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Brunswick Residents Network Newsletter,
July 2022
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Companies collapse:
China, COVID and capital
 A development company operating in Brunswick has been hard hit by the loss of overseas tourism during the pandemic and the slower-than-expected recovery. The privately owned CBD Development Group has put six affiliated companies into receivership, including apartments and commercial properties located in the complex at 288 Albert Street, Brunswick (previously known as “Brunswick Heart” and later re-badged as “288 Albert”).
CBD Development Group director Chen Guo Jing has criticised government policy for the collapse of the companies, which rely on rental income from commercial and residential tenants. Chen has blamed state government COVID rent-relief measures and the pandemic for the business failure, but the financial crunch seems to have deeper roots, driven in part by changing capital export controls in China and restrictions on international travel in recent years.
The CBD Development Group was founded in 2011 by a group of Melbourne-based businessmen originally from Fuzhou, China – CBD director Chen Guo Jing was studying in Australia at the time of the Tiananmen massacre in 1989, and stayed on under the Hawke government’s visa amnesty.
In 2014, the developers started selling one and two bedroom apartments off the plan for the 288 Albert complex, which is located next to Woolworths and the Upfield rail line, just west of Sydney Road. It’s estimated that up to 30 per cent of dwellings in the three Albert Street towers are rental apartments rather than owner/occupied, with CBD targeting advertising in China and other Asian markets. In 2015, Chen told Hong Kong TV: “Luxury housing and expensive cars are all bought up by us Chinese. Mineral and energy resources are all bought up by us Chinese. If there were no Chinese, Australia couldn’t survive.”
However this model was already in trouble even before the pandemic: according to the Foreign Investment Review Board, (FIRB), Chinese investment in Australian real estate declined from its peak of nearly A$32 billion in 2015-16 to A$7.1 billion in 2019-20. Under Xi Jinping, the Chinese government started to tighten controls over the export of finance, concerned over possible corruption and capital flight.
In our May 2021 BRN newsletter, we reported on the financial crunch facing the CBD Development Group, as the COVID-related collapse of tourism from China disrupted the company’s growth strategy. During Melbourne’s lockdowns, tenants vacated many CBD Development properties and agents were unable to relet them. Restrictions on evictions also complicated cash flow for many landlords.
Last year, two separate parcels within 288 Albert were put up for sale:
- The first parcel includes nine separately titled commercial/retail areas encompassing 1,211sqm, together with onsite parking. This includes the seven ground floor lots, as well as two first floor office suites (the concrete shells on the south and east sides of 288 Albert have mostly been empty for years).
- The second parcel includes 41 separately titled one- and two-bedroom apartments, which are all contained within the separate seven storey building (one of the three towers that make up the complex). The 41 serviced apartments were trading as Adara Hotels since 2018.
Despite this bid to offload empty apartments and shops, a series of companies affiliated to the CBD Development Group have now gone into administration. This month, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) announced that the collapsed companies include Chenli Pty Ltd; Chen Corporate Holdings Pty Ltd; C & K Group Investments Pty Ltd; CBD Development Group Pty Ltd; CBD Development Holdings Pty Ltd; and The Bentleigh Centre Pty Ltd. The CBD Group’s companies are now in the hands of administrators from the insolvency firm Cor Cordis.
According to the Sydney Morning Herald: “The companies tipped into administration own or manage more than 90 properties worth $65 million. They include 40 apartments in the group’s Sydney Road project in Brunswick, another 16 in its Banque 88 high-rise in Southbank, a supermarket and two offices in a Chadstone development and similar properties in The Bentleigh Centre it developed in Melbourne’s south-east.”
Despite these problems, the developer’s most recent project is still proceeding, a $400 million tower with 517 dwellings on the corner of Whitehorse and Wellington roads in Box Hill.
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Candidates prepare for November elections
A number of candidates are already up and running for the state seat of Brunswick, with the state elections to be held in November.
Brunswick is currently held by Dr. Tim Read MLA of the Greens, who won the seat in 2018 and holds it on a 2.3% margin.
