Buchan - Main Street and Linkages Project

The shared path from the township into the Buchan Caves Reserve and providing a connection through John Flynn Reserve construction works has commenced.

The streetscape detail design is being finalised, EGSC has been working with the PRG and local community to reinvigorate the town. The design and construction of carparking adjacent the Buchan Hall will also be completed within these works adding much needed carparking to this facility.

Once the detail design documentation has been approved by Regional Road Victoria, the construction package will be released for public tender and subsequent contract award early in 2023.

The Project Reference Group has been meeting regularly and has representatives from Buchan Bush Nursing, local traders, Buchan Quarry & also community members.

Council have received valuable feedback from the October 2022 online and face to face community consultation.

Consultants, Village Well, conducted several workshops and traffic management planning discussions in Buchan.

The key actions from the community consultation to be investigated in the Detailed Design (within the scope of works) are;

COMMUNITY CONSULTATION SESSIONS - 17 and 18 October 2022

Council is progressing the Buchan Streetscape Redevelopment to the next stage through the development of a draft plan. Community members are invited to join us for the next phase of the consultation process with in-person events held over evening and morning sessions to view the draft plan and provide further feedback.

Council would like to thank all those community members who have taken part in the consultation process to date, including those who attended the Village Well place making workshops and traffic management planning discussions. Your feedback is greatly valued and appreciated, and your ideas and concerns will help inform this next stage of the draft plan.

The in-person events will be held on 17 October at 7.30 pm at the Buchan Hotel and on 18 October at 8.30 am at the CFA Building.

For anyone who is unable to make the in-person events the draft plan will be available to view and provide feedback online through this YourSay page from 17 to 23 October.

The next steps after this round of consultation will be to develop the final plan and begin construction in early 2023.

Updates will continue to be provided via Your Say so keep an eye out as the project progresses and contact Council with any queries.

Project Update

The Heritage Victoria permit for the proposed shared path project linking the Buchan township to the Caves Reserve information centre has been approved. This is a fantastic achievement and a big milestone for the project which has taken many months of collaboration between Council, Heritage Victoria, Parks Victoria and GLaWAC.

The tender for the construction of the shared path into the Caves Reserve and also the linkage from the township to the swing bridge through John Flynn Reserve is open for public tender. This tender period is open until 10 August 2022.

Estimated construction start for these works is mid October for a finishing date of April 2023.

Imagine Buchan Workshop a big success!

With COVID restrictions easing in November the team at Village Well were able to run in person workshops to develop ideas for the project in Buchan. All Buchan District community members were invited to join us at two sessions on 16-17 November 2021. On Tuesday 16 November Village Well and 'streetmakers' Complete Streets hosted an inspiring, engaging and practical workshop to hear your ideas and aspirations for the streetscape and how you think it should connect to the Buchan identity and place experience more broadly. We want to thank the community members who attended the workshop and drop in session to provide feedback and valuable ideas.

This was the first step in the community consultation process to develop the masterplan for the upgrade of Buchan's main street. The team at Village Well are working on the report which will be available for community to review early in 2022. Please subscribe to stay up to date with this project and to learn about further consultation opportunities.

Community consultation opens

With COVID restrictions easing in November the team at Village Well will be able to run in person workshops to develop ideas for the project. All Buchan District community members are invited to join us at both of the below get togethers.

Online Meet 'n' Greet - Tuesday 26 October
Click on the above link to book your place
Village Well will kick-start their consultation journey in an online Meet 'n' Greet where community members are invited to come along, say hello, learn about the process ahead and ask questions about next steps.

In-person Imagine Buchan Community Workshop - 6pm Tuesday 16 November
Click on the above link to book your place
Village Well and 'streetmakers' Complete Streets will host an inspiring, engaging and practical workshop to hear your ideas and aspirations for the streetscape and how you think it should connect to the Buchan identity and place experience more broadly

Preliminary drawings for pathway available to view

The design for the pedestrian pathway from the Main Street to the Buchan Caves campsites is well under way. The preliminary drawings can be viewed (see attached document) and Council is working through all the approvals and consents that are required to enable work to proceed with the application to Heritage Victoria.

We thank you for your patience while this process is being undertaken.

Design of shared pathway underway

A quick update to let you know that works continue behind the scenes for the development and design of the shared pathway linking the Caves Reserve to the Main Street. Streeter Civil & Engineering Services has been asked to commence detailed design on the shared path from the town to the caves reserve.