Earlier BDCA Community Projects

Township Planning
The City of Ballarat will develop a Buninyong Township Plan in early 2018. The BDCA has taken several initiatives concerning this.

A major exercise in conjunction with the Buninyong Community Bank was undertaken in June 2017 when Community Development/Planning expert, Peter Kenyon, led two workshops with community members.
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The results of community input at these workshops have been compiled into a report (link to report) which highlighted community priorities such as:

• Retention of Buninyong’s village atmosphere
• Traffic through the village
• Sustainability and the environment

There were also specific suggestions for change or improvement
The BDCA will take an active leadership role in working with the City of Ballarat to ensure that the Township Plan reflects community priorities.

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COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER
For some 36 years a group of local volunteers had produced a hard -copy community newspaper in Buninyong. After placing the publication on-line in 2012, the group decided to cease production of the hard-copy version. This caused some distress to many of the community older residents, many of whom were not computer literate or who did not own a computer.
In October 2104, the BDCA agreed, as a community service, to undertake the project of again printing a hard-copy community newspaper on a monthly basis.

By early 2015, funding assistance had been obtained from the Township Community Engagement fund, from Council, and from the Community Bank to enable a commercially-printed version of the Buninyong & District Community News to be again produced. A ‘sample’ edition was distributed in February 2015, and the first new-look edition was printed and distributed in April.

Response to this project was unanimously positive. The 20 page newspaper was produced eleven times a year since then, until ceasing production in February 2022. It is the intention of the BDCA that publication re-commence after community consultation regarding the type and style of the News, and how to supplement it with social media and other forms of digital communication.

​A member of the Community Newspapers Association of Victoria, the Buninyong Community News has received CNAV awards in categories such as design, history articles and editorial comment.

 www.buninyong.vic.au/news/newsletters

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Sign on the Mt Clear Road entrance to Buninyong

New Entrance Signage
PROJECT  COMPLETED

Another successful BDCA project has been the erection of four new entrance signs to Buninyong. The $35,000 project was funded with grants from Regional Development, Victoria, the City of Ballarat and the Buninyong Community Bank

Solar lighting has already been installed at each location.

The signs featured prominently in the television coverage of the Australian Road National Cycling championships held in Buninyong in early January

The signs are located on the Midland Highway opposite the golf course, on the Midland Highway at the top of the hill coming from Geelong, on the Mt Clear/Mt Helen Rd entrance to Buninyong and south of Somerville St on the Mt Mercer Road

The signs were officially opened by the Deputy Premier, the Hon Peter Ryan, MLA on 10 April 2014,

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Street Vines Project Extended

The Vines January 2014

After their planting in October 2012, the Buninyong street vines are now taking really taking shape and we can expect some glorious autumn colour in the coming months.  This project was initiated  in early 2012 by the Association with the great cooperation of the City of Ballarat.

The vines, especially those on the southern side of Learmonth Street, are now well-established and are giving some idea of how the streetscape will look after a few more years. 

Recent BDCA discussions with City of Ballarat  have resulted in the Council's commitment to extend the vines further along Warrenheip Street. We expect some planting later in the year.

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History and hi-tech meet in Buninyong

Gerard Ballantyne & Snowy McCahon with plaque no 1

Locals and visitors to Buninyong will now be able to learn much  more about its many historic buildings following the erection of plaques to twenty-six sites in the village.

The ‘plaques’ project was another initiative of the Buninyong  & District Community Association (BDCA) designed to add to the historical  character of the village and to boost local business by bringing more visitors to Buninyong.

Each plaque contains brief details of the building’s history and  former owners or uses, and also an historic photograph in cases where the  building no longer exists. While such plaques can be seen in some other old towns and cities, the Buninyong project has taken a technological leap forward with the installation of QR codes adjacent to many of the plaques. These codes enable access, via a smart phone or tablet, to a website where considerably more historical information can be found about the building or site in question. The detailed background historical information was compiled by local historian Dr Anne  Beggs-Sunter.

City of Ballarat Heritage Coordinator Susan Fayad said that the  use of the QR code technology “was a first for Ballarat for the purpose of community and visitor information”.
 
Exciting Step
 “This exciting initiative has been completely community driven and will set a benchmark for heritage interpretation across the municipality. It will help build appreciation for Ballarat’s and Buninyong’s heritage” Ms Fayad  said.


Coordinator of the “plaques” project Barry Fitzgerald said that  the project would now complement the recent publication of the new 24 page  colour Buninyong Visitor Guide which  included sections on the village’s old buildings and sites and which included a map of an Historical Village Walk which took walkers past most the buildings with plaques on them.  “There’s been a very positive reaction from both visitors and  locals, many of whom were unaware of the colourful background to many of the  village’s buildings” he said

The erection of the plaques was a joint project of the Buninyong  & District Community Association and the local Historical  Society. Funding for the project came from grants from the Buninyong  Community Bank and from the City of Ballarat’s Community Impact Grants
program.

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Finger post sign near Crown Hotel

VILLAGE SIGNAGE SET UPGRADED

In another BDCA village enhancement project, the Association working with the City of Ballarat, planned for the significant upgrade various forms of signage in Buninyong. There had been little work done on all forms of signage in the village for many years, and the cluttered ‘finger-post’ outside of the old bank is clear evidence of this.

Heritage signage has now been erected at eight locations around the village

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What we do

At any time, the Buninyong & District Association is engaged directly and indirectly in a range of projects for the betterment of the community.

