Dinner Plain Update
Autumn - Winter 2016
Dinner Plain turns 30!
guests Peter McIntyre - the original award-winning
architect of Dinner Plain - and former Deputy Prime
Opening Weekend will be extra special this year as
Minister Tim Fischer, amongst others. To book, call
it marks the 30th year since Dinner Plain came to
Josie on 0407 097 973.
life. The Dinner Plain Hotel was the first building to
open on 8 June 1986. Come and celebrate with live
See the visitdinnerplain.com website for more de-
music on Saturday night June 11 at either Hotel High
tails about what’s happening in Dinner Plain.
Plains or the Dinner Plain Hotel, then catch up with
everyone down at DP Hut on Sunday June 12 at 4pm
for some warm gluhwein, Dinner Plain-brewed beer,
snacks and marshmallow toasting while listening
to the very entertaining ballads of bush poet Geoff
Jackson.
As darkness falls, the sky will light up with fireworks
at 6pm. Then it’s time to take your seat at one of
the celebratory dinners. Dinner at Graze has already
booked out, but you can still reserve your seat at
the There’s SnowExcuse 30th Anniversary Gala Dinner at the Dinner Plain Hotel, with very special
Survey Results
A big thank you to everyone who took the time
to fill out the Dinner Plain survey. It has been very
insightful to guage which services, specifically those
funded by the Special Rate, are important to the
community. Each one of your comments has been
read and we appreciate the feedback.
The results of the survey will be publically available
Subscribe to our e-mail database and stay in
touch. Email [email protected] to join.
on the Alpine Shire Council website from Friday 27
May. To find it, go to alpineshire.vic.gov.au and click
on ‘Services’ followed by ‘Dinner Plain’.
Important changes to the Special Rate
The Alpine Shire Council’s draft budget is currently
online for public submissions. Of significance to Dinner Plain residents is how this draft budget affects
the Special Rate. The draft budget indicates a reduction in the special rate from 80% of the general rate
to 65% of the general rate. This will mean a saving
of about $172 a year for the average ratepayer. This
reduction will not impact current services at Dinner
Plain, such as the bus, events funding, marketing,
snow grooming, snow clearing, and TV maintenance
etc. However, it will result in a $159,000 drop in the
Dinner Plain reserve account.
This reduction in the Special Rate has been proposed
by Council as an interim step whilst the results of
the audit and the recently completed survey are
analysed and future changes considered. The draft
budget for the is on display on the Alpine Shire
Council’s website. You can find it at: http://www.
alpineshire.vic.gov.au/files/On_exhibition/Draft_
to review the audit results prior to making a submission on the Draft Budget and the Special Rate,
the submission deadline has been extended to 16
June. This extension is for Dinner Plain owners only.
Submissions for the rest of the Shire close on 9
June. Those interested are invited to review the draft
and submit any objections to Council. Council is due
to adopt the final budget on Tuesday 28 June 2016.
Information on how to make a submission is available on the Alpine Shire Council website.
Community Audit Meeting
Crowe Horwath has been conducting an audit of
the past 10 years of Alpine Shire Council’s Dinner
Plain accounts. The auditors will be coming to Dinner
Plain to present their findings to the community and
residents are invited to attend.
When: Saturday 11 June 2016
Time: 2pm
Where: Playground Lounge, Hotel High Plains
Budget_Report_2016_17.pdf
Many of you will be aware that an audit of the Din-
Dinner Plain Cattle Grid
ner Plain accounts is almost complete. The auditors
will be in Dinner Plain on Saturday 11 June to present their findings to the community and residents
are invited to attend.
Some of you may be keen to hear the outcomes of
the audit before making a submission on the draft
budget. To allow Dinner Plain owners the opportunity
Join the conversation
facebook.com/Dinner.Plain
Works to install a cattle grid and fence on the
Dinner Plain Track are now complete. The new
grid will prevent cattle from Cobungra Station
from entering Dinner Plain.
