October is Community Safety Month, an important time to think about our role in making Boroondara a safe place to live.

We are stronger when we act together, each taking individual responsibility for the safety and wellbeing of those around us. After the significant impact COVID-19 has had on people’s physical and mental health, it is more important than ever to look after one another. As we return to a more normal life, and the joys and occasional frustrations of community living, it is also important to respect our differences.

There are many ways we are working collaboratively with the community to make sure Boroondara remains a safe place to live.

• We are bringing attention to the issue of occupational violence, especially given the increase in aggressive and violent behaviour towards our staff since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. All workers should be able to go about their duties safely.
• Our newly endorsed Boroondara Bicycle Strategy prioritises safety for both cyclists and pedestrians. This was a key theme that emerged during community consultation, and is a focus of the strategy now giving direction and a vision for the future of cycling in our municipality.
• Community Safety Month helps instil a sense of community, and educates our youngest on the importance of safety through our Emergency Services Family Fun Day and a library storytime session.
• We continue to have a close community relationship with Victoria Police, and support the work of Boroondara Neighbourhood Watch. We are working with both organisations to host Community Safety Pop-ups throughout October, informal sessions where you can hear from experts and talk through any issues that affect you and your local community.

You can read more about all of these initiatives in this issue of the Bulletin.

Stay safe, happy and well.

Mayor of Boroondara
Cr Jane Addis

On 13 September, we gathered at the Hawthorn Arts Centre to celebrate the 2022 Boroondara Sports Awards.

The evening, hosted by Australian cricket legend Damien Fleming, was an opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate the role sports clubs across Boroondara play in enhancing community health and wellbeing and fostering social connection. The event also featured Australian former professional triathlete and 2-time World Triathlon Champion Emma Carney. Congratulations to the finalists and winners.

The Boroondara Sports Club Accreditation Program was launched on the same night. The program provides recognition for clubs that work towards improving their delivery in the community.

For more information about the Boroondara Sports Club Accreditation Program, contact the Boroondara Sport and Recreation team on (03) 9278 4444 or email [email protected]

Nominations for the 2023 Sports Awards will open in March 2023.

We have a new Boroondara Bicycle Strategy, endorsed by Council in July. Our Traffic and Transport team tell us what it’s all about.

Initiative 1

We’ll work with the Victorian Government to develop the Melbourne-wide Strategic Cycling Corridor network within Boroondara. It includes a proposed link between Box Hill and Hawthorn, primarily along the Belgrave/Lilydale railway corridor. We’ll advocate for the best possible community outcomes by doing feasibility studies and developing designs, working with stakeholders to decide the cycling and walking infrastructure that could be delivered.

What’s the community benefit?

The Box Hill to Hawthorn corridor would complete a missing east-west active transport link across Boroondara, providing more walking and cycling options for thousands of people in our community.

Initiative 2

We want to provide new links to expand Boroondara’s well-used and highly valued off-road path network and improve access to safe bicycle routes. One option is completing the missing link through Back Creek Reserve, Glen Iris, by building a new bridge over Back Creek, as well as new or reconstructed unsealed gravel paths connecting to Denman Avenue and Somerset Road.

What’s the community benefit?

Enhanced local connectivity and access for pedestrians and bicycle riders. The proposed unsealed gravel surface would be sympathetic to the natural environment and reflect the local access and recreational function of the path.

More information

To read our Strategy and find out more, visit our Boroondara Bicycle Strategy page.

This month we’re celebrating all things biodiversity with 2 census initiatives that monitor the status of our wildlife – and you’re invited to get involved.

Aussie Backyard Bird Count

We’re supporting BirdLife Australia’s Aussie Backyard Bird Count again this year, from 17 to 23 October. It’s a great way to get outdoors and connect with nature. If you don’t have a backyard, you can count birds in your local park, schoolyard, along creeks – anywhere in the urban area.

By counting the birds you see, you can help BirdLife Australia find out about the species that live where people live. It gives a snapshot of Australian birds at the same time each year, indicating trends in our bird communities and the health of our environment.

Last year, more than 4.9 million birds and 623 species were observed nationally. In Boroondara, 635 residents participated, recording 23,495 birds and 91 species.

To celebrate the Bird Count, we’re running a special workshop to help you learn about what you can do to support the local birds in your area.

Date: Thursday 20 October 

Time: 6:30 pm start

Location: Hawthorn Arts Centre

To register for the workshop, visit our Sustainable living workshops and events page. 

