ULTIMA DISTRICT COMMUNITY PLAN

REVIEW PROCESS

Rural City Council

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CONTENT PAGE

1. Executive Summary 4

2. Survey Results 6

3. Focus Groups 7

4. New Initiatives to be considered for the Plan 7

5. Council Services 9

6. Ultima District Community Plan Review Public Meeting 12

7. Community Profile 13

8. Community Achievements 14

9. Kee Pad Survey 15

10. Ultima Lions Club Meeting to discuss the review of the Community Plan 18

11. Ultima School Council Meeting to discuss the Community Plan 18

12. Information to be included in the revised Community Plan 18

13. Conclusion 20

Appendix One: Themes and New Initiatives 21

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1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The current projects within the Ultima District Community Plan overall are supported and seen as relevant to the future of the Ultima District. Focus groups will be established to take ownership of each project and it is the responsibility of those groups to develop a project brief, an action plan for implementation and to keep the wider community informed through attendance at the Ultima Progress Association (managers of the community plan) meetings. Community members agreed that the current Vision be included in the revised community plan.

The purpose and vision of the Ultima District Community Plan is to acknowledge our history, enjoy the present and cultivate the future.

The projects listed below are previously identified projects that the community decided to continue in the revised Ultima District Community Plan All Aboard. They are listed in order of priority.

1. Ultima Cafe 2. Recreation Reserve 3. Investigate Ultima Road entrances 4. Ultima Public hall 5. Ultima Heritage 6. Capture Ultima Town Water 7. Town Signage 8. Community Garden

The community also identified five new themes to focus on within the revised plan. These are listed below in order of preference.

1. Youth Priorities 2. Town and Street Beautification 3. Art and Craft 4. Health and Wellbeing 5. Road Improvements

Survey results highlighted the need for Council to raise awareness and promote the services it offers to the Ultima District. Participants of the community survey provided a number of comments. These comments need to be considered in the development of the reviewed community plan.

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A draft copy of the reviewed community plan was developed from information collected in the survey and distributed throughout the community to collect any additional information prior to finalising the plan. The Ultima District community will be invited to sign off on the reviewed plan at an Ultima Progress Association (UPA) meeting in May 2014. Projects are to be implemented by those who volunteered to be on a focus group. Council’s Community Planning and Development Officer will support focus groups to come together to start their initial planning. It should be noted that other community members can join focus groups by informing the UPA. The community decided that the Ultima District Community Plan All Aboard should be managed by the UPA and that the next community plan review to take place in 12-18 months.

The UPA members discussing local issues.

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2. SURVEY RESULTS There were a total of thirty three questionnaires completed. The questionnaires represented people who associate, live, work, rest, play or attend activities and sport in the Ultima District. The community felt that all the current assets are important to the future of the Ultima Community.

There were six individuals who indicated and selected current projects that they would like to have more involvement in. There were two groups who indicated that they would like to support current projects. It is the responsibility of the UPA, with support from the Community Planning and Development Officer to follow up with the individuals and groups to ascertain their involvement. The following is a list of projects in the Ultima District Community Plan 2011/2012. Participants were asked to indicate on a scale from 1-10 (1 being not important, 5 being important to 10 being extremely important) how important they felt these current projects were to the future of the Ultima District.

The Ultima recreation reserve and public hall rated the highest.

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3. FOCUS GROUPS

Part of the community planning process is to identify focus groups to drive each of the projects on behalf of the community. The role of the focus groups is to work closely with the Ultima Progress Association to develop and review action plans, achieve projects, liaise with Council’s Community Planning and Development Officer, engage broad sectors of the community and report regularly to the community. There were no groups who indicated through the questionnaire that they would like to join a focus group. Nine community members, however, indicated that they would like to have involvement in current community plan projects and a further nine in new initiatives if undertaken in the reviewed community plan. In addition, four people indicated at the Ultima District Community Plan Review public meeting that they would also like to be involved in particular projects as indicated on the focus group registration form. Contact details have been collected from interested parties and will be followed up individually through the community plan review process.