The Australian Labor Party (ALP) has chosen local resident Mike Williams, an industrial organiser at the Australian Services Union, to be its candidate as it seeks to win back the seat.
The Victorian Socialists have also announced that Nahui Jimenez Ludekens will be the party’s candidate in November, after her strong campaign for Moreland Council at the last local government elections.
We’ll report on other nominations as candidates are announced. Later this year, BRN will host a candidates meeting, where you’ll have the opportunity to question people running in Brunswick for the State Legislative Assembly.
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Feature article:
Have your say on neighbourhood character
The character of our neighbourhoods is steadily changing, as old single-storey housing is replaced by townhouses and apartments. There’s some innovative design across Brunswick, but also lots of work that ignores Brunswick’s history and character. Some projects are marred by shoddy construction and the loss of green space and canopy trees, as new units are built to the boundary of properties.
Now there’s a chance to have a say over future neighbourhood character, as Moreland Council launches the “Designing our Neighbourhoods” policy review. Council planning staff are starting to introduce a framework across the municipality, to “develop a revised residential development framework that reflects State Planning Policy and expected population and housing growth.”
Background
Through reforms by the State Government in July 2014, three residential zones were introduced into Victorian Planning Schemes: the Neighbourhood Residential Zone (NRZ), General Residential Zone (GRZ) and Residential Growth Zone (RGZ). As the names suggest, each zone allows different levels of housing densification, which can be summarised as ‘no-go’, ‘slow-go’ or ‘go-go’!
However the incoming Andrews government made changes to these zones, meaning the ‘no go’ and ‘slow go’ are considered as identical by decision makers. This was mostly done through removal of the mandatory eight-metre height limit in the NRZ, which had restricted development in residential streets to two-storeys.
Resident groups across Victoria had seen the eight metre level as ground-breaking, as it was the first mandatory height in Australia to be included in a residential zone. However developers and property industry lobby groups were appalled by its restriction in a growing city, and it was overturned by the Andrews government.
Greening the greyfields
“Greening the greyfields” is a term used to define the unlocking of development capacity in suburbs, in streets with extensive, original housing stock and gardens. The term was used in the draft discussion papers for Plan Melbourne (the state’s core planning framework) and is often bandied about by planning consultants. Greyfields are considered to be underutilised land, and today there are many developers circling around Melbourne’s prized, but locked-up, leafy green suburbs such as Surry Hills and Camberwell.
In inner city suburbs like Brunswick, planners often use the term ‘brownfields.’ These are former industrial sites turned to residential projects – a common form of urban renewal in Brunswick, compared to other suburbs in the north of Moreland (The most common type of re-development in Pascoe Vale and Fawkner is rolling out 2-5 units on a lot).
Outside the Brunswick Activity Centre, planners often assume our suburb is locked up for more intensive medium density housing, because many cottages are located on blocks of land sized under 300 square metres. However, there many larger lots in our South Ward suburbs, leaving single and double-fronted cottages with zero protection. For this reason, residents need to have a say in the re-development of these areas.
One highly beneficial change made by the current state government was the introduction of a garden requirement, which has worked (somewhat) to restrict the number of units on lots. This policy forced developers to stop creating ‘rooftop terraces’ and maintain ground-level outdoor space. Locally, this has stopped the approval of six or seven units on a lot (though there are a few examples approved by Moreland Council before the policy kicked in, like the multiple units in Weston Street, Brunswick East).
Who killed Neighbourhood Character?
Unfortunately, a victim in all these policy changes has been planning law around neighbourhood character, which has pretty much disappeared. The creation of the NRZ and GRZ residential zones allowed councils to specifically tailor their zones to include ‘objectives’ (such as prescribing how a new house, town-house or small block of units presents to the streetscape). There are also numerical standards, such as the required set-backs from front fences and side fences.
Other inner city councils such Yarra and Port Phillip have blanket protections for residential streetscapes, but despite years of lobbying from BRN, this work has not been done by Moreland Council. Furthermore, Council got rid of local policy statements for the 90 streetscape neighbourhoods that were defined.
Other councils have developed policies that encourage retention working class cottages and historic streetscapes, but most of what we have left in Brunswick is at risk, in areas defined for change.
