The last financial year saw many exciting activities taking place in the heritage space for Greater Shepparton. Passionate members of the Greater Shepparton Heritage Advisory Committee and Council officers lead the way in the promotion and appreciation of heritage in the municipality with a wealth of activities and events being undertaken and many more exciting opportunities ahead.
Of particular importance was the adoption of the Greater Shepparton Heritage Study Stage IIC, which identified 180 places across Greater Shepparton to be of cultural heritage significance. Council is in the process of preparing a planning scheme amendment to give effect to the findings and recommendations of the Study.
As a recommendation of the Committee, a new Council initiative was launched in the form of the Heritage Grants Program to the value of $25,000 for small projects that assist land owners to preserve integral parts of heritage places. The success of the Program is reflected through an increased budget for this financial year of $50,000, which will be launched in the coming months.
The Greater Shepparton Biennial Bruce Wilson Memorial Heritage Lecture was held in May this year and was very well attended, with over 100 interested members of the public gaining a greater understanding of how heritage protection in Victoria came about. Guest speaker, Emeritus Professor Graeme Davison AO, the Sir John Monash Distinguished Professor of Monash University, was both knowledgeable and engaging.
The popular and exciting Greater Shepparton Biennial Cultural Heritage Awards were last held in May 2017, and will be launched again early this financial year to promote the success of heritage within the municipality.
In October 2017, Council hosted a Heritage Open Day to increase awareness of the history, people and buildings that helped shape Greater Shepparton and to showcase the many heritage sites in the area. The Open Day was exceptionally well received and will feature again on the 2019 events calendar.
Greater Shepparton City Council Mayor Kim O’Keeffe was delighted with the success of the Heritage Lecture and the work of the Heritage Advisory Committee in recent years.
“Greater Shepparton is in the minority of progressive Councils in Victoria offering grants for conservation work to owners of properties with a heritage overlay. This municipality might now be said to be at the forefront of local cultural heritage awareness. In particular, I would like to thank the Greater Shepparton Heritage Advisory Committee, which has worked extremely hard to promote the profile of heritage in our municipality,” said Cr O’Keeffe
