By Parker McKenzie
The Upwey Community Group will hold a public meeting on Sunday 19 February to find out what is important to the local community to help update its community plan.
First started in 2014, the Upwey Community Group will host the meeting from 2pm to 4pm at the Sherbrooke Children’s Centre.
President of the Upwey Community Group Andrew Peterson said the meeting would allow people to have their input heard on the future of the town.
“It’s an exciting future with so many young people from different areas involved,” he said.
The group is looking to set a strategic plan in place for the next three to five years, given many changes in the demographics of Upwey since the inaugural community plan was developed in 2015.
The previous two public meetings in 2014 and 2019 involved 154 and 81 participants respectively.
Mr Peterson said some of the goals set out in the 2015 community plan have been achieved, while others are long-term objectives.
“On the day, we will split into 20 tables of ten people each and have a convener or two on each table to ask a series of questions,” he said.
“What do you like about Upwey? What would you change about Upwey? What other comments would you like to make about the township or its future?”
The event will be attended by Yarra Ranges Councillors Johanna Skelton and Andrew Fullagar, State MP for Monbulk Daniela De Martino and Federal MP for Casey Aaron Violi.
Mr Peterson said people would be able to ask questions of their representatives from the three levels of government.
“This opportunity doesn’t arise regularly, it’s one commitment for a couple of hours on a Sunday afternoon and a great opportunity for everyone who wants to have an input to have one,” he said.
“It isn’t easy to get a collective voice and that’s what we aim to do.”
Flyers will be letterboxed to the 2,700 households in Upwey before the event, with a social media campaign also starting on Monday 6 February.
The Sherbrooke Children’s Centre is located at 1443 Burwood Highway, Upwey. For more information about the Upwey Community Group, visit upweycommunitygroup.org.au/home.
