C143 - Bunjil Creek

Council officers had earlier raised heritage and community concerns over the significance of the site directly with Regional Roads Victoria and the Minister for Planning.

The Minister for Planning did not support Council’s formal request for interim heritage protection based on the heritage values of the bluestone bridge. The process for permanent protection under C143macr was not able to be completed prior to the commencement of works to upgrade the Melbourne Road and Kilmore Road intersection in Gisborne.

As a result, the Bunjil Creek bluestone bridge was dismantled in late March 2022. Regional Roads Victoria employed a qualified stonemason so that undamaged blue stones would be able to be repurposed on the site. 

The Panel provided its report to Council on 12 April 2022. The Panel concluded it was “appropriate and justified to apply the Heritage Overlay (HO351) to the Bunjil Creek bridge and channel”. While the bridge has now been demolished, officers will review the C143 Panel report(PDF, 631KB) to determine next steps.

An upcoming Planning Delegated Committee (PDC) will consider the amendment, Panel recommendations and next stage of the project. The item will be listed on the Council Meeting agenda once the PDC date is set.

All submitters will be notified of the outcomes of this meeting and next steps to the project. 

The relevant supporting documents for this amendment can be found below. The heritage significance of these features is documented in the following adopted assessments:

• Macedon Ranges Bunjil Creek Bridge and Channel Gisborne Local-level Heritage Assessment (April 2020)(PDF, 1MB) 
• Macedon Ranges Trees at intersection of Bunjil Creek, Kilmore Road and Melbourne Road Gisborne Heritage Assessment (May 2020)(PDF, 2MB)

Macedon Ranges Shire Council has prepared Amendment C143 to implement these assessments through a new Heritage Overlay (HO351) to the Bunjil Creek bridge and bluestone channel and by extending an existing Heritage Overlay on Howey Reserve (HO289) to include two oaks and one elm tree that align with the existing heritage avenue.

Exhibition documents

• C143 Notice of Preparation of Amendment Exhibition
• C143 Explanatory Report
• C143 Instruction Sheet

Maps

• C143 Proposed Heritage Overlay Map

Incorporated documents

• Bunjil Creek Bridge and Channel Statement of Significance April 2020
• Memorial Precinct Howey Reserve Statement of Significance June 2020

Clauses and schedules

• C143 Clause 43_01s
• C143 Clause 43_01s track changes
• C143 Clause 72_04s
• C143 Clause 72_04s track changes
• C143 Clause72_08s
• C143 Clause72_08s track changes

Background documents

• Bunjil Creek Bridge and Channel Gisborne Local - level Heritage Assessment April 2020
• Trees at intersection of Bunjil Creek, Kilmore Road and Melbourne Road Gisborne Heritage Assessment May 2020