Residential development in Colbinabbin is the major long-term vision of the town’s new Place Based Plan committee, with the final draft of the PBP now available for community viewingh.
A five- to 10-year timeline has been attached to increasing the town’s population, which councillors noted was going “against the grain’’ in the shire.
Cr Adrian Weston said, at the June meeting of council, that Colbinabbin’s population was growing.
“There are 50 children in the primary school there now and the recreation reserve committee has identified 27 projects in its master plan, including a multi-purpose facility plan.
The Colbinabbin community is aiming to deliver a new project to equal the successful silo painting that was the major outcome of its 2019 community plan.
A report of the community engagement process for the soon to be released 2023 Colbinabbin Place Based Plan was delivered to council’s June meeting.
For the past 12 months the Colbinabbin community has undertaken the development of two key community strategic documents: the Colbinabbin Place Based Plan and the Recreation Reserve Masterplan.
The PBP has short-term project goals to develop a ‘shop local’ campaign, improve signage and branding in the streetscape, while also upgrading its memorial hall and public toilets.
There are other three short-term projects listed to follow the initial PBP steps, including drainage infrastructure, improvements at the playground and children’s services.
Good news on the PBP front is that volunteering levels in Colbinabbin are significantly above the rate for Victoria, making manpower a non-issue for the implementation of the PBP.
Ongoing projects listed in the PBP include the swimming pool, retaining the facility and then increasing its usage, along with an increased list of events for the town.
Colbinabbin used a unique feedback method for its Place Based Plan when the town’s governance committee asked for feedback from the next generation of community leaders.
Nine pre-school children drew a picture of what they liked most about Colbinabbin and 28 primary school students draw a picture of what they wanted to keep in Colbinabbin and what they wanted to see in the future.
Pre-school responses ranged from the pool to the monkey bars at the park, while the primary school responses listed retaining the pool as the top priority.
Developing bike tracks and a pump track, along with the skate park and football oval, were also key items earmarked as “must haves’’ for the future.
The consultation process also involved responses from half of the community, 142 in total, with 22 interviews conducted during drop-in sessions.
Colbinabbin has a population demographic with a higher than average (Victoria wide) percentage of children and people under the age of 19.
The study revealed a gap in the 20- to 44-year-old age group.