4. NEW INITIATIVES TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THE ULTIMA DISTRICT COMMUNITY PLAN - ALL ABOARD

There were thirty three questionaries that provided ideas for new initiatives. These new initiatives were captured under themes as listed below- Youth

Students involved in community public speaking (Focus Group – Primary School)

Mentor Program – Development of a student and community mentor program (Focus Group – Primary School)

Youth to lead improvements at Skate Park Improve & Upgrade Skate Park Redevelop BMX & Skate Park and Upgrade Clean up and improve skate park - It is not very appealing to look at,

most of the time its untidy with weeds, flying fox is seized, has no signage

Movie Nights once a month Community to attend a working bee to clean up the skate park/BMX

track Something to interest teenagers. Communication Board at cafe

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Town and Street Beautification

Tidy up the fronts of some of the old shops as this distracts from the town

Clean up and improve gutters and verges Trees in main street preferably up the middle of the street Development of Town Entry - Signage & Feature to attract passers by Create Garden for CFA Building Plant the "avenues" of trees we were promised when streets were

resealed in the 1990's Upgrade main street and town streets as well as trees and nature strips

Road Improvements

50kmh speed limit past football ground Culgoa Hwy til cemetery. 80 km/h too fast

Upgrade main street New bitumen in the main street instead of patches everywhere, it looks

unloved Bitumen footpaths need serious repair due to cracking - this is getting

dangerous and should be taken up with SHRCC Speed limit along Sea Lake to Swan Hill road once you get to town

make the 80 either 70 or 60 Health and Wellbeing

Dedicated walking/cycling track to encourage people to exercise. Bike & Walking paths Health Check Days; blood pressure, weight, BSL, pulse, skin cancer

checks Recreation Reserve

New kitchen facilities at the footy sheds New netball courts Upgrade netball courts resurface Extension football club kitchen

Heritage

Extend old machinery collection to also line Dillon Street entrance, windmill, etc.

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Ultima Cafe

Works to Ultima Cafe New cover over cool room

Art and Craft

Activities Group aside from sport/games morning

5. COUNCIL SERVICES

Participants of the survey were asked to select the boxes which indicated the Council Services that they were aware of that Council provided in the Ultima District. Thirty two people completed this section of the questionnaire.

Participants were then asked to indicate which Council services they felt were the three most important to the future of the Ultima District. Responses are captured below.

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The most important council services were seen to be

The recreation reserve

Road Maintenance

Support for community groups

Meals on Wheels and Home Care

Participants were also asked to indicate which Council Services they felt were the three least important to the future of the Ultima District. Responses are captured below.

The least important council services were seen to be

Car Parking Control

Roundabouts

Swimming Pool

Food premises inspection

Promoting Tourism

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Council Services

Number of community members who knew Council provided this service

Family Day Care 2 Maternal and Child Health 9 Preschool 2 Support to community groups/ clubs 15 Community Grants 17 Community Planning/Plans 14 Services for Youth 3 Maintenance of Senior Citizens Centres 2 Home Care Services 12 Meals-on-Wheels 6 Council Website 10 Encouragement of business (new and existing) 4 Business training and support programs 2 Promotion of tourism 5 Building controls 4 Town Planning controls 8 Traffic controls and signs 17 Footpath maintenance 10 Roundabouts 2 Public Lighting 15 Maintenance of rural and urban roads 20 Maintenance of rural and urban drainage 14 Protection of natural bushland 4 Protection of historic buildings 7 Beautification of streets 7 Street cleaning 18 Tree planting programs 7 Tree maintenance 10 Animal control 20 Road furniture, line marking and car parking 13 Car parking control 5 Garbage collection 26 Re-cycling 21 Public tips/transfer station 16 Waste management 10 Public toilets, conveniences and rest centres 17 Immunisation program 4 Food premises inspections 10

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Health education programs 6 Town Parks /Gardens 11 Playground 15 Local parks 14 Recreation Reserves 25 Nyah Community Centre 9 Ovals and Grounds 15 Swimming Pools 2 Mobile Library 19 Public Halls 16

Others 2

Council offers at least fifty services for communities. No surveys indicated an awareness of all fifty services provided by Council. There were four Council services the Ultima District which community members felt are the most important to the future of the Ultima District community which are 1) the Ultima Recreational Reserve, 2) road maintenance, 3) support for community groups and 4) Meals on wheels and home care.