Great Southern Bioblitz

What’s a BioBlitz you ask? A BioBlitz involves participants sighting and recording as many species as possible within a given timeframe and area. The Great Southern BioBlitz is an opportunity for southern hemisphere countries to record flora and fauna, and showcase our beautiful biodiversity to the world.

In 2021, 19 countries took part in the BioBlitz, with more than 5,000 people participating. More than 182,000 observations were made and more than 21,000 species were recorded.

It’s easy to join the BioBlitz and help put our unique flora and fauna on the world map.

Step 1: Download the free iNaturalist app.

Step 2: Take photos of any wild plants and animals you see in Boroondara over the BioBlitz period of Friday 28 to Monday 31 October. 

Step 3: Upload your photos to the iNaturalist app by 14 November.

To find out more, visit the Great Southern BioBlitz website-external site. 

Events in Boroondara to support the Great Southern BioBlitz

Moth Night with Entomological Society of Victoria

When: Friday 28 October, 7:30 pm to 10 pm

Where: Willsmere Billabong

Guided Walk with Friends of Greythorn Park

When: Friday 28 October, 10 am to 11:30 am

Where: Greythorn Park

Lichen Spotting Guided Walks with Fun Fungi Ecology

Monday 31 October, 9 am to 10:15 am at Beckett Park

Monday 31 October, 10:30 am to 12 noon at Maranoa Gardens

To register for any of these activities visit our Sustainable living workshops and events page.

Our team can update you in real time now that the collection process is digitised.

As part of our Transforming Boroondara initiative, we have recently digitised Council’s hard waste collection process. Our drivers have replaced paper schedules and manual reporting with a mobile app and tablets they now use in our hard waste collection trucks.

The app and a connected digital dashboard allow better information flow between our drivers and the team at the waste depot. The result is a more coordinated service, and the status of customer-requested collections are now updated in real time.

Our Customer Connect team is also kept informed so when you call us, we can immediately let you know the status of your hard waste collection.

We know your time is important. By transforming the way City of Boroondara delivers services, we’re also making it easier to do more on our website and providing convenient access to waste information and Council services 24/7.

Tips for preparing your hard waste

Size

Your total collection should be no larger than 2 cubic metres (approximately what would fit into 2 small trailers).

Weight

Our collection officers work in pairs and 2 people need to be able to lift any item.

Sort

To help us send all items to the right processing facilities, separate your hard waste into 4 piles:

1. general hard waste
2. mattresses and bed bases
3. electronic waste
4. large metal items such as fridges and washing machines.

Sticker

You’ll receive a dated ‘booked’ sticker in the mail from us. Place this in a prominent position on your collection so it is visible from the road.

Timing

Hard waste can only be placed out 48 hours before collection to help keep your street tidy and as a courtesy to neighbours. Please ensure your material is out, ready for collection, by 5 am on your collection day.

More information

Residents who have their kerbside bins collected by Council can book up to 2 hard waste collections each financial year.

To book online and find out more, visit our Hard waste page. 

Emergency Services Family Fun Day 

Bring the family to Boroondara Farmers Market to meet emergency services workers, see inside their vehicles and enjoy activities for all ages. 

When: 8 am to 12:30 pm, Saturday 15 October

Where: Boroondara Farmers Market, Patterson Reserve, Hawthorn 

Community Safety Pop-ups 

Connect with Victoria Police and Boroondara Neighbourhood Watch at a local Community Safety Pop-up. Held at various locations throughout October, these informal sessions let you hear from the experts and discuss issues that are important to you. 

Storytime and safety 

Come along to a storytime session at Camberwell Library with a special guest reader from Boroondara Police and listen to some important safety messages for children. 

Road safety education 

Tune in to an online parent information session with Kidsafe on child injury prevention, or book a Play and Ride session at Kew Traffic School, with free child car-restraint fittings and safety checks available on the day.

Boroondara Neighbourhood Watch (BNHW) partners with Victoria Police on crime prevention and safety initiatives. 

Suzanne Dunlop is the Chairperson for Neighbourhood Watch Victoria and has been involved in BNHW for the past 6 years. She says many home burglaries in Boroondara are opportunistic – “where a potential thief sees a chance like an open door and takes the opportunity to steal a handbag or car keys”. 

“Much of this crime and the distress it causes can be avoided by removing the opportunity.” 

Suzanne says a key part of BNHW’s role is communicating crime prevention and safety information. Try the following tips from Neighbourhood Watch Victoria. 

