Melbourne Magazine December 2014 / January 2015



MELBOURNE

YOUR CITY OF MELBOURNE MAGAZINE

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2014

LORD MAYOR’S MESSAGE

Improving our ability to adapt to climate change not only improves the environment that we live and work in, it makes economic sense too.

Here are four examples of how simple, scalable strategies can improve our environment and consequently benefit the economy:

• Planting more trees: In four years we’ve planted 12,000 additional trees which have boosted the value of our urban forest asset to $1 billion. Our aim is to cool the city by four degrees which leads to reduced energy demand and fewer heat-related illnesses and deaths. A record-breaking heatwave last summer cost businesses in Melbourne’s city centre $37 million in lost revenue. As we again embark on another hot summer, it is timely to reflect on the importance of our trees and the value they hold.

• Collecting stormwater: Water is a precious commodity, especially in Australia, the driest continent on the planet. Over the past four years, the City of Melbourne has constructed stormwater harvesting systems at Fitzroy Gardens, Birrarung Marr, Queen Victoria Gardens and a world first inroad system at Darling Street.  These systems along with the Royal Park Wetlands provide around 25 per cent of the water required for our precious landscapes. This translates to over 225,000 kilolitres per year and savings of more than $600,000 of the cost of potable water.

• Asphalt to parkland: Melbourne needs more parks and green spaces, especially as our population continues to grow steadily. It is expensive to purchase parcels of land and convert it into parks. We need to be smart about it. And we are. We look for underutilised or redundant areas that we can convert into parks. Since 2012 we have done this by converting 5000 square metres of asphalt into parkland and we are constantly looking for other opportunities to reach our goal of increasing open space in the municipality by 7.6 per cent.

• Retrofitting buildings: Our 1200 Buildings program which involves the retrofitting of buildings is expected to generate an economic uplift of $2 billion and create 8000 new jobs. As part of the scheme, 560 structures have been retrofitted, or are in the process of retrofitting, to reduce their energy consumption.

I am proud of these initiatives and grateful for the hard work of City of Melbourne staff and the leadership shown by the Environment portfolio Chair Cr Arron Wood and Deputy Chair Cathy Oke.

Melbourne is one of the world’s leading sustainable cities. Our programs were recognised with the award for Adaptation and Resilience at the C40 and Siemens City Climate Leadership Awards in New York in September this year. We also won the Energy Efficient Built Environment category for our 1200 Buildings program last year.

In 2014–15, the City of Melbourne will continue to invest in climate change adaptation with $6.4 million in funding to renew our famous parks and gardens and $1.5 million to plant 3000 new trees.

Leading Scientist named Melburnian of the Year

She’s an internationally-renowned scientist, physician, teacher and administrator, an inspirational Melburnian who can turn her hand to just about anything – and does.

Professor Sharon Lewin is also the inaugural Director of the Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity. A joint venture between the University of Melbourne and the Royal Melbourne Hospital, the world-class institute is charged with limiting the spread of diseases such as HIV, Ebola virus disease, tuberculosis, viral hepatitis and influenza.

Sharon said of the award: ‘It’s a great honour and to be honest, I’m very surprised. The city is full of so many great scientists, clinicians and people who contribute to making Melbourne a fabulous place.

‘I would love to use the title to really raise the visibility of Melbourne’s stunning achievements in science, medicine and technology, and the role women can and do play in the sector. I want the knowledge sector to become something every Melburnian is proud of – up there with football and fashion and food!’

The daughter of Eastern European immigrants who came to Melbourne after World War II, Sharon is also a Melburnian through and through.

‘To me, Melbourne is a modern, intelligent and forward-thinking city that’s constantly working to make itself a better place. It’s a very different city to when my parents arrived in the 1950s’, said Sharon.

‘I love that Melbourne embraces diversity at every level. This was such a striking feature of the city when we hosted AIDS 2014 in July this year. We had 14,000 visitors here from every part of the world and including some very diverse backgrounds.

‘Many of those visitors live with stigma and discrimination every day of their lives because of their sexual preference, the colour of their skin or the fact that they are HIV positive. And yet every delegate I spoke with commented on how welcome they felt here and how Melbourne embraced the opportunity of hosting AIDS 2014 with warmth, style and innovation. I was super proud that this was my home’.

Earlier this year, Sharon was honoured with the position of co-chair for the 20th International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2014) in Melbourne, the largest health and development event ever held in Australia. Previously, she was the Head of the Department of Infectious Diseases at Alfred Health and Monash University and co-head of the Centre for Biomedical Research, Burnet Institute in Melbourne. 1 October.

2014 Melbourne Awards Winners

2014 Melburnian of the Year

Professor Sharon Lewin

Contribution to Profile by a Corporation

Victoria Racing Club – Melbourne Cup Carnival

Contribution to Profile by a Community Organisation

Melbourne International Jazz Festival

Contribution to Profile by an Individual

Glenn Elston – Australian Shakespeare Company

Contribution to Community by a Corporation

Public Record Office Victoria

Contribution to Community by a Community Organisation

Melbourne City Mission

Contribution to Community by an Individual

Professor Jayashri Kulkarni – Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre

Contribution to Sustainability by a Corporation

Eco Guardians

Contribution to Sustainability by a Community Organisation

Smart Blocks

Contribution to Sustainability by an Individual

Tamara DiMattina – ‘The New Joneses’

FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT melbourne..au/melbawards

LETTER OF THE MONTH

Thanks to Judy for her great customer service in relation to my faulty parkingmeter. Thanks also for her explanation on the process with reporting meters and contesting fines for customers. Her patience was wonderful and her explanation helped me understand things better.

Francis Mangahas, Hampton Park

We feature letters from our readers, so please share with us at melbournenews@melbourne..au

Christmas collections

What will happen to my rubbish and recycling collection over Christmas? Rubbish and recycling collections will not take place on Christmas Day, Thursday 25 December. Collections from Thursday 25 and Friday 26 December will be collected the day after your usual collection. Please note that there will be no change to collection services on New Year’s Day, Thursday 1 January.

