Newstead

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Newstead

• A town with spunk

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WELCOME
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Here we are
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Bonza bits

• Close to two major regional cities
• 1.5 hours from Melbourne
• Well served by train services from nearby
  Castlemaine
• Lots of smart tree changers
• Near one of Australias most innovative
  sustainability groups (MASG)
• Has a community bank

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Rich in Spirit, Heritage and Nous
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A place of history
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Swiss Italian heritage
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Natures bounty
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Cultural capital
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Art abounds
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And sporty too
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Places and people we love
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Population trends
Was slightly larger and included Guildford until
census 2001.
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Outlying areas growing

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Newstead 2021 summit better than Kevs
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The summit asked

• What are the important challenges facing the
  community of Newstead between now and 2021 and
  how do we best address those challenges
• May 4, 2008

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Acknowledging our people

• Young people
• Farmers
• Long-time volunteers
• Sports sector
• Arts sector
• Environmental groups

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The summit
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The summit
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Passionate contributors
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Things that we wanted to address

• Planning, street trees and walking paths
• Energy consumption and reduction
• Kids and youth stuff
• Community garden
• Transport
• Sports
• Arts
• River
• Marketing
• Be in it

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Newstead 2021 is born

• Incorporated
• Insured
• Adopted statement of purpose
• Committee elected
• Visit from council CEO staff
• Obtained grants
• Meet as needed

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Newstead 2021

• STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
• To support the development of a vibrant,
  informed and sustainable community in our town
  and surrounds.
• The group comprises interested members of the
  local community who are actively and
  collaboratively working towards this goal.
• PURPOSE OF THE GROUP
• To support the discussion and implementation of
  ideas and projects that benefit the Newstead
  community
• To seek and communicate relevant information
  about issues concerning our community
• To support actions that improve the social,
  cultural, economic and environmental well being
  of the Newstead community
• To promote two way dialogue with Local Government
  
• To actively seek resources that can contribute to
  our goal

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Setting N2021s guidelines

• HOW WE WILL OPERATE?
• Acknowledge and value the contribution that all
  members of our community can make
• Respect and value diversity of ideas and opinions
• Encourage sharing of information and knowledge
• Celebrate the diversity of our community now and
  into the future
• Actively encourage people of all ages and
  backgrounds to participate in community life
• HOW WILL WE MEASURE OUR PROGRESS?
• Level of participation in community projects and
  working groups (no of people/demographics/hours
  contributed etc)
• New ideas initiated, developed and implemented
• Qualitative feedback from community members
• Resources (including attracted) into the
  community as a direct result of our activities
• Improvement in communication with Local
  Government
• Increased confidence as a community facing the
  challenges of 2021
• More frogs in the River and more people going to
  listen to their chorus!

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Grants

• Maldon and District Community Bank 8000
• Fed Govt Volunteer grants program 4849
• Shire of Mt Alexander Community grants program -
  5000
• Central Victorian Greenhouse Alliance 1000
• Fed Govt Infrastructure grants program (Ruddys
  stimulus) 55,000
• Total 73,849

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N2021s current projects

• Community website training of community groups
  to edit site under way
• Rocket Science gatherings
• Playground renovation
• Community garden
• Energy survey
• Reconvening

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Rocket Science monthly at local
caféhttp//rocketscience2.wordpress.com

• Charles Wright, The Age Bleeding Edge (IT)
  columnist Green Guide
• Phil Dyson, hydrogeologist
• Publisher Nick Hudson and writer Neil Boyack
• Donald go-getters John McConville and Leo
  Tellefson
• To come - Michael McCartney, solar king
• Plus David Holmgren, Permaculture co-founder

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Playground renovation

• Newsteads central playground is to be
  overhauled.
• Plans are drawn up

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Community garden

• Five-year lease recently signed on church land
• Garden plan drawn up
• Negotiations with council under way over project
  arrangements
• Monthly produce exchange

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Energy survey

• Energy survey of town completed vital for
  understanding what to do next funded by Central
  Vic Green House Alliance
• Solar panels installed on pre-school and rural
  transaction centre
• Focus on educating residents about how to reduce
  energy use
• Dreams of local renewable energy generation
  project on village scale in the new age, cities
  are lumbering dinosaurs, small towns are skinks
  can adapt faster

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Energy survey - what we found

• 95 responses ( Approx. 220 households approached
  and approx 40 were surveyed)
• 77 of responses from premises owned or being
  purchased. (Census in 2006 78.4)
• Water heating 70 elec, 17 gas, 12 solar, 1
  wood.
• Elec supply 81 std, 15 GreenPower
• Major impediments for change were cost
  complexity

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Website development

• Local IT people developing site
• Policy to use locals where possible
• Reps of community groups being trained to edit
  their sections
• Launch later this year

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Street trees

• Towns majestic elms are dying
• Opportunity for renewal
• Local volunteers have surveyed every street tree
• Community to determine what trees well have and
  how well water them

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What were learning

• Due diligence check experience of project
  partners (example website wireless project)
• Insurance investigate options
• Communication Vital. Wordpress blog up and
  running until website ready to launch
• Opportunities for learning abound

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Chopped Rod and Custom Show

• Started by Ryan Ford, 27, who owns, edits and
  produces a mag called Chopped (about pre-1965
  customised vehicles)
• Expects to double the crowd to at lest 1500
  people this year
• Oct 3 4, 2009
• www.chopped.com.au

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Newstead Live Aust Day weekend

• Brings 1200 people
• Local musos get exposure
• Boosts business in cafe, pubs s/mkt
• People have a good time at a really gentle pace
• Jan 22-23 2010

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Short Story Tattoo

• Australias only celebration of the short story
• Inaugural event May 2009 - to be every two years
• Stories by campfire, in old courthouse, footy
  club rooms etc
• www.nsst.org.au

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Contact

• Genevieve Barlow
• Mobile [phone]