6 tips to avoid home burglaries 

1. Intruders will ‘window shop’, checking for newly bought items. Cut up cardboard boxes so they fit in the recycle bin. 
2. Keep your garage door locked when not in use. If you park in the driveway, take the garage door opener inside with you. 
3. Intruders typically don’t like to break glass, so keep your windows locked. 
4. Add a vertical lock to your sliding door that bolts into the floor and the top frame, or put a wooden dowel in the bottom track to prevent the door from sliding open. 
5. Choose high-security locks. These have keys that are difficult to duplicate and harder to pick or break. 
6. Install a home security system. Homes without a security system are 3 times more likely to be burgled than those with one.

If you’d like to know more about how safe your home is, take the ‘How safe is my place?’ quiz-external site. 

Police urge family violence reporting

Family violence occurs across all social groups in the community. While physical violence may be the most visible form, other forms such as emotional abuse and controlling behaviour can be equally harmful. 

Preventing all forms of violence remains a top priority for Council and Victoria Police. 

“Community Safety Month is important because it provides an opportunity to raise the profile of the joint effort that our community and police need to play together for safety outcomes for all communities,” says Boroondara Local Area Commander Inspector Craig Pearson.

 “It’s timely to remind our community that I am still concerned by the under-reporting of family violence. I encourage any victims, their friends and their family who are aware of the incidence of family violence to seek support and report to Victoria Police.”

Where to find help 

If you or someone you know requires family violence support, contact The Orange Door on 1800 354 322, Monday to Friday 9 am to 5 pm. Or you can visit The Orange Door website-external site.

In an emergency call 000 Police, or for after-hours family violence support call Safe Steps-external site on 1800 015 188, or 1800RESPECT-external site on 1800 737 732.

Council provides a broad range of Active Ageing services for seniors. We support the independence, good health and wellbeing of our senior residents by delivering specific services and activities, some of which are highlighted here.

Registered aged-care providers

The Australian Government funds a wide range of registered aged care providers, which deliver different services throughout Boroondara in addition to Council. Council is also funded by the Australian Government to deliver community transport and some of our social support programs in Boroondara. You can learn more about the different types of care services available on the My Aged Care website-external site. 

More information

To explore the full range of services and activities available, visit our Over 55s page. 

Children’s Week is a national celebration that recognises the talents, skills, achievements and rights of children.

We are excited to help children do this in Boroondara through free and fun events and activities held across our libraries, parks and gardens, as well as our community centres, from 22 to 30 October.

To celebrate Children’s Week, we invite you to pack a picnic morning tea and bring your family and teddy bear to explore the newly redeveloped Victoria Park Regional Playground in Kew on Wednesday 26 October. Join us for a free magic show, dancing and exercise activities, and a teddy bear health check from a maternal and child health nurse.

The City of Boroondara strives to be a place where children and young people are valued, safe and actively participate in our community. We provide a range of services, resources and programs all year to support families and caregivers to keep children educated, happy and healthy.

Our Boroondara Families digital hub has information about Council services including maternal and child health, immunisation, libraries, supported playgroups and kinder enrolment.

For a full list of Children’s Week activities, visit our Children's Week page.

Boroondara is a city of pet lovers. With more daylight at the end of our days, many of us are now taking our dogs for longer walks and visits to the park. That makes spring the time for a friendly reminder to ensure you’re prepared when it comes to the business end of the daily dog walk.

Here are 3 reasons why it’s important to bag your pet’s poo.

1. It carries disease

Dog poo can contain harmful bacteria that can spread to other dogs and humans. You don’t need to come into direct contact with it, as flies and other pets can transmit the disease.

2. It pollutes our waterways

Dog waste can take up to 12 months to fully break down. When rainwater washes over dog poo, it flows into our drainage systems, creeks and rivers.

3. It’s just courtesy

No one likes stepping in dog poo, whether on a sportsground or footpath. Please be considerate of others when using public spaces. And remember, pet waste goes in your dark-green household waste bin.

From our Sustainable Living Festival to an interfaith reconciliation event and fresh performances at our arts venues, there’s plenty going on in Boroondara.

Image: Detail from Jumaadi, Love will find its way, 2019, acrylic on cloth, 150 x 285cm, image courtesy of the artist and King St Gallery on William. Photography by Agung S.

