What you need to know
Fair
Qeente Boordup - This means 'fair' in Woi wurrung language.
A fair city that values diversity, where everyone feels safe, is included and has access to healthy food, services and housing
Realising a Fair Moonee Valley
These strategic directions, objectives and actions provide the framework to realise a Fair Moonee Valley.
Diversity in all its forms is one of Moonee Valley’s greatest strengths as a community. It supports social and economic wellbeing and contributes to our thriving, creative and safe neighbourhoods.
To harness its full potential and avoid misunderstanding, prejudice and injustice, we will continue to foster opportunities for cross cultural understanding and celebration.
We know some residents face barriers to participating in the community or experience social or economic inequality because of their age, race, employment or disability status. These groups are known as target populations, and are given greater attention in the Council Plan to promote inclusion and reduce the disadvantage they experience.
Some residents experience multiple barriers at once, which may mean they have a unique and compounding experience of injustice. An example may be a young person from a culturally and linguistically diverse background who is living with a disability.
This is often referred to as ‘intersectionality’. This plan encourages us to consider an intersectional lens with service delivery, projects and partnerships.
What Council do?
- We run programs, events and support services for young people aged 12 to 25.
- We celebrate how diverse Moonee Valley is. We support our most vulnerable people.
Did you know?
- 72 languages and dialects are spoken in homes across Moonee Valley and almost 30% live in households where a non-English language is spoken.
- Avondale Heights, Milleara and Flemington neighbourhoods have the highest number of people born overseas.
How we grow, live, work and age are important factors which influence our health, as do the social health factors including income, education, employment and social support. The importance of health is highlighted by our MV2040 vision for a healthy city.
There is a strong link between health and social disadvantage. In general, the higher a person’s socio-economic position, the healthier they are.
Some health inequities are linked to forms of disadvantage such as poverty, discrimination and inadequate access to support. There are some community members in Moonee Valley who experience higher levels of disadvantage and this plan uses a human rights focus to address and eliminate preventable factors which contribute to health inequality.
We acknowledge that climate change is the biggest threat to our community’s wellbeing. Working to reduce inequality will help to strengthen our community’s resilience and address the chronic stressors that make community members more vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.
Council’s MV2040 Action Plan – Green details our actions relating to climate change.
What does Council do?
- We uphold local laws to keep our community safe and orderly.
- We help to keep our community healthy. We provide free immunisations and oversee food safety.
- We support local families, parents, babies and children in our community. Our Maternal and Child Health Nurses and free services keep families healthy and connected, including those who might need extra support.
Did you know?
- Nearly half our residents do not meet dietary guidelines for fruit or vegetable consumption.
- More than half of our residents meet physical activity guidelines.
- More than 12% of residents and almost 1 in 5 young people report high or very high levels of psychological distress.
- More than two thirds of people felt safe walking our streets alone.
Working within each of the 13 neighbourhoods is central to achieving a fairer city. Our aim is to address each neighbourhood's specifc needs, by strengthening our understanding of their unique characteristics and strengths.
Working with communities, we will provide tools to create meaningful change at the local level. This requires agile partnerships with our community, organisations, community, health and social services and non-profits.
Community hubs provide important services to the community as well as opportunities to connect and celebrate. We will work with organisations and communities to deliver services in existing, new and upgraded hubs – both Council and non-Council operated. They will become the hearts of our neighbourhoods.
What does Council do?
- We support older adults, people living with a disability and carers to have healthy, active and independent lives.
- We provide child care to help our families and give our kids the best possible start in life.
- We research who lives in our community and what you need. We work to make sure you feel included, healthy and safe in Moonee Valley.
Did you know?
- Council oversees a network of approximately 200 facilities within 120 Council-owned buildings.
- There are over a million visits annually to our community facilities.
In developing MV2040 we sought extensive community involvement to understand the lived experience of inequality and social exclusion.
There is a visible trend in Australia towards reshaping how local government works with communities to realise better social outcomes. Many councils are now adopting a focus on community development and applying neighbourhood or place-based approaches to planning, delivery and engagement.
Research and practice indicate that by increasing social connections, civic participation and social cohesion in communities there are a broad range of positive health, social and economic outcomes.
Council's decisions and actions affect the lives of all people who live, work and study in Moonee Valley. Citizen participation in decision making can influence not only the planning and delivery of Council services, but also inform many of the determinants of health and wellbeing.
We will continue to work together and encourage our communities to create change by promoting community leadership, and empowering community members to have a voice and influence in designing solutions to address inequality.
Did you know?
- 40% of respondents of the 2019 Community Survey felt that Council’s performance in community consultation and engagement was positive. This is decline of 4% on 2018 results.