Our street cleaning contractors will work every day to sweep the streets and empty rubbish bins to keep our city looking clean and beautiful over the festive period.

Phone 9658 9658 to report any street cleaning or waste issues.Be sure to call before 12 noon on the day before your collection date.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT melbourne..au/waste

TWITTER

Good news, everyone! #melbwebfest has received triennial funding through @cityofmelbourne :D

@MELBWEBFEST

Really enjoying being on tea break at the moment you guys. Having a chat to Gabby the radiographer. Sitting in the sun. @cityofmelbourne

@WITTSJW

10 Melbourne Startup Companies Pitching for Interns … #startups #startupaus @MAPUniMelb @TinAlleyBeta @cityofmelbourne

@LESLIECBARRY

Had fun roaming around the city of Melbourne today! Time to rest my legs, goodnight X #rgqrtravels @…

@SSAYLXVE

Great to have the @AMP_AU @salvos @cityofmelbourne Youth Bus caring for some of our most vulnerable youth @WLDNMLBN

@BRENDANNOTTLE

Congratulations @ArronWood & @cityofmelbourne Climate Leadership Award, NYC - showing the world how to make a difference! #C40SiemensAwards

@BRITTGOW

Participate Melbourne

Have your say online now at participate.melbourne..au

Shape your Southbank

Southbank is changing. The City of Melbourne plans to build a new park at Boyd, continue working on the City Road Master Plan and the Southbank Urban Forest Precinct Plan, in addition to other local projects. To stay up to date with Shape Your Southbank projects, register with Participate Melbourne.

Community Engagement Training

The City of Melbourne will host free community engagement training for community groups in the first half of 2015. The training aims to build the capacity of groups and small organisations to effectively engage with their stakeholders and government. Training dates will be announced on the City of Melbourne website.

Plants and Animals in the city

We recently held our first BioBlitz – a survey of animal and plant species in the city. Information gathered during the BioBlitz will inform an Urban Ecology and Biodiversity Strategy, our plan for maintaining a strong and diverse eco-system in the city. Visit Participate Melbourne to find out more.

City News

A passion for Melbourne brings People’s Panel together

The People’s Panel is a group of every day Melburnians randomly selected to make recommendations to Council on where and how to prioritise spending over the next decade.

East Melbourne resident Patricia Princi-Jones was inspired to join the panel by her love of Melbourne. ‘I’m so proud of Melbourne, it’s such a beautiful city’, she said, ‘I just want it to keep the flavour of what it is’.

Despite the diversity of the panel members, Patricia said she soon realised she had something in common with all of them – Melbourne.

North Melbourne resident Matthew Low said, ‘I love Melbourne and was very interested in being more involved. I was nervous at the beginning and wondered how we would all come to an agreement as we were all from different backgrounds, with different expectations and ideas’.

When reflecting on the process Matthew said, ‘It was a really good opportunity. I’m passionate about people being involved. It’s quite a valuable thing’.

Patricia was also attracted by the idea of learning more about Council. ‘I wanted to go and find out how it operates’, she said.

She conceded she was a bit sceptical at first. ‘I thought it would all be orchestrated and that maybe there would be an agenda’, but found it was a very democratic, disciplined and open process. ‘I got a lot out of it,’ said Patricia, ‘I’m now more accepting of the challenges they face and more able to make a fairer assessment of those challenges’.

Councillor Stephen Mayne, Chair of the Finance and Governance portfolio, said the People’s Panel was a ground-breaking transparency initiative that allowed community members to give Council informed advice on how to spend ratepayers’ money.

‘Talking and listening to members of the People’s Panel was really beneficial for Council and the panel’s recommendations provided us with valuable insights into the concerns and needs of our community’, said Cr Mayne.

Over a three-month period, the panel of residents and ratepayers was given open access to information, expert opinion and financial data to consider how Council should prioritise spending and raise revenue over the next decade.

The People’s Panel recommendations were presented to Council for consideration on 17 November. You can read more about Council’s formal response to the People’s Panel online.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT melbourne..au/participate

Major Melbourne study returns

Knowing how a city works as a place for people is crucial to guide its sustainable growth.

To take stock of Melbourne and to assess its future potential, the City of Melbourne conducts a thorough study of the municipality every decade.

The study, known as Places for People, examines the use and form of Melbourne’s public spaces to inform future improvements.

The first Places for People study was published in 1994, based on a methodology developed by renowned Danish architect and urban design expert, Jan Gehl.

Places for People 2015 will be the third study in the series and for the first time, it will map how the city serves the daily needs of its people and how people experience and define their local neighbourhoods.

The standard aspects of the study, such as where and how people use parts of the city, continue to be investigated by assessing buildings, footpaths, streets, laneways and public squares, together with land use and attractions.

Lord Mayor of Melbourne Robert Doyle said, ‘a great city is one in which you can walk around easily, feel safe and can access attractions, services and open spaces, with a diversity of choices and experiences.

‘Given the city’s rapid growth, there’s no better time than now to talk to Melburnians and visitors about their experience of our city’, said the Lord Mayor.

The Places for People 2015 study is currently underway.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT melbourne..au/participate

A city for people

To reach our goal to be ‘A City for People’ the City of Melbourne has developed a new strategy called Melbourne for All People 2014–17. The new strategy recognises the shared rights, needs and aspirations of people of all ages and abilities from 0–100+ years of age.

Munro purchase a game changer

In October 2013 the City of Melbourne announced it would make the largest investment in its history to preserve and renew the Queen Victoria Market, creating an expanded market precinct.

Almost a year to the day, Council was delighted to announce the strategic purchase of a site bounded by Therry, Queen and Franklin streets for $76 million.

The purchase opens up a range of opportunities for the renewal of the market, particularly for the relocation of car parking, potentially making way for new open space at the market.

Third generation landowner, Robert Munro and his family sold the prized property to Council, despite the submission of several other bids in excess of $80 million.

The site has been in the Munro family for more than 100 years and the family’s 87 year-old patriarch indicated he was interested in protecting the site’s historical legacy.