Some previous projects include:

TRAFFIC AND ROAD SAFETY
Road safety has been a keen concern of the Association.

In the 2012-2014 period the Association lobbied hard concerning the dangers posed at the School Crossing on the Midland Highway. In September 2014, the State Government announced an allocation of $100,000 for the installation of flashing lights and other works at the crossing and in late 2014, the flashing 40kph signals were installed at the Midland Hwy/Cornish Street school crossing. Local police have reported that the signs are effective in slowing down traffic descending the steep hill coming from the Geelong direction.

In mid 2014 the Association was also successful in having VicRoads lower the speed limit to 50kph along Warrenheip Street (North), and having pedestrian refuge islands painted along the roadway in that area.

In 2017, pedestrian lights - modified to better blend into the streetscape,  were installed near the corner of Warrenheip and Forest Streets.

In 2022, traffic safety has again been a major issue for Buninyong, culminating in a serious accident involving a heavy vehicle losing brakes and crashing at the main Buninyong roundabout.  BDCA's Traffic & Safety Committee is actively advocating for both immediate and longer term improvements to traffic safety.  A public meeting to discuss the issue will be held on July 14, 7.30pm at the Town hall.

Given the impact on traffic through Buninyong of the Western Link Road feeding traffic onto the Midland Highway at Magpie, lobbying will continue on the need for the State Government and VicRoads to consider a heavy vehicle by-pass road, or at least appropriate traffic calming measures.

The Association's Traffic & Safety Subcommittee aims to maintain our unique village character by improving all forms of connectivity and a ensuring a safe, livable environment.
 
In addition to the by-pass and traffic safety, it will focus on:

• ensuring effective and efficient public transport to Ballarat and around the village. Currently the bus and train timetables are not aligned and the bus trip into Ballarat (and the station) is circuitous and time-consuming
• improving walking and cycling paths while retaining the rural atmosphere

 VILLAGE SQUARE PROJECT 
With the completion of the Village Square Project, Buninyong now has a wonderful community space for its Village Market, for events, for village celebrations and as a great place. to meet. How well this space works was certainly in evidence at The National Cycling Championships held in January where the bluestone walls provide great seating and vantage point for spectators.

By way of history,  in 2013 the BDCA lobbied Council and politicians concerning the project to upgrade the area in the vicinity of the Town Hall .At the request of the BDCA, the initial allocation of $100,000 for some renovation works was rolled over to the following year where it was increased to a sum of $250,000.

This sum was then used by Council as “seed’ money to apply to Regional Development Victoria for a grant to undertake a significant township improvement project in Buninyong’s village centre. In November 2014, then-Premier Denis Napthine announced during a visit to Buninyong that RDV had committed a further sum of $400,000 for the project.

A great result for Buninyong!

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BUNINYONG VISITOR GUIDE
In 2013, concerned about Buninyong’s small exposure in local tourist publications, the BDCA approached the Director of Ballarat Regional Tourism (BRT), George Sossi, for funding support to produce a stand-alone, Buninyong Visitor Guide.

A second edition of the guide, expanded to 28 pages, was produced in late 2014 with a print run of 5,0000 was produced.

In 2016, the third edition of 32 pages was produced. A 2020 edition is being planned now.

 
BUNINYONG AVENUE OF HONOUR
In May 2014, the Association was approached by the Buninyong Sub-Branch of the RSL to assist in developing a proposal, and preparing submissions for funding for major clearing and replanting works on the Buninyong World War I Avenue of Honour.

The Avenue of 140 trees was planted in 1917. The Avenue stretches from the Fire Station to a point  about where the new entrance sign is located at the Tandarra estate opposite the Buninyong Golf course.  Over recent years, the Avenue has fallen into disrepair with many self sown trees and scrub blocking the plantings of original trees and some sown over later years. It is also planned to re-install a plaque at the base of each tree and to have interpretative signage along the avenue.

The Association assisted the RSL to obtain a grant of $19,500 from the Buninyong Township Improvement Fund, and in preparing a detailed submission for a grant of $20,000 from the Department of Premier and Cabinet.

The BDCA auspiced the RSL in in its successful application for a grant of $22,000 from the Victoria Remembers Fund. A further grant of $8,000 has also been made by the Buninyong Community Bank.

​The project was completed by 1 July 2017 when the reopening was marked by the reopening by a march of over 600 servicemen, community group members, club members and groups from various parts from various parts of the old Shire of Buninyong.

​The Chief of Army took the salute and four RAAF planes did a dual fly-over of the village.

​The restored Avenue is now a highlight of the village with its plaques and plinths commemorating the 168 soldiers from the Shire who died in World War I. 

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GRAFFITI REMOVAL UNIT
Another BDCA initiative has proved to be successful with the granting of funds to purchase a mobile graffiti unit similar to that shown (below). The graffiti Removal project has become a co-operative project of the Association, the City of Ballarat’s Community Enhancement team, and the Men’s Shed.

Funding of about $16,000 was granted by the Department of Justice, $500 from the Lions Club and $5000 was allocated from the Buninyong Township Improvement Fund, administered by a local Committee which includes two BDCA members.

In 2020, the trailer was gifted to the City of Ballarat which will maintain and use the trailer as needed.  A memorandum of Understanding with the City will grant Buninyong priority for removal of graffiti as required.


​For further information, check the BDCA Community Projects page.


 

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