- We are working to improve opportunities for our community to have a real say on issues that are important to them.
Housing is a human right and plays an important role in ensuring our community is healthy, connected and thriving.
Moonee Valley is growing and changing and many people are priced out of housing in the municipality.
As our community changes, we need the right housing types (including social housing), sizes and price points across our neighbourhoods to encourage people to stay connected to their communities.
Did you know?
- The 2016 census registered 403 people experiencing homelessness in Moonee Valley.
- Young people aged 12 to 24 years in Australia make up the majority of homeless people, accounting for over 30% of people living in severely crowded dwellings and almost a quarter of people in supported accommodation for the homeless.
- In December 2019, there were only 13 affordable rental properties available in Moonee Valley, representing 1.1% of the total available rental properties in the city.
Thriving
Bandingith - This means 'doing well' in Woi wurrung language
A thriving city with access to jobs, lifelong learning, vibrant and dynamic activity centres
Realising a Thriving Moonee Valley
These strategic directions, objectives and actions provide the framework to realise a Thriving Moonee Valley.
We want our neighbourhoods to be full of opportunities for people to learn and work. We will provide and support the delivery of a wide range of accessible library and learning opportunities, using a variety of delivery models, to assist our community to develop their personal and professional skills.
A key part of our approach is offering, as well as promoting, volunteering and work placements. We understand that not only does this provide professional development, it enables social connections.
Did you know?
Moonee Valley Libraries have over 55,000 members, with over one million loans and downloads of library items made each year.
The COVID-19 pandemic restrictions saw many people working from home rather than traveling into an office, and for some industries this may become the new normal throughout recovery and beyond. We are looking at ways to expand our community spaces to facilitate co-working opportunities, not just with desks and office space, but also including our industrial kitchen at Clocktower Centre.
We are working with traders to identify how we can support them to increase their economic activity, including how to improve our business approval processes. We will also look at ways to activate and increase visitation to our activity centres to support the local economy.
What does Council do?
- We look after Council's buildings and centres. We help residents and groups use them too.
- We keep our community reading and learning, no matter your age. We run libraries that are the heart of our communities.
- We help local businesses succeed and grow. We run workshops, business training sessions and events.
Did you know?
- Moonee Valley’s Gross Regional Product (GRP) for 2016 was estimated to be $4.515 billion, representing 14.2% of Melbourne’s West GRP of $31.795 billion (REMPLAN)
- It is estimated that 47,854 people work in Moonee Valley, with 10,401 jobs located in Moonee Ponds (SGS Economics and Planning, City of Moonee Valley Employment Forecasts, February 2018)
- It is projected that there will be an increase of 29,365 jobs within Moonee Valley by 2040 (SGS Economics and Planning, City of Moonee Valley Employment Forecasts, February 2018).
The need for physical distancing saw events and festivals stop or move to a digital environment during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. We are still a city with things to see and do, we just need to change how we see and do some things and we plan to continue to provide places for our community to formally and informally connect and collaborate.
We are committed to delivering a rich program of events and activations across our neighbourhoods to showcase our cultural institutions, natural attractions and vibrant activity centres. It is important that we celebrate local cultures, local talent and stimulate local economic activity.
We will look to offer a series of neighbourhood-based activations and events, and support our community to lead events. We will ensure all of our activations, events and programs adhere to State Government public health advice. We will facilitate alternate ways to commemorate and celebrate important dates and our programs, including online platforms or with distancing measures in place. We will also support community clubs and associations to recommence their activities run at Council-owned facilities.
What does Council do?
- We bring our rich culture to life, through art, music and theatre programs. We run the Clocktower Centre and Incinerator Gallery.
- We run events and festivals, so we can celebrate and connect with each other.
- We provide sport, fitness and leisure facilities to help you keep active and healthy.
Did you know?
- There are around 90,000 attendances per year to events at The Clocktower Centre, 5,600 people at the Incinerator Gallery and 60,000 attendances at library programs and events.
- Moonee Valley residents are significantly more likely to participate in organised physical activity than the average Victorian (VicHealth Indicators Survey 2015).
During the restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, technology allowed us to communicate and a new sense of community connection was established, particularly among groups who previously may not have used technology as a way to undertake two-way communication.
We had to adapt our services and programs to suit the new normal of physical distancing and technology was at the forefront of making that happen.
We will continue to update Council’s information communication technology and promote digital alternatives for our programs and services into pandemic recovery and beyond.
Connected
Yanoninon Maggolee - This means 'travel here' in Woi wurrung language
A connected city of accessible, active and sustainable transport choices
Realising a Connected Moonee Valley
These strategic directions, objectives and actions provide the framework to realise a Connected Moonee Valley.
