News Archive

Victoria's lockdown has been extended to 11:59pm on Tuesday 27 July to prevent further spread of COVID-19. This means there are only five reasons to leave home: - Get the food and the supplies you need - Exercise for up to two hours and no more than 5kms from your...

Council will be holding a Special Meeting on Tuesday 29 June. At this meeting Council consider the adoption of the: Annual Budget 2021/2022 • Revenue and Rating Plan Road Management Plan Mayoral and Councillor Allowances The virtual Meeting will start at 6:00pm and be...

Council will support seven different community-led projects to improve biodiversity in the Shire through its 2020/2021 Biodiversity Grants, as announced at a Council Meeting last night. Projects include the restoration of wetland areas to improve habitat for the...

Council has received a Highly Commended Award for its film series ‘Peaks Wetlands and Rivers’ at the HART Awards (Helping Achieve Reconciliation Together) in the Local Government category. The three films take viewers on a journey of truth telling across the landscape...

At last night’s meeting, Council received a report on the Hepburn Hub at The Rex project as part of our commitment to provide a monthly update to the community to be open and transparent about the project. Works onsite have not commenced since the awarding of the...

A Planning Scheme information session was held yesterday afternoon. There has been a lot of community interest and feedback on this scheme amendment, and the session was really well attended. The formal process for Council to consider the Independent Panel Report...

Council continues to advocate on behalf of community groups on the construction of 190km of overhead transmission lines, proposed as part of the Western Victoria Transmission Network (WVTN) Project. We are very supportive of renewable energy, and the importance of...

Thirteen local groups across the shire will share in more than $25,000 worth of funding to make it easier for people to participate in activities that build social connection and encourage physical activity. Council’s Reactivate Hepburn grants will support a range of...

We have launched the first edition of our monthly e-newsletter, Hepburn Life. The newsletter gives an overview of some of the things we're working on, along with information we are keen to share with our community. It replaces the printed Shire News, which we...

The maintenance and upgrade of local roads was a key topic at this week’s Council Meeting, with Council adopting an Asset Management Policy, a new Road Upgrade Policy and opening its draft Road Management Plan for community feedback. The Road Upgrade Policy provides...

At this week's meeting, Council approved a move to a new kerbside collection provider.  SUEZ Recycling & Recovery was the successful tenderer for the service based on a public tender and selection criteria that included cost, service delivery, safety and...

Community groups across the Shire were big winners at the Council meeting last night with six applications recommended for full funding and one recommended for partial funding.  A total of over $13,000 has been allocated across the successful applicants. Eleven...

Council is excited to announce the launch of its Towards Zero Community Grants Program for 2020/21. This funding is offering support to non-profit organisations for community projects to save energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in community facilities.  The...

Community members are invited to apply to become a member of the Hepburn Shire Municipal Emergency Management Planning Committee (MEMPC), a multi-agency group that facilitates emergency management activities within the shire. The MEMPC is seeking expressions of...

Council are hosting the ChillOut Youth Ball as part of the ChillOut Festival. The event is for young people aged 12-17 years, who identify as LGBTIQA+ and friends. The event is being held at the Daylesford Town Hall on Friday  23 April, at 6:30pm-9pm. Special...

Forty people will represent members of the Shire on the Hepburn Together Community Panel, with almost 200 people applying for a place on the group. Mayor, Cr Lesley Hewitt, said Council was impressed by the enthusiasm and interest from people to join the panel and...

If your Sporting Club is looking for support with coronavirus (COVID-19) recovery and help with return to play in a COVIDSafe environment there is an additional $6 million in the current round of the Sport & Recreation Victoria Sporting Club Grants Program across...

The latest round of Community Grants is now open. If you’re a community group or organisation looking for funding for a new or one-off event or program then look no further. Categories include Active and engaged communities, Quality community infrastructure (including...

Hepburn Shire Council has adopted the C80hepb Planning Scheme Amendment and will now submit it to the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, and the Minister for Planning for approval. Mayor, Cr Lesley Hewitt, said the amendment was a significant project...

Join Anzac Day commemorations in the Shire on Sunday 25 April. Please note all participants and spectators need to pre-register their attendance prior to these events for contact tracing purposes. Click on the link below to book your free ticket. You can also collect...

As part of the Artisan Agriculture Project, Council will be holding two free events on being a new and aspiring farmer in the region on 24 April and what are regenerative farming practices on 17 May. Farmers will have the opportunity to hear about the key elements of...

Council has moved to Stage 3 of the Hepburn Together project, which means its focus is now shifting towards identifying ways to improve community health and wellbeing. Each local council in Victoria must develop a Municipal Health and Wellbeing Plan, and Hepburn Shire...

Council is looking for great ideas from the community to help revitalise the Central Springs Reserve, located just a short stroll from Lake Daylesford. The picturesque reserve has a grassy area and three mineral water pumps. “This is a lovely spot for a shady picnic,...

Now that the pool season is over Hepburn Shire Council wants to hear from you! If you visited your local pool or aquatic facility over summer Council invites you to complete a short survey to provide feedback on your experience. Complete the survey and tell Council...