Lord Mayor of Melbourne Robert Doyle said of the purchase, ‘it’s an investment in the market for our traders and the people who use it’.

The land will now be incorporated into the $250 million revitalisation of the Queen Victoria Market precinct.

Due to the significance of this purchase for the renewal project, the third phase of community engagement will now take place early in 2015.

Visit Participate Melbourne to keep updated.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT melbourne..au/queenvictoriamarket

Queen Victoria Market Christmas events

Lighting the Christmas Tree

3 December, from 5pm

Queen Street Stage

Celebrate the lighting of our giant nine tonne live Christmas Tree at the Summer Night Market.

Thursday Christmas Market

4, 11 and 18 December, 9am to 3pm

L Shed

Find the perfect holiday gift, from handcrafted decorations to gingerbread houses.

TRADERS CASH GIVEAWAY

Market days until 24 December

Various locations

Get a free ticket and go in the draw to win $500 of cash and vouchers from your favourite market traders.

Seasonal Stars

9, 11 and 12 December, 11am and midday

Queen Street

Join dessert goddess Kirsten Tibballs for a festive cooking demonstration creating delicious food for gifts.

Santa at the Market

Weekends in December

Therry Street Plaza

Visit Santa every weekend leading into Christmas to tell him about your wish list.

The Christmas Trail

Every market day in December

Start at the Market Office

Pick up a map and follow Rudolph’s hoof prints on a magical Christmas journey through the market.

TALL TALES FROM A TALL TREE

After four years of evergreen service, the City of Melbourne’s magnificent living Christmas tree is about to go into retirement.

For the last three years the tree has been the central feature of Christmas in the city, taking pride of place in City Square. In a first for the Melbourne magazine, we have secured an interview with the Tall Tree itself to tell us the story firsthand.

Melbourne magazine: What sort of tree are you?

Tall Tree: I am Sequoiadendron giganteum Wellingtonia. My ancestors hail from the Western Slopes of the Sierra Nevada Range in California.

MM: How did you get the job as the City of Melbourne’s Christmas tree?

TT: For my Christmassy appeal. I’m dark, evergreen and conical in habit. Some people might even say majestic, thoughtful and insightful.

MM: How big were you when you first came to City Square?

TT: Back in 2011 I was eight metres and weighed in at (cough.. ahemm) over five tonnes. That’s pure timber and a little fluff. Many of the children were very kind and said how handsome I was.

MM: And how big are you now and where will you whittle away the days?

TT: I don’t want to brag, but I may top out at nine metres. Unfortunately I now exceed the weight load for City Square, but it’s a perfectly normal weight for my age and not the result of excessive festive consumption at all.

I’m now going to take a long-term position in the King’s Domain. Preferably somewhere with a nice view of the Christmas carols in the Sidney Myer Music Bowl. I love a good carol, particularly a blazing rendition of ‘O Christmas Tree’.

MM: What’s it like being a Christmas tree?

TT: I was plucked from a picturesque hillside at Hoddles Creek in the Yarra Valley. Unaccustomed to the hustle and bustle of big city life and as one of the alpha (aka big and important) trees at the farm, I was soon dwarfed by the city surrounds. After each Christmas I was transported by truck for a beachside holiday in Port Melbourne until it was time to go back to work.

MM: And what about your replacement?

TT: The two new kids on the block are seven and six metres tall. One for City Square and one for Docklands. These guys are lightweights at about four tonne each. They’ll probably last until they exceed their engineering loads and then they’ll be put out to pasture too.

Kathryn Werle from Established Tree Transplanters knows Tall Tree well and said that while Tall Tree can be a little arrogant at times, ‘he commands great majesty and is also a reminder of the importance of trees in our ever changing environment’.

And what sort of Christmas tree does Kathryn have at home? ‘The real kind that drops pine needles everywhere and smells like Christmas’, she said.

Christmas in the city

For more information on Christmas events in the city including the Town Hall projections, Christmas Square and the Christmas Festival gift guide, turn to page 12, or visit melbourne..au/christmas

All eyes on Boston

It was 1985 when Melbourne began its sister city relationship with the university city of Boston, in Massachusetts USA.

Thirty years later, the benefits of this association can be seen in the work of Dr Lauren Ayton, bionic eye clinical research coordinator and research fellow at the University of Melbourne.

In 2013 Lauren was awarded a Hugh Rogers Fellowship by the Melbourne Boston Sister Cities Association to fund a self-contained research project in one of Boston’s academic institutions.

Having worked in research for more than 10 years, Lauren had long been troubled by the different methods used to test the efficacy of different vision restoration solutions, in different institutions and countries around the world. Without a standardised testing method, it was impossible to know whether one experimental bionic eye was better than another.

Lauren’s aspiration to develop an international gold standard for assessing patient outcomes in vision restoration trials was something she had talked about with colleagues, but had never had the time, or money, to pursue.

‘The fellowship meant I could put the time aside to develop my ideas,’ said Lauren. ‘I flew to Boston in January 2014 to set up a taskforce with Dr Joseph Rizzo, head of neuro-ophthalmology at Harvard Medical School and got straight to work.’

Over the course of seven weeks, spread over two trips, Lauren and Joseph worked to develop and refine the concept.

Launched in April 2014, the international task force has been enthusiastically received by the research field, medical practitioners and patients.

This is an example of one of the many fellowship and exchanges the City of Melbourne sponsors through our sister city relationships.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT melbourne..au/sistercities

Primary school kids go global without leaving the classroom

Students from North Melbourne Primary School have had the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to connect with students across the globe as part of the international Global Scholars Program.

Run by Global Cities Inc, a New York-based, non-profit organisation, the program aims to enhance communication between global cities to cultivate the next generation of global citizens.

The City of Melbourne’s North Melbourne Primary School was the first school in Australia selected to participate.

The students connect with their peers in New York through iPad-based lessons, broadening the students’ local-to-global perspective and improving their technology skills. The topic for the first lesson focused on the benefits of water-wise cities.

