Page 1 Monash Bulletin December 2024 2024 Monash Awards Winners Erin Bartleton and Leasyl Richards, winners of the Outstanding Leadership category at the 2024 Sir John Monash Awards Inside this issue: Have Your Say Council Election Update Construction On Track Actions For Earth Page 2 Have your say... Shape your Monash Shape Monash is our online engagement platform for people to provide input and feedback for Council projects, strategies and plans. There were more than 6,000 contributions to Shape Monash during the 2023/24 financial year, including close to 2,000 on the future of Oakleigh Golf Course, nearly 1,500 providing input on our future Glen Waverley Civic Precinct and people from 14 residential streets across Monash choosing their preferred street tree species. In the coming weeks on Shape Monash we are inviting you to provide feedback or input on: * Playspaces across Monash that are due for upgrades in 2025/26 * Our Boulevards * Our Live Music Action Plan visit shape.monash.vic.gov.au SLIDE INTO FUN: playspace draft designs released Earlier this year we reached out to hear your ideas for upgrades to playspaces at Albany Drive Reserve (Mulgrave), Winbourne Drive Reserve (Mount Waverley), Queens Parade Reserve (Ashwood) and Gladeswood Reserve (Mulgrave). We also confirmed the scope of the design works for the Gladeswood Reserve playspace, which will include an active recreation space, an outdoor fitness hub and a proposed location for a new public toilet. We have now developed some exciting draft concept designs, in line with each project's budget and scope, and will be sharing these designs for your feedback starting in late November. Review the designs before 15 December 2024 at shape.monash.vic.gov.au/playspace-2025-26 * End date correct at time of printing. Please check Shape Monash for updates. Planning controls for Monash Boulevards As part of planning for more housing, Council is proposing changes to planning rules for land along Dandenong and Springvale Roads in Monash. The proposed changes implement the Monash Boulevards Urban Design Framework providing for increased housing height and density, as well as an improved urban environment. The amendment (Amendment C172) affects all residential land along Dandenong and Springvale Roads within the City of Monash, except for three areas where other strategic work is being undertaken by the State Government – land west of Warrigal Road near Chadstone, and land near the proposed Monash, Clayton and Glen Waverley SRL station locations. To see the changes proposed in Amendment C172, and to have your say by Monday 9 December 2024, visit shape.monash.vic.gov.au/amendment-c172 Page 3 AWARDS HONOUR those who give so much Monash once again paid tribute to outstanding contributions from members of our community with the presentation of the 2024 Sir John Monash Awards at the Museum of Australian Photography (MAPh) in Wheelers Hill. Every year these awards give us the opportunity to say, “thank you” and give something back to members of the community who work so tirelessly to make Monash the place it is. The 2024 Sir John Monash Award for Outstanding Leadership has been awarded to Wheelers Hill Primary School Assistant Principal, Leasyl Richards and Year 2 Teacher Erin Bartleton. Both have inspired their school to become a 4-star Resource Smart School that features an indigenous garden, bee hotels and bird boxes to increase native wildlife habitats and pollination. This year, no fewer than 80 nominees were recognised - the largest number of nominations in the awards history. visit monash.vic.gov.au/monash-awards Sir John Monash Awards 2024 Outstanding Leadership Overall winners: Erin Bartleton and Leasyl Richards Active Monash Winner: Mark Collins Inspirational Womens Leadership Winner: Forough Derakshan LGBTIQA+ Community Leadership Winner: Jesra Garcia Multicultural Champion Winner: Monash Interfaith Gathering Outstanding Advocate of People with Disabilities Winner: Jacob Walton Positive Ageing Leadership Winner: Liangcheng Fu Reconciliation Champion Winner: Rebecca Tyson Sustainability Leadership Winner: Erin Bartleton and Leasyl Richards Volunteer of the Year Winner: Donna Taylor Young Leader Winners: Isabella and Ryan Xie Youth Leadership Winner: Thomas Maguire-Nguyen Annual Report Councils 2023/24 Annual Report is now available to read on our website. The report provides a comprehensive account of our operations for the 2023/24 financial year including major projects, community advocacy and engagement, and projects building community capacity. It also sets out how we met the objectives in our Council Plan 2021-2025, as well as important information on our finances, governance and our organisation. Read the full report at monash.vic.gov.au/annual-report COUNCIL Elections  Voting for local government elections across Victoria closed on Friday 25 October, with Monash results expected to be declared by the Victorian Electoral Commission in the first half of November.  