In 2016, Hepburn Shire began a feasibility study with funding from the Victorian Government New Energy Jobs Fund (NEJF) to look at options for processing organic waste rather than it going to landfill. An anaerobic digestor project operated at Creswick Transfer...

Customer Services and our Libraries will open at 2pm on Monday 22 March as the entire Customer Experience team are in a training session. Our Customer Service number – 5348 2306 – will be open as usual and you can choose from the menu to access different parts of the...

An Australian first is being launched on March 20, the International Day of Happiness, across the thirteen local government areas that make up the Central Victorian Goldfields region. The Happiness Index survey – a powerful global tool that asks communities about...

Council has secured $2.1 million of State Government funding for the multi-million dollar Hammon Park Trailhead Community and Youth Hub. Hammon Park will serve as the main trailhead for the network of mountain bike trails coming soon to Creswick. It will also serve as...

The results of last year’s Aussie Backyard Bird Count are in! In October 2020, over one hundred thousand Australians participated in the count, one of the largest citizen science projects in Australia. Some key statistics from Hepburn shire include: 280 observers...

An organics bin kerbside collection is coming to Clunes, with bins being delivered in mid March and the first collection due on Monday 22 March. The organics bin is for food scraps (including meat, citrus and dairy) and garden organics (grass clippings, small...

Congratulations to the 2021 International Women’s Day Heather Mutimer Honour Roll inductees at last week's civic event - Frances Fiddian, Betty Johns and Verena Doyle. L-R: Verona Doyle, Betty Johns & Francis Fiddian

From 8 March through to 21 April, Council will be engaging the community in a conversation on the Creswick Trails Network Stage One, including the final Stage One trails map, a suite of reports detailing how the cultural, historical and ecological heritage of the area...

Hepburn Shire Council & Youth Gurus are running a free Youth Mental Health First Aid workshop. Similar to regular First Aid, Youth Mental Health First Aid is an accredited course but for assisting young people experiencing mental health conditions. The 14-hour...

Council is calling for applications from the community to serve on our Disability Advisory Committee (DAC), representing people with a disability. The DAC will work closely with Council to address barriers to access and inclusion in the community and monitor the...

At the meeting on 23 February 2021, Council adopted the Community Engagement Policy (Policy), part of the Hepburn Together project. The Policy was drafted after significant input and feedback from the community. Following analysis of the engagement findings, ten...

Great news...Bianca Chatfield will be our special guest at the International Women's Day event this year. Bianca is a celebrated netballer and a prominent female voice in Australian sport. Come along and help us celebrate.  Event details below. To book, click this...

📢 COUNCIL SERVICES DURING LOCKDOWN   A number of our services have been affected by the 5 day lockdown from 11.50pm tonight (Friday 12 February) to 11.59pm Wednesday (17 February): 👉 Pools - are closed. 👉 Transfer Stations - are open for...

The Hepburn Shire Council has prepared Amendment C82 to the Hepburn Planning Scheme to provide permanent heritage protection to the Old Hepburn Hotel at 236 Main Road, Hepburn.  The amendment is currently on exhibition. By way of background, in early 2020, Council...

If you’re a community group or organisation looking for funding for a new or one-off event or program then look no further - Round 3 of Council's Community Grants are now open! Categories include: Active and Engaged Communities (including Welcome to New Residents...

Council hosts a citizenship ceremony and civic event on Australia Day eve. We would like to congratulate our Australia Day Award recipients for 2021: Community Event of the Year – Daylesford and District Horticultural Society Webinar Series Prior to COVID the...

At the special Council Meeting this evening, Council appointed Director Community and Corporate Services to the role of Interim CEO, while a recruitment campaign for a permanent CEO commences.  This comes after the recent resignation of Evan King and his appointment...

Hepburn Shire Council has launched ‘Hepburn Together’, a new major strategic planning project which will shape the future of the Hepburn Shire. Hepburn Shire Council CEO Evan King said that Council was looking forward to working with the community on this important...

Hepburn Shire Council CEO Evan King has resigned from Hepburn Shire Council to take up the role of CEO at the City of Ballarat. Hepburn Shire Council Mayor Cr Lesley Hewitt said Mr King’s departure will be a loss for the Shire, but extremely positive for the region....

Council is pleased to announce Customer Service, Libraries and Hubs will return to their traditional hours of operation commencing 4 January 2021. We thank our community for your patience and support during a very COVID disrupted 2020. The services that will be...

In a Code Red Day, the safest place to be is away from high risk bushfire areas and leaving the night before or early in the day is the safest option. During extreme weather, such as a Code Red Day, localised power outages may happen. Make sure you have your emergency...

🎄 MERRY CHRISTMAS HEPBURN SHIRE 🎄   From all of us at Hepburn Shire Council to all of you across our Shire and other parts of the world, we hope you have a fun and relaxing Christmas and New Year.   A reminder: all of our offices, depots and libraries...

Australia Day Eve Monday 25 January 2021 Daylesford The Civic Event commences at 6.00pm at the Town Hall. This event will be closed to the public as numbers are limited due to COVID-19 restrictions. The Australia Day Awards presentation and Citizenship Ceremony will...