Lord Mayor of Melbourne Robert Doyle said: ‘This program is another example of the City of Melbourne establishing valuable city-to-city connections at a global level. Fostering global awareness in our children will be a great benefit in their studies and careers ahead’.

Prosperous City

Looking around Melbourne there are signs of the city’s early prosperity everywhere: elaborate architecture, soaring church spires and signature bluestone paving underfoot.

The sources of this early wealth are plain to see in the City of Melbourne’s coat of arms, which proudly display the four industries crucial to Melbourne’s early success: wool, cattle rearing, whaling and shipping. Combined with the gold rush, these industries made Melbourne a truly marvellous city.

Today the majority of Melbourne’s economic activity has moved from primary to tertiary industries. Financial services, health care, information telecommunications, and technical services now make up some of the city’s top industries by economic output.1

But our ability to connect with the wider world remains as important as ever. Shipping was vital in the early days of the settlement, for without a mercantile link to Europe and the leading trade routes, there was no market for the large-scale commercial wool, cattle and whaling industries.

Today the future prosperity of Melbourne relies on its ability to seize global and local opportunities. The City of Melbourne believes there are several ways to help build the right environment for the city’s future economic prosperity and has identified four pillars of activity to help maximise local and global opportunities for Melbourne:

1. Seek future growth opportunities.

2. Invest for the future.

3. Increase knowledge and capability.

4. Position Melbourne for success.

The organisation is already acting on these objectives. Earlier this year the Lord Mayor led a business mission to China and Japan to help local Melbourne businesses develop partnerships with international city governments and businesses, providing invaluable access to key stakeholders.

Councillor Kevin Louey, Chair of the Economic Development portfolio, said the mission was a great success. ‘The City of Melbourne wants to help expose businesses to the Asian market and we are uniquely positioned to do this’.

‘We were pioneers in opening the Melbourne Office Tianjin 15 years ago and we have developed a strong relationship with China over the past 35 years. We also have important relationships with Japan, as Osaka was our first sister city in 1978’, Cr Louey said.

Local businesses participating in the mission included Cancer Trials Australia, EcoEnergy Ventures, Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre from La Trobe University, RMIT University, Studio505, Synergetics, Hassell, Melbourne Tigers and Sabelberg Morcos Lawyers.

Of course everyone is always looking for the next big thing, which is why the City of Melbourne also supports new and emerging businesses through grants and sponsorships. Names like Koko Black chocolate, Good Cycles and KeepCup, all started out with such grants and are now established and thriving businesses in their own right.

Knowledge is another important pillar for a prosperous city. The City of Melbourne supports initiatives like the Hugh Rogers Fellowship which funds research and projects that expand and enhance Melbourne and Boston’s reputations as centres of knowledge excellence and ensures our best and brightest academics have the opportunity to work with colleagues in Boston.

The City of Melbourne also works hard to promote Melbourne as the preferred Australian location for business, education, cultural and tourist activities. The International AIDS Conference, held in Melbourne in July, is one such example. Hosting the world’s largest health conference provided a boost for the local economy, education and research institutions, and also showcased the city’s cultural side and tourist exploits.

‘Business is all about making connections and speaking to people’, said Cr Louey. ‘We work hard to build our city-to-city connections and identify opportunities in our Business Partner Cities network and it is through these connections, scholarships and grants that our municipality will grow and prosper’.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT melbourne..au/enterprisemelbourne

Your council, your city.

Your Council looks back on a busy year and the moments which made it all worthwhile.

Lord Mayor Robert Doyle

2014 seems to have been the year of the award. In addition to being named the world’s most liveable city for the fourth consecutive year, Melbourne was also bestowed the title of friendliest city and Most Admired Knowledge City. We also won a C40 and Siemens City Climate Leadership Award in the category of Adaptation and Resilience. These awards are a testament not only to the work of the team at the City of Melbourne, but also the partnerships and collaborations we share with all levels of government, private sector, not-for-profit and community organisations.

Deputy Lord Susan Riley

One of the highlights of the year was speaking at the Toyota AFL Grand Final Parade on a beautiful Melbourne day, with thousands of people there to watch the parade and celebrate our home-grown game. The International AIDS Conference was another great success for Melbourne, which saw people from all over the world come together in pursuit of a cure. The opening of the Library at The Dock was a very special moment for our community and I look forward to seeing its patronage grow and develop into the future.

Councillor Richard Foster

I was delighted to see The Causeway become Melbourne’s first permanent smoke-free outdoor dining area earlier this year, after a successful six month pilot program. Homelessness remained on the agenda this year and Council unveiled an ambitious plan to tackle the issue over the next three years by providing reliable pathways out of homelessness. To this end I was also pleased to see the draft safe city strategy, Beyond the Safe City, and the draft housing strategy, Homes for People, both endorsed by Council in June.

Councillor Rohan Leppert

In February this year the Melbourne Indigenous Arts Festival built on the success of the inaugural festival in 2012, growing into a two-week celebration of Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander arts, theatre, music and culture. More than 300 artists shared their stories and creative works with 73,000 plus people across 42 events. I am proud that the City of Melbourne is part of telling more indigenous stories to more Melburnians. This will continue in 2015 with our free Indigenous film event Blak Nite Screen in February, and ongoing work with indigenous artists at Arts House, Signal and ArtPlay.

Councillor Kevin Louey

The City of Melbourne led a successful trade mission to China and Japan this year, which could see up to $1 billion in contracts accessed by Melbourne-based businesses. We also continued to build our city-to-city connections and identified opportunities in Business Partner Cities network cities within the ASEAN region for the municipality’s businesses. Closer to home we funded 10 grants worth close to $180,000 through the second round of the 2013–14 small business and social enterprise grants program.

Councillor Stephen Mayne

The world first People’s Panel to advise council on its inaugural 10-year financial plan was a clear highlight in 2014, along with the $76 million ‘Munro site’ purchase which opens up different opportunities for the long-overdue renewal of the Queen Victoria Market (QVM). The ongoing challenge will be budgeting for a booming city and record population growth without breaking the bank or reducing Melbourne’s famed liveability. Delivering the QVM project whilst taking on minimal debt remains a key financial goal in the years ahead.

