APRIL 8, 2015 \ WYNDHAM.STARWEEKLY.COM.AU
NEWS + SPORT + THE WEST’S BEST PROPERTY GUIDE
(Kristian Scott)
Banjo and the billabong
Wolf Heidecker, Colin Driscoll and Felix Meagher (pictured) are gearing up to tell the little-known story behind one of Australia’s most famous songs – Waltzing Matilda – as part of a new play, The Man They Call The Banjo. The play was written by Meagher and Dennis O’Keeffe and is directed by Heidecker, a member of the Wyndham Community Arts Alliance. Set in 1895, it tells of a secret love affair between bush poet, journalist and author Banjo Paterson and Christina Macpherson as they wrote Waltzing Matilda. The play will premiere at Rothwell Estate, 985 Little River-Ripley Road, Little River, on April 17 at 6.30pm. More details are at www.trybooking.com/GUNS. Laura Michell
Growth rate ‘unrelenting’ By Laura Michell Wyndham has regained the title of Victoria’s fastest-growing municipality after more than 11,000 people moved to the city in 2014. Latest regional population growth data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics reveals that last year Wyndham’s population grew by 11,131 people, or 5.7 per cent. At last December, the city’s population was 205,571. The municipality has been the fastestgrowing area in Victoria for seven of the past
eight years. In 2013, the City of Melbourne took the title, recording a 10.5 per cent increase in its population compared to Wyndham’s 6 per cent rise. The ABS data also revealed that Wyndham suburbs are among the most popular in the country, with Point Cook named the secondfastest-growing suburb. Last year, Point Cook’s population grew by 3500 people to 44,000. The fastest-growing suburb was South Morang, which recorded an increase of 4200 people.
Tarneit welcomed 3300 new residents, while Truganina’s population grew by 2500. Wyndham Vale added 1019 people, while Werribee South gained just 215 and Werribee 120. Hoppers Crossing was the only suburb to record a drop in its population, with 189 people leaving the suburb. The council has labelled the growth “unrelenting”, adding that it was a result of state and federal government plans and policies. Wyndham mayor Peter Maynard said the
council had advocated to the state government for the timely provision of infrastructure to meet the needs of the community as it grows. He said at current growth rates, Wyndham needed at least one new school every year, while high priorities included upgrades to arterial roads, continued expansion and improvements to bus services, and more commuter parking. “Wyndham city will continue to advocate strongly to the state government through campaigns like Get Wyndham Moving to meet the needs of our growing community.”