The release of the draft Strategy was followed by rapid changes to how we all function in the context of COVID-19 and we have now reviewed the engagement program for the Strategy. We are not able to hold face-to-face community drop-in sessions for the draft Rural Strategy due to State and Federal Government social distancing provisions at this time.
Council has released a draft Rural Strategy(PDF, 6MB) that offers a vision for Hume’s rural areas for Council and the community to work towards over the next 20-years.
Feedback from the community to date and further research has identified the significant challenges for Hume’s rural areas now and into the future such as:
- Relatively poor quality soil and a lack of rainfall worsened by the affects of climate change
- Ongoing land speculation
- The viability of traditional agriculture
- An aging and changing rural population.
To address the challenges and realise a positive future for Hume’s rural areas a partnership approach is required between all levels of government and the community.
The draft Rural Strategy encompasses three themes that reflect a holistic, partnership approach:
- Certainty – the draft Strategy aims to provide certainty on the role, and on the future planning for the rural areas, particularly future urban development and subdivision, to assist the rural community to make investments with greater confidence.
- Support – the draft Strategy sets out how landowners will be supported to continue to pursue current activities, diversify into new activities, maximise opportunities associated with a growing urban population and to effectively manage land.
- Engagement – the draft Strategy sets out how landowners will be supported to inform the rural community of potential future changes and to grow community connectedness and capacity to realise future opportunities and to manage challenges
Council is now seeking to hear from the community about this vision for the rural areas, as well as the strategies for how Council will better support and engage with the rural landowners and the rural community to realise this vision.
You can provide feedback or ask questions using Hume's Draft Rural Strategy page.