Next GCC Meeting is October 9

Gold Creek Homestead Community Panel

[ Invitation From the ACT Government’s Suburban Land Agency ]

An Invitation | Expression of Interest
Community Panel for Ngunnawal’s Gold Creek Homestead Precinct

• Do you live near to the Gold Creek Homestead?
• Want to have a say in the future of the site?


*map is indicative only

Gold Creek Homestead is bounded by Monty Place and Gungahlin Drive. A diverse panel of approximately 20 participants is sought to represent local residents and organisations, in particular those in proximity to the site and with an interest in the Gold Creek Homestead to inform the non-financial site objectives and development principles in preparation for the sale of land in the first half of 2020.

Community Panel members will work collaboratively in a workshop setting with an independent engagement expert, Suburban Land Agency and specialist consultants.

What’s involved?

Community Panel members will need to be available for four workshops (likely Saturday mornings) between 19 October and 30 November 2019. Each workshop will be approximately 5 hours. In addition, there is expected to be pre-reading of materials.

Community Panel members will be renumerated a nominal fee for their time participating in the workshops.

To express your interest in being involved, please email suburbanland@act.gov.au with Gold Creek EOI Community Panel in the subject line or call 02 6205 0600 by COB 1 October 2019 (5.00pm) & tell us why you are interested in getting involved.

Original Invitation PDF Letter from Suburban Land Agency.

Next GCC Meeting is August 14

Agenda

NATIONAL TRUST (ACT) OPEN DAY 2019

NATIONAL TRUST (ACT) OPEN DAY

GUNGAHLIN HOMESTEAD

SATURDAY 13 APRIL

10 am to 3pm

 

Invitation to participate

The National Trust (ACT) is very excited to be going back to Gungahlin Homestead for the 2019 National Trust Heritage Festival Open Day.

The Open Day is on Saturday 13 April – the opening day of the Canberra and Region Heritage Festival.  Note that this is the week before Easter and the start of school holidays.  We will be open to the public from 10 am to 3 pm.

We are very pleased that CSIRO, as the main lessee of the site, has agreed to this event, subject to some provisions including no animals on the site.  We will again be partnering with Soldier On, which currently occupies the Homestead and other buildings.  They will benefit from the gold coin donation for entry and also conducting activities on site.

As well as tours of the Homestead, there will be stalls, entertainment and refreshments available.  Our focus is on craftspeople, collectors and other non-profit organisations.  We are always happy to have new groups at the Open Day so any local groups interested in participating can contact me.

Gungahlin Homestead is not often open to the public and at our Open Day there in 2017, we had a very big, and unanticipated, crowd!  This led to issues about access to the tours of the homestead and in 2019 we will be issuing tickets for tours.  After collecting a ticket, people will be able to wander around, visit stalls and enjoy the entertainment while they wait for their tour.

Please contact me for more information.  Let me know by the end of January, if you want to be part of the 2019 Open Day.   This will enable us to include you in the promotion of the Open Day through the Heritage Festival publication.

 

Mary Johnston

Chair, Tours and Events Committee

National Trust (ACT)

events@nationaltrustact.org.au

Fresh Funk Gungahlin

FRESH FUNK AROUND THE WORLD GUNGAHLIN PROGRAM

Fresh Funk is excited to be offering classes in Gungahlin!

Join us in 2019 for music and dance traditions in our brand new dance class for kids in Gungahlin.

Fresh Funk’s ‘Around the World’ dance class is for parents & children aged 18 months – 3 years.

The 45 minute class is held on Thursday mornings from 9.45am – 10:30am at the Gungahlin Community Centre.

The 10-week term will commence on Thursday 7 February, 2019.

Who:

Children 18-months to 3 years

When:

Thursday mornings commencing, 7 February, 2019.

Booking:

Contact us via the form on this page or on (02) 6293 1443. Please note: all enrolments MUST be discussed with the Fresh Funk director to confirm availability of places and determine suitable levels.

Where:

Gungahlin Community Centre, 47 Ernest Cavanagh Street, Gungahlin ACT

Why has there been no progress on the Gungahlin cinema complex ?

Perhaps the question the GCC gets asked the most is “what’s happening with the Gungahlin cinema ?”

Although the development was approved way back March, 2017 there has been no sign of construction starting. ABC Radio reported earlier this week that it’s been held up by legal action … and here are some details prepared by the ABC:

Gungahlin residents were promised a cinema, and it is coming… eventually.

The block of the land is there however there’s a legal dispute currently in the Supreme Court. An injunction was put on the developers by a cinema operator, United Cinemas, and any development on the land has been blocked ever since.

Here’s the simplest way to explain the argument: United Cinemas allege they had an agreement with someone acting on behalf of the developers (Gungahlin Lifestyle), who then opted to go with another cinema operator instead. The developers say that man wasn’t acting on their behalf.

The case will be in court next month, where hopefully there’s more clarity around what’s happening.

Please remember that this matter is within the Supreme Court at the moment.

For those who are interested in a more comprehensive explanation and more background, here is a public document about the case from 2016.

http://courts.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0009/1020024/United-Cinemas-.pdf

Within the next month we should know more …

Yerrabi Pond Over 50’s Walking Group

Posted on behalf of the Heart Foundation.

There’s a fun,and easy way to feel happy and healthy. It’s walking – and everyone is welcome to take part. Come along to our regular walks to meet new friends and boost your health.

