Sustainable Hepburn adopted by Council

Published on 18 August 2022

Hepburn Shire Council’s updated environmental sustainability strategy, Sustainable Hepburn 2022-26, was adopted at the Council meeting this week. 

Mayor, Cr Tim Drylie, said that he was extremely proud of the strategy, which was co-designed with a dedicated Community Reference Group with input from over 400 community members between October 2021 and June 2022. 

“During the Hepburn Together project and the development of the Council Plan in 2020/21, we heard loud and clear from our community that environmental sustainability is the number one priority closely followed by liveability,” said Cr Drylie.

“We acknowledge that liveability and sustainability are intrinsically linked and that the protection and regeneration of our natural environment supports healthy lifestyles, a thriving local economy, resilience in the face of climate change and habitat for the rich biodiversity found here,” he said.

Sustainable Hepburn acknowledges the interconnected relationship between many facets of environmental sustainability and includes four key themes:

• Beyond zero emissions
• Natural environment and biodiversity
• Low waste
• Climate resilience.

Each theme shares elements of crossover which each other, providing an opportunity for deeper collaboration and partnership both within Council and between Council and community.

Sustainable Hepburn updates Council’s commitment to further reduce its corporate greenhouse gas emissions, protect and enhance local biodiversity, transition to a low waste Shire and become more resilient to the impacts of climate change.

“‘Think Global Act Local', accurately reflets the intent of this strategy. Thriving, safe, just, and prosperous local communities, living within planetary boundaries, is at the heart of Sustainable Hepburn,” said Cr Drylie.

Michelle Stephenson, member of the Community Reference Group, said it was great news that the Council adopted the Sustainable Hepburn strategy.

“Once implemented, the benefits of the strategy will be far reaching as it addresses key issues we face as a community around resource recovery, being climate resilient, achieving net zero carbon emissions and protecting our biodiversity,” said Michelle.

Council will work with DJAARA on its many actions to build stronger cultural awareness and embed Traditional Owner knowledge in the way we work. Hepburn Shire residents can look forward to an annual Sustainable Hepburn Day, bringing together and amplifying the work of the many groups, businesses and individuals who contribute to a sustainable Hepburn.

There will be a Sustainable Hepburn community grants program, and sustainability awards to incentivise and celebrate the many achievements across the community. Council will build a local circular economy, swap out its vehicle fleet with more electric vehicles, roll out FOGO (food organics and garden organics) kerbside collection to urban areas across the Shire, and develop a Landscape Connectivity Plan and biolink overlay in Council’s planning scheme that prioritises and places additional protections on biodiversity.

Council will also look to better understand the risks to its assets and community services given projections of more extreme weather events, build climate resilience with a program to build stronger local awareness of climate change impacts and guidelines to future-proof lifestyles and local building design. 

Council cannot do all of this work on its own and acknowledges the many partners who will help bring Sustainable Hepburn to life such as the many Landcare groups, Hepburn Energy, Central Highlands Greenhouse Alliance, government agencies and community groups. 

“In a Sustainable Hepburn there is room for everyone to play their part, no matter how large or small. We believe that together we can make a difference to a thriving and sustainable future in Hepburn Shire, protecting and celebrating where we love to live,” said Cr Drylie.

A community launch of the strategy will be held on Saturday 29 October to showcase the work and activities underway across the Shire.

View the strategy on Council's website(PDF, 15MB).