In general, the Ultima district community felt that all the services that Council offers are important to the future of Ultima district. There was only one questionnaire that listed more than 25 services provided by Council, with three questionnaires identifying at least 20 services. There were 25 questionnaires that identify less than 20 services and 11 questionnaires identified less than five services provided by Council. It is recommended that Council raises awareness of and promote the services that it provides to the wider community.

6. ULTIMA DISTRICT COMMUNITY PLAN REVIEW PUBLIC MEETING The Ultima District Community Plan Public Meeting was held on Monday, 24 February 2014 at the Ultima Public Hall at 7.00 pm.

Ultima District Community Plan All Aboard

Swan Hill Rural City Council, February 2014

The meeting was designed to clarify priorities identified through the questionnaire, identify focus groups for each new initiative and identify priorities to be undertaken in the next 12 -18 months. It is also seen as necessary to obtain adoption or sign off of the reviewed plan by the community.

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The Community Plan review public meeting covered the following Where we are

Ultima District Community Plan Results of the Questionnaire Snap shot of the Ultima District’s Current Profile

Where we want to be in the future

The Ultima Vision New Initiatives Strengths, opportunities, weaknesses and threats Focus ‘All Aboard’

How we are going to get there

Ultima District Community Plan - All Aboard

7. COMMUNITY PROFILE The community were also provided with a snap shot of the community profile from 2011 census data as below

Summary Data 2001 2006

Total Population (enumerated) 132 155

Male: Female ratio* 100 109

Occupied private dwellings 53 63

Unoccupied private dwellings 17 12

All private dwellings 70 75

Swan Hill (RC) LGA Area 2006:1.36km2 Area 2011: 0.68Km2 Ultima location 174km SE of Mildura

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Information was also provided about the Regional Development Australia and Regional Development Victoria tool kit for community building in small towns which has identified four types of small towns.

Aggregating Dry Land towns Restructuring Irrigation towns Surviving Service towns Advancing Lifestyle towns

The Ultima Community saw themselves as being a aggregated dry land town.

3.) What type of small town are we (multiple choice) Responses

Aggregating dry land town 16 94.12% Restructuring irrigation town 0 0% Surviving service town 1 5.88% Advancing lifestyles town 0 0% Totals

17 100%

8. COMMUNITY ACHIEVEMENTS Local community members spoke about some of the recent achievements throughout the Ultima District covering the following projects.

• Ultima Progress Association projects • Ultima Lions Club Park • Youth Priorities • Ultima District Primary School • Rural Outreach Program Swan Hill District Health • Ultima Recreation Reserve

Community members were asked to identify new initiatives that they felt should be considered in the review of the Ultima District Community Plan and to select a theme that the initiative best fits from the list which had been identified through the survey process or to suggest a new theme. There was only one new theme identified and added to the list.

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Art and Craft All other projects were identified within themes already identified through the questionnaire. See Themes and New Initiatives in Appendix one 9. KEE PAD SURVEY

To prioritise the information collected through the survey and at the public meeting, community members were asked to participate in a kee pad survey which provided instant results as listed below.