Councillor Cathy Oke

Moving around the city safely and thoughtfully was in the spotlight this year with the launch of the Share our Streets campaign, which encourages all road users to show courtesy and respect, as well as our Road Safety Plan and Draft Walking Plan. Our first African Roundtable was another success. By consulting the leaders of newly-arrived community members we were able to identify common issues and challenges and start looking for ways to help overcome them.

Councillor Ken Ong

My best moments in 2014 were Council’s endorsement of the City North Plan, the Housing Strategy and the opening of the new Library at The Dock. With these milestones, it means that in 2015, we need to start working on delivering the outcomes to achieve our future housing needs and to focus on additional community infrastructure for our growing city, especially in the central part of the city, our fastest growing and most dense area. It is about liveability.

Councillor Beverley Pinder-Mortimer

This year I’ve enjoyed talking and listening to our hospitality and retail sector. A subsequent review of our marketing campaigns has brought about several exciting new initiatives. Another highlight was seeing programs like the new Southbank Men’s Shed and the International AIDS Conference come to fruition after much hard work. I will watch the outcomes of both with interest. And I am always proud of the support we offer to young and emerging designers through the Melbourne Spring Fashion Week each year.

Councillor Jackie Watts

Melbourne’s status as a Knowledge City was enhanced in a number of ways this year. We opened the Library at The Dock: a tangible community asset with its superb waterfront location, award-winning architecture and advanced technical facilities. Council also endorsed the new Knowledge Strategy 2014–2018, opened the Office of Literature, which strengthened our status as a UNESCO World Heritage City and finally, Melbourne’s Knowledge Week once again provided a plethora of opportunities for the community to engage with our knowledge sector partners.

Councillor Arron Wood

While nations talk, cities act. This year Melbourne established its first-ever renewable energy target: 25 per cent by 2018. We were selected as one of the first cities for the 100 Resilient Cities Rockefeller Foundation initiative, won the C40 and Siemens City Climate Leadership Awards for innovative responses to drought, and delivered the Growing Green Guide to expand our urban forest to roofs, walls and facades. As we develop our City Resilience Strategy we will make sure Melbourne remains beautiful and liveable for years to come.

Melbourne’s Christmas Festival

Merry Christmas Melbourne. There’s lots of free fun and festive activity in the city this Christmas. Pop into City Square, renamed Christmas Square for the month of December, get a free photo with Santa, or post him a letter in Santa’s post box.

Nearby the Gingerbread Village by Epicure is back in the Town Hall, while perennial favourites the Myer windows and Bourke Street bells return to delight. Some new decorations also make their debut this Christmas. Giant Nutcracker soldiers welcome visitors at Southern Cross Station, while an illuminated advent calendar will adorn City Square.

By day the Melbourne Town Hall has been gift wrapped and decorated with shiny toy soldiers. By night, the Town Hall becomes a dramatic backdrop for a spell-binding new light projection with a festive flavour. From dusk until 11pm, it will be worth the wait.

Find more information on what’s happening in the city this Christmas with our Christmas Festival gift and event guide, available online or at the Melbourne Town Hall.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT melbourne..au/christmas

Jingle bells in Birrarung Marr

Hear the Federation Bells chime their way through your favourite Christmas carols this festive season in beautiful Birrarung Marr.

The majestic bells form part of the City of Melbourne’s Christmas celebrations with a collection of well-known Christmas songs scheduled to ring out throughout December.

Stay tuned to hear ‘Away in a Manger’, ‘Good King Wenceslas’ and everyone’s favourite, ‘Jingle Bells’.

Meanwhile if all the tinkling has inspired you, why not unleash your inner musician with the exciting new iOS app for the Federation Bells.

The app allows members of the public to actually play the 39 Federation Bells using a mobile phone or tablet device. This world-first functionality puts members of the public in control of this iconic musical instrument.

The app allows you to play a selection of compositions, create, record and play back your own music, ring bells freeform with your friends and pit your musical and memory skills against others in a multi-player game.

It is fun, collaborative and a uniquely Melbourne musical experience. Free at the Apple App Store.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT melbourne..au/whatson

New Year’s Eve in the city

Dazzling fireworks aren’t the only reason to keep your eyes on Melbourne this New Year’s Eve. The City of Melbourne has organised free entertainment at four live sites across the city to keep revellers of all ages happy throughout the night.

Midnight Live sites

Our New Year’s Eve Official Midnight Live Sites return to Treasury Gardens, Flagstaff Gardens, Docklands and Kings Domain. The sites offer a uniquely Melbourne experience and an exciting mix of music, multimedia and fireworks.

Free live entertainment begins at 9pm with headline DJs taking to the stage at 11pm. A custom soundtrack will accompany the countdown in the minutes before midnight and throughout the fireworks display. After the fireworks, DJs will return to their decks and play till 1am.

Midnight fireworks

At the stroke of midnight see the city skyline light up with a glowing explosion of colour. Fireworks will be launched from some of the city’s tallest buildings to create a spectacular show. There are plenty of prime vantage points in the greater Melbourne area where the city skyline can be seen, allowing Melburnians the opportunity to create their own New Year’s Eve experience.

Live Broadcast

The event will be broadcast live on Channel 7, culminating in the midnight fireworks.

Visit the New Year’s Eve Melbourne website for full details on live site locations, public transport options, the synchronised countdown, the official soundtrack and much more.

City safety on New Year’s Eve

New Year’s Eve is a major event and large crowds are expected.

Keep in mind that where you can see the city skyline you will be able to see the fireworks. You can avoid the crowds and watch the fireworks from a vantage point close to home, or on Channel 7.

Some tips for those who travel into the city:

• Choose public transport.

• Be patient and anticipate delays.

• New Year’s Eve Midnight Live Sites are alcohol-free events. Fines apply.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT melbourne..au/nye

EVENTS CALENDAR

A FEW OF OUR FAVOURITE THINGS

DECEMBER AND JANUARY

MPavillion

A unique collision of architectural design, art and performance space. It’s a clubhouse, a meeting place and a starting point from which to explore a free program of talks, workshops, performances and installations.