Hepburn Shire Council is inviting artisan agriculture producers and growers from the Hepburn Shire and broader region to complete the annual Artisan Agriculture Survey. The survey aims to help Council’s Artisan Agriculture Project Advisory Group to better understand...

A new website aims to take the Goldfields to the world. The campaign to put the Central Victorian Goldfields on the World Heritage map took a huge step forward this week with the launch of a fascinating new website.Funded by the Victorian Goldfields Tourism Executive...

Interested in the latest news on what is happening with the Glenlyon Rec Reserve soil contamination project? There is a new update on the project page on our website: https://www.hepburn.vic.gov.au/glenlyonrecreationreserve/

At the meeting Tuesday evening, Council received the Annual Report 2019/2020. Due to COVID-19, councils were permitted additional time to prepare their Annual Report, which serves as a report of operations for the 2019/2020 financial year and the previous Council....

Extreme heat is a killer. Extreme heat causes more deaths than any other natural disaster in Australia. As Victoria braces for soaring temperatures in the coming day / week/s ahead, it was important to take a moment to think about how you and your family, friends, and...

At the statutory meeting held last night, Council elected Cr Lesley Hewitt (Birch Ward) and Cr Brian Hood (Coliban Ward) as Mayor and Deputy Mayor. Mayor, Cr Lesley Hewitt said, “I’m honoured by the trust and responsibility shown by my fellow Councillors and look...

Often when we think of someone living with a disability, we think of those with ‘visible’ physical disabilities like those requiring wheelchairs or a guide dog. But there are also lots of other disabilities, invisible disabilities, that aren’t so easy to identify....

Hepburn Shire Council is putting local businesses front and centre producing a series of online videos, to promote the Go Local First initiative. Hepburn Shire Council CEO Evan King said the new videos feature businesses and townships across Hepburn Shire, showcasing...

This Girl Can Vic is about women getting active whenever, wherever and however they choose – without worrying about being judged. Come and join in the fun during the Hepburn Girls Can Week! Booking details: Monday 16 November 2020 Clogging for Beginners to Advanced...

The Victorian Electoral Commission has today declared the result of the Hepburn Shire Council Election. The Councillors are: Birch Ward – Jen Bray and Lesley Hewitt Cameron Ward – Tessa Halliday Coliban Ward – Brian Hood Creswick Ward – Don Henderson and Tim Drylie...

NAIDOC Week 2020 events: Flag Raising Acknowledgment of Country and Aboriginal flag will be raised in Vincent Street Daylesford by Erica Higgins, member of HSC RAP Advisory Committee. Clunes Booktown on Sunday Sunday 8 November 4pm Conversation with Indigenous...

Council has been talking to local businesses and agencies such as Victoria Police, DHHS, Daylesford Macedon Tourism and Central Highlands Rural Health about plans for when the ‘ring of steel’ comes down. This will occur at midnight, 8 November, and Hepburn Shire will...

Are you in Melbourne and have a property in our Shire you wish to visit to undertake works for the summer season? Due to the proposed easing of travel restrictions from midnight 8 November (which means you can travel up to our Shire whenever you want from next Monday...

Preparations for Council’s annual sealed roadside slashing program are underway.  This program reduces the height of grass on roadsides to improve road safety, along with helping to reduce fuel loads for the upcoming fire danger period. Council’s Works Team slashes...

Spring means birds will start reappearing from their winter hideaways ready to be counted in BirdLife Australia’s Aussie Backyard Bird Count from 19 October to 25 October. Hepburn Shire encourages participation by residents to help understand environmental change in...

Hepburn Shire Council is working with the community, local businesses and visitors to support a COVID-safe reopening as part of our pandemic response for our region. Council’s role is to ensure the safety of our community while ensuring businesses have the support,...

Quick guide to what Council services are open: Customer service - yes, on restricted hours and days. Libraries - yes, on restricted hours and days. Tip Shops - open as per usual. Parks and skatepark - open as usual. For more information:...

Good news! We re-opening both Libraries and Customer Service points from next Monday, 21 September. Each of our sites will be open for two days per week. Open one weekday and again on Saturday morning: 👉 Creswick Hub: Monday 8.30am - 5pm and Saturday 9am-12pm...

Council is participating in the Go Local First campaign to promote and support local businesses. The campaign encourages and reminds us to choose local small businesses when purchasing products, goods and services to hep get the economy back on its feet, keep locals...

** Nominations have now closed International Women’s Day is celebrated across the world on 8 March each year. The purpose of the day is to recognise women and their achievements. In 2005, the Heather Mutimer Honour Roll was established to pay tribute to the women in...

In February, Council committed to working with our community in developing guidelines to compliment the adopted General Local Law No. 2. At the Council meeting on Tuesday 21 July, Council endorsed the Terms of Reference for the Local No. 2 Community Reference Groups....

Have you thought about being a Councillor? Being a Councillor is a rewarding challenge – one which requires commitment, responsibility and accountability. Many people in our local communities provide strong and strategic leadership. Local government can perform at its...