4 minute read

Council Connections

from Esperance Tide July 2023

from Esperance Tide July 2023, page 22

BUSH BANTER

Investing In Our Community – 2023/24 Community Grants Program

Council gave the thumbs-up to the Shire’s principal community investment program when they approved the 2023/24 Community Grants Program Budget Allocation at the June Council Meeting. Nine applications were successful under the Annual Grants category of the Program, with a total of $135,160 in funding granted. The $95,130 pre-approved grant for Esperance Football Club will also be granted this financial year. Successful applicants include the Esperance Music Festival, Recherche Aged Welfare Committee, Scouts and Esperance Historic Homesteads Documentary Series. The Small Grants Category was increased by $10,000 to $60,000, in anticipation of an increased demand - last year’s $50,000 allocation was exhausted by March 2023! Read the media release on the Shire website.

Adoption of Guiding Directives

Council have adopted the Ancillary Accommodation Local Planning Policy (LPP) and the Cemeteries Local Law 2023 into our family of guiding documents! The Ancillary Accommodation LPP will allow larger ancillary accommodations (commonly known as granny flats) to be built in ‘Rural’ and ‘Rural Smallholdings’ zoned areas of the Shire, and was driven by Council responding to the needs of community. This LPP was out for public comment in May, with no submissions received; similarly, there were no submissions received during the time the Cemeteries Local Law 2023 was out for comment. This replaces the outdated Cemeteries Local Law 2002, clarifying the use of and rules around the cemetery, allowing greater flexibility for community use, giving greater governance on management, and providing guidance for all future scenarios.

It’s Raining Dogs & Cats - Out for Community Feedback

The Dog Local Law 2022 and the Cat Local Law 2022 were endorsed by Council at the January 2023 Council Meeting and subsequently gazetted, becoming law; however, this is not the end of the process for the making of a law. These laws also went before the State Government Joint Standing Committee on Delegated Legislation, who have provided advice requiring changes. The major change to the Dog Local Law means the maximum penalty for matters taken to court is now $10,000. Penalties to deal with matters out of court remain unchanged at much smaller amounts. Changes to the Cat Local Law mean that the Shire’s ability to regulate wandering cats has been cut, in line with the state Cat Act 2011. Council endorsed these local laws and they will now go out for final public feedback.

Twilight Planting

Rehabilitation work on the Twilight Sand Dunes is now in full swing after the unfortunate fire in May this year. The dunes were previously covered with the introduced Pyp Grass, planted in the 1980s to stabilise the dunes. It did the job! But it’s also been outcompeting native vegetation. The aftermath of the fire provides a great opportunity to control this introduced grass. Most of the 12,000 native seedlings needed to revegetate the dunes have been locally sourced, with the awesome Wongutha CAPS Bushranger Team planting 1,100 seedlings earlier this month. The Shire has also been working in partnership with the legendary Esperance Tjaltjraak Ranger Team on photo monitoring and direct seeding of the bare parts of dunes. Big ups to our community for staying off the dunes - we ask that everyone continue to keep to existing paths as erosion is already evident.

Upcoming Council Meetings Agenda Briefing: 18 July 2023 at 1pm

Ordinary Council Meeting: 25 July 2023 at 4pm Pencil it in! The September OCM will be held at the Gibson Football Club.

ENTERTAINMENT

Winter Wonderland

SAT 15 JULY @ 9AM

ESPERANCE CIVIC CENTRE

Free event

Bringing snowy fun to Esperance for the young and young at heart. Featuring a snow pit, snow slide, food vendors, market stalls, giant games, movies, and more.

Christmas Magic in July

SAT 22 JULY @ 5:30PM

LUCKY BAY BREWING

Tickets $85 • trybooking.com

Rug up in your best or worst Christmas get up and let magician Magic Dale beguile you as he roams throughout the evening, reigniting the magic of Christmas. Tickets include a hearty Christmas roast, pudding, and mulled wine on arrival.

Kids Christmas Family Magic Show

SUN 23 JULY @ 12PM

LUCKY BAY BREWING

Sydney II: Lost and Found

FRI 28 JULY @ 7:30PM

ESPERANCE CIVIC CENTRE

Tickets from $17.50 • auecc.sales.ticketsearch.com

A true story of romance, danger, courage, and fateful decisions. From the dark days of WWII and a race against time over 60 years later comes a story of love, loss, and hope.

Our monthly arts & culture guide brought to you by:

The Box Show

TUE 25 JULY @ 5:30PM & WED 26 JULY @ 10AM

ESPERANCE CIVIC CENTRE

Tickets from $16 • auecc.sales.ticketsearch.com

COMMUNITY

NAIDOC Opening Ceremony 2023

MON 3 JULY @ 10AM

SHIRE OF ESPERANCE FLAG POLES

Followed by a walk to the foreshore for a morning of NAIDOC activities and community barbecue.

LBB Quiz Night

THU 27 JULY @ 5PM

LUCKY BAY BREWING

Text teams of six to 0429 777 714.

National Tree Day

SUN 30 JULY @ 9AM

LAKE MONJINGUP NATURE RESERVE

Help restore the natural environment by joining the Shire of Esperance in planting a range of trees, shrubs and sedges native to the Esperance region, ending the morning with a barbecue. See Facebook for more details.

LIVE MUSIC

Cameron Alexander and Georgie Winchester

FRI 30 JUNE @ 5PM

LUCKY BAY BREWING

Mousey

SUN 2 JULY @ 3PM

LUCKY BAY BREWING

Talia Storm

FRI 7 JULY @ 5PM

LUCKY BAY BREWING

Blues & Brews

SAT 8 JULY @ 4PM

LUCKY BAY BREWING

Tickets from $15 • kyzapresents.com

A mid-winter celebration of live music and beer featuring Ben Catley and Black Robin, supported by Esperance locals The Cup Trumpets, Campbell Garratt, and Charles Antoine Favier.