1 DECEMBER

21 Years of Joy

JOY 94.9 is celebrating its 21st birthday with an outside broadcast and display of memorabilia from JOY’s history. Come in and see JOY 94.9 out, loud and proud at the Melbourne Town Hall.

6 AND 7 DECEMBER

Fair@Square

and ethical origin, check out Fair@Square, a festival designed to celebrate ethical, sustainable, morally-responsible consumer behaviour. Held at Federation Square, this is a free event.

15 OCT

OKTOBERFEST IN THE GARDENS

Birrarung Marr

Featuring a large big top beer hall, two stages, sideshow alley, roving entertainers, style food stalls and entertainment.

7 DECEMBER

Tropfest

Celebrate short films and big stories at Tropfest, the world’s largest short film festival. For one night only at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Tropfest aims to provide the largest possible platform for talented filmmakers. Free event.

9 DECEMBER

Arts House, Supper Club

Join the Supper Club, a new participatory event and meet-up for artists, audiences and the thoughtfully curious. Try the Ever-Evolving Landscape of Art, Ethics and Social Change where you can tuck into some tasty supper, served with good wine and great tunes at the North Melbourne Town Hall.

16 DECEMBER

Organ & … Brass and Wind

The musical might of the Air Force Band will be on display for a Christmas-themed program of works for symphonic band and the Grand Organ. This is a free event at Melbourne Town Hall.

24 DECEMBER

Vision Australia’s Carols By Candlelight

Join Australia’s most-talented performers including Harrison Craig, Lucy Durack and Jackson Thomas at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl to sing and raise funds to support local vision-impaired children.

JANUARY AND FEBRUARY

Craft at Artplay

This summer Craft is presenting its inaugural Summer Workshop series at ArtPlay. Specifically designed for adults the workshops include bookbinding, ceramics, basket making and leather work.

11 AND 12, 17 AND 18 JANUARY

Sunset Series

Soak up the summer sun with two fun-filled weekends of free live local music and dance workshops. Bring your friends, family and a picnic basket to Fitzroy Gardens and join in the summertime fun.

18 JANUARY TO 8 FEBRUARY

Midsumma Festival

The Midsumma Festival is Melbourne’s annual Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex and Queer celebration of arts, culture and sport. The festival starts with a carnival in Alexandra Gardens and includes 130 separate events across the municipality.

19 JANUARY

Chinese New Year

Welcome the Year of the Sheep with Chinese New Year celebrations at Fed Square. See a variety of cultural activities including Tai Chi and Lion Dancers.

23 JANUARY TO 21 FEBRUARY

Summersalt

Melbourne’s leading arts organisations are turning inside out and joining forces to take the arts outdoors, transforming Melbourne’s secret back yard, the Arts Precinct, for the inaugural SummerSalt Outdoor Arts Festival. A spectacular program of free, low-cost, kid-friendly adventures.

26 JANUARY

Australia Day

See the Flag Raising ceremony at the Melbourne Town Hall followed by the Australia Day Parade down Swanston Street. Celebrations continue at hot spots around the city, culminating in a spectacular fireworks display at Docklands.

26 JANUARY

Kensington Australia Day Festival

Celebrate Australia Day in Kensington with a family-friendly street festival in Macaulay Road. Starting with a citizenship ceremony the day includes Billy Kart Racing, a pet show, lamington eating, market stalls and live entertainment.

29 JANUARY TO 1 FEBRUARY

Melbourne Barbecue Festival

The Melbourne Barbecue Festival, at the Queen Victoria Market, is all about meat, smoke, summer and good times in Melbourne, the culinary and events capital. Including a barbecue food festival, cooking classes and Australia’s first barbecue cook-off. Free entry.

30 JANUARY TO 1 FEBRUARY

Melbourne Summer Boat Show

Cruise through summer with Melbourne’s only on-water event featuring a colourful display of yachts, luxury vessels, smaller boats, jet skis and more. New Quay, Docklands.

Sport

1 TO 7 DECEMBER

Disability Sport and Recreation Festival

Try a range of free accessible and inclusive sport and recreation activities during the Disability Sport & Recreation Festival. Plus you can explore facilities around Melbourne which are accessible and open to people with disabilities.

9 TO 22 JANUARY

Asia Cup 2015

See the opening match of the Asian Football Confederation’s Asian Cup men’s tournament in Melbourne, when the Socceroos play Kuwait at AAMI Park. Melbourne will host five other group matches and a quarter final.

19 JANUARY to 1 FEBRUARY

Australian Open 2015

The world’s best tennis players will battle it out at the first grand slam of the year, Australian Open 2015. See Federer, Djokovic, Nadal, Williams and Sharapova at their best.

31 JANUARY

Ride the Night 2014

From midnight to sunrise, riders will pedal 70 kilometres past Melbourne’s most iconic locations, to finish at dawn with breakfast at Albert Park on Sunday 1 February. Funds raised will help to break the cycle of youth drug and alcohol addiction.

Discover all that’s happening in Melbourne at melbourne..au/whatson

Sustainable Solutions for Apartment Living

As more people choose to live in high-rise buildings, more attention is being given to how these buildings can operate in an economically efficiently and sustainable way.

Apartment buildings are notorious energy guzzlers. On average, residents of high and medium density blocks use 25 per cent more energy than those in detached dwellings. Up to half of this energy use comes from common areas like hallways, car parks and swimming pools.

But there are ways apartment owners and managers can reduce energy consumption in common areas, cut electricity bills and contribute to a sustainable Melbourne.

The City of Melbourne provides support to owners’ corporations and their managers through the Smart Blocks program.

Peter Young is a member of the owners corporation for 8 Wellington Crescent, East Melbourne - the first building to benefit from one of the City of Melbourne’s $3,000 Smart Blocks rebates.

‘The rebate was a real boost and a welcome surprise that meant we achieved the full benefits earlier.’

