independent pilot project funded by the Surf Coast Shire but they are completely hands-off.  The project will see community members design and participate in a community driven process by exploring what matters locally and what people are motivated to act upon,” he said.

“The final plan is not a list of wants for Council, or anyone, to fund.  It’s a plan for locals to make happen whatever is the best way to make happen.”

“The end goal is the Community Plan itself, to be available primarily to local people but also going to Council as a guide for future planning.”

Surf Coast Shire Cr Adrian Schonfelder said it was a true community-led project.

“Locals know best what makes their township special and what it needs to thrive,” he said.

“We want Moriac and Winchelsea communities to be the driving force behind their community plans and priorities for their towns and the actions that come from this.”