Planning Assessment Model
Residents who don’t get involved now are at risk of being left out later, with no say on local changes. After the state elections in November, the incoming government is likely to introduce its Planning Assessment Model (PAM). This will bring major changes to the the way planning permits are issued, through changes to ResCode and potentially the issuing of permits through the VicSmartPlus track.
These looming changes could see areas of Brunswick re-developed with minimal input from residents, so we need to define neighbourhood character now. For people who live in a street that does not have any heritage protection, BRN urges you to get involved in the ‘Designing our Neighbourhoods’ process, so that new dwellings around you conform to existing character or a streetscape the community prefers, not what the development industry wants.
In the South Ward, there are many streets that could not be nominated for past Heritage studies, so current housing is not protected by heritage overlays (This includes the east end of Edward and Weston Streets, Albert and Victoria Streets, and many, many more).
Now’s the time to have a say about the look and quality of the transformation underway in our neighbourhoods. This council review will only look at the neighbourhood zones, rather than the high-density apartment construction along the Brunswick Activity Centre or the transformation of commercial and industrial sites (there is currently a separate draft amendment to rezone these areas to a new Activity Centre, in a Council process named Vibrant Brunswick.) There are also at least three defined neighbourhood activity centres in Brunswick. These are located around Union Square in West Brunswick; at the Moreland Road intersection with Holmes Street; and the corner of Nicholson and Blyth Street in East Brunswick.
Over the next few weeks, you can have a say on the sort of character you’d like to see in your neighbourhood, focussed on elements such as:
- Built form: the look of buildings and homes in the neighbourhood.
- Heights of buildings and homes: an important element in the look and feel of a residential street.
- Setbacks: how far buildings and homes are positioned from the street or the property boundaries.
- Landscaping and vegetation: the look and feel of gardens, trees and plants.
Can we protect neighbourhood residential zones from inappropriate construction, as medium-density housing expands throughout the residential streets in our ward? For people living close to an activity centre boundary along Lygon Street, Nicholson Street or Sydney Road and the Upfield Corridor, what sort of setbacks do you want to avoid an imposing building being plonked next to your one-storey home? How much vegetation and tree canopy should be retained in Brunswick, as houses are converted to units? What shoddy design drives you up the wall? (Pictured: 4-storey units under construction in Albert Street – setbacks anyone?).
On Saturday 13 August, there are two drop-in sessions with planning staff in Brunswick and Brunswick West, where you can share your ideas about neighbourhood character and building design.
If you can’t join the face-to-face discussion on 13 August, fill in the online survey on the Conversations Moreland website. The consultation ends on Friday 19 August!
- Conversations Moreland link
WHAT: Community consultation on Designing our Neighbourhoods
WHEN: Saturday 13 August 2022
WHERE: 10am – 12pm at the Campbell Turnbull Library, 220 Melville Road, Brunswick West
OR: 2pm – 4pm at the Loreto John York Park, corner of Davies Street and Holmes Street, Brunswick
Conversations Moreland: Residential growth framework and neighbourhood zones |
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Planning and housing
VCAT to consider Lygon Street tower
St Kilda-based Pace Development Group have gone to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) with $33 million plans for an eight-storey apartment complex at 251-265 Lygon Street in Brunswick East. Their appeal to VCAT comes before Moreland City Council have even voted on the project permit application!
Pace is a major apartment developer, with projects in Fitzroy, Frankston and Blackburn. The developer has also begun a 14-storey, 300-apartment project within the Flemington Racecourse, dubbed The Darley, with residences priced from $599,500 to $3.8 million.
Their new 2,653 square metre site in Brunswick, bounded by Lygon Street and Evans Street, with a link to Pitt Street, was bought in July 2021. The permit application proposes an eight-storey, mixed-use project fronting Lygon Street, which offers 110 apartments for owner-occupiers (with one, two and three-bedroom flats), ground-floor retail and two levels of basement parking.
The proposal has received nearly 100 objections from local residents, mostly concerned about the excessive height. With a maximum height of 29 metres (eight storeys plus a rooftop terrace), this project clearly breaches structure plan guidelines for this area of Lygon Street, at five storeys (17 metres). If the project goes ahead, it will set a precedent for the west side of Lygon Street.
