Thank you for your ongoing interest in the Camp Reserve redevelopment project.

Council officers are continuing to prepare all documentation required for a planning permit application to develop a new pavilion and netball/multipurpose courts at Camp Reserve. This is part of stage 1 works outlined in the Camp Reserve masterplan, adopted by Councillors in 2020.

Documentation that Council is currently gathering for the permit application includes technical reports on the site’s acoustics, arboriculture, flood and bushfire risk, heritage and cultural heritage, geotechnical and feature surveys and traffic management.

The aim is to complete these reports and submit the planning permit application by the end of October 2024.

Council’s planning team will then undertake an assessment of the application, which will involve a public notice period where community members can provide feedback.

As per Council’s usual processes, information on the planning permit application will be available on our website at www.mountalexander.vic.gov.au, search ‘Current applications’.

Council has been undertaking archaeological investigations at Camp Reserve, in partnership with GML Heritage (archaeologists) and Heritage Victoria.

These investigations are now complete, with archaeologists currently undertaking an analysis of the artefacts that were uncovered.

Council is expecting a report on the findings of the dig in September, and an update will be provided to the community on www.shape.mountalexander.vic.gov.au/CampReserve.

The archaeological investigation site at Camp Reserve has recently been filled in and Council officers are undertaking rehabilitation works on the hill. Once the grass is restored, this area will be reopened to the public.

Council has met with Elders from Djaara onsite at Camp Reserve to assist them in undertaking a Cultural Heritage Management Plan (CHMP).

A CHMP is a report which explains the results of cultural heritage assessments and outlines conditions that a project needs to comply with before, during and after works to manage and protect Aboriginal cultural heritage in that area.

A CMHP report is part of the suite of technical documentation required for the planning permit application.

Council’s 2024/2025 Budget includes an allocation for much needed tree works at the reserve.

Council’s Tree Management Officer is overseeing these works, which will focus on improving tree and soil health.

The works are scheduled to take place as follows:

• September – Gingell Street – Avenue of Elms. Residents who live near the reserve may have noticed tree works taking place on the avenue of elms in Gingell Street. These works are due to complete in September at which point the contractors will undertake tree works on the on the Oaks in Camp Reserve which are located adjacent to Gingell Street. These works will be on the roadside only and therefore the contractors will not be entering Camp Reserve.
• October – Camp Reserve – Complete work to the Oaks as required. Commence work on the avenue of Elms with the reserve along the Barkers Creek boundary of Camp Reserve.
• November – Camp Reserve – Complete work on the avenue of Elms.
  

Each section of works is anticipated to take one week to complete (weather dependent).

Contact Council’s Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities team on 5471 1700 or email t.lyons@mountalexander.vic.gov.au.

The next project update will be provided in September 2024.

• In September 2020, Councillors endorsed a master plan for Camp Reserve.
• Stage 1 of the master plan is the development of a new centralised pavilion and two new netball/multipurpose courts at the southern end of the reserve.
• In February 2023, Councillors resolved to support designs for the new pavilion and two netball/multipurpose courts.