‘The rebate allowed us to replace our halogen downlights with LED downlights. We had budgeted to replace the fluorescent lighting in the car park, but had by necessity deferred the stairwell lights. The rebate enabled us to complete it all at once and now we are reaping the benefits’, said Peter.

The building’s energy consumption dropped dramatically following the installation of the LED lights, said Peter. ‘We were quite amazed by how much, and have become quite passionate about it’.

‘The rebate was a real boost and a welcome surprise that meant we achieved the full benefits earlier. Smart Blocks gave us a measure of confidence that we were not alone in what we were trying to achieve and not taking on too much risk’, said Peter.

Solar is another way apartment owners can work together to cut the running costs of common areas.

Anne St George, a West Melbourne resident and secretary of the owners’ corporation for 11 Anderson Street, the former T. B. Guest & Co biscuit factory, first began discussing energy saving measures with members of the owners’ corporation about two years ago.

‘It’s a four storey building with corridors leading to all the apartments and I thought it was really wasteful to have all the common area lights on all the time’, said Anne.

After changing all the lights over to LED the owners took the next energy-saving step and installed a 10kW solar system on their roof.

‘The idea of solar energy came about because we have such a functional roof – almost flat and slightly angled towards the north’.

Anne presented the idea at an AGM with quotes arranged by City of Melbourne’s project partner, Positive Charge. ‘It’s been a minimum of fuss’, said Anne, ‘everyone has been really helpful’.

For apartment complexes with six-figure electricity bills, installing solar panels can save thousands of dollars. Most you can’t see, but on roof tops all around our city, solar panels are quietly generating some of the cleanest, most cost-effective energy in the world.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT melbourne..au/sustainability

Smart Blocks

City of Melbourne and project partners Smart Blocks and Positive Charge provide a range of free services for apartment buildings:

• Free walk-through energy assessments for common areas.

• Free basic solar opportunity assessments.

• Free technical advice and project support.

• Rebates for lighting and solar projects (while funds last).

FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT .au

Community Infrastructure gets a boost

By 2015 the City of Melbourne will have invested around $50 million in building works and the improvements of more than 7500m2 of community infrastructure.

The spaces stretch across the municipality with community hubs now established in Southbank and Docklands, and projects nearing their final stages in Kensington and Carlton.

Prior to the opening of the new community facilities at Boyd in Southbank and then Library at The Dock in Docklands, the local landscapes did not encourage people to get together outdoors. Both developments have increased the opportunities for people to connect, participate and belong within their local neighbourhood.

Looking ahead the Kathleen Syme Library and Community Centre is nearing completion, Kensington Town Hall is about to unveil its new and improved facilities, and a new community hub at The Dock is scheduled to start construction in 2015.

Both developments have increased the opportunities for people to connect, participate and belong

within their local neighbourhood.

In September Council endorsed a draft Community Infrastructure Development Framework to guide the long-term planning for community spaces and facilities. The framework aims to ensure the municipality’s growth areas have adequate community infrastructure that is distributed equitably, efficiently and effectively.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT melbourne..au/communityinfrastructure

A Sweet Idea

Cooking for guests with food allergies or intolerances is often part and parcel of Christmas festivities. Now there is a shop designed to meet the needs of such special guests.

The idea for I’m Sugar Free, a sugar-free specialty food shop conveniently located next to the Queen Victoria Market, came to Ben Nguyen when several members of his family were diagnosed as diabetic, or pre-diabetic and therefore at high risk of developing the disease.

‘The idea came to light out of frustration,’ said Ben. ‘There is a scarcity of diabetic-friendly foods available in our supermarkets, while countries such as the US and Israel are at the forefront’.

The icing on the cake came when Ben received a small business grant from the City of Melbourne to open a specialty food shop. Although I’m Sugar Free started out as a sweet-free zone, the concept has expanded to include other intolerances and allergies.

‘Traditionally we catered to people who live with diabetes, but we now complement the range with allergy-friendly foods such as gluten-free, wheat-free, egg-free, dairy-free, nut-free, fructose friendly and as well as vegan and vegetarian’, said Ben.

And what does Ben like? ‘Some of my favourite sugar-free products are the whey protein ice cream (naturally sweetened), the fine Belgian chocolate bars with stevia and the sugar-free jams in strawberry and raspberry’.

Dancing in the Street

Shake your way into the weekend with a free dance lesson from the First Friday Dance Club.

As the name suggests, on the first Friday of each month at 6pm, workers, residents, tourists and those just passing by are invited to join in a mass dance workshop at Queensbridge Square, Southbank.

The very first lesson was held back in June 2012 and the event has been going strongly (weather permitting) ever since.

Marshie Perara Rajakumar from Jhoom Bollywood led a colourful Bollywood dance session on the first Friday in October.

‘It was a mixed crowd as far as skill levels go, but I thought through the lesson all those who were trying picked up the steps very well and some, especially the kids, were less shy than others’, said Marshie.

‘It’s an amazing experience dancing and teaching in heart of Melbourne along Southbank and especially on a Friday night. Melbourne brought out some amazing weather and we got the best of the setting sun and night backdrop.

‘Melbourne audiences are always so full of enthusiasm and as First Friday Dance Club is a family friendly event it’s great to dance for and teach such a diverse age group – grandkids through to grandparents’, said Marshie.

This initiative underpins City of Melbourne’s commitment to encouraging artists to explore new ways of reaching audiences, particularly through public participation, as outlined in its recently released Arts Strategy.

The First Friday Dance Club features a different style of dance each month. Please note, there is no event on Friday 2 January 2015.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT melbourne..au/whatson

IN BRIEF

Recycle and be rewarded

GreenMoney is a rewards program that offers residents points for recycling that can be reclaimed as discounts and special offers.

Households signed up to GreenMoney can save up to $400 a year off restaurant meals, entertainment and groceries. Register now, it’s free.

melbourne..au/greenmoney

Pay-by-phone parking

At the end of 2014, pay-by-phone parking will be available across the municipality.

