Council’s initiative, titled ‘Doing Planning Differently: Integrated Design, Housing and Growth Planning to Build Thriving Regional Places’, was announced as the category winner at the MAVlab Innovation Awards Celebration at Fitzroy Town Hall on Thursday, September 17.
The initiative brings together a suite of connected projects addressing key regional challenges, including housing supply, workforce attraction, sustainable growth, infrastructure provision and natural disaster resilience.
These include council's residential design guidelines, Yea structure plan, Alexandra East development plan, key worker housing strategy and Eildon key worker housing project.
Murrindindi Shire Mayor Damien Gallagher said the award reflected council’s commitment to finding practical, long-term solutions.
“Regional communities like ours face complex challenges when it comes to housing and growth, and those challenges can’t be addressed by looking at projects or issues in isolation,” Cr Gallagher said.
“This work is about ensuring local people can find housing, businesses can attract and retain workers, and our towns can grow in a way that strengthens what makes them unique.
“This award recognises the value of thinking differently, planning for the future and backing bold ideas that help regional communities thrive.”
Council chief executive Livia Bonazzi said the recognition reflected years of co-ordinated effort.
“This recognition reflects several years of work to bring together planning, housing, economic development and community priorities into a coordinated vision for Murrindindi's future,” Ms Bonazzi said.
“While each of our towns has its own character and aspirations, they share a common need for housing, jobs, services and infrastructure that enable communities to prosper.
“The ideas recognised through this award have been shaped by our communities.”
Ms Bonazzi said community engagement had been central to translating long-term aspirations into action.
“Their willingness to engage with us and trust us to pursue bold ideas has helped turn long-term aspirations into practical action,” she said.
The initiatives aim to create more housing opportunities, support essential and key workers, improve the quality and character of development, and direct growth to locations best placed to support it.
“Innovation is also about connecting the right ideas, people and opportunities in a way that delivers better outcomes,” Ms Bonazzi said.
“That is what this work has sought to achieve and we are proud to see it recognised on a state-wide stage.”
