Preserving the Past: Community Feedback Sought for Wyndham's Heritage Review Recommendations
Wyndham City is actively engaging the community for feedback on the outcomes of Stage 2 of the Wyndham Heritage Review, as part of its ongoing commitment to preserving significant historical sites. The city recognizes the crucial role heritage plays in providing evidence of the community’s evolution over time.
Landowners and community members are encouraged to share their insights on the draft Stage 2 recommendations. This feedback opportunity aims to gather additional information to ensure the accuracy of recommendations geared towards safeguarding historical places and precincts. All submissions will undergo careful consideration by qualified heritage experts, and relevant contributions will be incorporated into the final recommendations.
Wyndham City Mayor, Cr Jennie Barrera, emphasized that legislative obligations mandate the identification and protection of heritage places. She highlighted the broader community benefits derived from such efforts.
“Fourteen individual places in Werribee and three in Little River have been deemed significant to Wyndham City and are recommended for protection in the Wyndham Planning Scheme,” Barrera stated. “Given our region’s high growth, heritage holds particular importance for Wyndham, serving as a link to the past and a crucial contributor to a strong sense of place in our communities.”
Barrera acknowledged the challenges posed by development and competing strategic objectives, such as infrastructure provision and housing growth, which exert pressure on the preservation of special heritage places.
In addition to the identified significant areas, the Gibbons and Beamish Streets Residential Precinct and the Campbells Cove and Baileys Beach Boatshed Precinct (Werribee South) have been recommended for inclusion in the Schedule to the Heritage Overlay. Design guidelines have been crafted for both precincts to guide future development.
Considering the unique context of the Werribee South intensive agriculture precinct and the diverse heritage values within this complex cultural landscape, an additional initiative has been undertaken to develop recommendations for innovative approaches to recognizing and celebrating heritage values in Werribee South.
Recognizing the importance of Aboriginal Cultural Heritage, Wyndham City is actively consulting with Wyndham’s Registered Aboriginal Parties, including the Bunurong Land Council Aboriginal Corporation and the Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation, to acknowledge and protect Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Values. Aboriginal Cultural Heritage is safeguarded under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 2006.