1.) Where do you live (multiple choice) Responses

Ultima (in the town) 10 62.50%

Ultima District (outside of the town ship) 3 18.75% Other 3 18.75% Totals

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2.) What age group do you represent? (multiple choice)

Responses

0-12 yrs 0 0% 13-25 yrs 0 0% 26-35 yrs 1 6.25% 36-45 yrs 3 18.75% 46-55 yrs 5 31.25% 56 -65 yrs 4 25% 66-75 yrs 2 12.50% 75+ yrs 1 6.25% Totals

16 100%

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3.) What type of small town are we (multiple choice) Responses

Aggregating dry land town 16 94.12% Restructuring irrigation town 0 0% Surviving service town 1 5.88% Advancing lifestyles town 0 0% Totals

17 100%

4.) Would you like to see the current Ultima Purpose and Vision Changed (multiple choice)

Responses

YES 2 11.76% NO 10 58.82% Do not know 5 29.41% Totals

17 100%

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5.) Please prioritise projects in order of your top priority to your last priority by using numbers 1-8 (priority ranking)

Responses

Recreation Reserve 123 15.73% Ultima cafe 127 16.24% Ultima heritage 92 11.76% Ultima Public Hall 103 13.17% Town signage 75 9.59% Capture town water 91 11.64% Investigate Ultima’s road entrances 104 13.30% Community garden 67 8.57% Totals

782 100%

6.) Please prioritise new initiatives/themes in order of your top priority to your last priority in using numbers 1- (priority ranking)

Responses

Youth Priorities 132 23.40%

Town and Street Beautification 126 22.34% Road Improvements 77 13.65% Health and Wellbeing 109 19.33% Art and Craft 120 21.28% Totals

564 100%

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10. ULTIMA LIONS CLUB MEETING TO DISCUSS THE REVIEW OF THE COMMUNITY PLAN

The Community Planning and Development Officer attended the Ultima Lions Club meeting held on Monday, 19 May 2014 to provide an update on the Ultima District Community Plan review to date. This also provided an opportunity for the Lions members who were unable to attend the public meeting in February to include information which is relevant and important to the future of Ultima and the Lions Club. The Lion members included the Ultima Cemetery as an important asset in Ultima. They also suggested a couple of projects to be placed under the theme Town and Street Beautification such as creating a point of difference by having Grevilleas planted at the main entrance to Ultima and beautifying the area near the heritage water trough. They also thought it was important to keep town drinking water on the agenda and suggested to include it under the health and wellbeing theme.

11. ULTIMA PRIMARY SCHOOL – SCHOOL COUNCIL MEETING TO DISCUSS THE COMMUNITY PLAN

The Community Planning and Development Officer attended the Ultima Primary School – School Council meeting held on Tuesday, 20 May 2014 to provide an update on the Ultima District Community Plan review to date. School Council were pleased that two of the new projects listed in the draft copy of the community plan were activities which the primary school community would lead and be involved in. The School Council is eager to work with UPA and the wider community to implement projects within the reviewed community plan. There are also opportunities for the primary school students to assist to develop and maintain the Ultima community garden. The School Council also mentioned the importance of the Ultima Recreation Reserve to have new kitchen facilities and upgraded netball courts (former tennis courts)

12. INFORMATION TO BE INCLUDED IN THE REVISED COMMUNIY PLAN

The community agreed on the purpose and vision of the Ultima District Community Plan is to acknowledge our history, enjoy the present and cultivate the future. Collation of the survey and community plan review public meeting information will support seven community assets, eight community projects and eight new themes with a number of initiatives/actions to accompany each theme. These initiatives/actions can be used as a starting point for the focus groups as they plan their key achievements for the coming twelve months. Focus group members have also been identified for each project. Projects that were unable to find community members to drive the project on behalf of the wider community are included in the reviewed community plan but

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remain on hold until focus groups can be established. Community assets, projects and themes are as follow

Community Assets

Ultima CFA

Ultima Recreation Reserve

Ultima Café

Ultima Primary School

Town Entrances

Ultima Hotel

Ultima Golf Club

Ultima Cemetery

Community Projects 1. Ultima Recreation Reserve - Upgrade Kitchen and Tennis Court