Residents are also concerned about more vehicles in Evans Street, which is a very narrow street. They are proposing changes to the design to reduce the impact of vehicles in residential streets. One proposal is to move the front lobby from Evans Street to Lygon Street, to ensure delivery vehicles do not use Evans Street. Another concern is the use of the rear laneway off Pitt Street for retail waste vehicles. The laneway is currently used by a local wine bar for dining. It is also intended as the secondary access to the building for pedestrians and cyclists. Residents want the laneway kept clear of vehicles, and have suggested it could be activated with dining from the new retail premises on the ground floor.
Even though Moreland Council has not yet made a decision on the application, the developer has already gone to VCAT. Nearly 20 residents have chosen to be parties in the case at VCAT. Several of them were previously involved in the campaign to stop a Bunnings Warehouse on Glenlyon Road, and are drawing on that experience to help reduce this development to an appropriate height.
The next step is the Council Planning and Related Matters Meeting (PARM), where Moreland councillors vote on whether they will oppose this development at VCAT. This meeting will be held on 24 August, at 6.30pm.
Conflicts of interest over Mirvac?
In a parting gesture to the construction industry before he leaves office at the November elections, State Planning Minister Dick Wynne has taken a major planning application in Brunswick away from Moreland Council. The Park Street project is now allocated to the government’s priority projects standing advisory committee, established to fast-track planning approvals and bypass council processes, supposedly to boost the post-lockdown economic recovery.
The project is initiated by major developers Mirvac, who have another major apartment complex in the pipeline near Gilpin and Clifton parks. The Age reports: “Mirvac lodged plans with Wynne for its project on the site of the Princes Park Motor Inn – including towers up to 10 levels overlooking Princes Park – despite it being opposed by residents and the Moreland Council. A previous proposal by developer JWLand for a 13-storey tower with 333 apartments on the same site was opposed by a large group known as Protect Park Street Precinct and rejected by both Moreland Council and the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal.”
“A final decision about the Mirvac scheme now rests with new Planning Minister Lizzie Blandthorn,” the newspaper reports. “Her appointment last week led to controversy about potential conflicts of interest given her brother John-Paul Blandthorn is a director of Labor-linked lobbyist firm Hawker Britton, which represents big names in development, planning and infrastructure. Among Hawker Britton clients listed on the Victorian lobbyist register is Mirvac.”
In response to perceived conflicts of interest, the Andrews government has announced an alternate minister Lily d’Ambrosio would be delegated for matters linked to Hawker Britton. However this raises even more questions over the transparency of decision making for our neighbourhood.
Nightingale appoints new CEO
The innovative housing developer Nightingale, which has built a number of projects around Brunswick, has appointed Dan McKenna as its new Chief Executive Officer. McKenna has served as Head of Operations at the developer since 2017.
As we reported in the May 2021 BRN newsletter, Nightingale suffered a major internal dispute last year, with former board member Andrew Maynard attacking the not-for-profit group as just “another green-washed developer.” According to The Urban Developer, Maynard claimed Nightingale “was lacking an experienced chief executive and a diverse membership and board of directors that reflected its community.”
Jeremy McLeod, an architect with Breathe Architecture, drove the housing model with the creation of The Commons in 2007, on the Upfield shared path near Anstey Station. This was followed by the nearby Nightingale 1.0 development in Florence Street, Brunswick, and then Nightingale Village (six adjoining properties in Duckett Street, Brunswick). Over time, 33 licences were issued to firms to create their own “Nightingales”, with an agreement to cap their profits at 15 per cent – however, only a handful were ever completed. This led McLeod and his team to shift Nightingale to a new not-for-profit model where they will develop properties in-house.
The appointment of a new CEO comes as Nightingale co-founder McLeod takes a step back from operations. Nightingale chair Angela Perry said McLeod would remain on the board but “his decision to move away from day-to-day Nightingale operations provides the opportunity for a generational leadership change, to build on the learnings of the past six years and consolidate the gains as the organisation plans a large slate of new developments across the country.”
