| Harcourt Community Action Plan | |||||
| 1. Communication | |||||
| Strategy | Actions | Who will lead | Timing | Priority | Comments |
| a) Promote what is happening in Harcourt to residents | Create, maintain and manage a Harcourt Progress Association newsletter and blog
Regularly submit photos and articles to the Castlemaine Mail and Express |
Kelly | Regularly | High | Community to feed information to Kelly for the blog. Contact people from various organisations to put information on the blog. |
| b) Promote and support local businesses | Develop a “support your local businesses/ services” campaign | Donna/ Kelly | Ongoing | Medium | |
| c) Attract visitors to town | Develop a tourism map of Harcourt showing local attractions
Develop a promotional strategy to attract visitors to Harcourt Promote the town as being family friendly |
Max | 3-6 months | High | Work with Neil Robins and Neil Charter from Heritage centre
To update brochure Follow up with Steven Hilley regarding services map. |
| d) Local Councillor to be available to talk with Harcourt residents | Have a listening post at the local shop regularly
Local councillor to attend Harcourt Progress Group meetings |
Craig | Once every three months | Medium | |
| 2. Arts, Crafts, Culture, Events | |||||
| Strategy | Actions | Who will lead | Timing | Priority | Comments |
| a) Support and sustain existing community events and activities | Assist with the promotion, development and running of the Applefest | Donna/David | 6-12 months | Medium | Look at other festivals, possibility to broaden it to include food and wine
Suggest some new ideas to Applefest committee Open Air cinema in conjunction with Applefest meetings Possible combined brainstorming session |
| b) Promote new community events and activities | Develop and promote a Food and Wine Trail for the Harcourt district | Kelly | Follow up with Katie Finlay regarding information on current food and wine trail | ||
| 3. Sustainability and Skills | |||||
| Strategy | Actions | Who will lead | Timing | Priority | Comments |
| a) Improving and protecting local landscapes | Explore the feasibility of community management of the Oak Forest
Improvement of the area along the creek to create a walk way Promote protection of the environment on Mount Alexander and in the surrounding area, also the development of walking trails |
David/ Max | 12-18 months | Medium | Oak forest could be useful for community events
Can Heritage Victoria help? Walking track – liaise with council |
| b) Attract, recognise and retain volunteers to support community initiatives | Create a pool of volunteers from the community | ||||
| 4. Facilities and Services | |||||
| Strategy | Actions | Who will lead | Timing | Priority | Comments |
| a) Increase access to sustainable transport options | Lobby to open the station
Lobby to increase the bus service to and from Harcourt |
High | |||
| b) Identify and support activities for young people | Set up a group to facilitate support for young people, particularly those at risk and explore opportunities to create activities and venues within Harcourt for their use. | ||||
| c) Identify and create an appropriate commercial zone | |||||
| d) Primary school as a community venue | Use the primary school facilities and resources as a venue for community and educational activities in Harcourt | ||||
| e) Recreational facilities | Improve the facilities in central Harcourt – eg – barbecue, lighting, toilets
Provide a fenced playground Make Harcourt a destination for cyclists and cycling events Ensure the long term viability of the Harcourt Pool |
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| f) Create a permanent performance space in James Park | Work with local organisations to lobby council to get this done. Also consider the use of volunteer labour to assist with the work
Investigate the possibility of applying for a regional arts grant to construct this. Apply if appropriate. |
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| g) Improve the drainage in James park | Work with local organisations to lobby council to get this done. Also consider the use of volunteer labour to assist with the work | ||||
| h) Create a multi purpose community hub in central Harcourt | Approach council to assist with the purchase of an existing building in Harcourt | High | |||
| 5. Beautification | |||||
| Strategy | Actions | Who will lead | Timing | Priority | Comments |
| a) Promote walking tracks and trails | Create a resource which provides information on the tracks and trails in the Harcourt area | ||||
| b) Town Centre | Explore and develop ways to create a town centre | Streetscape – need to lobby and survey the community for a more suitable landscape | |||
| c) Visual Statement | Create a visual statement along the Freeway and in the town centre to draw people into Harcourt | ||||