What: Yerrabi Pond Over 50’s Walking Group

When: Weekly on Friday, 10:30am (starting August 10th)

Where: Yerrabi District Park BBQ Area of Wunderlich St, Gungahlin

Visit walking.heartfoundation.org.au for more information

Puppy Playgroup

Gungahlin pups and dog owners are invited to Yerrabi ponds district park Amaroo to join a puppy playgroup for puppy dogs. Bring social interaction and exercise for your puppy. Pet play toys supplies and treats provided. For more info contact caseyanz_02@hotmail.com (or call 0421099935)

Bus Services in Gungahlin – May 2018 Update

The GCC has been pursuing the issue of poor bus services in most of the new (and some not so new) suburbs of Gungahlin. We have written to the minister, received her reply and recently had a meeting with Transport Canberra staff on May 7 to get an update on the promised community consultation on the new bus network in conjunction with the introduction of light rail. A summary of what we covered in the meeting, provided by Transport Canberra is below.

For more information check out the results of the Phase 1 consultation:

Building a Better, Seven Day Bus Network for Our Community

Update for Gungahlin Community Council, May 2018

Top issues raised by GCC in Stage 1 consultation

Strong response from Gungahlin residents during consultation on the new bus network in
late 2017.

  • The main issue raised was the provision of public transport services to new suburbs and the growing importance of the Casey Group Centre as a destination for local residents. Both these points will be addressed in the proposed network.
  • A high proportion of responses from Moncrieff and the adjacent suburb of Ngunnawal indicate a desire for more or improved services to and from these areas.

Where is the project up to?

Transport Canberra is working on a proposed new bus network, building on the community’s desire for a more frequent bus network with services running more often, seven days a week. Key features of the new bus network will include:

Simplicity

  • All-day, seven day network with the same route numbers all week.
  • Routes designed to be used all week, not just during Monday to Friday peak periods.
  • Fewer specialised services, such as dedicated school services and peak express service

Coverage

  • Ensuring that over 95% of the population can access public transport, based on distance of 500m to a local service stop and 800m to a Rapid stop.
  • Expanded bus service hours
  • Clear distinction between Rapids (between town centres) local services (for local trips and connections to Rapids)

Better integration with emerging service models

  • New service models to compliment the bus network, such as in isolated areas and late at
    night when regular route services are not a good fit
  • Introduction of new technology including autonomous vehicles

TCCS is working with the Education Directorate to better understand school catchments and better understand how the new bus network can serve student needs. In response to the matters raised consistently by the GCC, the new network will also include:

  • Planning for new routes in new suburbs (Moncrieff/Taylor/Throsby)
  • A new link between Crace and Palmerston Primary School
  • A new regional bus network, with services to the town centre including connections to the
  • City via Light Rail or to Belconnen via the proposed Black Rapid
  • Exploring options to link Gungahlin with other centres
  • A new school bus network for the region, building on the more frequent local and Rapid
    route network
  • Consideration of how bus layover and interchanging at Gungahlin will work with the new
    network and start of light rail.

When will TCCS tell us more?

More detail is coming in mid-2018. We will be in touch with the GCC as soon as we have more to share about the detail of the new network.

How can Gungahlin residents provide feedback in the meantime?

The YourSay website includes a summary of what we have heard from the community so far (https://www.yoursay.act.gov.au/rapid-network-2018). Further information on phase 2 will be coming soon. Any questions? Please contact us at TCCS.TCNetwork2018@act.gov.au.

Air Towers Development Application Update

The GCC has been concerned about the impact of the large number of high-rise residential mixed use towers at the Western edge of the Gungahlin Town Centre (Precinct 2b), since 2016. Our concerns about traffic density, reduction of solar access, lack of green space for a much larger population than expected in this location, and lack of cycling/walking access to/from/through the precinct are detailed in Gunsmoke 143 and Gunsmoke 144 .

We had particular concerns about the Air Towers development because of it’s size and location, as it is adjacent to one and two story residences and businesses on (effectively) three sides, at the corner of Gozzard Street and Gundaroo Drive. The Development Application (DA) for this two tower development, one of 18 storeys tapering to 12 storeys, and one of 8 storeys, closed in November, 2017 and was strongly opposed by the majority of the Gungahlin community and the GCC.

The current status is that:

  • 118 representations (ie. submissions) were made in response to the DA
  • No decision has yet been made on the DA
  • The proponent has submitted an amendment to the proposal, following discussion with the planning and land authority
  • It is understood the amendment includes a reduction in the maximum height (to 15 storeys) and the scale of the proposal
  • The government (ESPDD) have chosen not to publicly notify this change, as the “amendment provides a reduction in impact and no additional issues would be anticipated to be identified”. The GCC does not agree with this position as questions still remain about what portions of the  two towers that make up the development are what height in what location.
  • It is not known how long it will take to assess the amended DA proposal
  • The GCC remain opposed to the DA, even in it’s amended form (although without having any details it’s hard to take an informed position, eg. regarding any tapering)
  • The GCC is particularly concerned that a development of this scale is in stark conflict to the proposed changes to the Gungahlin Town Centre precinct code presented at the GCC meeting in April, 2018 as an outcome from the Town Centre Planning Refresh (which recommended a maximum height of 8 storeys along Gozzard Street).

The GCC remains actively engaged with ESPDD on this issue, and appreciate the information they have shared with us. We have, however,  expressed our concerns regarding the transparency of the process, given that this information has had to be requested rather it being provided, particularly given the large number of representations.

Original DA Proposal