Land banking damages housing affordability for young people
- Land Banking: buying real estate with the intent to re-sell it at a higher price (The Free Dictionary)
Even as young people struggle to find affordable housing, a new report argues that developers are manipulating the supply shortage to benefit shareholders from rising land and housing costs.
The report ‘Staged Releases’ analyses land banking and the slow rate of lot sales in nine major housing developments in Victoria, NSW and Queensland. It argues developers will sit on a property, even with a construction permit issued by councils, with land banks patiently managed and development projects timed to maximise overall returns for investors.
In 2017–18, for example, developers reported concerns of “stock overhang” to investors, indicating that they were able to sell more, but were unwilling to reduce prices to do so. Instead, major developers preferred to wait for market conditions to improve. This pricing and sales response reflects the allocation of revenues to shareholders and financiers, at the cost of public policy expectations that more housing can allow young people to enter the market.
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Traffic and transport
Community campaign leads to slower speeds in Nicholson Street
The Department of Transport (DoT) has finally announced it will introduce safer speed limits on Nicholson Street, between Bell Street, Coburg and Albion Street, Brunswick East. This is a wonderful victory for community campaigners and local residents, who have long called for action by Moreland Council and the State Government to reduce speeds after a series of crashes, injuries and deaths.
For the five-year period ending December 2020, 72 accidents were recorded on Nicholson Street between Bell and Albion Streets, including two fatal crashes and 18 crashes resulting in serious injuries. Of these accidents, 11 involved pedestrians (two resulting in loss-of-life, and five resulting in serious injury), while nine involved cyclists (of which three resulted in serious injury).
The new safety improvements, to be introduced this month, will include:
- lowering the speed limit on Nicholson Street between Bell Street and Albion Street from 60km/h to 50km/h;
- extending the time-based 40km/h speed limit north of Albion Street up to Moore Street, Coburg (currently operating between 7am and midnight along Lygon Street).
 Full details are available on the Department of Transport website: Nicholson Street, between Bell Street, Coburg and Albion Street, Brunswick East – Safety Improvement Works
Last March, DoT also completed safety improvements near the intersection of Nicholson Street and Albion Street in Brunswick East. These improvements included better warning and safety signs, more pavement line markings and the installation of rubber road cushions (speed humps) near Lyndhurst Crescent and Glenmorgan Street.
While the crucial stretch from Albion Street will now slow down, a 50kph limit is retained to the north between Moore and Bell Streets (even though 40kph the whole way would have been safer, given the number of crashes along this key arterial route).
Local resident Helen Kratzmann has been a tireless campaigner for road safety in our municipality, and she reports: “Apart from potentially achieving a reduced speed limit of 40km/hr around the bend between The Avenue and Rennie Street, all we need now is static speed cameras to ensure compliance. Again, the Albion Street locality has demonstrated that regardless of signage, motorists will continue to travel at speed if there are little to no consequences for doing so.”
VCAT (slowly) shifts policy on traffic congestion
First Bunnings, now Woollies – major corporations are facing serious problems with traffic management in residential areas. Another major big box project, a Woolworths supermarket and liquor store proposed for Burke Road, Glen Iris, has been rejected by VCAT, due in large part to traffic and car parking issues.
As we’ve reported in recent editions of the BRN newsletter, one of the reasons for VCAT’s refusal of a planning permit for Bunnings’ proposed store in Glenlyon Road was the adverse effects on traffic. VCAT’s ruling on Bunnings included extensive discussion on issues such as queueing and safety hazards from vehicles entering and exiting the store/timber yard; disruption to key cycling and public transport routes; and rat-running from customers approaching the store through neighbouring residential streets.
In May, another VCAT ruling in the case of ‘Glen Iris Devco Pty Ltd v Stonnington’ saw the refusal of another major commercial development. The proposed project was located in Burke Road, Glen Iris, in the Central Park Village Neighbourhood Activity Centre. The application – rejected by the City of Stonnington – proposed construction of a six storey building, plus three levels of basement parking, for a 3,800 square metre Woolworths supermarket, liquor shop (175m2), topped off with 80 apartments.
