Background

In April/May 2023, Hume City Council engaged with the community and stakeholders to help develop a draft Master Plan for Emu Bottom Wetland conservation area in Sunbury.

We presented an Opportunities Plan to generate discussion and feedback. The draft Master Plan responds to what we heard about the Opportunities Plan.

Of note:

• We heard that the natural environment is very important. The conservation area will continue to be maintained primarily for conservation purposes. We will improve the platypus viewing areas and increase planting to protect the waterways.
• We heard that the billabong and adjacent Cultural Heritage sites are significant to the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung people of Hume and of Victoria. We will work with the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation to ensure the continued protection of these areas. This will mean that a bridge across the billabong is not possible.
• We heard that a connection to the new community to the south is important. We are currently undertaking a Cultural Heritage Management Plan for a connecting path from the carpark to the southern boundary of the conservation area. We continue to work with the developer to the south to ensure their path is built.
• We heard that having your dog off leash was of great importance to some users of the Wetlands conservation area. In response, the we revised the dogs off-leash area from 2.5ha to approximately 6ha.
• We heard that some people don’t feel safe around off-leash dogs. We also heard that some off-leash dogs are not under effective control at all times. Therefore, there will be some separation between the main trail and the dog off leash area.

How you can participate

People could let us know what they thought about the draft Master Plan. On the noticeboards they could let us know what they loved about it or what they thought we'd missed. Feedback closed on Sunday 17 December 2023.

Thank you to all of the people who shared their thoughts and feedback. We are now assessing all of the information.

	go to the noticeboards and let us know what you love or what you think we've missed
	email the Team
	give the Team a call on 03 9205 2200
	post Hume City Council, POBox 119, Dallas, VIC 3047