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30 MARCH, 2021
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(Joe Mastroianni) 231693_03
Celebrate autumn The region is gearing up to paint the town auburn, with a new festival set to celebrate the Macedon Ranges. Taking place across five township areas within the municipality, the inaugural Macedon Ranges Autumn Festival will run from March 27 to April 26 in an effort to support local businesses and producers as coronavirus restrictions ease across Victoria. The festival will offer a range of events, including an outdoor concert on Piper Street in Kyneton and an afternoon of painting at Botanica Estate Vineyard in Romsey. Macedon Ranges council planning and environment director Angela Hughes said autumn is the perfect time for locals and visitors to enjoy the area. “March and April are a popular time for visitors keen to explore open gardens and the spectacular colours of autumn,” she said. The council is encouraging businesses to ‘autumn-up’ to follow suit with the theme of the festival and to create a more immersive experience for those in attendance. Details: www.msrc.vic.gov.au/ autumn-fest or call 5422 0333. Oliver Lees
MAYOR JENNIFER ANDERSON
Bulla’s ‘Ayers Rock’ rises By Jessica Micallef The Bulla tip, also known as “Bulla’s Ayers Rock”, is set to rise even higher. Hume council last week approved a planning permit to increase the capping contours and height at the Sunbury Road tip from 182 metres to 184 metres. More than 30 objections from neighbouring property owners and Sunbury and Melbourne Airport residents were received. Concerns included environmental impacts to surrounding areas, visual impact of increased height, traffic impacts and intrusions to controlled airspace. Sunbury Resident’s Association’s Graham Williams said he was disappointed there was no
Bulla tip. (Joe Mastroianni)
community consultation about the proposal. “That is the issue and that’s what concerns us more,” he said. “They [council] are really turning the whole road into Sunbury into a very industrial-type road where there are new housing estates.
“It’s [the tip] has been labelled ‘Bulla’s Ayers Rock’. I cannot see the size of the Bulla tip shrinking anytime soon.” Cr Jodi Jackson said the increased height was not in the best interest of the Jacksons Creek ward community. “The height is of serious concern to most residents. It is overbearing … and it certainly is an eyesore,” she said. “Is it in the best interest of the broader community? Based on the contributions that have been made in terms of the objections, I would … say no. They are not happy with the height that it is now and they are not going to be happy with the height that it’s intending to be. “We are not just talking about residents who live in Bulla or the residents who live in Sunbury. We have residents over in Wildwood,
we have residents over towards the Calder [Freeway] who are also being imposed.” Cr Jackson said the height of the fence at the tip was not high enough to stop rubbish from flying over onto Sunbury Road. “I think kangaroos can jump over that fence,” she said. “A fence would have to be a significant height to prevent that [rubbish flying over] from happening.” Cr Jack Medcraft said rubbish from the tip had been “compacted” and green screening wrapped along the fenceline stopped rubbish from “blowing onto the road”. “We have got to be realistic. This is a tip, it’s got to be used as a tip,” he said. “The only one that will have the final say … on the height, will probably be Melbourne Airport.”