Results were not available at the time of this Monash Bulletin going to print. To find out who your new councillors are and to see when we can expect a first meeting to confirm the results and appoint a new mayor and deputy mayor go to visit monash.vic.gov.au/elections Page 4 Bogong Car Park extension nearing completion in Glen Waverley Work to add more than 500 parking spaces to Councils Bogong Avenue car park continues, with all structural streel and reinforcement done, concrete slab pours nearly complete, and façade works underway. With work expected to be finished in March 2025, the re-opening of the car park will create 1,000 car parking spaces in the heart of Glen Waverley, with EV charging bays, specialist lighting and wayfinding signage. visit monash.vic.gov.au/bogong Jack Edwards Reserve pavilion taking shape The redevelopment of Jack Edwards Reserve in Oakleigh is on track to be completed in the second half of 2025, with new lighting poles in place around the reserve, and concrete slab pours underway for the pavilion. When completed, the home of the Oakleigh Cannons Football Club will have a 500-seat grandstand and National Premier League standard facilities that will help the club grow its programs for womens and girls teams. visit shape.monash.vic.gov.au/jack-edwards-pavilion LEND A HAND in your neighbourhood Volunteers are the heart and soul of Monashs 10 neighbourhood houses. These vibrant community hubs offer a range of social, educational and recreational activities, providing opportunities for local connections.  Volunteers help with a variety of roles, including preparing food at community lunches, fundraising, community gardening, office administration or sharing a cuppa at a Chatty Café morning tea.  Learn how you can get involved at monash.vic.gov.au/neighbourhood-houses  Page 5 ROAD SAFETY the responsibility of all road users This holiday season we are urging all road users to take care. The streets of Monash will be busier than ever as we enjoy the festive season, travelling to and from celebrations as well as shopping for the busiest time of year. Sadly, Victoria has seen a dramatic increase in pedestrian fatalities this year with 42 pedestrians (as of late-October) losing their lives on the states roads – an increase of 27 per cent on the same time last year. Including here in Monash. Road safety is the responsibility of all road users. Failing to give way, whether in car, on a bike or as a pedestrian, is a major cause of pedestrian deaths and pedestrians are urged to “stop, look, listen and think” and avoid distractions such as looking at and texting on phones. To help make our roads safer, Monash Councils 2024/25 budget provides $7.5 million for footpath and cycleway projects, including $1 million for new footpaths and crossings, and a $4.7 million Footpath Renewal Program. Make our roads safer: https://transport.vic.gov.au/road-rules-and-safety Stay safe from bush and grassfires this summer Bush and grassfires pose serious risks in both urban and regional areas, including here in Monash near areas like Jells Park. Fire Rescue Victoria is urging Monash residents to understand their fire risk at home and on holidays and take proactive measures to be prepared. * Assess your risk and prepare your property before and during fire season. * Know what to do if a fire starts and have a plan. If you live near grasslands or parks and a fire starts, walk at least two streets away from the fire—do not drive, as smoke makes driving unsafe. If you live two or three streets away, stay where you are. Stay informed by: * Downloading the VicEmergency app. * Knowing your Total Fire Ban District, whether at home or travelling. * Checking the fire danger rating for your area. Never travel to fire-prone areas when the fire danger rating is extreme or catastrophic. Always call Triple Zero if you see a fire and stay updated through the VicEmergency app. visit frv.vic.gov.au/bushfire-safety From little things During summer, we collect seeds from more than 150 different native plant species growing in Monash to use in our annual planting programs. While most of these plants are in our bushland reserves, some important species are found along railways, roads and other open spaces. One of these places is Coleman Parade in Glen Waverley. We will be pausing mowing along Coleman Parade in December to collect valuable seeds from these rare plants. While we will work to keep the footpath clear, you may see more plants than usual growing in the area. Council plants up to 100,000 indigenous trees, shrubs, and groundcovers throughout the city every year to foster biodiversity, provide places for local wildlife to thrive and natural areas for the community to enjoy. For more information, contact Rish Benda: Ryszard.Benda@monash.vic.gov.au Page 6 The Great Clothing Exchange!  Do you or your family have good quality preloved clothing you have outgrown or no longer wear? Sustainable Monash is hosting a mega exchange event for kids, teens and adults. Get along to the Monash Civic Centre on Saturday 30 November from 10am – 1pm to exchange or donate your good quality preloved items.  Reusing clothes and accessories means we are keeping these items in circularity rather than going to landfill, helping to create a more sustainable Monash. This is a FREE ticketed event. Register and find out what you can exchange at monash.vic.gov.au/clothes-swap   Cafes new lease on life Sustainable Monash is partnering with Mount Street Neighbourhood House to host a new Repair Café on Sunday 15 December 2024 from 10am-2pm. Repair Café is a place for residents to have their valued items assessed and repaired by skilled community volunteers, while also learning how to repair items themselves, to extend their overall use and life. Our Repair Café is only possible because of incredible volunteers who give up their valuable time. Volunteer or register for our next Repair Café at monash.vic.gov.au/repair-cafe Schools take environmental action Congratulations to Clayton North Primary School, which has been named the inaugural Hero School for the 2024 Actions for Earth: Schools Sustainability Challenge. Clayton North Primary, along with many other schools in Monash, was able to achieve fantastic environmental results at their school throughout the year. Some of these actions included introducing compost bins, planting a native garden, starting Nude Food Day and raising school funds by selling plants and chicken