Bushfire Risk Mitigation
ered and extensive approach to protection of life and
Council is currently working in conjunction with the
property by both Council and the CFA.
CFA to reduce fuel loads at a number of Council
managed sites around the village. These works aim
Council is committed, however, to striking a balance
to:
between addressing the fire risks inherent at Dinner
Plain while also protecting the unique environmental
• Reduce the risk to life and property during the
setting of the village.
summer months in the event of a bushfire; and
• Fulfil our legislative requirements under the State
Where possible, existing trails throughout the village
planning regulations to enable future development to
will be used for the creation of enhanced buffer
occur and to ensure new development remains con-
zones – e.g. the cross-country trail east of the Al-
sistent with the current character of Dinner Plain.
pine School traditionally provided a vegetation-free
corridor of approximately four metres. With a sweep
Only the elevated shrub understory, characterised by
of this machine either side, a buffer zone of up to 20
Alpine Grevillea and Alpine Pepper, is being impacted.
metres in parts has now been created.
This mulching will help to mitigate the risk of fire in
the landscape, through:
In addition to the significant fire prevention impact
of the works Council is also working with the CFA to
• Providing buffer zones free of elevated fuel to re-
streamline the process for obtaining planning per-
duce the Rate of Spread (ROS) and intensity of a fire;
mits in the village.
• Reducing the likelihood of spotting;
• Providing better access for the CFA to fight fires.
The whole of village approach to fire prevention
means that it will be easier for new development in
These works are being achieved with a rub-
the village to occur.
ber-tracked excavator, coupled with a mulching-head attachment, to protect the sensitive
If you would like to understand the new works re-
natural environment as much as possible.
gime please contact Steve Tucker - 03 5755 0553
and if you would like to know how the works will
The tragic events of Black Saturday in 2009 and the
impact on future development in the village please
resultant Royal Commission findings have changed
contact Heather Green – 03 5755 0521.
risk management within Victoria’s Planning regulations.
Join the conversation
This together with the 2013 fires that directly impacted Dinner Plain have resulted in a more consid-
facebook.com/Dinner.Plain
Event Funding
Dinner Plain Calendar of Events
Applications are now being accepted for the
June
2016/17 round of events funding for Dinner Plain.
12
The closing date for funding assistance is July 1
Opening Week & 30th Anniversary
visitdinnerplain.com
2016.
July
For more information, please see the Planning Fes-
23-24
tivals & Events page under Business and Tourism on
Victorian Biathlon Championships
www.biathlon.asn.au
the Alpine Shire Council website, or type in: http://
www.alpineshire.vic.gov.au/Page/Page.aspx?Page_
August
MND Mountain Challenge
5
Id=126
visitdinnerplain.com
Welcome
13-14
Altitude 5000 Sled Dog Challenge
www.sleddogchallenge.com
15-16
Australian Biathlon Championships
www.biathlon.asn.au
To stay up to date with events in Dinner Plain as
they’re announced, click on the Events search on the
visitdinnerplain.com website.
Share your photos on Instagram
A warm welcome to Dinner Plain’s new businesses:
Blizzard Brewing Company (now Australia’s highest
brewery), Cloud 9 Alpine Lodge B&B and Howling
Husky Sled Dog Tours. There’s also a new bar and
Cafe opening at the Dinner Plain Hotel this Opening
Weekend, so make sure to get down to The Church
this winter for Mexican or to just hold up the bar and
confess your sins.
Join the conversation
facebook.com/Dinner.Plain
Dinner Plain is now on Instagram! Find us at
@visitdinnerplain and hashtag your instagram images with #dinnerplain.
Council Contacts
Alpine Shire Bright Office: (03) 5755 0555
Rates Queries: Kate Davies
Planning: Simon Maughan
Building Surveyor: Bruce Howie
Dog Registrations: Len McGaffin
Environmental Health: Peter Anderson
Local Laws: Len McGaffin
Marketing & Events: Alia Parker