2. Ultima Café - Finalise business plan, repair cafe floor and build shelter over

cool room

3. Ultima heritage - Develop heritage museum

4. Ultima Public Hall - Build a public shower as part of the travelers rest

5. Town signage as a whole*

6. Capture water for town*

7. Investigate Ultima’s road entrance*

8. Community garden*

(* on hold waiting for a focus group to be formed)

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New Themes, Initiatives and Projects

1. Youth Priorities

2. Town and Street Beautification

3. Art and Craft

4. Health and Wellbeing

5. Road Improvements

6. Student and Community Mentoring Program

7. Student Public Speaking Program

For further information on initiatives and projects refer to Appendix One.

12. CONCLUSION The participants at the Ultima district community plan review public meeting decided to roll over projects from the previous plan and include information collected through the questionnaire and public meeting into the reviewed community plan. The community plan is to be finalised at the May 2014 Ultima District Progress Association Meeting and copies of the adopted plan to be sent to residents in the Ultima District. Projects are to be implemented by those who volunteered to be on a focus group. Council’s Community Planning and Development Officer will support focus groups to come together to start their initial planning. It should be noted that other community members can join focus groups by informing the UPA. Community members agreed that the Ultima District Community Plan should be managed by the UPA and the next community plan review to take place in 12-18 months. A copy of the Ultima District Community Plan can be found on Council’s website http://www.swanhill.vic.gov.au/about/overview/plans-and-strategies/community-plans/ If you would like further information please contact Fiona Gormann, Community Planning and Development Officer, Swan Hill Rural City Council on 5036 2333 or email fgormann@swanhill.vic.gov.au. This process uses a democratic model for decision-making, and in most cases, the majority vote will take precedence unless there is a legal impediment. Community planning encourages community participation and is open to all who would like to be involved in the process.

Themes and New Initiatives Appendix One

Youth Town and Street

Beautification Road Improvements Health and Wellbeing Recreation

Reserve Heritage Ultima Cafe Art and Craft

Improve & Upgrade Skate Park

Tidy up the fronts of some of the old shops as this distracts from the town

50kmh speed limit past football ground Culgoa Hwy til cemetery. 80 km/h too fast

Dedicated walking/cycling track to encourage people to exercise.

New kitchen facilities at the footy sheds

Extend old machinery collection to also line Dillon Street entrance, windmill, etc.

works to Ultima Cafe

Activities Group aside from sport / Games morning

Redevelop BMX & Skate Park and Upgrade

Clean up and improve gutters and verges?

Upgrade main street Bike & Walking paths New netball courts

Clean up and improve skate park - It is not very appealing to look at, most of the time its untidy with weeds, flying fox is seized, has no signage.

Trees in main street preferably up the middle of the street

New bitumen in the main street instead of patches everywhere, it looks unloved.

Health Check Days; blood pressure, weight, BSL, pulse, skin cancer checks

Upgrade netball courts resurface

Something to interest teenagers.

Development of Town Entry - Signage & Feature to attract passer bys

Bitumen footpaths need serious repair due to cracking - this is getting dangerous and should be taken up with SHRCC

extension football club kitchen

Communication Board at cafe

Create Garden for CFA Building

Speed limit along Sea Lake to Swan Hill road once you get to town make the 80 either 70 or 60

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Youth Town and Street Beautification

Road Improvements Health and Wellbeing Recreation Reserve

Heritage Ultima Cafe Art and Craft

Youth to lead improvements at Skate Park

Upgrade main street and town streets, trees and nature strips

Primary School Students involved in community public speaking (Focus Group – Primary School)

Plant the "avenues" of trees we were promised when streets were resealed in the 1990's

Mentor Program – Development of a student and community mentor program (Focus Group – Primary School)

Movie Nights once a month

Community to attend a working bee to clean up the skate park/BMX track

Ultima Hall - Unblock stormwater drain behind hall (east side of Breen Street) debris, dirt and leaves etc. Ultima Cafe – New cover over cool room