In a situation that paralleled Brunswick’s fight against Bunnings, local residents in Glen Iris highlighted major concerns over traffic. In their ruling, VCAT noted local opposition to “the impacts of the new signalised intersection on traffic congestion and the functionality of Hope Street [Glen Iris], the loss of on-street parking, impacts on property access, and concerns about pedestrian safety. The quiet amenity of Hope Street and nearby streets will fundamentally change. They say the proposal will result in traffic ‘rat-running’ through local residential streets, including Hope Street, Louis Street, Clyde Street, and narrow laneways that connect to Erica Avenue and Irymple Avenue, so as to avoid Burke Road” (Echoes of Glenlyon Road and Lygon Street!).
In their final ruling on 9 May, VCAT expressed serious concerns with about the significant increase in traffic volumes and traffic movements on the side street. Noting the impact of another 3,000 vehicles movements a day related to the supermarket, VCAT ruled: “We have serious concerns about the significant increase in traffic volumes and traffic movements on Hope Street, and impacts that arise. The additional traffic is substantially greater than generated by the actual or theoretical volumes associated with the existing office building on the subject land.”
City of Stonnington Deputy Mayor Melina Sehr is pleased that her Council and local residents have been supported by VCAT:
“We’re delighted with VCAT’s decision to confirm Council’s decision to refuse this planning application. The application presented a number of issues that concerned local residents, in particular urban design issues and local traffic conditions. This is a great final outcome, and I thank local residents for their commitment in fighting this alongside their Council,”
These two cases highlight the slow but steady shift in VCAT decisions related to the adverse effects of traffic from such major commercial projects, a trend noted in a recent Editorial in the Victorian Planning Report (VCAT, Volume 9 No 8, May 2022):
“Your editors note that with strong urban intensification policies perhaps there has been a tendency to accept that that there will be an increase of traffic volumes and congestion and greater competition for on-street car parking and residents just have to put up with it. However, the above two cases demonstrate that the new Clause 18 to promote sustainable transport, together with the very real impacts of commercial activity impacting upon adjoining residential areas through traffic and car parking, will be an important consideration for responsible authorities and the Tribunal” [emphasis added].
Revenge of the bollards
Bollards, for the uninitiated, are the posts and other solid objects used to control the movement of cars in public space. The term originated in the 1840s to describe the posts used to moor ships along docks and has since come to describe a panoply of practical objects sticking out of streets and footpaths across the world.
Once you start looking for them, you’ll see them everywhere. So if you want to waste a few hours checking out videos of bollards attacking cars, go to the Twitter feed of the World Bollard Association…
New tram depot threatens Upfield upgrades
Upgrading the Moreland Tram depot will enable larger trams to live there, and is a step towards also making local tram routes accessible to all users. However draft plans seem to be robbing Peter to pay Paul. A large new carpark will be built under the skyrail section of the railway line opposite the depot.
Draft plans reveal that to facilitate this construction, the separated bike and footpaths – a great plus from the level crossing removals – will be merged again into one shared path. Removing the separated paths will once again make both walkers and riders unhappy and less safe. Other concerns include a new tram exit crossing the footpath directly onto Sydney Road (currently all trams exit via the back of the depot, into Moreland Road at a signalised crossing.)
End free trams in CBD?
Interesting OpEd in The Age by Daniel Bowen, spokesperson of the Public Transport Users Association, who criticises the free tram zone in the CBD. Bowen says “the free tram zone encourages people to ditch the train and drive to the city, making traffic worse.”
He argues: “Most people coming into the CBD use public transport to get there, and the free tram zone generally does not benefit them because all-day tram travel is included in their daily MYKI fare. Those who are contributing revenue to public transport are instead rewarded with excessive tram crowding on what was already the busiest part of the network.”
Another pedestrian death in Moreland
Yet another pedestrian was killed in Moreland this month, in Bell Street, Coburg. Our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of the 85 year old pedestrian.