Although other payment methods are still available, pay-by-phone parking means you don’t have to search for coins: simply register your phone number, vehicle registration and credit or debit card details via the PayStay app or at .au and you’re ready to use the system

melbourne..au/parking

Free City Tram Travel

Tram travel within Melbourne’s central city and Docklands is free from 1 January 2015. However, if your journey starts or finishes outside the Free Tram Zone you will need to touch on with a topped up myki to ensure you have a valid ticket.

ptv..au

Sign up to Out and About

Out and About activity guide has the best activities in our city for people 60 and over. The January to June 2015 issue will be delivered in late December. To be added to the mailing list, subscribe online or call 9658 9658.

melbourne..au/communityservices

Two-wheeled adventure

This February, you are invited to choose your own adventure by taking part in 1000 Cities, a free game that invites you to explore the city on the blue share bikes.

Visit the 1000 Cities site on your smart phone to be led on an epic adventure through the streets and laneways of Melbourne. Along the way, unlock hidden clues that will change the way you see your city..

melbourne..au/1000cities

YOUR COUNCIL

The Right Honourable Lord Mayor Robert Doyle

Future Melbourne (Major Projects), Committee Chair

9658 9658

lordmayor@melbourne..au

Deputy Lord Mayor Susan Riley

Future Melbourne (Marketing Melbourne), Committee Deputy Chair

9658 9043

susan.riley@melbourne..au

Cr Richard Foster

Future Melbourne (People City), Committee Chair

9658 9056

richard.foster@melbourne..au

Cr Rohan Leppert

Future Melbourne (Arts and Culture), Committee Chair

9658 9051

rohan.leppert@melbourne..au

Cr Kevin Louey

Future Melbourne (Economic Development) Committee Chair, Docklands Coordination Committee Co-Chair

9658 9170 or mobile 0413 960 811

kevin.louey@melbourne..au

Cr Stephen Mayne

Future Melbourne (Finance and Governance) Committee Chair

9658 9636 or mobile 0412 106 241

stephen.mayne@melbourne..au

Cr Cathy Oke

Future Melbourne (Transport), Committee Chair

9658 9086

cathy.oke@melbourne..au

Cr Ken Ong

Future Melbourne (Planning), Committee Chair

9658 9704

ken.ong@melbourne..au

Cr Beverley Pinder-Mortimer

Future Melbourne (Marketing Melbourne) Committee Chair

9658 9038

beverley.pinder-mortimer@melbourne..au

Cr Jackie Watts

Future Melbourne (Knowledge City), Committee Chair

9658 8580

jackie.watts@melbourne..au

Cr Arron Wood

Future Melbourne (Environment), Committee Chair

9658 9630

arron.wood@melbourne..au

Postal address for all councillors

City of Melbourne,

GPO Box 1603, Melbourne VIC 3001

Fax for all councillors 03 9658 9613

All committee meetings are held in: Council Meeting Room, Level 2 Melbourne Town Hall, Swanston Street, Melbourne, except the Docklands Coordination Committee, which is held at: Goods Shed, 710 Collins Street, Docklands, Melbourne.

All council meetings are held in: Council Chamber, (Public Gallery, Level 3) Melbourne Town Hall, Swanston Street, Melbourne.

On occasion, council meetings are rescheduled or special meetings of the committees and council are called.

For upcoming council and committee meeting dates and times, visit melbourne..au

Changes to the meeting schedule are published at melbourne..au and on the notice board at the front of the Melbourne Town Hall administration building.

DECEMBER 2014

|Future Melbourne Committee |Tuesday 2 Dec |5.30pm |

|Future Melbourne Committee |Tuesday 9 Dec |5.30pm |

|Council |Tuesday 16 Dec |5.30pm |

YOUR OFFER

Lewis’ Music Store

From the ever-popular ukulele, to tambourines, guitars and the odd accordion, Lewis’ Music Store is the place for music professionals and amateurs alike.

This year Melbourne has hosted a huge number of musicals, all with attendant orchestras, and for the professionals, ‘Wednesday is panic day’, said owner Roger Lewis.

‘There is the matinee and then the evening show and sometimes something might break in between’, said Roger.

Nestled in the middle of Russell Street, opposite the old Greater Union cinema, Lewis’ Music Shop is a short dash from Melbourne’s theatre district and a salvation for stricken musicians.

This year Roger received a Platinum Lord Mayor’s Commendation in recognition of 50 years at Lewis’ Music. Roger joined his father’s business in 1964, the year after it opened, and has sold and repaired instruments of all sorts ever since. It is now the only independent music shop in the central city under its original ownership.

Lewis’ Music Store is offering you a chance to win a $100 voucher.

For your chance to win, tell us: When did Lewis’ Music first open in Russell Street?

Mail your answer with your name, address and phone number to: 124 Russell Street Melbourne 3000 or email

shop@.au by 15 December.

SUMMER ARTS PROGRAM

Signal’s ‘Trashion’ Workshop

It can be hard to keep up with endless cycle of fashion, especially when you’re still a student. Luckily Signal has the answer.

This summer holidays the SIGNAL 37 program is back with a series of workshops devoted to Trashion. Also known as trash-based fashion, Trashion is wearable art, or a kind of up-cycling from waste to wardrobe.

Run under the watchful and experienced eye of Melbourne-based fashion designer Jenny Bannister, a darling of the 1970s radical fashion movement, and her collaborator designer Lia Tabrah, the workshops will literally turn trash into treasure.

Apply by 12 December to participate.

Contact

03 9658 9658 (7.30am to 6pm)

melbourne..au

melbourne..au/contactus

National Relay Service

Teletypewriter (TTY) users phone

13 36 77 then ask for 03 9658 9658

Speak & Listen users phone

1300 555 727 then ask for 03 9658 9658

In person

Melbourne Town Hall

Administration Building

120 Swanston Street, Melbourne

7.30am to 5pm, Monday to Friday

Postal address

City of Melbourne

GPO Box 1603

Melbourne VIC 3000

Feedback

To subscribe, update your address, unsubscribe or provide feedback, contact the City of Melbourne or email melbournenews@melbourne..au

audio version

To receive a copy, contact

john.rojas@

at Vision Australia or phone

03 8378 1252.

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