Spring 2012 - Vol 2. No 3 - Derwent Valley Council

Derwent Valley Council NewsThe newsletter of the Derwent Valley Council Spring 2012, volume 2 number 3DERWENT VALLEY SCOOPSMAJOR COMMUNITY AWARDThe Forestry Tasmania Derwent Valley AutumnFestival was a proud winner at the TasmanianCommunity Achievement Awards held recently.The Autumn Festival won the prestigious Prime SuperEvents and Tourism Award from a strong field ofnominees.Each year this free festival attracts thousands of visitorsto the Derwent Valley. With something for everyone,plenty of free attractions, interactive games for children,animals, food, wine and crafts it really is a day the wholefamily can enjoy.The Autumn Festival, which is run by a volunteercommittee of Derwent Valley Council, will hold its13th event in 2013, and is pleased that again ForestryTasmania will continue to be its major naming sponsor.The Autumn Festival Committee works hard over theyear to source new stall holders and attractions for thefestival. The committee is committed to keeping thisevent a free event, and the help and support of bothForestry Tasmania and Derwent Valley Council, asmajor sponsors, allows this to happen.Carinya Education Park was also recognised at theCommunity Achievement Awards as a semi-finalist inthe Howrah Plumbing Community of the Year Award.Carinya Education Park is a Derwent Valley Councilinitiative aimed at creating a hub for youth-based supportorganisations and to provide support, educational andtraining services particularly for young people in thecommunity.∆The Forestry Tasmania Derwent Valley Autumn Committee from left:Ken Wall, Judy Gregson, Sue Cracknell, Van Ransley, Melinda Pearce,Nick Cracknell, Sylvia Roulston, Kelly Warne, Carol Mackey, PeterRoulston and Louis Booth. Unable to attend were Lisa Clarke, MauriceMenzie, Cr James Graham, Joan Excell and Melissa Warne.Derwent Valley Council – Phone – 6261 8500 Postal Address – PO Box 595, New Norfolk Tas 7140ONE

This year has been a challengingyear, starting with a spate of firesthat destroyed property andfarmland. Thankfully no homes orlives were lost. We have seen costof living rises, uncertainty aroundemployment in the forestry andassociated industries and the stateof the economy in general effectour community.The retirement of two long-standingstaff members has meant a reshuffleof some duties. This has given us theopportunity to look at how we dothings and to see if there are differentor better ways to achieve our goalsand produce good outcomes for thecommunity.With so much change it’s easy to forgetwhat we have achieved together.The Community Mens shed hasopened at Carinya Education Park,with Council facilitating the shedthrough a no cost lease arrangementwith Derwent Valley CommunityHouse.Friends of Frascati and Friends ofWillow Court continue to go fromstrength to strength, with in kindsupport from Council, including theprovision of toilets, tables and chairsat open days and assistance with somemowing and cleaning up of areas.The Spatial Plan Review Committeecompleted its implementation planfor the New Norfolk area with someFROM THEGENERALMANAGER’SDESKStephen Mackey, General Manager of theDerwent Valley Councilrecommendations already implemented;increased seating aroundthe town, a new public toilet facilityunder way at Millbrook Rise boatramp and more toilets open to thepublic around the area. Larger projectswill need to be put throughCouncil’s budget process for fundingin the coming yearsThe New Norfolk Business Alliance,a special committee of Council hasproduced a number of television adsresulting in increased business in thetown. Other initiatives include theChristmas Parade, a free bus serviceto bring shoppers to New Norfolkand the Re-New Norfolk event earlierthis year.The Willow Court SpecialConservation Committee is workingon implementing a grant whichCouncil applied for and receivedearlier this year.The Burnett and Bridge Street workshave been completed, along withmany other works right across themunicipality.Council continues to support theRivers Run Tourism Association andthe Mt Field Tourism group. The MtField group recently held the verysuccessful Tiger Trail Festival in theDerwent Valley over a weekend.The Forestry Tasmania DerwentValley Autumn Festival was again agreat success as recognised in theprestigious Tasmanian CommunityAchievement Awards.These are just a few examples of theway that Council works to supportand strengthen our community.None of this could be done withoutthe hard work and support of staffwho go the extra mile to help outwhen the going gets tough.I would like to take this opportunityon behalf of everyone at Council towish everyone in the Derwent Valleya Merry Christmas and a happy andsafe New Year.∆SUMMER’S ON THE WAY AND SO IS FIRE SEASONSummer is finally on the way, withmost of us looking forward to itafter what seems to have been along, cold winter.With the joys of BBQ’s and balmyevenings comes the threat of bushfiresand other uncontrolled fires.Council has commenced its FireHazard Abatement Program for theyear, letters have been sent to ownersof all unoccupied land and municipalinspectors are conducting visualinspections of properties to ensurethat there is no excess of growth thatcould cause a fire hazard.The Fire Hazard Abatement Programaims to protect property from fireif one should start, and to stopthe spread of fire to neighbouringproperties. Many fires start on theroadside, making roadside andboundary clearing particularlyimportant.Council’s roadside slashing programfor the year will start in the Grantonarea and moving through other areasof the municipality. The sprayingprogram to reduce weeds androadside growth has been completed,some areas may be revisited ifnecessary.Slashing and clearing has startedalong the Lyell Highway, this alongwith Gordon River Road is a Stateroad and the responsibility of theState Government.It is also time to prepare for bushfires,especially if you live in a rural area.The Tasmanian Fire Service (TFS)can provide a range of informationon how to prepare your home in caseof a bushfire or other fire threat.Information on Bushfire SurvivalPlans, Fire Danger Rating andthe Bushfire DVD – Prepare, Act,Survive is available from the TFS.Landowners or anyone else planningto burn off should also contact theTFS to see if a Fire Permit is required.The TFS website contains a lot ofuseful information about reducingfire hazards (www.tas.fire.gov.TWOau) or you can call the TasmanianFire Service on 1800 000 699 forinformation on any of the above.To speak to a municipal officer aboutCouncil’s Fire Hazard AbatementProgram, please call 6261 8530during business hours. ∆ADDITIONAL TOILET FACILITIESAVAILABLE TO THE PUBLICFor some time Council has beenaware that there is a shortage of publictoilet facilities available in the area.In addition to the public toilets inCircle Street, at Arthur Square and onthe Esplanade, the toilets in the Hallbuilding at the Molesworth Reserveand at the rear of the football/cricketground change rooms in TynwaldPark, are now open to the public.A toilet block is under construction atMillbrook Rise Boat Ramp and will beopen to the public when completed inthe near future.∆