This is the third pedestrian death in Moreland in 2022 (the other two were on Sydney Road). Overall 10% of Victoria’s pedestrian deaths in 2022 have been in our municipality – a staggeringly high proportion. Moreland has too many dangerous roads and many of these are the major roads controlled directly by our state government, who are very reluctant to lower speed limits.
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Greening Brunswick
Have your say on our Brunswick parklands
The Brunswick Central Parklands cover 19 hectares in Brunswick, on the boundary with West Brunswick. It is the most significant open space across the South Ward, with facilities for numerous sporting activities, exercise, connecting with nature and relaxation.
Moreland Council has now released the latest version of the draft plan to improve the Brunswick Central Parklands, and are seeking your comments, criticisms and suggestions for improvement. Feedback closes Monday 22 August.
You can find out more about the Parklands redevelopment – and leave your comments and feedback – on the Conversations Moreland website
Moreland Council staff will also be available to take on your feedback and ideas at one of their pop up sessions in the park. You can find them on either Saturday 30 July or Saturday 6 August 2022 at:
- 9:30 – 11am: Gilpin Park dog park
- 11:30am –1pm: Clifton Park near the shade sail pavilion
- 1:30 – 3pm: Gillon Oval near the cricket nets
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History Corner
Get out your diaries – the Brunswick Community History Group has two excellent speakers coming up in September and October.
On Saturday 3 September, Dr. Gary Presland will discuss “The Brunswick landscape before white settlement.” Gary is a well-known archaeologist and historian specialising in natural history, and has published a number of books on this subject.
WHAT: The Brunswick landscape before white settlement
WHEN: Saturday 3 September at 1.30pm
WHERE: Siteworks, 33 Saxon Street, Brunswick.
In October, freelance history curator, artist and writer Kitty Owens will present on “The Many Lives of a Minor Moreland Mansion”, outlining the history of 104 Melville Road, West Brunswick. This talk explores the interesting history of Melville House (including a couple of scandals), and also reflects on suburban history in our municipality.
WHAT: The Many Lives of a Minor Moreland Mansion
WHEN: Saturday 1 October at 1.30pm
WHERE: Siteworks, 33 Saxon Street, Brunswick.
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Moreland Council stuff
Regular Council meetings – held on the 2nd Wednesday of each month – are normally held at: Council Chamber, Moreland Civic Centre, 90 Bell Street, Coburg.
Future dates are:
- 10 August
- 14 September
- 12 October
- 9 November
- 29 November – Mayoral Election (Tuesday)
- 7 December.
Meeting details are available on the Council website.
Council meetings can be watched online, either live, or later – you can find details here along with the agenda for the next Council meeting when it’s posted on the Friday before the monthly meeting. You can register there to receive an alert when the agenda is posted. |
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Email us!
Please note our email address: brunswickresidentsnetwork@gmail.com. And write to tell us what you think of the newsletter. We love feedback.
If you are able to offer some time to volunteer to help organise our campaigns, and support our work, please get in contact. Our work includes organising meetings, leafleting and letter boxing, graphic design and publicity, and research; on planning, greening Brunswick and traffic management.
[Wondering why this email comes to you from nfip@optusnet.com.au? Our Mailchimp email service doesn’t like a gmail sender’s address, so we use a member’s address. Add this address your contacts so our emails don’t get filed as spam, but don’t write to it) |
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MAILING LIST AND FURTHER INFORMATION
Welcome to new readers! To contact organisers of the Brunswick Residents’ Network, or to offer help with future activities, please email brunswickresidentsnetwork@gmail.com. (This gmail is our preferred address, rather than replying to this email). Thanks to those who have contributed to this edition.
Please forward this e-letter to other Moreland neighbours who’d like a say in the way their community is changing. It’s easy to sign on, or edit your details to include your interests – just go to http://eepurl.com/VX4a9.
For meeting details, survey and newsletter archives, go to: https://brunswickresidents.wordpress.com
Check out our Facebook page for a range of lively discussions: Brunswick Residents Network. Help us reach more people by liking our page, commenting, forwarding this newsletter, and tweeting it using the links below.
Election commentary authorised by N. Maclellan, c/- 135 Albert Street, Brunswick, Victoria 3056. |
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Brunswick Residents Network 