We know that people can’t walk or cycle everywhere they need to get to, so we are advocating for improved public transport in Moonee Valley. We will focus on the accessibility and safety of pedestrian footpaths and cycling connections, particularly to public transport interchanges, to encourage sustainable transport.
The State Government is undertaking a range of public transport projects that complement the outcomes we are hoping to achieve in Moonee Valley. We will continue to work with State Government to deliver investment which reflects the needs and priorities of all members of our community.
What does Council do?
- We help residents drive, walk, cycle and access public transport. We want transport to be safe, environmentally friendly and available for everyone.
Did you know?
- Moonee Valley's location as a transport thoroughfare between the CBD and the northern and western suburbs and 2 of Melbourne’s fastest growing regions, makes transport planning very challenging.
- Around 19% of employed Moonee Valley residents travel to work by public transport. This is higher than the figure for Greater Melbourne but ranges from less than 10% in Keilor East to 33% in Flemington (ABS Census, 2016).
- Around 6,000 passengers catch the train from Essendon Station each weekday, making it the busiest station in Moonee Valley (Public Transport Victoria, 2013–14).
- 94% of Moonee Valley residents live within either 800 metres (10-minute walk) of a train station, or 400 metres (5-minute walk) of a tram or bus stop (Calculated from PTV data, 2017 and ABS Census, 2016).
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, we saw an increase in the number of people walking and cycling around our neighbourhoods, and we want this to continue. We are working to make walking and cycling safe, convenient, accessible and comfortable for people who live, work, study or play in Moonee Valley, so it’s their first choice of transport.
What does Council do?
- We help plan and maintain the facilities and systems that keep Moonee Valley going.
- We maintain Council roads, paths, drains, buildings, public facilities and spaces.
Did you know?
- 68% of Moonee Valley residents participate in non-organised physical activity such as walking, jogging or running, or cycling, and this is higher than the 57% figure for Victoria (VicHealth Indicators Survey, 2015).
- When looking at transport patterns for all purposes (not just journey to work), some 15% of all trips are by foot, 10% are by public transport and 5% are by cycling (Victorian Department of Transport, 2015).
- Between 2006 and 2016 over 2,474 people were involved in road trauma in Moonee Valley, with 28 people killed, 759 sustaining serious injuries and 1,687 suffering other injuries (Transport Safety Strategy 2016–26).
Green
Wunwarren - This means 'green' in Woi wurrung language
A green city that is ecologically healthy and environmentally responsible
Realising a Green Moonee Valley
These strategic directions, objectives and actions provide the framework to realise a Green Moonee Valley.
Across the globe there is a pressing need to reduce carbon emissions to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. We all have a part to play to achieve deep cuts to emissions.
This requires a shared effort across residents, businesses, Council and other levels of government.
To play our part, we have a target to achieve zero net carbon emissions from Council operations by 2020, by a combination of reducing corporate carbon emissions and the purchase of carbon offsets.
We aim achieve zero net emissions for our community by 2040, we also have interim community emissions reduction targets of:
- 44% below 2017 levels by 2025
- 67 – 70% below 2017 levels by 2030.
Did you know?
- Transport and freight (40%) and residential buildings (30%) contribute to most of our carbon emissions.
- Council is on track to achieve zero net emissions in our operations by 2020.
The urban forest, including all the trees and vegetation in our city is critically important to both mental and physical health as these cool, green environments encourage people to recreate and socialise outdoors.
As the climate changes and we experience hotter, drier and more extreme weather conditions, our community will be more impacted by heat stress and flood risk. A healthy urban forest is one of the most effective ways to mitigate urban heat island and improve health outcomes in the community.
Water is critical to creating much needed green, cool, and climate-adapted spaces in our city. In 2040, our city supports healthy natural environments, waterways and green spaces, while providing sustainable water supplies to meet our needs.
What does Council do?
- We help protect our environment and tackle climate change.
Did you know?
- Around 60% of our city is covered by roads, roofs and concrete.
- More than 2,000 mature trees are planted each year in streets and parks, along with an additional 1,000 indigenous trees and shrubs.
- We have 30 hectares of conservation areas, including pockets of remnant vegetation that have survived since European colonisation.
- Only 4% of rainwater landing on roofs in Moonee Valley is harvested and reused.
Australian households produce over 13 million tonnes of waste per year and in Moonee Valley we lead typical Australian, high consumption lifestyles. We cannot sustain this level of consumption and associated waste generation.
