Mayor's Column – 14 July 2022

Published on 14 July 2022

Cr Ross Ebbels headshot

Hello to all residents, ratepayers and visitors to the Borough of Queenscliffe. We’re now into the second half of the year and hasn’t it absolutely flown by! Landscaping on the Queenscliffe Hub is progressing by the week and its position in the streetscape is really taking place. We’re also now less than a month away from the introduction of our kerbside food waste collection service, and it’s wonderful to see so many people excited to continue their good sorting habits and make the most of composting.

 

Download the new Borough Bins app to get sorted
In preparation for the beginning of kerbside food waste collection in August, Council has launched a new app to help residents sort waste and transition to a new bin collection schedule.

The ‘Borough Bins’ app features a personalised collection calendar and a searchable A-Z list to help sort waste and recycling. Residents and visitors can also report missed bin collections, sign up to receive reminders for bin collection night, and be notified about service disruptions, such as truck breakdowns.

I’ve downloaded the Borough Bins app on my own phone, and with simplicity at its core, it’s easy for anyone – young or old – to use. If you download the app today, you’ll be able to see how your sorting behaviours will change when the new food waste service begins, as well as being able to set up push notifications for your bin collections.

Council held an in-person information session at the Queenscliff Town Hall where we demonstrated the efficiency of the app, and a how-to guide will be shared on our website in due time. We want to ensure all our residents can access this great new resource, and we’re here to help if you need a hand getting set up.

There’s also another info session being held online on 26 July – check out our Facebook page for more details. For further resources including calendars, printable guides and more, visit queenscliffe.vic.gov.au/bins.

 

Celebrating Queenscliffe’s rich Indigenous history for NAIDOC Week
From the 3rd to the 10th of July, NAIDOC Week was held in Australia and with it came a host of events across the country that celebrated the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

I was extremely proud to be in attendance last Wednesday for the first official NAIDOC Week public event to be held at Council offices, as we welcomed Wadawurrung woman Corrina Eccles for a Welcome to Country and Smoking Ceremony. In front of dozens of local residents, Council staff and Councillors, Corrina explained how for thousands of generations, there were thousands of Wadawurrung people living across saltwater Country such as Queenscliffe and surrounds. Our region has a rich Indigenous history and some of that can still be seen today with the shell middens down at Shortland’s Bluff.

I was proud to thank Corrina for her wonderful ceremony and emphasised the importance of continuing Council’s growing partnership with the Wadawurrung, which has seen their expertise guide many of our recent publications such as the Climate Emergency Response Plan, four-year Council Plan and ten-year Community Vision. Council is also in the process of creating a Reconciliation Action Plan and the Wadawurrung’s knowledge will be vital throughout.

 

New amenities block ‘steels’ the show
The steel frame of the new amenities block at the Queenscliff Recreation Reserve has recently been constructed and it’s the first proper in-person look we’ve had at the scale of the new building. You might have seen a photo on Council’s Facebook page the other week which shows the structural steel of the building now erected on the concrete slab, with views of the Rip in the background of the shot.

The new building will feature dual access from both inside the caravan park as well as at street level on Hesse Street and is set to contain a full suite of toilets, laundries and family rooms. There’s even going to be a dog-washing room for park users! Keep an eye on the Queenscliffe Tourist Parks social pages for updates throughout the next few months as construction progresses.

 

Event sponsorship now open
Round two of Council’s 2022–23 event sponsorship program is now open, and Council’s economic development team is ready to help your organisation with its application, no matter the size of the planned event. Applications opened on 1 July and close at the end of the month. To read the guidelines and complete the online application form, visit boq.news/eventsponsorship.

 

As always, if you have anything you’d like to discuss with me about the Borough, drop me a line via the contact details on Council’s website.

Kind regards,

Cr Ross Ebbels
Mayor, Borough of Queenscliffe

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