Christmas Operating HoursDerwent Valley CouncilChambers and Works Depotwill be closed from 5pm Friday21st December 2012 and willreopen at 8.30 am on Tuesday2nd January 2013Council’s landfill site will beclosing at 11.30am on Monday24th December 2012 and will beclosed all day on Tuesday 25thand Wednesday 26th December2012 and Tuesday 1st January2013.All other days operating hourswill be as normal.Normal landfill site operatinghours are:Monday – Friday 10am – 4.30pm, Saturday and Sunday – 10.30am – 3.30pmGarbage and recyclingcollection – Those propertiesthat would usually have had theirwaste collected on Tuesday 25thDecember 2012 should be awarethat there will be slight changesto collection dates:Garbage collection (solid waste)will take place on Saturday 22ndDecember 2012Recycling collection willtake place on Wednesday 26thDecember 2012THANKS TO LOCALBUSINESSES FORSUPPORTING THISNEWSLETTER.Council would again like to thankall the local businesses who havehelped to distribute this newsletterto the community:Maydena General Store, Kallista Rd,MaydenaWesterway Road House, GordonRiver Rd, WesterwayBushy Park Road House, GordonRiver Rd, Bushy ParkEagle Snack Bar, Hamilton Rd, NewNorfolkThis change will only apply tothose properties that wouldusually have had their wastecollection on Tuesday 25thDecember 2012. All othercollection dates remain asnormal.Normal garbage and recyclingcollection will take place on 1stJanuary 2013.New Norfolk Swimming Poolwill be closed Christmas Day.The Valley Children’s Centrewill be closed from close ofbusiness on Friday 21st December2012 and reopen on Tuesday 2ndJanuary 2013Glengrey House will be closedfrom Thursday 20th December2012 and reopening on Tuesday2nd January 2013In case of a Council relatedemergency please call Council’sout of hours and emergencynumber 6261 8500 (24 hours).Southern Water contact numberis 13 69 92Aurora Energy contact numberis 1300 13 2003Police, Ambulance and Fire canbe contacted on 000 in case of anemergency only∆New Norfolk Newsagency, HighStreet, New NorfolkMolesworth Fabulous Foods,Molesworth Rd, MolesworthDerwent Valley Community House,The Avenue, New NorfolkMaydena Adventure Hub and Cafe,Kallista Road, MaydenaFind us on the web at:www.derwentvalley.tas.gov.auOur next edition will be out inMarch 2013 and available from theabove businesses and the DerwentValley Council Chambers and DerwentValley Council Visitor InformationCentre in Circle Street.Derwent Valley Counciland Staff are Proud to be‘Relay Service Friendly’Derwent Valley Council and its staffare proud to be recognised as a ‘RelayService friendly’ organisation.The National Relay Service (NRS) isan Australian Government initiativethat started in 1996 to help those whohave a speech or hearing impairmentto use the phone.The service is confidential, simpleto use and each call costs about thesame as any local call. NRS users canring anyone, anytime any day of theweek.Derwent Valley Council staff havebeen trained to handle calls made totheir offices by any NRS user.All Derwent Valley residents have anequal right to access council informationand services; staff trained inhandling NRS calls can now help thishappen.Relay calls involve a relay officer whois the central link in the phone call,relaying exactly what is said or typed.They stay on the line throughout eachcall to help it go smoothly, but don’tchange or interfere with what eachperson says.Residents can find out more about theNational Relay Service by contactingthe NRS Helpdesk on 1800 555 660or emailing: helpdesk@relayservice.com.au. More information can befound at: www.relayservice.com.auThe Helpdesk can provide a free informationpack for those who havedifficulty making ordinary phonecalls because of a hearing or speechimpairment. Training is free and canbe done at home.∆The staff andcouncillors of theDerwent Valleywish everyone aMerry Christmasand a safe andhappy New Yearand look forwardto working withyou again in 2013.FOUR