We need to rethink our use of resources and consider the legacy we leave future generations. Over the coming decades this will require a major shift to see ourselves as stewards of our natural resources, rather than primarily consumers and producers of waste.
We need to consider the whole of life cycle of products and value durable, long-lasting materials. By first avoiding waste and increasing reuse, recycling and other forms of resource recovery, we can dramatically cut waste disposed to landfill.
Council acknowledges that the achievement of our aspirational target depends on developments in the waste industry that are outside Council’s control, such as improved resource recovery technologies and changes in the regulatory environment.
What does Council do?
- We keep Moonee Valley clean and tidy. We manage street sweeping, recycling and rubbish collection.
Did you know?
- On average, each household sends around 480 kilograms of waste to landfill and 220 kilograms of materials for recycling per year.
- Moonee Valley offers residents the ongoing opportunity to put food waste in their green lid bin. This is known as the Food Organics Garden Organics, or FOGO, bin.
As the climate changes, we expect to see more extreme weather, such as storms and floods, and generally hotter, drier conditions.
This will place additional pressure on the community, impact Council assets and disrupt services. It will however, also present new opportunities, such as acting as a driver to create a cooler, more climate resilient city with a lower carbon footprint.
Climate change adaptation is about being better prepared and equipped to cope with the impacts of climate change. Adaptation planning involves improving the ability of Council’s services, our natural and built assets, and our community to be resilient to the impacts of climate change.
What does Council do?
- We keep Moonee Valley beautiful, green and leafy. We look after our local parks, gardens, nature reserves, sports grounds, and the trees in our streets.
Did you know?
- Our city has around only 9.5 to 11% tree canopy cover.
- Many of our 50,000 street trees are vulnerable to the changing climate due to their lack of diversity.
Beautiful
Nga-ango Gunga - This means 'breathtaking' in Woi wurrung language.
A beautiful city that celebrates its identity, heritage and open spaces.
Realising a Beautiful Moonee Valley
These strategic directions, objectives and actions provide the framework to realise a Thriving Moonee Valley.
With more people using our trails and open spaces, we are taking the opportunity to make sure our local identity is embedded within the natural and built landscapes.
We're working with Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Peoples to embed Wurundjeri culture into Moonee Valley's identity.
The historic fabric of Moonee Valley requires conservation and protection, and we’re working to expand our ability to preserve the heritage of our neighbourhoods.
What does Council do?
- We oversee growth and development in Moonee Valley. We protect what makes our neighbourhoods unique.
Did you know?
- The historic Incinerator Gallery, designed by Walter Burley Griffin, is one of 13 such incinerators built across Australia from 1930 to 1938. It is one of 6 that remain and the only one in Victoria.
- Moonee Valley is home to 27 properties on the Victorian Heritage Register.
We know our city is going to grow and change, and our city needs to develop in a way that is safe, diverse and accessible to all. We plan to facilitate this growth and change by establishing a framework for high quality design of our built environment.
What does Council do?
- We build and improve Council roads, paths, drains, buildings, public facilities and spaces.
- We plan large scale building projects to meet the needs of our community.
- We support Moonee Valley's growth. We make sure plans, investment and decisions meet community needs now and in the future.
We want our public spaces to engage all members of our community and be filled with activity and community life. We plan to activate, green and beautify our city to make our public spaces attractive and inviting areas.
We also plan to facilitate the use of public spaces for new and varied activities. This is especially relevant in pandemic recovery where use of some indoor spaces is limited and outdoors becomes more important for recreation and exercise.
Through the pandemic restrictions we saw more people shopping at their local shopping strips, and we want this to continue. We are designing streetscape improvements that will result in high-quality well-designed places that people will want to visit and spend time in.
Did you know?
- Moonee Valley has 97 playgrounds.
We know that open space and nature promote positive health and wellbeing outcomes, which is especially important as we face a new way of life. We will upgrade playgrounds and parklands, and develop guidelines for our open space in line with our approach to 20-minute neighbourhoods to further develop our beautiful spaces.
Did you know?
- Moonee Valley has around 220 parks, gardens and open space reserves that cover around 12.5% of the municipality by area (528 hectares).
- There are 30 hectares of conservation land of which 17 hectares are remnant vegetation with valuable Ecological Vegetation Classes, including Temperate Grasslands, Plains Grassy Woodlands, Escarpment Shrublands and Riparian Woodland.
- The city is home to, or frequented by, more than 93 native bird species, 12 mammal species, 3 frog species and numerous insects.
- The Wurundjeri People are the traditional custodians of the land. They relied on the Maribyrnong River, Moonee Ponds Creek and Steele Creek for cultural purposes, fishing, transport and food.