Thousands of Central Highlanders have their say for 2043

The future of the Central Highlands is looking bright with over 1,600 ideas, comments, contributions, and aspirations put forward as part of the 2043 community visioning process. 

Central Highlanders showed their passion and shared ideas through the online survey, shopping centre pop ups, community roundtable meetings, DIY conversation kits, postcard ideas, student leader presentations and children’s drawings with each contribution to help form part of our 20-year vision. 

Mayor Kerry Hayes praised Central Highlanders for taking part in the process which will help council to turn these ideas into a vision for the region and each of its 13 communities.  

‘We had a great response to this project which is important because the visons will be community owned,’ he said. 

‘The region-wide survey received 738 responses that indicated community, the economy and the built environment were the major themes over the next 20 years. 

People who could not attend roundtables were able to complete their own visioning discussion through DIY kits, with 322 participants and community groups taking part this way. 

Those who were time-pressed could have their say by jotting down an idea on a postcard and dropping it at one of the libraries or council offices. Postcards could also be submitted online. 

‘I had the privilege of attending many of these events but the highlight for me was the school Leaders Summit, where our future leaders prepared a presentation on what their vision was for 2043,’ Mayor Kerry Hayes continued 

‘Even our youngest residents took part by submitting drawings and artwork,’ he said.  

Council is now working with an independent consultant to look at all at all the responses and develop a draft vision that reflects what the community wants.  

The draft visions will then be published in October for the community to review and provide additional feedback on.  

Once finalised and agreed to, the regional and community specific visions will guide the future growth and planning of the region to 2043. 

Full details about the engagement activities and findings are available in an engagement report, along with summaries from the community roundtables on the Your Region, Your Vision webpage chrc.info/mychvision 

If you have any enquiries, please contact council on 1300 242 686.