eggs. The Sustainable Monash initiative saw 16 Monash schools sign up to the challenge which is designed to encourage, acknowledge and celebrate local schools and their environmental actions. Actions focus on general sustainability, waste and recycling, water, energy and biodiversity and gardening. It was fantastic to also spent time at participating schools to congratulate them on their hard work and deliver a host of prizes! See participating schools and learn more at monash.vic.gov.au/actions-for-earth Page 7 Thank you and Farewell This is the hardest column I have ever written. After 12 years in office and 16 since I first stood for Monash Council as a 19 year old in 2008, I made the decision to retire from local government so my time could be focused on my community involvement in the federal seat of Chisholm. Serving in local government has been a rewarding and enjoyable experience for me, working alongside many of you to achieve tangible results that will last for decades into the future. However, it was not always pleasant. Petty politics can sometimes push people to engage in petty behaviour. It has taught me about pressure, but (over time) also to always maintain a dialogue with ones adversaries. I know local councils probably do not take up too much of your time, juggling family commitments, work pressures and just the everyday grind, why would you waste that time thinking about a local council? For me, it is been my whole adult life, and a childhood dream. I have put everything into it, taken the job seriously, many times at the expense of my family and my own career. I am grateful you elected me three times and allowed me to fulfill that dream. The sense of purpose has motivated me to keep going albeit in a different level and I feel I can do more in the federal parliament in the future. My phone number will not change. It is the only phone number I have had since I was 11. You are welcome to call me at any time on 0430 316 911. At the time of writing, I will have more to say in my final council meeting on October 22 at 7pm. Like all council meetings, the recording will be available on the council website. On that note, I wish Monash only the best for its future, your future and whoever is unlucky enough (just joking) to succeed me. Thank you and farewell Theo Zographos retired from Council ahead of the 2024 Council election Festive season is here! Eaton Mall in Oakleigh will once again welcome the spirit of Christmas with the installation of the Monash Christmas Tree on Tuesday 19 November. The installation of the tree at the Atherton Road end of Eaton Mall signals the commencement of the festive season each year and is a wonderful place to stop for a few photos or selfies while enjoying the authentic food and dining available in Oakleigh. We also look forward to seeing the community once again at Jells Park on Saturday 7 December for the 2024 Monash Carols by Candlelight! Learn more and get your FREE Carols tickets at monash.vic.gov.au/carols Celebrating volunteering in Monash! On 5 December we will celebrate International Volunteer Day! Across Monash we are fortunate to have so many community volunteers who give their precious time and energy to various organisations, groups and causes.   We thank our volunteers and recognise without these amazing people our city would not have such a broad and diverse number of organisations and groups to deliver the vibrant community activities and initiatives so unique to Monash. This year we invite those who are interested in volunteering to reach out to the many sporting clubs, community groups, not-for-profits, charities and organisations within Monash to learn more about their volunteering opportunities. visit monash.vic.gov.au/community-directory Page 8 Whats on in Monash Monash Carols by Candlelight Saturday 7 December, 5:30pm to 9:15pm Jells Park, Wheelers Hill Battle of the Bands Eastern Battle of the Bands, a youth-led initiative, is back with incredible performances by local young artists! Saturday 7 December, 5pm - 10.30pm Hawthorn Arts Centre, Level 1, 360 Burwood Road, Hawthorn monash.vic.gov.au/battle-bands Supported by the Victorian Governments FReeZA program. This fully supervised all-ages event is alcohol, drug, and smoke free. BIG SUMMER Read Children of all ages, keep your reading up over the summer holidays and take part in the state-wide Big Summer Read. Register at your local library branch or online, collect your reading log and activities, and record everything you read between 1 December and 31 January. There are some exciting prizes to be won. monlib.vic.gov.au/big-summer-read Contact us Monash Civic Centre, 293 Springvale Road, Glen Waverley 8.30am-5pm, Monday to Friday Oakleigh Service Centre, 3 Atherton Road, Oakleigh 8.30am-5pm, Monday to Friday Call 9518 3555, email mail@monash.vic.gov.au, visit www.monash.vic.gov.au National Relay Service (for the hearing and speech impaired) phone 1800 555 660 We welcome your feedback at media@monash.vic.gov.au Copyright © 2024 Monash City Council. All Rights Reserved; reproduction in any form will require Council written approval. Monash Council acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the land that makes up Monash, the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung and Bunurong People, and recognises their continuing connection to the land and waterways. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging and extend this to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People. Information in the December Bulletin 2024 is current at the time of going to print on 31 October 2024. Snap Send Solve is a great app to report through to us what needs fixing visit www.monash.vic.gov.au/snap-send-solve