Bungaree and Wallace Structure Plan

Project Overview

The preparation of a Structure Plan for Bungaree and Wallace is a Council Plan Action. Council commenced preparation of the Structure Plan in October 2022. The first step of this process was to prepare an Emerging Directions Paper. This paper provides an overview of the background technical documents and the existing conditions around these towns. This paper also includes emerging growth directions, areas within Bungaree and Wallace that would be most suitable for future development.


The Proposed Growth of Bungaree

There are four potential residential development areas identified in the Emerging Directions Paper for Bungaree. Combined, these areas are approx. 40 ha in size.

The Proposed Growth of Wallace

There are four potential residential development areas, and one potential employment development area identified in the Emerging Directions Paper for Wallace. Combined, these residential areas are approx. 120 ha in size. The employment area is approx. 30 ha in size and could provide for up to 300 jobs for the existing and future residents

Post Consultation Summary

Consultation was undertaken on the Emerging Directions Paper for the Bungaree and Wallace Structure Plan from 12 June 2023 to 14 July 2023. Council were seeking community feedback on the identified opportunities and constraints outlined in the Emerging Directions Paper.

The two drop-in sessions in Wallace and Bungaree in June were well attended with close to 100 people attending the sessions over the two nights. During these sessions, close to 200 comments from community members were captured and documented.

Councils Have your say page was visited close to 1,000 times during consultation, with over 500 documents downloaded in total, 62 online surveys submitted and 11 written submissions from Government Departments, Agencies and residents received. Further late submissions are continuing to be received and accepted.

Given the size of the two local communities, with around 500 residents in the two towns combined (2021 census data), the consultation has reached a large portion of the community, who have provided valuable information for this project moving forward.

Council officers are currently reviewing all information received and will prepare a consultation summary document, which will be made available later this year.

Project Background

The Moorabool Shire Small Towns and Settlements Strategy, 2016 sets a growth framework for the Shire’s small towns and settlements. The strategy seeks to accommodate future growth, while maintaining the unique amenity of each town in the Shire. Within the Strategy, Bungaree and Wallace are identified as “Small Towns, subcategory – Consolidated growth investigation Settlements” which support a population of 50-2000 residents with access to a limited range of education and health services and a small retail centre. The Strategy notes that the lack of sewer infrastructure is a barrier to further development of the towns.

Council is exploring options for the future of Bungaree and Wallace by developing a Structure Plan. The purpose of the Structure Plan will be to resolve the on-going uncertainty and define the appropriate role for Bungaree and Wallace into the future. Integral to the process of preparing the Structure Plan will be resolution of whether each of the towns have the capacity to support growth and if so, what type of growth is appropriate.

Provision of sewer

Future growth in these towns is dependent on the connection of the towns to reticulated sewer. The Structure Plan will be a key document to facilitate further investigations into the provision of sewer. Council will continue our ongoing conversations with Central Highlands Water, working closely together to explore the possibilities to service these towns.