Journeys towards reconciliation 

The Boroondara Interfaith Network invites you to attend its upcoming event, Journeys towards reconciliation. Experience a Welcome to Country by a Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Elder and hear speakers from the Aboriginal Catholic Ministry, local faith groups and students share their journeys towards reconciliation. You will also have an opportunity to visit the stunning Wominjeka Reconciliation Garden and Murnong Art Gallery. All are welcome to attend this free event but bookings are essential. 

When: Tuesday 11 October, 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm 

Where: St Oswald’s Uniting Church, 100 High Street, Glen Iris 

Save the date: Sustainable Living Festival

Our Sustainable Living Festival is back, showcasing sustainability ideas and opportunities for your home, work and school. Along with a live native animal show and live band, there will be hands-on, interactive experiences to inspire positive action, including activities, advice and displays on urban biodiversity, backyard food production, sustainable transport, waste reduction, recycling and the circular economy, water and energy saving. To find out more, visit our Sustainable Living Festival page.

When: Saturday 19 November, 8 am to 12:30 pm 

Where: Boroondara Farmers Market car park, Auburn Road, Hawthorn East 

What’s happening at Boroondara Arts

Tell Me a Story is new major exhibition at Town Hall Gallery celebrating the ancient art of storytelling. You can also explore the community exhibitions Streets of Your Town by Geoff Cunningham, Painting Place by Madeleine Thornton-Smith, and Kathy Holowko’s Wild City artwork developed with children from Boroondara. 

Hear the songs of Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong in Cheek to Cheek with jazz vocalist Tamara Kuldin and trumpet player/vocalist Paul Coyle at Kew Court House. Also at the Court House the Jake Mason Trio takes its cues from the golden era of Hammond organ artists, while smash-hit variety show Grande Dance Hall will rev up the Hawthorn Arts Centre with songbirds and showgirls, burlesque twirlers and go-go groovers.

Learn the basics of 70s craft macrame at our Macrame for Beginners workshop. If you can tie a knot you can make macrame, and at the end of this workshop you’ll have a new artwork to hang at home.

Visit our Boroondara Arts page for more about these events and many more.

Neighbourhood house classes and workshops

Join a Sri Lankan cooking class, learn the basics of backyard horticulture or paint a friend’s portrait with pizza and live jazz on the side... Read about these workshops and many more below or download a copy of our Live & Learn guide at our Neighbourhood houses and community centres page.

Sharpen your secateurs and tease out your twine – it’s time for a spring trim ahead of Council’s free October bundled green waste collection.

Wet weather and spring sunshine have generated bountiful growth in our gardens. Our sustainable service will send your excess green waste off for composting, together with food organic and garden organic waste. The bundled green waste collection window is between Monday 3 October and Friday 4 November.

Follow these steps to prepare:

Step 1: Book your collection

• If Council collects your kerbside bins, your property is eligible for a free bundled green waste collection each April and October.
• Find out more about what we collect and book your collection on our Book a bundled green waste collection page. Bookings are open now and close on Friday 28 October at 2 pm.
• Book in your collection at least a week before you want it collected. This gives our contractors time to plan their schedules.

Step 2: Get trimming

• Check that your plants don’t encroach on Council land.
• If branches overhang footpaths, prune them so there’s vertical clearance of 2.4 m for pedestrians.
• Prune out dead or broken branches to improve the structure and look of your trees and shrubs. If your trees are big or hard to access, consider using an arborist.
• Use flowering time as a guide to whether you should prune ornamental trees and shrubs. Many spring-flowering species will benefit from light pruning after they flower. Avoid pruning summer-flowering plants in spring, as this will remove the flower buds.

Step 3: Bundle it

To guarantee pick-up, make sure your green waste is under the collection size limit. Tie the bundles with non-plastic string or twine and stack neatly. Bundled and tied green waste of up to 2 cubic metres per household will be collected. Our contractors won’t collect more than this, and won’t collect unbundled green waste.

As spring growth takes off and we look ahead to summer, now’s the time to work on fire prevention. Being fire ready is a shared responsibility between government, emergency services and the community.

Fire risk is significantly reduced when properties are well maintained.

Clear anything that could fuel a fire by:

• mowing your lawns so they’re no higher than 15 cm
• storing building materials and firewood away from your house and fence lines
• removing dead dry foliage, leaves and undergrowth.

This advice is especially important for vacant land. Over summer, we will be on the lookout for any fire risks as part of our Fire Prevention Program.

For more tips or to report a potential fire hazard to us, contact Council or visit our Fire prevention page.