Winchelsea Integrated Water Management

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At its September 2019 meeting Surf Coast Shire Council adopted the Winchelsea Integrated Water Management Plan.

The plan discusses potential future water management challenges in Winchelsea and identifies water related solutions that would support the broader strategic vision for Winchelsea.

View the endorsed Winchelsea Integrated Water Management Plan (PDF, 8MB)

Project Background 

The Winchelsea Integrated Water Management (IWM) project worked with local stakeholders to:

  • examine the water management challenges that Winchelsea faces into the future
  • identify opportunities for implementing water-related solutions to achieve the town’s broader vision.

A series of workshops with local stakeholders identified a range of water related issues and challenges. From these discussions, five IWM Portfolios have been identified, consistent with the themes outlined in Growing Winchelsea Plan.

The Plan outlines actions for the following themes:

  • Enhancing the Barwon River
  • Cooler, country streetscapes
  • Smart stormwater, greener golf
  • Recycled water for greener, healthy spaces
  • Greening, growing Barwon Park 

Discussions

Community engagement

The Winchelsea community has a strong connection to its urban water cycle system, particularly given the Barwon River is one of the regions greatest natural assets. The Growing Winchelsea Strategy, developed in 2015, provides the strategic guidance for the way the town will grow into the future. This Strategy, as well as work undertaken by the Barwon Region Integrated Water Management forum, and targeted community stakeholder workshops have all helped to shape the draft Integrated Water Management Plan. 

Integrated water management (IWM) is a process to discover how the water system could enhance a particular place. The broader aspirations of the community in that place are therefore the starting point for understanding how IWM can add value.

 

 

This plan has been developed by Surf Coast Shire in collaboration with Barwon Water and the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning.  Support and key input has been provided from local stakeholders, including Corangamite Catchment Management Authority, Growing Winchelsea, Hesse Rural Health, Winchelsea Land and River Care, National Trust Victoria/Barwon Park Mansion and the Winchelsea Golf Club, as well as the traditional owners the Wathaurung.

The partners recognise the need for further consultation with both the Eastern Maar and the Wathaurung in the further development of any of future opportunities arising from this plan, particularly those related to the Barwon River.

 

Timeline

Project commenced (Nov 2018)
Stakeholder Workshop 1: Water cycle assessment (Dec 2018)
Stakeholder Workshop 2: water related opportunities (Feb 2019)
Data review and concept development with stakeholders (Feb - Apr 2019)
Stakeholder Workshop 3: Draft plan for discussion (April 2019)
Council endorse draft for public exhibition (July 2019)
Draft plan on public exhibition

Submissions close 5pm, Friday 23 August

Plan adopted by Council (September 2019)
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