As you may have heard, there are plans to develop a “Stone Reserve Heritage Walk” from Redesdale, through Stone Reserve and to a look out point over the Campaspe and the Redesdale Bridge. The area has been surveyed and by the end of July a site plan and a clean –up of the reserve will have been completed.
We are looking to invite interested people to register their interest in the project and become a “Friend of Stone Reserve” (FOSR). There is no fee involved in registering your interest and becoming a friend. If you become a friend, you may want to give your time or expertise to the project – or you may want to volunteer on planting or clean-up days. It would be a great way of getting to know your local neighbours.
If you would like more information about the project, please have a look at the Stone Reserve Strategic Plan under Stone Reserve on this website.
Access to better health care has long been a regular ‘call-out’ in our Redesdale community engagement forums. I know from personal experience, as a I am sure many of you can relate, how frustrating, challenging and sometimes disappointing the search for appropriate and accessible services and local facilities are for our loved ones living with dementia.
Facts:
Dementia is currently the single greatest disability in older people (65+ years).
It is now the 2nd leading cause of death: 5.4% of all males and 10.6% of all females.
In 2020, around 450,000 Australians were living with dementia. It is estimated that 25,000 suffer from ‘younger onset’ dementia.
Dementia does not discriminate.
Recently we offered our community the opportunity to hear about a world first heath care initiative: a bush inspired dementia village in Heathcote. Sherrie Coote from Advance Heathcote Incorporated shared with us the story of “Gilbruk Place”: which means ‘place of respect’ in the language of the land’s traditional owners, the Taungurung people.
Gilbruk Place’s vision is to build a 150 bed facility, addressing the needs of dementia sufferers with assisted living through to palliative care for people living within a 1.5 hour drive of Heathcote. No more long corridors of sterile patient rooms. Gilbruk Place envisages its residents living in ‘small houses’ of 10 with communal living areas and access to open space that allows residents continue purposeful daily living. It is hoped that a clinical research and education hub will also be realised to ensure this facility contributes to and leverages best practice research to improve dementia care. Another difference will be the relationship of the village to the community: the vision is that residents, their friends and family will venture out into the township and enjoy local amenities. Gilbruk Place will also include a small supermarket, hairdresser, a café and library, veggie gardens, recreation areas, a lake and a farm nursery.
A 17-acre parcel of land adjacent to Heathcote Health has been earmarked for the project. There’s a long way to go yet, but Heathcote Dementia Alliance is working on plans for a dementia friendly display home to showcase innovations to support people with dementia remaining in their own homes. Advance Heathcote Inc Working Group are in discussion with a short list of aged care providers and financial backers to make Gilbruk Place become a reality.
Those Redesdalians that did attend were treated to floor plans, site maps and the opportunity to share their ideas and thoughts for how to improve this plan and discuss the potential additional growth it will bring to our region.
A big “thank you” to Sherrie for giving up her Tuesday afternoon – we all came away impressed and excited about the possibilities. Thanks also to RRRC for, on short notice, allowing us to use the newly available Pavilion.
We are very pleased and excited to announce the Redesdale Art Festival is back for 2021!
With the support of the Foundation for Rural Regional Renewal, and a donation from the Victorian Bushfire Appeal Fund, RaDA will be busy preparing an art exhibition to showcase a diverse range of artworks.
Keep an eye out for more details in future Bridge Connection issues and on this website.
Please each consider completing the following Connecting Victoria Engagement drop pin survey where you have the opportunity to flag where you’re experiencing coverage / access issues. A City colleague has already completed the survey and said it was very user friendly.
Please also encourage people in your networks to complete the survey.
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An exciting project to develop a half kilometre walkway from Redesdale to a lookout overlooking the historic Redesdale bridge. It is planned to erect a monument to the 150 year old bridge and to create history boards depicting the colourful history of the bridge, the local area, the indigenous flora and fauna, and local aboriginal history.
Stone Reserve is a 2.5-hectare piece of land on the road between Redesdale and Mia Mia in Central Victoria. In the late 19th century, it was a stone quarry for the railways. In recent decades it has been used by the local primary school for outdoor activities and in the 1950s was part of the Federal Forestry Project. Recently the community celebrated the 150-year birthday of the bridge.
This will be a step closer to creating a walking track between the Redesdale and Mia Mia communities and an opportunity to honour the history of the local area. So let’s get donating!
Last weekend Redesdale hosted Bobby Valentine & Band of Renown at the Redesdale Reserve Oval.
A big thank you to everyone who attended the Health and Wellbeing event, I am sure all attendees would agree the night offered great music, plenty of food, clear skies and a fun atmosphere.
The RaDA and RRRC committees continue to work well together with their focus being to provide an enjoyable, safe community event where all ages can get together and enjoy our local facilities.
We would like to give thanks to Gary and Vicki Hardwick – Hardwick Kyneton; Wayne Smith – Farmer Smith Estate and John Beurle for their contributions.
None of this would have come to fruition without the financial assistance of The City of Greater Bendigo, and information support from Bendigo Headspace and Bendigo Health.
Lastly a big thank you to the committee members who helped out before, during and after the concert.
