A place to meet each other, to belong. We are Growing a Community and renewing the Habitat Since June 2013, a very diverse and passionate group of volunteers has been meeting to develop land which is a remnant of mining along Ironbark Gully, into a Public Open Space. The land concerned is currently under management of the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) and the City of
Greater Bendigo. In November 2013, our group became an Action Group of the Bendigo Sustainability Group and in late 2020 became incorporated under the Landcare umbrella. Our mission is to encourage locals to adopt a more sustainable and healthy lifestyle. Our activities cover creating and building community connections, re-vegetating parts of the public land along the gully and supporting the creation of a shared path from Nolan Street to Eaglehawk Road along the gully. The shared path will run all along the gully linking existing paths and will promote a healthier lifestyle by providing local residents and visitors with a convenient and safe route for walking, running, cycling, skating and using wheel chairs, pushers and prams. As a consequence, the gully will develop into an attractive community space where locals and visitors can see and practice new ideas in a vibrant, welcoming, and inclusive environment. This project is open to all to participate at the level that best meets their lifestyle, commitments and needs. By being a welcoming and inclusive group, the Ironbark Gully Friends aspire to have a diverse range of community groups contributing to the Public Open Space. The philosophy of the Ironbark Gully Friends is that through small individual efforts, global changes can be made. As the Ironbark Gully Friends community group has developed and while waiting for the Public Open Space to become established, the friends group has hosted community shindigs. In the future they hope to have festivals, markets and fairs with a particular emphasis on householders growing their own food. Community groups will be able to run training programs in being sustainable such as bicycle repair workshops. Also sustainability focused initiatives such workshops on aspects of the local environment will be possible when a community venue is available. The vision of Ironbark Gully Friends is that of a healthy community in a healthy place. We hope an upsurge of enthusiasm will come from becoming part of a sharing connected community of like-minded groups and organizations. Our goals are similar to the Greater Bendigo +25 Community Plan: Greater Bendigo 2036 supported by City of Greater Bendigo Council members and include:
Liveability: quality of life, health, sense of safety, access to services, cost of living, comfortable living standards, mobility and transport, air quality and social participation. Productivity: innovation in education and opportunity in employment
Sustainability: reducing the consumption of resources, specially carbon fuels, reducing waste and generating and celebrating new industries which create positive outcomes from climate change conditions.
